CLOSE
Times of Huntington-Northport

by -
0 737
Idle Hour, the mansion and estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt (1849-1920), which became Dowling College in 1968 Vanderbilt Museum Archives photo
Gift is Significant Part of Dowling College’s Special Collection

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum has received the largest donation of archival materials since its inception in 1950. The gift, donated by the Friends of Connetquot River State Park Preserve, includes materials from the former Dowling College and Vanderbilt Historical Society collections, comprising photographs, maps, and written correspondence. The donation marks a significant moment in the broader historical community’s efforts to preserve and promote the heritage of the region.

This donation will aid researchers and historians in forming an understanding of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century Long Island, and it will greatly augment the kinds of programming that can be offered by the Vanderbilt, Suffolk County’s first museum and public park.

Paul Rubery, Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Vanderbilt Museum, and Janet Soley, President of the Friends of Connetquot, worked alongside New York State and Suffolk County officials to determine the best way to preserve the content of these archives for future generations. They established that, because the VanderbiltMuseum aims to interpret the totality of the Vanderbilt family’s contributions to the development of Long Island, Centerport would be the ideal resting place for the wide-ranging collections.

All items donated by the Friends of Connetquot are now being processed and digitized by staff at the Vanderbilt Museum. These measures put to rest what some once regarded as the uncertain fate and future of a vast collection of historical materials assembled in Oakdale by local historians and academic archivists.

Dowling College Materials

Dowling College was established in 1968 at Idle Hour, the former mansionand 900-acre estate built in 1900 for William Kissam Vanderbilt (1849-1920). Vanderbilt was the father of William K. Vanderbilt II (1878-1944), who created the Eagle’s Nest estate, home of the Suffolk County VanderbiltMuseum.

Dowling College’s paper records were in jeopardy when the school ceased operations in 2016. Nearly a year later, its administrative and collegiate archives were transferred to Adelphi College, the college’s former parent institution. This arrangement spoke to Adelphi’s mission and directly benefited the wide network of Dowling alumni in the region. However, certain items were not covered in the original agreement between Adelphi and RSR Consulting, LLC—the company charged with liquidating assets in the bankruptcy proceedings—and those materials were folded into the listing placed up for bankruptcy auction.

The bankruptcy sale of Dowling’s assets was complicated by false starts and unrealized transactions. After the initial deal with Princeton Educational Center failed to transpire, Mercury International, LLC, acquired the property in 2017 for $26.1 million. During Mercury’s ownership, a representative from that company offered boxed materials in good condition to the Friends of Connetquot. For Mercury, the campus property and outbuildings were the primary concern, not the papers still left in many areas of the campus. Mercury ceased ownership of the property in December 2021, when the Chinese state-owned enterprise China Orient Asset Management purchased a majority stake in their parent company for $42 million.

The items given to the Friends of Connetquot—and now, through their donation, to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum—include the Muriel Vanderbilt, National Dairy, and Peace Haven collections.

Additional Material

Additional sections of the archives donated by Friends of Connetquot were acquired by that organization at auction. The Friends of Connetquot is dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and history of the 3,473-acre State Park Preserve, with the legacy of the South Side Sportsmen’s Club as their primary focus. The Sportsmen’s Club was among the elite social clubs of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century, claiming presidents and titans of business among its membership.

Below are brief descriptions of the collections donated to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum by the Friends of Connetquot River State Park Preserve. To increase access to public history and stimulate interest in Long Island’s heritage, the Vanderbilt Museum will make them available online in the coming months.

Muriel Vanderbilt Collection: Muriel Vanderbilt was the daughter of William Kissam Vanderbilt II and Virginia Graham Fair. She was an American socialite and an accomplished breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.

The Muriel Vanderbilt collection contains personal photographs and other materials that she donated to Dowling College in 1970. Some collection highlights include wedding and engagement photographs, in which Muriel wears the bridal veil of Marie Antoinette; extensive documentation of horse stables and rodeos; images of family members; and architectural photography of breathtaking estates.

Above, the stage at Peace Haven, one of the uses of the Idle Hour estate before it became Dowling College. Vanderbilt Museum Archives photo

Peace Haven Cult: The collection associated with the Peace Haven Cult is among the most unique archives on Long Island. In 1937, a group called the Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians purchased William Kissam Vanderbilt’s Idle Hour and renamed it “Peace Haven.” Founded by James Bernard Schafer, a doctor from North Dakota, the Master Metaphysicians integrated behaviorist psychology, Christian spiritualism, and mediative techniques to achieve certain personal goals. The cult caught the attention of the international press during the custody proceedings over “Baby Jean.”

“Baby Jean” was central to the cult’s ambitions. The Master Metaphysicians informally adopted “Baby Jean” from her mother, a local waitress, and placed her at the center of a grand metaphysical experiment. Schafer maintained that he could give the child eternal life with an exclusively plant-based diet and protection from negative stimuli. The Master Metaphysicians returned “Baby Jean” to her birth parents after less than a year, and her mother eventually filed a legal suit against the cult.

National Dairy Collection: After serving as the headquarters for the Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians, the Idle Hour estate was acquired by National Dairy Research Labs. National Dairy, which would eventually become Kraft Foods, purchased the estate’s mansion, carriage house, and twenty-three acres of land in 1947. The collection features photographs of the interior and exterior of the buildings at the time of sale, extensive documentation of the newly created research laboratories, and some press materials.

Bronco Charlie’s Collection: Bronco Charlie’s was a family restaurant located in Oakdale. Its owner, “Bronco” Charlie Miller, was a revered storyteller who claimed that he was the youngest ever rider on the Pony Express. Although many of his stories were undoubtedly fanciful, his tremendous life was chronicled in a range of print media. Highlights from the Bronco Charlie Collection include plates, menus, photographs, and correspondence.

Artists’ Colony Collection: Founded in 1926 on the grounds of the William Kissam Vanderbilt I’s summer estate, the Idle Hour Artists’ Colony was inspired by other prominent cultural communities like Yaddo, McDowell, and the Barbizon. Lucy Thompson, a socialite and the wife of a wealthy oil merchant from Texas, purchased the property and renovated its stables and outbuildings to accommodate a theater, restaurant, and artist studios. Highlights from the Artists’ Colony Collection include a map of the colony, real estate listings from the 1920s, and a watercolor from one of the original artists.

 

by -
0 370
Artist Scott Schneider. Photo by Joseph Peragallo

Sometimes art can be used as a way to raise awareness about issues that affect us in our daily lives. Such is the case with the Art League of Long Island’s latest exhibit, Time’s Running Out: An iPhonography and 3D(isaster) Sculpture Exhibition, which presents a body of digital photographic artwork and trash sculpture highlighting the contrast between nature’s beauty and the environmental pollution and decay found throughout the country, including on Long Island’s roadways, parks, and beaches. 

‘Not A Jellyfish’ by Scott Schneider

Created by Scott Schneider of Toxic/Nature Studios®, the eye-opening show will be on view in the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery from Oct. 1 to 28. 

“Toxic/Nature Studios® features environmental photography that celebrates the majesty of nature and laments its demise, in small moments. Using close-up macro techniques, the photographs express my appreciation for and concern about the environment,” said Schneider. “As we become increasingly distracted by our devices, we tend to overlook small disasters beneath our feet. Likewise, we can fail to notice the beautiful moments present in nature. Beauty can also be found in the rust, decay, and textures of everyday objects.”

Schneider chose to take all photos by  iPhone, “thereby leveraging the power of technology to observe rather than to distract,” he said. The artist then created archival, digital pigment prints using environmentally friendly inks on bamboo paper, which is highly sustainable.

In addition to photographs, the exhibit will also feature a series of sculptural pieces Schneider calls 3D(isasters). “This thought-provoking artwork is designed to challenge the viewer to make sense of the quantity of litter displayed in a #finditfillit container,” he explained.

‘Dead See’ by Scott Schneider

Schneider hopes the exhibit will inspire others to notice the world around them and to take action to preserve its natural beauty. “We can’t do this while plugged in and tuned out,” he said. 

“That’s why I ask viewers to unplug, look around, and get the small picture. By turning off our blinders of technology, and noticing the small detail of a piece of litter, a fallen petal, or an interesting bit of rust, we can then look up and notice the big picture, which is that the world needs our help.”

The community is invited to an opening reception on Oct. 1  from 1 to 3 p.m. Viewing hours through Oct. 28 are Tuesdays and  Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The Art League is located at 107 East Deer Park Road in Dix Hills. For more information call 631-462-5400 or visit www.artleagueli.org.

by -
0 989
1 of 8
Victoria Mackay. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Paige Schilling. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Kristina Rezler. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Halea Duryea-Stern. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Caitlyn Riordan. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Kristina Rezler. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Casey Ryan. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Caitln Fleece. Photo by Steven Zaitz

By Steven Zaitz

In a very congenial, natatorial setting, the Northport-Commack Varsity Girls swim team took on powerhouse Hauppauge-Smithtown last Wednesday at the Hauppauge High School pool.

Hauppauge-Smithtown defeated Northport-Commack, 104-74. But in a sense, both teams were winners as many of the girls qualified for state and county championships.

Lady Hauppauge Eagle senior Leah Treglia was the star of the meet, winning the 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly and was a member of two first place relay teams to boost the home side.

Northport-Commack Junior Makenna O’Brien finished a close second to Treglia in the 200-yard individual medley. Both ladies qualified for states in this event and Treglia, along with Sofia Burns, Sarah Lucca and MaryGrace Waring are going to states for their time of 1:52.02 in the 200-yard medley relay.

Caitlyn Riordan, of Northport-Commack, won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:04.21 winning by more than two and a half seconds. Riordan also won the 100-yard freestyle in 55.99.  O’Brien won the 500-yard freestyle earning six points for the team and 7th grader London Strasser placed fifth in that event. Halea Duryea-Stern was sixth for the Lady Tiger-Cougars.

Duryea-Stern led a trio of Northport-Commack swimmers to first, second and third in the 100-yard breaststroke. Dorothy Amato and Ornella Bley took home second and third in that event.

Lady Tiger Paige Schilling was competitive in her diving body of work, scoring 155.02 from the judges. Casey Ryan, of Hauppauge-Smithtown, won with 182.47

In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Northport-Commack took first and second place.  Lia Edlin Miller, Paige Simon, Avalina Giehl and Caitlin Lopez were in at 4:05.86. Gianna Negli, Eleanor Johnson, Kristina Rezler and Strasser took second.

Hauppauge-Smithtown dominated in the 100-yard butterfly with Treglia, Lucca and Makayla Lee sweeping the podium for first, second and third.

by -
0 1329
Open Mic Night. Metro photo

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Avenue, Huntington, joins with the Folk Music Society of Huntington in presenting the NorthShore Original Open Mic (NOOM) three Wednesday nights each month, beginning October 12.  The open mic series, to be held in the Cinema’s Sky Room, is set for 7 p.m. with open mic sign-up beginning at 6:30 p.m. Although it is free to attend, donations will be sought and gratefully accepted.

“It’s our pleasure to continue the ever-deepening partnership between the Cinema Arts Centre and two pillars of Long Island music scene – the Folk Music Society of Huntington and NorthShore Original Open Mic (NOOM),” said Dylan Skolnick, co-director of the Cinema Arts Centre.

“The Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Hard Luck Café series has been a mainstay of our programming for many years, bringing some of the country’s best folk music performers to dedicated folk fans here in Huntington. With the introduction of a weekly open mic night we are delighted to offer even more opportunities for music lovers and artists to come together, as well as a space where seasoned performers can try out their newest original pieces and where up-and-coming musicians can get used to performing for a crowd,” Skolnick added.

“NOOM is thrilled to partner with the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Cinema Arts Centre and lay the groundwork for a weekly opportunity for original songwriters and performers to present their original songs in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere,” said Toby Tobias, a Huntington-based singer-songwriter who launched the open mic series at a small coffee shop in Northport in the fall of 2013.

One of the longest running weekly original open mics on Long Island, NOOM has reincarnated itself at quite a few North Shore locations through the years — most recently at Finley’s in Huntington.  Although the COVID-19 pandemic precluded NOOM from taking place in-person since March 2020, songwriter Richard Parr has been livestreaming the open mic every week since then and will also be playing a major role when it resumes in-person.

“We invite singer-songwriters of varying skill levels and those who love live music, to gather at the Cinema Arts Centre to listen to songwriters, dedicated to the craft of writing and singing their songs, play and talk about their original music in an environment of goodwill and open-mindedness,” said Tobias. He noted that each NOOM will also include a featured 20-minute performance by a known/emerging local or touring songwriter starting at around 8 p.m. “I am very excited to be a part of this,” he said.

Michael Kornfeld, longtime president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington, shares their excitement. “FMSH is delighted to extend its partnerships with both NOOM and the Cinema Arts Centre and to help provide opportunities for local singer-songwriters to share their music with our community,” he said. “NOOM has been an Acoustic Ally of FMSH for a number of years. We’ve cross-promoted each other’s events and presented a couple of joint livestreams over the past two years.”

Affording local artists opportunities to share their talents with appreciative audiences in an intimate listening room atmosphere was the initial impetus behind the nonprofit presenting organization’s Hard Luck Café concert series many years ago, Kornfeld noted.  That series now features a mix of local, regional and national touring artists. The Cinema Arts Centre has partnered with the Folk Music Society of Huntington and hosted the monthly Hard Luck Café concerts in its Sky Room for more than a decade. That series resumes on October 19 with featured act No Fuss and Feathers and will take place on the third Wednesday of each month, from 7-9:30/10 p.m. An open mic also precedes most Hard Luck Café concerts.

Upcoming dates include:

October 12, 26

November 2, 9, 30

December 7, 14, 28

Sign up here.

For more information, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

by -
0 1455
Allison Russo-Elling/FDNY

Funeral services have been made for a nearly 30-year member of the Huntington Community First Aid Squad, Allison Russo-Elling.

Russo-Elling, in addition to her volunteer work in Huntington, was a lieutenant with the New York City Fire Department and a 24-year veteran of the FDNY. She was also a 9/11 first responder.

The lieutenant was attacked and stabbed multiple times while walking in Astoria, Queens, while on duty at FDNY’s EMS Station on Sept. 29. She was brought to Mount Sinai Queens Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

She was appointed to the FDNY as an EMT in 1998, according to the FDNY, and promoted to paramedic in 2002. She became a lieutenant in 2016.

Russo, a longtime Town of Huntington resident, joined the Huntington Community First Aid Squad in November 1992, according to the HCFAS Facebook page. She was also a day captain for 13 years. It was during her time with the first aid squad that she became an EMT.

THE HCFAS posted on its Facebook page that she was “loved by so many at HCFAS. She will be dearly missed by everyone, but her legacy will live within our hearts forever.”

In addition to her work within the Huntington community, she was a 24-year veteran of the FDNY, joining as an EMT in 1998.

Russo’s wake will be held at Commack Abbey Funeral Home in Commack on Monday, Oct. 3, and Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A service will be held Oct. 5 at the Tilles Center for Performing Arts in Brookville at 11 a.m. Cremation will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to EMS FDNY Help Fund, P.O. Box 604362, Bayside, NY 11360-4362. Or, Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center, 33 Warner Road, Huntington, NY 11743.

by -
0 403
Dr. Farquharson suggests showing a person experiencing a mental health emergency your hands with the palms open to show you are not a threat to the person. Stock photo

Long Island residents have taken CPR classes and learned lifesaving basics to help others with injuries through programs like “Stop the Bleed.”

But what about mental health emergencies?

Those may be more difficult to diagnose or understand, particularly for people who may not know the person in emotional distress.

While Suffolk County Police Department officers with specialized training, support service organizations like Diagnostics, Assessment and Stabilization Hub (known as DASH) and Family Service League, and mental health care workers are available to help, doctors offered suggestions for people who would like to provide assistance for a friend, coworker or relative while awaiting professional assistance.

Dr. Wilfred Farquharson IV, a licensed psychologist and director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic at Stony Brook Medicine, helped create a two-page patient education sheet titled “Mental Health Emergency Response Guidance Sheet — Knowing Your Options.”

The guide provides suggestions on how to respond to a variety of emergencies, starting with lower level crises, which could include a change in mood or side effects from a medication that is not dangerous to a person’s health.

The options in that case are to contact a mental health provider to schedule an appointment, to use a safety plan or to schedule an urgent visit with a primary doctor.

In situations in which a person is destroying property, is threatening physical injury and is not in a position for a safe transport, the guide suggests calling 911.

To ensure effective help from emergency responders, the guide urges people to go to Smart911 to complete a profile for the household.

Additionally, people who call 911 should indicate that there is a mental health emergency. The person making the call should be prepared to offer the person’s name and location, the reason for the call, the person’s diagnosis (if known), things that upset the person, such as yelling at them or getting too close, things that might help soothe the person, and special considerations.

While people are waiting for first responders, they can try to deescalate the situation, using tools similar to the ones professionals practice.

“A lot of what we do is give the person space,” Farquharson said. “We show them our hands, with open palms, and let them know we’re not trying to be a threat. We don’t say too much. We allow the person to talk, as long as they’re being safe. We allow them to yell.”

Neutral tone

Dr. Adnan Sarcevic, chairman of the Psychiatry Department at Huntington Hospital, also urges people to provide “as much privacy as possible” for someone in distress.

Sarcevic recommended that supportive family, friends or community members be empathetic without being judgmental.

“Keep your tone and your body language neutral,” Sarcevic said. He urges people to remain calm and friendly.

People can help deescalate situations by acknowledging that someone else’s feelings are important and indicating that crying or being angry is okay.

Taking a cue from the person in distress can also help. If a person stops talking, “let him or her be there in silence. Let them reflect,” Sarcevic said.

Additionally, the Huntington Hospital doctor urged people to respect the personal space of someone who is struggling.

As far as his list of “don’ts,” Sarcevic said people shouldn’t use judgmental language or wag their fingers.

“Don’t ask, ‘Why’ or ‘How could you do that?’” Sarcevic advised.

Other resources

The Suffolk County Police Department implemented a 911 call diversion pilot program in 2021 which allows Emergency Complaint Operators to divert crisis calls, when considered safe, to the Crisis Hotline at Family Service League.

The SCPD collaborates with Family Service League on a 24-hour crisis hotline as well as a mobile crisis team of mental health professionals that can be deployed 24/7, officials from the SCPD explained in an email.

Additionally, the department said about 20% of SCPD officers are Crisis Intervention Team trained. Someone with that training is always on patrol. 

In addition to 911, people can reach out to DASH, which is the Diagnostic, Assessment and Stabilization Hub. A community crisis program with a Mobile Crisis Team for Suffolk residents, DASH is open every hour of every day and offers services for people who have mental health and substance abuse disorders.

For situations in which there are no safety risks, Stony Brook Medicine suggested that DASH is a good option. Residents can call the hotline at 631-952-3333.

Additionally, residents can call the Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 at any time.

Dr. Stacy Eagle, director of Psychiatry at St. Charles Hospital, cautioned that what deescalates one person might be different from what helps someone else.

Offering physical comfort to some people may help, while others might prefer to have their own space.

All three mental health professionals said the pandemic has contributed to higher levels of anxiety and depression among the population.

“The pandemic has increased the level of distress for those patients,” Eagle said. The pandemic could be the “stressful hit” that triggers discomfort or a mental health episode.

Farquharson has noticed an increase in the acuity of symptoms for some residents.

The mental health practitioners said the response to a crisis depends on the person involved and the type of problem he or she
is experiencing.

“You have to use [your] judgment”
when dealing with various circumstances, Sarcevic said.

Mental health professionals urged people to develop a plan that includes having phone numbers nearby, for 911, 988, DASH and the Family Service League, among others.

Additionally, doctors suggested people can help by being supportive and being prepared.

Farquharson said people should learn what to do if someone is not feeling well emotionally or mentally when a doctor’s office might be closed.

by -
0 562
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: Judith Brown Clarke, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer

Judith Brown Clarke, a silver medal winner in the 400 meter hurdles at the 1984 Olympics, is taking a prominent role at the National Fitness Foundation.

Clarke, who is vice president for Equity & Inclusion and chief diversity officer at Stony Brook University, will become the chair from 2022 to 2024 of the only non-profit organization established by Congress to support youth sport, health and fitness initiatives. She will serve on the board until 2028.

The White House held a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health on Sept. 28. Clarke said her goal after that conference as chair is to “take that call to action, look at what our role is in lifting some or those things off the page, and improving nutrition and physical activity, food insecurity and ending hunger.”

Tackling a number of challenges, such as the obesity epidemic, access and affordability of healthier foods, the lower rate of participation in youth sports among girls, and a need to increase physical activity will involve working with numerous partners and taking a multi dimensional approach.

“Some of the things that complement what happens at home” such as the expectations in gym class and the overall approach to health and nutrition “need to be strengthened,” Clarke said.

Lower levels of activity among some children stem from concerns about safety. Children may not play in the park, ride a bike, jump rope or go outside because areas where they might engage in these activities could involve some risk.

The foundation will partner with parents, teachers and corporations.

“How often do you find within the ingredients [of popular foods and condiments] where there’s sugar and salt?” she asked rhetorically. Numerous foods have supplemental ingredients that may be for taste, but that are above the daily allowance. People start to crave foods with high levels of salt and sugar.

Working with companies that manufacture food products, the foundation hopes to encourage the kind of decision making that helps their customers and their workers.

“Unhealthy people” who have eating habits that include high levels of carbohydrates, sugar and salt have “higher levels of absenteeism” within a corporation, Clarke said. “It actually is a financial model for organizations and corporations to lean into this. There’s a return on investment as it relates to their organization’s enterprise model.”

Conference pillars

The foundation plans to use the five White House Conference Pillars to guide their efforts and assessment of their effectiveness.

The White House conference is focused on improving food access and affordability. This includes expanding eligibility for an increase participation in food assistance programs and improving transportation to places where food is available.

Another pillar is to integrate nutrition and health. By prioritizing the role of nutrition and food security in overall health, the conference hopes to address the nutrition needs of all people.

The third pillar is to empower consumers to make and have access to healthy choices.

Fourth, officials would like to support physical activity for people, in part by ensuring that people have access to safe places to be active. The conference also hopes to increase the awareness of the benefits of physical activity.

Fifth, the conference plans to improve nutrition metrics, data collection and research to inform nutrition and food security policy, particularly regarding issues of equity, access and disparities.

Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services secretary, expressed confidence in the ability of the board to reach their goals. “This experienced group of advisors will enable the National Fitness Foundation to take the next steps in advancing the health of our nation through fitness and nutrition,” Becerra said in a statement. 

In addition to serving as a role model through her success as an athlete, during which Clarke was a four-time national collegiate champion and 1987 Sports Illustrated Woman of the Year, she also hopes to encourage girls and their families to learn about the benefit of ongoing participation in athletics.

According to the National Fitness Foundation website, 30% of girls aged six to 12 participate in sports, compared with 39% of their male peers.

The foundation supports organizations committed to providing equal opportunity for girls to play sports.

In addition to leading healthy lives, women who participate in sports are often successful in the workplace, taking their disciplined approach to training, their ability to work together, and their recognition for how to handle fluid situations into a wide range of professional settings, Clarke said.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of some of these efforts may depend on the ability of people in communities to access these programs.

by -
0 262
Go Green. Pixabay photo

Last month, President Joe Biden (D) signed the Inflation Reduction Act, a comprehensive investment package which covers taxes, health care and climate measures, too.

The climate portion of this act provides coastal communities across the U.S. with access to $2.6 billion over five years in federal funding through grants distributed by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. These funds can be used for projects not only in response to sea-level rise and heavy storms but also to help communities to become more resilient against such disturbances.

Green infrastructure is a new trend in coastal resiliency that offers an alternative to traditional, human-engineered construction, also known as gray infrastructure. These are nature-based solutions, working with rather than against the natural terrain to battle the negative effects of climate change and related issues.

It is vital that Long Island communities make an aggressive plea for green infrastructure funding offered through the recent federal act. 

Instead of resigning ourselves to unsightly, inflexible, retrograde man-made sea walls to fight beach erosion, municipalities should explore more natural solutions for coastal hardening. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in July, “During the 20th century, global sea level rose by roughly 7 inches. Global temperatures are expected to continue to climb, resulting in rising sea levels, amplified storm surges, greater frequency and intensity of storms.”

Our era will be defined by these changes. Entire communities may soon be washed away. As shorelines continue to erode, homes and critical infrastructure will follow suit. 

The EPA suggests measures such as using plants, reefs, sand and natural barriers to create a living shoreline which in turn can reduce erosion and flooding. Wave heights can be reduced by restoring wetlands that serve as buffers against the water’s velocity and intensity.

Vegetative shorelines also help to improve water quality, aquatic habitat and carbon sequestration. Living shorelines also don’t have to be one thing. Designers can use native wetland plants, stones and rocks, oyster reefs, mussel beds and more to create different shorelines.

In many cases, natural solutions can be more cost-effective than gray infrastructure. Structures such as seawalls can deteriorate quickly after they are constructed, and they can be difficult and costly to repair and replace. Green alternatives can be more cost-effective, even though some critics say it is time consuming to replenish them. 

Of course, while choosing natural resources may work in some situations, in certain circumstances a home may be ready to fall in the water, and a seawall may be the only or quickest answer to saving the property. 

To meet the demands of this century, we must radically adjust our thinking. We are competing with other coastal communities nationwide for limited grant funding. If we choose to avoid the difficult environmental realities of our time, we are going to get passed by. In the intermunicipal survival of the fittest, communities that adapt themselves to the changing circumstances will survive and thrive. Those that don’t will wither away with the coastline.

To survive, we must adapt to the new pressures of an ever-changing environment. Moving forward, rigidity and narrow-mindedness will be our worst impediments, adaptability and realism our greatest resources.

by -
0 302
Facebook photo/New York Yankees

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

If I were pitching to Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, I would probably take a long pause before throwing my first pitch.

I know it’s absurd to think of this older man who never threw a ball much harder than low high school level pitching to a generational legend, but let’s play out the fantasy for a laugh or two.

I wouldn’t pause so I could figure out how to get him out. Sure, it’d be nice to do my job well and my teammates might appreciate it if I gave us a better chance to win a game.

Instead, I would need to ponder the moment that history might be calling. I’d be thinking about the best choreographed reaction to him hitting a home run. I mean, after all, the pitchers who surrender his long home runs are, in their own way, famous.

They share the moment between when they release the ball, and he obliterates it into the night sky, sending thousands of people screaming out of their seats, arms in the air, sharing in the majesty that wouldn’t be possible without my meatball pitch sputtering, laughably, towards his powerful bat.

If he sent a ball out of the stadium, I would be joining select company, with so many pitchers around the majors surrendering home runs in a historic year.

I’d be thinking about how I’d look in newsreels or newscasts or digital versions of the Aaron Judge year to remember.

I could imagine ways to overreact. I could throw my glove on the mound, gesture wildly by putting my hands in the air, or shake my head so violently that my manager and the trainer would have to waddle out to the mound to put me in a neck brace.

Or, maybe I’d hold my glove up to my face and appear to yell a stream of expletives into my mitt, as if, somehow, I knew I should have thrown a different pitch in a different spot.

Then again, I could rub my fingers in some dirt and write a capital “AJ” on my uniform, like scarlet letters, except it wouldn’t be anything puritanical, and I would be acknowledging my inferiority.

None of that seems like me, even in my fantasy world.

Being stoic would make me too much of a personality-less pitcher. Let’s face it: even in my imaginary moment of being an above average starter or relief pitcher, the time to focus on me would be incredibly short.

Let’s say I didn’t blink after he hit the home run. Or, maybe, I tracked the flight of the ball carefully, like a zebra eyeing a lion suspiciously in the Serengeti. That might get me on TV and make me more than just another guy who gave up a home run to Aaron Judge.

Maybe I’d wait at home plate and give him a high five or a fist bump to acknowledge a full season worth of greatness. While kids do that in Little League, professional players generally don’t acknowledge the remarkable achievements of their opponents.

When he reached second base, I could put down my glove and clap from the mound, ever so briefly. Then, perhaps, I’d take off my hat and salute him.

Or, maybe I could take a page out of the more subtle but celebrated Mona Lisa textbook. I could give just a hint of a smile as if I were saying, “you beat me and you’re a pretty spectacular hitter. There’s no shame in losing this battle and now we’re weirdly connected, like we’re kind of twins, except that you’re great and going to be remembered forever and I’m just going to be remembered for starting the ball on its magical journey into the history books.”

by -
0 839
The Town of Huntington placed clams in Huntington Harbor Sept. 26. On Sept. 27, spat-on shell oysters were deployed into the water. Photo by Rita J. Egan

Town of Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth (R) greeted members of Cornell Cooperative Extension Suffolk County’s Marine Program and the town’s Maritime Services department before they headed out on the water this week.

File photo by Kimberly Brown

An expedition leaving Gold Star Battalion Beach dock out into Huntington Harbor Sept. 27 was the first of two projects. Monday, the town and CCE representatives placed seed clams in the water, and Tuesday, the group deployed spat-on-shell oysters.

As groups of spat grow into mature oysters, they create a reef and help to filtrate waterways. Cleaner water leads to species diversity which in turn helps to support the local shellfish industry.

The clams released into the harbor can be harvested and consumed once they are mature.

Garrett Chelius, Huntington deputy director of Maritime Services, said 250,000 clams were being placed, and about 7,000 oysters this week.

“The oysters are more for habitat,” he said. “They get deployed to make kind of an artificial reef to create food sources and hiding spaces for other animals and other fish, and they filter 50 gallons of water a day for each oyster.” 

The oysters, he said, are placed strategically using GPS coordinates from CCE. The clams can be spread out. It takes approximately three years for the clams, which have already reached one year, to be mature enough to be harvested. 

Smyth added the shellfish currently are about the size of a nickel. The supervisor said working with CCE in their efforts to clean Huntington waters with natural resources has been a successful partnership and the initiative is an easy one.

“As far as growing them, it’s very low maintenance,” he said. Volunteers “put them into the racks that are underneath the docks, and they’re protected.”

The program runs at Gold Star Battalion Beach, Asharoken Beach and Crescent Beach at Huntington Bay where volunteers help to care for the shellfish. The town hopes to expand the program next year.

Prev1...163164165...533Next Page 164 of 533
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©