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Joe Erland and Harry Heywood honored for their contributions to Village of Port Jefferson

by TBR Staff - May 9, 2025

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By Sofia Febles

The sun was beaming down on parkland located on Caroline Avenue in Port Jefferson May 3, where two families gathered to honor their fathers. Two pillars of Port Jefferson were honored today: Joe Erland and Harry Heywood.

Joe Erland, also known as Mr. Port Jefferson, was a Port Jefferson Fire Department commissioner, village trustee and deputy mayor. A lover of softball, the field in Heywood Park was rededicated as Joe Erland Field. As Port Jefferson Village Mayor Lauren Sheprow mentioned during the ceremony, “Joe Erland has been described by his peers as humble, kind-hearted, and approachable…He always wanted to help people around him.”

Harry and Lois Heywood were commended for their tremendous contributions to the village. Harry Heywood and his wife Lois were married in 1931 where they began developing their legacy. They were involved in many organizations including the Ground Observation Corps and the Aircraft Warning Service that Harry developed and volunteered at.

Harry Heywood developed Suassa park, where he constructed a 40-foot watchtower that serves as a lookout point for aircrafts during World War II. The Heywoods utilized the park for the town’s benefit, creating parks and athletic fields for kids and adults to play baseball, softball, and soccer for many years and more years to come. They donated the ballfield and creek to the community in the 1950’s.

Many people spoke at the dedication ceremony including Deputy Mayor Bob Juliano, Legislator Steven Englebright, former Parks & Recreation Director Ron Carlson, Pete Heywood and Steve Erland, Joe Erland’s son. The people who spoke talked very highly about Joe Erland and the Heywood family. Englebright said, “parks last forever.” Englebright said we want to “appreciate and remember these important people who contributed so much to Port Jefferson”.

Erland has a son named Steve and two daughters named Michelle and Andrea. Steve Erland said his father “dedicated his life to this village.”

Peter Heywood, Harry and Louis’ son, and Peter’s daughter Randi were amazed and honored to have the park named after their family. The mayor mentioned that this couple were” two pillars of Port Jefferson whose civic contributions and love story helped shape Port Jefferson Village for nearly a century.” Peter Heywood and his daughters Randi and Lisa have continued their legacy and have been contributing to the parks. Sheprow said, “All of Port Jefferson now proudly remembers this is not just a park, but as Heywood Park- where love, learning and legacy live on”.

The Joe Erland Field at Heywood Park will always be a reflection of the impact Erland and the Heywoods have made in Port Jefferson.

Town of Huntington gets new all-inclusive playground, first of its kind on Long Island

by Jennifer Donatelli - September 21, 2024

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unnamed — The Sheryl Steinberg Collins Playground at Heckscher Park. Photo by Jennifer Donatelli

By Jennifer Donatelli

Town of Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth (R) had the official ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 9 for the Sheryl Steinberg Collins Playground at Heckscher Park. The new playground is a completely redesigned, state-of-the-art, all-inclusive playground. It is the most utilized in over 150 of the town’s park system, welcoming 1,000 visitors a week.

Over the past three years, the town committed tens of millions of dollars in upgrading its parks, including over $2 million for the Heckscher Park playground improvements. It is said to be the first of its kind on Long Island and features an inclusive, continuous play environment for children of all ages and abilities.

“It is with great joy that we open this updated playground for all children to participate together regardless of their challenges in life. With the assistance of our Supervisor Ed Smyth, Deputy Supervisor John McCarron, Parks Director Todd Jamison and all other department heads, we continue to achieve a world more filling for everyone, including the disabled,” said president of the Citizens Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities, Marianne Iannaccone.

The playground was designed and manufactured by Landscape Structures, a Minnesota-based manufacturer of commercial playground equipment. The company creates innovative playground equipment for schools, parks, childcare centers, religious institutions and more to help develop healthier kids, families and communities. Their mission is to enhance children’s lives by fostering and creating inspiring play experiences while honoring the environment. Landscape Structures shared the town’s vision and commitment to providing inclusive playgrounds that welcome children and families of all abilities.

The inclusive play environment’s continuous play mission brings more play value to a smaller space, more social interactions and further children’s skill development.

According to Jeff Charles, spokesperson for Landscape Structures, “For decades, our company has paid attention not only to how children play together, but who can play together. The playground is a place where kids of all abilities should be able to interact and play side by side.”

Another critical area of the playground was the installation of a quality safety play surface. Unity Surfacing in Hicksville created rectangle play tiles replacing the ailing pour-in-place that once surfaced the playground. The play tiles sit flush with Heckscher’s expanded stamped concrete walkways that now wind through the playground and the surrounding area. This flush reveal allows all the playground areas to be entirely Americans with Disabilities Act compliant, thus allowing wheelchair access anywhere along the playground’s perimeters.

“Over the past two years, my team has been chipping away at restoring many of the over 50 active and 90 passive parks throughout the town. This year, we have several parks that we are breathing new life into — many of which are long overdue, including Al Walker Memorial Park, Crab Meadow Beach Playground, Whitman Park and Otsego Park, with more to come,” said Smyth.

“But, the key project was to overhaul the town’s crown jewel — Heckscher Park. We unveiled an amazing, all-inclusive, continuous play playground, safety surface, walkways, arches and signage,” he added.

Smyth called it “a wonderful outcome for the entire town to enjoy. If you take a minute to check it out, you’ll agree, we succeeded.”

Antique and modern vehicles at the annual Big Rig Show

by Bill Landon - August 18, 2024

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By Bill Landon

The Long Island Chapter of the American Truck Historical Society hosted the 6th annual Big Rig Show at the Long Island Antique Power Association showgrounds in Riverhead under a brilliant blue sky Sunday Aug. 11. Both new and antique big-rig vehicles, collectables and novelties were front and center for all to see.

‘Go Bananas’ defeated at the Quick and Dirty Boat Build Competition in Port Jeff

by Lynn Hallarman - August 18, 2024

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JPG 3 — The crew of 'Go Bananas,' Jason Dank and Ryan Matheson. Photo by Lynn Hallarman

By Lynn Hallarman

The reigning champion boat, Go Bananas, crewed by Jason Dank and Ryan Matheson, was soundly defeated by Doug Santo and Chris Voorhis in their seaworthy vessel, Yacht Rock, during the 13th annual Sikaflex “Quick & Dirty” Boat Build Competition held on Sunday, Aug. 11, at Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson.

After the race, the organization held a raffle drawing for a 12-foot fiddlehead double paddle canoe, custom-built by volunteers. Port Jeff resident Margaret Mansone was the big winner of the hand-built canoe raffle.

This year, six boats competed for the top spot mixed with confidence and trepidation, facing old rivals and hungry newcomers.

“We had a lot to prove,” Santo said in a post-race interview with TBR News Media.

The Long Island Seaport and Eco Center, based at the Bayles Boat Shop at Harborfront Park, hosts the race annually as part of a fundraiser to support its community-based educational activities.

The boat-building competition required teams to design and build a small boat within a five-hour time limit using only materials supplied by LISEC. Teams raced against the clock on Saturday, Aug. 10, to finish seaworthy ships in preparation for Sunday’s race.

**Doug Santo and Chris Voorhis with their seaworthy vessel, ‘Yacht Rock.’ Photo by Lynn Hallarman**

Prior to the race, judges Mayor Lauren Sheprow, former village trustee Rebecca Kassay, (now Democratic candidate for the state Assembly District 4,) and mother-son team Donna and Michael Antignano scored boat designs based on five criteria: uniqueness, neatness, construction, creative paint design and paddle design.

“We have learned from our past mistakes,” said Peter Charalambous, the captain of Winner II. As the 2019 champions, Charalambous and his fiancée, Sunny, have refined their building technique as they prepared for this year’s event to recapture their past glory.

Sadly, Winner II took on water and sank yards before the finish line.

Capsizing the start line, The Joey Z’s, was manned by Brian Tierney and Joe McNaughton, who “have no regrets.”

Heads held high, Mike DeMacia and Lyle Ross — crew of The Candy — gave it their all to the finish well behind the leaders.

Redeemed, Go Bananas was named the winner for best boat design, sharing top prize with Ken Callirgos and Matt Deveau, of The Wall, a paddleboard-style vessel. While some questioned whether a paddleboard qualifies as a boat, the United States Coast Guard recognizes it as such.

Go Bananas, Yacht Rock and The Wall raced in calm seas with precision and determination. In a surge of strength, Yacht Rock pulled ahead in the final seconds of a close contest for the win as the crowd’s roar reached a fevered pitch.

International cricket takes Long Island by storm, for a while

by TBR Staff - July 13, 2024

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Nassau County International Cricket Stadium at Eisenhower Park. Courtesy Don Lockerbie, T20 USA

By John Broven

The 2024 International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup final, held June 29 in Barbados, featured India and South Africa. Both teams had starred locally June 3-12 in Eisenhower Park at a temporary modular facility, grandly named Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

The site was chosen after NIMBY opposition ruled out first-choice Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. Credit should go to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R) for spotting the opportunities for the local economy and tourism.

The eight games were blessed with almost perfect sunny cricket weather. There was a short rain delay for the key India vs. Pakistan game, which India won and effectively knocked out their intense rival from the tournament. Crowds swarmed to see their Indian and Pakistani heroes from back home. Every one of the 34,000 seats was sold within minutes of the ticket office opening, resulting in a scalpers paradise. The attendance was only slightly less for USA’s honorable defeat by ultimate tournament winners India on the concluding Wednesday. All told, more than 150,000 fans saw the Nassau stadium games.

Overlooked features of the competition included USA, a non-cricketing nation, making it to the Super Eight stage and war-torn Afghanistan progressing to the semifinals stage.

T20 cricket at Eisenhower Park

So, how was my experience of international cricket on Long Island? Quite simply, it was wonderful. It was a joy to see top-class cricket again after many years living over here. Even with the rapid-fire T20 format, with matches hardly lasting four hours, the serenity, charm and strategy of the game came shining through. Somehow the introduction of loud recorded music was only a minor distraction.

The batting, bowling and fielding were all spellbinding on what was acknowledged to be a “slow” wicket, where the ball didn’t come quickly onto the bat. As is often said in cricket terminology, the state of the wicket was the same for both teams.

With friend Richard Tapp, who traveled all the way from England for the tournament, I had tickets for the games on Friday, June 7 (Ireland vs. Canada) and the Saturday (South Africa vs. The Netherlands). Both matches swung back and forth, with Canada edging the first game and the Netherlands almost pulling off a shock defeat after South Africa had lost their top four batsmen cheaply.

Meet-and-greet at Westbury LIRR station

The pleasurable experience started as soon as we disembarked June 7 at Westbury station from Stony Brook. A kind gentleman on the platform led us to the shuttle bus area where we were greeted cheerily by LIRR and NICE bus officials. If there were any fears of being stuck in traffic to Eisenhower Park, they were soon dissipated when we realized that the main arteries, Post and Merrick avenues, were dedicated to bus traffic. A lady driver said that the journey would be 8 1/2 minutes — and so it was.

The spirit of the event was captured by bus passengers discussing their presence with others. There was an Indian national who failed to get tickets for the “big game,” but was attending because he wanted to experience live international cricket in the United States. He said he was a fast bowler from New Jersey and played in a cricket league on Long Island with matted pitches (as opposed to grass). A French lady, who lives now in Nassau, said she wanted to experience the occasion even though cricket is as foreign in France as it is in the United States.

After leaving the shuttle bus, we approached the ticket and check-in areas. There were nervous moments as tickets were available only electronically and then on the day of the match. Luckily, the combination of ICC’s ticketing agency and Apple’s iPhone did the job. We had taken the precaution to acquire see-through bags for check-in, but that didn’t save from the trashcan a tasty deli sandwich or a bug spray, which proved to be unnecessary anyway.

Impressive stadium

As we walked the perimeter of the vast modular stadium it was hard to believe that it had been constructed from nothing since January. This included the cricket outfield grown from Kentucky bluegrass in New Jersey and the pitches, which were prepared in Florida based on guidance from the famous Adelaide Oval in Australia.

We were handed big red placards marked “6” — the equivalent of a baseball homerun — and “4,” which were waved vigorously whenever a boundary was struck, adding to the party-like atmosphere.

Our seats in the East Grandstand were perfect for watching the games although there was quite a lot of stair climbing, which was quite hard on the elderly. There was no shortage of bar, food and soft drinks facilities with merch stalls, ice cream vans and, importantly, restrooms and first-aid.

The Friday crowd was on the small side at just over 5,000 people. Although cricket is not a major game in Ireland or Canada, I had expected a larger contingent of Irish and Canadians. Saturday was much fuller, thanks to many enthusiastic South African supporters regaled in green and gold. There were quite a few Netherlands fans, too, dressed in familiar bright orange. The visible security force quietly kept order throughout. Indeed, good humor pervaded at all times among the attendees reflecting the uniqueness of the event.

A touching moment before each game was the competitors’ two huge national flags being unfurled across half the ground by local schoolchildren dressed smartly in white.

There was a strong local connection with T20 USA venue development director, Don Lockerbie, being the son of Bruce Lockerbie, former dean of faculty at The Stony Brook School.

The future of U.S. cricket

Cricket is seemingly destined to be a minnow sport in the U.S., but there’s no doubt that the Long Island T20 series did the game proud — more so than the matches held in Dallas and a weather-hit Florida. As expected, the coverage by the national media was spotty, but credit to the New York Times, News12 and Newsday for their reporting. I think the New Yorker’s doubting headline “If you build it (a cricket stadium on Long Island) will they come?” was well-answered in the affirmative.

English-born John Broven, of East Setauket, is an award-winning American music history author and a copyeditor with TBR News Media. This article is a follow-up to “International cricket coming to Long Island” (Feb. 29).

The rising tide of drowning risks

by Samantha Rutt - June 23, 2024

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By Samantha Rutt

Although your backyard pool or local beach may seem like the perfect oasis, they can also pose significant safety risks. Following decades of decline, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports drowning deaths are on the rise in the United States. Based on a study released on May 14, from 2020-22, over 4,500 people died from drowning each year — 500 more per year compared to 2019.

In all of New York State, Suffolk County holds the third highest rate of drownings at county regulated facilities, sitting only behind New York City and Nassau County, according to data from the New York State Department of Health.

“There was a rescue almost everyday,” former facility manager at the Centereach Pool, Shannon Ryan said. “It is important that everyone knows how to swim, after all, we live on an island surrounded by water.”

Who is most at risk?

Statistics reveal that children and teenagers are most at risk of drowning. The CDC reports that drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause for children ages 5-14.

Young children are particularly vulnerable around residential pools, while older children and teenagers face risks in larger bodies of water such as the ocean or lakes.

Additionally, African American children ages 10-14 are 7.6 times more likely to drown in swimming pools compared to their White peers.

“You may be surprised as to how many people do not know how to swim,” Ryan shared in an interview. “Either not knowing how to swim or oftentimes a parent not paying close attention to their children I’d say is the most common reason we make rescues,” the facility manager said of her experience.

Almost 40 million adults in the United States do not know how to swim and over half have never taken a swimming lesson, according to CDC compiled data.

What to do in an emergent situation

Though not daily, emergent situations at the pool are frequent. If you or someone near you witnesses a swimmer in distress, it is important to notify a lifeguard immediately.

“In an emergency situation it is first that the lifeguard or facility staff activates EAP [emergency action protocol] which involves making necessary whistle codes and assessing the victim for any further medical attention,” Ryan said. “Usually, thankfully, additional care like CPR or rescue breathing is avoided thanks to the in-depth training our guards practice.”

Advice from a lifeguard

Ryan, who has also spent a handful of summers as a senior lifeguard at Cedar West Beach in Mount Sinai, shared some helpful tips for those looking to the waters this season.

“It is important to know how to swim and if you don’t, to take the right precautions by wearing a floatation device or having parental supervision or assistance,” Ryan said.

She emphasized the need to stay hydrated, sunblocked and knowing where help can be found, if needed.

“Especially in the dense heat of the summer, is it important to stay hydrated. We have seen people who are in the sun all day without proper fuel or shade and these are the situations to look out for,” Ryan said. “Wearing sunblock for UV protection and knowing where first aid and all the guard towers can be found are great ways to help protect yourself when you are by the water.”

Port Jefferson rowers compete in top heats at Youth National Championships

by TBR Staff - June 15, 2024

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0606TTDoubles008 — Andreas Simoni and Andrew Smith row in double scull for the Port Jefferson Rowing Club. Photo courtesy Mary Smith

By Sabrina Artusa

The Port Jefferson Rowing Club sent four boats to the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships, where all four boats competed in the top heat.

Teammates Andrew Smith, 18, and Andreas Simoni, 18, rowed especially well in their double scull, consistently ranking at the top of their heat in the time trial on June 6 and the semifinals on June 7.

Both athletes began rowing competitively around a year earlier in the Port Jefferson Rowing Club, a nonprofit aimed at bringing novices into the sport.

The pair kicked off the competition by placing second in the time trial, completing 2,000 meters in 6:25.52 — 25 milliseconds behind first place and more than five seconds ahead of the next boat.

In the time trial, the boats don’t line up and begin at the same time as they do in the semifinals and finals, but start intermittently. Each boat gets what Smith compared to a “running start”: after leisurely rowing along, the boat is signaled to begin racing after passing a certain point.

As a result, Smith and Simoni were unaware of how they performed compared to the 23 other boats. When they realized how they fared next to other state champions across the country, they were ecstatic.

“It felt amazing. It was so awesome,” Smith said of the moment when, after returning to the dock, they overheard their neighbors say a team called the Port Jefferson Rowing Club got second place. “You just do your best and hope that you made it,” he added.

In the semifinals the next day, the pair maintained their top-notch performance, ranking first in their heat of eight with a time of 6:48.64.

On Sunday, the day of the final competition where Smith and Simoni were set to compete in Final A, the pair encountered a mishap that, unfortunately, cost them a medal.

At the beginning of the race, Smith slid off his seat, and both rowers had to stop rowing until he was resituated. The incident was attributed to an equipment mishap.

“I was just proud that I made it there and of the times. The times showed that we would have done much better if not for the equipment failure. We possibly would have gotten first or second,” Smith said. “I was just proud that my boat made it to nationals. It was very stiff competition.”

At five years old, the Port Jefferson Rowing Club is relatively new compared to clubs in other states where rowing is more popular. Despite this, the team has achieved success under their three coaches: James Finke, former assistant coach at Harvard University; Jarek Szymczyk, who coached single men’s sculls at the Rio Olympics; and Anna MacDonald, a coach at Stony Brook School.

“We definitely train hard,” said Finke, founder of the club. “We balance between training hard and having a lot of fun.”

“Here, our mission is to make rowing more visible and more attractive to these athletes,” he said.

The club may be intended to attract novices to the sport, but Finke believes that what his team lacks in experience, they make up for in technique.

“Our main philosophy on coaching is making sure our kids have superior technique on the strokes.”

Simoni, who has committed to rowing at the University of California, Berkeley, and Smith began rowing together a couple of months ago after achieving similar times in a singles competition.

“When we got in the boat together, everything clicked and everything felt very good. We just fell into sync and just rowed,” Smith said.

Hugh Macdonald, another member of the club, ranked well in the competition. He scored second in the under-17 singles race but caught a fever before the final, according to Finke. Macdonald raced in the final despite feeling unwell and ranked seventh.

The girls in the under-15 quad race, Sylas MacDonal, Honora Riley, Olivia Timmons, Tatiana Garrison, and Zihe Zhou, also finished fourth.

New playground equipment unveiled at Heritage Park in Mt. Sinai

by Press Release - May 13, 2024

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On May 8, Councilwoman Jane Bonner (center) was at Heritage Park (“The Wedge”) in Mt. Sinai to meet with Jennifer Roth (left), Membership Secretary for the Mt. Sinai Civic Association and Robert Woods (right), Director of North Shore Youth Council.

They were there to unveil the new, recently installed playground equipment. The Heritage Park amenities include ball fields, multi-purpose field, playground, restrooms and walking trails. There are also electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot and a picnic area.

Located at 633 Mount Sinai-Coram Road, Heritage Park is one of the premier recreation facilities in Brookhaven Town. It is open 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset. Parking is free. For more information about Heritage Park and all the parks and recreation facilities in the Town of Brookhaven, go to www.BrookhavenNY.gov.

Learn safe boating at the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor

by Press Release - April 12, 2024

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COURSES AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS AGES 10 AND OLDER

The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor recently announced a spring series of NYS Certified Safe Boating Courses for students aged 10 and older. These courses provide essential knowledge about safe boat operation, regulations, and responsibilities of boat ownership. Upon successful completion of the course and exam, participants will earn a Safe Boating Certificate.

The course meets the New York State education requirement for the Personal Watercraft Operation Permit, Youth and Adult Boating Certificate. New York State certified instructors present the course in the Museum’s workshop. Participants may view the museum’s exhibits during short breaks throughout the 8-hour course.

Participants may bring a bagged lunch for the lunch break. Adults over the age of 18 have the option to walk into Cold Spring Harbor village to purchase lunch or coffee at any of the businesses or restaurants Main Street has to offer. Minors are not permitted to leave the museum during the course unless a parent or guardian is accompanying them.

Upon completion of the NYS Certified Safe Boating Course, students will receive a temporary safe boating card valid for 90 days. For students aged 18 and above, obtaining the permanent card requires sending the completed form and a $10 check to NYS. However, individuals under 18 will automatically receive the permanent card without any fee.

Upcoming course dates are scheduled for Sat, April 13; Sat, May 11; Sat, June 8; and Sat, July 13. Each course will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m.

“We’re thrilled to continue offering this important course to our community,” said Gina Van Bell, Assistant Director of The Whaling Museum & Education Center. “Boating safety is paramount, and this course will provide participants with the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe on the water. Dozens of Long Island residents have already their certificates with us through this course at the museum, and we’re excited to offer more opportunities to get certified this spring!”

The program fee is $35, which includes access to exhibits at the museum for the day. Payment will be collected at the museum before the program begins, and both cash and credit card are accepted. Registration is required and can be completed online at cshwhalingmuseum.org/events.

For more information about the NYS Safe Boating Course or to register, please visit cshwhalingmuseum.org/safeboating or contact Gina Van Bell at 631-367-3418 ext 12 or [email protected].

New York State Parks Centennial

by TBR Staff - February 4, 2024

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New York State Parks challenge merchandise. Photo courtesy New York State Parks.

By Aidan Johnson

Major celebrations are in store for the New York’s statewide park and historic site system, which has reached 100 years since its founding by Gov. Alfred E. Smith (D) and the state Legislature of 1924.

While there will be multiple events happening statewide throughout the year in New York’s parks and historic sites, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced a year-long challenge for residents and visitors.

The challenge consists of 100 different activities that can be completed at the New York State parks and historic sites throughout the year. All of the tasks can be found listed under “NY State Parks Centennial Challenge” in the app Goosechase, and include missions such as drawing flowers or wildlife found in the park, visiting one of the lighthouses, biking certain trails and attending an environmental education program. However, participants need not worry about traveling statewide to complete every challenge, as only 24 are required to be finished in order to receive a sticker and be entered into a drawing for a three-year Empire Pass and a centennial swag bag.

NYS sees the centennial and challenges as an opportunity to help local economies by attracting visitors to the different parks and sites.

“Our parks in New York State are now for a century where families and friends have gathered, where memories were made outdoors,” said state Parks Deputy Regional Director Kara Hahn.

Hahn described the Share Your Story initiative, in which residents are invited to share their favorite photos and memories of the parks by emailing [email protected] or by using the #nystateparkstory hashtag on social media.

“We really want to inspire and encourage and engage our residents to come out because we know how good it is for health to be outside and active…and we know that it’s good for community health to have our residents gathering in beautiful spaces and have fun,” Hahn said.

“We’re taking this Centennial 100-year anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate all that and hopefully encourage and activate our residents to come back out,” she added.

Information is also available at parks.ny.gov/100/challenge.

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