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Restaurants in Port Jeff Village are banding together to form a subcommittee of the chamber of commerce in an effort advance common goals. File photo

Restaurants in Port Jefferson Village will now be functioning under a new, joint mantra: strength in numbers.

An organization called PRO Port Jefferson Association has been formally assembled with the stated mission to “promote and protect the economic interests of the Port Jefferson food and beverage service industry.” The organization will function as a subcommittee of The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, which to this point had few restaurants on board as dues-paying members and lacked a partnership with many lower Port businesses that fall under the food service category. The arrangement could mean more joint community events, better prices as a result of consolidation of buying power and an overall better dining experience for patrons.

John Urbinati, the owner of The Fifth Season restaurant on East Broadway and a director of the newly formed restaurant association, said restaurant owners in the village have long discussed creating an entity to serve their interests and present a united front in the community. He likened the new arrangement to a union, where people with common goals can create an open line of communication to improve sales for restaurant owners, who Urbinati said have a unique set of challenges to deal with in building a successful business.

“Every group of businesses has their own issues,” he said during a phone interview. “In the infancy stages of this group that’s been forming, it really came out of frustration. One of the great things for the progression and evolution of this group — it started out with a lot of frustrated business owners and it’s molding into more of a productive group.”

As part of the arrangement, members of PRO Port Jefferson Association will be required to join the chamber of commerce and will have to pay the $250 in annual dues, according to chamber director of operations Barbara Ransome, but will not be charged an additional fee as  a member of the association. The group intends to hold restaurant crawls or other similar events in an effort to raise funds, which they will then use to advertise for members, make charitable contributions and reinvest in the community, according to Urbinati.

“The chamber is here to support them independently,” Ransome said in a phone interview. “I’m OK with this arrangement, in fact, I’m grateful for it. I’m happy that they are showing initiative and energizing amongst themselves.”

Ransome added she was glad the restaurant owners were not divorcing themselves completely from the chamber. With the formation of the association, long-standing businesses like Roger’s Frigate and The Steam Room are joining the chamber for the first time in their history. Ransome said the association has funneled a few restaurants toward the chamber, which weren’t members previously, though she expects more when it comes time for businesses to renew their membership in November for 2018. She said the chamber would make restaurant owners aware of their new option at that time. The agreement also requires any promotion done by the restaurant association to include the chamber of commerce logo, Ransome said. The association is also working on having its own, freestanding website.

Steve Sands, the owner of Pasta Pasta and another one of the new association’s directors, said he previously believed the chamber wasn’t doing enough to benefit Port Jeff restaurants, but through the process of forming PRO Port Jeff, he has had a change of heart. He said the idea came from a similar setup in Patchogue Village, which Sands said he wants Port Jeff to emulate.

“Over the last couple of years business in Port Jeff has definitely been down, at least I know mine has been,” Sands said.

He said he thinks parking is a major deterrent for business and, with the restaurants banding together and interacting, it will be easier to tackle those types of issues as a group going forward.

Urbinati said his goal and the goal of all restaurant owners in the village is to create a welcoming environment to attract more paying customers.

“It really gives us an opportunity to be a larger voice for the restaurant and service community,” he said.

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File photo by Elana Glowatz

The Port Jefferson School District has its sights set on a massive face-lift that would impact all of its buildings, but it will come at a substantial cost.

District administration presented a $30 million capital bond proposal to the board of education and the public during a board meeting Sept. 12 which would feature a three-story addition to a wing of the high school, additional classrooms at the high school and elementary school, a turf football field at the high school and lights for the elementary school field, and many more improvements. The district’s total budget for the 2017-18 school year is about $43 million total.

Proposal highlights

•$7.6M to construct a three-story addition at PJHS

•$2.3M to construct new music room and instrumental practice room at PJHS

•$2.2M to build addition to PJHS cafeteria and renovate kitchen space

•$1.2M to replace windows at PJHS

•$2.5M to construct two additional classrooms at elementary school

•$1.7M for locker room renovations at PJHS

•$1.6M for installation of stadium lighting at Scraggy Hill fields

•$1.4M for a new synthetic turf football field at PJHS

•$3.7M to convert tech ed building to new central administration headquarters

•$1.6M to install drainage walls at north side of middle school building

The district will need community approval on a referendum currently slated for a vote Dec. 5 to be able to proceed with obtaining the bond and ultimately beginning construction. If approved the construction would tentatively begin in 2019 and payments would be made annually beginning at about $1.5 million and concluding with a final $2.5 million installment in the 2033-34 fiscal year. The project would result in a homeowner who pays $4,000 annually in school taxes being asked to contribute an additional $200 per year. The district plans to post a “school tax calculator” tool on its website in the coming weeks to allow residents to check how much their tax bill would increase with the additional $30 million burden, on an individual basis. The ask comes at a time of financial uncertainty for the district, which along with several other municipalities on Long Island could potentially lose a substantial amount of property tax revenue pending the outcome of a lawsuit against the Long Island Power Authority.

“Regardless of what happens with LIPA, we to need to take care of the schools,” District Superintendent Paul Casciano said during the meeting. “The best investment you can make, and I know I’m a public school educator so you expect me to say stuff like this, but the best investment you can make is in your schools, and it affects your property values. To neglect the schools is not really a wise move in terms of investment.”

Port Jefferson resident Drew Biondo was one of several community members in attendance who expressed concerns about an “all or nothing” referendum, as he said he viewed some of the components of the proposal as vital and others as less urgent. Casciano and Deputy Superintendent Sean Leister both said during the meeting the district hadn’t yet decided how the referendum would appear on the ballot, be it broken up into more than one component to be voted on or a straight, “yes” or “no” vote on the proposal in its entirety.

“I’d have to think hard about a turf field and lights,” Biondo said. “I understand the need, but when we’re facing possible closure of a power plant … I haven’t made a decision, but one of the things that will probably sway me is if this is an all or nothing. If it’s all or nothing, I don’t know which way I’ll go.”

The district is seeking more community input on the proposal through a survey on its website which was originally going to close Sept. 15, though Casciano said it may be left open for longer. Public tours will be held Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. at the elementary school and Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. at the high school for those interested in seeing the areas designated for upgrades.

UPDATE: The district has extended the window for community members to complete the bond proposal survey on its website through Oct. 9.

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Audrey Hirschmann, pictured in 2000, has been a friendly staple at Emma Clark library’s circulation desk since 1977. Photo from Emma S. Clark Memorial Library

By Rita J. Egan

A warm, familiar face at the circulation desk has greeted patrons of Emma S. Clark Memorial Library for decades. Audrey Hirschmann’s co-workers and members of the library’s board of trustees surprised her with a party Sept. 7 at Emma Clark to celebrate her 40th anniversary as an employee of the library.

Hirschmann, 88, said she has seen a lot of changes at the library since she started in 1977, including two expansions — one in the 1970s and one in the 1990s. The circulation clerk said she has worked with three directors and several supervisors at the library through the decades.

“A lot has gone on, and it just went so fast,” she said. “I can’t believe it went so fast.”

She began working at Emma Clark at 48, when her children Leslie Baffa, who was in attendance for the recent get-together, and Nancy, were teenagers. Baffa, of Stony Brook, said she was 15 when her mother started working at the library, and remembers walking there from P.J. Gelinas Junior High School. She said she’s proud of her mother for celebrating such a milestone.

“I think it’s great for her,” Baffa said. “She loves it here. It’s such a nice place to work; it’s such a nice place for the community. She really likes helping people at her job, so I think it’s great.”

Hirschmann said when she began working at the library she didn’t have any training in the field, and learned as the years went by. She said through the decades it’s been a pleasure working with her fellow employees and interacting with the patrons, especially her regulars. The library clerk said besides experiencing expansions and staff changes, she has shared life events with her fellow employees, including the passing of her husband, William, three years ago.   

Head of circulation Aileen Clark and library director Ted Gutmann were on hand for a party held at the library to commemorate Hirschmann’s 40 years as an employee Sept. 7. Photo by Rita J. Egan

“We had sadness, we had happiness,” she said.

The circulation clerk said in recent years people will often tell her to sit down and take it easy, but she loves keeping busy.

“In a lot of the ways it’s routine, which is good,” Hirschmann said. “I do certain things during the day, plus be at the desk. It’s pleasant. It’s nice work; it’s easy work, really. A lot of standing on the feet but it’s the whole atmosphere, it’s very forthcoming.”

Library director Ted Gutmann, who has worked with Hirschmann for 18 years, said he has always found her to be warm and personable.

“She’s always been great to have on the staff and at the circulation desk,” he said. “And everyone knows her here in the community, and she knows everybody.”

Library board of trustees president Linda Josephs echoed Gutmann’s sentiments.

“It’s amazing that she’s been here this long,” Josephs said. “Everybody in the community knows her. She’s always a pleasure to see at the desk.”

Aileen Clark, head of circulation, said she admires Hirschmann’s commitment to the job.

“We’re very proud of Emma Clark library, and she’s one of the reasons why,” Clark said.

Carolyn Emerson who has worked with Hirschmann for 32 years, said she’s inspired to reach the same milestone and has enjoyed her time working with her fellow employee. She said when she forgets a name, Hirschmann remembers it, and is knowledgeable about the community.

“She was the mainstay of circulation when I came, and she is always so cheerful and welcoming to people,” Emerson said.

When it comes to achieving such a work anniversary, Hirschmann has advice for those who are approaching retirement age.

“If you like what you’re doing, keep working because it’s your saving grace,” she said. “Are you going to hang around the house and be a couch potato?”

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Mount Sinai resident Michael Cherry arrives to be the first customer of the valet parking service in Port Jeff in July 2017. File photo by Alex Petroski

By Alex Petroski

With the conclusion of a trial valet parking program in Port Jefferson Village, which along the way included input from members of the Port Jefferson Business Improvement District, The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, village government, the Port Jefferson Fire Department, residents, the Port Jefferson School District and restaurant owners, a resonating theme has emerged: It was a good idea that needs work if it will be brought back in 2018.

Tommy Schafer, restaurant owner, village resident and PJBID president, said in a phone interview the program fell short of reaching its break-even point for  PJBID’s initial investment with the valet company. He said about 150 people used the service on average each weekend at a rate of $7 per car. When the program began Schafer said if the service drew 100 users nightly it would be a profitable venture.

“It was some sort of step towards a solution,” he said. “The upside of it is everyone who used it thought it was the best thing ever. We got praise for trying an idea like this. Hopefully next year we can go back to the table with a better plan.”

John Urbinati, owner of The Fifth Season restaurant, expressed a similar sentiment.

“It’s a big project,” he said in a phone interview. “It was a lot of people working on it and any time you have any sort of new projects or new activities … nobody has the foresight to get it totally right the first time.”

He added the plan will be to look at ways to streamline the service in the lead up to the summer of 2018 with an eye toward improvement — not disbanding the program.

The route valets took to park cars during the summer of 2017. Image by TBR News Media

Restaurant owners who were involved in the planning of the program this past summer and others who were not said they were glad valet parking was tried as a fix to an age-old problem in Port Jeff. The service began in July after a group of business owners announced their intentions to pursue the program to the village board once PJBID reached an agreement with the private valet company and the Port Jeff school district, which allowed cars to be parked in the vacant high school lot during the summer. It concluded after Labor Day weekend.

Logistical issues occurred along the way, including complaints from residents about the route drivers would take upon exiting the municipal lot off Maple Place behind Ruvo East restaurant where customers were staged before their cars were taken to the high school; a lack of signage at the entrance of the lot off Maple Place which historically had been a two-way entrance and was repurposed as a one-way, exit only during the program’s hours of operation; traffic on the street, which is also the site of the fire department; not enough promotion of the program to make visitors aware of it; and a disruption of the regular uses of the lot behind Ruvo East, among others.

Sound Beach resident Arthur Rasmussen was critical of the program in an August letter to the editor after he was instructed to use the valet service to visit Ruvo East when he complained the staging area was blocking handicapped parking for the restaurant.

“We were so incensed by this ‘shakedown’ that we called the restaurant and cancelled our reservation and drove to a restaurant in Mount Sinai,” he said. “My wife is on a walker and that particular handicapped spot gives her easier access to the restaurant. I thought that the valet parking program was voluntary and not designed to cause hardship on handicapped seniors.”

Initially the village was not going to be involved in the operation of the program, but because the staging area is a village lot its approval was required. Restaurant owners and director of operations of The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Barbara Ransome said the program would likely benefit with more village input.

“I would like to see it continue, I think there’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” she said. “They have to have better [public relations], better advertising and for God’s sake more signage. There aren’t many options out there. I think this is one that could work, it’s just got to be looked at.”

Village Mayor Margot Garant and deputy mayor and trustee, Larry LaPointe, could not be reached for comment regarding the village’s involvement with the project going forward.

The program was set up to be cost neutral for the village. Had revenue exceeded the initial investment, 25 percent of profits would have gone to the valet company and the remaining 75 percent would have been split between the school district and village.

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Dragons will roar on the North Shore once again as the The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosts the 4th annual Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Race Festival on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The free event will take place at Mayor Jeanne Garant Harborfront Park, 101A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson and the village’s inner harbor.

The festival is the brainchild of Barbara Ransome, director of operations at the chamber, who attended a dragon boat race festival in Cape May, New Jersey, a few years ago.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 8:30 a.m. and include a performance by the Asian Veterans Color Guard, singing of the National Anthem by Erin and Keira Pipe, a Blessing of the Dragon and “Eye Dotting” ceremony to awaken the dragons, a history of dragon boat celebration in English and Chinese by Port Jefferson School District students and a special appearance by the dragon mascot, sponsored by the Harbor Ballet Theatre.

This year’s event will consist of 33 teams and six dragon boats provided by High Five Dragon Boat Co. With the first race scheduled for 9 a.m., boat teams will compete on a 250-meter race course. Each team is made-up of 20 ‘paddlers’, one steersman and one drummer. Heats will run all day, culminating in an awards ceremony at 5 p.m. All race teams will have their own ‘encampment’ along Harborfront Park as they are queuing up for their races. Team contests for the best team T-shirt and best costumed drummer will be judged in the middle of the day. Spectators can easily view the race course from the park’s edge and pier.

In addition to the races, there will be a day-long festival featuring numerous performances including the famous Lion Dance, Taiko Drum performances, martial arts demonstrations and Asian singing and instrumentals. New this year is the addition of a long-spout teapot ceremony, a type of Kung Fu tea performance.

Various Asian delicacies will be offered from food vendors including pot stickers, sushi and vegetable lo-mein. Fried won tons, ice-cream, Acai Bowls, fried Oreos and zeppoles will also be available for purchase. There will be many activities for children including painting dragon eggs, origami, trick yo-yo demonstrations, plastic straw dragons, making origami, visiting with a bearded dragon and even a photo booth to create a fun memory keepsake. In addition, the Port Jefferson Free Library will host a craft table.

Adults can try their hand at traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy and enjoy chair massages by Panacea Massage & Wellness Studio of Port Jefferson. Various vendors will also be on hand including the Eastern Bonsai Society, Zen Gardens and Suffolk County Medical Society.

Special thanks to this year’s sponsors which include The Confucius Institute at Stony Brook University; LongIsland.com; HSBC; Murphy’s Marine Service-PJ Sea Tow; New York Community Bank, Roslyn Savings Division; News12; Jet Sanitation; Times Beacon Record News Media; Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Danfords Hotel, Marina and Spa; Island Federal Credit Union; Maggio Environmental and Servpro of Port Jefferson.

Free shuttle busses provided by the Port Jeff Jitney will make frequent stops on Oakland Avenue next to the Port Jefferson train station, the CVS parking lot on Barnum Avenue and the northeast corner of Belle Terre Road and Myrtle Avenue to bring eventgoers to the Port Jefferson Village Center from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and come enjoy the festivities. For more information, call 631-473-1414 or visit www.portjeffdragonracefest.com.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

7:45 a.m. Team captains meeting on the Great Lawn at Harborfront Park

8:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies

8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Food vendors, crafts, children activities, photo booth pictures, retail/educational/nonprofit vendor tables

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Continual Dragon Boat races in the Port Jefferson’s Inner Harbor

9 a.m. First races begin

9 a.m. Students from Sts. Philip and James School singing famous Chinese poem, ‘Youzi Yin’

9:30 a.m. Performance by Taiko Tides — Japanese percussion instruments, drumming

10 a.m. Sound of Long Island Chorus — Chinese classic and modern singing and dancing

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Performance of Chinese traditional and folk dances by Yixin’s Dance Center

11:30 a.m. Performances by North Shore Youth Music Ensemble, Stony Brook Youth Chorus and Stony Brook Chinese School’s Tai Chi Team

12 to 1 p.m. Lunch break (no racing)

12 to 12:30 p.m. Parade of the Team T-Shirt Contest and Best Drummer Costume Contest. Location: Show Mobile

12:30 to 1 p.m. Long Island Chinese Dance Group, Long Island Waist Drum Club and History of Dragon Boat celebration

1 p.m. Dragon Boat races continue

1 to 2 p.m. Kung Fu and Tai Chi demonstrations by Shaolin Kung Fu and History of Dragon Boat Celebration in English and Chinese by students from Port Jefferson School District

2 p.m. Chinese ‘Peacock Dance’ performed by Alice and Emily Snyder, students from Edna Spears Elementary School and Stony Brook Chinese School’s Tai Chi Team

2:30 p.m. Min Li ‘Long-Mouth Teapot’ Ceremony (‘Kangfu’ Teapot Performance)

3 p.m. Performance by Stony Brook Youth Chorus and Yana LI Dance Group (Asian cultural performance, dancing, singing )

3:30 p.m. United Martial Arts Center — Japanese Karate and Ninjutsu

4 p.m. Taiko Tides — Japanese percussion instruments, drumming

4:45 p.m. Last Dragon Boat race

5 to 5:30 p.m. Closing ceremonies and awards

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Members of the Port Jefferson Fire Department salute fallen firefighters from Brookhaven Town while their names are read aloud. Photo by Alex Petroski
Wreaths are laid on a monument outside of the Port Jefferson Fire Department during an annual memorial service. Photo by Alex Petroski
Members of the Port Jefferson Fire Department salute fallen firefighters from Brookhaven Town while their names are read aloud. Photo by Alex Petroski
The Port Jefferson Middle School Orchestra plays during the 9/11 memorial service at the fire department. Photo by Alex Petroski
Members of the Port Jefferson Fire Department salute fallen firefighters from Brookhaven Town while their names are read aloud. Photo by Alex Petroski
A bell rings to commemorate each Brookhaven Town resident who died Sept. 11, 2001. Photo by Alex Petroski
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 11 at the district’s 9/11 Memorial Park located at 394 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Photo by Greg Catalano
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
State Sen. Ken Lavalle speaks during a 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Rocky Point Fire Department. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gather at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives. Photo by Kevin Redding
Hundreds of Huntington residents attend "We Stand United In Love," a multi-faith candlelight prayer service remembering 9/11 and its victims in Heckscher Park Sept. 11. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Hundreds of Huntington residents attend "We Stand United In Love," a multi-faith candlelight prayer service remembering 9/11 and its victims in Heckscher Park Sept. 11. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Hundreds of Huntington residents attend "We Stand United In Love," a multi-faith candlelight prayer service remembering 9/11 and its victims in Heckscher Park Sept. 11. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Hundreds of Huntington residents attend "We Stand United In Love," a multi-faith candlelight prayer service remembering 9/11 and its victims in Heckscher Park Sept. 11. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Hundreds of Huntington residents attend "We Stand United In Love," a multi-faith candlelight prayer service remembering 9/11 and its victims in Heckscher Park Sept. 11. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Hundreds of Huntington residents attend "We Stand United In Love," a multi-faith candlelight prayer service remembering 9/11 and its victims in Heckscher Park Sept. 11. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh

Remembrances and memorials were held across the North Shore Monday to honor those lost as a result of the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001.

The Port Jefferson Fire Department held its annual 9/11 ceremony on the grounds of the department. The department’s flag was raised to half mast, a bell was rung to remember each of the Brookhaven Town residents who died that day and the Port Jefferson Middle School Orchestra accompanied the event with performances.

The Setauket Fire District held its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the district’s Memorial Park on Nicolls Road in Stony Brook.

Residents, elected officials and firefighters from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Miller Place and beyond gathered at the Rocky Point Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to honor those who lost their lives.

Hundreds of Huntington residents attended “We Stand United In Love,” a multi-faith candlelight prayer service remembering 9/11 and its victims in Heckscher Park.

This version will be updated with photos from more events.

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Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine will seek re-election in November. File photo by Alex Petroski

Off-campus housing riddled with town code violations and unsafe conditions for Stony Brook University students has plagued Three Village residents for years. In 2013, the situation inspired community residents Bruce Sander and Anthony DeRosa to start the nonprofit organization Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners.

Coordinated with the start of a new school year, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) delivered a clear message to landlords who rent to university students within his jurisdiction during a press conference Sept. 8: follow town building and fire safety codes or face consequences. The town and university presented a united front from Stony Brook Fire Department Sub Station 2 and stated their intentions to ensure students who reside in off-campus housing are safe in homes that meet town and state codes.

“We have codes for a reason — to protect health and safety,” Romaine said. “We are going to protect the health and safety of the students.”

The supervisor said many of the illegal rooming houses where students live have been subdivided into as many as 10 bedrooms, and a home on Christian Avenue, which he called the “showpiece” of illegal homes, had at least 16 occupants. Romaine said the house is now in foreclosure.

Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) said it is important that renters in the town know their rights when dealing with landlords, and she said town officials are available to assist renters who feel they are in an unsafe situation.

“The supervisor and I cosponsored a number of resolutions over the years to improve the quality of life of residents and to improve the safety of the residents renting here in the Town of Brookhaven,” she said. “Over the past two years or so we have a had a number of roundtable discussions with Stony Brook University, the supervisor’s office, Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners, and of course, our law department and planning department, to make sure we are addressing this issue, as it is a very important issue in our community.”

Bruce Sander of Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners thanked Brookhaven Town and SBU for their efforts in curbing illegal rentals. Photo by Alex Petroski

Deputy Town Attorney Dave Moran said there has been an increase in foreclosures in the community not due to financial reasons but due to the enforcement of building codes.

“We have broken [landlords’] business models in some circumstances, where it is no longer profitable for them to own their second and third house and collect those thousands in rents, by enforcing the statutes that we’ve put in place, by monitoring the rental permits and complaints that come in,” Moran said.

Moran said the town has collected $211,000 in fines over the last month for building violations, compared to only $300,000 collected for the entire year in 2008.

He said partnering with the university, which has educated students on their rights, has helped in uncovering issues as more students are contacting the town to report violations by their landlords.

Judith Greiman, chief deputy to the president of Stony Brook University and senior vice president for government and community relations, said the university has the most beds of any SUNY campus and are second among all universities in the state. The university added 759 new beds this past year with the opening of Chavez and Tubman residence halls and an additional 173 new beds will be available in the fall of 2018.

The chief deputy said the university has taken great steps to ensure students’ safety thanks to the input received from the community and support Romaine, Cartright, Brookhaven Town code inspectors and others have provided.

Among measures the university has undertaken since March 2013 are prohibiting advertisements of off-campus rentals on SBU’s website, unless the landlord can provide a Brookhaven Town rental permit, and prohibiting posting on campus bulletin boards. The university also holds tenants’ rights workshops to help students understand what to look for when renting.

Sander was on hand for the conference representing the Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners organization, and he commended the town and the university for their efforts.

“Unfortunately there will always be those landlords who still believe in the secret method of evading the laws and endangering the students and their community,” Sander said. “I’d like to send a message to the housing landlords: obey the laws.”

The organization founder said there should be no more than four people in a home. He said landlords can also do their part by maintaining their property, mowing grass weekly and providing garbage cans and enough parking space in driveways for tenants.

When it comes to circumventing the law, Romaine had a warning for landlords.

“Don’t do it, we’re coming for you,” he said.

Additional reporting by Alex Petroski

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Stony Brook University students show their support for those protected by DACA. Photo from Stony Brook University

As President Donald Trump (R) proposed to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Stony Brook University community members and students voiced their support for the DREAMers — the name given to the approximately 800,000 undocumented immigrants that were brought to the United States as children.

University President Dr. Samuel L. Stanley Jr. stated his and the institution’s continued support of DACA in a Sept. 5 email sent to the campus community.

“We have seen how the recipients of DACA have a positive impact on our campus and broader community,” Stanley said. “Diversity of perspectives, thought and understanding serves as a foundation of Stony Brook’s academic enterprise and helps our students become global citizens. Let’s do what’s right, and unite to support our ‘dreamers’ together.”

Two days later, more than 200 students, faculty members and administrators united in the March for DREAMers rally to show undocumented students at the university their support. In addition, the marchers presented a letter to administrators listing further actions they hope the university will take.

Marchers show signs they brought to the March for DREAMers rally at Stony Brook University Sept. 7. Photo from College Democrats

Members of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, an equality advocacy group, were among the rally’s organizers. The group’s Vice-President David Clark felt it was important to stand up for classmates who may feel vulnerable now.

“I wanted to, first of all, raise awareness of the concerns of DACA recipients and DREAMers on campus and also to show support of them on campus,” he said.

Clark said participants were thankful for the institution’s support of undocumented students and appreciated the university’s current stance on DACA, and Stanley’s statement that the campus should be considered a sensitive location by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Clark said the marchers were joined by representatives of non-campus groups including the Islandia-based SEPA Mujer, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the empowerment of Latina immigrant women.

The college junior said administrators cooperated in securing a ballroom in the student activity center where participants gathered for speeches after walking around a circle and congregating in the main academic mall’s plaza. He said chants included,

“Say it loud. Say it clear. Dreamers are welcomed here.” Marchers held signs with messages that included, “Undocumented and unafraid” and “Sin DACA, Sin Miedo,” which in Spanish means, “Without DACA, without fear.”

Clark was satisfied with the turnout of the peaceful protest.

“I was really happy that so many Stony Brook students care about their fellow classmates, friends who are undocumented, who are getting through a very hard time right now, a time of uncertainty for them,” he said.

In their letter, marchers asked the university to ensure SBU would not provide information to ICE about any undocumented students or their families, not allow ICE to take students into custody without a judicial warrant, and to let students know if ICE is on campus through the university’s alert systems. The organizers also asked that a list be available on the website of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to notify those who are not citizens where private scholarships may be available to them.

Stanley said in his Sept. 5 email that the university does not request or require immigration status as part of the admissions process. He added that immigration status is not a factor in student housing decisions, and the university does not share private information.

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Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Scenes from Huntington's annual Awareness Day parade Sept. 9. This year's theme was "unity in the community." Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh

Huntington residents proudly marched in the annual Huntington Awareness Day parade Sept. 9, celebrating this year’s theme “unity in the community.” The annual parade and fair, sponsored by the Huntington Awareness Community Partnership, aims to raise awareness and foster a sense of solidarity among community members. Parade goers stepped off from Huntington High School, down Oakwood Road to Stimson Middle School where there were carnival rides, food and games to enjoy.

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