David Tunney is ready to open a new restaurant in Stony Brook Village Center. Photo from Eagle Realty Holdings
After being vacant since September, the spot formerly occupied by Pentimento will be home to a new restaurant.
In a statement Jan. 31, Eagle Realty Holdings Inc. announced David Tunney, who owns and operates several restaurants on Long Island from Port Jefferson to Roslyn, will open a new restaurant at 93 Main St. in Stony Brook Village Center.
“After many interviews with at least a half-dozen local and more distant restaurateurs, Eagle Realty Holdings trustees are pleased with our choice of David,” said chairman Richard Rugen in the press release.
According to Eagle Realty, Tunney is expected to open the new restaurant in the spring. He has not announced the name of the business or what will be offered.
“This will be a new concept, different cuisine and a whole new look,” Tunney said in the press release.
The business owner has been in the restaurant industry for 35 years and is a familiar face in the Three Village area. He grew up in Setauket and graduated from Ward Melville High School. In 2019, he bought the former Raga Indian Restaurant on Old Town Road and turned it into Old Fields Barbecue.
“This is where I grew up, this is where my roots are, and it’s amazing to come back to it,” Tunney said in a 2019 TBR News Media interview.
In addition to the Setauket spot, he owns Old Fields restaurants in Port Jefferson and Greenlawn and Old Fields Barbecue in Huntington. He is also one of the founders of the Besito Restaurant Group along with his brother John and part-owner of Besito Mexican restaurants in Huntington and Roslyn.
In the 2019 interview, Tunney said he had good memories of growing up in the Three Village area. His mother, Marilyn, worked in the TBR News Media offices for 25 years, and one of his first jobs was at the Arby’s that once was located where the Setauket Main Street firehouse is today. Tunney said his first job was with the former Dining Car 1890 that was located on Route 25A and Nicolls Road, where he started as a dishwasher.
In the interview, Tunney said he leaves the cooking to the chefs and enjoys the hospitality side of the business, which he learned from his brother John.
“The part I really love about it is making people have a great experience and that they just love all the food, the service, the ambiance, how they are taken care of,” he said in the interview.
Three Village Historical Society’s new president Jeff Schnee, right, with his wife, Jeri-Ann, center, and son Dan. Photo from Jeff Schnee
As a new year began and the Three Village Historical Society looked toward the future, a new board was sworn in, including new president Jeff Schnee.
Photo from Three Village Historical Society
Previously co-vice president of the society, Schnee takes over the position that Stephen Healy has held for the past five years.
The new society president said he grew up in Queens, and when he arrived in the Three Village area to attend Stony Brook University in the mid-1970s, he never looked back. After graduating, he lived by the historical society headquarters on Main Street in Setauket for eight years and now resides in Old Field.
A few years ago, Schnee said when he joined the society’s board, it wasn’t necessarily a love for history that brought him to become a member of the historical society but a desire to help the community, something that he has aimed to do since his college days when he helped to start SBU’s dorm patrol walk service and to bring a student cafe to the university’s Gershwin building.
“I was always interested in community service,” he said. “I think it’s something everyone should do.”
The Dominick-Crawford Barn also drew him to the society. The pre-Civil War barn once sat across the street from his home in Old Field. Due to lack of upkeep and exposure to the elements, it was in poor condition.
When the historical society approached the Old Field board of trustees about moving the barn to the field adjoining its headquarters, Schnee said it was the right move. With talks going on about the barn, he decided to join the historical society six years ago.
As for the future of the barn, which will be repaired and used for a museum and education center, the new president said he’s excited. When the weather gets warmer, there will be a groundbreaking and work will begin with plans for an archives center on the second floor. The hope is that the barn will be completed within the year, Schnee said.
With an archives space, residents will be able to come to the barn and work with the archives, and the museum will provide opportunities for school trips.
“What we try to do is to make the local community aware of the history here,” he said.
TVHS is also aiming to begin the digitalization of its archives to make them more accessible to the public. For two months this spring, a group will come in and archive the society’s painting collection, according to Schnee. Then a plan will be developed to figure out what platform to use to digitize all of the archives, a process which can take a few years.
Schnee makes it clear to everyone that he’s not an expert on local history but feels he brings a lot to the table due to his education and career background that covers the fields of technology, finances, IT and business.
“I’m not a historian, history was never my thing,” he said. “I’m an operations guy.”
Throughout his career, Schnee has worked with human resources professionals and facility departments which have enhanced his skill set.
“I’m a new tool in the toolbox for the Three Village Historical Society,” he said.
“I’m not a historian, history was never my thing. I’m an operations guy.”
— Jeff Schnee
Since he became co-vice president two years ago, the historical society has had to face the challenges that arrived with COVID-19. The society couldn’t hold events at the height of the pandemic and wasn’t able to recruit new board members. The society members turned to Zoom to conduct meetings as well as for lectures and educational programs.
Technology also came in handy as staff members switched to working from home instead of the office, Schnee said, with the society switching from relying on a server and to using a cloud-based product.
With COVID-19 mandates being lifted, the organization is looking to get back into action. Last summer and fall, the society was able to host its farmers and artisans market. Schnee said as the society began to recruit new board members once again, they looked for people with experience in archiving, human resources and grant writing.
Another new goal is to work with other local organizations, he said, such as museums and other art and historical organizations.
“We shall be working together, because a patron who comes to the Three Village Historical Society — they’re interested in educating themselves — and it could either be the Culper Spy Ring or it could be for the Chicken Hill exhibit, to talk about a community that existed here in the past, or as simple as to find out the history of their home,” he said, adding that the society has the archives to help people learn about their home or street where they live.
“So, once they finish our tours, they’re going to go and look somewhere else and half the time they ask us for what else is in the area to do?”
He said relationships can be cultivated during the society’s annual Candlelight House Tour and the farmers market. This year the Reboli Center for Art & History was a stop for the tour and where participants were able to pick up their event tickets. The feedback from the center was that many people told them they didn’t realize the center existed. He said the historical society working with Gallery North on events has also been beneficial.
As for sharing local history, Schnee is excited about a new app called Tapestry. With a $125,000 grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the historical society will be working with a company to develop an augmented reality experience and will be only one of five museums to have AR added to one of its exhibits. Preliminary work has been done, and the hope is that the TVHS will be able to launch it in early spring.
Visitors will be able to use their smartphones at the Spies! exhibit at the society’s headquarters to download the app and then point at different pictures and artifacts which will bring up additional educational content.
“When you finish the tour, you will then take your smartphone, and it’ll guide you throughout the community to a few historically significant sites of the Culper Spy Ring, and then you hold the phone up, point at some different landmarks, and you’ll see how things were in the past.”
Schnee said when he attended Stony Brook University, he didn’t realize the rich history of the area.
“Honestly, I didn’t know the George Washington spies were in Setauket,” he said. “I didn’t know about Chicken Hill. I didn’t know that existed.”
With the appreciation of local history he’s developed over the years — even though he said he can only give the 5 cent tour — he’s ready for the future of TVHS.
Above, Three Village Historical Society’s new president Jeff Schnee, right, with his wife, Jeri-Ann, center, and son Dan. Below, Schnee at Culper Spy Day last September.Photo from Jeff Schnee
Sarah Desthers, a Smithtown High School West student, saved her mother using techniques she learned in an elective course taught by Cherie Diamond. Photo from Kim Desthers
It can be difficult to stay calm, cool and collected in certain situations, never mind when one’s mother is choking. Somehow, Sarah Desthers managed to do just that on the night of Jan. 12.
Cherie Diamond with teaching the first aid elective course. Photo from Cherie Diamond
The 15-year-old remembered vital lessons she learned in her first aid/CPR elective health course at Smithtown High School West when she walked into the kitchen and realized her mother Kim was choking and saved her life.
Kim Desthers said she was cleaning up the kitchen after a late dinner when she took a spoonful of food and choked on it. Sarah had just come out of her room, the mother said and noticed something was wrong with her.
While she doesn’t remember much about the few minutes she was choking, Kim Desthers said her daughter realized she wasn’t making any noise and asked if she was OK.
“I was really too stunned to even respond,” the mother said. “I was so scared.”
She added that being a dental hygienist who knows first aid techniques such as the Heimlich maneuver and CPR, she was a bit embarrassed to find herself in the situation.
“I just stopped short,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do.”
The mother of three said her daughter asked, “Mom are you choking?” When she couldn’t respond, Sarah said to her, “You have to nod. If I need to give you the Heimlich, you need to nod. I need to know.”
The mother said once she nodded her head, her daughter sprang into action. She didn’t even call for her father, who is a New York City firefighter, she just began the lifesaving technique.
Kim Desthers said there was a moment when she thought she was going to die.
“I can’t die,” she said to herself. “I need to be a mom to all these kids.”
The first aid elective course taught by Cherie Diamond is one Sarah decided to take because she is planning to be a camp counselor this summer, and she’s glad she did. The high school sophomore said a lot was going through her head as she realized her mother was choking.
“When you’re in that kind of situation, there is no time to hesitate, because my mom’s life was at risk,” she said. “And that’s one of the scariest things that could ever happen.”
She said in addition to learning how to do the maneuver, Diamond has taught the students to stay levelheaded. Sarah said after not only taking the class but going through the experience of using the Heimlich, she has some advice for those who may find themselves in similar situations.
“Just stay ahead of what’s going on,” the student said. “Always be listening. Pay attention if you think something’s wrong. Just don’t panic. Panicking is probably the worst thing you could do. Just figure out what’s wrong and try to help them.”
Sarah said even though COVID protocols may have made taking the first aid class more difficult Diamond made sure the students could be hands-on as much as possible.
“I appreciate that,” Sarah said. “She’s a very good teacher, and she helped me save my mom’s life.”
Diamond, who has been teaching the class in schools for more than 20 years, said it’s the first time that a student has had to use the technique while still in her class.
“You can’t ask for anything more as a teacher than to have your students apply the information they learned, much less a lifesaving device,” the teacher said.
She’s also proud of how calm Sarah stayed in the situation.
“When you come across a first aid situation, you not only have to control your own anxiety but also the anxiety of someone who may be seriously hurt,” she said. “You have to be able to control your own emotions enough to be clear in thought, and to be able to do what you have to do and not panic and freeze.”
The teacher believes everyone should get first aid training and recommends Advanced Training Center of Long Island in Smithtown. For more information, go to the website advancedtrainingcenterli.com.
Residents rally in front of the H. Lee Dennison Building in support of IR 1964 on Jan. 24. Photo by Rita J. Egan
On Jan. 24, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) and county Legislator Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), who serves as the Legislature’s new presiding officer, reached an agreement regarding a county redistricting debate that has been ongoing for months.
The agreement, according to a press release from Bellone’s office, “paves the way for an open and fair process for adopting new legislative district maps and ensures an increase in the number of majority minority legislative districts in Suffolk County.”
At press time, a special meeting of the Legislature was being held to vote on an amendment in the County Charter. If approved, it will extend the period of time needed for the reapportionment commission to file new redistricting maps until Aug. 1. The legislators will also vote on new legislation “establishing a requirement that any maps drawn and adopted ahead of the 2023 legislative elections shall include no less than four majority minority legislative districts,” according to the press release.
The statement further explained that the bipartisan reapportionment commission will hold at least 10 public hearings to enable each town in Suffolk County to take part before maps are developed. After maps, which would include 18 new legislative districts, are agreed upon, at least two more meetings will be held.
“I am pleased to announce an agreement with the presiding officer that guarantees an unprecedented four majority-minority legislative districts in Suffolk County through a transparent redistricting process that is legally sustainable,” Bellone said. “Given the importance of ensuring fair representation for communities of color and looming legal challenges to the proposed map in IR 1964, we cannot leave to chance anything short of ensuring equitable representation, reflective of the county’s diversity, in our legislative district map.”
Republicans had begun legislation to rescind the Democrats IR 1964 redistricting reapportionment map bill that was passed Dec. 31 by the Legislature, when Democrats still held the majority in the county legislature. The Republicans are currently in the majority, 11-7. A lawsuit was also filed against the plan by Republicans, while the bill awaited Bellone’s signature or veto.
The county executive said he will work with the Legislature on the new agreement, which he feels will “commence a fair redistricting process that provides for significant public input in preparation for the next county election cycle in November 2023.”
The decision was made on the same day that local community advocacy groups joined forces at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge in search of fair representation for all Suffolk County residents.
The representatives, with a letter in hand signed by the members of the advocacy groups as well as elected officials and representatives of local Democratic committees, were urging Bellone to sign IR 1964. After a brief press conference, the representatives hand delivered the letter to the county executive’s office.
Among the speakers at the rally was Beverly Dean of the Brookhaven Rosa Parks Democratic Association.
“We must do this,” Dean said. “We must have this bill signed. The Suffolk County Legislature came together on Dec. 31, and put into action what we needed and they passed it. We need our county legislators that we elected to sign this into law today.”
Shoshana Hershkowitz, founder of Suffolk Progressives, and others at the rally felt a Republican redistricting plan would be gerrymandering. After the agreement between Bellone and McCaffrey, Hershkowitz released a statement.
“We are disappointed that despite the widespread support for IR 1964, including nonpartisan organizations like the League of Women Voters, County Executive Bellone has chosen to make a deal behind closed doors with Presiding Officer McCaffrey,” she wrote. “Quite frankly, given Mr. McCaffrey’s legislative record, trusting him to honor the promise of equitable redistricting is highly questionable.”
Comments from the Jan. 26 Suffolk County Legislature meeting were not available at press time.
In June 2020, Clark Gillies thanked the Long Island Royal hockey team players for their donation to Huntington Hospital's Clark Gillies pediatric emergency department team and pediatric unit team. Photo from Huntington Hospital
Clark Gillies (#9) and former Islander defenseman Eric Cairns (#33) help Stop & Shop employees off-load Thanksgiving turkeys in November 2021. Stop & Shop donated 1,000 turkeys each to Island Harvest Food Bank and Long Island Cares, Inc.- The Harry Chapin Food Bank. Photo by Liz Flynn
New York Islanders forward Clark Gillies delivers the eulogy at a Mass celebrating Al Arbour’s life April 8, 2061, at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Huntington. Photo by Alex Petroski
Clark Gillies, a former member of the New York Islanders, died Jan. 21 at the age of 67. The Greenlawn resident played left wing for the Islanders when they won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1980-83.
Members of Huntington’s Town Board, Supervisor Ed Smyth and councilmembers Eugene Cook, Joan Cergol, Dave Bennardo and Sal Ferro remembered the hockey player in a joint statement where they called him “a pillar of our community” and said he had a “larger-than-life personality.”
“His ice hockey career is legendary, eclipsed only by the great work he did after he hung up his skates,” the board wrote. “Clark always ensured that the spotlight reflected off of him onto a variety of worthy causes, including a new pediatric wing at Huntington Hospital.”
The hockey player founded the Hauppauge-based Clark Gillies Foundation. The nonprofit helps children who are physically, developmentally or financially challenged through medical services, family financial aid, events to enhance a child’s quality of life and more, according to the foundation’s website.
In addition to Huntington Hospital’s pediatric and pediatric emergency units named for Gillies, the foundation has also partnered with former Islander Pat LaFontaine’s organization to create the Brianna’s Cub Room at the hospital.
Huntington Hospital executive director, Dr. Nick Fitterman, commented on Gillies passing.
“On the ice, Clark Gillies was known as an enforcer, but to us at Huntington Hospital he was known for his friendship, generosity and work with children,” Fitterman said. “Mr. Gillies was an extremely kind and tender person, really a big teddy bear. He would deliver gifts to children during the holidays, and he treated everyone he met with respect. His legacy will live on through the Clark Gillies Pediatric Emergency Unit at Huntington Hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”
Kathleen Lanese, of Kings Park, and Elyse Henn, of Ronkonkoma, both worked on fundraisers with Gillies when he participated in the annual golf outings organized by the nonprofit Michael W. McCarthy Foundation. They also volunteered for the Clark Gillies Foundation in the past.
Lanese said it was a privilege meeting Gillies after watching him play for the Islanders when she would attend games with her father and described the hockey player as warm, generous and funny.
“In addition to his incredible work with his own foundation, he never hesitated to extend his generosity to other organizations,” Lanese said. “He supported all my charity events with sponsorships, signed jerseys and his presence — he never said no, and I usually didn’t even have to ask. He took a genuine interest in my boys, both on the autism spectrum, and how autism affected families like ours.”
Henn echoed the sentiments.
“He had enough smiles, love and stories for everyone,” Henn said. “He had a true love of life and his community. If you met him once, he treated you like a friend. He was truly one of a kind. Not just a hockey legend, but a true gentleman and friend. He will be truly missed. He had a zest for life that is inspiring.”
Before playing hockey, Gillies played three seasons of minor-league baseball with the Houston Astros farm team, according to the foundation’s website. When the Canadian native switched sports, he played junior hockey with the Regina Pats for three seasons in the Western Hockey League. He was drafted to the Islanders in 1974. He went on to be a 1st team All-Star in 1978 and 1979. He was MVP in the 1979 Challenge Cup series versus the Soviets, where he played for the Canadian team.
In 1986, Gillies was drafted to the Buffalo Sabres and in 1988 he retired from hockey. He was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, and in 2002 he was elected into the NHL Hall of Fame.
According to Gillies’ obituary in The New York Times, he is survived by his wife, Pam; daughters Brianna Bourne, Jocelyn Schwarz and Brooke Kapetanakos; and eight grandchildren.
One of Huntington Animal Shelter's residents, Martha. Photo from Town of Huntington
Supervisor Edmund Smyth announced the Town of Huntington Betty White Challenge raised $9,585 in donations for Give A Dog A Dream in one week.
“Our generous residents would have made Betty White proud,” Smyth said. “Huntington loves our shelter dogs.”
Smyth, along with his rescue dog Louie, first invited residents to participate in the Betty White Challenge on Wednesday, Jan. 12, and in one week, the town has raised $9,585 for Give A Dog A Dream from 451 donations. On Jan. 17 alone, which would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday, 339 donations came in totaling $6,749. The Huntington Animal Shelter also received donations of collars, leashes and treats for the town’s shelter dogs.
Give a Dog a Dream Inc. is a charitable 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, formed by the Town in 2014, that funds medically necessary surgeries and treatments, advanced behavior modification training, and costs related to finding forever homes for dogs with the Huntington Animal Shelter long-term, who may be difficult to place in a traditional home due to behavioral issues that cannot be retrained through the shelter’s rehabilitation program. Donations can me made online at https://www.giveadogadream.org/donate.
The shelter takes donations of all types of but items the shelter needs most are flat collars (sizes M, L, XL), flat leashes, treats, and indestructible toys.
Due to COVID-19-related staffing shortages, the Huntington Animal Shelter is open by appointment only at this time; please call ahead to drop off items or schedule a visit with our dogs at 631-754-8722. The Huntington Animal Shelter is located at 106 Deposit Road, East Northport, NY 11731 and open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. During weekends the shelter is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For after-hours emergency calls, dial 631-351-3234.
The Town of Huntington Cat Shelter, located next door to the dog shelter (at 104 Deposit Road), is managed by Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center. For details on donating to the cat shelter, please call 631-651-9788.
The Betty White Challenge encouraged fans of the late actress, who was an animal advocate who passed away on Dec. 31, 2021, at the age of 99, to donate $5 to animal rescues and shelters in her name. Jan. 17, 2022 would have been White’s 100th birthday.
Angela Veeck, center, said she and her employees such as Linda Arias, left, and Debbie Deeds, right, pivoted and adapted to continue serving Pieceful Quilting customers during the pandemic. Photo from Angela Veeck
The owner of Pieceful Quilting on Jericho Turnpike is ready to retire. The milestone comes after two years of learning the importance of pivoting when times are rough and discovering how adaptable she and her staff can be.
Pieceful Quilting storefront. Photo from Angela Veeck
After 13 years in business in East Northport, Angela Veeck has decided to retire and close the doors of Pieceful Quilting for good. The business owner said a date hasn’t been chosen yet, but she will close the doors for the last time once everything in the store is sold.
Veeck, who in the past has owned quilting shops in Riverhead and Calverton, said running a small business has changed over the years, especially during the pandemic. She said she was fortunate to be able to apply for an exemption when New York State mandates were first issued during the earlier months and stay open due to the store making and selling masks, even though she was only able to have one employee in the store with her at a time. Customers would order the masks online and then pick them up outside the store.
Another way they have adapted is by offering the quilting workshops that were once in person by posting livestream classes on the store’s Facebook page.
“Now we are essentially running two businesses, one brick-and-mortar and one internet based,” she said.
Veeck added that as stores began to open again after mandates were relaxed, many customers became accustomed to shopping online. She said competing with other online businesses can be overwhelming at times, especially when one is involved in a niche market like hers. Veeck likened the online niche business to the entertainment industry where “you always have to keep up and do something new and exciting.”
Her website is one that she felt fortunate to have once the pandemic kept many at home. In addition to local customers, the site attracts those that don’t have a quilting store near them. Veeck said to her knowledge there are only a few such stores in Suffolk County and none in Nassau County. Once the doors of Pieceful Quilting are closed, Veeck said she will also cease the online business that she began in 2003.
Veeck, who has an extensive background in marketing, said the main reason she opened Pieceful Quilting in East Northport was that, with her business sense, she knew the area would be ideal for a store such as hers where people could come and pick out their own materials to quilt.
She said she’s noticed a lot of businesses in the area closing even though she feels the area is a good one to open up a place if one can find a reasonable rent.
“Small businesses are what keeps this country going,” she said.
While it was a difficult decision to retire, the business owner, who splits her time between East Northport and her home in Riverhead, said she’s looking forward to more time with her husband, Ken. She added she will finally be able to work on some of her own sewing and quilting projects.
“Unbelievably, the quilt shop owner has little time to quilt and sew.”
The last two years have left her with advice to business owners going through rough times.
“You got to pivot and you got to pivot fast,” she said.
Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich and workers repair the roof at the American Legion Post 1766. Photo from Kornreich's office
Workers go over what needs to be done. Photo from Jonathan Kornreich’s office
Workers repair the roof at the American Legion Post 1766. Photo from Kornreich's office
Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich helps repair the roof at the American Legion Post 1766. Photo from Kornreich's office
Workers stop to take a photo in front of the post. Photo from Jonathan Kornreich’s office
Workers go over what needs to be done. Photo from Jonathan Kornreich’s office
Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) has been active in the community for years as a past president of the Three Village Civic Association and a member of the school district’s board of education. However, after being elected into office last year, he had the opportunity to learn even more about the Three Village area.
When he had the opportunity to visit the American Legion Irving Hart Post 1766 in Setauket, he realized the post members needed help with repairs, starting with the roof. Knowing people in the home improvement industry and also the ins and outs of fundraising, Kornreich made a promise to the post members that he would get the roof repaired.
The councilman took the job on as a personal mission and said it wouldn’t require any financial help from the town. The roof was repaired in December with materials donated by Home Depot and anonymous donors sending in money to honor post members including Capt. Hugh P. Sheppard and Korean War veteran Carlton “Hub” Edwards who is treasurer of the post. Thanks to the donations, workers were paid to replace the roof which is just the first step of the post being restored.
Joe Bova, the post’s community liaison, said he was grateful for Kornreich following through on the project and that he never met someone that showed so much kindness and respect.
“I never met someone who says something and actually does it,” Bova said.
Kornreich said he has been intrigued for years by the history of the American Legion post, which was established after World War II by members of the mixed-heritage Black and Native American community who lived in the Bethel-Christian Avenue-Laurel Hill Historic District area. The residents built the post from community members’ contributions including the land donated by Irving Hart’s sister, Rachel.
The councilman said the stories of those who have belonged to the post over the years are also interesting to learn. “When you walk into the post, on the wall, there are maybe 100 photographs of men and women in uniform who were stationed all over the world,” he said.
According to Kornreich and Edwards, a fundraiser will be established in the future for additional interior renovations. Edwards said the post members are grateful for the roof replacement.
“We’d like to thank everyone who took part in the donations for the roof to be completed,” Edwards said.
Kornreich echoed the sentiment.
“I’m so proud to see that Three Village recognizes the cultural and historical importance of this structure, and the people who have been using it for almost 75 years,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the time when this will once again be a thriving and active place our community can enjoy.”
Anthony Figliola, right, is pictured with his wife, Christine, and children Celine, Siena and Anthony. Photo from candidate
A former Town of Brookhaven deputy supervisor is ready to take on Congress.
Anthony Figliola
As the new year began, Anthony Figliola (R-East Setauket) announced his intention to represent New York’s 1st Congressional District. The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) who announced in 2021 that he would not run for Congress and would instead run for New York State governor.
Figliola, who is running for office for the first time, said it’s something that’s been a dream of his for a while. When he heard the announcement that Zeldin decided to tackle the governor’s race, he knew it was time to seize the opportunity to run for Congress. Despite this being the first time he’s running for office, the candidate said Congress is a perfect example of being able to be a citizen legislator.
He said he prayed on the decision with his family and reached out to people he knew in the Republican Party. The husband and father of three said his agenda is families first, and he is concerned about kitchen table issues that affect the middle class.
“I decided that I wanted to jump into this, and primarily because, especially with COVID, seeing the way that this country has been going, it’s really been going downhill, and one of the most glaring issues to me is the impact on the middle-class community,” he said.
The candidate said while he knows the district has always been an expensive place to live, after COVID and the state mandates and shutdown, he talked to various small business owners and realized the difficulty they were having keeping afloat and hiring.
“I talked to a lot of families who, with inflation being at 7%, which is the highest since 1982, they literally don’t have the salary to be able to pay all their bills,” he said. “Some prices are up 50% from where they were last year. Something’s got to give, and people need somebody in Washington that’s going to fight for them and — whether they’re Republican, Independent or Democrat — someone who understands how government works, but also with the same struggles that they have. I was tired of sitting on the sidelines, and I want to be in it, and I want to play.”
Robert Cornicelli, of St. James, has also announced his intention to run on the Republican ticket for Congress. However, the Suffolk County Legislature is currently deciding on redistricting so whether or not Figliola will need to run in a primary depends on redistricting decisions.
Anthony Figliola and family. Photo from candidate
The East Setauket resident said he realized he has big shoes to fill in Congress if he were to win and would work not to lose Zeldin’s legacy of “fighting for the working men and women of this district.”
Figliola said taxes, inflation and gas prices are at the forefront of his mind as he runs for office. Regarding gas prices, he said he believes in opening up oil refineries so the U.S. can export oil to other countries, and in turn, build up the U.S. economy and lower the prices at the pump and inflation in general.
“We are now beholden to overseas foreign governments and foreign conglomerates to tell us how much the cost of gas should be,” he said. “We have to stop kowtowing to our enemies.”
Figliola said if elected he would work to help grow the local economy, while also safeguarding the environment, especially protecting the Island’s drinking water. He believes his experience as an executive vice president of a government relations and economic development business, as well as his time as Brookhaven deputy supervisor, will be an asset.
“One of the things that I’ve done in my career is I’ve worked a lot with sewers and the installation of sewers and building sewer facilities,” he said. “What I think is really important is that we work to find a way to sewer more of Suffolk County in the 1st Congressional District, because it’s going to do two things. It’s going to help reduce harmful toxins and nitrogen and other things that are being put into our drinking water and our waterways. And secondly, it allows us to redevelop and reimagine a lot of our downtowns.”
He said he is also concerned with current COVID mandates where he feels President Joe Biden (D) and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) are making decisions and not involving all branches of government. While earlier in the pandemic former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) was given emergency powers, the current governor doesn’t have the same authority. An example he said is the mandatory vaccinations and boosters from Hochul which he felt were just edicts.
“There’s no checks and balances,” he said. “There was no debate. There’s no review of the issue, the science, who it’s going to impact. It’s just one day Biden or Gov. Hochul says this is how it’s going to be, and if you don’t follow, you’re going to lose everything that you know. And that’s it, and I disagree with that. I’m going to fight passionately for people’s individual liberties and for their freedoms.”
Town of Huntington Councilman Ed Smyth (R) will run for supervisor this November. Photo from Huntington Republican Committee
Last election cycle, former Town of Huntington Councilman Ed Smyth (R) decided to make a change. Instead of running for the seat he held for four years, he aimed for supervisor after Chad Lupinacci (R) decided not to run for reelection in 2021.
Smyth said being supervisor is slightly different from being a councilman. He said while as councilman he needed to read through agendas and weigh options, now he has to start the process earlier, taking into consideration more details in the process such as was there a bidding process or an RFP done.
“It’s your obligation to create most of the resolutions and agendas and know what’s going into them and understand why they’re being put on the timetable,” he said.
Smyth said Lupinacci leaves behind significant accomplishments while in office including resolving the LIPA lawsuit and enacting term limits. Smyth also complimented the former supervisor on how well he guided the community through the early stages of the pandemic and shutdowns, adding there was no playbook to follow.
“There were never any cuts to essential services in the town, and we never had to pierce the tax cap or anything like that,” he said.
Less than two weeks in office, Smyth said he has already had to tackle issues brought on by COVID-19.
“One of the first things we’re trying to do is put together a COVID policy that tracks more closely to the CDC policies or guidance without violating New York State’s regulations,” he said.
The town supervisor added that the council found that both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state’s policies weren’t coherent and sometimes the two policies were conflicting with each other, especially regarding how many days to isolate after being exposed to the virus with no symptoms. In the end, he feels a good policy was established for town employees which will be helpful in the future.,
He said the town’s Senior Center was already affected in the new year by COVID-related staffing shortages. The center was closed to the public the second week of January; however meals were able to be delivered to residents.
Smyth also is looking forward to working with the building department and implementing new systems. He said the town is fortunate to have new councilman Sal Ferro (R) who has been in the construction trade for decades and is CEO of Alure Home Improvements. Smyth also said a priority is supporting local businesses and attracting more to the area.
Infrastructure is also on his mind with a new sewer system in Huntington Station. At the end of the year, Lupinacci and County Executive Steve Bellone (D) announced a partnership between the town and county, where both municipalities would invest $22 million to fund the Huntington Station Hub Sewer Project, which is the first one to be funded under Suffolk’s newly created Wastewater Infrastructure Fund. Money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act made the funding possible.
According to the town, approximately 229 parcels near Huntington’s Long Island Rail Road station and south along Route 110, as well as some commercial blocks of Depot Road and industrial land along the train tracks, will be connected to the sewer.
“I think it’s going to be a tremendous economic benefit to Huntington Station over the next five to 10 years, simply because, as everywhere on Long Island, if you’re not on sewers, you’re frozen in time for development,” the town supervisor said. “If we can get those lines completed, up and running sooner rather than later, it’s going to bring a tremendous amount of capital investment into the Huntington Station area, plus the environmental benefits of doing it.”
When asked what advice he would give new council members Ferro and Dave Bennardo (R), Smyth said, “Stay grounded in the community and attend as many local events as you possibly can.”
He said there’s no substitute for attending events as it gives elected officials the opportunity to hear directly from constituents.
“I would say that’s how we find out about 90% of the issues that are going on in the town that somebody in the community proactively approaches one of our five Town Board members or somebody who works with the town: ‘Hey, listen, we have a problem over here.’ There’s a drainage problem or a loitering problem or there’s an abandoned house problem or there are cars parked here that haven’t moved in two years. Just all sorts of day-to-day quality of life issues.”
Smyth said he doesn’t have any issues with Councilman Eugene Cook (I) who ran against him for supervisor. He compared it to an NHL game, “where the fights are real but you leave it on the ice. You don’t take it to the locker room.”
He said they agree on 95% of issues that come before the town, and they “hit the reset button” when they saw each other two days after the election and have had no problems working together.
Now, Smyth has his mind on the town’s future.
“It’s my goal to make Huntington the economic epicenter of Long Island,” he said. “I think it’s going to take the infrastructure to do that, to build out our existing businesses and to attract new ones. I want, when Russell 2000 companies or even Fortune 500 companies are looking to relocate to the Northeast and they say, ‘Let’s go to Long Island,’ the first place they stop is Huntington.”
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