One of 25 street gardens in the Three Villages that have been recognized. Photo courtesy of the Three Village Garden Club
To show appreciation for the wonderful efforts of the gardeners of the community, the Three Village Garden Club instituted a Street Garden Recognition Program 11 years ago. Residents of the Three Villages were invited to participate in this program, had to fulfill the requirements of using only living plant material and the garden had to be well-maintained and be pleasing to the eye.
Participants included Laura Nektaredes, Barbara DeBree, The Jazz Loft, John and Nancy DeBellas, Virginia Bushart, Anthony Isola, Julie Parmagiani, Glynn Mercep & Purcell, LLP, Innovative Nutrition, Karin Ryon, Janet MacDowell, Palma Sette, Aida Von Oiste, Kim Squartrito, Rita Scher, Mike Specht, Bob Bronzino, Jackie Kramer, Eileen DeHayes, Michele Matton, Mary and Bill Wilcox, Jeanette Reynolds, Jean Jackson, Gladys Belmonte and Ralph VonThaden.
Members of the garden club viewed the participant’s gardens, and those who qualified were invited to a Brunch Reception held on July 16, at the Emma Clark Library. At the reception, each participant received a plaque, which was designed by a member of the Three Village Garden Club, JoAnn Canino. Photos of the gardens were on display at the reception and will also be posted in the library during the month of September.
If you would like to participate in the street garden recognition program next year or recommend a garden in the Three Villages that you admire, applications will be available at the Emma S. Clark Library in the late spring of 2017. For more infor- mation on the Three Village Garden Club, visit www.threevillagegardenclub.org. The public is encouraged to visit the street gardens at the following locations:
22 Deer Lane, E. Setauket
24 Deer Lane, E. Setauket
11 Lodge Lane, E. Setauket
7 Stalker Lane, E. Setauket
42 Fireside Lane, E. Setauket
52 Fireside Lane, E. Setauket
2 Cedar Ave., E. Setauket
6 Van Brunt Manor Road, Poquott 6 Sharon Ave., Poquott
Green beans mature in about two months. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Now that it’s August, you’ve been enjoying your garden’s produce. Some varieties of tomatoes have already ripened. The fresh corn has been delicious. You’ve had beans and salads fresh from the garden. But, it’s time to start thinking about your second harvest of quick growing and cool weather veggies.
The average first frost on Long Island is the end of October (central North Shore and North Fork) to early November (North Shore of western Suffolk and Nassau counties). These, of course, are averages. I remember a December when I still had geraniums blooming while I was putting out my Christmas wreath. And, there have been early Octobers with frost, times when I’ve rushed to get my houseplants, which were summering outside, back into the house.
Radishes mature in under a month. Photo by Ellen Barcel
First, look at the packages of seeds and see how long it is from planting to maturity. For something like green beans, depending on variety it can be anywhere from 50 to 60 days. So, knowing that the end of October is just about the last of the growing season, count backward. You need to plant the last of your green beans, again depending on variety, by the beginning of September. That will give you the two full months you need for plant maturity. Start now, and plant another row each week, finishing up the beginning of September. Lettuce is another quick growing crop. Leaf lettuce is a cool weather crop and matures in 40 to 50 days. So, the last sowing of lettuce needs to be mid-September. Head lettuce takes longer — 70 to 90 days, so chances are it won’t have time to mature.
Some varieties of cucumbers will mature in 60 days, while others take longer.
Summer squash will mature in about 60 days and radishes under a month. You can plant your radishes up to the end of September and still have a harvest before frost.
Green onions (scallions) will be ready to be picked in 50 to 60 days. Again, plant up until the beginning of September. Okra will mature in 50 to 60 days. Corn will mature, depending on variety, in 65 days and beets in 55 to 70 days. Kohlrabi will mature in 50 to 60 days.
Green tomatoes, if large enough in autumn come frost, may ripen in the house. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Tomatoes are interesting in that the plants you put down in spring will continue to set fruit into fall, as long as the weather doesn’t get too cold. This means that you may have a lot of green tomatoes at the first frost. If they are large and with a tinge of orange, try to ripen them indoors. Some people swear by the brown paper bag method. Or, consider either making fried green tomatoes or pickled tomatoes. This latter treatment is more reliable. I’ve had some tomatoes I’ve tried to ripen just go to mush, especially if they were very small.
Remember that the above, and any dates listed on seed packages, are for optimal conditions. A sudden cold spell can delay plant maturity. Second crops can be less reliable than planting in spring, but, all you’ve invested is the cost of a few packages of seed. If it’s very dry, remember to water well. Use fertilizer, especially for very heavy feeders like tomatoes. Good luck and enjoy your second harvest!
Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.
Diane Wattecamps of Setauket spied this Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly on her zinnias last week and was able to capture this beautiful image on her iPhone.
Members of New York’s Third Regiment line up for battle. Photo by Talia Amorosano
Sumpawams Creek play colonial tunes on the front lawn of Emma Clark Library. Photo by Talia Amorosano
A costumed docent gives a tour of the Setauket Presbyterian Church. Photo by Talia Amorosano
Art Billadello talks to visitors about the significance of the Setauket Presbyterian Church. Photo by Talia Amorosano
The Simkus family from Mount Sinai wear Culper Spy T-shirts in celebration of the event. Photo by Talia Amorosano
Volunteers Michael Silvaggio and Niki Nassiri of Setauket. Photo by Talia Amorosano
Michael Tessler speaks to a group about the history of the Culper Spy Ring. Photo by Talia Amorosano
Carolyn Emerson and Lisa DeVerna of Emma S. Clark Library with Culper Spy-themed books. Photo by Talia Amorosano
Culper spy Austin Roe (Daniel Overin) poses for a photo with young eventgoer. Photo by Talia Amorosano
History came alive on July 23 at the second annual Culper Spy Day, a collaboration of 18 organizations including Tri-Spy Tours, the Three Village Historical Society, The Long Island Museum, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization and Stony Brook University’s Special Collections. Hundreds of community members endured the heat to come out and learn about the amazing story behind George Washington’s Setauket Culper Spy Ring. Activities, which took place in Setauket, Stony Brook and Port Jefferson, included tours, battle reenactments, colonial cooking demonstrations, live music, crafts and more.
Jameel Warney signs partially guaranteed deal with Mavericks
Jameel Warney dunks the ball for Stony Brook University. Photo from SBU
By Desirée Keegan
Jameel Warney’s coaches used to say the player held a basketball like a bowling ball, cupping it with his hand and wrist when driving to the basket. He holds the ball a little differently now. He’s gripping it like an NBA pro.
After competing for the Dallas Mavericks’ 2016 Summer League team from July 2 through July 8, Warney, a 6-foot, 8-inch, 260-pound forward, agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the team, which amounts to a training camp invite.
“I always have the utmost confidence in myself and know that if I play hard, I can do whatever I think I’m capable of doing,” Warney said. “When I play well and with a chip on my shoulder, I won’t be denied. It was great to know that I can play with this level of competition.”
During five Summer League appearances, he averaged 6.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and one block per game. Dallas never ran offensive plays designed to get him open, yet Warney still shot 60 percent from the field.
Jameel Warney block a shot for the Seawolves. Photo from SBU
“A lot of hard work went into this and it’s great to get some recognition, but I still have a lot of work to do,” he said. “I was happy that [Dallas] offered to bring me along to training camp, because it’s just another step toward ultimately making my dream come true.”
Although his form may not have been there from the start, the now former Stony Brook University star’s previous head coach, Steve Pikiell, said he’s proud of the player Warney has become. He noted the vast improvement he saw in Warney’s game over the 22-year-old’s four-year tenure with the Seawolves.
“Everyone says great hands, great this, great that, but he’s just a great kid,” Pikiell said. “How he handled himself on and off the court was just awesome. He’s one of the best I’ve worked with in all of my 23 years of coaching.”
Warney began his basketball career as many young players across the country now do; in the Amateur Athletic Union.
“They didn’t think he was going to make it,” his mother Denise Warney said of her son’s coaches. “They said he was very lazy, and he was struggling with the drills and it seemed like something he wasn’t interested in. That all changed in two or three months.”
Warney learned from the experience and established a newfound passion for the sport. Within months, multiple AAU teams were interested in the abnormally tall middle school standout.
From there, Warney joined the varsity basketball team at Roselle Catholic High School in New Jersey. He graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,968 points, and averaged 17 points, 13.5 rebounds, four assists and 3.5 blocks per game as a senior.
“He’s humble and he’s hardworking. I think that’s an unbelievable combination for a kid nowadays.”
— Steve Pikiell
“For Jameel, whether he’s well, sick or tired, he plays really well,” his mother said. “He just loves the sport.”
At Stony Brook, he enjoyed much of the same success.
Warney graduated with more victories than any player in school history, and is the school’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks and games played. The Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention also broke Stony Brook records for points in a season and in a single game when he scored 43 against the University of Vermont March 12.
Among all the records, Warney was also named American East Player and Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Seawolves to the American East Championship title and the first NCAA postseason berth in school history. He recorded 23 points and 15 rebounds in the first round of the tournament against the University of Kentucky on March 17, though the team fell 85-57.
“I saw something in him early on and I was able to help him bring that talent and ability out of him,” Pikiell said. “Mix that in with his hard work, and that’s how he’s gotten to the point he’s at. I know he can play at the NBA level. He has a skill set that everyone could use. He has a great motor, he’s a terrific rebounder, he has great hands, he’s a great passer, he has a tremendous physical ability and he’s an unselfish player. He has a great mind for the game of basketball, and those are attributes that bode well for him to be able to continue to play at the next level.”
Jameel Warney carries a net around his neck after the Stony Brook University men’s basketball team won the America East championship. Photo from SBU
For Denise Warney though, it’s more than just her son’s accolades and titles. It’s about how proud she is of how far her son has come not just in the sport, but as a person. When she watches him, she can’t help but smile.
“The game for the NCAA berth, I just watch that game over and over again because it amazes me that he’s turned out to be such a great basketball player,” she said.
She is especially amazing watching him dunk the ball, because for her, it brings back a decade-old memory.
“When he was little, I remember him saying, ‘Mommy, I want a trampoline.’ I asked him why, and he said, ‘I want to put it next to the basketball hoop so I can dunk,’” she said. “We laughed about it because now when I see him dunk a ball, I go all the way back to when he was 10 years old. I get this rush watching him, I’m overcome with this emotion, and I just keep becoming prouder and prouder of him.”
Warney and his mother both appreciate those who have helped him reach such heights thus far in his career.
“The years of improving mentally and physically, being mature and proving my stuff on the court with Stony Brook after high school — I’ve learned so much,” he said. “I feel like a lot of the people I’ve come across over my years of playing basketball have influenced my life. My coaches in high school, my mom, college coaches, the rest of my family and my close friends, I’m doing this all for them because they’ve been with me through the struggles and through the highs. I’m happy to have such a nice support system with me.”
He’s influenced the lives of others as well, as young children run around Stony Brook donning his name and number on their jerseys, looking up to the professional athlete who is continuing to put in the work as he climbs his ladder toward his ultimate goal of making a roster.
“He’s humble for a player as talented as he is,” Pikiell said. “He’s humble and he’s hardworking. I think that’s an unbelievable combination for a kid nowadays. That enabled him to get better and help us do things that no Stony Brook team has ever done, I think he can make a team and stay for a long time. I think his best basketball is ahead of him.”
The Stony Brookside Bed & Bike Inn is the first of its kind on Long Island. Photo by Lloyd Newman
Innkeepers have brought European bicycle culture to Long Island.
Marty and Elyse Buchman, who have been bicycling the world together for a decade, opened the Stony Brookside Bed & Bike Inn on June 1, located at 48 Main St., Stony Brook.
The couple set out to create a bed and breakfast that would cater to cyclists; providing not only sleeping space and a morning meal, but bike tour itineraries and even bikes, if needed, as well. Two months in, business has been much better than they expected.
“We’ve had people just looking for a place to stay — and that’s fine,” the husband said, indicating that not only cyclists have made up their clientele. A wedding party used Brookside for lodging recently.
The Buchmans have enjoyed bicycling in Europe because traveling by bicycle is considered normal there. It’s not just recreation; it’s a legitimate form of transportation, even for vacationers.
Their inspiration for a new kind of American bed and breakfast came during a 2010 bike tour of Italy. They booked a room in a “bike hotel” in Riccione on the Adriatic Sea. “Each day a guide came and took you for a different ride,” Marty said. “The idea was that you came back to the same place; and didn’t have to worry about navigating [your way] around.”
Marty and Elyse Buchman open the first bed and breakfast catering specifically to bicycle enthusiasts on Long Island. Photo by Lloyd Newman
The following week they had a similar experience at Lake Garda in the mountains of northern Italy, this time staying at a “sports hotel.”
By vacation’s end, they had all the inspiration needed to start their own business.
When they first saw the colonial revival building at 48 Main Street, next to the Stony Brook Grist Mill and across the street from the duck pond, they decided it was perfect.
Built in 1941 by renowned architect Richard Haviland Smythe in a beautiful natural setting, it had the added advantage of being within walking distance of restaurants and shops, a museum and historical landmarks, a pond and nature preserve. It took perseverance, patience and negotiation skills, but they were able to purchase the house in 2014.
“This is an up and coming area for people to visit,” Marty said. “We’re always struck by how beautiful it is when we go on bike rides. People think they have to go out to the Hamptons or Sag Harbor. This is an undiscovered area. Just in the past year, [the opening of] the Jazz Loft and the Reboli Center, it seems like a lot of stuff is happening.”
The couple has done various kinds of marketing. The most effective, they said, was the simplest. A friend who runs a bike tour company put their business cards in every bike store in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
“It’s called a Bed and Bike Inn because it is a Bed & Breakfast, but oriented towards cyclists,” Marty said. “We have mechanical stuff. We have pumps. We have everything you might need for your bike. We have bikes, we have helmets; but most importantly, if you come to me and you say, ‘I want to do 20 miles and I want to see historic things,’ I’ve created a route book to provide just that. People can look through our ride book and decide what fits them.”
Elyse pointed out that each ride page gives you distance and elevation data in addition to the general route.
“Once a route is chosen, we print out turn-by-turn directions and we also provide a Garmin GPS which mounts on their bike and beeps when they have to make a turn,” Marty said. “I have lots of suggested routes — everything from 12 to 100 miles.”
Marty is a high school history teacher and said he would love to lead a local history bike tour. So far, though, no one has asked for that. Elyse noted that most guests have preferred self-guided rides, because then it becomes an adventure. “People tend to like to do that,” she said.
The house has three bedrooms, each with a private bath, and is open to guests seasonally. It will close Nov. 1 and reopen to guests on April 1 next year. For more information, call 631-675-0393.
U.S. Rep urges to cease dumping waste into Long Island Sound
U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin calls on EPA to keep commitment to permanently close Long Island Sound disposal sites. Photo from Lee Zeldin
The Long Island Sound shouldn’t be used as a “dumping ground.”
That’s what U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Long Island Sound Caucus, had to say while overlooking the Long Island Sound at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai on July 29. While there, he called on the Environmental Protection Agency to keep its commitment to permanently close the Eastern Long Island Sound disposal sites. The congressman also called on the EPA to expedite the process to phase out the Western and Central Long Island Sound disposal sites.
“The Long Island Sound shouldn’t be a dumping ground, especially when there are many viable alternatives to open-water dumping, including recycling and safe disposal on land,” he said.
On April 27, the EPA issued a proposed rule, the “Ocean Disposal; Designation of a Dredged Material Disposal Site in Eastern Region of Long Island Sound; Connecticut (81 FR 24748),” which would continue open water dumping of dredge waste in the Eastern Long Island Sound for up to 30 years, despite the agency previously committing to close both disposal sites, Cornfield Shoals and New London, by Dec. 23 of this year. Last month, on June 30, Zeldin sent a letter to the administrator of the EPA opposing the proposed rule. On July 7, the EPA announced a final rule that continues open water dumping at the Central and Western Long Island Sound dump sites, while phasing these sites out over the next 30 years.
“The EPA should immediately reverse this proposal and honor their previous commitment to permanently close the Eastern Long Island Sound disposal sites by the end of this year.”
—Lee Zeldin
“This proposal is unacceptable,” Zeldin said. “The EPA should immediately reverse this proposal and honor their previous commitment to permanently close the Eastern Long Island Sound disposal sites by the end of this year. We need a much more aggressive path to phasing out open water dumping at these sites in the Long Island Sound.”
When the Eastern Long Island Sound disposal sites were created by the EPA in 2012, it was explicitly for “short-term, limited use,” but now the agency is moving to keep one or more of these sites open for up to 30 years. Zeldin expressed his support for phasing out open water dumping at these sites in the Long Island Sound over a period of five to 10 years, and expressed major concerns with ecological impacts on the Long Island Sound.
“The Long Island Sound, an EPA designated Estuary of National Significance and one of the nation’s most populated watersheds, is a cultural and natural treasure that provides a diverse ecosystem with more than 170 species of fish, over 1,200 invertebrates and many different species of migratory birds,” he said. “The Sound is also essential to the everyday economy and livelihood of millions of Long Islanders. Over the years, water quality on Long Island has suffered severely from issues such as pollution and overdevelopment.”
Congressman Zeldin was joined by local elected officials and environmental groups who backed up his argument and supported his proposals.
“I stand with New York’s state and federal elected officials and administrators in condemning this poor excuse of a document in the strongest terms,” said Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. “Just in the last few years we have started to enjoy the benefits of a cleaner Long Island Sound. I cannot understand why the EPA would or should allow this plan to undo the hard and expensive work that has been done over the last two decades to restore the Long Island Sound. We simply must do better.”
Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) agreed.
“The Town of Brookhaven is doing so much to keep the Long Island Sound and our other waterways clean, and this disposal site expansion plan is a real threat to our progress,” she said.
Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Adrienne Esposito, said the Eastern Long Island Sound is the most biologically diverse portion of the nationally important estuary.
“Continuing the use of our Sound as a dump site stymies restoration efforts,” she said. “It prevents the advancement of a long-term program for beneficial reuse of dredged materials.”
A boy looks through the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Lab during an event meant to examine the birth of the universe July 31. Photo from BNL
By Colm Ashe
Hundreds of North Shore residents gathered at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton July 31 for the last Summer Sunday of the season, a program which offers the public a chance to immerse themselves in the wide range of scientific endeavors that take place at the lab.
The final Summer Sunday’s events focused on a Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The RHIC is the modern culmination of an age-old inquiry into the origins of the universe and the only operating particle collider in the United States.
The day’s events gave the public a chance to witness the enormity of the project, a size measured not only in square mileage, but also in international collaborators. Thousands of scientists from all over the world, even those on opposite sides of warring nations, have been brought together by this quest to unlock the secrets of matter.
The RHIC re-creates an explosion similar to the one that created the universe. Photo from BNL
From the main control room, scientists at BNL send ions spinning around a 2.5-mile circular track and smash them together at a velocity close to the speed of light. When the ions collide, they create a small explosion that lasts for an extremely brief time span—one billionth of one billionth of one one millionth of a second.
During the explosion, scientists get a finite window into the birth of the universe, measuring one billionth of one millionth of a meter across. In order to study this small speck of short-lived matter, the remnants of these collisions are recorded in two detectors, STAR and PHENIX. This data is then examined by some of world’s top minds.
According to Physicist Paul Sorensen, this collision re-creates “the conditions of the early universe” so scientists can “study the force that holds together that matter as well as all of the matter that exists in the visible universe today.”
What is this force that binds the universe together? At the event, renowned physicist and deputy chair of BNL’s physics department Howard Gordon addressed this puzzling question. His lecture provided the audience some background on the history of this quest, as well as an update on the discovery of the elusive particle that started it all—the Higgs boson.
Though theories regarding the Higgs field — a field of energy presumed to give particles their mass — have been around since the 1960s, it took five decades to finally find the Higgs boson. As reported by TBR’s very own Daniel Dunaief, this “God particle” was finally discovered in 2012 at Geneva’s Large Hadron Collider, the world’s first ever particle accelerator.
This was the puzzle piece scientists worldwide had been counting on to validate their theory about the origins of matter. According to Gordon, “atoms, therefore life, would not form without the Higgs boson.”
Since this discovery, a vast global network of scientists and centers, including BNL, has been created to sift through the enormous amount of data generated by the Large Hadron Collider. The LHC produces enough data “to fill more than 1,000 one-terabyte hard drives — more than the information in all the world’s libraries,” according to theoretical physicist Lawrence M. Krauss.
After Gordon’s lecture, some of the most promising physicists in the U.S. led guests on a tour of the facilities which process this data, along with an up-close introduction to RHIC, STAR and PHENIX, all of which are undergoing maintenance this summer.
The Marriott Hotel in Islandia is the proposed site of a casino plan. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
Residents of Islandia crowded outside village hall at a tense board meeting on Aug. 2, regarding the possibility of a casino at the Marriott Hotel in Islandia on Expressway Drive North.
“I do not want to see litter on the floor, people sleeping in cars or having sex.”
— Dwayne Johnson
Delaware North, a Buffalo entertainment company, reached out to the village and submitted a permit to build a casino inside the hotel space, and residents of the town are divided on their opinions of this possibility.
A public hearing was held Tuesday night, but no vote has been held on the issue by the village board.
The 54-person village hall meeting room closed its doors more than a half-hour before the 7:30 p.m. start, as public safety said capacity was already reached.
A speaker system was set up on the steps of the entrance for the residents outside to hear the audio of the meeting.
Mayor Allan Dorman started the meeting by saying he was “limited” in expressing his personal opinions on the casino, and any board member that “goes out and gives the impression that they have already made a decision … they put this village in jeopardy.”
Residents stand outside village hall listening to the meeting. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
Despite this statement, he referred to residents outside loudly protesting the casino as “miserable people.”
He also said the casino issue garnered attention from people all over the area, including many nonresidents, and that only residents were allowed to speak.
“We’re not looking to build a bigger hall so we can put more people who are not residents here,” he said in response to the hall not fitting in all the residents.
Locals expressed their frustration at not being allowed to participate inside, but as the meeting got to public comment, public safety allowed one resident in at a time to voice his or her opinion.
And community members made sure they were heard, even when they were stuck outside — booing at statements the mayor made.
Thomas Brauner, an Islandia resident, was the first to speak in support of the casino.
During the meeting, Dorman referred to non-residents who opposed the casino.
“I am in favor of Delaware North,” he said. “I feel that this proposal, when properly vetted, will cause no problems in our village. No town or village survives without the aid of a healthy business community.”
Dwayne Johnson, another resident who said he lives just a few blocks from the site, said he is staunchly against the proposal.
“The last thing we want to see is for our area to turn into Brooklyn — or worse,” he said, to a round of applause from the audience outside. “I do not want to see litter on the floor, people sleeping in cars or having sex. What happens when you have a casino is you draw the worst attention. Next thing we’re going to have is a strip club.”
Johnson was one of the many residents who asked for a public vote on the casino.
Dorman also expressed concern about his deputy mayor, Diane F. Olk, during the meeting, saying he does not have trust in her. He demoted her and asked Trustee Michael Zaleski to become the deputy mayor.
The meeting was adjourned after cursing was heard over the microphone from inside the meeting, and village security officers escorted a man out who tried to confront village officials.
Police officer Tim Beck with a humvee during SCPD's National Night Out community outreach event. Photo by Ted Ryan
By Ted Ryan
Huntington Town joined communities across the nation on Tuesday, Aug. 2, to celebrate the 34th annual National Night Out, an event that promotes police-community partnerships to help make neighborhoods a safer place to live.
“We have forged relationships among law enforcement, government and the community that keeps lines of communication open so when problems arise, we can work together on solutions.”
—Dolores Thompson
This is Huntington’s 14th consecutive year celebrating the event, starting in 2002.
Residents flocked to Manor Field Park in Huntington Station, where the Suffolk County Police Department, the Huntington Station Business Improvement District and corporate sponsors Target and 7-Eleven got together to show a sense of unity for the community.
This event is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and to generate support for participation in local anti-crime efforts.
Vice President of Huntington Station BID Dolores Thompson spoke on why this event is meaningful for the community.
“We have forged relationships among law enforcement, government and the community that keeps lines of communication open so when problems arise, we can work together on solutions,” she said at the event.
Suffolk County police ran a crime scene investigation clinic and had a demonstration of police dogs in action, demonstrated the department’s GPS tracker, let residents try a distracted driving simulator and explore a Humvee.
Police Explorer Tim Beck described what the National Night Out meant to him.
“[It’s] a nationwide law enforcement day which connects the community to the police department to teach both the police department and the community about everything that’s going on, inform the community on what the police are up to … and to let the community tell the police what they feel should be done,” Beck said.
There were multiple nonprofit groups at the event, each distributing brochures and information on how they are helping create a more comfortable community, including Long Island Cares, Huntington Public Library, Fidelis Care, Northwell Health and others.
Carolyn Macata was at the Northwell Health stand and said the medical group was trying to bring fun activities to kids that also helped them learn how to stay healthy.
“One of the things we’re focusing on today is healthy nutrition for the kids, plus we work with controlling asthma, so we have asthma-related coloring books specially geared toward young children, as to help identify their triggers, learn their medications and work with their doctors,” she said.
Huntington residents explore the many booths and stations set up for this year’s National Night Out event on Aug. 2. Photo by Ted Ryan
In light of the recent police shootings in Austin and Dallas this year — among other shootings throughout the country — Supervisor Frank Petrone (D) spoke on how this year’s National Night Out is an opportunity to heal the connection between police and civilians.
“This year — especially at a time when the relationship between police and the community is strained in some places elsewhere in the country — it is gratifying to know that here in Huntington, everybody is working together toward the common goals of reduced crime, increased security and better quality of life,” he said.
Last year, 38.5 million people from 15,728 communities in states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide participated in this event.
Deputy Inspector Matthew McCormack spoke on what his takeaway was of National Night Out.
“It’s a get-together where you can come out and meet everybody and celebrate a night out against violence,” he said. “[National Night Out] puts a face on the police department, and a face on the community.”
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