Authors Posts by Rita J. Egan

Rita J. Egan

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Village of Poquott residents chose two incumbents and one newcomer as they voted for two trustees and village justice June 20. 

Incumbent trustee John Musiello Jr. and newcomer Jeremy Flint won the two trustee seats with 202 and 212 votes, respectively. Challenger Jim Ma received 118 votes and write-in candidate Felicia Chillak had 2 votes.

In the race for village justice, incumbent Paul Edelson received 158 votes. Trustee Darlene Mercieca challenged Edelson and garnered 131 votes.

This will be the second term for Musiello and third for Edelson. Mercieca, who ran for trustee for the first time in 2022, has one more year remaining of her first term.

According to the village, 211 in-person ballots and 81 valid absentee ballots were cast for a total of 292.

File photo of Poquott's Village Hall

By Rita J. Egan and Daniel Febrizio

This June 20, Village of Poquott trustee Darlene Mercieca is challenging current justice Paul Jay Edelson, who is completing his second four-year term.

Paul Jay Edelson

Edelson and his wife, Leta, have lived in Poquott for 37 years. For more than 30 years, he was dean of the School of Professional Development at Stony Brook University. In addition to serving as village justice, he is a former trustee, a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals and a Poquott Civic Association board member. His wife is a former village mayor and trustee.

The village justice is an attorney, who graduated from Hofstra University Law School, while working full time at SBU.

“Like many people in our community, I learned to juggle family, work and school,” he said in an email. “My understanding of the many challenges confronting working adults is an asset in the courtroom and helps me better understand the lives of those who come before me.”

Edelson added he has performed pro bono legal work through the Nassau Suffolk Law Services. He is a New York State mediator for Small Claims Court and a member of the New York State Surrogate Decision-Making Committee.

“The SDMC exists to provide protection for the rights of severely intellectually disabled persons if there are major medical and end-of-life decisions to be made, when there are no other persons available and willing to take these responsibilities,” he added.

Edelson reflected on his tenure as justice so far.

“As judge, I am impartial, unbiased, fair and experienced,” he said. “I am fiercely independent and do not report to the village mayor, trustees or other village officials, including Code Enforcement. I do not make or amend our village laws. My sole job is to ensure that Poquott’s laws comport with both the NY and US Constitutions and that they are fairly and correctly administered without favoritism, outside influence or prejudice. Residents can be assured that I am independent of any and all political pressures.”

Darlene Mercieca 

Mercieca is a five-year resident of Poquott. Due to her sister Dee Parrish being a former mayor and current trustee, Mercieca has been volunteering in the village for fundraisers and events for more than 20 years.

Mercieca is a health care professional with 30 years of experience. She has been a director of multiple departments within Brookdale University Hospital in Brooklyn, including working with vendor and employer contracts, according to her biography on the candidates’ campaign website, www.yourpoquott.com.

In addition to holding an MBA in finance and a master’s degree in health care administration, she has continued her education at the School of Law at Pace University in White Plains.

She is currently a chief operating officer with the Central Orthopedic Group in Plainview “overseeing over 200 staff members and budgets of $75 million. My professional experience focuses on daily operations, human resources and patient satisfaction.”

In an email, she said she has a law degree and LL.M, masters of law degree, with a focus on family law. Mercieca added she also has experience with contracts and vendor and employment agreements.

“The job of justice is to interpret and enforce the laws set by our board of trustees,” she said. “As a current trustee, a lot of work goes into developing a law for the betterment of the village. As justice I want to see these laws carried out to the community’s intention.”

Mercieca said she feels her health care background will be an asset to the position.

“I feel my career experience has shaped me to have empathy for individuals while ensuring our laws are enforced so that everyone can enjoy where they live,” she said.

During her tenure as trustee, she developed an interest in running for village justice.

“As a trustee, I worked on the short-term rental issues within the village and the board of trustees have worked hard on balancing this topic,” she said. “I want to ensure our laws are upheld while providing fairness to our residents and guests.”

Voting information

In addition to voting for village justice, voters will choose from three trustee candidates running for two seats, see the June 8 The Village Herald Times article, “Three candidates vie for two trustee seats in Village of Poquott.”

The Village of Poquott will hold its annual election on Tuesday, June 20, at Village Hall, 45 Birchwood Av. Polling will be open from noon to 9 p.m.

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Many who visited the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook Sunday, June 11, may have thought they stumbled upon a family reunion. In a way they did, as Long Island hip-hop artists were on hand to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the genre at an event hosted by the museum and venue.

The Sunday afternoon event started with a “knock out” presentation as the museum unveiled a statue of LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith in Bay Shore. The actor, rapper, songwriter and music producer’s successes include the hit “Mama Said Knock You Out” (1990) and his role on “NCIS: Los Angeles.”

The statue, known as The G.O.A.T. Monument, is officially titled “Going Back to The Meadows, A Tribute to LL COOL J and Performance at FMCP” and was created in 2021 by artist Sherwin Banfield. During the unveiling ceremony, Banfield pointed out different accents he included on the 8 1/2-feet tall, 600-pound statue, including a boom box with a cassette tape of the rapper’s debut album “Radio” (1985). Banfield also played homage on the piece to what he called “the determination pin.” The rapper’s right arm was paralyzed when he was younger, and his mother would pin his right sleeve to the mattress to inspire movement.

Composed of bronze, stainless steel, steel, winter stone, resin, cement and wood, the statue was displayed in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park for a year. It includes a solar panel that powers an audio system.

Blasts from the past

Visitors were treated to performances as well as a Q&A panel where the artists shared stories from the early days of their careers, many of them knowing each other since they were younger.

Before the performances featuring DJ Jazzy Jay (John Bayas), DJ Johnny Juice Rosado, AJ Rok (AJ Woodson) of JVC Force, MC Glamorous (Chaplain Jamillah), Dinco D (James Jackson) of Leaders of the New School and the group Son of Bazerk, the artists participated in the Q&A panel along with Keith Shocklee of the producing team The Bomb Squad and an original member of Public Enemy as well as video jockey and director Ralph McDaniels. The panel members were happy to share the history of hip-hop on Long Island stories with attendees.

Shocklee, who was born in Roosevelt, said he, along with his brother and friends, started DJing by playing in his family’s basement in the 1970s. They then began to play at local youth centers around the Island and throw parties in friends’ basements and backyards. Soon they were DJing at the local parks. While others would go to Centennial Park in Roosevelt to play basketball, other young people would go to play music, Shocklee said.

“It’s something we did to stay off the streets of Long Island,” he said. “It wasn’t as dangerous as the Bronx or Brooklyn, but you had your stick-up kids.”

MC Glamorous, originally from Freeport, said events such as Roosevelt Day, Freeport Day and Wyandanch Day gave the communities something to look forward to and the artists a chance to perform.

“It brought people together, and we got a day to shine also with those jams,” she said.

Shocklee said Long Island hip-hop artists in the 1970s were aware the Bronx was the epicenter of hip-hop, where he said the DJ technique scratch, MCs, hip-hop culture and breakdancing were born and developed.

McDaniels said the hip-hop culture on Long Island was different from what was happening in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and parts of New Jersey. He said when he hosted “Video Music Box” he was able to compare music scenes.

“There was something going on in Long Island that was different,” he said. “When I heard Public Enemy, when I heard EPMD [from Brentwood], I was like, ‘This is different.’ This is not what the rest of the city or the rest of the country sounds like, and I think that’s what makes Long Island its own — or Strong Island — its own unique sound, because we weren’t as thirsty. We had homes. Some of us had parents. Some of us went to college. We were relaxed.”

McDaniels reference to “Strong Island” was a song recorded in 1988 by JVC Force sampling a phrase that Public Enemy’s Chuck D used while working as a DJ at Adelphi University’s radio station, WBAU.

Woodson, who spent several of his younger years in Central Islip, said the reason the group recorded the song “Strong Island” was because “you literally had to be from the five boroughs to get respect.”

Bayas, who was part of the development of Def Jam Recordings, remembered when he would come down from the Bronx to play in Amityville, and the first time he said, “We’re going out to the country.”

During those visits to the Island, he said he met hip-hop artists Biz Markie, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith — the latter two from EPMD — when they were children. Bayas said before hip-hop, if someone didn’t know how to play an instrument, they weren’t considered a musician. For that reason, he learned to play the drums and, as a DJ, he said he and others were always searching for the rare group to play at the parties.

“Hip-hop allowed us to be musicians because we have something to offer, because we know what music to play,” Bayas said.

The LIMEHOF received a surprise visit toward the end of the event from rapper Keith Murray who grew up in Central Islip. The venue had to postpone its induction of The Fat Boys, from Brooklyn, as surviving member Kool Rock-Ski (Damon Wimbley) was unable to attend at the last minute.

From left, JVC Force's AJ Rok, The Fat Boys' Kool-Rock Ski, Son of Bazerk and Ralph McDaniels Photos from LIMEHOF
From left, Jazzy Jay, Public Enemy’s DJ Johnny Juice and Leaders of the New School’s Dinco D and Milo In De Dance

By Rita J. Egan

In the early 1970s, a new genre of music came out of the Bronx called hip-hop. Through the years, the music’s popularity grew and among the hip-hop artists were Long Islanders. On Sunday, June 11, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the genre and those local entertainers, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook will host a special concert along with a discussion panel featuring several artists who began their careers in Suffolk, Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn.

Members of Son of Bazerk, Kool Rock-Ski (of The Fat Boys), DJ Jazzy Jay and DJ Johnny Juice Rosado (of Public Enemy) are scheduled to perform. A panel discussion will also take place with Rosado, AJ Rok (of JVC Force), Dinco D and Milo in de Dance (both of Leaders of the New School), and special guest Ralph McDaniels (of Video Music Box). In addition to the performances and Q&A, the hall of fame will unveil a statue of hip-hop artist and actor LL Cool J and induct The Fat Boys.

Tom Needham, LIMEHOF vice chairman, said the event aligns with the organization’s ultimate goal to represent and present different types of music. He added there is so much talent in the area, including hip-hop artists, some who have already been inducted into the local hall of fame.

“I think a lot of people, when they think of music on Long Island, simply think of Billy Joel, but there are so many hip-hop artists who lived here, who made music here,” Needham said. “I think sometimes the average Long Island resident just doesn’t even know it.”

Rosado, who has been involved with LIMEHOF since its early days and was inducted with Public Enemy in 2008, said the idea to include the panel came from a tour he took part in during 2012. He and his fellow artists came up with the idea to have a press conference with a panel before shows. He said he feels concerts should have some kind of context and a Q&A helps to provide that.

“I think that it’s important, especially with something like this, a museum and a hall of fame, to kind of know the artists, what they’re about, and why Long Island was such an incredible incubator for these types of acts,” he said.

The event will give several entertainers the opportunity to visit the venue for the first time, including AJ Woodson, a.k.a. AJ Rok from JVC Force. Now the editor-in-chief of Black Westchester Magazine, Woodson said he was happy to hear about the event from Rosado.

“Long Island rap needs to be celebrated more, and it doesn’t get celebrated the way it should, but it was a very strong region as far as it had a lot of contributions to hip-hop,” the journalist said.

A bit of history

Rosado, in addition to being part of Public Enemy, whose “Fight the Power” was featured in the 1989 movie “Do The Right Thing,” has worked with various artists and composed film scores. He remembers the early days of hip-hop as being similar to jazz’s trajectory.

“A lot of it wasn’t accepted by the established greats of the time or what have you, and because of that, it was a hard time trying to get it launched,” he said. “But, along the way, there were some breakthrough moments like when Run DMC did ‘Walk This Way.’”

The 1986 hit was a cover of Aerosmith’s 1975 song, and the hip-hop version did better on the charts than the original. Rosado added that many artists, such as Aerosmith, had a resurgence when hip-hop artists would sample classics.

Woodson said hip-hop started out as a way to express oneself and now it has touched “every form of entertainment at this point.”

As for Long Island artists, Needham said in the early days of hip-hop, many, during interviews, were made to feel as if they had to say they were from New York City.

“It was actually a thing in the record companies,” he said. “Their strategy years ago was — if somebody was from Long Island — they would kind of rewrite their history slightly and make it sound like they were from New York City. They didn’t think it was cool to say they were from Long Island with a lot of different artists, not just hip-hop.”

During the June 11 panel, attendees can find out how many of these entertainers first formed their groups.

Woodson said he moved from Mount Vernon to Central Islip when he was 7. After his parents divorced and his father moved back to Mount Vernon, Woodson decided to attend high school there. He would visit Central Islip often and, after graduation, was back on Long Island. One day his neighbors told him about William Taylor (B-Luv) and Curtis Andre Small (DJ Curt Cazal), who were young DJs starting out, and a friend told him about a party they were having. When he attended, a friend asked if Woodson could have a mic.

“Me and B-Luv were on the mic and going back and forth,” he said. “Not really a battle but we were going back and forth, exchanging rhymes and everybody talked about how great we sounded.” The party was a turning point in Woodson’s life as he joined the group and soon after they were making demos. JVC Force is responsible for the song “Strong Island” in 1988, which sampled Chuck D from Public Enemy saying the phrase on Adelphi University’s radio station. The song helped drive home the fact there were hip-hop artists from Long Island, including Public Enemy and Erik B. and Rakim.

Cassandra Jackson, also known as ½ Pint from Son of Bazerk, will be performing on June 11 with her fellow group members Tony Allen “Bazerk” and Gary Pep Stanton “Daddy Rawe” as well as DJ Johnny Juice. The performance will be in memory of Son of Bazerk member Jeff “Almighty Jahwell” Height who passed away a few months ago.

Jackson’s musical journey began in Freeport. She said before her sophomore year of college, she and her friends were playing basketball at the park and “thrash talking” when someone approached her and said, “Sounds like you can make records.” While she was surprised someone would approach her on a basketball court and say that, she gave him her number and he met with her grandparents. It turned out to be Hank Shocklee, a member of the producing team The Bomb Squad, and he introduced her to Townhouse 3, which eventually became Son of Bazerk. She said she remembered the guys growing up in Freeport.

Becoming part of the group and performing she said “was so surreal for me.”

“It was the epitome of what it was to be hip-hop,” she said. “Banging on the tables in the lunch room, back of the bus rhyming, those things, and then to be able to actually go into a studio and do those things that I’ve practiced with my friends and then to actually be on stage to convey those things and perform.”

Jackson said preserving the history of hip-hop is important. She is still making music and working on a documentary. An administrator of the Alternative Learning Academy with Roosevelt High School, Jackson runs an alternative program where she incorporates hip-hop into the curriculum. “More than just the music, hip-hop stands on the shoulders of movements before, and the music is a way to express that — how we feel and who we are and what we’re trying to convey.”

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The 50th anniversary of hip-hop concert and panel discussion event will be held on Sunday, June 11 at 2 p.m. at the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main Street, Stony Brook. The event is free with admission ($19.50 for adults, $17 for seniors and veterans, and $15 for students with ID). For more information, call 631-689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.

It was a bright and breezy Monday as hundreds lined Route 25A in Setauket to cheer on the annual Memorial Day parade participants.

The event kicked off after a wreath-laying ceremony on the Village Green across from Emma S. Clark Memorial Library.

Veterans, scouts, elected officials, the Ward Melville marching band and more made their way down the parade route, ending with a closing ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park on Shore Road and 25A.

Earlier in the day, another ceremony was held at Stony Brook Harbor Memorial near the fire department.

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Paws of War and the Fabulous 50s and 60s Nostalgia Car Club hosted a car show on Sunday, May 21, at Nesconset Plaza.

The organizations raised $25,000 to support local veterans and first responders in the Long Island community. The car show included vintage, classic and custom cars, live music, hot food, 50/50 raffles and more.

The proceeds from the event will help Paws of War provide injured veterans and first responders with a companion dog that will be trained to become a service dog through the organization’s service dog training classes.

By Rita J. Egan

It was Theatre Three’s opening night of Something Rotten! on Saturday, May 20, and the audience was treated to an entertaining and energetic night full of laughter.

With book by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick and music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, Something Rotten! takes audience members back in time to the late 16th century where William Shakespeare is so adored that he’s treated like a modern-day rock star. Struggling writers Nick and Nigel Bottom, who head up a theater troupe, dream of the same success but can’t seem to create a play that will capture people’s attention until Nick consults with a soothsayer named Nostradamus. 

The soothsayer looks into the future and finds that something called a musical will be popular one day. A later encounter finds Nick asking Nostradamus what Shakespeare’s future successes will be so that the Bottom brothers can use the ideas in the present. The result is Nick creating Omelette: The Musical despite his brother’s objections.

The Broadway musical opened on the Great White Way in 2015 and ran until early 2017. The production was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and Christian Borle won the Best Featured Actor in a Musical award for his portrayal of William Shakespeare. 

Theatre Three’s Something Rotten! proves that there are no small parts as well as the importance of talented actors in each role, including the ensemble. Throughout the musical, it was apparent that everyone involved was giving it their all, creating a night of sensational entertainment. Director Jeffrey Sanzel has chosen a talented cast and masterfully directs the more than two dozen actors.

The production is filled with a few upbeat tunes, but the showstopping number is “A Musical.” Featured in Act I, the whole cast appears on stage singing and dancing. The number cleverly pokes fun at musicals and includes nods to Les Miserables, Annie, A Chorus Line and more. At the end of the song, the applause on opening night seemed to go on for more than a minute, and rightfully so, as each and every person involved in Something Rotten! deserved the accolades.

Heading up the cast is Ryan Nolin, a convincing Nick Bottom at the end of his rope trying to provide for his family and create a hit. He and Dennis Setteducati, who plays Nostradamus, sound fantastic on their leads during “A Musical” and play up the clever lines to the hilt.

Andrew Boza, as the naive Nigel Bottom, captures the sweetness of the young poet and writer. He and Danielle Pafundi, delightful as Portia, are the perfect match to play star-crossed lovers, especially during the song “I Love the Way.”

Christine Boehm as Nick’s wife, Bea, is a treat to watch as the character has her mind set on proving, even with mishaps, that a woman is more than capable of doing whatever a man does. Her rendition of “Right Hand Man” is also a highlight of the show.

Evan Teich, as Shakespeare, captures the cockiness of the celebrated star while still delivering the right amount of silliness. Jim Sluder as Brother Jeremiah and Angelo DiBiase as Shylock seamlessly add to the jokes and hijinks.

Choreographers Sari Feldman and Josie McSwane have created high-energy dances. The cast members look like they are having so much fun that audience members may want to join them onstage. The use of tap dancing and a kickline in “A Musical,” as well as a few other numbers, is absolutely delightful.

Theatre Three’s orchestra led by Jeffrey Hoffman sounded fantastic as always, and the costumes by Chakira Doherty perfectly captured the time period.

During the song “A Musical,” the line “What could be more amazing than a musical with song and dance and sweet romance,” is sung. The cast and crew of Theatre Three’s Something Rotten! understand this and embrace every aspect of this genre. Audience members on opening night enjoyed a fun evening out on the town, and the standing ovation at the end of the production was well deserved.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Something Rotten! through June 24. Tickets are $35, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. For tickets or more information, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

By Rita J. Egan

Setauket and Stony Brook residents know if they want to learn about local history, they can turn to Carlton Edwards, known by many as Hub. However, Edwards, 93, is more than a local history lover — he was also a part of history. A veteran of the Korean War, he served during the early years of desegregation in the armed forces.

Segregation in the armed forces was banned in 1948; however, it took a few years before the military was integrated. Edwards’ outfit was one of the first to be desegregated, he said, and the veteran trained and served with people from different backgrounds and nationalities including Filipino, Korean, Chinese and American Samoa. He said everyone got along well.

His brother-in-law, who served in 1950, was with an all-Black unit. When Edwards, who is also part Native American, sent him a letter including a photo of himself and his fellow soldiers, his brother-in-law asked him, “What army are you in?”

Hub wrote back, “I’m in the United States Army. The same as you.” 

The road to Korea

Born in Stony Brook, Edwards was only a few years old when his family moved to Chicken Hill, a neighborhood in Setauket. He was known in the area for his athleticism as a baseball player, pitching for the school’s varsity baseball team in 8th grade. In 11th grade, he continued pitching for the school and a local semi-pro team.

In 1951, at the age of 21, he received two draft notices — one from the United States Armed Forces and the other from the Brooklyn Dodgers after the team heard of his three no-hitters. The baseball milestones occurred while playing for his high school team, the Setauket Suffolk Giants and Setauket Athletic Club.

Despite the stroke of luck potentially to play professional baseball, Edwards had no choice but to join the army during draft time.

“Uncle Sam took first precedent,” he said.

Edwards added he wasn’t alone in the community. “Most of the young men that I went to school with all ended up in the service.”

Before joining the army, all he knew was the Three Village area. After stops in Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and Camp Stoneman, California, he was put on a boat to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he trained.

The veteran, who served from 1951 to 1953, said the Schofield Barracks they slept in while training in Hawaii were nice but still had bullet holes from the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. After training in Hawaii, his unit headed to Busan, Korea. He said it was a different world than what he knew. His unit worked with injured soldiers, helping them get to hospitals in Japan, or even home.

“That’s why I never talk about it because I saw a lot of wounded,” the veteran said.

Growing up and attending Bethel AME Church in Setauket regularly when he was younger helped Edwards keep his faith when he served. He still wears the cross he had in the army. “Even with the dog tags, I kept it on,” he said.

Despite what he experienced in Korea, Edwards feels the military provides much-needed discipline for young people.

“If you’ve been in the service, you learn how to take orders,” he said.

Being raised by a strict mother and grandmother, Edwards said he already possessed discipline when he joined the army. Edwards said he missed his family while away from Setauket and looked forward to receiving letters from his mother and grandmother as well as family members, friends and a girl he was dating at the time. “In fact, I still have some of those letters,” he said.

Life after Korea

After his time in the army, where he began as a private first class and ended his service as a corporal, Edwards returned to Chicken Hill. He carried the memories from his service, and while teaching Sunday School at Bethel AME Church for 20 years, Edward said he tried “to teach peace for your fellow man.” 

Soon after his return home, he met and married Nellie Sands. The couple bought a house in West Setauket and had two sons.

Edwards, a retired custodian for the Three Village Central School District, where he worked for 40 years, has been an active member of the Three Village Historical Society. Before the pandemic, he would greet guests at the society’s Chicken Hill: A Community Lost to Time exhibit every Sunday to answer visitors’ questions. 

Edwards has also been a member of the American Legion Irving Hart Post 1766 since 1953. For decades, he has participated in parades, memorial services and other veteran events locally as well as in Washington, D.C., Rochester, Buffalo and all over Long Island to represent his post. He said being a member has allowed him the opportunity to meet veterans who fought in different wars through the decades. 

In the early days, some members had fought in World War I and World War II. Edward said Nelson Combs, an early member of the post who was Black, had to fight in the French army during World War I because he was unable to sign up for the armed forces in the United States. Combs went on to receive the Croix de Guerre, which is comparable to the U.S. Bronze or Silver Star.

Joe Bova, who has volunteered with Edwards at the Three Village Historical Society and conducted research with him for the Chicken Hill exhibit, is currently working with the veteran on the renovation of the Irving Hart Post. Bova said his friend developed a lot of empathy while serving.

“He really felt strongly about what his commitment to people should be and that just transferred over to the community that he belongs to,” Bova said. He also credits Edwards with being actively involved with the Irving Hart post since he returned from Korea, recruiting members and playing a major part in the current renovations and plans for the post’s future.

Recognition

Edwards isn’t sure if he will be able to attend Setauket’s Memorial Day Parade this year, but he said it’s always touching when veterans are acknowledged.

“Every veteran appreciates it when people recognize that you have served your country,” he said. “It makes you feel good that people appreciate what you did.”

As for his athletic accomplishments, those haven’t been forgotten either. On May 18, he was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame for those three no-hitters in his pre-war days.

Huntington High School. File photo

On Tuesday, May 16, the polls opened for Huntington residents to vote in their respective school districts on the proposed budgets for the upcoming year and open board of education seats.

Northport‒East Northport

The Northport-East Northport Union Free School District budget for 2023‒24 passed by a vote of 1,839 to 1,315.

This year’s total budget is $183,038,428, up $5,182,344 from last year’s $177,856,084, which is a 2.91% increase. The tax levy increases from $150,628,324 to $153,632,970. This is a rise of $3,004,646 (2.26%).

A proposition permitting the use of $2,374,944 from Capital Reserve Funds for roof replacements, HVAC renovations and asbestos abatement passed by a vote of 2,449 to 693.

The board of education trustee race resulted in the reelections of Donna McNaughton and David Badanes, with 2,275 and 2,174 votes, respectively. Challenger Amanda Cascio received 1,147 votes.

“It’s just an honor to represent the community,” McNaughton said in an interview following the announcement of the results. She said that she was very appreciative that the voters saw her as a good candidate.

“We just have a lot of hard work to do,” Badanes said. He expressed that with the proposition permitting the several projects throughout the district and with the superintendent planning to retire by the end of the year, he knows that there will be a lot on the board’s plate, but he’s excited to get to work.

Cascio, who only decided to run five weeks ago, said that she would consider running again in the future, but that she will have to wait to see where everything stands next year. “I’m not counting it out,” she said.

Cascio acknowledged that it was a long shot to win this year with only five weeks of preparation, but that it was overall a good experience. “I’m pretty proud of the effort that me and my husband and the other people that helped work with us put forward,” she said. “This was a lot of footwork in a short amount of time.”

Huntington

The Huntington Union Free School District budget for 2023‒24 passed by a vote of 1,184 to 192. This year’s total budget is $146,347,091, up $3,378,748 from last year’s $142,968,343, which is a 2.36% increase. The tax levy increases from $112,718,438 to $113,711,800. This is a rise of $993,362, resulting in a 0.88% tax levy increase.

A proposition allowing the use of $5,935,000 from the Building Improvement Fund to be used for various repairs and projects on school district properties passed by a vote of 1,201 to 159.

For the board of education, incumbents Xavier Palacios and Kelly Donovan were each reelected, receiving 963 and 875 votes, respectively. Amaru Jones came in third with 651 votes.

Elwood

The Elwood Union Free School District budget for 2023‒24 passed by a vote of 1,278 to 508.

This year’s total budget is $73,077,631, up $3,896,560 from last year’s $69,181,071, which is a 5.63% increase. The tax levy increases from $51,096,360 to $52,092,739. This is a rise of $996,379, resulting in a 1.95% tax levy increase.

Proposition 2, which allows the district to use $500,000 in capital reserve funds to provide additional security enhancements throughout the district, passed by a vote of 1,473 to 349.

For the two open seats on the Board of Education, incumbents Tom Scarola and Sara Siddiqui won, receiving 1,228 and 1,179 votes, respectively. Challengers Erin Aebisher and Chris Fox received 609 and 458 votes, respectively.

Commack

The Commack Central School District budget for 2023‒24 passed, 1,247 to 351.

This year’s total budget is $222.110,181, up $7,464,854 from last year’s $214,645,327, which is a 3.48% increase. The tax levy increases from $149,681,444 last year to $152,660,104. This would be a rise of $2,978,660, resulting in a 1.99% tax levy increase.

Incumbents William Hender and Susan Hermer ran unopposed for their seats on the school board. Hender received 1,283 votes and Hermer 1,303.

Cold Spring Harbor

The Cold Spring Harbor Central School District budget for 2023‒24 passed by a vote of 779 to 392.This year’s total budget is $77,141,053, up $3,720,630 from last year’s $73,420,423, which is a 5.07% increase. The tax levy increases from $67,565,094 last year to $69,558,264. This is a rise of $1,993,170, resulting in a 2.95% tax levy increase.

The board of education trustee election was close. With three seats open, five candidates ran, one of them being incumbent Tara Belfi. Kate DelliCarpini, William Wollman and Lisa Smith were ultimately elected to the three seats. The results were as follows: Kate DelliCarpini, 617; William Wollman, 616; Lisa Smith, 599; Tara Belfi, 542; Nicholas Cerrone, 535.

Harborfields

The Harborfields Central School District budget for 2023‒24 passed by a vote of 1,273 to 286.

This year’s total budget is $96,259,671, up $3,363,676 from last year’s $92,895,995, which is a 3.62% increase. The tax levy increases from $70,626,770 to $72,190,754. This is a rise of $1,563,984, resulting in a 2.21% tax levy increase.

President Christopher Kelly and board member David Steinberg were each reelected to the board of education. The results were as follows: Kelly, 1,146; Steinberg, 1,085; Meghan Grote Shear, 356; Rose Wyka, 377.

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In celebration of Earth Day, community groups throughout the Three Village joined forces to clean up Stony Brook train station. Volunteers were armed with rakes, leaf blowers, pruning scissors and more on Saturday, April 22.

The North Suffolk Garden Club, along with Three Village Community Trust, Three Village Civic Association, Three Village Chamber of Commerce, The Stony Brook School, Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), Long Island Rail Road and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) have been working on cleaning up the station since last summer.