Yearly Archives: 2021

PJSTCC Spotlight: The First Sight of Home — The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company

by TBR Staff - November 17, 2021

0 1101

1 of 3

By Joan Nickeson

It’s the first leg of vacation and consequently, the first sight of home.

The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company has transported passengers since 1883.

Most of us refer to the entire operation in port as, simply, “the ferry.” It is a fixture in the lives of Long Islanders and travel across the sound is almost second nature. There’s history here. At a recent member meeting of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce, we learned a bit worth sharing from the company’s General Manager, Fred Hall.

The founder, first company president and shareholder of the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company was P.T. Barnum. The year 1983, however, marked the modern era when the company built and put into service the first Grand Republic. What seemed megalithic proportions, the ‘new ferry’ ushered in year-round ferry service.

The addition of the Park City in 1986 and the P.T. Barnum in 1999 rounded out a three-boat system. In 2003 the second ferry named Grand Republic joined the fleet and its namesake was sold.

Currently on weekends three ferries are usually in service for our convenience and enjoyment. Fred explains, “Our annual business generally transports 450 thousand vehicles, serving a million passengers.”

Destinations north include an exciting new amphitheater just two blocks from the Bridgeport ferry dock. The venue is within walking distance, Hall said.

“We tweaked operations to stick around and slightly delay our departure from Bridgeport. We wanted Long Island passengers attending shows to get on and get home. Hopefully we will do so again next summer,” he said. “We look for ways to work with our communities. It’s one of the reasons we join the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce and others. We appreciate the marketing efforts involved in connecting residents with commerce.”

This winter the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company expects to embark on construction of a new administration building. Stay up to date on tickets, tours, schedules and steamboat news, at 88844ferry.com, by phone at 888-443-3779 or email [email protected].

Joan Nickeson is an active member of the PJS/Terryville community and community liaison to the PJS/T Chamber of Commerce.

Port Jefferson remembers lives lost on Veterans Day

by Julianne Mosher - November 17, 2021

0 468

1 of 22

By Julianne Mosher

[email protected]

On Veterans Day last week, the American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 of Port Jefferson Station honored those who served.

During a ceremony on Nov. 11, veterans young and old gathered in the Town of Brookhaven parking lot across from Port Jefferson Village Hall.

With an opening prayer, members of the legion held a moment of silence for the lives lost serving our country.

Linda Metcalf, president of the ladies auxiliary, said that on Veterans Day remembering those who served has a larger purpose.

“We have moved forward a unity of purpose which made us stronger — forget pettiness, egotism and pride,” she said during the event.

The group was joined by elected officials from town and state governments, including Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) and state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket).

“This is the day of thanksgiving to the men and women who put their lives on hold,” Englebright said. “You have supported our freedom, you have made possible our quality of life, our way of life.”

SBU Sports: Women’s hoops storms past St. John’s 72-60

by Press Release - November 17, 2021

0 950

SBU Sports Basketball — The team celebrates after Sunday's game. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook University women’s basketball team (3-0) had not defeated a current Big East member since Dec. 7, 2004, that changed on Nov. 14 as it toppled St. John’s (1-1), 72-60, to improve to (3-0) on the young season. With the win, head coach Ashley Langford became the first Stony Brook head coach in program history to start their career with a (3-0) record.

The Seawolves and Red Storm played an all but even first quarter as St. John’s led, 21-20, after the first 10 minutes of play. Stony Brook took full control of the game in the second quarter as it outscored St. John’s, 20-8, in the stanza. The Seawolves used a 9-0 run early in the second quarter to create separation.

Stony Brook took a 40-29 lead into the halftime break as it was firing on all cylinders. The Seawolves were locked in on the defensive end as they limited St. John’s to 29.7 percent shooting from the field and 18.2 percent shooting from three in the first half. In the second quarter, Stony Brook held the Red Storm to 19.0 percent shooting from the floor and did not allow a three-pointer (0-of-6) in the frame.

The Seawolves carried that first half momentum into the third quarter as they added to their lead through the duration of the stanza. Stony Brook went on to outscore St. John’s, 19-17, in the third quarter as it took a 59-46 lead into the fourth. The Seawolves’ lead grew to as large as 21 points, 72-51, with 4:18 to play in the game.

Stony Brook used a balanced scoring attack to knock off St. John’s as it had six student-athletes score eight or more points in the contest. Senior guard Anastasia Warren led the way with 19 points as the Seawolves went on to close out the Red Storm by the final score of 72-60.

“We came out ready to play today. I really got on them about transition defense and that was the key to the game – really keeping St. John’s from fast break points and we did that. I told them from the beginning defense is going to win us games. I’m really happy with the intensity that we came out with and it was a collective group effort, it wasn’t just one person. Everyone’s stepping up; we got some people in foul trouble that couldn’t play in the first quarter, and our bench was ready to go,” said coach Ashley Langford.

“Everybody’s contributing and I know that makes them feel good, everyone’s got their back, and everyone’s ready to go. I am really pleased with our effort and happy with our team that we were able to realize this win because they deserve it,” she said.

D. None of the Above: A stream of consciousness from the first college parent’s weekend with our son

by Daniel Dunaief - November 17, 2021

0 253

By Daniel Dunaief

Flying? Are we really flying? Well, sure, why not, right? Everyone else is flying.

Wait, then again, everyone else seems to be flying. What if one of those other people is sick? Don’t think too much about it and breathe through your nose. Oh, you can’t because the two masks you’re wearing are pinching your nose? Well, tough!

They’re serving drinks and cookies? People have to lower their masks to eat and drink, right? So, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of mandatory masks? Look away from everyone who’s breathing. Yeah, that’ll help.

Okay, finally, we’re on the ground.

Hey, this is a nice campus. The sidewalks are packed and filled with so much energy, not all of which is positive.

“Why are all these $#@! parents here this weekend? I have several tests and I don’t need them all staring at me!”

That girl is sharing her academic anxiety with her friend and anyone else within 100 feet of her. Subtle, real subtle! Tempted as I am to let her know that parents, likely including her own, make this sometimes miserable experience possible, I refrain. She might be my son’s current or future friend.

I ask two students for the location of a building. The first shrugs and points me in the wrong direction and the second nearly draws a map. Okay, one for two.

I sit just in time for the start of a talk by successful alumni, who connect their careers to the lessons they learned at school. Clever marketing! Other parents chuckle at the jokes. I imagine these parents as college students. In my mind, the presenters onstage become Broadway performers. Each of the two men and two women, which I presume is a well-planned balance of genders, does his or her rendition of “how I succeeded,” with the subtext, just feet from the school president, of, “keep paying those tuitions!”

When the session ends, the phone rings. It’s my son! He’s strolling across a lawn. Wait, is that really him? Much as I want to run over and squeeze him, I play it cool, congratulating myself on my impulse control. Well done, Dan. You haven’t embarrassed him so far, but the weekend is young yet, even if you are not. He adjusts his hair, a move I’ve seen him and almost all his friends do frequently, even while running back and forth on a basketball court. What’s with all the hair adjustment? I quietly ask for permission to hug him. Yay! He agrees. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and fight the urge to pick him up, which is probably best for my back.

As we head to his dorm, he tells me he hasn’t done laundry in nine days. I don’t know whether that’s a hint, as in, “Dad, while you’re here…” or a statement of fact.

We part company and I learn about the evolving world of the commercialization of college athletes, who can use their name, image and likeness to make money. He’s listening to a psychology lecture about, who else, Sigmund Freud.

At a football game, I wonder how it can be this cold in Louisiana. Aren’t we in the deep south? We leave before it’s over, waiting in the cool air for 11 minutes for an expensive Uber — they must know it’s parents weekend — to take two families who are heading back to the same hotel.

10 pm. Who eats this late? I’m usually half way to sleep by now. My older brother is undoubtedly already in REM sleep. My stomach is going to hate this. Shut up stomach!

Looking around the table at these families, one thing is clear: these parents adore their children.

This is part of the story of how these boys got here and, hopefully, will help them continue to learn lessons, like how to dress for a cold football game and how to make reservations in advance before a busy parents weekend so we can eat earlier.

Between You and Me: Deer in the headlines with COVID-19

by Leah Dunaief - November 17, 2021

0 339

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Talk about mixed emotions. That’s what we feel when we are driving along and suddenly see a deer running out from among the trees. They are beautiful and graceful animals, and we stop the car and point them out to our small children in the back seat, who are thrilled at the sighting, perhaps recalling Bambi. But there is a lot more to the deer story here in suburbia.

Long Island is home to more than 20,000 white-tailed deer, and that number has been exploding because there haven’t been many threats — until now. As long as they could find enough food and survive particularly harsh winters, the occasional highway collision and the short hunting season, they were largely untroubled.

However, they have been a nuisance to residents because they devour flowers and vegetable gardens. And while they can be the innocent carriers of an infected tick, whose bite causes the miserable Lyme disease, they are gentle enough souls who leap out of sight as humans approach.

Now it turns out that they may be a more serious problem to us. A new study in Iowa found that the deer seem to be contracting the coronavirus from humans and spreading it to one another. This means the deer could become a reservoir for deadly mutations of the virus that could then possibly be passed back to humans. In that event, another vaccine would have to be developed to target the new variant in much the same way as flu shots are modified from year to year.

Researchers were astonished at how widespread the infection was among the deer population there, estimated at 80%. Deer hunters and others who handle deer (as road kill) are being urged to take precautions to avoid transmission, like wearing rubber gloves and a mask.

Researchers don’t know exactly how the deer get infected by humans, but they suggest it might occur when people in Iowa feed deer in their backyards, or through sewage discharges or anything partially chewed by an infected human, like a “splotch of chewing tobacco” that then might be licked by a deer.

The study of the deer was led by veterinary microbiologists from Penn State, according to an article in The New York Times on November 9, and they were able to make their analysis by examining the lymph nodes of dead deer. But they have not yet been able to determine whether the animals were sickened by the pathogen. They also are going to examine other wild animals, especially mice, that live in close proximity to humans, to see if they too might carry the virus.

There is well established research that shows some pathogens do move back and forth between animals and humans, including those that cause yellow fever and West Nile. And we do know our dogs and cats can get COVID-19.

Also in the news is something called epizootic hemorrhagic disease, transmitted by the EHD virus that can kill deer within 36 hours of infection. This often-fatal disease is transmitted by biting midges. We call them “no-see-ums.” Deer do not catch it from each other, nor can humans be infected by either deer or midges. But stricken deer bleed to death, especially in late summer and early fall when midges are abundant.

While there is no treatment for EHD, the first frost kills the midges, ending the outbreak. The virus was first confirmed in New York in 2007 with small outbreaks in the state’s northern counties, according to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. By 2020, the affected deer were found in the lower Hudson Valley, in other states along the eastern United States, and also in zoos.

“The dead deer do not serve as a source of infection for other animals because the virus is not long lived in dead animals,” according to the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab. Suffolk County has 139 cases reported and 8 confirmed as of last week.

Comsewogue students dedicate their hard efforts for their fellow students

Port Times Record

by TBR Staff - November 16, 2021

0 1357

25ACE409-30C7-4EFC-831C-03FAAF8AAF63-preview — Students working in Jackie’s Garden at Comsewogue High School over the summer. Photo by Andrew Harris

As students and staff came back into Comsewogue High School this year, they were greeted by hundreds of beautiful sunflowers flourishing in the courtyard garden.

The difficult work of maintaining the garden over the summer rested on the shoulders of only two students who did the hard work so that their fellow students can come back to the beginning of a joyful year.

While watching these students working so hard over the summer, Marge Piercy’s poem comes to my mind.

In a verse of “To Be of Use” she writes about how much she admires those that go out and do the work — and not just talk about it, said Jennifer Quinn, superintendent of schools.

“I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart, who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience, who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward, who do what has to be done, again and again. I want to be with people who submerge in the task, who go into the fields to harvest and work in a row and pass the bags along, who are not parlor generals and field deserters.”

This type of student is typical of the Comsewouge community. Quinn said that in addition to outstanding academics, many of them participate in extracurricular activities and hold down jobs over the summer and when school is in session.

No sooner were the words out of my mouth than these students who stepped up to the plate and got to work.

Students working in Jackie’s Garden at Comsewogue High School over the summer. Photo by Andrew Harris

“They went above and beyond what was asked of them, and even tended to another garden in the courtyard as well,” said Andrew Harris, a teacher at Comsewogue. “Keep in mind that they do this on their vacation and go very early as they also have full-time job responsibilities. It’s hot, dirty, and sometimes there is nobody around to give them the accolades or words of encouragement, but that’s not what they do it for.”

Harris said he hopes to encourage more students to have this giving attitude.

“In the long run, I know they will reap the benefits of their positive proactive work,” he added.

The garden, “Jackie’s Garden,” has become a “magical place around the district,” according to Harris.

“Each year a new miracle happens here,” he said.

Since I don’t have a green thumb, perhaps the miracle is that I am the one who oversees this fabulous food and flower garden — I’ve never tried growing anything. But in all seriousness, and I know people find it hard to believe, but every year since we started our garden, these miracles continue to happen.

Harris added that, “amazingly, this year hundreds of sunflowers started popping up. The weird thing is, we did not plant even one single seed. Keep in mind, that sunflowers are not perennials, and need to be seeded each spring; so yeah, you can consider that very, very, unique.”

This year in April I started to see a little something pop up. I thought maybe a seed or two was left over from last season, somehow got buried, and they were starting to grow. I planned on doing our normal seeding with my classes in mid-May, however, by then several hundred magically started appearing! I really can’t explain how that happened and I was at a loss for words.

Harris also mentioned the sudden influx of butterflies attracted to the garden the previous year. Dr. Rella told us that sunflowers and butterflies were Jackie’s favorites. I was going to buy something called a butterfly bush which will attract them. I looked outside one day and realized I didn’t need to buy one. There was a sudden influx of new butterflies everywhere. That and other crazy things have happened around this garden. The garden has Jackie’s Comsewogue jersey overlooking it.

The year before that, Chris Friedl, the landscaper, planted two seeds to honor Joe and Jackie under the trellis. The same day hundreds of other seeds were also planted to honor our graduating seniors. Those two seeds popped up in under three days — which never happens. The other ones started to come up in about 7-10 days, which is the normal length of time for sunflower seeds to appear. So, yeah, now I believe in miracles.

“On behalf of the staff at CHS, we are so grateful for the time that Alyssa and Ashley spent beautifying our courtyard,” said Principal Mike Mosca. “Outdoor spaces are even more important than ever as we continue to navigate the challenges, we face due to COVID. Alyssa and Ashley’s efforts will give our students and staff a beautiful place to go for some fresh air.”

When asked why they did what they did, the students communicated that nothing would please them more than having their fellow students enter the building and not only be greeted with friendly faces but an array of hundreds of sunflowers smiling at them as they go about their day.

Piercy’s poem ends like this and is fitting for the students who put in the hard work, “The people I love the best jump into work headfirst without dallying in the shallows and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight. They seem to become natives of that element.”

Arianna Morturano is a graduate of Comsewogue High School. She is currently a student at St. John’s and work sin the district. Andrew Harris is a special needs teacher at the Comsewogue school district. Triple C stands for Comsewogue Culture Club.

Republican lawmakers call for change in bail reform

by Julianne Mosher - November 16, 2021

0 250

zeldin, zeldin courtesy — Photo from Lee Zeldin's office

Suffolk County Republican lawmakers joined together last week calling on Democratic leaders in Albany to repeal the state’s cashless bail law. They argue that it has led to an uptick in violent crime.

Spearheaded by U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY1) — who is also the GOP’s potential nominee for governor in 2022 — he said that while on the campaign trail, he hears from people across both political parties who agree that bail reform needs to change.

“Many areas of the state that I’ve been to support repealing cashless bail,” Zeldin said during a press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 10. “They share stories about how cashless bail has eroded public safety.”

He added that the “red wave” that hit Suffolk County — including the success of newly elected Republican District Attorney Ray Tierney, could help send a message to majority Democrats to repeal the bail reform law.

“Too many New Yorkers have already witnessed the ramifications of this dangerous law first-hand, and on Election Day 2021 they made it abundantly clear that they have had enough,” Zeldin said. “This fatally flawed law undermines New York’s men and women in blue, their morale, their efforts and, most importantly, their authority. In the courtroom, it rips away judges’ judicial discretion, ties their hands and forces them to ignore prior convictions and the risk of repeat offenders. Instead of handcuffing criminals, this misguided law handcuffs justice, and every day New Yorkers are the ones paying the price.”

Tierney interjected and said that a package of newly enacted or proposed Democratic bills, including those that reform parole and would expunge many misdemeanor convictions and lower-level felonies, fail to keep the public safe.

“We are here to say these laws do not keep us safer,” Tierney said. “And we need to repeal some of these laws and start to think about the victims and the victims’ families when we consider criminal justice reform.”

He added that during the most-recent election, he and his GOP colleagues saw that bail reform and criminal justice were huge issues that needed to be tackled.

“We saw suddenly our elected officials coming to the realization that bail reform and criminal justice reform did not keep us safe and it was not an effective law,” he said.

Zeldin and Tierney were joined by members of the state Senate and Assembly. Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) congratulated Tierney on his recent win.

“I’m so excited that the people spoke,” Mattera said. “They wanted to make sure we have the right people in place to keep our residents safe.”

Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) said that bail reform “needs to change — it’s dangerous.”

“The people have spoken,” he added. “They finally remember the victims who have been forgotten by the two majorities.”

Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) agreed that victims and witnesses are currently not safe.

“It’s not right what happened, we need to repeal it,” she said. “Repeat offenders need to be behind bars and judges need that jurisdiction back.”

Kara Hahn declares victory in the 5th Legislative District

by Press Release - November 15, 2021

0 1147

Kara-Hahn_Jonathan-Korneich_110221_ritajegan2 — Photo by Rita J. Egan

One Democrat is declaring victory after many of her fellow party members were swept away by the “red wave.”

County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), who was seeking her sixth term in the Legislature, declared victory last week in a press release.

While the Suffolk County Board of Elections is still counting write-in votes, based on the numbers of ballots left, Hahn has claimed she has an insurmountable lead. According to her camp, she stands at a 752-vote lead with only 52 provisional ballots left to count. Her total vote share is over 52%.

“I’m honored to have the ongoing support of the community where I grew up and have served for the last decade.” Hahn said. “I look forward to continuing to deliver results on issues that can make a meaningful impact in the day-to-day lives of working families in this community.”

The 5th Legislative District includes the Three Village area, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station and Terryville.

Northport Tigers field hockey ends perfect season

by Bill Landon - November 15, 2021

0 1194

1 of 31

Having won their New York State Class A field hockey semi-final by five goals the day before against Clarence High School, the Northport Tigers advanced to the championship round on Sunday, Nov. 14, against section 2 finalist Shenendehowa High School.

It would be Olivia McKenna’s stick that made the difference when the Northport midfielder rocked the box off an assist by senior forward Shannon Smith to put the Tigers up 1-0. Although Shenendehowa surged in the third quarter, the Tiger defense was able to keep their opponents at bay for what would be the final score to win the NYSPHSAA Class A tournament.

Senior co-captain Sophia Bica and McKenna were a potent one-two combination where both topped Suffolk County scoring charts with Bica tallying 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points, and McKenna had 19 goals and 19 assists for 38 points.

Northport finished their 2021 campaign with a perfect 21-0 record.

Whaling Museum hosts Music Trivia Night Nov. 18

by Press Release - November 15, 2021

0 693

Join the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor for an online music-themed night of trivia on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. From whale songs to sea shanties to cricket chirps to Mozart to Broadway to the Beatles to Beyonce, join them for a tune-filled evening with trivia questions about music in film, television, art, nature, and history. For adults. Free to play, $10 donation appreciated. To register, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. For more information, call 631-367-3418.

Prev 1...293031...260 Next

Page 30 of 260