Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma.

A renewed push to establish international flights in and out of Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma has sparked mixed reactions among Suffolk County residents, including frequent flyers that use it.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) held a news conference Monday at the airport with local officials calling on the U.S. Department of Customs, Border and Protection to develop a plan that would allow flights to and from popular vacation destinations such as Aruba and the Bahamas.

“A customs facility at Macarthur could be a magnet for new carriers, helping the airport regain some of its lost flights and giving Long Islanders direct access to some of the most popular tourist destinations,” said Schumer.

He hopes such service would reverse the 46.4 percent loss of commercial flights at LIMA from 2007 through last year, he said.

International airlines like Interjet and FlyA have inquired about establishing routes at MacArthur, but airstrips would have to be lengthened and space would be needed for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to enforce regulations designed to stop the introduction of exotic or foreign plants, animal pests and diseases, according to Schumer.

“This airport wasn’t meant to be heavily populated,” said Christina Monteleone, a Commack resident who regularly flies out of MacArthur. “Some of us live out here to escape the overpopulation. We already have JFK and LaGuardia.”

Islip Town Supervisor Tom Croci has begun to develop a plan in the event that it gets approval to add carriers in addition to Southwest Airlines, U.S. Airways shuttle service to Washington, D.C. and Pen Air flights to Boston.

“The addition of this customs and agriculture inspection capability brings our residents exactly what they have been asking for….more direct flights from the hassle free airport down the road,” he said.

James Owsinski, a Kings Park resident, believes that international flights the airport would be both convenient and help the economy.

“More planes coming in here would boost the economy,” he said. “Quite frankly, it would be easier for people who want to travel but don’t want to drive to JFK from the Hamptons just to get on a plane.”

Since most sons and daughters are well passed the age when cutesy homemade cards made in grammar school would suffice, everyone else has to find more grown-up ways to get creative.

But fear not, the Long Island Press is in the same boat. To help with this annual dilemma, here’s a list of Mother’s Day events to either shop for a gift or  bring mum herself on her big day.

Don’t forget the flowers!

Weekend-long events:

Mother’s Day Fair. Green Acres Mall, 1 E. Merrick Rd. Valley Stream. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Mother’s Day Plant Sale. Munns Pond County Park, 228 West Montauk Highway. Hampton Bays. 10 a.m. -4 p.m.

Mother’s Day Craft & Gift Show, Christopher Morley Park 500 Searingtown Rd. Roslyn. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Mother’s Day Crafts. Maritime Explorium, 101 East Broadway Port Jefferson. 1-5 p.m.

Saturday

Mother’s Day Art & Craft Fair. Northport High School, Corner of Laurel Hill & Elwood Rd. Northport. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Mother’s Day Yoga by the Sea! Whaling Museum, 279 Main St. Cold Spring Harbor. 11 a.m.

Mothers’ Day Floral Design, Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd. Old Westbury. 12-1 p.m.

Mother’s Day Crafts. Garvies Point Museum, 50 Barry Drive. Glen Cove. 12-3 p.m.

Spa Science with Mom. Long Island Science Center, 11 West Main St. Riverhead. 3-5 p.m.

Sunday

Mother’s Day Dinner. Rockwell’s Bar & Grill, 60 Terry Rd. #7 Smithtown

Carl Hart Mother’s Day Duathlon. Heckscher State Park, Islip. 9 a.m.

Spring Lake’s Mother’s Day nine. Spring Lake Golf Club, 30 E. Bartlett Rd. Middle Island. 10 a.m.

Mother’s Day at the Hatchery. Fish Hatchery and Aquarium, 1660 Route 25A. Cold Spring Harbor. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Mother’s Day Brunch. Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center, 431 East Main St. Riverhead. 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Mother’s Day Brunch. Garden City Hotel, 45 Seventh Street, Garden City. 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Mother’s Day Dinner. Glen Cove Mansion, 200 Dosoris Lane, Glen Cove. 1-4 p.m.

Celebrate Mother’s Day. Perfecto Mundo Latin Bistro, 1141-1 Jericho Turnpike. Commack. 1-7 p.m.

The events range from fundraisers for Superstorm Sandy survivors and family events for the kids to local bars and restaurants offering specials on burritos, margaritas and Coronas—so break out that souvenir sombrero from Cancun.

But, before leaving the house in a poncho, here’s a quick North American history refresher lesson:  Cinco de Mayo is not—like some people mistakenly believe—Mexican Independence Day, which is Sept.16.

The holiday commemorates the Battle of Puebla, when Mexican forces turned back invading French troops in 1862—a symbol of resiliency for the world’s most populous Spanish-speaking nation.

And for those who still remember their high school Spanish 101, here’s a potentially useful bonus factoid—a Mexican saying that may come in handy on the Long Island Rail Road this weekend: “A boca de borracho, oídos de cantinero.”

It translates to “the mouth of drunk, ears of barman.” It basically means ignore the loud drunks.

Saturday
10 a.m.-5 p.m., Cinco de Mayo Dive Meet, Nassau County Aquatic Center, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, 516-572-0501.

2-4 p.m., Cinco de Mayo at the Long Island Children’s Museum, 11 Davis Ave., Garden City, 516-224-5800.

Cinco de Mayo Kickoff Party, Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub, 275 Rte 25A, Miller Place, 631-331-5454. $4 Coronas and margaritas.

May 4-5: Cinco de Mayo Weekend at The Nutty Irishman. 323 Main St. Farmingdale. 516-293-9700. $4 Coronas, 8-10 p.m.

Sunday
11 a.m.-2 p.m., Cinco de Mayo Festival at the Garden of Eve Organic Farm & Market. 4558 Sound Ave, Aquebogue, 631-523-6608

11 a.m.-2 p.m., Cinco de Mayo at the Long Island Game Farm Wildlife Park. 638 Chapman Blvd, Manorville, 631-878-6644. www.longislandgamefarm.com

12-2:30 p.m. or 3-5:30 p.m., Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Kid’s Fun Skate. United Skates of America, 1276 Hicksville Rd. Seaford, 516-795-5474.

2 p.m., Cinco de Mayo: Serenata Mexicana. The Suffolk Theater, 118 E. Main St. Riverhead, 631- 727-4343. $35.

2-3 p.m., Latin Music. Long Island Museum of American Art, History and Carriages, 1200 Route 25A  Stony Brook, 631-751-0066

2-5 p.m., Mambo Loco at Martha Clara Vineyards. 6025 Sound Ave. Riverhead, 631-298-0075

3-8 p.m., Cinco de Mayo Party, Sandy survivor fundraiser, Knights of Columbus, 2333 Bellmore Ave., Bellmore, 516-785-9407. $40.

3-9 p.m., Cinco de Mayo at Pefecto Mundo Latin Bistro. 1141-1 Jericho Turnpike, Commack, 631-864-2777.

10 p.m.-12 a.m., Cinco de Mayo at Lily Flanagan’s Pub. 345 Deer Park Ave., Babylon, 631-539-0816

Cinco de Mayo Party at Dublin Deck. 325 River Ave, Patchogue, 631-207-0370.

Cinco de Moe’s at Moe’s Southwest Grill, multiple locations. Homewrecker burrito, chips and salsa for $5 and bobblehead Cinco de Moe’s collector’s cups.

Margaritas and Fajitas at Cozymel’s Mexican Grill, 1177 Corporate Dr., Westbury.11 a.m.-12 a.m.

Buy two tacos get one free at Chico’s Tex-Mex Restaurant, 18 Berryhill Rd., Syosset, 516-802-3500. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

$2 tacos, $5 nacho platters, $3 beers and $4 margaritas and sangrias at Swell Taco, 135 Deer Park Ave., Babylon, 631-482-1299. 12-4 p.m.

$5 margaritas, $3 beers, free giveaways, Don Juan’s, multiple locations.

-Compiled by Danny Mounce

Suffolk County police said Anthony Jacovino of North Babylon was riding a motorcycle southbound on Commack Road when his bike collided with a westbound Dodge pickup truck at the corner of Vanderbilt Parkway at 5 a.m.

Jacovino was ejected from the motorcycle, which caught on fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The truck driver, 50-year-old George Custance of South Plainfield, New Jersey, was not injured.

Second Squad detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call them at 631-854-8252.

A man was driving a pick-up truck northbound on Commack Road when he turned east onto Jericho Turnpike, lost control and struck a Cadillac at 2:40 p.m. Saturday, March 16, police said.

The truck fled eastbound on Commack Road. The woman in the Cadillac was treated and released from Huntington Hospital.

The pickup truck was described as maroon, with the words Tree Service in yellow on each side with a cap covering the rear bed. The driver and his passenger were both wearing neon traffic or construction-type vests. The truck sustained damage to the front passenger side and a flat front right tire.

Investigators ask anyone who may have information about the incident, witnessed the crash when it occurred, or has information on the vehicle involved to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

Suffolk County police said Douglas Caldwell was driving his Nissan eastbound on Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge when the vehicle lost control, entered the center divider, struck a tree and overturned shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday.

Witnesses unsuccessfully tried to pull him from the vehicle before Commack Fire Department firefighters got him out. Caldwell was critically injured and taken to Stony Brook University Medical Center, where he died six days later.

Fourth Squad detectives are continuing the investigation and ask anyone with information on the crash to call themat 631-854-8452.

Robert Slavonik was leaving the Dunkin’ Donuts on Route 25A in a Dodge pickup truck when he crashed his vehicle into a westbound bus and drove off at 9:45 a.m., police said.

A witness took down the pickup truck’s plate number and reported it to police, who responded to the 44-year-old suspect’s home, where they found him in the driver’s seat of the truck in the driveway, police said.

Slavonik was charged with leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and driving while intoxicated. He will be arraigned Wednesday at First District Court in Central Islip.

The were no injuries reported on the bus, which was from the Three Village School District.

Gloria Montoya, 49, Commack, was driving a Honda Accord eastbound on the LIE near exit 51 when her car was rear-ended in the center lane by the dump truck that was merging from the right lane at 7:30 p.m., police said.  The Accord then struck the concrete center divider, a Toyota Solara in the HOV lane and a Dodge Magnum in the center lane, police said.

The driver of the Solara, 83-year-old William Broer of Hauppauge, was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was listed in serious condition. Montoya was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.  The driver of the Magnum, 35-year-old Carlos Gonzalez of Central Islip, was not injured.

Police described the dump truck that fled the scene as a newer-model, clean silver or grey-colored vehicle.

Second Squad detectives are continuing the investigation and ask anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has information to contact them at 631-854-8252 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.  All calls will be kept confidential.

Suffolk County police arrested Angel Laporte after a woman witnessed him masturbating at the Barnes and Noble book store on East Jericho Turnpike in East Northport at 9:50 p.m. Friday, authorities said. The woman yelled and the 54-year-old man fled, but officers apprehended him at his home Saturday.

Second Squad detectives suspect Laporte also committed public acts of lewdness at the Deer Park Public Library on Jan. 5 and at the Commack Public Library and the West Babylon Public Library on May 7, 2012.

Laporte is wanted by the New Milford Police Department in Connecticut for failing to register as a sex offender. Special Victim’s Unit detectives are also investigating.

Laporte was charged with public lewdness and will be arraigned Sunday at First District Court in Central Islip.

According to police, the garbage truck was driving westbound on Jericho Turnpike and the man’s vehicle was traveling eastbound when they collided around 2:15 a.m.

The man driving eastbound, who was not identified, died at the scene, police said. The driver of the garbage truck was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said they do not yet know if the crash was weather related.

The accident resulted in all lanes being closed down, police said.

The investigation is ongoing, police said.

Just last week, a veteran of the Suffolk County Police Department was killed when he was involved in a crash with a garbage truck in Commack.