Miller Place wins it in the annual Battle of the Paddle against Mount Sinai. Photos by Diana M. Fehling
Miller Place wins it in the annual Battle of the Paddle against Mount Sinai. Photos by Diana M. Fehling
The Miller Place Panthers put on a dominating wrestling performance against Mount Sinai Mustangs, winning 47-24 in the annual Battle for the Paddle match at Mount Sinai High School Dec. 4. The Panthers took a commanding 30-point lead with strong performances by Michael Giugliano, Alexander Constantis, Mark Rado, Justin Klein, Ryan Hucke, Kyle Klein Jr., Travis Grebe and Anthony Bartolotto, also Chris Bold.
Miller Place wins it in the annual Battle of the Paddle against Mount Sinai. Photos by Diana M. Fehling
The Mount Sinai Mustangs tried to narrow the lead with wins by Matt Campo, Phil Johnson, Brayden Fahrbach, Joe Goodrich and Gian Luca Ferrara, but the Panther lead was insurmountable.
The paddle remains with the Miller Place Panthers for the next year.
The Democratic hopefuls for the presidency sure seem angry these days, as the election clock counts down to less than a year. Last week, a man in Iowa had the audacity, the temerity, the unmitigated gall to ask Joe Biden, the front runner, about his son Hunter, who is at the center of this Ukrainian maelstrom.
Biden reacted with anger and righteous indignation, calling the man a “damn liar.”
Good one. Or was it? Is that really the best way to react? Biden then nicknamed him “fat.” Yikes! That seemed cruel and disrespectful.
The man was throwing salt in either self-inflicted or Republican-directed wounds. But, hey, Biden’s son did sit on the board of an energy company in the Ukraine, which creates bad optics. It doesn’t mean he or his son did anything wrong.
What’s weird now, though, is that Biden seemed to feel the need — or perhaps the test-marketed driven necessity — to attack the man who dared ask the question. That seems to be taking a page out of the book of the incumbent, who uses anger as a regular tool to define his enemies and keep them off balance, while rallying his troops.
So, what happened to Mike Bloomberg? The billionaire was recently asked whether he was trying to buy the election. Out came the righteous indignation, along with a story about how he made his money, all the great work he did as mayor and how he won’t be beholden to any special interests. Grrr!
What about Bernie Sanders? He’s a cult figure among many Democrats, but his demeanor seems to be one of the angry, older white man. He reminds me of the Howard Beale character, played by Peter Finch, in the 1976 movie “Network.” Beale urges people to get up out of their chairs, go to the window and shout, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
Sanders, or the Larry David version of him, could easily be uttering the same line in response to (a) health care costs, (b) the cost of college tuition for people who could otherwise use education to change their lives, (c) climate change or (d) all of the above.
And then there’s the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. I know she’s not running for president, but she finally lashed out at a reporter — does that also sound familiar — and suggested that her religion kept her from hating people. Her tone, method and message had more than a hint of anger, if not toward the president whom she and the Democrats were impeaching than to the reporter.
The words she spoke, as she pointed her finger, were, “Don’t mess with me.” I was reminded of the line Geraldine Fitzgerald, as Martha Bach, said in the 1981 movie “Arthur,” starring Dudley Moore, “Don’t screw with me, Burt.”
If this past week is a preview of the upcoming primary and general elections, we’ve got about 11 months of Beale slogans and Bachs slaps to the faces.
The wrestling match may once again change its tune for “the Ds” and “the Rs” when we know which D will be facing off against the most likely R.
Maybe the Ds host a party for themselves where they describe the hopes, opportunities and promise of the American Dream for one and all.
Maybe the Rs decide counterpunching has been overplayed, and they start hosting their own party, where they celebrate low taxes, low unemployment, a strong economy and their plans for an even better future.
Primal anger, however, seems more likely as we prepare for a testy election. Wouldn’t it be a welcome relief if at least one of the candidates offered civil, calm, graceful and pleasant replies, even to questions he or she found challenging?
Sometimes I think how lucky I am to live here. One of those times was this past week when my life was greatly enhanced by what is around me. Now I don’t want to come off as a Pollyanna. There are also times when I’m not feeling so lucky — as when the property tax bill arrives, which it will shortly and with a new total that includes a compounded increase. Fortunately, I only have to think about that twice a year but, on the upside, I can appreciate regularly the advantages of village living.
I will share with you what happened last week, in chronological order. On Wednesday, Dec. 4, I went to an Emerson String Quartet concert at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center. The Emerson is a world-famous act, whose upcoming performances are heralded on large posters in front of Lincoln Center in New York City. But I don’t have to go into the city to hear them play superbly on an evening. And I don’t have to pay exorbitant prices to park my car or spend many minutes looking for a distant parking place.
Here, I can park in the adjacent SBU garage for free — one of my favorite four-letter words. I also don’t have to drive two hours to get to the concert site and then two hours back late at night. In a matter of minutes, I can reach the campus, park the car and be in my seat waiting for the illustrious four to walk on stage and begin to play. I can return home without traffic in similar fashion. And the cost of the tickets to hear one of the most honored classical music groups on the globe? Little more than half of that charged in the Big Apple. After such a performance, I return home serenely happy.
That was Wednesday. On the Friday, I walked and rode along the pitch black roads of Old Field South, moving from house to house for the Three Village Historical Society’s Candlelight House Tour. The harrowing driving in the maze of streets that make up that development, built by tycoon Ward Melville starting in 1929, was rewarded by the bright lights and cheer inside the homes open for a walk-through. The homes are artfully decorated and several members of the society tell us about the history of each. All of that is donated for the sake of the organization. And did I mention the food? There are tidbits and wine at each stop on the Friday night event, supplied generously by local restaurants. There were six houses, plus Old Field Farm, on the fundraising tour, which ends with lots more food and drink at the Old Field Club. It seems like half the community turns out for the festivities.
In the interests of full disclosure, I have to confess that while I love history, with its stories and larger-than-life people, I am also an incorrigible snoop when it comes to checking out the insides of people’s homes. One can tell so much about those that dwell there and also get a couple of decorating ideas for one’s own abode.
Then Sunday afternoon I capped a visit to the Dickens Festival in beautifully decorated Port Jefferson with a performance of that holiday favorite, “The Nutcracker.” This one was presented by the Harbor Ballet Theatre and the talented students of Amy Tyler School of Dance, with the help of a trio of marvelous New York City professionals. For 10 years straight I saw “The Nutcracker” at City Center in Manhattan. It was a holiday tradition as I was growing up, but I had not seen the ballet since then until this thrilling show. I was reminded all over again how charming a ballet and how much I love Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky’s music.
A quick trip then to the grand tree lighting on the Stony Brook village green, and then back to my living room. I say, this was not a bad way to spend a weekend, all nasty cracks about the sterile suburbs aside. Yes, I enjoy the delights of the city, but they are hard to compare with the comforts of home.
State Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine and Port Jefferson Village trustee Bruce Miller speak at a Dec. 9 press conference calling for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the electrification of public transportation, including the Long Island Rail Road. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Representatives from the national environmental advocacy group Sierra Club along with local representatives are calling for the electrification of Long Island’s transportation, especially its trains.
“This is a challenge, but we need to accept it.” —Charles Bevington
On Dec. 9, the Sierra Club was joined by local representatives at a press conference at the Long Island Rail Road’s Stony Brook train station. The event was part of the Get Set, Go Green! relay, where people from across the state, including Buffalo, Rochester, Lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Plattsburgh, are traveling to Albany on multiple modes of low-carbon transportation. The goal is to deliver a petition signed by thousands of New Yorkers to Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) by Dec. 12.
The Dec. 9 event included a send-off for relayer Edgar Cid, 25, of Lindenhurst, who was set to take the 1:19 p.m. train from Stony Brook to Penn Station to deliver petitions to the next relayer in New York City. Cid said he was happy to participate as he realizes the importance of moving toward more electric-based transportation on the Island, including trains.
Charles Bevington, chair of Sierra Club Long Island Group, said so far more than 7,500 signatures have been collected and the hope is to get to 10,000.
“This is a challenge, but we need to accept it,” Bevington said. “We need to move forward on it.”
Mothers Out Front volunteer leader, Billii Roberti, talks about the benefits of electrifying school buses. Photo by Rita J. Egan
State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R), Port Jefferson Village trustee Bruce Miller and Mothers Out Front volunteer leader Billii Roberti, of Huntington, joined Bevington and other environmental activists to support the relay.
The petition urges Cuomo to adopt a statewide target to reduce emissions 55 percent from transportation by 2035 in his 2020 State of the State address. According to Englebright, the largest amount of state greenhouse gas emissions, 36 percent, comes from transportation. He said the governor recently signed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which sets a statewide goal to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. He added that for the state to reach the climate goals detailed in the act, a reduction of emissions must begin now.
The assemblyman said the frequency of hurricanes, invasion of species harmful to our ecosystems and warming waters that have destroyed lobsters point to being “in the midst already of a climate crisis.”
The act sets a goal for 70 percent of the state’s electricity to come from renewable energy within 11 years and 100 percent of the state’s electricity supply must be emissions free by 2040. Englebright said he is concerned that the LIRR is in the process of replacing its old diesel fleet with new diesel engines.
“That’s not only inconsistent with the new law, it is incoherent,” he said. “We have talked for years about electrifying the north line of the rail road, making it more efficient, making it possible to pull more cars off the roads and to use mass transit. This is an investment that we need to make into electrification, not into [20th]-century diesel locomotives.”
Three train branches transverse Brookhaven — Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma (including Greenport) and Montauk. Romaine said each of the branches depends on diesel at some point, and he and the Town Board have advocated converting to electrification since he entered office.
“The MTA is not spending the money that it should be spending on electrifying these lines,” he said. “Imagine less diesel flowing into our atmosphere because our lines are electrified.”
“It’s long overdue. We’ve relied on diesel since forever it seems like, except for the first [steam] locomotive, but it’s a hundred year old technology.” — Ed Romaine
Miller said he knows many from Calverton to Greenlawn commute by car to the Ronkonkoma line.
“This is completely environmentally inappropriate and unsustainable,” he said.
In addition to the electrification of trains, Roberti called for school districts and bus companies to transition to all-electric fleets by 2030 and asked the governor and state legislators to assist them with funding.
The activist cited health concerns from diesel fuel emissions including increased cancer-causing soot and incidences of pneumonia and asthma attacks.
For years, officials have pleaded for the electrification of the LIRR branches that require diesel. State Sen. Jim Gaughran (D-Northport) said in an email that he hears complaints about poor and insufficient service and realizes the environmental benefits of electrification.
“Electrification, including of the Oyster Bay and Port Jefferson lines, would greatly improve service and provide riders desperately needed relief,” Gaughran said. “It is also tremendously beneficial for our environment. I am not optimistic the MTA is taking the urgency of electrification seriously and I urge them to seriously consider electrification.”
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory officials recognize the environmental as well as other benefits of electrification of the LIRR.
“The proposed improvements to the LIRR, including purchases of new trains, electrification of the Port Jefferson tracks and the addition of a third track between Floral Park and Hicksville will all serve to increase the frequency of trains and the efficient use of clean energy for transportation,” said Bruce Stillman, CSHL president and CEO. “Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has a close relationship with Stony Brook University and improving rail transportation between our two institutions will help to advance science and education.”
Romaine said the rough estimate for electrification of the railroad was about $18 million a mile. There will be a need for a new rail yard, which the town already has plans in place, and electrification stations along the branches to ensure the rails are electrified along with other signal and communications upgrades.
“It’s an expensive project,” he said. “It’s long overdue. We’ve relied on diesel since forever it seems like, except for the first [steam] locomotive, but it’s a hundred year old technology.”
Jane Fasullo, former chair of the local Sierra Club, said the offset of the costs will be improved health, and in the long term as the cost of the infrastructure of wind and solar goes down, the cost of electrifying vehicles will go down.
“It’s one of those things where you put money into it today to save a lot of money later on,” Fasullo said.
In an email statement, LIRR spokesman Aaron Donovan said the railroad shares the Sierra Club’s concern.
“We recognize our service is one of the most significant ways that Long Islanders can lower their carbon footprint, and we strive to continuously improve our service delivery,” Donovan said. “Public transportation, even when powered by diesel, is greener per passenger mile than private, single-occupancy electric vehicles.”
A copy of the petition can be found at sc.org/55×35.
Setauket Fire Department Headquarters. File photo.
Billy Williams will be the next Setauket Fire Comissioner. Photo provided by Billy Williams
Changes are coming to the Setauket Fire District board.
On Dec. 10, insurance agent and volunteer firefighter Billy Williams unseated incumbent Kevin Yoos for the commissioner seat, 479-219.
During his campaign, Williams addressed financial matters and the need to keep the department volunteer based. The newly elected fire commissioner and others have said morale in the department has dipped after last year’s decision to change paid fire coordinators to paid firefighter positions. Last year the district approved three salaried firefighters, along with one more this year.
Williams said it felt all the hard work of campaigning was worth it when he saw the voter turnout. Involved in the Kiwanis Club and the local chamber of commerce, he added he felt many voted who didn’t vote in the past.
He said working on the morale in the department is at the forefront of his mind.
“It had a big bump yesterday,” he said. “I got a 150 to 200 texts from department members and other people.”
Williams said once he takes his seat, he’ll look at everything, especially when it comes to financial matters, and “do what’s right by the taxpayer.”
The new commissioner will take his seat Jan. 1, 2020, and will serve a five-year term.
Residents remain skeptical about a maintenance shed project proposal by
Head of the Harbor resident and Robert Mercer, a hedge fund billionaire. Photo from Anthony Coates
Scores of Head of Harbor residents voiced their opposition and called on the village Planning Board to reject proposed plans for a 8,633-square-foot maintenance shed on property owned by hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer.
Many who spoke at a Dec. 10 public hearing stated that the rural character of the village would change, and that the maintenance shed was too big for the neighborhood. Others expressed concerns that the Mercers have additional projects in the works such as adding a guest house on their close to 70-arce Owl’s Nest property.
Christopher Modelewski, Huntington-based lawyer representing Mercer, said the shed would only take up less than 2 percent of a two-lot section of the property and the architects would make it into a “beautiful barnlike structure.”
Mercer representatives said the structure, called a “tool shed,” would house equipment used to maintain the Owl’s Nest property, including lawn mowers, golf carts, trailers and other vehicles.
Neighbor Michael Folan, who lives on Thatch Meadow Farm with his wife and two other friends, said the proposed development would impact their day-to-day life.
“Nobody stands to be impacted like we do, the northern end of this project will start 70 yards from my kitchen window, we’re the closest residents to this proposed project,” he said. “Mr. Mercer worked very hard for his money, he can spend it however he wants to. For him this would be an occasional diversion. It would be a daily hindrance and a nightmare for us.”
“For him this would be an occasional diversion. It would be a daily hindrance and a nightmare for us.”
– Michael Folan
Other neighbors said the shed would block scenic views of Thatch Meadow Farm and Stony Brook Harbor and were concerned about the increase of noise and light pollution construction would bring.
Constance “Conky” Nostrand, owner of Thatch Meadow Farm, whose estate is adjacent to the Mercer property, said the shed would threaten the location of her water supply and asked for a 30-feet buffer to be reinstated.
According to Nostrand, she reached out to the village a few times regarding the buffer with no responses. She said village officials have left her in the dark on the situation.
“You act like I don’t exist,” she said. “Thatch Meadow Farm is one of the last Smith estates that has not been split up and developed.”
Anthony Coates, village resident, said he is not convinced they have seen the last of the guest home plans and opposes the construction of the tool shed.
“We still maintain this is the wrong structure in the wrong place,” he said. “It needs a full SEQRA review.”
Coates added due to the application being incomplete, the planning board should make the developers go back to the drawing board on any proposed plans.
Harlan Fischer, planning board chairman, said the board would not vote on the proposal until it was revised by Mercer’s representatives. The application, he said, was incomplete and inaccurate because of the inclusion of proposed plans for a guest home.
In response, Modelewski said those additional plans were meant to not “see the light of day” and was never the subject of a site plan review. He admitted that submission was a mistake and that they would withdraw it.
Fischer said it would be better for the board to have a thorough review of the application before moving forward. The public hearing could continue on Jan. 28 at 5:30 p.m. if revised site plans are resubmitted in time.
Captain James Guma of Company 1. Provided photo from James Guma.
Terryville Fire District election results are in, and Captain James Guma of Company 1 has been elected to a five-year term as commissioner.
Guma won over his opponent, department volunteer member Daniel Gruoso, with a total of 275 ballots, counting both numbers at the polls and absentee ballots, according to District Clerk Frank Triolo. Gruoso garnered a total of 200 votes both in-person and absentee, but he also gained 21 affidavit votes. Guma received four.
“I would just like to thank all my supporters, and I’m looking forward to a great five years,” Guma said. He also thanked his opponent for his continued service to the community as a member of the department.
Gruoso also thanked his opponent for a good race, adding “Jim will do a good job.”
Senior forward Ted Bliznakov drives his way to the basket for Ward Melville in a home game against Comsewogue. Bill Landon photo
Senior forward Paul Otto Nicholson scores for the Patriots in a non-league game against Comsewogue Dec. 10. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville’s Myles Brown goes to the rim for the Patriots in a non-league game against Comsewogue Dec. 10. Photo by Bill Landon
Myles Brown lays up for the Patriots in a non-league matchup against Comsewogue Dec. 10. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville’s Myles Brown goes to the rim for the Patriots in a non-league game against Comsewogue Dec. 10. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue senior guard Michael McGuire shoots from the top of the key against Ward Melville Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue forward Jaden Martinez goes to the rim against Ward Melville Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue senior Jaden Martinez battles down low against Ward Melville Dec. 10. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue forward Jaden Martinez goes to the rim against Ward Melville Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue junior forward Liam Gray with a jumper in a non-league matchup against Ward Melville Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue junior Liam Gray scores in a non-league matchup against Ward Melville Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue junior Liam Gray turns baseline against Ward Melville Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue forward Jaden Martinez drives the baseline against Ward Melville Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville senior Jack Holland battles his way to the basket in a non-league matchup against Comsewogue Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville senior Jack Holland shoots in a non-league matchup Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville senior guard Jack Holland takes flight against Comsewogue in a non-league matchup Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville senior Jack Holland battles his way to the rim in a non-league matchup against Comsewogue Dec. 10. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville came out firing on all cylinders in a nonleague matchup downing the Comsewogue Warriors 50-37 Dec. 10. Senior guard Giancarlo Serratore topped the scoring chart for the Patriots with five field goals and a trey for 13 points. Seniors Ted Bliznakov and Jack Holland had eight points apiece.
Senior Tyler Shannon banked 12 points while senior Jaden Martinez netted 11 for
the Warriors.
The Patriots have another nonleague matchup Dec. 13 before they take on Central Islip at home in their league season opener Dec. 17. Game time is 4:15 p.m.
Comsewogue is back in action in its league season opener at home against Deer Park also on Dec. 17 with a 5:45 p.m. tipoff.
The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for Knitting Cove & Yarn’s new location in the Pen and Pencil Building at 1303 Main St., Suite D, in Port Jefferson on Nov. 21. The shop offers classes in knitting and crocheting for all skill levels and has needles, knitting supplies, notions and yarn for sale.
New holiday hours through Dec. 23 are Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Pictured from left, James Tavernese, Greater Port Jefferson Chamber President Mary Joy Pipe, owners Toni and Barry Burns, Terry Stephan and Greater Port Jefferson Chamber Director Nancy Bradley.
For more information, call 631-473-2121 or visit www.theknittingcove.com.
Arts and crafts retailer A.C. Moore has announced it will close all of its 145 stores, including the Holbrook and Selden locations. The 34-year-old company, which is owned by Nicole Crafts, made the announcement in a press release on Nov. 26.
“For over 30 years, our stores have been servicing the creative community with a vast selection of art and craft materials, with one common focus, the customer,” A.C. Moore CEO Anthony Piperno said in the release. “Unfortunately, given the headwinds facing many retailers in today’s environment, it made it very difficult for us to operate and compete on a national level.”
Some good news, however, is that arts and crafts retail giant Michaels has announced it will take over 40 of the A.C. Moore locations, keeping those stores open under the Michaels brand.
“This transaction enables us to further expand our presence in strategic markets and serve even more customers both online and in store,” Michaels CEO Mark Cosby said in the release.
“We are looking forward to re-opening these stores under the Michaels name in 2020 and welcoming new team members.”
As of now, A.C. Moore has stopped taking orders on its online site, but previously placed orders will ship to customers. Specific store locations that are closing for good (i.e., not transitioning to a Michaels) will be listed on its website in the coming weeks. The New Jersey-based company has more than 5,000 employees across its stores, corporate offices and distribution centers.
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