ON VACATION: Leah Dunaief’s column, Between You and Me, will return next week.
Between You and Me: Last Licks of Summer
Home Port Times Record
Editorial: The fight for a Brookhaven district
Every American can learn from what’s going on in Brookhaven.
Congratulations to the its residents who for weeks have turned out to participate in the ongoing redistricting process for the Brookhaven Town Council.
Those on opposite ends of the political spectrum have found common ground, united in resistance to the two draft maps that first appeared on the redistricting committee’s website. During a virtual meeting on Thursday, Aug. 18, the committee demonstrated that it could listen to the public, approving three proposals that return Council Districts 1 and 2 to their current form, notably involving Port Jefferson Station/Terryville and Mount Sinai. Congratulations to the committee for its democratic response.
Despite this progress, residents in Brookhaven must understand that their work is unfinished. Beware of an incoming map that holds together the spirit and intention of the original draft maps while restoring the boundaries of Council Districts 1 and 2. This map, which passed the committee 5-2 on Thursday, has troubling implications.
The prospects of partisan gerrymandering are real for Council District 4. Any attempt to move Ridge into that district will blunt the voting power of historically disenfranchised and underrepresented communities, likely barring these voters from a representative voice on the Town Council for another decade.
Council districts do not operate on an island. We cannot stand by idly while the committee gerrymanders CD4. If the proposed cracking of Port Jeff Station/Terryville was an offense to that community of interest, then the transfer of Ridge into CD4 is a moral affront to the entire process.
The Brookhaven Landfill has been a blemish in the town history since 1974. This historical injustice is reflected by the area’s lowest life expectancy rates on Long Island, revealing the fatal consequences of a lack of political representation.
It is time for the Brookhaven powerbrokers to release their 50-year stranglehold on the people of that area since the landfill was started. With a fair redistricting of CD4, the people there can for once have an equal stake in town government and a champion at Town Hall.
To those who have fought valiantly for their own communities, redirect your energies to CD4. To the civic and business leaders, local organizers and every Brookhaven resident who demands better government, turn your focus to CD4. The people cannot rest until the committee puts forth a map that serves all communities of interest.
To the redistricting committee and the Brookhaven Town Council: Put an end to this long and regrettable chapter of local history. Do not silence the people of that district for another 10 years.
D. None of the Above: Louisiana’s Reggie regales audiences with alligator tails
By Daniel Dunaief
The drive to the Louisiana swamps took over half an hour and was a world away from the incredible jazz, po’ boys and other sites, sounds and tastes of New Orleans.
Once we left the highway, the road curled so dramatically that 15-mile-per-hour speed limit signs seemed unnecessary.
Homes along the way provided a snapshot into the sobering reality of the lives of people who live along the path. The roof of a dilapidated front porch looked like a crushed soda can, blocking the entrance to a house. Across from another home, a white hearse with a rusted roof was parked feet from the intracoastal canal. In a steady drizzle, the driver’s side window remained open.
Once we parked at the Louisiana Tour company’s parking lot, we waited on a small dock, watching a tug boat push an enormous ship about 50 feet from us through floating plants.
Our tour guide and driver Reggie Domangue provided a compelling commentary.
Passing a cemetery along the water’s edge, Reggie described how flood waters pushed a friend’s grandmother above ground twice, forcing his friend to bury his grandmother three times.
Downstream from the cemetery, a fishing boat called Perfect Coup rested on its side, its decaying carcass a testament to the destructive force of an earlier hurricane.
Reggie didn’t let several missing teeth slow him down. Sharing a narrative that mirrored the winding path through the water, he offered a few verbal gems. When talking about edible parts of the alligator, he suggested, “You fry it, we’ll eat it.”
Warning passengers about the dangers in the water, Reggie cautioned some clothing was more problematic than others. “You go swimmin’ out here, you don’t want to wear no white.” Moving slowly along the canal, he pointed out the ubiquitous Spanish moss. Years ago, Reggie said, people stuffed it in their pillows until they realized the dried-out moss was flammable.
Heading toward a highlight of the trip, Reggie described the territorial alligators. Noticeable from the ripples atop the water and its v-shaped wake, a 10-foot alligator approached, as Reggie yelled in French, “ici,” for “here.”
Reggie tossed marshmallows to the alligators. He hand-fed one of the alligators, whose mouth closed so rapidly its teeth snapped. As we coasted slowly through the bayou, alligators swam up to the boat. Two raced toward the same marshmallow. After colliding, the only thing left temporarily unscathed was the floating marshmallow.
Reggie said alligators swim on top of the water at 10 miles per hour and below the water at 15. On land, they can move as quickly as 25, although they can’t make quick turns.
Alligators eat small animals and birds. If they catch deer, they can’t eat them because the meat is too tough. Instead, they trap them under a branch, marinating them for two weeks.
The gender of newborn alligators depends on the temperature of the water. Below 86 degrees, the alligators are female. Above that, they’re male.
Female alligators maintain a territory of half a mile, while males have one-mile territories. A male in search of a mate can travel 10 miles a day.
Louisiana has strict poaching rules. Anyone caught poaching an alligator can receive a mandatory 10 years in prison. “People have done less time for murder,” Reggie said.
If you think Reggie sounds like he’s straight out of central casting, you’re not alone. The writers of Disney’s “Princess and the Frog” movie agreed. According to Reggie, Disney executives came on one of his boat rides and modeled the character Raymond, the firefly who’s also missing teeth, after Reggie.
Disney thanked Reggie in the credits. His passengers, including my wife and me, felt the same way after a memorable journey.
Brookhaven Redistricting Committee meets mapmaker, requests three new draft proposals
The Brookhaven Redistricting Committee met Thursday, Aug. 18, in a virtual meeting with the committee’s mapmaker, David Schaefer.
This meeting marks the first time throughout this process that the eight-member committee has met with the mapmaker. Before speaking with the various committee members, Schaefer gave his rationale for two draft maps that generated significant public interest and opposition.
For Schaefer, political redistricting aims to balance populations across council districts. “Equal population is the reason we’re doing redistricting,” he said. “This is about one person-one vote, and all other criteria are secondary to that.”
Aside from this primary condition, Schaefer said that the New York Municipal Home Rule Law states several additional criteria that factor into the mapmaking process. Among these items are drawing maps that promote political participation of racial or language minorities; contiguity; compactness; unifying communities of interests; and facilitating the efficient administration of elections.
George Hoffman, a Setauket resident and committee member, pressed Schaefer on the two draft proposals that have generated significant public opposition throughout this process. He asked the mapmaker whether he had received any testimony that suggested swapping Mount Sinai and Terryville between Council Districts 1 and 2.
Schaefer said that though he had read through the public testimony to familiarize himself with the issues, those suggestions did not weigh into his drawing of the original maps. He considers the two proposals as rough drafts only.
“I don’t take it upon myself to put any weight on any of the testimony, whether it’s positive or negative,” he said. “I leave that for the commission to do, and I don’t think my draft is one that the commission should accept as anything more than a first draft.” He added, “If there are changes to be made or big issues to consider, those are in the next pass of what I would do.”
Committee member Krystina Sconzo, of Mastic Beach, raised the issue of evaluating election districts versus communities of interest. She said that she would like for the committee to prioritize communities of interest.
Sconzo and Gail Lynch-Bailey, of Middle Island, both reiterated one of the frequent complaints from the public regarding the legibility and accessibility of the draft maps. They both asked for future draft proposals to present as many details as possible.
Schaefer acknowledged the request, indicating that a detailed draft proposal is relatively simple. “I can create individual maps that have every road, most of the street names on those roads, and I can do it very quickly,” he said.
Lynch-Bailey motioned for the mapmaker to produce a map addressing the population imbalances between Council Districts 2 and 6. She said these districts are the only ones falling outside the 5% deviation allowable under town code and, therefore, the only ones requiring change.
“I request a map that addresses just those two districts, and please put back Mount Sinai and Terryville,” she said. The motion passed the committee unanimously.
Co-chair Rabia Aziz, of Coram, cited the considerable public testimony regarding the proposed changes to Council District 4. She said that while the initial draft proposals keep the diverse communities of Gordon Heights and North Bellport within CD4, they dilute the voting power of those areas through the incorporation of Ridge into CD4.
“If you dilute the ability of people of color to be able to elect someone that has their community of interest at heart, then I think that is not in concert with what the community would want,” she said. “It should be a council district of least change.”
Aziz moved to send all of the public map submissions to Schaefer and have him produce a map that loosely follows the boundaries set forth by the Logan Mazer map. Aziz’s resolution passed the committee unanimously. For more on the Mazer map, see the TBR News Media story, “Residents, elected officials fight to keep PJS/Terryville intact” (Aug. 11).
Ali Nazir, of Lake Grove, made the final motion of the evening. He asked to produce a map that follows the boundaries of Proposal 2, currently on the website, but restores Port Jeff Station/Terryville and Mount Sinai. Nazir’s resolution passed the commission 5-2, with Hoffman and Aziz voting “no.”
Members of the committee agreed to give Schaefer at least a week to prepare the three draft maps requested during this meeting. The committee decided to reconvene in the first week of September to mull over the new maps. To watch the entire meeting (starting at 4:21:50), click here.
Nick LaLota wins GOP nomination for CD NY-01
After a contentious primary contest for New York’s 1st Congressional District, Nick LaLota won the Republican nomination on Tuesday, Aug. 23.
LaLota, chief of staff to presiding officer of the Suffolk County Legislature, Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), has also served as a commissioner on the Suffolk County Board of Elections and a trustee of Amityville Village. He will face Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac) in November in a race to fill the seat of U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY-01), who is running for governor.
With over 95% of precincts reporting as of 9 a.m. Aug. 24, LaLota received just over 47% of the total vote count. Responding to the election result, LaLota put out a statement on social media.
“Thank you, the voters of Suffolk County, for placing your trust in me,” he said. “Tonight, we celebrate a primary win against $3 million in outside special interests. Tomorrow, we fight for our community and country against a liberal rubber stamp for [the] Biden-Pelosi agenda.” He added, “Together, we’ll stand up for hardworking Long Island families, hit so hard by their tax-and-spend agenda, and always put #LongIslandFirst.”
Although he received the endorsements of the Suffolk GOP and the Suffolk County Conservative Party, LaLota faced two primary challengers before receiving his party’s nomination.
Michelle Bond, chief executive officer of a cryptocurrency trade organization, and Anthony Figliola, a former Brookhaven Town deputy supervisor, received roughly 28% and 25% of the vote, respectively. Neither candidate could not be reached for comment for this story.
Following the primary election result, the Fleming campaign also put out a statement. The Democratic nominee condemned LaLota for running on what she considers an extremist platform, arguing that his views are detrimental to the political process.
“Nick LaLota wants to govern from the extremes,” she said in a press release. “He has proven time and time again that he doesn’t know what’s right for our district. From trying to defund the police, to weakening gun safety laws, to disenfranchising Suffolk County voters and supporting efforts to strip women of their fundamental freedoms, LaLota is only committed to exploiting division and advancing his own dangerous agenda.”
Voters will have the final say on Tuesday, Nov. 8, when LaLota and Fleming face off in a general election showdown.
Opa! Greek Festival heads to Port Jefferson
By Heidi Sutton
Lovers of all things Greek will gather at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Port Jefferson this week when the church presents its annual Greek Festival on Thursday, Aug. 25 from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday, Aug. 26 from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 28 from noon to 10 p.m.
Held rain or shine, the fun event will feature carnival rides, games, a variety of vendors, fireworks, church tours, live Greek music by Asteri Entertainment, dancing and of course, culinary delights.
Authentic mouth-watering foods such as gyros, tiropita (cheese pie), moussaka, souvlaki, and spanakopita (spinach pie) will be served up, along with sweet desserts such as galaktoboureko, koulourakia, baklava and loukoumades, a fried dough pastry favorite.
One of the main attractions at the festival is the over-the-top sweepstakes that the church holds. This year 170 prizes will be awarded from cars — a 2023 Mercedes Benz A-Class is first prize — to a boat, Apple Watch, iPad, cash, Smart TV and more. Tickets for the sweepstakes are $100 each and limited to 3,999 tickets. The drawing will be held on Aug. 28 at 8 p.m.
The event is also an opportunity to see traditional Greek dance performances by the Blue Point Hellenic Dancers on Saturday and the Greek School Dancers on Sunday.
Fireworks will be held on Friday and Saturday nights at 9:30 p.m., weather permitting. Free shuttle buses will pick up attendees from Ward Melville High School, 380 Old Town Road, East Setauket to transport them to festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. Parking is also available at BASF Corporation across the street from the church. Tickets are $2 per person; children under 12 can attend for free.
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption is located at 430 Sheep Pasture Road in Port Jefferson. For more information, call the church office at 631-473-0894 or visit www.portjeffgreekfest.com.
TBR News Media Police Blotter for issue of Aug. 18, 2022
The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:
Centereach
■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported that a known male shoplifter allegedly stole two Splatterball toy guns valued at $192 and a Magma hoverboard worth $144.
■ CVS on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported two shoplifters on Aug. 9. A man and a woman allegedly loaded a shopping cart with Tide detergent, diapers and paper towels before fleeing the store. The items were valued at approximately $300.
■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach called the police on Aug. 12 to report that a man allegedly stole $563 worth of assorted groceries along with a Roku Express valued at $145.
Commack
■ A resident on Wheatfield Lane in Commack reported that someone broke the window of his vehicle parked in his driveway and stole a wallet on Aug. 13. On the same day a resident on the same street reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle and removed items and credit cards.
■ Scam alert! A woman loading groceries in her car in the parking lot of Costco Wholesale on Garet Place in Commack on Aug. 10 reported that she was approached by two men asking for directions and later realized her wallet had been stolen from her pocketbook.
■ Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported a shoplifter on Aug. 8. A man allegedly stole three Razor scooters valued at $135 each.
■ Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported that a man entered the store on Aug. 11, selected JBL earbuds, Heyday headphones and Tide Pods. He then picked out a backpack to conceal the items and allegedly walked out of the store without paying. The items were valued at approximately $240.
■ North Shore Paving on Townline Road in Commack reported that an unknown man stole a 2000 Ford F350 from the property on Aug. 12. The vehicle, valued at $12,000, had been left unlocked with the keys inside.
East Setauket
■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket reported two shoplifters on Aug. 11. Two women allegedly stole cleaning supplies, jewelry and clothing valued around $300.
Greenlawn
■ Greenlawn Fine Wines and Liquor on Broadway in Greenlawn reported two shoplifters on Aug. 12. A man and a woman allegedly stole five various bottles of liquor totally $854.
Hauppauge
■ A catalytic converter was stolen from a 2006 Honda Accord parked in the driveway of a residence on Helen Avenue in Hauppauge on Aug. 11. The part was valued at $800.
Lake Grove
■ Macy’s at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported a petit larceny on Aug. 13. A man and a woman allegedly stole miscellaneous clothing items worth approximately $930.
Melville
■ A guest checking out of the Melville Marriot Long Island on Walt Whitman Road in Melville on Aug. 10 discovered that all four tires and rims had been stolen from his 2019 BMW X2. The vehicle was found sitting on two cobblestone blocks.
Port Jefferson Station
■ A resident on Jayne Blvd. in Port Jefferson Station reported that someone entered her vehicle on Aug. 8 and stole cash, a cellphone, license and credit cards.
■ A vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence on Joline Road in Port Jefferson Station was broken into on Aug. 8. Two wallets containing driver’s licenses were stolen.
■ Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station reported that a man allegedly filled a shopping cart with $250 worth of assorted beer and fled the store without paying on Aug. 12.
Rocky Point
■ A resident on University Drive in Rocky Point reported that his car was broken into on Aug. 9. Assorted tools, karate apparel, headphones and cash were stolen.
■ Over 50 bags of used clothing were stolen from the PAL clothing donation bin in the Stop & Shop parking lot on Route 25A in Rocky Point on Aug. 2. The items were estimated to be worth $900.
■ A resident on Magnolia Drive in Rocky Point reported that someone entered his vehicle on Aug. 9 and stole power tools, hand tools and backpack.
St. James
■ Bruno’s Garage on Middle Country Road in St. James called the police on Aug. 10 to report that someone had stolen catalytic converters from two cars parked in the lot.
■ A resident on Washington Avenue in St. James reported that a catalytic converter was stolen from his 2006 Honda Accord on Aug. 10. Three men were seen exiting a silver Mercedes sedan, lifting the vehicle with a car jack and cutting the converter out before fleeing.
■ A resident on Alo Court in St. James reported that someone entered his backyard on Aug. 12 and stole a Dolphin Premier robotic pool cleaner. The equipment was valued at $800.
Selden
■ Rite Aid on Middle Country Road in Selden reported two shoplifters on Aug. 9. A man and a woman allegedly loaded a shopping cart with paper towels, diapers and baby formula valued at approximately $300 before fleeing the store.
■ Two motorcycles, a Suzuki DR200 and a KTM Duke 200, were stolen from a parking lot at Suffolk County Community College on College Road in Selden on Aug. 7.
Setauket
■ A woman dining at Mario’s Restaurant on Route 25A in Setauket on Aug. 12 discovered that someone had removed a cellphone, wallet and phone charger from her vehicle.
Smithtown
■ A purple 2016 Dodge Charger SRT 392 was stolen from the driveway of a residence on Nissequogue River Road in Smithtown on Aug. 12. The spare keys had been left inside the vehicle which was valued at $60,000.
■ A muffler was damaged and a catalytic converter was stolen from a 2008 Honda Element parked in the street in front of a residence on Blydenburg Avenue and a catalytic converter was reported stolen from a 2008 Honda Element parked in the driveway of a residence on Estate Road in Smithtown on Aug. 11.
■ A resident on Brook Court in Smithtown reported that a catalytic converter was stolen from his 2005 Honda Accord and a catalytic converter was stolen from a 2002 Honda Accord parked on New Mill Road in Smithtown on Aug. 12.
Sound Beach
■ Catalytic converters were stolen from a 2001 Honda Accord on Mahogany Road, a 2001 Honda Accord on Rock Hall Lane and a 2002 Honda Accord on Soundway Drive in Sound Beach on Aug. 7.
■ Catalytic converters were stolen from a 2004 Acura TSX parked on Mitchell Drive and a 2005 Honda Accord parked in the driveway of a residence on Sound Beach Blvd. in Sound Beach on Aug. 8.
Stony Brook
■ A resident on Sanford Lane in Stony Brook reported that someone entered his unlocked car on Aug. 9 and stole a wallet from the center console.
■ A 2021 Toyota Corolla was reported stolen from the driveway of a residence on Sheppard Lane in Stony Brook on Aug. 8. The owner was not sure if the car, which was valued at $15,000, had been locked.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON
Port Jeff Village board tackles parking, public space and a possible acquisition
The Port Jefferson Village Board of Trustees held a public meeting on Monday, Aug. 15, to explore various issues related to parking, public spaces and upcoming programs.
Parking
Kevin Wood, the parking and mobility administrator, gave an hour-long presentation to the board on the state of parking in Port Jefferson. Wood was delighted to report that the addition of 25 parking spaces on Barnum Avenue has increased the village’s parking capacity for the first time in decades.
“By building that Barnum parking lot and dedicating those 25 spaces, we came up about 8% on managed parking,” he said.
Despite added capacity, conflict over space persists. Wood reported a recent physical altercation over a parking space, which he considered informative in seeing “how people value parking so much.”
Wood said his department has implemented new technologies to alleviate competition over spots. Today, over 70% of metered parking is done digitally using cellphones. Currently, the village uses 11 meters with over 100 QR-code touchpoints for its metered parking.
“If somebody actually wants to use a meter, they still can, but we keep pushing the pay-by-cell,” Wood said, adding that digitally metered parking has generated revenue for the village and has facilitated the payment process.
With regards to public safety, Wood reported that there are now security cameras covering all parking lots in the village 24/7. He also discussed the possibility of further modernization of parking through automatic license plate reading, which he considers a more efficient way to handle parking.
Wood believes that as the activities at the Village Center expand, there will be a greater need to direct out-of-town visitors on how to find parking options.
“I can’t create parking spaces where they don’t exist, but I really feel that … we should have a dedicated person just to help part time to be out on the street by the Village Center when there’s an event,” he said.
Trustee reports
Mayor Margot Garant reported that the board has entered into deliberations with members of the Masonic Lodge located on Main Street to potentially acquire that property. The Freemasons are interested in deeding the property to the village, according to the mayor.
Motivating this transfer of the property is the Freemasons’ desire to preserve the historic character of the building and to promote community-minded use of the facilities there, she added. For these reasons, Garant advocated converting the lodge into a theatrical education studio used almost exclusively for those purposes.
Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden, the trustee liaison to the planning department, reported that during a recent meeting of the Port Jeff Planning Board, some members expressed concerns over plans for the Six Acre Park. Relaying the comments of the members in attendance, Snaden said: “They’re looking for, in a nutshell, more of an active-type park. They’re concerned about the density of the apartments uptown, how many more bodies are up there and the need for active space.”
Responding to these comments, Garant said that a grant search has already been conducted and that one grant under consideration “would be perfect” for moving forward “with the plan as we have adopted for the Six Acre Park.”
“Put it in a memo or make it part of some other formal presentation to us because the Board of Trustees has adopted the vision presented and I think we’re pretty firm on that,” the mayor advised the Planning Board.
Snaden and trustee Rebecca Kassay both reported their coordinated beautification efforts through the replacement of dead and dying street trees villagewide.
“I walked around and made maps of where all the dead or dying trees are,” Kassay said. “We had a great meeting about the next steps … looking at which native trees might provide color and blossom and things like this.”
Kassay also reported that there will be a free public program for the Beach Street Community Garden on Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 6:30 p.m.
Trustee Lauren Sheprow reported the progress made toward the new Recreation and Parks Committee. A draft charter for the committee is currently in the works, and Sheprow has already received recommendations for volunteers and is hoping for more in the near future.
The Board of Trustees will reconvene Tuesday, Sept. 6, for a public meeting at 5 p.m. at Village Hall.
Spotlight on Business: Toast Coffeehouse heads to Port Jeff Station
By Aidan Johnson
After 20 years of residing at 242 E. Main St., Port Jefferson, Toast Coffeehouse has relocated to Port Jefferson Station. Formerly Mr. P’s Southern Skillet, the new location at 650 Route 112 provides a significantly bigger space.
“As we’ve expanded into other locations, our model has changed, and we were struggling in the smaller spot,” Terry Scarlatos, the owner of Toast, explained.
The Port Jeff location, which was the first venue that Scarlatos ever opened, originally had less than 10 employees, along with family members who helped out. “It was very much a family business with my brother, my wife and my mother,” he said. “I think we had seven employees in addition, and now we have over 160.”
Moving into the new location was no easy feat. The space had housed many restaurants through the years, and each added something new. Scarlatos ended up bringing it back down to the bare walls and studs, replacing nearly everything.
“It started out looking like it was not going to be much, but as we dug a little bit deeper we realized there was a lot of neglect,” he said.
While the grand opening of the new location was held Wednesday, Aug. 17, there was a soft opening the day prior, supplying family and invited guests with free food and allowing the staff to get into the groove of working at the new location. “So far I feel like we have been well received. We’ve got a lot of positive feedback,” Scarlatos said.
While many are excited for Toast’s new location, some people have been left feeling blue by the departure from the old spot. “A lot of people in the village are heartbroken, as I am,” Scarlatos said. “It was not an easy decision to move, being that Port Jefferson and the village have been so great to me over the years.”
Operations manager Melissa Reinheimer shared the bittersweet feeling surrounding the move, as there were 20 years of memories baked into the walls of the Lower Port restaurant. However, the new location offers a fresh aesthetic, bringing elements of a rustic farmhouse rather than a coffee shop.
“It’s super exciting,” Reinheimer said. “There’s a lot of unique touches and historical pieces peppered throughout that I’ve had the privilege of going and finding and sourcing in the Northeast, so it’s nice to have little pieces of America spread out.”
As friends and family chowed down, everyone seemed in high spirits. Kelly Black, one of the people in attendance, enjoyed cookie dough pancakes, along with a garden gourmet egg skillet.
“The food is even better when you thought it couldn’t get better,” Black said. “It’s amazing and more comfortable. The decorations are gorgeous, but it still has that cozy feel.”
Even though Toast Coffeehouse may be leaving its original location, Scarlatos is not. He is currently working on opening a new nighttime experience in the Port Jefferson location, which he plans to make into the perfect date spot. He expects this venture to open within five to six weeks.
Editorial: Let liberty lead
As citizens of a free nation, we have the right to make our voices heard at the ballot box.
This coming Tuesday, Aug. 23, we will cast our votes for congressional and state senatorial primary elections. But democracy doesn’t end when we leave the polling place. In fact, that is only where
it starts.
Kyle Horne:
kylehorneart.com
@kylehorneart
Recently, TBR News Media has witnessed a flurry of popular energy within our coverage area. Look no further than Port Jefferson Station/Terryville to learn what democracy looks like while in motion.
Since the inception of councilmanic districts in the Town of Brookhaven in 2002, Port Jefferson Station/Terryville has fallen within Council District 1. However, two maps on the Brookhaven Redistricting Committee’s website propose dividing that community across separate council districts.
For three weeks running, the people of the united hamlet of Port Jefferson Station/Terryville have turned out in numbers, eager to keep their community intact under a single council district. In the face of uncertainty, the Greater Comsewogue community has stood up to power, spoken out and may make a difference.
While the redistricting process remains ongoing, Port Jefferson Station/Terryville has illustrated the power of a united public. Through their mobilized efforts, the people have demonstrated what democracy can and
should be.
Politicians are in office to carry out the will of the people. When they defy the popular will in favor of their own agendas, it is the right and obligation of the people to correct course.
Though democracy may die in darkness, it shines brightest when ordinary citizens light the way. In their moment of history, the people of Port Jefferson Station/Terryville remind us that there is no greater force in nature than a united people.
Communities across Long Island should learn from this example. Through their actions, we uncover the formula for positive change in our own communities. If we all take a page out of their playbook, then there is no end to what we can achieve together. The redistricting commission and Town Board should take careful note of the wishes of We the People.
Prev
