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Authors Posts by Rita J. Egan

Rita J. Egan

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Four candidates will vie for two seats in the Three Village Central School District Board of Education race, May 17.

District residents will also vote on a nearly $225 million budget for the 2022-23 academic year. The new budget is $3,798,183 more than last year’s contingency budget of $220,262,435, reflecting a 1.72% increase. The proposed tax levy is $164,954,877.

This year if the proposed budget is defeated, a contingency budget would be adopted and would be reduced by $2.95 million, creating a 0% tax levy. There will be no other propositions on the ballot.

Last year, although 57.7% of taxpayers voted in favor of a $222.6 million budget — 2,286-1,677 — it failed to pass. The proposed budget pierced the 1.37% cap on the tax levy increase, necessitating a supermajority approval, or 60% of the vote.

The district is poised to receive almost $49 million in state aid, a nearly 4% increase of $1.86 million.

Among cutbacks, the district projects that there will be a decrease of 8.6 full-time equivalent positions on the secondary level due to declining enrollment and class consolidation. Among the staffing reductions are the elimination of 4.5 FTE nurses in the wake of declining COVID-19 infection rates.

Candidate information

Four candidates will be vying for two at-large seats May 17. The Village Times Herald conducted phone interviews with incumbent Vinny Vizzo and newcomers Jennifer Solomon, Reanna Fulton and Evan Proios.

Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) will not be running for reelection after serving on the board since 2008.

Vinny Vizzo

Vizzo, a 34-year veteran of the school district, is running for the second time. Vizzo has been both a teacher and administrator in Three Village and a few years ago retired as principal of R.C. Murphy Jr. High School. As someone who has worked, lived in the district and also raised children in Three Village, he said he decided to run again because the community is “his life.”

With changes in the district, including the retirement of superintendent of schools, Cheryl Pedisich, Vizzo said it was important to run again.

“There are a lot of different things that are going to be put on the table, and I want to make sure, if I’m elected, that I’m going to keep what we need to keep and keep a good eye open for the kids in the community,” he said.

Vizzo called the Three Village school district programs “phenomenal” for all students.

“We offer an array of programs for our kids so they can take so many different courses, that they can flourish in many ways,” he said.

He would like to see a foreign language program in the elementary schools, something that he said is done in many districts. He would also like to see a home-based BOCES program.

Since he began his term in 2019, Vizzo has dealt with COVID-19 mandates and the requirement of the HPV vaccine to attend schools before the pandemic hit. He said he feels the board members usually are on the same page despite the challenges and criticism from some parents over the district following state COVID-19 mandates so as not to lose state aid.

He also feels that the board has done well in settling contracts and said they are mindful of saving residents money.

He applauds the new budget advisory committee which includes community members and would like to see it broadened in the future with administrators and teachers. He would also like to see more forums for residents where there can be an exchange instead of people submitting questions before a meeting and not being able to ask questions that they may think of after.

“They want to go back and forth,” he said. “I get it. They want to question the board and they want answers. They don’t want us to sit there mute.”

Jennifer Solomon

Solomon and Vizzo, her former Spanish teacher when in junior high school, are running mates. A graduate of Three Village schools, she is raising four children in the district and is running for the board for the first time. She has worked as a bilingual speech language pathologist in the Riverhead Central School District and is now an administrator in the Riverhead district.

“I am running because I’m a very strong believer in public education,” Solomon said. “I  want to make sure that every student has the opportunity to learn and grow and be prepared for life and to make the world a better place.”

She added sharing a range of perspectives and ideas can help children become more empathetic.

Solomon said she feels that her background as an administrator would be helpful on the board. Working in a district that has a high population of Spanish speakers and her experience as a speech pathologist helps her evaluate students to differentiate between learning disabilities and just needing to learn the English language and provide them with the proper programs they need.

“I’m very committed to making sure that every child has opportunities,” she said.

Solomon said she feels the district and community has done a solid job in supporting student’s mental health, but as a society there is a crisis for adolescents with them being addicted to screens and social media — and feeling isolated. Something that was exacerbated by the pandemic. She feels it’s important to prepare students by supporting their mental health needs before they can work on a rigorous challenging academic career.

She said she feels the community also shares a similar vision to her and described the district as “strong and wonderful.”

“I think that as a community, we, for the most part, share a common vision that we want our school district to continue as a stellar district, but I think that there are differences of opinion in terms of how we got there,” she said.

Reanna Fulton

Fulton is a familiar face in the Three Village community as post commander for the Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054 in Setauket. She is also junior vice commander of the Suffolk County VFW and soon-to-be senior vice commander. She served in the U.S. Navy and was on active duty during the 9/11 era.

Currently, she’s a supervisor of technology for a local school district, and she recently completed a doctoral program in leadership and organizational change.

With two children in the district, this is her first time running for board of ed, and she said she believes her various career and community experiences would be an asset.

“I just wanted to be helpful to the community with my experiences in schools as a teacher and administrator,” she said. “I thought maybe I could offer a perspective and really help to bridge the gap of what’s going on between the community and the district, and some of the differences of opinions and just the lack of conversation.”

She said she feels one of the issues is communication transparency.

“I think that people really need to understand and be able to share what they feel and get a response,” she said. “Sometimes communication is very one sided. So, people don’t trust when there’s no open dialogue.”

She said trust between the community and district has broken down a bit. She added budgets also need to be looked at closer and shouldn’t be “rubber stamped” too quickly.

“We want to be able to have that relationship where people will pass budgets because they trust that the district — and the board — has really overseen the process,” she said. “To say, this is what we’re purchasing, this is how we’re spending our money. And it’s OK, you can trust us that we’re doing what’s in your best interest. But it seems that trust between the community and the district especially is just broken down.”

She added that she would like to see the elementary STEM program be brought back to the district. Fulton said the earlier students start, the more likely they will pursue STEM-related careers.

Fulton’s running mate is Evan Proios.

Evan Proios

Proios has lived in the district for seven years and has a daughter in the district.

A professor and an IT administrator for Suffolk County Community College, he decided to run because he moved to the district due to its great reputation. He said he believes the district could even be better, especially when it comes to communication.

“I do think the connection between the district and the community is lacking,” he said, adding that many parents feel they aren’t heard regarding contentious issues.

“I think everyone wants what’s best for their kids, but I think we do a poor job of communicating everything,” he said. “I don’t think the community feels as involved as they should. I don’t think the parents feel as involved as they should.”

He said as someone who has been in academia for his entire career, sometimes tracking down district information is even difficult for him.

Proios said he understands that the district needed to follow state mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic because it would lose state aid if it didn’t, but he felt that wasn’t communicated to families correctly and therefore caused confusion. However, he was pleased that Three Village was able to return to in-person learning sooner than other districts.

“I really have to commend Three Village for staying open through this,” he said.

The candidate said he also feels when a large number of parents want to attend a board of ed meeting, it should be held in a larger space such as an auditorium instead of the board room. While it has been stated that it’s difficult due to technology issues, he said based on his experience at SCCC he believes a way can be found to accommodate everyone and any technology needed can be provided.

Proios said he believes in curriculum transparency but is not associated with the national movement. Regarding curriculum transparency, he said to him it “means I want to know everything my kid is learning,” adding that parents should be able to question teachers and be happy with the answers.

“Are we making sure that the parents are comfortable with what their kids are learning? I’m not saying burning books,” he added.

Voting information

Voters will be able to cast their ballots Tuesday, May 17, between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. at Ward Melville High School.

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File photo by Rachel Shapiro

Residents of the Smithtown Central School District will once again decide who will sit on the school board after a contentious race in 2021.

Last year Stacy Ann Murphy, John Savoretti and Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi beat out incumbents Jeremy Thode, Mandi Kowalik and Charles Rollins in a race where the newcomers were inspired to run after disagreeing with the district’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic regarding in-person learning and masks.

This year newcomer Angela Kouvel will go up against incumbent Michael Saidens for his position and first-timer Charles Fisher will challenge Michael Catalanotto for his current seat. Voters will also decide on a proposed $267,786,882 budget for the 2022-23 school year which reflects a dollar change of $5,467,217 from last year’s budget of $262,319,665. The tax levy is 1.2% and is below the district’s allowable tax levy.

This year the district is set to receive $48,731,716 of state aid, an increase of $1.26 million. Residents will also have the opportunity to vote on a proposition to establish a new capital reserve fund. The fund is not to exceed $25 million over a 10-year period. If Proposition 2 is approved, residents will not have an additional tax increase. Funds would transfer from the general fund and would be used to make capital improvements to the district’s schools.

Candidate information

Catalanotto and Saidens participated in phone interviews with The Times of Smithtown for this article. Kouvel asked for questions to be emailed to her so she could answer them after returning from vacation but answers were not received before press time. Fisher did not respond to requests for an interview.

Michael Saidens

Saidens is an elementary school principal in the Sachem school district. Throughout his career he has worked as a teacher, including in the Smithtown school district, as well as a principal in other schools in Suffolk County. He also has experience as a special education administrator.

He is running for the third time.

“I think there’s still work to be done,” he said. “I think right now our community is pretty fractured, and I want to be part of the team to bring us back together to focus on what’s best for our kids in our community.” 

He said the last couple of years the board of education has received criticism from parents about the district’s response to COVID-19 state mandates. There have also been concerns that the district was including critical race theory in its curriculum, which it does not.

“We really need to focus on that every kid in Smithtown should count, and it’s our job as a board of education to make sure we’re not just educating like-minded kids,” he said, adding every child should be comfortable in school.

He said he believes his experience in education is an asset to the board.

“I’m there to focus on our school business and then also understanding that there are mandates that we need to follow, rules that we have to follow, and you’re not always able to do exactly what you want to do,” he said. “You have to work within the parameters and framework that a state education department sets and work toward working on curriculum that way.”

Saidens said that while the board is divided at times there are also issues they agree on.

He said a lot of times subjects brought up by members of the board and the public are “hot button topics that aren’t necessarily a part of our purview as a board of education.”

Michael Catalanotto

An attorney born and raised in Smithtown, Catalanotto is running for his second term. His first term was one that was filled with enforcing state COVID-19 mandates. Despite the controversies that may have followed a few of the BOE’s decisions, he said he is proud of many things the trustees have accomplished. 

“Despite the challenges that we had, we continued to add programs during COVID,” he said. “We made addressing learning loss a priority, and we’ve been able to come in below the tax cap, keep the budget below the tax cap the last two years.”

He would like to see foreign language programs in the elementary schools and the expansion of mental health programs. He said recently the school has partnered with the Suffolk County Police Department to offer programs in the schools.

As an attorney, who primarily deals with divorce mediation, he said he has experience dealing with tax records and getting two people on the same page.

He agrees with Saidens that the board can be divided at times: “There’s been this division on the board, lack of focus on the issues that really affect our children, and instead focused on what we can do to flip the board completely. That’s really been the focus of a lot of what’s going on right now. So, it’s a shame, but we’ve got to get back to what the real issues are and focus on our children.”

Both Catalanotto and Saidens said they were proud of the district’s partnership with Northwell Health that will provide more opportunities for assistance for families seeking mental health support for students.

Charles Fisher

During a Meet the Candidates Night via Zoom, Fisher said he is an attorney who deals mostly with real estate law. He and his wife moved to Smithtown when their oldest of three was 5 years old and beginning kindergarten 15 years ago, because they felt the Smithtown school district was a good one. He said he and mostly his wife have volunteered for many extracurricular school activities, which he said enables him to be familiar with what is involved in the school programs.

“I volunteered to run for school board out of concern due to the great slowdown of 2020,” he said, adding the pandemic revealed problems in the district describing them as when a river dries up you see what is laying at the bottom.

He said he feels he needs to be part of the board to address issues that were unforeseen before the pandemic.

Angela Kouvel

Kouvel, who is the mother of two, also moved to the district to provide her children with a better education. During the Meet the Candidates Night, she said she is married to a police officer, and she oversees contracts for a plumbing company.

With children in the district, she said, “I see now more than ever just how important a proper education is. They’re not only the children of today but they are also the children of our future and community.”

She added she believes in equality for every student, and the importance of enrichment and special education programs in every school in the district. Kouvel said she is not only a candidate for the students but also the community.

Voting information

To view the Meet the Candidates Night, visit https://youtu.be/w0iokgmcoEQ. Voting will take place Tuesday, May 17, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. For information on polling places, visit the district’s website, www.smithtown.k12.ny.us/boardofeducation/budget_information.

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Maria Hoffman, above center, receives a proclamation from the Town of Brookhaven from Supervisor Ed Romaine, left, and Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich at the Three Village Community Trust gala last year. Below, Maria spending time on the water. Photo by Patricia Paladines

The Three Village community is mourning the passing of Maria Hoffman, who was chief of staff to New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright for nearly three decades.

Maria Hoffman enjoys some time on the water. Photo from George Hoffman

According to her husband, George Hoffman, the Setauket resident died April 29 of metastatic breast cancer, which she bravely battled on and off since being first diagnosed in 2010.

Maria and George married in 2009 in Frank Melville Memorial Park. It was the second marriage for both. “When Maria and I married, I moved to Setauket from the South Shore,” he said. “She was Assemblyman Englebright’s chief of staff and had an extensive network of friends and colleagues. She loved the Three Village community and was involved with every aspect of it. I always tell people that she gave me an express ticket to the front of the line with all of the leaders of the Three Village community.” 

In a November 2019 Village Times Herald article, Maria shared advice for a successful relationship: “We also make time for things that are important, whether it’s walking or in the summertime boating — being on a sailboat. We make time to balance all the busyness.”

Born on Oct. 14, 1958, Maria was a 40-year resident of the Three Village community. A graduate of the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, where she received a Human Ecology degree, Maria was familiar with busyness. In addition to being Englebright’s chief of staff, she was also an avid photographer of landscapes and wildlife, a writer, beekeeper, birder, sailor, naturalist, a co-founder of the Setauket Harbor Task Force and a lover of wolves, whales, elephants and bees.

She was an illustrator of field guides on seashores, wetlands and woodlands. In a collaborative effort with Stony Brook University’s Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences, her illustrations can be seen in “A Field Guide to Long Island’s Woodlands,” “A Field Guide to Long Island’s Freshwater Wetlands” and “A Field Guide to Long Island’s Seashore.”

Maria was also a wonderful, helpful friend and frequent contributor to The Village Times Herald. Whenever a reporter was unavailable to cover a local event that she attended, she would always be willing to send in her own photos. Her nature photography also appeared in the Arts & Lifestyle section of TBR News Media papers.

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright, left, and Maria Hoffman, center. Photo by Patricia Paladines

Colleagues and friends honor Maria

Englebright and Maria’s working relationship goes back to when he was director of the Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences in the 1960s. He secured a state grant to develop a water resources curriculum for Long Island schools, he said, and Maria interviewed for a position to help develop the curriculum. Englebright said she was a standout due to her photography, illustrating and writing skills. Once the project was completed Maria continued to work with the museum and Englebright. For the museum, she illustrated public education pamphlets, booklets and newsletters and also would write.

“I had the great, good fortune of being able to hire her, and I was able to retain her,” he said. “She was extraordinarily productive in public service in the preelected office capacity, too.”

Maria continued to work with Englebright when he became county legislator and then assemblyman, and he said even though she wasn’t originally from the Three Village area she made a point to learn about the community when he was running for legislator.

“She began to realize what a wonderful part of Long Island we live in, and she really enjoyed learning about the legislative reach of the office, and it opened a new vista of capability of serving,” he said.

Englebright added that Maria’s skills were based “on how she cared for everyone she met.” He said he will miss how genuine she was, and that many related to her which enhanced everything his office was involved in.

“It’s not possible to replace her,” he said. “Certainly, we can continue to do the work that she invested so much of her life into, as long as we remember and honor the work that she has done.” 

Laurie Vetere, chair of the Setauket Harbor Task Force, described Maria as “an integral and founding member” of the task force, along with George.

“She loved taking pictures of the harbor and its marine life and waterfowl which were compiled into our annual calendar that we gave as a thank-you to our donors,” she said. “Her photography was stunning. She also loved going out on the water at daybreak to do the water testing that we do for Save the Sound, and she would spend hours the night before calibrating the scientific equipment that we utilized. She was one of our most ardent volunteers and she was an activist who lived her life trying to protect the environment both locally and around the world.”

In November, Three Village Community Trust honored Maria at its annual Fall Fundraising Gala at the Old Field Club. TVCT recognized her contributions as an artist, photographer and naturalist, and called her “everybody’s best friend.”

TVCT president Herb Mones said Maria touched countless people during her lifetime

“It was heartwarming to see so many people come together on that evening to honor Maria,” Mones said of the gala. “It was a who’s who of elected officials, community leaders, friends and neighbors that praised Maria as a unique figure in guiding, directing and helping in ‘all things Three Villages.’ Maria never wanted the spotlight on herself — but, thankfully on that night, Maria lit up the room. She was involved in everything and anything that touched our community — historical preservation, open space protection, environmental issues. There was no issue too large or small that Maria wasn’t part of — and always with a smile on her face. Her involvement was done with a quiet style and grace, and while her voice was soft and light — her influence was great. Anyone who enjoys West Meadow Beach, the Greenway, the cultural, historical and art institutions in the area — they all need to give thanks to Maria’s legacy.”

Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich also commented on Maria’s influence on the community. 

“She was a beautiful and gentle person, humble and kind and wise and funny, and her life touched so many in the community who were lucky enough to know her,” he said. “She gathered beauty through her eyes and through the lens of her camera, and shared kindness and compassion to everyone she met. Although she has taken her last breath in this world, her warmth remains. Goodbye, Maria — you are loved, and you will be missed.”

Patricia Paladines, naturalist and environmentalist, said sometimes, while Maria was waiting for treatment at Sloan Kettering, she would text her photos of fish swimming around the waiting room fish tank. Paladines described her as “a beautiful sprite, friend to all.”

Photo by Robert Reuter

She said she had texted Maria after the TVCT gala: “Thank you for all you have preserved in this community because you were sensitive to its beauty and historical importance. Sleep well dear friend knowing you are loved and appreciated by so many.” 

“I repeat now, ‘Sleep well dear friend knowing you are loved and appreciated by so many.’” 

Paladines’ husband, Carl Safina, author and environmentalist, also remembered Maria fondly.

“In the forty-plus years that I knew Maria, she was always devoted to helping other people do their best work in the world,” he said. “She never wanted the credit that was due her. But a lot of good work by many people would not have been as good if Maria hadn’t laid the foundation and built the frame.”

Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn remembered Maria for her community as well as worldly contributions.

“In spirit, Maria was a photographer, who intently focused on capturing the essence of a moment while ensuring her presence wasn’t a distraction from it,” she said. “In life, Maria was a humble leader who embraced the approach she used behind the camera throughout her professional career to serve her neighbors and improve our community. Maria’s compassion for all creatures from the bees, which she tended, to the advocacy for the protection of elephants and elimination of big game hunting in Africa. She approached all things with a quiet tenacity and gentle hand. Maria will leave a legacy of friendship and generosity that will be cherished by all those whose lives she touched.”

An outdoor gathering for Maria’s friends and colleagues is being planned for Saturday, May 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Three Village Community Trust grounds at The Bruce House, 148 Main St., Setauket. Attendees are welcome to share their stories about Maria.

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Ward Melville hosted Brentwood in a “Childhood Cancer Awareness” softball game Saturday April 23. Bill Landon photo
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 UPD Spring Fest
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 University Police Department Spring Fest. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 UPD Spring Fest
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 University Police Department Spring Fest. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 UPD Spring Fest
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 University Police Department Spring Fest. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 UPD Spring Fest
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 University Police Department Spring Fest. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 Earthstock
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 Earthstock. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 Earthstock
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 Earthstock. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 Earthstock
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 Earthstock. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 Earthstock
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 Earthstock. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 Earthstock
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 Earthstock. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 Earthstock
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 Earthstock. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: 2022 Earthstock
A scene from Stony Brook University's 2022 Earthstock. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University

The Stony Brook University community had Planet Earth on their minds all last week.

Earthstock 2022 took place on campus and virtually from April 18 to April 22. The student-focused event included lectures, panels, demonstrations, educational events and more.

The mission was to focus on the need to understand issues such as climate change and rising seas as well as the need to develop clean, renewable and energy and to comprehend how humans affect earth from damaging practices to ways to nurture the environment.

Speakers included Erica Cirino, author of “Thicker than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis” and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket).

“Earthstock is a week-long, campus-wide tradition that celebrates Earth Day and raises awareness about climate change and sustainability,” said Richard Gatteau, vice president for student affairs. “On Friday, April 22, the Stony Brook campus was full of excitement as environmental organizations and clubs, student groups, and members of the community participated in the Earthstock Festival. It was great to see students, faculty and staff together once again celebrating this annual campus tradition with an earth-friendly inspirational message.”

In addition to educational displays and exhibits, Friday’s activities included live music, rubber duck races and a Green Pledge, where students promise to make a commitment to improve and sustain the natural world and resources around me.

To end the week-long celebration, the SBU police department partnered with Student Engagement and Activities to host the sixth annual Spring Fest. The afternoon activities provided an opportunity for students and campus police to enjoy field games, snacks and music together.

SBU’s police officer Joseph Bica said it was a great day for the police department. 

“It was a great day for our police department,” he said. “Our officers conversed, played games and got to know our students while everyone enjoyed themselves.”

 

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Suozzi announced $300,000 will be used for shellfish seeding of Hempstead Harbor, Oyster Bay and Huntington Harbor. Photo from Suozzi's office

On April 21, representatives from local environmental groups joined U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) at Sea Cliff Municipal Beach for an announcement affecting the Long Island Sound.

Suozzi said he helped deliver more than $33 million of federal funds that will be allocated for the Sound and environmental cleanup projects across the Island and Northeast Queens. 

Out of this allocation, $300,000 will be used for shellfish seeding of Hempstead Harbor, Oyster Bay and Huntington Harbor to purchase approximately 10 million seed clams to be placed in the three harbors. The clams will be strategically placed in areas where they will not only filter the water, but also produce sufficient larvae to greatly expand those populations well into the future.

“Community Project Funding allows members of Congress to request funding to support specific community projects that will have the most real-life impacts in their districts,” Suozzi said. “Of the eight projects that I secured in the federal budget, five of them are environmental cleanup and restoration projects. I have devoted a significant part of my past 25 years in public service to cleaning up the pollution, dramatically reducing nitrogen, modernizing sewage treatment plants, and restoring shellfishing in our local waters. Since coming to Congress in 2017, I have fought for and successfully helped increase federal funding by 900% to clean up and restore the Long Island Sound. This $33 million, one of the largest single federal investments in environmental cleanup and restoration across Long Island and Northeast Queens, will go a long way in restoring and improving the Long Island Sound for generations to come.”

The funding is part of the federal budget signed into law last month. It represents one of the largest single federal investments in environmental cleanup and restoration across Long Island and Northeast Queens.

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, at the press conference, called the funding a reason to celebrate. 

“Long Island Sound is a natural treasure that offers all segments of society the opportunity to enjoy fishing, swimming, beach-filled days, and water-based family activities,” she said. “Restoration efforts are working and the Sound is getting cleaner. Increased funding will help us continue progress on reducing nitrogen pollution, filtering stormwater runoff and restoring wetlands. It will also help us address new challenges to the Sound including impacts from climate change, invasive species and plastic pollution.”    

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Hundreds of cars were on display at the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe
Hundreds attended the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe
Hundreds attended the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe
Hundreds of cars were on display at the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe
Hundreds of cars were on display at the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe
Hundreds of cars were on display at the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe
Hundreds of cars were on display at the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe
Hundreds attended the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe
Hundreds attended the Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack. Photo by Cowboy Joe

East to West Classic Cars hosted its sixth annual Cars and Guitars Classic Car Show and Fundraiser on April 24 at Miller’s Ale House in Commack.

The outdoor car show and concert featured hundreds of cars of all varieties, live music, raffle prizes and more.

The goal of the event is to raise awareness for PTSD and funds for Hope For The Warriors, a national nonprofit that provides comprehensive services that support the well-being of post- 9/11 veterans and active- duty, military families and caregivers and families of the fallen.

“Each year, we’re blown away with the support of the East to West Classic Cars volunteers and the entire Long Island community,” said Robin Kelleher, co-founder and president of the nonprofit organization in a statement.  “Last year’s event was larger than ever coming off the heels of the pandemic, everyone was in great spirits.”

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Founder Daniel Gale, above, and his assistant Miss Jean Wallice — the future Mrs. Kent Gale — in front of the Daniel Gale Huntington office, circa 1940. Photo from Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty

Not many companies make it to 100 years in business, but Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty did just that this year.

Below, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty’s President and CEO Patricia Petersen poses in front of the Cold Spring office around 1990. Photo from Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty

Daniel Gale founded the company on Feb. 9, 1922, and chose Main Street in Huntington for his real estate and insurance agency. When he picked the spot, the founder was encouraged by the fact that the town was a stop on one of the Long Island Rail Road lines. A century later, the company remains family owned. Through the decades the founder’s son Kent, until his passing in 2014, grandson Stan, and Kent Gale’s protégé current chairperson and president Patricia Petersen have continued to head up the company along with CEO Deirdre O’Connell.

History

In a recent phone interview, Petersen and O’Connell discussed the company’s history. Over the hundred years, Daniel Gale has grown from a business with one office to 30 locations not only on Suffolk County’s North Shore but across the Island. In 2014, the brokerage company opened offices in Queens and this year Brooklyn.

Petersen said she believes one of the company’s assets is that it has been family owned. She learned the benefits of this early on when she started in real estate in 1975 in the Cold Spring Harbor location, which was the company’s second office. Petersen said as a mother, she was hoping to work part-time but quickly found out it was difficult to become a successful real estate agent with limited hours. She said Jean Gale, the wife of the founder’s son Kent, would help get her children off the nursery school bus, give them lunch and then get them to day care.

“Somehow we cobbled it together and made it work,” Petersen said. “It’s kind of how we run the company. Whatever the agents need, Deidre and I figure out a way to provide it.”

Petersen went from agent to office sales manager, company general manager and relocation director through the years. She credits Kent Gale with recognizing she had potential. In the early ’90s, she began buying the company with Kent’s son Stan Gale and became president and CEO.

Kent Gale, son of founder Daniel Gale. Photo from Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty

In turn, one of the talents Petersen recognized was O’Connell. The latter said her career in real estate began with another company in 1991. She opened her own office in Manhasset and her second one in Cutchogue. Daniel Gale then bought her offices, and she became part of the company in 2007. O’Connell helped the brokerage expand to the North Fork. She went on to become a regional manager then general manager of the company, and became CEO four years ago.

Both said they appreciate the history of Daniel Gale. As the centennial celebrations began, Petersen said, it was a reminder of everything the company had been through since its founding. The ups and downs of the current pandemic, she added, can be likened to founder Daniel Gale’s early days.

“Daniel Gale went through the Depression and went through the [second] World War,” she said.  “In fact, he started the company right after the first World War, and then he had to go through the second World War. We have had our own challenging times over the years, but certainly that’s not new to us. We’ve always been able to not just survive but thrive in really any kind of market.”

O’Connell said she believes the company thriving goes back to its foundation. 

“Certainly, in times of crisis we use that as an opportunity to assess the crisis and to utilize that and to come out of it as a growth opportunity, because after every crisis comes opportunity,” she said. “We’ve always been able to seize those moments.”

As for the pandemic, O’Connell said the company realized the importance of pivoting early on during the shutdowns by going virtual. Within a month, she said, Daniel Gale had an open house with 150 homes virtually showcased.

“Yes, everyone could do it eventually, but we seized the moment to once again help our agents help their customers and clients in providing them the service and marketing of the moment,” O’Connell said.

Petersen and O’Connell also recognize the importance of marketing in the real estate field. An early marketing tactic of founder Daniel Gale in the 1920s, Petersen said, was buying a tract of land along with two investors. One lot had a miniature model house buried in the ground. Petersen said whoever bought the plot would win a house built for them. She added that the person turned out to be a builder, so he was given two more lots instead of having a house built for him and the win spearheaded his own business in the area.

Pat Petersen and Deirdre O’Connell. Photo from Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty

Sotheby’s International

Another milestone in Daniel Gale’s history was when the company became affiliated with Sotheby’s in the 1970s. The auction house needed an outlet for its clientele. After Sotheby’s International Realty was created, Daniel Gale became affiliated with it on Long Island and went on to become its No. 1 affiliate in the world.

O’Connell called the move a game-changer which allows Daniel Gale agents to bring their properties around the world but still have representation on Long Island.

“Larger firms that are represented, even here on Long Island, their decisions during hard times aren’t made here locally,” she said. “They’re made maybe in New York City or across the country somewhere. We live and we work, we do everything with our people first in mind.”

She gave the example that during the Great Recession of the 2000s, while big corporations laid off people, “Pat Petersen put personal money into the company to make sure that we didn’t have to cut our people.”

Keeping employees in place is something the company was able to do during the pandemic, too.

“We kept everyone on the payroll because we could make that decision,” O’Connell said.

The present and future

Later this year, Daniel Gale plans to open a new office in Huntington located cata-cornered where the original 1922 building was on Main Street. The company also recently launched the Daniel Gale Foundation to enable the company, which has donated tens of thousands in the past, to make a bigger impact.

O’Connell said Daniel Gale offices have always been involved with their communities “through a wide range of community service initiatives and donations.” With the new foundation, offices will choose a few events each year to work on with the whole company.

“The Daniel Gale Foundation will enable us to make an even greater impact with our giving by consolidating our giving efforts across the Island from Brooklyn to Shelter Island and make them even more impactful,” O’Connell said. “The foundation is about more than giving dollars, it is having the Daniel Gale family roll up their sleeves, put on their sneakers or pick up their shovels to work in our communities as a team.” 

The two said it’s important to be proud of the past but it’s also essential to keep an eye on the future. Currently, like other realty companies, Daniel Gale is keeping up with the current seller’s market. O’Connell said while inventory is low, sales are high.

“We get 10 houses on the market, or an office has five houses on the market in a weekend, and they’re all gone by Monday,” O’Connell said, adding she believes the market will normalize in the near future.

Petersen added the importance of pricing correctly in any market.

“Part of our job is to be good counselors,” she said.

As they look toward the future, Petersen and O’Connell said the ways of communicating continue to change with social media platforms, but the key is to maintain high quality just like they do in ads and online.

“You have to be true to yourself, and I’m very proud of what we’ve done in the last 100 years,” Petersen said. “Not that I had much to do with the first 50, but I am very proud of what we’ve accomplished and what is still yet to accomplish.”

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Drone footage of Gaynor Park in St. James. Drone footage from Town of Smithtown, Planning Department

The Town of Smithtown Parks Department is scheduled to complete the main Little League field at Gaynor Park in the coming week for local, young athletes and their families to enjoy in time for the season.

In addition to this renovation, construction of the new synthetic field at the largest softball field at Moriches Park is expected to be completed in a month’s time. These improvements are the result of a partnership with the St James Smithtown Little League for field improvements to both increase the amount of field time, as well as enhance the safety and overall experience for local youth.  

“There is really nothing like building a park that our young residents get to enjoy and build lifelong memories on,” said Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R). “I want to express my gratitude to the St. James Smithtown Little League for this collaboration between parents, coaches and our team here. Secondly, I need to really shed light on our parks team for an outstanding job well done. Every member of the Parks Department genuinely comes to work, loving what they do each day for our community. Like me, they live for the smiles on the faces of our kids enjoying the game, the camaraderie and soon, the new fields.” 

The ball field at Moriches Park and the little league field at Gaynor Park have been resurfaced with a 90-foot synthetic turf infield. Both synthetic fields feature new upgrades for safety, including raising the fencing to upwards of 10 feet, to protect spectators and vehicles from fly balls.

At Gaynor Park, brick walkways surround a tinted concrete sidewalk. The darker concrete will extend the appeal and overall aesthetics of the areas frequented by spectators. This addition to the facility at Gaynor will complement the previous renovation work, which included new Basketball, and Tennis courts in addition to a new state-of-the-art playground. 

At Moriches Park, the Parks Department will be rebuilding a new dugout, backstop and added fencing as part of the field restoration. The synthetic field replacement compliments previous park renovations including the artificial turf field replacement at the Moriches Park Soccer Complex, which was completed last April. Additional renovations completed at Moriches Park include the new soft splash pad at the waterpark, state-of-the-art playground, interactive playhouse, new fencing surrounding the play areas, concrete sidewalks, LED user-friendly crosswalk and landscaping.

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Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Benner's Farm hosts their Easter Egg Hunt Weekend on April 8 and 9 this year. File photo by Rita J. Egan/ TBR News Media
Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt in 2022. File photo by Rita J. Egan
Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan

Benner’s Farm in East Setauket continued its egg hunt tradition during the spring holidays, and for the second year in a row, created a socially-distanced event. 

On April 16 and 17, families arrived to the farm at their designated time slots to enjoy the egg hunt, take photos with the Easter Bunny, visit with the farm’s animals and check out merchandise from local vendors.

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A sketch from Suffolk County depicts the Route 25A and Nicolls Road intersection and surrounding area.

Early in 2020, Suffolk County was ready to ease residents’ concerns about the northwestern section of Nicolls Road.

Then, the pandemic hit. Roadwork that county officials had been planning for several years and projected would be completed by the end of 2020 was put on hold due to COVID-19. A recurrent issue for travelers on Nicolls Road has been drivers weaving quickly to the left lane when coming from eastbound Route 25A to make a left onto Lower Sheep Pasture Road while others are making a left onto Nicolls from Route 25A driving south.

Now the work is beginning.

At a February 2020 Three Village Civic Association meeting, William Hillman, Suffolk County Department of Public Works chief engineer, said it would be “a relatively simple project.” The road work will include removing the slip ramp on Route 25A approaching Nicolls and bringing a right-turn lane up to the signal. The only time drivers in the right-turn lane will stop is when those making a left from the westbound side of Route 25A have the green arrow.

According to a recent letter to residents from the county Department of Public Works, the project will also consist of installation of drainage, curb, sidewalk, guide rail, milling, asphalt resurfacing, traffic signal work, pavement striping and grass seeding. 

County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) said, in a recent phone interview, it was good to hear that the work will begin as it will make the roadway safer for drivers and pedestrians.

“It’s always hard to live through infrastructure improvements, but ultimately it’ll make it safer there,” she said.

Hahn said the county doesn’t anticipate any problems with the new light at the turning lane as those approaching from the west and turning right will have the green most of the time.

“Every other moment in that lane you should be able to turn right without a problem,” she said.

Hahn said the sidewalk to be added on the west side of the road, combined with pedestrians no longer having to cross the wide slip ramp, will diminish dangerous conditions. The sidewalk on the west side of Nicolls will run from the North entrance of Stony Brook University to Route 25A. Hahn added currently it is safer to cross at Lower Sheep Pasture than at the northwest corner of the intersection.

According to county officials, crews have begun preliminary work, and the project should be completed by the end of the summer. Hahn added the estimated project cost is $1.2 million.

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