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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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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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A Grant’s zebra at the Long Island Game Farm. Photo by Cayla Rosenhagen

The Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability has had a successful first year of connecting people with wildlife and the natural environment. From new internship and volunteer programs to specialized programs for children, seniors, and animal lovers of all ages, and more, the nonprofit’s mission is strengthened by their support of Long Island Game Farm.

In celebration of their achievements and to raise funds for upcoming initiatives, the foundation is hosting Twilight in the Wild gala on Thursday, September 12 at 5 p.m. at the game farm. Details and tickets for this second annual fundraising event are on sale now at wildlifesustainability.org/fundraiser.

The evening will feature music by the acclaimed Chicago tribute band, Make Me Smile, on the newly renovated Susan M. Novak stage, encounters with Long Island Game Farm animals, beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres, an art auction with work created by some of the animals, and more.

“We’re looking forward to our second annual fundraiser at Long Island Game Farm, and we’re particularly excited to dance to the music of Make Me Smile on the Susan M. Novak stage,” shares foundation executive direction Patricia Snyder. “The stage renovation was made possible by a grant from Suffolk County as part of the JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program in 2023. We’re so thrilled to see the stage completed and being used now for a number of activities and performances.”

Since the foundation’s first fundraiser last September, the organization has accomplished many of its goals, including:

  • Introducing the Senior Social Club, a biweekly socialization program for senior citizens
  • Expanding Long Island Game Farm’s Camp Zoo program and introducing a scholarship program forlow-income families
  • Supporting the efforts of the Long Island Game Farm to renovate the amphitheater to a 300-500 seatstage suitable for concerts, animal shows, and performances, funded by Suffolk County as part of the JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the stage was held on Thursday, July 18.
  • Supporting the efforts of the Long Island Game Farm to develop a Universal Access Trail, allowing for a woodland experience for all mobilities
  • Developing a summer intern program for college students pursuing, veterinary studies, biology, and environmental studies
  • Developing the Good Friends Volunteer Corps program to bring a diverse group of individuals to help with tasks at the Long Island Game Farm, including working with animals that have been rescued, rehomed, and rehabilitated
  • Welcoming Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops to develop and implement upper-level projects at the Long Island Game Farm
  • Hosting a Family Fun Day on August 22 with a full day of interactive activities, music, storytelling, and community information booths.

“The Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability’s work has created and expanded some incredible programs for the community,” shares Long Island Game Farm president Melinda Novak. “Being able to increase access to our senior citizens, low-income families, persons with limited mobility, and other individuals that love animals and nature as much as we do has been amazing to witness. All of these programs complement our own work in offering families a natural environment where they can learn about wildlife and animals through education and entertainment.”

Tickets are $150 per person. The lead sponsor is the Dobler Family Foundation. Additional sponsorships are available. Ticket sales support the Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability and its mission to connect people with wildlife and the natural environment through awareness activities and engaging experiences, and to support the work of the Long Island Game Farm. Learn more at wildlifesustainability.org/fundraiser.

ABOUT LONG ISLAND GAME FARM
Long Island Game Farm Wildlife Park and Children’s Zoo was founded in 1970 by Stanley and Diane Novak. As the largest combined children’s zoo and wildlife park on Long Island, they offer families a natural environment where they can learn about wildlife and animals through education and entertainment. A member of American Association of Zookeepers and Zoological Association of America, the farm is located at 489 Chapman Boulevard, Manorville, New York 11949. For more information, visit longislandgamefarm.com, email [email protected], or call 631.878.6644. Find Long Island Game Farm on Instagram and Facebook at @longislandgamefarm.

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION FOR WILDLIFE SUSTAINABILITY
The mission of the Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability, Inc. is to connect people with wildlife and the natural environment through awareness activities and engaging experiences, and to support the work of the Long Island Game Farm. For more information, visit wildlifesustainability.org, or contact executive director Tricia Snyder at [email protected].

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August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours Mill Dam storm damage in Stony Brook. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours SUNY Stony Brook storm damage. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours SUNY Stony Brook storm damage. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours SUNY Stony Brook storm damage. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
August 27, 2024 — Stony Brook, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul tours SUNY Stony Brook storm damage. (Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
Extensive water damage at the Gitto Group’s properties. Photo by Rob Gitto
Extensive water damage at the Gitto Group’s properties. Photo by Rob Gitto
Extensive water damage at the Gitto Group’s properties. Photo by Rob Gitto
Extensive water damage at the Gitto Group’s properties. Photo by Rob Gitto
Extensive water damage at the Gitto Group’s properties. Photo by Rob Gitto
Extensive water damage at the Gitto Group’s properties. Photo by Rob Gitto

By Toni-Elena Gallo

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) and Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico (R), declared a State of Emergency, following the Aug. 18-19 devastating storm.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) responded by procuring President Joe Biden’s (D) approval for a federal Emergency Declaration. This allows for federal resources and assistance to be provided for the necessary repairs, prevalent in hard-hit western and middle Suffolk. FEMA will provide emergency protective measures, such as the protection of critical infrastructure facilities. According to the state’s website, “with this Emergency Declaration secured, New York’s disaster recovery experts are continuing to work with local and federal partners, to determine the state’s ability to also request a federal Major Disaster Declaration and low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.”

Hochul toured the damage of both Stony Brook University and the site of the Mill Pond dam collapse. At the event, Hochul said, “In the wake of unprecedented rainfall, we continue to support Suffolk County to ensure those impacted can get back to life as usual as quickly as possible. … But seeing the people of Long Island come together to rebuild, shows the true strength of New York.”

Over in Port Jefferson, the toll of the extreme weather event is still being felt.

Rob Gitto, of the Gitto Group in Port Jefferson village, was blindsided by the severity of the storm.

“We were watching the storm closely, as we do with other major storms. I went to bed at 11;30 p.m. We checked our cameras, watched our radars and it looked like everything was going to stop in an hour,” Gitto said.

“But, this was a unique storm, where it apparently came from the North to the South, so it was a different situation. In fact, one of my employees was on standby, and went down to both [our] buildings, at around 12:30 p.m., and everything seemed fine. But, I just happened to wake up at 1:30 a.m., and whenever I can see the floors of one of the lobbies glistening, I know it’s water,” he added.

Gitto went down to the area immediately, and walked into a disaster area.

“Unfortunately, there was nowhere to pump water at that point. This particular area is taking on quite a bit of the village’s stormwater. You can see it in video footage, coming down the hill, and hitting the CVS, Barnum property, first, and then it seeped into The Brookport property.”

He said that Brookport, on Barnum Avenue, was made with the “latest and greatest” drainage requirements, but the almost-11 inches overwhelmed the system. Flood doors were on some of the water entry points, but those were, also, quickly overcome. The properties do have flood insurance. 

Gitto said his main priority in the coming months will be to replace the cardio equipment in the two gyms, rip up the carpets, take out the damp sheetrock and repainting.

Rocky Point is not faring much better. Hagerman Landing Road, a dead end street, had five homes severely flooded.

In the coming weeks, more information will become available about updated financial aid disbursements.

For all the latest coverage, go to our website at tbrnewsmedia.com.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Disingenuous projection

Jim Soviero’s letter “Local Dems put politics first” (TBR News Media, Aug. 15), accusing Democratic politicians of avoiding “substantive talk of policy,” is a classic example of disingenuous projection.

Projection because it is Republicans who are avoiding discussion of their policy plans, from a national abortion ban to mass deportations. The Republican Party didn’t even bother to draft a new platform in 2020, instead officially endorsing whatever then-President Donald Trump [R] advocated on any given day.

The current Republican platform is a vague, self-contradictory manifesto — long on rhetoric but very short on specific policy prescriptions. And Republican politicians can’t distance themselves

quickly enough from Project 2025, the very specific federal overhaul playbook that will be implemented if Trump wins. Local U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota [R-NY1] claims to oppose a federal abortion ban, while having voted for multiple federal anti-abortion laws.

All this is unsurprising, given that Republican policy positions are incredibly unpopular. Significant majorities of Americans support reproductive rights, worker and union protections, stricter gun laws, marriage equality and higher taxes on corporations and the very wealthy. All are signature Democratic positions.

The Democratic Party, like all other mainstream political parties around the world, has a detailed written platform with numerous specific policy positions. For example, it supports a $15 per hour federal minimum wage, a 25% billionaire minimum tax rate and expanded Medicare drug negotiation authority, which has already resulted in a $35 per month cap on insulin and asthma inhalers. Mr. Soviero can consult that platform whenever he wants to understand what Democrats, both local and national, propose.

Most importantly, his accusation is disingenuous because this election is clearly not about specific policies. It is about fundamental questions of what government is for and what you think “The United States” should mean. Do you want a white, male, straight, single-party, Christian nationalist state run by a personality cult for the benefit of billionaires? Or do you want a secular, multiethnic, pluralist democracy under the rule of law?

There’s little point in debating detailed policies until we resolve that.

John Hover

East Setauket

Stony Brook’s flood fallout

The massive flooding and damage to Stony Brook village following the torrential rainfall of Aug. 18-19 is already well documented [“Storm ravages the North Shore,” TBR News Media, Aug. 22]. Now comes the process of rebuilding the dam and the washed-out segment of Harbor Road. Just hours after the catastrophe, officials from numerous were predicting “years” of reconstruction. The EPA, Army Corps of Engineers and a host of other agencies (i.e., red-tape), weighed in on the complexities of remediating the situation. Few could have predicted the 9-plus inches of rainfall within just a few hours, but after inspecting the wreckage at Harbor Road, it appears to have been just a matter of time.

Like the rickety Sheep Pasture Road bridge over the LIRR tracks in Port Jefferson, the dam at Stony Brook is a 19th-century design, and the opportunity for an updated/robust structure to replace the wreckage is now. 

After surveying the scene on Aug. 21, it appears the destroyed section of Harbor Road sat atop an “earthen” dam, wooden pilings and an ancient sluice-gate system to manage the flow of water. Yes, there will be time needed for design and engineering plans, and hopefully the new structure will incorporate reinforced concrete and steel, rather than dirt. That said, we’re not talking Baltimore Harbor Bridge here but only perhaps 100 feet of roadway and its underpinnings. 

The environmental crisis is here and now, not in the rebuild process. Maximum six to seven months to rebuild the structure and full restoration of the lake, a bit longer. Oh wait, I forgot something: this is New York State I’m talking about. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer [D-NY] stopped by the scene the other day … but Gov. Kathy Hochul [D]: “Hello, hello, where are you?”

Michael Meltzer

Old Field

Editor’s note: Gov. Hochul met with state and local elected officials Aug. 27 to tour the Mill Pond as well as Stony Brook University to assess storm damage.

Misguided optimism: A reality check on Smithtown’s storm damage

Supervisor Ed Wehrheim’s [R] statement that Smithtown was “fortunate” compared to surrounding areas, as reported in the news item “Storm ravages the North Shore” [TBR News Media, Aug. 22],” is highly misleading to say the least. Smithtown was inundated by the same 9 inches of rain as surrounding towns, and suffered similar damage.

Most notable were the devastation at Stump Pond — the centerpiece of Blydenburgh Park — and extensive damage to the main building of Smithtown Library.

The concrete dam at the west end of Stump Pond, long home to a variety of wildlife, was wrecked by the torrential downpour, causing the pond to empty out, much like what happened to Stony Brook Mill Pond. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water came rushing out, flowing toward the Nissequogue River, flooding Paul T. Given Town Park, severely damaging nearby homes and flooding streets. All that’s left now is a pit of mud and tree stumps that haven’t seen the light of day for 226 years, since the pond was first formed by clearing forest and building a dam. 

As for the library’s main Smithtown building, the entire basement floor was flooded from floor to ceiling. The Long Island History Room located there was badly damaged, particularly its priceless and irreplaceable collection of original materials dating as far back as the 1600s, including the original patent of Richard Smith. It was the most significant collection of historical archives on all of Long Island. In addition over 20,000 audiovisual materials were destroyed, as well as books, computers, wiring, shelving and other hardware. Now would be a good time to donate to the library or join the Friends of the Smithtown Library.

This is to say nothing of the many homes that suffered devastating damage and the streets that were flooded, including Main Street, and the 4 feet of water that flooded Smithtown Town Hall.

Instead of issuing a self-congratulatory statement after the storm, dubiously claiming that due to “proactive measures” and “recent upgrades” Smithtown was better off than neighboring towns, it would have been far better had town Supervisor Wehrheim acknowledged that, like them, it suffered painful and devastating losses. Unlike Supervisor Wehrheim, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine [R] gets it. He termed the losses “catastrophic.” “I don’t think we’re going to have to wait another hundred years for another storm like this,” he said. “It tells you the impact that climate change is having on our weather.”

David Friedman

St. James

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Mount Sinai High School. File photo

By Ava Himmelsbach

Mount Sinai School District Board of Education held its Aug. 21 meeting at which it considered its District-Wide School Safety Plan. The discussion covered the contents and purposes of this newly-revised draft for final approval before submitting it to the state. Also under consideration was the Student Records Policy, which covers the district’s legal responsibility of confidentiality.

The policy statement of the safety plan emphasizes the district’s refusal to tolerate violence or threats on school grounds, stating that it “will make every effort to prevent violent incidents from occurring.” In compliance with state Education Law Section 2801-a, the district Building-Level Emergency Response Plan will be remaining confidential in order to assure maximum safety for students and staff.

After using feedback from families to make the safety plan preferable, the members of the board had no objections toward continuing the process of implementing the plan at this meeting.

Numerous other topics regarding safety and wellness for Mount Sinai students and staff are addressed in this draft. The district has clear plans in place for the unlikely case of any type of emergency that could otherwise put members and students of the district at risk.

The district’s Student Records Policy promises privacy to students and their families. The first section of the policy clearly states the limits of who can access the records of a student. The board recognizes its legal responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of student records. 

The board also discussed budgets and plans for new implementations to enhance the school. They considered solar power plans, strategic planning updates and building a bright future for the district. 

Energy savings

An update regarding an energy performance contract with Energia — an engineering company that works with districts to help bring energy-saving initiatives to schools — was presented to the board. The company defined the term “performance contract” in its presentation. 

“It is a facility improvement project,” Energia’s senior project manager, Justin Benoit, said. “But the key difference or the key factor about energy performance contract projects is that these projects, on one hand, generate guaranteed energy savings. And through this process you are able to then leverage those guaranteed energy savings as a funding source for the upgrades themselves. So in that sense, it’s a little bit different than a traditional capital project. You are not going out to the taxpayers in order to raise money for those projects, you are able to take your existing utility budget, reduce that line item ultimately, and then use those energy savings to then in turn pay for the upgrades that you would have received.”

With school right around the corner, Mount Sinai School District has a promising year ahead — and it seems as though the additions and updates in regard to the district will benefit students, staff and families.

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