On June 15, village election day in Poquott, residents only had two candidates to chose from for two two-year trustee terms, incumbent Tina Cioffi and newcomer John Musiello.
Each candidate garnered 147 votes each, according to Cindy Schleider, village clerk.
Cioffi said, in a June 10 The Village Times Herald article, that she was “running again because I enjoy giving back to the community that gives me so much to be thankful for. The vibe in Poquott is really great these days, and if I can help keep that going, I’m really happy to do so.”
She was looking forward to working with Musiello on the village board. In the June 10 article, the newcomer said his goals for office include utilizing his financial background and community service experience.
“Financially, I’m looking forward to collaborating with the board on operational efficiencies, bid reviews and budget considerations,” he said. “From a community service standpoint, having done volunteer work for many years, I hope to establish some more formalized volunteer programs for Poquott based on resident interest and feedback.”
The two will be sworn in July 1 during the village’s organizational meeting.
Bridget Fleming led the dedication for the public transit workers. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Five American white dogwood tress surround the memorial stone at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Family and friends were on hand for the ceremony June 12 where rows were reserved for loved ones. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A memorial stone, above, dedicated to public transit workers, who succumbed to COVID-19 over the last 15 months is located at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Five American white dogwood trees were donated by the Bridgehampton High School’s Future Farmers of America. Photo from Bridget Fleming's office
On Saturday, June 12, elected officials from Suffolk and Nassau counties, along with union leaders, paid respect to local transportation workers who lost their lives to COVID-19.
Family members and friends of the 21 public transportation workers who succumbed to the virus were on hand for a dedication of a memorial garden to their loved ones on the east side of the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.
The garden features a stone with all of the workers’ names and five American white dogwood trees donated by the Bridgehampton High School’s Future Farmers of America under the direction of Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz.
Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac), who chairs the Legislature’s transportation working group, led the event.
The committee initiated the idea to salute the workers with the memorial. Fleming said with families not being able to properly mourn during the pandemic due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was important to take time out to remember the workers.
She said the concept of essential workers evolved over the past 15 months, from frontline workers such as police officers, firefighters and health professionals to educators, grocery store workers and more.
“Our public transportation workers ensured that each of these essential employees got to his or her workplace,” Fleming said. “Our bus drivers, and our train operators and our transportation workers literally kept our society moving and our economy afloat. We owe them a debt of gratitude that we cannot fully express.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) thanked labor leaders for working with the county during a difficult time.
“You have done so much to lead, to represent these essential workers and to work with us,” he said. It was “in an environment in which none of us had a playbook on how to deal with this, how to handle this.”
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran (D) said the families do not grieve alone.
“When people come and see these beautiful trees they’re going to ask questions, are going to want to know what happened here — why is this here?” she said. “People will know about your loved one’s sacrifice, and we’ll know about their lives. The fact that they were out there when so many other people were afraid, getting the doctors and nurses, getting the grocery store workers, getting home care workers to where they had to go. It was selfless work.”
Among the speakers were the Rev. Shaju Devassy, associate pastor of Church of St. Barnabas the Apostle in Bellmore; the Rev. Charles Coverdale, pastor of First Baptist Church of Riverhead; Debra Hagan, Transport Workers Union Local 252 president; Daniel Kane Jr., Teamsters Local 202 president; Anthony Simon, SMART Transportation Division general chairman; and Bill DeCarlo, national vice president/legislative director of Transportation Communications Union/IAM.
The Hauppauge High School Chamber Choir sang “A Parting Blessing” and “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and Lt. Sean Murtha of the Suffolk County Police Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums played “Amazing Grace.”
Hagan said the workers left their homes every day knowing the risks they were taking, trying their best to protect themselves with masks, hand sanitizer and keeping their distance from others.
“They made that sacrifice, because the communities needed them to get on those buses and do their job,” she said. “It’s so important that we never forget that every morning they got up, and they left their home, kissed their loved ones goodbye. And unfortunately for many, sacrificed the ultimate sacrifice of contracting COVID and leaving us on this Earth. We’re not going to forget. Each and every one of your family members holds a very special part in our hearts. Their co-workers are never going to forget the camaraderie.”
Rev. Gregory Leonard with his daughter Maisha and wife, Marlyn. Photo by Heidi Sutton
After a 40-year career — 26 of those years spent in Setauket — one local pastor recently decided it was time to retire.
Rev. Gregory Leonard. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Known for his quiet presence and dedication to his religion and the community, the Rev. Gregory Leonard has stepped down as pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on Christian Avenue. Shortly after his announcement, the congregation welcomed the Rev. Lisa Williams to step up to the pulpit.
Leonard said the congregation members have hit the ground running with their new pastor.
“I’m here, and I’m available if she needs any assistance or anything like that, but I’m pretty much in the background,” the pastor said.
He added that Bethel AME includes a group of people “who are very committed to the church and committed to striving to grow spiritually.”
Originally from Boston, Leonard started his career in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as a pastor at St. Paul AME Church, and then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center. From there he spent seven years with a church in Providence, Rhode Island, and before coming to Setauket with his late wife Sandra and three children, was a pastor in Bermuda for two years.
Leonard said he has many good memories from Bethel AME. What stands out to him most is when the church saved Bethel Hobbs Community Farm in Centereach. Alfred Hobbs willed the farm to Bethel AME Church in 1996, and Ann Pellegrino asked to maintain the property nearly 15 years ago. Since 2007, the farm has been growing vegetables and other crops to donate to food pantries and people in need.
Leonard said church members, as well as local elected officials, helped make a difference.
“The community, and the greater community, is benefiting from them giving away the vegetables and the produce to those in need,” Leonard said. “So, that was a pretty big thing. The whole church got behind it and made it happen.”
Bethel AME congregants describe the reverend as a quiet and insightful man who doesn’t seek attention. Leonard said he believes in “get the job done, communicate and love one another — those are the important things.”
“He is a very humble man, very focused and very even keeled. Nothing really ruffled his feathers that much.”
~ Carole Manning
Carole and Ron Manning, of Coram, were already worshipping at Bethel AME when Leonard started pastoring there.
“He is a very humble man, very focused and very even keeled,” Carole Manning said. “Nothing really ruffled his feathers that much.”
Ron Manning agreed, saying the pastor has a calming presence. The couple said Leonard was the type of pastor who if he didn’t see you for a while, would pay a visit to see how you were.
“We got very lucky, and his tenure was never really questioned,” Ron Manning said. “He just kept going on until his retirement.”
Antoinette Miller, originally from Setauket who now lives in Florida, also first attended Bethel AME before Leonard began pastoring there. She remembers when he first arrived and the impression he made on the congregation.
“He is a great preacher, family man and community warrior,” Miller said. “He loves his church.”
Cynthia Shephard, who lives in Port Jefferson Station, added that the reverend is devoted to his religion and congregation. She said she will miss Leonard’s quiet dedication and humble presence where he would be involved in various meetings and stop by choir practice.
“He’s a very humble man, who has always been concerned about our spiritual welfare,” Shephard said.
Lisa Roller, who has been worshipping at the church for more than 20 years, first traveled from Middle Island to attend services. Now she makes the trip from Islip. Roller said she appreciated that Leonard is community-minded and at the same time an introvert like herself, something she appreciated when she first met him. She said to herself, “This is somebody that I need to stick with.”
She added her family always loved seeing him at the church.
“My mother has commented that he’s such a kind and gentle person,” she said.
Teresa White described Leonard as a “caring and genuine servant of God.” She said while he will be missed as the church’s pastor, he would remain a friend in the Setauket community.
“His strong faith in God has always been his anchor,” White said. “We will truly miss his humility, teaching and being inclusive of all people. He always emphasized the importance of our relationship with God and with one another.”
Leonard said he will continue to live in Setauket with his wife, Marlyn, and daughter, Maisha. He also plans to continue his volunteer work in the area which includes serving as a chaplain for the Setauket Fire Department and Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook, and working with the Three Village Interfaith Clergy Association and Building Bridges of Brookhaven, an interfaith group that works to forge connections and encourage peace.
He also plans to continue being involved with the restoration of the historic 1917 Eato House on Christian Avenue in Setauket, which belonged to the church’s first pastor.
“I’m still involved, only I’m not on the frontline,” he said.
The Mannings said they aren’t surprised that he will still pursue his volunteer efforts in the community.
“He may not be the pastor but he will be involved in AME and the community, and help the community to move forward,” Ron Manning said. “I think that’s part of what he truly wants to do.”
The election cycle has been a quiet one this year in the Village of Poquott.
While residents would usually have a few candidates to choose from for two two-year trustee terms, this year incumbent Tina Cioffi and newcomer John Musiello are the only names that will be on the ballot June 15.
Jeff Koppelson, who is completing his third term, decided not to run again this year. In a phone interview, Koppelson said after six years, it was time to move on, especially with him wanting to spend more time on other things in his life.
He said he moved to the village in 1972, but it wasn’t until his first trustee run in 2015 that he felt compelled to run. At one point, residents were divided about the construction of a community dock in Poquott, which was completed in 2019. Koppelson said when he ran he had hoped that he could help in some way, and they could form a team that worked well together on the village board. He said he believes that goal was accomplished, and it shows with the low number of candidates this year and less contention in the village.
“It means that we don’t have discord,” he said. “There’s no dissension. So, people are not saying, ‘I’m against what you’re trying to do and I want to somehow pursue an alternative.’ It’s pretty unifying.”
Tina Cioffi
In 2019, Cioffi won running on the Bright Side ticket with Koppelson. A former creative director in advertising for a Long Island-based advertising agency for 15 years, she has owned a marketing and communications consulting business since 2003. She has lived in Poquott since 2008, and her husband has owned their home since 1986.
Before she was voted in as trustee, she was appointed as communications commissioner in Poquott after volunteering to revamp the village’s website in 2017. She is also a member of the Poquott Community Association.
“I’m running again because I enjoy giving back to the community that gives me so much to be thankful for,” Cioffi wrote in an email. “The vibe in Poquott is really great these days, and if I can help keep that going, I’m really happy to do so.”
The trustee said her first time was a great experience, and she feels she accomplished many of her goals.
“Poquott saw its share of challenges these last few years – COVID-19 shutdown and reopening, Hurricane Isaias and an abundance of winter storms this past year – and I feel like I learned a lot in a short amount of time and am grateful to [former] Mayor [Dee] Parrish, Mayor [Chris] Schleider, the other board members, village staff and code enforcement/legal team for all they taught me regarding coordination and protocols.”
Cioffi said she is looking forward to Musiello “being a new member of the village team,” and wanted to thank Koppelson “for years of dedication and hard work.”
John Musiello
Musiello moved to Poquott in 2019. A Bronx native, after he graduated from college, he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area.
He spent more than 20 years working with AAA in various divisions throughout the years, including corporate finance and real estate. The bulk of his AAA career was spent in operational and strategic positions in the automotive services division of AAA working his way up the ranks to senior director. He retired in 2012.
He and his husband, Mike Taflinger, volunteered with Caring Hands for more than 15 years. The nonprofit helps seniors remain independent. He has also been the treasurer for two homeowners associations. Currently, he and his husband volunteer at Welcome Friends Soup Kitchen and at Infant Jesus R.C. Church in Port Jefferson as Eucharistic ministers, who bring communion to parishioners in nursing and adult homes. They also take time out to clean up any trash they find on the roads and beaches in Poquott.
Musiello wrote in an email that when he moved to the village, he “immediately felt a strong sense of community, and it made me want to get more involved.”
“As soon as Tina Cioffi approached me to run for village trustee, I immediately said ‘yes,’ because I knew that working together with the other board members and mayor, we could continue to do great things in Poquott, especially keeping our community safe, clean and friendly,” Musiello said.
The candidate’s goals for office include utilizing his financial background and community service experience.
“Financially, I’m looking forward to collaborating with the board on operational efficiencies, bid reviews and budget considerations,” he said. “From a community service standpoint, having done volunteer work for many years, I hope to establish some more formalized volunteer programs for Poquott based on resident interest and feedback.”
The Village of Poquott election for village trustees will be held Tuesday, June 15, from noon to 9 p.m. at Village Hall located at 45 Birchwood Ave.
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
One of the cars on display at the Long Island Car show on the Flowerfield property in St. James June 6. Photo by Rita J. Egan
On Sunday, June 6, the sun was hot and the cars were even hotter looking on the Flowerfield grounds in St. James.
Thousands of spectators from all over Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens attended the event hosted by Long Island Cars to check out the hundeds of cars — from classic to modern and everything in between — on display throughout the day.
For more than 20 years, Long Island Cars has organized shows on the property, which usually start as early as April. Phyllis Aquino, a Long Island Cars representative, said the show was the first one on the grounds since the COVID-19 shutdowns began. “We wanted to wait until it was COVID-safe,” Aquino said.
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn formally announced her bid for Congress at a June 2 event at the Three Village Inn. Photo by Rita J. Egan
More than 150 people, celebrating a local elected official’s announcement, filled the front courtyard of the Three Village Inn, Stony Brook, in the late afternoon of June 2.
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) announced her bid to run in 2022 for New York’s 1st Congressional District. Hahn, who is also deputy presiding officer of the county Legislature, will run against fellow Suffolk Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac) for the Democratic nomination. U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) has held the seat since 2015. The congressman is currently campaigning for the Republican nomination for New York State governor in 2022.
The June 2 event was organized for Hahn to make her first public remarks about her decision. When she was younger, the legislator was a waitress at the Three Village Inn.
Hahn said her father, who was a volunteer firefighter in Stony Brook, gave her inspiration to serve the community.
“I always try to match the level of service my dad gave,” Hahn said. “He is my hero, and my prime example of what it means to show up for your community and help families in need. It’s his example that led me to pursue a career in social work and become a civic leader.”
She said his influence also helped her tackle difficult issues in the Legislature where she has worked on legislation to protect land and water from pollutants, confront Long Island’s opioid epidemic, and helped victims of domestic abuse.
Hahn said more than ever the district needs a leader in Congress, “who actually wants to find solutions for our problems, and that is what I will do — find solutions.”
“I have so much hope and optimism right now,” she added. “We are back together close enough for handshakes and hugs.”
Hahn compared the pandemic to a storm, and said like other storms, residents will come out stronger “if we are willing to face head on together the enormous challenges that need to be tackled for Long Island’s hardworking families.”
The legislator said she recognizes the impact the pandemic has had financially on many. She added Long Islanders’ finances were affected long before the COVID-19 shutdowns when the federal government capped the state and local tax deduction.
“This punitive tax has hurt families and hurt our economy,” she said. “Of course, I’ll stand up for Long Island homeowners and vote to repeal that tax.”
In addition to removing the tax cap on SALT deductions, among her goals, if elected to Congress, are making health care affordable, child care more accessible, investing in local infrastructure and protecting land and water from pollution and having access to parks and shorelines.
“Washington must be better for us,” she said.
Hahn said she believes a campaign can be built with Long Islanders across the political spectrum “while upholding deep-held Democratic values of respect, equality, justice and opportunity for all.” She made it clear she is ready for the task of running for Congress and described herself as a problem solver.
“I work to get things done,” Hahn said. “I lead with respect, and I listen. I have a track record of working with anyone, to put family first and get results. That’s the kind of leadership our community needs in Washington. This campaign isn’t going to be easy, but like a lot of Long Islanders, I’ve never backed down from a challenge.”
Alexandra VanDerlofske, executive director of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee, said in an email statement that voters will have a difficult decision to make when it comes to the primaries.
“Kara Hahn has been a dynamic legislator and has a proven record of getting things done for Suffolk,” she said. “Voters are going to have a tough choice to make, but either choice will be a good one as Kara or Bridget will both be strong advocates for Suffolk in Congress.”
The Suffolk County Landbank Corporation has been reaching out to community members for their feedback regarding the Lawrence Aviation property in Port Jefferson Station. Suggestions have included allowing the Long Island Rail Road to have a railyard on the property, installing solar panels on the industrial core of the property and using some parcels for open space. Concept image from Suffolk County Landbank Corporation
The Suffolk County Landbank Corporation has been reaching out to local organizations to discuss ideas for the future of a 126-acre Superfund property in Port Jefferson Station.
The SCLBC has been reaching out to community members to see what they would like to see be done with the property. Recently, the nonprofit’s president, Sarah Lansdale, has been meeting with members of local chambers and civic associations about the property. The SCLBC has also reached out to elected officials such as county Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) and briefed the two school districts affected by the site due to unpaid property taxes: Comsewogue and Three Village.
According to Peter Scully, deputy Suffolk County executive and SCLBC board member, the landbank had been authorized by the state Legislature to facilitate cleanup of blighted sites, and then return the properties to the county tax rolls. The SCLBC is involved in discussions with both the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Federal Department of Justice to talk about the future of the Lawrence Aviation property “and trying to make sure the community has some input into the future use,” Scully said.
One suggestion that has been considered is using a portion of the site as a Long Island Rail Road yard to facilitate electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch, he said. Scully added finding a suitable location along the branch for the railyard has been somewhat of a challenge with most of the communities fully developed.
Lansdale said that the land bank has received information from the Long Island Rail Road about what the environmental impact would be if the Port Jefferson Branch — from Huntington to Port Jefferson — were to be electrified.
“We would avoid approximately 7,800 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year,” Lansdale said.
Other suggestions for the site from the community that have been discussed with the EPA and DOJ have been preserving part of it as open space and the possibility of allowing the section that has been developed in the past being available for redevelopment for light industrial purposes. There have also been suggestions to use the property for solar panels on the industrial core of the property.
According to Scully and Lansdale, the federal government has invested more than $50 million into the property.
“Generally what the federal government will do will be to try and recover as much of the funding that it has expended as it possibly can, and typically when the government does that, it looks at what assets are available that it could use,” Scully said, “And in this instance, the only real asset is the real property. And so, in the absence of any sort of other arrangement or agreement, the federal government would likely just auction the property off.”
Scully said the outreach has been well received by community members.
“I think there’s a general appreciation on the part of these stakeholders that under a more conventional scenario, if the federal government was simply to auction off this property to the highest bidder on the town hall steps, the ability to shape future uses to meet community needs would be lost,” he said.
In a May 19 letter on behalf of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Mark Lesko — the former Town of Brookhaven supervisor — addressed to U. S. Magistrate Judge Anne Shields, Lesko stated that the U.S. and county “have made significant progress toward resolution of their outstanding issues, though not all matters are resolved.” An additional status report will be submitted to the district court on or before June 18.
The property, which was deemed a Superfund in 2000, has been surrounded by controversy since the early 1980s when the Suffolk County Department of Health issued a series of recommendations for the former defense contractor to be compliant with several pollution control laws. An April 2019 article in The Port Times Record reported that in 1999, testing performed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation revealed contamination of groundwater and surface water at the site.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a 2019 memorandum, LAI used a front-end loader to crush 55-gallon drums containing hazardous substances which led to discharge of waste directly into the ground. The drums were among more than 1,600. Gerald Cohen, former CEO of Lawrence Aviation, was ordered to pay $48 million in cleanup costs for the toxic underground plume caused by materials leached into the ground on the property.
The EPA’s cleanup on the site has included the treatment of contaminated groundwater using two groundwater treatment systems to decrease the size of the groundwater plume. One system is on the property while the other is in the village of Port Jefferson, according to Scully.
Regarding property taxes, Lansdale said 2020 taxes associated with Lawrence Aviation are in excess of $860,000.She added that “some parcels have been delinquent since 1993.”
“Every year that [taxes] haven’t been paid, Suffolk County taxpayers have been forced to bear the expense of making the other taxing jurisdictions whole,” Scully said, adding that means for school districts, fire districts and libraries.
“The tax burden associated with this property has been extreme,” he said.
While the county would typically take ownership of a property for nonpayment of taxes, when it comes to an environmental impairment such as Lawrence Aviation, the current situation absolves county taxpayers from the liabilities associated with environmental impairment, which would have a higher financial impact.
The Three Village Central School District Board of Education will put its rejected budget up for a second vote. At its May 25 meeting, the board elected to resubmit the failed budget unaltered for taxpayers’ approval.
“Since this is what the majority supported, this is what we should put forward,” said Jeff Carlson, deputy superintendent for business services, during a phone interview last week.
Although 57.7% of taxpayers voted in favor of the $222.6 million budget — 2,286-1,677 — it failed to pass. That was because the proposed budget pierced the 1.37% cap on the tax levy increase, necessitating a supermajority approval, or 60% of the vote, to pass.
The failed budget has a tax levy increase of 1.85%, which officials say would bring in an additional $777,000 in revenue and represents a tax levy difference of $58 per year for the average taxpayer.
“We want to get back on track” and position the district for long-term financial stability, Carlson said of the decision to pierce the cap.
After spending close to $7 million from district reserves to enable a full reopening last September, the district needs to start paying itself back. It has budgeted about $800,000 to do so in the coming year.
Carlson added that the district needs to have flexibility in its budget in case there is a resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall. After a year of having schools open to all students every day, “we don’t want to go backward,” he said.
The district is receiving $1.85 million in federal aid, which is earmarked for COVID-related expenses. While some districts received much larger allocations and must spread out their spending, Three Village does not have such restrictions, Carlson said. District officials would like to use the money over the next two years. Carlson explained that a one-time use would create a gap in the budget that would then need to be filled in the following year.
If the budget fails again, there will be no increase to the tax levy. That would mean a shortfall of about $3 million and that major construction or improvements to district property would not take place. Carlson said during the interview that it would not be disastrous, and the district would “make it as painless as possible for the kids.” He also said the district would then use all of the federal money for the coming year.
Cuts would likely be made to some electives, and class sizes might increase on a district level, Carlson said. He added that funds budgeted for capital projects, which under a passed budget could only be used for building repairs and other maintenance and improvements, could be shifted to other areas of the budget.
“Our buildings are in good shape,” he said, and it would be better to put capital projects on hold for a year rather than adversely impact academic programs.
The budget hearing was due to be held Wednesday, June 2. The revote will take place, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, June 15, at Ward Melville High School located at 380 Old Town Road. The vote will take place in one location to make it easier for community members to knowwhere to go, Carlson said.
Ward Melville Heritage Organization trustees wave to the students. Photo by Rita J. Egan
The Ward Melville Heritage Organization has created a virtual bridge across the Long Island Sound for students on both sides of the waterway.
Patricia Paladines holds a horseshoe crab up to show the students who viewed the presentation through Zoom. Photo by Rita J. Egan
On Tuesday, June 1, WMHO unveiled Long Island Sound Connections, its new STEM and conservation program at the Erwin J. Ernst Marine Conservation Center on Trustees Road by West Meadow Creek. Students from Selden and Bridgeport, Connecticut, participated from their classrooms via Zoom, while WMHO trustees members and grant donors looked on from the center. Dr. Robert Park from the Fullwood Foundation, one of the donors, also joined virtually.
Students from Selden Middle School in Michelle Miller’s sixth-grade science class and Julianne Biagioli’s seventh-grade science class in the Bridgeport school district discussed their studies in the June 1 presentation. The students were able to show how urban and suburban communities have contrasting situations, where the Selden students have the 88-acre preserved wetlands of West Meadow Creek only miles away from them, and the Bridgeport students live in a city where former wetlands were developed decades ago.
The organization’s virtual, cooperative learning is led by Deborah Boudreau, WMHO’s director of education.
“It’s an opportunity for students to research their local Long Island ecosystems, and share what they learned about those ecosystems to learn how we can best preserve all the animals and plants that depend on these ecosystems,” Boudreau said.
She told the students during the June 1 class that the teachers wanted to hear from them as much as possible.
“I want to say that this program is very much about the students and your data and your research and your ideas,” she said. “You are the future of our wetlands. You are the ones that are going to carry that forward.”
During the presentation, students compared findings about the wetlands as well as species that would normally be found in waterways including lobsters and horseshoe crabs, which Bridgeport students found recently in mudflats.
Naturalist and environmentalist Patricia Paladines, from Setauket, was on hand to provide a presentation on horseshoe crabs for the students. She found one in West Meadow Creek June 1 that was injured and explained it would heal. Paladines told students, while holding the crab for them to see, that a lot of people are afraid of its long tail, but it doesn’t sting.
“A lot of people are afraid of them because they have this long tail here, which is called a telson, but it’s not to hurt you — it’s not to protect itself, it’s a rudder,” she said, adding that the tail was moving at the time because the crab wanted to turn over from its back to being right-side up.
The program will continue throughout the month with various schools participating where they will compare and contrast data such as water salinization, marine species inventory and more.
Gloria Rocchio, WMHO president, said the program was made possible by grants from the Fullwood Foundation, Investors Foundation and Teachers Federal Credit Union.
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Maria Hoffman
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Maria Hoffman
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Maria Hoffman
At the end of the ceremony, photo below left, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), county Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) and state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) took time out to take a photo with Post 3054’s new Post Commander Reanna Fulton, second from right.
Photo by Maria Hoffman
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
For the second year in a row, the Memorial Day parade could not be held along Main Streetand Route 25A in Setauket due to COVID-19 guidelines.
However, Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054 organized a wreath-laying ceremony at Setauket Veterans Memorial Park May 31. Veterans, elected officials and residents memorialized those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.
At the end of the ceremony, photo below left, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), county Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) and state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) took time out to take a photo with Post 3054’s new Post Commander Reanna Fulton, second from right.
Tina Cioffi
John Musiello
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