The Emma S. Clark Library is temporarily closed after staff noticed a strange odor on May 1. The smell was from a mold growth in a “contained area” of the Library, necessitating repairs to the HVAC system.
The mold, Cladosporium, is described by the National Institute of Health as one of the “most common fungal inhabitants worldwide”. It appears as black or brown spots in a wide variety of conditions and surfaces such as carpets, HVAC grills, wallpaper or wood surfaces, and is particularly drawn to damp, not well-ventilated places like bathrooms or basements.
The library will continue online zoom classes on the usual schedule, but will extend holds and due dates of books, museum passes and items. The prolonged possession of library property will not accrue late fees and holds will be extended for one week past the date of reopening. The library will reopen once air quality tests confirm the mold’s eradication. The library card can be used at any Suffolk County library.
The Smithtown Library's Main Branch reopens. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The Smithtown Library's Main Branch reopens. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A patron sitting at a table in the Cornelia Butler Reading Room. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A patron visits the newly reopened Smithtown Library. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
For the first time in 8 months, the Smithtown Library building’s doors are open. Patrons can once again browse shelves of books on the first floor of the library, previously closed due to the immense damage inflicted by the August, 2024, 100-year storm.
Smithtown Library card-holders were able to visit the Nesconset, Commack and Kings Park buildings during the hiatus, and staff worked out of other branches. Services are still limited, as the community room and much of the media offerings were in the basement.
Smithtown Library Director Rob Lusak said the reopening was “a heartfelt moment.” Patrons and public officials turned up on the morning of May 5 as the library doors opened at 9:30 a.m., as they have done many times before. This time, though, the reopening was especially memorable. It reflected the months of hard work from public officials and library staff, as well as the immeasurable support from the community.
After the storm, the displaced employees had to build skills not many librarians would expect to use. For months, Lusak and his staff coordinated with contractors, learned the nuances of HVAC systems and the technicalities of rebuilding. They hauled soaked debris from the basement and salvaged what they could. They learned how to communicate with the Federal Emergency Management Association.They flew to Michigan, where the majority of the rare-book collection is getting restored. Lusak said 42 of the 46 pallets of books will be restored by Prism Specialties. The remaining four pallets not restored by the companywill be restored by library workers..
The circulation staff, Lina O’Brien, Kim Seliger and Mary Bonamo worked at other branches since the storm. Seliger had been at the Smithtown building for 22 years. “I am happy to be back, even in a limited capacity,” she said. O’Brien had started at the Smithtown Library as a page, working her way up.
Some staff members lost their belongings and offices in the storm. O’Brien said she saw a note she had written floating away in the video tape that recorded the storm, along with her desk. Assistant Library Director and Building Manager Eileen Caulfield lost her entire office. For now, she set up her computer right by the entrance.
Patrons, too, are happy to be back among the familiar shelves and tables. In the children’s section, Jack Cotrone played with toy dinosaurs on the freshly steamed carpet floor. “He has been talking about coming back all year,” his mother Laura Cotrone said as Jack sat immersed with the toys. “They did a great job – it’s beautiful. I felt so bad with all the damage.”
The damage required new HVAC and electrical systems, fire alarms and the complete emptying of the basement.
Peggy Micciche, a life-long Smithtown resident, said she used to visit the library every Tuesday night with her father, continuing her frequent visits into adulthood in order to study genealogy. “It is wonderful to have it back,” she said, adding that while she visited other branches, the nostalgic charm of the Smithtown building cannot be replaced.
The library will be closed Friday evening and on Sunday as it continues to undergo repairs. The elevator is expected to be operational in the summer, allowing access to the mezzanine.
Harold Sheprow with grandson Connor. Photo from Lauren Sheprow
Harold Sheprow and Chuck Sewel. Photo courtesy Lauren Sheprow
Trustee Sheprow with Gordon Thompson. Photo from Lauren Sheprow
Peggy and Harold Sheprow in 2006. Photo courtesy Lauren Sheprow
The Sheprow Family in 2015. Photo courtesy Lauren Sheprow
This article was updated on May 7, 2025.
By Sabrina Artusa
Harold J. Sheprow, six-term mayor of the Village of Port Jefferson, passed away on May 1 at age 95, surrounded by family.
Sheprow was born Dec, 25, 1929, in Queens to Harold Sheprow Sr. and Gladys Petrie. As a teenager, he joined the Merchant Marines and became chief engineer at 18. Upon his return, he was drafted in 1954 to serve in the Korean War. On Feb. 9, 1957, he married Margaret Mary Katherine Kerr (Peggy) with whom he spent 68 years.
He then began working at Grumman Corporation, requiring he and Peggy to move to Port Jefferson Village from New Jersey in 1961. As an engineer, he worked on aircrafts like the F14 Tomcat, eventually retiring in 1990.
Upon moving to the village and paying to take his family to the beach, he was galvanized to get involved in village politics, first as a member of the Planning Board, then as a trustee and finally as mayor.
Sheprow was mayor for a total of 12 years — his lengthy tenure showcasing his dedication to serving his community, transcending his role as mayor and extending throughout his life.
Under Sheprow’s leadership, the village acquired the 170-acre Port Jefferson Country Club. He worked tirelessly for almost a decade to achieve his vision of a Port Jefferson where residents could have a private property they could call their own.
Famously, he attended a party where he made a connection to the country club’s owners. The acquaintance introduced him to the estate owners of the property. In a meeting, they agreed to lease the property to the village. They signed a $1 bill, sealing the agreement until a proper contract could be made.
The country club, an acquisition that required years of effort and planning and some spontaneous creativity, now bears his name.
Former Director of Recreation and Parks Ron Carlson said he was working in town hall while Sheprow was on a phone call with attorneys from Winston estates. “He came into my office, sat down, and said ‘Ron, guess what’,” Carlson said. “I said, ‘What?’ He said you may not believe this, but we are going to buy that golf club.”
“He said he wasn’t positive, but I think he was,” Carlson added. “He knew deep down that the village would vote ‘yes’ to the acquisition.”
Father Francis Pizzarelli, who formed Hope House Ministries while Sheprow was mayor in 1980, said Sheprow’s “creative genius” and “tender heart” helped make the village what it is today.
“He was a law-and-order tough guy but I was always amazed with him,” Pizzarelli said. “He was always thinking and he would think outside the box.”
Sheprow also worked to open the waterfront for public use through the development of Danfords Hotel & Marina in 1986, making the village less “heavily industrious” and developing a sense of place, former Mayor Margot Garant said.
As a father of six and an active golfer, Sheprow understood the need and value of recreational services in the village.
“What was very fun about him was he was very pro-recreation and parks,” Carlson said.
Indeed, he organized a bus service to ferry residents to the beach during the summer; he held Halloween parties at the Village Center; he promoted sports programs to make the athletic fields more accessible, with fields booked almost every day of the week; and even formed a team with other village employees, participating in softball and bowling games against the Village of Patchogue employees.
He strived to make the village a pleasant place to live, full of beauty, recreation and accessible parkland. His leadership style inspired his successors, including Garant.
“He was a man for everybody. He wasn’t pretentious. You always felt comfortable around Hal,” she said. “He never made any situation feel like it was something that couldn’t be handled. He wasn’t mayor for title or prestige, he was mayor for helping the people.”
Pizzarelli said that, although Sheprow was hesitant to support Hope House Ministries at first, he gave Pizzarelli the opportunity to argue his case and actively listened to other positions.
“He was always open-minded, and that is what always impressed me,” Pizzarelli said. “Whatever you brought to him, even though he may push back, he allowed you to push back to him so he could have a better understanding of whatever the issue was you were bringing to him.”
The Village of Port Jefferson made a social media post after Sheprow’s death, stating that the Sheprow family is “lightened by the fact that he was resting comfortably in his final moments, surrounded by loved ones.”
In an interview by Chris Ryon and Mark Sternberg in 2023 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the incorporation of the village, Sheprow said, “Being a mayor for Port Jefferson has got to be the most exciting experience anybody, laymen, could have. There is no better. I don’t care what you do in Port Jefferson, whether you go water-skiing, whatever you do, golf…nothing. Nothing is better than this — working in the Port Jeff government.”
Sheprow served as mayor from 1977 to 1985 and 1987 to 1991. His daughter, Lauren Sheprow, continues his legacy as mayor. He is survived by his wife Peggy; daughters Madelyn and Lauren; sons Dennis, Warren, Glenn and Brendan; 14 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his parents, brothers Ralph and Warren and son Neil Harold.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hope House Ministries of Port Jefferson. Visitation was on May 6 at Moloney’s Funeral Home in Port Jefferson Station. The funeral Mass was held on May 7 at St. Charles Chapel, 200 Belle Terre Road, Port Jefferson. Graveside service was be held at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Port Jefferson following the Mass.
Eleven students who had their visas revoked, thereby preventing them from working and making them vulnerable to deportation, have now had their records restored.
Last month the students were informed by SBU’s department of Global Affairs that their Student Exchange and Visitor Information System records were revoked. They were among thousands of international students nationwide to receive the message.
On Friday, the Department of Justice started restoring some of the over 1,800 visas that were terminated.
“This change means on-campus employment can be restored, and allows these students to return their full attention to their academic pursuits,” Provost Carl W. Lejuez, Vice Provost for Graduate Education Celia Marshik and Senior Associate Provost for Global Affairs Lindsi Walker wrote in an email sent to SBU faculty and students.
The reversal comes as litigation against the federal government mounts, with students arguing that the revocations were unconstitutional.
After Stony Brook University announced the terminations on April 10, students gathered in following days to express their solidarity with the students affected and to urge the university to help defend against deportation.
“Stony Brook is deeply enriched by the perspectives and contributions of our global community,” the letter from Lejuez, Marshik and Walker reads, “and we are proud to learn, teach, and conduct research alongside our exceptional international students and scholars.
Reportedly, the students were still attending classes during the period where their visas were inactive.
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
On a warm and sunny April 19, families gathered at the Smithtown Historical Society for an Easter egg hunt, live music, crafts and a petting zoo.
Food trucks parked on the grounds and, during breaks from the scavenger hunt or racing in the mini trucks, children sat in the shade and enjoyed an ice cream. Sheep, ponies, goats and llamas received much attention from the curious children. Adults perused craft booths that vendors set up next to a small stage, where the band Perfect Strangers covered the classics.
Children in their Easter best sat next to the Easter bunny and posed for pictures. Bunny ears bobbed across the expansive grounds as children ran from one activity to the next, enjoying the fresh air and Easter festivities.
Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich speaks at the Three Village Civic Association meeting on April 7. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
At a recent Three Village Civic Association meeting, Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) announced the formation of a new battery energy storage advisory committee consisting of scientists, fire department representatives, school superintendents and civic leaders.
The advisory group substitutes for an official Town of Brookhaven task force, as suggested by the New York State Research and Development Authority. NYSERDA’s Battery Energy Storage Guidebook recommends creating a task force representing “interested stakeholders” to help create or amend the protocols, processes and strategies involved in implementing a battery energy storage system.
“The Town of Brookhaven at large has not made a battery advisory task force as recommended by NYSERDA,” Kornreich said. “So I am making my own.”
With several engineers to help navigate the technicalities, scientists to analyze alternate forms of energy storage, civic leaders like Three Village Civic Association President Charles Tramontana to tap into the sentiments of residents, and local school superintendents who are looking out for the next generation, the task force aims to disseminate their findings, dispel misinformation and scrutinize the systems from various industry perspectives.
“The goal is to really make information available to everyone,” said Nancy Goroff, a retired professor of chemistry at Stony Brook University and former trustee for the Long Island Power Authority. “From my point of view a key aspect is figuring out what conditions, what parameters must be met in order for the battery energy storage systems to be safe. If we decide there are not a set of parameters for it to be safe, then we would recommend against building. I think it is more likely that we will come up with a list of parameters and conditions that can be met for the committee to make a consensus. “
“It is always better to have more information than not enough,” said Three Village civic member George Hoffman, who is pleased that a task force has been formed and commended Kornreich on the initiative.“I think it will make the public more comfortable.”
The group is tasked with comparing the facilities with peaker plants, a power plant that activates during times of high demand, considering alternative technologies and analyzing existing and emerging codes and safety measures.
“I have reservations about lithium batteries,” said Kornreich at the civic meeting. ”But, I am not an expert on batteries and in the vacuum of policymaking a lot of info that informs policymaking decisions, not just here but everywhere, seems to come from people who have vested interest one way or another.”
With three proposed facilities in his district, Kornreich is concerned about the spread of misinformation. Organizing a group of “high level people who can really dig into this and study it” is a step toward developing a more complete and informed determination on the systems.
In Port Jefferson Station, New Leaf Energy is proposing an 8.75-megawatt system while Savion has proposed two facilities in Setauket, 373 megawatts and 65 megawatts.
Goroff said that anticipating and measuring safety risks is a big concern of the group. Already she has started to form ideas on how to mitigate risk by using information about previous fires. For instance, she said that by looking at BESS Failure Incident Database, she estimates that “the time of installation is the riskiest time for a fire” and that the group may make recommendations for certain standards in the installation process to address that.
Goroff acknowledged that some public discourse is “inaccurate and greatly exaggerates the risks.”
“At the same time,” she continued, “there are real risks and we want to make sure that those are reduced. We also need to get our arms around how big the real risks are separated from the misinformation and disinformation.”
The group has had one meeting so far, with another soon approaching. They aim to have a report of recommendations by the end of June.
“I do believe that it is possible to build BESS in a safe way,” Goroff said.
Erich Preis standing next the the centerpiece, “Salvation”. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The work of Erich Preis, a Huntington native, decorates the walls of Trinity Community Art Center in Northport. Four-foot-tall paintings showcase apocalyptic scenes, foreboding and eerie. His work addresses both internal and external turmoil. Giant gears loom over desolate lands like storm clouds; the people in the paintings, vulnerable and unclothed, either cower or push onward.
Preis has been dedicated to art since he was 9 and studying at the Huntington Fine Arts school. Afterward, with the support of his high school art teacher he went to the Fashion Institute of Technology where he received his associate’s degree in art and design. Then he continued to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with a partial scholarship. During his tenure at the academy, he was awarded the Charles Toppan Memorial Prize.
In his storm series, Preis explores vulnerability, discomfort and the threat of unbridled technological advancement. “They relate to 911, a lot of them,” he said. “And they also relate to man’s battle against the machine and my own struggle with autism, you know, the repetitive motion of my mind.”
There is a painting named “Catharsis.” It is smaller than the others and depicts a triple self-portrait, each face with a different expression. The center face is bisected by a gear and the opened mouth is detached from the face, set wide in a scream. This piece more directly addresses Preis’ relationship with his autism.
“It was very healing to do this piece,” he said. Preis also studied art therapy and received his bachelor’s degree in the subject from C.W. Post. He then founded the Spirit of Huntington Art Center, where he helps his students enjoy the calming artistic process that has helped provide him with a creative outlet to express himself and cope with his autism.
“Catharsis”, painted by Preis. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The gear, a signature feature of his work, has manifested in his paintings over the course of his career.
“When I was 14 years old, a lawnmower fell apart and I was fascinated by this gear,” he said. “I always had this gear around and when I was in FIT I started to integrate the figure with gears.”
Preis lost his roommate Michael Noeth when a plane hit the Pentagon on 9/11. Since then, the gear has taken on a new meaning. In some pieces, it is like a plane — the storm reminiscent of a nuclear explosion.
The culmination of the series, “Salvation,” is in the middle of the room and is the largest. The painting was the most difficult of those depicted and took Preis two years to complete. Bob Hendrick, one of the founders of the center and an artist himself, commented on the technique and composition: “There is a certain symmetry to it. It is masterfully done.”
While the other paintings emit a sense of panic, fear and hopelessness, “Salvation” depicts the second coming of Christ. The death and resurrection of the people, the heroic angels diving past flames to bring the people back up to the light, provide a sense of solace, even as two gears grind among flames.
Priest of the neighboring Trinity Episcopal Church, Father Andrew Garnett admired what Preis was able to achieve. “Through art we have a deeper insight into what is going on,” he said. Garnett is holding a “sensory-friendly” service on April 27 at noon for all those who find the organ too loud or the typical sermon overwhelming. The service is inspired by autism awareness month.
“I think this is some of my best work because it deals with my emotions,” Preis said of the series. “I really hope that one day they end up in a museum.”
The exhibit will run through April 27. In September, Preis will have an exhibit at the Art League of Long Island in Dix Hills, where he will exhibit his sculptures as well.
During an April 8 Huntington Town board meeting, Cold Spring Harbor residents spoke on the proposed rezoning of the 23.75-acre RozeWood Farm and Estate property at 473 Woodbury Road. The period for public comment remains open.
Currently, the owners of the property, Jude and Jan Rosenveld, want to create a 23-room retreat and spa on the property. To do so, the property will have to be zoned as a historic overlap district from an R-80 residential district.
The property consists of a farm, a manor house, a farm house, guest cottages and a carriage house. There is also a tennis court and inground pool on the property, which will be used for the spa.
“There are very few improvements being made to the property,” said Chris Robinson of Robinson and Mullers, an engineer on the project. Improvements would include a parking area and a second tennis court. The State Environmental Quality Review Act determination was negative.
An online petition against the rezoning on Change.org has garnered over 640 signatures. Chief among the concerns of opponents was additional traffic congestion as well as the risks rezoning would create should future property owners decide to make further changes. Further, the use of the service road was cause of criticism, especially for those residing on neighboring properties who predict increased use would affect the peace of their community.
Wayne Muller of Robinson and Muller Engineering said that traffic would not exceed any other possible projects permissible in the current R-80 Residential zoning, such as mosques or a private elementary school.
“Neither me, myself or my neighbors or the town of Huntington should be put in the position where trust is part of the equation. My neighbors and I respectfully ask that restrictive covenants be put in place if you consider putting in place this zone change,” said one resident.
The mansion was built in the 1930s, while the farmhouse was used in 1830 and is on the National Historic registry.
As the Huntington Town Board considers denoting millions to the water and sewer districts in Greenlawn, Dix Hills and South Huntington, residents question if new facilities are imminently necessary.
“If there is anything you can do to put this off until the economy straightens off, that would be greatly appreciated especially by those who really can’t afford it,” said one Greenlawn resident, where there is a $6 million proposed expenditure. Nathaniel Corwin of Meyer Suozzi law firm, who is representing the Greenlawn water district, said “the estimated cost for [an advanced oxidation process] system including necessary GAC [granular activated carbon] systems, building as well as a very expensive generator is $9,994,000.” Since $3 million will be provided through on-hand funds, a bond would be required for the remainder.
For more information of RozeWood Farm and Estate go to www.rozewoodfarm.com.
The historical structure at Tesla Science Center after the fire on Nov. 21, 2023. Photo courtesy Tesla Science Center
By Sabrina Artusa
After the 2023 fire, the Tesla Science Center in Shoreham is on its way to rebuilding. In November 2023, the center was in the process of a $20 million restoration: the culmination of fundraising and a grassroots effort to turn the historic and dilapidated property into something educational and productive.
While the fire poses an unfortunate hurdle to the center’s reopening, the board of directors are continuing to move ahead to offer at least a part of the center to the public: the Visitors Center.
Marc Alessi standing in front of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe in Shoreham before the 2023 fire. File photo
“It is the beginning of the whole property, but right now it is everything,” said Marc Alessi, executive director. “It is the advertiser of what this will be. There is going to be one exhibit and a classroom and they can hold events and field trips.”
He expects to get the Visitors Center to open in 2026, having already secured a contractor to work on the building at the end of April.
The nonprofit has already raised $14 million from across the country, in addition to federal grants that they will receive once the work those grants are designated for is complete. The fire, however, added $3.5 million to their original estimate of $20 million, as well as another year, at least, to their timeline until reopening.
The Tesla center’s history has been spotted with difficulty. It took over a decade for the property to be secured, and then several years before enough money was raised to hire engineers and apply for permits.
The historic nature of the buildings as well as the fact that it is situated on a brownfield, a property that could be contaminated by past use, contributed to making the center “the most complicated museum project in the country right now.”
The site is not ideal, but in order to honor the 120-year-old building and the significance of the location to Tesla’s legacy, the complicated construction is worth it to Alessi, the rest of the staff and the board of directors as well as over 30,000 people who donated to the cause. “If it wasn’t Tesla’s historic lab, it wouldn’t be happening on this site…This is hallowed ground and a historic site in the making,” Alessi said.
To honor the historic nature of the buildings, Alessi said they had to find a contractor with expertise in historic renovations. Their last contractor fell through and denied the insurance claim after the fire, he said.
Now, the center has recently appointed four new board members with diverse backgrounds in an effort to expand the center’s mission. Matt Inman, one of the initial advocates for the center, cartoonist and creator of the popular card game “Exploding Kittens” is bringing “a new way of thinking“ and “a network we wouldn’t have known of,” said Alessi.
Kara Cannon, CEO of Enzo Biochem; Matt Domo, an innovator with a background in technology; and Romain Murenzi, a professor of physics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute with experience in science policy, joined the board of directors last month.
“[Murenzi] has experience setting up science programs in nations across the world. If we want to be a global science center we have to get people like this involved who have that reach; and it will be an international board eventually,” Alessi said.
The center is expected to bring international visitors – perhaps tourists who are visiting New York City but make the trip to Long Island to visit the site of Tesla’s abandoned lab with all the exhibits and technologies it has to offer. Board members expect 180,000 visitors a year.
Once the museum is established, they would like to employ traveling exhibits in the future, where other museums borrow from their niche collection. The museum will tell Tesla’s story but will be equally focused on new ideas and technologies. Alessi said, “[Tesla] was a ‘futurist. That is the kind of thinking we want to embrace and celebrate.”
Eleven international students’ visas have been terminated since March 28, Stony Brook University officials confirmed. The University’s Office of Global Affairs notified the students.
“We want to assure you that our Global Affairs team is exceptionally knowledgeable in advising our international community and are working around the clock to provide individualized support to our international students, faculty, and scholars,” reads a letter written by Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl W Lejuez, Graduate School Dean Celia Marshik and Senior Associate Provost for Global Affairs Lindsi Walker. “They are leveraging their extensive network of partners, including SUNY, to gather up-to-date information on resources and guidance.”
University representatives did not disclose why the visas were revoked and referred questions to SUNY. On March 21, Interim President Richard McCormick released a letter addressing unrest among international students. The letter came amidst an increase in visa terminations across New York and the country.
In January, President Trump reversed a policy that prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement from making arrests in schools and places of worship.
According to Inside Higher Ed, more than 700 international students have had their visas revoked across the country as of April 11. In New York, at least 62 students across eight public and private universities have had their visas terminated.
“As you know, this is a time of heightened uncertainty for international students on the nation’s college campuses. I am writing to emphasize that you are a valued member of our campus community,” McCormick wrote in the March letter.
Students with questions regarding their visa status are directed to Stony Brook University’s Visa and Immigration Services, the office of International Student Success,Counseling and Psychological Services or the Student Support Team.
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