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Times of Huntington-Northport

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Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

My last birthday, which we celebrated a couple of weeks ago, has been rough. But I am expecting a turn of fortune for the better, because bad things come in threes, and now I’ve experienced all three. Sharing the miseries generally makes one feel better, so here goes.

The first started off happily enough. 

I had been invited to a wedding reception in Maine. Now any excuse to go to Maine is a wonderful happening, in my mind, and it’s not just for the blueberry jam and the lobster rolls. The state is physically beautiful, with a shoreline that has attracted artists over the centuries. To go there in August is to get away from the heavy heat of summer. It is also no cultural sacrifice since summer stock and art galleries are to be found in many of the small towns and cities. Good museums too.

So we packed up the car and left a day early to have some exploratory time before the party. In our roaming, we met people from all over the country who had come with the same idea about vacationing in the northernmost New England State. When we arrived at our destination, we remembered and ate in a couple of our favorite restaurants and also enjoyed socializing with the 140 wedding guests as well as with others at the hotel over the Bacchanal weekend.

So far, so good, right?

When we returned home, as a result of all that socializing, we found we had brought an unwelcome guest back with us: a tenacious microbe that had taken up residence in our upper respiratory anatomy. Whether bacteria or virus, it has so far withstood two different antibiotic assaults and still troubles us with deep seated coughs. This was alarming because the family was arriving immediately upon our return to celebrate my birthday, and we didn’t want to share the bug. But that was just the first of the three miseries.

The morning of my birthday dawned sunny and warm, so we sat on the wooden back deck and ate breakfast. At one point, I had to blow my nose and stepped away from the table, walking the length of the deck to do so. Turning back, I stepped on one of the narrow boards in exactly the right way to cause it to fall through the deck, along with my left leg. It happened, as they say, like a bolt from the blue, and I fell backwards and screamed. It took two family members to extricate me, and I bear the discoloration and contusions on both sides of my lower leg as it heals. If you should see me around town, that explains my limp and wince as I walk.

Somehow, I was most outraged by the fact that it happened on my birthday. “My” day shouldn’t have started off that way.

The irony of the story is that the carpenter was scheduled to come to repair the deck the Monday after my children were to leave. He had offered to do the job the week before, but I didn’t want repairs to mar the family visit, and besides, I was away in Maine so I had put him off. Whoops, bad timing. A further irony is that I had placed a flowerpot on the bad board to prevent anyone stepping there, but it had been moved just before our return from Maine. Was this an accident fated to happen?

As to the third, I was driving to a dinner date last night when I realized a migraine was about to hit me. It always starts with a visual aura, in which zigzagging lines cross my vision much as, in the early days, a television screen used to break up when there was a disturbance overhead. I don’t get them often, but they are most unpleasant when they are triggered, this time perhaps by the medicines I am taking. 

Three and done, now, I hope. Thanks for letting me vent. 

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Metro Creative Connection

You are probably tired of hearing about last week’s storm.

It was catastrophic, terrible, disturbing and all-around, a complete and utter drag.

But, it is so incredibly important to remember that this Earth is precious, and should not be taken lightly. Storms like this serve as stark reminders of the fragility of our planet, and how it can be struck with disaster, at the blink of an eye.

We know you have all heard this before, but it is vital to care about our home. And, not just in Stony Brook or Port Jefferson or Rocky Point or Smithtown or Centereach. We need to nurture our Long Island home. Our waterways. Our wildlife. Even our infrastructure.

If we are to experience natural disasters, the last thing our planet needs is plastic bottles thrown onto the curb, incessant pipe exhaust and muck-ridden water. Everything in life is a chain reaction. If we show indifference to our atmosphere, the climate will change. If our animals swim in filth, they will die. If they die, their terrain is permanently altered. It goes on and on.

We are not scientists, and we are not seeking to preach. However, as concerned citizens of this community, all we want is for it to thrive. To be clean and livable for all living creatures.

As that sign down in the Stony Brook Village Center says: “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.” But, perhaps more importantly, the full quotation continues on, “I like to see a man live, so that his place will be proud of him.”

Our planet is unpredictable enough, so let’s not add unnecessary variables to its already, sometimes devastating, whims.

So, let’s make our Earth proud.

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Moses Johnson

Moses K. Johnson Ordered to Pay the New York State and Local Retirement System Back the $56K He Stole From His Deceased Mother’s Pension Funds

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney and New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced on Sept. 3 that Moses K. Johnson, 63, of Huntington and a former employee of the Town of Huntington, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree for stealing more than $56,000 of his mother’s public pension payments following her death in April of 2021.

“The defendant’s actions were not only illegal but morally reprehensible, stealing from his own deceased mother’s pension funds,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This case highlights the importance of our ongoing collaboration with the State Comptroller’s Office in rooting out fraud and abuse. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of our pension systems and bring those who attempt to defraud them to justice.”

“Mr. Johnson callously exploited his mother’s death to line his own pockets,” said State Comptroller DiNapoli. “I thank Suffolk County District Attorney Tierney for his partnership in bringing him to justice. My office will continue to partner with law enforcement agencies across the state and country to protect the New York State pension system from fraud.”

Moses’ arrest was the result of a joint investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney and the Office of the New York State Comptroller.

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, after Johnson’s mother died on April 16, 2021, Johnson failed to notify the bank or the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLERS) of her death and instead, he continued to collect and spend her pension payments.

Between April 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022, Johnson collected a total of 15 unauthorized payments totaling $56,411. The stolen funds were traced from Johnson’s mother’s bank account into his bank account, from which he then spent the money.

Johnson previously worked for the Town of Huntington for over 30 years and worked in the recycling center until his retirement in 2017. As a member of the state retirement system, Johnson was aware of the pension process and knew his mother’s payments should have been terminated with her death.

On October 11, 2023, Johnson was arrested by investigators of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

On September 3, 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski. Justice Pilewski ordered Moses to pay restitution in the amount of $56,411. He is due back in court on December 10, 2024.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Amanda Scheier of the Public Corruption Bureau.

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Firefighters train for a water rescue. Photo courtesy Setauket Fire Department
Firefighters train for a water rescue. Photo courtesy Setauket Fire Department
Firefighters train for a water rescue. Photo courtesy Setauket Fire Department
Firefighters trudge through a flooded street. Photo courtesy Setauket Fire Department
Firefighters training with a hovercraft, which they received three years ago. Since June, over 258 firefighters have taken a water rescue training course. Photo courtesy Halesite Fire Department

By Daniel Dunaief

Fire departments around Suffolk County are preparing, training and gathering equipment for the kinds of water emergencies that can require rescues from homes, cars or buildings.

Amid the sudden and intense rains that damaged parts of Stony Brook and surrounding areas, fire departments received far higher than average numbers of calls for help from residents.

“People used to tell stories [about heavy storms and flooding] every few decades,” said David Sterne, District Manager in the Setauket Fire District. “Now, we’re seeing it every few years.”

Fire departments including in Stony Brook, Setauket, Commack and Port Jefferson responded to dozens of calls for help through the evening as towns like Stony Brook received more than three times the normal amount of rain for the month of August in the hours after midnight.

“We handled over 54 alarms” on the overnight of the storm, said Sterne. The department, which encompasses a 28 square mile district, responds to an average of three calls per night. “It was pretty obvious that it was more than a regular rainstorm.”

The dispatchers, who handle calls for Setauket, Stony Brook and Port Jefferson, received over 70 alarms among the three departments.

Amid the potential for water rescues and emergencies that could occur far more frequently than in the past, fire departments and county officials have increased training and added various types of equipment that can offer assistance during water emergencies.

“We’ve got to be prepared for everything,” said Chief Dominic Spade of the Halesite Fire Department in the Town of Huntington. Halesite added a hovercraft about three years ago that doesn’t use a submerged engine and can travel through shallow waters to homes or stranded motorists.

Additional training

In anticipation of additional water-related emergencies, Suffolk County firefighters and rescue teams have been training for sudden heavy rains and storms.

The county started offering two new courses in water rescue this year: Water Rescue Awareness and Surface Water Rescue. Since June, the Suffolk County Fire Academy has trained 258 firefighters, according to Rudy Sunderman, Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services Acting Commissioner.

“Responders from Stony Brook, Rocky Point, and Port Jefferson, areas that were hardest hit by last week’s storms, were among many members who took the training,” Sunderman explained in an email.

The Suffolk County Urban Search and Rescue Team, which is made up of volunteer first responders capable of deploying up to 40 members, was established in 2012 and was created “to locate, extricate and provide immediate medical treatment to victims trapped in collapsed structures, and to conduct other life-saving operations,” Sunderman added.

Over the last three months, the USAR Team has focused specifically on water rescue incidents.

In addition, numerous local fire departments have improved their water rescue capabilities.

The Setauket Fire Department has sent members of its staff to Oriskany in New York, where people from all over the Empire State receive training for specific types of rescues.

Oriskany has “all types of specialized training,” said Sterne. The facility has a simulated town that they can flood, where rescue teams practice open and swift water responses.

“In the last four to five years, we’ve been sending people on a more regular basis” to Oriskany, said Sterne. “It’s definitely becoming more normal to have massive flooding in certain areas.”

The rescue teams that can’t attend the simulations in Oriskany still benefit from the classes their colleagues take.

“People come back and impart what they learned,” said Sterne. “When making split second decisions, it’s effective” to have considered various emergency measures during flood or surging waters.

Water rescues involve conditions that don’t often have the same challenges as rescues during snowstorms or other weather-related emergencies.

Heavy snow can cover signs or other sharp objects, while people maneuvering through flood waters can tear their protective gear or hurt themselves when they bump into or step on something they can’t see through dark waters.

“Broken street signs and sharp objects might become a real hazard to responders,” said Sterne. “Floor waters can, in many ways, become more dangerous.”

Emergency officials warned about the dangerous combination of water and electricity.

“One of our biggest concerns is when electricity mixes with water,” Sterne explained. “In those situations, our primary focus is to remove people from unsafe conditions when there is flooding mixed with live electricity.”

When a primary or secondary wire falls into water, “it’s a dangerous proposition” and “everything is charged,” said Spada.

Even metallic yellow lines on the street can become charged if power is still flowing into a submerged wire.

Advice for residents

Fire officials offered several pieces of advice for residents.

For starters, don’t enter a basement or other flooded areas without ensuring that electricity has stopped in the area.

Additionally, residents should not venture out onto the road unless it’s for some essential reason.

“Stay put,” Sterne urged. “Don’t become a liability yourself.”

That’s also true during snowstorms, as people leave their homes and block snow plows from efforts to clear the road.

Families should consider emergency locations to congregate, with back up plans if and when they need to leave the house.

Residents also might want to have an accessible bag with flashlights stocked with new batteries, clean clothing and jackets in case an emergency requires an evacuation, Spada suggested.

People trapped in cars should stay there until it’s not safe, Spada suggested. If necessary, they can climb onto the roof of the car and wait for a rescue.

Effective emergency response

Spada was impressed with the quick thinking and acting on the part of several fire departments in response to the stalled, heavy rainstorm.

“Stony Brook did a great job,” Spada said. “Sometimes, you need to improvise in these rescue situations.

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By John Avlon

This past week’s extreme weather is yet another wake-up call that we can’t afford to ignore. 

Touring the damage in Port Jefferson village, the devastation was striking, but let’s be honest — none of this should surprise us anymore. We’ve seen it before, and it’s clear we need to do more. The federal government has got to step up, which is why I’ll work to make sure that we deliver more relief and resilience for our communities in the face of natural disasters. 

The first step is a significant boost in funding for FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program. BRIC isn’t just another government acronym — it’s a crucial resource for states, local communities, tribes and territories to tackle hazard mitigation head-on, reducing disaster risks before they strike. The goal is simple: Stop reacting after disasters and start building resilience now. 

BRIC is currently funded by a 6% set-aside from major disaster declarations, meaning the funding is inconsistent and not guaranteed. While the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act committed $1 billion to BRIC over five years, that’s just a drop in the bucket. That’s why I’m advocating for an annual $1 billion investment in BRIC. To be serious about this issue, we need to make serious investments.

This investment isn’t just smart policy — it pays off big time. The National Institute of Building Sciences reports that every federal dollar spent on hazard prevention saves society $6. That’s a return on investment that would make Wall Street jealous.

But we can’t stop there. There’s a glaring gap in FEMA eligibility that needs to be addressed. Condos, co-ops and homeowners associations are excluded from aid because FEMA classifies them as businesses. That’s absurd. These are middle-class housing options that deserve relief like everyone else. 

I saw it firsthand at a homeowners association I visited in Port Jefferson, where a landslide wreaked havoc after the rain. This gap has been well known since Hurricane Sandy, and it’s time to fix it.

Send me to Congress, and I’ll fight to bring real resources home and tackle climate change with the urgency it demands. The time for action is now.

John Avlon is Democratic candidate for New York Congressional District 1 on Nov. 5.

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By Steve Englebright

In the dark early morning hours of Aug. 19, almost 11 inches of rain descended like a cataract upon the central North Shore of Long Island. The storm then crossed into Connecticut where it killed two people and destroyed numerous bridges and roads.

The paved roads and impermeable surfaces within the catchment of Stony Brook Mill Pond caused it to immediately flood. This deluge then spilled over the top of that part of Harbor Road which capped the artificial earthen dam adjacent to the National Register of Historic Places-listed circa 1751 mill. Floodwater poured uncontrollably over the road, creating a thunderous curtain that plunged into the marine side of the dam, quickly and severely eroding its base. The dam failed, and the pond emptied catastrophically into Stony Brook Harbor.

The boundaries of two towns, one incorporated village and one hamlet all meet at this location. In the aftermath of this catastrophe, it is important for each of these governing units as well as all other elements of the community to quickly come together in support of a single plan of restorative action. Fortunately, President Joe Biden has heeded the call of local governments, including Suffolk County, to declare this site a federal disaster area. Much-needed federal dollars may now follow. This precious funding can be wisely utilized, presuming that everyone is cooperating. One of the challenges now before all of us is to find commonality and consensus. In particular, we must reconcile the interests of historic preservation and environmental protection so that they are aligned and mutually supportive within a thoughtfully engineered plan.

Some have wondered if it may be appropriate to leave the breached dam unreconstructed purposefully. Several threshold questions arise from this thought: 

• Should we allow the recently unconstrained Stony Brook Creek to continue to flow freely and allow recovery of natural processes such as the breeding activities of the herring-like fish known as the alewife? 

• What course of action would provide the greatest overall environmental benefit? 

• Would the nationally significant cultural treasure that is the Stony Brook Grist Mill have diminished relevance without its historic impoundment?

 Reasons for restoration

This author would argue strongly for restoration of Stony Brook Mill Pond for reasons that embrace both environmental and historic preservation purposes. These include:

• More than 90% of the Stony Brook Harbor is tidally-influenced salt water. Freshwater habitats within the harbor are rare and enhance its biodiversity. Prior to the dam’s breach, the largest surface freshwater feature of the entire harbor was Stony Brook Mill Pond. Allowing this scarce resource to remain permanently reduced would significantly subtract from this ecosystem’s vibrancy and health.

• The Stony Brook Mill Pond Basin uniquely joins Main Street with the Avalon Preserve — arguably the finest nature center in New York state. This geographic juxtaposition created a remarkable outdoor education classroom that enabled thousands of children and families to directly experience nature. It would be most unfortunate to compromise or lose the open water and aesthetic appeal of this site which could, if restored, continue effectively to foster for each next generation an ethic of learning and respect for the environment. 

• The Mill Pond helped keep the Stony Brook Harbor clean. This relatively-unspoiled harbor’s water chemistry was maintained, in part, by the fact that the Mill Pond acted as a sediment trap and contaminant settlement basin that intercepted substances in road runoff that would otherwise have flowed directly into the harbor. 

• The continued existence of two significant rookeries on the edge of Stony Brook Mill Pond featuring, respectively, cormorants and herons would be uncertain if the pond is not restored.

• While some fish species, such as alewife, might theoretically benefit from a free flowing Stony Brook, it is unknown if this site would support a significant run for such fish. 

• Suffolk County’s largest industry is tourism, and Stony Brook Mill Pond and Grist Mill combine to create a major magnet attracting and welcoming visitors to Old Stony Brook and its vicinity. Any decision to delay reconstruction of the Mill Pond dam could compromise the sense of place of Old Stony Brook. Loss of these landmarks in pursuit of limited or speculative environmental improvements could create significant community resentment, which would only detract from other preservation efforts

Reconstruction of Harbor Road and Mill Pond dam

It is useful to note that the dam at the north end of Setauket’s Frank Melville Memorial Park was subjected to the same storm event and did not rupture. The apparent reason for this is because that dam is armored with cement on its seaward side. Reconstruction of Harbor Road at Stony Brook Mill Pond should proceed expeditiously and be built in like kind to what was there previously except that the reconstructed dam should be armored on its seaward-side in a manner similar to the construction of its sister site in the Frank Melville Memorial Park.

We are fortunate that this event did not cause loss of human life, and that our volunteer first responders were unharmed. Another takeaway from this catastrophe is that its effects would have been worse if the proposed extensive construction of impermeable surfaces already existed on three large properties in the immediate watershed area, i.e., Flowerfield, Bull Run Farm and a former private school.

This ruinous flood should be a wake-up call for planners as they consider these and other intensive development proposals within the immediate watershed of Stony Brook Harbor and its Mill Pond. Going forward, this recent flood event should be top of mind — land use decisions here should reflect awareness, restraint and caution. Although we can hope that the unusual storm that eroded the Mill Pond dam at its base is not a new normal, exceptionally destructive weather events are occurring much more frequently than in the past. A similar torrential flood could occur at any time.

We should restore Stony Brook’s historic Mill Pond and, by extension, also preserve that extraordinary harbor and its namesake community.

Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) is the Suffolk County legislator for the 5th Legislative District and a former New York State Assemblyman.

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File photo

Suffolk County arrested a man on Sept. 1 after he allegedly took pictures of a young girl as she changed her clothes in a dressing room of a Commack store.

William Veitch-Canete was working as an employee at Burlington, located at 108 Veterans Memorial Highway, when he reached his cell phone under a changing room door and took pictures of a 10-year- girl as she changed her clothes at approximately 9:15 p.m.

The girl saw the cell phone and told her parents, who were also in the store. The parents confronted Veitch-Cante, and then called the police. Fourth Precinct Patrol officers arrived at the scene and placed Veitch-Cante in custody.

Fourth Squad detectives charged Veitch-Cante, 27, of Commack, with Unlawful Surveillance 2nd Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip at a later date.

The investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with additional information or if you believe you are a victim to call the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.

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Screenshot of the BOE meeting panel. Courtesy Northport-East Northport Union Free School District

By Aramis Khosronejad

The Northport-East Northport Board of Education met Wednesday, Aug. 22. The board began with an executive session on contract negotiations, potential litigation and property leases, emphasizing the need for a respectful environment.

Public comments followed. A community member raised concerns about transparency regarding the Bren building and supported its community use. Support was voiced for leasing agreements, particularly for Bellerose and Dickinson Avenue buildings, despite some concerns about short-term leases. Denise Schwartz discussed two major lease agreements: The Variety Child Learning Center will lease Bellerose Avenue Elementary School, starting summer 2025 for approximately $7 million, and Western Suffolk BOCES will lease part of Dickinson Avenue Elementary School for its Elementary Applied Behavior Analysis program.

The board approved the formation of four committees with goals in Student Growth and Development, Belonging and Safety, Long-Range Financial Planning and Stewardship and Communications and Community Engagement. These committees will focus on student growth, demographic trends affecting education and summer programs. New teacher orientation, including community tours, mentoring and ongoing support throughout the academic year, was introduced. The board also addressed declining attendance in the summer learning program, initially funded by a grant set to end next year.

Additionally, the student dress code was discussed. Village trustee Joseph Sabia raised concerns about bias and stereotypes in the current policy, suggesting Seattle’s dress code as a model. Lauren Bindelglass supported incorporating student input.

The board explored strategies to generate additional income, including leasing district buildings and seeking other revenue sources. The long-range planning committee will investigate potential opportunities and the impact of recent legislation allowing districts to seek outside income.

Plans to improve public accessibility to board meetings include adding links to the board agenda and installing Promethean boards in seating areas for easier presentation viewing.

The next Northport-East Northport Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 5.

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From left, Deb Thivierge, Katie Padgett, Jason Harris and Greta Guarton. Photo courtesy ELIJA Foundation

ELIJA — known as Empowering Long Island’s Journey through Autism — is launching Woof Wednesday at its new ELIJA Farm marketplace. Every Wednesday, the marketplace will feature handcrafted dog biscuits made at the ELIJA Farm in Huntington Station. Sales from these biscuits will support autism services and aid for people experiencing homelessness in Nassau and Suffolk counties. In collaboration with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, this initiative highlights the impact of pets on our lives and serves our communities.

Katie Padgett and Jason Harris holding dog biscuit packages. Photo courtesy ELIJA Foundation

The initiative, created by Katie Padgett, 21, and Jason Harris, 25, both Long Island residents, was enthusiastically adopted by Deb Thivierge, ELIJA’s CEO and executive director, with support from ELIJA Farm’s baker, Kelly Saphire.

The treats, made with natural ingredients such as oats, peanut butter and pumpkin puree, cost $10 per bag of 30. Out of the proceeds, 50% will go to ELIJA Farm, and the other 50% will be donated to Long Island Coalition for the Homeless. Treats can be purchased at the ELIJA Farm marketplace at 43 Foxhurst Road, South Huntington, while supplies last, or preordered through the ELIJA Farm website. Orders for pickup must be placed by Monday for the following Wednesday.

Padgett and Harris, who met about a year ago and share a passion for helping others, created Woof Wednesday to support their communities. Padgett said, “You won’t only be giving dogs delicious treats, you’ll also be funding educational opportunities for people on the autism spectrum and assisting those affected by homelessness. Every little bit counts.”

With support from Woof Wednesday, Long Island Coalition for the Homeless aims to expand its offerings through its “Boutique,” which provides clothing, essential items, nonperishable food, toiletries and housewares to individuals exiting homelessness or at risk. The coalition hopes to extend its outreach beyond the 6,000 individuals and families it currently serves annually.

“I love the idea that Katie and Jason came up with to further our commitment to making a meaningful difference in both human and canine lives,” Thivierge said. “We are excited to support our clients living with autism and help the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless through their Boutique initiative. This is just the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Greta Guarton, executive director of the coalition, added, “I want to thank Katie, Jason, Deb and ELIJA Farm for this amazing opportunity. People with disabilities, including those with autism, are at greater risk of homelessness. Often, people who are homeless and have pets avoid shelters because animals are not permitted. This partnership draws attention to the issues impacting our diverse communities.”

For more information or to pre order, visit the ELIJA Farm website at www.elijafarm.org/events or email [email protected]. For more on the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, visit www.addressthehomeless.org.

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