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Learning about investing through Zoom

by Rita J. Egan - July 22, 2022

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For many in the area, Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m. is a time they put aside to talk about stocks and investing.

Through the pandemic, Steven Kelman, of Port Jefferson Station, and Bill Greenbaum, of Fort Salonga, have been offering the Bates House Investment Group through Zoom. The workshop provides those interested in learning about investing with a weekly discussion and learning experience. Members discuss different investments such as stocks, bonds and more. They also talk about how current events affect portfolios, and the workshop leaders share insights into investing, investment resources and analyzing the stock market.

“We had some people that started with absolutely no knowledge at all, and they’re presenting reports like they’ve been doing it for 20 years now,” Kelman said.

The workshops initially were offered through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Stony Brook University, better known as OLLI. Before the pandemic, the class was moved from SBU to the Bates House in Setauket. When COVID-19 hit, and the pandemic lockdowns began, Zoom enabled Kelman and Greenbaum to reach more people, even those who don’t live in the Three Village area or on Long Island. Kelman said with non-OLLI members interested in participating, the workshop leaders decided to make it available to anyone interested and no longer offered the class through OLLI.

Greenbaum said Zoom has worked out well for them.

“During the pandemic, it’s really been wonderful that it was a connection point for everyone,” he said.

Greenbaum, who was a global controller in the finance department of Disney before he retired, said when he was younger, he would look over his grandfather’s shoulder when he read stock reports. Kelman, who for 42 years worked for the Federal Aviation Administration after serving in the U.S. Air Force, said he’s been interested in investing on and off for 30 years.

The approximately two dozen workshop members are nonprofessionals, Kelman said, and they range in experience from advanced to beginners. He added that a few have lost a spouse and weren’t sure what to do regarding investments, and the workshop has provided a good starting point.

Greenbaum said it’s impressive to see newcomers who sometimes might sit back at first, but as they begin to learn become more experienced. The two have also learned from the members, Kelman said.

“The diversity of the group is quite amazing, people from all walks of life,” Greenbaum said.

Members attend for free, and no money is actually invested in the market. Each individual picks a stock and researches it. They each then present their choice to the class and the group will discuss and then virtually buy it if they all agree on it. The members keep track of how the stock does and have a mock portfolio. After investing in a particular stock, they will also discuss if they made the right decision.

Kelman said they track about 35 to 40 stocks. He said it constantly changes as they set up a fictitious figure of $250,000. Once they get to that amount, they have to sell something to buy additional stocks, which also teaches when to sell.

Even though the group doesn’t actually invest, many take what they learn and invest on their own.

Greenbaum added that with the market going down recently, the group also provides a form of moral support.

“It’s nice to have a group of people that you could share that with,” he said. “Normally you can’t. This topic is not for everybody.”

For more information, contact Steven Kelman at 631-473-0012.

Theater Review: The rhythm is gonna get you at the John W. Engeman’s ‘On Your Feet!’

by Rita J. Egan - July 21, 2022

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By Rita J. Egan

Before Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine filled the airwaves with their Latin-inspired pop music and heart-wrenching ballads. On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan is now playing at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, and local theatergoers can discover the Estefans’ story through Aug. 28.

The theater was nearly sold out on July 16, press opening night. The audience members were ready to be entertained and were not disappointed. Director Dana Iannuzzi and the Engeman cast skillfully share the inspiring tale of achieving the American Dream through infectious music and dynamic dance numbers.

The musical by Alexander Dinelaris takes place from 1975 to 1991 and highlights the early days of the Estefans’ climb to fame. It also incorporates a few flashbacks to even earlier periods. The show ran on Broadway from 2015 to 2017.

The day Emilio, of the Miami Latin Boys, visited the home of Gloria’s family was the moment that musical history began. The husband-and-wife team’s first encounter led to chart-topping hits such as “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “Get on Your Feet,” “Anything for You,” “Coming Out of the Dark,” and more. The songs are incorporated throughout the story, along with “If I Never Got to Tell You,” which was written for the musical. Each one is perfectly placed, whether it’s an upbeat number to mark a happy time in the couple’s life or a ballad to remember their adversities. The songs are not always sung by the Gloria character which puts a new spin on some well known tunes.

There are moments during the musical that will leave the audience teary-eyed as they are taken back in time to when young Gloria misses her father, who is fighting in Vietnam. A few years later, he is battling multiple sclerosis, and she helps care for him. There are also flashbacks to when Emilio’s and Gloria’s families escaped Cuba. The couple’s story would not be complete without including the bus crash in 1990, when Gloria was left with a broken back and unable to walk for months. She battled the fight of her life to get back on stage, which she did at the 1991 American Music Awards.

Alexis Semevolos-Velazquez is a stunning Gloria Estefan. She has mastered the singer’s alto voice range, where at times, one may feel as if they hear Estefan herself. Semevolos-Velazquez delivers on every number, especially during “Coming Out of the Dark.” The song marks the climax of the musical as Gloria takes to the stage at the AMAs. During the musical, the actress seamlessly goes from a sweet, young Gloria to a determined woman who will not let anything stand in her way.

Victor Souffrant is so convincing as the determined and focused Emilio Estefan that when he first sings during “I See Your Smile,” it’s hard to believe that the sweet, soothing vocals are coming from him, but they are. He sings beautifully with Semevolos-Velazquez and in Act 2 with Nicole Paloma Sarro, who plays Gloria’s mother, during the tearjerker “If I Never Got to Tell You.”

While the audience may want to dislike Sarro as Gloria Fajardo, the jealous mother who tries to keep her daughter from pursuing her musical dreams, one just can’t. She not only shines when she sings with Souffrant but also during “Mi Tierra” in the first act. Carol Beaugard, as Gloria’s grandmother Consuelo, and Gabriela Moscoso, who plays the singer’s sister Rebecca Fajardo, are both endearing. Moscoso sings backup on many of the songs and joins Semevolos-Velazquez on “Anything for You.” It’s evident her strong vocals are why she was chosen as Semevolos-Velazquez’s understudy, and she won’t miss a beat if she needs to step in as Gloria for a performance.

Ryan Morales plays Gloria’s father, Jose Fajardo, and it’s a delight to hear his bari-tenor singing voice during “When Someone Comes Into Your Life,” a duet with Semevolos-Velazquez. The song is bound to have many reaching for their tissues.

Sofia Jarmel is precious as young Gloria, and her singing voice stands out, even in a cast where she is one of the youngest. Luca Silva plays Nayib Estefan, a young Emilio and a couple of ensemble parts. The actor is adorable, and while he only has a few lines, his timing is perfect.

What else is perfectly done during On Your Feet! is the storyline covers the adversities in the Estefans’ lives without turning too somber. In addition to the infectious sounds of the Miami Sound Machine to keep audience members’ spirits lifted, there are some well-timed comedic lines. David De Almo, Phil the record label executive, especially had people laughing in their seats. The whole ensemble is a pleasure to watch.

Conductor Erika R. Gamez and the band nail the brass- and percussion-driven songs, while choreographer Sandalio Alvarez has crafted energetic, Latin-inspired dances. The costumes designed by Cecilia X. Gutierrez help to capture the various years depicted in the musical, and Gloria’s concert outfits are eye-catching.

Make sure to bring your tissues and dancing shoes because the Engeman’s production of the Estefans’ story will pull at your heartstrings and have you on your feet dancing before the night is over.

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, presents “On Your Feet” through Aug. 28. Tickets are $80 on Saturday evenings and $75 all other performances. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Setauket resident has his eyes on top county seat

by Rita J. Egan - July 21, 2022

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With Englebright — David Calone, left, with state Assemblyman Steve Englebright. The assemblyman is one of the local leaders who encouraged Calone to run for county executive. Photos from Calone’s campaign

A former congressional primary candidate is aiming for Suffolk County’s executive seat.

Last week, Setauket’s David Calone announced his intention to run for county executive on the Democratic ticket in 2023. Due to term limits, Steve Bellone (D) will not be running.

“I would bring a lot of different perspectives and a lot of backgrounds to the regional leadership of the county executive position,” Calone said in a phone interview.

Running for the office is something he has been thinking about for a few months. The candidate said he became more committed to his goal after conversations with many who provided strong moral support, such as John Durso, president of the Long Island Federation of Labor, state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), county Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) and Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook).

Without any formal fundraisers, Calone has already raised nearly a million dollars for his campaign, he said.

Currently, Calone, a former federal and state prosecutor, is the only one who has thrown his hat in the ring, but candidates have until early next year to submit their petitions. If other candidates decide to run for county executive on the Democratic ticket, a primary would be held.

The candidate said he wanted to start campaigning early because Suffolk County is a vast area to cover.

“I’m looking forward to meeting with people across Suffolk County over this next year and hearing their ideas and issues, and then we can work to solve those challenges,” he said.

When he ran in the Democratic primary for Congress in 2016 in the 1st Congressional District, he lost to former Town of Southampton Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst by a slim margin of slightly more than 300 votes. He said from the experience he learned how to run an extensive campaign.

“I was able to learn about all the issues affecting people across Suffolk County,” he said. “Many issues are common across the whole area, but there were also some very specific local issues,” adding while some may worry about environmental issues, in contrast others are trying to make ends meet.

Background

Calone grew up in Mount Sinai and graduated from Port Jefferson high school. He went on to achieve his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from Harvard. He and his wife, Presbyterian minister Kate Jones Calone, have three children and moved to Setauket 10 years ago when Jones Calone joined Setauket Presbyterian Church.

While a federal prosecutor, his focus was terrorism and international corporate fraud. As a state prosecutor, he fought health care fraud, and won a case that, at the time, was one of the biggest returns of taxpayer money — more than $70 million, according to him.

He is president and CEO of Jove Equity Partners LLC, which helps to start companies and works with owners to build their businesses.

“I’m looking forward to meeting with people across Suffolk County over this next year and hearing their ideas and issues, and then we can work to solve those challenges.”

— David Calone

County issues

Calone listed protecting the environment, improving transportation and economic development among his biggest concerns.

Working in the private sector and being involved in various businesses for more than 15 years, he said experience has provided him with a good deal of knowledge regarding economic development.

The candidate said he believes in supporting small businesses and providing workforce development to make sure “people get the skills they need for the next generation of jobs.”

“I think it is going to be critically important, too, because we live in a very high cost area,” he said. “We need to have people getting good paying jobs to be able to afford to live here.”

His company also created the Long Island Emerging Technologies Fund to help launch businesses coming out of local research labs, which in turn creates local jobs.

As board chair of Patriot Boot Camp, which was recently acquired by Disabled American Veterans, Calone has played a part in helping veterans, active military members and their spouses start their own businesses. He said while the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs holds job fairs, they don’t focus on entrepreneurship, which many military members may be well suited for due to being disciplined and hardworking

He also feels there are different ways to bring town governments together to address similar problems.

When he was chair for eight years of the Suffolk County Planning Commission, the group worked on streamlining solar panel permits throughout the county as each town had a different set of rules, which caused headaches for solar panel companies. The towns came together and agreed on one form, which made the process more streamlined, and the committee received the National Association of Counties 2012 National Achievement Award for the effort.

Calone said he would also like to improve transportation in the county, pointing out that many of the buses are empty or nearly empty and therefore a waste of fuel. He said he would like to see the pilot program that county Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac) started in Southampton expanded to the whole county. When someone needs transportation, they use a cellphone app and smaller buses are used. He said requesting a bus would be similar to using Uber or Lyft and the service overall would be more efficient.

Regarding development in the county, he said developing near major roadways and travel hubs such as Ronkonkoma train station, as other elected officials have suggested in the past, makes sense. He also said it’s important to create more affordable housing.

“We need to have more housing that works for people at different times of their lives,” he said. “One of the key things is if young people move away, because they can’t find housing here, they’re more likely to stay away and not come back. But if we can keep them here because we have the kind of housing that they need, and the good-paying jobs that they need, they’re more likely to stay here and be the buyers of those single-family homes in the future.”

Huntington Militia honors history

by Rita J. Egan - July 20, 2022

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Huntington’s Independence Day was remembered with reenactments by the Huntington Militia on Sunday, July 17.

The group hosted a Huntington Independence Day event at the Arsenal Museum in Huntington and Village Green

The main activity was a reenactment of the 1776 events in the Town of Huntington. The day also included a reading of the Declaration of Independence, musket and cannon drills, practice musket drills for children, period craft, cooking demonstrations and tours of the arsenal.

Suffolk County librarians face fewer book challenges than national peers

by Rita J. Egan - July 15, 2022

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Emma S. Clark Memorial Library 040820 H. Sutton — Suffolk County libraries such as Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, above, have encountered less controversy over books than many other libraries in the nation, according to local library professionals. File photo by Heidi Sutton

Despite Americans across the nation challenging librarians for their material choices, Suffolk County libraries have dealt with few issues.

According to the recent The New York Times article, “With Rising Book Bans, Librarians Have Come Under Attack,” librarians across the U.S. have found themselves on the front lines of book banning movements, often criticized publicly or on social media. Some have even quit their jobs or have been fired over debates about removing books from a library’s shelves.

A controversy involving a library on the North Shore of Suffolk County recently revolved around a Pride Month display, which included books, in the children’s sections in The Smithtown Library branches. On June 21, the library board trustees voted 4-2, with one member absent, to remove pride displays, which included signs and books, in the children’s sections in its Smithtown, Commack, Kings Park and Nesconset branches. According to a couple of trustees, they voted to remove the displays due to patrons coming to them complaining about particular items. Two days later, the board held an emergency meeting and reversed its decision, again 4-2, with one board member abstaining.

The reversal came after criticism on social media from the community, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and the New York Library Association. The board also received hundreds of emails after their initial decision.

The Suffolk Cooperative Library System is an association that helps public libraries in the county provide traditional and innovative service to their patrons.

Derek Ivie, SCLS youth services coordinator, said to his knowledge the libraries which are part of the local system have not received as many challenges about books as many in the nation have faced, especially regarding LGBTQ+ and social justice materials.

“Nationally it’s definitely a different story, and I would even say in other parts of New York state, it’s a different story,” Ivie said. “I have colleagues in other systems in New York who have shared stories where they are having patrons come in and complain about specific books. So, while it’s not happening locally, it is something that is happening in places around our county.”

Ted Gutmann said in his more than 10 years as library director of Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket, he is only aware of a handful of complaints about books or other materials during his tenure. He said the reasons and topics of the material vary. The director said the most recent criticism he can remember was about a video in the adult section.

Debra Engelhardt, Comsewogue Public Library director, said during her decade as director, she has not had a patron fill out the paperwork needed to place a complaint about library material or displays. Like many other libraries, a form can be found on the library’s website. She said people sometimes comment or ask employees questions face to face about different displays featured during the year.

“Some of them are a little more negative and some of them are more positive, but with every one, we have the opportunity to have a conversation with a community member and help them to better understand why we’re here and what we do,” Engelhardt said.

Training and choosing

Ivie said while patrons may find library pages, clerks or employees training to be a librarian who don’t currently hold a specific degree, for the most part, when a staff member holds the title of librarian, they have earned a master’s of library sciences.

He said most libraries have selection or collection policies that outline how books should be chosen. These policies can be found on most libraries’ websites. He said librarians also take into consideration reviews and patrons’ requests. Ivie added the reviews are by peers throughout the world.

“Trust the experts that are sitting in your libraries,” he said. “They have done training. They’re reading the literature itself. They’re reading the reviews. They know what they’re doing. They know the needs of a community and the people who are walking through their doors.”

Engelhardt said she feels that librarians should be celebrated, and that a library’s impact on a community is immeasurable. She described a library as a safety net as it provides an opportunity for community members to learn about whatever they wish, and many in a community may feel seen because of a book or library display.

“Our job as a public library is that we present an all-inclusive service program,” Engelhardt said. “We’re always touting the fact that everyone is welcome, and everyone is respected. It’s a safe space to learn to grow.”

Gutmann applauded librarians.

“We serve everybody from children to adults, and there’s a wide range, a multitude of subjects and viewpoints historically and otherwise represented in the collections,” he said. “That’s what our public libraries are for. I think our librarians do a great job at maintaining those collections.”

Nesconset car show brings back car memories

by Rita J. Egan - July 14, 2022

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Long Island Vettes, a local Corvette club, hosted the inaugural Plycar Motorama All GM Car Show in Nesconset on July 10.

The show featured Buicks, Cadillacs, Chevrolets, GMCs, Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles from various decades.

During the event, funds were raised to benefit The Last Hope Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation. Attendees also enjoyed live music from VHS Cover Band.

Firemen’s fair kicks off in Northport

by Rita J. Egan - July 14, 2022

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The Northport Volunteer Fire Department’s 96th annual Firemen’s Fair opened July 11.

Summer fun seekers enjoyed carnival rides, games, festival food and more.

The fair continues until Saturday, July 16, and is open from 7 to 11 p.m. on the fire department grounds, located on Steers Ave, off of Ocean Ave in Northport.

State DOH releases cancer findings on Northport-East Northport school district

by Rita J. Egan - July 13, 2022

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Northport Middle School. Lina Weingarten 11.2020. — Concerns about students with health problems prompted the temporary closing of Northport Middle School in 2020 and was one of the reasons the state Department of Health conducted a study of cancer cases in the district. File photo by Lina Weingarten

Residents of the Northport-East Northport school district have waited anxiously for the recent report by the New York State Department
of Health.

According to a NYSDOH study, the investigation of cancer incidents in the school district between 1999 and 2018 was initiated by the department “in response to an inquiry from members of the community who shared information about leukemias and other cancers diagnosed among members of the Northport High School graduating class of 2016 since their graduation and among other children and young adults in the Northport area.” The report also mentioned health concerns cited about Northport Middle School students.

In January 2020, the district decided to close the middle school for a few months after the consulting firm hired by the district, P.W. Grosser Consulting, tested the soil on the grounds and found elevated levels of benzene in two separate septic systems on site. Before a cleanup, three science classrooms in the middle school’s G-wing were closed out of an abundance of caution. During the investigation, it was found science rooms had sinks that drain into the leaching pool, where the mercury and silver were found. While odorless fumes could have potentially migrated through the piping into classrooms, the drain systems rely on P traps that prevent that from occurring, according to the district at the time. Air quality results in the G-wing classrooms were later found to be normal.

The DOH’s primary source of data was the New York State Cancer Registry. For the years after 2018, registry data was not official at the time of analyses, according to the DOH report.

“We identified 4,593 cases of cancer among district residents, compared with 4,454 that would be expected,” the report read. “This 3% excess was statistically significant, meaning it was unlikely to occur by chance.”

An increase in pancreatic cancer, malignant melanoma of the skin, uterine (corpus) cancer and prostate cancer made up the excess. The report went on to say, “There were significantly fewer than expected numbers of cases of stomach cancer and lung cancer. Numbers of cases of leukemia, other blood cancers (Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas and multiple myeloma), and 13 other types of cancer examined separately were not significantly different from expected.”

While the community around East Northport Middle School had about the expected cases, the area around Northport Middle School had 7% higher-than-expected levels of cancer.

Regarding the number of 2016 high school graduates who came down with leukemia, the study concluded, “It is possible that the elevated occurrence of leukemia among 2016 graduates could be related to factors not possible to uncover, including environmental exposures.”

Robert Banzer, district superintendent of schools, sent out a letter June 23 to community members to notify them that the study was completed. In the letter, he said, “The district fully cooperated with the NYSDOH during this process.”

After summarizing the findings in the letter, he said, “We appreciate the hard work of the NYSDOH in this endeavor and look forward to continuing to provide our students and staff with a safe learning environment.”

Lawsuits and disappointment in health study

Attorney Lilia Factor, of Melville-based Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, said her law firm has filed three lawsuits for nine plaintiffs so far against the Northport-East Northport school district. One of them is a proposed class-action lawsuit on behalf of all Northport Middle School students. The others are on behalf of individuals who have become sick. She is aware of at least five other lawsuits in total as other law firms have filed lawsuits against the district in the Suffolk County Supreme Court.

On July 12, according to Factor, the court consolidated lawsuits for the purposes of exchanging documents and depositions. A most recently filed case from Napoli Shkolnik was not included as a judge has not been assigned yet.

Tara Mackey is one of the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit. She said her daughter suffered from migraine headaches while studying at Northport Middle School and developed asthma. When Mackey brought her daughter to the doctor for her headaches, carbon monoxide was found in her blood.

“She had to get blood tests every four to six weeks for the remainder of time that she was in the school, and it just showed a pattern of when they would test her blood after, say, five days a week of school, she would have very high levels of carbon monoxide in her blood and then when they tested it during holidays or summer break, it was perfectly normal,” Mackey said.

Factor said while Mackey’s daughter was fortunate not to get cancer, she and other students are at a higher risk of developing illness later in life due to latency periods, a fact she said the NYSDOH report acknowledges. If the class-action suit is successful, anyone who becomes sick in later years would be covered. In cases such as this, a fund is established where people can be tested or a protocol would be distributed to local doctors to know what to look for if a patient attended Northport Middle School

“We want there to be a medical monitoring program established for everyone so that they can screen people and watch them, and if they develop any symptoms of a serious illness that’s associated with these contaminants to try to catch it early,” Factor said.

Mackey said the health issues can weigh heavily on families, and many of them faced criticism in Northport when they brought the problems to the district. She and her family moved to South Carolina after they were harassed by community members creating uncomfortable situations.

“We endured a lot of harassment, along with a lot of other parents, from people in the community that didn’t want bad press about any potential environmental issues that could lead to health problems for people in the school and the community, because people feared for their property values,” she said. “It just made a very uncomfortable situation for many of us, and we moved because we couldn’t keep our kids safe.”

She added, coincidentally, two other families, who she didn’t know while living in Northport, moved near her.

Factor said while it is good that the DOH conducted the report, the study didn’t look at other factors such as families who have moved away and may have been diagnosed with an illness.

“They would not be part of those statistics, which were in themselves pretty disturbing,” Factor said.

She added the DOH didn’t talk to or survey community members and medical providers.

“It’s good that they did something, but it really needs to be a lot more comprehensive if they really want to understand cancer incidence in this community.” Factor said.

The attorney and Mackey added there have been other illnesses that have surfaced such as scleroderma and aplastic anemia. Mackey said that she was also disappointed that the study was cut off at the year 2018 as she has heard of more cases of cancer that have been diagnosed recently and therefore not counted.

“I just think all of the families and the parents, children themselves, they at least deserve the facts and the full facts,” the mother said. “Nothing can change at this point. We can’t change what happened to our children, but at least we can take charge and be observant and try to keep them in the best health possible and at least know what to look for.”

ShotSpotter program returns to Huntington Station

by Rita J. Egan - July 12, 2022

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ShotSpotter Press Conference Pic — State Assemblyman Steve Stern at Friday's press conference with county DA Ray Tierney and the family members of murder victim Luis Cameron Rimmer-Hernandez. Photo from Stern's office

With the help of a local assemblyman, a high-tech tool used to fight crime is returning to Huntington Station.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) and state Assemblyman Steve Stern (D-Dix HIlls) held a press conference at the DA’s office on July 8 to announce that Suffolk County Police Department’s 2nd Precinct will once again be utilizing ShotSpotter. The system detects where a gun is fired and then relays the information to local law enforcement.

It will be relaunched in Huntington Station, which was chosen due to a spike in gun violence in that community.

The DA’s office will receive a $250,000 county grant for the system. Tierney appeared before the Suffolk County Legislature to request funding for a countywide program in June to which Stern immediately responded.

“The money that Assemblyman Stern has given us will save lives,” Tierney said. “ShotSpotter will prevent shootings, because criminals will know that the police will be there in near minutes. Quick response by police will also allow police to quickly render aid to any victims.”

He added the technology will help the DA’s office to start its investigations earlier. Tierney said that while it’s not “a cure-all,” ShotSpotter is a tool in an overall approach.

As part of a $1 million public safety package, Stern also secured $500,000 for the DA’s office to enhance and update electronic surveillance equipment; $250,000 for the SCPD to purchase mobile plate readers; and $10,000 for Tierney’s office from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Grant. The latter funds can be used at the DA’s discretion for law enforcement, prosecution and crime prevention matters.

Stern thanked community members for their input, including Erica Rimmer who lost her son Luis Cameron Rimmer-Hernandez last summer when he was shot and killed. Rimmer and her family were in attendance at Friday’s press conference.

“I will always be the first to say that the best ideas always come from my neighbors, and that’s what makes today so important,” the assemblyman said. “This is an effort, really from all of us, particularly our district attorney, who has made it his business — and that of his outstanding staff — to go out to the community and learn from residents what’s important to them.”

He added Suffolk County residents value quality of life and public safety.

“That means that we must always have the most-qualified local law enforcement,” Stern said. “We must always have the very best trained public-safety officials. That also means that it’s imperative to have the most advanced and cutting-edge technology, which is such an important part of fighting crime today and going forward into the future.”

The county eliminated funding for ShotSpotter in 2018. At the time, it was deemed ineffective; however, technology has advanced significantly, according to Tierney. The DA added that the system now uses an app, where the ShotSpotter notification will go straight to a squad card instead of a call going to a dispatcher. The police officers will be given a map with directions, number of shots, location, and the system can provide the elevation of shots.

Tierney said that 50% of all shootings between 2019 and 2022 occurred in 22 square miles in Suffolk spread out over nine areas in the county. In addition to Huntington Station, the communities are Wyandanch, Brentwood, Central Islip, Bay Shore, Gordon Heights, Mastic Beach, North Bellport and North Amityville and represent 10% of Suffolk. He said the hope is to extend the ShotSpotter system to every such area in the 22 square miles.

“We want to provide safety for all of the citizens in those communities,” he said.

Setalcott Nation once again holds annual festival in Setauket

by Rita J. Egan - July 12, 2022

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The Setalcott Nation hosted their 15th annual Corn Festival & Pow Wow at Setauket Elementary School Saturday and Sunday.

The last two years the festival was not held due to the pandemic. For its return, the 2022 festival’s theme was “We Are Still Here.”

To celebrate Native American culture, attendees had the opportunity to see Aztec dancers and Taino dancers, listen to storytelling, flute players and traditional drums. Visitors were also able to participate in some of the dances.

Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), lower right, was also on hand to welcome everyone.

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