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TBR Staff

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TBR News Media covers everything happening on the North Shore of Suffolk County from Cold Spring Harbor to Wading River.

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Max Jamdar

By Reyva Jamdar

Next to me on the couch, my dog lies. His foot twitches and whiskers tremble as he silently sleeps. A small “humph” escapes his mouth and he wakes up, suspiciously glancing around for the source of the noise. “You woke yourself up, dummy,” I mutter. I spend most of my days observing my dog. His fur, his small tongue, and of course, his previously mentioned puppy noises.

During this time, this is all I’ve been able to accomplish. Observing each and every toe and paw have helped me get through such a transition. As I sit here, writing this piece, I chuckle at the thought of how I even got this dog. I think I owe it all to my sister.

My dear sister of eighteen years, a proud member of the graduating class of 2020, is now heading off to college. Soon she’ll become a unique member of society, writing her own story filled with her own journeys. But before she even decided to spread her wings, she wanted a dog. A dog to play with, to cry with, and most importantly, to love.

Even as a toddler, I understood the importance of such a relationship. I grew up thinking that having a dog was a given, so it was a stab in the gut when I realized that this wasn’t true … at all. My mother. My mother was the face of this terrible feeling. She was, in her own words, “brutally attacked by a large dog” at the age of 12. This untimely event affected my family for years. This alone caused many “doggy disputes” in our household. It got to the point where my sister and I lost hope. It was already 2020. It was already the start of a fresh, lucky year, right? Or so we thought.

The coronavirus slowly took over New York. And my life. Getting a dog wasn’t even up for discussion once school closed. Days turned into months. Months felt like years. Endless, pointless days were all I could recall as I finally considered myself a sophomore. It was a sticky June day when I was startled by a shriek and a faint thump. My sister’s familiar clunks down the stairs halted as she approached me. It was an immediate surprise when she revealed that we were, in fact, getting a puppy during a global pandemic.

There was absolutely no way that my mother would accept yet another baby into her house during such a time. But I was wrong. She actually agreed. Maybe it was the fact that my sister was leaving for college (the new dog was an even better replacement) or because of how unexpectedly horrible 2020 was. To be quite honest, I still don’t know why she suddenly changed her mind. But I’m glad she did.

The first night with my mini golden-doodle puppy, Max, was dream-like. If a fluffy ball of fur was cuddled up next to you, wouldn’t you be ecstatic too? But the next morning was anything but this. Pee was everywhere. Chewed up pieces of furniture (and the couch) were destroyed. Our sleep schedules were completely skewed.

But it was worth it.

All those nights spent worrying about what other curveball 2020 would throw at us next wasn’t a problem anymore. All those nights spent worrying about what tomorrow would bring wasn’t a problem anymore. All those long, suspenseful nights spent worrying about something that I couldn’t control wasn’t a problem anymore. Having a dog, whether he peed on the couch or not, was completely worth it. Getting a dog in my house was always frowned upon, so that really just proves that everything and anything is possible even during a global pandemic.

Remember, when life gives you lemons, always make lemonade. 2020 was horrible. But we decided to make something out of it and as a result received puppy love!

A resident of E. Setauket, author Reyva Jamdar recently graduated from P.J. Gelinas Middle School and will be attending Ward Melville High School as a sophomore in the fall.

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Supervisor Ed Romaine (right) and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (left) met with Colleen Kelly on July 21 at Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville to congratulate her for winning First Prize in the Connecticut Fund for the Environment’s Save the Sound photo contest.

The winning photo (on right) was taken at the Town of Brookhaven’s Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai. A resident of Middle Island, Ms. Kelly is pictured with her son, Caedyn, who is her “photo assistant” and a frequent subject of his mother’s photographs. 

“Cedar Beach is a great location to shoot pictures and Colleen proved that with her stunning, prize winning photograph. It illustrates the need to do whatever we can to preserve and protect the Long Island Sound and our beautiful shoreline for everyone to enjoy,” said Councilwoman Bonner .

“I congratulate Colleen for her outstanding photograph and thank her for showing everyone just how beautiful our north shore landscape is. It also reinforces why we must take good care of the environment and encourage children like Caedyn to preserve our precious natural resources,” added Supervisor Romaine.

The mission of “Save the Sound” is to protect and improve the land, air and water of Connecticut and Long Island Sound. Visit www.savethesound.org for more info

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A fallen tree in T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond Park. Photo from WMHO

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization launched a volunteer and fundraising effort after Tropical Storm Isaias left piles of debris and damage throughout Stony Brook village.

The storm destroyed more than a dozen trees in T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond Park on Harbor Road adjacent to Avalon Nature Preserve, and many more in the surrounding area. It also ravaged the park’s braille engraved handrails, the borders maintaining the park’s gardens, the walkways along the pond and more.

For 80 years, the park has served as a community space for people to enjoy the great outdoors and watch ducks, geese and other birds. The Stony Brook Mill Pond Fishing Club has been teaching fishing techniques to youngsters since it was established in 1951.

The park damage is still being assessed to determine a complete restoration cost. Local Girl Scout Troop 2907, of Setauket, and Girl Scout Troop 824, Service Unit 45, of Centereach, have committed to assist in removing debris at the park’s sensory garden, which features plants with an array of textures and scents.

The WMHO’s volunteer cleanup effort is part of a larger fundraising initiative titled the New Beginnings Online Auction and Virtual Party to benefit restoration of the park. The online auction and virtual party kickoff are scheduled for Oct. 19 when donors will have the opportunity to go online and place their bids for a good cause on a wide variety of highly prized items.

To learn more about the restoration fundraising efforts, call The Ward Melville Heritage Organization at 631-751-2244.

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District Attorney Tim Sini (D). File photo by Victoria Espinoza

A Queens man is facing charges in Suffolk County after allegedly failing to pay $104,000 to workers.

Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini (D) announced Aug. 19 the arrest of contractor Young Jae Kim, 67. Kim allegedly didn’t pay wages owed to workers on a capital project for the Huntington Union Free School District. The contractor and his company Tri-State Construction of New York Corp are each being charged with offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree and willful failure to pay the minimum rate of wage and supplement, a violation of New York State Labor Law. 

“People deserve to be paid for the work they do; it’s that simple,” Sini said. “Not only were these defendants allegedly shortchanging their employees, but they were doing so on the public’s payroll. This is unacceptable. I thank the members of my office’s Financial Investigations & Money Laundering Bureau for continuing to investigate and prosecute labor crimes like these and to make sure Suffolk County workers are being paid their fair share.”

According to the district attorney’s office, approximately from late June 2018 to Aug. 11 in the same year, the defendants were employed on a District-wide Capital Improvement Project for the Huntington Union Free School District. During this time, the defendants allegedly submitted certified payrolls to the school district that indicated a failure to pay workers any supplement benefits and overtime as required for working more than 40 hours in a workweek. An investigation revealed evidence that the defendants allegedly failed to pay 11 employees a total of $104,000 in prevailing wage supplements and overtime.

The defendants also allegedly filed false NYS-45 quarterly wage reporting forms to the New York State Department of Labor, underreporting wages to avoid paying Unemployment Insurance Fund contributions.

Kim surrendered to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Aug. 19 and was given a desk appearance ticket. He will be arraigned Sept. 8. If convicted of the top count, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of one 1/3 to four years in prison.

Requests for comments from Kim’s Bayside-based attorney Patrick McIlwain were not returned.

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Stock photo

Your vote is the most valuable treasure you own. Take good care of it, use it wisely, never sell it and demand a great return on your investment. I have spent years encouraging people to vote.  This year is quickly becoming a time when we must protect and defend our right to vote! Below are a few suggestions some should be done now so you will be prepared:

1. Items 1a, 1b,and 1c require the assistance of the Suffolk County Board of Elections. It is suggested that you contact them by email so you spend time on a long phone hold:  suffolkcountyny.gov/departments/BOE

1a. If you have moved in the past year, make sure you are registered. Contact the board of elections. Check online for their contact information.

1b. If someone in your family has or will turn 18 before Nov. 3, ask how they register and what documents must be provided.

1c. Request an Absentee Ballot. You can get the request form online, print it out, fill it out and mail it to the board of elections. Do this as soon as possible.

2. Your Ballot will be mailed to you, ask the BOE when they mail the ballots so you can watch for it. When it arrives, Vote and mail back right away. Do not wait until the middle of October as the mail might be delayed then.

3. If you plan to vote in person, make sure your polling place has not been moved. Wear a mask, gloves and carry hand sanitizer and most importantly, practice social distancing.

4. Try to avoid taking children to the polls. If you must, make sure they have well-fitting masks, keep them close, no wandering. Before getting back in the car everyone should sanitize their hands.

5. If you decide to vote in person bring proper identification: driver’s license, passport. There can always be a first time when you will have to show ID.

Live at polling places vs. total mail in ballots for Mount Sinai School District

In Mount Sinai, the voting data of this past year’s school budget vote showed a huge increase.   

Vote Counts  2014 – 2019  based upon in person voting:

Lowest count was 962 while the highest was 1557. The average for those five years was 1352.8. 

In 2020 ballots were mailed to all registered voters in the school district and could be mailed back or put in a drop box in the district office lobby.

The total number of votes cast was 2993. This number is 1641 more votes than the average of the past five years.

There is a fantastic website which is designed to answer voter questions and provide information, state specific, for voters. The site is presented by the National Association of Secretaries of State and it can be reached at canivote.org.

Vote as if your life depends upon it, because the American way of life does. 

Lynn Jordan is a lifelong Long Island-based community advocate, stemming from her time as a volunteer district lobbyist to PTA Council President at the Comsewogue School District, which preceded her 19-year tenure as a nurse at Mount Sinai Middle School, following which she served 12 years on the Mount Sinai board of education.

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From left, Private First Class Alex Vroman of the New York Army National Guard and Josh Miller, MD, MPH, Assistant Dean for Clinical Integration and Medical Director of Diabetes Care for Stony Brook Medicine, at the coronavirus testing site on Stony Brook University’s campus, where more 48,000 people were tested from March through July. Photo from SBU

By Carol Gomes

Carol Gomes

The pandemic crisis has revealed who we are at Stony Brook Medicine, and we are truly “Stony Brook Strong.”

On Monday, March 2, Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) instituted our Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) to manage our response to the pandemic. Today, more than five months later, the system remains in place, operating seven days a week.

It is truly amazing how far we have come. At the height of the pandemic, on April 14, Stony Brook had 359 COVID-positive patients in the hospital. As of last Friday, we had only seven.

Now all our care sites are back in operation, using new safety and cleaning protocols. Our Emergency Departments remain open 24/7 for medical emergencies across Long Island, and we resumed elective procedures at SBUH effective June 1, after meeting state requirements.

From March through Aug. 2, SBUH treated 1,653 COVID-positive inpatients. The four hospitals in the Stony Brook Medicine hospital system formed the backbone of the response across Suffolk County, which had the lowest patient mortality rate across Downstate New York.

To manage the surge in patients, the hospital opened 300 additional inpatient beds, including 180 additional ICU beds. Stony Brook also collaborated with the New York State Department of Health to establish a drive-through coronavirus testing site on Stony Brook University’s campus, testing more than 48,000 people from March through July.

Adjacent to the testing site, Stony Brook set up a Field ER to care for patients referred from the hospital’s main Emergency Department. From March 24 to May 4, the site treated more than 1,885 patients.

Since the pandemic began, our Hospital Purchasing Department has been on top of the issue, scouring the nation and world for supplies. Over a three-month period, we received nearly 10 million gloves, more than 700,000 gowns, more than 750,000 surgical masks, more than 75,000 N95 respirators and nearly 30,000 face shields. We were one of the first hospitals in the nation to reprocess N95 respirators with Battelle Laboratories, with more than 8,000 masks reprocessed for future use if needed.

We know we must remain vigilant, as this pandemic is not yet over, and we face an uncertain future, with a possible second wave, for which we are well prepared. But we also know this much with certainty: we have successfully bent downward the curve of COVID-19 cases across Suffolk County.

Thank you for your continuing efforts to keep the coronavirus in check by following fundamental public health protocols: social distancing, masks and hand hygiene. Together, we will emerge from this pandemic even stronger than before, because together we are “Stony Brook Strong.”

Carol A. Gomes, MS, FACHE, CPHQ, is Chief Executive Officer at Stony Brook University Hospital.

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Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright, right. File photo by Elana Glowatz

By George Hoffman

George Hoffman

With the likely election of Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) to the New York State Supreme Court as a justice in the 10th District this November, it will mean that residents of Council District 1 will be choosing a new town councilperson at the beginning of next year.

Before prospective candidates come forward, I thought it might be worthwhile to suggest a list of attributes that our next councilperson should possess.

1. Be active in community affairs.

Our new councilperson should be someone who is involved in the local community. Council District 1 has numerous and active community organizations from civic groups, historical societies, chambers of commerce, volunteer fire and rescue companies, youth athletic leagues and school and library boards.

Having a background in local civic affairs means that our new councilperson knows who the community leaders are and what’s important to the community.

2. Have a nonpartisan attitude.                                                                                                                                      

Our new councilperson should be someone who builds relationships with the others rather than stirs up partisan conflict. Town government deals mostly with the delivery of services like garbage pickup, road repair, snow removal, maintaining the parks and town facilities. Most issues of the Town Board are nonpolitical and should not be used for scoring partisan points. New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia famously said, “There is no Democratic or Republican way to pick up garbage.”

3. Makes friends not waves.

Though we are currently living in very partisan times, Americans continually tell pollsters that they want their elected officials to work together rather than fight amongst themselves and get nothing done. Our next councilperson should leave their party registration at the door of town hall and build relationships with their colleagues on the board and in town government to make our town a better place.

4. Understand the importance of our history, harbors and open spaces.

The Town of Brookhaven was first established on the shores of Setauket Harbor, 365 years ago. The people who live here are coastal people and want their leaders to protect this legacy. They also are proud of the role our ancestors played in early American history, helping Gen. George Washington and his armies overcome the British forces. Protecting the historic Washington Spy Trail, what we now call NYS Route 25A, is central to that history.

5. Be fiscally prudent.

Though some in our area are very well off financially, most of us are holding our own in an area that has a very high cost of living. Our next councilperson needs a sense of prudence when deciding how much town government can spend in providing necessary services to its residents. Now with the challenge of dealing with the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, town government will have to restructure itself and learn to do more with less. Something much easier said than done. Our next councilperson will need a sense of balance in making tough fiscal choices in the next budget process.

But more importantly, our next councilperson needs to care about our town and community, and always put their interests ahead of party and self.

George Hoffman is active in civic affairs and currently serves as vice president of the Three Village Civic Association and is one of the founders of Setauket Harbor Task Force. He recently was co-chair of the Town of Brookhaven Citizens Advisory Committee for the Route 25A corridor. Hoffman has worked as a chief of staff in three of Suffolk’s biggest towns and served as a district director for a local congressman.

TBR News Media invites community members to submit their thoughts on what qualities they believe the next councilperson should possess. Submissions can be emailed to [email protected].

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Lance Gumbs. Photo courtesy of WMHO

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization in Stony Brook continues its Master Class series with a presentation by Lance Gumbs titled “Shinnecock Nation: Past, Present and Future.” This free virtual experience will be offered via Zoom on Aug. 26 at 1 p.m.

Vice President of the National Congress of American Indian and the Tribal Ambassador for the Shinnecock Indian Nation, Gumbs will take participants on a journey back to his ancestors, some 10,000 years ago, explaining how, through their creative ingenuity, the Shinnecocks survived centuries of change, and how they continue to keep their traditions alive.

Today, Gumbs is working not only on having his people survive, but to flourish — especially through capital investments, along with their commitment to land and tradition. Gain insight into Gumbs’ life and his role as a tribal member who seeks to use his skills in business to benefit his tribal nation – currently through a new enterprise: a 100,000 square feet medical marijuana dispensary and wellness lounge on the tribe’s 700-acre reservation.

To register for this virtual event, email [email protected] or call 631-751-2244.

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Slate Floral & Event Studio. Photo from PJCC
Slate Floral & Event Studio
Slate Floral & Event Studio
Slate Floral & Event Studio
Slate Floral & Event Studio
Slate Floral & Event Studio
Slate Floral & Event Studio
Slate Floral & Event Studio
Slate Floral & Event Studio

The Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for Slate Floral & Event Studio on Aug. 11. The event was attended by family, friends, members of the chamber and Mayor Margot Garant.

The new boutique, located at 158 E. Main Street, Suite 2, in Port Jefferson Village (in the former Reruns location) specializes in custom event décor and unique, whimsical, artisan gifts, many of which are handmade by local artists. Curbside pickup and delivery is available.

Owner Dianne Mutell (pictured with scissors) goes by the mantra that “each of life’s special moments deserve celebration.”

“I have an extensive background in floral & event design … and I enjoy creating unique, one of a kind florals and event decor for clients. Each creation is custom and special, just as each person is,” said Mutell.

The beautiful shop features custom florals, succulents, plants, event decor and design, party planning, artisan wrapping papers and cards, unique paper goods, gift baskets, pots, planters, vases, topiaries, balloons and gifts and also offers Bloom Bar & Flower Crown  workshops.

Operating hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The shop is closed on Tuesdays. For further information, call 631-278-9068 or visit www.slateli.com.

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METRO photo

Shopping for school supplies once entailed stocking up on pens, pads and notebooks. Students today still buy many of the same items, though they also now stock up on electronics. Technology and education now go hand-in-hand. For students to find success both in and out of the classroom, the right tech can make all the difference.

High-speed internet: Connectivity is key in a digitally driven world. Students need access to the internet for homework, lectures, email, entertainment, and much more. The faster your internet speed the better. According to the resource HighSpeedInternet.com, streaming videos on a single device or web browsing requires between five and 40 Mbps. Downloading large files or using multiple devices simultaneously requires high speeds. When accessing the internet via smartphones, make sure your plan has unlimited data or provides enough data to ensure interruptions do not occur.

Laptop or notebook computer: Laptops and notebook devices are similar in that both offer many types of software preloaded that a student will need. The devices seem interchangeable, but there are some differences. Laptops are generally larger than sleek, light notebooks. Notebooks are sized to fit easily into backpacks. Notebooks tend to have minimal features, including less RAM capacity and slower speeds, helping to keep their costs down. Some notebooks may have very small amounts of hard drive storage space, requiring users to purchase external storage devices.

Headphones: Most schools now require students to have their own dedicated pair of earbuds or over-the-ear headphones so that work conducted on a computer does not disturb others also working on their own devices. Headphones also can make it easier to hear and comprehend videos and other digital lessons while doing homework.

Chargers/battery packs: Devices must maintain power to help kids learn. Students can benefit from having a backup charger or battery pack to maintain functionality on their devices.

Storage and charging base: Keeping electronics neat and accessible for the family may mean rethinking countertop or other storage spaces. Charging stations hold multiple devices and allow them to charge simultaneously.

Printer/scanner: While many schools have adopted paperless formats, there may come a time when printing an assignment or report is necessary. A quality ink-jet printer can fit the bill. A scanner to scan photos or documents also makes it easier to complete assignments.

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