Photo from Mount Sinai Fire Department photographer, Elliot Perry
Jaime Baldassare, an active Mount Sinai community advocate, passed away last week after a battle with COVID-19.
A retired Suffolk County corrections officer, Baldassare dedicated his life to volunteering in the Mount Sinai and surrounding communities. He served on the Mount Sinai School Board, was a past president of the North Shore Youth Council for a full decade, held the title of former vice president of the North Shore Colts and was ex-chief of the Mount Sinai Fire Department.
Photo from Mount Sinai Fire Department photographer, Elliot Perry
“It’s difficult to sum up someone like him in a few sentences,” said Andrew Samour, assistant chief at the Mount Sinai Fire Department. “He will be missed.”
Samour said Baldassare was with the department for 26 years.
“He was a dedicated firefighter for this department,” he said. “He was a fun guy to hang around with and had a great sense of humor.”
Baldassare was previously the assistant chief at the department from 2009-2015, and most recently served as chief from 2016-2017.
In 2017, he told TBR News Media that he loved helping other people.
“There’s nothing quite like when you pull someone out of a fire or out of a wrecked car and you find out the next day that they made it,” he said. “It’s a feeling you can’t describe. I love to do this. We train to be the best we can be so anytime a call comes in, we’re ready to do whatever it takes to help the people of Mount Sinai.”
When Baldassare wasn’t putting out fires, he was helping his wife with the Heritage Trust. Lori Baldassare founded Heritage Park nearly two decades ago, and he was right by her side.
Victoria Hazan, president of Heritage Trust, said that he could be found joking and chatting with people visiting the center.
“He surely will be missed, that’s for sure,” she said. “He was a great contributor to Heritage and truly well-loved by many people in the community.”
Baldassare was brought to Stony Brook University Hospital in December where he was diagnosed with the virus.
He was just 62 years old when he died on Feb. 4.
“He’s done so much for the community,” Hazan said. “Even though he was in the background, he was an asset to Heritage.”
From left: Legislator Sarah Anker, Heritage Trust Vice President Brad Feldman, Jaime Baldassare, Heritage Trust Treasurer Lori Baldassare, and Heritage Trust President Victoria Hazan. Photo from Leg. Anker’s office
On Sept. 10, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) joined the Heritage Trust Board of Directors to honor Baldassare for his dedication and service to the community.
“I want to personally thank Jaime for all the years of service he has provided to our community,” Anker said. “Our community has been so positively impacted by Jaime. Among Jaime’s many contributions, he was instrumental to the creation and maintenance of our beloved Heritage Park in Mount Sinai.”
The North Shore Youth Council is mourning his loss, too.
Robert Woods, executive director, said he will be greatly missed.
“Jaime Baldassare served diligently for many years on our board of directors. He always served with joy during his time as president and made great strides in helping youth and families cope in our communities,” he said. “His legacy helped shape our unique prevention model, which supports hundreds of youth today.
Baldassare is survived by his wife of almost 30 years Lori, and his three children, Katie, Jesse and Cody.
A plow trying to clear the roads during the first snowfall of 2021. Photo by Bill Landon
In recent weeks, two large snowstorms have hit Long Island back-to-back. While Town of Brookhaven Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro (R) said the town is doing well, when it comes to plowing and cleaning up, some residents say otherwise.
Melissa Neff of Port Jefferson Station said she has lived in the Town of Brookhaven her entire life and never saw the roads this bad. Her complaint is typical of many residents.
“Ever since I could remember there’s always been plows going up and down the streets,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it needs to be drivable.”
Losquadro said all of the town’s vehicles are equipped with GPS, which shows him the times the plows go to each area.
“During the day we had people calling us on Monday insisting we didn’t plow,” he said. “But when you had snowfall rates of 2, 3, 4 inches an hour and plows go through areas with 40-to-50 miles-per-hour winds, they got completely covered.”
And with the larger storm that occurred the first week of February, that he said lasted more than 30 hours, he claims he met his goal.
“Within 24 hours of stopping, my goal is to always have every road passable — not pushed all the way back to the curb — but to have every town passable,” he said.
But Neff said she lives on a main road, right off of Route 347, and it was not passable.
“I’m an essential employee — I have to go to work,” she said.
And when she did, she said, she ended up damaging her new car thanks to a block of ice that was not pushed far enough aside.
“To see the roads like that and to damage my car — that’s not how you thank essential employees,” she said.
Neff said she is mad and wants answers.
“The taxes we pay in the Town of Brookhaven should cover all of the Town of Brookhaven. … We have a much larger town, and you should have enough taxpayer money to clean a town of this size.”
A car buried in its driveway during the snowstorm earlier this month. Photo by Bill Landon
Losquadro said that he had approximately 200 highway employees working in the field during Sunday’s latest storm. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, about 10 of his workers were quarantined. He added that after the first big snowfall, within days he was on the phone with vendors trying to secure additional equipment.
“Because of the complications of two back-to-back storms, there were some areas we still are working on — but that was just because 22 inches of snow came down in one week,” he said. “That’s a little bit irregular for Long Island. We don’t deal with it frequently, especially over the last two years where we haven’t had a lot snow.”
Losquadro said that he thinks people have gotten “spoiled” with the lack of snowfalls the last couple of seasons.
“This is Long Island, New York. We can get very little snow, or we can get a lot of snowfall,” he said.
Neff said she believes that he needs to reach out to more private contractors.
“He has the money for it,” she said. “I don’t know what he does with the money, but he should be reaching out to more private contractors before the snow occurs and pay them on time, so they come back to Brookhaven during the next storm.”
Losquadro responded that the number of available hired contractors is down because of several reasons. He said the lack of snowstorms over the last couple of years has played a part: Outside contractors have gone out of business due to equipment maintenance and insurance; insurance policy rates for plow endorsements have gone up; and the pandemic.
But Neff said COVID isn’t a good enough excuse for poorly plowed roads.
“COVID is not the reason,” she said. “Other towns have been able to plow and clear their roads better than Brookhaven has.”
Losquadro said that he knows people are unhappy when plows push snow into freshly shoveled driveways.
“My staff don’t have a good answer for that other than its your responsibility as a homeowner,” he said. “Private residences are responsible for cleaning their own driveways including where it meets the roads.”
A shopping center in Shoreham covered in snow. Photo by Bill Landon
He said that snow removal in the Town of Brookhaven has many moving parts. The crews make the roads passable, and day-by-day continue to widen and maintain the impacted snow on the sides of the streets.
“I don’t think there is anyone who likes shoveling compacted snow,” the highway superintendent said. “It’s just something you have to do when you live in the Northeast. I think that social media and the instant gratification world we live in has led a lot of people to post things and create an unreasonable expectation of a time frame that’s just not obtainable.”
He’s asking residents to be patient.
“What’s the alternative? Don’t plow the roads?” Losquadro said. “We’re going to keep continuing to do what we do, and I hope people appreciate the number of hours and hard work and exhaustion that the men and women who are doing this work put in during and after each of these storms.”
Port Jeff's Abigail Rolfe a junior battles down low in the Royals season opener against Shelter Island. Bill Landon photo
Port Jeff's Angelina Orofino scores from the baseline in the Royals season opener Feb. 9. Bill Landon photo
Port Jeff senior Brooke Zamek shoots for 2 in the Royals season opener against Shelter Island. Bill Landon photo
Port Jeff senior Brooke Zamek lays up for 2 in the Royals season opener Feb. 9. Photo by Bill Landon
Senior Evelyn Walker shoots from the top of the key for the Royals Feb. 9. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff senior Hailey Hearney drives the lane in the Royals season opener against Shelter Island. Bill Landon photo
Katelinn Johnston lets a three pointer fly for the Royals season opener Feb. 9. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff's Keanny Polanco drives the baseline against Shelter Island Feb. 9. Bill Landon photo
Port Jeff's Maitreya Driscoll-Stremich lays up for 2 in the Royals season opener Feb. 9. Bill Landon photo
Lola Idir scores from the paint for the Royals Feb. 9. Bill Landon photo
By Bill Landon
The Lady Royals of Port Jefferson opened their 2021 season with their core starting lineup intact from last year’s Long Island Championship run with seniors Hailey Hearney, Brooke Zamek and Evelyn Walker — but that’s not the whole story. Returning sophomore Lola Idir, who was injured last year, made her presence known along with teammate Abigail Rolfe, a junior, to make short work of visiting Shelter Island sinking the Islanders 77-20 in League VIII action Feb. 9.
The Royals led by 25 points after 8 minutes, 34 points by the half as coaches Jesse Rosen and Keith Buehler spelled their starters and flushed their bench the rest of the way.
The Royals are back in action when they hit the road against Greenport/Southold Feb. 11 with a 6:15 p.m. start and again on Feb. 15 at Babylon for a non-league match up at 1:15 p.m.
Earl L. Vandermeulen High School student Natalie McGuigan is one of this year’s six inductees in the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Photo from PJSD
The Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Chapter 2172 of the Tri-M Music Honor Society virtually hosted its annual honors induction ceremony.
This year’s six inductees are Natalie McGuigan, Julia Perrotta, Ruby Ray, Anna Rebic, Sierra Welsch and Michelle Wu.
Each student performed virtually after the ceremony, which included an introduction from Principal Eric Haruthunian, and encouraging words of achievement from Director of Music and Fine Arts Dr. Michael Caravello and chapter adviser Ed Pisano.
Caravello commended the students for their continued commitment to creating music. In addition to outstanding musical achievement, students are selected into the honor society on the basis of five points of distinction: scholarship, character, cooperation, leadership and service.
Hank Aaron: “I tell young people — including my granddaughter — there is no shortcut in life. You have to take it one step at a time and work hard. And you have to give back.”
These were the words of one of the most prolific baseball players ever to hit against opposing pitchers. Aaron had staggering numbers that saw him compile 755 home runs, 3,771 hits, 2,297 runs that were driven in, and he held a career batting average of .305.
On Jan. 22, this noted giant within “America’s Pastime” died at 87 years old.Always armed with a big smile and a can-do attitude, Aaron was a true ambassador to baseball that saw him reach some of the highest personal achievements that any person has ever gained in this game.
Surpassing Babe Ruth was an endeavor that Aaron worked on during the length of over 20 years in baseball. After the 1973 season, he hit 713 home runs and had to wait the following season to surpass this record. At 9:07 p.m. on April 8, 1974, in front of over 53,000 fans, Aaron stepped up to the plate, with light bulbs going off, and reporters were eager to write about the two-run home run swing that surpassed Ruth.
Since he left baseball in the late 1970s, Frank Tepedino worked at Port Jefferson Sporting Goods, where he was a fixture behind the counter. For decades, he screened T-shirts, uniforms and he provided professional advice for local families to help them pick out baseball equipment.
This Brooklyn native and resident of St. James was a talented hitter who was on the rosters of the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves. He was later a 9/11 firefighter who threw out the first pitch in the New York Yankees playoff game against Oakland Athletics, only weeks after the nation was attacked by terrorists.
During his career, Tepedino played next to the historic baseball figures of Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer and Aaron. Tepedino opposed baseball legends of Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt and Bridgehampton local farm boy Karl Yastrzemski.
Frank Tepedino, a resident of St. James, retired from the baseball scene decades ago, but the memories of playing alongside Hank Aaron, who passed away last month, in the 70s are memories he could never forget. Photo courtesy of Frank Tepedino
Tepedino recalled that it was an amazing experience to compete against the best players ever to put on a uniform. According to him, “Players like Aaron changed the entire atmosphere of the game, the stadiums and their own teams. They were a different caliber of talent and playing with Aaron, you always appreciated his work ethic toward the game. You always wanted to do your best within his presence. If you appreciated baseball greatness, Aaron was one of the top five ever to take the field.”
When looking at the newsreels and pictures of Aaron hitting the pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers’ Al Downing over the left field wall, Tepedino can be seen welcoming him after he rounded the bases. On an electric night, the look of Aaron running around the bases and being patted on the back by two fans was one of the greatest sports scenes ever recorded. With his sideburns and blue Braves jacket, Tepedino along with his teammates and coaches, greeted Aaron at home plate.
During this chase to surpass this record, Tepedino recalled, “Everyone was wondering when Aaron was going to hit enough home runs — except Aaron. As a power hitter, he was fully confident that he would eventually catch Ruth.”
The game resumed with Aaron staying in the game for one more at bat, but he was physically and mentally exhausted from this daunting experience, and Tepedino replaced him in the lineup.
It was a wonderful night for baseball, but there were many concerns over the personal safety of Aaron.Even in 1974, 20 years after the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling that ended the “separate but equal” conditions within public schools, poor conditions for Black Americans were still present.Tepedino remembered that these ballplayers had to face difficult segregation conditions within hotels, restaurants and traveling accommodations.
Long after President Harry Truman (D) desegregated the armed forces, Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color barrier and President Lyndon Johnson (D) signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, African Americans were still battling for equality. During his own career, Tepedino met Robinson and as he played for the Yankees, he was trained by Olympic hero Jesse Owens. Tepedino looked back “in awe” of these athletes that accepted an immense responsibility to fight for an entire race of people in America.
In 1948, a younger Aaron cut class in Mobile, Alabama, to see Robinson speak at a local drugstore. After seeing this extraordinary player and activist speak, Aaron was determined to be a professional ballplayer who later faced similar hatred problems that Robinson had to endure with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
At an early age, Aaron was continually warned by his parents to stay clear of the Ku Klux Klan that marched near his home and widely displayed burning crosses. In 1952, Aaron signed his first professional contract with The Negro Leagues team of the Indianapolis Clowns, where early scouts determined that he was an “all-around hitter.”
Tepedino identified the racial complexities of this time, noting that “the Black ballplayer in the South still had limited rights, compared to when we played games in Chicago, where you would see leaders like Jesse Jackson visit our teammates in the locker room.”
For Aaron, it was an amazing chase to overcome Ruth’s record, but at a dangerous personal cost.Starting in 1973, the Atlanta Braves had a security presence for him during home and road games.Eventually the Federal Bureau of Investigation sent agents on the field to protect him from the numerous death threats that he received.
Every day, Aaron read hate mail that threatened the kidnapping of his children if he attempted to break Ruth’s record. Aaron later stated on CNN, “I’ve always felt like once I put the uniform on and once I got out onto the playing field, I could separate the two from, say, an evil letter I got the day before or event 20 minutes before. God gave me the separation, gave me the ability to separate the two of them.”
Hank Aaron. Photo from the Baseball Hall of Fame
In 1973, for most of the season the Braves were contenders to make the playoffs. At 39 years old, Aaron was at the cusp of passing this record by hitting 40 home runs. Tepedino remembered that the enhanced scrutiny and media hype never impacted Aaron’s performance on the field. Tepedino also described the positive support that his manager Eddie Mathews had toward his former longtime teammate in Aaron.Both Mathews and Aaron terrorized opposing pitchers within the heart of the Braves lineup by hitting between them 863 home runs. Next to Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, this was one of the most feared tandems ever to consistently oppose pitching for many years.
Unlike daily media scrutiny of today, Aaron during most of his pursuit, only had the Braves beat writers covering the team. It was not until he was within reach of Ruth that there were over 50 reporters following his every movement until April 8, 1974.
Tepedino enjoyed playing with Aaron and remembered him to be a “soft-spoken man, that never bragged, was approachable, that always flashed a big smile. During this stressful time, the team realized that he was under immense pressure, and we all gave him his space.”
With a full house of fans, and Gov. Jimmy Carter (D) in attendance, Aaron’s home run was hit beyond the left field reach of Dodger Bill Buckner. With his family around him, Aaron later held onto the ball that was retrieved from the fans. After the game, he spoke with President Richard Nixon (R) who congratulated him on this endeavor. Later after Aaron crossed home plate with this record in his name and surviving through this immense pressure, the prolific hitter said to the media, “I just thank God it’s all over.”
The last time that Tepedino saw Aaron was five years ago at a major dinner in New York City to support Baseball Assistance Team. They were with many other former ballplayers helping to raise money for some of their peers who had fallen upon hard economic times.
While Tepedino was pleased to see Aaron and to say hello to this legendary figure, these former players were once again together to share a special “comradery and fraternity” of former athletes who were reminiscing about their days in the sun.
Through the passing of an absolute gentlemen in Aaron, who was a special player and a citizen to fight for enhanced rights for African Americans, Tepedino surely has witnessed major American memories within local and national history.Through his own immense baseball talent, Tepedino shared the field with athletic figures who will never fade away from “America’s Pastime.”
Sean Hamilton of the Rocky Point High School History Honor Society contributed to this article.
You’re hot. It’s true. There is a continuous high demand and if you own a home today you’ve got nothing to lose.
I can say this with confidence after speaking with Paul Perrone, associate broker and number one agent at Realty Connect U.S.A. He is also vice president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce.
Curious and cautious about the real estate market during this unprecedented global health crisis, I was put at ease after speaking with Paul. His technical savvy, and friendly nature provided peace of mind.
Folks have varying levels of concern as new information on testing and vaccinations becomes available.
Is it also your time to tap into the hot sellers market? No buyers would ever need to step foot in your home, if that’s your wish.
He described his success with his fully virtual Live Facebook Zoom Open House tour. With his phone in hand, in real time, he is directed by buyers as they view rooms, inspect crown moldings, storage, square footage and more.
Simultaneously, a seller can direct him to areas that might otherwise be missed like on-demand hot water heaters, new windows or the herb garden. Paul, who I find to always be in good humor, is creative and patient.
Okay with buyers in your home? Paul provides disposable booties and gloves and takes a masked buyer and their masked ‘plus one’ adult, for a showing. No children are permitted these days.
“There are 12 pages ofNew York State Dept. of Health Safety Guidelines for Real Estate Services during the COVID-19 health crisis,” he said. “It works great for sellers and buyers.” He added that “We connect safely and responsibly.”
It is no surprise to me that he enjoys serving as Real Estate Team Leader as well as a real estate coach, helping agents across the U.S. to maximize their careers.
Paul’s success in Real Estate might stem from his early career as an R.N attention to detail, a desire to assist and an instinct for assessing outcomes.
“It’s in my nature,” Paul said. He tells me that he enjoys helping people. “It is what drew me to join the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce.”
Paul is also an active parent in the Comsewogue School District.
These days you’re in good company if you’re interested in the value of your home, condo or commercial property.
You’ll be well cared for if you contact Paul at [email protected], 631.236.3699, or find him at li-mls.com.
Joan Nickeson is an active member of the PJS/Terryville community and community liaison to the PJS/T Chamber of Commerce.
Before she gets to the long list of initiatives she wants to act on this year, Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) said combating the coronavirus is priority number one.
After just four weeks into the new year, the deputy presiding officer for the county Legislature said that while she has a lot of goals to accomplish before the end of 2021, COVID-19 is the biggest hurdle to overcome.
“The most important thing that anyone can be working on right now is COVID response and recovery for residents, for businesses, for communities as a whole,” she said. “A lot of things have been kind of put on the backburner because of the need to focus on COVID.”
Hahn said that while the pandemic has been ongoing for nearly a year now, she keeps reminding the county Department of Health Services that notes need to be taken and research must continue.
“We have to be looking at this not only in the now,” she said. “What are we learning from this? How can the next time this happens — because there will be a next time, it’s just a matter of when — how can we have learned from this?”
Hahn said in order to move forward, the virus and the issues it brought on throughout 2020, like food insecurity and evictions, will have to be addressed even after the vaccine.
“Getting through this from a health perspective, and then recovering from it for every person’s financial impact, mental health … people are just going to start to hurt even more,” she said. “We haven’t seen the full repercussions.”
Hahn made it clear that while the county recovers from the aftermath of COVID-19, she keeps busy with some of her other plans to help the environment, reduce traffic and keep people safe on Long Island.
Infrastructure
Hahn is hoping that the federal government with disperse funding to county infrastructure projects, she said, and two of the most prominent projects in her district include the electrification of the Long Island Rail Road from Port Jefferson Station, and an overpass on Route 347 going over Nicolls Road.
The decades-long debate about electrifying the LIRR has been discussed by many and will continue to be debated, along with the possibility of EPA Superfund site, the Lawrence Aviation property, to become a rail yard for electric trains.
“So that if that happens, it is the most critical thing that could happen for my district from an infrastructure perspective,” she said. “Right now, the electric train stops at Huntington and the time it takes to get into Manhattan to Penn Station more than two hours.”
With the electrification, she said, 20 to 25 minutes will be cut off the journey, with no switches in Huntington.
“They can go a little bit faster, they are much more efficient in energy and obviously less polluting,” she added. “Once you cut off almost a half an hour from that trip, the property values around those stations go up significantly, just being within that kind of vicinity to Manhattan.”
Hahn said that electric trains could help students at Stony Brook University, revitalizing the downtown, and allowing students to live in the village, close enough to hop on a train to class.
“You can create different things with an electric line that would make for better movement of people between Huntington and Stony Brook, Huntington and Port Jeff, or Port Jeff and Stony Brook,” she said.
And that could help eliminate traffic on Nicolls Road. The overpass there, which has also been heavily discussed for years, is another project she’d like to see through.
“The intersection of Nicolls Road and 347 is incredibly unsafe,” Hahn said. “There are accidents there all the time. I’ve witnessed more than one in my lifetime.”
The overpass would be federally funded and wouldn’t be completed for many years, she said, but it would be critical in alleviating traffic that comes from the university and the hospital.
“Having that intersection function better is critical to a number of regional objectives,” she said. “So, having those funds would be terrific.”
Retail recycling
As chair of the Environment, Parks & Agriculture Committee in the county Legislature, as well as chair of the Economic Development, Planning & Housing Committee, Hahn hopes to see the launch of a recycling retail campaign called Reclaim Our Land.
“Every year the amount of land left to preserve and protect is smaller and smaller,” she said.
So, in an effort to buy back land for greenery and parks, Hahn said the vision is to reclaim areas that have been built on and have abandoned.
In terms of development, reclamation costs more than preservation, she said, so building on an empty acre is cheaper than buying a previously built building, demolishing and rebuilding something new. But now with constant bankruptcies and the fall of big-box stores, Hahn said the number of vacant buildings across Suffolk County, alone, is constantly increasing.
“I’ve been noticing it in the last two years prepandemic, but COVID just really accelerated it,” she said.
Bookstores, supermarkets and stores like Sears or JCPenney in the Smith Haven Mall have left huge spaces with nothing to fill.
“When JCPenney’s was going out of business, I thought, ‘This is great place to have some housing, have some maybe office space,’” Hahn said. “It’s large, it’s got parking, it’s got sewers, it’s got electric — it’s already there. There’s already a bus that goes to the university campus.”
With problems of students living in communities or causing issues with illegal housing, Hahn said there has been discussion on how to create a place that young people can live, that’s convenient and appealing.
“Wouldn’t it be great if we could encourage these stores that have been vacant for a long time to be recycled into something the community needs?” she said. By creating affordable micro apartments for single, young people, it could help smaller shops and reduce traffic.
“That’s what was so important to me about the recycling retail,” she said. “Let’s try to incentivize developers to recycle what already exists, so that we don’t have to build on the green space.”
It’s helping the environment, but saving a whole lot of money, too.
The Town of Brookhaven Highway Department recently completed phase I of its energy-efficient street light conversion program — a program replacing all low-pressure sodium and high-pressure sodium overhead lights with light-emitting diode (known as LED) streetlights.
Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R) said he began researching for this project as soon as he joined the Highway Department in 2013. With the size of the town being equivalent to all of Nassau County, he said that his department is responsible for 44,000 streetlights. With the support of Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and the Town Board, the project was approved.
“The goal that I had in those first years was to go after the highest energy-consuming fixtures that we had,” Losquadro said.
Brookhaven Highway Department employees replace streetlight fixtures and poles as part of the town’s light conversion project. Photo from the Town of Brookhaven.
During phase I, the department tackled streetlights that are mounted on utility poles known as “cobra heads,” which tend to use the most wattage, and most of those overhead lights have been finalized, after three short years of work. Phase II is now in effect, moving to convert all existing neighborhood post top fixtures to LED lighting, and replacing old fiberglass poles with new aluminum poles to be completed by 2023.
“There are a multitude of factors that play in as to why we wanted to do LED,” the highway superintendent said, noting the energy savings, cost savings and maintenance cost that LED lighting can have. “Not only are you saving that money every year on energy, but instead of having a bulb that’s going to last you two-to-three years, you’re buying a fixture that has a 10-year warranty, with an anticipated life expectancy of up to 20 years — so your maintenance costs go down tremendously.”
Losquadro added that LED lighting is safer and will prevent light pollution compared to other bulbs.
“I’m a firm believer to do something once and do it right,” he said. “This is about the future of Brookhaven Town, and doing things that are going to pay long term with benefits to everyone, myself included as a resident.”
The total project cost was $11.25 million, however, $4.5 million was paid for with part of the $20 million Municipal Consolidation and Efficiency Competition grant the town was awarded. The remaining $6.75 million was paid for with town funds.
In 2020, alone, the town has saved $930,000 in energy costs.
Losquadro said, from a taxpayer perspective, the town has already saved $1.5 million. By just using raw numbers, they can expect to pay off the project in less than five years.
“To convert the entire town, it’s a big endeavor,” he added. “You make the upfront investment, but you know you’re going to get a payoff in short.”
He said that “even with a 10-year warranty, you’re paying it off before the things are even out of warranty. And with an anticipated life expectancy of 20-years plus, it’s a tremendous, tremendous savings.”
Port Jefferson’s East Beach after the sand dredging was completed this week. Photo by Gerard Romano
The decade-long, multimillion-dollar project to spruce up Mount Sinai Harbor and its jetties is finally looking more complete, as the dredging project was finalized this past week.
In November of last year, the Town of Brookhaven permitted Suffolk County to complete the dredging at a total cost of $2 million with close to 80,000 cubic yards of sand.
A shot from the dredging process last month. Photo by Gerard Romano
“This is just another project where the layers and layers and layers of government all the way up to the federal level worked together,” said Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant.
But the project is more than baskets of sand returning to the local shorelines. After many years of planning, both the east and west jetties in Mount Sinai Harbor were repaired in May 2020. For 10 years, both have been largely submerged at high tide, with water and sand leaking through breaks in the stones and settling into the mouth of the harbor.
Garant added that after about 60 days, “basketfuls of sand” were brought back to Port Jefferson’s East Beach, which included sand from the postponed Stony Brook Harbor dredging project, to replenish the erosion caused throughout the years.
“We’re just so thrilled to have our beach back,” she said.
Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) said the completion of the project was a long time coming.
She said there were numerous issues with the jetties, the inlet and the harbor itself.
“We rebuilt the fishing pier that has been subjected to numerous nor’easters, built two new jetties and a complete dredge of the beaches,” Bonner said. “I’m hopeful it lasts a long time.”
The same spot in 2018. Photo by Gerard Romano
In November, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers designated that most of the sand be primarily brought to the Port Jefferson side of the harbor. While Bonner admitted she hoped for an equitable split of sand, she’s happy that the goals of keeping recreational boaters and fishermen safe, while enhancing the North Shore’s water quality, have been achieved.
“All levels of government have put a lot of money and resources into this project,” Bonner said. “It’s a win-win.”
It’s not completely done, though. Garant said the next phase is to repair the retaining wall going down the hill and revegetate the bluff.
“It’s just an ongoing process of protecting our shoreline,” she said.
Bikes outside the dorms at Stony Brook University. Photo from Kimberly Brown
"Ready for the iced tea and a chat" at Mimi Hodge's Sound Beach home. Photo from Mimi Hodge
A scene outside Bea Ruberto's home in Sound Beach. Photo from Bea Ruberto
Snow covered SBU. Photo by Kimberly Brown
Students trek to the dorms during the storm. Photo by Kimberly Brown
A winter wonderland at Stony Brook University. Photo by Kimberly Brown
A scene outside Bea Ruberto's home in Sound Beach. Photo from Bea Ruberto
A scene outside Bea Ruberto's home in Sound Beach. Photo from Bea Ruberto
A scene outside Bea Ruberto's home in Sound Beach. Photo from Bea Ruberto
Ducks at Niegocki Farms in Mount Sinai enjoy the snow Feb. 1. Photo by Tricia Niegocki
Tricia Niegocki's son walks through the snow at Niegocki Farms in Mount Sinai. Photo from Tricia Niegocki
A pig at Niegocki Farms in Mount Sinai hanging out in the snow. Photo by Tricia Niegocki
Outside the Wagner building, a Stony Brook University student braves the cold, on his way to get a meal from West dining. Photo by Chris Cumella
Stony Brook University's Roosevelt Quad hidden behind ferocious winds and pristine, untouched, freshly-fallen snow. Photo by Chris Cumella
Gwendolyn and Gordon Jensen enjoy the snow in Smithtown. Photo by Donna Jensen
Caroline Busby enjoys the snow in St. James Feb. 1. Photo by Patricia Busby
Michael Bilotti, 5, of Nissequogue, built a snowman named Blueberry. Photo by Doug Bilotti
On Monday, Feb. 1, the first snowstorm of the year hit Long Island, causing people to stay home and shovel nearly two-feet of snow. We asked residents to share their snow day photos with us.
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