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Urban Air Lake Grove host 2nd annual David Wolmetz Family Fun Day fundraiser

by Press Release - June 8, 2025

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unnamed-2 — Children had fun during the 2nd annual David Wolmetz Family Fun fundraiser at Urban Air Lake Grove on June 8. Photo from Urban Air Lake Grove

Day of high flying fun for kids supports blood cancer research at Stony Brook Cancer Center

Long Island kids and their parents turned out for the second annual David Wolmetz Family Fun Day Fundraiser at Urban Air Lake Grove on June 8, honoring the late co-founder of Long Island’s tallest indoor adventure park and raising more than $10,000 to support research and treatment at Stony Brook Cancer Center.

Admission to the park for kids of all ages included access to the most popular attractions including the 30-foot-tall Sky Rider zipline, Mini Go-Karts, Climbing Walls, Bumper Cars, and more. Local vendors were also on hand for face painting, balloon animals, temporary tattoos and hourly raffles of everything from TVs to luxury vacations.

Proceeds from the event will go to support blood cancer research at the Stony Brook Cancer Center, where Wolmetz received treatment from 2019 to 2023.

“We grew up together, we went into this business together,” said Keith Handler, Co-Founder of Urban Air Lake Grove. “Dave loved to see kids happy and off their screens. This fundraiser is in honor of him to support the people who took care of him when he was sick.”

In October of 2018, Wolmetz was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He was admitted to Stony Brook Hospital’s 19th floor, where his treatment started immediately. The staff at the Cancer Center and hospital treated him throughout his cancer journey, which spanned the COVID pandemic, and subsequently several hospitalizations over the years due to his compromised immune system. Dave lost his battle with cancer on June 9, 2023.

“Stony Brook Cancer Center was a very special place for him, and he loved the medical professionals who took such good care of him,” said Carrie Wolmetz, wife of Dave Wolmetz. “He always had hope; he always stayed positive. And he was always ready to try whatever new treatments were available, for himself and for other people.”

Donations to Stony Brook Cancer Center can be made here.

About Urban Air Lake Grove

With 50,000 sq. ft. of active play space, Urban Air Lake Grove is home to a variety of indoor activities, including the Sky Rider, a zip-line style attraction with a winding track that carries young thrill-seekers flying along 30 feet in the air, the tallest on Long Island. Urban Air Lake Grove also offers a High Ropes obstacle course, Spin Zone bumper cars, and a full set of rock-climbing walls, wall-to-wall trampoline adventures, and Urban Air’s exclusive Urban Warrior Course™ and Battle Beam, mini Go Karts and Flash Pads, an interactive dance floor attraction. Urban Air Lake Grove is located at 3147 Middle Country Road, Lake Grove, NY 11755. Phone: (631) 861-4125.

Your Turn: Setauket Harbor Task Force — Eight years of water testing

by Press Release - June 8, 2025

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Eight years of water testing

By George Hoffman

Almost a decade ago, Laurie Vetere and George Hoffman had a conversation about water quality concerns in Setauket Harbor and decided to form a group of like minded residents to work on improving water quality and the marine environment in the harbor. Out of that decision the Setauket Harbor Task Force was formed.

Since then a hardy group of local residents wake up twice a month at sunrise, from May through October and head out into the harbor with sophisticated equipment funded by the US EPA and take water quality readings in a dozen locations in Port Jefferson and Setauket harbors.

Setauket Harbor Task Force is part of a 50 harbor water quality monitoring program on both sides of the LI Sound in partnership with Save the Sound. The water quality data collected under the Unified Water Study, is compiled and categorized in an biannual water quality report card for the Long Island Sound. This data is used by municipalities, marine scientists and others to monitor the water quality health of Long Island Sound harbors.

Port Jefferson and Setauket Harbors continually rank in the top five harbors for water quality in the Long Island Sound.

This year marks the eighth year that Setauket Harbor Task Force has participated in the water quality monitoring program and is always looking for volunteers that like to get up early and be on a boat as the sun comes up. If interested contact www.savesetauketharbor.org.

SBU officials speak on housing, Kassay gives budget news

by Sabrina Artusa - June 8, 2025

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By Sabrina Artusa

Carl Mills, Stony Brook University associate vice president of government relations, and Heather Banoub, assistant vice president of community relations at the university, were joined by Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D, Port Jefferson) to speak on budget priorities, which include adding housing options to the campus.

Besides pushing legislation to grow their advanced specialty care facilities throughout the county, Mills said Kassay is helping the university with legislation to allow the university to contract nearby fire districts for access to equipment. Currently, the university has its own fire services but still works closely with surrounding departments.

“It will be a cross benefit not only for the university but the taxpayer if we can contract for surplus equipment that fire districts have,” said Mills.

The university is also planning a housing project that can provide up to 1,900 beds so Simon Scholars, medical residents and junior faculty can have on-campus housing options. The project is not meant to allow the university to admit more incoming students, but to “allow young professionals” a space on campus.

Some residents were concerned that traffic will not be able to sustain growth and neighboring communities will suffer. “I know you guys want to grow, that is your job, but I live there and traffic still sits in front of my house,” one resident said. Mills said a traffic study is being conducted.

Legislation is needed to execute this project, which Mills said is not unusual for this “long-term project.” The university will form a housing and development corporation, which would lease the property, submit a request for proposal and solicit bids.

“We don’t have the funding as it stands to do this on our own,” Mills said. “We have financial challenges in that we don’t know what is happening on the federal level.”

The project would require the relocation of the track behind LaValle Stadium and off Route 25A.

In August 2024, many students were pushed off campus or into cramped accommodations after two dormitories were flooded. “As the flagship university, we just can’t be in that position,” Mills said.

Funding projects

In her first budget cycle as a state assemblymember, Kassay reported on several budgetary items, such as securing $1 million for SBU’s cancer research center, $1 million for clean water research and $330,000 for a nursing training program at the Long Island State Veterans Home.

She also helped eliminate the Metropolitan Transportation Authority payroll mobility tax from municipalities. The tax impacts employers, so the elimination offers relief to the Town of Brookhaven and other suburban municipalities. Small businesses are still affected by the tax, but to a diminished degree.

Kassay said she is excited to support a bigger, better bottle bill, which will extend the array of items that can get recycled and increase the deposit return to 10 cents.

She also said she is working to diminish needless plastic waste by requiring restaurants to give the option of plastic utensils for a takeout order rather than instantly including them.

The legislation would mean that “restaurants, when doing a takeout order cannot give you those items unless you consent to taking those items. So they can ask you, and you can say yes, or you can ask them… and that is absolutely legal,” Kassay said. “They just can’t force them.”

“For us facing enormous waste problems here, this isn’t going to solve it entirely but it is sure going to help in as far as reducing waste.” The legislation has failed in Suffolk in the past, but Kassay is optimistic that the move would be a win-win for businesses and consumers alike.

Suffolk County Executive Romaine leads crackdown on illegal cannabis shops

by TBR Staff - June 8, 2025

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Screenshot-2025-04-09-at-10.58.06-AM — Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine

By Emily Mandracchia

On May 27, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) and Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina (R) were joined by Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. (D) and other town supervisors and county officials to announce the results of a large-scale crackdown of illegal cannabis shops involving multiple jurisdictions throughout the region.

With the goal of maintaining public safety and wellness, New York State law officially stipulates the prohibition of cannabis and other THC-related products at mobile retail or civic settings that may include vendors, such as farmer’s markets, street fairs, historical or religious societies among others.

New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay

According to District 4 Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D, Port Jefferson), this crackdown also includes prerolled joints, THC vapes and edibles or tinctures containing THC. Regardless of whether the vendor possesses a license to operate a brick-and-mortar dispensary, the sale of such products is still considered illegal on the basis of the mobile venue sale. Violators are subject to what Kassay refers to as a “hefty” fine and any further disciplinary action deemed necessary.

Products that are listed to contain less than or equal to 0.3% THC are not restricted by NYS law insofar as they are properly labeled according to both federal and state cannabis and hemp product regulations. Kassay recalls that residents are often surprised when she informs them that, currently, there are “no licensed cannabis dispensaries in the Town of Brookhaven, and that any shop that has been selling intoxicating cannabis products has been doing so illegally.”

Accessibility to intoxicating products at pop-up venues enable their legality and accessible use to impart a more present danger onto the surrounding public. Kassay said herself that she had visited a street fair and witnessed a vendor unlawfully selling cannabis products firsthand. Kassay writes, “In speaking with the event’s coordinators, it came to light how many community members aren’t aware that it is currently unlawful for intoxicating cannabis products to be sold at pop-up markets in New York State.”

Catalina stated similarly that there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence that suggests the cannabis sold to minors is often laced with unknown chemicals and additives; people have “no idea” what they are buying. Further, those who applied for licenses but have not been approved often still sell cannabis in the interim. Increase in road accidents, medical afflictions and the deterioration of the quality of business communities and public safety all served as catalysts for the agreement that the current NYS cannabis policy required further refinement.

New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management will be engaging the public with a proposal regarding future licenses for cannabis sales at pop-up events like street fairs and farmers markets, which would require both a licensed vendor and a licensed grower to be in attendance.

For now, the crackdown offers a temporary solution to the problem — provided that the official proposal will most likely be introduced in June 2025 with a public comment period to follow.

In the meantime, it is recommended that any suspicions of illegal cannabis sale are reported to the NYS Office of Cannabis Management. Illegal sales encompass those that are without license, made to minors, illegally packaged products, incite adverse medical reactions, or otherwise spark enforcement concerns. For more information on these guidelines, visit cannabis.ny.gov/report-an-incident.

To receive this NYS OCM proposal when it is released and to engage in the public comment opportunity or to share any other questions or concerns, please contact Kassay’s office by emailing [email protected] or calling 631-751-3094.

SBU’s Ellen Pikitch, serving as delegate for Monaco, ‘optimistic’ about high seas

by Daniel Dunaief - June 7, 2025

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By Daniel Dunaief

To borrow from the show Hamilton, Ellen Pikitch was in the room where it happens.

The Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, Pikitch traveled to the United Nations on the east side of Manhattan last month to serve as a delegate for Monaco during the Preparatory Commission for the High Seas Treaty, which is also known as Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction.

The meeting, the first of several gatherings scheduled after the passage of the historic High Seas Treaty that is designed to protect 30 percent of the oceans by 2030, started to create a framework of rules and procedures.

Pikitch, who has advanced, developed and implemented Marine Protected Areas globally, was pleased with the early progress.

“I came away feeling optimistic that we are going to have a functional High Seas Treaty within a couple of years,” said Pikitch. “These details are being hashed out before the treaty comes into force.”

Indeed, 60 nations need to ratify the treaty for it to come into force.

At this point, 20 of the 194 countries that are member state of the United Nations have ratified the treaty. Each country has its own procedures for providing national support for an effort designed to protect biodiversity and natural resources.

Numerous representatives and members of environmental organizations are encouraging leaders of countries to ratify the treaty before the United Nations Oceans conference in Nice from June 9th to June 13th.

Award winning actress and activist Jane Fonda gave a speech at the meeting, urging countries to take the next steps.

“This isn’t just about protecting the oceans. It’s about protecting ourselves,” said Fonda. “Please, please, when you go back to your capitals in the next few days, remind your ministers of what we’re working toward. Remind them that we have a chance this year to change the future.”

Getting 60 ratifications this year is going to be “another monumental achievement,” Fonda continued. “We know it isn’t easy, but we also know that without the level of urgency… the target of protecting 30 percent of the world’s oceans will slip out of our grasp.”

Pikitch expects that the first 60 countries will be the hardest and that, once those agree, others will likely want to join to make sure they are part of the decision making. The treaty will form a framework or benefit sharing from biodiversity discovered as well as the resource use and extraction at these high seas sites.

“New discoveries from the high seas are too important for countries to ignore,” Pikitch said.

The members who ratify the treaty will work on a framework for designating protected areas on the high seas.

Pikitch shared Fonda’s sense of urgency in advancing the treaty and protecting the oceans.

“There is no time to waste,” Pikitch said. In the Stony Brook Professor’s opinion, the hardest part of the work has already occurred, with the long-awaited signing of the treaty. Still, she said it “can’t take another 20 years for the High Seas Treaty to come into effect.”

Monaco connection

Pikitch has had a connection with the small nation of Monaco, which borders on the southeastern coast of France and borders on the Mediterranean Sea, for over a decade.

Isabelle Picco, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Monaco, asked Pikitch to serve as one of the two delegates at the preparatory commission last month.

Pikitch is “thrilled” to be working with Monaco and hopes to contribute in a meaningful way to the discussion and planning for the nuts and bolts of the treaty.

Other meetings are scheduled for August and for early next year.

Most provisions at the United Nations require unanimous agreement, which, in part, is why the treaty itself took over 20 years. Any country could have held up the process of agreeing to the treaty.

To approve of a marine protected area, the group would only need a 2/3 vote, not a complete consensus. That, Pikitch hopes, would make it more likely to create a greater number of these protected places.

Scientific committee

The meeting involved discussions over how the treaty would work. Once the treaty has come into force, a scientific committee will advise the secretariat. The group addressed numerous issues related to this committee, such as the number of its members, a general framework for how members would be selected, the composition of the committee in terms of geographic representation, how often the committee would meet and whether the committee could set up working groups for topics that might arise.

Representatives of many countries expressed support for the notion that the scientific committee would make decisions based on their expertise, rather than as representatives of their government. This approach could make science the driving force behind the recommendations, rather than politics, enabling participants to use their judgement rather than echo a political party line for the party in power from their country.

Several participants also endorsed the idea that at least one indigenous scientist should be on this committee.

Pikitch, who has also served at the UN as a representative for the country of Palau, was pleased that the meeting had considerable agreement.

“There was a spirit of cooperation and a willingness to move forward with something important,” she said. By participating in a timely and meaningful way in this process, [the countries involved] are behaving as though they are convinced a high seas treaty will come into force” before too long.

Ultimately, Pikitch expects that the agreement will be a living, breathing treaty, which will give it the flexibility to respond to fluid situations.

As Fonda suggested, the treaty is about “recognizing that the fate of humanity is inextricably linked to the health of the natural world.” She thanked the group for “giving me hope.”

Huntington girl’s lacrosse defeats Ward Melville to win Suffolk Crown 8-7

by Steven Zaitz - June 6, 2025

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By Steven Zaitz

The hunt for a title is over. Huntington Union Free School District senior Jenna Italiano capped off a thrilling 8-7 sudden-death overtime win for the girls lacrosse team, defeating the defending champion Ward Melville High School Patriots. The win on May 31 gave the Lady Blue Devils their first Suffolk County crown in 30 years.

In a back-and-forth game under extremely windy conditions, Ward Melville raced out to a 3-1 lead when they scored a trio of goals in a 92-second span in the middle of the first quarter. But Huntington senior midfielder, and Italiano’s teammate on the Blue Devils basketball team, Sabrina Boyle beat the shot clock for a goal to close out the quarter and tighten the score at 3-2. Boyle cut from the far-right sideline across the field, ducked and spun away from multiple Patriots defenders and put the ball past Ward Melville freshman goalkeeper Sydney Millett as Boyle was being knocked to the ground.

The next three quarters would be a similar trade of haymakers.

Attacker Grace Gordon and Boyle would score early in the second quarter to flip the lead back to Huntington 4-3. This pair of markers for the Blue Devils represented the third lead change of the game.

There would be more lead changes to come.

Patriots defender Nori Korzenko created a turnover and flung a pass to midfielder Mia Modica racing through the center. On the dead run, Modica threw it to senior field hockey and lacrosse star Olivia Zummo at the right goal post. Zummo centered a pass across the circle to Nicole Manolakes. Manolakes, only in the eighth grade, whipped it past Huntington goalkeeper Juliet Johnson to tie the score at 5 with 5:18 left in the third quarter.

Patriots attacker Keira Pirozzi was checked in the head with 3:41 left in the period and scored the second free-position goal of the game to give Ward Melville a 6-5 lead. It would stay that way until 6:20 remained in the game when junior Gordon tied it at 6 for Huntington after she was fouled.

Aliya Leonard did the same for Ward Melville with 1:43 remaining, tying the game at 7 with a free-position goal. It was Leonard’s third goal of the game and it would be the last goal of regulation for either side.

Boyle, who injured her leg and briefly left the game in the first half, was quiet for a long stretch of the game thereafter. Ward Melville employed the defensive tactic known as the face guard on her, which puts a defender never more than a few inches away, stick waving in her face.

This did not prevent Boyle from creating defense of her own — defense that would lead to the final scoring attack of the game.

After a timeout in the overtime session, Boyle intercepted a long, diagonal and ill-advised pass by Ward Melville defender Quinlan Heilbron and was then fouled by Pirozzi along the left sideline.

Pirozzi was sent off because she whacked Boyle around the head area, and when play resumed, Boyle lofted a cross-field pass to senior Devon St. John, who raced to her right about 20 yards away from the net. St. John spotted Italiano curling in front and snapped a perfect pass to her. Italiano caught the ball and, after a few quick dodges to her right, whistled it past Millett for the golden, game-winning, championship-clinching goal and an 8-7 win for Huntington. It was Italiano’s first shot attempt of the afternoon.

The Lady Blue Devils, who last won a county title in 1995, played Massapequa High School on Tuesday, June 3, at Adelphi University in Garden City. Huntington beat Northport High School in overtime on May 29 in the semifinal game, and in beating Ward Melville in the finals, the Blue Devils defeated the last two Suffolk County champions from 2023 and 2024. Massapequa has won the past two Long Island Class A championships.

— Photos by Steven Zaitz

Historic Sherwood-Jayne House in East Setauket opens for the season

by Beverly C. Tyler - June 6, 2025

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By Beverly C. Tyler

Along Old Post Road in East Setauket are a number of old farmhouses. One of the most interesting and best preserved is the circa 1730 Sherwood-Jayne House which is owned by Preservation Long Island. The home, first built by Matthias Jayne, and owned by a succession of his descendants, was enlarged over the years, but it retains much of its original appearance both inside and out. The house sits on a large area that retains a farm-like atmosphere with a colonial barn, ice house and a number of other structures. A carefully pruned apple orchard stands just to the west of the house along Old Post Road. To the left of the barn and behind the orchard is the entrance to the walking trail. The three-mile circular trail meanders through the wooded area where red-tailed hawks are known to nest. However, the trail is a bit difficult to follow as trail markers were not evident to me on opening day.

A guided tour of the historic house is not to be missed. On May 31st, I was met at the front door by guides Kitty and Jill who described the house and grounds as a “central Long Island farmscape.” Matthias’ son William doubled the size of the house following the end of the Revolutionary War. Known locally as “Big Bill the Tory,” William, who lost his wife Tabitha in 1785, was responsible for the architectural details which provide a unifying appearance to the colonial structure.

The Sherwood-Jayne farm is a part of the Town of Brookhaven’s East Setauket Historic District, one of five historic districts in the Three Village area. The farm represents the character of the historic district with its many private historic farmhouses, dating from the end of the 17th century through the early years of the 20th century.

The interior of the house features both original wall paintings and spectacular paneling. The paneling is believed to be from a nearby colonial house that was the birthplace of Benjamin Tallmadge, leader of the Culper spy ring. Howard Sherwood, who purchased the house in 1908 from the third great-granddaughter of Matthias Jayne, collected the paneling and the interior furnishings.

As detailed by Preservation Long Island, “Howard Sherwood, an American decorative arts collector and Preservation Long Island founder…is responsible for the building’s current appearance as a restored colonial-era farmhouse with early twentieth-century Colonial Revival alterations…” One of the interesting records kept by Sherwood is a “Sheep Register” which details his project to use sheep on the farm. He wrote, “Along in the summer of 1932, Charlie and I bethought ourselves of sheep as a means of keeping the East field down and in shape. Accordingly, the following fall and winter, Charlie cut and set the posts to fence it and in April ‘33 I secured the necessary wire fencing, together with a stretcher to stretch it and staples to fasten it…”

A small spiral-bound copy of his register is available for visitors to see during the house tour. Neither sheep nor any other farm animals are currently housed on the Sherwood-Jayne farm, however the tour of the two floors of the house has many surprises including wide pine floorboards salvaged from Bridgehampton’s “Old Wick’s Tavern; A beautiful pine corner cupboard from a center-hall house north of Syracuse, NY; historic coverlets; period floor covering reproductions and much more.

Preservation Long Island offers Saturday tours of the Sherwood-Jayne Farm House (c. 1730), 55 Old Post Road, Setauket at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. through Oct. 11. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 ages 10 to 18, free for children ages 9 and under. To reserve your spot, visit www.preservationlongisland.org/tours/.

Beverly Tyler is Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Rd., Setauket, NY 11733. Tel: 631-751-3730. www.TVHS.org

Three Village Historical Society launches inaugural Historic Barn & Garden Tour fundraiser

by Heidi Sutton - June 5, 2025

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Above, one of the locations featured in the Historic Barn and Garden Tour. Photo by Kimberly Phyfe

The Three Village Historical Society and Museum (TVHS) in Setauket has announced the launch of their first Historic Barn and Garden Tour — a brand-new fundraising event in support of the ongoing construction of The Dominick-Crawford Barn Education and History Center.

This unique event, to be held on Saturday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is the first of its kind in the Three Village area in many decades.

“The Three Village Historical Society + Museum has long been known for ushering in the winter holiday season with our beloved Candlelight House Tour for 45 years. Now, we’re delighted to introduce what we see as its springtime cousin, an outdoor celebration that welcomes the summer season with beauty, history, and community spirit,” said Mari Irizarry, Director of the TVHS.

This exciting initiative has officially become a challenge grant fundraiser, thanks to the generous support of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, which has pledged to match every dollar raised, up to $10,000. “That means together, we can raise up to $20,000 to help bring The Barn to completion!” said Irizarry.

With the help of sponsors TBR News Media, Howard Hanna | Coach Realty and Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, this tour will take you to four beautifully preserved historic barns and six stunning gardens, where you’ll hear captivating stories of the area’s agricultural past.

“Barns are iconic symbols of our farming heritage, and we’re honored to partner with property owners who have lovingly stewarded these historic structures for generations. The gardens you’ll explore are just as special, many of them carefully curated and nurtured by their homeowners over decades, reflecting a deep love of the land and dedication to beauty and sustainability,” said Irizarry.

Your day doesn’t end there. Visit TVHS headquarters at 93 North Country Road, Setauket, to be among the first to explore their brand new art gallery, sponsored by Cathy Minuse, opening with a “Barn and Garden” themed exhibit, and enjoy guided tours of TVHS’s ReWild Community Garden, packed with inspiration for sustainable gardening and backyard biodiversity.

In addition, Four Harbors Audubon Society will hold a Native Plant Sale on the front lawn of the historical society from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring plants for a bird-friendly garden; an assortment of native shrubs and herbaceous perennials, some of which are deer and/or shade resistant; educational exhibits; and live music for kids.

“Join us as we celebrate the beauty of the land, the legacy of our barns, and the spirit of community, all while supporting a transformative new space for education and history at TVHS,” said Irizarry.

Tickets are $50 per person, $40 members. To order, visit www.tvhs.org/barnandgarden. For more information, please call 631-751-3730.

Residents hold rally to call attention to repairing Harbor Road and Mill Pond in Stony Brook

by Sabrina Artusa - June 5, 2025

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By Sabrina Artusa

Nine months after 9 inches of rain blew out the Stony Brook Mill Pond dam, rupturing Harbor Road and draining the Mill Pond, residents organized in front of the cracked asphalt and marshy hollow to urge reconstruction.

Politicians from the Town of Brookhaven and Head of the Harbor as well as members of Ward Melville Heritage Organization were present at the two-hour rally on May 31 and fielded questions of ownership, Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement and a potential timeline.

The lack of progress is due to ownership disputes, with both Brookhaven officials and Ward Melville Heritage Organization President Gloria Rocchio stating they don’t own the road.

Beth Zweig, a Head of the Harbor resident who helped organize the rally, said, “I noticed nothing was happening and… really just wanted to get an update on where things were.” After communicating with other residents and Head of the Harbor Mayor Mike Utevsky, Zweig learned of the “bureaucratic roadblock.”

“The residents are not happy and we won’t accept a stalemate,” Zweig said. “If it is a stalemate we aren’t going to make any progress.”

Originally, the TOB thought it did own the road and began setting aside funds, said Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D, Stony Brook), before a title report produced by the town’s attorney proved the town does not own the road. An easement agreement signed by Rocchio corraborates the report and was presented at the rally. The 2007 contract allowed the Paul Simons Foundation permission to build a paved walkway on Harbor Road.

Rocchio is working with her own attorneys and says her organization is not responsible for the road. She said the organization doesn’t own roads, except for Mill Creek Road.

“There is no real danger of an outlay of money and not getting that money back; we have been reassured by the state of New York that reimbursement will be made,” TOB Supervisor Dan Panico (R) said. He continued, noting federal trends with funding. “Right now we are guaranteed 75% reimbursement. In the future, we may be looking at zero.”

He went on to say that, as the ecosystem begins to rebound, the argument against replacing the dam and letting the area grow may gain momentum.

Many residents, particularly those from Head of the Harbor who lost their main passageway to their residences, are concerned about access to emergency services.

“It is an ecological disaster. It is a medical crisis waiting to happen because there are so little ulterior roads to service the villages,” said Mickey Conlon.

“All it’s going to take is one person to die because an ambulance can’t get in and something is going to happen,” said Tom Postillo, who frequently visited Mill Pond.

“This is the village center, not only for residents, but for tourists who bring a great deal of business,” said another resident.

Head of the Harbor Mayor Michael Utevsky said that the entities have been in a lock for months and that at “every meeting it seemed there is something about to happen” but a solution never came to fruition.

Some residents felt that a go-around must exist and hoped the entities could work together. Kornreich and Panico said it was impossible for the town to expend taxpayer money on private property.

“I am paying an enormous amount of taxes to Brookhaven, to Suffolk County, to New York,” said Laura Sclafani, a Stony Brook resident. “Why aren’t they paying?”

Sclafani said she is grateful for how the organization preserved the land. “They keep [the village center] great. I don’t want them bankrupt,” she said.

“We need the owner to do this. We would love to do this. If there is a title report that says the town owns it, give it to me today and I will sign it tomorrow, so we can make a straight-faced application to FEMA before they go out of business,” Kornreich said.

“I think today was very productive, we got to know each other more,” Rocchio said. “I think the myths have been eliminated.”

Letters to the Editor: June 5, 2025

by TBR Staff - June 5, 2025

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letters_page-scaled-1-700x467-1-1-1 — File photo by Raymond Janis

Kathianne Snaden for mayor

As a Port Jefferson village resident and longtime Long Island business owner and entrepreneur, I’m proud to offer my strong support for Kathianne Snaden in her campaign for mayor.

Kathianne understands firsthand the challenges faced by our business community, whether it’s retail, restaurants or service-based industries. Having grown up in a small family-run business, she brings a deep, personal understanding of what it takes to keep a business alive and thriving. She knows that without the support of local government, small businesses can struggle to survive, especially in an ever-changing economy.

Over the years, Kathianne has proven her dedication to Port Jefferson’s business owners. Her track record speaks for itself. She listens, she shows up, and she works side by side with businesses. Whether it’s helping to navigate local regulations, advocating for improvements to our village infrastructure, or simply taking the time to hear concerns, Kathianne has been a consistent and reliable ally. Her accessibility and responsiveness have been critical in helping face both everyday challenges and larger, unexpected hurdles.

Having someone in office that understands business is crucial. I have seen unnecessary roadblocks and hurdles for local businesses that need to be addressed, so we need leaders that will take action immediately. Kathianne’s unwavering support and hands-on approach have made a real difference in our village, and I have no doubt she will continue this level of commitment as mayor.

We need leadership that prioritizes the success and sustainability of our local economy. Kathianne Snaden is that leader. She has the experience, the dedication and the heart to ensure Port Jefferson remains a vibrant and welcoming place to live, work and do business.

I urge my fellow residents to join me in voting for Kathianne Snaden for mayor. Our businesses and our community will be stronger for it.

[The election is on June 17 at Port Jefferson Village Center.]

Joe Dovi

Port Jefferson Village

Silly season returns: Port Jefferson deserves better

As we enter another mayoral election season, it’s important to remember not just of what’s at stake — but what we’ve already witnessed.

The so-called silly season is in full swing. Yard signs are sprouting across lawns, social media is ablaze and performances are taking center stage while real policy takes a backseat. But elections aren’t theater. They’re about leadership, vision, policy and results. Unfortunately, some candidates still haven’t gotten the message.

In the last election, the Snaden camp engaged in questionable behavior and sadly, it hasn’t stopped.

Let’s remember:

• Worked to kick Lauren Sheprow off the ballot;

• Used fake social media profiles — created and operated by “friends” and surrogates — to launch personal attacks and spread misinformation; and

• Behind the scenes, then-Trustee and Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden was making questionable decisions — most notably involving Maryhaven, a project with long-term consequences for our Village and no public transparency.

And we can’t forget one of her most visible policy failures: the PassPORT Taxi service. Snaden’s program cost the Village thousands of taxpayer dollars to subsidize local taxi rides — a plan that ended up being far more expensive and far less efficient than simply utilizing services like Uber or Lyft. What was billed as innovative transit became a financial burden with little to show in return.

It’s no wonder Snaden lost. Not because she lacked visibility or resources, but because her policy advancements were failures, and her leadership didn’t deliver for the people of Port Jefferson. Performance may win applause in the moment, but residents care about outcomes — and in that area, she fell short.

Now, two years later, they’re back — repeating the same tactics.

She’s now offering “ideas,” but let’s be clear: nothing she’s proposed addresses fiscal management, sustainability, or real forward-thinking policy. And much of what she mentions has already been done — by others. If these issues were truly urgent, where was her action in the intervening years? Why wait until campaign season to suddenly care again?

So let’s ask some hard but necessary questions:

• How is it ethical for a then sitting Trustee to be paid by the Village as a photographer during her term? That’s a clear conflict of interest, or behavior, at the very least that should have been avoided to dispel any appearance of conflict. Then, she and her surrogates spoke out against the village’s new ethics code. Hard to fathom.

• And why would a former Trustee, who prematurely announced her candidacy, remain disengaged from all meaningful Village work — sitting silently in the back of the room during meetings, offering no value, no ideas, no policy, no involvement?

And yet, it’s doubtful any minds will be changed in the village Facebook pages, where vitriol and echoes are all that matter. These digital echo chambers reward outrage over insight, loyalty over logic, and spectacle over substance.

Leadership is not seasonal. It’s not something you dust off for campaign season.
True leadership is built through consistent engagement, ethical conduct, and a genuine commitment to serving the community — not self-interest. If someone seeks your vote, they should have already been doing the work, not just appearing when it’s politically convenient.

Port Jefferson deserves better. It deserves leaders who show up, speak up, and stand up for this community — all year long.

Let’s remember the past, recognize the patterns, and vote for substance over show.
Keep Lauren Sheprow Mayor of Port Jefferson.

Drew Biondo
Former Trustee, Port Jefferson

Why we need to reelect Mayor Sheprow

As a lifelong Port Jeff resident and former village trustee, I enthusiastically support Lauren Sheprow’s reelection as mayor.

Mayor Sheprow has been a careful steward of our tax dollars. When a forensic audit of the capital fund uncovered a $1.3 million deficit left by the previous administration, she immediately put a plan in place to address the shortfall. And she still managed to keep taxes low and not exceed the tax cap, both this year and last, something that hasn’t been achieved in over a decade.

She also acted quickly to solve a long-standing problem with the carrying of firearms by our Code Enforcement personnel. The mayor worked with a unanimous board to eliminate this liability for the village, given that there is no legal authority to use guns in our village code.

One of the most distinctive achievements spearheaded by the mayor has been the creation of the Make a Difference program. These volunteer committees are filled with some of Port Jeff’s most talented residents, all of whom are devoting their time and expertise to work on the many challenges we face.
Given how effective Mayor Sheprow has proven to be in her first term, I believe she deserves the opportunity to continue her good work. We have been well served by her diligence, her dedication and her love for this village.

Please join me in reelecting Lauren Sheprow as our village mayor!

Virginia Capon
Port Jefferson Village

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