Erich Preis standing next the the centerpiece, “Salvation”. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The work of Erich Preis, a Huntington native, decorates the walls of Trinity Community Art Center in Northport. Four-foot-tall paintings showcase apocalyptic scenes, foreboding and eerie. His work addresses both internal and external turmoil. Giant gears loom over desolate lands like storm clouds; the people in the paintings, vulnerable and unclothed, either cower or push onward.
Preis has been dedicated to art since he was 9 and studying at the Huntington Fine Arts school. Afterward, with the support of his high school art teacher he went to the Fashion Institute of Technology where he received his associate’s degree in art and design. Then he continued to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with a partial scholarship. During his tenure at the academy, he was awarded the Charles Toppan Memorial Prize.
In his storm series, Preis explores vulnerability, discomfort and the threat of unbridled technological advancement. “They relate to 911, a lot of them,” he said. “And they also relate to man’s battle against the machine and my own struggle with autism, you know, the repetitive motion of my mind.”
There is a painting named “Catharsis.” It is smaller than the others and depicts a triple self-portrait, each face with a different expression. The center face is bisected by a gear and the opened mouth is detached from the face, set wide in a scream. This piece more directly addresses Preis’ relationship with his autism.
“It was very healing to do this piece,” he said. Preis also studied art therapy and received his bachelor’s degree in the subject from C.W. Post. He then founded the Spirit of Huntington Art Center, where he helps his students enjoy the calming artistic process that has helped provide him with a creative outlet to express himself and cope with his autism.
“Catharsis”, painted by Preis. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The gear, a signature feature of his work, has manifested in his paintings over the course of his career.
“When I was 14 years old, a lawnmower fell apart and I was fascinated by this gear,” he said. “I always had this gear around and when I was in FIT I started to integrate the figure with gears.”
Preis lost his roommate Michael Noeth when a plane hit the Pentagon on 9/11. Since then, the gear has taken on a new meaning. In some pieces, it is like a plane — the storm reminiscent of a nuclear explosion.
The culmination of the series, “Salvation,” is in the middle of the room and is the largest. The painting was the most difficult of those depicted and took Preis two years to complete. Bob Hendrick, one of the founders of the center and an artist himself, commented on the technique and composition: “There is a certain symmetry to it. It is masterfully done.”
While the other paintings emit a sense of panic, fear and hopelessness, “Salvation” depicts the second coming of Christ. The death and resurrection of the people, the heroic angels diving past flames to bring the people back up to the light, provide a sense of solace, even as two gears grind among flames.
Priest of the neighboring Trinity Episcopal Church, Father Andrew Garnett admired what Preis was able to achieve. “Through art we have a deeper insight into what is going on,” he said. Garnett is holding a “sensory-friendly” service on April 27 at noon for all those who find the organ too loud or the typical sermon overwhelming. The service is inspired by autism awareness month.
“I think this is some of my best work because it deals with my emotions,” Preis said of the series. “I really hope that one day they end up in a museum.”
The exhibit will run through April 27. In September, Preis will have an exhibit at the Art League of Long Island in Dix Hills, where he will exhibit his sculptures as well.
Coming up on the Pressroom Afterhour, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine lays out a bold vision in his State of the County address, pointing to rising bond ratings, bipartisan cooperation, and a billion-dollar push to modernize sewers and safeguard water quality. We’ll unpack what his priorities mean for residents.
Then, we shift to Shoreham, where the Tesla Science Center rises from the ashes of a devastating fire. With over $14 million dollars raised and new leadership on board, we’ll explore how the center plans to honor Tesla’s legacy and position itself as a global hub for science and innovation.
As we approach the deadline to file our taxes, Brookhaven Receiver of Taxes Louis Marcoccia tells us what we need to know about this year’s tax season.
Afterwards, we shift our focus to Stony Brook University, where 300 students gathered for the first-ever Long Island Youth Climate Summit.
Turn the page with us as we delve into the week’s top stories, with another episode of the Pressroom Afterhour: Keeping it Local with TBR.
Three Village Central School District Superintendent Kevin Scanlon released a letter on March 21 informing families of incidents of antisemitism in the schools and assured them that the district is going to tackle the issue.
“There have recently been incidents of antisemitism in our schools,” the letter reads. “We believe that there is a larger issue occurring that we need to address.”
The letter suggests that a conglomeration of incidents is leading the district to initiate programs and curriculum changes: “Although some individuals may perceive these incidents as isolated, we cannot afford to take them lightly.”
Rabbi Aaron Benson of the North Shore Jewish Center said he has been in touch with some families whose children have been affected by antisemitism with Three Village middle schools. Benson said his understanding is that no major altercation occurred, but that on one or multiple occasions, students made an antisemitic remark that was heard by several other students, including Jewish students.
“As I understand it, the comments weren’t particularly directed at anybody but there were Jewish students present,” he said. “But also comments of that sort should not be tolerated regardless if a Jewish person is present.”
Rabbi Joshua Gray from Temple Isaiah emailed Scanlon after receiving the letter. Scanlon invited him to the school for a conversation, following through on the district’s commitment to “work together as a community” as written in the letter.
The conversation went “very well” according to Gray, and he left the meeting feeling assured that the district is addressing the issue with consideration and care.
“They are being very proactive,” he said. “It is good when people call it by its name and say it as it is.” Benson, too, was glad that the district acknowledged the issue and is taking an active role in combating hate speech.
“These are all the things I want them to be doing and I am thankful that they are,” he said. Benson, who has been an ordained rabbi for over 20 years, said he likes “to believe that there is just simple ignorance combined with perhaps a desire to be shocking or irreverent” but that there is “a stronger presence of antisemitic commentary that is out there and trickles down to kids.”
Both rabbis live in the district and have children. They said that they have noticed an uptick in antisemitism since Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7, 2023.
Stefanie Werner, whose child attends a Three Village school, said that her child had experienced antisemitism over five years ago. Glad that the village acknowledged the issue, but upset that antisemitism is still present enough to warrant a letter, Werner called the letter “a double-edged sword.”
“I hate that it has gotten to this point,” she continued. “We’ve gotten this letter and we don’t exactly know what has happened.”
Werner said she would like to see more discussion integrated into the curriculum, a step Scanlon plans to take, according to the letter. Werner said that it is clear that preexisting programs, like assemblies, talks or electives, aren’t enough.
“We have to teach them that it is not okay,” she said. “They don’t see the line.”
We have a special episode of our podcast series: The Pressroom Afterhour,
TBR Reporter Lynn Hallarman brings us to the front lines of the fight to protect the 9/11 health program against recent attempts to slash the program’s funding.
Note to listeners, this episode contains graphic depictions of events on September 11th, 2001, and one offensive word.
We dive into the latest updates from Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina as he shares new initiatives to enhance public safety. From tackling traffic accidents to addressing the opioid crisis, Catalina outlines his vision for a safer Suffolk.
Next, we discuss this month’s Three Village Civic Association meeting, where Town of Brookhaven Receiver of Taxes Louis Marcoccia addressed concerns about this year’s tax bills.
Finally, we turn our focus to the ongoing challenges facing the Port Jefferson School District after the Child Victims Act led to a significant financial burden. We’ll hear from Superintendent Jessica Schmettan as she explains the impact of the $16.5 million settlement and the district’s efforts to secure legislative relief.
Listen to this episode of the Pressroom Afterhour on Spotify.
Senior Sofia Vasselman of Commack, here defended by Madlyn Kalb, was held to 12 points in the Lady Cougars playoff loss to Huntington. Vasselman, the Cougars leading scorer, was cleared to play by a judge after being suspended by Section XI for committing two intentional fouls in Commack's regular season finale vs. Bay Shore on February 7th. Photo by Steven Zaitz
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Senior Sofia Vasselman of Commack, here defended by Madlyn Kalb, was held to 12 points in the Lady Cougars playoff loss to Huntington. Vasselman, the Cougars leading scorer, was cleared to play by a judge after being suspended by Section XI for committing two intentional fouls in Commack's regular season finale vs. Bay Shore on February 7th. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Sabrina Boyle. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Adi DeLeon splits the Huntington defense. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Mia McBrien drives to the hoop for Commack. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Alanna Svensson tries to get past Grace Gordon. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Gianna Solch lines up a jumper. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Sofia Vasselman goes one on one with Jolie Weinschreider. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Ava McDonald, left, and Sabrina Boyle celebrate victory for Huntington. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Ava McDonald, left, and Sabrina Boyle celebrate victory for Huntington. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Lauren Donaghy, who led all scorers with 13, looks for an opening. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Ava McDonald. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Gianna Solch tries to evade Jolie Weinschreider. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Sofia Vasselman. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Alanna Svensson tries to get past Grace Gordon. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Lauren Donaghy. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Lauren Donaghy. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Jolie Weinschreider. Photo by Steve Zaitz
Throughout her five-year career as a Commack Cougar basketball star, Sofia Vasselman will tell you that her life has been filled with a bounty of Mudita.
One of the most prominent tenets of Vasselman’s life is based upon the ancient Sanskrit concept of finding joy in the success of others called Mudita. With her 1,000-point high school career speeding toward its final chapter, getting the opportunity to step on the court Thursday, Feb. 27,in the Suffolk quarterfinals against Huntington brought pure joy and contentment for everyone inside the Commack Varsity Basketball program.
“What the Commack girls basketball team has given me is really indescribable,” said the Geneseo-bound and two-time league MVP Vasselman in an interview after the game.“The relationships and bonds I have made playing this sport is incomparable because this team and school are my family.”
Vasselman, who was fourth in scoring in Suffolk County this year and averaged nearly 20 points a game, was initially suspended for this playoff game by a Section XI rule that states a player who commits two intentional fouls in the same game will be ejected and ineligible for the team’s next contest. Vasselman was called for two intentional fouls in Commack’s regular season finale against Bay Shore on Feb 7. She would not be allowed to play for the fourth-seeded Cougars in the quarterfinal game against Huntington.
She sought a restraining order to overturn the suspension.
Vasselman’s case became the third in a spate of high-profile high school athletic court cases this month in Suffolk County. Two weeks earlier, six Northport wrestlers were suspended from the postseason for a rules violation but were reinstated; and legendary long-distance runner Zariel Macchia from Longwood was also ruled ineligible from New York State competition because she competed against college athletes earlier in the year. Macchia will not participate in the state tournaments but will be eligible to run for the Lions in the spring.
Vasselman won her case and the Cougar Mudita had been restored. The Commack community that she loves was behind her every step of the way, and Vasselman wanted them to know that she gives it right back.
“The community’s support during this time is something I will never forget and I really do appreciate from the bottom of my heart,” said Vasselman. “This is the main reason I love Commack basketball and the fans and the great people that come with it.”
Her teammates’ support never wavered.
“Sofia is an amazing player and captain,” said junior forward Gianna Solch. “She is an unbelievable leader for this team and she pushes everyone else around her to be their best selves. Over the years, she has helped me to develop more confidence in myself and my game and helped me to build new friendships that have made the girls on this team my best friends. She is a true leader, a wonderful friend, and someone who has made a huge impact on my life. When she was cleared to play, I was so, so happy for her and the team.”
With a victory in the courthouse and the team Namaste whole again, it was time to chase another win on the court. But the upstart Huntington Blue Devils stood in their way.
In the moments before tipoff, the support Vasselman felt transformed into a deafening din of noise and anticipation. The Commack High School gym, which is one of the most acoustically intense arenas on Long Island, was ready to have its roof blown off.
Half of this noise came from Huntington’s cheering section, which made it clear that they had very little love in their collective heart for Vasselman, going decibel for decibel with the hometown Cougar crowd. First-year Huntington coach Perry Marinelli and his fifth-seeded Lady Blue Devils had a plan of attack for Vasselman.
“Sofia is a great player,” said Marinelli. “So we threw a bunch of different defenders and looked at her to try to keep her off balance.”
This seemed to work.
Vasselman hit an early layup, but from there, Huntington’s defense smothered her. Rotating double teams, they denied her the ball, forcing her to the perimeter and choking off any clear path to the rim. She was held to just six points in the first half on two for 11 from the field and zero for five from the three-point range. Huntington junior guard Jolie Weinschreider was one of several defensive attack dogs assigned to keep Vasselman away from the hoop.
“Playing Sofia is tough,” said Weinschreider. “They were setting picks for her, which I had to constantly get around. I watched her hips while face guarding, which helped me significantly and I stayed low so I wouldn’t be faked out by all her moves. When she got the ball, we knew to double-team her and shift our defense.”
Huntington took a 16-11 lead into halftime. Junior guard Sabrina Boyle scored the first five points of the game, getting the all-blue Huntington cheering section out of their seats and into a full-throated roar that lasted the entire first half.
“It seems like our whole school came out for this one,” said Boyle who finished with 11 points. “The atmosphere in here was really electric and I think that really helped our team.”
In the second half, both offenses peaked out slightly from their shells. Huntington sophomore point guard Ava McDonald hit a lefty layup to push the Devil lead to seven; however, Commack junior forward Mia McBrien scored five consecutive points at the start of the third period that spearheaded a 12-2 run by the Cougars. After a made free throw by Vasselman, they led 23-20 with 1:18 left in the quarter and Marinelli took a timeout. Chants of “Let’s Go Commack” reverberated across Scholar Lane and could be heard up and down Indian Head Road.
When Commack senior guard Liliana Pettit hit a three-pointer from the wing, it gave her team a 26-21 lead, as the building shook with delight. But it would soon go suddenly silent.
McDonald, the underclassman floor general for Huntington hit on a driving layup to close out the scoring of this suddenly explosive third quarter, but when she came down, she rolled on the floor in pain, clutching her right leg. Marinelli and the Huntington training staff raced out to tend to McDonald, who was helped off the court several minutes later to polite applause. A mood shift was palpable in the arena as it appeared McDonald’s day was done.
With a big wrap around her thigh, McDonald re-entered with a little over five minutes remaining in the game and immediately made a deft pass to fellow sophomore Madyn Kalb for an easy layup to make the score 29-27.
“There was no way I wasn’t coming back in this game,” said McDonald. “I told Coach Marinelli that even if I play on one leg, I want to go back in. Make me a fake hamstring if you have to.”
She made a steal of the ensuing inbound and hit Kalb again for a breakaway layup to tie the score. This one was going down to the wire.
Boyle made a steal with Commack up one, sprinted coast-to-coast, and flipped the lead back to Huntington with 2:30 left. Solch hit a jumper for Commack for the 10th lead change of the game as this battle of punch-counterpunch continued deep into the final quarter.
However, Huntington would deliver the final two haymakers — one on offense, one on defense. With McDonald out of the game again, having her bandages redressed, Weinschreider inbounded to senior Lauren Donaghy in the corner. Falling off balance and nearly out of bounds, Donaghy buried a three to give Huntington a 38-36 lead with 1:25 left.
“I hadn’t taken a lot of threes all game and when it left my hand, I didn’t think it was going in,” Donaghy, who led all scorers with 13, said. “It changed my momentum and I think it changed the momentum of the game.”
Vasselman, who led the Cougars to the county finals last year against Walt Whitman, had 85 seconds to swing the mojo back. She pulled down a rebound and hit Solch with a perfect, three-quarter court dime, but Solch missed the layup that would have tied the score.
Weinschreider sank one of two free throws, pushing Huntington’s lead to three with 21 seconds left. Vasselman, who only had one game in the regular season when she failed to hit at least one three-pointer, was zero for eight from long distance up to this point. Guarded both by Kalb and Boyle, Vasselman hoisted up a three-point attempt right in front of the Commack bench. It was an air ball. The loose ball was gathered up by 5-foot-7 Pettit, who had her shot from the corner blocked by the 5-foot-2, one-legged McDonald. The ball deflected into the front row of the now-celebratory Huntington cheering section. The McDonald block was the exclamation point on this game. The final score was 42-38.
“I don’t block a lot of shots, but after getting injured, I just tried to keep my composure and do anything I could to win this game,” McDonald said.
“Ava is a captain as a sophomore, an emotional leader, and a huge part of what we do on both ends of the floor,” said Marinelli. “When she went down, I knew the girls would rally around her and step up. I was thrilled with how every one of our girls responded and kept their composure. We talked all week about focusing only on what we can control. This game is what high school sports are all about and this win felt great.”
For Vasselman, not so much, but she sees the bigger joy of being a Cougar, her Mudita undisturbed despite the heartbreaking loss in what is to be her game as a high school player.
“My goal at Commack was to leave my legacy and that’s what I feel I have done,” said Vasselman who finished with 12 points in her final game. “I will miss being a part of this team forever and I hope that I have shown the younger players what it means to be on this team and how special it really is. Coaches Moran, DelliSanti and Whitaker helped me become a player and a person who wants to reach the best of my ability and I will always be thankful for them.”
Huntington faced top-seeded Brentwood in the semifinals on Wednesday, March 5, at Comsewogue High School. Results were unavailable at press time.
Kingston Strouse makes a move on Smithtown East's John Zummo. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Dylan Tuthill in blue battles Andrew Arnone of Smithtown East. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Dylan Tuthill has a hold of Copiague's Alex Arvalo
Andreas Rivera grabs a hold of Newfield's Khriztophe Gonzalez. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Tiger wrestler Cinar Erken against Finley Connolly of Smithtown East. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Andrew Kennedy with a flying start on Copiague's Desmond Conley. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Andrew Kennedy grapples with Copiague's Desmond Conley. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Lucas Rivera is over the top of Luciano Antonelli. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Ryan Muller flips Evam Nunez of Newfield. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Lucas Rivera and Luciano Antonelli. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Lucas Rivera v Luciano Antonelli. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Ryan Muller of Northport and Matthew McDermott. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Dylan Tuthill won his 124 pound weight class. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Dylan Tuthill fends off Andrew Arnone. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Andrew Kennedy has a grip. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Peyton Hamada took second place at 160 lbs. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Coach Chris Posillico helps Kingston Strouse to his corner. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Kingston Strouse in the final 152 lb match against North Babylon's Jack Miller. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Kingston Strouse (yellow) in the 152 pound, League III final against Jack Miller of North Babylon. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Kingston Strouse wrestles Smithtown East's John Zummo. Photo by Steven Zaitz
By Steven Zaitz
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, Northport High School wrestler Kingston Strouse was playing his saxophone in 9th period band class when the senior was asked to report to Athletic Director Mark Dantuono’s office.
When he arrived, he found his coach of four years, Thad Alberti, sitting in that office stone-faced and glum.
Alberti informed Strouse, who is ranked first in his weight class in Suffolk County, that due to an administrative error, he, along with five of his teammates, were ruled ineligible for post-season competition. There would be no League Championships, which was just days away, for Strouse and his mates.
That was the first domino — without Leagues, there was no path to Suffolk County or State championship tournaments.
As per New York State Public High School Athletic Association policy, a wrestler who exceeds the maximum number of tournaments, which is six, is ineligible for the remainder of the season and the coach of the wrestler is suspended from the team’s next two scheduled competitions. The reason for the rule is that wrestlers accumulate points over the course of the season and a wrestler who participates in extra matches will have potentially gained more points than his competitors.
“When I was first told the news, I remember being shocked, but I don’t think I had a single ounce of hate or a single ounce of regret for anything that had happened,” Strouse said. “I just remember feeling bad for my coach because he was sitting there and he just looked devastated. I was more concerned about how other people were feeling about the situation and I thought that if we really were together, we could get it overturned. I knew we were going to put up a fight about this.”
His teammates were more concerned about Strouse.
“Kingston is our leader and being that he’s a senior, I really felt terrible for him,” said teammate Peyton Hamada, who was one of the six also suspended. “I was more upset for him than I was for myself.”
As of Wednesday night, the season was over for Strouse,juniors Hamada and Lucas Rivera, sophomores Sebastian Stabile and Tyler Naughton and freshman Ryan Muller.
But it was Strouse– because of his top ranking in Suffolk County at 152 pounds, his stature on the team and his storied four-year career as a Northport wrestler –who became the face of this soon-to-be exploding media frenzy. The other kids will wrestle for Northport next year. Strouse will not.
The story was first reported by Newsday’s Gregg Sarra, who is the editor of the paper’s high school sports section. As of Feb. 6, he reported that the ‘Northport Six’ were disqualified, and as per Section XI Chief Tom Combs, the rule was clear-cut and the matter was now closed.
But the matter was not closed.
As social media became ablaze with the news, opinions for and against these Northport athletes being allowed to compete were split. Some werecompassionate, not wishing the boys to be punished for a mistake that they themselves did not make.
But others were unsympathetic, posting that Northport has to play by the rules like everybody else. One post on X read “typical Northport athletics, always breaking the rules and never paying for it. Mistake my (foot)”.
As the Long Island wrestling world debated, the guys on the team, the booster club and the Northport and wrestling communities banded together with a plan of action. They set up a GoFundMe page that raised nearly $9,000 to retain a legal team to fight this in the courts. Attorneys Anthony Camisa and James Pascarella, both former Long Islanders wrestlers, were brought in.
The group, including the six wrestlers and some of their parents, travelled to the courthouses in Riverhead on Friday and were able to appear before Suffolk County Justice of the Supreme Court Peter R. McGreevy on an emergency basis. The League III championships were going to start — with or without these guys — in less than 24 hours.
“I told the kids and the parents that all I can do is get you guys before a judge and once that occurs, nobody knows what will happen,” said Camisa, who was a wrestler at Longwood and University of Albany before he passed the bar exam.“In this case, the kids did nothing wrong and not being able to wrestle would have caused them irreparable harm. I think that was the part of our argument that got us our stay.”
Strouse, who had been fighting a nasty cold all week, was ecstatic at the favorable result.
“When we got down there, it really seemed like we weren’t going to win the case and be able to wrestle,” said Strouse. “Everything was kind of stacked against us, so I can’t even put into words how grateful I am to the lawyers that were able to get this done. But I’m also grateful to the Northport community and the wrestling community as well. It’s a lot smaller than other sports and wrestlers back each other up. A lot of my friends from other schools on Long Island were reaching out to me, being supportive, and sending out our GoFundMe link. There are a lot of people to thank for this.”
It was now time to focus on wrestling
Strouse, still not at 100% strength due to his cold, now had to get ready for the match. He prowled around the Smithtown East gym with a hoody over his head, waiting for his turn.
When it came time, he beat both Andrew Schwartz of Newfield and John Zummo of Smithtown East handily but it would be close to three hours before his final match against North Babylon’s Jack Miller. He waited. He listened to his music. He took a nap in the bleachers until the match with Miller arrived.
Ahead in points for most of the contest, a sudden scramble at the beginning of the third period against Miller caused an awkward twist of Strouse’s left knee. As he lay face down on the mat, writhing in pain, it looked for sure that Strouse’s roller coaster week wouldn’t quite make it to its final turn.His day seemed done.
With his coach, Chris Posillico, who filled in for the suspended Alberti, and Strouse’s worried mom Lori looking on matside, Strouse rose to his feet.
After a few flexes of his leg and a swig of water, the match continued.
“Yeah, it was bad,” Strouse said. “But it wasn’t structural, so it was just a matter of dealing with the amount of pain that we sometimes have to deal with in this sport.”
Strouse powered through, won the match 14-5, and this long, grueling, but ultimately satisfying week was finally done. However, his journey is not. Despite his lingering illness and the issue with his knee, Strouse will compete for a county championship this weekend at Stony Brook University.
“Everything I did on the mat today just didn’t feel right,” said Strouse. “Every shot I took wasn’t fast. My decision making wasn’t on. I just felt so foggy and weak.Plus, I couldn’t breathe out of my nose. It seemed like everything was just stacked against me, but I got the job done, so I guess that’s all that matters.”
Yes, Strouse did his job on the mat, but without his eclectic crew of 11th-hour partners from all across Long Island, there would never have been a job for him to do.
PJ Country Club prior to collapse of gazebo and edge of tennis courts, undated photograph. Courtesy of PJ Village website
Phase 1 of the East Beach Bluff Stabilization was the first part of a $10 million initiative aimed at arresting bluff erosion and preventing the Village of Port Jefferson-owned country club from sliding down the slope.
This first phase of the project was completed in June 2023. By any official accounts of the time, Phase 1 was a success. But within months of completion a series of storms in late 2023 and early 2024 damaged the site, undoing costly work, setting back progress and hampering the goals of the project.
According to the May 2024 Bluff Monitoring Report covering the period from September 2023 to February 2024, conducted by GEI Consultants of Huntington Station (the engineering firm that designed Phase 1), the village had not implemented recommended repairs, increasing the risk of more complicated and expensive upkeep and repair in the future.
The report stated that “no maintenance or repairs to date were undertaken by the village following the storms,” further suggesting that the village implements “necessary repair to the project as soon as possible.”
The report’s findings have raised questions among residents and officials about the long-term viability of the stabilization efforts and financial resources needed for continued upkeep and repairs.
TBR News Media reviewed GEI’s 2024 Bluff Monitoring Report — required under the Department of Environmental Conservation permit for Phase 1 — and spoke to experts, village officials and residents, exploring the report’s recommendations and the obstacles confronting the village in completing its requirements.
Costs of phases 1 and 2
At the completion of Phase 1, a 358-foot wall of steel and cement was constructed at the base of a steep bluff, about 100-feet-tall, situated on East Beach, facing north toward the Long Island Sound.
As part of the project, the severely eroded bluff face — scoured and denuded by years of storms — underwent restoration. Native vegetation was planted and secured with eight rows of timber terraces, and coir logs (interwoven coconut fibers) at the lower section and, toward the crest, with burlap netting.
The total cost of the Phase 1 project according to village treasurer, Stephen Gaffga, is “$6,024,443 million, of which $677,791 is related to design/engineering/permitting/ surveying, and $5,346,652 was spent on construction.”
At the crest of the bluff, approximately 30 feet beyond the precipice, sits the country club. Phase 2 involves the installation of a 545-foot long, 47-foot-deep steel barrier driven into the bluff’s crest, just a few feet seaward of the country club. The barrier is designed to stabilize the area landward of the bluff and prevent erosion, further reducing the risk of the building collapsing.
The cost of Phase 2 will be partially funded by federal taxpayer dollars as a $3.75 million FEMA grant, the final approval recently completed this past week, allowing for the village to receive bids for the work in the coming months for the construction of the upper wall. Local taxpayer dollars will fund the remaining Phase 2 expenses.
According to Gaffga, the Phase 2 “complete expenses are yet to be determined,” he explained in an email. The total cost will be better understood once the village receives bids for constructing the upper wall
The stabilization project, since its inception in 2017 has been presented by village officials as an urgent necessity. With this imperative in mind, the trustees approved a $10 million bond resolution, without a community referendum, in 2021 to fund the project’s two phases.
In a January 2023 statement by former Mayor Garant, after permitting and plans had been finalized, she warned, “If immediate measures to combat and stop the erosion are not implemented, the building foundation will get exposed, will lose structural support, and slowly but surely will fail — causing significant structural damage first, followed by complete collapse of the [country club] building.”
2024 GEI report findings
Heavy rainstorms swept across Long Island in the early fall of 2023, beginning with Hurricane Lee on Sept. 12 followed by another severe storm on Sept. 23.
According to the GEI report, these storms caused “post-storm stress” to the new vegetation leading to plant die off, shifting sands and forming a small ravine — also referred to as a gully — past the western edge of the wall at the base of the bluff.
To prevent further damage, GEI recommended that the village “replant beachgrass in stressed areas of the bluff face and protect the western edge of the wall by adding a filter fabric and stone.”
Photograph of East Beach Bluff Phase 1 taken as part of the GEI post-storm inspection after Hurricane Lee on Sept. 12, 2023. Courtesy of PJ Village website
However, two additional major storms in December 2023 and February 2024 brought strong winds and heavy rainfall expanding the damage started in September. A GEI post-storm inspection in the days following the storms found that a large ravine had formed on the eastern edge of the bluff face, further damaging the vegetation, matting and terracing within the ravine.
Photograph taken as part of the GEI inspection report Feb. 22, 2024 showing extensive damage to the bluff in the vicinity of stressed growth identified in September 2023. Courtesy of PJ Village website
In total, the May 2024 report outlined detailed recommendations involving improved drainage, repairs to terracing, laying down of erosion control fabric and replacement of beachgrass. The report’s recommendations concluded with concerns about utilizing honeycomb grids by Coastal Technologies Corp. under consideration by village officials, namely: “GEI has expressed concern that such an installation may not be effective at East Beach due to the types of soils present and the steepness of the East Beach Bluff.”
Despite these concerns, the Board of Trustees at the Oct. 23 public meeting approved a resolution to use American Rescue Plan Act funds at the total cost of $33,920 to pilot test Coastal Technologies stabilizing devices, pending a revised permit from the DEC.
In response to GEI concerns, George Thatos, Coastal Technologies co-founder and head of design, said, “Our Cliff Stabilizer system stabilizes near-vertical slopes with vegetation, unlike terracing which requires major regrading and cliff-top land loss.” He added, “Our solution naturally reforests bluffs.”
According to DEC representative, Jeff Wernick, if a permit holder “cannot follow a report recommendations due to environmental conditions, DEC works with them to modify the permit to correct the issues. If the recommendations are not followed due to negligence, it could result in a violation of the permit and enforcement action.”
Port Jeff Citizens Commission on Erosion
This reporter attended a recent meeting of the Port Jefferson Citizens Commission on Erosion. Their mission, in summary, is to act as a volunteer resident advisory group to the village on matters of erosion confronting the village. So far, much of the group’s focus, chaired by village resident David Knauf, has been on the East Beach Bluff Stabilization project.
On Jan. 20, the committee submitted detailed written questions to Mayor Lauren Sheprow expressing concerns about the overall status of the stabilization project. It questioned plans to proceed with Phase 2 before implementing drainage recommendations and before updating the land survey of the upper bluff that is about three years old. The commission urged these steps be completed before soliciting bids for the construction of Phase 2.
”There was damage that occurred since the Phase 1 was completed that hasn’t been addressed, meaning that it keeps getting more pronounced. There were ongoing reports that were done during the past year,” Knauf said at the Jan. 23 commission meeting.
He added that repairs “should have been done up to now so that whatever was occurring [with Phase 1] didn’t get worse.”
The commission, to date, has not received a comprehensive update on maintenance done on the bluff/wall as recommended in the May 2024 report, according to Knauf.
According to village trustee Robert Juliano, any maintenance and repair done during the time frame of the 2024 report “was minor, such as grooming the beach by village employees.”
Other concerns brought up at the meeting included a request to review a retreat plan allegedly completed under former Mayor Garant and actively participating in vetting of contract bids.
Sheprow, present at the meeting, told TBR News Media her responses to the written questions from the commission, reviewed at the Jan. 23 meeting, would be posted on the village website.
“The village will look to enlist the Citizens Commission on Erosion to help facilitate an open forum where GEI will present the Phase 2 project design and a path forward for Phase 1 remediation and restoration,” the mayor said in an email to TBR News Media.
The 2023 Annual Post-Construction Bluff Monitoring Report dated May 2024 and related items can be viewed at the Port Jefferson Village website at: www.portjeff.com/ 206/East-Beach-Bluff.
For earlier reporting by TBR News Media, visit tbrnewsmedia.com and key in “East Beach Bluff Stabilization project.”
A science teacher at R.C. Murphy Jr. High School in theThree Village Central School District is now on leave after posting an incendiary political post on Facebook.
The teacher, Pamila Pahuja, wrote in the post, “To all Trump supporters – hope the next time you take a drink it doesn’t swallow right and you go get help but no one is there and you slowly wither away while struggling to gasp and you suffer long.”
The post has sparked outrage from some parents. Others feel Pahuja did nothing wrong.
“I always like to put the shoe on the other foot,” former teacher and Hauppauge resident Dan Simon said, noting that teachers still have the freedom of speech. He added, however, that what she posted was a mistake.“Should she be doing that? Probably not.”
A father of a middle-school child, Doug said, “Just saying that about another person – it’s not right.” His child does not go to a district school.
He said that middle-schoolers are still learning right from wrong, and to “say stuff like that, you are kind of brainwashing them. It gets them thinking differently.”
Litigator Andrew Lieb said that there is a case to be made under labor law 201-d, which protects against discrimination for participating in certain activities including political activities outside of working hours and off the employer’s premises. Lieb has worked on similar cases pertaining to teachers.
“That is a hyperbole that wasn’t a specific threat,” Lieb said. “As long as she was off working hours off working premises, she is allowed to do this stuff. She is working for the government and the government can’t block speech.”
“Imagine all these teachers wanting to speak and not being able to have a voice,” he said. “That’s what this does and that’s why these laws are so important.
Pahuja also wrote, “To all my friends and their families worried, stay safe. America is no longer the land of the free – we are prisoners of the governments. Only a matter of time before they come for all women. Welcome to gilead, it’s on the way.”
On Jan. 26, the district released a letter to parents notifying them of Pahuja’s absence.
“Please be assured that we have taken steps to ensure a smooth transition and continued high-quality instruction in science. A qualified and certified science teacher will be assigned to your child’s class in her absence,” the letter, signed by Principal Michael Jantzen, reads.
The Three Village BOE and the Three Village Teachers Association would not comment on matters of personnel.
A water main break on East Main Street in Port Jefferson causes water to be shut off while Suffolk County Water Authority executes repairs. Repairs are expected to take 1-2 hours. Buildings along East Main Street, from the East Main Street intersection at East Broadway to where East Main Street intersects with Main Street, will be affected.
