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Times of Middle Country

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A sampling of Indian food for the restaurant’s lunch special. Photo by Julianne Mosher

The Curry Club officially has a new look, now with a water view.

Previously located in Setauket at 10 Woods Corner Road, the family behind several local eateries and venues has merged two favorites into one large palace of spice. 

Indu Kaur, owner of SāGhar in Port Jefferson, said that when her family purchased the building located at 111 W. Broadway, the original plan was to eventually move The Curry Club in — but then COVID-19 happened and everything changed. 

Kulwant Wadhwa, the family’s patriarch and owner of The Curry Club, kept his location the same, and everything they had planned stalled. The Wadhwa/Kaur family devoted their time to helping first responders from Riverhead to Manhattan by feeding them good, wholesome Indian cuisine as they renovated the former Harbor Grill and Schaffer’s into SāGhar — an Indian-American fusion restaurant, with a gorgeous upstairs bar overlooking the harbor.

SāGhar, translates to “Home of the Sea.”

The family is also behind The Meadow Club in Port Jefferson Station, which reopened last year after a fire devasted the catering hall back in 2018.

“So, we kind of took the challenge,” Kaur said. “And over the last year, we became well known in the community.”

Now, nearly two years after purchasing the new Port Jefferson village spot, the dream of integrating The Curry Club into SāGhar has officially become a reality. 

“It’s all blended very well,” Kaur added. “It’s our story. We started from an authentic Indian restaurant, and now here we’re the next generation, adding a more modern fusion touch to the menu.”

And as of Tuesday, Feb. 8, The Curry Club at SāGhar was born. 

The move

Indu Kaur (far left) with father Kulwant Wadhwa and family in Port Jefferson. Photo from Kiran Wadhwa

Practically overnight, Kaur said they finalized dinner in Setauket, and after sending their customers home they moved out. 

Monday night, the family moved from the former location into the downstairs room. Wadhwa said that SāGhar has given them more space to cater to more people — roughly 75 seats upstairs, 55 in the Harbor Room up front, 35 in the Captain’s Room and 45 in the Schooner Room. The Curry Club at SāGhar is on the same lot where the famous Schooner Restaurant sat years ago. 

The lease will officially be up at the old location on May 31, and until then the family will continue to operate The Velvet Lounge adjoining the restaurant.

But the two are excited for SāGhar’s new look. According to Kaur, a lot of it will look similar but now they will offer a full buffet — just like The Curry Club was famously known for. 

“In Port Jefferson, there is nowhere where you can actually grab and go pick food, especially for nurses meaning to get out in two minutes who are only a mile away to the hospital,” she said.

She added that they will continue doing live music every weekend, and host other fun events for the community like psychic nights.

With the move came a whole renovation to their kitchen and an addition of a whole line of Halal wines — champagnes, reds and whites created with 0% alcohol. 

And Wadhwa said there is something for everyone at the “new” Curry Club.

“We’ve got vegetarian options, vegan, nonvegetarian, gluten free … we thought of everything,” he said. 

They’re also continuing their balanced lunches.

“Those are always very popular,” Kaur said. “This is a must-have.”

For just $20, the lunch portion includes eight samplings of different Indian dishes and a side of rice to try them with. It also comes with a side of naan bread for easy dipping.

Some history

Wadhwa was not always a restaurateur. In fact, the family originated in Afghanistan where he was a pharmacist. 

“A lot of things happened with our country,” Kaur said, adding that the family eventually moved to India to escape.

As his children began getting older and started to marry, Wadhwa decided that moving to America would be the best option for his family. In the early 1990s, he came to Long Island, where his brother-in-law was a chef. Together, they decided to open what was believed to be the first Indian restaurant in Suffolk County — The Curry Club. 

Wadhwa “started working in the kitchen,” Kaur said. “Dad didn’t even know how to pick up a glass of water, but now he’s running three bars.”

And just like that, he changed his career “because of family survivorship,” she said. “America has been a blessing that we were able to survive.”

The original Curry Club was actually located where Bliss is currently occupied. 

Wadhwa said that at the time the only other well-known Indian restaurant was located in Hicksville and they were worried if it would work out.

“From the day we opened the door, we got busy,” he said. “We got so busy that a line was outside — people were waiting.”

Now, nearly 30 years later, the family is excited to continue bringing flavor to the North Shore.

“We want to bring color,” Kaur said. “And spice and happiness. That’s our goal, to just serve our community and see everybody happy with food.”

The daughter-and-father duo said that they can agree seeing people happy when they leave with full bellies keeps them smiling.

“It’s good,” Wadhwa said. “It’s exciting.”

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Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad and Arson Section detectives are investigating a fire that killed a Selden man this evening.

Sixth Precinct officers responded to the home, located at 357 Magnolia Drive, after a 911 caller reported a fire at the location at 6:20 p.m. After the fire was extinguished, Earl Rahman, 81, a resident of the home, was found dead. There were no other injuries reported.

A preliminary investigation has determined the cause of the fire to be non-criminal in nature.

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

A friend who is the same age as I am recently and suddenly died, leaving behind a wife and two daughters in college who are the same age I was when my father died.

I feel like I’m at the center of a prism, with light bouncing out in so many directions that it’s difficult to track each path.

I am devastated for my friend. I know he will miss many of the same things my father never got to experience. He won’t see his daughters graduate from college, develop their careers, and enjoy learning about themselves through relationships.

He also won’t get to wake up another morning and see his wife’s smile, make plans for the day, and make the kinds of decisions we take for granted, like where to go on vacation, whom to see over the weekend, what friend to call and visit, or how to brighten someone else’s day.

I knew him as a dedicated father, who beamed when he spoke of his twin daughters. Unlike so many other parents whose children play sports, he didn’t need his daughters to be superstars. His joy mirrored theirs. 

I’m sorry for his wife, too, who shared two decades of experience with him and their two children. She went from being in an empty nest to being in an empty house in 18 months. Everywhere she looks, she will see reminders of her husband and the life they shared.

I relate to his daughters. I know how strange it is to be in college, surrounded by friends who suddenly don’t know what to say to them. If friends ask the girls how they are doing, will they tell them, leaving many of their friends without the tools, experience or words to respond?

Death leaves a hole in our lives. The friends they have in college, like mine decades ago, may not know about that hole and may not have even met the man missing from the center of their lives.

A week after I buried my father, I was back at school, finding it difficult to concentrate or even to care about upcoming exams or responsibilities. 

When I told a math professor about my loss, he went out of his way to tutor me, to ask me how I was, and to be patient, waiting for me to tell him when I was ready to take a midterm. He arranged for me to take an exam on my own. He made a point of looking for me after each lecture. I appreciated the support and, yet, I felt so weak and angry that I needed it.

I remember the first horrifying moment I didn’t feel the weight of the loss of my father. I was wracked with guilt. What kind of son was I that I had, even for a moment, neglected to mourn?

I also recall the first person I met in those turbulent few weeks who didn’t know my story, who treated me like everyone else and who didn’t say she was sorry for my loss. We had the closest thing to a normal evening, which, at that time, was extraordinary.

In the weeks, months and years ahead, my friend’s daughters will remember the great moments with their father. They will look back at their idyllic childhoods and remember the mom and dad who made that possible.

In the days ahead, however, they will feel a flood of emotions and have a range of thoughts. I hope that they find the kind of peace that comes from appreciating what they had and knowing that, no matter how much they might feel this way, they are not alone and that others share their experiences and care for them.

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Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

If it was President Vladimir Putin’s intention to be the center of global attention, he has certainly succeeded. Not much can push the latest COVID news off the top spot. Maybe inflation and how it is affecting the average resident can, but that’s nothing compared to the dominance of the situation in Ukraine and the speculation about what Putin’s next move will be. There seem to be numerous Putin specialists who profess to have studied the Russian dictator’s every move for many years and know what his plan is. Or, does he have a plan? Is this a story that he is writing as he goes along? This makes for lots of rhetoric among the pundits. 

One thing is sure. The serious possibility of Russian aggression has caused North Atlantic Treaty Organization members to stand together and reaffirm their alliance. Perhaps this was Putin’s test. There was little reaction when the Russians invaded and took over Crimea in 2014. Would anyone really care if they took over all of the Ukraine?

Well, the answer to that question is decidedly YES. And the United States has stepped forward to reaffirm it alliance with and leadership of NATO by organizing the threat of severe economic sanctions against Russia, sending military equipment to Ukraine and finally sending a symbolic number of troops to NATO countries that border on Ukraine, namely Poland and Romania. A small number of soldiers also went to Germany, perhaps to bolster the resolve of the newly elected German leader, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, to honor its alliance. 

Germany has the most to lose as far as its energy supply goes. Some 38% of the European Union’s natural gas comes from Russia, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistics office. Much of it is imported by Germany to heat homes in winter and enable factories to operate. The loss of that source of energy would certainly cause economic pain to Germans and other European residents, who would have to pay more for significantly less supply. And of course, that furthers the impact of inflation.

Russia’s overt demands include halting NATO’s expansion and reducing its military exercises and presence in Eastern Europe. Specifically, Putin wants guarantees that Ukraine will not be allowed to join NATO, which its current leadership has indicated it would want to do in the future. However, noted globalist and New York Times columnist, Thomas L. Friedman, suggested in the issue of February 16, that Putin’s fear is that “Ukraine becomes Westernized. He fears that one day Ukraine will be admitted to the European Union.” If  such an event were to happen, which Friedman believes young Ukrainians dream about, they feel it could “lock in their frail democracy and lock out corruption and Putinism.”

Friedman goes on to point out that “Putin seized Crimea and first invaded part of Eastern Ukraine in February-March 2014. What else was happening then? The European Union’s 28 member states were forging a new E.U.-Ukraine Association Agreement to foster closer political and economic ties, signed on March 21, 2014.” Putin’s greatest fear, according to Friedman, “is the expansion of the E.U.’s sphere of influence and the prospect that it would midwife a decent, democratic, free-market Ukraine that would every day say to the Russian people, ‘This is what you could be without Putin.’” 

Meanwhile, Putin is deciding, according to Friedman, “If  I go ahead with a full scale invasion and it goes bad — wrecking Russia’s economy and resulting in Russian soldiers returning home in body bags from a war with fellow Slavs —could it lead to my own downfall?”

Whatever Putin’s thoughts are, he has used the threat of military force to bring the Western leaders to the table for extensive talks. Perhaps the diplomats will remake the Eastern European map without resorting to war. 

Until there is some sort of resolution to this stand off, what can we, here in America, expect? We will have to deal with the possibility of growing shortages and accompanying inflation, which in fact we are already experiencing at the gas pumps. 

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As of Feb. 10, New Yorkers are no longer mandated to wear masks in most public places, even though some business owners may still require customers to wear one. Photo from METRO

By Amanda Olsen

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) administration has allowed the mask-or-vaccinate mandate for public spaces to lapse as of Feb. 10, effectively leaving masking decisions to local officials and business owners. Masks are still required in health care facilities, on public transportation, in correctional facilities and in shelters. Masks are also still required in schools for the time being, with a reevaluation planned some time in early March, after the winter break.

Leaders in health care, business and labor fields were generally supportive of Hochul’s decision. Gary LaBarbera, president of Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, said in a statement. “The mask mandate has helped keep New York’s working men and women safe and healthy during the most uncertain and volatile moments of the public health crisis. The easing of indoor mask mandates for businesses is a positive sign in New York’s recovery, as it’s a direct result of COVID-19 cases dropping across the state and, hopefully, the pandemic itself receding.” 

New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento said in a statement. “In light of the announcement today, we thank the governor for ensuring employers still have responsibilities under state statute, including the Public Employee Safety and Health Act and the New York HERO Act, which remain in effect. These laws establish safety protocols to protect workers and the public. Moving forward, in the absence of the mask mandate, employers must continue to work with their employees to make sure appropriate protections are in place.”

On the local level, some people are comfortable leaving masking up to the individual, including Anthony Bongiovanni, of Rocky Point Jewelers.

“If you feel for your personal safety, you should wear one, by all means,” he said.

However, not every business is ready to leave masks behind. Richard Smith, from Buttercup’s Dairy Store in Port Jefferson Station, is keeping some masking rules in place. “We’re still requiring employees to wear masks. We don’t require customers [to do so].”

Others are continuing to follow federal guidelines, regardless of what is happening at the state level. Paul Vigliante, of Branch Funeral Homes in Miller Place and Smithtown, said that he intends to follow “whatever the CDC guidelines are” at the time.

Some business owners expressed mixed feelings about leaving masking up to the individual, since policing customer behavior has been challenging even with the mandate in place. Smith said that they have “had to call the police a couple of times” but overall “95% of people have been respectful.” 

Not all businesses had difficulty. Bongiovanni said, “There was never a problem.” Vigliante also had no issues: “Everyone was very respectful … we were very fortunate throughout.”

Each new phase of the COVID pandemic brings its own set of challenges for both business owners and individuals. Everyone is feeling some degree of pandemic weariness.

“Everybody’s sick of it,” Smith said. “Just a lot of frustration.”

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Congressman Tom Suozzi joined other elected officials on all levels during a press conference, Feb. 11. Photo by Julianne Mosher

A week after the Town of Brookhaven and local state representatives bashed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) plan to potentially eliminate certain single-family zoning laws across New York state, other Long Island townships and Suffolk County officially voiced their concerns.

During a press conference at the county Legislature in Hauppauge Thursday, Feb. 10, more than two dozen elected officials at town, county, state and federal levels collectively agreed that Hochul’s plan would be bad for the Island.

Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) said that of all the officials gathered, it was a unanimous, bipartisan agreement that this should not happen.

“We are all concerned about the future of Long Island and the quality of life here and the need for local government to have control over their zoning with local elected officials,” he said. 

“This is a radical plan by the governor to take away local zoning from where it belongs in the hands of the local officials who were elected to make sure that the zoning codes stay in place for the quality of life that each one of the municipalities that they choose to live in.”

He added that if Hochul’s plan in fact happens, it will eventually have an impact on parking, water quality, sewerage and more. 

The governor’s comprehensive five-year housing plan would potentially invest $25 billion to create and preserve 100,000 affordable homes and tackle inequities in the housing market. Last month, she announced the plan to make housing more affordable as part of the 2022 State of the State.

“In the wake of the pandemic, it’s crucial that we tackle the housing crisis and make New York a more affordable place for all,” Hochul previously said. “These bold steps are a major step forward in transforming our housing market, protecting affordability and increasing the housing supply.”

Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) noticed the plan in the State of the State book and began bringing it to the public’s attention. Suozzi is campaigning to take Hochul’s seat. He cited her State of the State book on pages 130 and 131 regarding accessory dwelling units. According to those documents, he said the governor would want to oppose legislation to require municipalities to allow a minimum of one accessory dwelling unit on owner occupied residentially zoned blocks.

“That’s the end of local control,” he said. “That’s the end of local governments authority.”

Suozzi believes this could be “a dangerous idea” that could “result in commercial landlords buying properties and trying to pack people into neighborhoods.”

“This is just a failure to understand what it’s like out here,” he added.

Currently, many building permit applications that increase the number of bedrooms in a dwelling require the approval of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. 

According to county representatives, at no point in the proposed legislation does it address the fact that the health department determines the appropriate number of persons residing at a home that is utilizing cesspools. Over 75% of Suffolk County is unsewered — a mass expansion of accessory dwelling units will result in a deterioration in the water quality here on Long Island.

State Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) said that state lawmakers are continuously “going against everything we live for and our investments.”

“I wake up in the morning and I feel like I’m in the twilight zone,” he said.

Mattera added that many municipalities have been focusing on downtown revitalization plans, which already create apartments.

“We’ve been doing these apartments for a reason to make sure our families have places to go so we keep our young or middle aged or seniors here,” he said. “We are doing that job governor, but governor, this is not the City of New York. We’re in the suburbs. This is so important for our future.”

Huntington

Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Representatives from the Town of Huntington were in attendance, with Supervisor Ed Smyth (R) voicing that the town already has permissive accessory apartments laws.

“We already allow for accessory apartments in homes in the town,” he said. “We don’t need Albany telling us how to do this.”

He added, “With home rule, we have ensured that our communities do not become overdeveloped, are kept environmentally sound, and are a place people want to live and raise a family. This proposal by the governor would end all of that overnight. Proof of how bad an idea this is … is the fact that both sides of the political aisle have come together to state their opposition.”

Smyth said they will not stop until the item is removed from the New York State budget and “laid to rest.”

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Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Local residents gathered at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to protest the continuation of the mask mandate in New York schools. Photo by Rita J. Egan

The front lawn of the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge was a sea of signs and flags Friday, Feb. 11.

Hundreds of parents took their children out of school to protest the face mask mandate remaining in New York state for school districts after Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) lifted the mandate for public places Feb. 10.

About 1,000 local protesters joined others across New York in cities such as Buffalo, Syracuse, White Plains and more for a statewide sit-out. An online flyer promoting the event encouraged parents to “empower your kids to go to school without a mask and refuse to wear a mask from Feb. 7-Feb. 10.”

During the Hauppauge protest, parents and children held signs that read “Unmask our kids,” “Free the children,” “No masks. We can’t breathe,” and “No one has seen my smile since kindergarten … that was two years ago. Let me smile.” Drivers passing the rally on Route 347, including sanitation men and a postal worker, honked their horns to show solidarity with the protesters.

Adrianne Stanton, of East Northport, said she brought her children, who are in first grade and pre-K, to the rally along with her nieces. All of them held signs that they made themselves.

“We want our children to have a normal childhood, to be able to go to school and to have the memories that we did growing up,” the mother said. “ And, to fight for, as parents, to be able to choose what is best for our kids.”

Casey Austin, of Northport, said one of her daughters told her students aren’t even able to drink water when they’re thirsty and have to wait for water breaks. 

“I have five little ones that have been living in this pandemic for the last two years of their lives, and it’s got to change now,” she said. “Three of them suffer from learning delays and speech impediments because they are not allowed to even articulate their words correctly. And it’s time for everyone to wake up and stand up and fight for them — and be done with this.”

Douglas Cerrato, of Kings Park, attended the rally and was one of the speakers. He recently declared his intention to run for the board of education in the Kings Park school district. In a phone interview after the rally, Cerrato said while it has been difficult for his kids to wear the masks, he has found the teachers in Park View Elementary, where his children attend, to be fantastic with working with the students.

Cerrato said it’s important to give parents a choice, adding while more people have been speaking up at school board meetings, some have still been hesitant. The rally was encouraging to Cerrato, who stressed he’s not anti-mask but for choice.

“I think you have a lot of people that were on the fence about being vocal becoming vocal,” he said.

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The following incidents have been reported by the Suffolk County Police:

Centereach

■ Harbor Freight on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported the theft of two Predator 1400 generators from the store on Feb. 1. The value of the items was $450 each.

Commack

■ A resident on Huntsman Lane in Commack reported that a catalytic converter was stolen from a 2004 Honda on Feb. 2.

■ A resident on Atlas Way in Commack reported that his car was broken into on Feb. 1 and a ski jacket, ski goggles and speakers were stolen. The value of the items was approximately $850.

■ A resident on Tamarack Street in Commack called police on Feb. 1 to report that his 2020 Acura MDX valued at approximately $40,000 was stolen from the driveway.

■ Three men entered Home Depot on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on Feb. 3 and allegedly stole spools of yellow Rolex wire and white Rolex wire valued at approximately $2350.

■ A resident on Tamarack Street in Commack reported that his 2019 Acura ILX was stolen from his property on Feb. 1. The vehicle was valued at $30,000.

■ A resident on Buhl Lane in Commack reported that a pocketbook was stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked in front of their home on Feb. 1. An unidentified man was seen running away from the driveway.

■ Ulta Beauty on Veterans Highway in Commack reported a shoplifter on Feb. 4. A man allegedly stole women’s perfume valued at approximately $1200.

■ A woman shopping at Shoprite on Garet Place in Commack reported that a man allegedly stole a wallet out of her purse on Jan. 31.

■ A resident on Essex Place in Commack called police on Feb. 2 to report that someone had stolen both license plates off of his car.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on Jan. 31. A man allegedly stole a Nintendo Switch and a set of earbuds. The total value of the items was $550.

■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported that a man allegedly stole approximately $945 worth of electrical wire on Feb. 4.

Dix Hills

■ A resident on Wildwood Drive in Dix Hills reported that various items including clothing and toys were stolen from an unlocked vehicle on Feb. 1.

■ A resident on Truxton Road in Dix Hills called police on Jan. 28 to report a wallet stolen from an unlocked vehicle on their property.

Elwood

■ Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are investigating a robbery that occurred at an Elwood bank on Feb. 4. A man entered TD Bank, located at 1941 Jericho Turnpike, at approximately 3:55 p.m., and verbally demanded money from the teller. The teller complied and the man fled the bank on foot. The man was described as white, wearing a knit cap, dark jacket, light pants and a face covering.

Greenlawn

■ A resident on Jamaica Avenue in Greenlawn called police on Feb. 2 to report that a catalytic converter had been stolen from his 2005 Honda Accord.

Huntington Station

■ Macy’s at the Walt Whitman Mall in Huntington Station called police on Feb. 2 to report that a man allegedly stole a necklace valued at approximately $4100.

■ Management at Walt Whitman Mall reported a man allegedly stole a Caterpillar Skid Steer from the parking lot in the back of the mall on Jan. 31. The loader was valued at approximately $60,000.

■ Target on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station called police on Jan. 31 to report that a man allegedly stole two KitchenAid stand mixers valued at approximately $860.

■ Home Depot on New York Ave. in Huntington Station reported a petit larceny on Jan. 29. Two men allegedly stole $965 worth of electrical wire. 

Port Jefferson Station

■ Two snowblowers were stolen from the back of a truck parked on South Columbia Street in Port Jefferson Station on Jan. 31. Total value of the items was $600.

■ A petit larceny was reported at Markay’s Wine & Liquor on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station on Feb. 3. A man allegedly stole a bottle of whiskey valued at $35.

Selden

■ Bob’s Stores on Middle Country Road in Selden called police to report a shoplifter on Feb. 4. A man allegedly loaded a shopping cart with items of clothing, stuffed the items into a backpack in a dressing room and walked out of the store. The value of the items was approximately $250.

St. James

■ A resident on Northern Blvd. in St. James reported the theft of tools from his property on Jan. 30. Assorted tools, including a screw gun, drills, and a sawzall were taken with a value of approximately $2500.

Smithtown

■ Two pair of sunglasses valued at $400 were stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked on Hallock Avenue in Smithtown on Jan. 31.

West Hills

■ A resident on Sparrow Lane in West Hills reported that a car pulled up in front of their home at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 and the driver stole assorted mail from their mailbox. A resident on Sheridan Street in West Hills called police at 3:45 p.m. on Feb. 2 to report the same crime.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

— Compiled by HEIDI SUTTON

 

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METRO photo

When people look back to spring 2020, they remember how the COVID-19 pandemic shut things down. Zoom became a regular form of communication, visits to grandparents were done in a drive-thru fashion and many people anxiously awaited their stimulus checks.

While those checks from the U.S. government were sent, some people needed the money more than others. 

Many people lost their jobs, their businesses and their livelihoods. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in February 2020 — just before the pandemic hit the States — unemployment was at 3.5%. Just two months later, as the virus began to spread rapidly, unemployment rates skyrocketed to nearly 15%.

But what many people might not realize is how impacted the local arts were during this time. 

We as a society leaned on our first responders out in the trenches. We listened to our elected officials on the news every day hoping to hear something good. We shopped locally to help our business-owning neighbors. 

However, something that we all enjoy one way or another — the arts — was shattered and not much was being done to help our local artists, performers and creators. 

According to Johns Hopkins University research, as of December 2021, the percentage of job losses at nonprofit arts organizations remained more than three times worse than the average of all nonprofits. 

Artists/creatives were — and remain — among the most severely affected segment of the nation’s workforce. The arts are a formidable industry in the U.S. — $919.7 billion (pre-COVID) that supported 5.2 million jobs and represented 4.3% of the nation’s economy.

And now, nearing two years since the 2020 shutdowns, artists on Long Island are voicing how it felt. Many believe that significant relief funding was not given to the arts and related nonprofits despite the impact they have on Long Island’s economy.

Think about it. How many of us love to see a show at the local theater? How many of us hang artwork from nearby artists on our walls? How many of us enjoy live music as we dine at our favorite eateries? 

Those people had jobs, too. 

Sometimes we forget that the people working after a typical 9-to-5 shift are working, too. What some may call a hobby is a way of life for thousands of people.

We still have a way to go, and unfortunately COVID will haunt us for a very long time in more ways than one. But the next time you’re out to dinner with a friend, drop a tip in the guitar player’s case. Splurge on a drawing from a local artist and support your neighborhood theater. 

The arts helped us during the pandemic. We found solace in other people’s creations. Now it’s time to pay back the artists and show them how much they are needed, wanted and loved.

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Local representatives gathered at the Lawrence Aviation property last year to identify where a rail yard could be built. Photo from state Sen. Anthony Palumbo’s office

Discussions have dragged on and on, and even as years turned to decades the dream of an electrified northern line of the Long Island Rail Road has shuddered along, like a train limping forward on little to no steam.

Though local leaders now say the time is ripe. With state reps championing the cause in Albany, local leaders are holding up a plum location for the necessary rail yard: Lawrence Aviation.

The former site of Lawrence Aviation Industries. File photo

The 126-acre superfund site in Port Jefferson Station has sat vacant since 2000, after the airplane parts company was accused of leaching chemicals into the ground. Ground cleanup was completed in 2009, and asbestos was removed from some of the buildings in 2015, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Various sources confirmed that late last year, local civic leaders as well as representatives from Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington townships, joined Suffolk County and state leaders on the superfund site property to identify where such a rail yard could be built. The latest update on the property by the EPA, dated October 2021, stated that the site consists of 10 buildings, a drum crushing site, and a vacant lagoon and woods.

Yet officials across both parties have long supported the project, which has been talked about for over four decades. It’s a project the environmental and economics-minded people have been on board with. Both previous state Sens. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) and John Flanagan (R-East Northport) were proponents, and many electeds like Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) have long called on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to move the project forward.

What’s different now? Charlie Lefkowitz, president of Three Village Chamber of Commerce, said the most recent change in state leadership has resulted in a “newfound focus” on electrification. He agreed that Lawrence Aviation, which is tucked far enough away from residential houses to be not detrimental to homeowners, would be an optimal place for a yard.

The chamber leader also cited how much of a beneficial impact electrifying the line would have on the surrounding economy, especially with how Stony Brook students can use the train to traverse to hotspots like Port Jefferson or Huntington villages.

“Creating viable, sustainable public transportation really has to be looked at hard here,” Lefkowitz said.

In a written statement, state Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) further put his support behind the project.

“There is broad and bipartisan support to turn the site into a new rail yard to provide greater service to the region,” he wrote. “It is also a crucial component in the plan to electrify the Port Jefferson line. With the state and federal government investing billions of dollars in infrastructure there is no excuse not to get these projects completed now.”

“Creating viable, sustainable public transportation really has to be looked at hard here.”

— Charlie Lefkowitz

Suffolk County officials said they have had this property in mind for civic development since at least 2015. Deputy County Executive Peter Scully, known as the county’s water quality czar, said that there’s a current $860,000 annual cost to taxpayers due to a number of liens on the property, and the federal government is also looking to make up costs on the $150 million cleanup.

The county has already received legislative approval to settle with all the lien claimants, and execution on those settlements will likely happen in the next six to eight weeks, according to the deputy county executive.

“We have developed a cooperative working relationship with the state and federal governments to process those liens,” Scully said during a Zoom interview.

The Suffolk County Landbank put out a request for proposal in July of last year for companies to develop the Lawrence Aviation site. Early concepts of the site detail a portion of the property zoned for light industrial, while another section on the eastern end will be preserved as open space. Notably, the north end of the property conceptualizes an MTA railyard. The study also mentions potential plans to reroute the train tracks and potentially moving the Port Jefferson train station onto the Lawrence Aviation site as well, which would eliminate the crossing on Route 112.

Sarah Lansdale, president of the landbank and the county’s planning and environment director, said that and other concepts are on the table.

She confirmed the county received one bid back on the RFP for a solar farm on the industrial part of the property, though she did not offer further details as negotiations are ongoing.

Waiting on the MTA

With those claims out of the way, all that’s left is for the MTA to make a decision regarding electrification, but the transportation entity has been notoriously tight-lipped regarding this and other projects. The MTA included $4 million in their five-year 2015-19 capital plan to pay for a feasibility study on electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch, and while the transportation entity confirmed the study is in motion, there is no word on when it will be completed.

Dave Steckel, a spokesperson for the MTA, said in a statement that a feasibility study is one “among a variety of transit proposals throughout the region” and that “the authority will assess the study and other regional proposals using consistent metrics — such as cost, ridership, etc. — so that they can be comparatively evaluated.”

The analysis will also be used in MTA’s 20-year needs assessment, which is due next year.

That’s not to say the project is unknown to transportation officials. Kevin Law, past president of the Long Island Association who just recently stepped down from the MTA board, offered his support to two Island-based projects, according to Newsday. One was to finish the Yaphank station and the other to finish Port Jeff line electrification. Law is moving on to be the new director of Empire State Development.

Anthony Figliola, a civic leader in the Three Village area who is running for the New York District 1 congressional seat on the Republican ticket, said that he has talked to railroad officials who have confirmed the feasibility study is ongoing, though he and other civic leaders have not seen it yet. He added he’s spoken to the NYS Senate transportation committee leader, and that the local state electeds are on board.

“We’re on the radar as far as Albany is concerned,” Figliola said. “These are big capital projects that take a lot of time and planning. So while you know, while it may not happen right now, we need to start planning for this for the future, because COVID will be over, and life will get back to normal.”

Some transportation advocates say the silence is a bad sign. Larry Penner, a self-described transportation historian and writer from Great Neck, spent 31 years in the U.S. Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office. In a phone interview, he said riders should not expect anything on electrification until 2034, at least.

“We’re on the radar as far as Albany is concerned.”

— Anthony Figliol

He pointed to the Feb. 8 public hearing from the MTA which did not include mention of Port Jeff electrification. He also mentioned that there’s no money for the project in the MTA’s 2020-24 five-year capital plan. After the feasibility study is released, the MTA will then need to do the EPA’s environmental review process, which will allow for further FTA funding. The same amount of lead up time to acquiring a rail yard is likely to be the same.

“It’s a package deal,” Penner said. “You can’t build a storage without electrification and Federal Transit Administration funding. With this requirement that you fund a transportation improvement project, it has to go to beneficial use. So you couldn’t build a yard and have it sit there for 15 years.”

Scully said they have been in communication with MTA board members, but emphasized that timing is important for the MTA to start making moves on both electrification and Lawrence Aviation. Lansdale said the county is tasked with disposing all parts of the property, and without an agreement they may have to move on.

But another piece of the puzzle remains whether riders will return to the LIRR, especially as the pandemic continues. Many workers have realized the benefits of working from home, and many city offices remain in remote work. Though it had increased marginally in October of last year, weekday ridership on the LIRR continues to be about 50% of what it was in 2019, before the pandemic.

Penner said that problem likely overshadows any attempt to add more services on existing lines. The existing MTA projects like the ongoing $11.2 billion East Side Access to Grand Central Station promised tens of thousands of new riders when originally proposed, but with the ongoing pandemic he remains skeptical. “You want to protect and maintain the existing service before you expand service,” the transportation historian said.

Still, locals like Lefkowitz and Figliola remain optimistic about ridership bouncing back.

“As a New Yorker who lived through tragedies like 9/11 and others, I think there will be people going back from the trains,” Lefkowitz said. “I do believe that at some point, these things will get back to whatever the next transition of our future is, but I believe people will be riding the trains.”

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