A motorcyclist was killed on Saturday afternoon when a young man who was allegedly on drugs crashed a car into his bike.
Two days after Thanksgiving, the Suffolk County Police Department said, 56-year-old Thomas Heissen Buttel was riding a 1972 Harley-Davidson north on Old Town Road when he was struck by a vehicle whose driver had been trying to make a left onto Hyson Way in Coram, just south of Hawkins Road.
The motorcyclist, a South Setauket resident, died from his injuries at Stony Brook University Hospital, police said, while the driver of the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta that struck him, 22-year-old Port Jefferson Station resident Sabelo Ndala, was not hurt.
Police charged Ndala with driving while impaired by drugs, operating a vehicle without an interlock device and second-degree aggravated unlicensed driving. He was arraigned the next day.
The suspect is listed as defending himself in the New York State court system’s online database and could not be reached for comment.
According to the database, Ndala had a previous drunk driving charge against him, dating back to February, to which he pleaded guilty. His license was revoked for 18 months in that case and he was mandated to use an interlock device on his vehicle, which prevents the car from operating unless a sober person breathes into the device, for three years.
After Saturday’s crash, police impounded both the Jetta and the Harley-Davidson for safety checks.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call detectives from the SCPD’s Vehicular Crime Unit at 631-852-6555.
Port Jefferson’s chamber of commerce held the village’s annual Santa Parade over the weekend, bringing a little early Christmas spirit to children in the area.
The parade went through the heart of the village and ended at the Drowned Meadow Cottage on Barnum Avenue, which has been transformed into Santa’s workshop for the season.
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Santa waves to the crowd from atop the Port Jefferson ferry float at the annual Santa Parade. Photo by Bob Savage
Cub Scout Pack 41 marches down Main Street in Port Jefferson at the annual Santa Parade. Photo by Bob Savage
Shine Dance Studio performs during the annual Port Jefferson Santa Parade. Photo by Bob Savage
Drowned Meadow Cottage is transformed into Santa's workshop at the end of the annual Santa Parade in Port Jefferson. Photo by Bob Savage
A festive resident marches down Main Street during Port Jefferson's annual Santa Parade. Photo by Bob Savage
A young boy hangs out of a sunroof during the Port Jefferson Santa Parade. Photo by Bob Savage
A Chinese dragon makes its way down Main Street at Port Jefferson's annual Santa Parade. Photo by Bob Savage
Dickens characters show their Christmas spirit at the annual Santa Parade in Port Jefferson. Photo by Bob Savage
Santa poses with Samuel & Anna Matvya of Port Jefferson. Photo by Bob Savage
Dickens characters show their Christmas spirit at the annual Santa Parade in Port Jefferson. Photo by Bob Savage
Daniel & London Mullen from Selden hope they are not on the naughty list while posing with Santa in Port Jefferson. Photo by Bob Savage
The ferry float cruises down Main Street during Port Jefferson's annual Santa Parade. Photo by Bob Savage
The annual Santa Parade brings lots of people into downtown Port Jefferson. Photo by Bob Savage
A Dickens character waves to the crowd at the annual Santa Parade in Port Jefferson. Photo by Bob Savage
Marchers hand out candy at Port Jefferson's annual Santa Parade. Photo by Bob Savage
Harrison, Jackson & Dylan McClelland from Wading River sit with Santa at his Port Jefferson workshop. Photo by Bob Savage
The scene of Mother Ginger and her Polichinels from a previous performance of the Harbor Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker.’ Photo from John Worell
There’s no stopping Port Jefferson’s Harbor Ballet Theatre.
For the 24th year, the theatre will have its dancers and residents on their toes with its annual production of “The Nutcracker.” John Worell, executive artistic director of the performance, said he and his wife Amy Tyler started the production as a means for dancers from various dance schools to work with professionals in a full-length ballet. Now, the production is a tradition in the community.
“We would be killed if we stopped. It’s become such a part of the Dickens Festival and the community and the school,” Worell said. “We have made it 24 years … but we plan to go further than that.”
Current soloist for the American Ballet Theatre Craig Salstein and the theatre’s former principal dancer Ashley Tuttle are returning to reprise their roles as the Cavalier and the Sugar Plum Fairy in the show. Tuttle is also a Tony-nominated dancer for her performances in “Moving Out” and “Come Fly Away.”
Shannon Christ and Hannah Smith,seniors from Earl L. Vandermuellen High School, are also returning for their last performance in the ballet. Both Christ and Smith are excited for the performances on Dec. 4, 5 and 6 this year. Smith described the nearly 75- to 80-member cast as a big family, saying that everyone bonds during rehearsals. Sara Jaffie and Jack Worell also return to play Clara and The Nutcracker for another year.
While these dancers have remained the same, some aspects of the play haven’t. Aside from changes in props, setting and dancers, Worell said the ballet’s battle scene changes every year according to the skills of the cast.
“If I have strong mice, then they can pick the soldiers up. If I don’t have strong mice, then they just battle around the stage,” said Worell, who choreographs the battle scene every year. Worell didn’t mention what his plan was for this year’s battle scene.
Overall the choreography will remain the same unless Worell and Tyler, who owns the ballet company, decide to let another choreographer take the lead on the production (typically the choreography doesn’t change until a new or guest choreographer takes over.) While “The Nutcracker” is a popular ballet production around this time of the year, it is the tradition that keeps people coming back every year.
When Tyler’s company started the production in 1991, three or four other dance company’s performed the play on the Island. Now, around nine company’s perform this ballet around the holidays. What separates Tyler’s company from the others is how they tell the story. Unlike some productions of “The Nutcracker,” the audience can see Clara in the beginning and how she and the story progress.
Audience members can decide if the story is a mere dream or rooted in reality on Dec. 4 at 8 p.m., Dec. 5. at 3 and 8 p.m. and Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. at the Earl L. Vandermuellen High School auditorium, 350 Old Post Road, in Port Jefferson. All seats are $24 with senior and group rates available. For more information call 631-331-3149.
A car trudges up East Broadway in the 1924 hill climb on Thanksgiving. Photo above from village archive
Thanksgiving is a time for family, food, football — and a car race?
An antique car makes its way during the Hill Climb at Port Jefferson’s Heritage Weekend. Photo by Bob Savage
Turkey Day has its traditions, and for Port Jefferson one year in the Roaring ‘20s those included a hill-climbing contest. On the holiday in 1924, according to the Port Jefferson Village historical archive, automobiles raced up the steep hill of East Broadway, from the Newcomb Brothers Garage to the entrance of Belle Terre at Cliff Road.
Hill climbs up East Broadway had become a regular affair in the village, after the Automobile Club of Port Jefferson held its first one in June 1910. And contemporary Port Jefferson residents have experienced the fun, too — the village recreated the hill climb during its Heritage Weekend in August, sending antique and otherwise unique cars revving up the road. Some people got decked out in Victorian-era garb for the occasion.
The year of the Thanksgiving hill climb was a special one for New Yorkers in another way: The event was held on the same day one famous department store held its first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the city.
Port Jefferson Village had a completely different look in that era: The fire department headquarters was sandwiched between shops on Main Street, Port Jefferson High School was at its old location on Spring Street under the direction of supervising principal Earl L. Vandermeulen, and the harbor was being mined for sand.
Police arrested a 66-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station on Nov. 20 for driving while ability impaired in a 2015 Honda after he went through a stop sign and collided with a 2000 Dodge on Jefferson Avenue. The suspect fled in his car to Norwood Avenue, where he hit a different stop sign, before police pulled him over and cuffed him.
Practice makes perfect
Two Flushing women were charged with unauthorized practice of profession after police said they were practicing massage therapy without a license on Route 25A in Mount Sinai. The women, ages 37 and 42, were arrested on Nov. 17.
Just a little shot
On Nov. 18, a 28-year-old man from Sound Beach was arrested for criminal possession of a controlled substance after police said he entered the Stop&Shop on Route 25A in Miller Place and attempted to inject himself with heroin in the store. Police arrested him at the scene for possession of heroin.
Benched
Police responded to an assault on Milburn Road in Centereach on Nov. 18 but when officers arrived, they discovered there was a bench warrant out for the arrest of a 26-year-old Ronkonkoma man at the scene and collared him. According to police, the man was charged with assault twice before.
If I had a Nicolls for every time …
On Nov. 20, officers arrested a 22-year-old man from Sayville for driving while ability impaired after he was speeding south on Nicolls Road in Stony Brook in his 2015 Chevrolet.
I’ll wring your neck
According to police, an unknown man got into a dispute with another man on Nov. 20 and punched him in the face. The victim went to the hospital but didn’t press charges. Police didn’t know what caused the dispute on Ringneck Lane in Setauket-East Setauket.
Don’t answer the phone
An unknown person called another individual at their residence on University Heights Drive in Stony Brook and threatened them on the phone on Nov. 21.
He’s got pep
A customer entered the Pep Boys Auto Parts and Service on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station on Nov. 18 and got into a dispute with an employee. Although the customer threatened the man, the employee didn’t press charges. Police didn’t know what started the dispute.
Scent of a thief
An unknown person entered a Bath and Body Works in Independence Plaza in Selden and stole more than $250 worth of merchandise. The incident happened on Nov. 20 at 1:30 p.m.
Going boating
A 20-year-old man from Wading River was arrested on Nov. 21 for driving while ability impaired after police said the man was driving a 2010 Chevrolet Suburban down North Country Road in Port Jefferson and crashed into a fence and a boat. Police arrested him at the scene.
Meat the vandal
An unknown person smashed the protective cover of an electric meter at Halal Meats on Middle Country Road in Selden on Nov. 19 and then threw a broom, wash bucket and rubber floor mats on the ground of the building.
Thief makes like a tree
A woman called police on Nov. 20 after workers on her property on Maple Road in Rocky Point reported an unknown person had stolen two weed whackers and three leaf blowers from the workers’ trailer. Police said the trailer was parked on the road at the time, and workers didn’t realize the equipment was stolen until after they finished their work.
The Dukes of Hazzard slide on
Police said someone jumped on the hood of a 2011 black Nissan parked in the Kohl’s parking lot on Route 25A in Rocky Point on Nov. 18 and the owner of the car saw scratches on the car. Police said the victim had an idea of who damaged the car but didn’t press charges.
A man with a van
A man in a white van drove through the barrier gate at Scotts Beach in Sound Beach on Nov. 21, breaking it. Police didn’t know why the man wanted to access the beach.
Knock, knock
An unknown person damaged the doorknob of an office on Pond Circle in Mount Sinai. Police said the incident occurred on Nov. 21 around 9 p.m.
Garden gnomes gone
On Nov. 18. an unknown person entered the shed of a residence on Patricia Court in Smithtown and stole various lawn and garden equipment.
Scene flee
A 49-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested at 10:25 a.m. on Nov. 21 at Old Willets Path in Smithtown for a previous charge. Police said she hit a 2001 Volkswagen on Avalon Circle in Smithtown, causing damage, and then fled the scene without exchanging information at 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 21. She was charged with leaving scene with property damage.
Odd steal
An unknown person stole three leaf blowers and a chain saw from a residence on Veterans Memorial Highway in Smithtown on Nov. 17. at 5 p.m.
Lane fail
Police said 41-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested for drunken driving after he was pulled over for failing to maintain his lane on Main Street in Smithtown on Nov. 21 at 2:40 a.m. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.
Walmart woes
An unknown woman stole assorted clothing and health items from a Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on Nov. 21 at 5:45 p.m.
Five crimes at 7-Eleven
On Nov. 18, a 20-year-old woman from Ronkonkoma and a 27-year-old woman from Nesconset were arrested in a 2002 Subaru at a 7-Eleven on Smithtown Boulevard in Nesconset. Police said they were found in possession of marijuana, a stun gun and stolen license plates. The woman from Ronkonkoma was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The woman from Nesconset was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
High times at the park
On Nov. 20 a 20-year-old man from Deer Park was arrested in the parking lot of Otsego Park in Dix Hills. Police said he had Vicodin and marijuana in his possession without a prescription at 8:40 p.m. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.
The generator terminator
A generator was stolen from the yard of a home on East Gate Road in Lloyd Harbor on Nov. 18 at 1:20 a.m.
Jeep-ers!
On Nov. 21 a 53-year-old woman from Deer Park was arrested at the 2nd Precinct for a previous incident. Police said on Nov. 14, just before 5 p.m., she was driving on New York Avenue in Huntington in a 2005 Chrysler when she struck a 1999 Jeep and then fled the scene. She was charged with leaving the scene with property damage.
No chill at Chili’s
Two unknown men dined at a Chili’s restaurant on Jericho Turnpike in East Northport at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 21 and then left without paying their bill.
Out of time
A watch was stolen out of a vehicle parked on East 16th Street in Huntington Station on Nov. 18 at 10 p.m.
High in the Hyundai
Police said a 27-year-old man from Amityville had marijuana in his possession when he was driving a 2007 Hyundai on Floral Avenue in Dix Hills on Nov. 19. He was arrested at 5:30 p.m. and charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.
You’ve got mail
An unknown person damaged the mailbox of a home on Greenvale Drive in East Northport on Nov. 20 at 2 a.m.
All the drugs
A 52-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested for multiple charges on Nov. 21 at 6:15 p.m. She was driving a 2008 Ford SUV on the corner of Chestnut Street and Soundview Road in Huntington when police stopped her and said she had both cocaine and crack cocaine in her possession, as well as driving without a license. She was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
At the corner of high and high
Police said a 17-year-old woman from Huntington Station was arrested for possession of marijuana on Nov. 20. She was on the corner of Waterside Avenue and Norwood Avenue in Northport at about 5:30 p.m. when police stopped her. She was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.
Oh no on Jericho
On Nov. 21, on the corner of Jericho Turnpike and Jones Lane in Huntington, police said an 18-year-old from Melville had marijuana in his possession. He was arrested at 8:25 p.m. and charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.
Athletic director Debra Ferry leaves Port Jefferson after nine years
Deb Ferry volunteers at Miracle League with athlete Brittany Fox. Photo from Ferry
A new year will also bring a new athletic director to Port Jefferson.
After nine years, Debra Ferry is leaving the school district to tackle the athletic department at Half Hollow Hills.
Debra Ferry helped establish the lacrosse program at Port Jefferson and has led its other teams to success. File photo
“I’m excited and nervous,” Ferry said. “It’s surreal. I established a lot of close relationships and friendships here in Port Jefferson and I’m going to miss the people that I work with. The teachers and the coaches are top-notch; they’re dedicated and compassionate. I love Port Jefferson, but I’m ready to move on and expand my career.”
The Port Jefferson Board of Education accepted the resignation of Ferry at its Nov. 10 meeting, effective Jan. 3. Board President Kathleen Brennan thanked her for her service at the meeting.
Superintendent Ken Bossert also thanked her when reached by phone this week, and wished her luck in her new position.
“I think she did an excellent job being visible within the school community and being a top supporter of our student-athletes,” he said. “We wish her well in all her endeavors. I’m sure she’ll be a great success, and we hope to find someone as committed to Port Jefferson as Debra was.”
Because the school district is small, everyone knew who Ferry was and she had the opportunity to know every student-athlete out on the Royals’ field. Ferry even attended most of the games.
“The kids are sometimes surprised to see her at games, especially making the hike all the way upstate for big playoff competitions, but she was there,” said Rod Cawley, the boys’ cross country and track and field coach. “In my 32 years at Port Jefferson, she’s been our best athletic director. She’s very honest, she’s supportive and she’s fair.”
Originally a teacher, working in Manhattan for one year and in the Bronx for two before becoming a physical education teacher at Northport in 1999 — while also coaching the varsity field hockey program and working as an assistant for the girls’ lacrosse team — Ferry wasn’t sure administration was the route she wanted to take, but soon changed her mind. After looking for positions, she found an opening at Port Jefferson, where she built the foundations of an ever-growing program and learned the ins and outs of the position.
Among her numerous accolades, she was the 2008 Athletic Director of the Year for Eastern Suffolk County Hoops for Hearts and was a Port Times Record Person of the Year in 2012.
“I love athletics,” she said. “I love the kids on the field and sports and the rules and regulations. The intimacy of a small school district and knowing the kids is definitely a benefit.”
Another benefit was learning how to manage her time, juggling her duties as athletic director, attending games and being the 1st vice president for Section XI, among her other responsibilities and roles as a member of many of the section’s committees.
Athletic Director Deb Ferry snapped this photo of Port Jefferson wrestler Matteo DeVincenzo pinning an opponent.
“It’s a lot of commitment and it’s about prioritizing,” Ferry said. “Being on the field is important to me, not just to show support for Port Jeff but to show support to all of the kids. I see them in the halls the next day and it’s fun to talk about the games with them. Every year is different, every team is different, but the success of the athletics here is all about the coaches and the students.”
The Royals experienced such success this fall, when the girls’ soccer team took home the school’s first state championship title in that sport. Ferry was at the game, and also attended a cross-country competition the same weekend, according to Cawley.
“Going up to states, I felt like I was part of the state championship team,” Ferry said. “The kids make you feel very welcomed and supported. It’s rewarding.”
Although it will be different in the bigger Half Hollow Hills school district, with two middle schools and two high schools, Ferry is looking forward to the new chapter.
For the coaches she leaves behind, it’s bittersweet.
“I kept busting her chops, telling her I’m not letting her go,” Cawley said, laughing. “But I want her to do the best she can do and achieve whatever she wants to achieve and be wherever she would be happy.”
Mike Maletta, a wrestling coach who has been a teacher at the school for 23 years, said he will miss Ferry, who he called a stable force for the program she helped build, including helping to establish the boys’ and girls’ lacrosse teams.
Maletta saw the effects of Ferry’s leadership firsthand, especially with his wrestlers.
“Every time I was at the state tournament with my wrestlers, you could see her walking around with a camera around her neck, taking pictures,” he said. “A lot of those pictures make it to the end-of-the-year senior awards banquet and it went above and beyond what a lot of athletic directors do. She was always there supporting our program and those pictures meant a lot.”
He also said she was a big help in staying all day to be an announcer and handle paperwork at the team’s Bob Armstrong Memorial Tournament.
The Port Jefferson girls’ soccer team admires their plaque after winning the state championship this fall. File photo by Andrew Wakefield
“That right there will be a huge loss for me,” he said. “She was there making sure everything was done, because during the day, I’m all over the place and it’s nice having someone there helping out the program. There’s a comfort level with having someone you’ve known for nine years, and her leaving is really going to affect me.”
Ferry will remain Section XI’s vice president, but other roles will change, as her new school district is in a different conference. She will also remain involved with the New York State Public High School Athletic Association as the female representative for Section XI.
The outgoing athletic director said it’s been nice to feel appreciated and recognized for the job that she’s done, but feels most proud of the kids and the coaches for the working relationships everyone had and for making her feel supported.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have developed professionally at Port Jefferson,” she said. “I hope I left a mark here. … I am part of the program, but I feel it’s more than that. That’s the benefit to working in Port Jefferson. The coaches and players make you feel like you’re part of the team.”
A little boy leaves the cold water after jumping in at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
A resident poses for a photo with three Star Wars characters at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach, where many plungers dressed up in costumes. Photo by Giselle Barkley
A diver waits in the water at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge, ready in the event of an emergency at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
A little girl drives through an obstacle course as part of the festivities at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Residents find their way back to shore after taking the plunge at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Peter Lowery, left, who has participated in the Special Olympics since he was 3 years old, speaks at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Residents find their way back to shore after taking the icy plunge at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
The Nestle Nesquik bunny poses for a photo at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge while handing out hot beverages to keep plungers warm at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Residents scramble toward the cold water at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Residents get ready to take the plunge into the chilly Mount Sinai waters at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Councilman Neil Foley, Councilman Kevin LaValle, Councilwoman Jane Bonner and Supervisor Ed Romaine speak at the Town of Brookhaven's sixth annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Residents were “freezin’ for a reason” at Cedar Beach on Saturday, for the Town of Brookhaven’s sixth annual Polar Plunge event.
Some of the countless residents in attendance took the plunge into the chilly waters of the Long Island Sound to help raise money for the athletes of the Special Olympics New York. Plungers who raised at least $125 received a sweatshirt for their efforts.
Members of the Suffolk County Police Department, Nestle Nesquik, Long Island’s My Country 96.1 FM and local government officials, including Supervisor Ed Romaine (R), Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point), Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) and Councilman Neil Foley (R-Blue Point), were there to show their support or join the plungers and take a dip in the water.
Despite the breezy weather and cold currents, some residents left the water saying the water wasn’t as chilly as last year.
A fireball erupts during a demonstration on the dangers of deep-frying a turkey in hot oil. Photo from Brookhaven Town
Brookhaven Town officials held a fiery presentation on Nov. 20 to demonstrate the dangers of deep-frying a turkey in hot oil.
According to a press release from the town, the trend is a growing one that is responsible for several deaths and dozens of injuries every year.
The hot oil can splash or spill, causing severe burns.
“The fireball that we saw during the demonstration clearly showed how the improper use of turkey fryers can lead to personal injury and the destruction of property,” Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said in a statement. “I hope that people who use deep fryers follow all the manufacturer’s safety instructions and keep a fire extinguisher handy.”
Romaine and the town’s chief fire marshal, Chris Mehrman, held the demonstration on the Friday ahead of Thanksgiving.
The supervisor also announced that this holiday season the town would accept waste oil, which is used to create biodiesel fuel, at the town landfill on Horseblock Road in Brookhaven hamlet.
Last year, the town accepted more than 350 gallons of used cooking oil after Thanksgiving, according to the press release.
The landfill is open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday, from 7 a.m. to noon.
For Thanksgiving fire safety tips, visit the National Fire Protection Association at www.nfpa.org.
The issue of drug abuse will be brought to the forefront in a few weeks, as the Port Jefferson Village Board of Trustees dedicates its next meeting to a community discussion on the topic.
That meeting on Dec. 7 is being moved to Earl L. Vandermeulen High School, where school, village and police officials will meet for a forum called The Ugly Truth.
“Although we have all read and heard the headlines about heroin in our neighborhoods and the dangers of easy access to powerful prescription medication, we rarely hear The Ugly Truth behind these headlines,” according to a flyer advertising the joint event.
Suffolk County Police Department officials, including the chief medical examiner and a school resource officer, will tell parents the signs of heroin and prescription drug abuse among teenagers and what can be done about it.
The village trustees will hold their work session meeting at 6 p.m. that day at the high school on Old Post Road, then attend the forum at 7 p.m. in lieu of holding a public comment period at Village Hall as usual. The public comment period will instead be held at the board’s following meeting, on Dec. 21.
Drug addiction and abuse is a topic that hits home in all Long Island communities, but it has been a particular point of friction in Port Jefferson and Port Jefferson Station because of a visible homeless population and the presence of various community services catering to that group, such as a soup kitchen network and a homeless shelter.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Legislator Sarah Anker stand together on Election Day. Photo by Rohma Abbas
By Desirée Keegan
Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker has won back her seat after a hard-fought battle that began on Election Day, when the polls closed with her leading her challenger by only one vote.
After absentee ballots were counted, the 6th District legislator expanded her lead to 17 votes, ending a race on Thursday that had originally been projected to drag through Thanksgiving.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Legislator Sarah Anker stand together on Election Day. Photo by Rohma Abbas
“It’s been a very intense race,” Anker (D-Mount Sinai) said. “I’ve had so many people come up to me, claiming that they were that one vote, and I am greatly appreciative and thankful that my supporters did go out there and vote. The bottom line is that every single vote counts.”
First-time Republican challenger Steve Tricarico, a deputy superintendent for the Town of Brookhaven Highway Department, said although the results were not what he preferred, he will continue to be a voice in his community.
“This is a great civics lesson,” he said. “We ran a good race, a clean race, an honest race, and I’m just glad that a lot of the positions that we took throughout the campaign have gotten out there. I grew up here, I live here, I’m raising my family here in the 6th District and I will continue to be an advocate for those issues that I feel are most important to the residents.”
Tricarico said he called Anker to congratulate her and wish her luck in her new two-year term, but also said he voiced his desire for the incumbent to think about some of the issues he focused on in his campaign, such as the local cost of living and public safety.
Anker will start her sixth year in office in January, in an area that frequently elects candidates from the opposite party — 6th District voters have consistently supported Conservative Councilwoman Jane Bonner for Brookhaven Town Board and Anker’s predecessor was Republican Dan Losquadro, who vacated his seat to become a state assemblyman and then later the town highway superintendent.
“People ask me why I put myself through the stress to run a very competitive campaign, and my answer would be because I love to help people, and I want to continue to do that job; people underestimate what I can do and what I can get done,” Anker said. “I think during the counting of the absentee votes, the GOP was quite surprised. They expected to win a number of votes over in the senior community, but I gained a lot of support there because I worked really hard in that area to help them with their problems and to help them with concerns and issues.”
Steve Tricarico is confident on Election Day. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Tricarico said he is back to focusing on his job at the highway department, and that with results showing that nearly half of the people in the 6th District are looking for change, he will not be closing the door on a future run.
Joking that she will be taking some much-needed time off, Anker said she is also ready to move forward with projects she’s been working on, such as those geared toward keeping young professionals on Long Island by erecting affordable housing and connecting college graduates with local jobs. In focusing on public safety, Anker has been working with Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson to address drug addiction on the North Shore.
“Even though this race was very close, it still shows that people are happy with the job that I’m doing and they’re willing to jump the party line,” Anker said. “I make sure I’m inclusive of a lot of ideas. I’m transparent. I think my ability to stay focused on the goal of helping people and trying to resolve problems has elevated me above the fray.”
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