CLOSE
Port Times Record

by -
0 2716
Port Jefferson Village Hall. Photo by Heidi Sutton 2023

By Peter SLoniewsky

Guidelines surrounding membership rates and a junior golfers program at the Port Jefferson Country Club is a recent topic of contention. 

Because the country club is owned by the Village of Port Jefferson, the rates it charges to members require approval by the Port Jefferson Board of Trustees after they have been discussed by the club’s Board of Governors and approved by the club’s general manager and Country Club Management Advisory Council. 

December 4 meeting

This year, the club introduced a membership rate proposal to the entire Board of Trustees at their Dec. 4 work session. This proposal contained two major differences: it gradually eliminated the junior members program for children 12-18 and proposed a new initiation fee. The website also states that members must be 19-29 on Apr. 1 to play golf. Junior members are not permitted as guests.

At the meeting, the club’s general manager, Tom Natola, advocated for removing the junior membership option on the basis that many members with junior memberships had parents who were members. Natola said that it made more sense to sell family memberships and eliminating the junior program would incentivize this. 

He also said that there was a liability concern for juniors on the courses. At this meeting, both Mayor Lauren Sheprow and trustee Xena Ugrinsky discussed eliminating the junior program straightaway due to liability although they did not directly advocate for it. 

Both at the meeting and afterward, parents provided significant blowback. Port Jefferson parent Nicole Connolly, whose son and daughter are both junior golfers, said there has been a pattern of policymaking that has eroded the program over the past several years. According to Connolly, negotiations two years ago included significant parent resistance against a CCMAC proposal to disproportionately increase junior membership rates. 

CCMAC Chair Lisa Perry told TBR News Media that “the country club has always supported junior golfers and their families.”

She added that the Port Jefferson High School golf teams play for free at the club. 

As a result of these controversies, the Board of Trustees requested that Natola prepare another proposal for their Dec. 18 public meeting. 

Questions of CCMAC involvement

Complicating this, the process that led to the Dec. 4 proposal is unclear.  Sheprow said, “[the Board of Governors] made recommendations to the country club manager, who reviewed the recommendations with the Country Club Management Advisory Council, also volunteers, after which the country club manager developed the recommendations he deemed appropriate.” 

Perry said “The CCMAC reviewed the rates that were proposed by their general manager and agreed to recommend the rates to the board of trustees for their Dec. 18 meeting.’

CCMAC’s involvement in the process is enforced by Chapter 25 of the Village of Port Jefferson code. If it was not included in the process prior to the Dec. 4 rejection, the sourcing of that proposal is unclear. 

CCMAC voted on a proposal on Dec. 17 that was then presented to the trustees at their Dec. 18 meeting. At this meeting, Sheprow expressed some regret for a lack of consideration of families and junior members throughout the processes that led to the Dec. 4 proposal, although she encouraged stakeholders to get involved earlier in the process. She also attributed a lack of communication to an effort to balance the budget, despite the requirement in the village code of CCMAC input. 

The Dec. 18 proposal was largely similar to the Dec. 4 proposal but would further restrict juniors to times after 2 p.m. and increase the juniors’ fees by $1,000 — an increase that trustee Kyle Hill described as “insanity.” 

The trustees voted to table the matter of junior membership and new limitations that it would place on junior members’ play times. 

Resolution

This debate was cut short on Dec. 24 with a surprise announcement from Natola that “junior rates and playing and access policies will stay the same in 2025 as they were in 2024” and  “there will be no further discussion at the Board of Trustees level related to the Junior Membership package.” 

While this announcement was a win for the juniors, it brings back some questions about power in this process. 

Natola requires approval from the CCMAC and the Board of Trustees to approve rates. His declaration in this memo that there would be no further discussion is not supported by the club’s governing rules. 

Trustee Stan Loucks, who served as a liaison between the trustees and the club for eight years, told TBR News Media that he had no insights as to why the message was sent. He added that “[Natola’s decision] should most likely go back to the trustees for approval.

Whether a vote will be called is unclear, although Hill told TBR News Media that “it’s inappropriate for any village employee to say that a discussion among trustees is over” and “any Board of Trustee member can bring it up for discussion at a meeting.” He also noted that the Christmas Eve send date had stood in the way of discussion throughout the holiday season.

Future plans

For the future, Loucks emphasized a more stringent relationship between the club and the trustees and said he would support the appointment of a liaison to the club to guide the process in the future. 

Additionally, in an email to TBR News Media, Sheprow wrote that “it is imperative that rate structure considerations support a long-term strategic plan” and work on such a plan would begin “immediately” while reinforcing the roles of the Board of Governors, CCMAC and the trustees alongside concerns about the club’s budgeting. 

The resolution of this situation is still unclear. The specifics of the junior membership plan are still unspecified and the trustees have not yet considered it. The Board of Trustees will meet next for a public meeting on Jan. 29.

For more information go to the Port Jefferson Country Club website: www.portjeffcc.com.

 

by -
0 758
Pixabay photo

On Jan. 19, the popular social media platform, TikTok, displayed an error screen, halting many of the app’s 150 million American users’ mid-scroll. “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now,” the screen read. “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.” 

TikTok is owned by the Chinese internet company ByteDance and gained prominence on an international scale in 2017. Its Chinese ownership caused former President Joe Biden to sign a law dictating that if TIkTok weren’t sold to an American company, then it would be banned from American devices, leading to the error message. 

This isn’t the first time TikTok was under threat of a ban, but it is the first time it has gotten this far. TikTok users across the country closed their apps for what they thought was the last time, reflecting on how the app fits into their lives, and how it will change their future habits. 

TikTok was out of commission for 12 hours, giving many Americans a chance to contemplate its absence. Were we glad that the icon was no longer on our phone screens, tempting us to click on it? Or, did we regret that we didn’t have the breadth of advice, entertainment and information it avails? 

The app offers endless opportunities, giving platforms to anyone who creates an account. Many small-business owners, artists, song-writers, comedians, food-bloggers, musicians and book-reviewers gained a foothold in their industry by joining the expanding ranks of “Tiktok influencers.” Numerous current professionals, especially creatives, used the short-form videos to their advantage. Lil Nas X, the recipient of two Grammy Awards, is one of the most notable artists who gained popularity by advertising his song on the app. 

However, the very draw of the app–representation of a wide range of communities, allowing anyone to have a platform–can be contorted to manipulate the user’s perspective on reality. Besides the constant risk of spreading inaccurate information, the sheer amount of content can be anxiety-inducing. Literally swiping away anything distressing can condense a person’s world, the specialized “For You Page,” an echo-chamber. The casual, friendly videos can become a crutch, with scrolling from video to video becoming less of a conscious action and more of a comforting, self-soothing habit. 

During those hours without TikTok as an active factor shaping our view, we were given the distance needed to evaluate its place retrospectively in our lives. Did we use it when we were bored? Stressed? Angry? Why and when will we miss it? Taking healthy breaks provides the unaffected clarity to make these determinations. 

TikTok is back for now–President Trump issued a 90-day extension for ByteDance to sell–but let’s use the temporary ban as an opportunity to examine our social media usage.

by -
0 684
File photo by Raymond Janis

Smithtown freight yard is a threat to our community

As a 75-year resident of our beautiful community, it saddens me to see Smithtown is moving ahead on the freight yard proposal by Toby Carlson.  Like California, you are adopting the law of unintended consequences. In the effort to pursue the “Green New Deal” they ignored the well-being and safety of their citizens. Reservoir water was redirected to save fish, fire budgets were cut and brush in county parks was left to grow contrary to state laws. All of this was to improve social justice policies. If a freight yard is the answer to our garbage needs, this is not the place for it, adjacent to a residential and historic area.

While the tragedy California is dealing with was never anticipated by the politicians, the dangers were all too apparent. So too, the terrible record of freight train derailments and toxic spills have put adjacent communities at risk and caused many tragedies throughout the country. While this is a real possibility, what is a certainty is that our home values, quality of life and water aquifer will all be negatively impacted. Just as California turned a blind eye to brush removal laws for many years, Smithtown has ignored the many code violations on Old Northport Road. Clearly, California has subordinated their community safety in pursuit of an alternative agenda. This should not happen here.Elected officials should protect and preserve our communities.

For 30 years I served with the Fort Salonga Association as director and president. We worked  to protect our zoning, establish  Bread and Cheese as an historic Road and identify many homes dating back to the American Revolution. To undermine our efforts, damage our quality of life and impact our property values is a betrayal of our trust. There are better places for a freight yard than 150 feet away from residential homes. Please protect our community!

Frank Konop

Smithtown

Sergeant-at-arms can protect without weapons

At the Suffolk County Legislature’s Organizational Meeting on Jan. 2, I suggested appointing a sergeant-at-arms for future meetings. As an employee of the Legislature that individual would be responsible for ensuring that all in attendance follow protocols. Helping to escort guest dignitaries such as the Suffolk County executive into the auditorium to address the legislators when they are in session would also be a job requirement. Despite the words “sergeant” and “arms” in the title, that person would not be a law enforcement officer and would not carry any weapons.

My request was prompted by events at two General Meetings last year when a member of the public who was speaking was asked by the presiding officer to not provocatively say “your base is racist.” These uncomfortable moments quickly overheated when the presiding officer determined it appropriate to request deputy sheriff officers who are present at the General Meetings to escort the speaker out of the hearing room. Witnessing law enforcement officers with loaded guns on their person being instructed to remove constituents is concerning as such circumstances have the potential to quickly and unpredictably escalate.

During my tenure as a New York State assemblyman, I observed that Legislature’s sergeant-at-arms routinely offering potential disruptors a piece of candy from a bowl he kept at his desk. This literally sweet gesture would provide an opportunity for de-escalation and, in turn, maintain the required decorum to continue with a safe and effective legislative meeting. It also demonstrates that the individual who is the sergeant-at-arms can function as an antidote to disharmony and an instrument of civility. The Suffolk County Legislature should make use of this tool to add both a buffer against immoderate moments and add to the procedural dignity of the chamber.

Steve Englebright

Suffolk County Legislator

Fifth District

Keep the town code, keep out freight terminals

We are writing to express the opposition of our members to the proposed changes to the

[Smithtown] Town Code – as written – that would permit rail freight terminals, rail transfer stations and wood chipping and mulch processing in Smithtown. The proposals as written make no sense and should not be enacted.

Although increased capacity for the transportation of ash from waste-to-energy plants and construction and demolition debris (“C&D”) off Long Island likely will become a necessity, we believe that as drafted, the proposed code changes are misguided, overbroad and frankly, unrealistic.

The most surprising aspect of the proposal is that a special exception could be granted for any ofthese uses on parcels as little as two acres. Likewise, we are surprised that the proposal includes the possibility that a rail freight terminal could be permitted in a light industry zone anywhere in Town. Since the proposed amendments would affect the entire Town, they could have negative impacts in any community where in ustrially zoned properties exist, including the Mills Pond National Historic District and the Flowerfield property.

For the past four years, the community has been working with the State Department of Environmental Conservation and Suffolk County to preserve the undeveloped 48-acre portion of the Gyrodyne/Flowerfield property, which is the last remaining open space in St. James. The State and County are closer than ever to a purchase that would compensate Gyrodyne fairly for its land. Supervisor Wehrheim, you have expressed to the DEC that the Town has no objection to the State’s proposal to acquire the property using Environmental Protection Funds. However, the proposed code changes, as written, could jeopardize the goal of preserving Flowerfield Fairgrounds as open space.

While the current Town Board might not allow a rail terminal on the Gyrodyne/Flowerfield property, future Town Boards could do so if the code changes before you are approved. The proposed code amendments would be antithetical to the broad explicit goal established in the Town’s new Comprehensive Plan to protect the character of residential communities like St. James. Even if the minimum required parcel size was increased to 100 acres, the proposals should not be enacted, for the following reasons.

Permission to create a rail freight terminal “used for the temporary staging and/or storage of commodities, consumer products or equipment” transported via rail at the Gyrodyne/Flowerfield site would require the addition not only of railroad tracks and storage facilities, but would also of necessity generate daily heavy truck traffic on Mills Pond Road, North Country Road and Stony Brook Road, all of which are narrow, two-lane country roads.

In sworn testimony at the 2010 eminent domain trial Gyrodyne’s own planning and zoning expert testified that getting traffic in and out of the Gyrodyne site is problematic because it is remote from major roadways, and that the property therefore could not accommodate the additional traffic that would accompany more industrial development. The level of traffic on nearby roadways under current conditions is rated as failing, which was a major impetus for the legal challenge against approval of the Gyrodyne subdivision, still pending. The proposed code amendments would allow this property to potentially be developed for uses that would be even more objectionable than those proposed by Gyrodyne in its subdivision proposal.

Another significant issue to be considered is the limited capacity of rail infrastructure in the Town of Smithtown. The Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road is served by a busy single commuter track and is ill-suited to the addition of rail freight.

There are numerous other locations in Suffolk County which are more suitable for use as rail freight terminals to facilitate the expansion of transportation of ash and construction and demolition materials (C&D) off Long Island.

Head of the Harbor Neighborhood Preservation Coalition

by -
0 540
Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

The back to back days of pardons given by former president Joe Biden and current president Donald Trump put me in a pardoning frame of mind.

In that vein, I think we should have a national day of pardoning in the United States, unrelated to who is president and what those pardons might reflect about the taint politics has on the entire notion of a justice system whose rules can and should apply to all.

Perhaps the day after the inauguration should become a day of amnesty or for some sort of pardoning day, when we can ask for and receive pardons from regular folks for regular offenses.

Here are a few pardonable categories:

Inaction: We sometimes have those moments when we could or should say something and don’t. We see someone bullying someone else and we have the chance to stand up for that person. Instead, maybe we’re relieved that the bullying didn’t come directly at us.

Many years ago in college, one of my professors (and some of you may have read this anecdote before, so pardon me) was berating someone for trying to remove some equipment quietly from the room. He shouted at him and dressed him down, complaining that this other person was making it impossible for him to do his job.

At the time, I thought about getting out of my seat and leaving the room, but I didn’t. I could have helped the person doing the work, or, perhaps, have said something.

Funny is in the eye of the beholder: We sometimes think, hope or believe we’re funnier than we are. Maybe we make a friend or classmate uncomfortable, joke with a partner or invalidate someone else with words we think are more clever than they are. A pardon day could give us a chance to rephrase what we said or, instead of explaining it or editing it, just deleting it from the record. Wouldn’t that be nice? Pardon me for trying too hard to be amusing and missing the mark so badly. Can’t you just see that on a card or in a text?

We thought we knew better: How often have our parents suggested something, like wearing boots in the snow, putting on mittens in the cold, or doing our homework instead of praying for a snow day, and been right? Perhaps an amnesty day would give us a chance to admit that they were right and, in return, they could ask for our pardon for telling the same stories about our stubborn and self-assured nature.

Last teammates: Gym class is filled with opportunities for embarrassment, discomfort and failure. We might let a ball scoot by us, run the wrong way or pass to the wrong teammate. But those pale in comparison to the moment when someone is picked last, yet again. These character-building experiences can and should include moments when the people chosen last defy the odds and receive a welcoming and eager reaction from a captain or teammates.

Understanding instead of anger: It’s easy to react to someone’s angry, abrupt or inexplicable actions with frustration and hostility. Why didn’t this person answer a text or email? Why did he or she cut me off? We can ask for a pardon and perhaps get a better understanding of why someone wouldn’t let us finish a sentence.

Ears not mouth: Sometimes, we need a pardon for speaking instead of listening. Speaking is so much easier, as we can share whatever thoughts are percolating in our brains. Listening is often harder, but can be more rewarding and meaningful for people who have something to share. Pardon me for speaking. What did you want to say? I promise I’m listening.

Bad math moment: Maybe we were splitting a check, leaving a tip or returning the favor for a gift someone gave our children and yet, somehow we didn’t send/ spend enough. We’ve all been distracted at inopportune times, even with money. A pardon for under-tipping a hard working waiter or waitress might go a long way. 

Sharing poorly: On a recent vacation, I went up to a buffet, filled a plate with chocolate chip cookies and carried them through the restaurant. A child in the restaurant pointed and said, “Look it’s the real cookie monster.” Yes, that’s me. So, for all those times I didn’t exactly share well, pardon me.

by -
0 1135
METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

There is a place called Ramsey, where they have banned cellphones during class. Perhaps you have heard of it? It’s in New Jersey. Ramsey High School has banned students from using cellphones and electronic devices during school hours, except at lunch. The idea was to reduce distractions and improve mental health.

No doubt you have been reading or hearing about how cellphone overuse is ruining our kids’ moods and minds, not to mention how hard it is for teachers to reach the students if the latter are plastered on their cellphone screens. 

Well, a San Francisco company called Yondr has stepped into the breech with a lockable pouch for each student that keeps phones out of reach until the pouch is tapped on an unlocking base.

There are 741 students in the high school, and upon entering the building they put their  cellphone into the small holders that they carry with them but cannot open until lunchtime. They can then check their messages, text with friends, play videos, and otherwise use their phones until they return to class, where the procedure repeats itself. At the end of the school day, they reclaim their phones and can jump back on them as they go home or wherever they go next.

How did they do it? 

The district was able to put the policy together, after board approval, by sending three letters: one to parents, one to students and one to teachers and administrators, explaining the program. Communication was good, and the policy was helped by New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy endorsing the idea for all 600 school districts in his State of the State address.

How is it working for them?

Many of the students have responded positively to the change. They point out that they are actually happy to see their friends in the hallways and talk with them, whereas before, they were all in their cellphones while changing classrooms. So better socializing has been a plus.

Grades have improved, according to some of the students and teachers, as student attention is now directed to the lessons. Teachers undoubtedly find it more satisfying to teach less distracted kids. And cyberbullying seems reduced.

Concerns about safety have subdued. Should emergency messages need to be sent, having clear bandwidth to the police or whomever would be an advantage. The investment for the district was $30,000.

UNESCO is advocating cellphone bans in schools, arguing that the devices are distractions from learning, are bad for teens’ mental health and may be an obstacle for students’ privacy, as some digital education tools can survey the children using them. The recommendations come from the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report, which analyzes global policies on technology use in classrooms.

“Only technology that has a clear role in supporting learning should be allowed in school,” the United Nations agency for education and science stated, according to the publication, Global News. 

In fact, one in four countries has already implemented full or partial cellphone bans in schools, according to the report. “Incoming notifications or the mere proximity of a mobile device can be a distraction, resulting in students’ losing their attention from the task at hand,” the report states. One study showed  it can take students up to 20 minutes to refocus on learning once their attention was drawn away.

Data from a 2018 study showed that young people 11-14 on average spent 9 hours in front of a screen, down a bit to 7.5 hours for 15-18 year-olds. The report further pointed to an American study that showed higher screen time was associated with “poorer well-being; less curiosity, self-control and emotional stability; higher anxiety; and depression diagnoses.”

If this has a familiar ring to it, for those of a certain age, the same concerns were expressed in the early years of television. How did we deal with the problem? 

Less television.

P.S. Just woke up yesterday to learn that Gov. Hochul is advocating the same idea. She must have heard of Ramsey.

by -
0 818
Pixabay photo

The Long Island Sound has attracted many residents to the area. While walking across the beach and appreciating waters that change with the tides and weather, the beauty of a landscape we share with seagulls calling to each other and fiddler crabs racing in and out of the surf provides a comforting setting for our busy lives.

While the Long Island Sound seems resilient and constant, it faces an ongoing threat. After decades of existing adjacent to population-dense Long Island, its chemical makeup has suffered. 

About 9 million people live in the Long Island Sound watershed, which extends almost to Canada, with 1.5 million of those people residing in Suffolk County. The large population puts pressure on the sewer systems, which if ineffective, affect water quality. 

Ineffective wastewater management not only impacts drinking water, but also has profound and noticeable impacts on the Long Island Sound where the toxic runoff often ends up. Wastewater is adding nitrogen to the water, contributing to the growth of harmful algae blooms that overwhelm the surrounding ecosystem and cause beach closures.

Since we live on a watershed, how we use our water has the potential to erode the quality of the beaches we adore. To maintain the natural havens like Cedar Beach, Long Beach, and Sunken Meadow State Park we need a capable sewer system and modern septic tanks. 

Our area poses a unique threat to the Sound: Long Island is highly developed, containing paved roads and concrete essentially leading straight to the beach. The lack of undeveloped land to absorb the excess water causes it to flow into the Sound, with all the contaminants it picks up on the way. 

Our communities, too, will inevitably be impacted, unless we can make the proper preparations and implement mitigation techniques. Without improved sewage systems our community will not be able to cope with the escalating effects of climate change. Rising temperatures lead to more rainfall and more treacherous storm surges. We need to make sure our infrastructure can handle the strain to avoid flooding our towns. 

Last year, the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act was a step in the right direction. Passed on Nov. 5, the bill will provide the county with $4 billion to upgrade our water infrastructure. 

As the temperature rises, year by year, understanding how the qualities of Long Island interact with the changing climate can help us know what is at stake and how to protect it. 

We need to keep the momentum going.We must learn how to protect what we have. This may mean reducing our use of fertilizer to minimize contaminated runoff from entering the water. Or it may mean doing the best we can to encourage others to protect the shared treasure that is the Long Island Sound .

Fortunately, the portion of the Long Island Sound in our coverage area is relatively healthy; but we must take steps now to become informed and protect a valuable resource we can appreciate and enjoy.

by -
0 633
Angie Zang

By Katherine Kelton

Welcoming 2025 can mean many different things to different people. Do people still believe in setting goals for the new year, or has this practice become outdated, with goal-setting becoming more or less infrequent? 

TBR News Media took to the streets to ask Long Islanders about their New Year’s resolutions to understand this phenomenon across different groups. 

Jake Schwarzbard

Jake Schwarzbard, East Setauket

The Ward Melville High School senior is looking forward to the warmer weather, which will help him stick to his New Year’s resolution of “being on my phone less. “I feel like it is taking up too much of my day. I would like to try doing more activities, like golfing.” 

Cara Macedonio

Cara Macedonio, Stony Brook

The Emma Clark Library clerk discussed a few of her resolutions: “Go to the gym is basic, but that was one of them. My resolution is to find a fun job that I like.”

Claire Sloniewsky, Old Field

The senior at Ward Melville shared some of her “several” resolutions, which she wrote down on her phone to remember throughout the year: “One of my main resolutions was to spend more time outside, whether on a daily walk or something more high-impact, like going on a run or looking at nature. I feel more grounded when I do that, and it’s pretty isolating and tiring when I’m inside. Another was to read more. I’m already a pretty big reader, but I want to prioritize it this year.”

Angie Zang

Angie Zang, Coram

The elementary school student shared her goal for the year while roasting a marshmallow outside of The Frigate, “I would like to get better at ballet.”

Lindsay Day

Lindsay Day, Three Village

Another Emma Clark Library clerk shared her goal: “My New Year’s resolution is to make more meals at home instead of dining out.”

Spencer Edelbaum

Spencer Edelbaum, Three Village

A local Druther’s Coffee frequenter shared his New Year’s resolution, which he states is his permanent goal: “I have a nonprofit called The Spot. I do a lot of helping; I just love a lot of people. I would just continue loving into people’s lives.” 

by -
0 660

By Bill Landon

The Port Jeff Royals (3-8) were hungry for a much-needed win when Mattituck (4-6) came calling in a League VII matchup. While the Royals trailed by one point at the half and led by a single point to open the fourth quarter, neither team led the other by more than four points throughout the matchup. The Tuckers were able to keep the Royals at bay in the final minutes to hold on for a 44-41 victory Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 14.

It was Mattituck freshman Connor Searl who topped the scoring chart for the Tuckers with 19 points. Patrick Johnston, the senior, netted 17 points for the Royals, and sophomore Dan Rose added 11.

The Royals retake the court Jan. 16 when they host Center Moriches. Game time is slated for 4:30 p.m.

— Photos by Bill Landon 

by -
0 1107
The Jan. 14 Port Jefferson Board of Education meeting. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

The Port Jefferson Board of Education announced its strategy to pay for the $16.5 million settlement to be paid to the seven victims who filed a lawsuit under the New York State Child Victims Act.  at its Jan. 14 meeting.

The board obtained $5.1 million from the district’s capital reserve and is borrowing $11.5 million under a one-year contract from Oppenheimer &Cco. 

Deputy Superintendent Sean Leister said they committed to a short-term loan “to see what type of advocacy and state support comes through.”

“At the end of that year we will see if any of the money comes to the forefront, otherwise we will enter a long-term borrow,” he said. 

The district is held to a time restriction and wanted to take steps toward paying the settlement so as to focus more energy toward actually securing the funds without the time pressure. The year-long contract gives them time to explore solutions within legislature. 

Superintendent Jessica Schmettan said “there are multiple legislative solutions to help school districts with the CVA settlements” and that she and members of other districts dealing with settlements have spoken with legislators about “resurrecting bills.”

“I don’t think when they passed the Child Victims Act law they didn’t realize how it would impact the school districts,” Schmettan said. “We can’t just declare bankruptcy like the Catholic Church can. I think they wanted to help the victims but weren’t thinking of the financial aspect. “

One speaker expressed anxiety over the seemingly slow progress of securing funds. 

Vice President Tracy Zamek said, “We don’t have access to some of these reserves. It’s not an easy thing [to gain access]. We are advocating for access – that’s what we are fighting for.”

The loan begins on Jan. 23, and the district will only have to pay the 3.25% interest, amounting to over $300,000. 

Other business

The district initiates new programs to popularize reading among the student body. To increase literacy, the district is being less strict about which books are included in curriculum, and are instead allowing students to interact with books that interest them.

Required reading is still an important part of the lessons, but allowing students to have a choice has increased their interest and enjoyment in reading, according to teachers. 

Port Jefferson Middle School English teacher Chuck Ruoff  embraced the initiative. “A lot of time the books were chosen for the classroom. Sometimes students are turned off. I’m just interested in getting as many books in the classroom as we could. I got the feeling that I was holding some students back, in a way… reading isn’t just something that we do in the classroom with essays and short answer questions attached to it.”

by -
0 1400

By Sabrina Artusa

The past two years in Suffolk County had the warmest average mean temperature and the warmest average low temperature of any two consecutive years on record.

According to data recorded by the Southeast Regional Climate Center (SERCC), January 2023 to January 2025 were the hottest 730 days of the past 42 years. 

The data, recorded at a station in Islip, reported the area’s average mean temperature as 55.1 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the third warmest year following 2023 and 2012, which both experienced an average mean temperature of 55.3 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The average low temperature was 47.1 degrees Fahrenheit, tying with 2012 as the warmest average low temperature, followed by 2023 with an average low temp of 47.0, only .1 degrees cooler. 

The years 2023 and 2024 rank high in most of the temperature charts, although 2024 was not among the top five highest average temperatures.

Long Island’s higher than normal temperatures are not unique; according to data obtained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the average temperature of the continental U.S. was the warmest to date. 

Compared to the baseline–the temperature from 1900 to 2000– the average temp of the U.S. in 2024 was almost 3 degrees Fahrenheit warmer. The base is 52.01 degrees Fahrenheit while 2024 experienced an average of 54.94.

Dr. Elizabeth Watson, an associate professor at Stony Brook University’s Department of Ecology and Evolution, specializes in climate change and its effects on coastal environments. 

According to Watson, global warming is generally felt more intensely in the winter months. As greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane continue to trap heat within our atmosphere, the Earth isn’t releasing heat as rapidly as it has in the past. 

The warming Earth doesn’t reach freezing temperatures as often, resulting in less snow to reflect the solar energy away from the Earth’s surface. 

“Snow affects the seasonal energy balance, so if you have more snow it reflects the light,” Watson said. 

This positive feedback loop has exacerbated warming and explains why there is such a noticeable change of temperature in winter months. 

The temperature increase is an indication of a change that is impacting Long Island weather and ecology. Extreme weather events like storm surges impose a threat not only to the coastal environment, but also infrastructure. 

In December 2023 and January 2024, Long Island experienced a storm surge–when a storm pushes water inland. Watson observed its effects in Patchogue, as water flowed out from the drains, blocks away from the Patchogue Bay. 

“When I think about climate change in this area I think about flooding and high sea levels,” Watson said. “If you have high temperatures that lead to more energetic storms that can lead to more storm surges.” She emphasized the danger flooding would have on Long Island communities, especially coastal towns like Port Jefferson, Northport, and Huntington. 

David Ansel, the vice president of the center for water protection at Save the Sound, interpreted the data in the context of what it means for the Long Island Sound. 

“As it is getting warmer and warmer, that is negatively impacting a number of things,” Ansel said.”One is water pollution and also the actual warming of the water itself, which makes the water less healthy for biodiversity and plant life.”

A warming climate correlates with severe single-day precipitation events, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Heavy rainfall in itself is cause for alarm–it can erode land and damage crops–but the potential for it to cause flooding is among the most detrimental to our community. 

Currently, Watson is studying the causes of forest dieback–a condition that leads trees and plants to weaken or die. Watson said. “Episodic storms seem to play a role. It seems [forest dieback] has accelerated a lot more in the past 10 years. It is not something that has started with Hurricane Sandy.” 

Long Island infrastructure is ill-suited to deal with the mass amount of rainfall that data shows is becoming increasingly common as temperature rises. The data secured from SERCC did not reveal abnormal rain in recent years, but national studies suggest an increase. 

“When it rains a lot in a short amount of time it overwhelms water treatment and for communities,” said Ansel, who is advocating for the replacement of outdated septic tanks and more efficient wastewater facilities. 

The Central and Western Basins of the Long Island Sound are healthy, according to a study released by Save the Sound in 2023 that tested the dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll levels, dissolved organic carbon, and water quality. Port Jefferson, Stony Brook, Old Field, and Nissequogue neighbor border this portion of the sound

The Eastern Narrows, which extend from New York City to Eaton’s Neck, is rated lower.

Increasingly, town officials are approaching Ansel for advice on how to improve their stormwater management and prepare for flooding. 

Prev1...293031...604Next Page 30 of 604
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©