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Village Beacon Record

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By Kevin Redding

“There’s nothing like stories on a windy night when folks have found a warm place in a cold world.”

— Stephen King, “The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole”

As the air gets chilly, and the season drifts from spooky toward snowy, there’s no better way to spend the long stretch of time indoors than slipping into comfy clothes, pouring yourself a hot drink, and curling up with a good book. We asked eight local librarians about their favorite novels and new recommendations to ensure you’ll be enthralled, entertained, and enriched in the coming months.

 

Lorena Doherty

 

Lorena Doherty

North Shore Public Library, Shoreham

What is your favorite book and why?

That’s a hard one because you have a favorite book in every period of your life. One of my favorites is an international book called “The Murmur of Bees” by Sofia Segovia and translated by Simon Bruni. It’s a book about love, family saga, history, healing, bees, Valencia oranges, a special boy, and really the ties that bind us as human beings. It was charming, delicious, and had a huge impact on me because of her ability to weave this brilliant story as a window into her culture. And the translation into English was done very well. Simon Bruni did not lose its essence or lyricism.

What is a new book that you would recommend and why?

“Flags of the Bayou,” a standalone historical fiction book by James Lee Burke. This is his 42nd book. What I love about him is that he writes from the landscape in which he lives, which is New Iberia, Louisiana. If you are new to this book and you’ve never read him, it is I think the best book he’s ever written and I felt that two-thirds of the way through. This is a work of historical fiction that is centered in the timeline of events near the end of the Civil Area in the area of New Iberia, the Bayou Teche, and the Mississippi River, where the North is waging and winning battle against the Confederates. It’s a unique window into the culture of plantations, social castes, freed men and women, those who live in servitude. There’s abolitionists and mixed cultures in that area. And in the midst of all the cruelty and chaos of the war, it’s also a love story. The characters are so fleshed out and the reader is carried away with the nuances of changing allegiances and how they choose to live with the possibility of their own deaths. He grounds you in there and there’s a huge level of the spiritual connection to the greater world. And if you love language and appreciate a writer who writes prose, he’s the kind of writer where I find myself going back and reading a sentence over and over again, like “Wow!” It’s a damn good read.

Jeff Walden

Jeff Walden

Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, Setauket

What is your favorite book and why?

Yeah, it’s an old classic but it’s my favorite book and I just reread it recently again. It’s “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien. For me, it’s just a great adventure story. It’s got dragons, hobbits, dwarves and elves, treasure, adventure. It doesn’t get old, it never ages to me. It’s a book I can read and enjoy just as much the fifth time as I did the first time. Tolkien  was just a great storyteller and for that genre, he was really the first to create that whole other world that you can immerse yourself in very easily. It’s the ring, it’s Gollum, there’s just so many amazing parts to it. It’s just a fun story to read over and over again. I was just reading an original book review by C.S. Lewis [“The Chronicles of Narnia”], Tolkien’s contemporary, and even he predicted in 1937 that it was going to be a book that was going to be read over and over again. It came out to be, for me, true.

What is a new book that you would recommend and why?

I have one I’m reading right now, “The Armor of Light” by Ken Follett. It’s the fifth installment in his Kingbridge series. He’s another great storyteller with good, deep characters that you really get to know. It does mention some of the other books because it’s set in Kingsbridge, this fictional town in England over the course of hundreds of years…I think they’re up to the French Revolution in the late 1700s…but it has totally different characters. There’s creative license with it but he does incorporate a lot of historical facts about the time period in the books. And I think you can still read this new one if you haven’t read the other ones and it might interest you in going back and reading the other ones. It does help to have a little bit of the background but I think they can stand on their own.

Jenna Ely

Jenna Ely

Comsewogue Public Library, Port Jefferson Station

What is your favorite book and why?

One of my favorites is “True Believer” by Nicholas Sparks and it’s actually what made me want to become a librarian. I worked in a different industry before this and worked in television, and I would read this book just as a way to escape while on my commute. The main character in this book is a librarian and while I was reading it, I was like, “Oh my gosh, that sounds like a dream job. Why did I never think of becoming a librarian?” and then I ended up going to library school and pursuing this career. So that book was really monumental and influential for me in that way. And it’s Nicholas Sparks, so it’s a great love story.

And then if I had to pick my favorite book of all time, it would be “Beartown” by Fredrik Backman, who blows me away with all of his books. I’ve read all of them and he just continues to outdo himself. “Beartown” was the first book in a trilogy and in it you’re introduced to this hockey town and the obsession with sports and teams and the impact that it has on the community as a whole. And there’s a tragedy and the town has to choose sides. A lot of people’s hearts are broken, someone is killed, and it’s really dramatic. I feel like the winter is a really good time to dive into it. All the books in that series are so worth the read.

What is a new book that you would recommend and why?

So this is a new book that I think is just phenomenal. It’s called “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. It is actually her debut novel, so it was incredible that someone’s first novel really took off and was so astounding. I actually loved it so much that I wrote a mini review of it on Goodreads. I was so moved by it. The characters, the stories…it hooked me from the first page and I devoured it in like 48 hours. It was so good I couldn’t put it down. There’s so much heart in these characters and there’s so much love, you really root for them. They’re flawed and they might do something that aggravates you but almost like how your family or friends might do. Not a protagonist where you’re like “Oh my God I hate this person, why are they doing this?” but more like “I feel for you and want you to find happiness!” And one of the narrators is a giant Pacific red octopus, which is really cool and I felt like I got to learn so much.

Donna Brown

Donna Brown

Northport-East Northport Public Library, Northport and East Northport

What is your favorite book and why?

That’s a pretty easy one for me to answer. I am a Teen Librarian right now but I do read a lot of adult fiction, nonfiction, everything…I used to run the Adult Book Club, so I definitely have a broad range of reading. But for me, my favorite book of all time is “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. The movie came out in 1983, I was 10 years old and my mom would not let me see it but I read the book and it changed my life and the way I think forever. It is, I think, one of the best books of all time. I think it transcends. It’s a story about teenagers struggling to fit in, fighting, and bad incidents…but at the end of the day, all of them are pretty good kids and that’s one of my favorite things about that book. I can hand it to a teenager or an adult now and I overwhelmingly get such a great response. Most people want to meet a celebrity or a professional athlete, but it’s my dream to meet S.E. Hinton!

What is a new book that you would recommend and why?

My most recent one, which I’d recommend to anyone who likes to read realistic fiction with a little bit of imagination in it, is “Remarkably Bright Creatures.” It’s one of the only books that has made me sob in recent years because of what a beautiful story it is. It is the story of an octopus and the octopus’ caregiver in a marina in the Pacific Northwest. It is such a beautiful story that teaches you about humanity and mankind and how much every single person has worth in this world and makes a contribution in some way or another, even though a lot of the time people don’t see that. I run a book group and it overwhelmingly touched the hearts and minds of every single person.

Anne McNulty

Anne McNulty

Port Jefferson Free Library, Port Jefferson

What is your favorite book and why?

My favorite book has been my favorite book since 2013 when it came out…it is “Ancillary Justice” by Ann Leckie. It’s a sci-fi space opera novel and it won the Hugo and the Nebula awards. It is absolutely amazing. It’s just one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. I’m a really big fan of sci-fi and space operas, so I really love the kind of alien worlds they can make with them, and Ann Leckie did such a great job building the worlds and societies in her book. And she also did interesting things with playing with pronouns. So, in her book, everyone uses she/her pronouns, even if they’re not technically women. It’s very, very interesting and I love it. I love Tolkien so much and have read all of his books.  

What is a new book that you would recommend and why?

So it is Halloween time and I do love horror as well. I’m actually in the middle of this book “Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology.” It’s an anthology of short stories, which is nice if you don’t have time to sit and  read a whole book. All the stories are written by Native American authors and it’s really good so far. It’s horror so it’s perfect for the season and the stories I’ve read so far have been really creepy. I also love all Stephen Graham Jones’ books, especially “My Heart is a Chainsaw,” one of my favorite horror books.

Jennifer Zwolak

Jennifer Zwolak

Comsewogue Public Library, Port Jefferson Station

What is your favorite book and why?

I would say my favorite book in recent years has been “The Maid” by Nita Prose. It’s been popular but it’s very interesting for anyone who likes murder mysteries but ones that aren’t too graphic. The main character has a very unique perspective, which I enjoyed a lot. I’m actually rereading “The Maid” right now because I enjoyed it so much. I would recommend cozy mysteries when you really want to get that fall-winter feeling. 

What is a new book that you would recommend and why?

I would recommend reading “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus. It’s about a female scientist in the 1950s and all the struggles she goes through. Again, another unique perspective that gives a different type of person a voice. There’s a lot of science and a lot of feminism in it.

Erin Schaarschmidt

Erin Schaarschmidt

Port Jefferson Free Library, Port Jefferson

What is your favorite book and why?

“High Achiever: The Incredible True Story of One Addict’s Double Life” by Tiffany Jenkins, a nonfiction book about a woman who overcame a drug addiction. And she was married to a police officer so she had a double life. I love nonfiction and to read how she was able to hide from the police officer who she’s married to and all that was just amazing and then they all found out she was a drug addict and she went to rehab. And then something I read around this time every year is…I’m a huge Edgar Allan Poe fan so I always do his collected stories, like “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Cask of Amontillado.” I re-read them every year just because it’s the spooky time of year and it’s very nostalgic. 

What is a new book that you would recommend and why?

I just finished reading “The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up” by Andy Cohen. I really like nonfiction and it was a fun read about his family because you don’t usually hear about his kids and stuff like that.

Connor McCormack

Connor McCormack

Northport-East Northport Public Library, Northport and East Northport

What is your favorite book and why?

It’s like choosing your favorite kid, but probably “The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin in terms of fiction. It’s really well written. Ursula Le Guin is one of the most prolific sci-fi writers from the 60s and 70s, and this one is considered her best work. It’s just really unique world-building and explores a lot about human condition, psychology, gender roles…just explores a lot of themes in a really well-done way. And for nonfiction, I read a lot of military history such as “The Guns of August” by Barbara W. Tuchman, and “Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland” by Patrick Radden Keefe. Those are probably my two favorite nonfiction books. 

What is a new book that you would recommend and why?

For a favorite one I’d say “Sea of Tranquility” by Emily St. John Mandel and then “Memory Police” by Yōko Ogawa. And then for nonfiction, there’s this book called “Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia” by Christina Thompson that I think I’ve recommended to everyone in my family at this point. It’s all about how the Polynesian culture spread across the Pacific Ocean — how they traveled between the islands, what their navigation methods were, the myths that they told, just like a whole view of their culture, and how it spread. 

A special thanks to all of the librarians who took part in this article.
Happy reading!

— Photos by Heidi Sutton

 

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President Barack Obama said he wanted even more funding for treatment. File photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Years before he was the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama gave me a call.

I was working at Bloomberg News as a banking reporter and was covering some financial services issue. A source of mine suggested that I chat with this state senator from Illinois, whom he insisted was going places. My source clearly recognized Obama’s potential.

What I recall about a conversation that was akin to getting a rookie card for Derek Jeter was that Obama was erudite, eloquent and halting in his response to my questions. Attuned to the rapid pace of New York conversation, I was unaccustomed to the cadence of his conversation.

When Obama ran for office, I recognized not only his name but also his speech pattern.

I have had brushes with a wide range of people of varying levels of fame, often times in the context of my work as a journalist. Please find below a brief compendium of such interactions.

— Jim Lovell. The commander of Apollo 13, Lovell and his wife Marilyn attended an event in Florida where I was their point of contact. When the cool night breeze gave Marilyn a chill, Lovell jumped up to get her sweater and asked when they could leave. I asked my bosses, who wanted Lovell, who was the honored guest, to stay until after dinner. He was greatly appreciative when I told him he could finally lift off.

— Yogi Berra. I attended an event at Tavern on the Green event, where Berra was a client of the host. Even though I was only five foot, seven inches tall at the time (I’m probably a bit shorter now), I towered over the older and thin former Yankees catcher. When I told him it was an honor to meet him, he took my hand in his and offered a polite smile.

— Eliot Spitzer. Before he was a governor and client 9, Spitzer was a hard-charging New York Attorney General who went after investment banks for inflating stocks to help their business at the potential expense of investors. I spoke regularly with Spitzer, whose energy and intellect made it hard for my fingers to keep up while I was typing notes. I expected the impressive and ambitious Spitzer to ascend to national office.

— Scott Kelly. I interviewed Astronaut Scott Kelly after he set an American record for continuous time in space of 340 days aboard the International Space Station. With his then girlfriend, now wife, Amika Kauderer, in the room, the two of them described his book. She also recounted the second class treatment she received from some of the wives who weren’t impressed with her status as a girlfriend.

— Ed Koch. The former New York mayor was a staple at Bloomberg News, where I worked for several years. At 6 feet, two inches tall, Koch towered over me as he regularly filled his plate with some of the free snacks and sugary treats at the newsroom.

— Hank Paulson. I interviewed the former Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs at an International Monetary Fund meeting in Hong Kong. After I asked the first question, Paulson, who would become Treasury Secretary, yanked the microphone out of my hands and spent the rest of the interview holding it up to his mouth. I tried to project my voice into the microphone and above the chatter in a crowded restaurant.

— Goldie Hawn. At a lunch at Shun Lee Palace near Lincoln Center with a former banker from the now defunct Lehman Brothers, I spotted the famous actress as I approached her crowded table. Dressed in a sleeveless black dress, she could tell I recognized her. Rather than look away, she gave me a warm and welcoming smile. I wished, even moments later, that I had given her a thumbs up or an appreciative grin. 

— Earl “The Pearl” Monroe. When I was at the New York Daily News, I spoke regularly with the Knicks legend for a rookie (Channing Frye) vs. veteran stock picking contest. While he lost the contest, he couldn’t have been friendlier and more receptive during our weekly calls, updating me on his life and sharing his weekly stock picks.

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METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

A woman I know is now a widow. She has two adult children but lives many miles from them. In order to visit her home and her town, which are located in a beautiful part of the country, they are required to take two flights, then drive a couple of hours to reach her.

The relationship she had with her late husband was not so different from many couples: she took care of the shopping and cooking, and he paid the bills and balanced the checking account. They both loved their house and how they lived.

But life for her has taken a turn.

Not only is she now alone, she is approaching 80 and has trouble walking. She manages the aisles of the supermarket with difficulty, and so hasn’t had any fresh produce or other perishables in a month. As a result, she is not eating well. Her son is coming shortly to manage her finances and fix whatever might need repair in the home, but he has to leave his own children and his job to do that. As a result, the number of visits he can make is limited. Her daughter, who lives in a big city and has a demanding job, has yet to come. Another relative, who lives across the country, recently offered several days of help but cannot do that with any regularity.

Unsurprisingly, all are urging her to move closer to one of them.

“I want to stay in my own home!” is her adamant reply. She wants to age in place. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines aging in place as “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level.”

She is no different from 90 percent of adults over the age of 65 who say they prefer to stay in their current residence as they age.This is a major issue. Can this woman remain in her home? Can any of us, as we age, plan to remain in our homes?

Some considerations include home preparation. Can she avoid falling? Among the greatest threats to older people is falling, a leading cause of injurious death. That may be prevented by installing grab bars in the shower, railings on the stairs, avoiding loose throw rugs and obstructed pathways. Increased lighting, walk-in bathtubs, sliding shelves,  even walk-in showers can greatly aid all of us, whether we are aged or not yet there.

Technology can also be a help. This woman’s son can pay her bills remotely, if appropriate arrangements are made with her bank. He can also order various items she may need over the internet, including food from the local markets. The reaction to COVID-19 is to be thanked for the ease and wide-spread availability of remote purchasing plus delivery. And, with a little patience on the part of the younger generation, she might be taught to use the computer to order for herself.

To help her walking, she might get hiking poles or an electric wheelchair or even an electric scooter to ride to her friends in the neighborhood if she doesn’t want to use a cane or a walker. Some 32 percent of those over age 65 have difficulty walking, so this is not so strange.

Cognitive problems, which she doesn’t have but, according to statistics, 1 out of 5 people over 55 will experience, can be mitigated by some help from local social services. Research by her family would be required. But this presents a more severe need that may involve moving into an assisted living facility in the community.

Older adults should not have to leave the towns and school districts they have paid taxes to help maintain over the years and the familiarity and daily support system that has built up around them during their long residence.

We need to give more attention and planning to this segment of the people. And we need to follow their lead rather than demand they change their lives.

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Participants rush toward frigid water at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai during the Town of Brookhaven’s 2022 Freezin’ for a Reason Polar Plunge event. This year’s plunge will take place Nov. 18. File photo by Raymond Janis
By Samantha Rutt

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) started last Thursday’s Oct. 19 Town Board meeting with a moment of silence acknowledging the foreign conflicts overseas in Gaza and Ukraine. Romaine encouraged the board and all attendees to “pray for peace in this troubled world of ours.”

Before addressing the amendments, authorizations and related public business, Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) held a presentation introducing the Town of Brookhaven’s annual Freezin’ for a Reason Polar Plunge event. The event will take place Nov. 18 at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai.

The board approved a designated area in the Smith Haven Mall to be a drop-off center for toys in conjunction with the 2023 Toy Drive, held yearly during the holiday season.

The board then set a date for a public hearing on the renewal of the Cable Television Franchise Agreement between the Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk Cable Corporation (Cablevision/Altice). The public hearing for this case will be held Nov. 16 at 2:30 p.m.

The board amended the Policies and Procedures Manual for the Home Investment Partnership Program. The H.O.M.E. program is a federal initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that aims to provide state and local governments with funds to support affordable housing initiatives, especially for low-income individuals and families.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The board acknowledged those diagnosed with breast cancer in the Town of Brookhaven each year, declaring October 2023 Breast Cancer Awareness Month, promoting breast cancer awareness and drawing attention to thousands of individuals facing breast cancer diagnoses each year.

With Halloween fast approaching, the Teal Pumpkin Project is back once again. The TPP was established to provide nonfood treats on and around Halloween for children with food allergies, medical digestive disorders and other dietary restrictions. In this week’s meeting, the board noted its support for the seasonal project, which seeks to benefit all children through nonfood treat options for trick-or-treaters. To participate in the project, participants should print the Teal Pumpkin Project sign and display it where it is visible for trick-or-treaters.

To continue inclusivity and community engagement, the board declared Nov. 15 as the Town of Brookhaven Recycles Day to further promote local awareness and participation in the town’s recycling efforts. 

The board will meet again Thursday, Nov. 9, at 5 p.m. for the budget public hearing.

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File photo

Suffolk County Police arrested a man and a woman on Oct. 23 for allegedly burglarizing five businesses since Oct. 19.

Following an investigation by Sixth Squad detectives, Ralph Pergola and Kristin DiGiglio were identified as having allegedly committed multiple burglaries within the Sixth Precinct between October 19 and Oct. 23. During each burglary, the pair allegedly broke the glass front door of the business and stole money from a register.

Pergola and DiGiglio were arrested by Sixth Squad detectives for allegedly burglarizing the following businesses:

  • Setauket Village Diner, located at 283 Route 25A, East Setauket, on October 19
  • Café Spiga, located at 176 North Country Road, Mt. Sinai, on October 19
  • Barcode Smoke Shop and Hookah, located at 115 Mark Tree Road, Centereach, on October 21
  • Port Smoke & Vape Shop, located at 683 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station, on October 22
  • Better on a Bagel Express, located at 25 Gibbs Road, Coram, on October 23

Pergola, 44, and DiGiglio, 35, both undomiciled, were each charged with five counts of Burglary 3rd Degree.

Anyone with information on these burglaries is asked to contact the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652.

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Second graders at Frank J. Carasiti Elementary School. Photo courtesy RPUFSD

Students at Frank J. Carasiti Elementary School are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in numerous ways.

Erin DeMarco and Julianne Warren’s second-grade class worked on a special project by researching well-known Hispanic people and each completed a flag on interesting things they learned about their person.

Students then presented their flags to the class and then students went on a museum walk of each flag. They discovered and recorded facts about different people and made connections.

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Rocky Point High School seniors Sofia Haviland, left, and Renee Ortiz. Photo courtesy RPUFSD

Two Rocky Point High School seniors are among dozens of students from school districts throughout the Town of Brookhaven who were lauded for achieving a grade point average of 95 or higher.

Sofia Haviland and Renee Ortiz have earned academic excellence awards as part of the town’s 10th annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration. They were recognized at a ceremony Oct. 6 at Town Hall by Brookhaven’s Hispanic Advisory Board members, Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and members of the Town Council.

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Photo by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
By Carolyn Sackstein

Between Friday, Oct. 13, and Sunday, Oct. 15, visitors to the North Shore were asked if the six straight weekends of rain had prompted any alterations to their recreation plans or other impact on their lives.

Last Saturday, Oct. 14, was so rainy that outdoor interviews were conducted under an awning, a beachside gazebo and two people followed into the shelter of the Port Jefferson Library. 

Most respondents were sanguine about the recent foul weather, taking the bad with the good.

Judy Spina, Pennsylvania

Spina was here house-sitting for her sister. When asked if she had altered her activities due to the rain, she cheerfully said, “No, I have not. I drove here in the rain two Fridays ago. I just continue to do what I do.”

 

 

Joseph Lubrano, Shirley

Lubrano came to Port Jeff Sunday on his motorcycle. “We’re bikers, so yes, we don’t really go out in the rain,” he said. “Any time you have a nice day, like a weekend day — like a Sunday that’s beautiful — we go out. Normally, we would have gone upstate many times, but we don’t do it anymore. The weather has been terrible upstate, too.”

Bruce Folz, Coastal Steward Long Island

Folz, director of the Shellfish Restoration Program for the Coastal Steward Adopt a Beach Program, was manning registration for the beach cleanup that was scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14. He said rain had reduced the number of participants and, because they were short staffed, Folz could not drive along the shore picking up large debris with his truck. 

“This time of year, we usually have between 20 to 50 people, depending on which service organizations [volunteer] — from the schools to people looking for community service credits. Churches do it also,” he said. “Normally, we have a bigger turnout than this.”

Mary Leming, Stony Brook

On Saturday afternoon, people ran from their cars into the Port Jefferson Free Library. Leming, who teaches a weekly citizenship class, agreed to relate her experiences with this season’s rain. 

“Yes, I have altered my routine because of the many straight days of rain,” she said. “I teach a class at the Port Jeff Library. I like to park by the harbor and walk up to the library.”

But, she added, “With this rain, I don’t get my walk in. I park in the [library] lot. After class, I go straight home and make a hot cup of tea. I have been waiting a month to get my mailbox repaired. The handyman can’t come with all this rain. That’s OK, the garden needs rain.”

Marilyn Haftel, Philadelphia 

Haftel was in town celebrating a confirmation. She said, “We know we need the rain, but we are very happy to see the sun today. We are here visiting, and we can walk around, visit our friends and enjoy this lovely town.” When asked if she had to cancel any activities this summer, she replied, “Where we live, yes — nothing outside. Nothing big, fortunately.”

Sharon Barnes, residence unidentified

Barnes teaches knitting and crochet arts at the library on Saturday afternoons. She said, “Over the last 12 to 15 years, I have a very good group of women.” We asked how the rain had impacted this class besides raining on supplies and materials being carried into the course. Barnes replied, “It has impacted how I dress. I don’t want to be drenched, yet when I put on too much, I get too hot. It’s depressing — it’s been 40 days and 40 nights. I have one student who does not come out when it rains. We are all looking forward to seeing her again, but it is raining and she can’t do it.”

From left, Danny Amron of Florida, Johanna Rennert of Massachusetts, Alexa Whitman of New Jersey, Katie Metis of Queens and Alice Kilkelly of New Jersey

Syracuse University Sailing Team

Also on Saturday morning, the Syracuse University club sailing team was huddled under a gazebo next to the Port Jefferson Yacht Club, waiting for the wind to increase. Johanna Rennert, whose home is in Massachusetts, said, “We will sail in the rain.”

However, Danny Amron, who’s from Florida, explained, “The wind is only at 3 miles an hour, and that is just not enough to move the Js,” — meaning the model of boat they use — “They’ll just bob in the water.” 

When asked if any sailing competitions had been canceled due to the recent storms, Alexa Whitman, from New Jersey, smiled and said excitedly, “Last weekend, there was a whole squall going through. I was sailing out of Larchmont, New York. It was the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta. There was absolutely no wind at the beginning of the day. It was downpouring the entire time but, at the end, a cold storm went through. It clocked out at 41 knots. It was crazy, but we still went out in it. It was miserable, but we did our best. There were boats that almost flipped. The boats we were in are not supposed to flip. We were in a J/99. I watched one boat whose mast almost touched the water. They had to throw down their spinnaker, they had to dump the whole thing. It was bad.”

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Photo from Nolan Funeral Home

John Craig Jr., of Milford, Connecticut — formerly of Port Jefferson and Rocky Point — died on Oct. 6 at 86 years of age.

He was the beloved husband of Joann for 40 years; the dear brother of Joan Wilkins; the loving father of Kevin, Michael (Kerry), Kathleen (Andy), John III (Stacey), Jaclyn (Anthony) and Peter (Brittany); the cherished grandfather of Ryan, Danielle, Sean, Brendan, Christina, Caitlin, Kyle, Taylor, Corinne, Kristin, Elizabeth, Justin, Jarrett, Mason, A.J., Copeland and Callen Jo; and the beloved great-grandfather of Colton.

John was an Air Force veteran. He was an aerospace controls warning systems operator and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal.

John worked at Gyrodyne and Telephonics Corporation for over 40 years, where he traveled the world and acquired many wonderful experiences.

His love of the great outdoors was evident in his passion for playing golf, sailing, walking on the beach and birdwatching as a member of the Audubon Society. He loved spending time with his family, especially for holiday brunches and long days at the beach.

Visitation was held at Nolan Funeral Home in Northport. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Church, East Northport. Private cremation followed.

Donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or Boys Town charities (www.boystown.org).

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Photo by Raymond Janis

Reviewing Figliola’s campaign record

Voters deserve elected officials who are transparent and truthful about who they are.

When a politician is seeking elected office, we must consider the candidate’s views and whether they are a good fit for the office they seek to represent.

Consider the case of Anthony Figliola, who is running for Suffolk County Legislature after an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress in 2022.

2022’s Anthony Figliola ran as a MAGA Republican who opposed reproductive rights, sought to ban books and censor what is taught in public schools, and opposed lifesaving science in the form of vaccines. 2022’s Anthony Figliola happily posed with election denier Rudy Giuliani and was endorsed by extremist organizations, including Moms for Liberty and various “patriot” groups.

In 2023, there seems to be a new Anthony Figliola, who says he’s running for a “nonideological” position. This is patently false. We’ve seen how partisan politics have infected our county, with the Suffolk Republicans refusing to allow a referendum on water quality and sewer infrastructure on our November 2023 ballot.

Who is the real Anthony Figliola? The county’s 5th Legislative District deserves an honest legislator, not a political chameleon.

We have the opportunity to elect Steve Englebright [D-Setauket], whose decades-long record on environmental protection, public education and public health is clear and consistent. Englebright deserves our support on Nov. 7 to represent us in the Suffolk County Legislature.

Ian Farber, Setauket

Shoshana Hershkowitz, South Setauket

Anne Chimelis, Setauket

Christine Latham, Stony Brook

Challenging the assigned literature at Three Village school district

After learning about the book, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” assigned to the juniors in the Three Village school district [see “High school novel stirs controversy among Three Village parents,” The Village Times Herald, Oct. 5, also TBR News Media website], I’m compelled to speak out.

Why would any educator encourage our innocent and still-developing children to be exposed to material that stains our magnificent heritage? With a few exceptions, we’ve been nothing but kind to the so-called Native Americans.

Didn’t we break bread with them on the very first Thanksgiving? Didn’t we tutor them about our advanced form of living?

Didn’t we provide them with many large reservations on some of the most fertile land available in all of America?

We even opened the National Museum of the American Indian in Manhattan.

However, that’s not the most offensive element of the book in question.

The truly decadent part practically serves as a manual for depraved sexual behavior. It subtly encourages our children to perform decadent acts on themselves.

We know that not fully mature children tend to mimic what they see and learn. If the children read this book, do we really want them closing bedroom doors and privately committing vulgar and unhealthy autoerotic acts? And what will it lead to?

Bruce Stasiuk

Setauket

Local elected officials can kickstart Port Jeff Branch electrification

Concerning “Staying On Track: Port Jefferson Branch electrification gains ground in MTA’s 20 Year plan” [TBR News Media, Oct. 12], it has still not left the station.

The $18 billion Phase One Gateway Hudson River Tunnel, $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase and $5.5 billion Brooklyn Queens Light Rail Interborough Express Connector for Gov. Kathy Hochul [D], Sens. Chuck Schumer [D-NY] and Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY] and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Janno Lieber are still the top three transportation priorities.

In the race for federal funding, which is necessary for double tracking and electrification, the Port Jefferson Branch, along with 19 other expansion and enhancement projects, still has no committed funding.

Lieber recently announced that the agency will study extending a future subway line even farther along West 125th Street in Manhattan, if funding could be found. This third phase of the Second Avenue Subway could easily cost $7.5 billion. This is on top of $3.4 billion in Federal Transit Administration funding toward the hoped-for $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase 2.

The next opportunity for MTA to commit funding to advance Port Jeff Branch electrification would be within 15 months, when the 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan is adopted. This will be followed by the 2030-2034, 2035-2039 and 2040-2044 Five Year Capital Plans.

Funding needs to be programmed in increments. First, for preliminary design and engineering to support the National Environmental Policy Act review.

Local elected officials who support this project could tap into their own town, county or state funding to find several million dollars. This could pay for the environmental review and advance this project.

Following NEPA is necessary to preserve FTA funding eligibility. Next, request permission from FTA to enter the Capital Investment Grants New Starts/Core Capacity program.

Then comes final design and engineering, property easements, land acquisition and utility relocation. This would be followed by $1.5 to $2 billion in local MTA funding to leverage a similar amount in federal funding under a future FTA CIG Full Funding Grant Agreement. These actions would be spread out over several MTA Five Year Capital programs. As each Five Year Capital program comes and goes, it will delay any hope of seeing Port Jefferson Branch electrification in our lifetimes.

A completion date of 2040 is a moving target. Will it be 2040, 2045, 2050, 2055 or later? Who knows?

Larry Penner

Great Neck

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