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Village Times Herald

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Lucas Films

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

When times are tough, we can use nostalgia as a bittersweet salve.

Nostalgia serves as both a source of comfort, allowing us to step out of our current situations, while also providing a longing for something that may be impossible to find or rediscover.

To that end, I’d like to share a nostalgic and a not nostalgic list.

— Being out of touch. I know that may seem odd, particularly for someone whose job involves keeping people in touch with information, but I miss the days when people couldn’t find me. I remember getting a beeper for the first time and thinking this was a slippery slope to nonstop accountability.

— Snow days. In the most intense heat of the summer, it’s easy to become nostalgic for the unplanned gift of a day off from school and, way back when, for some time at home with my parents. The night before a snow day, I would go to a particular window in the backyard, turn on the light and assess the size of the snowflakes. If they were too big, the temperature was likely far too warm and the snow would likely turn into rain. Smaller and super numerous snowflakes, like a colony of termites building a home, could work their magic overnight, causing the trees to bend in front of my window.

— Cultural excitement. We are so divided on so many issues these days, but I miss the general excitement that comes from blockbuster movies. I remember the experience of seeing the movie “Star Wars” in a packed theater and the excited conversation from people as the John Williams music sent them home happy.

— The meaningful sitcom. “M*A*S*H” somehow combined humor and drama, blending comedy with intense situations in an army hospital in the Korean War. The sitcom “Mom,” which deals with addiction, friendship, familial issues and loss, brought the same impressive acting to difficult situations softened by humor.

— Eating less healthy food. I miss the ability to eat a burger, fries and onion rings at one of my favorite restaurants (RIP The Good Steer) without having that food interrupt my sleep, create unfortunate digestive experiences or contribute to an expanding girth.

— Letting our dog roam the neighborhood. Our current dog is rarely off his leash. Decades ago, we’d ask our dog if he wanted to go out, he’d run to the door and return to play when he heard us outside or to have his evening meal and play at night. He walked himself.

— My dad. My father had the uncanny ability to make me laugh, even and especially when I was frustrated. Seeing my sour face, he’d come toward me in a battle of wills he knew he’d win. He’d make a strange face or do something unpredictable, forcing me to smile despite myself.

Okay, so, how about a few things for which I am not nostalgic.

— The rear-facing seat of a station wagon. The seat often didn’t have much room, because we also packed bags and suitcases back there, and was facing the wrong way, which meant that nausea, particularly on tight turns, was a constant companion.

— The Yankees around 1990. With a respectful nod to Don Mattingly, those teams were pretty close to unwatchable. 

— Marching band practice. I loved so many parts of my musical upbringing, but marching band doesn’t make the list. We sweat for hours on hot fields. During performances, our heavy, unflattering uniforms trapped heat and felt stiffer than denim that had dried too quickly.

— Going to the airport to change tickets. Awful as today’s airline experiences are, we drove to the airport and waited in line to change tickets. Today, we can go online, where systems are busy and the airlines tells us to try back later.

— Waiting for carpools. To borrow from J.D. Salinger and William Golding, waiting for exhausted parents to pick up a collection of teenagers dripping with Holden Caulfield angst was akin to living through a sociological “Lord of the Flies” experiment.

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'The Hangman and his Wife'

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Driving along a residential street in what seemed from doorbell videos to be a white Prius, a man tossed a plastic bag on each lawn as he moved along. It might have been a newspaper delivery, but it wasn’t. It was a package of hateful flyers whose words were directed against Jews. The bags contained rice or pebbles to weigh them down and keep them from blowing away in the wind.

Police have been investigating the hate messages delivered to homes in Rockville Centre, Oceanside and Long Beach in Nassau County and have blamed an anti-Jewish group for the activity, which has also occurred in other cities in the country. Whether these groups are aligned through the internet has yet to be determined. But we do know that the internet has carried hateful messages throughout the world, a far cry from the original idea that digital connectivity could be only a positive platform for revealing despots’ brutality in far corners of the globe.

We now know the internet can be a powerful tool to radicalize otherwise ordinary people who might be susceptible to the hateful messages. But how do ordinary people become radicalized?

A book was just published that attempts to deal historically with that subject by focusing on Reinhard Heydrich, who became the head of the SD (the intelligence service) and the Gestapo as well as an architect of the Final Solution for the Third Reich. “The Hangman and His Wife,” by Nancy Dougherty, tells of a man without ideological roots, who was not a fervent believer and only joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years after his future wife, Lina. Yet he began what the senior New York Times book reviewer, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, who wrote the forward to the book, described this way.

“One searches in vain for a rational explanation of Heydrich’s descent into evil. No single biological fragment satisfies.”

According to the book’s author, Heydrich evolved from a musically gifted, intelligent and lonely little boy into a monstrous, hyper-rational technocrat with a photographic memory and unmatched organizational abilities. How he was perceived may have been a starting point. He had “striking Aryan looks,” and for Heinrich Himmler, who first interviewed him, and who “was weak-chinned and squinted from behind thick glasses … a physically unimposing” figure, Heydrich fit the Nazi ideal. “For all their focus on Nordic physical perfection, the Nazi leaders were a bunch of misfits … Goering was fat and jowly; Goebbels was clubfooted.” Hitler himself did not match the paragon. Here was this tall, blond candidate for head of the SS, who would be a poster child of Aryan perfection in his new uniform. He must have loved that.

Further, a close relative had a Semitic-sounding last name, and “he was shadowed by rumors that there was Jewish blood in his family and mocked during his nine years in the navy; one former roommate attested that ‘everyone more or less took Heinrich for a Jew,’” according to author Dougherty.

And this from another bunkmate: “there is no doubt that ambition was his characteristic peculiarity … On all occasions, he wanted to be outstanding — in the service, in front of his superiors, with the comrades, in sportsmanship and in bars.” Put that together with “his Luciferian coldness, amorality and insatiable greed for power,” according to Dougherty, and he became head of the Gestapo until he died in his Mercedes convertible from an assassin’s grenade on May 27, 1942. He received a full-dress state funeral from Hitler.

So do those personal qualities plus opportunity explain the emergence of a hate monger? Could any of these bag-tossers today become deeply evil and potentially homicidal? Or are they merely practicing freedom of speech? Do they just wish to stand out and be seen? Is capacity for malignant behavior what Freud called the “death instinct?” Or, as the book reviewer, Daphne Merkin, suggests, is there an inherent perverse glamour in evil?

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The Long Island Cranx Foundation, which completes "Epic Rides For A Cause" will bike to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital to deliver a check for $22,000 in support of Stony Brook Children’s Hospital Child Life Program and the Pediatric Emergency Department Expansion project. The Foundation has pledged a gift of $50,000 over 5 years, and has already surpassed its first-year goal of $10,000, on Wednesday July 27, 2022. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

On July 27, the Long Island Cranx Foundation, completed its “Epic Rides For A Cause” biking to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital where members of the charitable organization delivered a check for $22,000 in support of Stony Brook Children’s Hospital Child Life Program and the hospital’s Pediatric Emergency Department Expansion project. The Cranx Foundation has pledged a gift to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital of $50,000 over 5 years and has already surpassed its first-year goal of $10,000.

With the help of word-of-mouth, grassroots fundraising, social media, and an event held on April 9th called “The Epic-High Five”, $22,000 was raised in about 4 months to help aid the hospital expansion project that will double the number of patient exam rooms and pediatric emergency specialists; enlarge the child playroom; purchase books and toys and bolster a pet therapy program.

“This gift and the ongoing relationship with the Long Island Cranx Foundation will have a far-reaching impact as we significantly expand our Pediatric Emergency Department to more than four times the current space,” said Dr. Carl Kaplan, Chief, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “The foundation’s epic rides will help fuel our epic expansion project for our physicians, providers and nurses as they continue to care for the most critically ill and injured children in Suffolk County.”

“The connection between Long Island Cranx and Stony Brook Children’s has been a perfect fit,” said Michael Attard, Child Life Specialist, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “We’re incredibly grateful for their epic rides to help hospitalized children have a more comfortable, anxiety-free visit. Funds raised by Cranx helped with the purchase of cutting-edge resources such as the MRI compatible video goggles which reduce how often patients need to be sedated for MRI procedures.”

Brian LeDonne of Mount Sinai and Larry Alvarez of Sound Beach, friends for more than 6 years, were among the riders (Roy, Matthew, Loreta, Antonio, Larry & Brian) on April 9th who cycled for 20 grueling hours through the woods and endured 5 arduous laps on the 30-mile Glacier Ridge/Overton Trail System (GROT) on Long Island’s Glacial Moraine.

Matthew Herrschaft of Bayport and Brian LeDonne founded the Long Island Cranx Foundation in 2021 as a Registered 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organization. The group has grown to 15 thrill-seeking mountain bikers and roadies from Suffolk County, with the collective charitable goal of giving back to the community in which they live. “I’m impressed by Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and its medical experts. Children’s health is top-of-mind for me as my wife is pregnant. We’re expecting our first child on October 3rd,” said LeDonne.

Alvarez is ecstatic that the foundation will have the opportunity each year to help Suffolk County meet its growing demand for pediatric emergency services. He joined Stony Brook Medicine’s MRI Department in 2010 and is now the lead MRI tech, overseeing the cardiac MRI program and the Child Life Program’s imaging service.

“I’ve been at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital for 11 years and have seen it grow and build. Every day, I’m grateful for the opportunity to help families and their children, and a lot of money is needed to expand the pediatric emergency room. Knowing that the ER will continue to get bigger because we are helping to contribute is something special to be a part of,” he said.

Stony Brook Children’s Hospital is Suffolk County’s only children’s hospital offering the most advanced pediatric specialty care in the region. The pediatric emergency department cares for about 21,000 patients per year.

About Stony Brook Children’s Hospital:

With 104 beds, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital is Suffolk County’s only children’s hospital. Part of Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook Children’s has more than 180 pediatric specialists in 30 specialties. The hospital is Suffolk County’s only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center and Level 1 Regional Pediatric Trauma Center. It is home to the nation’s first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center and also offers a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Center, Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity Center, Healthy Weight and Wellness Center, Cystic Fibrosis Center, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program, Pediatric Cardiology Program, Pediatric HIV and AIDS Center. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookchildrens.org.

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The Roe Tavern, above, as it looked circa 1960. Photo from Art Billadello

An important structure in local history will be visible to the public once again.

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Town of Brookhaven Councilperson Jonathan Kornreich, Roe Tavern owner Art Billadello and town Supervisor Ed Romaine met recently to discuss plans for the former public house.

The Roe Tavern, built circa 1703, will be moved near its original location on town-owned property on Route 25A in East Setauket. General George Washington slept at the public house on April 22, 1790. During his trip, many people believe he came to thank the Culper Spy Ring members based in Setauket.

Brookhaven’s Town Board voted unanimously to approve the purchase of the tavern from current owner Art Billadello at its July 21 meeting. The cost will be $800,000, and the town will fund the purchase with a state Dormitory Authority grant.

In a phone interview, state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) said he has been working on acquiring the funds for the move for two decades. The hope is that the former tavern will be open to the public for tours once it’s moved and renovated.

Billadello, who has owned the house since 2000 and is a Revolutionary War reenactor and history lecturer, will return to live in the house when it’s completed and will serve as a curator. According to Billadello, while the Roe Tavern is being renovated, he will live in another town-owned house.

At the July 21 town board meeting, Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said of the tavern, “I think it will be a tremendous part of the historic district and somewhat of an attraction.”

Englebright agreed and added that the spies helped save the revolution and exposed Benedict Arnold.

“After the revolution was over, Washington didn’t forget. He came back,” the assemblyman said. “The most poignant moment in Long Island’s history.”

He said the trip was a long one for the general. 

“He spent four days to get here and go back to what was then the capital of our nation, which was in New York City, on muddy roads and difficult to travel,” Englebright said. 

The Culper Spy Ring gained recognition nationwide in 2014 with the AMC series “Turn; Washington Spies.” Major Benjamin Tallmadge organized the ring led by Setauket residents Abraham Woodhull and Robert Townsend.

A historic marker currently marks the spot where the public house once stood on North Country Road west of Bayview Avenue. Selah Strong built the house, and after his death, it was sold to the Woodhull family, who turned around and sold it to Capt. Austin Roe. It was Roe who converted the structure into a tavern. The Culper spy became known as the Long Island Paul Revere.

The Roe Tavern circa 1900. Photo by Robert S. Feather and from Art Billadello

According to a September 2021 article  in The Village Times Herald by historian Beverly C. Tyler, “Five gentlemen and a lady — The Culper Spy Ring,” Roe would go undetected as a spy during his 110-mile round trips to Manhattan due to being a tavern owner. While in the city, he would purchase supplies, providing him cover while he delivered spy messages written in code or invisible ink. He would receive the information from Robert Townsend and return it to Abraham Woodhull.

The Roe Tavern was moved half a mile from its original location in 1936 by the owner at the time, Wallace Irwin. Billadello said Irwin thought the state would turn Route 25A into a thruway when it acquired the roadway. The house needed to be moved in sections.

While Billadello always appreciated the tavern and its history, he never imagined he would buy the house one day when one of the previous owners, Tom Cooper, was selling it. He called Billadello, but with the home sitting on more than 7 acres of property, there was no way he could afford it due to the taxes. When the owner after Cooper put the house up for sale, now on 1.17 acres, Billadello went to look at the home that was starting to deteriorate. He decided to buy it, despite him and his family living in a newly-built house, and it took a few years before he, his wife and children could move in.

As for the people who didn’t understand why he would buy the house, he would say to them, “You see it now. I see what it’s going to look like in the future. It’s a diamond in the rough to me.”

While Billadello and his family stayed in their previous home a few more years before moving into the Roe Tavern, asbestos was removed from the pipes in the basement. A new kitchen was constructed, and an electrician and plumber updated the wiring and plumbing.

Soon after Billadello bought the tavern, Englebright asked him what he was going to do with it. He told the assemblyman that he may not fully be able to restore it, but he promised he would never sell it to a private buyer. Billadello said he always wanted it to be accessible to the public one day. 

Englebright said while the contract will soon be finalized, it will take a significant amount of time to move and renovate the tavern. Therefore a completion date is currently undetermined.

“A strategy will have to be worked out to choreograph all of the experts and the moving parts of this project,” Englebright said.

Renovating the structure will involve carpenters who have experience with historic buildings and moving the home will require considering what power lines are along the travel route, according to Englebright. How to avoid or navigate those lines will also need to be determined.

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Stock photo

BLOOD AND PLATELET DONORS URGENTLY NEEDED

New York Blood Center (NYBC) announced a blood emergency on Aug. 3, as the region’s ongoing heatwave, summer travel, and a recent spike in COVID-19 cases have caused a significant decrease in donations over the past several weeks. Hospitals and patients rely upon a steady flow of donors to receive life-saving blood donations, but these factors have caused the blood supply to become unstable. The blood supply currently stands at a 1-2-day level, which is well below the ideal level of 5-7-days.

NYBC is partnering with local breweries for their “Pint for a Pint” campaign, which runs from August 1st – September 10th at all donor centers and community blood drives. As a part of this campaign, all presenting blood donors will receive a voucher to redeem a free pint of beer, cider, wine, or soft drink at their local participating brewery or restaurant. Since March 2020, the number of first-time donors has dropped dramatically and creative campaigns like “Pint for Pint” aim to raise awareness as well as amplify the need for new blood donors.

Twenty-five establishments are participating in this campaign across the region. A full list of participating breweries and restaurants can be found here. Blood donors cannot redeem their voucher for alcohol on the day of their blood donation.

“Summer has always been a challenging time for the blood supply, and we are grateful to all of our partner breweries and restaurants for stepping up to help us during this critical time,” said Andrea Cefarelli, Senior Vice President at New York Blood Center. “All of our donor centers and blood drives are air-conditioned and donating blood could serve as a great break from record-breaking heat. Even better, we’ve partnered with breweries and restaurants all over the region for free beverages as a thank you for donating.”

“The brewing community is always willing to step up to help a great cause, and we can think of nothing more important than helping out our local blood centers, particularly during this time of extreme need,” said Paul Halayko President and Co-Owner of Newburgh Brewing Company. “We are more than happy to offer a free pint of beer to someone who selflessly gives blood to help save others, a small token of our appreciation to all the amazing donors.”

NYBC hosts blood drives every day in addition to their 19 area donor centers in order to reach donors and meet local hospital needs.

They are taking extra precautions to help prevent the person-to-person spread of COVID-19. As always, people are not eligible to donate if they’re experiencing a cold, sore throat, respiratory infection or flu-like symptoms. Additional information on donor eligibility and COVID-19 precautions is available here.

To make an appointment at a blood drive near you, donors can call 1-800-933-2566 or visit nybc.org/pint. Can’t donate blood? You can still support NYBC’s mission by texting ‘NYBC’ to ‘20222’ to give $25.

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Short Beach is one of the places Smithtown residents go to feel cool in the summer heat. Photo by Rita J. Egan

While heat waves are an expected part of summer, navigating them isn’t always so simple. This weather can often lead to people suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Our area has experienced relentless heat recently. Only halfway through summer, odds are that more scorching weather is ahead of us.

Most North Shore residents in Suffolk County are fortunate to have some form of air conditioning. For those who don’t, local municipalities can offer relief.

Each summer, the towns of Huntington, Smithtown and Brookhaven have helped residents escape intense heat. Huntington officials set up cooling stations during the hottest days of the year. The town announced July 19 that it would make cooling stations available at locations such as Clark Gillies Arena (formerly Dix Hills Ice Rink) and John J. Flanagan Center/Senior Center last week

Huntington, along with Smithtown and Brookhaven, expands hours at public beaches and pools during such weather events, too. When cooling stations or extended hours are needed, municipalities will post this information on their websites and social media pages.

These means of communication also come in handy during other weather events, such as flooding. While rainstorms can temporarily offset high temperatures, they can also quickly flood areas, presenting a public safety hazard. And we are also in the midst of hurricane season, so residents please keep an eye on those weather reports.

Regarding the heat, some helpful tips may come in handy.

When being exposed to hazardous heat, stay well hydrated, eat light, wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, minimize direct sun exposure and reduce time spent outdoors. These precautions should be heeded by all, especially by those who are older, pregnant or suffering from chronic health conditions. Caregivers should also monitor infants and children more closely than usual.

Of course, a visit to an air-conditioned mall to escape the heat can never be underestimated. A couple of hours of strolling and shopping inside can kill some time as the heat rages outside.

Remember, when going into the mall or a store, do not leave your pet in the car. Temperatures inside a parked car can be much higher than outside — up to 30 degrees or more. Never leave a pet unattended in a parked car, even if the window is cracked open. 

Also, the same precautions taken by humans apply to pets, so make sure they are getting plenty of water and are not outside during the hottest parts of the day. 

While we are fortunate to live in an area with plenty of choices to cool off, many residents are unaware of their options. Check on sick or older neighbors during heat waves just as you would during snowstorms to ensure they have everything they need.

And don’t sweat it; in a couple months, people will soon be enjoying the leaves changing color and a few weeks later will be building snowmen.

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The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:

Commack

■ A petit larceny was reported at Dick’s Sporting Goods on Jericho Turnpike in Commack on July 23. A man allegedly placed assorted Nike clothing valued at $600 in a bag and walked out without paying.

■ Princess Deli Bagels on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported a burglary on July 20. Unknown suspects broke the front glass door to gain entry.

■ Scam alert! A woman shopping at Costco Wholesale on Garet Place in Commack reported that while she was loading merchandise into her car on July 21 a woman approached her asking for directions. She later realized that her credit cards had been stolen from her purse which had been on the driver’s seat.

Dix Hills

■ A car was stolen from a driveway on McCulloch Drive in Dix Hills on July 21. The vehicle, a 2022 Audi Q3, was valued at $40,000.

Farmingville

■ A 2022 blue Audi SQ5 was allegedly stolen from the driveway of a residence on Roberta Avenue in Farmingville by an unknown man on July 20. The key fob had been left in the vehicle, which was valued at $30,000.

Huntington

■ Sal D’s Italian Restaurant on Wall Street in Huntington reported a burglary on July 23. Unknown suspects pried open the back door to gain entry and stole cash and the restaurant’s security system.

Huntington Station

■ Liquor Plaza on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported a petit larceny on July 24. A man and a woman allegedly stole several bottles of vodka valued at $70.

Kings Park

■ A handicapped placard was reported stolen from a car parked at St. Johnland Nursing Center on Sunken Meadow Road in Kings Park on July 19.

Lake Grove

■ Bed Bath & Beyond on Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove reported a shoplifter on July 22. A woman allegedly stole a Shark vacuum valued at $350.

■ Police were called to the Macy’s parking lot at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove on July 24. Someone broke the front and rear passenger side windows of a vehicle and stole two iPhones and two pairs of iPods.

Melville

■ Scam alert! A woman shopping at Costco Wholesale on Broadhollow Road in Melville reported that while she was loading merchandise into her car on July 21, she was approached in the parking lot by a woman asking for directions. When she went to a second store she realized that her credit cards were missing from her purse.

■ Dick’s Sporting Goods on Walt Whitman Road in Melville reported a shoplifter on July 23. A woman allegedly entered the store, cut the sensors off of several items of clothing and walked out with the merchandise which was valued at approximately $240.

Port Jefferson Station

■ Shoprite on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station reported a shoplifter on July 24. A man allegedly stole assorted food items valued at $49.

Selden

■ Walgreens on Middle Country Road in Selden called the police on July 20 to report a petit larceny. A man and woman allegedly stole several cases of Modelo beer worth $116.

■ Brothers Grim Games and Collectibles on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a burglary on July 22. Unknown suspects broke a glass door to gain entry and allegedly stole collectible Pokémon cards worth $1,000.

Smithtown

■ Bagel Express on West Main Street in Smithtown was burglarized on July 19. Unknown suspects broke the front glass door to gain entry and stole cash from the register.

■ The Smithtown Senior Center on Middle Country Road in Smithtown called the police on July 22 to report that catalytic converters were stolen from two senior citizen buses in the parking lot.

South Setauket

■ A petit larceny was reported at Target on Pond Path in South Setauket on July 14. A man allegedly loaded assorted health and beauty products valued at approximately $200 into a shopping cart, concealed the items and walked out of the store without paying.

Stony Brook

■ Marshalls on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook called the police on July 22 report a shoplifter.  A person allegedly stole assorted clothing worth $126. When confronted, the suspect punched a security guard in the face and fled.

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.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

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Romaine discussed ways in which local government and New York State must adapt to meet the needs of a changing environment. File photo

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) has served in elected office for decades. In Part I of this two-part series, Romaine discusses the problem of coastal erosion, innovative ideas for recycling and why you won’t see his name on a sign at a town park.

What sparked your interest in environmental protection and which issues concern you the most?

Long ago, I made a choice between my eyes and my ears, and I chose my eyes. People can argue whatever they want, but I’ve seen what this Island was. I grew up on Long Island. I’ve watched it change and I know what it needs.

The things that concern me about this Island are the threat of climate change and rising sea levels, which is why we’ve bought hundreds of acres at Mastic Beach — to convert them back to wetlands, to act as a sponge.

The week before I was elected in 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit. I went down to Mastic Beach, which was part of my original district in the ’80s. I knew the mayor and I went down with Dan Panico [R-Manorville], who was the councilman, and we took a tour.

Neighborhood Road is the road that runs east and west through Mastic Beach. Everything south of Neighborhood Road was flooded. And the other thing I remember about that disaster was the smell. With all the trees and the downed wires sparking, it smelled of sewage because all their cesspools were inundated, and it smelled of oil because they all had above-ground tanks that spilled over.

It was so devastating when I went down there. Mastic Beach has recovered since, but I will never forget the disaster that hurricane caused and the flooding that it unleashed. Marshlands act as sponges that are capable of handling a flood like that. That is why I am deeply invested in trying to buy up as much of the marshland that was built upon years ago and get rid of some of the small homes there.

The other concern is the carbon footprint we leave. I’m a big supporter of renewable energy. When I was a [county] legislator for the 1st District, I bought more land and preserved more farmland than the other 17 districts combined.

The pattern of development has been so intense that we’ve screwed up this Island by sprawl. We should have thought more carefully about the pattern of development here and what we could do in terms of public transport, in terms of public services — and we didn’t.

What is your preferred approach to the issue of eroding bluffs, a growing problem along the North Shore?

Sometimes people live along those bluffs, so you want to see what type of engineering solutions there are to secure or stabilize bluffs. I know the Village of Port Jefferson is debating what to do about the Port Jefferson Country Club because their tennis courts are going to fall in [the Long Island Sound] and then right after that, probably the clubhouse.

My view would be the same as it would be for Mastic Beach — to retreat from the bluffs. But again, sometimes you can’t do that because people live atop them, so you have to look at engineering solutions that would help stabilize the bluffs. It’s Mother Nature at work. Can man-made solutions resolve it? Sure they can … temporarily. Clearly, what should have been done is something that would have prevented building near or on the bluffs.

Can you discuss the recycling initiative that your office has undertaken?

Back in 2017, China announced its [Operation] National Sword policy. It said, “Hey, we’re not buying any more recycled goods from the United States.” Well, that created all types of problems.

Unfortunately with recycling, a lot of what needs to be recycled rests with the State of New York, and they have not been innovative. The [Department of Environmental Conservation] has chosen to be a regulator and not an innovator. Let me give you an example: glass.

Glass is one of the largest contaminants in the recycling process. To recycle, what do you need? You need a marketplace. Recycling doesn’t work if you don’t have a marketplace to reuse the goods that you’re recycling, which is why recycling has collapsed in large parts of this country.

What we’re looking for from the State of New York is called a BUD — a beneficial-use determination. We believe glass should be an aggregate used in concrete. Concrete is the most carbon-intensive production of any substance that we know. And the way you can end that is by substituting glass in that process as an aggregate, and we’ve allocated for that.

What this requires is the state DEC to give us a beneficial-use determination. Now we’ve proved that because we’ve built these huge drainage rings for our recycling center and we got state permission to use glass as the aggregate in the concrete. They are not even looking at that.

At Stony Brook University, there’s a boathouse. It’s painted blue and was built in 1989. Do you know what it was built out of? Ash. The strength of that building is stronger today than the day it was built in 1989. Guess what we do with our ash? We put it in our landfill. Yet we don’t get a beneficial-use determination to use ash in concrete, in asphalt or in other products. This would create a market for glass and ash.

Also, I’m waiting on the state legislation. I have an ally in the state Legislature — an old friend of mine, someone I served with in the [county] Legislature in the ’80s, and we still work together to this day: [Assemblyman] Steve Englebright [D-Setauket]. I’m trying to say, “Steve, what are we doing here? There’s so much we can be doing.” We need a “Bigger, Better Bottle Bill.” We need to create markets for products because if we don’t, recycling will not work and will not be effective.

If you give enough time and you watch a leaky faucet, that water one drop at a time over a long period of time will make a difference. I always remind myself of the one drop of water. Because if you keep on hammering away at it, change will come. If only incrementally, it will come for the better, for things that should come, for things that are so common sense that even the opposition can’t argue against it. And usually, the opposition tends to be monied interests that have some kind of economic benefit to them, not to the society as a whole.

How did you end up in the supervisor’s office?

I started out as a teacher. I taught for 12 years, almost all of it at Hauppauge. I was very active in the teachers union there. I was the treasurer of the teachers union on their executive committee. In fact, one of my students was Jay Schneiderman, the supervisor of Southampton [D] — I taught him seventh-grade social studies.

I was always active, kind of on the sidelines as a volunteer. In 1979, in the Town of Brookhaven — which had been under Democratic control for four years — the Republicans won everything and they needed people to go into town government. I had done a lot of work for the school district on federal and state aid, so they asked me to become a part-time federal and state aid coordinator.

I started there, and the first thing I got was a massive grant for community development. We got a huge, multimillion-dollar grant, but there were conditions on hiring staff. So they asked me to become the first commissioner on housing and community development for the town. I asked the school district to give me a leave of absence — they were very kind and gave me three in a row. And finally I told them, “Look, I’m not going to come back,” because I was into that job. I did that for five years and loved it.

All the sudden, the [county] legislative seat in which I lived had opened up and they asked me to run. Even though it was a little bit less money, I thought about it for a while and I said “yes.” I ran and was elected to the Legislature in ‘85 and then again in ‘87. I was getting ready to run again when our county clerk died. In between, I had run for Congress and did very well — I got 49.6% of the vote against an incumbent, Mr. [George] Hochbrueckner [D-NY1].

I ran for county clerk, won all 10 towns and went on to win five elections as county clerk. In that time, I had moved, the lines had changed and I got elected to the 1st Legislative District as their county legislator, which included all of eastern Brookhaven from Shoreham to where I live in Center Moriches, as well as Riverhead, Southold and Shelter Island. I loved that district and didn’t lose an election district for the four times I ran. And I was getting ready to run again when Mr. [Mark] Lesko [D], who was the [Brookhaven] supervisor, resigned midterm.

I was asked to run for supervisor and I thought long and hard about that. The major reason I did that was because I had a son [Keith] who was a town councilman and died in office. He always told me that at some point in life he wanted to be a supervisor. That motivated me to say “yes.” I wound up winning five terms as supervisor. So that’s the very short synopsis of a long story.

Brookhaven is an old township that has endured for three-and-a-half centuries. What does it mean to you to be a part of that tradition, and what do you see as your place in it?

The one thing I know about history is that people are quickly forgotten. That’s why I made sure that when I became supervisor, I said, “Other than in Town Hall, I don’t want my name on any town signs or anything.” And you will not see my name on a town park or anything because I made it clear that I’m just passing through.

I believe one of the greatest things I did was save 1,100 acres and put them in the Central Pine Barrens — 800 of which was National Grid property. The legacy that I leave will be a legacy that benefits people, but they will not know it was me.

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Cake Fairyland ribbon cutting

On July 6th, Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich was on-hand to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Cake Fairyland in the Coventry Commons Center at 1320 Stony Brook Road in Stony Brook. The new business specializes in pastries, puffs, cakes, coffee, tea, slushies, milk shakes and more. 

“I had the pleasure of attending a most delicious ribbon cutting for the grand opening of Cake Fairyland. Despite the name, they are much more than just a bakery: they also serve a wide variety of beverages and other treats and have plenty of seating to sit and relax with friends or do some work with a cup of coffee or bubble tea,” said Councilmember Kornreich said, 

“I was amazed at the beauty and craftsmanship of their offerings. Joined by Assemblyman Steve Englebright and a large number of family and friends, we sampled their fantastic treats and celebrated the latest exciting new business to open in Three Village. Congratulations and best wishes to Rachel and the whole staff, and thanks for making life a little bit sweeter in Stony Brook,” he said.

The business is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call 631-675-0581.

Pictured with the staff of Cake Fairyland are (center left to right) New York State Assemblyman Steve Engelbright; Cake Fairyland owner Rachel Ching and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich.

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Pictured from left,beach stewards Roberta Fabiano and Frank Fountain; Councilmember Kornreich and Nicole Pocchiare, Town of Brookhaven Environmental Educator. Photo from Town of Brookhaven

On July 19, Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich was at West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook to announce PSEG Long Island’s installation of an Osprey platform disk atop a utility pole on Trustees Road. 

The platform was installed to accommodate a pair of ospreys that chose the pole to build a nest upon but constantly caused a disruption of electric service. 

“The story of the osprey nest at the West Meadow Nature Preserve proves the adage that you can’t fight Mother Nature,” said Councilmember Kornreich. 

“The first few attempts at nest building by this pair of ospreys resulted in blown fuses on the pole, and PSEGLI made several attempts to introduce elements of “hostile architecture” to discourage them from further attempts. The ospreys’ persistence paid off, and finally PSEGLI decided to install a raised platform on top of the pole which would permit the birds to safely build their structure without damaging the electrical service. The nest has been rebuilt and we look forward to this breeding pair’s return to West Meadow after their migration,” he said. 

“It is so important that we find the balance between our use of the land and the preservation of this beautiful coast. To enjoy but also protect areas with unique ecology like that of West Meadow Beach and Creek. The installation of this platform for the Osprey’s Nest is a perfect example of how we can be more understanding and appreciative of the natural space we share. Let it be an inspiration for a trend of positive impact,” said Nicole Pocchiare, Town of Brookhaven Environmental Educator.

Many people assisted in the effort to maintain the nest in its present location, including Peter Fontaine, Town of Brookhaven Division of Environmental Protection Senior Analyst; John Turner, Town of Brookhaven Division of Environmental Protection Senior Analyst; Elaine Maas, Board of Directors, Four Harbors Audubon Society; and Lisanne Altmann and the installation crew from PSEG Lonf Island. 

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