Times of Smithtown

Students are asked to craft a story inspired by the above sea glass fragment.

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Once a piece of glass falls in the ocean, the magic begins.

Given an opportunity to enter the Whaling Museum & Educational Center of Cold Spring Harbor’s sea glass fiction writing contest, students from around Long Island accepted the challenge, offering a dynamic, exciting and inspiring range of stories.

Students from third grade through high school looked at the same piece of glass and developed stories filled with literary devices like onomatopoeia (where a word, like “whack” comes from a sound), personification and more.

The narratives ran the gamut from tales of mermaids to creations of new mythology to a search for meaning and identity. 

Along the way, the writers seized on the opportunity to share the journey sea glass takes as it transitions from a sharp piece of glass into a smoother, colorful object.

Some of the stories offered vivid descriptions of the world beneath the waves, taking readers into a magnificent aquatic seascape.

Amid narratives about pirates and mermaids, some writers chose to address dramatic and challenging themes, weaving emotionally resonant stories that tackled broken families, alcoholism and infidelity.

As a judge for the contest, I was not only surprised by the directions these stories took, but was also appreciative of the combination of realism and fantasy that suffused the writing, the willingness to take chances, and the pieces of the writers I could hear through their imaginations.

The writers imagined the glass either as the centerpiece of an important story or as a passenger, observing the dynamics that define the way people interact.

Judging writing and fiction is a subjective process, with each judge bringing his or her own ideas to the process.

I’m glad I wasn’t the only judge and enjoyed the opportunity to consider why the readers at the Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor chose to rank the submissions in a particular order.

I invite TBR readers to immerse themselves in these entries and to enjoy the worlds these writers have created or, in some cases, reflected. You can see some of the entries in the Arts & Lifestyles section of this week’s papers.

As for the writers, I want to thank them for finding time in their lives to share their ideas and to create their own stories.

In a contest in which third through fifth graders could write up to 500 words, sixth through eighth graders, 750 words, and high schoolers, 1,000 words, they developed stories, backdrops and themes that offered complete narratives and that carried readers off the page.

I particularly appreciate how these writers found the time to prepare and submit an entry. Student lives are filled with activities and assignments. Homework, required reading, chores, and sports and theater practices, to name a few, fill busy schedules that rarely leave them time to add an extra assignment or challenge to their calendars.

And, of course, social media and virtual communication often require regular check-ins and updates. The modern-day student, after all, can’t take too long to answer an urgent text from a friend at the risk of becoming less of a confidant or of sliding down the social hierarchy.

And yet, somehow, even with the importance of staying plugged in, none of the sea glass stories included references to social media and none was told through the prism of a social media world.

I hope the students enjoyed the opportunity to write something outside the context of a graded assignment and that they reveled in the freedom to go in any direction, imagine any characters, and create excitement or drama that appealed to them.

As for what’s next, the museum plans to run the competition next year, giving new entrants the opportunity to unleash their imaginations.

Many of the stories shared similarities with the sea glass itself: they shined in the distance, becoming increasingly interesting on closer inspection.

See pages B13 to B16 for the winning entries.

Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

Here are a couple of tidbits from the news that I think are worth sharing with you. 

First, good news for those who dislike having to endure colonoscopies, which I guess is all of us. A relatively recent diagnostic, this test has proven highly effective against colorectal cancers, but it essentially takes away two days from our lives: the day to prep by cleaning out the colon with a mighty laxative, an unpleasant procedure on its own, and then the afternoon to recover from the anesthesia at the end.

The FDA has now approved a simple blood test for detecting colon cancer when it is in the early stages and most likely can be cured. This is even easier than the fecal sample test, which is in turn easier than a colonoscopy but is not the most aesthetically pleasing.

The blood test, however, also leaves something to be desired. It has a poor record of finding precancerous growths, which a colonoscopy detects. These can be removed before they become malignant, but they have to be discovered.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States, with 53,000 deaths expected this year. My father was among those felled by this disease many years ago, and had he lived long enough to have the benefit of the various diagnostic tests, his life might not have ended as it did. 

The idea is to have as many people over 45 tested as possible, and the blood test, called Shield by Guardant, can discover 87 percent of cancers that are at an early stage. But it only found 13 percent of large polyps. There is a false positive rate of 10 percent. Nonetheless, this is an advance in detection and perhaps an encouragement to be checked. As many as 50 percent of those who should be are not. For more information on this, look up the New York Times story published on Tuesday, July 30 or the New England Journal of Medicine on March 13 of this year.

Another interesting bit of news is the popularity of portable solar panels that cost some $217 each and work by plugging in to an electrical socket to give the home energy. They can be hung over the railing of a balcony or installed in yards and they are taking over the landscape in some towns in Germany. Each panel only produces enough electricity to power a small refrigerator, a laptop or even a portable air-conditioner in a bedroom. More than 500,000 of the systems have been set up, adding 10 percent more solar energy capacity to the country. Two-thirds of those were installed on buildings,“like hanging wet laundry in Italy,” commented one owner.

Part of the incentive for Germany is to move away from their dependence on Russian natural gas. It is also a great satisfaction for the people employing these systems to be taking steps toward providing a better environment. Most of the solar panels are made in China, although some, of lesser grade, are manufactured in Europe. These plug-in systems send the direct current (DC) produced by the panels from the sun to an inverter, which changes it to an alternating current (AC). Then they can be plugged into a conventional wall socket and feed power to the home. There are videos online explaining how these panels work and how to use them. Complete sets, which can be bought in big box stores, include mountings, an inverter, and cables, double the price.

A helpful concurrent development has been the small scale batteries that allow the panel users to store some electricity that can then be used in the evenings or when the sun is not shining. My guess is that before long, we will see those panels appear here.

The last item that caught my eye was about corn. Now, I love corn, especially on the cob. I enjoyed a lot of it fresh from the fields when my family visited relatives in the Catskills in my early years. Turns out, it’s a pretty healthy vegetable, if starchy, that is loaded with fiber. And fiber is good for us. It can even lower colon cancer risk.

Desiree Etheridge

Desiree Etheridge is Expected to be Sentenced to One to Three Years in Prison

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on July 29 that Desiree Etheridge, 50, of North Carolina, and the former facility manager at Eden II in Saint James, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, for stealing funds from the ATM cards of six residents who entrusted her with their cards for petty cash purposes.

“This case represents a grievous breach of trust. The defendant exploited vulnerable individuals who relied on her for their basic needs and financial management. She took advantage of the COVID-19 shutdown, when these residents were already isolated and at risk, to deplete their accounts,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This guilty plea is a step towards justice for the victims, but it cannot undo the harm caused to these residents who were simply trying to maintain some quality of life during difficult times.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during her guilty plea allocution, from November 2018 to June 2021, Etheridge stole funds from the ATM cards of six residents while she was working as residential manager of Eden II, a residential facility. As facility manager, Etheridge had control and access to the six residents’ bank accounts and debit cards. One of her responsibilities was to withdraw money to place in each residents’ petty cash envelope so they could go on outings to eateries and local stores. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Etheridge depleted the residents’ bank accounts.

On August 12, 2022, Etheridge was arrested after voluntarily surrendering to law enforcement.

On July 29, 2024, Etheridge pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz.

Etheridge is due back in court for sentencing on August 29, 2024, and is expected to be sentenced to one to three years in prison. She is being represented by Jason Russo, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Milito of the Financial Crimes Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective James Castaldo of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Fourth Squad.

Political banner on the balcony of the Frigate ice cream and confection store. Photo by Lynn Hallarman

By Lynn Hallarman

A lawsuit upheld in 2022 a local business owner’s right to display a political banner, and now raises questions about municipal control over sign safety and aesthetics. The same sign, “In Trump We Trust,” is back up again.

In 2013, then Port Jefferson Village Mayor Margot Garant knew she had a problem a proliferation of cheaply made signs cluttering the village’s visual look. Some signs were made of flimsy plastic, pressboard or haphazardly tacked up to storefronts. Some were waving in the breeze, at risk of flying off a facade or airlifting skyward off a property lawn. Others were just unsightly. 

Garant and the trustees decided to revise the village code to help business owners have more choices as a first step to cleaning up junky and unsafe signs. 

‘We had many work sessions to improve the code and make businesses feel like they had options,” Garant said. “Uptown was a sign disaster, but we made progress cleaning up storefronts in line with the village’s character overall.” 

Garant found the sign issue perennial and hard to keep up with. New businesses were easier to manage, but for some older establishments compliance with sign rules felt like government overreach. A few businesses ignored the permitting process altogether or accepted a fine as the price of doing business, according to Garant.

Then, in 2020, George Wallis, from Nissequogue, and the decades-long owner of the property housing the Frigate ice cream/confectionary store and The Steam Room restaurant in the village, used the location to express his support for former President Donald Trump (R). 

Wallis hung an oversized banner containing a political statement off the second-story balcony of the Frigate, a prominent spot at the bustling intersection of East Broadway and Main Street. The building is directly across from the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry terminal, making the display hard to miss. 

From the perspective of village officials, the banner violated several village sign requirements and Wallis did not apply for a permit. 

For one thing, the banner has Goliath-size proportions relative to the dimensions of the two-story Lilliputian-style building. Banners affixed to buildings are not allowed per the code and the pliable plastic material used does not comport with the aesthetic standards of the code. Village officials also worried that the oversized banner, strung across the building’s second-floor balcony, was a driving distraction, as it faces west directly into a three-way intersection with pedestrians, oftentimes, dashing across the road. Officials wanted it taken down. 

Wallis had wrestled previously with the village government over an unpermitted political sign and had it taken down, but this time he refused to budge.

So the village escalated the situation to a legal remedy in the courts in hopes that he would back down, according to Garant. Wallis, instead, hired a lawyer and fought the charges leveraged against his business entities.

But in several interviews for this story with Garant and current Mayor Lauren Sheprow, opinions from municipal legal experts and a review of publicly available documents suggest that the legal battle, which Wallis won using a free-speech argument, has hamstrung the village’s ability to enforce its sign code and established a legal precedent allowing any person or business to erect a prohibited sign if the content is political. 

The legal complaint

A series of legal briefs filed in 2020 and 2021 by then deputy village attorney Richard Harris, for the Village of Port Jefferson, accused several business entities owned by Wallis of violating local sign ordinances. According to documents reviewed by TBR News Media, these entities allegedly failed to apply for permits and displayed signs of prohibited type, size and material. 

The briefs detail the hanging of two signs in different time frames containing political speech: “In Trump We Trust” and “Impeach Cuomo,” referring to the then New York governor. The charges did not pertain to the banners’ political content, which is protected under the First Amendment’s right to free speech.

Still, Wallis’ attorneys claimed the alleged accusations violated his right to free speech and requested dismissal of the case.

Harris argued, in a nutshell, that Wallis needed to follow the village sign code like everyone else. 

In July 2022, the Honorable Tara Higgins, judge of the village Justice Court, ruled in favor of Wallis, stating that the village’s arguments defending sign ordinances regarding aesthetics, safety and permitting were “unconvincing.”

Village withdraws legal appeal 

Harris submitted a legal appeal, reviewed by TBR News Media, to the Appellate Term of the New York Supreme Court arguing that the judge’s arguments were poorly reasoned and ignored legal precedent regarding a municipality’s ability to govern signs.

According to the New York State Division of Local Government Services, local governments may impose reasonable “time, place and manner” restrictions on speech to set forth the circumstances under which signs may be displayed. Obscene content is not allowed.

“All I can say is that based on the United States Supreme Court precedent, the village can enforce its code against the sign like that,” Mark Cuthbertson, lawyer and municipal legal expert, told TBR in a phone interview. 

He added, “If that’s the village’s policy going forward, based on this legal decision, someone can put up a huge Kamala Harris banner wherever [and however] they want.” He noted that other municipalities may face similar challenges to their sign code rules based on this new legal precedent, which seems to allow political signs to bypass municipal sign ordinances. 

The Sheprow administration subsequently withdrew the village appeal, stating that it “wanted a fresh start” and planned to take “steps against any sign code violations” regardless of the sign’s content.

Reactions from the public

TBR spoke with several patrons on the weekend of July 20-21 near the Frigate to gauge their opinions on the newly-placed banner with the same political message that was displayed in 2020. 

Most expressed approval using descriptors such as “delighted,” “ecstatic” and “in favor.” One woman thanked me for reminding her to take a picture of the banner for her Facebook page. She loved the sign. 

The general sentiment among those surveyed was that the banner represented an expression of free speech and that the village needed to “chill out,” as one supporter put it. Others noted that the village seemed to be enforcing its sign code selectively, singling out the Frigate for sanctions while similar style banners are hung undisturbed throughout downtown Port Jeff. In 2020 press reports, Wallis surrogates had voiced this belief of selective enforcement, suggesting that the village’s actions were driven solely by the banner’s political message. 

Wallis has consistently declined to speak with the press. TBR did not receive a response, either, from the Frigate’s store manager for comment.

During a casual stroll around the village, this reporter identified about seven prohibited banners across various businesses, though these banners contained nonpolitical messages. 

Most of the complaints about the current Frigate banner are directed to the village Town Hall or The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, according to Sheprow. These complaints primarily concern the political content, accusing the village of allowing it to remain. However, the village never had or wanted control over the political content, even before Wallis’ victory in court. 

“The village is nonpartisan,” Sheprow said. “The village would never enter into an endorsement situation or sanction the political speech of any candidate.”

As of writing, village officials have moved to cite all businesses, many for the first time, which are displaying code-prohibited banner-type signs. 

“Personal notifications went out today, including to Mr. Wallis’ business entities,” Sheprow said. 

Many prohibited banners have already been removed to date. As at press time, the Frigate banner was still hanging from the building.

Pixabay photo

It was impossible to ignore last week’s internet outage — a Microsoft processing error turned into mass panic.

Flights at MacArthur, LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports were delayed, canceled or grounded. 

Local businesses were unable to complete payrolls, accept cards or run order-ahead options. 

Hospitals had to work around interruptions and in some cases halt services, resulting in canceled appointments and rescheduled surgeries.

So, with every aspect of our lives so inextricably linked to computers and smartphones, we are led to the question: What to do if the metaphorical — and literal — lights go out?

It is important to be informed, follow reliable news sources to stay updated on ongoing outages. You can also sign up for notifications from your service providers to receive real-time updates about outages.

Keep backup communication methods. Alternative communication tools such as email accounts from different providers, messaging apps or even traditional SMS technology can provide a different route to efficient communication. 

Ensure access to critical information. Much like the days of the Rolodex or encyclopedia, it is essential to store offline copies of crucial documents and information. Ensure you have important contact numbers written down or stored in a non digital format. Using physical storage devices like USB drives or external hard drives for backups can be beneficial in times of outage.

Don’t rely solely on one service provider, have accounts with multiple providers. For instance, use both Google Drive and OneDrive for file storage. Use websites like Downdetector, Is It Down Right Now? and similar services to monitor the status of various online services. 

Look to the community. Join professional and community networks where members share updates and solutions during outages. Participate in forums and groups related to your industry to stay informed about how others are coping with outages. Local libraries offer free technology and computer classes.

Protect your information by regularly backing up your data to multiple locations, including cloud services and physical storage. Implement redundancy in your critical systems, such as having secondary internet connections, power backups and alternative software tools.

Scott Martella served on the Smithtown Board of Education in 2009. File photo

Suffolk County, in partnership with the New York Blood Center, will host a Blood Drive in honor of Scott Martella on Thursday, Aug. 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Martella, who was the Communications Director for Suffolk County, was killed in a three-car crash on the Long Island Expressway in Manorville in 2016 at the age of 29.

“Scott Martella was a proud public servant who tirelessly served in the best interest of our communities,” said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. “It is my honor and privilege to contribute to these causes and carry on the tradition of the Scott Martella Blood Drive as his legacy will continue to touch the lives of our residents.”

Locations include the Suffolk County Fire Academy, Room K, 103 East Avenue, Yaphank and the H. Lee Dennison Bldg, Plaza, 100 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Hauppauge. To schedule an appointment, call 1-888-933-2566. Walk-ins accepted.

In addition, prospective donors are encouraged to bring school supplies to support the Back-to-School Drive hosted by the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless in Scott’s honor.

To make an appointment, donors can visit nybc.org/suffolkcountygov or call 888-933-2566.

 

The Town of Smithtown hosted their vibrant Friday evening concert series, at Long Beach, featuring local oldies band The Dedications.

This highly anticipated event was highlighted by the Smithtown Sunrise Rotary Club’s Christmas in July fundraising event, which brought the community together for a noble cause.

The Rotary Club of Smithtown Sunrise organized a 50/50 raffle to benefit the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry. The event raised $900 for the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry which will celebrate its 40th anniversary celebration.

The evening was a spectacular display of community spirit, with hundreds of people in attendance and boats dotting the water, creating a picturesque backdrop. The Rotary Club Smithtown Sunrise expressed their joy and gratitude for the overwhelming support, and participation from the community.

The students of Smithtown High School West’s Interact Club volunteered at the event, and Dedications lead singer and fellow Rotarian, John Zollo, was the unofficial host of the evening, which saw Smithtown residents flock to the beach and concession stand, for a sunset-lit concert.

Find out more about the Smithtown Sunrise Rotary Club at smithtownsunriserotary.com, or email them at  [email protected].

Computer error message. Pixabay photo

By Toni-Elena Gallo

On July 19, a “routine” Microsoft software update left the world in chaos.

The cloud-based, cyber security firm, CrowdStrike, which is utilized by Microsoft, released a defective, antivirus security update, pertaining to the firm’s Falcon Sensor. The system is installed in approximately 70-80% of global PCs and numerous company servers,

Microsoft Windows operating system’s omnipresence, across major industrial hubs, affected crucial infrastructure, such as airlines, the London Stock Exchange, banks and other forms of commerce, to temporarily halt service. 

Some companies, including Delta, are still facing major delays, as of July 22. Many small businesses are continuing to play catch-up, as their computers slowly return to normal.

“Small businesses rely on third parties for this not to happen and instead, it became a ‘code red’ situation. … The ripple effects from this could be felt for days and weeks ahead,” said Dan Ives, Wedbush Securities tech analyst.

This problem led to widespread disruptions and caused the ‘blue screen of death’ to appear on Windows PCs.

CrowdStrike has fixed the mishap, but said that it could take “some time” for all systems to be back up and running, while Microsoft has stated that over 8 million devices have been affected by, what they are calling, the “largest IT outage in history.”

Here on Long Island, DMVs were unable to process transactions, the LIRR experienced scheduling issues and numerous Starbucks’ ordering-ahead options were disabled, forcing people to pay in cash.

“I went to order my morning coffee on the Starbucks app, as I do each morning, and was prompted with an error message,” said Samantha Rutt, a Stony Brook resident.

“Instead of preordering, I went into the store and there was a line longer than I have ever seen. The baristas looked as if they had a long morning at just 9 a.m. Just before my turn, the store manager started comping everyone’s orders.”

Northwell Health implemented “standard emergency response procedures,” where needed, as it experienced “sporadic” technology failures. Stony Brook Medicine officials confirmed that their operations were uninterrupted.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) was quick to assure New York state residents that there was “no indication this [was] a hack or a cybersecurity threat.”

According to Markus Rauschecker, a cybersecurity expert with the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, industries should view this episode as a wake-up call, of sorts.

“The bottom line is every organization, every kind of entity, needs to have a plan in place because the question is not if something like this is going to happen again, but when. And when another incident happens, you have to be prepared,” he said.

Sunrise celebrates groundbreaking project. Photo courtesy Sunrise Wind.

By Serena Carpino

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced Wednesday, July 17, the start of construction on Sunrise Wind, an offshore wind farm about 30 miles off the coast of Montauk. The project is spearheaded by Ørsted, a global leader in renewable energy. To celebrate the groundbreaking of the project, officials from Ørsted met with several government leaders at the Boys & Girls Club in Bellport.

Earlier this year, Sunrise Wind received its Record of Decision from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for clearance to begin construction. At the time, the project was run by Ørsted and Eversource, another clean energy leader.

Sunrise Wind is now fully overseen by Ørsted, which agreed to buy Eversource’s 50% share at a value of $152 million, a significant decrease from the projected purchase price in January, set at $230 million due to a reduction in the anticipated capex for the project. The two closed a deal earlier this month, with Ørsted expecting the wind farm to be operating in 2026.

David Hardy, Ørsted executive vice president and CEO of Region Americas, in a statement said, “Sunrise Wind has been significantly de-risked and achieved important milestones since we agreed with Eversource to buy their share. The transaction is a value-accretive opportunity for Ørsted as we continue to develop the project.”

In addition, Hardy highlighted the companies’ achievements and expressed gratitude for Eversource. “As a centerpiece of New York’s clean energy economy, Sunrise Wind builds on our momentum from South Fork Wind [another wind farm developed by Ørsted and Eversource], further expanding the local offshore wind supply chain and workforce. We thank Eversource for their years of partnership and ongoing support.”

The Sunrise Wind plan is to create 800 direct union jobs and $700 million in economic revenue. Officials expect that, upon completion, the 924 megawatts of clean energy generated by the farm will power around 600,000 homes. 

Groundbreaking ceremony

Leaders in attendance at Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony included Elizabeth Klein, director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Doreen Harris, president and CEO of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R).

Ørsted was congratulated for this advancement in the development of Sunrise Wind. The importance of this project was stressed in helping New York State officials achieve their current energy goals: utilizing 70% clean energy by 2030 and 100% by 2040. 

“Today’s shovels in the ground … marks yet another step forward in advancing offshore wind in New York state, and realizing the potential of this powerhouse industry in accelerating the state’s energy transition and growing our economy,” Harris said.

In addition, Klein commented that the wind farm is a key step in allowing the Biden-Harris administration as well as New York to meet their renewable energy goals, reiterating that “BOEM is proud to join the State of New York and Ørsted in celebrating this milestone as we work together for a cleaner energy future, while providing good-paying jobs and ensuring economic opportunities are accessible to all communities.”

Sunrise Wind has also received significant bipartisan support, with many politicians commenting on the benefits of the wind farm. 

“The day has finally come when this important project starts to take the final step toward becoming a reality,” Romaine said. “These projects will help transform the region and keep Suffolk County more affordable. I thank Governor Hochul for her efforts and commitment to clean energy in New York state.”

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) also highlighted the significant impact that offshore wind farms will have on improving New York’s economy and reducing harmful emissions.

“Today’s groundbreaking marks the start of construction on Sunrise Wind — New York’s largest job-creating and clean-energy producing offshore wind project that will change the energy landscape in New York for the better,” he said.

“Built with union labor, Sunrise Wind will provide clean energy for hundreds of thousands of New York homes and boost the regional economy. New York’s energy needs are vast, and so is the urgent need to reduce the greenhouse gasses driving climate change,” he added.

Schumer emphasized that he would continue to work with other government officials to further future renewable energy projects.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly stole merchandise from an Islandia store in June.

A man allegedly stole merchandise, valued at $401, from Walmart, located at 1850 Veterans Memorial Highway, on June 29 at 9:26 a.m.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.