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File photo by Raymond Janis

Participate in the upcoming Bond Referendum Vote

As the elected board of trustees of the Smithtown Special Library District, we are writing to urge all district residents to participate in the upcoming bond referendum vote on Tuesday, July 1. As our community is aware, the storm last August devastated the lower level of our Smithtown Building, located at One North Country Road.  

Like many patrons, we ourselves were heartbroken by the damage that occurred. The lower level was so much more than just a place to store library materials. It represented the space to gather and connect with one another in our Community Rooms, a place for our patrons to explore their creativity and imagination in the Learn Lab – and, of course, a place to research and honor our region’s rich history in The Richard H. Handley Collection of Long Island Americana, otherwise known as the Long Island Room. 

While we are grateful to have reopened the first level of the Smithtown Building last month, there is more work to be done. Through the bond referendum proposal, we look forward to not only restoring what was lost in the storm – but reimagining the space and the services we offer to best meet the needs of our community.  

Through our “reimagining,” we look forward to introducing a podcast studio and the Federal Depository Library Program – both initiatives that were planned prior to the storm but were paused due to the building’s closure. In addition to housing the Federal Depository Library Program, our expanded Government Services Department will house the Patent and Trademark Resource Center and Passport Acceptance Facility.  

As trustees, we have heard the voices of our neighbors who miss the programs and spaces that brought us together. We see this as an opportunity to honor the library’s legacy while positioning it for the future for all residents in our community – from infants to seniors.  

We invite all community members to learn more about the proposal by visiting the library’s website at www.smithlib.org. Please also join us for a Community Open House at our Smithtown Building, located at One North County Road, Smithtown, on Tuesday, June 24, from 7:00 to -9:00 p.m. 

Thank you in advance for your participation on July 1. As a reminder, polls will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at all four library buildings. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Sincerely, 

The Smithtown Library Board of Trustees  

Research takes time, commitment & patience

When people think of science, they often picture breakthroughs: a new drug, a prosthetic device, an app for mental health. But science also begins with quieter questions.

I study maternal behavior in mice at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. I watch as a mother retrieves her scattered pups and brings them back to the nest. It is a simple act, but it reveals something powerful: the brain has circuitry for care.

In the Shea Lab, I ask what allows that care to happen. Which neurons fire when a mother searches for her pup? How do cues like sound or smell spark motivation? These are basic questions with no immediate product. But they form the foundation for understanding caregiving across species.

Some caregivers, in any species, do not respond in expected ways. In humans, postpartum depression, trauma or stress can alter parenting. To understand those disruptions, we must first understand how care functions when things go right. That begins in the brain. That kind of understanding depends on model systems we can study closely, like mice.

This work is often hard to fund. It is not linked to a clinical trial or a startup. It does not come with urgency built in. Yet without it, we would not know where to begin. Foundational studies in rodents showed how hormones like corticotropin-releasing hormone can disrupt maternal care. That early research helped uncover how stress alters brain circuits tied to bonding and motivation. These insights now shape how we approach mood disorders like postpartum depression.

Basic research like this is increasingly under threat. Studies that include terms like maternal or reproductive are sometimes stalled or rejected for political reasons rather than scientific ones. The result is a narrowing of what gets supported.

If we fund only projects with immediate payoff, we lose the slow, essential work that makes future breakthroughs possible. Basic science is not a detour. It is the path.

Model organisms are not a limitation. They are a strength. They allow us to ask precise, causal questions we cannot ask in humans. That is how we build maps of brain function and uncover principles that scale to complex systems.

Science needs time and space to explore. If this matters to you, speak up. Ask what kind of science your institutions support. Advocate for policies that protect curiosity-driven research. The science that teaches us to ask better questions is worth defending.

Hoda Tromblee, Cold Spring Harbor

Close the wage gap for people with disabilities

Organizations in New York can pay a person with a disability as little as $0.05 per hour, and it is legal. This must end.

It’s time for New York to eliminate the subminimum wage and treat people with disabilities with the fairness they deserve. The New York State Senate has passed Bill S28 to do just that, and now it is time for the Assembly to act before their session ends. 

As the father of John Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, I’ve seen firsthand what people with differing abilities can accomplish when given the chance. John co-founded a business with me, John’s Crazy Socks, and we have learned that hiring people with differing abilities is not charity, it’s good business. More than half of our employees have a disability. They work hard, deliver incredible results and earn the same wage as their colleagues. 

The subminimum wage law, a relic of 1938, allows people with disabilities to be paid as little as 5 cents an hour. That’s not just outdated, it’s wrong. It tells people that their labor, and their lives, are worth less.

New York should lead the nation by ending this discriminatory practice. No exceptions. No more second-class workers. I urge the State Assembly to pass A28 and help build a more inclusive and just future for all.

Mark X. Cronin, Farmingdale

SCWA is doing good work

It was with pleasure that I read about how “Suffolk County Water Authority achieves full compliance with federal PFAS standards — six years early” [TBR News Media, June 12]. I live behind one of those “17 granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment systems for PFAS” and while I was dubious about those two big green tanks that they erected on their property, I was informed of their purpose and now we see the result. Bravo. It will be a pleasure to pay Suffolk County Water Authority bills in the future.

Bruce Gaugler

Port Jefferson Station

An Open Letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul

Residents of the hamlet of Port Jefferson Station/Terryville, and our neighbors in Setauket and Village of Port Jefferson, bore the burden for years of the egregious pollution for profit at the hands of the disgraced owner of Lawrence Aviation. The concern for public health and safety was a significant concern for decades. Thankfully, the cleanup by EPA of this Superfund site rendered the parcel suitable for redevelopment giving hope to many of us who worked tirelessly to turn lemons into lemonade. We now can realize a public benefit, securing a bright and clean energy future where there once was blight and danger. The Suffolk Landbank worked together with stakeholders to develop plans to provide open space, a solar energy farm and a potential new MTA rail yard for the Long Island Rail Road on 40 acres of the property.

In the past, 40 acres and a mule were offered to provide economic self-sufficiency to those deserving a better future. The ability to retain the potential for the electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch of the LIRR will play a significant role in ensuring residents in our area and ridership along this line can join the modern era of clean and convenient transportation. This opportunity could be the “engine that drives” the resurgence and planned growth of our region with true transit-oriented development, adding to our economic self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, the mule in this case is the stubborn intransigence of the Department of Transportation that, for reasons that defy logic, threatens this entire undertaking based on a potential highway that will never be built.

This can easily be resolved with an easement agreement to address this issue. However, the original deal with the MTA to move this vision forward must be concluded by June 30, 2025, well before any final understanding with DOT can be worked out. We strongly request your immediate intervention to ensure this project can move forwawrd and the will of the people locally not be thwarted by bureaucratic dithering. We need your help to realize the better future we deserve by squeezing DOT to pay $10 to get this deal done and help us make some lemonade!

Ira Costell, President

Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Associatio

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL  

We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. Email letters to: [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

 

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Amid efforts to revisit budgets and cut federal spending, numerous initiatives have cut, frozen or threatened to reduce contributions to science.

Such approaches, through the Big Beautiful Bill and the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, threaten the future of research.

“Science funding is critical, and paying the full costs of scientific research is important,” explained Kevin Gardner, Vice President for Research and Innovation at Stony Brook University. “We pay the full price for defense contractors and don’t expect them to lose money doing important work for the federal government. Universities are the same.”

Indeed, in the Big Beautiful Bill, cuts to Medicaid threaten health care, which could have implications for the care hospital patients receive as well and the health of local hospitals themselves.

“Cuts to Medicaid indeed are a tremendous threat both to our community and to those that rely on the medicaid program and to the hospitals and academic medical centers that treat patients,” Gardner added. “They threaten the viability of academic medical centers across the country, including Stony Brook.”

Cuts to Medicaid funding may also strain state budgets, which may affect state university funding as well.

Even as senators prepare to review the Big Beautiful Bill, which passed a contested House by a single vote and that has some Republicans expressing buyer’s remorse, Gardner worried about federal research support.

“I remain very concerned about research funding,” Gardner wrote in an email. “I sometimes hear hopeful things, but overall I am not confident at all that the robust research funding that has driven prosperity across the US will continue.”

Gardner and co-author Michael Kinch, Chief Innovation Officer at Stony Brook, wrote an opinion piece in STAT News.

Half of all the drugs approved in the United States from 2020 to 2024 had key patents from academic universities. Most of that work was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to their opinion piece.

And yet, the administration has shared a proposed budget for 2026 that cuts National Institutes of Health funding by 43 percent compared with 2025 levels, according to STAT  News.

While spending less might appear beneficial in the short term, it threatens innovation, people’s health and future economic gains that might have otherwise come from research.

In dollars and cents, the return on investment from every dollar of NIH spending on research leads to $2.46 in economic activity overall, according to Bruce Stillman, President and CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL).

Cutting back not only has economic consequences but could affect training opportunities for future researchers.

Investments in basic scientific research, such as the kind done at CSHL “fuels innovation, boosts the economy, and paves the way to key medical advances,” Stillman wrote in the president’s essay.

The messages, policies and words from the Trump administration and some of the members of his cabinet have suggested that they are prepared to cut science funding by as much as 50 percent, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Political leaders from both sides of the aisle generally understand the value and importance of science, said Gardner.

These leaders, regardless of their party, need to stand up for the health and well-being of their constituents and the strength of the economy today and in the future by supporting science.

In the meantime, leaders in other countries have sensed a huge opening and are offering the best and brightest current and future scientists impressive and attractive packages to work in other institutions. These packages have worked for some scientists, who have decided to pursue their research interests on foreign soil, the way so many scientists from earlier decades used to do in the United States.

Our American politicians must stand for more than whatever their parties or their party leaders want or demand, particularly now. Yes, the country needs to make hard choices. Voting for science funding, supporting grants that have already passed through a rigorous screening process, and encouraging the kinds of questions that lead to a better future, should not be one of them.

That includes basic research, which is different from translational research.

“I visited a lab yesterday and was shown a new type of microscope that allowed a new way to observe living cells divide,” Gardner explained. “We don’t know what the new discoveries will be from that work, but we can imagine all the ways cell division contributes to health and disease.”

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Yuka Mobile App. Photo from Yuka Facebook

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

In a world of apps, I have recently added two to my cellphone. One has to do with what we eat. The other tells me what birdsong I am hearing. Both are useful and please me, so I will share them with you if you haven’t already discovered them.

The first is Yuka.

“The app prompts users to scan the bar codes of foods and personal care items—in grocery stores and at home—and then offers a score out of 100 to indicate how ‘healthy’ it is for you or the environment,” according to The New York Times, where I learned of this clever app. 

When you touch the icon, a scanner opens. Then all you have to do is position the bar code of the product in the box provided on the screen, and you are immediately rewarded with both a specific number and a verdict.

It’s an irresistible toy. I went running around the house, first to the pantry in the kitchen, then the bathroom and the bedroom, pointing at items I use. 

I was often shocked. The first bottle I evaluated was a peanut salad dressing I use frequently. It came out with a score of 24/100 and the word “bad.” Who knew? The app further broke down the rating by listing negatives: additives (1 limited risk), sugar (10 grams too sweet), sodium (220mg too much), and calories (120 a bit too caloric). It then went on to list the positives: protein (2g some protein), fiber (0.9g some fiber), and saturated fat (1g low impact).

Sadly, since I like the flavor so much, the app could not offer a better alternative for this dressing under “recommendations.” 

On the other hand, a green lentil pasta I enjoy is rated 100/100 excellent. No additives, no synthetic herbicides and therefore organic, excellent amount of protein (21g), excellent amount of fiber (9g), no saturated fat, low sugar (1g), and no sodium. The only negative was its caloric count: a bit too caloric (310 calories). That was all welcome news.

Now I am going to have to stop putting the peanut dressing on the pasta and find some other topping, perhaps Silver Palate Marinara sauce with low salt, which was rated excellent at 75/100.

It was fun checking out my foods on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Originally introduced in France in 2017, this app came to the United States in 2022 and has more than 40 million followers now. Yuka uses an algorithm to score the products based on 3 parts: nutritional quality (60 percent), additives and their risk (30 percent) and organic (10 percent). As you might guess, high protein and high fiber are “good,” high sugar, sodium, saturated fats and calories are “bad.” 

This app is just one offering toward the goal of eating healthy, but it can help.

Merlin Bird ID mobile app

The second app is one for the birds. Literally. It’s called Merlin Bird ID and it will tell you what birds are singing nearby. The way it works, I guess, is that it records the bird sounds, then matches them up with its data base of birdsong. At the moment when I am writing this, the Merlin Bird has identified the American Robin in my backyard. It has also shown me a picture. 

Again, it’s great fun knowing who else is in the neighborhood. Oops, the Robin has just been joined by a Gray Catbird, a Song Sparrow, a Northern Cardinal and a Yellow Warbler. I wonder if they are talking to each other or just thinking out loud.

The other day, when I thought I was surrounded by half a dozen birds, my app told me it was just a Mockingbird holding court.

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File photo by Kyle Barr

Driving to work in the morning, we may brace ourselves for the pothole that, day-after-day, violently shakes our car as we drive over it. However, one day to our delight, we notice it is filled with smooth asphalt. Then, we may decide to stop for coffee at a recently opened shop before heading to work. We take a detour to avoid traffic near a new housing development.

From the pothole, to the new coffee shop, to the traffic, the rhythms of our days are shaped by our elected officials and the decisions they make on behalf of the community.

As the conduit for local news, we hear residents’ opinions on development, infrastructure, funding, open space, historical preservation, economic growth and policy. These issues are constantly topics of discussion, and rightfully so. The decisions our town and village officials make in these areas shape our lives: where we shop and live,  and how much we pay in taxes. We all have opinions on the decisions local officials make. June 17 is the day we can act. 

Our local elected officials have the power to make changes that could impact us for years after they leave office. As their constituents, we are their guides and as voters we choose and empower the decision-makers. What do we want our community’s future to look like and which candidate will take us there? 

We give local elections less thought and focus, especially when compared to the highly publicized federal elections. Over half of eligible voters turn out for federal elections while fewer than a quarter vote in local elections. 

In May, residents voted on their district’s budget, and if there were available seats on the board, for school board trustees. In the Huntington Union Free School District, only about 1,000 residents voted out of the 24,000 registered voters in the district, according to the district website. That amounts to around 4%. 

School board trustees could have a significant impact on the quality of education and programming. What the children in that district learn, what clubs they join, and what amenities the building offers can be altered by school boards. Our elections have concrete implications, not only during a two or four-year term, but in decades to follow. 

This month, we are voting for the mayor and trustees of Port Jefferson Village and for town supervisor and several board members for the towns of Smithtown and Huntington. In November, we will vote for our congress members, assembly members and senators.

To work towards what we envision for our community, and to protect the parts we value, we must do our part and vote. 

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Photo by Raymond Janis

Nonprofits and the car show community?

Recently, I attended the Drive for Dana car show at the Smithhaven Mall. The strength and support of the car community that comes out to support a charity is incredible. Every weekend, actually every night of the week, there are shows. On many nights there are multiple events at different spots on Long Island. They are free to attend as a spectator and at regular events free to show your car. But wait until it’s about a charity. More cars arrive, more money is raised and at the Drive for Dana event more auction items are bought.

I have been promoting the idea of a motorsports park on Long Island. Currently, I have been assisting with public relations and announcing. As we enter the fifth year of racing in Calverton it has become very clear that the car, race car, show car, high-performance street car community is very strong. Besides the generosity seen at the car shows, there is an amazing amount of driving skills shown.

It’s definitely a feel-good story when monies are raised for a charity, but that’s only a portion of the story.

Long Island’s history and development of auto racing has led to many careers. We have seen some drivers move on to the professional level. Years ago, Steve Park enjoyed racing in Nascar, and today we have Justin Ashley running a Top Fuel Dragster.

The racing we enjoy at Calverton on the 7,000-foot runway that Grumman used when they were on Long island hosting drag racing (most cars are street legal, Drifting), the cars have more safety equipment than many others and Go-karts. From the cute 5-year olds to the much older that race around the country and a few even beyond that.

Long Island at one point had multiple circle tracks (now we have one), multiple drag-racing facilities and even a road course track that held a Formula One race. Are the race tracks as strong as they once were? No. Is the car community as far reaching as it once was? From what I see at these car shows and race events, it may not be as big, but there is a huge interest. The positives are community, careers and the economic benefit.

Brian Cohen

Three Village

DA Tierney, elder parole, redemption and compassion 

A few weeks ago Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney released a powerful statement warning of dangers he sees lurking in the Second Look Act, Earned Time Act, and Elder Parole Act.  

He said, “These measures, cloaked as compassionate reforms, prioritize criminals over the security of law-abiding New Yorkers and, in the process, once again drag grieving families and victims into a never-ending cycle of parole hearings and reconsideration of previously imposed sentences, for the sole purpose of drastically reducing sentences for violent, dangerous offenders.”

Specifically mentioning the Elder Parole Act, Tierney continued, ”This bill grants automatic parole hearings every two years to inmates who are 55 and older, and who have served 15 years in prison, regardless of the crime they were convicted of. Murderers, rapists, even cop killers would get a shot at freedom just for aging behind bars. This bill eliminates life without parole for serial and mass murderers.”  

Hoping for redemption is a noble goal, but how that “hope” is viewed by loved ones grieving their murdered law enforcement family members should be taken into consideration.  Over the last 8 years they’ve been forced to witness 43 convicted killers released from prison. 

NYS legislators considering voting for this bill should speak to the mothers, daughters, wives, husbands or children of these fallen heroes.  State pols must show proper respect and consideration for these victims.

How about offering those innocents something other than the continued heartbreaking prospect of reliving the tragic loss of loved ones every 24 months.  

New York State currently has 16 members sitting on the parole board.  There’s room for 3 more.  Let’s offer one or more of those spots to relatives trying to overcome their tragic loss.  Given that great hardship, it would seem they’ve earned a properly weighted voice in this discussion.  Perhaps some of the current 16 could gain a new and better understanding of how difficult a prisoner’s release can be on those surviving their loss. 

Our highly respected, local DA, Ray Tierney, looks to seek justice not vengeance for victims who’ve suffered at the hands of criminals.  He is on the front lines dealing with the aftermath of some truly heinous crimes.  Tierney consoles those harmed while prosecuting those charged.  His warnings should not be taken lightly.

If memory serves, much of disgraced Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) “criminal justice reforms” were sold on the lofty theme of redemption.  If these kinds of grand ideas are going to be tried, we cannot forget those whose lives are devastated, when those grand ideas horribly fail them.  At the very least, they’re innocent victims worthy of our compassion.  

Jim Soviero

Setauket

In response to Drew Biondo’s letter from June 5 edition of TBR

He may call it “silly season,” but spreading misinformation, spin, and false claims isn’t silly, it’s dishonest. Port Jefferson deserves facts, not political games or distractions from real issues.

Let’s set the record straight on PASSPort, a first-of-its-kind municipal rideshare service created for Port Jefferson. Like every other municipal transit program in the country, it wasn’t meant to turn a profit. It was about accessibility, safety and smarter mobility. It worked, residents used it, and they appreciated it. On May 1, 2023, then Trustee Lauren Sheprow voted in favor of PASSPort, along with the entire Board of Trustees. She even requested a test ride and had only positive things to say. Now to attack the program she helped approve isn’t just disingenuous, it’s political.

Regarding the ballot issue, Mayor Sheprow was removed not by opponents but by the Board of Elections for failing to properly complete and file her own petitions, a basic, legal requirement every candidate must meet.

Let me be clear, neither I nor anyone from my campaign has ever created or used a fake social media profile. I’ve run this campaign the way I’ve served, openly and with integrity. 

Yes, I was asked by the village to use my photography to help promote the Dickens Festival. It was discussed in public meetings, disclosed to our auditor, and unanimously approved by the board where I recused myself. The images remain village property and continue to support our most cherished community event.

While Mr. Biondo claims I’ve been “disengaged,” I’ve continued serving our community through volunteer work, civic participation and staying connected with residents. Leadership isn’t just about holding office; it’s about consistent service.

As for the Maryhaven project, our process was transparent with full disclosure and open dialogue from day 1. We held a public meeting where the developer’s request was thoroughly explained. Contrast that with what we learned from another developer, who said Mayor Sheprow promised him annexation approval a year ago, something the public didn’t hear about until March 2025, only after a resident discovered it. That’s not transparency.

What should also concern us are closed-door executive sessions used for questionable purposes. 

Port Jefferson deserves true transparency and open government led by a mayor who will stand for honesty, accountability and integrity. That’s what I’ve delivered, and that’s what I’ll continue to fight for.

Kathianne Snaden

Port Jefferson

Armed guards have no place in schools

On Thursday, June 5, parents in the Three Village Central School District received what was deemed a “survey “ regarding the possibility of placing armed guards on our school campuses.  My first quarrel is with the ridiculous assertion that what we received was not so much a “survey” but a very lazy two-question attempt to assuage the minority of individuals that are demanding guns at our schools. Parents were simply asked what school their child/children attend(s) and if they are in favor of armed security.  This is how we’re going to decide whether our children go to school with guns in their buildings?  This is the best effort our school district could make on this highly volatile and incredibly important subject?

My second dispute is one I have previously voiced, guns have NO PLACE on school grounds.  Arming security guards is the hot talking point for those who ignorantly believe that this move will make one bit of difference in the extremely minimal possibility of a violent occurrence at one of our schools.  The safety of our children in school is a top priority, but there is zero proof that arming security is the solution to deterring an episode of violence.  There are, however, several studies proving just the opposite, that the presence of armed guards in school settings has invited and/or intensified the violence committed.  I ask those who continue to advocate for this change to actually research what happened in Parkland and Uvalde, two of the most horrific school shootings our country has ever experienced and realize that no lives were saved by their armed guards.  As a matter of fact, these good guys with guns literally caused more controversy and disruption.

The armed guard crusaders need a strong dose of reality.  The district has already invested in a new security system in response to our unfortunate incident in October.  [In October 2024, a student at Ward Melville High School brought a backpack with a weapon inside, which they took by mistake. The student’s parents were in law enforcement.] Thankfully, Long Island has been spared any instances of mass gun violence in our schools and hopefully it will remain that way.  Our one scary situation was handled professionally and transparently, but this analysis via survey of the latest campaign for change is just an apathetic attempt to mitigate the loud voices of those who scream first and read never.  Our new system of detection is more than sufficient for the safety of those in our buildings, students and staff.  If someone truly wants to cause harm in one of our school buildings that person will most likely make something happen.  Armed security guards, whether inside or outside of our schools will not hinder their actions but will add to the chaos.  I certainly do not begrudge any parent the feeling of safety and security when a child is in an academic setting, but before jumping on the bandwagon I suggest that every parent take a long, hard look at past responses to incidents in our buildings and think about how they would feel if the guns we put in the schools got into the wrong hands.  This is a far heftier debate than those two questions on a survey.  I will never support weapons on school grounds and will continue to advocate against any and all attempts to do so.

Stefanie Werner

Setauket

The UNneighborly House

Ever since we moved to this community 55 years ago, the Setauket Neighborhood House has been a wonderful community resource.  We’ve attended birthday parties, memorial services, club meetings and art shows and have always felt comfortable and safe as we met with our friends and neighbors.   In view of this, I was appalled to hear that every event is now being video and audio taped by the Neighborhood House.  When one has a meeting there among friends, it is assumed that it is private and not under surveillance.  Women doing yoga feel comfortable among themselves but don’t want to be watched by others, and clubs may meet to discuss sensitive topics that they don’t want shared outside of their circle.  There is little need for this internal surveillance to protect the house and I encourage the board to terminate the taping and to trust our neighbors who use the house to value and protect this great community resource.  

I encourage others in the community to let the Setauket Neighborhood House Board know how they feel about this audio and video taping of their meetings.  

Gene Sprouse

South Setauket

Correction : The article, “Rally at Harbor Road”, which appeared in the June 5th issue, incorrectly stated that Brookhaven found a title report signed by Gloria Rocchio. In fact, Brookhaven comissioned the title report. The document with Rocchio’s signature was an easement contract.

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL  

We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. Email letters to: [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

 

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Why do we go to baseball games? Oooh, pick me! Pick me! I can answer. Of course you can. You’re writing this piece. Okay, let’s talk about the appeal of baseball.

First of all, there’s the potential for anything baseball related to happen. I might see a triple play, a no hitter, a perfect game, four home runs in a row, eight consecutive strike outs, or something other collections of fans have either never seen or rarely witnessed.

We recently attended a minor league game in which two runners scored on a sacrifice fly to deep center field.

Baseball is an endless series of what-if moments, as in, what if the batter hits the ball to third base with runners on first and third and one out. Is it hit hard enough for a double play based on the speed of the runners, the score at the time, and the movement of the runner on third?

The combination of athleticism and strength bring different qualities to the game. Sure, people who are big and muscular can hit a ball hard, but can they get a good jump when they’re running from first or second base, can they cover a larger strike zone, and can they be satisfied with a single or double instead of a towering home run?

Then, there’s the aesthetic appeal of the stadiums, with bright lines going out from home plate to the outfield, defined base paths, and a shimmering outfield grass (if it’s real grass), where fleet-footed fielders race to track down balls.

Two questions immediately occur to me as I reach my seat. The first is how good the view is relative to the field. Can I see pitches clearly? Can I track balls from home plate to all parts of the field?

The second is whether I’m in prime foul ball territory. Admittedly, that’s a tougher question to answer, especially with all the screens that have now gone up around the infield. 

There is something about balls flung from these fields of dreams that imbues them with a power far in excess of their raw materials. Is it the perfect weight in our hands? Is it the feel of the gently raised seams? Or, perhaps, it’s the combination of the white hard outer layer, the red seams, and the blue from the logo, the official major league baseball lettering and the signature of current commissioner Robert Manfred, Jr.

Sure, free stuff in general is fun to catch, but something about these baseballs makes bringing them home particularly rewarding, giving us a physical connection to the game.

Maybe it’s the stories we can tell about how the baseball came from a particular hitter or a specific game. Or maybe the balls, like the game itself, contain within them the power of the what-if.

Have you ever seen people after they’ve caught a ball at a game? They can’t help smiling, often examining it closely, as they look for where a bat struck it or where it rolled across the grass or dirt. 

Tossing a ball to a particularly vociferous or angry fan could serve as a pacifier. Yeah, your team is losing by 12 runs, and yes, you could have done a better job at everything because you’re that much more knowledgeable about the game than everyone else, but you have a baseball in your hand. How cool is that?

The balls from America’s pastime are like us. They may have similar qualities or look and feel the same, but they can and will be unique in and of themselves and as a part of a game. They could be the central part of a double play, the main character soaring through the air on a walk off home run, or the 18th pitch of a tremendous 21 pitch at bat.

These balls carry magic and hope. 

And, yes, if you’re wondering why I’m so rhapsodic, I caught a ball at the aforementioned minor league game. A third base coach knocked down a foul ball and tossed it directly at me in the stands. When I caught it, I handed it to my daughter, excited to share this small piece of baseball and personal history with my family and now with you. It’s just a ball and yet it’s so much more.

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METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

Wednesday was National Corn on the Cob Day, and when I saw that, I began to salivate because I love that vegetable. We are now coming into the season when the kernels are sweet with or without butter and salt. 

Everyone eats corn differently, it seems, if you watch people devouring the offering. I bite the corn from the cob as if I were using an old fashioned typewriter, meaning in a single row from left to right. I’ll eat one row, then go back, as if I were slinging a typewriter carriage to the next line, and chew straight above the first.

Others turn the cob so that they are eating in a circular fashion, one circle precisely after the other in a geometric display. Still others just plow right in, chewing wherever their teeth land. They eventually clean off the whole cob.

I guess one could tell a lot about the corn eater’s personality by watching the pattern of consumption from the cob.

My favorite corn on the cob story takes place in the late 1940s on a freezing January day. My dad, who grew up in the mountains and loved the cold, brisk air, would put on his heavy winter coat and take my mother, my brother, my sister and me to Coney Island. 

It was always on a Sunday, when he had off from work. The ride tickled my mother, who thought it was an extraordinary price on the subway for the same 15 cent token that one paid just to go one stop, so that typically would be part of the conversation on the trip to Brooklyn from our apartment in Midtown Manhattan. 

When we emerged from underground, the wind and cold would initially take our breaths away, but before long, we acclimated. We followed my dad down to the beach and watched the wild waves plunge into the shore with a roar and lots of foam, then recede meekly only to repeat the fury. It was Nature showing its dramatic face.

It was also intensely cold.

After a few minutes of beach walking, we would head toward Nathan’s Hot Dog stand, one of the few stores open in the winter. This one Sunday, we were in for a surprise. In the narrow alley between Nathan’s and the next building was a man with a cauldron on what I guess was an electric burner, steam pouring from the pot. As we drew near, we could see butter, salt and napkins on the stand.

When my dad cleared a hole in the steam and peered into the pot, he expressed some happy surprise. “Where did you get corn on the cob in January?” he queried the man holding the tongs.

“They are in the frozen food section of some of the supermarkets,” the man explained. Frozen foods were just beginning to appear in markets at that time.

“Do they taste the same?” my dad asked.

“Try one,” the fellow offered and plucked one from the boiling water, putting it on a piece of white paper.

When it had cooled enough to bite into the cob, my dad approved the purchase and we all ate those steaming corn with butter and salt, crowding around the cauldron for warmth. I still remember those corn as the sweetest as any I had ever tasted in the summer. 

Besides, they warmed my hands.

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The Gamecock Cottage. Photo by Heather Lynch

After the record-breaking flood of last August, an heirloom of our community fell to ruins and has yet to reconnect with the scenic roads that we are so lucky to take every day. In light of the destruction of the beautiful and historic Mill Pond in Stony Brook and Stump Pond in Smithtown, members of the community have shared an outpouring of public support and togetherness in rebuilding our local history in the past week. At the Mill Pond, residents describe feeling stranded by administrative gridlock; but perhaps it does not have to be disheartening. 

As the weather finally warms, we are looking to fill the mill-shaped gaps in our hearts, which we can do by visiting and honoring our island’s other beautiful parks. We can celebrate our rich Native American and colonial history at equally evocative and inspiring sites during  these sun-kissed summer days. 

Containing the only remaining wooden cottage part of the beach, West Meadow Beach Path offers a 2.3-mile paved stroll through the wetlands reserve, complete with local wildlife infographics, a scenic overlook at still-standing 1876 Gamecock Cottage, and a historic building constructed for storage of oars and row boats. West Meadow Beach Path eases us from the nostalgia of the wooded, breezy salt marsh at dusk to the citrus sunsets met by the water, with terrapins, herons and bunnies searching for food or calling to each other between the reeds. At dusk, we may even spot deer up close in the brush. 

At the Rocky Point Pine Barrens, archaeological evidence point to a minimum 12,000 year-long history of Native American presence in the area. The land that provided resources for hunting, gathering, and shelter now offers miles of hiking and biking trails and horseback riding. Visitors should keep an eye out for historical signage, landmarks and vegetation unique to the undeveloped land, enabling us to appreciate and respect our island’s pre-colonial history. Verdant and sprawling, the Rocky Point Pine Barrens is stimulating and invigorating as much as it is calming. A visit to the pine barrens connects us with those who called this place home long before we arrived.

Further west, Heckscher Park is the site of a former 19th-century estate bought by New York State. Within walking distance of Huntington Village, the park features the Heckscher Museum of Art, pond, walking paths, playground, tennis courts, ball field, public art and memorials in addition to the “Chapin Rainbow Stage” performing arts amphitheater, home of the Huntington Summer Music Festival. Heckscher Park bustles with joy and laughter; an “All-American” gem, a mine for summer-night nostalgia alongside new memories we can enjoy on picnic blankets.

Tracking our unique lineage and culture throughout the island is as important as fighting for what we’ve lost. We can create new memories and revel in small joys at other local treasures as we  wait for the Mill Pond and Stump Pond to recover.

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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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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

It isn’t often that you see a big picture of a toilet on a front page of The New York Times. But there was one on the Business section this past Friday, and it made me smile. The reporters had fallen in love with a bidet made by Toto, much as I had. Only I beat them, for I discovered this marvel when I visited Japan 10 years ago.

So what is a bidet? That was my question when I first saw the wash basin alongside the toilet bowl in a bathroom many years ago. I couldn’t understand why there would be two toilets and was enlightened by some patient soul to the bidet’s function. Although I am a fan of personal hygiene, it seemed like it provided a nice but unnecessary additional chore at the time. 

Just FYI, the word, “bidet” is French for “pony” due to the straddling position adopted in its usage, according to the internet, which also told me that it is considered an indispensable tool in Spain, Italy and Portugal, in addition to France. Also devotees of its use may be found in Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Egypt and Eastern Asia but rarely in sub-Saharan Africa, Australia and North America.

The electronic bidet featured in The NYT is built into the toilet seat, thus taking no extra room and requiring no additional movement on the part of the user. Many different controls make for a pleasant experience. Adjustable water pressure, adjustable temperature, direction of the spray, a heating element for drying the user’s bottom, a night light, a deodorizer, and even a knob for warming the toilet seat are common features. The control panel with these options can sit on the edge of the seat or hang on the wall. Or a wireless remote control may be employed.

The first electronic bidet, as opposed to a wash basin, I saw was in a restaurant in Japan. My travel companions waited a long time outside while I figured out how to use the feature. It was a life-changing moment for me and for them, too, after I re-emerged and told them what I had discovered. I was impressed to find bidets in Japanese department stores, hotels, the airport and in private homes on that trip. 

When I returned home, I called our plumber, explained what I wanted him to install and had to work hard to persuade him that such a product existed. He told me that if he could find it, he would order two: one for me and one for him. I guess it was a life-changing moment for him, too.

“From an environmental standpoint, bidets can reduce the need for toilet paper. Considering that the average person uses only 0.5 liter (1/8 US gallon) of water for cleansing by using a bidet, much less water is used than for manufacturing toilet paper…Scientific American has also reported that if the US switched to using bidets, 15 million trees could be saved every year,” according to the internet.

In 1982, an actress in a pink floral dress drops paint on her hand and tries in vain to wipe it off with toilet paper. She then looks into the camera and asks, “Everyone, if your hands get dirty, you wash them, right?”

She then continues, “It’s the same for your bottom. Bottoms deserve to be washed, too.” This was a commercial, according to The NYT, from Toto for its Washlet, and started the electronic bidet offering. It took decades for the Japanese overwhelmingly to accept the innovation, but they certainly have now. More than 80 percent of Japanese households have them, and, as I discovered, they are found in all sorts of public places.

Now Toto is looking forward to a similar swell in the US market, which measures only 2.5 percent currently. Helped by the COVID-19 pandemic, with its shortage of toilet paper, Washlets here flow on.

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