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From left, Linda Lugo accepts her award from Sylvia Ryndock, NYSAR 2025 Awards Committee Chair. Photo courtesy of New York State Association of REALTORS®

The New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) honored Linda Lugo of Huntington with the 2024 Community Service Award for her dedication and commitment to animal rescue in Long Island during the association’s “Opportunity Awaits” Mid-Winter Business Meetings at the Crowne Plaza Albany–Desmond Hotel in Albany from Feb. 3 to 6.

The NYSAR Community Service Award recognizes REALTORS’® community involvement supporting initiatives aimed at a community’s youth, improving the quality of education, quality of life for older Americans, homelessness prevention, as well as efforts following natural disasters and other community needs.

For over a decade, Lugo, a member of the Long Island Board of REALTORS®, has been instrumental in helping displaced animals across Long Island and beyond, find homes. Her journey began just after Superstorm Sandy when Long Island was devastated and many people, and their pets, were without homes. Lugo helped care for pets that were left behind or unable to be reunited with their owners. In less than a year, Lugo helped care for over 400 dogs.

Since then, Lugo started “Animal Response and Rescue Coalition,” a non-profit organization which helps teach first responders how to work with animals during a disaster. She has also fostered over 40 dogs in her own home, working with Proud Rescuers of Puerto Rico, who help abandoned dogs and cats find their forever homes in the United States.

“I am honored to receive this award because it helps to bring greater awareness to what is happening to dogs, cats, and other animals in places like Puerto Rico,” said Lugo. “I thank the Awards Committee from the bottom of my heart for this award. It means the world to me!”

Along with an inscribed award, a grant of $1,500 will also be made in Lugo’s name to a charity of her choice.

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Wegmans in Lake Grove is the first to open on Long Island. Photo by Heidi Sutton/TBR News Media

By Heidi Sutton

The wait is finally over. Wegmans Food Markets has announced that it will celebrate the grand opening of its Lake Grove store on Wednesday, Feb. 26 with a ribbon cutting set for 9 a.m. Located at 3270 Middle Country Road in the DSW Plaza, the 101,000 square-foot supermarket will be Wegmans’ first on Long Island. 

“We have been actively hiring and training new employees and are excited to open our doors on Feb. 26 to serve the Lake Grove community,” said store manager Dawn Cooper in a press release. 

Located in the former Fairway Market  space, the new store will employ more than 500 people in full- and part-time positions and will feature restaurant-style foods at its Market Café including sushi, pizza, chef-made salads, and sandwiches; along with a hot self-serve bar; a large produce department; and a wide variety of seafood, meat, bakery, deli, and cheese options. 

There will be an equal number of full-service and self-checkout registers and plenty of parking. Casanova the Rooster,  the company’s mascot, will greet customers at the top of every hour and there is a designated seating area to enjoy eat-in meals.

Before even opening, the Lake Grove leadership team has been focused on building relationships and getting to know and support the local community. 

Over the summer, fall, and holiday season, the team participated in festivals, volunteered at local food pantries, and sponsored the annual Pictures with Santa display at the Smith Haven Mall. 

They also formed a partnership with Long Island Cares and Island Harvest to improve food security for local families through their annual Check Out Hunger scanning and by providing donations three days a week to the food banks through their perishable pick-up program. 

“With Wegmans’ help, we will be better able to support those on Long Island experiencing hunger, including families, children, seniors, veterans, unhoused individuals, and others who need assistance,” said Bob LaBarbara of Long Island Cares.

To date, the store team has donated nearly $30,000 to over two dozen local non-profit organizations and events, including United Way of Long Island, Village of Lake Grove for the Summer and Harvest Festivals, Ronkonkoma Fire Department, Suffolk Community College Foundation, Sachem Teen Center, and United Veterans Beacon House.

“It is such a warm and welcoming community; we are enjoying getting to know the people who live here,” said Cooper. “From volunteering at events to sponsoring them, the team has done a great job building connections in the area, and we are excited to have those connections grow.”

Based in upstate Rochester, the regional supermarket chain operates over 100 locations along the east coast. The family company celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. 

After Wednesday’s 9 a.m. opening, the Lake Grove store will be open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. For more information, call 631-285-1300.

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Photo from PSEG LI

PSEG Long Island is launching Senior Connections, a new program focused on helping seniors in the community navigate through a range of important topics. Under the program, PSEG Long Island is providing subject-matter experts to address groups of seniors about storm preparation, scam prevention, electric safety, energy efficiency and financial assistance.

“We created this Senior Connections program to enhance our commitment to older adults in the community,” said Michael Presti, PSEG Long Island’s director of Customer Experience and Marketing. “This free program will provide important information to help seniors stay safe and save money at locations that are convenient for them to attend.”

The seminars will be held in partnership with large and small community-based organizations, local libraries, schools, 55+ communities and other groups that provide seniors with programming and activities. Small, intimate groups or larger gatherings can be accommodated, either in person or via interactive virtual video meetings.

In Suffolk County the first seminar will be held at the Huntington YMCA, on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. The topic will be on scam prevention. To sign up for this free program, visit ymcali.org/pseg-senior-connections.

To find out more about the program or to request a lecture for your constituency, contact PSEG Long Island at[email protected].

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By Dylan Friedman

A proposed 48-unit apartment complex in Port Jefferson Station, Brook Meadows, has sparked a potential boundary restructuring between Brookhaven Town and Port Jefferson Village. Developer Northwind Group wants to annex the project site on Baylis Avenue to Port Jefferson Village. 

This unusual move comes after Northwind’s initial attempt to secure a zoning change from Brookhaven Town for the 5.6-acre parcel at 16 Baylis Ave. failed amid community and official opposition.

Baylis Avenue, a dead-end street with only 6 properties, presents a unique situation. While physically located within the Town of Brookhaven, its sole access point is via Sheep Pasture Road, which lies within Port Jefferson Village.

If both the town and village consent to the annexation, Brook Meadows would be assessed by Port Jefferson’s land-use boards instead of those of Brookhaven’s.

However, Ira Costell, president of the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Civic Association, said in a recent Newsday article that he thinks the annexation “has the feel of a backdoor move to circumvent both the town and the residents of Port Jefferson Station” to bypass town zoning laws. 

“If this was a constant process and policy now, we are eating away at the margins of what’s been long-term, long-established as the governmental jurisdiction. It still remains part of our school district. Everybody around that parcel will be Port Jeff Station residents. I mean, what’s the logic behind this,” Costell said.  

There is a public hearing, scheduled for March 6 at Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville, is poised to be pivotal in determining the fate of the Brook Meadows development and its implications for municipal boundary adjustments. 

Ultimately, the fate of the annexation and the Brook Meadows project will hinge on a joint decision by Brookhaven Town and Port Jefferson Village.

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Cayuga Elementary School in Lake Grove was the recipient of a TangerKids grant. Photo courtesy of Tanger Riverhead

As part of a continued commitment to support education and invest in the local community, Tanger Outlets in Riverhead recently announced its 2024 TangerKids Grants recipients. Local winners include Cayuga Elementary School in Lake Grove, to create a sensory room; Hampton Bays Middle School in Hampton Bays, benefitting their Life Skills Academy; and Mattituck-Cutchogue Elementary School in Cutchogue, benefitting their school decodable book library.

Tanger donated over $190K across the country to fund classroom investments through the TangerKids 2024 Grants program. Title 1 schools represent more than 60% of the recipients selected by Tanger centers. ​ ​

“Tanger Riverhead is proud to support families in our community by investing in student success,” said Tanger Riverhead Marketing Director Lesley Anthony. “Each year, we listen closely to the specific needs of our local educators and provide funding for projects that make a real difference. Over the years, we’ve seen firsthand how these grants help create more inclusive and productive learning environments, equipping students with the tools they need to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.”

Throughout the program’s history spanning nearly 30 years, Tanger has contributed more than $3.7 million to school-focused initiatives in the communities it serves. The annual program is eligible for public and private schools from pre-K to grade 12. Applications were open from Aug. 12 – Oct. 18, 2024, and winners were chosen from numerous applicants within the Long Island area. Cayuga Elementary School received an extra $1,000 in funding as the winner of TangerClub’s member’s choice voting. ​ ​

Tanger Riverhead celebrated TangerKids Day on Jan. 31 with check presentations at each school. ​

To learn more about TangerKids Grants, please visit grants.tanger.com.

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For the fourth year running, Jefferson’s Ferry in South Setauket has earned a Choice Community Award from Holleran Consulting, based on the outstanding results of a  yearly survey of its residents. Holleran has the largest benchmark of senior living engagement scores by which Life Plan Communities can compare performance relative to their peers. 

The Choice Community Award is widely recognized as the gold standard in the senior living industry. Recipients of the award have exceeded the national benchmarks for resident engagement and satisfaction. 

“The Choice Community Award is based entirely on feedback from our residents, making this vote of extremely high satisfaction particularly meaningful to our entire team,” explained Vice President of Resident Life Linda Kolakowski. “Participating in Holleran’s Resident Engagement survey is strictly voluntary, so we’re doubly appreciative that our residents have taken the time to express their views and share their insights. Their feedback and the dedication of our team members make Jefferson’s Ferry one of a kind.”

“Our mission is to provide our residents with the exceptional, engaged, and active lifestyle that they expect and deserve,” added Jefferson’s Ferry President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Caulfield. “Our lifestyle promotes independence, individuality, dignity, privacy, security, and peace of mind for each resident through a focus on resident programs, service and outstanding health care.

“People choose to live at Life Plan Communities with an expectation of a continuation of care as their needs change,” continued Caulfield, “but what makes Jefferson’s Ferry stand above other Life Plan choices is the culture of community specific to Jefferson’s Ferry. In our almost 25 years of operation, Jefferson’s Ferry has developed a distinct vibe and tradition of caring for each other as neighbors and friends. The feeling of home and the security it provides is a key component of life at Jefferson’s Ferry. Cultivating that special bond and engagement our residents and staff experience is a cornerstone of our community.”  

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Pictured from left, board member Richard Hamburger, Executive Director Claudia Fortunato, board member Kevin Coneys, Six Harbors owner Mark Heuwetter, and board members Peter Chase, Robert Hughes, and Toby Kissam. Photo courtesy of Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve

The Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve recently received a generous donation of $1,100 from Six Harbors Brewery representing a portion of the sales of the specially brewed Lefferts Tide Mill Lager sale.

The special beer was brewed by Brewery co-owner Mark Heuwetter, and introduced to the public last August at  a fundraising event at the Brewery for the Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve. The lager was available for sale in the following months with a portion of the sale of each pint or can earmarked for the continued preservation of the mill.

“I like giving back to the history of Huntington because Six Harbors is a result of the research my wife and I did when I was just starting the Brewery,” said Heuwetter. 

“I knew the people of Huntington would be so interested in learning about the 18th century Lefferts Tide Mill that I wanted to make it known that tours of the mill are available through the Huntington Historical Society. The beer was a great way to start the conversation!” said Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve’s Executive Director Claudia Fortunato.

If you missed a chance to get a taste of the beer, don’t worry — the fundraiser will be held again this year!  The funds raised from the Lefferts Tide Mill Lager will be dedicated to the crucial task of maintaining the mill and ensuring its doors remain open as a museum.

The Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve is a not-for-profit organization, established in 2013, with a mission to preserve and protect an 18th century tide mill, located in the Village of Lloyd Harbor, that is the best-preserved tidal grist mill in the United States. The mill design is based on U.S. Patent No. 3 for an “automatic mill” signed by President George Washington. The mill pond has flourished into a haven for native and migratory waterfowl, contributing significantly to the region’s biodiversity.

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Photo courtesy of SMM Advertising
Photo courtesy of SMM Advertising

SMM Advertising, a full-service agency in Smithtown specializing in branding, advertising, and lead generation, was recently recognized at the 2024 MarCom Awards with a Gold Award for Strategic Communications Marketing/Promotion Campaign, Special Event. 

SMM achieved this gold award for crafting all the marketing communications materials for the 50th-anniversary celebration of Festo USA, a worldwide manufacturer of automation technology. Their team developed a distinctive visual and thematic concept for the event, highlighting Festo USA’s legacy and its continued impact on the industry.

“We’re deeply honored to be recognized for our hard work on this special project,” said SMM Managing Director Judy DeBiase. “Achievements like this truly reflect the passion and commitment our team invests in delivering exceptional results for our clients.”

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Pictured from left, Dr. Joseph Marino, Northwell SVP Anesthesia Service Line; Dr. David Park, Anesthesia Chair at Mather Hospital; Steven Cortes; Michael Lampasona, Nurse Anesthesia Manager at Mather; and Kevin McGeachy, President, Mather Hospital. Photo courtesy of Northwell

Steven Cortes, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson, was honored on Feb. 3 with a lifesaver award from Northwell’s Anesthesia Service Line for his role in saving the life of a house fire victim.

On Oct. 14, 2024 Mr. Cortes finished his 10-hour shift and began driving home to his wife when he came upon an active house fire in his neighborhood. The first person on the scene, he called 911, then assisted in rescuing a 62-year-old disabled man trapped in the blaze. 

The paramedics on the scene tried unsuccessfully to place a breathing tube in the man. Steve rushed in and successfully intubated the man on his first attempt. After securing the patient’s airway, he remained at his side in the ambulance and aided in the resuscitation efforts on the way to the closest hospital. 

“Steve spent the entire evening and night displaying an extraordinary level of compassion and selflessness,” said Michael Lampasona, Nurse Anesthesia Manager at Mather Hospital. “He truly exemplifies the mission, vision, and values of Northwell Anesthesia.”

“Steven’s quick thinking, training and experience helped save a life that night,” said Mather President Kevin McGeachy. “I congratulate him for showing the highest level of dedication and professionalism, the kind of extraordinary patient care for which Mather is known.” 

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'Lasting Love' pre-Valentine's dinner 2025. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law
'Lasting Love' pre-Valentine's dinner 2025. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law
'Lasting Love' pre-Valentine's dinner 2025. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law
'Lasting Love' pre-Valentine's dinner 2025. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law
'Lasting Love' pre-Valentine's dinner 2025. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law
'Lasting Love' pre-Valentine's dinner 2025. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law
'Lasting Love' pre-Valentine's dinner 2025. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law
'Lasting Love' pre-Valentine's dinner 2025. Photo courtesy of Cona Elder Law

Third Annual Event Hosted by Cona Elder Law honors couples and their secrets to relationship success

 Long Island couples who have been married 50 years or more gathered for a pre-Valentine’s celebration at the 3rd Annual “Lasting Love” Valentine’s Dinner on Feb. 11 to toast their successful relationships.

“This room is full of beautiful people who got it right,” said Jennifer Cona, Founder and Managing Partner of Cona Elder Law. “There are a lot of things older adults can teach us, including the secrets of staying together. Lessons of patience, of compromise. All those things that it takes to stay together for so long.”

Held at Verona Ristorante in Farmingdale, each participating couple feasted on a complimentary traditional Italian dinner including appetizers, dinner and dessert plus a glass of wine or a cocktail.

Couples also had the opportunity to share their stories about how they met and how they have been successful in their marriages and offer advice to younger couples on their own path to relationship success.

“We got married very young and we grew up together,” said Shelley Rudes of Woodbury. She and her husband Jonathan have been together for 51 years. “We never go to bed angry.”

“I think it takes a lot of patience and a sense of humor,” said Diane Powell, of Roslyn. She and her husband Tom have been married 52 years. “You need to keep your relationships with friends and family and be ready to face things you don’t expect. You have to stick together in good times and bad.”

The event was sponsored by Melville-based Cona Elder Law, which concentrates in the areas of elder law, estate planning, estate administration and litigation, and health care law. Cona Elder Law takes a holistic approach to elder law, providing support and resources for older adults and caregivers, and maintains long-term, partnering relationships with clients to provide the best solutions for multiple generations.

 

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