Editorials

The mansion at Thatch Meadow Farm. Photo by Raymond Janis

The global pandemic has cast a long shadow, obscuring the charm and dimming the collective spirit of our communities. Yet, within the confines lies a treasure trove of stories, traditions and a unique character that deserves not just protection but revival. Investing in community revitalization isn’t merely a budgetary line item but a strategic investment in the soul of the community.

The Suffolk County JumpSMART program is not a charity but a catalyst. The grants provided through the American Rescue Plan Act will inject much-needed resources into neighborhoods that may have been overlooked or bypassed by progress. This translates into restored facades, rejuvenated public spaces and the return of thriving businesses, but the true transformation lies deeper. It’s the rekindled pride in local heritage, the buzz of opportunity replacing the din of despair and the emergence of resilient communities.

We often see deterioration and neglect of history and community within our coverage area such as across Thatch Meadow Farm in St. James, according to Preservation Long Island’s recent declaration of several of the island’s historical landmarks to be endangered and in need of careful and conscientious TLC. Once again, Flowerfield Fairgrounds — also in St. James — is another community staple faced with the danger of being lost to development. 

Preserving historic sites and buildings isn’t about mere nostalgia but reclaiming a collective narrative, each restored landmark inspires tales of resilience and the paths of those who came before us. In revitalized communities, stories aren’t confined to dusty archives but instead sung in bustling marketplaces and etched in the smiles of returning residents. These revitalized landscapes will aid in the preservation of our cultural tapestry for future generations to explore and embrace.

Beyond the historical benefits, revitalization ignites economic engines, with improved infrastructure and a flourishing atmosphere, businesses return, drawing investment and creating jobs. Local talents find fertile ground for innovation, generating entrepreneurship and injecting newfound vitality into the economy. 

History isn’t something inherited, it’s something actively cultivated. Investing in community revitalization isn’t just about bricks and mortar but investing in a brighter future. It’s about revitalizing fading facades, restoring historic buildings and artifacts — and cultivating communities. We urge our readers to write us letters in support of the movement, as these actions are worthy goals in the coming year.

File photo by Erika Karp

In keeping with the spirit of the season, the governor came to town Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 12, bringing gifts from Albany.

At the Suffolk County Water Authority in Hauppauge, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) delivered a significant announcement on clean water, awarding our county tens of millions of dollars to address the deteriorating septic systems beneath our feet that pollute our drinking supply.

At a time of intense polarization over the future of our wastewater infrastructure, we regard Hochul’s action as a positive first step. Hochul’s arrival in Suffolk was a visible reminder that our state government is listening to our concerns, in tune with the pressing issues of our times and taking action to rectify them. We hope to see the governor again soon, especially given the growing list of local matters demanding her attention.

As SCWA chair Charlie Lefkowitz indicated during his remarks, the electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road represents a generational investment in our transportation infrastructure. That kind of investment by New York State would help unlock the full potential of Stony Brook University, an institution Hochul just last year named the southern flagship of our state university system.

Electrifying the Port Jeff line would facilitate greater interconnectivity between communities along the North Shore, with economic development rewards for the commercial hubs around those train stations. Electrification would breathe new life into the North Shore. 

This year, the Port Jeff Branch reached a milestone when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority opted to include the electrification project within its 2025-2044 20-Year Needs Assessment. It is now time for the MTA to advance the project, laying down the necessary seed funds to kickstart the planning studies and environmental reviews. Let’s move this project out of the station.

Past generations of New Yorkers constructed the Erie Canal, the New York City subway system and the state parkway network. Our generation can electrify the Port Jeff Branch, though we need gubernatorial initiative.

Hochul made her presence felt Tuesday afternoon. We ask for her continued presence and advocacy for the project that our community needs most. We thank the governor for the state dollars toward clean water. Now, we ask for her commitment to electrify our rail line.

Photo by David Ackerman

Local news is making news lately.

Last week, tech giant Google reached an agreement with the Canadian government that will allow the search engine to continue publishing links to local news outlets under select conditions. As part of the bargain, Google will pay out roughly U.S. $73.5 million annually to Canadian news companies.

We regard this development as a significant victory for local journalism, setting a powerful precedent we can follow here in the United States.

The local press is a vital institution for sustaining democracy. We know that in news deserts — or places not served by a local newspaper — communities generally have less civic engagement and more governmental mismanagement.

Without local news, we become alienated from the democratic process. Distant bureaucracies in Washington and Albany — over which we have little influence as private citizens — dominate our mental space and shape our worldviews.

Without local news, we can consume only the most polarizing, partisan content from mainstream media outlets that prosper and profit from a national culture of division.

At TBR, we are committed to a ground-up style of democracy. A stable federalist system requires a solid foundation. Like the food chain, community journalism is the primary producer, giving life to all other levels of democracy. Without the local press, our entire democratic ecosystem could collapse.

Local journalists reporting on civic matters and informed citizens engaging in the political process are the pillars of a thriving democracy. But how our industry is changing.

Today, local outlets fight just to survive — much less thrive and expand. Local newspapers have simply struggled to adapt in this digital age. Meanwhile, tech conglomerates are cannibalizing the local media landscape, circulating and monetizing our content without equitable compensation while siphoning away precious advertising dollars from small businesses — the lifeblood of the local press.

We find this dynamic deeply problematic. Fortunately, we have recourse.

Right now, the state Legislature is considering the Local Journalism Sustainability Act. This measure would create tax credits for local journalists and monetarily reward local news subscribers.

We regard this legislation as a positive first step toward attracting and retaining talent in our industry while counteracting the declines faced by many of our shuttering peers. We ask each of our state legislators to support this measure and invite readers to lobby them on our behalf.

But the work doesn’t end in Albany. Local news outlets in the U.S. deserve compensation from Big Tech, similar to our Canadian counterparts. If Canada can defend its local press, our federal government can, too.

The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate earlier this year by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) with broad bipartisan support, would allow local outlets to jointly negotiate fair compensation for access to our content by Google, Facebook and other large corporations.

We urge our U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) to pick up the measure, guiding the slim House majority toward enactment.

As local press members, we are staring down an extinction-level event. The monopolistic, plagiaristic, predatory tactics of Big Tech must end. We ask for a level playing field.

To our readers and public officials alike, we urge you to do what you can to stand up for local news.

Nikola Tesla’s Wardenclyffe wireless station, located in Shoreham, as seen in 1904. Public domain photo

Tragedy recently struck our community.

The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, a regional and international treasure nestled in the heart of Shoreham, went up in flames last Tuesday, Nov. 21.

While the cause of the fire is unknown, the damages to the historical structure on-site are extensive. This sad news comes as the nonprofit organization was reaching its peak, embarking upon a $20 million redevelopment project that is now set back for some time.

Considerable effort and planning lie ahead to remediate the wreckage. Fortunately, we can all lend a hand in getting the center back on its feet.

On Tuesday, Nov. 28, center officials launched Mission Rebuild, a $3 million fundraising campaign to finance the necessary restoration work. This is a separate fundraiser from the $20 million campaign for site redevelopment. We also can empathize with the Tesla Center.

Historic preservation is an arduous, often expensive endeavor. Local not-for-profits and private benefactors invest their time and dollars in preserving historically and architecturally significant structures for our community’s benefit. These places connect us to our shared past, linking one generation of Long Islanders to the next.

If we fail to invest in historic preservation, then we run the risk of losing our sense of place and appreciation for the land. This very rootlessness can give way to unfettered demolition, development, sprawl and other ills that may imperil our collective way of life.

The brick building of revolutionary scientist Nikola Tesla’s laboratory at Wardenclyffe — its roof severely damaged by the fire — was designed by famed architect Stanford White, whose roots lie in Suffolk’s North Shore. This intersection of architectural and scientific history is unrivaled anywhere else, which is another crucial reason for us to intervene.

And what could be a more noble cause than science, that exploration into the depths of the unknown, unraveling the mysteries of the universe and elevating our human understanding?

Along the North Shore, we are blessed with a rich scientific tradition spanning several institutions, such as Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Brookhaven National Lab and Stony Brook University. Tesla’s lab is a part of that complex. Without it, our homegrown scientific community would be diminished.

As lovers of history, science, and community, we can all lend a hand in this effort. This is a call to people everywhere to help restore this vital place in our community and world.

To donate to Mission Rebuild, please visit www.indiegogo.com/projects/fire-at-tesla-s-lab-immediate-restoration-needed.

Torte Jeff Pie Co. Photo by Heidi Sutton

Thanksgiving is a time to connect with loved ones, enjoy a meal and express thanks for our many blessings. And for many, it marks the Last Supper before weeks of bustling traffic and relentless shopping.

We remind our readers, as they prepare their shopping lists, of the monumental importance of patronizing local businesses.

Mom-and-pop stores are the backbone of our local economy. Without them, our community would be diminished.

Vacant storefronts are all too familiar along the North Shore. These blights are not only eyesores but a reflection of recent disruption and struggle for our commercial sectors.

E-commerce continues to precipitously harm local downtowns, siphoning away customers and setting unsustainable market rates for smaller vendors who lack the bulk purchasing power to compete.

COVID-19 lockdowns further accelerated the decline of small businesses. In many cases, Amazon and a few other prominent web retailers were the only options available for consumers.

Local mom and pops are struggling to stay afloat today. But crucially, they depend upon our patronage. And we depend upon their survival.

Unlike the conglomerates, small business owners create jobs and pay taxes within our community. When we support them, the dollars we spend stay here, recirculating back into our local economy instead of shipping off to some distant corporate headquarters.

And aren’t we all tired of seeing these massive megastores and online retailers cornering the market, consolidating more power and desecrating our downtowns?

On Long Island and across America, the predatory and monopolistic practices of Big Business are forcing smaller retailers to shutter. And rather than resisting this stranglehold on our local markets, we willingly participate in the game, prostrating ourselves at the altar of sweet deals and unbeatable prices.

In the Faustian bargains of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we trade away the soul of our community for a 20% discount. In failing to patronize local businesses, we complicitly enable the decline of our commercial districts and are accountable for the potential loss of our community as we know it.

Through our dollars, we can speak truth to entrenched power and wealth. We can shop locally despite the hot deals elsewhere. We can choose to invigorate our small businesses, knowing that if we don’t, no one else will.

This Saturday, Nov. 25, marks the 13th annual National Small Business Saturday. We ask our readers to come out in force, prioritizing the local storefronts in our community. And then, we must continue supporting them for the remainder of the season and throughout the year.

Our actions will determine the face of our area, so let’s all do our part — because when we shop small, we are all enriched.

DoD photo by Samuel King Jr., U.S. Air Force/Released

As this year’s local election season comes to a close, the TBR News Media staff congratulates our newly elected officials at the county and town levels.

There is much work ahead in the coming term, with many local issues and important public business to resolve. We look forward to working with our officials to bring these issues to the public’s attention.

To those not elected Tuesday night, we strongly urge you to stay involved in our deliberative process. Incumbents need strong voices and passionate citizens who can direct them toward representative policy decisions. The issues raised and discussions shared throughout the campaign were not for nothing, so continue to speak up.

Within a broader context, many Americans are losing faith in our democratic norms. So often, petty politics erodes civility within our democracy. The bickering among politicians can give way to gridlock and a breakdown of progress. Ultimately, when politicians refuse to get along, the people lose out.

At the same time, we are confronting simultaneous regional crises from municipal solid waste disposal, wastewater infrastructure, budget stabilization and environmental degradation, among others.

Right now, the stakes are simply too high to allow for inaction in the years ahead. If our local officials fail us now, our region could undergo irreversible decline. The result will be a further exodus of people away from Suffolk County in search of a better life elsewhere.

Averting these potential calamities is easier said than done. It will require our officials put the public good over party interest or private benefit.

Political extremists and tribalists from both ends of the political spectrum tend to attract undue attention from officials and press alike. We must begin to drown out these extremes as well, lifting the voices of the more temperate majority while advancing the interests of moderate, independent-minded citizens.

To be effective, our local officials must first learn to achieve compromise. We, therefore, hope for greater bipartisanship, civility and unity in the coming term. Our community and region depend upon this critical first step. Let’s put the people first.

METRO photo

While every election is important, we take special care in informing our readers ahead of local races. With Election Day — Nov. 7 — fast approaching, we remind our readers why voting in local town and county elections is critical.

Unfortunately, many Americans today are losing faith in our democratic norms. Everywhere we look, we see partisanship, tribalism and polarization undermining our political process. National media sources often feed into and inflame these divisions for monetary and partisan gain.

Lower levels of government can offer a powerful counterbalance to all of this noise. Both literally and figuratively, local officials are closer to the people — their seats of government are located within our communities, and their decisions more immediately influence our day-to-day lives.

The issues debated by local legislatures are often far removed from the political theater observed in Washington and Albany. Local elections are not about the national debt ceiling, universal free health care or American foreign policy — remote if important issues in our ordinary lives.

Local elections are about us and the complexion of our community. They determine land use and zoning policies within our neighborhoods and commercial districts, drainage and related wastewater infrastructure investments, waste management services, park access, street paving and much more. Local elections determine the granular matters which shape our relationships to our surrounding area.

We remind our readers to be especially wary of candidates and commentators who inject national issues into our local dialogue. Those who do so are often ideologically driven, engaged in illicit political posturing.

We advise prospective voters to begin researching their ballots thoroughly. A functional local democracy requires a well-informed, enlightened electorate. And the more informed we are collectively, the better our elected officeholders will be.

When considering a candidate for local office, we should never decide based on party affiliation alone. This one-dimensional voting strategy cheapens our votes, outsourcing our decisions to the party bosses who handpick the nominees on our ballots.

We must ask ourselves whether a candidate possesses the requisite professional experience and knowledge to advance our interests. We must ask whether their values align with our own. And we must determine whether a candidate is running to promote the public good or to serve their self-interest.

Next week, TBR News Media will release its annual election supplement. Through interviews with various local candidates across our coverage area, we hope our readers will enter the voting booth better equipped to make informed judgments. We will also offer endorsements for candidates who best reflect our staff’s values.

With less than two weeks to go, we must get serious about our votes — because local elections matter.

Pixabay image

Across the North Shore of Suffolk County, our roads are dangerous, and the public safety risks seem to multiply.

Statistics from the county website indicate that 546 of our fellow residents died while walking, bicycling, riding a motorcycle or driving in our county between 2017 and 2021. That startling figure is higher than any other New York county during the same period.

Some traffic fatalities and injuries are likely unavoidable. In a country that constitutionally protects the sale of alcohol and a state that legalizes recreational marijuana, some instances of intoxicated driving seem inevitable. For those who drive drunk or high, there should be stricter penalties.

But other traffic fatalities and injuries are preventable.

Many communities around the TBR News Media coverage area lack extensive sidewalk networks, meaning those who wish to walk, jog or bike do so along public roadways.

The glaring problem with this arrangement is that many of our roadways, such as state Route 25A, are far too narrow to accommodate lanes for vehicular traffic, pedestrians and bicyclists simultaneously. Poor street lighting further complicates the situation.

Earlier this year, the New York State Department of Transportation painted share markings onto 25A, signaling to drivers that they must share the roadways with bicyclists. We find NYSDOT’s striping efforts deeply counterproductive, suggesting the agency lacks familiarity with our dire roadway realities.

Especially along the North Shore, with its beautiful active-use transit options — such as the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway and the North Shore Rail Trail — pedestrians and bikers should be discouraged from using the roadways for leisure purposes. Why risk a fatal injury when there are miles of paved surfaces designed to offer a safe alternative?

We find most frustrating the numerous pedestrians who exercise little or no caution while walking at night. These reckless pedestrians add another unnecessary burden to our already overtaxed roads.

These nightwalkers, often wearing dark clothing without a flashlight or reflective gear — place too much responsibility on drivers, who have enough to worry about while behind the wheel. These are merely terrible accidents waiting to happen — and they recur week after week.

We encourage walkers to use the available hike-bike trails whenever possible instead of walking on the streets. If we must walk on local roadways late at night, we can, at a minimum, wear bright colors, use reflective gear for our dogs and ourselves, and shine the flashlights on our smartphones.

All these actions help alert drivers of our presence, reducing the risk of a traffic tragedy.

We encourage NYSDOT and our county, town and village officials to continue advocating for and promoting walkability by constructing new sidewalks while expanding and connecting linear parks. And we advise all drivers to stay on high alert — and respect speed limits. 

Let us take the appropriate safeguards to make our streets safe for all — because even one pedestrian fatality is one too many.

Pixabay photo

Sideshows, also known as street takeovers, are an increasingly pervasive crime phenomenon within Suffolk County and a critical public safety risk.

A sideshow is an informal and illegal public demonstration involving automotive stunts, often at vacant lots or public intersections. These gatherings usually are among young men, who illicitly schedule and promote these activities through social media.

During a recent community meeting at Hauppauge’s main firehouse, Suffolk County Police Department 4th Precinct Inspector David Regina shared alarming footage of recent nighttime gatherings and dangerous auto races at Hauppauge Industrial Park.

While sideshows may be afflicting Hauppauge and its surrounding communities for now, Regina noted that this trend is gaining traction regionally and nationally.

Here on Long Island, our roadways are dangerous enough as is. Just a week ago, Regina told the Smithtown Town Board that motor vehicle crashes of practically every variety were up within the 4th Precinct. We don’t need to add another safety hazard to our roadways, especially one as preventable as street racing.

Like many fads, our laws and criminal penalties have not yet caught up with this crime phenomenon. Officers alerted to these sideshows are often hamstrung, requiring two signed affidavits from separate business owners before initiating enforcement measures.

Suffolk County Legislators Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) and Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters) are currently exploring changes to county law that would close this loophole.

We advise each incumbent and prospective county legislator within our coverage area to take this matter seriously. There are plenty of vacant lots throughout the North Shore, and this issue could soon be heading to our own backyards.

To those who may report a sideshow event, remember to stay out of the line of harm. These are raucous, dangerous gatherings. They should be handled by experienced law enforcement professionals, not private citizens.

We do sympathize with the young and adventurous auto racers who may wish for an outlet for their natural inclinations and energies. So often, our society shames and punishes this demographic without considering root causes or potential solutions.

If these young men seek the thrill of auto racing, then we should make alternative means available to them. The East End, for example, has long offered sanctioned auto racing at the Riverhead Raceway, located on Old Country Road near Tanger Outlets in Riverhead. This quarter-mile oval track is the only one of its kind on Long Island, providing sanctioned auto racing to local residents.

A similar venue in western Suffolk could provide the necessary outlet for the beleaguered racers among us while promoting public safety. We ask our county officials to explore such an alternative, perhaps siting the raceway at an existing county property.

Still, public awareness of this issue is crucial. If you see or hear of an illegal sideshow event, please notify SCPD immediately. And remember always to be vigilant when getting behind the wheel.

A biker enjoys a section of the Greenway Trail.

Generations ago, the pioneers of suburbia planned our region with one mode of transportation in mind. Cars.

Our forebears, led by urban planner Robert Moses from the 1920s onward, developed our region around the automobile, viewing the car as the mechanical embodiment of core American values: individualism, autonomy, freedom and progress.

To accommodate their automotive aspirations, they built elaborate networks of roads and bridges, connecting every home to every school, supermarket, shopping mall and office park along a continuous stretch of pavement.

Generations later, we now know this thinking was profoundly short sighted. Modern realities of endless traffic congestion painfully extinguish yesterday’s fantasies of limitless open road.

Today, we exist in a decidedly auto-focused, auto-dependent context whereby every essential activity in our lives is mediated by — and requires access to — a motor vehicle.

While cars are indisputably an important component of our transportation ecosystem, they cannot be the only mode of transportation available to us.

Many seniors or people with disabilities cannot operate a car. Young people entering the workforce often cannot afford the high costs of car ownership and maintenance. It should come as no surprise that these demographics are fleeing our region in droves.

A recent AAA report estimates the average annual cost of car ownership is now over $12,000 per year — up more than 13% from last year. For our residents, cars represent a growing liability, disrupting our finances and hindering our quality of life.

Hiking and biking trails are a possible remedy to our transit woes. While creating valuable recreational opportunities, these amenities fulfill an even greater need by opening an alternative to our cars.

For example, the North Shore Rail Trail extends from Mount Sinai to Wading River, running parallel with state Route 25A. For nearby residents, the trail facilitates access to every storefront, parkland and local institution along that highly trafficked corridor — without an automobile.

Unlike the road, that confines us to the interior of our cars, the trail places us outdoors and in relation with nature. Trails restore that vital connection to the land severed long ago through auto-focused regional planning.

The time is now to expand and interconnect our existing trails. Like our roads, we must connect every community on Long Island along one continuous greenway.

The North Shore Rail Trail and the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway are separated by just over a mile. Planning must commence now to link these trails together. 

But we cannot stop there. We must plan and construct new hiking and biking routes, introducing these trails to communities currently without them.

Unlike past decision-making, our plans for new trails must be done purposefully. Greenways should not be limited to parks and open spaces — they must also extend into our neighborhoods, our commercial districts and our schools.

Still, an integrated transportation network must account for all modes of transport — private and public. A more agile and efficient bus system is in order. We call upon Suffolk County Transit officials to explore shorter buses that can better maneuver and adapt to meet the needs of riders.

Our commuters require faster, more frequent rail service. The electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road would satisfy this end. We call upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) and our New York State delegation to advance this plan more aggressively.

With creative thinking, community-based planning and bold vision, we can revolutionize our transit network, rectifying decades-old faults and counteracting our regional decline. Together, let us blaze new trails ahead. Suffolk County’s new GEAR Up program is a step in the right direction.