Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine recently stopped by the Town’s Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai — the site of a two-day COVID-19 vaccination “pop-up POD” for Brookhaven residents over the age of 50.
During his visit, there was a continuous flow of residents into the center who were scheduled to receive their vaccine. The senior center has been closed in response to the COVID-19 health crisis.
“The Rose Caracappa Senior Center has been closed for over a year and this was an appropriate reason to open the doors again,” Romaine said. “I am greatly encouraged by the number of people who registered for the vaccine and I thank New York State for working with us to make them more convenient for residents. We hope to assist New York State with distributing more of vaccinations soon.”
For more information, eligibility, COVID-19 vaccine registration and more, call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4827) or go to covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov. There is no charge for the vaccine.
Elisabeth Kaalund Russell died peacefully on March 31, 2021, in her home on Merritt Island, Florida. She succumbed to cancer after a hard-fought battle.
A loving mother and grandmother, she lived a full life and will be greatly missed.
Photo from Tina Myers
Born in 1941 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Elisabeth shared many memories growing-up as the youngest of five siblings in a country recovering from a world war.
As a young woman she decided to immigrate to New York as an Au Pair. Soon after, she met her first husband, Charles Helenius. They eventually settled down in Baldwin and had two children, Peter and Tina.
Many years later, including a couple of years living in Copenhagen, she moved to Port Jefferson with her children.
She had a second daughter, Ingrid, and in 1987 found her favorite home on Puritan Path.
As a young mother, Elisabeth went to college to become a registered nurse. She started her career at Hillcrest Hospital in Queens in the labor and delivery department.
Over the years she worked at Frederiksberg Hospital in Copenhagen, Brookhaven Hospital in Patchogue, North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, Stony Brook Hospital and then ended her career at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson.
Liz met Dr. Frank Russell in the operating room, and they became lifetime companions outside of the hospital.
One of her proudest moments was being the attending nurse in the first surgery performed at Stony Brook Hospital.
After a few years of retirement in Vermont, Elisabeth found her “paradise” in Florida. She loved the warmth and sun there.
As usual, she found a local Danish group to socialize with and maintain Danish traditions.
Liz enjoyed working in her yard and swimming in her pool during the day and knitting at night.
Her joyous spirit and endless energy will continue to inspire everyone she knew and loved.
She will be remembered when her loved ones are reading, painting, knitting, cleaning and entertaining.
Liz always set a beautiful table and made everyone feel special. She is survived by her son and daughter in-law, Peter Helenius and Margaret Luckey of Mastic Beach, daughter and son-in-law, Tina and David Myers, ofBeaverton, Oregon; daughter and son-in-law; Ingrid and Larry Pike, of East Middlebury, Vermont.
She is also survived by her brother and sister in-law, Karl and Lis Kaalund; brother and sister in-law Per and Marianne Kaalund; sister and brother in-law Inger and Gordon Campbell.
In addition, Elisabeth has seven grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews in the United States, Canada, Denmark and Australia.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to the American Diabetes Association
The Suffolk County Police Department and Suffolk County Crime Stoppers have been highlighting several unsolved cases on the department’s social media pages during National Crime Victims’ Rights week from April 18 through April 24.
Crime Stoppers is offering fast-cash rewards for information leading to an arrest in each of the cases. The rewards will be issued within 72 hours of an arrest.
Crime Stoppers has been proven to be an effective crime solving program since its inception in Suffolk County in 1994. During that time, more than $665,000 has been rewarded to tipsters who reported information anonymously and close to 2,800 arrests have been made.
“Our partnership with Crime Stoppers has been instrumental in solving cases during the last three decades,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart. “By highlighting these unsolved cases, we hope to bring justice to these victims and their families.”
Cases being featured include: A homicide during which Alejandra Vargas-Diaz shot and killed Albert Luis Rodriguez-Lopez during an argument at Billiards DBM in Port Jefferson on July 22, 2018. Detectives believe Vargas-Diaz may have fled to the Dominican Republic; The fatal-hit-run of 17-year-old Jenna Lopez who was walking home from work on Route 347 in Port Jefferson Station on Aug. 24, 2019. Lopez was struck by a vehicle, causing her to fall, and she was subsequently struck by additional vehicles. The first driver failed to stop. Drivers of the additional vehicles stopped and called 911, however, Lopez died at the scene; The fatal hit-and-run of Ronald Destefano who was struck while walking to work on Route 347 in Stony Brook on Dec. 20, 2020.
“We are asking the public to reach out anonymously with any information to aid in these unsolved cases,” said Crime Stoppers president Nick Amarr.
Anyone who wants to submit information on a crime can call 1-800-220-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted by downloading the P3 tips mobile app or online at p3tips.com.
Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio joined Brides of Long Island founder Heather Cunningham asking the state to lessen wedding restrictions. Photo by Kimberly Brown
By Kimberly Brown
The Brides of Long Island organization, state Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) and other Republican lawmakers gathered at the H. Lee Dennison building in Hauppauge last Friday, April 16, to call for action by Gov. Andrew D. Cuomo (D) to lessen the overly restrictive COVID-19 regulations on weddings.
Some of the state’s pandemic regulations include up to 150 guests or 50% of a venue’s capacity whichever is smaller with mandatory COVID-19 testing, distanced dancing in designated areas, congregating only at guests’ assigned tables, and wearing face coverings unless while eating or drinking.
Brides of Long Island founder Heather Cunningham. Photo by Kimberly Brown
Heather Cunningham, founder of The Brides of Long Island — a website and Facebook group that consists of thousands of brides across the Island — expressed her concern for the overmanagement of regulations the state has put in place, causing brides to postpone their weddings to unknown future dates.
“We take for granted that the world will wait for us, but time can take away a father who is supposed to dance with his daughter and it can send a fiancé halfway across the world in early deployment,” Cunningham said, “It may be easy for elected officials like Governor Cuomo to say that weddings are nothing but parties, but weddings are so much more than a party, they are the days that connect us to our roots, beliefs, values and to each other.”
Questioning the science behind the regulations around weddings, Giglio said the state government has gone too far when it comes to preventing COVID-19 in large gatherings.
“Honestly, does the virus pack up and leave after midnight or 1 a.m.?” Giglio said, “Because that’s what the governor wants you to do at your wedding — pack up and leave.”
Since the shutdown began last year, wedding businesses have been one of the many industries that have taken a hard hit financially.
The wedding industry on Long Island generates an estimated $6 million a year in sales tax, as well as being one of the state’s largest employers.
John Salkowsky, owner of Silverfox Studios located in Lindenhurst, said the wedding industry has been brought to its knees, and lessening restrictions will help bring the businesses back to life.
“People make their decisions at the ballot box, and hopefully the governor will hear that and realize that by doing the right thing and lifting these restrictions will do great justice to this industry,” he said.
Ronkonkoma business owner of Absolute Entertainment, Kevin McClafferty, said planning a wedding is supposed to be one of the most joyous experiences for couples.
However, he has found that his clients are overly stressed when trying to plan their wedding around the state’s restrictions.
“A successful day at work for us is seeing exciting, smiling, happy faces — no masks,” he said.
Pointing out the flaws in the state’s regulations and restrictions on weddings, McClafferty mentioned a few of the over-managed rules he observed while on the job.
One of his observations included the state’s enforcement of “dance boxes,” where guests are allowed to use the dance floor in restricted zones with only the immediate members of their party.
He said this is one of the most over-managed of all the reopening strategies.
“It’s a good idea in theory, but a terrible idea in application and needs to be eliminated now,” McClafferty said.
Brides who joined Cunningham last Friday also expressed their disappointment in not being able to plan their weddings properly, with some brides being forced to cancel or relocate their weddings to other states in order to celebrate appropriately.
“We just want fair treatment.” Brittany Burton, an upcoming bride, said, “The people who are making the rules don’t see behind the scenes or worry about financials. They see money on their end before us.”
With over 6,500 signatures as of April 20 on Cunningham’s BOLI petition, titled Lessen the Overly Restrictive COVID-19 Regulations on Long Island Weddings, the brides of Long Island are waiting to see if their voices will be heard.
The Port Jefferson Board Trustees held their bi-weekly Zoom meeting on April 19.
After their approval of minutes, changes and amendments from the previous meeting on April 5, they got down to business.
One of the first topics of discussion was Harbor Square Mall. The village said they are looking to take some parking spots out to stop the constant crowd that it brings. The purpose of switching and eliminating parking lot spots is to keep the parking moving and open, and there is not a lot of parking spaces for the restaurant and apartment complex that is in the mall.
Mayor Margot Garant made a special thanks to the families and children who helped local nonprofit Hometown Hope clean up beaches last weekend.
There were teams that went McAlister Park, Centennial and East Beach where they cleaned up everything that was necessary to cleanup.
For leisure as the warm weather hits, the basketball league is starting up in June from ages 12 to 15.
Also, a tentative date of May 21, will potentially hold a movie night for high school seniors who missed out on their final year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Every morning when we wake up, we’re reminded that we are still enduring this global pandemic.
Whether you think so or not, everyone’s lives have been impacted by it. Some people have lost loved ones to COVID-19, some have gotten so sick they suffer severe trauma and some haven’t seen their families in over a year. Beyond the physical, businesses have suffered financially, some even closing their doors for the last time.
But luckily the vaccine has lifted the weight off a lot of shoulders — especially for the young people in our community.
Now that New York State has opened the vaccines to people ages 16 and over, more and more high schoolers and college students are looking to get the jab.
And we think that’s wonderful. They are trusting science and doing so to protect not only themselves, but their elderly or high-risk loved ones.
We want things to go back to normal for everyone, but the high schoolers specifically.
Remember last year when the Class of 2020 missed out on their final high school sports, senior trips, proms and graduations?
Some of them have even been robbed of the college experience of living in a dorm, taking classes in a lecture hall and meeting new people.
If we as a whole do not band together to combat this virus, then the classes of 2022, ’23, and ’24 may miss all those key lifetime moments, too.
The Class of 2021 has already lost their junior year — and most likely will not have the same “normal” experiences this spring as the rest of us had.
We know the unknown is terrifying, and people may not agree with getting a vaccine.
But is it worth not getting vaccinated? To constantly live in fear of the virus, or to not trust the medical professionals who saw death every day for more than 365 days?
We don’t think so.
We are grateful and commend these young people for getting their shots.
The more people who do it, the more we’ll all be able to live as we did before.
On a conference call with New York college students last month, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) presented his plan to cancel up to $50,000 in debt for federal student loan borrowers.
The plan is derived from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), who proposed national debt forgiveness as a promise in her presidential campaign. Both Warren and Schumer’s joint plan involves using a presidential executive to nullify student debt up to $50,000.
“College should be a ladder up,” Schumer said during the call. “But student debt weighs people down, it is an anchor, and we have to do something about it.”
President Joe Biden (D) has the executive authority to substantially cancel student loan debt for students through the Higher Education Act, according to Schumer. This would also bypass the requirement to present the motion to Congress.
Biden has said that he supported alleviating students of loan debt up to $10,000, and now the call to action is being echoed loudly by his fellow Democratic Party members.
On his first day in office, the president addressed the ongoing dilemma regarding student debt, where his plan was to extend the pause on federal student loan payments and keeping the interest rate at 0% through the end of September.
The United States national student loan debt has accumulated at an alarming rate. An Experian survey indicated the total amount reached a record high of $1.57 trillion in 2020, an increase of about $166 billion since 2019.
Nearly 2.4 million New Yorkers owe $89.5 billion in federal student loans as of March 2020, Schumer said. The average New Yorker owes $34,600 in student loans, greater than the national average of $32,700.
To relieve loan borrowers of their debts, Schumer mentioned that if the federal government forgave debts up to $50,000, it would greatly bounce the economy. He detailed how instead of repaying their loans, people can instead allocate their money for other immediate and urgent payments, as well as leisure spending.
Schumer told conference attendees that the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 includes roughly $2.6 billion for New York’s colleges and universities, with half of the allocations distributed as financial aid to students in addressing hardships brought about by COVID-19.
Some of the local institutions benefiting from the American Rescue Plan for “estimated minimum amount for student grants” were listed by Schumer during the conference call: City College $23.6 million, CUNY Queens College $25.8 million, Syracuse University $15.4 million, SUNY Buffalo $31.7 million and Stony Brook University $26.8 million.
Schumer also made an urgent request for the call participants, primarily college students, to stay informed by reading local and student-run newspapers. He likewise reinforced the importance of those attending the conference to take a call to action to write, call and email Biden and get their friends and family to do so to spread awareness.
“Student loan payments are on pause, but they are not going away if we don’t do something once the pandemic is over,” Schumer said. “These debts are just going to keep piling up.”
Runners tackle the lung-bursting grade on Port Jefferson’s Main Street during the Cross-Island Marathon. Photo from the Swenk Collection
The Cross-Island Marathon was a former Port Jefferson to Patchogue road race. Attracting a record 1,175 runners in 1979, the annual event originated a decade earlier with a field of only 18 competitors.
In 1969, the Patchogue Jaycees and the Cavalier Athletic Club co-sponsored a “Marathon Run” from Broadway Avenue in Holbrook to the ferry dock at the Patchogue Sandspit. Not a true marathon of 26 miles and 385 yards, the June 21 race was to cover slightly over seven miles but was shortened to a 5.5-mile event to avoid major thoroughfares.
The co-sponsors extended the 1970 “Marathon Run” to 14 miles, starting the June 20 race at Nesconset Highway (Route 347) in Port Jefferson Station and finishing at the Rider Avenue entrance to Shorefront Park in Patchogue.
The 14-mile distance remained the same in June 1971 and 1972, but the race was renamed the “Cross-Island Marathon.” In addition, the Village of Patchogue’s Recreation and Parks Department joined in sponsoring the event, later becoming the key organizer of the run.
In June 1973 and 1974, the marathon’s course was stretched to 15.5 miles. The race still finished at Shorefront Park in Patchogue but began near the waterfront at the intersection of Broadway and Main in lower Port Jefferson. With this change, the run lived up to its name, became a true “Cross-Island” event, increased in popularity and drew more competitors.
Sandra Swenk was Port Jefferson’s mayor when the marathon was brought to the village’s downtown. As she fired the starter pistol signaling the beginning of the race, the runners charged up Port Jefferson’s Main Street passing a number of businesses that have been lost to the passage of time — the Elk Hotel and Restaurant, Grammas Sweets, Woodfield’s Men’s Wear, Cooper’s Office Supplies, Mac Snyder’s Army and Navy Store, Gristedes Supermarket, Cappy’s Carpets, Ringen’s Luncheonette and many more.
Runners set out from Port Jefferson’s Main Street at the start of the marathon. Photo from the Swenk Collection
Seasoned runners easily handled the climb from the village’s waterfront up the hill to the LIRR crossing where the course finally leveled off, but the lung-bursting grade often proved quite challenging for first-timers unfamiliar with the terrain.
Over the years, the run’s start in Port Jefferson and end in Patchogue was a constant, but the length of the race was not: 15.6 miles, 1975-1977; 20.8 miles, 1978; 19.6 miles, 1979; and 20 miles, 1980.
In 1981, the Cross-Island Marathon was scrapped and replaced with the 13.1-mile Patchogue Half Marathon, prompted in part by a desire among some in greater Patchogue to have a strictly South Shore event and growing concerns about the race’s impact on road traffic.
Although the Cross-Island Marathon underwent frequent changes throughout its history, one outstanding athlete dominated the run despite the disruptions. From 1969-1980, Justin Gubbins won each race, often with blistering times, except for 1972 when he was away for Olympic Trials and in 1977 when he ran second to Louis Calvano.
Local residents also performed well in the Cross-Island Marathon. Steve Heinbockel of Belle Terre placed third in 1976 and 1977. His father, William, a math teacher zat Port Jefferson High School, won the age 41-50 division in 1978, a year with 924 finishers.
Among Long Island’s original road races, the bygone Cross Island Marathon was a unique run, linking Port Jefferson Harbor on the North Shore with Patchogue Bay on the South.
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.
Comsewogue Public Library’s 2021-2022 operating budget passed April 6, and Chris McCrary was re-elected as trustee.
Director Debbie Engelhardt expressed a message of thanks to the community for their support both on the library’s website and in an upcoming Letter from the Director to be featured in the library’s next newsletter.
According to Engelhardt’s update, “The Library is now fine-free, with wonderful spring happenings underway and a delightful summer in store.”
While masks and physical distancing are still enforced for everyone’s safety at the library, there are no longer time limits for in-person visits and places to sit and read, study, work or chat have been restored.
“We’re thrilled to welcome everyone back to the Library to relax, learn and grow in a comfortable and safe community setting,” she added.
In addition to the many online services and programs offered for adults, teens and children throughout the pandemic, including “Take and Make” programs, Comsewogue Pubic Library is beginning to offer outdoor programs and some indoor programs as part of its new hybrid service program.
“I’m so pleased with the staff’s latest community-centered initiatives — The Little Free Pantry and The Seed Library are examples — each of which can help ensure folks get enough to eat,” Engelhardt said.
The library is also offering low and no-cost resources to help people find what they need to solve problems and achieve their personal and professional goals, including LinkedIn Learning where visitors can find video courses in business, technology and creative skills.
For children and teens, a new installation of CPL StoryWalk has been announced, which allows patrons to stroll the library lawn, while following along with posted pages of children’s books. Stories will be changed regularly.
CPL also now offers free notary services by appointment.
For more information about the library’s approved operating budget, visit cplib.org/about/documents, and to learn more about Comsewogue Public Library’s programs and services for community members of all ages, visit cplib.org, or call 631-928-1212.
The Village Boutique saw an opportunity a few storefronts away and decided to move in.
The former Thomas Kinkade art gallery located at 128 Main Street in the village has stayed vacant for more than 13 months, said Abby Buller, The Village Boutique’s owner.
So she talked to her landlord — who owns her former spot at 216A Main as well as the Kinkade space — and decided to move down the street.
“I think the location is a little bit better and because of the way this store is configured, it allowed me to expand more into shoes and accessories the other store didn’t allow me to do,” Buller said.
And the new store is a better fit.
Since originally opening up in May 2019, Buller said her store carries a variety of women’s apparel for ages 16 and up. The new, much larger, space allowed her to begin selling footwear and more accessories.
“I’ve always wanted to have shoes in my store, but the back storage area was just too small,” she said. “This gave me two storage areas, and the space to display shoes of the other store didn’t have — so the configuration is what’s different.”
Buller said after things opened back up, she wanted to use the opportunity and start fresh. In January, she and her landlord came to an agreement, closing down her former location on Feb. 23.
It took her and her business partner about two weeks to move everything over, steam it all, barcode it and of course do some construction and cleaning up. The new Village Boutique opened on March 15.
“I’m getting people into the store who said, ‘Are you new?’ and when I said no, they would say they never saw me up the block,” she said. “So, I think the new location will pay itself off in the end.”
Owner Abby Buller inside her new space. Photo by Julianne Mosher
The Village Boutique, Buller said, is the type of place where a shopper won’t have to step foot inside a big-box store, or shop online, ever again. She personally shops for her inventory in the city and brings in designers from all over the world.
“If I can’t touch the clothes, I can’t buy them,” she said. “Because we first look for style, then when we look with touch. If you don’t like the way it feels, you’re not going to buy something.”
She also said she has a price point for everyone’s budget.
“We have a little bit of Manhattan in Suffolk County,” she said.
Buller said the last couple of years she has grown her shop in the village has even led her to now make the jump to move out here, herself.
Born and raised in Queens, since 2019 she has been commuting the almost two-hour drive to Port Jeff every day.
She said she just sold her place in Bayside, and is looking to find a new place in the Port Jefferson, Rocky Point or Mount Sinai areas to call home.
“I remember being a child and a day trip for us would be coming out to Port Jeff,” she said. “So, when I decided to own a business, my concept was that I didn’t want to be in a strip mall. I wanted to be in a town. And I had such fond memories of this village so I took the jump.”
The Village Boutique is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday’s.
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