A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
By Julianne Mosher
On June 17 and 18, visitors from across Long Island headed to Old Field Farm in Setauket for Gallery North’s 19th annual Wet Paint Festival, a fun-filled weekend to not only admire local artists practicing their craft en plein air, but to see the excitement of a derby. According to Sally Lynch, owner and farm operator, the festival couldn’t have come during a better weekend.
The 2023 Seaside Hunter Derby took place on June 18 on the campus and as the riders competed, over 40 artists took to their canvases to paint and sketch the local scenery and content.
“All the horse people are thrilled to see their horses painted,” said Lynch. “There’s a reason why the horse remains a constant subject of the arts.”
She added that the day before, the farm hosted vintage riders (ones who ride side saddle) in full old-school costume who also modeled for the artists on-site.
The two-day festival also featured nature walks courtesy of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, live music by Tom Killourhy and the Keenan Zach Trio, plein air art tours with Jim Molloy and Nancy Bueti-Randall, a history tour with Margo Arceri of Tri-Spy Tours and an animal presentation by Sweetbriar Nature Center.
The event was sponsored by bld Architecture, Jefferson’s Ferry and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning.
All of the artwork created at the festival will be on display at the Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook on July 5 through August 27. The public is invited to an opening reception on July 21 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Anthony Masaitis. Photo from Smithtown Central School District
Like most middle school students, Anthony Masaitis, of St. James, went to school to take his final exams. But the week of June 14 was anything but normal for the Nesaquake Middle School sixth grader.
Anthony went “viral” for rescuing a newborn fawn after she fell in his backyard pool on June 11.
He has since been interviewed by CNN, NBC, CBS and News 12.
“When it fell in the pool, I’m like, ‘She’s not going to make it out,’” Anthony said. “If she goes to the deep end, I’m going to have to jump in.”
He had heard encouraging words from his father, who was recording the encounter. “Just get her out. Just pull her out,” Gregory Masaitis, Anthony’s father, is heard saying on video.
Anthony pulled the baby fawn out, and hours later the Masaitis family said they saw doe and fawn together again in their backyard woods.
As for Anthony’s newfound fame, he’s taking it in stride. “My friends are like, ‘You’re famous. Can I have your autograph?’”
There will be many bicycles for sale at the auction. (Photo from a previous SCPD auction.)
The Suffolk County Police Department will hold a property auction on Wednesday, June 28 at the Property Section, located at 30 Yaphank Ave. in Yaphank.
The auction will begin at 9 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. There will be a preview of the jewelry and select property on Tuesday, June 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Items being auctioned include jewelry, watches, tools, landscaping equipment, electronics, kayaks, bicycles and more. For a complete list click here.
Participants must be at least 18 years old to bid. All items are sold in “as is” condition and must be purchased with cash. For more information, call 631-852-6461.
Over the years, this paper has had the pleasure of telling countless stories of members of our community going out of their way to give back and take the time to volunteer. Readers will see in our papers this week that the Guide Dog Foundation is looking for puppy raisers, surely a rewarding and noble role for animal lovers.
We encourage anyone inspired by that story to, as always, consider volunteering. Realistically, we know that most of us do not have the time and bandwidth to raise a puppy for someone else. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t all do our part to make the world a better place.
Help someone in the grocery store who can’t carry their bags. Offer to shop for an elderly neighbor or simply stop in to check on them. Volunteering can take many of these forms.
Volunteering is meant to benefit others, and that should be the goal. Signing up for something simply to make oneself feel better, or pat oneself on the back won’t benefit anyone. However, it is often us who feel better, fulfilled and rewarded after doing something for others.
We are lucky to live in a prosperous area. Many of us have been fortunate enough to never know the struggle of not being able to feed our families or pay for gas. Several members of our community aren’t that lucky. The old saying, “We rise when lifting others,” applies here. The more time we take to help those less fortunate, the better off we will be.
It can be difficult to find the correct opportunity for volunteering, in trying to figure out what speaks to our passions. Keep a watchful eye in our papers, social media and among our neighbors for new opportunities, and as mentioned make our own.
To all of the members of our community that already volunteer, we thank you. We know it can be difficult to find time for ourselves, let alone others. We also know that it’s worth it.
As summer comes near, we hope our readers will see volunteerism as another regular activity to do with our kids, and other friends and family. All we need is ourselves. Start by thinking about what drives us, whether that be animals, hunger, children, the arts, education, the environment and so on. Once we establish that, volunteering for a dedicated cause will connect us with other like-minded neighbors, another added benefit to signing up to volunteer.
We hope readers will consider the benefits we have outlined as to exactly what volunteering affords us. We look forward to the possibility of sharing the stories of generous volunteers, old and new.
Another graduation season is upon us. So many graduates at every level have achieved extraordinary goals. Beyond that they will definitely contribute to making our world a better and safer place to be.
Over the years, I have witnessed firsthand not only our local schools’ academic excellence, but their openness to community service by choice and not by obligation.
Port Jefferson, Comsewogue, Three Village, and Mount Sinai school districts have gone the distance and then some for our students at risk. My collaboration with these school districts in the early years of my work at Hope House has inspired me to stay the course and be a voice for the voiceless. Our mutual focus has always been on empowering students to be the best version of themselves.
Forty-three years ago on the grounds of an Anglican Franciscan monastery in Mount Sinai, Hope House Ministries was founded. We rented their small guesthouse for two years. It was primarily for runaway teenagers who had dropped out of school for a whole host of reasons. Thus began our partnership with the Port Jefferson school district.
Our mission has always been dedicated to reaching out to the most vulnerable and broken within our community. Six years ago we moved back to where it all began and thanks to this 100-year-old five acre monastery grounds, we have been able to expand our outreach to a growing number of young people battling the affliction of addiction and mental health issues.
Two years ago a high school dropout who is a documented immigrant was entrusted to our care at Hope Academy on the grounds of the old monastery in Mount Sinai. He enrolled into Mt Sinai High School. The school community welcomed him with open arms. They made his transition from dropping out of high school in the 10th grade and starting in a new school with no friends a seamless process.
Since beginning at Mount Sinai two years, this young man has played football and soccer. He has spoken in the middle school and in the high school about his journey of transformation. The collaborative spirit between the high school administration and the student body has transformed this young man’s life. Not only did he graduate, he graduated as an honor roll student.
Thanks to the generosity of so many in the Mount Sinai community, he was able to participate in all of the wonderful senior activities that the school provides. He went on the annual senior trip, the prom, and countless parties. One family was even kind enough to host a party just for him and the friends that he made at the high school
At the beginning of June, he completed his treatment program for addiction. Faculty members, a school administrator and countless students came to support their classmate and friend. It was an amazing night. It powerfully reminded me that hope lives on.
Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.
Due to its low-lying topography, the Port Jefferson Fire Department’s station is frequently inundated. Former Mayor Mike Lee suggests this location is inadequate for effectively servicing the public.
Downtown Port Jefferson is coping with longstanding flood concerns, which could intensify in coming years.
During an April 5 climate resilience forum at Village Hall, local architect Michael Schwarting reported that the village’s blend of low-lying topography, subsurface water bodies and rising tides will likely produce even greater flooding risks. [See story TBR News Media website, April 13.]
“Those three things interact with one another to cause the problems that we’ve been having in the past, are still having and will have in a worse way, according to predictions,” Schwarting said.
— Photos by Aidan Johnson
Mike Lee, former mayor of the Village of Port Jefferson, chronicles the past, present and future of Port Jeff’s water challenges.
Mike Lee, former mayor of Port Jefferson who served from 2005 to 2007, is now ringing the alarm over the village’s flooding problems. In an exclusive interview, Lee chronicled the area’s historic water challenges.
Drowned Meadow
Before the 19th century, nearly all of the existing downtown was a salt marsh. The tides would flood the marsh twice daily, giving the area its name, Drowned Meadow.
Lee considers the waters running in and around Port Jefferson an inherent feature of the area’s natural character. And while the land was eventually renamed Port Jefferson, its natural essence remains unaltered.
“It’s easy to change the name, but it’s hard to change the terrain,” Lee noted.
One of the few remaining patches of unfilled marshland in downtown Port Jefferson, above.
Infrastructure
An elaborate underground stormwater drainage network serves the area, Lee explained, describing the covert system built around the 1930s as “one big tunnel” channeling stormwater from all directions toward Port Jefferson Harbor.
The area’s patchwork of hills exacerbates the flooding problems downtown as the stormwater flows downward into the low-lying areas.
As downtown developed over time, the impermeable surface area multiplied exponentially. For a place originally named for its flooding issues, development slowly removed vital escape routes for floodwaters to discharge naturally.
“There’s too much restriction” now within the drainage system, Lee said. “So much of the area that would have the normal penetration of water has been [converted] to roofs, parking lots, driveways, roads.”
He added, “It doesn’t have the natural absorption.”
One central covert, seen above, channels the bulk of the area’s floodwaters into Old Mill Creek.
During major flood events, the stress on the stormwater network is most pronounced near Port Jeff’s fire station on Maple Avenue, one of the lowest elevations.
“This is what we’ve come to,” Lee said in the Port Jefferson Fire Department’s garage, pointing to an amphibious high-water rescue vehicle the department requires to leave its station. “I call it ‘The Drowned Meadow Express.’”
“If you’re going to serve the public, you have to be able to get through the puddle,” he added.
Coined ‘The Drowned Meadow Express,’ PJFD requires this high-water rescue vehicle to leave the fire station during flood events.
Possible solutions
Lee indicated that while the fire department has coped with the flooding challenges over time, its current headquarters building is becoming increasingly untenable.
During a May 1 public hearing on code possible changes for the Maryhaven Center of Hope property on Myrtle Avenue, multiple residents proposed relocating the fire station to higher ground.
Lee, an ex-chief of PJFD, concurred with this assessment. “As an emergency service, how can we not be capable of serving the public,” he said.
Lee suggests there are other ways to help resolve the water challenges. He proposed that developers “stop doing what you’re doing,” in terms of increasing impermeable surfaces.
Up the easterly hill at Port Jefferson Country Club, the village recently received a $3.75 million grant from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency in hazard mitigation funds to help stabilize the East Beach bluff.
Lee suggested policymakers explore similar grant opportunities to address flooding.
“I think if FEMA is going to put money into infrastructure, it should do it where it affects everybody,” the former mayor said.
Despite centuries of water troubles, Lee maintained the village could overcome some of its challenges with proper governmental initiative.
He encouraged officials to give flooding the appropriate attention, concluding that on the list of local priorities, “It should be right on the top.”
Jefferson’s Ferry President and CEO Bob Caulfield (center) snips the ribbon to commemorate the
opening of the Life Plan Community’s fully renovated and expanded Community Center. Joining
Caulfield are (left to right) Jefferson’s Ferry board members James E. Danowski, CPA, Vice Chair; John R.
Sini, CPA, Treasurer; Gloria Snyder, Chair; along with Jefferson’s Ferry Resident Council Chair Pat Boone,
and Construction Project Manager Matthew Moroney. Photo from Jefferson's Ferry
Jefferson's Ferry residents and staff filled the lobby of the new Commons building to witness the ribbon cutting and take a tour of the new building. Photo from Jefferson's Ferry
Jefferson's Ferry Board Members joined Jefferson's Ferry President and CEO Bob Caulfield (center) to commemorate the opening of the Life Plan Community's new Commons building. Pictured with Caulfield (l-r) are trustees Kenneth Roberts, John R. Sini, CPA, Treasurer; Gloria Snyder, Chair; and James E. Danowski, CPA, Vice Chair. Photo from Jefferson's Ferry
The lobby of Jefferson’s Ferry community center was abuzz on June 5 as residents, employees and guests packed in to witness the ceremonial ribbon cutting of the Life Plan community’s new commons building. The mood was buoyant as residents and friends prepared to embark on tours of the spaces.
The audience joined in on the countdown as scissors wielded by Jefferson’s Ferry’s President and CEO Bob Caulfield; Board of Directors Chair Gloria Snyder; Vice Chair James Danowski and Treasurer John Sini; Resident Council Chair Pat Boone and Construction Project Manager Matthew Moroney cut the ribbon to enthusiastic applause.
Addressing the crowd, Bob Caulfield thanked the residents and staff for their patience and support during the renovation process, dubbed Journey Toward Renewal, which has taken place in stages over the past several years. Additional renovations and expansions are currently underway in Jefferson’s Ferry’s Vincent Bove Health Center, including a new Memory Care Unit which is expected to open in the fall.
“This is a landmark day for us, as our new commons building adds beautiful new spaces to our community center, the heart of Jefferson’s Ferry,” said Caulfield. “We’ve all been patiently awaiting this day, and I thank every one of you who has been as eager as I have been to celebrate this major milestone. This includes the Board of Trustees, who had the strategic foresight and financial oversight of the ambitious project, our construction team, who labored to complete this phase of the project, and of course, our residents and staff.”
Among the latest updates and additions to the social and recreational aspects of the community center are a variety of new gathering spaces, including a larger and redesigned creative arts center, expanded card rooms for the popular bridge and gin rummy tournaments, and a game room with billiards, ping pong, shuffle boards and large screen television.Another bright open space is dedicated to puzzling, newspaper reading and socializing.The fitness center, which can be accessed 24-7 through a separate keypad operated entrance includes a full complement of exercise machines, a dance/yoga studio and separate locker rooms with showers for men and women.Right down the hall, a salon offers hair cuts and styling, manicure and pedicures by appointment.
Earlier this year, six new dining venues opened, each one offering a distinct menu to suit a variety of tastes and preferences. Options range from grab and go to casual, and from pub dining to a more formal dining room.
Adjacent to the workout rooms is a new physical therapy and rehabilitation suite that includes a replica of a Jefferson’s Ferry apartment that enables residents to easily transfer what they’ve learned during rehabilitation to their own home.The rehabilitation suite also features an outdoor therapy courtyard with different surface areas and slopes to help residents fare better in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments post rehab.
The addition of the commons building has made room for an expansion of the Health and Wellness Program.Residents can now schedule in-house physician visits with doctors and a nurse practitioner who offer office hours at Jefferson’s Ferry.
“Since its opening in 2001 as the first not for profit Life Plan community on Long Island, Jefferson’s Ferry has set the standard for continuing care for older adults, providing a vibrant, caring community and peace of mind to its residents,” concluded Caulfield. “Over our more than 20 years in operation, Jefferson’s Ferry has continued to evolve to meet the changing needs of the people who have made Jefferson’s Ferry their home. Journey Toward Renewal is evidence of our commitment to excellence.”
Jefferson’s Ferry, a not-for-profit Life Plan Community for active adults aged 62 and above, is located at One Jefferson’s Ferry Drive in South Setauket. For more information, call 631-650-2600 or visit www.jeffersonsferry.org
This week’s featured shelter pet is Ufee, a fourteen year-old Male Pomeranian Mix who was abandoned at a park and is now up for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.
Don’t let his age fool you, he looks and acts just like a young pup! Ufee is a happy and friendly guy who enjoys spending time around people. He is an absolutely beautiful dog who is very gentle and kind. Ufee has a slightly under active thyroid and some limited hearing. He also has some halitosis, but the Animal Shelter is working on taking care of this. Ufee would do well in a home with other pets and with children over the age of ten. He is ready to share his love with a lucky family, and we know that perfect home is out there somewhere for him.
If you would like to meet Ufee, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with him in a domestic setting, which includes a Meet and Greet Room, the dog runs, and a Dog Walk trail.
The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only).
For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.
Mayor-elect Lauren Sheprow celebrates on Election Night. Photo by Aidan Johnson
By Raymond Janis & Aidan Johnson
In a historic upset, trustee Lauren Sheprow — a write-in candidate — was elected Village of Port Jefferson mayor Tuesday night, June 20, capping off a contentious season in the village.
In a contested race to succeed Mayor Margot Garant, who is running for Town of Brookhaven supervisor, Sheprow defeated Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden 956-796.
Incumbent trustee Stan Loucks and former village clerk Bob Juliano were elected with 935 and 1,244 votes, respectively, in an uncontested race. Voters also elected Tara Higgins as village justice with 1,381 votes.
Sheprow announced her bid for mayor in March, running on a platform of change and pledging to move the village in a new direction.
‘Our Village Hall is now open to all residents.’
— Lauren Sheprow
Her campaign hit an unexpected stumbling block on May 30, just three weeks before Election Day, when the Suffolk County Board of Elections removed her name from the ballot due to faults in her petitions after charges brought on by Snaden’s campaign.
Despite the unfavorable Suffolk BOE decision, Sheprow became a write-in candidate. In an interview, the mayor-elect commented on the race’s conclusion.
“It was an uphill climb all the way, but the determination of my supporters and the residents themselves made it possible to overcome every challenge,” she said. “I also want to congratulate Kathianne Snaden for a spirited race. I know we both want the best for Port Jefferson and its future.”
She added, “I’m humbled and honored by the unwavering support and the positive feedback I received from all the residents I met with throughout the village during this whole process.”
Before entering the board last year, Sheprow had worked as a media relations professional at Stony Brook University and Mather Hospital. Her father, Harold, had served as village mayor from 1977-85 and 1987-91.
Sheprow also congratulated the newly elected trustees and village justice, expressing optimism and pledging to follow the public will.
“I look forward to working with this board … to make positive change and a fresh start for Port Jefferson,” she said, adding, “Our Village Hall is now open to all residents. Whether you voted for me or not, I am listening.”
In a separate interview, Garant thanked the community for entrusting her throughout her 14 years at the helm. “I think I’ve done my job, and I’ve left this community in a good spot,” the outgoing mayor said. “I just hope for the base to know to keep it going forward.”
After four years of service on the Board of Trustees, Snaden’s tenure now ends as the deputy mayor had vacated her trustee seat to run for mayor. In the wake of the election result, Snaden released a statement expressing her gratitude for those who supported her campaign.
“While I may not have won this election, I am grateful for the opportunity to have shared my vision for the future of this village,” she said. “I believe that together, we can continue to make this village an even better place to live, work and raise a family.”
She added that she would remain involved, saying:
“To the Port Jefferson community, I want to say that I will continue to be a voice for positive change and progress. I will continue to work to ensure that this village remains a wonderful place to call home. I will continue to be an advocate for our community, and I will work to build bridges and bring people together.”
Incumbent trustee Stan Loucks, left, and former village clerk Bob Juliano were also elected to the village board Tuesday night. File photos by Raymond Janis
Loucks, who has been on the board since 2015, ran alongside Snaden on the Unity Party ticket. While thanking the community for its vote of confidence in him, he expressed sympathy for his running mate.
“I think the village lost a very valuable person with Kathianne Snaden,” he said. “But congratulations, I guess, to the opponent.”
Outside of the uncontested Higgins, Juliano received the highest vote count of any candidate. In a phone interview, the first-time elected official thanked the community for its strong support.
“I am humbled by the support and encouragement that I have been getting from everyone,” he said. “I promise to do my best and make Port Jefferson a better place for us all,” adding, “I’m looking forward to sitting down with all the new board members and discussing where we want to see Port Jefferson head.”
The current board will convene for one final meeting this Monday, June 26, at 3:30 p.m. The new mayor and trustees will swear into office outside Village Hall on July 4 following the annual parade.
Scene from 2023 Saints Philip and James Family Festival. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Scene from 2023 Saints Philip and James Family Festival. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Scene from 2023 Saints Philip and James Family Festival. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Scene from 2023 Saints Philip and James Family Festival. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Scene from 2023 Saints Philip and James Family Festival. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Scene from 2023 Saints Philip and James Family Festival. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Scene from 2023 Saints Philip and James Family Festival. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Scene from 2023 Saints Philip and James Family Festival. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Saints Philip and James R.C. Church hosted its annual Family Festival from June 15 to 18. Despite some small periods of rain, the event drew thousands to St. James looking for exciting carnival rides by Newton Shows, treats, games and more.
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