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Santa comes to town in Port Jeff

by Julianne Mosher - December 2, 2023

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You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, want to know why?

Santa Claus made his way for another year to Port Jefferson last weekend, ringing in holiday cheer and the start of the Christmas season.

Who else joined the parade with the man in red, whose sled was attached to a horse-drawn carriage? Other visitors included business owners and elected officials who took the time to show some spirit with costumes, floats and dancing.

Local Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts dressed in their favorite holiday hats Sunday, Nov. 26, along with Shine Dance Studio and Backstage Studio of Dance who had their students twirl up and down Main Street. Special guests showed up including Disney princesses, Donald Duck and Goofy. The parade was finished with a march of characters from the upcoming Dickens Festival scheduled for next weekend.

“I’m grateful to the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce for giving first responders, business owners, elected officials, Scout troops, community groups and performing artists an opportunity to sync up and help usher in the joy of the holiday season for the young and young-at-heart,” said Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay, who is currently running for New York’s 4th Assembly District. “May the weather be just as cooperative and the spirits just as jolly for the Dickens Festival this coming weekend,” she added.

— Photos by Julianne Mosher

Joyful jamboree in Port Jeff: Santa sparkles at BID’s 2nd annual tree lighting

by TBR Staff - December 2, 2023

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By Michael Scro

Port Jefferson Business Improvement District held its 2nd annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Wednesday, Nov. 22, at the intersection of Broadway and East Broadway, where a crowd of resident families gathered to enjoy live music, dancing and a visit from Santa Claus, who joined in with the tree lighting.

The crowd was treated to dance routines from the Shine Dance Company, based in East Setauket, live holiday music from Erik McCormack, who played the famous tunes on his acoustic guitar, and hot chocolate to keep everyone warm.

The evening culminated in the arrival of Santa Claus, who sat in a large upright chair beside the tree before its official lighting.

Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow led a countdown to the tree’s lighting and thanked everyone in attendance.

“This is a truly special event the village looks forward to every year,” she said.

Santa then greeted the children and handed out candy canes while the tree shined brightly for the rest of the evening.

— Photos by Michael Scro/Media Origin

Obituary: Remembering Barry Warren

by TBR Staff - December 1, 2023

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Prepared by David Warren

Barry L. Warren, age 79, of Port Jefferson, former village attorney, passed away on Friday, Nov. 17.

Barry was born in Brooklyn and grew up in a close-knit, loving and gossipy family with a flair for melodrama that both adored and annoyed him. He was a die-hard New York Yankees fan as a kid and worshiped the dirt that Mickey Mantle kicked up with his cleats.

He was voted “Most Sophisticated” during his senior year of high school and claimed to have been on every other page of his yearbook (unverified as of this writing).

Barry came into his own during his college and law school days at Dickinson College, where he met the closest and longest standing friends he would have in his life. Most importantly, it is where he met his wife of 54 years, Laura, with whom he traveled the world, ate their way through the Zagat’s guide, golfed (she was better), shopped for antiques and spent hours in the garden finding new and innovative ways to kill thousands of innocent plants. He completely adored her.

He practiced law at his namesake firm, Cohen & Warren, for over 40 years, served as president of the Suffolk County Bar Association, was a member of the Ethics Committee, taught classes at Touro Law Center, was a member of the Port Jefferson Royal Educational Foundation, served as village attorney and was a former president of the Port Jefferson Historical Society (sometimes referred to as the Hysterical Society).

He is survived by two children, one brilliant, one good-looking, David (married to Beth) and Abigail (married to David Gutierrez). He was a very much adored grandfather — “Pop” — to two granddaughters, Shelby and Adelaide. He was also the cherished brother of Linda Grodin (late husband Jay) and brother-in-law of Marty VanderLind.

Memorial services were held Nov. 21, at O.B. Davis Funeral Home. Donations may be made in Barry’s memory to the Port Jefferson Historical Society, 115 Prospect Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777.

Port Jeff village board, residents mull over ethics code revamp

by Raymond Janis - November 25, 2023

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IMG_2551 copy — Steven Leventhal, the Village of Port Jefferson’s ethics counsel, presents proposed ethics code changes during a public hearing Monday night, Nov. 20. Photo by Raymond Janis

Discussions centered around ethics at Village Hall Monday night, Nov. 20.

The Port Jefferson Board of Trustees held a public hearing to consider repealing and replacing Chapter 41 of the Village Code, its Code of Ethics. This ethics code was first adopted by the village board in 1970, according to ecode360, and has seen few amendments since.

Steven Leventhal, the village’s ethics counsel, delivered a lengthy presentation detailing the proposed code changes to the board.

“The primary purpose of the ethics program is not enforcement — it’s not rooting out evildoers,” he said. “Our primary goal is offering guidance to the honest officers and employees of the village.”

Leventhal said that the draft proposal before the board is roughly the same code of ethics adopted by various other municipalities across Long Island and New York state, with some minor local variations.

The proposed code includes three principal categories: a code of conduct, disclosure requirements and administration.

The code of conduct would establish standards for officials and employees, offering guidelines for using public office for private gain, types of prohibited contracts, grounds for recusal, conflicts of interest and investments, gifts and favors.

The section on disclosure requirements outlined how village officials must recuse themselves from particular decisions. Applicants in land use, such as before the zoning and planning boards or Building Department, “must disclose at the time of application the identity of any state or municipal officer or employee that has an interest in the applicant,” the ethics counsel noted.

The section also requires disclosure of clients and customers doing business with the village, with some exceptions to protect confidentiality.

The final section would establish a board of ethics to administer the new code. Leventhal said an effective ethics board must convene at least quarterly, maintaining independence from the appointing authority — namely, the Board of Trustees — and an apolitical nature.

Under the proposed code, ethics board members must be village residents appointed to fixed, staggered terms of service. Under the current language, the board would have enforcement powers to fine up to $10,000 for violations.

During the public comment period, resident Arthur Epp scrutinized the $10,000 figure and questioned the board membership process. He asked the Board of Trustees for a 30-day review period to allow for necessary public input.

Responding, Leventhal advised the village board against overdefining membership criteria to the ethics board, given the village’s relatively low population compared to other municipalities.

Resident Xena Ugrinsky inquired about the process for whistleblowers to submit complaints to the ethics board. Leventhal advised that the board would ideally have counsel or a secretary to receive and process such complaints.

Following these comments, the village board agreed to leave the public comment period open for written testimony to the village clerk until Thursday, Dec. 7.

To read the complete draft of the proposed guidelines, visit portjeff.com/proposedethicscode. To watch the entire meeting, including trustee reports and board resolutions, see the video above.

Port Jefferson students plant tulips in village

by Press Release - November 23, 2023

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PJ - Port Jefferson Students Plant Tulips in Village (1) — Students in Earl L. Vandermeulen High School’s AP Environmental Science class and the Environmental Club with teacher Jonathan Maletta, left. Photo courtesy PJSD

Students in Earl L. Vandermeulen High School’s AP Environmental Science class and the Environmental Club took a trip to Rocketship Park in Port Jefferson on Thursday, Nov. 16, as part of a collaborative beautification project between Port Jefferson School District and the Village of Port Jefferson Parks Department.

The district’s athletic director, Adam Sherrard, and the village’s superintendent of parks, Dave Melious, had discussed how Port Jefferson students could give back to the community and promote Port Jefferson pride within the village.

The duo came up with a plan to plant 200 purple and white tulips in front of the basketball courts at Rocketship Park. They were joined by science teacher Jonathan Maletta.

Students in attendance were Olivia Bianco, Anneliese Byrne, Katie Chambers, Eric Chen, Thalia Dorsett, Kyle Erickson, Savannah Florio, Jadie Hernandez, Michael Lipskiy, Madeline Matvya, Noah Mimarbasi, Myeda Nawaz, Gavin Onghai, Alyssa Passarella, Ottilie Philbrick, Brielle Procaccini, Cooper Reale, Mia Savino, Nicholas Smirnov, Carman Stanton, Charlotte Tishim and Julia Weinstein.

American Legion post honors local vets with Veterans Day service

by TBR Staff - November 18, 2023

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By Aramis Khosronejad

American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 recognized Veterans Day on Saturday, Nov. 11, with a ceremony at the Port Jefferson Veterans Memorial Park in front of the harbor.

The ceremony consisted of a speech saluting and memorializing U.S. troops and veterans. Wilson Ritch Post 432 is dedicated to providing “support all around” to service members and veteran families, according to post Cmdr. Bob Masterson. The post was established in 1919 and has provided services for the Long Island veterans and the military community ever since.

Masterson was appointed commander this year, a position he said was a “great honor” for him. Masterson has been a member of Post 432 for 30 years. He was born in the Bronx and joined the military in 1961, serving as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Once he left the Army, he came out to the Long Island area and “did what I could to support the post.”

This Veterans Day service has lasted for five decades, according to Masterson. The ceremony aims to “tell the general public what us veterans have been through,” he said.

The commander also stated how the post aims to “try to enlist as many veterans that are still out there, to get them involved in the American Legion and give them the support they need.” “Whether it’s physical or emotional support or employment support, all they need to do is go to a local post and sign up and build the American Legion and its cause,” he continued.

The Veterans Memorial in Port Jeff represents an ideal place to hold the Veterans Day ceremony because of the “history and tradition” the harbor has, Masterson said.

He went on to explain the services that the Legion provides for Veterans. “We support Stony Brook Veterans Home,” he explained. “For those inside the home, we prepare events for them and have parties for them — support all around.”

Masterson concluded his commemoration by saying, “Give my blessing for all that [veterans] have done for us. It keeps us moving forward.”

Harborfront Park walkways undergo renovation as officials justify asphalt

by Raymond Janis - November 18, 2023

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Due to walkway reconstruction, Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson is currently closed to the public.

In an exclusive interview, Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow offered updates on the park project, outlining the motivations guiding this initiative.

“We wanted to make sure that we could do the whole park with whatever solution we came up with,” she said. “The priority was safety, and then fiscal responsibility was the second responsibility,” leading to the choice of asphalt.

Roger Corcella, project manager for the park, said the preexisting walkways were not adequately maintained, prompting safety concerns from village officials.

He said the walkways were “in desperate need of repair,” noting, “It wasn’t safe to walk anymore, especially if you had any physical issues. It wasn’t [Americans with Disabilities Act]-compliant.”

Corcella added that the village considered various factors before deciding on asphalt for the walkways. He said the village required a material that would be cost-effective, durable, eco-friendly, customizable, ADA-compliant and require minimal maintenance.

He pointed to other municipalities, such as Brookhaven and Babylon, which use asphalt on park surfaces. “This is a very common practice to use this,” he said.

Further defending the choice of material, Corcella noted that asphalt enables Harborfront Park to serve residents as “a 12-month park” due to simple snow removal service.

During the November general meeting of the village board of trustees, former Mayor Margot Garant objected to the use of asphalt over stamped concrete due to environmental and permeability concerns [See story, “Harborfront Park walkways spark debate, former and current Port Jeff officials clash over materials,” Nov. 9, TBR News Media]. Responding to the objections, Sheprow reiterated her public safety concerns.

“We get way too many reports of trips and falls in the community and didn’t want Harborfront Park to be one of those locations,” the mayor said. “Therefore, we had to look at the whole entire park and look at resurfacing the walkways around the entire park.”

“We want to make the park accessible to everybody, and if we put in stamped concrete, we wouldn’t be able to do the whole park,” she added.

To finance the costs associated with the walkway reconstruction project, which totals $248,907, the village board is making use of grants from Suffolk County and the Town of Brookhaven that will subsidize over a third of the overall expense.

“We were looking at $90,000 that would help us pay for this project,” Sheprow said. “Had we not acted immediately, we wouldn’t have received it,” adding, “In order to be eligible for those grants, the understanding was that [the project] would have to be for the entire park. … We needed to be compliant with the requirements of the grants.”

During the interview, Sheprow referred to the practice of “deferred maintenance.” Given the safety concerns identified with the walkways, she concluded that the administration had to act.

“If you don’t address a situation when it first becomes an issue, it becomes an even bigger issue,” she said, adding, “My goal was not to defer the maintenance of the park any longer — to let it become a bigger issue — but to address it immediately.”

Corcella said he aims to complete the walkway reconstruction project by mid-December. To view the village’s full Q&A page on the Harborfront Park project, visit portjeff.com/harborfrontparkconstruction.

After LI championship success, Port Jeff girls volleyball falls in regional final

by Bill Landon - November 17, 2023

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Port Jefferson, fresh off their Long Island championship sweep of East Rockaway two days earlier, looked to build on that momentum in the Southeast Regional final Saturday, Nov. 11, with home court advantage against Section IX winner Millbrook. The Royals hoped to make the trip back to Glens Falls for the NYS Class C championship final. It would have been the second year in a row, but it wasn’t to be as Port Jeff fell to Millbrook 25-23, 25-17, 25-15.

During the season, seniors Olivia Sherman and Erin Henry were the one-two punch for the Royals with Henry charting 13th in the county with 169 kills and Sherman placing 15th with 161 kills, as reported by Newsday. Sherman clocked in at No. 4 in the county with 57 service aces; Thea Mangels, a freshman, was No. 8 with 51; and sophomore McKayla Pollard No. 12 with 48.

The Royals conclude their 2023 campaign with a 17-3 record and will be a force to be reckoned with next season as they lose just three seniors to graduation.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Cousins born just over an hour apart at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jeff

by Daniel Dunaief - November 13, 2023

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stcharlesbrothersistersamedaybirthsgomez — On the left is Viviana Cueva Gomez and Brian Cueva with their son Mattias. On the right is Byron and Anita Gomez with their second son Thiago. Viviana and Byron are siblings. Photo courtesy St. Charles Hospital

It started on Friday, Oct. 13, and concluded with a near photo finish the next day.

Viviana Cueva Gomez, who was getting close to her due date, went to St. Charles Hospital with her husband Bryan at around 7 p.m., when she started to feel discomfort.

The medical staff admitted her to the hospital, where she and Bryan anticipated the delivery of their first child.

Around 3 a.m. on the 14th, Anita Gomez, who is married to Viviana’s brother and was also pregnant, began to experience contractions, which sent her to Port Jefferson-based St. Charles Hospital as well.

At one point during the night, Viviana suspected that her sister-in-law was at the hospital.

Viviana asked the hospital staff if they could confirm that Anita was on the same floor.

The hospital, however, couldn’t give her that information because of confidentiality rules.

At some point during the next day, Viviana’s husband Bryan bumped into his brother-in-law Byron.

“I didn’t know my sister was there,” said Byron. “When I saw Bryan, we were joking” about how their sons were coming on the same day.

Indeed, as that Saturday wore on, Dr. Sarah Karalitzky performed C sections on both women.

Despite coming to the hospital second, Anita won the birth race, delivering her son Thiago at 4:26 p.m., while Viviana gave birth to Mattias soon thereafter, at 5:45 pm.

Separated by just over an hour with their birth times, the cousins were also just over half a pound different in weight: Thiago weighed in at 8 pounds, one ounce, while Mattias was 7 pounds, 10 ounces.

Anita Gomez holds her son Thiago. Photo from Byron Gomez

Big announcements

The extended family work in the same business, towing and fixing cars at S&B Auto Repair in Middle Island.

Viviana recalls the moment her brother shared the big news with their father Secundo at work.

Byron “started to tell my dad,” she said. “Everyone asks him what happened, is someone here [having] a baby?”

The family looked at Anita, who also works at S&B.

“Yes,” Byron said, “but someone else is, too.”

Their father looked at his daughter.

“Viviana, you?” he asked.

When she nodded, he jumped up and clapped for the impending arrival of two grandchildren.

“We didn’t believe we would deliver the same day, but things happen,” Viviana said.

Viviana, 31, and Byron, 29, have two other siblings, neither of whom is married and has children.

In addition to this momentous day, the extended Gomez family, who are originally from Ecuador, is having a memorable year, with a cousin giving birth this past June while another cousin is expecting a child in January.

“My family is growing a lot this year,” said Viviana, who lives in Medford.

Viviana Cueva Gomez and husband Bryan pose with their son Mattias. Photo from Viviana Cueva Gomez

Expectations for the cousins

Byron and Viviana anticipate that the two cousins, who were born one room apart at St. Charles Hospital and who each left the hospital the following Tuesday, Oct. 17, will be close.

“They’re going to be like brothers,” predicted Byron, who lives in Coram.

The two families haven’t yet decided whether they would consider having joint birthday parties for the Libras, whose Zodiac sign is, perhaps fittingly, represented by two equal parts of a scale.

A friend suggested the two cousins “don’t have to share the same day” for future birthday celebrations, said Viviana. Their friend wants to “go to two different parties” to celebrate each of their births.

Newborn Thiago with his older brother Dereck, who is five. Photo from Byron Gomez

A beaming brother

Thiago’s brother Dereck, who just turned five, is already fond of his younger sibling.

“He says he’s going to share TV and toys with him,” said his father Byron. “All the time, he’s kissing him. He really loves him.”

Indeed, Dereck used to play with a friend, but he only wants to be with his younger brother. When Dereck speaks to Thiago, he tells him he loves him and asks his father to translate his newborn brother’s movements and sounds.

“I say that he loves you, too,” said Byron.

Karalitzky, who delivered both babies, said staff members were caught up in the excitement.

An OB-GYN, Karalitzky feels “lucky to be in a field where the vast majority of the time, she’s able to be a part of good news and a happy day” in people’s lives. For the extended family, the shared birthday ensures that people “will always remember your birthday.”

Karalitzky, who has been at St. Charles Hospital for 10 years, should know: she was born on her mother’s birthday.

Her mom “always made it a special day,” Karalitzky said. “Every year, she’d say, ‘This is the best birthday present ever.’”

Harborfront Park walkways spark debate, former and current Port Jeff officials clash over materials

by Raymond Janis - November 11, 2023

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Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson is closed for walkway reconstruction until Jan. 1. Photo by Raymond Janis

Officials from past and current village administrations quarreled Monday evening, Nov. 6, over the ongoing walkway renovation project at Harborfront Park in downtown Port Jefferson.

During the public comment period, former Mayor Margot Garant expressed opposition to the project for its use of asphalt on walkways throughout the park.

“We’re demanding an immediate halt to the project to allow time for a thorough revision of the chosen materials, costs involved and the potential environmental impact,” Garant said. “We also call for a more transparent and inclusive decision-making process that genuinely considers public feedback.”

Village clerk Sylvia Pirillo said the administration had met with an engineer regarding the use of asphalt, referring to asphalt as the “industry standard” for its cost-effectiveness and durability.

“Part of the reason it’s the industry standard is that it’s maintenance-free,” Pirillo said. “And unlike the crushed blue stone,” — the material currently used on the walkways — “it actually is [Americans with Disabilities Act]-compliant, which was a tremendous factor in the decision-making as well as, of course, the cost differential.”

The village clerk pointed to the sanitary benefits of asphalt, noting that “animal feces and other dirt and problematic-type residue do not fall into it and can more easily be washed away.”

Garant referred to the extent of the renovation project as “not necessary” and “harmful to the environmental well-being and engineering design of the park,” saying asphalt contributes to heat retention and impermeability, “particularly problematic given our proximity to the waterfront.”

Public safety

Sergio Möller, community relations officer for Suffolk County Police Department’s 6th Precinct, reported favorable findings during the department’s public safety report, noting that crime was generally down throughout the village.

Following a SCPD survey at Brook Road, however, Möller said that the roadway “has become a problem.”

Code enforcement chief Andy Owen presented promising results from a traffic survey conducted on California Avenue, which found “a majority of people are in compliance,” with 94% of cars surveyed traveling at or below the speed limit.

Owen added that there were no incidents of note occurring during recent village-sponsored events.

To watch the full meeting of the village board, including trustee reports and board resolutions, see the video above.

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