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Comsewogue community celebrates fourth annual Joe’s Day of Service

by TBR Staff - June 24, 2021

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andrew harris nursing home — Students like Mei Li Johnson spent their mornings volunteering at the local nursing home. Photo from Andrew Harris

By Deniz Yildirim

On Monday, June 21, the Comsewogue community celebrated its fourth annual Joe’s Day of Service — a day for students and educators alike to give back and complete service projects for the community.

This year the day started with a special ceremony at the Comsewogue High School where a tree was planted and dedicated to the late superintendent of the district, Dr. Joe Rella, who died in February 2020.

As per the class of 2023, a Japanese red maple (Joe’s favorite) was planted in front of Comsewogue High School. Speakers during the planting included the current superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Quinn and Richie Rella, Dr. Rella’s son.

They moved the crowd, including Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), with their words about the late superintendent and spoke about his love for the school and kind nature.

“If anyone knew my dad, they knew it’s all he ever talked about,” said Richie.

“And though Joe is no longer with us, it is his sincerest question that has guided Dr. Quinn during this incredibly challenging school year; How are the kids?”

After these heartfelt testaments, a small student choir, directed by Charlotte Johnson, performed “Blowing in the Wind” by Bob Dylan.

Afterward’s, two buses, donated by Suffolk Transportation, took volunteers to Woodhaven Nursing Home in Port Jefferson Station. Once there, students gifted residents with painted rocks and artwork. They also planted flowers and read handwritten letters from students from the elementary schools and JFK Middle School which were collected and paired with a blanket by school social worker, Ginger Guidone.

“All in all, it was a day well spent and one we hope Dr. Rella would have been proud of,” said special education teacher and student character liaison Andrew Harris, who coordinated the event.

Deniz Yildirim is a librarian at the Terryville Road Elementary School.

New safety measures put in place for Greenway Trail after stabbing

by Kimberly Brown - June 24, 2021

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In the wake of the June 17 stabbing of 39-year-old Benjamin Flores-Mendez, who was found dead in Port Jefferson Station on the Greenway Trail, new precautions are being taken to help make residents feel safer when exercising alone.

To make the Greenway Trail safer, Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) requested cameras on the trail, bike patrols during the day and sector car patrols at night. As a result of Hahn’s push for better safety, cameras and new patrols are already in place

“As a Suffolk County resident, parent and legislator, public safety is always top of mind, and if I’m sent to Congress, that will continue,” Hahn said. “I’m proud of my work to keep our communities safe, like investing in security cameras and additional patrols in crime-prone areas and would welcome any new opportunities to expand on those efforts.”

As part of a women’s running group herself, Hahn advocates running with a partner and recommends using trails during daylight hours.

According to Herb Mones, chair of the Three Village Civic Association land use committee, the Greenway Trail is the most used recreational area in the community.

Although this is the first reported incident of this type, Mones was still disheartened to learn the news.

“Being part of the trail’s initial planning, and still active in its stewardship, I was shocked to see violence occur on the trail,” Mones said. “This corridor is a place for people to enjoy, and it is sad to see a loss of life on this path.”

Suffolk County police have stepped up their patrols on the trail and, with Hahn’s support, the implementation of security cameras will help deter any suspicious activity.

“It is important for trail users to report any suspicious behavior, and refrain from being out on the trail at nighttime when there is less likelihood to observe your surroundings,” Hahn said, adding that it is illegal to be on the trail between dusk and dawn.

New cyanobacteria blooms found in area ponds

by Press Release - June 23, 2021

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Analysis of surface water samples performed by SUNY Stony Brook has confirmed the presence of new cyanobacteria blooms, more commonly known as blue–green algae, in in Old Town Pond in Southampton, Mill Pond in Water Mill, Artist Lake in Middle Island, New Mill Pond (also known as Blydenburgh Lake) in Smithtown.

Due to these findings, health officials ask residents not to use or swim or wade in these waters and to keep their children and pets away from the area.

Though blue-green algae are naturally present in lakes and streams in low numbers, they can become abundant, forming blooms in shades of green, blue-green, yellow, brown or red. They may produce floating scums on the surface of the water or may cause the water to take on paint-like appearance.

Contact with waters that appear scummy or discolored should be avoided. If contact does occur, rinse off with clean water immediately. Seek medical attention if any of the following symptoms occur after contact: nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; skin, eye or throat irritation, allergic reactions or breathing difficulties.

To view a map all affected fresh waterbodies in New York State, or to report a suspected blue-green algae bloom to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) at a body of water that does not contain a Suffolk County permitted bathing beach please use: NYHABS.

Any questions should be emailed to [email protected].

To report a suspected blue-green algae bloom at a body of water that does contain a Suffolk County-permitted bathing beach, contact the Suffolk County Department of Health Services’ Office of Ecology at 631-852-5760 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or by email at any time at [email protected]

For additional information about blue-green algae, as well as other harmful algal blooms, visit the following websites:

https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Health-Services/Environmental-Quality/Ecology/Harmful-Algal-Blooms

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/bluegreenalgae/

https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/77118.html

Miller Place street renamed in honor of Chris Pendergast

by Julianne Mosher - June 23, 2021

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pendergast street 2, julianne mosher — The Pendergast family admires the new sign. Photo by Julianne Mosher

The corner of Grandview Boulevard and Lower Rocky Point Road in Miller Place will now have a sign saying Pendergast Path in honor of the street’s former resident and founder of ALS Ride For Life.

Local officials, friends and family joined together on Monday, June 21, next to the street sign to remember Pendergast’s legacy and honor his efforts in the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — a degenerative neurological disease that ultimately leads to a loss of muscle control throughout the body, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Monday was Global ALS Awareness Day.

“What a beautiful day to have this event,” said Ray Manzoni, president of ALS Ride For Life. “We’ve got somebody up there keeping an eye on us.”

Chris Pendergast’s grandson had the honor of unveiling the new sign. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Pendergast died on Oct. 14, 2020, after a 28-year battle with the disease. His nonprofit has helped raise more than $10 million in research for ALS.

During the annual Ride For Life, Pendergast was known to ride his motorized wheelchair hundreds of miles to raise funds and awareness of the disease. His longest ride was 350 miles in two weeks.

“He defied the odds in so many ways, his endurance was remarkable,” Manzoni said. “He was extraordinary.”

Pendergast, a former teacher in the Northport school district, was told he only would have a few years to live after his diagnosis. He beat the odds and spent over two decades educating people on the disease and devoting his life to helping others.

His daughter, Melissa Scriven, told the crowd of people that the ALS Ride For Life board started in their house on Grandview Boulevard. Team meetings were held in the kitchen, and the dining room became an office. In 1991, the family moved to the street and two short years later he was diagnosed.

“Our lives were forever changed — dreams for this new house and our new life were shot,” she said. “But only briefly … his positive attitude and optimism shaped how we would handle this ALS diagnosis. We were a team and we’re going to live with this disease — and live we did.”

Scriven said her father adored this house.

“It’s quite fitting that he lived on Grandview Boulevard,” she said. “My dad would for sure say that he was blessed with a grand view of the goodness of humanity, of the loyalty of friends, of the generosity of strangers and the grandest view of all, the love of his family.”

As part of a street renaming, the Town of Brookhaven requires an individual to have provided the town with an outstanding service.

And that he did.

Councilwoman Jane Bonner embraces Christine Pendergast. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) presented the Pendergast family with a proclamation from the town shortly before the curtain unveiled Pendergast Path. Bonner said she had a special connection to the day’s event.

“My grandfather died from ALS in the early 1980s, long before anybody really knew what ALS was,” she said. “I have learned so much about ALS because of Chris, because of this organization and because of the people with ALS that really don’t ever let you forget that this disease should not be forgotten, that we need a tremendous amount of research dollars.”

She added there is a lot of time to make up due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People need to be as generous as possible because there are many more people suffering and so we must find a cure,” she said. “And I can think of no person that deserves this honor more than Chris.”

Pendergast’s wife, Christine, was honored to have her husband’s name across the green sign.

“I think he would be grinning ear to ear,” she told TBR News Media. “He took his ALS bike to the streets, literally, and we now have a street named after him. I think it’s a very fitting way to honor him and his work.”

Mustang Kellachan shuts down SWR for conference championship

by TBR Staff - June 23, 2021

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By Steven Zaitz

Mount Sinai senior pitcher Dan Kellachan has a long memory.

When head baseball coach Eric Reichenbach handed Kellachan the ball to pitch against archrival Shoreham Wading River for the Conference V title, the fireballing righty had a single thought — revenge.

Back on May 14, the 6’1”, 200-pounder was uncharacteristically shelled by SWR for four runs in four innings, including two home runs, in his only loss of the season.

“Since then, that game has been the only thing on my mind, and I wouldn’t have wanted to face any other team to win the championship,” Kellachan said. “I knew I could have done better against them last time. I was happy I got the chance to prove myself.”

He did exactly that, as the Mustangs defeated the Wildcats 4-1 on Friday afternoon and advanced to the Long Island Championship game against Nassau County’s Island Trees. Kellachan, mixing a fastball in the low 90s with a knuckle curve, struck out four in 5 2/3 innings, escaped some serious basepath traffic, and got big-time help from his defense and bullpen.

“With a championship on the line, there is nobody else I’d rather have out on that mound than Dan,” Reichenbach said. “His outing against these guys in May did not worry me at all. Dan has the mental make-up just for this type of situation — and he proved it tonight.”

From very early on, Kellachan would call upon that mental make-up, as the Wildcats were prowling around the bases and looking to strike.

“I got out of a couple of tough spots there and I had a lot of help from my defense,” the Ithaca-bound senior said.

In the 2nd inning, the Wildcats put runners on second and third to start the frame. Kellachan struck out Jacob Bacenet and Joey Marchese and then got Kyle Engmann to ground out to end the threat. Kellachan pumped his fist with delight on his way back to the dugout. It would be one of many fist pumps on the afternoon.

In the 5th, Mustang center fielder Joe Valenti made a fine shoestring grab and right fielder JT Caruso made a diving catch to end the inning with the bases loaded. In the 6th, with Mount Sinai nursing a three run lead, Matt Fauvell, who replaced Caruso in right, made a twisting catch of a wind-blown ball with two outs and the bases again loaded.

If that ball gets past Fauvell, the game would have likely been tied.

“We’ve been playing great defense all year,” Reichenbach said. “Our offense has come and gone at times during the season, but we’re all about pitching and defense, and those two parts of our team showed up today.”

SWR starting pitcher Billy Steele wasn’t as fortunate. Two errors in the third inning led to three unearned runs for the Mustangs and first basemen Matt Galli, who would relieve Kellachan and finish the game, knocked in L.J. Bohne and Matthew Carrera with a single to center. Mount Sinai would eventually take a 4-1 lead into the seventh.

Galli pitched 1 1/3 innings for the save, giving up two walks and a hit. Despite the baserunners, not to mention his unorthodox style of having his baseball cap fly off his head after every pitch, he negotiated the final four outs, fittingly sent Kellachan off to college as a winning pitcher — and his team to a championship.

Upon the final putout, there was a sea of white and red bedlam in the middle of the diamond — with Kellachan on the bottom of the pile.

“There’s no better way to go out,” said Kellachan, who acknowledged the adoring home crowd with a tip of the cap when he was relieved in the sixth. “We have such a great team and we’ve had such a great season. I’m glad I could get this win. Now, we have one more win to get.”

The Mustangs would indeed get that win, beating Island Trees to win the Conference V Long Island Championship on Father’s Day.

They blew a three-run lead in the fifth inning as the Bulldogs tied the score at 5. But an RBI double by catcher Derek Mennechino gave Mount Sinai a 6-5 lead. He would score on a sacrifice fly later in the inning, but only after the umpires discussed the tag up rule for nearly 30 minutes. They would allow Mennechino’s run to stand.

The final score was 8-6 and it gave Mount Sinai its first-ever Long Island baseball title. They finished the year with 19-2 record, which is the best in school history. Relief pitcher Chris Batuyious pitch the final three innings and was credited with the win.

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PJV to implement more police presence, code officers after Saturday shooting

by Julianne Mosher - June 22, 2021

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191118 — File photo from Kathianne Snaden

In light of the recent shooting that happened in Port Jefferson village early Saturday morning, local officials said an increase in police presence and an extension of code officers’ hours will begin immediately.

On June 19 at 1:56 a.m., shots were fired in the parking lot of the bar located at 109 Main St.

Two men, a 22-year-old and a 20-year-old, were hit, causing serious injuries.

According to Fred Leute, village chief of code enforcement, code officers were getting ready to end their shift at 2 a.m. when they heard the sound of gunshots.

Leute, along with three other officers, ran to the scene where one of the code enforcers used his belt to create a tourniquet for the man whose leg was severely injured by the bullet.

“We realized he was going downhill quickly,” Leute said.

Two of the officers tended to one victim, while the other two brought the man with the leg wound to the Stony Brook Trauma Center.

At the time of the shooting, the village’s Suffolk County Police Department Whiskey Unit was at Mather Hospital with an individual they transported there earlier for a medical condition.

Since the two Whiskey Unit officers were tending to another person, village officials have decided to have code enforcement extend their hours until 6 a.m. and will increase their police presence Down Port.

On Tuesday, June 22, trustee Kathianne Snaden and Mayor Margot Garant spoke with SCPD 6th Precinct Inspector Patrick Reilly to request more officers patrolling the village. They also spoke to Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) and a representative from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) office.

“After speaking with Legislator Hahn, Inspector Reilly and the governor’s office, and exploring all avenues of enforcement, we can confirm that we will have an increased Suffolk police presence in the village,” Snaden said.

Additionally, the village has extended code hours until 6 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays to keep an eye on the popular local bar scene post-COVID.

“We are taking a zero-tolerance stance on establishments serving alcohol to minors,” Snaden said.

Garant said during Monday’s board of trustees meeting that she was “deeply disturbed” by the incident.

“But we’re grateful that the two young men are still with us,” she said.

Garant added that this type of behavior will not be tolerated in the village.

“We are working with all our state agency partners to bolster police presence, enforcement and proactive measures to prevent underage drinking at our establishments,” she told TBR News Media on Tuesday. “We are committed to doing what we can as a village and local authority.”

While the investigation is still ongoing, just 30 hours after the incident, 20-year-old Port Jefferson Station resident Ethan Ladd was charged with two counts of assault in the first degree, a felony.

He was arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Monday, June 21 and released on $25,000 bail.

Hometown History: Lady Strong and the Oakwood Estate

by Kenneth Brady - June 21, 2021

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The Old Homestead stood near the corner of what is now Port Jefferson’s Winston Drive and Crystal Brook Hollow Road. Photo by Arthur S. Greene; Photo from Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

What is now Belle Terre, coupled with an area in today’s Port Jefferson, once comprised the 1200-acre Oakwood estate.

Surrounded on three sides by water, the property featured a country house, tilled land, woodlots, a hothouse, fruit and nut trees, sheepfolds, springs, an icehouse, a dairy, pigpens, barns and outbuildings.

The estate even included a private cemetery, the Sugar Loaf Burying Grounds, where some of Oakwood’s workers and their family members had been interred.

Mary B. Strong, known as “Lady Strong,” presided over the estate. In 1880, she was considered the wealthiest woman in Brookhaven Town, where she numbered among its largest taxpayers.

Oakwood is depicted on this portion of J. Chace’s 1858 Map of Suffolk County, L.I., New York. Photo from Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

William A. Hopkins and Charles A. Davis, Miss Strong’s trusted overseers, supervised day-to-day operations at Oakwood, everything from milking cows to cutting cordwood.

Lady Strong and her servants lived at the estate’s Old Homestead which stood near the corner of what is now Port Jefferson’s Winston Drive and Crystal Brook Hollow Road.

A short walk from tranquil Mount Sinai Harbor, the country house was the scene of elegant parties hosted by Miss Strong and surrounded by grounds lovingly tended by a gardener.

Responsible outdoorsmen were welcomed at Oakwood, where they hiked its shaded paths, hunted, trapped and gathered berries. Vacationers from Bridgeport, Connecticut sailed across Long Island Sound and pitched tents on the property at Camp Woodbine, while day-trippers picnicked on the estate at Saints Orchard.

After Lady Strong’s death on April 9, 1885, Oakwood reverted to her nephews, but through neglect, the once well-maintained estate went to ruin.

In spring 1901, surveyors were seen marking Oakwood’s boundaries and that winter advertisements had appeared in the New York Times announcing the property’s sale.

The Old Homestead stood near the corner of what is now Port Jefferson’s Winston Drive and Crystal Brook Hollow Road.
Photo by Arthur S. Greene; Photo from Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

Clinton L. Rossiter, vice president of the Long Island Loan and Trust Company, purchased Oakwood from Mary B. Strong’s heirs in 1902. Rossiter represented a group of investors who planned to build a “private residence park,” known today as Belle Terre, on the land.

Over the ensuing years, the site was developed, and the Old Homestead was destroyed in a suspicious fire, leaving only street names such as Oakwood Road as reminders of Lady Strong and her vast estate.

Kenneth Brady has served as the Port Jefferson Village Historian and president of the Port Jefferson Conservancy, as well as on the boards of the Suffolk County Historical Society, Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council and Port Jefferson Historical Society. He is a longtime resident of Port Jefferson.

Warriors fall to Garden City in Long Island Championship

by Bill Landon - June 20, 2021

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Comsewogue senior Jake Deacy looks for a cutter in the Long Island class B Championship game against Garden City Jun. 19. Photo by Bill Landon

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It would take three minutes into the 3rd quarter for the Comsewogue Warriors to get on the scoreboard when Jake Deacy’s shot on goal found it mark in the Long Island class B Championship June 19. Trailing Garden City by two Deacy’s goal would be the only one the Warriors could muster as Comsewogue fell 5-1 at the Boomer Esiason Field at East Islip High School.

Comsewogue the Suffolk class B champion concluded their 2021 Covid-19 abbreviated season with a 13-2 record.

Photos by Bill Landon

Royals heartbreaker in Long Island Championship

by Bill Landon - June 20, 2021

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Port Jeff junior Kyle Scandale uncorks a shot for the Royals in the Long Island class D Championship against Friends Academy Jun. 19. Photo by Bill Landon

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It was a high scoring game for the Class D Long Island Lacrosse Championship between Royals of Port Jefferson and the Quakers of Friends Academy at the Boomer Esiason Field at East Islip High School. 29 goals found their mark but the first 28 didn’t count. Deadlocked at 14-14 it would take two four minute overtime periods to decide the winner where the Royals lost a heartbreaker in the 6th period June 19.

Port Jeff junior Kyle Scandale led the scoring with 4, Brady DeWitt scored 3 and Daniel Koban concluded his varsity career with his hat-trick. Peter Murphy the junior had 9 saves on the day.

The Royals finished their COVID-19 abbreviated season with their first ever County Championship title with an 8-8 record.

Photos by Bill Landon

Village clerk recognized by LI clerks, treasurer association

by Press Release - June 20, 2021

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On June 10, Village of Port Jefferson clerk Barbara Sakovich was honored at the 2021 Long Island Village Clerks & Treasurer Association Installation of Officers in Sands Point.

She was joined by other village clerks from across the island.

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