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Times of Middle Country

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By Emma Gutmann

First-time homebuyers in the Suffolk County Home Consortium have until this coming Friday, March 1, to apply for the Down Payment Assistance Program. If approved, an essentially zero-interest deferred loan of up to $30,000 will be provided toward the down payment of an owner-occupied, single-family residence. According to the program guidelines, deferred loans “are forgiven after 10 years.” 

The Down Payment Assistance Program is designed to combat a recurring and ever-so-prevalent theme Long Islanders are facing — affordability. As an island with limited space that’s adjacent to the high-cost major metropolis of New York City, it stands as one of the highest taxed regions in the nation, making it challenging for young people, retired people and others to live comfortably and own property.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) announced Feb. 21 that the assistance fund still has $167,000 left, and there is about $2 million in additional U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding that could be partially funneled into the program as needed. Romaine encourages prospective homebuyers to apply and touts the down payment assistance as an auxiliary toward the American Dream.

 “I am enthusiastic about the prospect of assisting many more individuals and families in Suffolk County achieve the American Dream of home ownership,” Romaine said. “Previously we were able to offer up to $14,000 per homeowner, and this year I am proud to say that we were able to increase that amount to $30,000 per homeowner. Together let us build a brighter future for our communities through the power of homeownership.”

Even with the smaller grants of previous years, the program has been able to bring many families and homes together following its launch in 1993. Since January 2018, a total of $630,000 has been paid out on 48 closings.

In order to be eligible, applicants must be first-time homebuyers, meaning that the household has not owned a home during the three years prior to the purchase of a primary residence. This requirement will be waived for U.S. military veterans with a DD-214. 

It is also necessary that the household income is low to moderate, with a minimum allowable income of $40,000 and a maximum dependent on the household size and the area median annual household income. A chart laying out the 2023 HUD income guidelines can be found on the application (at scdownpayment.com).

Residences must be single-family homes, condominiums or cooperative apartments to be deemed eligible. The maximum appraised value of an existing home cannot exceed $532,000 and a newly constructed home cannot exceed $555,000. 

Finally, the applicant must agree to occupy this property as their principal residence for at least 10 years and have sufficient financial resources and credit to qualify for a mortgage. Each individual named on the mortgage must attend a mortgage counseling session at a HUD-certified not-for-profit housing agency. 

The funds will be provided to the recipient by Suffolk County at the closing, and the buyer will be responsible for the rest of the down payment as well as closing costs.

Rosanne D’Agostino, associate broker at Douglas Elliman Real Estate, asserts that down payment assistance can be very beneficial to the buyer both before and after closing. In an email interview, she explained that this tool can help buyers get into a property and possibly even afford renovations with the money saved. This opportunity is especially fortuitous considering that the prices of Long Island homes have increased significantly over the past few years.

“The only downside is that it can be more time-consuming, potentially adding a few weeks to the sale process. However, in the end, buyers are able to receive monies they would not have otherwise had and extend their budgets,” D’Agostino said.

The associate broker mentioned that much of the inventory on the Island exceeds the maximum appraised home values aforementioned in the guidelines. As a result, the program serves as a boon to many but not a given for all cases. “I do hope that grants like this continue to be options, so that it can open more possibilities for people who hold the goal of being homeowners,” she added.

According to the program guidelines, “Applicants must purchase a home within the Suffolk County Consortium HOME Selection Area.” This includes the townships of Huntington and Smithtown, but not Brookhaven, which “does not participate in the Suffolk County HOME Consortium of municipalities.” 

For a chance at a smoother path to the American Dream, visit scdownpayment.com to download an application and submit to the portal by March 1.

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Buying a house should not be a pipe dream, but it has become more and more unrealistic for Long Island residents.

Even if extra houses and apartments are built, one issue has become painfully clear — home properties are too expensive for many Long Island residents. According to OneKey MLS, the median sales price of a home in Suffolk County in January 2024 was $600,000, an annual increase of 9.1%.

This leaves many different residents with the difficult question of whether or not to leave their beloved hometowns to move to a more affordable place, or even try to buy a home here in the first place.

If young couples cannot afford to start a family here, then there is a potential that school districts are impacted, whether losing funds due to lack of enrollment or having to shutter their doors completely.

Naturally, this problem doesn’t just end at school districts. Our small businesses need the local population to not just shop, but to work. Yet the state minimum wage of $16 per hour does not even come close to being high enough for people to realistically afford a mortgage or rent payments. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, two working adults would need to make $19.85 an hour each in order to have a living wage — and that’s before having one child, which would then bring it up to $29.60 with both working. The required annual income before taxes, with both adults working, is $82,580, rising to $123,139 with one child. 

This is why programs, such as Suffolk County’s Down Payment Assistance Program, are necessary to secure the future of our towns. The program could provide eligible first-time homebuyers with up to $30,000 for a down payment for a single-family residence that they must live in for at least 10 years. 

While this may just be for the down payment, it can potentially still help couples from falling into the trap of becoming “house poor,” a situation in which a large amount of a person’s income has to go to paying bills covering their home, not leaving them enough money for other obligations and needs.

Furthermore, it is important to remember that young couples are not the only ones who are impacted by Long Island’s unaffordability. Adults aged 60 and over account for roughly 20 percent of Suffolk County’s population according to a 2022 report from the Suffolk County Office for the Aging. Many find themselves having to retire elsewhere, forcing them to leave behind decades of relationships and memories in exchange for more affordable prices.

Overall, the Down Payment Assistance Program is a great step toward keeping Long Island affordable, but a systemic change seems increasingly necessary to stop everyone, across all age demographics, from being forced to choose between affordable housing and a neighborhood they love.

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Newfield junior Kenny Petit Frere drives the lane for the Wolverines in a home playoff game against Ward Melville. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Jaysiah Deliat fights his way to the rim for the Wolverines in a home playoff game against Ward Melville. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Kenny Petit Frere scores for the Wolverines in a home playoff game against Ward Melville. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Myles Opare scores for the Wolverines in a home playoff game against Ward Melville. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Jaysiah Deliat lunges for a loose ball for the Wolverines in a home playoff game against Ward Melville. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

It was Neelesh Raghurama’s long-range shooting prowess that powered the Patriots (No. 9) over the Wolverines (No. 8) with four triples and five field goals for a team high 22 points, leading Ward Melville in a 62-38 win over host Newfield in the opening round of Suffolk AAA playoff action Feb. 21. 

Newfield stayed within striking distance trailing by eight points to open the second half but struggled to gain traction against a potent Patriot offensive press in the final 16 minutes of play.

Rounding out the scoring for the Patriots were Devin Lynch with 14 points and Lorenzo Beaton netted 12.

Josh Hayes topped the scoring chart for the Wolverines with 12 points.

Newfield concludes its 2023-24 basketball campaign with a 10-6 league record, 12-8 overall.

Undefeated Bay Shore ended Ward Melville’s run with a 60-40 win in the quarterfinals Feb. 23. The Patriots took home a 9-7 league record, 12-10 overall.

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Photo courtesy Ed Flood's Facebook page

By Aramis Khosronejad

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “in 2022 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions totaled 6,341.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, and 5,487.0 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents after accounting for sequestration from the land sector.” In the wake of these statistics, New York State has been searching for a way to help decrease these concerning figures.

As an aid to the process, New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul (D), presented a new mandate this past September. The state mandate will require zero-emission new school bus purchases by 2027 and for school districts to operate zero-emission school buses only by 2035.

Although on the surface the use of electric vehicles seems like an efficient and smart way of reducing our greenhouse gas contribution to the global community, there are some drawbacks and consequences that state Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) as well as other state politicians have pointed out. 

Local state senators, Assembly members, fire safety and school officials gathered Feb. 25 at Levittown bus depot to a “Push the Brakes” rally on the state’s electric school bus mandate.

Flood categorized the conflicts that could arise with this new mandate in two simple categories: economic issues and the alarming lack of reliability. 

According to Flood, we need only look at the numbers to be able to reach the conclusion that the economic setbacks of a mandate such as this would be potentially devastating to the academic capabilities of many school districts within New York state. To successfully and fully implement these zero-emission buses it would take “roughly $20 billion” to do so, he said.

Flood and other elected officials have also been vocal regarding the proposed state-aid school budget cuts listed in the governor’s budget proposal earlier this year. School districts will have to cut programs, camps and other academic activities and opportunities for districts whose budgets would be affected by these cuts. 

Additionally, Flood has a concern for an increase in taxes if the bus mandate were to be carried through — he said that taxes in New York are already extreme without the addition of this new bus expenditure. Also, there has to be consideration for the cost of the establishment of charging stations for the buses, compounded by the stations’ running costs. 

Another heavy consequence of the implementation of these new fleets of buses, and what Flood argues is significantly more important, is the question of their reliability. The most important question for Flood is “What steps are we taking to ensure the safety of our children and these bus drivers?” 

It has already been observed in cities where e-buses are already in place such as San Francisco and Chicago that their batteries have problems with severe temperature fluctuations. Flood points out how the EV batteries can die quickly and may not prove efficient. In addition, EV batteries are prone to catch fire and are notoriously difficult to put out. If this were to happen while one of the buses was in use, Flood claimed that we’d be “looking at the loss of lives.” 

Flood provided a potential solution to these doubts over bus batteries by bringing up the idea that “having a backup system in place could address this issue” even if this backup uses carbon. “We need a more powerful EV source than the one we have,” he said.

The main belief that Flood carried was “not saying we shouldn’t be aiming for these goals but we’re trying so hard to be the global leaders in EV that we’re looking over the health and safety concerns that it’s going to cause to all these communities.” 

According to Flood, if there were a delay to this mandate, there would be sufficient time for all these concerns to be addressed and handled properly. Then, zero-emission buses would be safe to push into New York school districts, and we could do our part in making sure our planet suffers a little less. 

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By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Even if you haven’t read the books, the way I did with my son when he was considerably younger, you probably have heard of the series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” right?

It occurred to me to ponder the possibility of a diary of an old(er) man. To that end, here’s my first installment and, no, I’m not going to start with “Dear Diary.”

I woke up this morning and I thought, hmm, my foot doesn’t hurt. What a delightful change! And then I stepped on the floor and I was wrong. My foot, which has been bothering me for a few weeks is still painful, despite the pleasant young doctor less than half my age examining it. The friendly technicians, who sent a jargon filled assessment to my electronic account, recognized that there was swelling and suggested a couple of possible options without a definitive diagnosis or conclusion.

Then, an assistant for my doctor called to schedule a time to review my results. She suggested he’d be available some time next week. Next week??? I gasped and tried not to become irrational or overwrought.

“But my foot hurts now. Is there anyone, like, maybe a nurse, who might be able to call me and tell me what to do for the pain or who can provide a first interpretation sooner than a week?”

I used the word “like” to sound younger, even as I was playing the older-man-in-pain card. Unfortunately, it didn’t teleport me to the front of the line.

“Oh, I’ll see what I can do,” she offered, transmitting a Mona Lisa-style tone through the phone line. Is that a smirk behind your voice? Is that the equivalent of a customer disservice line that says “we’re experiencing higher than normal call volumes and we’ll get to you when we can.”

The day passed without any calls from her, from a nurse, or from a doctor. Then, I thought about the people I used to be responsible for on an ongoing basis. How were they doing? Why hadn’t they called? Oh, right, they’re living their lives which is what my wife and I always wanted for them.

I hoped no news was good news, but no news is sometimes no news, until it makes a sudden transition to something that requires support and help or that merits cheerleading.

After reading through emails, I made some work calls. When reaching out to someone I didn’t know and leaving a message, I spelled my name, using the same “N” for Nancy, “E” for Edgar and “F” for Frank that I heard my father say so many times.

How much time in my life have I spent spelling my vowel-heavy name to someone? Realistically, the chance of the letters making it onto the paper in the right order or, more likely, into an electronic message is remote. More often than not, when someone says my name back to me, I say, “yes, that’s right,” even if they “dun arf” or “do vanoff.”

After I checked a few things off the personal and professional list, I scurried over to the gym, where people much younger than I lifted the weight of small Volkswagens, while others did the kind of abdominal exercises that I’d never attempted or considered. As I watched, trying not to let my jaw drop too far, my stomach hurt, signaling to my brain that I shouldn’t even think about trying those exercises … ever!

Later that night, my wife and I took a friend to a local sporting event, where it was cool enough to require a sweatshirt.

Following behind two people using canes as they walked, our friend asked if I thought a cane might help and, if so, whether he should take one from the men in front of us. I smiled and told him that wouldn’t be necessary.

As we approached our seats, a young woman said the two words associated with the name on the front of my sweatshirt, which advertised our son’s school. Three steps past her, I registered what she said and remembered what I was wearing. I considered turning around, but the moment had passed.

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Hon. A. Gail Prudenti

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

Continuing the kickoff for Women’s History Month in March, we have welcomed the Honorable A. Gail Prudenti, formerly the Chief Administrator of the Courts in New York State, to our podcast this week. And we are marking the passing of Black History Month, held annually every February, with a tribute to “the father of Black history,” the late Carter G. Woodson.

Prudenti distinguished herself early by graduating with honors from Marymount College in Tarrytown, then going on to law school at the University of Aberdeen School of Law.

Her career in Suffolk  County began when she clerked for Surrogate Judge Ernest Signorelli, then worked for the Suffolk district attorney for two years. After a ten-year stint in private practice, Prudenti became special counsel for the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund, then ran for public office. Elected in 1991 to the New York Supreme Court while still in her 30s, she served there for four years.

Prudenti then became the Suffolk surrogate judge, the first female elected to this position. Concurrently she was acting New York Supreme Court justice. Then, in 1999, she was appointed as the Tenth Judicial District, Suffolk County administrative judge, the first New York surrogate to serve as a district administrative judge.

After serving on the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, she was named presiding justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, again the first woman in the position. She then became the designate judge on the New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, and went on as the Chief Administrator of the Courts. She was in that position for four years.

Even for those of us who aren’t familiar with the various names and levels of the courts in our state, her rise through the system was clearly meteoric. Prudenti then went on to the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra in 2015, where she ultimately served as their 10th dean, and will step down as she joins Nancy Burner, our previous podcast guest, to form the Burner and Prudenti Law Group.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson

Carter G. Woodson, 1875-1950, American author, historian and journalist, the son of former slaves, was the second Black man to earn a PhD at Harvard University, following W.E.B. Du Bois. He was the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and was one of the first scholars to study the history of the African diaspora. He strove to place people of African descent at the center of American history and the human experience. He noted that African-American contributions “were overlooked, ignored and even suppressed by the writers of history textbooks and the teachers who use them. Race prejudice is merely the logical result of tradition, the inevitable outcome of thorough instruction to the effect that the Negro has never contributed anything to the progress of mankind.”

Also a founder of the “Journal of Negro History,” in February 1926, he launched the celebration of “Negro History Week,” the precursor of Black History Month. His goal was to emphasize the “Negro in History, not the History of the Negro”. Since 1976, every President has designated February as Black History Month. Woodson’s remarkable life is worth knowing.

We hope you will tune in to our podcast this week, starting Friday afternoon, hearing a summary of the week’s news and commentary from Gail Prudenti, by going to our website, tbrnewsmedia.com, and clicking on the home page button, “Listen Now,” or catching us on Spotify. 

Happy March!

P.S. Bio information above supplied by the internet.

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Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (at podium) joined labor leaders, builders, elected officials and more to announce a historic agreement that implements safety training standards on large construction sites. Photo from TOB

On February 22, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (at podium) joined labor leaders, builders, elected officials and more to announce a historic agreement that implements safety training standards on large construction sites.

Construction is a dangerous industry, representing an estimated 25 percent of all of workplace fatalities nationwide. In New York, annual statistics show that a construction worker is killed once every six days on jobsites statewide. In an effort to increase safety in construction across Long Island, industry leaders have agreed upon minimum safety training standards for all workers employed at construction sites over 35k sq/ft. Pictured are New York State Senator and Plumbers Local 200 Business Agent Mario Matera (first left of center in yellow vest); Town of Brookhaven Deputy Supervisor/Councilman Neil Foley (first right of center) and Town of Brookhaven Councilman Michael Loguercio, (second right of center) also spoke at the press conference.

The legislation, which was adopted at the Town of Brookhaven’s February 22 Town Board meeting, requires all workers to have an OSHA 30 certification at jobsites over 35k sq/ft., and also that there be a Site Safety Supervisor at jobsites over 75k sq/ft., to further ensure accountability and increased safety standards on complex construction projects.

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico said, “Today’s announcement marks the culmination of talks between the Town, the development community and labor.  It is proof that an effective thoughtful compromise can be struck when people sit down and talk to each other as opposed to at each other. I thank everyone involved in bringing us to this day, where the Town Board is expected to pass this law this evening at our public hearing.”

“As certified OSHA instructor, safety is first and foremost the number one priority for the members I represent”, stated Laborers Local 66 Vice President Vinny Alu. “Far too many workers are killed on construction sites simply because they are not provided the necessary safety training to do the job safely. An OSHA 30 certification is the minimum training any worker should be required to have before entering a dangerous construction site. I want to thank the Long Island Builders Institute and Supervisor Panico for working with us to address workplace safety. This will undoubtedly save lives.”

The law will require permit holders for large construction sites to ensure that their General Contractors and Subcontractors have a trained workforce, and that proof of each worker’s OSHA 30 certification will be documented and available upon the Town’s request.

Mike Florio, CEO, Long Island Builders Institute said, “On any jobsite, worker safety is first and foremost a priority and this agreement establishes a baseline standard for all construction projects.  Our goal is to see this standard adopted from one end of Long Island to the other, which will raise the floor for worker training and safety.  We thank Supervisor Panico and the town board for addressing this important issue and the Laborers Local 66 and Nassau Suffolk Building Trades for working together to craft this historic agreement.”

“Organized labor began with a focus on safety for workers on the jobsite,” stated Matthew Aracich, President of the Nassau Suffolk Building and Construction Trades Council. “Today’s announcement has strengthened the core of those labor standards for the Long Island workforce. I commend the efforts of Laborers Local 66 and the Town of Brookhaven to adopt this policy for all jobsites. Having an alignment with representatives of the Long Island Builders Institute and Association for Better Long Island means the Building Trades Council and affiliates care equally about worker’s interests.”

“We would like to applaud Supervisor Panico, the Brookhaven Town Board, and all of their colleagues across Long Island who are committed to passing this measure,” stated Ryan Stanton, Executive Director of the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. “The importance and value of a uniform safety standard on construction sites across Long Island cannot be overstated. The construction industry is dangerous by nature, and the requirement of an OSHA30 training standard is vital to ensuring all workers get to return home to their families at the end of the day. It’s been nothing short of amazing working in collaboration with our affiliates, contractors, development community, and local elected officials to deliver a safety policy that we all agree on and are excited about.”

Failure to comply with the law can result in fines of $1,000 and up to $10,000 for each day violations are found. Qualified third-party safety persons or entities that can provide certifications are permitted to be used to confirm compliance with the requirements.

Other union and labor officials who attended the press conference were Matthew Aracich, President Nassau Suffolk Building Trades Council; Ryan Stanton, Executive Director Long Island Federation of Labor; Vinny Alu, Vice President Laborers Local 66; Tim McCarthy, IBEW Local 25 Business Representative; Ray Fester, DC9 Painters Business Agent; Brian Kearney Jr., President SteamFitters Local 638; Mike Bourgal, Teamsters Local 282 Business Agent; and Robert Wilson, Operating Engineers Local 30.

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Police car. Stock photo

Suffolk County Police  arrested a man on Feb. 25 for driving while ability impaired by drugs following a
motor vehicle crash that killed a pedestrian in Coram.

Raymond Hubbard was in a wheelchair crossing the roadway in front of 541 Middle County Road when he fell out of the chair onto the westbound lane, where he was struck by a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban driven by Nicholas Doxtader at approximately 10:15 p.m.

Hubbard, 33, of Coram, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. Police officers at the scene determined that Doxtader was impaired and placed him under arrest.

Major Case Unit detectives charged Doxtader, 25, of Centereach, with Driving While Ability Impaired/Drugs.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555.

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By Samantha Rutt

Suffolk County Water Authority hosted the next installment of its WaterTalk series on Feb. 20 at Amityville Public Library. The event allowed customers to learn more about their drinking water and engage in open dialogue with their water provider. 

“Our drinking water continues to be a topic of discussion in the media, and we believe it is important for residents to have an open dialogue with their water provider to learn more,” SCWA Chairman Charles Lefkowitz said.

The WaterTalk series features a panel of experts who discuss various topics, including the quality of drinking water, the implementation of new infrastructure to enhance water service and quality, and the importance of conservation. 

SCWA’s water quality and lab services director, Tom Schneider, and customer growth coordinator, John Marafino, represented the authority at the event. 

“Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public benefit corporation operating under the public authority law,” Marafino stated to open the meeting. “We serve about 1.2 million customers, and we began operations in 1951. We operate as a nonprofit, and we’re one of the country’s largest groundwater suppliers.”

Following the opening remarks and brief background of the authority, Schneider made a PowerPoint presentation to discuss the current infrastructure plans around the county, touching on water main management and emerging projects, and pump station projects.

Water quality

During Schneider’s presentation, attendees could ask questions, some of the most frequently asked centered around drinking water quality and what the authority adds and detects within our drinking water. Concerns for fluoride inclusion and potency arose from several attendees. Schneider eased the worry by explaining what the water authority does to regulate water quality.

“We add very small amounts of chlorine to our water. The chlorine kills any germs or bacteria that might be present in the water mains and as the water is delivered to you. The water as it comes from the ground is free of harmful bacteria,” Schneider said. “We also add a chemical called [hydrated] lime. The water we pump from our aquifers is slightly acidic, which can damage the pipes in your home over a long time. [Hydrated] lime makes the water less acidic, protecting the pipes in your home from corrosion.”

Schneider continued explaining the danger of the bacteria that are commonly found in untreated water:

“It’s keeping water safe. You don’t want to grow bacteria — bacteria is the stuff that will get you sick. There are no bacteria in the groundwater, and we want to ensure that the distribution system is safe. That’s why the chlorine is added, by law.” 

The director recommended using filtration systems like ones built into refrigerators for those who are more sensitive to the added chemicals.

Schneider continued his presentation by touching on the groundwater laboratory — what it is, what it does and how it tests Suffolk County’s groundwater.

“We are consistently considered the largest groundwater laboratory in the country because we have 600 wells. We have 600 wells on 240 pieces of property,” Schneider explained. 

“We test samples at the wellhead. We’re testing what’s in the source water and what’s in the groundwater before we do anything to it,” Schneider said. “Last year, we did 91,000 samples for about 190,000 different tests. We tested for 414 different parameters, more than what’s regulated. We have such a great laboratory, we have a lot of technical equipment, we have a lot of good scientists, we’re doing more than what’s required.”

He mentioned that if there is an environmental concern near any of SCWA’s wells or if traces of a regulated constituent have been found at a well site, SCWA will test at a greater frequency.

Schneider explained that when wells are in need of remediation, SCWA will use treatment systems, such as granular activated carbon, to remove contaminants from the water supply so the water SCWA serves always meets state and federal regulations. 

In addition to the monitoring that SCWA does on a regular basis, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services also routinely performs tests of the public water supply at the wellhead and at various parts of the distribution system. The purpose of all this monitoring is to ensure that the highest quality water is served to consumers.

Another topic of concern addressed by the director was how safe is bottled water, a question the water authority has been addressing on a more regular basis. 

“Bottled water actually has less regulation than drinking water,” Schneider explained. “It’s not regulated by the EPA, it’s regulated by the FDA but they have different rules. They’re not required to test for a lot of the emerging contaminants like we do in New York state.”

“Now there’s the concern about bottles — so when they manufacture the bottle, the manufacturing process imposes plastic microbeads in the water when opening and closing the tap and also releases plastic in the water,” he added. 

Schneider urged everyone to be mindful of consuming plastics, reminding attendees that it is more cost-effective to get your own container and not deal with the waste from plastic.

“Plastic is not really recyclable like they say — it ends up in our landfills and oceans,” Schneider said.

The SCWA encouraged all interested residents to participate in their events in person or virtually, emphasizing the importance of understanding and safeguarding the community’s drinking water, as it is one of Suffolk County’s most precious natural resources.

Residents interested in attending a WaterTalk can register by emailing [email protected]. The WaterTalk is also accessible virtually through a link available on SCWA’s website for those unable to attend in person. For more information about the event, visit SCWA’s website, www.scwa.com.

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Prepared by the Russell Family

Amy Hope Russell passed away peacefully Jan. 29, in the comfort of her own home, embraced in the arms of her loving family. She was born 96 years ago, July 19, 1927, on Maiden Lane, Port Jefferson. She had a great love of music, played guitar, piano, keyboard and viola. She played piano for the First United Methodist Church of Port Jefferson.

Amy loved animals, sewing, camping, cooking, gardening and birdwatching. During World War II she took the bus out to Camp Upton to dance with the soldiers and help with their entertainment. She traveled with her husband to Hawaii while he served in the U.S. Navy and she worked in the base offices, where she learned to drive a double clutch.

Amy is predeceased by her husband, Hon. Woodrow Russell USN Ret., sisters Florence Kennedy, Ruth Lucas, Evelyn Lucas, a brother Joseph B. Lucas Jr. and her parents, Joseph B. Lucas Sr. and Maude E. Lucas.

Amy is survived by her five children Darryl B. Russell, Nancy C. Rose, Kathleen L. Cash, Harry W. Russell and Carol A. Russell, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life for Amy Hope Russell will be held on Tuesday, April 16, at the First United Methodist Church, 603 Main St., Port Jefferson, with the services as follows:

10 to 11 a.m.: Pastor Chuck Van Houten officiating.

11 a.m. to 12 noon: Light luncheon/refreshments served on site.

12:30 to 1 p.m.: Interment at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Port Jefferson.

2 to 2:30 p.m.: Full military service at Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton.

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