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Marine Bureau Officers, good samaritans rescue drowning man in PJ harbor

by Press Release - June 22, 2021

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Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers and two good Samaritans rescued a man who nearly drowned in Port Jefferson on Sunday, June 21.

Alan Goldberg was attempting to anchor a boat on Whitehall Beach when he lost his footing and became unresponsive in the water at approximately 2:30 p.m. Two good Samaritans on the beach, Frances George and Karl George, performed CPR until Marine Bureau Officers Cory Kim and Shane Parker arrived on scene and transferred Goldberg onto Marine Delta.

The officers, with the assistance of Frances George and Karl George, continued CPR while transporting Goldberg, 70, of Coram, to the Port Jefferson Boat Ramp. He was transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson with serious injuries.

Frances George, 30, and Karl George, 65, both of East Setauket, were not injured.

Hometown History: Lady Strong and the Oakwood Estate

by Kenneth Brady - June 21, 2021

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The Old Homestead stood near the corner of what is now Port Jefferson’s Winston Drive and Crystal Brook Hollow Road. Photo by Arthur S. Greene; Photo from Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

What is now Belle Terre, coupled with an area in today’s Port Jefferson, once comprised the 1200-acre Oakwood estate.

Surrounded on three sides by water, the property featured a country house, tilled land, woodlots, a hothouse, fruit and nut trees, sheepfolds, springs, an icehouse, a dairy, pigpens, barns and outbuildings.

The estate even included a private cemetery, the Sugar Loaf Burying Grounds, where some of Oakwood’s workers and their family members had been interred.

Mary B. Strong, known as “Lady Strong,” presided over the estate. In 1880, she was considered the wealthiest woman in Brookhaven Town, where she numbered among its largest taxpayers.

Oakwood is depicted on this portion of J. Chace’s 1858 Map of Suffolk County, L.I., New York. Photo from Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

William A. Hopkins and Charles A. Davis, Miss Strong’s trusted overseers, supervised day-to-day operations at Oakwood, everything from milking cows to cutting cordwood.

Lady Strong and her servants lived at the estate’s Old Homestead which stood near the corner of what is now Port Jefferson’s Winston Drive and Crystal Brook Hollow Road.

A short walk from tranquil Mount Sinai Harbor, the country house was the scene of elegant parties hosted by Miss Strong and surrounded by grounds lovingly tended by a gardener.

Responsible outdoorsmen were welcomed at Oakwood, where they hiked its shaded paths, hunted, trapped and gathered berries. Vacationers from Bridgeport, Connecticut sailed across Long Island Sound and pitched tents on the property at Camp Woodbine, while day-trippers picnicked on the estate at Saints Orchard.

After Lady Strong’s death on April 9, 1885, Oakwood reverted to her nephews, but through neglect, the once well-maintained estate went to ruin.

In spring 1901, surveyors were seen marking Oakwood’s boundaries and that winter advertisements had appeared in the New York Times announcing the property’s sale.

The Old Homestead stood near the corner of what is now Port Jefferson’s Winston Drive and Crystal Brook Hollow Road.
Photo by Arthur S. Greene; Photo from Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

Clinton L. Rossiter, vice president of the Long Island Loan and Trust Company, purchased Oakwood from Mary B. Strong’s heirs in 1902. Rossiter represented a group of investors who planned to build a “private residence park,” known today as Belle Terre, on the land.

Over the ensuing years, the site was developed, and the Old Homestead was destroyed in a suspicious fire, leaving only street names such as Oakwood Road as reminders of Lady Strong and her vast estate.

Kenneth Brady has served as the Port Jefferson Village Historian and president of the Port Jefferson Conservancy, as well as on the boards of the Suffolk County Historical Society, Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council and Port Jefferson Historical Society. He is a longtime resident of Port Jefferson.

Warriors fall to Garden City in Long Island Championship

by Bill Landon - June 20, 2021

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Comsewogue senior Jake Deacy looks for a cutter in the Long Island class B Championship game against Garden City Jun. 19. Photo by Bill Landon

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It would take three minutes into the 3rd quarter for the Comsewogue Warriors to get on the scoreboard when Jake Deacy’s shot on goal found it mark in the Long Island class B Championship June 19. Trailing Garden City by two Deacy’s goal would be the only one the Warriors could muster as Comsewogue fell 5-1 at the Boomer Esiason Field at East Islip High School.

Comsewogue the Suffolk class B champion concluded their 2021 Covid-19 abbreviated season with a 13-2 record.

Photos by Bill Landon

Royals heartbreaker in Long Island Championship

by Bill Landon - June 20, 2021

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Port Jeff junior Kyle Scandale uncorks a shot for the Royals in the Long Island class D Championship against Friends Academy Jun. 19. Photo by Bill Landon

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It was a high scoring game for the Class D Long Island Lacrosse Championship between Royals of Port Jefferson and the Quakers of Friends Academy at the Boomer Esiason Field at East Islip High School. 29 goals found their mark but the first 28 didn’t count. Deadlocked at 14-14 it would take two four minute overtime periods to decide the winner where the Royals lost a heartbreaker in the 6th period June 19.

Port Jeff junior Kyle Scandale led the scoring with 4, Brady DeWitt scored 3 and Daniel Koban concluded his varsity career with his hat-trick. Peter Murphy the junior had 9 saves on the day.

The Royals finished their COVID-19 abbreviated season with their first ever County Championship title with an 8-8 record.

Photos by Bill Landon

Village clerk recognized by LI clerks, treasurer association

by Press Release - June 20, 2021

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On June 10, Village of Port Jefferson clerk Barbara Sakovich was honored at the 2021 Long Island Village Clerks & Treasurer Association Installation of Officers in Sands Point.

She was joined by other village clerks from across the island.

Editorial: Never forget

by TBR Staff - June 20, 2021

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Transit-workers-covid-memorial-Bridget-Fleming_061221_ritajegan5 — On June 12, Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming led a memorial event for public transit workers who lost their lives to COVID-19. Photo by Rita J. Egan

This past Saturday at a memorial honoring the Suffolk and Nassau transportation workers who lost their lives to COVID-19, speakers touched on the idea that our definition of what makes a worker essential has evolved over the past 15 months.

We have always recognized the heroic acts of people such as firefighters and police officers who save and protect us when we are in danger. We respect the work that health professionals and EMT workers and volunteers provide when we or loved ones are sick or injured. However, the pandemic brought to the forefront many we have overlooked previously in our everyday lives.

To think, for more than a year, truckers and grocery store employees have gone out every workday, taking the chance that they may be exposed to a virus that could hospitalize or even kill them or their loved ones, just to make sure we had food on our tables.

Then there were the home health care professionals, who continued to care for their patients inside their homes, despite the risks, and our utility workers who kept the lights on and the water flowing.

Journalists continued to be there to keep everybody abreast of what was going on in the world, whether about the virus, restrictions, politics and so much more, some even standing in the middle of protests.

And of course, the public transportation workers were there to make sure that those professionals and so many others who were unable to work from home were able to get to their offices and stores every day. When one doesn’t have a car, a train or bus can make the difference between getting a paycheck or not.

How many people in their everyday lives can remember on occasion rushing around and maybe not showing such workers the respect they deserve. Maybe it was being short tempered with a cashier because the line was long or an item was missing a price tag or driving too fast as workers were repairing a road thereby putting them in danger.

Adversity can bring with it many lessons, appreciating those who make our day a bit easier is one we hope all will remember as our country continues on the road to normalcy. It’s essential for everyone to have some sort of income to afford the necessities of life, but there are some whose work is essential in keeping us alive and healthy beyond the roles we once recognized.

We salute them all.

Brookhaven National Lab celebrates top science fair students

by Press Release - June 19, 2021

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Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton hosted a virtual Elementary Science Fair awards ceremony on June 4. Suffolk County students from kindergarten through sixth grade who garnered first place and honorable mentions in the 2021 Elementary Science Fair Competition were honored.

Volunteer judges considered a total 184 science projects by students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Seven students earned first place in their grade level for stand-out experiments Fifteen students received honorable mentions for their experiments. Students qualify for Brookhaven Lab’s competition by winning science fairs held by their schools.

Students who earned first place in their grade level received medals and ribbons, along with banners to hang at their school to recognize the achievement. Here are the winners and their projects:

Kindergartener Violet Radonis of Pines Elementary, Hauppauge Public Schools, “Which Mask You Ask? I Am on the Task.”

First grader Ashleigh Bruno, Ocean Avenue Elementary, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Rain, Rain Go Away”

Second grader Celia Gaeta, Miller Avenue School, Shoreham-Wading River Central School District, “How the Moon Phases Affect Our Feelings”

Third grader Emerson Gaeta, Fort Salonga Elementary, Kings Park Central School District, “Can You Hear Me Through My Mask?”

Fourth grader Matthew Mercorella, Sunrise Drive Elementary, Sayville Public Schools, “Shh…I Can’t Hear”

Fifth grader Grace Rozell, Ocean Avenue School, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Edible Experiments”

Sixth grader Patrick Terzella, Hauppauge Middle School, Hauppauge Public Schools, “Too Loud or Not Too Loud?”

View all science fair projects: https://flic.kr/p/2kZPtqY

Finding fun in the scientific process

This is the second year that the Office of Educational Programming (OEP) at Brookhaven Lab organized a virtual science fair to ensure that local students had the opportunity to participate safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each year, the competition offers thousands of students a chance to gain experience — and have fun — applying the scientific method. The Brookhaven Lab event recognizes the achievement of the students in winning their school fair and acknowledges the best of these projects.

“The Brookhaven Lab Elementary School Science Fair encourages students to utilize the scientific method and answer a question that they have independently developed,” said Amanda Horn, a Brookhaven Lab educator who coordinated the virtual science fair.

Students tackled a wide range of questions with their experiments, including exploring how the moon phases affect our feelings to testing different materials, investigating how to improve their at-home internet connection, and finding safe masks for their friends and families.

First grader Ashleigh Bruno, who garnered a top spot for an experiment on acid rain, evaluated the pH levels in local water sources to learn if animals could live safely within them.

“I was really happy because I learned how to test the water and it was really fun to do with my family,” Bruno said.

Third grader Emerson Gaeta explored whether wearing a frame with different kinds of face masks could improve how we hear people who are speaking while wearing a mask. She used a foam head equipped with a speaker to measure how loud sounds came through the masks.

“I was here once before and I didn’t win,” Gaeta said. “Now I won first place so I’m really happy about that.”

Fourth grader Matthew Mercorella said he was excited to learn of his first-place win for his experiment seeking to find the best sound-proofing material. He found the best part of his project to be the process of testing materials by playing music through a speaker placed inside of them to see which put out the lowest and highest decibels.

“It encourages the students to think like a scientist and share their results with others,” said Horn. “Our goal is to provide students with an opportunity to show off their skills and share what they have learned.”

Honorable Mentions:

Kindergarten
Carmen Pirolo, Bellerose Avenue Elementary, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Egg Shells and Toothpaste Experiment”
Filomena Saporita, Ocean Avenue Elementary, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Rainbow Celery”

First Grade
Evelyn Van Winckel, Fort Salonga Elementary, Kings Park Central School District, “Is Your Mouth Cleaner Than A Dog’s?”
Taran Sathish Kumar, Bretton Woods Elementary, Hauppauge Public School District, “Scratch and Slide”

Second Grade
Luke Dinsman, Dickinson Avenue School, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “What Makes a Car Go Fast?”
Adam Dvorkin, Pulaski Road School, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Salty Sourdough”
Lorenzo Favuzzi, Ivy League School, “Prime Time”

Third Grade
Ethan Behrens, Tangier Smith Elementary, William Floyd School District, “Deadliest Catch”
Anna Conrad, Dayton Avenue School, Eastport-South Manor Central School District, “Hello Paper Straws”

Fourth Grade
Michael Boyd, Cherry Avenue Elementary, Sayville Public Schools, “Utility Baby”
Michaela Bruno, Ocean Avenue Elementary, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Weak Wi-Fi, Booster Benefit”

Fifth Grade
Hailey Conrad, Dayton Avenue School, Eastport-South Manor Central School District, “Breathing Plants”
Rebecca Bartha, Raynor Country Day School, “Natural Beauty Makes a Better Buffer”
Colin Pfeiffer, Tamarac Elementary, Sachem Central School District, “Turn Up the Heat”

Sixth Grade
Akhil Grandhi, Hauppauge Middle School, Hauppauge Public School District, “Which Fruit or Vegetable Oxidizes the Most in Varied Temperature?”

For more information, visit www.bnl.gov.

Middle school student honored by PJ Rotarians

by Press Release - June 19, 2021

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PJMS MMS Gianna Viviano & entourage — PJMS Principal Dr. Bob Neidig, Mike Viviano, Gianna Viviano, Teresa Viviano, social studies teacher Phil Gianussa, PJ Rotary President Rob Dooley; Rotarian Dennis Brennan. Photo from the Port Jefferson Rotary

On Tuesday, June 8, at their first “in-person only” meeting at Cafe Spiga in Mt. Sinai in more than a year, Port Jefferson Rotary members celebrated the opportunity to see new and old faces “live” once again.

They also welcomed and honored this month’s Port Jeff Middle School Most Motivated Student, 7th grader Gianna Viviano.

Gianna was accompanied by her parents, Mike and Teresa Viviano, as well as Port Jefferson school officials.

A true role model for her peers, Gianna is quite inquisitive, thoughtful and engaged. A talented writer, this 7th grader recently had an entry of hers selected to be published in the high school’s literary magazine.

Despite this especially difficult school year, Gianna not only possesses a unique excitement and enthusiasm for learning, but she is a voracious reader, and she has shared her opinions both respectfully and passionately. What’s more, she was the star of the Middle School’s recent Drama Production, “Junie B. Jones,” playing Junie, a feisty, funny six-year-old whose outspoken honesty gets her into trouble at school and home.

Memorably Junie says, “A little glitter can turn the whole day around.” Principal Bob Neidig said that though a stretch for Gianna to play a part like this, it demonstrates how far she will go to entertain all at the school. He closed his remarks by calling Gianna, “the glitter making the days, especially the ones this year, better!”

Fun ways to celebrate Father’s Day this year

by TBR Staff - June 19, 2021

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Father’s Day presents an opportunity for people to honor the special men in their lives. These include not only dads, but father figures and other influential men who offer care and guidance to the people they love. Many celebrations continue to look different than they were prior to the pandemic, and Father’s Day festivities may still require some modifications this year, even if celebrations are not governed by the same restrictions as in 2020. The following are some ways to show dads they are appreciated.

Backyard bash

Restrictions on outdoor gatherings have eased up considerably in many areas. Outdoor parties are some of the safer ways to bring people together, particularly if attendees maintain their distance. Weather permitting, families can host barbecues and enlist someone other than Dad to man the grill. Serve foods buffet-style and space out tables so people can safely celebrate.

Plan a sports outing

Professional sports teams are once again welcoming fans to stadiums and other venues, albeit with reduced capacities to maintain safety. It may be possible to purchase tickets to an upcoming game and surprise Dad or Grandpa with tickets on Father’s Day. Make Father’s Day festivities sports-centric, with coordinated decorations and themed foods to set the scene.

Plan a game day

Whether your father likes board games, video games or crossword puzzles, gear Father’s Day around fun and games. Let Dad lead the way and choose the activity, and then everyone can step away from their screens and come together at the table over jigsaw puzzles or trivia questions.

Host a beer tasting

If Dad is a beer lover, organize a trip to a local craft brewery to sample their offerings. If establishments are closed or still restricting indoor seating, pick up beers from a few different breweries and create a flight at home.

Set up an outdoor movie night

Perfect for a father who is a movie buff, borrow or purchase a projector and show a movie on an outdoor screen or against a blank outdoor wall. Select one of Dad’s favorite movies to watch and invite friends and family to join in on the fun. Make sure there are refreshments at the ready and plenty of hot popcorn. Celebrating Father’s Day this year may require some ingenuity, but there is still fun to be had.

Happy Father’s Day from Times Beacon Record News Media!

PJS/T Chamber of Commerce spotlight: Sunburst Tree Experts

by TBR Staff - June 19, 2021

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pjstc spotlight 2, joan nickeson — Photo from Joan Nickeson

By Joan Nickeson

After speaking with Dave Jenkins, owner of Sunburst Tree Experts, I recalled a quote. It may have been Teddy Roosevelt who said, “To exist as a nation, to prosper as a state, and to live as a people, we must have trees.”

Providing professional tree care and educating his clients on the many benefits of trees, are part of the calling for Jenkins.

He explained recently how he is, “saving as many trees as he can” on every job. Jenkins is also a generous individual; he participated in the Great Brookhaven Clean up, donating his time, talent and truck, chipping lots of deadwood around the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce Train Car.

The staff of Sunburst Tree Experts are dedicated to staying one step ahead of the game and have been, since 1974.

Whether you need expert pruning, tree evaluation and removal, installation, or storm cleanup you’ll always have a certified, licensed and insured arborist on site.

Jenkins requires his employees to complete ongoing continuing education classes.

“It is necessary to know the latest technology and information, to maintain the health of trees not only for our clients but the greater community,” he said.

In addition to being a loyal member and volunteering with the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce, he pruned back all the dead branches at the American Legion Hall in Port Jefferson Station for free.

For a free estimate from a friendly tree expert, you can contact Dave at Sunburst Tree Experts at 631-744-1577.

Joan Nickeson is an active member of the PJS/Terryville community and community liaison to the PJS/T Chamber of Commerce.

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