The Grand Republic, in front of the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Promenade, made a grand entrance into New York Harbor to mark the 160th anniversary of Bridgeport-Port Jefferson owner, McAllister Towing on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Founded in 1864 in New York Harbor with a single sail lighter, McAllister has grown into one of the oldest and largest family-owned marine towing and transportation companies in the United States.
“For 160 years, McAllister has called New York City home, growing alongside the port’s rise as a global maritime powerhouse and cementing its legacy as a cornerstone of the maritime industry. This milestone recognizes the company’s pivotal contributions to harbor towing, coastal towing, and bulk transportation, as well as its leadership in green technologies and its dedication to shaping the future of the maritime industry,” read a press release from the company.
A call for transparency and accountability in village leadership
I’m writing this opinion piece in response to a recently published opinion piece by former (appointed) trustee Drew Biondo [TBR News Media. Nov. 21]. In this instance, it’s important to recognize that this opinion is clearly a biased one in support of the very same mayor that appointed Mr. Biondo to the short-lived position he held in this village. It is commendable that he defends the actions of his mayoral friend.
However, there is a very shocking lack of accountability in this opinion. Is this not the same trustee that stood on a village soapbox passionately speaking of the importance of ethics and transparency? This same mayor unethically misled members of the current trustee board when discussing the very incident that sparked this change. Misled enough so that 3 of the 4 board members publicly said so. Frankly, an emergency meeting was called by the mayor and all trustees were not truthfully informed of the timeline that led to this emergency meeting. That is not to be ignored or glossed over.
While the complicated issue of guns can be debated for months, the unethical lack of transparency and honesty cannot.
Keith Ottendorfer
Resident and Admin of Healthy Conversations in Port Jefferson
Governor Hochul’s $3 billion proposed inflation refund to taxpayers funded out of a surplus of excess tax revenue is nothing more than a preelection bribe to grease the wheels of her upcoming 2026 reelection campaign. Offering those with income under $150,000, $300 comes to $25 monthly over one year. Offering joint filers with income under $300,000 dollars, $500 comes to $41.66 monthly over one year,
There are better alternatives such as reducing the state sales tax, using the funds as a down payment toward reducing Albany’s $423.4 billion long term debt, which represents $21,700 per citizen, or help fill the $33 billion shortfall in the MTA’s proposed $68 billion, 2025-2029 Capital Plan.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
A call for action on battery storage zoning
This is a call to our hires — to those with jobs we provide through taxes and elections at Brookhaven Town.
I urge the board to get to work. Create an appropriate zone for siting battery storage facilities so we can expand our use of alternative energy.
At best, the lack of action in creating zones for battery storage far from folks and forests, conveys a lack of insight. At worst, and I hope this is not the case, the lack of movement is deliberate, setting residents against applicants.
Whatever your challenges, kindly set them aside as your assignment is due.
After 12 years as the Brookhaven Town Supervisor, in 2023 I decided to run for Suffolk County Executive to make our county safer and more affordable and to restore professionalism to every county department.
Good governance is about doing what’s right for taxpayers and employees, and that’s exactly what we’ve focused on since I have taken office.
Fiscally, we are on the right road, and our efforts have been recognized. The county’s 2024 budgeting has earned Suffolk two bond ratings and three credit rating upgrades as of early December.
As promised, we’ve brought new leadership to the Suffolk County Police Department, hired 200 new officers, and added 50 new detectives to tackle crime across the county. New leadership has put the department on track for continued success, and my administration will provide what our law enforcement agencies need to protect our communities.
The Department of Social Services was in crisis when I took office. Poor management, low staffing, and tragic incidents resulted in Suffolk County being among the worst-performing DSS operations in New York State. For example, Suffolk was last among counties processing SNAP applications, which provide people in need with food. Due to new leadership and a complete overhaul of DSS operations, Suffolk is now the best in New York State.
New call center policies have reduced SNAP wait times by more than 95%, boosted employee morale, and decreased caseloads. While there is still work to be done, especially in filling the over 1,000 open positions, we’re making real progress.
To address these vacancies, we launched the “Suffolk is Hiring” campaign, meeting job seekers where they are—on social media, at college campuses, and at job fairs. This proactive approach shifts from reactive to addressing problems before they become crises.
When I took office, many county buildings were in terrible shape—leaky roofs, broken systems, and general neglect. These buildings belong to the taxpayers and house our dedicated workforce. We’ve made it a priority to bring these spaces up to standard, both for the employees and the public who rely on these services.
Here are just a few of the results our taxpayers are already seeing:
246 acres of land preserved—a significant increase from previous years, thanks to reforms in the Department of Economic Planning that streamlined the process.
Sewer projects funded in Smithtown, Wyandanch, Wheatley Heights, Deer Park, the Forge River, and Southwest Sewer Districts. These projects are critical for protecting our environment and revitalizing downtown areas.
$56 million invested in public safety equipment, ensuring our police and first responders are better equipped to keep our communities safe.
Major improvements to county parks planned for 2025, offering enhanced recreational spaces for families.
Micro transit zones to improve connectivity on the East End, making it easier for residents to access essential services and work opportunities.
None of this would be possible without the incredible team I have by my side. Together, we are committed to making Suffolk County safer, more affordable, and a place where every resident can thrive.
I look forward to continuing this important work next year and wish all of you a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
Words, ideas, and concepts mean different things in different contexts. Some of those differences depend on the audience. The phrase “Santa Claus is coming to town,” for example, conjures different images, ideas and reactions depending on who is hearing it. Let’s consider the reaction of different audiences:
— A group of first graders whose families celebrate Christmas: These children might immediately wonder “when, when, when” this jolly man in a red suit is going to shimmy down the chimney and deliver what they hope are their favorite presents. It can’t be soon enough for many of these children.
— Parents of those first graders: These dedicated mothers and fathers might feel pressure to produce the kind of holiday they had or the kind they wish they had when they were young. The words might trigger some anxiety, as the approaching jolly man might mean they have limited time to generate holiday joy. Where, they might wonder, are they supposed to find some of the gifts their children crave and how can these presents arrive without causing their children to wonder about the boxes at the front door?
— Retailers: Store owners are likely to start feeling cautiously optimistic, as they are every year, that Santa and his minions will shop at their stores, helping drive their bottom lines and making it possible for them to afford to provide the kind of holiday treats their own children desire.
— Workers in retail stores: They may find the phrase charming and endearing initially, and may even enjoy the endless loop of holiday songs for a while. At some point, when they can’t get a particular song out of their head, they may crave other music and other sounds that don’t remind them of twitchy children who, like me, seem to be a perfect fit for a size the store doesn’t have at that time or that doesn’t exist because it’s between two typical sizes.
— Music teachers: These people, who put in extra hours every year that often extend well beyond any contracts or employment agreements, may be trying to find ways to coax the best sounds out of young voices or out of young musicians who are learning how to play their instruments without squeaking or hitting a wrong note. This year, they may also have tried to bring something original and new to the holiday concert, either by adding a new march or song or by offering their own take on the classic, which runs the risk of alienating audiences who come to hear the familiar version.
— TV networks: While many of us are a click or two away from new movies or streaming shows that we can binge watch, some people continue to watch ongoing holiday programming. The Santa Claus song may remind them of their stock of holiday movies, as they maneuver between old favorites like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and more modern comedies, like “Elf.”
— Dentists: Okay, so I’m a little obsessed about teeth lately. If you don’t know why, check out my column from last week. Anyway, given the propensity for cookies, cakes and candy, dentists may hear those words and picture ways to help people clean their teeth in the early months of the new year.
— Health club owners: Owners of gyms may hear these six words and immediately think about all the New Year’s resolutions that follow the holidays. They may hope that the desire for a sound mind in a sound body brings more people to their gyms, where people can use their equipment to sculpt and tone their bodies or to burn off some of the desserts that topped off a family meal.
— Narcissists: These people know who they are and are probably annoyed that it took me this long to think about them. They have better things to do than to read all the way towards the end of my column. Anyway, they would like to know when someone will be as good to them as they are to everyone else.
— People who run charities: The arrival of Santa Claus may remind people to help those less fortunate, giving them an opportunity to provide something meaningful. These dedicated residents who focus on community service may hope to bring out the kind of holiday spirit and joy that enabled Dr. Seuss’s Whos of Whoville to celebrate even without their presents.
Many people in their pajamas are now summoned to get dressed, leave their homes and work full-time in the office. The working-remotely imperative is being phased out as COVID-19 fades and the new year begins. No more pajamas in front of the computer, disguised with a proper work shirt as far as Zoom revealed. Remote work is becoming a unique chapter of the pandemic past.
Or is it?
Let me take you back to July 1965. I had just given birth to our first child in a Westchester County hospital, just north of NYC, and was in something of a new mother daze when my supervisor from work appeared at my bedside. I had been employed as a researcher in the editorial department at Time Inc until that past weekend, and the baby coming a little early surprised us all, apparently including my boss.
She was an attractive woman in her 40s, trim and almost six feet tall, and she supervised some 20 staffers. For a couple of seconds, I thought I might be imagining her, but she pulled up a chair, as if this visit was an ordinary occurrence, and we had the following conversation.
“Hello, Leah, congratulations to you and your husband.”
“Hello, Bea. What’s happening?”
“Oh, I thought I would drive up here to congratulate you properly, see the baby, and ask you if you would like to continue working.”
“What?”
She laughed. “I know you live in the Bronx, about 30 minutes from the office (which was in the Time-Life Building at 50th and Sixth Avenue) and right on the D line (subway). We could bring you the material and the books you need by messenger. Then, when you finish each batch of work, we could repeat the process. For questions, we could call you and discuss by phone. What do you think about that?”
I blinked. Was this really happening?
“I think I will be taking care of the baby,” I offered after a long pause.
“We thought about that. Mia (a staffer in the department) no longer needs her nanny, and she couldcontinue her work with your baby in your apartment. She is from Haiti and speaks little English, but I believe you speak French, yes?”
“A little.” I was now in a different daze.
“Then this could work. You will be able to stay at home with the baby and work comfortably in your apartment while the nanny takes care of your son from 10-6 (our business hours) in the next room. She will come Mondays through Fridays. She is very responsible. She has five sons of her own.”
Then she said those prescient words without knowing she was 60 years ahead of her time.
“You will be working remotely.”
And so it went. A few days after we brought our son home, the first batch of work arrived from the office via a cheerful messenger, and I was set up at a desk in the bedroom to continue my job.
The nanny, Madame Bayard, also arrived and lovingly greeted and cared for our baby until I would appear. This unusual arrangement continued for almost two years. I would return to the office perhaps once a month for meetings and to touch base with my editor of the moment, but otherwise I did indeed work remotely, even from my parents’ bungalow in the Catskill Mountains the following summer. We gave Madame Bayard the time off, and while my mother cared for our son, I worked on a comfortable chaise in the shade of a tree, driving to the office only a couple of times in two months.
This idyllic arrangement ended when my husband finished his residency, and we moved to Texas, where he served at an Air Force base during the Vietnam War.
I finally left the employ of Time-Life. It was now too far for even a messenger to reach me. But today, my grandson and his wife both have satisfying jobs that call for working remotely.
On Thursday, December 12, the descendants of Frederick C. Griswold, inventor of the famous Griswold Film Splicer, visited Mr. Scrooge at his current home at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson.
The splicer was invented in the former machine shop, which now houses the Ronald F. Peierls Theatre and Griswold’s Café. The Griswold family played an integral role in shaping Port Jefferson Village into the community we now call home.
In addition to owning the machine shop, the Griswold’s were involved in shipbuilding, carriage building, the fire department, fishing, lobstering, and operated various businesses in Port Jefferson until the 1970s, with a generation-spanning influence. The newest members of the Griswold family—Christopher (Fred’s great grand nephew), his wife Jessica, and their three children, Jaxon, Colton, and Nash—attended Theatre Three’s 40th annual production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
The Griswold family was joined by the theatre’s Artistic Associate, Douglas Quattrock; Mr. Scrooge (a.k.a. Executive Artistic Director, Jeffrey Sanzel); Managing Director, Vivian Koutrakos; and Board of Directors President, Andrew Markowitz.
The Suffolk County Police Department is warning the public about a scam during which callers purport to be from a law enforcement agency and claim there is a warrant for the victim’s arrest if money is not sent.
Detectives have been made aware of at least three incidents during which a resident was contacted by phone by a caller identifying themselves as a member of the Suffolk County Police Department who says the resident has a warrant for their arrest and for them to send money. Detectives are not aware of any victims who have given money.
The victims report the scammers called from what appeared to be legitimate police department phone numbers. Scammers often use spoofing apps and other technology to falsely represent the numbers they are calling from.
Police will NEVER demand money in lieu of arrest or consequence.
If you believe you have been the victim of this or any other scam, contact police.
Port Jefferson School District students performing at the 28th Annual Charles Dickens. Photo courtesy of PJCSD
Port Jefferson School District students performing at the 28th Annual Charles Dickens. Photo courtesy of PJCSD
Port Jefferson School District students performing at the 28th Annual Charles Dickens. Photo courtesy of PJCSD
Port Jefferson School District students performing at the 28th Annual Charles Dickens. Photo courtesy of PJCSD
Port Jefferson School District students performing at the 28th Annual Charles Dickens. Photo courtesy of PJCSD
Port Jefferson School District students performing at the 28th Annual Charles Dickens. Photo courtesy of PJCSD
Port Jefferson School District students performing at the 28th Annual Charles Dickens. Photo courtesy of PJCSD
Students from the Port Jefferson School District recently participated in the 28th Annual Charles Dickens Festival. This beloved community event celebrates the traditions and spirit of the Victorian era. This year’s festivities included Residents’ Night and Lantern Dedication ceremony.
The festival’s performances showcased the incredible talent of Port Jefferson’s young musicians. Students from the Tri-M Music Honor Society, Earl L. Vandermeulen High School, and Port Jefferson Middle School had the honor of participating in a series of live performances that enchanted festivalgoers with holiday music and classic tunes.
The Port Jefferson Tri-M Music Honor Society Mixed Ensemble, under the direction of Edward Pisano, helped kick off the event with a lively and spirited performance. The Port Jefferson Middle School String Orchestra, directed by Vanessa Salzman, followed with an elegant display of skill and harmony. The Edna Louise Spear Elementary School Select Choir, directed by Laurel Zimlinghaus, captivated the audience with their youthful voices, setting a warm tone for the season.
Additionally, the Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Chamber Choir, under the direction of Joseph Albano, provided beautiful choral renditions, while the Earl L. Vandermeulen High School String Orchestra, led by Michael Caravello, rounded out the musical performances with their exceptional string arrangements.
“I’m so proud of all of our students who performed at this year’s Charles Dickens Festival,” said Dr. Michael Caravello, Director of Fine Arts and Music. “Their hard work and dedication were evident in every note they played and sang. It’s an honor to have our students represent Port Jefferson in such a meaningful community event.”
The Charles Dickens Festival is a long-standing tradition in Port Jefferson, drawing visitors from all over to experience the charm of Dickensian-inspired activities. This year’s performances were a highlight, with the musical ensembles providing festive tunes that truly captured the holiday spirit. The Port Jefferson School District continues to emphasize the importance of arts and music education, encouraging students to pursue their passions and share their talents with the community.
For the 18th year, the president and CEO of New York’s largest health system has been named to the prestigious list – this year ranking number 35.
Northwell Health has announced that Michael Dowling, president and CEO, was recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare of 2024, coming in at number 35. The complete ranking can be found in the December issue of Modern Healthcare magazine.
This prestigious recognition program acknowledges and honors individuals who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be the most influential figures in the industry in terms of leadership and impact. Michael has consistently ranked among the top leaders in health care on the annual list and was named the most influential in 2022.
“It is an incredible honor to be recognized by Modern Healthcare among such distinguished leaders. This recognition reflects the dedication of the entire Northwell Health team to not only providing exceptional care today, but also building the future of healthcare,” said Mr. Dowling. “At Northwell, we are committed to addressing critical issues like health equity, healthy aging, and gun violence prevention, ensuring that everyone can live a healthier life. Together, we can truly improve the health of everyone in our communities.”
As president and CEO of Northwell Health, he leads a clinical, academic and research enterprise with a workforce of more than 87,000. Northwell is the largest healthcare provider and private employer in New York State, caring for more than two million people annually through a vast network of more than 900 outpatient facilities and 21 hospitals. Under his leadership, Northwell’s annual operating budget has increased to more than $18 billion.
Mr. Dowling is focused on creating the health system of the future. This includes addressing today’s public health infrastructure and the inequities, like addressing Black maternal health disparities, that exist in access to care, especially in underserved communities and communities of color.
He has championed diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, resulting in a 90 percent employee satisfaction rate among diverse populations, significantly above the national average. Furthermore, Mr. Dowling has demonstrated a commitment to workforce development through the establishment of the Northwell School of Health Sciencesand a partnership with New York City public schools to create a dedicated health sciences high school.
Since 2019, he has remained a staunch advocate on national issues, including gun violence prevention. Under his leadership, he created the Center for Gun Violence Prevention, has hosted multiple Gun Violence Prevention Forums and has started a wide-reaching public campaign to raise awareness of gun violence. Through the Northwell-initiated National Health Care CEO Council on Gun Violence Prevention & Safety, 54 leading health care CEOs have pledged to leverage their collective influence and resources to curb the historic spike in gun-related deaths and injuries – including a commitment to help fund a $40 million national Ad Council PSA campaign.
Recognizing the inadequacy of most healthcare systems to address the growing needs of an aging population, Mr. Dowling continues to advocate for embracing innovation, technology, and new care models to ensure seniors age with dignity and access the support they need to thrive and to develop solutions to create more age-friendly health systems and improve overall care for our aging population. Just this year, Mr. Dowling coauthored the book, The Aging Revolution: The History of Geriatric Health Care and What Really Matters to Older Adults.
Scene from the Three Village Historical Society's 45th annual Candlelight House Tour. Photo by Bill Landon
From this weekend’s Three Village Historical Society’s 45th annual Candlelight House Tour, to the Port Jefferson Charles Dickens Festival, we live in an area of rich history and culture.
The quaint holiday atmosphere of villages like Huntington and Stony Brook take us back to a more simple time and place — one of one-horse towns, one story buildings and one community spirit.
The North Shore of Suffolk County has a cozy charm coupled with not only rich historical background, but the cutting edge of modern-day living. Take for example Stony Brook University. Located 20 miles or less from all of TBR’s coverage areas, it is a world-class university, brimming with state-of-the-art scientific research, a diverse student body and cultural heritage. With the musical performances, various film screenings and varied organizations, which the university provides, as a result, the residents of Stony Brook have a portal to some of the most intriguing cultural presentations around.
With a home as unique as Suffolk’s North Shore, our residents appear to have a sense of community that is unlike a major city. We are able to boast a sense of connection that is only possible in a small town. Just walking down the street, one is greeted with warmth. A possible run in with a friend from a dedicated civic association can happen.
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