Maximilian Beres was arrested for allegedly robbing a Smithtown bank. Photo from SCPD.
Maximilian Beres was arrested for allegedly robbing a Smithtown bank. Photo from SCPD.
Suffolk County Police arrested a man for robbing a Smithtown bank Thursday afternoon, May 18.
Police said a man entered New York Community Bank, located on Nesconset Highway, at approximately 1:45 p.m., displayed a handgun and demanded money. The teller complied with the suspect’s demands and gave him cash from the drawer. The suspect fled the bank on foot to a waiting vehicle.
Fourth Precinct Police Officer James Tobin located a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s vehicle and pulled the driver over. Officer Tobin arrested the suspect, Maximilian Beres, 29, of Port Jefferson Station. Major Case detectives charged Beres with first-degree robbery.
Beres is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip May 19.
Hecksher Park may be one of the first spots in Huntington to use zero-emission lawn care equipment. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
By Victoria Espinoza
After months of requests from residents that Huntington go greener, the town board took steps at the its last meeting to make Hecksher Park and Town Hall “green zones.”
At the May 9 meeting the board voted unanimously to approve a resolution establishing a research program to look into replacing gas fueled landscaping equipment with battery operated units at Heckscher Park and Town Hall to reduce emissions and noise.
A green zone is an area maintained with zero-emission lawn care equipment.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Supervisor Frank Petrone (D) and Councilwoman Susan Berland (D). The plan includes retaining the American Green Zone Alliance to conduct a study that will analyze the town’s existing landscaping practices, recommend the appropriate cost-effective, battery powered equipment and instruct town personnel on the use, care and maintenance of the devices.
Berland has been working for months to pass a resolution to limit gas powered leaf blowers due to the health and environmental concerns associated with them.
“This resolution is a great first step to protecting our environment and reducing air and noise pollution in our Town,” Berland said in a statement. “Many constituents have contacted me to restrict the use of gas powered leaf blowers to address their quality-of-life concerns.”
“It is in perfect alignment with our town’s clean energy community policy. Huntington is showing once again its commitment to sustainable initiatives.”
— Bonnie Sager
She encouraged residents to visit the town’s website to watch a public service video she created last year meant to inform community members about the drawbacks of leaf blowers and presents possible alternatives. The website also features a survey to gauge the public’s reliance or disapproval of using leaf blowers.
“I look forward to working together with Huntington CALM and the American Green Zone Alliance to create a ‘green zone’ at Heckscher Park and Town Hall,” she said. “Huntington has always been a beautiful place to live, work and raise a family. Let’s keep it that way.”
Groups like Huntington Citizens Appeal for Leafblower Moderation, and the American Green Zone Alliance have been vocal about the health issues, like asthma and hearing damage, that have been tied to use of gas powered blowers, according to the World Health Organization.
At the meeting, several residents applauded the efforts of the board to improve the situation.
Bonnie Sager, cofounder of Huntington CALM spoke at the meeting.
“The 2,000 plus Huntington CALM supporters and I would like to thank you for bringing forth this resolution,” she said at the meeting. “It is in perfect alignment with our town’s clean energy community policy. Huntington is showing once again its commitment to sustainable initiatives.”
Sager listed the many ways switching to electric equipment would save taxpayers money, as well as eliminate airborne pollutants.
“Hecksher Park is a crown jewel of Huntington serving our residents and guests with the museum, the duck pond, the concert venue and more,” she said. “By becoming a green zone our jewel will shine even brighter.”
The American Green Zone Alliance is based in California and is a leader in a nationwide effort to help communities address noise and air pollution issues. It provides certification and accreditation in zero-emission landscape maintenance strategies; educates individuals, property owners, and landscape maintenance professionals to reduce or eliminate the use of gasoline powered maintenance equipment in favor of cordless electric and manual equipment; and promotes those strategies through its green zone certification program that allows the owners of properties of any size to create, maintain, and promote their own zero-emission green zone. It is working with the Town of Southampton on a similar project.
Petrone said he was grateful for the community participation in this effort.
“I appreciate Huntington CALM’s efforts to raise our consciousness about the environmental effects and health dangers of gas powered landscaping equipment, including significant noise pollution,” Petrone said in a statement. “Heckscher Park and Town Hall are perfect locations for a demonstration program to test the feasibility and efficiency of battery powered equipment that reduces emissions and operates at significantly lower decibel levels than gas powered equivalents. I look forward to seeing, and not hearing, the results.”
Melissa Firmes, at center, the founder of Kids Need More, with her husband John, at the Kids Need paint night fundraising event. Photo by Kevin Redding
Locals unleashed their inner artists this week to ensure a fun summer for local kids coping with cancer.
At the Paint Pallet Party for Kids Need More, hosted at Recipe Seven in Miller Place May 16, families, friends and complete strangers bonded for a night of painting and fundraising to benefit the nonprofit’s six-week summer camp at Saddle Rock Ranch in Middle Island. The proceeds will help cover the expensive costs of transporting kids from their home to the camp.
North Shore residents attended a paint party at Recipe Seven in Miller Place to help support nonprofit Kids Need More. Photo by Kevin Redding
The camp, which kicks off June 26 and runs until July 28, is a fun-filled program where kids with life-threatening illnesses and special challenges overcome their obstacles through horseback riding and other equine-assisted activities. It’s one of several selfless events put on by the volunteers at Kids Need More, a nonprofit organization started in 2013 to enhance the lives of kids between 4 and 14 and their families.
So when Kayla Vigorito and Lula Lukasiewicz, members of the Bohemia-based accounting firm Cerini & Associates, were on the lookout to recognize and help out charitable companies in the area that are making a difference in their community, it didn’t take long to hit the ground running with a fundraiser for the organization.
“Kids Need More is basically Make-A-Wish on steroids,” Lukasiewicz said. “They do so much for the kids, they’re a family to them, and we wanted to help as much as we could. Kayla thought up the idea of a painting fundraiser — it’s all for a good cause and we definitely want to do it again.”
Vigorito said she was thankful so many people came out in support of the cause.
“Every day, we see the kids struggling and they’re sick and we wanted to do our part to help them experience things that the rest of us experience,” Vigorito said. “It’s very exciting that it all came together.”
North Shore residents attended a paint party at Recipe Seven in Miller Place to help support nonprofit Kids Need More and Bohemia accounting firm members and helpers Lula Lukasiewicz and Kayla Vigorito, above. Photo by Kevin Redding
Forty-five painters, all from towns across the North Shore, signed up with an entry fee of $30 to $50, which went toward painting materials supplied by JL Designs and for Kids Need More — and could choose from seven inspirational sayings to paint on either a wooden pallet or mason jars in a flower box. Some of the sayings included “this is us” and “begin each day with a grateful heart.”
Anybody not interested in painting could attend for free with an option to donate to the nonprofit at the door; raffle tickets, a 50/50 and a door prize were given out.
Kristen Pondini, of Wading River, got involved as soon as she heard where the money was going.
“I just like supporting anything that has to do with cancer awareness,” Pondini said. “I think everyone is personally affected by cancer, in one way or another, and I just always like to support those who need it.”
Mount Sinai resident Carol Dunne said she loved the combination of art and donation.
“I just love doing stuff like this,” Dunne said as she made brush strokes to a flower-box. “And doing something for a great cause is always fun. I love getting together and making a difference.”
Melissa Firmes, who founded Kids Need More with her husband John, said the organization runs on small grants and individual donations, so she’s grateful for what Vigorito and Lukasiewicz have done.
North Shore residents, like Michael Carnes, above, attended a paint party at Recipe Seven in Miller Place, on right, to help support children with cancer through the nonprofit Kids Need More. Photo by Kevin Redding
“It’s really overwhelming and it really came from their hearts,” said Firmes, who was recently diagnosed with cancer herself. “It also makes me feel that I’m around the right people, and really good people. That’s the reason I do what I do … there’s a lot of wonderful people out there who want to do good and sometimes you just need to find an opportunity to do it.”
She said the ideal fund goal for transportation and activities for the kids would be $20,000.
Miller Place resident Fariba Pallas, whose son Jesse was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 when he was4 and is currently in remission, said the nonprofit makes the kids forget the pain they’re going through.
“My son calls them his family,” Pallas said. “This is not just an organization … they’re involved, they came to visit my son in the hospital day after day. These volunteers that never get paid, who all have jobs or go to school, still find time to get involved with the families and kids. They’ll come to your house if they need to, they’ll dress up in costumes if they need to … these people are amazing.”
Michael Carnes, of Corrective Chiropractic in Miller Place, and his niece Ashley Leung were there as honorary guests for their work in personally delivering Christmas gifts to kids battling life-threatening illnesses. Carnes, who said many of his patients have cancer, assumes the role of Santa for the annual gift drop-off.
“I think it’s important to help children that are in need, that are hurting and struggling,” Carnes said, “and try to make a difference in their lives.”
TRITEC Vice President Rob Kent looks out at Port Jefferson Harbor from the third floor of The Shipyard apartments. Photo by Alex Petroski
By Alex Petroski
Entering Port Jefferson Village via West Broadway looks a lot different these days. The three-story structure being built on the south side of West Broadway, as drivers turn the corner and head down the hill into the village at what’s known as the community’s western entrance, is sprouting up rapidly and residents are taking notice.
Longtime members of the community have expressed concerns about the substantial size of the apartment complex, dubbed The Shipyard by TRITEC Development Group, the real estate developer responsible for the homes. Others have voiced worries about the impact new residents in the area will have on traffic, the possibility of disturbing the historic feel of the village and breaking with traditional architecture in Port Jeff, and the mindset of people who rent instead of own property —that they are less likely to be conscientious neighbors.
A rendering of what the building and property will look like upon completion. Image from TRITEC
The 112-unit complex of one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments is being constructed on the former site of the Heritage Inn motel, and is expected to be completed by January 2018. TRITEC Vice President Robert Kent and director of marketing Chris Kelly opened the doors to the construction site during an interview May 12 to shed some light on what the community should expect from their new neighbors.
A common theme of letters to the editor submitted by community members was the building seems to exceed the 35-foot maximum established in the village’s code. One letter referred to the structure as “an unnatural behemoth in the middle of a small historic village.”
“Much of [Port Jefferson’s] architecture is historically authentic,” resident Karleen Erhardt wrote. “The natural beauty of its harbor and surrounding hills make it one of the loveliest spots on the North Shore of Long Island. It is no wonder that visitors come here year-round to escape the blur of boxy, vinyl-sided suburbia that now characterizes much of Long Island. The Shipyard has done irreparable damage to the character of Port Jefferson Village. All that we residents can do now is wait for the inevitable traffic congestion in and around our town that can only make life here worse.”
According to Kelly, the height adheres to village code because the currently exposed ground level will be covered with both dirt and eventually a sloped lawn up to the first floor level.
“The reason the code is written like that is because it’s Port Jeff — there’s hills,” Kent said. He added the process of getting plans for the project approved took about two years worth of back and forth with the village building and planning departments, as well as informational sessions for concerned community members. He also addressed claims the building won’t fit with the historic feel of the village. “We took dozens of photographs from homes in Belle Terre, to Danford’s [Hotel & Marina], we looked up historical buildings from the turn of the century, the old train station — we had our architects study all of that to pick a design that would fit in and complement what is here. We didn’t just come up with it.”
The ceiling of the leasing office lobby on the ground floor will be fitted with a grid modeled after century-old plans detailing construction of a 95-foot wooden deck barge, which Kelly said they found in the village’s historical archives.
“There’s a lot of things that take all of the history of this village and we’ve tried to incorporate it into what we’ve done,” Kelly said.
A view of the southern side of The Shipyard apartment building. Photo by Alex Petroski
Kent said that transparency has been a key component of TRITEC’s plans throughout the process.
“When we say we’re going to do something we do it,” he said. “When we show you a picture of what we’re going to do that’s what you get. That’s what it looks like when we’re done. The way we do that is by thinking it out, being open and candid up front.”
In another attempt to address community concerns, the complex will only allow for those entering via the West Broadway entrance to make right turns in and right turns out of the property. A separate entrance exists on Barnum Avenue on the building’s southern side, which required the construction of a bridge to go over Mill Creek for entrance into the building’s parking garage.
Kent said TRITEC has spared no expense in the hopes of creating a luxury living option for those wishing to rent in the village. To do that, the company secured financial assistance from the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency.
“To improve economic conditions in their respective areas, IDAs generally attempt to attract, retain and expand businesses within their jurisdictions through the provision of financial incentives to private entities,” an explanation of the role of the agencies from the New York State comptroller’s office said. “IDAs are legally empowered to buy, sell or lease property and to provide tax exempt financing for approved projects.”
As a result, Port Jefferson Village will lose out on property tax revenue, except in the form of payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOTs, that TRITEC will be required to pay for 15 years, as part of the agreement. To receive IDA financial assistance, the private company must also provide yearly proof of jobs created and retained as a result of the project.
Kent said the project will result in the creation of three to five permanent, full-time jobs within the building, in addition to the dozens of construction jobs already created, which Kent added could ramp up to more than 100 as the project progresses.
The vice president said the village should expect to see increased patronage of village businesses and restaurants, and a similar project in Patchogue resulted in millions of dollars worth of investment from other private entities looking to capitalize on a revitalized area. An economist hired by the village who studied the possible impact of the various construction projects in Port Jeff reiterated the same point during a presentation to the board in February.
“I think it’s a real disaster for the village that they were able to get this financial assistance. It’s like we’re giving away the store.”
— Molly Mason
Molly Mason, a village resident for 30 years, said in a phone interview she believes that the tax revenue thevillage will miss out on pales in comparison to the benefits suggested by TRITEC. She said she voiced concerns about the company pursuing IDA financial assistance during public hearings years ago.
“I think it’s a real disaster for the village that they were able to get this financial assistance,” she said. “It’s like we’re giving away the store.”
She also said she is worried about the impact on village infrastructure that the additional residences could mean, in addition to the possibility that renters with children would be sending kids to the district without contributing property tax dollars.
Some of the perks and amenities for those living in the new apartments will include various views of the water thanks to an abundance of windows throughout the units and a rooftop deck; dog washing and bike repair stations on the ground floor; full-sized washers and dryers in every unit; a fitness center with weights, machines and cardio equipment; charging stations for electric cars in the parking garage; a plaza area with barbecues, a fountain, fire pits and plenty of landscaping; and an indoor common area that features televisions, areas to do work, and couches, among many other perks.
Pricing details and leasing options will be available for those interested in the coming months.
This past Saturday, May 13, a total of 19 businesses throughout the Port Jefferson Village, north of the Long Island Railroad tracks, participated in the second annual “Port Jefferson On Sale!” shopping crawl. Coinciding with Mother’s Day weekend, this year’s crawl was part of an ongoing initiative by the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce to help boost traffic for local retailers.
Participating stores, including The Amazing Olive, Sea Creations, Knitting Cove & Yarn Shop, Max & Millie, Pindar Wine, Crazy Fish Bar & Grill and Yogo Delish, offered 10 and 20 percent off sales and free items for customers.
The Knitting Cove & Yarn Shop. Photo by Kevin Redding
The crawl started with a free cup of coffee at Starbucks and anybody who made three purchases at three different businesses in the village could bring their receipts to Tommy’s Place for a free drink. A “Spring Thing Raffle” offered $200 worth of local merchants’ gift certificates.
Although Saturday’s heavy rain kept many shoppers at home, chamber director of operations Barbara Ransome said it’s an initiative worth continuing.
“It’s one of those events you have to keep doing to gain momentum,” she said. “We want to get people out there and familiar with the stores. We’re actively involved to help promote the [businesses] because that’s important…we’re really working hard, I was out on Saturday with my umbrella handing out cards and going into businesses.”
Mary Joy Pipe, the owner of East End Shirt Company, offered customers who spent $75 at her store a free $20 hoodie.
East End Shirt Company. Photo by Kevin Redding
“The chamber asked for our input as retailers as to what would help us,” Pipe said. “It encourages people to walk the village and experience new stores that maybe they’ve never gone into before. Being a retailer, you’ve got to keep trying and trying.”
Other participating stores included Port Jeff Liquor, The Crushed Olive, Sue’s Place, and Diva’s Den.
Incumbents Irene Gische, Jeff Kerman and Inger Germano are running unopposed for their seats back on the Three Village board of education.
By Andrea Paldy
Three Village residents have overwhelmingly approved the school district’s proposed $204.4 million budget for the coming year.
At the polls Tuesday, 1,708 voted for the budget, while 719 voted against.
Incumbents Dr. Jeffrey Kerman, Irene Gische and Inger Germano, who all ran unopposed, will retain their seats.
The 2017-18 budget, a 2.77 percent increase over the previous year, covers academic enhancements, staffing changes and maintenance projects at the district’s buildings. The most notable additions are the free prekindergarten program for four-year-olds, a drug and alcohol counselor to work with students and their families, and a supervisor of technology and information systems to help oversee next year’s initiative to provide all junior high students with notebook computers.
The three board trustees, each going into a third three-year term, acknowledged the challenges of the cap on the tax levy and the controversy over Common Core in the past few years, but look to the future with optimism.
Kerman has said that in the next three years he wants to “continue to have our district advance and to educate all of our students — the entire range, from special education students to Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists.”
“All in all,” Gische said at a previous meeting, “the district is thriving in spite of the tax cap.”
She cited the addition of the free preschool and the drug and alcohol counselor as continued signs of progress, and said she will continue to support the prekindergarten and additional program and curriculum enhancements.
Germano also cited the preschool — as well as the Three Village Academy, which opened in 2013 — as recent district successes and pointed out that the Academy is a source of revenue through tuition from non-district students. She will “continue to ensure that Three Village maintains academic excellence” while staying fiscally responsible and “putting the needs of the children first,” she added in an email.
This year, because of safety concerns, voting took place at the three secondary schools instead of the elementary schools. Though voter turnout was lower than in past years, district officials interpreted it as a sign of residents’ satisfaction. The absence of additional propositions, like last year’s for transportation, and an uncontested school board election, may also have contributed to the lower turnout, they said.
However, with 70 percent voting in favor of the budget, the message from residents was still clear.
“The community has shown their approval and support and we couldn’t be more pleased,” Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich said.
Returning board member Michael Yannucci and newcomers Katie Anderson, Erin Hunt and Henry Perez, will replace two incumbents. Photo by Kevin Redding
Shoreham-Wading River voters may have passed the school budget Tuesday night, but residents made it clear they want change.
Katie Anderson
The district’s $74,842,792 budget for 2017-2018 was supported by residents with 1,112 for and 992 against, as was a second proposition to establish a 10-year, $7.5 million capital reserve fund with 1,282 voters in support and 813 in opposition.
With the capital reserve fund secured, the district will be able to fund complete facility renovations across its four schools, such as Americans with Disabilities Act features, upgrading athletic fields, bleachers, auditoriums, computers, energy management systems and gymnasiums, among other projects.
“It’s a great relief,” Neil Lederer, the district’s interim superintendent, said of the budget and capital reserve fund passing. “I’m very appreciative of the community … mistakes were made in the past, [and] we’ve corrected them for the future with this budget they voted on. The individuals who benefit the most from this are our students — we’ve got some very nice programs put in place next year.”
Henry Perez
It was out with the old and in with the new when it came to the seven candidates who ran for four seats on the board of education.
Two incumbents, board president John Zukowski and trustee Jack Costas, were ousted with 524 and 563 votes, respectively, in favor of three school board newcomers — Katie Anderson (1,318), Henry Perez (1,303) and Erin Hunt (1,279) — who will each serve a three-year term.
Michael Yannucci, a former trustee from 2005 to 2008, received the fourth highest number of votes with 1,087, so he will occupy the vacant seat that belonged to longtime trustee Michael Fucito, who resigned in March before his term was up. He will serve a one-year term and was sworn in immediately after the vote.
Candidate James Smith missed the mark with 1,015 votes. Zukowski, who’s served on the board for six years, said he does not intend to run for the board again. Costas, who was up for his fourth term, also won’t run again.
“I did nine years, the community doesn’t want me, that’s it — I’m done,” Costas said. “I get the message. I’m glad the budget passed and I give the best of luck to the new board.”
Smith, however, expressed interest in running for Yannucci’s seat after the one-year term is up next year.
“There’s a very good possibility,” Smith said. “I’m disappointed, but I wish all the candidates well and hope they make the best decisions for the students and district and community.”
The board’s new crop of trustees, who were all smiles after the results came in, said they were excited to help guide the district.
“I’m on a high,” said Perez, a professional engineer. “I’m thankful that people have faith that I can hopefully provide further vision toward taking the school district to the next level. I’m hoping to work collaboratively with everybody.”
Michael Yannucci
Hunt, a former secondary education teacher, echoed Perez’s call for collaboration.
“I think we have a diverse board and I’m thrilled to work with everybody,” Hunt said. “The main thing we can do is change the narrative in the district to a positive one. Shoreham-Wading River is a really great community and I think we can move forward by focusing on building on all the positive we have here. We can also do more to connect our communities.”
Yannucci said there’s a lot of work to be done to be a more transparent district.
“In my run, I think we had a strong message of bringing the community into the process and engaging a lot of people who were not engaged prior to the election,” he said. “There’s been a loss of faith over the last few years and I’m excited to be able to restore the faith and give the community a sense of pride in terms of the decisions and direction of the district.”
Anderson, a mother of two students in the district, is determined to get to work as soon as possible.
“I’m so thankful to the voters for how the vote went,” Anderson said. “I’m ready to serve.”
A student voice
By Kevin Redding
Jack Tressler wanted to try something new at the start of the academic year — so he threw his hat in the ring to be the student member of the Shoreham-Wading River board of education.
Tressler, a senior, was officially sworn in April 18 to sit in on board meetings and represent the student body by weighing in on district-related matters and discussions.
“I’ve learned a lot about how people conduct themselves and how things at the school are done and how people present their ideas,” Tressler said. “I don’t think a lot of people, especially students, know how these things work and now I have some idea. I’ve been able to present myself in front of professionals and act cordially and it’s helped me out in terms of public speaking, [something] I’ve always been weak with.”
Jack Tressler gets sworn in. Photo from Shoreham-Wading River school district
But at his first board meeting, when a group of engineers proposed their plans to renovate the high school’s parking lot, Tressler was quick to speak up.
“They wanted to renovate the lot and most of their renditions would make for less parking spots, and being a student myself, the parking’s already a bad situation — there aren’t always enough spots.”
With just another month as a board member, Tressler, an AP physics and AP environmental science student, said he’d like to implement some change in regards to the school’s environmental standards, like switching to glass bottles in the district.
“In his role as a student board of education member, Jack has proved to be invaluable,” interim Superintendent of Schools Neil Lederer said. “He has provided the board with a unique student perspective that is important to consider when making decisions. I have also been impressed with Jack’s willingness to contribute and self-confidence.”
Tressler will serve on the board until the end of June, when he’ll pass the torch to a new student representative. In the fall, he will be studying physics and engineering at James Madison University in Virginia.
Former Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight Eisenhower. Photo on left from National Endowment for the Humanities website, photo on right from American Legion website
By Rich Acritelli
“The mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled at 0241, local time, May 7, 1945.”
It was at this moment 72 years ago that General Dwight Eisenhower flashed the victory sign to the free people of the world to signal the end of World War II against the Nazis in Europe. During the war, he was often criticized by other American generals as being too “pro-British,” or by the English as not having enough experience to run the war effort. But it was Eisenhower who was credited for seeing the big picture of the war effort to put aside the military differences of the British and Americans to achieve victory.
Some 152 years ago, General Ulysses S. Grant proudly watched his army completely defeat the Confederacy. Almost a year after President Abraham Lincoln made him the commanding general of all Union armies, he was at the cusp of a monumental victory. Grant was often criticized as a “butcher” who accepted extreme losses under his command, but he wrote a letter to Robert E. Lee expressing the need for his army to surrender. Grant told his adversary that all was lost and that peace must be restored to the divided nation. At Appomattox Court House, Grant offered Lee generous terms to prevent any further loss of life, to the surprise of the enemy. When northern artillery guns opened fire to celebrate the victory, Grant ordered them to stop because the Confederates were countrymen of the Union.
There are many similarities between Eisenhower and Grant. Both men were born in the Midwest — Eisenhower was from Kansas and Grant from Ohio. They both utilized West Point to leave a small town. Eisenhower was an outstanding football and baseball player. Grant was a superior horseman, who made one of the highest jumps ever recorded at the academy. They were both well-liked by their peers, as Eisenhower flashed a well-known grin and it was said at West Point, if you had a problem, Grant was seen as the fairest cadet to find a solution.
By the start of their respective wars, both men had not reached their professional goals. Grant earlier resigned his commission and he was later forced to work at his family store as a clerk in Galena, Illinois amid speculation about issues with alcohol. His first job for the Civil War was mustering soldiers into service for the Illinois government. Eisenhower always believed that he was cursed for not serving in France during World War I and he expected to retire as a colonel. But their senior officers and government officials found that these men could be counted on to carry out their military responsibilities.
These two officers were different politically than their commanders in chief. Grant voted as a Democrat before the war, but he openly wept at Lincoln’s funeral. Eisenhower was a Republican who did not support the New Deal. Perhaps due to the immense expectations that were placed on them, Eisenhower smoked five packs of cigarettes a day and Grant was believed to puff on thousands of cigars from 1861 to 1865.
Both men were known for their calm demeanors. During the Wilderness Campaign in 1864, Grant told his officers to stop thinking about the exploits of Lee and for them to create plans to hurt the southerners. At the height of Hitler’s failed attempt to overcome the Allies during the Battle of the Bulge, Eisenhower reorganized his armies and told his commanding generals that he expected to see only positive faces. He understood that the enemy had come out of their fortifications and they were now in the open where they could be destroyed.
At the end of the war, Grant was concerned that Lee would move his army into the Appalachian Mountains where his men would conduct guerilla operations. Eisenhower had no interest in attacking Berlin. He refused to take a city that would have to be partially given back to the Soviet Union. Instead, he pushed his army southeast towards Austria, Czechoslovakia, and the Alps. Like Grant, he did not want any German forces prolonging the war in the mountains. Eisenhower and Grant were both from regular backgrounds. They evolved into two epic military figures in American history, and they were only interested in successfully carrying out their duties for the nation.
Rich Acritelli is a social studies teacher at Rocky Point High School and an adjunct professor of American history at Suffolk County Community College. Research for this story was contributed by the Rocky Point High School History Honor Society.
The Cumsewogue Historical Society has a ticket to the Gentlemen’s Driving Park from July 4, 1892. Photo by Elana Glowatz
What was once an abandoned and forgotten horse racing track in a stretch of woods in Terryville is now a Brookhaven-designated historic landmark.
The town board voted unanimously during its May 11 meeting to recognize the Gentlemen’s Driving Park, the last Victorian-era harness racing track on Long Island, as an historic landmark and by doing so, solidified the hard work of the local residents and elected officials who helped to make it happen.
Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright, Jack Smith, Ed Garboski of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association and Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine examine the Gentleman’s Driving Park. File photo by Elana Glowatz
The half-mile track, before it became hidden among trees, was a popular gathering place for bettors in the late 19th century to watch men race around the loop behind horses in carts. It was part of a circuit of tracks in the Northeast — others sat in Smithtown, Setauket and Riverhead — and is the last remaining one.
“I urge you to recognize it,” Barbara Russell, Brookhaven town historian, said before the board made their decision.
Russell played a huge part in providing historical context to the site when Jack Smith, president and founder of the Cumsewogue Historical Society, initially kicked off the project more than a year ago.
She made all resources of her office available to the historical society, including original photographs of the track donated by the historic Davis family and firsthand accounts of these races through old letters.
Smith discovered the faint outline of the horse track from a satellite image on Google Earth upon hearing of its existence off Canal Road, and eventually went to the site with his wife Pam, to examine it more closely. To his delight, he ended up finding pieces of Long Island history scattered throughout the 11-acre site, including a broken pair of Victorian-era field glasses close to where the finish line of the track would’ve been as well as a race day ticket from 1892.
Smith then reached out to former Councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld and other council members about acquiring the site, clearing the overgrown path and restoring it. Rosenfeld, Smith said, saw the value in preserving the site and laid the groundwork to make the project possible.
The Gentlemen’s Driving Park officially opened to the public in October.
“The landmark status recognizes the importance of preserving this colorful and almost forgotten part of Brookhaven Town’s history,” Smith said in a phone interview. “The driving park is now a collective symbol of the many large driving parks that once dotted the Long Island landscape … Long Island being the birthplace of horse racing in America. I’m happy the society as a whole was able to play an integral part in getting this important part of our history preserved.”
Jack Smith takes a closer look at a wrecked car on the Gentlemen’s Driving Park track around the time he first discovered the forgotten historical spot. Photo by Elana Glowatz
Smith said Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) picked up where Rosenfeld left off when she was first elected.
“She took it through some difficult negotiations and brought the whole thing to fruition,” he noted. “Her diligence and hard work, tremendous optimism and skill in bringing everything together have culminated in the preservation … .”
Cartright expressed her excitement about the designation in an emailed statement. She described the endeavor as a three-step process — first the town’s acquisition of the park in 2014, then the reopening in 2016, and finally receiving the landmark designation last week.
“During each of these steps, and for several years prior to my taking office, Jack Smith has been at the forefront of the Gentlemen’s Driving Park project,” she said. “The activism, research and unwavering support of Jack and the Historical Society has been an inspiration. The historic landmark status draws additional attention to Gentlemen’s Driving Park and is an honor the rich history of the location and all those who helped preserve it certainly deserve.”
Smith said the town plans to build a Victorian-style gate as an entranceway to the track.
The best way to get to know your kids, especially if they are teenagers, is to drive them and their friends, teammates and classmates. If your daughter texts you from school and asks, “Hey, Mom and/or Dad, can one of you drive three of my friends around?” don’t hesitate.
The answer, of course, can’t be what you might think. You can’t say, “Yes! Of course, that’d be great.”
You’ve got to play it cool, because the moment she catches on to the fact that you actually have ears and are listening to the conversation in the car, you’re done.
Yes, I know the temptation, after a long day, is to pick up only the kid that you’re responsible for, the one whose clothing you washed for the 10th time this week and whose teeth are straightening because you brought her to the orthodontist for yet another visit. However, the rewards from just a tad more effort more than tip the scales in favor of the few extra miles.
The key to making this supersecret spy mission work is not to let them use their phones, to take routes where cell reception is poor or, somehow, to encourage conversation. If they’re all sitting in the back seat, texting other people or showing each other pictures on one of the social networks, then the effort, time and assault on your nose aren’t worth it.
Seriously, anyone who has driven a group of teenagers around after a two-hour practice should keep a container of something that smells more tolerable nearby. When it’s too cold to stick my head out the window or when the smell becomes overwhelming, I have become a shallow mouth breather. But, again, if the conversation goes in the right direction, it’s worth it.
Put four or five or seven, if you can fit them, kids in a car, and you might get some high entertainment. If you’re quiet enough, you might learn a few things about school or your kids.
“So, Sheila is so ridiculous,” Allison recently declared to my daughter. “She only talks about herself and her feelings. Have you ever noticed that? She turns every conversation into a story about herself. I mean, the other day, she was telling me about her brother, and her story about her brother isn’t nearly as interesting as my story.”
At that point, Allison then talked about her brother and herself for the next five minutes.
Tempted as I was to ask about the story Sheila told about her brother, so I could compare the stream of stories about Sheila’s brother to Allison’s, I knew better.
The boys also enter the realm of the car social laboratory experiment after a game or practice.
“Hey, what’d you think about the movie in French?”
Wait, they watched a movie in French? Again, you can’t ask any questions or everyone retreats to their phones or remembers that the car isn’t driving itself. You have to be inconspicuous or you will be relegated to the penalty box of listening to one-word answers from your suddenly sullen sports star.
“You did well in that presentation in English?”
A presentation? English? Quiet! Quiet! You have to breathe normally and act like you’re giving all of your attention to the road.
Once the car empties and it’s just your son or daughter, you can ask specific questions. You might want to mix up some of the details, just so it doesn’t seem like you were listening carefully.
“So, you had a presentation in history?”
“No, Dad, that was in English,” your son will correct. Then he may share details that otherwise would never have made it past a stringent teenage filter.
“I did nine years, the community doesn’t want me, that’s it — I’m done,” Costas said. “I get the message. I’m glad the budget passed and I give the best of luck to the new board.”
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