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Three Village Civic Association held a forum Sept. 4 during which Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright, Rich Johannesen, Mary Ann Johnston and Anthony Figliola weighed in on an upcoming referendum in Brookhaven. Photo by Alex Petroski

Brookhaven Town has taken steps to change laws pertaining to terms of office for elected officials, but civically minded citizens are discussing it before jumping on board just yet. The Three Village Civic Association hosted a forum Sept. 4 at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library featuring four experts to discuss the proposal, which will appear on November’s ballot in the form of a referendum to be passed or failed by Brookhaven voters. Audience members came from as far afield as Medford and Patchogue.

The speakers included 1st District Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station); Rich Johannesen, a veteran of local politics considered an expert in governmental workings, who helped lead a citizens initiative to establish council districts in the town more than 15 years ago; MaryAnn Johnston, president of the Affiliated Brookhaven Civic Organizations who also has seen more than her fair share of political races and policy discussions; and Anthony Figliola, former Brookhaven deputy supervisor and vice president of Empire Government Strategies, a company that provides strategic counsel on governmental relations and practices to municipalities.

Brookhaven’s board voted unanimously Aug. 2 to establish a referendum on the ballot Nov. 6 asking town residents to weigh in on changes to terms in office for elected officials, specifically increasing terms from two years, as is currently the law, to four years for councilmembers, the supervisor and highway superintendent, which would put it on par with the other Suffolk townships. The referendum will have a second component as part of the same, single “yea” or “nay” question: limiting officials to three terms in office. That component would impact the above positions, as well as town clerk and receiver of taxes. Both components will appear as part of a single proposition, according to Town Attorney Annette Eaderesto. If passed the law would go into effect for terms beginning Jan. 1, 2020.

In 1993, residents voted to implement a limit of three terms of four years each on elected officials, though that law was no longer applicable following a 2002 public vote to establish council districts since state law dictates councilmembers in towns with council districts serve two-year terms, according to Emily Pines, Romaine’s chief of staff and a former New York State Supreme Court justice, who spoke during the Aug. 2 town hearing.

Some of the speakers at the Sept. 4 civic forum took issue with Brookhaven’s interpretation that the law of the town isn’t already limiting elected officials to serving three terms, calling on politicians to solicit an opinion from the state attorney general. Others pointed to language which could allow sitting board members to start their term clocks afresh, despite having served several terms already on the board, as particularly objectionable. Some suggested the referendum felt rushed saying, waiting a year would ensure full community awareness about the town’s intentions.

Below are some of the comments from the civic association’s invited guests in a session moderated by the civic’s Herb Mones:

Johannesen: “I’m going to be very clear — I oppose four-year terms. The longer we allow elected officials to serve without putting them before us, the more likely it is that they are going to become corrupt. I think if you look at the history of corruption in this town and you look at the history of corruption in this county, one of the reasons why our elected officials have gone south is because there were no checks and balances. There hasn’t really been the kind of political diversity we were hoping for.”

Johnston: “The founders thought it was good enough for our congressmen to be two years; the state constitution provides for our assemblymen and our senators to be two years. And if the problem is raising funds for political campaigns, then the issue isn’t the length of term, because we have no guarantee they’ll ever stop raising funds and do it continually for four years. This is what the voters want: We chose councilmatic districts and the Town of Brookhaven fought us tooth and nail all the way down the line. And now they’re telling us that the 1993 referendum that we enacted was repealed by council districts. That’s not true. We already have term limits. It can’t be repealed by implication.”

Figliola: “To be perfectly candid, whether it’s two years or four years, you can’t legislate human conduct. So, if people are going to be corrupt, they’re going to be corrupt. I think that’s what prosecutors are for. It’s very hard to get elected if you’re a challenger unless it’s an open seat. It’s possible … but it’s difficult. That doesn’t have anything to do with corruption. I believe term limits can help, they can’t completely stop it, but can help because it will open up an opportunity for citizen legislators to be able to run. What this will do is, this will say ‘you have consecutively or nonconsecutively three four-year terms and then you’re out.’”

Cartright: “As you all know, two town board meetings ago, I voted in support of putting this on the ballot for a vote. This has been something that me and my colleagues have been discussing for quite some time — at least four years or so. I think this is an important discussion that needs to be had. Am I advocating one or another? I am not. I understand both sides. My personal opinion is that for good governance, I do think that four years would be better than two years, based on my experiences.”

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Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. File photo by Erika Karp

Although politicians in Brookhaven Town are not up for election this cycle, voters will be asked a question with long-term implications for town government in November.

Brookhaven Town board voted unanimously to establish a referendum on the ballot Nov. 6 asking town residents to weigh in on changes to terms in office for elected officials, specifically increasing terms from two years, as is currently the law, to four years for councilmembers, the supervisor and highway superintendent. The referendum will have a second component as part of the same yea or nay question: limiting officials to three terms in office. That component would impact the above positions, as well as town clerk and receiver of taxes. Both components will appear as part of a single proposition, according to Town Attorney Annette Eaderesto. Putting the issue up to a vote was established as a result of an Aug. 2 public hearing. If passed the law would go into effect for terms beginning Jan. 1, 2020.

“[The voters] have, in the past weighed in, and whatever they weighed in to is not being listened to now,” Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said during the hearing. “Maybe that’s fine with them, maybe it’s not, but I would like to go back and ask them, ‘what do you think?’”

In 1993, residents voted to implement a limit of three, four-year terms on elected officials, though that law was no longer applicable following a 2002 public vote to establish council districts, as state law dictates councilmembers in towns with council districts serve two-year terms, according to Emily Pines, Romaine’s chief of staff and a former New York State Supreme Court justice, who spoke during the hearing.

Several members of the public commented in opposition of various aspects of the referendum, saying the two components should be separated to be voted on individually; there’s not enough time to untangle issues with the language of the law, like what to do with an individual who served as a councilperson for 12 years and then is elected to another position such as supervisor; and how to handle time already served by current members. Others cited shorter terms as fostering more accountability for elected representatives.

“I think it’s too complex to be one resolution,” said Jeff Kagan, a resident and representative from Affiliated Brookhaven Civic Organization. “I think you’re asking the voters to vote on somethings they like and somethings they may not like.”

Anthony Portesy, the Democrat candidate for town highway superintendent in 2017 and a private attorney, spoke against extending terms to four years, but said he would be in favor of three years because having to campaign every two years can be “arduous.”

“While I’m not opposed to the extension of terms per se, four-year terms is an eternity in politics, too long for hyperlocal town races,” he said. “We don’t want to create electoral feudalism in Brookhaven through the coercive powers of incumbency.”

Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri spoke in favor of going to four-year terms during the hearing about having to run for office every two years, saying it can get in the way of accomplishing goals set forth at the beginning of a term. Romaine and councilmembers Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station), Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) and Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) each expressed similar sentiments when asked if they intend to support the idea in early July when the public hearing was set.

“You don’t have the constant churning in politics that can sometimes undermine the system,” Romaine said. “It allows for long-range planning and programs. It takes the politics out of local government.”

Eaderesto said the town’s law department will draft the wording as it will appear on the ballot in November and share it with the town board prior to submitting it to the Suffolk County Board of Elections by Oct. 1.

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Brookhaven Councilman Daniel Panico and Supervisor Ed Romaine. File photo by Alex Petroski

Elected officials in Brookhaven Town are taking steps that could both lengthen and shorten their time in office.

The board voted to hold a public hearing Aug. 2 on the idea of instituting a three-term limit on elected positions while also extending the length of a term from two to four years at a June 26 meeting. This would limit officials to 12 years in office.

Brookhaven is currently the only town on Long Island with two-year terms for elected officials, according to Supervisor Ed Romaine (R).

“I’m supporting it because when you have the entire government turn over every two years it can provide for a lack of stability,” Romaine said on changing from two-year to four-year terms. “You don’t have the constant churning in politics that can sometimes undermine the system. It allows for long-range planning and programs. It takes the politics out of local government.”

Councilmembers Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station), Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) and Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) each expressed similar sentiments when asked if they intend to support the idea. They said having to prepare to run for office every two years hinders their ability to complete and implement projects, especially pertaining to land use, which they said can take time.

“I believe there’s merit in establishing term limits and four-year terms,” Cartright said, but said she intends to keep an open mind and let residents weigh in. “It lends itself to better government.”

Specifically on limiting officials to three terms, LaValle said it should encourage fresh ideas and new faces stepping up to run, which he viewed as a positive, calling it a good combination both for government and residents.

If these changes are approved by the board, the proposal would go to a referendum vote in November giving taxpayers the opportunity to ultimately decide the idea’s fate. It could impact the town supervisor position, each of the six council seats, superintendent of highways, town clerk and receiver of taxes starting as of 2020.

“I think it will be a very interesting referendum on the ballot to see what people want,” LaValle said.

Bonner said she has changed her mind on term limits, saying she was among those who view Election Day as the inherent way to limit the term of a politician failing to serve their constituents.

“What it will essentially do is create not just good government, but better government,” Bonner said.

In January, the Town of Huntington passed similar legislation limiting all elected positions, to three terms of four years each.

“The town is going to be much better off,” Councilman Gene Cook said upon passing the legislation. He proposed the idea to Huntington’s board in June 2017. “Elected officials have an upper hand and can be there forever. Now, we’ve sort of evened the field today. It took a long time, far too long, but I’m glad it’s done.”

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New law to places limit of three consecutive terms, or 12 years, in office

Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci. File photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.

By Sara-Megan Walsh

No sooner had the era of former Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone ended that its residents were guaranteed a 24-year reign cannot happen again.

Town of Huntington board voted 4-1 to approve term limits for all elected officials Jan. 23.

The legislation, proposed by Councilman Gene Cook (R), limits the offices of town supervisor, town council, town clerk, receiver of taxes and the superintendent of highways to three consecutive terms, or a total of 12 years in office.

“The town is going to be much better off,” Cook said. “Elected officials have an upper hand and can be there forever. Now, we’ve sort of evened the field today. It took a long time, far too long, but I’m glad it’s done.”

The councilman has been working to enact term limits on Huntington’s elected officials since June 2017, when he publicly solicited and polled residents for their opinions regarding term limits before scheduling the issue for a public hearing in August 2017.

The controversy of his legislation has been the inclusion of two non-policy-making positions, the position of town clerk and receiver of taxes. Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia (D) publicly spoke against it Tuesday night.

“I fail to see how term limits for all eight elected officials is a mandate,” Raia said. “Have any of you researched this proposal to determine where it is successful? Have any of you spent time in the Town Clerk’s and Tax Receiver’s office to actually see the work we do and what we are legally responsible for?”

Raia said since the public debate on term limits began, none of the town board members have stepped foot in her office or sat down with her to have a conversation about what the town clerk’s responsibilities include based on her more than 35 years of experience in office.

“My office issues 30-plus various licenses and permits,” she said. “I have to learn 15 state and town laws, and one federal law that governs the town clerk’s responsibilities. It takes years to learn the licensing procedures alone.”

Raia rallied support from dozens of town clerks across the state, who sent letters opposing term limits on town clerks and receivers of taxes to be read into the record. Among her supporters were Riverhead Town Clerk Diane Wilhelm, Islip Town Clerk Olga Murray and Brookhaven Town Clerk Donna Lent.

“Every change in town clerk, there has been a path of destruction,” Lent wrote in a letter, citing the rapid turnover in the Brookhaven town government.

Islip is the only other town government on Long Island to have placed term limits on the position of town clerk, according to Raia. It enacted term limits after a ballot referendum passed in 1994, limiting town clerks and supervisors to three 4-year terms.

Councilwoman Joan Cergol (D) was the sole vote against enacting term limits, citing her reason it shouldn’t include non-policy-making positions.

“I don’t believe in term limits for non-policy-makers because of my own experience as a technician of sorts in the [Community Development Agency] and understanding it takes a long time to master laws, policies, procedures and the details associated with that type of work,” said Cergol, the former director of Huntington’s CDA. “I don’t feel term limiting of that type is cost effective or efficient for taxpayers.”

Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) stood by the resolution and said he believed it was a step forward.

“I believe if we are going to institute term limits at this level of government, it should affect all of the elected officials at that level of government,” he said.

The supervisor said he does have a concern that the legislation could face a legal challenge as it was drafted to be effective starting in 2017, making it retroactive on those elected to office last November. He stated it may be amended to be effective as of 2018 or 2019.

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Jack Harrington. Photo from Jack Harrington

Concerned about the direction of Brookhaven in recent years, Stony Brook attorney and U.S. Navy reservist Jack Harrington (D) has decided to take his first step into politics to push a new vision — one he hopes will make him the town’s top leader this fall.

Harrington, 34, who grew up in Sound Beach and was a student in the Miller Place school district before graduating from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and Yale Law School, is the official nominee of the Democratic, Working Families, and Women’s Equality parties. In November, he will run against Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R), who has held the position since 2012 and is pursuing his third term at the helm.

As the father of a 2-year-old son, with another child on the way with his wife Sarah, Harrington said his main motivation to run was to make sure his kids have as many opportunities to succeed as he had growing up in the town in the 1980s and 90s.

“It’s getting harder and harder for middle class families to survive in this area and I think local government plays a large role in that.”

— Jack Harrington

But, Harrington expressed, a lot has changed in Suffolk County since then, and not for the better.

“It’s getting harder and harder for middle class families to survive in this area and I think local government plays a large role in that,” Harrington said.

Since deciding to run in May, he spends two hours a day going door-to-door to speak with residents about issues they have.

“It’s getting increasingly difficult to find a job and increasingly difficult to enter the property market,” he said. “I’m worried that if we don’t elect leaders that have a long-term vision for what Brookhaven should look like, when my son graduates college and if he decides he wants to stay in the town, he’s not going to have the means to do so.”

The candidate said he wants to grow Brookhaven’s economy by promoting transit-oriented development, high-tech corridors and vibrant downtowns in line with Patchogue Village and the planned revitalization project in Port Jefferson Station.

According to Harrington, Suffolk County should be utilizing its research hubs like Brookhaven National Lab and Stony Brook University, where he has taught as an adjunct professor of business, to bring back jobs.

He also wants to create alternative housing options for young people and seniors, and help make Town Hall a better overall partner to local businesses and residents by cutting through the “bureaucratic red tape” many have complained to him about.

“If I’m elected, one of the first things I want to do is evaluate every program, office, person in Town Hall that interacts with businesses in any shape or form and ask a very simple question: how can we make these interactions easier? How can we reduce wait times?” Harrington said. “I want to ensure that every resident in Brookhaven has an ironclad belief that their government is working on behalf of their interest and their interest alone.”

“I want to ensure that every resident in Brookhaven has an ironclad belief that their government is working on behalf of their interest and their interest alone.”

— Jack Harrington

He said he plans on releasing a package of tough ethics and contracting reforms that include term limits, a database for residents to see exactly where their taxpayer dollars are going, and public financial disclosures of elected officials.

Harrington commended the town on its initiatives to preserve open space, and made it clear he is actively running, but not waging a personal campaign against Romaine, who was unable to be reached for comment.

Raised by a public school teacher and a restaurateur, Harrington grew up valuing education and hard work. Upon receiving a full academic scholarship to Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, he attended  University of St Andrews in Scotland, where he received a bachelor’s degree in international relations, and managed initiatives at The Center for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence.

He then pursued international security studies at Georgetown University. After taking time to work in Washington, D.C. as a counter-terrorism and intelligence analyst, he began studying law at Yale, from which he graduated in 2010.

In between passing the New York State bar examination and entering private practice in Stony Brook, Harrington interned for President Barack Obama (D) in the White House Counsel’s Office —  an experience he said was remarkable.

“The hours were long, but they’re gratifying,” he said, “and if you don’t get chills walking into the Roosevelt Room for the staff meeting five feet from the Oval Office, then you might have other problems.”

When he and his wife moved back to Long Island to settle down, Harrington decided to join the Navy Reserve, serving for almost four years, and become locally active.

“He has a real dedication and commitment to his community,” said Lillian Clayman, chairwoman of the Brookhaven Town Democratic Committee, which is where she first met Harrington. “He cares deeply about his family and he’s very conscious of his role as husband and father, and is active in his church. I had approached him and asked if he considered running for office because he’s just the kind of quality young person that Brookhaven needs. I think he’s going to win.”

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The Mount Sinai Harbor, above, will undergo jetty reconstruction to make navigation easier and bring back winter shellfishing. File photo by Erika Karp

The Town of Brookhaven stands stronger than ever in the midst of a major economic lag in Suffolk County as it enters the new year.

During the final Brookhaven town board meeting of last year, on Dec. 15, Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) announced several large bond resolutions, including one for $4.5 million to pay for the dredging and restoration of Lily Lake in Yaphank and another for $12.3 million to pay for the resurfacing of various town-owned roads. These bonds will help move forward the long-term capital projects within his approved budget for 2017 — to the concern of some residents in attendance unsure as to why so much money was being proposed all at once.

The projects will be made possible with the help of bonds secured by the Town of Brookhaven, which Supervisor Ed Romaine helped secure. File photo by Rachel Shapiro

But the supervisor insists that taxpayers in Brookhaven have nothing to worry about in terms of fiscal spending.

“This is no different than what we’ve done every other year,” Romaine explained in a phone interview. “Each year, we have to authorize bond resolutions, have to go to bond counsel, and then float the bond [into the bond market] because long-term assets are what you borrow for. We need the money in 2017 and we want to get a head start on that.”

In fact, he said, Brookhaven’s borrowing in terms of bonding out is down and the township pays off its bonds well before their maturity dates in most cases.

“We don’t spend money we don’t have,” Romaine said. “When we go to bond, we go to bond very cautiously, we try to pay off our bonds very quickly, and we don’t believe in taking on too much debt.”

For instance, Romaine said, Brookhaven is the only town in all of Long Island that has paid off all of its pension debt.

“We have reserve funds for when the town landfill is closed, [as well as] a snow reserve fund of up to $2 million on top of the $6 million budgeted for snow in case we get a really heavy year,” he said.

While most every municipality in Suffolk County struggles with tremendous debt, Brookhaven has been prosperous. Standard and Poor’s Financial Services assigned its AAA credit rating to the town, the highest designation issued by the New York City-based agency. The AAA rating means Brookhaven has been recognized as having strong capacity to meet financial commitments.

It was its top-tier credit rating that allowed Brookhaven to acquire so much money for capital projects and low interest rates.

“When we go to bond, we go to bond very cautiously, we try to pay off our bonds very quickly, and we don’t believe in taking on too much debt.”

—Ed Romaine

“Where a lot of Suffolk County has been downgraded, we’re the largest town in Suffolk County and we’re getting upgraded to the highest level possible, and I think that speaks to the supervisor’s leadership and fiscal discipline,” Department of Waste Management Commissioner Matt Miner said. “We’re close to reducing [more than] $30 million in pipeline debt … and on the operating budget, he’s been very disciplined in how to spend taxpayer money, and we’re complying with the New York State property tax cap. We’re one of the few municipalities to do so.”

As for the planned projects described in the bond resolutions, Romaine said the ones most important and expensive for the North Shore will be revitalizing Lily Lake to get rid of invasive weeds and restore it back as a recreational haven, reconstructing the jetties in Mount Sinai Harbor to make boat navigation easier and help bring back shellfishing in the winter and continuing to work with the highway department to improve and pave roads.

Other resolutions included the issuance of $2.5 million to pay the cost of various original improvements to the town landfill, including, but not limited to, gas management, odor control and leachate control improvements and $600,000 to pay the cost of acquisition and installation of various equipment for use at town facilities.

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Clearing trees to build solar farms, like this one in Shoreham, would be illegal in Brookhaven Town if a proposed amendment passes. Photo by Nicole Geddes

By Nicole Geddes          

Brookhaven Town is all for going green — but not at the expense of green.

The town board held a public hearing to discuss a resolution that would amend its solar code during a meeting Sept. 29 and would make land clearing for solar energy production illegal. If passed, solar energy production equipment could only be installed on land that was cleared prior to January 2016.

“It is a starting point and that is the best part,” Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said of the amendment in a phone interview. “We will not be clearing trees to create solar farms in business and industrial zones. … While I’m a believer in solar power, we don’t want to trade one green for another green.”

Community members spoke in favor of the amendment during the public comment period of the meeting.

“We will not be clearing trees to create solar farms in business and industrial zones. … While I’m a believer in solar power, we don’t want to trade one green for another green.”

— Ed Romaine

“We need not sacrifice forests for solar,” Richard Amper, executive director of Long Island Pine Barrens Society, said in an interview. “It’s equivalent to destroying the environment to protect it. We don’t have the open space to meet the requirements of Governor Cuomo’s ‘50 by 30’ initiative, without alternative transmission lines such as offshore wind farming.”

New York Gov. Cuomo’s (D) Clean Energy Standard requires 50 percent of New York’s electricity to come from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar by 2030.

Amper said he is in favor of alternate energy sources, and welcomed the amendment.

“We need renewable energy sources, solar is important,” he said. “We just need to be careful where it’s sited. It shouldn’t be on forested land, on farms where food is grown or in residential communities. It should be on rooftops, parking lots and previously cleared lands.”

Other members of the town board expressed their support for the amendment.

“My constituents in Council District 1 have expressed support for renewable energy and smart energy alternatives,” Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) said in a statement. “They want to ensure that government is thinking strategically about how to limit and reduce nonrenewable energy, improve air quality and diversify power sources.”

Additionally, the amendment would reduce the amount of acreage allowed for solar farming, from 10 to 5 acres in business and industrial zones.

Restrictions in the town’s solar code also require a buffer zone of 25 feet around all mechanical equipment and solar panel arrays for aesthetic reasons. Director and vice president of the East Moriches Property Owners Association, Jim Gleason, spoke in favor of the amendment during the meeting, but advocated for increasing buffer zones.

“Solar panels are ugly,” he said. “A 25-foot minimum buffer is not enough, 7-foot evergreens are not tall enough. Some panels are 20 feet.”

Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) disagreed.

“I think that shopping centers and housing developments are more unsightly than solar panels,” Bonner said. “There’s no noise, no traffic, no pollution and no long-term health risks for residents in communities where solar farming and energy production is located.”

The town board will vote on the resolution at the meeting Thursday, Oct. 27.

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A horseshoe crab no more than 4 years old. Photo by Erika Karp

With its horseshoe crab population dwindling, Town of Brookhaven officials are calling on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to ban harvesting within 500 feet of town property.

At the Mount Sinai Stewardship Center at Cedar Beach on Tuesday, Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) announced the Brookhaven Town Board is poised to approve a message in support of the ban at Thursday night’s board meeting.

A horseshoe crab no more than 4 years old is the center of attention at a press conference on Tuesday. Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine is calling on the state to ban the harvesting of the crabs within 500 feet of town property. Photo by Erika Karp
A horseshoe crab no more than 4 years old is the center of attention at a press conference on Tuesday. Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine is calling on the state to ban the harvesting of the crabs within 500 feet of town property. Photo by Erika Karp

Horseshoe crabs are harvested for bait and medicinal purposes, as their blue blood, which is worth an estimated $15,000 a quart, is used in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries to detect bacterial contamination in drugs and medical supplies, due to its special properties.

While there is already a harvesting ban in place for Mount Sinai Harbor, Romaine is seeking to expand the restriction across the north and south shores so the crabs have a safe place to mate.

The crabs take about nine years to reach sexual maturity.

“We think it is time not to stop or prohibit the harvesting of horseshoe crabs … but instead to say, ‘Not within town properties,’” Romaine stated.

Brookhaven’s Chief Environmental Analyst Anthony Graves and clean water advocacy group Defend H20’s Founder and President Kevin McAllister joined Romaine at the Tuesday morning press conference.

Graves said the ban would help preserve the 450-million-year-old species’ population.

Preserving the species affects more than just the crabs: If the population continues to shrink, other species — like the red knot bird, which eat the crab eggs — will suffer.

“They are in some ways an ecological keystone species,” Graves said. “That means that they serve a function beyond their individual existence.”

East Coast waterways are the epicenter for the crabs and, according to McAllister, states like New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia have already enacted harvesting limits. The crabs’ nesting season starts in mid-May and lasts until the end of June. Officials said the crabs are oftentimes harvested at night and illegally.

Romaine said he has asked all of the town’s waterfront villages to support the measure. If the DEC moves forward with the ban, Romaine said the town could help the department with enforcement by establishing an intermunicipal agreement.

A DEC representative did not immediately return a request for comment.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

A new Easter tradition

Thank you, Arts & Lifestyles Editor Heidi Sutton, for sharing the wonderful recipe for Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole (TBR News Media, “Let’s Eat,” Feb. 22). Every year for decades we have had ham, turkey or lamb for Easter. This year we decided to try something new. The Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole was the centerpiece of our first Easter brunch and it was fabulous. The recipe was easy to follow and the flavor was amazing. We have a new tradition!

 Joan Dickinson

Lake Grove

Clarifying on climate, renewables and electric vehicles

In a letter appearing in the March 28 editions of TBR News Media, Mark Sertoff makes a number of highly dubious assertions.

To begin with he claims “there is no climate crisis” and that “thousands of scientists around the world concur.” Sounds impressive, but really it isn’t. There are well over 8 million scientists worldwide. In addition, scientists are not equal climate experts. What a geologist, astronomer or nuclear physicist thinks about global warming has little more weight than what you or I think. What does matter is what actively publishing climate scientists think. The answer is that close to 100 percent agree that human-caused global warming is occurring.

He claims Germany is backing off renewables because of “massive problems in reliability and cost.” This is simply untrue. On Jan. 3, Reuters reported that Germany’s power grid reached 55% renewable power last year, a rise of 6.6%. It’s aiming for 80% by 2030.

He’s worried about birds killed by wind turbines, as well as whales. I share his concern, but the fact is that by far the biggest human-related cause of bird mortality is collisions with buildings (Flaco the Owl being a recent sad example). As far as whales, entanglements in fishing gear and strikes by large ships are the leading human-related causes of whale deaths. And there’s no observational evidence linking whale deaths to offshore wind turbines, either in construction or operation. 

Getting to the subject of electric buses he plays on fear. The fear of getting stuck in cold weather. The fear of explosions. Kings Park school district is currently purchasing propane-fueled buses. Propane can explode if not handled properly. As for diesel, studies have linked breathing diesel fumes to harmful effects on student respiratory and brain health, also decreased performance at school. And the range of electric school buses is more than adequate for our suburban Long Island districts, even in the dead of winter.

As far as the depreciation of electric vs. standard vehicles, the claim that “you can’t give away a used EV” is misleading, to say the least. The reason for higher depreciation is currently EVs cost more than standard vehicles to begin with. That’s likely to change in the near future. He omits to mention that electric school buses are significantly cheaper to operate.

It’s perfectly valid to disagree on the pace of transforming school bus fleets to electric. What’s not valid is climate change denialism and spreading misinformation about renewables.

David Friedman

St. James

The U.S. government needs to better protect its citizens

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently finalized the Comprehensive Asbestos Reporting Rule, and we must ask the question: Why has it taken so long? We know there are hundreds of toxic chemicals that lead to disease in this country, yet why is the U.S. one of the last to protect its own citizens? 

Asbestos has been a known carcinogen for decades, causing over 40,000 deaths in the U.S. every year, and now our government is finally banning it. In 2016, during the Obama administration, the federal government passed legislation to update the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. However, why did it take 40 years to update a bill on toxic substances? 

Twenty-two years ago, after my grandmother died from breast cancer, I founded the Community Health and Environment Coalition to address the high rate of cancer in the area. I wanted to know why it was happening and how to prevent it. Community members, elected officials and health professionals challenged the NYS Department of Health to do more. The Health Department did this by launching an investigation that left us with more questions than answers. During the investigation, most residents expressed concerns about our environment, particularly our water. Today we have identified toxic chemicals in our water including PFAS “forever chemicals” and 1,4-dioxane. 

Decades of illegal dumping, military and industrial use of toxic chemicals dumped in the ground and now-banned pesticides have contributed to our long toxic chemical legacy. We are finally seeing some progress after years of grassroots environmental advocacy and government policy proactively holding those responsible, but more must be done. 

As the chemical industry continues to exert power over the government, we must understand that cheap utilitarian toxic chemicals may seem helpful at first, but the long-term health effects may negate any cost savings and may put our lives at risk.

It’s been over 20 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that killed thousands of people. Since then, many first responders have suffered delayed symptoms and continue to lose their lives due to exposure to toxic chemicals. Now that we better understand the long-term health effects of toxic exposure, we must hold those responsible and insist that they do more to protect lives.

Sarah Anker 

Sarah Anker (D) is a former Suffolk County legislator and is running for New York State Senate in District 1.

Northville is potentially a local treasure

Monday evening, March 25, I attended a gathering. 

It was not intended to be a gathering. It was intended to be a hearing, and the hearing was about Northville Industries proposal to put either warehouses (plan A) or apartments (plan B) on its Belle Mead Road property. 

Only local residents were notified of this “hearing” but apparently these residents felt strongly enough to enlist friends and relatives from Northern Brookhaven to attend. The “hearing” was so well attended that it had to be postponed and relocated.

Let me state that both options are terrible choices. Plan A comes with immense truck traffic, while plan B comes with dense-pack zoning and IDA funding. 

What is IDA funding you might ask? That’s when the town gives away taxpayer money to subsidize private development. This means incredibly low taxes for the developer for up to 15 years and then a gradual increase thereafter. All the services that you and I receive for our taxes will be rendered, but at your and my expense. 

But here’s the thing. The Northville property is potentially a local treasure — this is not hyperbole. The future of transportation, including railroad, and electrical generation is with hydrogen.

We cannot go green enough without it. Foreign countries are building hydrogen trains and are putting them on the rails. Hydrogen is a solution to our truly poor-quality railroad transportation. The European market is investing $5 billion in a Swedish steel plant. The electricity for the plant will come from hydrogen.

But where do you store the hydrogen?

Well, the pipeline rights-of-way are already in place for Northville. This can be done safely and it can be an enormous boon to our Brookhaven Town, Suffolk County and even New York State economies (Alstom, a subsidiary of GE, manufactures hydrogen trains in Plattsburgh). The alternative is that we purchase trains in America from foreign countries.

The vacant and underused parts of the Northville property must be protected for future use to meet New York’s climate standards.

Please come to the new hearing and tell your representatives that both plan A and plan B are unacceptable. 

Bruce Miller

Port Jefferson

Embracing 3V schools reconfiguration

The Three Village Central School District has finally made the decision to move into the 21st century and reconfigure our schools to a middle school model. This is a move that is decades overdue and was overwhelmingly supported by students, staff and the community at large.

An Opinion piece published in the March 14 edition [“Preserving what works in 3V school district”] is a direct contradiction to all that this long-awaited, and very necessary, reconfiguration represents. Anthony Dattero, a district guidance counselor and author of this piece, has stated his dissent regarding this move citing the “history” and “uniqueness” of the district. To that I must say that there is a stark difference between one of a kind and one left behind. 

As a dual certified teacher, licensed social worker and former guidance counselor, I simply cannot fathom why the benefits of this monumental change are not obvious to everyone who is committed to the growth and success of all of our students. And as a Ward Melville alumni and parent of a Three Village student I am thrilled for the students that will bask in the new opportunities that the reconfiguration will offer.  

Sixth graders will now have access to the study of a foreign language as well as an array of academics that peers in every other district in New York — except for one —- have. Ninth graders will finally, finally be housed in a high school as high schoolers. No longer will they be subjected to bus rides for upper-level courses and JV athletics. 

Gone will be the limited elective choices in art, music, technology, etc., as well as sacrificing these opportunities due to scheduling conflicts. This reconfiguration is akin to hitting the refresh button on a page long left with the cursor blinking.  

In Dattero’s Opinion piece and his many public comments at Board of Education meetings, he has claimed that the district did not do its due diligence and that the 100-or-so people that he has spoken to are now questioning the changes that are indeed coming. He doesn’t understand why the district is in such a hurry to reconfigure something that “isn’t broken.”

I counter his position with my own experiences speaking to those in Three Village and several other districts. Fellow 3V members are excited for their children’s new opportunities and cannot believe it has taken so long. Those outside of our community are stunned that our antiquated system still exists as no other ninth graders on Long Island are considered “junior high school” students. If we are hurrying this through, then it’s the quickest two-decade race I have ever observed at a sloth-like pace.

I am not always a fan of the decisions in this district, just ask Superintendent Kevin Scanlon, but my family has been a part of Three Village my whole life. My mother spent nearly three decades teaching at Ward Melville, my sister and I are graduates, and my daughter will be too. I have seen this place ebb and flow through good and bad, and we have been calling for this change for way too long. The community has spoken, and the time has finally arrived. Middle school here we come!

Stefanie Werner

East Setauket

Setbacks and uncertainty for Port Jeff LIRR electrification

There is even more bad news for those who support the $3.5 billion MTA Port Jefferson Branch Long Island Rail Road electrification project. 

It is clear that the MTA for decades has never been serious about supporting this project. The project was not included in the March 11 announcement from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg [D] concerning President Joe Biden’s [D] FY25 budget request under the Annual Report on Funding Recommendations Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Investment Grants New Starts Core Capacity Program and Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program for the Federal Transit Administration. This would have been the federal funding source to finance these projects.  

To date, neither MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, NYC Transit President Richard Davey, New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Eric Adams, have never been on board for electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch line. You will know within nine months if the MTA is serious about advancing this project. Funding would have to be included in the next MTA $51 billion or more 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan. It has to be adopted by Jan. 1, 2025.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

 

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BRAZILIAN GUITAR MASTER Octávio Deluchi returns to All Souls Church in Stony Brook for a free concert on Feb. 3.
Thursday February 1

Unsung Heroes program

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station kicks off Black History month with a program titled Unsung Heroes: Segregated Military Units from 7 to 8 p.m. Learn about history of the African American units that bravely served their country in the face of discrimination. Open to all. Call 631-928-1212 or visit www.cplib.org to register.

An Evening of Jazz

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents a concert featuring The Jazz Loft Big Band, a 7-piece big band directed by Jazz Loft Director Tom Manuel, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children and children under 5 years old are free. To order tickets, visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Friday February 2

Groundhog Day Celebration

Six more weeks of winter or an early spring? The Town of Brookhaven will host its annual Groundhog Day Celebration at the Holtsville Ecology Center, 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville starting at 7 a.m. Come meet Holtsville Hal and find out what his shadow foretells. Following the ceremony, residents are welcome to enjoy complimentary hot chocolate, coffee and bagels provided by 7-Eleven and Bagel Lovers and visit the more than 100 non-releasable, wild or injured animals residing at the Animal Preserve, which will be open at 7 a.m. Free. 631-451-5330.

Black History Night

Town of Brookhaven will host the 33rd Annual Black History Night at the Brookhaven Town Hall auditorium, 1 Independence Hill Farmingville at 6 p.m. The evening’s program with the theme African Americans and the Arts will include performances, art exhibits, a cultural food tasting and the presentation of Academic Achievement Awards to Brookhaven’s top 51 African American high school seniors from 10 school districts who achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher. All are welcome. 631-451-TOWN

Cat Jones in Concert

The Village of Port Jefferson Dept. of Recreation and the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council kick off the 2024 Winter Tide concert series at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson with a performance by Cat Jones in the Sail Loft Room (3rd floor) from 7 to 8 p.m. The Rhode Island native brings old-school country flavored folk tunes, a perfect way to warm up a winter evening. Tickets are $5 at the door. 631-802-2160

Sound Symphony concert

The Sound Symphony Orchestra with guest conductor Alex Wen will be performing its annual Family Concert at Comsewogue’s John F. Kennedy Middle School, 200 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station at 7 p.m. Repertoire includes: Mozart’s The Magic Flute; Bernstein’s Overture to “Candide”; Peter Gynt’s Suite No. 1; Mission Impossible Theme; and Saint-Saens’ Danse Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah. Admission is $20 adults, $15 seniors, $10 students, children under 12 free. Snow date is Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. www.soundsymphony.org

Saturday February 3

Casino Night Fundraiser

East Farmingdale Volunteer Fire Department Station 2, 930 Conklin St., Farmingdale will host a Casino Night Fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $65 in advance, $80 at the door and include a $250 casino chip value, hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soda, door prizes and Chinese auction. Event is limited to 100 tickets. 631-249-0474 ext. 2307

Octávio Deluchi in concert

All Souls Church, 61 Main Street, Stony Brook continues its Saturdays at Six concert series with  SBU doctoral student and Brazilian guitarist Octávio Deluchi at 6 p.m. The program will feature a balance between well established and canonical pieces, with new works, with works recently premiered and composed.  Selections will include works by Geraldo Vespar, Vicente Paschoal, Laura Snowdon, Dilermando Reis, Augustin Barrios, Marco Pereira and Astor Piazzolla. Free. 631-655-7798

PJFD Steak Night Fundraiser

Port Jefferson Fire Department, 115 Maple Place, Port Jefferson will hold their annual Steak Night fundraiser from 7 to 10 p.m. $50 per person includes a salad bar, T-bone steak, baked potato, dessert, open bar and 50/50 raffle. To RSVP, call 631-291-8195.

Dinner Theater Fundraiser

Polish American Independent Ladies of  Port Jefferson will present a Dinner Theater titled Cooking with Germs, 4 Comedies and Such by Ed Eriksson at the Polish American Independent Club, 36 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station at 7 p.m. $50 per person includes a buffet, wine, beer and soft drinks. To order, visit Moonbeam.Booktix.com. For more information, call 631-793-9870.

An Evening with Drum Tao

Japan’s No.1 sensation, Drum Tao, heads to Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts’ Main Stage, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook at 7 p.m. for its 30th anniversary tour. Featuring the best in drumming, martial arts, and so much more. Tickets range from $41 to $60. To order, call 631-632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.

Sunday February 4

Caumsett Hike

Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington hosts Just a Hike (On the Roads) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This 4-mile, on road moderately paced walk affords walkers the opportunity to relax, socialize, and enjoy the park’s beauty. Adults only. $4 per person. Advance reservations required by calling 631-423-1770.

Port Jefferson Ice Festival

Rescheduled from Jan. 28. Port Jefferson Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce presents the 5th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival today from noon to 5 p.m. Enjoy ice sculptures throughout the village along with live music, dance performances, ice skating demos, live ice carvings by Rich Daly, character photo opportunities, horse-drawn wagon rides and more. 631-473-1414

Narwhal Ball

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St. Cold Spring Harbor hosts its annual Narwhal Ball from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The whole family is invited to a wintry celebration! Explore the world of polar sea creatures through special activities and presentations. Gather around for “Storytime with Elsa” as she shares tales from her icy domain and meet the icy queen herself to snap a photo. Indulge in an icy treat with ice cream sponsored by Kilwin’s of Huntington. Create frosty crafts to take home with you. Tickets online (through Feb. 2) are $20 age 2-17 (all access) $8 adults, $6 seniors at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org; Door tickets are $25 ages 2-17 (all access) $8 adults, $6 seniors. 631-367-3418.

Anastasia René in concert

Join the North Shore Public Library, 250 Route 25A, Shoreham for a 20’s Jazz concert at 1:30 p.m. Join Anastasia René and her band as they take you back to the world of speakeasies, dancing, clubs, music (both early Blues and Jazz), with renditions of the jazz songs performed by artists such as Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and more. Open to all. To register, call 631-929-4488.

Frank Latorre in concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook will host a concert by Frank Latorre and the King Bees from 3 to 4 p.m. The event is free with general admission ticket purchase. For more information, call 631-689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.

Monday February 5

DIY Winter Tote

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station will host a DIY Winter Tote program from 4 to 5 p.m. and again from 7 to 8 p.m. Personalize a tote bag for the season using a variety of stencils with Theresa Maritato. Cost is $5 for materials. Open to all. Registration is required by calling 631-928-1212 or visiting www.cplib.org.

Three Village Civic Meeting

Three Village Civic Association will hold its monthly meeting at the Setauket Fire Department Main Building 190 Main St., Setauket at 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker will be Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich. Open to the public. Refreshments will be served. www.3vcivic.org

Portrait of Aretha

CeCe Teneal returns to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport for a Portrait of Aretha concert at 8 p.m. to honor the legacy of the Queen of Soul with personalized interpretations of both popular and lesser-known songs from this 18-Grammy-Award-winning icon’s 50-year career, including “Chain of Fools,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Rock Steady” and more. Tickets are $45. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Tuesday February 6

Comedy Night at the Engeman

Join the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport for an evening of comedy at 8 p.m. Come have some laughs, enjoy some cocktails, and listen to some very funny comedians! Tickets are $45. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Wednesday February 7

Vanderbilt lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its lecture series with Living Pictures: Gilded Age Portrait Photography at 7 p.m. Erin Pauwels, an author and historian of American art and visual culture, will explore portraiture and identity formation, celebrity culture, and intersections between theater and the visual arts and examine the vibrant history of Sarony, a celebrity photographer once known as “the father of artistic photography in America.” Tickets are $10, members free at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Thursday February 8

Crafts & Cocktails

Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for Crafts & Cocktails: Watercolor Wonders from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Explore the science of water through the world’s oldest kind of painting — watercolor! Discover how both sailors and painters learned to exploit the unique properties of water for their own purposes. Harness the power of physics to engineer a colorful layered cocktail to enjoy while you experiment with a variety of fundamental watercolor techniques. Create a nautical watercolor painting to take home. Adults 21+. Tickets are $30 per participant, $20 museum members at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. 631-367-3418

Reboli Art History Lecture

The Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook will host a free art history lecture with award-winning artist  and art historian aficionado Kevin McEvoy from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Light snacks will be served. No reservations are required to attend. 631-751-7707

Staller Center Music Recital

Jennifer Frautschi and Christina Dahl  of SBU Dept. of Music return for another popular evening of duos for violin and piano at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook at 7 p.m. This program considers four very different sonatas written within a twenty-year period that encompasses WWI, and the aftermath of the war. Program includes Szymanowski Sonata in D Minor, Op. 9 for Violin and Piano (1904); Bartok Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano, SZ 76 (1922); Marguerite Canal Sonata for Violin and Piano (1922)—selections; and Ravel Violin Sonata No. 2 (1923-27). Free. 631-632-2787

Victorian Valentine’s Day

Join the Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport for a Victorian Valentine’s Day at 7 p.m. Make your date night, Gal-entine’s, or early Valentine’s Day celebration unforgettable! Education Coordinator Carol Taylor takes you on a journey from the beginning of Valentine’s Day to modern times while learning (and sampling) wine paired with handcrafted chocolates. Your evening concludes with a gift provided by Nite Owl Promotions. Tickets are $60, $50 members and must be purchased in advance at www.northporthistorical.org. Ages 21+ only. Questions? Call 631-757-9859.

Film

‘Network’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents a screening of Network on Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Sidney Lumet’s stinging rebuke of network television stars Peter Finch as Howard Beale, a veteran anchorman who is being forced out of his post after 25 years. At the end of his rope, he announces on air that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Beale’s rants lead to a spike in ratings, opening the door for ambitious producer Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) to develop even more outrageous programming. Hosted by Wallace Matthews former columnist for Newsday, the New York Post and ESPN. Tickets are $16, $10 members in advance at www.cinemaartscentre.org or at the door. 631-423-7610

Sky Room Talk at the CAC

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Sky Room Talk series with Hidden Hitchcock Gems on Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. If another filmmaker made any of Alfred Hitchcock lesser known films, they would be heralded as a cinematic master. Hitchcock’s most popular films cause some to bypass his most classic like Young and Innocent, Saboteur, Torn Curtain and many others. Film historian Glenn Andreiev returns to the Cinema with a look at 12 entertaining but over-shadowed Alfred Hitchcock gems. Tickets are $18, $12 members in advance at www.cinemaartscentre.org or at the door. 631-423-7610

‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ 

As part of its Best of the Big Screen series, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will screen The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) starring Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland on Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. With introduction by Philip Harwood. Ticket are $16, $10 members in advance at www.cinemaartscentre.org or at the door. 631-423-7610

Theater

‘The Gin Game’ 

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson presents D.L. Colburn’s The Gin Game from Jan. 13 to Feb. 3. A fierce battle of wits and wills is revealed as a mismatched pair in a retirement facility inadvertently reveal their hearts as they show their hands in increasingly combative rounds of gin rummy. Poignant, powerful, and heartbreakingly honest, The Gin Game shows that secrets held close to the vest are not safe from being put on the table. The production stars Theatre Three veterans Bradlee and Marci Bing. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘I Love You, You’re Perfect …’

John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St. Northport presents I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, a witty musical revue that tackles modern love in all its forms: from the perils and pitfalls of the first date to marriage, children, and the twilight years of life, from Jan. 18 to March 3. Set in the modern world and told in a series of vignettes and songs, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change traces the overall arc of relationships throughout the course of a life. To order tickets, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘(Mostly) True Things’

The Performing Arts Studio, 224 East Main Street, Port Jefferson presents a production of (Mostly) True Things on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. with stories on the theme Sucker For Love about those times we go to extremes, abandon reason and take big leaps because of love. Four storytellers will compete to win the audience’s choice for the biggest “sucker for love.” Also 3 of the stories will include subtle little lies, but all the stories are otherwise true. The audience gets to question the storytellers, then vote for the person they think told it straight. Tickets are $20 online at eventbrite.com, $25 at the door (cash only).  631-928-6529

Farmers Markets

Huntington Farmers Market

Spirit of Huntington Art Center, 2 Melville Road North, Huntington Station hosts the Long Island Winter Farmers Market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March. 631-470-9620

Port Jefferson Farmers Market

The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market returns to the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 28. 631-802-2160

Class Reunions

•Centereach High School Class of 1974 will hold its 50th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on April 26 from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, email Jean Ann Renzulli at [email protected].

•Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

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