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Letters to the Editor: July 11, 2024

by TBR Staff - July 11, 2024

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letters_page-scaled-1-2 — File photo by Raymond Janis

Exploring the potential for using hydrogen fuel

Two weeks ago, on June 28, Port Jefferson Village Mayor Lauren Sheprow, then-trustee-elect Xena Ugrinsky and I visited the Advanced Energy Research & Technology Center at Stony Brook University. The AET is doing cutting-edge research on future hydrogen technologies and other projects that create businesses on Long Island. We were welcomed by David Hamilton and Kathleen Ferrell.

The connections with Stony Brook University departments, New York technology leaders, researchers and public agencies that were made in this short visit were quite extraordinary and many appointments were made for future discussions.

The mayor knew Hamilton and Ferrell professionally. Our visit was designed to dovetail with the efforts of the Port Jefferson Power Plant Working Group that Ugrinsky chairs. The PWG is exploring the potential for repowering our base load plants using hydrogen fuel and we will be exploring this possibility with Haiyan Sun when she is scheduled to tour our plant on a trip from Albany July 10.

Sun heads NYSERDA’s (the state’s Energy Research & Development Authority) hydrogen and renewables division and is responsible for evaluating grants and New York State priorities for this fast-evolving future technology. I am proud to be a part of this village’s forward-thinking and well-connected leadership. Port Jefferson is fortunate to be able to have people with these kinds of professional experience and networks working for its residents.

Bruce Miller

Port Jefferson

Comsewogue Community Garden is a special place

My name is Danny, and I am a Life Scout working on the Communication merit badge. I recently started work on my Eagle Scout project at the Comsewogue Community Garden on Terryville Road in Port Jefferson Station. I am replacing the current garden shed with a new one.

I am writing because I would like to share how impressed I am with the garden and the amount of work that volunteers have put into making the garden so beautiful and welcoming. This includes growing fresh vegetables and a pollinator garden. More recently a Girl Scout troop started a sensory garden.

This is a special place in the community and I think more people should know about it. I am hoping that students can take field trips to visit the garden and community members can take advantage of this beautiful space.

Daniel Cappiello

Troop 354 Port Jefferson Station

Happy 60th birthday to public transportation on Long Island

This July marks the 60th anniversary of federal government support for public transportation. The success of public transportation can be traced back to one of the late President Lyndon Johnson’s (D) greatest accomplishments which continues benefiting many Americans today. On July 9, 1964, he signed the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 into law. Subsequently this has resulted in the investment over time of billions of dollars into public transportation.

Millions of Americans today on a daily basis utilize various public transportation alternatives. They include local and express bus, ferry, jitney, light rail, subway and commuter rail services. All of these systems use less fuel and move far more people than conventional single occupancy vehicles. Most of these systems are funded with your tax dollars thanks to Johnson.

Depending upon where you live, consider the public transportation alternative. Try riding a local or express bus, para transit or commuter van, ferry, light rail, commuter rail or subway.

There is MTA LIRR, NYC Transit bus and subway, Suffolk County Transit Bus, Huntington Area Rapid Transit (HART) Bus and Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) Bus.

By using MTA Metro or OMNY cards, there are free transfers between the subway and bus. This has eliminated the old two-fare zones making public transportation an even better bargain. Purchasing a monthly LIRR or MTA subway/bus pass reduces the cost per ride and provides virtually unlimited trips. In many cases, employers can offer transit checks which help subsidize a portion of the costs. Utilize this and reap the benefits. It supports a cleaner environment.

Many employers now allow employees to telecommute and work from home. Others use alternative work schedules which afford staff the ability to avoid rush-hour gridlock. This saves travel time and can improve mileage per gallon. Join a car or van pool to share the costs of commuting.

The ability to travel from home to workplace, school, shopping, entertainment, medical, library, etc., is a factor when moving to a new neighborhood. Economically successful communities are not 100% dependent on automobiles as the sole means of mobility. Seniors, students, low and middle income people need these transportation alternatives. Investment in public transportation today contributes to economic growth, employment and a stronger economy. Dollar for dollar, it is one of the best investments we can make.

What better way to honor the late President Johnson and all that has been achieved these past 60 years in public transportation by continuing funding the federal Highway Trust Fund and Mass Transit Account.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

D. None of the Above: For me, hazy, hot and humid dials sweat production to full blast

by Daniel Dunaief - July 10, 2024

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By Daniel Dunaief

If sweat were a valuable commodity, I’d be in high demand.

As it is, however, my thick, heavy high-volume sweat is as welcome as a cup of warm water on a hot, sticky day.

When I was a teenager and attended basketball camp, I used to sit in the back seat with two other campers, squeezing my thick thighs together as much as possible to avoid sharing the sweat that coated my legs.

I had and continue to have the kind of sweat glands that would give marathoners from Ethiopia a run for their money.

No, I can’t run as far or as fast as a marathon runner, but I still sometimes looked like one, especially on those summer days when I walked a few miles to work and arrived in a puddle-stained suit.

Fortunately, the public, even before the notion of “fake news” became trendy, rarely had high expectations for the attire of a reporter.

When the temperature and humidity are high enough, I can picture the various characters from the Disney/Pixar movie “Inside Out” pushing and shoving as they try to climb into a small raft in a sweat-drenched control room.

The process almost always starts on my upper lip. That’s where beady sweat scouts come out, checking to see if it is indeed worth alerting the rest of my body that it’s a good time to join the fun.

Within seconds, my arms and wrists have the almost modest effect of glistening, as a thin layer of perspiration can catch the sun at just the right angle, giving my skin a mildly reflective look. After a few short moments, the production line kicks into higher gear. My fingers, which often swell when I walk more than a mile or so, become drenched.

I have had a few occasions when I’ve run into people who introduce me to others in this condition. When they stick out their hands to shake mine, I’m stuck.

While holding my hand back is disrespectful, soaking someone I’ve met with a soggy handshake makes the wrong kind of first impression.

My sister-in-law carries a collection of mostly healthy snacks in her purse for when my typically charming and delightful brother enters the hangry stage of the day and needs food to carry him to the next meal.

I don’t often become frustrated or angry when I’m hungry. I do, however, become embarrassed when I can feel the thick, heavy drops of sweat racing down my back, slaloming down my legs and collecting in my shoes.

Maybe I should suggest to my wife that she carry wipes, paper towels, an electric fan, or a magical towel that comes out of a tiny purse but can absorb a full day’s worth of sweat. I bet Mary Poppins could pull that off.

Since I’m not always with my wife and this isn’t her problem, I rub my hands against my legs. That kind of works, although that then leaves a soaked hand print on the outside of my pant leg which is usually met by the layer of moisture accumulating on the inside of my pants.

Now, dry fit shirts have become a true gift for me, as they don’t immediately become drenched with perspiration. Maybe some day someone will invent a dry fit suit, which looks like normal business attire, but doesn’t become a magnet for moisture.

I know astronauts drink a purified form of urine, the moisture they exhale and their own sweat. When I interviewed Astronaut Scott Kelly several years ago, he mentioned that he particularly enjoyed the taste of the purified water aboard the International Space Station, where he lived for 340 straight days.

I suppose that means I’d be a valuable commodity as an older, slower moving astronaut, assuming that I didn’t need to drink every ounce and then some, of what I produced when I sweat.

Oh well, that probably won’t work and I’m not that eager to travel into space. In the spirit of reduce, reuse, recycle, maybe I should figure out how to turn my own sweat into an icy cold drink.

Between You and Me: Am I already starting to forget things?

by Leah Dunaief - July 10, 2024

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Aging has become a frequent subject in the media, perhaps propelled there by our presidential race and its elderly candidates. We are all, of course, aging, and we all want to age well. This plethora of information gives us a chance to measure our health against standard values for our age. The statistics are also comforting: we are not alone with our symptoms and infirmities. We want to be equal or better than predicted for our age.

But are we?

I accepted a delivery from the messenger at my front door and reached for my wallet to pay him the charge. But herein lies the story.

Years ago, I gave up carrying a pocketbook because I was getting lame from carrying everything in there but the proverbial kitchen sink. My doctor, whom I had visited with complaints of an aching shoulder, and who noticed my dead weight tote, pointed out that most men don’t carry pocketbooks and they seem to do fine. Men, after all, keep everything they need for daily living in their pockets.

He advised me to do the same.

He was right. I observed men carefully at checkout lines in supermarkets and in restaurants. They settled the bills with whatever they withdrew from their pockets and went merrily on their way. They carried their door keys in their pockets, and some even took out a comb occasionally to run through their hair. I reasoned that I could do that, too, with my lipstick. The doctor changed my life that day. And my shoulder never again bothered me.

Since then, I have bought clothes with pockets and used them instead of a pocketbook for my routine needs unless I am wearing a gown or a bathing suit. So I was wearing shorts that day, when I paid the driver, then replaced my wallet in my pocket.

Or so I thought.

Later, when I was getting ready to go to my annual dentist appointment, I reached into my pocket to check for my wallet and panicked. It wasn’t there. I could feel the coarse material at the bottom. The pocket was empty.

What had I done with my wallet after I paid for the package? I pivoted to look next to the still unopened box on the front hall table. Nothing. Thinking I absent-mindedly carried the wallet into the living room and put it down next to my reading chair, I entered and found only the day’s newspaper there. Concern mounting, I quickly walked around to the kitchen and scanned the empty counters.

Now I was beginning to panic. If I didn’t find my wallet quickly, I was going to be late for my appointment. It came to me in a flash. I must have brought the wallet to my bedroom. I rushed up the stairs and into the room, searching the bedside table, the thickly padded bedroom chair, the ottoman and even the bathroom. No luck.

Then I ran downstairs and repeated all those steps, hoping I had missed something the first time around. Still nothing. Wait. Had I looked in my closet, where I had earlier pulled out my sandals? Taking flight, I charged back up the stairs and into the walk-in closet. No sight of the stupid wallet.

Overheated and gasping for air, I realized I was going to miss the dentist. I sat down in my bedroom chair, dialed his number and got his receptionist. Breathlessly I explained my predicament and that I would call for another time. She was sympathetic and told me how often that happens to her with her car keys. I wasn’t mollified. I had everything in my wallet: driver’s license, insurance card, credit cards, money.

I hung up and leaned back into the chair, only to feel a lump against my lower back. What had I left in the chair? Nothing, but there was something in the back pocket of my shorts.

There it was. I had forgotten I had back pockets in these shorts. My wallet was running around the house with me the entire time. Duh!

Suffolk D.A.: Sound Beach woman sentenced to one year in jail for filing forged court orders to avoid eviction

by Press Release - July 10, 2024

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Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on July 9 that Eleanor Blakley-Whaley, 61, of Sound Beach, was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading guilty in April to Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Third Degree, for filing a forged judicial order purportedly issued by the Suffolk County District Court with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office.

“Let this sentence serve as a warning to anyone who would falsify court records that my office takes these crimes seriously,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I thank my prosecutors for bringing this defendant to justice.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during her guilty plea allocution, on June 29, 2022, Blakley-Whaley consented to the issuance of a Warrant of Eviction from her home located in the Town of Brookhaven by the Suffolk County District Court. The Warrant of Eviction was stayed by the court until October 31, 2022. Between November 1, 2022, and March 30, 2023, Blakley-Whaley filed six forged judicial orders stating that the eviction was stayed, and falsely purporting to have been issued by the Suffolk County District Court. Blakley-Whaley filed the forged orders with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office in order to delay her eviction.

Prior to this case, on January 26, 2022, Blakley-Whaley pleaded guilty on an unrelated case, to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, and was sentenced to three years of probation. At the time of her arrest on the latest charges, Blakley-Whaley was serving her sentence of probation and thus, this arrest and criminal conduct violated the terms of her probation sentence.

On July 8, 2024, Acting County Court Judge James McDonaugh sentenced Blakley-Whaley to one year in jail. She was represented by Eric Sackstein, Esq.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Amanda Scheier of the Public Corruption Bureau.

Suffolk County Legislature approves Water Quality Restoration Act, pending November referendum

by TBR Staff - July 7, 2024

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By Peter Sloniewsky

Suffolk County Legislature voted 15-2 Tuesday, June 25, to approve I.R. 1461 which will extend and revise the Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Program. County Executive Ed Romaine (R) is expected to sign the measure into law July 8 for the mandatory referendum to be added to the November ballot.

This program, if passed via referendum, will establish the new Water Quality Restoration Fund supported by an additional sales and use tax of 1/8%. It is estimated the increase in sales tax collections will fund about $4 billion over 50 years to implement the county’s Subwatersheds Wastewater Plan.

In June and July 2023, a 10-7 vote along party lines doomed the measure from reaching that November’s ballot.

The 1.5 million people of Suffolk County currently rely on more than 380,000 cesspools and wastewater systems, including over 209,000 systems located in environmentally sensitive areas. This decentralized infrastructure has been a significant cause of nitrogen pollution across the county. In both surface-level and underground bodies of water, this nitrogen pollution causes harmful algae blooms, which can release toxins into fish, destroy ecosystems by consuming excessive oxygen in the water and cause a variety of conditions in exposed humans.

Passage of the referendum has economic as well as health benefits. Creating and maintaining new wastewater infrastructure will create a number of well-paying jobs for the county government. Additionally, the risks posed to businesses reliant on Suffolk County water cannot be understated, as well as the threats to beaches across Long Island.

The Water Quality Restoration Fund can be used for water quality improvement, such as enhancing and maintaining existing sewerage facilities, consolidating sewer districts and replacing and installing wastewater treatment systems in areas where sewers cannot be installed.

The language of the referendum itself is straightforward: “A yes vote ensures county funding to 2060 for clean water projects, improvements in drinking water, bays and harbors, and a no vote continues water quality degradation.”

Romaine claimed that passage of the referendum will be vital to fund sewer constructions, especially in less developed areas of the county, and the broad swaths of land with only cesspools installed. Romaine said that he “cannot emphasize enough the importance of this referendum” to address water contaminants.

Romaine was also the primary sponsor of the bill, which was co-sponsored by Legislators James Mazzarella (R-Mastic) and Ann Welker (D-Southampton).

Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport), who voted for the bill, claimed in a statement that while the bill gives the county the authority to establish longer-term funding for wastewater improvement projects, it also allows the county to apply for “much-needed” matching grant funding from the New York State and federal governments.

The final decision will rest in the hands of Suffolk County voters on Nov. 5.

Mount Sinai boys basketball opens summer league season with victory

by Bill Landon - July 6, 2024

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By Bill Landon

The Town of Brookhaven launched its summer league boys basketball season when the Mustangs of Mount Sinai played Sachem East Thursday, June 27, at the Sachem East High School gymnasium. This season’s large school competition consists of 14 teams stretching along the North Shore from Half Hollow Hills West to Riverhead in a nine-game season that will conclude Aug. 1.

The Mustangs controlled the tempo of the game from the opening tipoff, managing to keep Sachem at bay to win the game 53-43.

Mount Sinai is back in action Tuesday, July 9, when the team will face John Glenn in a late game at Hauppauge High School. Game time is slated for 9 p.m.

Editorial: Embracing environmental responsibility

by TBR Staff - July 5, 2024

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In an era where environmental degradation and the proliferation of microplastics are rampant, it is crucial for communities to take proactive steps toward sustainability. Introduced by county Legislator Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), bill I.R. 1371 is a commendable effort aimed at reducing the environmental impact of single-use plastics in Suffolk County.

This bill, if passed by the Legislature and signed by County Executive Ed Romaine (R), would prohibit restaurants and third-party delivery services from providing single-use utensils and condiment packages unless explicitly requested by customers.

The significance of this bill extends beyond mere policy changes; it embodies a collective commitment to a healthier environment and community — advocacy for the bill is rooted in the undeniable truth that excessive plastic waste poses a severe threat to our natural surroundings.

Plastics often end up on our beaches, clogging our street drains and breaking down into microparticles. These particles can be inhaled or ingested, eventually finding their way into the food chain and even human reproductive organs.

This bill is not about banning plastic but rather encouraging mindfulness. The environmental mantra of “reduce, reuse, recycle” emphasizes that reduction is the highest priority. By limiting the distribution of unnecessary plastic, we address the problem at its source, preventing waste before it starts. This approach not only protects our environment but also enhances the quality of life.

The bill emphasizes that the reduction of plastic is beneficial for everyone, including businesses. Beyond cost savings, reducing plastic waste also safeguards our tourism industry, which is vital to Suffolk County’s economy. Tourists are drawn to our pristine beaches and vibrant natural beauty; plastic pollution undermines these attractions and threatens our economic well-being.

Living in a healthy environment is not just a privilege; it is a necessity. We must hold businesses accountable for their environmental impact and encourage the use of environmentally friendly alternatives. By doing so, we protect our natural resources, support our local economy and ensure a healthier future for all residents of Suffolk County.

The future of our takeout restaurants, beaches and public health could be positively influenced by this legislation. While you won’t be forced to forgo single-use utensils, considering environmentally friendly alternatives can make a significant difference.

This is essential, commonsense legislation that the county Legislature must find a way of passing.

Overnight closures on the westbound LIE in Town of Brookhaven to begin

by Press Release - July 4, 2024

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ConstructionSignsC1006_V_v_C_Y — METRO PHOTO

New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R,C-Riverhead) has announced that the westbound lanes of the Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495) in the Town of Brookhaven will undergo overnight closures, weather permitting, to facilitate concrete pavement repairs.

Between Exits 64 (State Route 112) and Exit 67 (Yaphank Road/Suffolk County Route 21), two lanes will be closed beginning at 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. All lanes will be closed and detoured onto the North Service Road from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. for approximately eight weeks.
Between Exit 67 and Exit 69 (Wading River Road), two lanes will be closed between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. for approximately five months.

During these hours, traffic will be detoured to local routes. Drivers are advised to plan accordingly and allow extra travel time. Signage will be posted to guide drivers through detours safely. The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will oversee the work, which includes concrete pavement repairs and maintenance.

For updates on this project and other roadwork in the area, please visit https://www.dot.ny.gov/ or contact Assemblywoman Giglio’s office.

Miller Place Panthers boys soccer prevails in summer league opener

by Bill Landon - July 4, 2024

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WJL_6293 — Miller Place wins their summer league season opener against Mattituck. Photo by Bill Landon

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By Bill Landon

Twelve teams comprise the Town of Brookhaven boys soccer summer league in the small school varsity division which kicked off its season Monday, July 1. There will be nine games through July 29.

The Panthers of Miller Place faced Mattituck at Diamond in The Pines Park in Coram where the Tuckers struggled to gain traction and trailed 2-0 at the halftime break. Miller Place put the game out of reach by rattling off five more unanswered goals in the second half to win the game 7-0.

Miller Place retook the field when the Panthers faced crosstown rival Mount Sinai July 3 at The Wedge in Mount Sinai, but the result was not available by press time.

Port Jeff AHEPA chapter holds 3rd annual car show

by TBR Staff - July 4, 2024

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By Aidan Johnson

The Port Jefferson chapter of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, also known as AHEPA, held its 3rd annual car show Saturday, June 29, at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, 430 Sheep Pasture Road, in Port Jefferson.

George Kallas, president of AHEPA, estimated that there were about 100 cars in attendance, including a red 1931 Ford that won first place.

The proceeds of the car show will be donated to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, AHEPA Service Dogs for Warriors, and AGAPE Meals for Kids, a Long Island organization that addresses childhood food insecurity and hunger.

During the car show, Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) presented the chapter of AHEPA with a certificate of congratulations, expressing his appreciation for the organization for everything it has done for Greek Americans, along with the children of the community by donating to AGAPE Meals for Kids.

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