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Giselle Barkley

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Giselle Barkley is a reporter and a Stony Brook University graduate. She loves photography, videography and spending time her family and friends.

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Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. File photo by Erika Karp

Brookhaven Town failed to fully abide by New York’s affordable housing law, according to a state comptroller audit.

The audit, released Jan. 8, singled out eight governments across Long Island, including Brookhaven, zeroing in on their compliance with the Long Island Workforce Housing Act. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (D) said the town “generally complied” with the act, but did not properly manage an optional trust fund set aside for affordable housing.

The Long Island Workforce Housing Act was passed in 2008 to require developers building five or more homes on a property to allocate 10 percent of their prospective residential units to affordable workforce housing units, meant for people earning up to about $105,000. The law also said that developers could avoid building affordable housing units by paying a fee to the town, which would be deposited into a trust fund for the purpose of building affordable housing.

The towns of Babylon, Huntington, Islip and North Hempstead and the villages of Hempstead, Farmingdale and Mineola were also evaluated in the audit. Each government either reached or exceeded the 10 percent affordable housing requirement, the audit said.

However, in the audit DiNapoli said Brookhaven adopted a resolution in August 2014 establishing a housing trust fund, but did not set up guidelines and procedures establishing how the expenditures from that fund would be used until September 2015 — which was later than the mandated six-month timeframe required to set up those rules.

The audit noted that “there have been no expenditures from the trust fund during the audit period.”

But Brookhaven officials said they did not agree with the comptroller’s assessment. Diana Weir, commissioner of Housing and Human Services in Brookhaven, said the town was in full compliance before the comptroller released the audit.

“The issue with Brookhaven is that we’ve never given a developer that option,” Weir said about the fees for the fund, which was not mandatory to create. “To us [making developers build the affordable units was] better because we are actually building the units. But just in case we figured we’d [establish] a trust fund.”

Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said he was unhappy with the state’s assessment that the town only generally complied with the law. Because the town makes developers build affordable homes instead of paying to avoid the requirement, there isn’t any money in the trust fund account, Romaine said.

Of Brookhaven’s 924 housing units, 10 percent are affordable workforce housing units, according to the audit.

“What did Brookhaven do wrong?” Romaine (R) asked in a phone interview. “If Brookhaven required [developers] to build [affordable homes], why did we need a trust fund account? We’re actually fulfilling the law.”

In the preliminary draft of the audit, the comptroller suggested the town establish guidelines for the fund. That suggestion came several days after Brookhaven established rules for the fund. Despite this, the final audit didn’t reflect or acknowledge the change.

Brookhaven has always required developers to make affordable homes. During the recession, developers needed to allocate 20 percent of the residential units for affordable housing. Weir said purchasing affordable homes at the time was easier for prospective homeowners as prices of homes dropped. The town dropped the requirement to 10 percent once the market started improving.

“What the audit should have said is, ‘We recommend in the future that you set [the affordable workforce housing trust fund] up, but you’ve complied,’” Romaine said.

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Residents and Brookhaven officials will address ways to improve Route 25A near the Stony Brook train station, above, in the first phase of the study. Photo by Giselle Barkley

After decades of waiting, Brookhaven officials said they were taking legitimate steps toward giving Route 25A a face-lift — starting with Stony Brook.

The town board approved a resolution on Thursday, Jan. 14, to conduct land use studies for Route 25A in Three Village and Port Jefferson Station. The town said it would be holding several meetings over the coming months at which residents can suggest ways to improve the de facto Main Street, especially near the Stony Brook Long Island Rail Road station and where Route 25A meets Nicolls Road.

This three-phase study will start with the Smithtown line to Nicolls Road. The two other phases, including the Port Jefferson Station study, will follow. Route 25A near the Stony Brook train station is part of the first phase.

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said the town will use money from a contingency fund in its operating and capital budgets to fund the study. The town hasn’t established dates, times and location, but Romaine said meetings will begin once the weather gets warmer in March or April.

“It’s long overdue,” Romaine said about the study. “We will be sending letters to [the Department of Transportation]  and ask them to participate because a lot of the work we’re going to comment on are things [DOT has] to do, like additional sidewalks.”

Several civic leaders across the Three Village and greater North Shore community came out in full support of the land use study on Thursday with hopes of spurring the town board to expedite progress along 25A.

“The intersection of Nicolls Road and Route 25A is really the gateway to the communities of the Three Village community, and quite frankly it’s sort of a hodge-podge of commercial and retail buildings,” said George Hoffman, vice president of the Three Village Civic Association. “We also have a real problem with safety … because the corridor is really lacking crosswalks and sidewalks.”

The town also asked Stony Brook University to participate in this study. Similar land use studies and plans for Route 25A were conducted in 1963 and 1975 according to Robert de Zafra, former president of the Civic Association of the Setaukets and Stony Brook. A third study was conducted around 20 years ago.

Current civic leaders like Shawn Nuzzo, president of the Civic Association of the Setaukets and Stony Brook, have tried kick-starting revitalization efforts for Route 25A near the Stony Brook train station for several years. Nuzzo has often been at the forefront of all discussions relating to upgrading 25A and ushering in a new era of commercial and residential prosperity across the main road.

At Thursday’s town board meeting, Nuzzo said the town was finally taking a different approach when working with civic groups.

“There’s been a lot of false starts with this area because it was based in the past on this old top-down model, where the people at the top were going to tell the people at the bottom what they’re going to live with for the next 50 years,” Nuzzo said at Town Hall before Brookhaven passed the resolution. “But this model now with this corridor study and community visioning, this is a bottom-up model.”

Over the last several years, Stony Brook University students have worked with their professors to propose idealistic and practical ways to improve the area by the train station. The groups have been hosting events with residents at the Bates House in Frank Melville Memorial Park in Setauket and other locations, where they have pitched their plans based on various land studies of the 25A corridor.

Professor Marc Fasanella from Stony Brook University has been leading entire classes on the revisioning of Route 25A and challenging his students with finding realistic ways to make the corridor more appealing visually and logistically.

In a previous interview with Times Beacon Record Newspapers, he said the crux of the challenge was to think outside the box, no matter how outlandish the plans might seem.

“We looked at this as a tremendous opportunity for our students and for the community moving forward,” Fasanella said. “Are we dreaming? Of course we’re dreaming.”

Nuzzo said the area by the train station has united people throughout the community, but the entire corridor, especially near the LIRR, can not only be safer but also more visually appealing to the community.

“This is an issue that transcends political lines,” he said. “This is an issue that has unified both the civic association and the Chamber of Commerce who have historically been at odds with one another. We’re in that redevelopment phase of this corridor and this is really a once in a lifetime opportunity to have a community vision to have something nice for 75 to 100 years.”

Phil Corso contributed to this report.

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Thurber Lumber Company is closing its doors for good this month. Photo by Giselle Barkley

After 57 years, the Thurber Lumber Company won’t be open for business after January.

The family-owned and -operated business is giving its inventory to Riverhead Building Supply, a lumber company that announced plans for expansion on Jan. 5. The latter company will also acquire several Nassau Suffolk Lumber locations including its lumberyards in Port Jefferson, Locust Valley and cabinet showroom in Bohemia. The company will still own its Huntington lumberyard, but Riverhead Building Supply will also operate out of that location.

Although Thurber Lumber is transferring its lumber and tools to Riverhead Building Supply, Thurber is keeping its property in Rocky Point. Kevin Keillor Jr., co-owner of Thurber Lumber, couldn’t disclose what he and his father Kevin Keillor Sr. will do with the property, or their asking price if they decide to sell the land, because the deal between the companies is ongoing.

John Callahan, president of Riverhead Building Supply, said his company expects to close the deal in early February. Callahan also wouldn’t disclose how much his company will spend on Thurber’s inventory and Nassau Suffolk Lumber’s three lumberyards. He said his business and the two lumber companies started discussing plans to transfer ownership last November.

“We have good relationships with all of our competitors in the area,” Callahan said. “Growth has always been a primary focus. It’s known among our competitors. If an opportunity arrives [the companies are] open to those discussions.”

Keillor Jr. and Nassau Suffolk Lumber owner Chris Van Tuyl approached Riverhead Building Supply. He didn’t specify why they decided to sell the company’s inventory but said the “business climate over the years has certainly changed.”

According to Chicago Mercantile Exchange, toward the end of September 2008 lumber prices dropped below $230/1,000 board feet. Since then, lumber prices increased to $256.70/1,000 board feet.

While the recession hit many businesses hard, Thurber Lumber, which was founded in 1931, and Nassau Suffolk Lumber, survived as they had for several decades. Twenty-eight years later, Myron Keillor purchased the property. For nearly six decades the family owned and operated the business that served a wide variety of communities in the area. While the reason behind its closing is unknown, Nassau Suffolk Lumber chose to sell because Chris Van Tuyl and his brother William don’t have another family member to take over the business.

“My brother and I don’t have any kids in the business and we started to get some offers for the property,” Chris Van Tuyl said.

Amid the property offers, the duo decided to contact Riverhead Building Supply last year. They hoped selling to a fellow lumber company would help their employees find jobs once the store closed. Riverhead Building Supply is accepting job applications from former Thurber and Nassau Suffolk Lumber employees.

Nassau Suffolk Lumber was incorporated in 1927. The Van Tuyl family was one of four families in the lumber business to come together to strengthen the company during tough economic times. The company’s Port Jefferson lumberyard was established several years later, in the late 1970s.

Although the transfer of ownership is a loss to the company, Chris Van Tuyl also said his customers and employees alike will be in good hands. Once the deal closes this coming February, Riverhead Building Supply’s new stores will be open to the public.

“There’s a lot to do in the next three weeks,” Callahan said. “We look forward to continuing the relationships that these companies have with their customers.”

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Money will fund the purchase of a cataloging program

Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe’s new grant will help the center document important information and provide a temperature controlled-storage unit to house artifacts. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe rang in the new year with another grant.

On Jan. 5, the center announced that it received a grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation. The news comes just two days before the anniversary of Nikola Tesla’s death, which was on Jan. 7, 1943.

The money from the grant will fund the purchase of a cataloging program and storage unit. While the new unit allows the center to store artifacts and collections, the program, PastPerfect, will help the center record and document those artifacts and collections.

The organization applied for the $3,800 grant in October and was approved the following month. Although it received the grant in December, the organization was unable to buy the program at the time. But the news that they received the full $3,800 grant was a surprise.

The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation supports and aims to preserve New York State history, particularly in Suffolk County. The foundation is known for meeting organizations halfway on an approved grant.

“We support [the organizations],” said Kathryn Curran, president of the foundation. “But they also need to find ways to be sustainable.”

Organizations applying for a grant must be able to fund half the money it requests on the application. Curran said Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe received the full grant they applied for because the organization wasn’t requesting a significant amount of money and because, when it comes to fundraising, Curran said, the center is one of the best. Although Tesla Science Center applied for the grant in hopes of purchasing the program, Treasurer Mary Daum said the program hasn’t been installed yet, but will be soon.

In 2012, the center raised $1.37 million dollars in one month from a crowdfunding campaign. Daum said this was the organization’s first real fundraising campaign. The money they raised helped purchase the Tesla Science Center property at the time. As Nikola Tesla’s last and only existing laboratory, Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe is world-renowned, leaving them with thousands of followers. Some followers are active donors, while others like to keep up with the center’s newsletter.

Although the organization didn’t use crowdfunding to help raise money for its last fundraiser, they raised around $17,000 during its six-week campaign.

“We’ve done so much work on construction or improving the grounds, and that’s not the kind of thing the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation supports,” Daum said. “But what they do support is preserving Long Island’s historic legacy.”

While it was the first time the center applied for a grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, it wasn’t the first time the foundation gave an organization the full grant it applied for. The foundation wants to know that organizations like the center at Wardenclyffe are meeting their fundraising goals.

It will be a few years before the center achieves its main goal of establishing a science center and museum, but Jane Alcorn, president of Tesla Science Center, said it recently purchased a collection of historic electrical equipment that are similar to tools Tesla may have used during his lifetime and other artifacts the center can catalog.

“We feel very fortunate that the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation provided funding for us to start our collection on the right foot,” Alcorn said. “We’re grateful to their foresight in providing grants to us and local institutions.”

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Erin Schroeder, co-producer of “Distiller,” left, poses with her husband, Andy Schroeder, after the film’s Long Island premiere screening. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Milk doesn’t just build strong bones, it also builds strong ghosts — at least in “Distiller.” During the Long Island premiere screening of H.A.M. Studio’s “Distiller,” on Jan. 8 on the lower level of the Emma S. Clark Library in Setauket, residents saw these ghosts wreak havoc in the film. This followed the world premiere on Jan. 2 at the Proctor Theatre in New York City.

Despite the smaller venue, director, co-writer and co-producer Andy Schroeder of Port Jefferson Station, said he can breathe a little easier. “It’s a huge weight off my shoulders,” Andy said after the screening on Friday. “Now [my wife and I] could just enjoy getting to see audience members enjoy it.”

Andy’s wife Erin co-produced the film, which features scenes shot in Port Jefferson and at the Emma S. Clark Library. The film highlights ghost hunter Matthew Moon, who captures ghosts in liquor bottles until his mysterious disappearance. Twenty years later, Moon’s niece, Blue, inherits her uncle’s belongings only to get a ghoulish surprise once she opens the bottles.

“It had elements of a lot of different movies,” Mark Rothenberg said after seeing the film.  “They put [the scenes] together nicely and it had a lot of [scenes] from the area. It was good to see Long Island getting some recognition.”

Rothenberg’s wife, Carolyn Emerson, a reference librarian at the library, added that the antiquity of the library added to the ambiance of the film, especially considering the history of the library. According to Emerson, before the library was established, the property housed a general store that sold coffins.

Rothenberg and Emerson weren’t the only ones to like the film and its “old-school” graphics. Mike O’Connor and Michelle Tommaso of Smithtown also enjoyed the film’s special effects.

“All of the creatures, they were fantastic,” Tommaso said about the film’s ghosts. “It was really depressing when they tore open the little teddy bear and crawled inside of it, but it was also terrifying and really wacky how everything was moving.”

In the film, a freed ghost tailors Blue Moon’s old stuffed teddy bear and wears it as a costume to get around Moon’s home. The ghost, like others in the film, was a puppet designed for the film. The Schroeders stuck to tangible props like puppets to make the film more authentic. Andy also said this old school approach is more appealing for its authenticity and for the actors — the actors can use the real props to help further their performance on screen.

Andy started writing the script in 2012 with writing partner Steve Sacco. The cast and crew started filming in 2012. The film wasn’t the only project the Schroeders were working on. They also created posters and small comic strips for the film’s premiere screenings this month. Residents who attended the premiere could take a poster and some comics after the film ended.

While Andy has no plans for a sequel, he said he intends to produce more films in the future. “All our ideas are sort of similar … not the ideas for the story, but the tone,” he said. “We want to do something that’s sort of for everybody.”

Residents who couldn’t make the premiere screenings can purchase the film on iTunes and Amazon Prime for $12.99 and on Google Play for $9.99. They can also rent it on Google Play for $3.99.

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Supervisor Ed Romaine takes his oath of office at the 2016 inauguration ceremony at the Town of Brookhaven headquarters. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Brookhaven is back in business.

Elected officials, their family members and other residents packed into the Town of Brookhaven auditorium in Farmingville on Jan. 7 to witness Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) being sworn into his second full term in office alongside fellow recently elected and re-elected board members, including board newcomer Councilman Michael Loguercio (R-Middle Island) and other town officials.

Loguercio said he was also in good spirits. He said the ceremony was a good way to begin “the long journey to continue helping the community.”

Back in November, Loguercio won the race for the 4th District — a position previously held by former Councilwoman Connie Kepert, a Democrat.

Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) said Thursday’s ceremony was a day of celebration that helped validate how residents voted during the 2015 elections. Bonner added “they like to make it open to the public so they could see the whole process and take part in it.”

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone speaks during the 2016 inauguration ceremony at the Town of Brookhaven headquarters. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone speaks during the 2016 inauguration ceremony at the Town of Brookhaven headquarters. Photo by Giselle Barkley

In light of the board’s past work, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) highlighted Romaine’s performance as the supervisor saying that Romaine has always been one of the fiercest and most passionate advocates for what he believes in.

“That’s what leadership is about really,” Bellone said. “Putting aside the things that will at the end of the day do not really matter to people’s lives but what will make our communities and our town and our country a better place.”

Although residents saw the supervisor and Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R) officially sworn into their terms for the first time on Thursday, other elected officials recently elected to the board were officially sworn in at a previous event held on Tuesday Jan. 5. While several councilmembers were no strangers to the ceremony, the swearing in process still never gets boring, one North Shore lawmaker said.

Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro takes his oath of office for the first time at the 2016 inauguration ceremony at the Town of Brookhaven headquarters. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro takes his oath of office at the 2016 inauguration ceremony at the Town of Brookhaven headquarters. Photo by Giselle Barkley

“I’m really excited to get started again,” said Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) before the ceremony. “It was a great first two years — we accomplished a great deal. I’m really looking forward to the next two years.”

Romaine was sworn in last by Judge Judith Pascale, who also spoke highly of the supervisor and his leadership before he took his oath of office. Despite the praise, Romaine admitted that addressing challenges in the town is a group effort.

“Working in concert with our colleagues at Suffolk County and New York State will determine in large part the future we face,” Romaine said in his speech following his oath. “I pledge to work with my town board to find common purpose. To address these challenges head on and to make decisions necessary for a prosperous future and one that serves all the residents of this town.”

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Three trustee seats up for election next Wednesday

The upcoming budget vote is at the library on Thompson Street. File photo

By Giselle Barkley

Port Jefferson Free Library will soon have a full board of trustees for the first time in a while, after an election on Jan. 13 in which four candidates are running for three seats.

Residents can meet the group at the library on Monday, at 7 p.m., including incumbents Laura Hill Timpanaro and Susan Prechtl-Loper with newcomers Carl Siegel and Joel Rosenthal.

Susan Prechtl-Loper is running for the Port Jefferson library’s board of trustees. Photo from the candidate
Susan Prechtl-Loper is running for the Port Jefferson library’s board of trustees. Photo from the candidate

The two candidates who win the most votes will secure seats with five-year terms and the third-place finisher will win a seat that carries a two-year term.

The shorter term is available after former Trustee Harriet Martin vacated her seat on the board, leaving a couple of years left on her term.

Hill Timpanaro, the current board president, has been a trustee for the past five years and is seeking re-election. She heads the library’s planning and building committee and has worked on several projects, including securing grants and modernizing the library to keep up with changes in technology.

“The library is moving into a time of change, not only for PJFL but for the libraries in general,” Hill Timpanaro said in an email. “As technology continues to change patrons’ needs we have the opportunity to create a community cornerstone that suits a diverse clientele and becomes [an] anchor for the community.”

Laura Hill Timpanaro is running for the Port Jefferson library’s board of trustees. Photo from the candidate
Laura Hill Timpanaro is running for the Port Jefferson library’s board of trustees. Photo from the candidate

Hill Timpanaro has lived in Port Jefferson for 15 years. Outside the library, she’s also helped secure funds to build a garden at the Port Jefferson elementary school.

She hopes to continue her work on expanding the library in a new term, especially now that the library has acquired two adjacent properties — a residence on Thompson Street and a business on East Main Street.

Fellow incumbent Prechtl-Loper, the board’s financial officer and a member since 2013, is also seeking re-election, with the goal of further improving the library and its services.

She said the biggest accomplishment for the trustees since she first joined was when the library purchased the Scented Cottage Garden property on East Main Street in May, to help satisfy the library’s parking and general needs.

For Prechtl-Loper, a village resident for more than 20 years and a library member for more than 50, the institution is like home.

Carl Siegel is running for the Port Jefferson library’s board of trustees. Photo from Valerie Schwarz
Carl Siegel is running for the Port Jefferson library’s board of trustees. Photo from Valerie Schwarz

“I grew up in the library,” she said. “I have really fond memories there.”

Siegel, like the incumbents, is no stranger to the board of trustees. He served from 1994 to 1999 and is hoping to return this year.

During Siegel’s previous tenure, he helped establish the children’s library and an adult reading room, among several other projects. Now that building plans are underway to address a parking shortage and add a room to host live performances, Siegel wants to help execute those projects.

He was an English teacher at the Port Jefferson high school for 23 years before retiring in 1992. Since then, he’s been active in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Stony Brook University, which offers a variety of courses to its older students. He served as its president in 1997.

For Rosenthal, whose has lived in Port Jefferson Village for 50 years, the election is a new phase. While he’s never been a trustee, Rosenthal is aware of the library’s plans for expansion and would like to work with fellow trustees on the projects.

Joel Rosenthal is running for the Port Jefferson library’s board of trustees. Photo from Valerie Schwarz
Joel Rosenthal is running for the Port Jefferson library’s board of trustees. Photo from Valerie Schwarz

“With the tremendous changes in technology, [the trustees] should make some informed decisions about the library,” he said in an interview.

Rosenthal is a distinguished professor emeritus of history at Stony Brook University. He was also previously the chair of the history department and took on other administrative roles before partially retiring from the university.

Although Rosenthal said he would prefer the two-year seat to a five-year seat, he would “take what I can get.”

Voting is at the library on Wednesday, Jan. 13, between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.

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Steve Sacco’s character Matthew Moon captures a ghost in a scene from ‘Distiller.’ Photo from Andy Schroeder

There’s no genie in the Distiller’s bottles — only ghosts. The community can catch a glimpse of these ghosts in H.A.M. Studio’s spooky film “Distiller” at a free Long Island premiere screening at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket this Friday evening.

Filmed partially on Long Island, “Distiller” includes scenes shot locally along the North Shore and was produced by the husband and wife filmmaking team of Andy and Erin Schroeder, residents of Port Jefferson Station.

The film follows renowned ghost hunter Matthew Moon, who hunts and captures menacing ghosts in liquor bottles until his disappearance. Twenty years later, Moon’s niece Blue inherits his belongings and estate along with Moon’s collection of ghostly bottles. Moon’s niece and nephew Charlie discover what gives their uncle’s liquor bottles their kick when they open the bottles during their Fourth of July party.

Above, actress Amy Ciupek, left, and Andy Schroeder finalize audio for the film Distiller. Photo from Andy Schroeder
Above, actress Amy Ciupek, left, and Andy Schroeder finalize audio for the film Distiller. Photo from Andy Schroeder

Andy Schroeder, who also directs the film, came up with the idea for the film in the summer of 2012 with the help of Steve Sacco, who plays the part of Matthew Moon in the film.

Sacco and Schroeder teamed up to write the script, which took four months to complete. Filming followed shortly after and extended into 2013. Although less than two weeks was spent filming the actors’ scenes, Schroeder said more than 280 days was devoted to filming the movie’s numerous effect shots.

Schroeder wanted to take an “old school” approach to the film when it came to props and special effects. Puppets, real animals and other tangible props were used to add depth and authenticity to the film. This approach to special effects allowed the film to attract adults and kids alike. “We felt like there’s really not a lot of movies you can watch with kids that are under 13,” said Schroeder. “It’s definitely a movie for adults but we made it to be a family-friendly film … We didn’t want it to be a blood and guts kind of movie.”

Actor Dan Noonan, 31, who plays Charlie Moon, said people should look beyond the old school effects. “I think in this day and age in regards to just the tone of the movie, go in with an open mind expecting to have a good time,” Noonan said. “People get way too involved in how effects should look.”

Noonan lives in Albany but he met Schroeder in college more than 10 years ago. He said Schroeder reached out to him about playing Charlie for the film. Noonan added that filming was an eye-opening experience that left him wanting to make more movies. Noonan is waiting to pursue acting opportunities until after the film’s official release.

The film may not have many big name actors, but it does includes local actors and actresses like Ward Melville High School graduate Kerry Logan. Logan also appeared in the CW’s “Carrie Diaries” and played Piper’s cousin in “Orange Is the New Black.”

Members of the cast and crew of ‘Distiller,’ from left, Ritch Harrigan; Amy Ciupek; Erin and Andy Schroeder; Dan Noonan; and Steve Sacco. Photo from Andy Schroeder
Members of the cast and crew of ‘Distiller,’ from left, Ritch Harrigan; Amy Ciupek; Erin and Andy Schroeder; Dan Noonan; and Steve Sacco. Photo from Andy Schroeder

While the “Distiller” cast tackles their ghosts, the community can catch glimpses of Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket, Port Jefferson Village and the Berkshires in the film. Schroeder and his cast and crew utilized Emma S. Clark’s historic periodical reading room in several scenes, which was the original library building in 1892 according to Andy’s wife Erin who helped produce the film alongside her husband.

“It looks very rich and regal,” said  Erin, about the older section of the library. The couple thought filming scenes in these areas of the library would improve the look of the film and save money at the same time. As a library assistant at Emma S. Clark, Erin helped secure the location for the film.

While her husband majored in music engineering and producing at SUNY Oneonta, Erin wasn’t as familiar with producing a film. She chose to help the film behind the scenes by designing props and helping her husband with effects, saying, “It was the two of us, Andy and I, doing all the editing, music production, doing all the sound effects.”

Andy Schroeder once worked at the Setauket library as a page while he was attending Ward Melville High School. Now he produces the Town of Brookhaven’s TV Channel 18 on Cablevision as an audio-video production specialist and is also the artist of a weekly comic strip based on “Distiller,” which follows “Uncle Matt,” the film’s ghost hunter, on his supernatural misadventures. While he has produced other short films and music videos in the past, this is Schroeder’s first feature film.

While Schroeder doesn’t plan on creating a sequel to “Distiller,” the money earned from this production will go toward creating more films in the future. While he grew up in Setauket, Schroeder and his wife currently reside in Port Jefferson Station with their parakeets Doc, Cuddles, Quattro and Baby.

Residents can find out what happened to Moon and his ghosts at the film’s free screening on Friday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. at the Emma S. Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket. Andy and Erin Schroeder will be in attendance to answer questions and the film crew will distribute free “Distiller” posters and comics based on the film’s characters during the premiere. The film will be available nationally on digital Video-On-Demand on iTunes, Amazon Prime and Google Play this Friday.

For more information on the film, to view the trailer or to see behind the scenes footage, visit www.distillerthemovie.com.

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Kevin Foley watches a basketball game from the sidelines. Photo from Kerry Swanson

Just keep shooting.

That’s what Kevin Foley used to tell the players on the Suffolk County Community College women’s basketball team. And encouraging them to never give up wasn’t just a message for between the paint — it went for when they were off the court as well. Even his retirement as the women’s basketball head coach earlier in 2015 didn’t stop Foley from continuing to support his players — he returned to SCCC as the institution’s athletic director that same year.

That is why Kevin Foley is a 2015 Times Beacon Record Newspapers Person of the Year.

Vice President of Student Affairs Christopher Adams said Foley has worked at the college nearly 37 years as a professor and member of the school’s athletic department. While Adams described Foley as dedicated and passionate, he said it’s his overall approach to life that resonates with him.

“He’s very big on success in the classroom and the athletic fields.”

Adams said Foley instilled important life lessons into all of his players: You’ll be successful if you’re a “good sport” who follows the rules.

Foley was like a father figure for some of his players in his 19 years of coaching, those close to him said. Former SCCC student and basketball player Colleen Quinn said she remembers Foley differently from other coaches she had when growing up. As a high school student, Quinn said she always felt like she wasn’t doing well on the basketball court.

“I only really had a few coaches to compare him to, and those coaches were similar [to one another],” Quinn said. “Now that I’m an adult and I can look at how [Foley] handled [coaching] and how he managed his team … you’ve got to kill yourself to prove anything to him [because] he already sees what your potential is and he’ll nurture it.”

Quinn played for Foley when she attended the college in 1997, graduating from SCCC two years later. Quinn, of Middle Island, was a senior in high school when Foley approached her after watching her play a game at the college.

Kevin Foley has his team huddle around him for a mid-game discussion. Photo from Kerry Swanson
Kevin Foley has his team huddle around him for a mid-game discussion. Photo from Kerry Swanson

She didn’t plan on playing basketball at the college level before Foley spoke to her. But Foley helped her, and many students just like her.

SCCC’s Athletics and Intramurals Coordinator Kerry Swanson met Foley 20 years ago when she was one of his players. Swanson attended the college in the early to mid-1990s.

She admitted that she was unsure of what she was doing with her life and Foley helped steer her in the right direction. According to Swanson, Foley has a knack for helping those who are lost find their way, regardless of who they are or his relationship with them.

“He tries to connect with people on some level. If he can go out of his way for someone, he just goes out of his way,” Swanson said about the current athletic director.

Adams said Foley also put the college on the map, as many SCCC sports teams have improved under his leadership. He’s also earned several awards on multiple occasions, including the NATYCAA Cup, otherwise known as the Pepsi Cup; the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup; the Mickey Crowley Metropolitan Officials Sportsmanship award; and the Joe DeBonis Sportsmanship Award. The college received this regional award 12 times in the past two decades.

He also celebrated his 400th career win earlier in 2015, along with several other awards for his work as a professor.

In honor of Foley and all his achievements on and off the court, SCCC will rename the basketball court on the school’s Ammerman Campus in Selden after him.

As a senior attending Seton Hall High School in 1965, Foley averaged 30 points per game. He also received a basketball scholarship to attend Seton Hall University, where he served as the team’s captain from 1968-69. In 1994, he was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame.

“He is someone that could have gone anywhere to coach big-time athletics,” Adams said. “He’s been at the college for almost 37 years. That speaks to his dedication and it speaks to his love for our college and for the students.”

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Josephine Lunde poses with Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine during a back-to-school drive. File photo

Josephine Lunde never gives up.

More than a decade ago, Lunde started volunteering with the Town of Brookhaven’s annual Toy Drive. Her need to help Brookhaven residents landed her a full-time position at Brookhaven’s Youth Bureau two years ago, and because of her ongoing efforts to helping others, she has been named one of the 2015 Times Beacon Record Newspapers’ People of the Year.

“She was full time anyway,” said Maria Polack, a secretary to the tax assessor. “She does the work of, like, five men — for real.”

Polack met Lunde 15 years ago when Lunde started volunteering at the Town of Brookhaven. When it comes to helping others, Lunde’s work ethic is second to none. On many occasions, Lunde stayed up all hours of the night into the early morning to work on her many fundraising events. Lunde doesn’t only help organize Brookhaven’s Toy Drive, which helps about 7,000 children around the holidays, she also organizes a variety of events, including food drives, school supply drives, clothing drives, volunteer programs for senior citizens and the prom dress program, to name a few.

Lunde has led the prom program for around three years, according to Diana Weir, commissioner of Brookhaven’s Housing and Human Services department. The event allows girls from families in need to select prom attire, from dresses to purses, shoes and more. Schools allow their students to attend the event by appointment. Lunde started staying after hours to accommodate students and their families who couldn’t get a dress during the program’s daytime hours. Weir said Lunde’s dedication and desire to spend as much time as possible makes the Medford resident more special.

“She will never complain,” Weir said. “She never says boo.”

Josephine Lunde poses with Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. Photo from Brookhaven Town
Josephine Lunde poses with Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. Photo from Brookhaven Town

While every child who registers for the prom dress program gets special attention, Polack remembers Lunde going above and beyond for one high school student who thought she was too overweight to attend her prom. Lunde didn’t only get her a dress, she organized for the student to get her nails and hair done.

“The determination in Josie is bigger than both of us when she makes up her mind that she’s going to help somebody,” Polack said.

Brookhaven Town Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro (R) said Lunde is one who focuses her attention on those in need in the community, especially those who don’t always want to ask for help.

“A lot of those folks that she works with are people who are very proud, and who might not otherwise seek assistance. These things have gotten really expensive,” Losquadro said about Lunde and buying gifts around the holidays.

Lunde’s son Mike said his mother has always been one to help others but, almost to a fault.

“She doesn’t think of herself,” the son said.

When Mike was a child, his mother was a den mother for his Boy Scout troop, and took on other responsibilities when her kids were getting older.

Regardless of her accomplishments, Lunde likes to stay in the background. But whether she’s in the forefront at an event or working behind the scenes, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said the Town is happy to have her.

“Someone like her really adds to what it means to be a part of a town,” Romaine said. “She’s the heart of Brookhaven because she takes the heart of all the problems and tries to make them better. … We should have more people like her in this world. If we did, it’d be a much better place.”

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