Port Times Record

Photo by Kimberly Brown

By Kimberly Brown

Town of Brookhaven residents gathered on Tuesday morning to honor Glen “Doc” Moody Jr., an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who passed away April 8, 2020 at just 39 years old.

The town renamed Groveland Park Boulevard and 7th Street in Sound Beach after the heroic Marine. 

The Moody family embraced each other as the street sign — which read “HM2 Glen ‘Doc’ Moody” — was revealed to the community. They were also presented with a proclamation by Councilwoman, Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) stating May 25 will be declared as “Glen ‘Doc’ Moody Day” in the Town of Brookhaven. 

The new sign is located adjacent to the Moody household.

“Growing up, Glen was really into GI Joes and guns,” said Glen’s brother George Moody. “So, there’s a lot of memories growing up in this home with him.”

Photo by Kimberly Brown

Joined by Navy personnel, veterans, police officers and firefighters, Moody was largely recognized by fellow war heroes and the community for the sacrifices he had made for his country.

After serving as an FMF Corpsman with the United States Marines for six years, Moody, of Miller Place, returned home unaware he was about to face one of his toughest battles yet, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Although Moody suffered from his disorder, Moody’s family highlighted the positive influence he created by being an active member of the community. 

“He started working with the Lt. Michael Murphy Sea Cadets. He would dress in fatigues and pack up all his equipment,” George said. “Something about it just lit him up to get out there and help these kids, teach them what he knows, and instill confidence and pride in them.” 

In efforts to aid Moody with his disorder, his family reached out to the Patriotic Service Dog Foundation in California, which trains service dogs for veterans and first responders. With the support of the community, the Moody family was able to fundraise for a service dog named Independence.

Moody had also been involved with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and led the Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Team.  

“This is what Glen always wanted to do, to help others and back our country up. That’s really what he was all about,” George added.

Bonner said the late veteran was a tremendous advocate in speaking about PTSD. 

“Even though Glen is gone from this Earth, his legacy and advocacy continue to live on and bring awareness and help to those suffering with PTSD,” she said. 

TBR News Media talked to Moody in 2015 about a fundraiser he hosted at Napper Tandy’s in Miller Place. The event was aimed to raise PTSD awareness and raise money to help veterans afford and obtain a PTSD service dog. 

“I’m not the only guy [suffering] — I know I’m not,” Moody said at the time. “When I talk to veterans, they say the same thing. We need more awareness and that’s what I’m doing.”

Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section
officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly vandalized a car
in Port Jefferson Village last year.

A man slashed two tires on a 2014 white Acura parked on Mariners Way on December 2,
2020 at approximately 10 p.m.

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, utilizing a mobile app
which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or
online at www.P3Tips.com.

All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.

Photo from Melyssa Cornell

Longtime Belle Terre resident Joanne Wright Cornell passed away on May 16 at 80 years old. 

Born on Jan. 31, 1941, in Staten Island, she leaves behind a vibrant legacy in the Port Jefferson community after decades of service.

Starting off as a model in Manhattan and working on Wall Street with stock and bond traders, she moved to Long Island in the early 1970s where she entered the world of real estate. 

“Her emotional intelligence was incredible,” said her daughter, Melyssa Cornell.

Joanne formed a lifelong friendship and business partnership with Eileen Petsco, together forming Cornell/Petsco Real Estate. The duo started their firm in a modest small office space, eventually growing into a larger building on East Main Street that lasted almost four decades. 

“Joanne was a perfect partner,” Petsco said. “In 37 years, we never had a serious argument. She was a tireless worker and a valued friend.” 

Their friendship lasted long after their firm shutdown. 

Photo from Melyssa Cornell

“A few years ago, we were kidding around about what epitaph we wanted on our gravestones,” Petsco added. “We settled on this for Joanne: ‘My candle burns at both ends, it shall not last the night, but oh my friends and oh my foe, how brilliant was the light.’ The world will be a dimmer place without Joanne to light the path. She will be deeply missed.” 

While building up her real estate business, Joanne was also a single mother who worked hard to create a successful life and business, and gave back to her community in a multitude of ways.

“The early 1970s wasn’t the easiest time for a woman to launch a business,” Melyssa said, “But she and Eileen did an incredible job creating an extremely successful company.”

Joanne was vice president and then president of the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, and president of the Belle Terre Community Association. She supported a multitude of the area’s charities and civic functions.  

Along with her other hats, Joanne was a founding member of the Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, and chaired the ladies day golf outings at the country club for many years.  

She immersed herself in community pride chairing the Fourth of July committee and was known as the Easter Bunny and Mrs. Claus for years in the parades.  

“She made the community a better place because of the professional and civic leadership she demonstrated over the years,” Melyssa said. “Her legacy is extraordinary — she lived life to the fullest with an incredible zest for life, a mischievous twinkle in her eye and her dancing shoes on. She was always the life of the party, the first on the dance floor and the last one off — life to her was not a dress rehearsal.”

Melyssa added that her mother should be remembered for her strength, fierce loyalty, honesty and that she welcomed all. She was a true friend to everyone — and still had so many lifelong friendships going back to elementary school.

“Joanne Cornell was a professional, a dedicated member of her community, a warm, welcoming and generous friend and a gracious hostess on all occasions,” said Denise Adler, one of Joanne’s closest friends. “She believed in making life more joyful for all those she touched.”

Melyssa said that her mother “knew how to make a moment last and always believed that the best of times is now. … She did what she said she would do — always.”

She is remembered by TBR News Media publisher, Leah Dunaief for her sense of community and service. 

Photo from Melyssa Cornell

“Joanne had a great sense of fun even as she was very good at her job,” she said. “I enjoyed working with her on the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, where she gave many hours on behalf of helping the business community and the village. She and Eileen Petsco were a dynamic duo, personifying successful business executives at a time when not many women were in business. They were the founders of Cornell/Petsco Real Estate, and their race horse weather vane was a frequently seen icon.”

Joanne leaves behind her daughter Melyssa, and a grandson, Ryan Cornell Thorpe, 17, who both live in Virginia. She is survived by her sisters Leslie Ellerbrook and Judy Repage, both of New Jersey.

“We found fun and laughter in every adventure,” Melyssa said. “We loved Broadway, and, to her, life was a cabaret. My mom made every moment special. When I was super young, and she was working hard to make it in real estate, we didn’t have much money, but we would always sit down and have dinner by candlelight — usually Chunky soup. She didn’t wait for the special moments to happen — she created them.”               

A Celebration of Life will be held in honor of Joanne at The Country House in Stony Brook on June 30 from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. 

“A life so beautiful deserves a special celebration and we welcome anyone who would like to come and share in the memories, the love and the laughter of her life that was lived to the fullest with us,” Melyssa said.

Port Jefferson Village Hall. File photo by Heidi Sutton

Port Jefferson Village residents have the opportunity to vote on Tuesday, June 15, from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. at the Village Center, located at 101 E. Broadway. Two village trustee positions will be accounted for, as well as the mayor’s position.

On the ballot are five residents: incumbents Mayor Margot Garant, trustees Kathianne Snaden and Stan Loucks; newcomer Barbara Ransome will be up against Garant, with running-mate Suzanne Velazquez vying for trustee. 

Alliance for All

Suzanne Velazquez, who’s running for trustee, and Barbara Ransome, vying for the mayor spot.
Photos by Julianne Mosher

While new on the ballot, Ransome and Velazquez aren’t new to the area. Running under the Alliance for All party, the duo believes new leadership is needed.

As a member of the Port Jefferson community for 37 years, Ransome previously held trustee and deputy mayor positions under former Mayor Jeanne Garant. She said she decided to run because she believes there needs to be change.

“We have had an administration now that’s been in for six terms, and it’s long enough,” Ransome said. “We feel that there is sometimes a level of complacency that can happen when you have someone in for too long of a time. So, we feel that we could bring fresh eyes, and new perspectives.”

Ransome was in village government from 1995 to 2008. She was owner of a flower shop in East Main Street for 13 years, and now owns and operates a bed and breakfast, The Ransome Inn.

For the last decade, she has held the title of director of operations for the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. 

“What I bring to the table is not only my commitment of service over self, but my experience,” she said. “I’ve never wavered in my experience and working with the village.”

She added that there is an “atmosphere in the village, that there is privilege with certain situations, and we just want to be able to evaluate and reassess the operational departments in the village to make some positive changes.”

Ransome said that since beginning her professional career in the village in the early ’90s, there are still problems people are complaining about. 

“So, I believe when we’re elected, we can kind of go through some of this and explore why these things haven’t been done differently, or better,” she said.

One of Ransome’s biggest criticisms is of village code enforcement. 

“I think we can be a lot better with our ambassadors, that the code enforcement officers should be stronger ambassadors,” she said. “There should be a stronger presence. In the morning, when the bars are let out, where we have a lot of mischievous activities, we shouldn’t have to tell our code people to be more visible, they should be more visible. They shouldn’t have to be directed to see things if they’re so well trained.”

If elected, Ransome would leave the chamber to be a “full-time” mayor.

“I certainly feel I have the energy to take on this position,” she said. “I am in a very unique and good position where I can do this.”

As part of the Alliance for All campaign, Ransome and Velazquez created flyers in three languages prominent in the village — English, Spanish and Chinese. 

“We got a very positive response, people are looking for change,” Ransome said. “I think it’s past due. I just felt now that this is my time, and I didn’t want to wait another two more years.”

A horticulturist by trade, she said her running is like a winning plant which grew in great conditions.

“In the realm of that industry, there are things that are there are plants that are called proven winners,” she said. “That’s why I’m a proven winner. You can plant me, and I grow really well. This plant does very well in this in this area.”

Velazquez is a clinical associate professor at Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare, an administrator and village business owner. A mom of a senior in the Port Jefferson School District, she said she was raised by the mantra: “Service to humanity is the greatest work of life.”

“I’ve always been invested in community service and public service,” she said. 

 She said her skills in social work make her a great candidate for the ballot. 

“That’s where I’m bringing the experience of skills to help improve the health of our community,” she said. “Looking at how can we improve, how can we move forward, and continue to move forward and make positive changes for everybody.”

Velazquez is a former president of the chamber, a member of the Port Jefferson Historical Society, a member of the PTA and is involved with the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. 

A child from a military family, she said she moved around a lot growing up. But when she married her husband, they knew Port Jefferson was where they wanted to stay. 

“Port Jefferson is really where I’ve laid my roots,” she said. “Because I’ve been here for the longest I have ever been in one place in my whole life.”

Velazquez said listening to people, building relationships and engaging in the community are skills that she uses in her daily life that can be used in problem-solving crisis situations in local government. 

“I’m lending my ear and my voice right to the residents,” she said. “If they’re going to entrust me with the village, you have a professional ear and voice.”

Velazquez, if elected, wants to dedicate her platform to the “three e’s”: economic health, emotional and physical health, and environmental health. 

The village should be fiscally responsible in strengthening Port Jeff as a place of opportunity and prosperity for all members, residents and businesses; improve public safety; foster a sense of belonging and inclusion of all voices; create recreation opportunities and quality of life programs; and protect and enhance natural resources — redevelop resources to better serve the needs of its community members. 

The Unity Party

Above: Trustee Kathianne Snaden, Mayor Margot Garant and Trustee Stan Loucks, incumbents.
Photo by Julianne Mosher

Incumbent Mayor Margot Garant would be heading into her seventh term if reelected. She said that having someone take over right now wouldn’t make sense because there would be a lot they need to catch up on.

“It would take somebody new literally two years just to catch up,” she said. 

Mayor for 12 years, she said that the projects she has helped with do not happen overnight.  And while the Alliance for All party demands change, Garant said the Unity Party is the change. 

“There’s a lot on the horizon. In my opinion, the consistency or the continuity is really important because these are not small issues,” she said. 

Projects like the Ørsted wind power, National Grid and LIPA, and the electrification of the LIRR and Upper Port’s revitalization have been decades in the making. 

“That doesn’t happen overnight — that’s 12 years of being in front of them,” she said. “It’s our job to listen. I think we do a great job. We don’t always agree with you, but we will never ostracize you. We will always try and bring your viewpoint to the table and incorporate it as best we can.”

Garant said she chose to run again because she felt it was important to continue getting the village through the pandemic. 

“The executive team that we have in place is exceptional,” she said. “People should be really proud of what we have here, we have something very special. I’m committed to keeping everything moving forward to large projects.” 

Garant said the last time a Garant — her mother and former mayor Jeanne — left office, the village’s taxes went up 70%. And with over a decade under her belt, the daughter doesn’t want to leave anytime soon.

“We have a lot going on here, and I love what I do,” she said. “And I want to just keep on doing it.”

Trustee Kathianne Snaden moved to the village 16 years ago and became involved with the local government because she wanted answers to a problem she saw in the school district. She began attending every board meeting she could get to, work sessions and joined the parking committee. She studied the village inside and out. 

She ran and won her current trustee position in 2019, but COVID-19 happened right in the middle of her term. Snaden decided to run again to continue the work she is proud to have accomplished and continue moving forward. 

“I’ve made great strides with public safety and the relationship with the Suffolk County Police Department, and went through a year of a pandemic,” she said. “So, I’ve really only had one year in to actually be able to do things in a normal way. I’m not done. I want to continue to improve and learn.”

As liaison to public safety, parking committee and zombie house task force, she thinks that the last two years have been successful. 

“I am proud of the work that I’ve done addressing the public safety issues. We see fast results because of the team that we have in place,” she said. 

Snaden said that when calls were coming in about troublesome zombie homes in the village, she immersed herself into the situation, visited the spaces, took notes and took action. She worked with Pax Christi Hospitality Center when homelessness was a problem near the train station.  

“I want to continue doing that to be the voice, to be an open line of communication with the residents and the school district for public safety purposes and for the families,” she said. 

With Snaden’s public safety initiatives, including the “See Something, Say Something” campaign, the crime rate in the village has remained low.

“We have a vibrant business community, which brings people from all over from all walks of life, and all behavior statuses,” she said. 

Snaden also helped implement code officers on bike patrol, a walking code ambassador dedicated solely to Main Street and a “whiskey tour” of officers at night.

“I think that’s a huge accomplishment on the part of code and public safety,” she said. “And I’m proud of that.”

Trustee Stanley Loucks has been a resident of Port Jefferson for 41 years. For 23 of those years, he worked in the village one way or another. 

With the country club, for four years he served on the tennis board, five on the board of governors and eight on the management advisory committee. The last six years, he has served as village trustee and is currently deputy mayor. 

Retired after decades in education, he has devoted his life now to serving his community in the village and as liaison to the country club and parks department.  

“I’m proud of my accomplishments up at the country club,” he said. “ I introduced the bond to build a new maintenance facility up at the country club, we put in a new irrigation system, we created a new fitness center, renovated the locker rooms, increased our membership twofold. Over the years, I just want to continue to improve. I’ve got ideas about going forward with pickleball up at the country club and many more ideas to come down the road.”

He said that changing the current administration now could halt these plans, especially after having successful programs down at the Village Center. 

“We don’t run a single recreation program that’s not filled with a waiting list,” he said. “We use every facility we could possibly use — our beach camp programs are stuffed, our tennis programs, golf programs are up.”

An earlier mayoral candidate, Melissa Paulson, a small-business owner, has recently dropped out of the race and said she supports the mayor’s Unity Party now.

There will be a meet-the-candidates night on Tuesday, June 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the Village Center. 

The print version of this story said Suzanne Velazquez is a clinical assistant professor at Stony Brook, but she is a clinical associate professor. This article has been updated. 

Photo by Julianne Mosher

Members from the Town of Brookhaven, the Setauket Harbor Task Force and other environmental groups headed out on two boats last week to harvest a potentially new aquatic crop — sugar kelp.

On Thursday, May 20, after a several-months-long process of preparing, planting and harvesting, volunteers joined Brookhaven bay constables out of Port Jefferson Harbor to head slightly west in retrieving the brown native seaweed that was brought to two labs for study. 

The project was spearheaded by nonprofit The Moore Family Charitable Foundation — a community involvement group that helps with projects throughout Long Island and the five boroughs.

“Our main goal for this year is to spread the word about kelp and where it grows, the conditions it needs, how to process it and how it can benefit growers on Long Island,” Wendy Moore, benefactor and manager of the sugar kelp project, previously told TBR News Media.

According to the foundation’s lead scientist David Berg, sugar kelp is known to be edible for both people and pets, it can be used as a fertilizer, bioplastic, biofuel, cosmetics and is a method to help improve water quality. 

Collaborating with the Town of Brookhaven, the Setauket Harbor Task Force, the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University and Cornell Cooperative Extension, it took a large group of different people to implement a crop that could become a big deal on Long Island.

Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said that when he became supervisor, he immediately knew he wanted to lease out the town’s bays and harbors for projects like this. 

“Not only clams and oysters, but also for things like kelp, which is tremendous,” he said. “And seaweed. I think that we can start an industry and stimulate it to become a major industry.” 

In December, the task force dropped mooring anchors and set up the kelp growing field’s area in Setauket Harbor. In January, members attached the kelp seedlings to a line just under the surface of the water between buoys there.

George Hoffman, a trustee of the task force which helped oversee the sugar kelp cultivation and production, said partnerships like this are critical to get stuff done.

“We’re really thankful to the partnership,” he said. “Between the town and the harbor group, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing if we didn’t have that partnership. It’s just a great example of how government works with citizens groups.”

Nestled in the water between Port Jefferson and Setauket, more than 200 pounds worth of sugar kelp was retrieved. 

Along with being a sustainable crop, sugar kelp helps take in excess nitrogen and CO2 from harbor waters, improving its chemistry. Hoffman said that excess nitrogen causes harmful algae bloom and excess CO2, resulting in ocean acidification.

“Removing nitrogen and CO2 from the waterways is absolutely critical,” Romaine added. “So, [sugar kelp] shows a lot of promise — and if you worry about methane gas, cows eat this when they feed and have 80% less gas.”

Town Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) joined on the boat, lifting up bags of kelp to weigh. He said that projects like this not only help the environment, but can also make positive changes in the private sector in the future. 

“To me this is the way that government should operate,” he said. “We make investments like this, into scientific research, or ways to develop either materials, or crops or techniques that can have a positive impact on things.”

Eventually, he said, a private sector can take over and make a business out of the crop.

“Government has a role in helping to get that started and making those investments in science,” he said.

Romaine said that Brookhaven has the largest waterfront of any town on the Island. In Port Jefferson, the area surrounding the harbor where the kelp was harvested goes back to the village’s original roots.

“We’re looking around and asking, ‘What could be the new industry for our town? What could give it life? What could be productive? How could we help nature to save clams, oysters, seaweed, kelp?’” he said. “Those industries are the future that we have to be visionary enough to support and to put the muscle of town government behind it.”

Some of the SBU SoCJ graduates at commencement. Photo by Julianne Mosher

As part of the dozen small commencement ceremonies that occurred last week at Stony Brook University, TBR News Media wanted to give a special congratulations to the graduates of the Stony Brook University School of Communication and Journalism.

We stopped by their graduation on Thursday, May 20, to talk to a few future reporters about why they chose the profession and what journalism means to them. 

Photo by Julianne Mosher

Melissa Azofeifa

“I chose journalism because I’m very much a people person,” said Hampton Bays local Melissa Azofeifa. “I love talking to people and hearing their stories.”

With the goal to be a multimedia journalist after graduation, she said she can’t wait to continue her journey as a reporter.

“I’ve learned a lot, but I know there’s a lot more to learn to accurately tell someone else’s story,” she said.

While in school, she was managing editor of the university newspaper, The Statesman.

 

Photo from James Bowen

James Bowen

James Bowen, a senior from Ossining, received the Carol Chernow Memorial Scholarship, which supports young writers interested in pursuing careers in journalism.

He said he always wanted to be a television reporter, and after his studies at the SoCJ, he landed a job — starting this week— at a news station in Tyler, Texas.

“I knew that journalism was a facet for me because it would allow me to be on TV, either for meteorology or Spanish sports coverage. In the end, it ended up being news, which is the start of it all, but I know that I can maximize my talents there,” he said. “Plus, I love talking to people so it’s just a perfect fit.”

 

 

Photo from Kimberly Brown

Kimberly Brown

TBR News Media intern Kimberly Brown began writing for our six newspapers in December 2020. Over the last five months, she has covered everything from small business to police reform. 

“I went into journalism because I have a passion for writing,” she said. “If I’m not writing, I’m not happy.”

After graduation, the Seaford native hopes to continue working with community news.

“I really liked supporting my local community and doing local journalism,” she said. “It’s become my passion and I had the best mentors at TBR to help me and guide me.”

 

 

Photo by Julianne Mosher

Brianne Ledda

SoCJ graduate Brianne Ledda said she has already been hired at another local paper starting this summer. The Miller Place resident will be working as a reporter with the Times Review Media Group in Riverhead.

During her time at SBU, she held the title of editor-in-chief of the Stony Brook Statesman. She was the recipient of The Alumni Association Dean’s Choice Award, which recognizes a highly accomplished and exceptional graduating senior. 

“I chose journalism because I love to learn and I wanted to pick a career that would allow me to continue doing that and interacting with the world around me,” she said. 

 

 

Photo by Julianne Mosher

Alek Lewis

Riverhead resident Alek Lewis started in journalism after taking an elective course at Suffolk County Community College. He realized there that he wanted to write and he was good at it. 

After transferring to Stony Brook, he said his love for journalism continued to grow. 

“Now, it’s something I’m super passionate about. And it’s what I want to do, possibly for the rest of my life,” he said. “So, this degree is a testament to the hard work that I put in, and I know that the work’s only going to get harder.”

 

Andrew Zucker and Kimberly Brown. Photo by Julianne Mosher

TBR wants to give a special congrats to our intern Kimberly Brown and freelance writer Andrew Zucker on their graduation. We’re all so proud of you both!

 

Presiding Officer Rob Calarco shakes hands with Leg. Nick Caracappa during Friday’s press conference. Photo by Julianne Mosher

A bipartisan group of representatives from local, state and federal elected offices, civics and the community gathered to call on the governor to repair New York state roads with federal funding.

Spearheaded by Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa (R-Selden), he demanded that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) gives his immediate attention to the unsafe state roads, specifically in Suffolk County. 

Caracappa said roads like I-495 (the Long Island Expressway), Route 27 (Sunrise Highway) and Route 25 (Middle Country Road) have potholes the size of craters, that cannot just damage a vehicle, but could potentially take a life. 

“The current state of these roadways presents very hazardous, dangerous driving conditions to the millions of commuters who depend upon these roadways on a daily basis,” Caracappa said at the May 21 press conference outside the state building in Hauppauge. “Whether it be for work or leisure, commuters place themselves in harm’s way when entering these roadways throughout Suffolk County and beyond.”

The legislator noted that the county’s roads occupy over one million commuters on a daily basis. When a driver blows out a tire on the side of a busy highway, he could be putting his life at risk, stepping out of the car to examine the damage.

“The residents of Suffolk County in New York pay some of the highest taxes in this country,” he added. “There are better, safer and more secure roadways than those we are currently forced to utilize on a daily basis … the lives of the hardworking commuters and their family members should not be put in peril each and every time.”

The meeting came after the legislator issued a letter signed by all 17 Suffolk County Legislators to Cuomo and NYS Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez.

Ten town leaders also signed the letter to show their support. Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) spoke on their behalf. 

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. Photo by Julianne Mosher

“Someone once said, all issues of government are issues of money. Look how the state spends its money,” Romaine began. “We have roads in atrocious conditions — I rode on the expressway to get here, and it seemed like there was more blacktop to the potholes than there was concrete for the pavement.”

Romaine said this needs to change.

“We need to make sure that the guys that ride bikes, the guys who drive cars, the gals that drive cars, that they’re safe, these roads are not safe,” he said. “The money is there — let’s spend it where it should be spent. Let’s spend it on our infrastructure. Let’s create jobs. Anyone that studies economics, understands that investment in infrastructure, produces great results for the economy, and also for our citizens that have to travel.”

Caracappa mentioned that repairs for these roadways are scheduled for completion by 2023-2024, which he said is an unacceptable time frame. At a time when the state has received unprecedented levels of federal aid, he felt the time for immediate and decisive action must be now.

“New York State should be held accountable and responsible for every flat tire, automobile accident, injury or death caused by the current road conditions of these roadways, with restitution given to those who have been major under the conditions that can be likened only to a war-torn country,” Caracappa said. “We have an obligation to ensure the safety of our communities, and should make every effort to begin to do so without any further delay.”

Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) said the state roadway infrastructure has been completely mismanaged. 

Photo by Julianne Mosher

“They are spending millions of dollars unnecessarily when they should be paving our roads,” he said. “People are going to get hurt and cost this county and the state millions of dollars in lawsuits, and all for what? Because of mismanagement. It doesn’t take Perry Mason to figure out the road needs to be paved.”

And it isn’t just for residents. Caracappa and several of the other officials mentioned that East End tourism is a multi-billion-dollar industry. But it won’t be if tourists can’t safety get out there.

“We spend millions of dollars for tourism on the East End,” said Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset). “I don’t know if they are able to get there without blowing a tire.”

Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy Jr. (R) added that Long Island is finally “mask free” and tourism will be back. 

“Let’s talk about commerce and equity of a $5 billion East End tourism industry,” he said. “People from all over the tri-state area make choices … Are they going to come down roads that are like downtown Baghdad? Or are they going to go to Jersey or up the Hudson River?”

Just an hour before the 11 a.m. press conference, Cuomo sent out a statement announcing a $30.6 million investment in pavement restoration projects for Long Island roads — for five state highways in Nassau and Suffolk Counties totaling 20 miles.

State Senator Mario Mattera (R) said that regardless, the roads are still a disaster.

“It’s amazing that the governor heard probably about this press conference,” he said. “And now money is being released. But again, strike with numbers in solidarity. And you know what, everybody needs to be a voice. This is our safety. These are our roads.”

The state restoration plans to end by 2022.

State Sen. Mario Mattera speaks at the May 21 press conference. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Last week, May 21, dozens of people from all walks of life gathered in front of the state office in Hauppauge to talk about how New York needs to fix its roadways.

Spearheaded by county Legislator Nick Caracappa (R-Selden), he had a bipartisan group of local and state representatives, as well as advocates for the safety of drivers, riders and walkers. 

The idea behind the press conference was to demand that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) fund more money toward fixing our roadways.

Ironically enough, that morning, a $30.6 million investment for resurface and repair projects was granted for Long Island state roads. 

But the meeting was still relevant. 

We heard the stories of motorcyclists, bike riders and people who choose to walk alongside state-run roads. They said how terrifying it is to navigate through the craters within the streets that are otherwise called potholes.

They are dangerous, and we applaud the legislator for standing his ground demanding more. We all complain that the roads are terrible around here — some towns are better than others because they have jurisdiction over their lanes. But when it comes to state roads — roads like Route 25 which drives completely through our newspapers’ coverage area, the Long Island Expressway and the Northern State Parkway — not only is it scary when you unintentionally hit a pothole, but it can be damaging to our vehicles.

Is New York State going to pay us back for the blown-out tires we’ve gotten driving to work? Are they going to repair our dented rims? 

No, they won’t. But the least the state can do is continuously fix up the large holes that sink into the blacktop. 

We know that it’s hard to keep up with. We know a lot of work goes into it. But after Friday’s conference, we know that there are many of us who want our major roadways to be safe.

Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

A few weeks ago, a Chicago White Sox player named Yermin Mercedes did what he was paid to do, hitting a ball far. His manager Tony La Russa was furious because his player broke an unwritten rule, swinging at a 3-0 pitch from an infielder for the Minnesota Twins when his team was already winning by 11 runs.

The next day, La Russa seemed fine with a Minnesota pitcher throwing a pitch behind the knees of Mercedes as punishment for a violation of that unwritten rule.

So, what are other possible random unwritten rules regarding life sportsmanship and what should the potential punishments be for violating those rules?

For starters, if you’ve lost a lot of weight, you don’t need to ask other people who clearly haven’t lost any weight, or perhaps have put on pandemic pounds, how they’re doing on their diet or if they’ve lost weight. They haven’t lost any weight. We know it, they know and you know it. You don’t need to contrast your success with their failure. The punishment for that kind of infraction should be that you have to eat an entire box of donuts or cookies in under a minute.

If you rescued a dog from the vet or the pound or from a box beneath a bridge in the middle of an urban war zone, you don’t need to ask where I got my overpriced and poorly trained dog. We get it: you did something great rescuing a dog, while those of us with designer dogs are struggling to get them to be quiet while we repeat the few answers we get right to the questions on “Jeopardy!” The punishment for such self-righteous dog ownership should be that you have to pick up the designer dog’s poop for a day. If you’ve been over virtuous, you also might have to compliment him on the excellent quality of his droppings and send other people a TikTok of your poop flattery.

If your kid just won the chess championship, you don’t need to wear a different T-shirt each day of the week that captures the moment of her triumph. The punishment for over bragging is that you have to wear a tee shirt that says, “Your kid is just as amazing as mine and certainly has better parents.”

If you’re in first class on a plane and you board first to sit in your larger, more comfortable seat, you don’t have to look away every time someone might make eye contact or, worse, through your fellow passengers. You aren’t obligated to look at everyone, but you can make periodic eye contact or provide a nod of recognition to the plebeians from group six. The punishment for such above-it-all behavior should be that you have to echo everything the flight attendant says as others board the plane, offering a chipper “good morning” or “welcome aboard.”

Finally, if you’ve taken a spectacular vacation, you don’t need to share every detail of your trip, from the type of alcohol you drank to the sweet smell of the ocean breeze to the sight of a baby bird hatching just outside your window. If you overdo the unsolicited details, you’ll have to listen to every mundane detail of the person’s life who was home doing his or her job while you were relaxing. Afterwards, you’ll have to take a test on his story. If you fail, you have to listen to more details, until you can pass.

Maybe Mr. La Russa has a point: unwritten rules could be a way to enforce life sportsmanship outside the lines.

Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Probably because of COVID-19, there has been more discussion in the media about depression, anxiety and mental health in general. CVS, the nation’s largest retail pharmacy, and the one owned by the Melville Corporation, (the company started by local philanthropist Ward Melville by the way) is creating a new niche for its many stores. It has been hiring licensed clinical social workers for a pilot project in several cities and will offer walk-in sessions or by appointment. 

The social workers are trained in cognitive behavior therapy or CBT. I believe that is generally a form of short term therapy in which the immediate problem is discussed and treated using evidence-based techniques. According to an article in The New York Times, May 10, social workers will offer assessments, referrals and counseling. They will be available during the day and also on evenings and weekends, and also by telemedicine. They will partner with the company’s nurse practitioners and pharmacists for prescriptions when needed.  This will be yet another nonemergency health care service the chain is providing, as they have most recently offered coronavirus vaccines for the public.

Now others beside pharmacies like Rite Aid and Walgreens, who are also planning mental health care, are seeing opportunity in the health field. Albertsons, a grocery chain, offers injectable antipsychotic drugs as well as injectable medication to help treat substance abuse. And a while ago, I got my first shingles vaccine in a drug store.

What a change from the pharmacy of my childhood. I well remember walking down to the drug store five blocks away in New York City with my dad, before I was even of elementary school age, to buy ice cream. That was the only place with a freezer, and the selections were Breyer’s vanilla, or chocolate, or vanilla, chocolate and strawberry together in half gallon containers. They were in a freezer chest, like a foot locker, and when I leaned in to pick the selection, the cold took my breath away. The pharmacy also had a counter where we could sit and get sundaes and milkshakes. But most of the time, we carried the ice cream carton home, hurriedly so it wouldn’t melt, to eat together with the rest of the family.

Another recent focus in the mental health field is on food. And sadly the foods we typically turn to when we are stressed, inevitably sugar-laden and of high fat like ice cream, pastries, pizza and hamburgers, now are on the mental wellness bad list. Nutritional psychiatry is an emerging field which looks at the relationship between diet and mental health. The idea that what we eat can affect our physical health is an accepted one, and now the same concept is extended to our mental wellbeing with the following physiological specifics thanks to research. 

“A healthy diet promotes a healthy gut, which communicates with the brain through what is known as the gut-brain axis. Microbes in the gut produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which regulate our mood and emotions, and the gut microbiome has been implicated in mental health outcomes,” states The New York Times in a May 18 article by Anahad O’Connor.

People who eat a lot of nutrient-dense foods, like fruits and vegetables “report less depression and greater levels of happiness and mental well-being,” according to the NYT.

There is a bit of a chicken-egg conundrum here concerning which comes first? Do anxiety and depression drive people to eat unhealthy foods or are those who are happy and optimistic more likely to choose nutritious foods that further brighten their moods? Recent research has borne out that healthy foods do improve moods.

“Seafood, greens, nuts and beans — and a little dark chocolate” is the basic dietary advice of Dr. Drew Ramsey, a psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. His jingle comes with the message that food can be empowering.

*This article was revised on June 1, 2021.