Rebecca Kassay: 583
Lauren Sheprow: 484
Bruce Miller: 365
Gerard Gang: 336
Ana Hozyainova: 241
Port Jefferson village election results
Yearly Archives: 2022
Two women arrested in Dix Hills massage parlor raid
Suffolk County Police today arrested two women for unlicensed massages and prostitution at a massage parlor in Dix Hills on June 21.
In response to numerous community complaints, Suffolk County Police Second Precinct Crime Section officers, Second Squad detectives, and the Town of Huntington Public Safety conducted an investigation at Island Breeze Foot Spa, located at 1842 East Jericho Turnpike in Dix Hills, at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Daoxia Xie, 48, of Flushing and Qingling Chai, 43, of Fresh Meadows were charged with Prostitution and Unauthorized Practice of a Profession.
They were given Field Appearance Tickets and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.
The Town of Huntington Public Safety closed the business and issued several building violations.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Poquott village election results
Tina Cioffi: 80 – Mayor
Darlene Mercieca: 78 – Trustee
Jacqueline Taylor: 78 – Trustee
John Richardson: 2 – Mayor
Felicia Chillak: 2 – Trustee
Susan Laskowski: 1 – Trustee
Total ballots cast: 83
TBR News Media Police Blotter for issue of June 16, 2022
The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:
Centereach
■ Walgreens on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported that a man and a woman allegedly stole laundry detergent worth $375.
Cold Spring Harbor
■ A 2020 Jeep Cherokee was reported stolen from the driveway of a resident on Ridge Road in Cold Spring Harbor on June 9. The key fob had been left in the vehicle. The car was worth approximately $35,000.
■ A resident on Fox Hunt Lane in Cold Spring Harbor reported that his vehicle, a 2015 Chevy Camaro, was stolen from his driveway on June 8. The key had been left in the center console and the car was left unlocked. The vehicle was valued at $18,000.
Commack
■ Walmart on 85 Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on June 6. A woman allegedly stole $193 worth of assorted household items.
■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack called the police on June 7 to report that a man allegedly stole a roll of landscaping wire, a Wyze doorbell, a coaxial cable and a Ring doorbell battery pack. The total value of the items was approximately $650.
■ A gang box was broken into at a building under construction on Hauppauge Road in Commack on June 8 and a Hydroguard brass mixing valve worth $3,000 was stolen.
■ A resident on Grace Park Drive in Commack reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle on June 11 and stole his wallet containing cash and credit cards.
East Setauket
■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket reported a shoplifter on June 7. A person allegedly stole an air conditioner worth $216.
Huntington
■ A 2013 Infiniti worth $10,000 was reported stolen from a driveway on Old Town Lane in Huntington on June 7.
Huntington Station
■ Macy’s on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington reported a petit larceny on June 9. Two women allegedly stole assorted clothing valued at $700.
Melville
■ A resident on Louis Drive in Melville reported on June 9 that he left his 2020 Land Rover Range Rover running in his driveway unattended. An unknown person walking by got into the car and drove away. The vehicle was valued at $40,000.
Miller Place
■ A resident on Jonah Road in Miller Place reported that a dirt bike, 1999 Honda CR50 was stolen from a backyard shed on June 7. The dirt bike, valued at $900, was later recovered from a nearby wooded area.
Mount Sinai
■ A resident on Maureen Drive in Mount Sinai reported that someone entered his vehicle on June 6 and stole assorted golf clubs and equipment.
■ A resident on Ross Lane in Mount Sinai called the police on June 7 to report that someone had entered his unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway and stole a laptop, backpack, wallet and cash. Items were also stolen from a vehicle parked on Quail Run the same day.
Selden
■ Hope Lutheran Church on Dare Road in Selden reported the theft of a bench worth $200 from the church garden on June 8.
■ BP Gas Station on Middle Country Road in Selden was the victim of a burglary on June 8. An unknown man allegedly broke the front glass door to gain entry and stole 60 packs of Newport cigarettes valued at $750 and assorted lottery scratch-off tickets worth $250.
■ Home Depot on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on June 11. A man allegedly stole a DeWalt table saw worth $650.
Shoreham
■ Multiple residents on Michelle Drive, Woodville Road and Tagliabue Road reported that their unlocked vehicles were entered on June 6 and 7 and items and cash were stolen.
South Setauket
■ Target on Pond Path in South Setauket reporter a shoplifter on June 10. A man allegedly stole a Haier Air Conditioner valued at $180.
■ A shoplifter was reported at Home Depot on Pond Path in South Setauket on June 7. A man allegedly stole a LG Air Conditioner valued at $459.
Stony Brook
■ A resident on Midfield Street in Stony Brook reported the theft of a 120 gallon propane tank from his backyard on June 8. The tank was valued at $300.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON
Paw Prints: Meet shelter pets Buddy, Maple, Journey, Princeton, Thor and Ultra!
Welcome to the sixth edition of Paw Prints, a monthly column for animal lovers dedicated to helping shelter pets find their furever home!
Meet Buddy
Mark Twain once said, “To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with.” Who better than your best Buddy? This affectionate, agreeable ten-year-old Terrier mix is the ideal one to share the day to day simple pleasures with, whether it be a stroll in the park or an impromptu gathering with friends. An active member of Little Shelter’s Silver Paw Connection, Buddy knows that you’re never too old to dream. At the top of his wish list is a forever home and a family to love. Life is always better with a Buddy by your side. 631-368-8770, ext. 21
Meet Maple
Dogs named Maple tend to be good-natured, loyal, affectionate, and loving … the perfect description for this three-year-old Terrier mix, currently up for adoption at Little Shelter in Huntington. The name also symbolizes balance, promise, and intelligence. Rescued from a hoarding situation, Maple is still a bit shy, though loves going for walks and receiving attention and pets. Ready for a happy new beginning, she’s putting on her best “adopt me” face, just waiting for you to say, “There she is, she’s the one!” Stop by Little Shelter today to meet Miss Maple and welcome her into your family. 631-368-8770, ext. 21
Meet Journey
This sweet and social senior arrived at the Brookhaven Animal Shelter after being picked up as a stray by an Animal Control Officer. Journey has found herself homeless, alone and looking for a second chance since no one has come in looking for her. She is hoping to meet her person soon and enjoy a good life. Journey loves belly rubs and likes to chew on a good bone. She walks very nicely on leash and likes to stroll and smell the roses. She will need to be the only pet in an adult only home. At 8-10 plus years young she should not be spending her days and nights in a kennel. Come meet her today! 631-451-6950.
Meet Princeton
“Hi! My name is Princeton. I am a 2 and a half year old year old male American Bulldog Terrier Mix. I was rescued from a high kill shelter in Georgia, and although I am now safe at Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton, I am still nervous. I am a super sweet and a good boy; I’ve just been through a lot and need someone I can trust to take care of me and show me that life and people aren’t so scary.” 631-727-5731, ext. 1
Meet Thor
This sweetheart was recently abandoned in the Kent Animal Shelter parking lot with 2 other cats. Approximately 9 years old, Thor is a huge mush who craves affection, and has so much love to give! Come meet him today and see how fast he can charm you! 631-727-5731, ext. 1
Meet Ultra
A two-year-old Boxer mix, this exceptional girl is Ultra. Looking for a family with high hopes, an even higher fence, and dog experience, she is ready to put her paw print on adoption papers and change her address to yours! While displaying a calm, dignified demeanor, she’s also quick-witted with a good sense of humor, guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Curious about life and eager to explore the world around her, she’s the perfect one to accompany you on all your adventures. Intelligent and loyal, she has all the qualifications of a best friend and lifelong companion. Why go big when you can go Ultra? Stop by Little Shelter in Huntington to meet her today! 631-368-8770, ext. 21
Check out the next Paw Prints in the issue of July 14.
Paw Prints is generously sponsored by Mark T. Freeley, Esq.
One-on-one with Jodi Giglio
State assemblywoman on Albany’s neglect of Long Island
New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) has openly criticized the state government for neglecting Long Island communities.
In an interview earlier this week, she addressed the upcoming gubernatorial primary election, her efforts to reach out to colleagues across the political aisle, the backward state of public infrastructure on the Island and more.
What is your professional background and how did you end up in the state Assembly?
I started my own construction company in 1997. I went to Stony Brook [University] at night while working full time during the day. I started to become very active in the construction industry and in land use — we owned 146 acres in East Quogue. My company is a certified Women Business Enterprise and I’m also a member of [the International Union of Operating Engineers] Local 138.
At the time, the Southampton Town Board put us in a moratorium for 2 1/2 years and raised our property taxes from $80,000 to $400,000. I was present at every hearing for the moratorium, where we couldn’t file an application and basically couldn’t do anything with our property. I felt that my property rights had been violated and became very involved in the political spectrum.
I started the Riverhead Business Alliance, where I had 50 businesses pay $300 a year so that I could hire somebody to send out emails letting businesses know about zoning changes that would be detrimental to their businesses. I set up a board of directors — and I was the president and the founder — and we just let everyone know what was happening in local government. A couple of years later, the business community asked me to run for the Town Board, which I did. I served on the Riverhead Town Board [as councilwoman] for 10 years.
There was a shift in government when [former state] Sen. [Kenneth] LaValle [R-Port Jefferson], who was a tremendous asset to the 1st Senate District, decided that he was no longer going to run. That’s when Anthony Palumbo [R-New Suffolk] decided to run for Senate. They asked me to run to fill his [state Assembly] seat, which I did, and I’m happy to serve the 2nd Assembly District in Albany.
You have spoken recently about the need to funnel tax dollars back into Long Island communities. In your opinion, are Long Islanders underserved by Albany?
Absolutely. I think all of Long Island is underserved by Albany. The largest concentration of New Yorkers is in New York City, so a lot of the money gets funneled into the five boroughs. I think that we pay a tremendous amount in tax dollars and a tremendous amount in our utility costs and that we are underserved.
However, I am very close to a lot of people on the other side of the aisle. I explain to them the problems that we have in our district and that we need help. I have been inviting them out here to come to different events, such as the Bell Town Heritage Area [in Aquebogue], where a friend of mine in the Assembly, Alicia Hyndman [D-Springfield Gardens], actually came out with her daughter and spent the day with me out here in the district, so that I could show her some of the challenges we face. On Saturday for Juneteenth, I went into Hempstead and spent the day with my dear friend, Taylor Darling [D-Hempstead] who is also in the majority, to see what her population is faced with.
I think that’s what it really takes: Not being a foreigner to other areas of the state, to realize what their needs are, and to make sure that we all work together to bring some of that money and some of those resources back to Long Island.
As local residents enter the voting booth for next week’s gubernatorial primary elections, what are some important issues that they should keep in mind?
The important issues are the high taxes that we pay in New York state and getting people back to work. I think that shutting down the economy and making people dependent on the government is problematic and it hasn’t worked in other countries.
I’ve worked with Congressman Lee Zeldin [R-NY1] since 2009 in his campaigns and have worked very closely with him over the years to make sure that our voices are heard here on Long Island. I think he’s been a pretty good advocate for us. I’ve listened to the debates and I think all of the candidates make great points. They have different areas of expertise that could help the state and I hope that whoever becomes the governor will tap into those assets, knowledge and experience that those others have.
I think that Lee Zeldin is the most experienced person running for governor in that he served in the state Senate and he also served in Congress, so he knows the mechanisms of government and can hit the ground running right away because we need a quick reversal of what is happening right now in the state.
Two Long Islanders will be on the primary ballots next week: Zeldin and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY3). What does this say about the relationship between Long Island and Albany?
Long Islanders are mad. Whether it’s from the South Shore or the North Shore, the East End or the middle of Long Island, people here are mad. Our Long Island Expressway was a debacle for too many years. We needed that federal infrastructure money and I’m glad to say some of it is coming back to Long Island.
Long Island is a very unique place. There are a lot of people across the state that are spending a lot of time on Long Island, enjoying our waterfronts and our fisheries, our marinas and our farms, our commerce and our beaches. It’s important that we promote ourselves and make sure that Long Island has a strong voice in the state government.
In your opinion, is the MTA-LIRR underperforming? And what can be done to expedite services and make the railroad more responsive to Long Island communities?
I can tell you that the New York State government is a crutch for the MTA whenever the MTA fails or overspends or has issues. I think that the current governor [Kathy Hochul (D)] shutting down the government for so long, especially in New York City — and the city government that shut everything down from theaters to shopping to restaurants — it really showed New York City that Long Island can work from home and that we don’t need to go into the city.
I think that is going to cripple the MTA even more. The fact that the current governor held back and kept shutting everything down, sending the troopers and child protective services into restaurants on Long Island and throughout the state to make sure that everybody was shut down was a further step into government dependency. We were just writing unemployment checks and encouraging people to stay home and not go to work.
How can the state government be brought closer to the people of Long Island?
As I said previously, by bringing people out here. A lot of people on the other side of the aisle in the majority are planning on coming out and spending some time with me out on Long Island this summer, including Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes [D-Buffalo]. We’re going to visit the wineries and the farms, look at the beaches and spend some time together. She has assured me that she will be out here with me and I plan on taking a trip up to Buffalo to see what her hurdles and her struggles are.
I think that by bringing people out farther on Long Island and seeing what we have out here … especially our expressway. Long Island has been neglected for far too long and we need to make sure that our roads are safe, that our law enforcement is making sure that our communities are safe and that there’s always somebody at the other end of the phone to answer the call.
Our volunteer firefighters and our volunteer EMS workers, they are finding it very unaffordable to live here. We need to make sure that there are incentives for them to stay as another aspect of public safety. That is the fundamental reason why we have a government: public health, safety, welfare and prosperity.
Is there anything else you would like to say to our local readers?
I would like to say that elections have consequences. It’s very important that everyone pays attention to who is running for office. Look them up on the internet. We have easy access now to look at the platforms of the people running for office. Pay attention to who’s running and who best represents your ideals, your values and your concerns.
Pedisich set to retire from Three Village school district
After a career that has spanned nearly four decades, Three Village Central School District’s superintendent is ready to retire.
Cheryl Pedisich has led the district for 10 years, and the position was the culmination of several she has held in Three Village since 1984. Current assistant superintendent for educational services Kevin Scanlon will officially assume the role of superintendent on July 6.
Pedisich said she was fortunate to have wise people before her, and the advice she would give Scanlon is from what she learned from them.
“If I’ve learned anything in 38 years, it’s to listen well and to care — to genuinely care — about people and about their issues and about what you do,” she said. “I think that’s the best advice I can give.”
After completing graduate work at C.W. Post — now LIU Post — she applied for positions with different districts and was offered a leave replacement position with Three Village.
“I decided, even though I had other opportunities, that this seemed like a great place to come to, and I did feel that after being here, even if it was just for a year, that it would set my career in motion moving forward and that I would learn a great deal from being part of the community.”
It was the summer of 1984 when she started as a guidance counselor at Ward Melville High School. She said two other counselors with more experience were hired at the same time, and she felt fortunate to be hired.
Her tenure in the district lasted more than the year she would have been grateful for as she continued as a permanent counselor. She went on to chair the guidance department before becoming the assistant director of pupil personnel services and then executive director of pupil personnel. In 2008, she was named assistant superintendent for educational services.
When the search began for a new superintendent in 2011, she was chosen for the position and became deputy superintendent before she took over in July 2012.
Pedisich said that while obtaining her psychology degree in college, she wasn’t considering going into education. Initially, she thought she would seek a career in the field of industrial psychology. Her mother, who worked in the human resources department of Sachem school district, told her she thought she would be a wonderful counselor.
To become a counselor, Pedisich said she would have to enter a two-year program. She figured if she didn’t like the field, she could go back to pursue her other interests.
“It was because of [my mother] that I am probably here today,” she said.
Among the positions she has held in the district, Pedisich said she enjoyed being chair of the guidance department because it enabled her to take on an administrative role while still working with students.
She said she was also fortunate to work as the assistant director of pupil personnel services under executive director Tamara Russo, whom she called “an icon as far as special education.” Pedisich said she learned a lot from Russo. When the executive director retired, Pedisich stepped into the position. She worked with various staff members and said she felt well prepared for the job after working with Russo.
“It was a very inspiring role for me,” she said.
Pedisich, who moved to Long Island from New Jersey in first grade and graduated from Sachem High School, said major adult milestones all happened while she’s worked in the district. In 1989 she married her husband Luke, and she had their two children, Hope and Christopher. While the couple brought up their son and daughter in Miller Place, where they still live today, she said from 8th grade until Hope’s graduation in 2009, she and her husband paid tuition for her daughter to attend school in the Three Village district because Hope wanted to attend classes there.
“I couldn’t say enough positive things about Three Village,” Pedisich said. “I’m so glad she had that experience.”
Pedisich has loved being part of the local school community.
“It feels like family to me, so leaving is so incredibly bittersweet,” she said. “I’m not walking away saying, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to put it all behind me.’ It’s really a struggle.”
The superintendent said it’s difficult to pinpoint favorite memories from the decades.
“All my interactions with the students have been so inspiring and so amazing,” she said.
The interactions with students and parents and providing some degree of support or making a difference was rewarding, she added.
She also has encountered difficult times during her career.
Among the hardest through the years, she said, were when students and staff members passed away, leaving many who mourned. The superintendent said it was important to help everyone in the school community “grieve in a way that was meaningful for them, and to help the recovery process.”
The COVID-19 pandemic was also tricky waters to navigate.
“We have been through hurricanes, and we have been through tornadoes and even an earthquake during my tenure,” she said. “I’m thinking, ‘OK, what’s next?’ And then, it’s a pandemic. I think that was extraordinarily difficult because we were all feeling very blinded by it and trying to navigate all of those nuances and the ever-changing requirements and the new variants coming up. We had to keep shifting and pivoting.”
She added the administration realized there were different viewpoints in the community, and they needed to balance the varying opinions.
“The pandemic brought hopelessness to the surface for many,” she said.
As she looks toward the future, Pedisich said she’s not sure what it will hold, but she will take some time to decompress before figuring out her next move.
She leaves the Three Village district community with a message.
“Stay the course,” Pedisich said. “Be strong. Be resolute and believe in yourself. Never give up on whatever dreams you have.”
Photo of the Week
A TRUE PORT JEFFERSON BYPASS
Friends of the Greenway chair Charlie McAteer submitted this photo by Trail Steward Dave Wang which perfectly captures the original intent of the Port Jefferson Station-Setauket Greenway as these two wild turkeys ‘By-Pass Port Jefferson’ by using the trail last week. He writes, ‘Guess these birds too are enjoying our community gem.’ Join the group for their next clean up on July 23 at 9 p.m. starting at the Port Jeff. Station trailhead.
Send your Photo of the Week to [email protected]
Local state officials sponsor bill to protect Flax Pond tidal wetland
A bill currently awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) signature will help to protect a local tidal wetland.
Bill A10187 will establish the Flax Pond tidal wetland in Old Field as a sanctuary and also amend the navigation laws to prohibit the use of motor boats within that sanctuary.
The bill was sponsored by state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) in the Assembly and state Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) in the Senate.
The bill states that “hunting, fishing, trapping and the use of motor boats are not compatible with the primary purposes and management goals of the sanctuary.” Once enacted, signs will be posted to warn boaters that they cannot enter. The law will not apply to emergency and rescue vessels.
Anyone found guilty violating the provisions will be fined up to $100 and/or imprisoned up to 10 days.
The Flax Pond tidal wetland area is about 150 acres and was acquired by the state in 1966. Is it under the joint jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Stony Brook University. SBU uses the wetland area as a field laboratory for research and education, while the DEC maintains it for habitat protection and for public use.
In addition to the wetland, the property includes the SBU School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Flax Pond Marine Lab and the Childs Mansion. The home once belonged to Eversley Childs, who was president of the Bon Ami cleaning products company in the early 1900s.
Englebright said for about four decades he has been trying to get legislation passed to protect Flax Pond and said Mattera was a big help in getting it through the state Senate.
“We basically have joined together to put our shoulders to the wheel to get this bill through each of our respective legislative houses,” Englebright said. “And there it is, for the first time in all of these years.”
Mattera said he was happy to help to get the bill passed, and he’s optimistic that the governor will sign it.
“I don’t think there’s going to be any kind of an issue,” Mattera said, adding he feels its passing is crucial not only for the wetland but also for the surrounding area.
Mattera said securing state money to dredge the inlet at Flax Pond is next as there are concerns that the continuation of terrible storms hitting the area could close up the inlet.
Englebright said the Flax Pond tidal wetland area was created for the original purpose of academic research and education, and also for the public’s passive enjoyment. He said the bill makes permanent what the original premise was.
“The marsh has been degraded,” he said. “It has lost much of its usefulness due to unregulated activities there and extraction activities. It has undergone some considerable negative consequences.”
The assemblyman added that extraction activities include people taking oysters, blue mussels and crabs, especially in large quantities, and the shooting of birds makes it difficult for researchers to measure what’s left of the marine life. Motorboats and jet skiing in the wetland also complicate matters.
He said proper research depends on “having a pristine unspoiled place.”
Environment
Englebright said it was important to protect tidal wetlands such as Flax Pond because they “are highly stressed due to climate change and sea level rise, as well as pollutants that are entering the estuaries and the pressure of extraction activities.”
He explained that a tidal wetland is a bio-geological phenomenon.
“The biological part is, of course, all of the organisms that grow in the marsh that contributed to the creation of the wetland itself,” he said. “The most prominent of that is a series of grasses. These are grasses that are able to tolerate salt.”
There are two dominant high marsh grasses that when the first settlers arrived here and there was no hay from a previous season, they were able to use them to feed their livestock. The high marsh grass — “salt hay” — continued to be harvested on Long Island until the 1920s.
“The geological part of the marsh is why we don’t want the boats because the salt marsh is a sediment trap,” he said.
He added, sediment is important as it creates beaches such as those at West Meadow and Old Field. Tides carry into inlets silt and clay fractions which become the soil component of the wetlands.
Englebright said motorized boats or jet skis that generate “wave slap,” reenergize the movement of sediment or disturb the movement of the sediment, which in turn reelevates and suspends into the water the silt that can be up to 60% of the soil.
He added, “If it gets resuspended on the outgoing tide, the result is the loss of the marsh.”
History
Robert Cushman Murphy, who was an ornithologist, loved Flax Pond and was a close friend of philanthropists Ward and Dorothy Melville. For a while, he lived on the Melville estate in Old Field.
After the Childs estate went into probate in the early 1960s, according to Englebright, the executors almost sold Flax Pond to developers, who would have built condominiums along the periphery of the pond. Englebright said Murphy talked to Melville and then acting president of SBU, Karl Hartzell, to see what could be done to save the Flax Pond area. Cushman appealed to the Village of Old Field trustees, and when he realized they might side with the developers, Melville reached out to then New York State Gov. Nelson Rockefeller (R). The Stony Brook resident had just donated land to the State University of New York for the Long Island college to move to its current location.
“He had some clout and he used it on behalf of our community,” Englebright said. “It was political muscle that basically led to acquiring the property.”
He said when the state university acquired half of the property they had to set up marine studies which justified their purchase.
“Of course, that has led to one of the great marine research centers of the hemisphere, if not all of Earth,” Englebright said. “It’s a globally significant research center. It’s an entire division now within the university.”
‘Making’ a comeback: Maker Faire LI returns to Port Jeff village
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Maker Faire Long Island returned to Port Jefferson village on Saturday, June 11, at the Village Center.
Maker Faire LI is an annual festival held by the Long Island Explorium, a science and engineering museum based in Port Jeff. Its purpose is to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education by way of innovations and crafts of people throughout the region and country.
Angeline Judex, executive director of the Explorium, discussed the surprising success of the event after its two-year pause. “We’re really happy with this event,” she said. “It has turned out really well — much better than we actually expected.”
Proceeds from the event will support the Explorium’s various educational programs. The goal of these programs is to enliven STEM through activities that are engaging and fun. Judex said the Explorium hopes to inspire young people and nourish a lifelong pursuit of STEM.
“It’s really important for children to be inspired and excited about STEM at an early age,” Judex said, adding, “We focus on enriching and inspiring children from K-6 so that they get excited about STEM because this is the future.” She added, “We want to support the next generation of leaders and scientists who are going to be inspired to solve some of the challenges in the environments we live in.”
Hundreds of makers gathered at Harborfront Park to showcase their own unique contributions to the field. Sejal Mehra, one of the presenters at the festival, displayed what she has coined “engineering art.” Her works integrate aspects of collage, engineering and sustainability studies under a common discipline.
“I create ‘engineering art,’ which is made from recycling old computer and electronic parts or plastic that would have otherwise ended up in the trash to show the beauty of STEM,” she said. “I’m on a mission to change the face of STEM through art.”
Makers such as Mehra offer the necessary guidance for young people to pursue STEM. Through their example of creativity and ingenuity, young people are challenged to change the world themselves.
“I think it’s really important to have programs like this one to help inspire young minds into a lifelong pursuit of STEM because you never know when or how something is going to spark their love for STEM,” Mehra said. “It is also great for young minds to be inspired by young adults like myself because we were just in their shoes and can help motivate them to pursue STEM. Without programs like this, the amount of exposure to the field and its vast possibilities and intersections would not be possible.”
Mehra’s artwork is currently for sale and can be purchased through her website or by contacting her via email or Instagram.
Joining Judex was a group of public officials who offered their support for the museum in its mission to educate the next generation of scientists and engineers. New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), a geologist by profession, spoke of the importance of Maker Faire in encouraging young minds to tackle the impending challenges of environmental degradation.
“The purpose of bringing us all together is to enhance this community, to imagine possibilities for all of the people who live here and visit here, and to use our imagination just a little bit,” he said. “One of the things that’s very important is the narrative and theme that are interwoven around protecting the environment. We’re situated here in beautiful Port Jefferson on the edge of the harbor, and it is a beautiful place to remember the importance of sustainability.”
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) was also present for the event. She thanked the Explorium for providing these services and enriching the community.
“I am pleased to be here to support Maker Faire Long Island once again, to support the Explorium, and encourage children and our residents to explore, to innovate, to use their imagination and encourage ingenuity,” she said. “Thank you for all you do to encourage that in children right here in our own backyard.”
Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) recognized Judex for the work she put into making this annual tradition successful once again and for championing STEM and motivating young people.
“I want to thank you not only for the work you did to bring this event together, but for the work you do all year long to create a fun place for kids to do science, to teach kids, to make it accessible to everybody, to bring science to places where maybe it isn’t, and to find new places to suddenly discover science,” the councilmember said.
Kathianne Snaden, Village of Port Jefferson deputy mayor, thanked the many entities that helped make this event possible once again.
“To all of the volunteers, to all of the makers, to the attendees, to our code department, our parks department and our highway department, without all of you coming together to make an event like this happen, we just couldn’t do it,” she said. “To the Explorium for providing cutting-edge technology, programming and hands-on learning for our children, it is just unmatched in this area.”
Village trustee Rebecca Kassay and her husband volunteered as traffic guards during the event. She called it “a pleasure directing parking.”
“As my husband and I stand and direct parking, we look at the children leaving this event and I asked them, ‘What have you made today?’” the trustee said. “Their faces light up and they show me something they’ve made, whether it’s a magnet, whether it’s a whirligig, whether it’s lip balm.” She continued, “It is so important to empower these young people with the gift of demystifying what is in the world around them.”
Englebright concluded the remarks with an anecdote. When the assemblyman was just 14 years old, his science teacher at the time recommended he attend a junior curator program at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. His decision to heed that advice would reshape the course of his life.
“I became a junior curator and it changed my life,” he said. “The Explorium, this children’s museum, I believe is going to change an awful lot of young people’s lives. Now here I am — with white hair — some years later, and I can tell you of the importance of your programs and the worthiness of everything that you do.”
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