Two Rocky Point High School seniors are among dozens of students from school districts throughout the Town of Brookhaven who were lauded for achieving a grade point average of 95 or higher.
Sofia Haviland and Renee Ortiz have earned academic excellence awards as part of the town’s 10th annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration. They were recognized at a ceremony Oct. 6 at Town Hall by Brookhaven’s Hispanic Advisory Board members, Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and members of the Town Council.
Torrential downpours didn’t stop people from heading into Port Jefferson this past weekend to get a head start on the village’s annual autumn activities.
The 35th annual Outdoor Country Auction at the Mather House Museum was held Saturday, Oct. 14, under a tent with plastic covering up the antiques for sale. The muddy grass and gloomy skies didn’t prevent nearly three dozen people from sitting with their paddles, bidding on goods dating back to the 1800s that would help support the Historical Society of Greater Port Jefferson.
Nick Acampora, president of the historical society, said that this year, the organization made approximately $5,000 — one of the largest in recent years.
But what got most people talking throughout the event was one man in the fourth row who bid on a Setauket coverlet over and over, essentially spending $1,600 on a large piece of fabric. After a large round of applause, and another purchase of locally made antiques dating back to 19th century Setauket, other shoppers were dying to know why someone would spend that much on a few antiques.
Michael O’Dwyer, a board member of the Three Village Historical Society, said that the 1815 woven coverlet was once owned by Frances Satterly — a significant family in the Three Village area.
“It’s a piece of local history,” he said. “We’re so happy that it will go back to the village historical society.”
Along with the coverlet, O’Dwyer purchased several other local antiques, out of the nearly 250 items up for bid, that will soon be housed with other historical pieces accumulated through the years.
“Events like this are emblematic of Port Jefferson’s small-town charm, strong community and rich history,” said Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay, who also indulged in a few items. “Even the rain couldn’t keep excited bidders from raising their paddles and raising funds for the historical society.”
As one side of the village was buzzing with auction bidders, other fun events were going on including an alumni softball game and, of course, the high school football Homecoming.
Several fifth graders decided to open up shop in front of these events, selling homemade bracelets, cookies and muffins to raise funds for fifth-grade events.
Lily Bowman, one of the young entrepreneurs, said that after the day’s events, the group made over $400.
“It was an exhausting day, but in a good way,” she said.
Students at Comsewogue School District’s Clinton Avenue Elementary School kicked off autumn Sunday, Oct. 1, with a harvest festival at the school’s community garden. Children decorated pumpkins, created paper scarecrows, planted bulbs in the garden, played cornhole and took photos at a festive face-in-hole photo booth.
“The district launched its community garden last year, and it is now thriving,” said Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Quinn. “It served as a beautification effort and a way to give back to the community through donations. Our garden is always looking for more volunteers and donations.”
Kelly Klug, school nurse at Clinton Avenue Elementary, spearheaded the community garden and managed it with the help of local volunteers. Throughout the summer, they have been growing flowers, fruits and vegetables.
They harvest the produce in the fall and donate it to local food banks. The garden also hosts other events throughout the year for children in the community.
For more information, please visit the district’s website at www.comsewogue.k12.ny.us. Happenings in the district can also be followed on the district’s Facebook page.
Students from Port Jefferson School District’s Earl L. Vandermeulen High School recently visited the LongHouse Reserve, a 16-acre reserve and sculpture garden in East Hampton, featuring works by Buckminster Fuller, Dale Chihuly, Yoko Ono and Willem de Kooning. Coordinated by high school art teacher Nancy Randazzo, the student-artists explored the marvelous creativity on the spectacular grounds across the site.
In a unanimous vote by the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees, Andrew P. Freleng was appointed to direct the village’s Building & Planning Department, effective Nov. 13.
Freleng, of Middle Island, is chief planner at the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, overseeing the Regulatory Review Unit that analyzes zoning and subdivision referrals on behalf of the Suffolk County Planning Commission. He also supervises the staff to the Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality, which is responsible for reviewing the environmental ramifications of all actions of the county.
Currently, Freleng is the chair of the Brookhaven National Laboratory Executive Roundtable and vice chair of the Central Pine Barrens Credit Clearinghouse board of advisers. He is a former member of the board of directors of the New York Planning Federation and a past Long Island section director for the American Planning Association. Before coming to Suffolk County, Freleng was chief planner for the Town of Southampton and prior to that chief environmental planner for the Melville-based H2M architects + engineers, an engineering, architecture and planning firm.
In 1999, Freleng was elected to the Port Jefferson Board of Trustees after serving three years on the village Planning Board. As trustee, Freleng was responsible for the Conservation Advisory Council, Parks Department, the Department of Public Safety and adviser to the Board of Trustees on matters such as SEQRA, waterfront and stormwater issues.
Freleng holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Long Island University-Southampton College and a master’s in environmental management from Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus. In 1990, he was accepted into the American Institute of Certified Planners.
“Having someone of Andy’s caliber in this position is a real coup for the village,” said Mayor Lauren Sheprow. “His vast experience will help guide and elevate the department at this critical phase in our growth. In fact, it was Andy, in his capacity as chief planner for the county who authored the professional review of Port Jefferson’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan, further demonstrating his knowledge of and longstanding history with our village.”
The mayor added, “I look forward to working with him and am confident he will hit the ground running. Welcome back, Andy.”
The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees is weighing sweeping changes to Chapter 41 of the Village Code, which handles ethics. This was one of the items considered at the Oct. 16 business meeting.
The village’s ethics counsel, Steven Leventhal, is preparing a draft for revisions to the ethics code, to be presented during a scheduled public hearing in just over a month.
Trustee Drew Biondo outlined some reasons for revising the Code of Ethics, including the possible formation of a board of ethics.
“I think the whole purpose of this is to form a body, so that you have a board in place that can hear complaints, concerns, and then issue an opinion — founded or unfounded,” he said.
Mayor Lauren Sheprow said the envisioned ethics board would assist the village government by issuing advisory opinions for ethically complicated matters, such as determinations of possible conflicts of interest.
To resolve ethical dilemmas, “the board would consider the law, the case law, the ethics laws and make a decision,” the mayor added.
Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay inquired about powers to be conferred upon the proposed board of ethics, maintaining that municipal boards — such as the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals — generally exercise greater latitude than advisory committees with decisions that are potentially legally binding.
“In my tenure here, boards are always looked at as much weightier” as “their decisions could then lead to lawsuits,” she said.
Kassay suggested forming an ethics committee, functioning similarly to other advisory committees to the village board, with the potential for upgrading that body into a board, noting, “While you’re working the kinks out, the stakes are a little bit lower as far as the decisions coming out of that body.”
Responding to these concerns, village attorney David Moran said the ethics board would function as an advisory body to the Board of Trustees, which would retain final authority to advance ethical controversies to outside agencies.
“They shouldn’t have the authority to send anything out to another agency, absent the approval of” the Board of Trustees, Moran said, adding that any other scheme would invest “way too much power” in the hands of private citizens appointed to the ethics board.
The board voted unanimously to advance the proposed ethics code changes for a public hearing Monday, Nov. 20. A draft of the proposed code amendment will be made available to the public seven to 10 days before the public hearing.
Resolutions
The board adopted an add-on resolution awarding a bid of $248,907 to Connecticut-based F&F Concrete to perform reconstruction of the Harborfront Park walkways. Over a third of this project is subsidized by grant money.
“This is critical timewise,” said village clerk Sylvia Pirillo. “We need to complete the work and pay for it and have proof of payment submitted so that we don’t lose our grant funding — all by the end of the year.”
The walkway reconstruction will take approximately five to six weeks, with administration officials targeting the first week of December for completion.
“There will be a lot of communication needs for what we’re doing with the farmers market and the closing off of the walkways,” Sheprow said.
The board also adopted a resolution to raise membership rates at the Port Jefferson Country Club. These rate increases were recommended by PJCC general manager Tom Natola and the Country Club Management Advisory Council.
Reports
Sheprow publicly thanked the Port Jefferson Business Improvement District for assisting the village in its holiday lighting expenses through a $5,000 contribution.
Kassay reported on a recent grant from PSEG Long Island for trees in PJV. She said the Conservation Advisory Council is exploring possible recommendations to the village board on potentially scaling back the use of gas-powered leaf blowers and other landscaping equipment, citing the issue of noise coupled with related environmental and health effects from the chemical exhausts.
Kassay maintained that the proposal would not ban the use of the equipment altogether but aims to reduce their use villagewide.
She also encouraged village residents to register for the various volunteer committees through portjeff.com/volunteer.
Following a recent Saturday sit-down event, trustee Bob Juliano conveyed several sentiments and recommendations from village residents, including concerns over the parking pilot program for Belle Terre residents, “the proliferation of apartments as opposed to condos in the village” and a question over the order of reports during public meetings.
Trustee Stan Loucks advised those who have not yet removed their vessels from the village kayak racks to do so by the end of November.
To watch the entire meeting, see the video above.
Between Friday, Oct. 13, and Sunday, Oct. 15, visitors to the North Shore were asked if the six straight weekends of rain had prompted any alterations to their recreation plans or other impact on their lives.
Last Saturday, Oct. 14, was so rainy that outdoor interviews were conducted under an awning, a beachside gazebo and two people followed into the shelter of the Port Jefferson Library.
Most respondents were sanguine about the recent foul weather, taking the bad with the good.
Judy Spina, Pennsylvania
Spina was here house-sitting for her sister. When asked if she had altered her activities due to the rain, she cheerfully said, “No, I have not. I drove here in the rain two Fridays ago. I just continue to do what I do.”
Joseph Lubrano, Shirley
Lubrano came to Port Jeff Sunday on his motorcycle. “We’re bikers, so yes, we don’t really go out in the rain,” he said. “Any time you have a nice day, like a weekend day — like a Sunday that’s beautiful — we go out. Normally, we would have gone upstate many times, but we don’t do it anymore. The weather has been terrible upstate, too.”
Bruce Folz, Coastal Steward Long Island
Folz, director of the Shellfish Restoration Program for the Coastal Steward Adopt a Beach Program, was manning registration for the beach cleanup that was scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14. He said rain had reduced the number of participants and, because they were short staffed, Folz could not drive along the shore picking up large debris with his truck.
“This time of year, we usually have between 20 to 50 people, depending on which service organizations [volunteer] — from the schools to people looking for community service credits. Churches do it also,” he said. “Normally, we have a bigger turnout than this.”
Mary Leming, Stony Brook
On Saturday afternoon, people ran from their cars into the Port Jefferson Free Library. Leming, who teaches a weekly citizenship class, agreed to relate her experiences with this season’s rain.
“Yes, I have altered my routine because of the many straight days of rain,” she said. “I teach a class at the Port Jeff Library. I like to park by the harbor and walk up to the library.”
But, she added, “With this rain, I don’t get my walk in. I park in the [library] lot. After class, I go straight home and make a hot cup of tea. I have been waiting a month to get my mailbox repaired. The handyman can’t come with all this rain. That’s OK, the garden needs rain.”
Marilyn Haftel, Philadelphia
Haftel was in town celebrating a confirmation. She said, “We know we need the rain, but we are very happy to see the sun today. We are here visiting, and we can walk around, visit our friends and enjoy this lovely town.” When asked if she had to cancel any activities this summer, she replied, “Where we live, yes — nothing outside. Nothing big, fortunately.”
Sharon Barnes, residence unidentified
Barnes teaches knitting and crochet arts at the library on Saturday afternoons. She said, “Over the last 12 to 15 years, I have a very good group of women.” We asked how the rain had impacted this class besides raining on supplies and materials being carried into the course. Barnes replied, “It has impacted how I dress. I don’t want to be drenched, yet when I put on too much, I get too hot. It’s depressing — it’s been 40 days and 40 nights. I have one student who does not come out when it rains. We are all looking forward to seeing her again, but it is raining and she can’t do it.”
Syracuse University Sailing Team
Also on Saturday morning, the Syracuse University club sailing team was huddled under a gazebo next to the Port Jefferson Yacht Club, waiting for the wind to increase. Johanna Rennert, whose home is in Massachusetts, said, “We will sail in the rain.”
However, Danny Amron, who’s from Florida, explained, “The wind is only at 3 miles an hour, and that is just not enough to move the Js,” — meaning the model of boat they use — “They’ll just bob in the water.”
When asked if any sailing competitions had been canceled due to the recent storms, Alexa Whitman, from New Jersey, smiled and said excitedly, “Last weekend, there was a whole squall going through. I was sailing out of Larchmont, New York. It was the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta. There was absolutely no wind at the beginning of the day. It was downpouring the entire time but, at the end, a cold storm went through. It clocked out at 41 knots. It was crazy, but we still went out in it. It was miserable, but we did our best. There were boats that almost flipped. The boats we were in are not supposed to flip. We were in a J/99. I watched one boat whose mast almost touched the water. They had to throw down their spinnaker, they had to dump the whole thing. It was bad.”
John Craig Jr., of Milford, Connecticut — formerly of Port Jefferson and Rocky Point — died on Oct. 6 at 86 years of age.
He was the beloved husband of Joann for 40 years; the dear brother of Joan Wilkins; the loving father of Kevin, Michael (Kerry), Kathleen (Andy), John III (Stacey), Jaclyn (Anthony) and Peter (Brittany); the cherished grandfather of Ryan, Danielle, Sean, Brendan, Christina, Caitlin, Kyle, Taylor, Corinne, Kristin, Elizabeth, Justin, Jarrett, Mason, A.J., Copeland and Callen Jo; and the beloved great-grandfather of Colton.
John was an Air Force veteran. He was an aerospace controls warning systems operator and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal.
John worked at Gyrodyne and Telephonics Corporation for over 40 years, where he traveled the world and acquired many wonderful experiences.
His love of the great outdoors was evident in his passion for playing golf, sailing, walking on the beach and birdwatching as a member of the Audubon Society. He loved spending time with his family, especially for holiday brunches and long days at the beach.
Visitation was held at Nolan Funeral Home in Northport. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Church, East Northport. Private cremation followed.
Donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or Boys Town charities (www.boystown.org).
Phyllis Reuter Ironside, beloved mother, died peacefully Monday, Oct. 2, surrounded by her family, after a sudden and brief illness. She was 82.
Phyllis retired from Stony Brook University in 2000. However, she went back there later that year and was still working part time as a senior staff assistant in the billing office. She began employment at the university in 1974 and could never fully walk away from her job and her work family, who she loved dearly.
In addition to her work at Stony Brook University, Phyllis became an electrologist in 1983 and opened her own small practice where she practiced part time until 2020. She loved working with her clients and seeing the delight on their faces when she was able to help them. She was passionate about the industry and was a member, board member and officer of various electrologist associations, where she received several awards.
Phyllis lived in Stony Brook for over 60 years and graduated from Port Jefferson High School in 1959. She loved her community and enjoyed taking photos in the Three Village area. She also loved playing with her various dogs throughout the years.
Phyllis will be missed by her brother Robert P. Orr, daughter Elizabeth Reuter Bongiorno, son-in-law Carl T. Bongiorno, her loving step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, co-workers, numerous friends and beloved dachshund Otto.
Reviewing Figliola’s campaign record
Voters deserve elected officials who are transparent and truthful about who they are.
When a politician is seeking elected office, we must consider the candidate’s views and whether they are a good fit for the office they seek to represent.
Consider the case of Anthony Figliola, who is running for Suffolk County Legislature after an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress in 2022.
2022’s Anthony Figliola ran as a MAGA Republican who opposed reproductive rights, sought to ban books and censor what is taught in public schools, and opposed lifesaving science in the form of vaccines. 2022’s Anthony Figliola happily posed with election denier Rudy Giuliani and was endorsed by extremist organizations, including Moms for Liberty and various “patriot” groups.
In 2023, there seems to be a new Anthony Figliola, who says he’s running for a “nonideological” position. This is patently false. We’ve seen how partisan politics have infected our county, with the Suffolk Republicans refusing to allow a referendum on water quality and sewer infrastructure on our November 2023 ballot.
Who is the real Anthony Figliola? The county’s 5th Legislative District deserves an honest legislator, not a political chameleon.
We have the opportunity to elect Steve Englebright [D-Setauket], whose decades-long record on environmental protection, public education and public health is clear and consistent. Englebright deserves our support on Nov. 7 to represent us in the Suffolk County Legislature.
Ian Farber, Setauket
Shoshana Hershkowitz, South Setauket
Anne Chimelis, Setauket
Christine Latham, Stony Brook
Challenging the assigned literature at Three Village school district
After learning about the book, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” assigned to the juniors in the Three Village school district [see “High school novel stirs controversy among Three Village parents,” The Village Times Herald, Oct. 5, also TBR News Media website], I’m compelled to speak out.
Why would any educator encourage our innocent and still-developing children to be exposed to material that stains our magnificent heritage? With a few exceptions, we’ve been nothing but kind to the so-called Native Americans.
Didn’t we break bread with them on the very first Thanksgiving? Didn’t we tutor them about our advanced form of living?
Didn’t we provide them with many large reservations on some of the most fertile land available in all of America?
We even opened the National Museum of the American Indian in Manhattan.
However, that’s not the most offensive element of the book in question.
The truly decadent part practically serves as a manual for depraved sexual behavior. It subtly encourages our children to perform decadent acts on themselves.
We know that not fully mature children tend to mimic what they see and learn. If the children read this book, do we really want them closing bedroom doors and privately committing vulgar and unhealthy autoerotic acts? And what will it lead to?
Bruce Stasiuk
Setauket
Local elected officials can kickstart Port Jeff Branch electrification
Concerning “Staying On Track: Port Jefferson Branch electrification gains ground in MTA’s 20 Year plan” [TBR News Media, Oct. 12], it has still not left the station.
The $18 billion Phase One Gateway Hudson River Tunnel, $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase and $5.5 billion Brooklyn Queens Light Rail Interborough Express Connector for Gov. Kathy Hochul [D], Sens. Chuck Schumer [D-NY] and Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY] and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Janno Lieber are still the top three transportation priorities.
In the race for federal funding, which is necessary for double tracking and electrification, the Port Jefferson Branch, along with 19 other expansion and enhancement projects, still has no committed funding.
Lieber recently announced that the agency will study extending a future subway line even farther along West 125th Street in Manhattan, if funding could be found. This third phase of the Second Avenue Subway could easily cost $7.5 billion. This is on top of $3.4 billion in Federal Transit Administration funding toward the hoped-for $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase 2.
The next opportunity for MTA to commit funding to advance Port Jeff Branch electrification would be within 15 months, when the 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan is adopted. This will be followed by the 2030-2034, 2035-2039 and 2040-2044 Five Year Capital Plans.
Funding needs to be programmed in increments. First, for preliminary design and engineering to support the National Environmental Policy Act review.
Local elected officials who support this project could tap into their own town, county or state funding to find several million dollars. This could pay for the environmental review and advance this project.
Following NEPA is necessary to preserve FTA funding eligibility. Next, request permission from FTA to enter the Capital Investment Grants New Starts/Core Capacity program.
Then comes final design and engineering, property easements, land acquisition and utility relocation. This would be followed by $1.5 to $2 billion in local MTA funding to leverage a similar amount in federal funding under a future FTA CIG Full Funding Grant Agreement. These actions would be spread out over several MTA Five Year Capital programs. As each Five Year Capital program comes and goes, it will delay any hope of seeing Port Jefferson Branch electrification in our lifetimes.
A completion date of 2040 is a moving target. Will it be 2040, 2045, 2050, 2055 or later? Who knows?
Larry Penner
Great Neck
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