By I Love Babylon · Week of July 19–25, 2026

Police activity set the week’s hardest headlines: officials closed a convenience store near West Babylon High following an employee’s drug arrest, and police broke up a street takeover in East Farmingdale. But the week also brought a Babylon Station milestone, a Deer Park athlete’s remarkable comeback, and a pasta pie with no respect for moderation. Here’s everything worth knowing from across the Town of Babylon — the big stories up top, quick hits below.

Jump to a story:
Store Near West Babylon High Closed •
East Farmingdale Street Takeover •
Babylon Station’s New Platforms •
$3M Casanova Meats Sale •
Deer Park Athlete’s Comeback •
Amityville’s Viral Pasta Pie •
Gilgo Coverage Moves to the Aftermath •
Gilgo Judge’s Certification Fight •
Quick Hits •
Coming Up •
In Memoriam •
What to Watch Next

FEATURED · PUBLIC SAFETY

Store Near West Babylon High Closed After Employee’s Drug Arrest

Babylon Town officials closed Infinite Convenience on Great East Neck Road, roughly 300 feet from West Babylon High School property, after a July 16 search by Suffolk County Police and Town officials. Police said employee Jerome Jones, 55, of Patchogue, was found with a felony amount of crack cocaine, along with bags and scales associated with narcotics sales.

Jones was charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, both Class B felonies. The charges are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. For parents and neighbors, the next question is what becomes of a storefront sitting so close to the high school.

Sources: Newsday → · Suffolk County Police → · Babylon Beacon →

PUBLIC SAFETY · STREET TAKEOVER

Nine Arrested, 12 Vehicles Impounded in East Farmingdale Street Takeover

A late-night street takeover on Central Avenue ended with nine arrests, 12 vehicles impounded and 46 traffic tickets, according to Suffolk County Police. Police said drivers shut down the roadway while performing donuts and burnouts after the gathering was organized through social media.

All nine people arrested were charged with misdemeanor unlawful speed contest and are due in First District Court at a later date. The charges are allegations, not convictions.

Sources: MSN → · Daily Voice →

TRANSIT · WORTH CATCHING UP ON

Babylon Station Opens New 12-Car Platforms Ahead of Schedule

The rebuilt 12-car platforms at the Long Island Rail Road’s Babylon Station opened July 14, just before this week’s reporting window — but the milestone is too consequential for local commuters to skip. The platforms opened two weeks ahead of schedule while the station remained in service throughout construction.

The platforms are finished; the larger modernization is not. Elevator and escalator work, communication and security upgrades, plaza renovations, signage, lighting and other improvements are expected to continue through the end of 2026. A rare piece of good infrastructure news for daily commuters, with more work still ahead.

Sources: Patch → · MTA →

BUSINESS · PROPERTY SALE

Former Casanova Meats Property Sells for $3 Million

A Manhattan-based investor bought Casanova Meats’ former West Babylon storage facility for $3 million, with plans to renovate the buildings. Together with this month’s Tractor Supply opening, the sale is another sign of investor interest along the Route 109 corridor.

Source: Newsday →

SPORTS · LOCAL ACHIEVEMENT

Deer Park’s Kayla Beaumont Caps a Remarkable Comeback

Less than two years after total reconstructive knee surgery, Deer Park High School’s Kayla Beaumont completed one of the strongest track-and-field careers in school history. The graduating senior finished second in New York State in the triple jump, earned county and section titles, and set Deer Park’s indoor and outdoor school records in the event.

She closed the season by placing third at New Balance Nationals and earning All-American recognition. Records are nice. Coming all the way back to break them is better.

Source: Patch →

FOOD · AMITYVILLE

Carmelina’s Pasta Pie Gets Its Turn in the Spotlight

Carmelina’s Pizzeria & Gelateria in Amityville is getting a fresh burst of attention for one of its gloriously excessive pasta-topped pies — the kind of slice that treats carbohydrates less like an ingredient and more like a governing philosophy.

Not every important local development requires a court date or a public hearing. Sometimes your cheat day simply needs a destination.

Source: Yahoo →

GILGO · AFTER THE SENTENCING

Gilgo Coverage Shifts From the Courtroom to the Aftermath

Two weeks after Rex Heuermann was sentenced to consecutive life terms without parole, the courtroom chapter is over, but the Gilgo story continues producing national coverage. This week brought an excerpt from former NYPD Commissioner Rodney Harrison’s account of the investigation, reporting on statements attributed to Heuermann, and continued coverage of the sentencing.

Little of it changes what Town residents already know about the case. What it does show is that the national attention on Gilgo is not disappearing with the final gavel.

Sources: NY Daily News → · MSN → · Court TV →

COURTS · JUDICIAL CERTIFICATION

Advocacy Group Opposes Extending Gilgo Judge’s Service Past Mandatory Retirement

The Center for Community Alternatives is opposing the certification of Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei, the 72-year-old judge who presided over the Gilgo Beach case, to continue serving beyond New York’s mandatory retirement age. The group cited Mazzei’s appellate record as part of a broader challenge to the continued service of four judges.

State Supreme Court justices may apply for as many as three additional two-year terms after 70, but certification is not automatic. The Administrative Board of the Courts will decide whether Mazzei may remain on the bench. This is a dispute over his future service — not an attempt to reopen the completed Heuermann case or undo its sentence.

Sources: Newsday → · City & State New York →

AROUND TOWN

Quick Hits

  • Two longtime Town leaders are preparing to retire. Town Clerk Geraldine “Gerry” Compitello and Comptroller Victoria Marotta are leaving two key posts for the Town to fill. Newsday →
  • A West Babylon man was among two people charged after an undercover online investigation. State Police said the operation targeted adults allegedly trying to sexually exploit minors. The charges are accusations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Greater Long Island → · Patch →

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Coming Up in and Around Babylon

  • Culture of Care Block Party — Saturday, July 25, noon–3:00 PM at Wyandanch Plaza. Details →
  • PRC Rock the Barco 3 aboard the Moon Chaser — Saturday, July 25, 1:00–4:00 PM at Captree Boat Basin. Details →
  • Babylon Village Farmers Market — Sunday, July 26, 8:00 AM–12:30 PM at the Babylon Village Gazebo. Weekend guide →
  • Tiger Rose at Tanner Park — Sunday, July 26, 5:00–8:00 PM in Copiague. Details →

IN MEMORIAM

Remembering Our Neighbors

We take a moment to remember neighbors whose obituaries and memorial notices were published or shared this week. Our thoughts are with their families and friends.

LOOKING AHEAD

What Residents Should Watch Next

Several threads carry forward. Watch what the Town does with the closed West Babylon storefront and whether any additional enforcement follows. The Administrative Board of the Courts must decide whether Justice Mazzei will be certified to continue serving past mandatory retirement. The Town also has two leadership posts to fill as its clerk and comptroller retire. And at Babylon Station, the platforms are open, but the remaining accessibility and plaza work continues through the end of the year.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Don’t miss The Weekend Summer Owed You: Babylon Events ~ July 24–26, 2026 — your guide to live music, markets, family events and everything else happening around the Town.

Got a story we missed? Reply to the newsletter or email ryan@babylonlocal.com — we’re always looking for news from every corner of the Town.

For more local updates, events and community stories, visit ILoveBabylon.com.