Senior Jaden Martinez powers down a lane. Photo by Rudy Gray
Senior Justin Kramp, right, gets some instructions for the team. Photo by Rudy Gray
Warriors stampede. Photo by Rudy Gray
Senior Anthony Cambria with the interception. Photo by Rudy Gray
Senior Mike Mcguire brings down a lineman. Photo by Rudy Gray
Anthony Cambria cups the long bomb pass. Photo by Rudy Gray
Josh Carrol nails it deep. Photo by Rudy Gray
Sophomore Brady Shannon sets up the play. Photo by Rudy Gray
Comsewogue Warriors set up a phalanx. Photo by Rudy Gray
Comsewogue Warriors rush down field. Photo by Rudy Gray
Senior Jaden Martinez gets tackled by a defender. Photo by Rudy Gray
Senior Jaden Martinez makes the catch. Photo by Rudy Gray
Players celebrate after a successful play. Photo by Rudy Gray
Senior Anthony Cambria calls it safe. Photo by Rudy Gray
Junior Jaden Martinez makes a run for it. Photo by Rudy Gray
Junior Jaden Martinez makes a run for it. Photo by Rudy Gray
Sophomore Brady Shannon sets up the play. Photo by Rudy Gray
The Comsewogue Cheerleading team gets the crowd fired up. Photo by Rudy Gray
Comsewogue’s football team was relentless in a game at home against Hauppauge Sept. 21, scoring early and not letting up. While the Eagles put in a touchdown in the second quarter and two more in the third, the Warriors kept a consistent tally all the way through the game to finally end it 47-20.
Senior Anthony Cambria had seven receptions, breaking a Long Island record 318 yards, along withfour touchdowns for Comsewogue. Cambria broke the record of 309 set last year by Oceanside’s Jake Lazzaro.
Brady Shannon, a sophomore completed 12 of 16 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns for the Warriors. Senior Jaden Martinez had 12 carries for 207 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He opened the scoring with an 88-yard touchdown run in the first. Junior Ryan Minaugh made six tackles, including one sack, for the Warriors.
The win puts Comsewogue 1-1 in league, and the team is set to retake the field against Harborfields Sept. 28. Game time is 1:30 p.m.
Owners and employees at the Portside Bar & Grill have been cited by police for giving alcohol to people underage. Photo by Kyle Barr
A Port Jefferson bar has come under heavy scrutiny over allegedly providing alcohol to children underage.
Suffolk County Police said they have investigated Portside Bar and Grill, located at 252 East Main Street, in response to community complaints. Working with the New York State Liquor Authority, the investigation led to the arrest of Christopher Chernis, 34 of Holbrook on Saturday, Sept. 21. He was charged with unlawfully dealing with a child 1stdegree, and was issued a field appearance ticket.
The owners of the bar were also cited for numerous Alcohol and Beverage Control law violations by the state Liquor Authority, according to police.
Bar owners could not immediately be reached for comment.
Cmdr. Bill Wolf leads the ceremony. Photo by Richard Knutson
Color Guard helps start the centennial ceremony. Photo by Richard Knutson
Suffolk Legislator Kara Hahn (D) gives proclamation to the post. Photo by Richard Knutson
Post members show their moves on the dance floor. Photo from Richard Knutson
Port Jefferson and Port Jefferson Station vets have shown dedication to a local institution for just over 100 years.
The American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 held its 100th Anniversary Dinner/Dance at the Port Jefferson Moose Lodge Sept. 14. Local veterans and members of the lodge celebrated the centennial achievement alongside residents and local elected officials.
The post was named after the late Cpl. Irving Wilson Ritch Jr., who made the ultimate sacrifice Sept. 6, 1918, on the Vesle River during the Oise-Aisne campaign during World War I. On Sept. 1, 1919, 15 of the original members came together to form the post, which was formally chartered Sept. 16 that year.
Their first meetings were held at the Port Jefferson Hook and Ladder House on Jones Street, presided over by A.C. Fiske, who was the post’s first commander and president.
Later, meetings were held at the local YMCA, the Port Jefferson court room, the K. of C. rooms and the rooms over the Port Jefferson Free Library. The group has now been meeting out of its new formal headquarters located at 1450 Hallock Ave. in Port Jefferson Station.
Since its start the post has been very active in the Port Jefferson Station and surrounding communities: attending and participating in various activities, ceremonies and events such as the annual wreath laying ceremonies on Memorial Day and other remembrance ceremonies on Veterans Day. Recently, the group has been working alongside other local vet groups and with Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) raising funds to revitalize local veteran memorials.
Members of the post said they look forward to serving and celebrating in local communities for another 100 years.
Information provided by post historian Richard Knutson.
Steward to host biggest cleanup of the year Sept. 21
Coastal Steward board members and local divers plunge into Port Jefferson Harbor Aug. 18. Photo from Coastal Steward
There are monsters off the coast of the North Shore, but not the kind with purple tentacles and razor teeth. Some are man made.
The Coastal Steward boat is regularly used in beach cleanups. Photo from Coastal Steward
The nonprofit Coastal Steward Long Island has been hosting underwater cleanups in Port Jefferson Harbor for the past three years. This is amongst its other activities being the steward of the Town of Brookhaven’s Mariculture Facility in Mount Sinai while hosting beach cleanup brigades and educational seminars for adults and kids alike. But the nonprofit’s volunteers have been looking for a deeper clean beyond the shore.
Ashly Carabetta, executive director for Coastal Steward, said the garbage one sees when relaxing on the sandy shore is only a small part of the debris that sits in the ocean.
“This is our effort to go beyond the regular beach cleanup and extend it to underwater,” she said. “The trash that you see on the shoreline goes far beyond what is there.”
Deeper into the water many of the heavier objects have no chance to wash up on shore. Denis Mellett, president of the Coastal Steward’s board, is a local diver and dive instructor. He has assisted with diving cleanups all around Long Island, but said they chose Port Jefferson Harbor for their close working connection with the village. Other municipalities on Long Island, he said, can be hesitant to allow these cleanups when they could be liable for the divers well-being.
The board president said most people rarely think about what garbage has sunk to the bottom of the water. The rest of the garbage is often located closer to the shore underwater.
“The only stuff you often see or think about is stuff that floats,” Mellett said. “Typically, closer to shore is where you find the vast bulk of that debris.”
Coastal Steward board members and local divers plunge into Port Jefferson Harbor Aug. 18. Photo from Coastal Steward
The first cleanup took place in 2017, but last year the group had to cancel due to inclement weather. During the last underwater cleanup, which took place Aug. 18, 27 divers splashed underwater, going down to about 20 feet below the surface. Many were Coastal Steward board members.
“Divers tend to be very conscious of the environment, because it’s where we spend our time,” he said. “It’s like hikers. Hikers tend to take care of the woods, divers tend to take care of the ocean.”
In past underwater dives, the group has come up with umbrellas and engine parts, and they have even found soda and milk bottles from all the way back to the 1940s. One memorable piece of debris was a 10-foot rolled-up rug that Carabetta found at the bottom of Port Jefferson Harbor. At the time, some feared what they might find rolled up in such a large rug, but they were relieved to find nothing inside.
Much of the debris, like small boats or parts of engines, actually become part of the marine life’s habitat, so they don’t remove it. However, they also find parts such as vehicle batteries, which can release toxic materials into the water. Objects like those are especially what the Coastal Steward looks for in these underwater cleanups.
“Typically, it’s down there until it’s buried in sand or silt, or a diver goes in there and brings it up,” Mellett said.
Despite what may come out of the harbor during these dives, Mellett said the true purpose is to gather interest in doing their regular beach cleanups and as part of their educational services, especially trying to get people to be more conscious of what and where they toss away.
“You can clean the beach every single day but as the tide goes in and out it brings in more garbage,” he said. “The only way you can make a significant dent is if you can keep the garbage out of the water in the first place.”
The Coastal Steward is hosting its largest beach cleanup of the year Sept. 21 at the far side Pirate’s Cove in Port Jefferson. The organization will be using its boat to take people up to that area, and if they gather enough volunteers, they will take people further up, across to the western side of McAllister Park. Volunteers will meet at Anchorage Road South in Belle Terre village at 8:30 a.m. before marshaling out. People can visit www.coastalsteward.org or call 631-941-6528 for more information.
Village officials, members of the chamber of commerce, locals and members of the Long Island Explorium christen the new sensory garden. Photo by Julianne Mosher
By Julianne Mosher
A new sensory garden has been installed outside the Long Island Explorium in Port Jefferson, hoping to give those passing through the village an educational and therapeutic experience.
Bruce D’Abramo, village trustee, Barbara Ransom, director of operations, Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, Angeline Judex, executive director of the Long Island Explorium, Jackie Grennon Brooks, senior advisor of the Long Island Explorium, Ellen Kushner, treasurer of Decision Women in Commerce and Professions, Chelsea Finn, board member of the Long Island Explorium, Shelia Wieber, board member of Decision Women in Commerce and Professions, cut the ribbon on the new garden. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Sensory gardens are outdoor environments with flower aromas, plant colors, kinetic sculptures and interactive devices that encourage sensory play, learning and experience using all senses.
“These gardens have been shown to offer a range of health, therapeutic and educational benefits to all visitors, with particular benefits to children with sensory challenges, especially those on the autistic spectrum,” said Angeline Judex, executive director of the explorium.
For the past year, the explorium has been working toward creating the space on its front lawn. It all began when Ellen Kushner, treasurer of Decision Women in Commerce and Professions, brought her grandchildren there to play last December.
“I was so impressed with it and they had so much fun,” she said, “I thought to myself that we absolutely had to get involved and give the explorium some funding.”
She said everyone at Decision was on board with the idea to fund the garden, and at the organization’s 40th anniversary dinner in June they gifted the
explorium the grant.
The garden took about $2,000 to create and has been made possible by Decision’s funding, along with a donation and consultation from Port Jefferson Station-based Kunz Greenhouses as well as the village gardener, Caran Markson.
The garden transformed the grass that was originally outside, now including a solar fountain, a pathway of stones and several dozen types of plant species. The garden is more than 70 percent native, with flowers, leaves and stalks that provide food and habitats for wildlife, deep-root systems that purify water along with beauty that nurtures the senses.
“We specifically wanted plants that appeal to the five senses,” said Jacqueline Grennon Brooks, senior adviser to the explorium. “We wanted them to be visually interesting with the variety of fragrances and textures … ones that produce sound when swaying or when touched, and herbs or plants with edibles parts.”
Village officials, members of the chamber of commerce, locals and members of the Long Island Explorium christen the new sensory garden. Photo by Julianne Mosher
She added, “Research indicates that at the 70 percent native mark, we can reestablish important insect and bird populations.”
Although it’s helpful to the environment, village Trustee Bruce D’Abramo loved the idea that kids can come to the garden and do what they want.
“You don’t have to tell them what to do,” he said. “They make the decisions.”
He added that the space is going to be seen by all walking through the village.
“This area gets a lot of foot traffic,” he said. “Just last weekend at the Dragon Boat Race Festival, 2,500 people walked right past this park.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opened the garden Sept. 17, and will be open year round, even when the explorium is closed.
“People should come visit and be amazed by the transformation of our front yard into a delightful garden that both teaches and brings joy to everyone,” Judex said. ”I love seeing how people get excited about the sensory garden and want to create one in their own yard.”
Sunrise Wind official speaks of ‘underutilized facilities’ in Port Jeff
Ken Bowes, a vice president at Eversource, talks of using Port Jeff as a headquarters. Photo by Kyle Barr
Imagine a field, not on land but on the open ocean — not of green plants topped with colorful flowers, but of huge, 800-foot towers topped with spinning, white wind blades.
That is what officials from two companies and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority asked Brookhaven Town residents to envision. At a public meeting hosted at Town Hall Sept. 17. Plans are for two offshore wind projects, located off the East End and South Shore of Long Island. Eventually, the wind farms will provide close to 1,700 megawatts of energy to Long Island, powering 1 million homes and generating up 30 percent of New York’s power capacity by 2035, according to NYSERDA officials.
One offshore wind project, Sunrise Wind, a combined venture with U.S.-based Eversource and Denmark-based Ørsted, is of special interest to Brookhaven Town and the Village of Port Jefferson. The companies have announced its intent to use Port Jefferson Harbor as a headquarters and base of operations for not only this upcoming project, but for offshore wind across the Eastern Seaboard.
Ken Bowes, the vice president of offshore wind siting and permitting at Eversource, said they are currently working with local realtors, as suggested to them by Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant. The business is searching for warehouse and office space in the local area. He said they are looking for space in close proximity to the village, though finding a suitable location within the village boundaries will likely be difficult.
He said he expects around 50 full-time employees will work on the vessel the company uses to go out and provide maintenance and service the wind turbines, though they expect the project to supply 100 jobs over the planned 25-year lifespan of the turbines. These employees would stay on the vessel for weeks at a time before arriving back in Port Jeff, and he said the vessel should not interfere with the Port Jeff to Bridgeport ferry.
Representatives from Eversource and Orsted presented plans for its offshore wind project at a Port Jeff Village meeting Sept. 17. Photo by Kyle Barr
If the plans pan out, Bowes said its ambitions are for Port Jefferson to be the headquarters for all work done for their company’s wind projects on the Eastern Seaboard, including current projects off Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
“We may look to do this as a service for all of our projects and possibly for others as well,” he said. “We’ll see how that all unfolds.”
Sunrise Wind will encompass 110 wind turbines situated 30 miles off the coast of Montauk, and at full capacity will generate 880MW of electricity. Both projects, which include Empire Wind, are expected to be operational by 2024, according to current timelines.
Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said they are in support of renewable energy projects but said there are numerous questions that still need answered about how the projects will impact people, especially in terms of how it will affect fishing communities and in its cost to the surrounding communities.
“We all need to have clean renewable power — I think it’s more urgent than ever,” he said. “There’s a promise of not only clean power but also a little bit of economic opportunity.”
Some major concerns have come from Long Island fishermen, who have said the planned wind projects could impact their business. Jennifer Garvey, the Long Island development manager at Ørsted, said there is no exclusion area for their project, and fishermen can get as close as they want to the turbines when fishing. Each turbine is planned to be spaced 1-mile apart east to west in a grid-like pattern, which, she said, will aid in navigation and in search and rescue operations.
In addition to the offshore wind projects, both Sunrise Wind and New York State say they plan to invest heavily in college-level training programs for people to work on offshore wind. Doreen Harris, vice president for large-scale renewables at NYSERDA, said the state has already invested around $20 million for an offshore wind training institute through the SUNY system. She described it as a hub-and-spokes model, where colleges and universities such as Stony Brook will contain centers for education and training in harnessing wind energy. For their part, Bowes said Sunrise Wind has already promised invested $10 million for a training program at Suffolk County Community College, though the college has not received any funds yet and details on the program remain sparse. The energy company vice president said they were still hashing out the details, adding more information will be available in the near future.
Bowes said they chose Port Jefferson because of its deepwater harbor and its existing amenities. He also said they chose it due to its currently “underutilized infrastructure,” though when asked if that indicated the
LIPA-owned Port Jefferson Power Station, he declined to say. He did not wish to speak about Sunrise Wind.
The Sunrise Wind project is expected to be operational by 2024. Photo by Kyle Barr
“I can say we are looking at sites that would be natural for [the project,]” he said.
The Port Jeff power plant, which recently settled in a tax certiorari agreement with the Town of Brookhaven over its tax assessments, has been running at low percentages for the past several years. It was only 11 percent in 2017, for example. In a previous Port Times article, LIPA said the reduction in taxes may help move the plant toward a clean energy recourse but has not provided more details on what that could entail.
The recently passed state Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act calls for a transition to a carbon-free electric grid for New York by 2040. A LIPA spokesperson previously told TBR News Media the Port Jeff power plant will be more than 70 years old by 2030. LIPA has already decommissioned fossil-fuel power plants in Far Rockaway and Glenwood Landing. LIPA has also said Sunrise Wind is key to transitioning toward the state engineered clean energy milestones.
Adrienne Esposito, director of the environmental advocacy group Citizens Campaign for the Environment said the best-case scenario would be Ørsted and Eversource using the power plant.
“Think about the symbolism of repurposing a fossil fuel plant and transform it to something that will help wind power. How great would that be?”
This story has been amended Sept. 19 to say Sunrise Wind has promised $10 million for SCCC has been promised but not yet received.
Suffolk Police searched a vessel at the Port Jeff ferry dock after a suspected bomb threat. Photo by David Luces
Dozens of cars stood idle and residents looked on in curiosity as a small fleet of Suffolk County police officers arrived at the Port Jefferson ferry dock on Sept. 18 around 1:20 p.m.
SCPD responded to the ferry dock after a 911 caller reported a passenger had been overhead discussing the potential to put a bomb on the boats, according to police.
The incident delayed the 2 p.m. ferry to Bridgeport for close to two hours as police searched the vessel and found no explosives. After interviewing passengers it was determined to be a misunderstanding and the incident was deemed noncriminal in nature.
Around 3:40 p.m., ferry services resumed and cars were allowed to disembark.
Comsewogue senior Taylor Lipack wards off a West Islip defender in a Div. I matchup Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue senior Taylor Lipack gets tripped in a Div. I matchup against West Islip Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue senior Rachel Bayen clears the ball against West Islip Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue senior Rachel Bayen clears the ball against West Islip Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue senior Rachel Bayen settles the ball against West Islip Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Senior Jana Flaxman throws in for the Warriors at home against visiting West Islip Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue junior Jaclyn Marquardt heads the ball in a Div. I matchup against West Islip Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue senior Gianna Gritzmacher with a cross against West Islip in a Div. I matchup Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue senior Gianna Gritzmacher pushes the ball upfield against West Islip in a Div. I matchup Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
A Comsewogue celebration after scoring the first goal of the game 10 minutes into the second half against visiting West Islip Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue freshman Angelina Ortiz pushes upfield against West Islip at home Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue freshman Angelina Ortiz sets up the play against West Islip at home Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue sophomore Alyse Then challenges a West Islip defender in a Div. I matchup Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue sophomore Alyse Then dribbles midfield against visiting West Islip in a Div. I matchup Sept. 16. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue’s girls soccer team scored in first 10 minutes into the second half, but the Warrior’s lead proved short-lived Sept. 16. The West Islip Lions answered back with a pair of goal two minutes apart and tacked on an insurance goal late in the final period. With the loss the Warriors slip to 1-3 in the early season.
The Warriors will look to put another game in the win column when they travel to Half Hollow Hills East Sept. 20. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
Brookhaven Town has issued 22 summonses and 21 violations for numerous alleged safety violations of big box stores.
Town fire marshals visited 39 big box stores Aug. 30 to ensure they were in compliance with fire codes. The 22 summonses were for various infractions including blocked aisles and exits, and one for propane stored inside.
“Our number one priority is the shoppers and employees who expect to be safe and able to exit the store in the event of an emergency,” said Brookhaven Town Chief Fire Marshal Christopher Mehrman. “Ensuring aisle widths are maintained and exits are not blocked by merchandise are just some of the things we are looking at. The town has a zero-tolerance approach to these violations.”
Amongst multiple egress summons in some big box stores like the Kohls and Modells in Rocky Point, the Best Buy in Setauket was cited for an egress violation and the Kohls in Setauket was cited for a propane storage violation. Lowes in Stony Brook was cited for a Storage Violation and had two egress summons and one propane summons. The Walmart in East Setauket was cited for one fire extinguisher and one storage violation. The BJ’s in Setauket was also cited for one propane violation.
The fire marshals also issued 21 violations that did not warrant a summons and were not egress related. Each summons issued is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to six months in jail.
“A blocked aisle or exit could mean the difference between life and death during a fire or other emergency,” town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said. “We will not tolerate any violation of our fire codes.”
People who suspect that any store or business is in violation of Brookhaven’s fire codes can call 631-451-TOWN (8696).
Suffolk County Police said they are currently investigating an alleged stabbing that took place on Bicycle Path in Terryville Sept. 16 at around 3 p.m.
A 17-year-old, which police declined to name, was allegedly stabbed in the calf by an unknown assailant and was transported to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 800-220-TIPS (8477) or texting “SCPD” and your message to “CRIMES” (274637). All calls and text messages will be kept confidential.
Prev
