Suffolk County Police Department 4th Precinct Inspector David Regina updates the Smithtown Town Board on local crime trends during a public meeting Thursday, Sept. 21, at Town Hall. Photo by Raymond Janis
By Raymond Janis
The Smithtown Town Board convened Thursday afternoon, Sept. 21, for a public meeting covering public safety, walkability and downtown revitalization.
Public safety
Suffolk County Police Department 4th Precinct Inspector David Regina delivered the department’s public safety report, alerting the community to ongoing crime trends.
Following a stabbing at Millers Pond in Smithtown [see story, “Man stabbed at Millers Pond in Smithtown,” Aug. 26, TBR News Media], Regina said the victim was transported to a local hospital and has survived his injuries.
“This is an assault that is out of the ordinary for that area,” he said. “I do feel confident in saying that I don’t feel that this is a threat to the area of that community.”
Regina referred to 2023 as “a rough year in the 4th Precinct for fatal motor vehicle crashes,” which he said have “run the gamut between pedestrian, standard motor vehicle crashes, motorcycle crashes, bicycle crashes” and accidents involving scooters.
Reporting on a recent fatal accident on Harned Road in Commack involving the death of Ilona Kaydanov, a 22-year-old pedestrian [see story, “Jogger killed in Commack crash, two others injured,” Aug. 31, TBR News Media], Regina said the 4th Squad had investigated the accident, noting, “There does not appear to be any criminality involved.”
The inspector stressed the need for pedestrians to cross roadways at crosswalks, adding that “pedestrians under New York State law are required to walk or jog against the flow of traffic.”
Purse theft — a local crime phenomenon often involving the theft of one’s credit cards at retail spaces — remains pervasive within the 4th Precinct, Regina said. [See story, “Shopping spree: Thieves targeting handbags, wallets at Suffolk County retail stores,” Aug. 24, TBR News Media.]
He reported that this theft crime variety has occurred primarily around the Smith Haven Mall, advising shoppers to “secure your things securely.”
He noted that multiple incidents have included a co-conspirator, with one criminal creating a diversion while another robs an unsuspecting victim’s shopping cart.
SCPD “were able to identify one suspect, and I’m happy to say we cleared three of those cases last week, and we were able to charge that gentleman with several counts of criminal possession of stolen property,” Regina reported.
Sideshows and street races remain an ongoing crime phenomenon countywide. Regina reported a recent sideshow gathering of 250 cars at the Walmart parking lot on Garet Place in Commack.
“These get very raucous,” he said. “They were throwing fireworks in the direction of the police officers who were responding. These are officer safety concerns for us.”
While the department has moderately succeeded in dispersing some of these sideshow events, the inspector suggested the matter is unresolved.
The Hauppauge Fire Department will host a community gathering on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 p.m. at 855 Wheeler Road to discuss the sideshow issue and its community impacts.
Downtown revitalization
Allyson Murray, principal planner in the Smithtown Planning & Community Department, delivered a presentation on a grant application for New York State downtown revitalization funds through the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative and the NY Forward grant programs.
Murray considered Kings Park an ideal candidate for these funds due to its substantial retail and civic spaces, compact size, centrally located Long Island Rail Road station and recent public and private investment.
“The vision is to attract public and private investment to enhance the character of downtown Kings Park,” Murray said, hoping to create “a vibrant and walkable Main Street business district with diverse mixed-use development.”
The proposal seeks to leverage existing community assets, such as the LIRR station, new sewer infrastructure and proximity to major employment centers, such as the Hauppauge Industrial Park and Stony Brook University.
Murray shared a draft list of projects to be included in the application. She encouraged community members to send ideas for other proposals by email to [email protected].
Harned Road proposal
In the wake of the recent roadway fatality, Commack resident Kevin Feit asked the board to consider several pedestrian safety enhancements on Harned Road between Vanderbilt Motor Parkway and Veterans Memorial Highway.
“Currently, there are sidewalks in some sections of Harned Road, but they abruptly end,” Feit indicated. “Where there is no sidewalk, the shoulder is extremely narrow in some places and can be completely taken up by a sewer grate.”
Given these existing conditions, Feit suggested the current roadway to be “impassable for a wheelchair or stroller.” He added that while the speed limit on Harned is 30 mph, vehicles regularly exceed 40 mph due to long stretches between traffic signals.
“Sidewalks would provide several benefits to the community,” he said, among these being public safety, environmental friendliness and walkability to nearby shopping centers and parks.
The Town Board will reconvene Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m.
The Long Island Fall Festival 2022/Photo by Media Origins/TBR News Media
Abeloved tradition is returning to Huntington. The Long Island Fall Festival heads to Heckscher Park for its 29th annual incarnation for Columbus Day weekend.
The largest of its kind in the Northeast, the Long Island Fall Festival has become the premiere event for family fun. Brought to you by the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Huntington, this event attracts tens of thousands of families from all over the New York tri-state area to the 25 acres of beautiful Heckscher Park.
Truly a celebration of community spirit, this weekend event offers something for everyone. Attractions include three stages of live entertainment, a world-class carnival, hundreds of arts and craft vendors, international food courts, beer and wine pavilion, a farmer’s market, and numerous activities and entertainment designed especially for young children.
The festival begins with a carnival and live music on Friday, Oct. 6, from 5 to 10 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., attendees can enjoy the carnival and more live music as well as enter contests and purchase merchandise from street vendors. Over 300 merchants will line up along Prime and Madison streets, adjacent to Heckscher Park, as well as within the grounds of the park.
On Monday, Oct. 9, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the festival will offer the carnival and in-park vendors for another day of fall fun.
Underwritten completely through corporate sponsorships, admission to the public is FREE. Dogs are welcome.
Heckscher Park is located at 2 Prime Avenue in Huntington. In addition to street parking, attendees can find free parking at the Huntington LIRR station and take a shuttle bus for $1 round trip. For more information and to get involved in this year’s Long Island Fall Festival, call 631-423-6100, or visit www.lifallfestival.com.
This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Harvest Times supplement on Sept.14.
Sen. Schumer gives support to Sound Beach post office reopening
Dear Postmaster General DeJoy,
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Photo by U.S. Senate Photographic Studio/Jeff McEvoy
I write regarding United States Postal Service (USPS) operations in the hamlet of Sound Beach, New York, on Long Island’s North Shore, where the local post office was shuttered months ago without warning. Sound Beach residents, community leaders and elected representatives are troubled by the lack of communication about the closure from USPS and the apparent lack of any work being done on-site to remedy the situation.
It is my understanding that the Sound Beach post office was shuttered around May 29, 2023, after a potential structural issue at the facility was uncovered. According to community leaders, the only official notification to the community since the closure has been the placement of signs in the building windows stating that the post office is temporarily closed for safety reasons, as well as a statement to a local media organization by a USPS spokesperson stating that the building “remains closed awaiting necessary repairs.” There are also concerns regarding undelivered mail to Sound Beach residents and reported short staffing at the Miller Place post office, where Sound Beach post office personnel have been relocated. I ask that USPS provide me and other community leaders with detailed information about the closure and what work is being done to rectify the situation, including answers to these specific questions:
1) What are the structural issues that have been identified at the Sound Beach post office building?
2) Where is USPS in the process of remedying the structure issues at the facility and what is the timeline for reestablishment of services at the post office?
3) What is the estimated reopening date of the Sound Beach post office?
4) What exact measures are being taken to ensure that mail delivery and postal services are smoothly and adequately provided to Sound Beach residents?
5) Is a temporary location within Sound Beach being considered for postal operations and services? If no, why not?
As you know, local post offices are the bustling center of healthy communities across New York and the country. Reestablishing a post office in Sound Beach is critical to ensuring vital services are accessible to all those who need them. I urge you to work with stakeholders to reestablish operations at the Sound Beach post office as quickly and safely as possible.
Thank you for your attention to this important request. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my staff.
Charles E. Schumer
U.S. Senate Majority Leader (D-NY
Lack of emergency response from PJV
I take the safety of this community very seriously.
On Sunday afternoon, there was a scary and extremely unsettling incident that took place in Port Jefferson. Suffolk County Police Department, village code officers and other first responders, including a SCPD helicopter, were deployed to the harbor area.
Seeing the helicopter and emergency response, I was concerned about what potentially could be unfolding, yet no word came. In desperation, I turned to social media to see if any information was posted from village officials. There was nothing.
What I found instead were panicked messages from residents, also desperate for information, and rumors and hearsay about what might be going on Down Port. Was it a bomb? Had someone targeted the ferry boats or ferry terminal?
Social media was rife with comments and conjecture about what was happening. Instead of information, residents posted their fears, concerns and panic online, as there were over 100 comments on social media posts in real time.
These are from actual social media posts on Sunday:
“My son is down there and I was panicking.”
“This is so scary.”
“They heard a bomb was going to explode.”
My daughter “is working downtown today.”
My daughter “too, she’s working the boats!”
“No communication. People are very angry.”
Despite this, there was not one word from the administration or the mayor [Lauren Sheprow], the self-appointed commissioner of public safety, to calm the concerns or panic. This is the same mayor, who during her reorganizational meeting, chose to deactivate the safety committee.
While I agree that “law enforcement agencies … are responsible for, and lead the communication efforts,” that in no way precludes the administration from coming out in front and informing residents, calming fears and letting the community know the situation is being handled.
Port Jeff Village has an emergency communication system called Code Red, which is designed to keep residents safe. The mayor chose not to use this system nor to communicate through social media or the village website.
It’s shameful that village officials were asleep at the wheel and allowed this incident to unfold and did not take any action to inform residents. Our community was expecting, at least, a Code Red notification. Instead, residents received nothing. Zero communication. Not a word.
During times of crisis, strong leadership that inspires confidence in local government is paramount for a strong community.
Strong leadership or leadership of any kind was nonexistent during this time.
Kathianne Snaden
Port Jefferson
Editor’s note: According to the village website Sept. 4, a bomb threat was made at Port Jefferson Harbor Sunday, Sept. 3, 1:40 p.m., but no bombs were found.
The writer served as trustee of the Village of Port Jefferson from 2019-23, holding the position of deputy mayor and commissioner of public safety.
Port Jefferson’s motorcycle noise
On Saturday, Sept. 2, we were enjoying the wonderful food and service on the porch at The Fifth Season restaurant at 34 E. Broadway. It was a beautiful evening near the boats and the beach, and a pleasure to be outside.
Unfortunately the extremely loud noise made by motorcycles passing by was deafening.
To an extent, the noise is a safety measure for riders, but there is no reason for the exaggerated degree frequently in use by some, especially on the narrow and crowded streets of Port Jefferson.
The noise is at a level to be startling and disturbing to anyone near it and likely harmful to riders themselves. Consideration should be given to requiring a reasonable legal threshold or possibly setting aside a special parking area and street restrictions.
Dave Gross
Port Jefferson
Palumbo way off the mark on migrants
In New York State Sen. Anthony Palumbo’s [R-New Suffolk] op-ed [“Local control is key to protect communities from migrant crisis,” Aug. 31, TBR News Media], he blames lack of leadership for the immigrant crises and argues for the need for local control. Unfortunately, his argument is way off the mark.
The failure of leadership comes from Congress in general and Republicans specifically for failing to pass a comprehensive policy and plan for dealing with immigration. We are not the only country facing a crisis — hundreds of thousands of Central and South Americans as well as Africans are desperately fleeing war, famine, lack of security, gang warfare and the effects of global warming.
The world needs a plan to both stabilize those countries and provide for asylum seekers. Seeking asylum is a basic right. The U.S. should subscribe to international standards for asylum; an asylum claimant must demonstrate persecution based on one of the five protected grounds — race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.
We should have sufficient judges to quickly process cases, admit those who qualify and deport those who don’t. We need standards to admit those not seeking asylum. Finally, the question is not local control — which runs the risk of not-in-my-backyard claims — or state or national control, but both a comprehensive plan and the acknowledgement that all Americans should welcome immigrants.
It should not be left to the border states, nor should we accept the stunts of Govs. Ron DeSantis [R-FL] and Greg Abbott [R-TX], who have shipped immigrants north without notice or the agreement of the immigrants themselves.
Adam D. Fisher
Port Jefferson Station
The time is now for PJ Branch electrification
A Long Island Rail Road train arrives at Stony Brook train station during rush hour. Photo by ComplexRational from Wikimedia Commons
Please forward this information to friends and relatives in Port Jefferson and include friends and relativeswho reside along the North Shore, west to Greenlawn.
I have been working with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Sierra Club on the Port Jeff Branch electrification project for many years. (The USGBC-LI is focused on green transportation.)
The LIRR has told our village’s Conservation Advisory Council and me that there are challenges to modernization and electrification of the line.
We are not seeing this as an “all or nothing” proposition. We can provide the LIRR planners with options if they need assistance. We can electrify now and “double track” in the future. Better is better than nothing.
This is an economic issue for our area and a green issue for Long Island and New York state. Much money is being spent to improve transportation elsewhere throughout the state.
We pay taxes, too.
New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act — signed into law in 2019 — requires public agencies to work diligently toward New York’s zero-emissions goals.
Diesel locomotion does not conform. Driving from the Port Jefferson line to the Ronkonkoma line for a decent ride does not conform. Building unnecessary parking garages and paving acres of asphalt for parking does not conform.
Suffolk County has designated space at the Lawrence Aviation Superfund site on Sheep Pasture Road for the LIRR that would help with electrification and eliminate two grade-level crossings and two old and obsolete bridges. This would be valuable to our local economy and traffic flow as well.
The time is now. If we do not make progress in the short term, it may be decades before we have better transportation.
Bruce Miller
Port Jefferson
Editor’s note: The writer is a former Village of Port Jefferson trustee.
An alternative to advanced septic systems
The Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, if passed by referendum vote, would provide an increase in the county sales tax of 0.125%, thereby increasing the combined New York State and Suffolk County tax rate to a whopping 8.375%. The reason for this, we are told, will be to provide reimbursements to beleaguered homeowners who have been required to have advanced wastewater treatment technology installed as part of their cesspools.
Although there is considerable controversy regarding the wisdom of passing this legislation, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that the widespread, possibly even universal, requirement for these high-tech, electric cesspools is a good idea. But is this reasonable?
There are a number of significant problems associated with these units. The initial installation expense is comparable to the cost of a new car, and maintenance and inspection issues are likely to be an ongoing nuisance forever.
But what is the alternative? A much more sensible approach, in my opinion, would be to leave the present concrete cesspools as they are, and to develop large-scale denitrification systems to be installed and operated at the distribution sites of the Suffolk County Water Authority.
These systems would process the nitrate ions, which are composed of nitrogen and oxygen atoms, and produce pure, clean nitrogen and oxygen gasses, which could be released into the atmosphere with no ill effects whatsoever. As a result, the nitrate level of the purified water can be made as low as desired. As a bonus, power could be provided by solar arrays or windmills. And, as we were told by former state Assemblyman Steve Englebright [Perspective, “Let the people vote for clean water,” TBR News Media, Aug. 17], “Pure water is our most essential resource.”
In the early 1900s, Fritz Haber developed a method for synthesizing ammonia from gaseous nitrogen and hydrogen, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1919. This revolutionized the manufacture of fertilizers, at a reasonable cost, which helped to feed millions of people throughout the world.
If Haber could devise a methodology for combining nitrogen and hydrogen in a cost-effective manner over 100 years ago, surely we can figure out how to separate nitrogen from oxygen just as easily today. And I have no doubt that the SCWA can build, maintain and operate a few hundred of these systems with far greater efficiency, much lower cost and infinitely less aggravation than 380,000 Suffolk homeowners would expend on the electric cesspools buried in their backyards.
Suffolk County Police Department Safe-T, assisted by the New York State Police and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, arrested three motorists during an overnight sobriety checkpoint in Huntington Station. Staff and volunteers for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) attended and handed out educational fliers to motorists who were stopped at the checkpoint.
Police officers from the Suffolk County Police Department’s Highway Patrol Bureau conducted a joint sobriety checkpoint operation with New York State Troopers and Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs at the LIRR parking lot, located at Route 110 and Church Street, from 11 p.m. on Sept. 1 until 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 2. The checkpoint was part of an ongoing Labor Day holiday weekend enforcement crackdown targeting alcohol and drug impaired driving. A total of 403 vehicles went through the checkpoint.
The following were charged with two counts of allegedly Driving While Intoxicated:
Claudia Primavera-Murphy, 61, of 2Huntington
Jonathan D. Commisso, 30, ofHuntington Station
Frank Arcarola, 50, of Huntington Station. Arcarola was additionally charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree.
Many readers may have either had the disease, know someone who’s had it or tragically know a man who’s lost his life to it. Having touched all three of those bases, I’d like to address this subject from a personal standpoint.
For me, it began with the insistence of my “old school family doctor” and friend to begin carefully monitoring an incrementally rising, but not especially high, PSA score. “Dr. John” felt it was important to establish a “baseline” number and then watch for increases based on the percentage of any jumps.
After almost a decade of “watching,” John recommended I see a urologist, who urged having a biopsy done. That’s when the idea of having cancer in my early 50s suddenly became a real possibility. How could that be when I had no overt symptoms? I went for the test, and another one a few years later. Both came back showing nothing growing. The third time, however, was not a charm.
Plans needed to be made going forward. My wife and I carefully studied all the treatment options and chose laparoscopic surgery, to be done at Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital in New York City.
When everything was confirmed we sat down with our children to go over the arrangements. It was a tough conversation, but she and I had confidence in my terrific surgeon and our decision. The operation was a complete success followed by a full recovery.
Having read articles on the possibility of this type of cancer running in some families, I brought male cousins into the loop. The emphasis was on following PSA results with a focus on the percentage of increase from previous scores. Shortly thereafter, two were diagnosed and very successfully treated for the disease.
A stunning, heartbreaking, little known statistic regarding this oft-times silent killer is how it has an especially outsized, negative impact on African Americans, who die at about two times the rate of their white peers.
Given advancements in testing, diagnosis and treatment, this disease is beatable. Have frank conversations with your wives, loved ones, doctors and men you’ve known who’ve had prostate cancer. If you’re a Black man, you need to be especially vigilant.
The trick is to not let this illness get too far ahead of you. Be proactive! September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. All men should take it seriously and personally.
Jim Soviero
East Setauket
Electrification survey a likely dud
The online survey being conducted by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning to understand the extent of public support for electrification of Long Island Rail Road’s Port Jefferson Branch is nothing new.
It is available on the Village of Port Jefferson website. The idea has been periodically advocated since the 1960s by generations of elected officials with no success. In 1970, electrification was extended from Mineola to Huntington. In the 1980s, discussions took place between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, LIRR, Suffolk County and elected officials over which branch should be electrified first.
The Ronkonkoma Branch was selected over the Port Jefferson Branch. It took 35 years before completion of full double track-electrification between Hicksville and Ronkonkoma. The estimated cost to extend electrification east beyond Huntington today is $3.6 billion. This will increase over time.
Billions are necessary to pay for planning, design and engineering, environmental review, land acquisition for construction of power substations, expansion of commuter parking, relocation and/or consolidation of existing stations, new stations and platforms, new electric multiple-unit car storage yard, double tracking, third rail, signals and construction management.
From start to finish could require 15-20 years. For the project to proceed, it must be included within the MTA’s upcoming 2025-2044 Needs Assessment plan, due to be released in October.
To pay for future construction, the project would require a Federal Transit Administration Full Funding Grant Agreement under the national competitive discretionary Capital Investments Grant Core Capacity New Starts program. It would have to be matched by $2 billion or more of local MTA sources.
Even if the project is given a green light, based upon my past experiences on other FTA-MTA-LIRR projects, Port Jefferson Branch electrification will not be completed until 2040 or later.
Supporters should lobby Gov. Kathy Hochul [D], MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and LIRR President Catherine Rinaldi if you ever want to see this project get underway within your lifetime.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
Beyond nuclear deterrence
Joseph Levine’s letter [“Context for the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” Aug. 24] suggests that mutual assured destruction, or nuclear deterrence, will keep superpowers from launching preemptive nuclear strikes because of the prospect of devastating retaliation. This view reflects current U.S. policy and is held by many thoughtful persons, but there is a risk associated with this policy that deserves discussion.
The technological complexity of the current system of command and control of thousands of nuclear weapons on high alert capable of being launched within minutes leaves us vulnerable to disaster. A history of close calls involving accidents, computer failure, false alarms and human misjudgment shows the system is vulnerable and that its failure could lead to an accidental nuclear war.
In a world without nuclear weapons our nation, possessing overwhelming military superiority, could not be held at risk by an impoverished North Korea led by a dictator. The U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons has not been signed by the U.S. and other nations that possess nuclear weapons, but it is a step in the right direction toward a safer world.
Lester Paldy
South Setauket
Editor’s note: The writer is a distinguished service professor emeritus at Stony Brook University and a former Marine officer, who served as a member of the U.S. nuclear weapon negotiating delegations with the Soviet Union in Geneva, Switzerland, and at the U.N
WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL
We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. Scan the QR code above or email letters to [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733
Members of the North Country Peace Group advocate against nuclear proliferation on Saturday, Aug. 5. Photo courtesy Myrna Gordon
Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The North Country Peace Group observed the 78th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan at our weekly vigil in Setauket on Saturday, Aug. 5.
This is a time for our community to gather in mourning, remembrance and in solidarity with all people affected by the destructive power of nuclear weapons at every level of their development, testing and use. It is also a time for us to amplify the call that nuclear weapons must never be used.
Myrna Gordon
North Country Peace Group
Fare hikes don’t help Port Jeff LIRR riders
Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] and MTA Chairman Janno Lieber’s boosting of the new MTA One Metro New York fare collection system does little for Port Jefferson Branch riders on the Long Island Rail Road.
In 2017, the MTA awarded a $573 million contract to Cubic Transportation Systems to replace the Metro Card. OMNY was originally promised to be completed between 2019 and 2023.
The cost of OMNY has grown to $645 million. The project is currently $130 million over budget. The MTA has never made public any detailed recovery schedule from the contractor. Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will not reach substantial completion until late 2025.
In 2022, the MTA lost over $600 million to fare evasion. There is no indication in 2023 that this financial loss will be significantly reduced. Neither Hochul nor Lieber is able to explain how OMNY will end routine fare evasion as it continues to flourish today.
Another critical failure that Hochul, Lieber or their predecessors never acknowledge, is the inability to come to agreement for integration of OMNY with NJ Transit, Port Authority Trans Hudson subway and NYC Economic Development Corporation Private Ferry fare collection systems.
Larry Penner
Great Nec
Sherwood-Jayne Farm animals represent our local history
The recent upheaval at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm in East Setauket has primarily been focused on the current animals and myself, but it should really be about preserving our local history.
History isn’t something that just is, it is something that was and then becomes. The organization, Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, was founded in 1948 by many people, including Mr. Howard Sherwood. He did this to bequeath his property, the Jayne Farm, to it.
Sherwood’s vision was to preserve a bucolic farm setting and educate the community about its history. He started a flock of sheep in 1933 and had blankets woven from their wool.
Preservation Long Island, formerly known as SPLIA, has since kept a flock as a tribute to him. Current PLI executive director, Alexandra Wolfe, was quoted in the July 27 TBR article written by Mallie Jane Kim as saying, “The animals serve as a visual respite for people on the road, but they don’t really connect the property to what we do.”
Historically, livestock were an integral part of life. Horses and cattle were used for plowing, poultry for eggs and meat, everyone had a family cow and sheep were kept for their wool. Our ancestors didn’t hop on their phones to order a new shirt and have it show up in two days on their doorstep.
The sheep were shorn, the wool washed, carded, spun, woven into fabric and sewn into clothes. So how does getting rid of the resident sheep help to connect the property better to history? It doesn’t. What it does is take away from it.
A visual respite is what people love about this farm. The animals draw their attention. So let them be drawn in, and then educate them about what life was like. Let’s build the flock back to what it was and really teach about the “sheep-to-shawl” process.
People love farms because they show a different way of life. This farm was preserved for the community. Let’s teach the community about the place they live in and what makes it so special. Let’s allow the locals to learn the old ways of life. Let’s bring life back to the farm instead of taking it away.
What we do in the days, weeks, months and years ahead will impact our children’s children. Please help preserve our local history. The current animals and I will thank you and all the ones to come will as well.
Visitors to the information booth will be able to inscribe the name of a loved one lost to overdose on a purple rock. Photo courtesy of Leg. Kara Hahn's office
The Suffolk County Police Department is teaming up with parents who have lost a child to overdose or fentanyl poisoning to offer Narcan training and support at upcoming farmers markets.
This new outreach program, spearheaded by Deputy Police Commissioner Risco Mention-Lewis and Carole Trottere, a mother who lost her son to fentanyl poisoning, is aimed at arming people with the training to save lives while also normalizing the conversation of addiction—an issue that touches many Long Island families.
In addition to offering Narcan training to individuals, parents will host an informational station and provide people an opportunity to inscribe the name of a loved one lost to overdose on a purple rock. The memorial rocks will be placed in parks and other locations as a reminder of lives lost to an overdose.
Members of the department conducted this event at the Port Jefferson Farmers Market in May and trained 100 people in Narcan.
The department will continue to attend community events to spread awareness and offer this life-saving training, including at the Patchogue Farmers Market, corner ofNorth Ocean Avenue and Division Street in the LIRR parking lot on Sunday, August 6from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at the Three Village Farmers Market on the grounds of the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Counry Road, Setauket on Friday, August 25 from 3 to 7 p.m.
John Broven’s article on his Amtrak trip to and from Pittsburgh [Our turn: “In praise of Amtrak, LIRR not so much,” TBR News Media website, June 5] inspired me to write about my 31-hour bus trip from Kansas City, Missouri, to New York City in 2018. This took longer than our trip from Setauket to Sidney, Australia in 2002.
I attended the American Association for State and Local History Annual Meeting in Kansas City at the end of September. I flew out and to do something I’ve never done before — I took the Greyhound bus home.
The scheduled departure was 10:25 p.m., however the bus was behind schedule. I discovered the seats here and at every bus terminal were uncomfortable, metal and ribbed, so sitting on them was painful. I met fellow traveler Don in the terminal and we talked about history and architecture. The staff here were not sure of how the bus was doing until about 15 minutes before the bus arrived. We finally left Kansas City a little more than two hours late.
Just after sunrise between St. Louis and Indianapolis. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
The seats on the bus were very uncomfortable with little legroom, no place for my travel mug and no overhead reading light in any seat. In the rear of the bus people talked constantly and loudly. I was about in the middle. The bus was very noisy, rough riding and included a disturbing high-pitched squeal that became higher as we increased speed.
We had a rest stop in Columbia, Missouri, a nice clean place with good food and drink choices. We arrived in St. Louis at 4:45 a.m. and expected to be there about two hours. The small hot food place (pizza etc.) was not open, just snack food, water and sodas available, no juices.
We changed buses and left St. Louis at 6:28 a.m. I got a much better seat with good legroom in the escape window aisle. There were no snack tables on any of the buses. I know I shouldn’t expect them, but they are normal on buses in Europe. No overhead individual lights and no Wi-Fi on this bus. The only electrical outlets that worked were on the right side of the bus, but otherwise this was a better bus. The last one had trouble with shocks, according to the driver who almost left the road at one point due to hitting a bad spot in the road. The new driver really laid down the law with respect to noise, cellphones, bathroom, courtesy, etc. He even said that we had to keep our shoes on, in case of emergencies. First time I heard that. We had a beautiful sunrise with fog across the open fields as we left St. Louis, very picturesque. My seatmate was on the phone for at least an hour after we departed.
We arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana, just before noon. It was Sunday, and the crowds were already coming into the Colts stadium next door. The weather was gorgeous We had just 20 minutes to get something for lunch or breakfast although the schedule called for 55 minutes. The only place close by was a White Castle across the road with a long line. The waiting room and restrooms were dark and dreary, not sparkling and scrubbed as they were in Columbia. We lined up to get back on our bus and were told to get our carry-ons from the bus and get on a new bus.
Homeward bound
We left Indianapolis at 12:42 p.m. This bus was not well maintained. Most of the seats were threadbare and cracked which gave rough edges. Just like the first two buses, we felt every bump in the roadway. We paused in Dayton and Springfield, Ohio, to pick up local passengers and stopped for 45 minutes in Columbus, Ohio. There was nothing in the bus terminal except a few snack-and-drink machines. I hoped to get a meal in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I talked to a lady who embarked at Indianapolis and had to work this night in Pittsburgh. She said Greyhound was delayed in both directions and the worst part was that no one could tell her when the bus would arrive — they kept saying “15 minutes.”
We arrived in Pittsburgh about 8 p.m. We are told only 20 minutes here. The restaurant in the bus terminal was closed, so the only choice for supper was a pop tart and an iced tea from one of the machines. Just as we were leaving, they opened up again — too late. We thought they were closed for the night.
When we got back on the bus, we found out there were two wheelchair passengers to load so seats had to be removed. As a consequence, we had to move our stuff to a seat in front or at the rear. We hustled to get it done. I ended up sitting with a woman on her way to Philadelphia. We started a conversation just before the new passengers came onboard, including one couple who insisted on sitting together, but there were only single seats available. The woman insisted that they had assigned seats, which nobody gets. The agent said they would have to take available seats or leave.
Unfortunately, both the couple and the agent were yelling loudly, insistent and unmoving. Before it got to the point of throwing the couple off the bus, my seatmate whispered to me that she would move if I did. We got up and offered the couple our seats. Everything calmed down. Like so many of the people I met on this trip, my brief seatmate was a pleasure to talk to. The people I met, including the new bus driver we had from Pittsburgh to New York City, were the best part of the trip.
We left Pittsburgh an hour behind our new scheduled time. None of us on the bus from Indianapolis had any supper, but no one really complained. Sitting in the front for the first time the road ahead was mesmerizing.
At 10:35 p.m., we stopped at the Sideling Hill rest stop in Pennsylvania. Some of us got off the bus to use the restrooms and were surprised that the shop there was open with all kinds of drinks and sandwiches that we could microwave. It was a real treat and our driver gave us up to 45 minutes even though we were scheduled for 30. I treated myself to a green chili fajita and a pumpkin spice latte. We all hurried up as fast as we could and were back on the bus and on our way by 11:10 p.m.
We arrived in Philadelphia just after 3 a.m. I finally got some sleep on the way to Philly. I stayed on the bus so I didn’t have to go through the regular process of getting a return note or tag and wait until we were summoned to get back on the bus. This happened at every bus terminal stop. Interestingly, the two best rest stops we stopped at were along the PA Turnpike an hour and fifteen minutes out of the Pittsburgh bus station and Columbia. Neither is a bus terminal, but they are the cleanest places with the best choices of food.
We left Philadelphia for New York about 3:30 a.m. and I was able to sleep. We arrived at Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City at 5:15 a.m. I couldn’t believe how fast the trip was from Philadelphia.
I walked to Penn Station and made the 5:47 to Stony Brook. We had to change at Huntington, and I was glad to have my walking stick as we had to walk up and over the footbridge to get the train to Port Jeff. The walking stick really helped on the climb and descent. Barbara picked me up at the Stony Brook station at about 7:45 a.m. I was glad to be home at last..
Beverly C. Tyler is a Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the society at 93 North Country Road, Setauket. For more information, call 631-751-3730.
I would like to take this opportunity to make a correction to a statement which appeared in the July 13 edition of The Port Times Record [see story, “Port Jeff village board cans code changes for Maryhaven, tensions flare amid reorganization”].
It was reported that at the Port Jefferson Board of Trustees reorganization meeting that I resigned from my position as village clerk. This is not fully accurate, as I was unceremoniously informed by newly elected Mayor Lauren Sheprow that I would not be reappointed to my position in her administration.
I love this community where I have raised my family, and was honored to have served and worked tirelessly for the last 13-plus years. I consistently performed my job duties with integrity, honesty and professionalism, attributes I will bring to my next job, which regrettably will not be in the Village of Port Jefferson.
Barbara Sakovich
Port Jefferson
Voters deserve legislators whodo their homework
The notion that Suffolk County Republicans “don’t care” about the environment is, of course, absurd [letter, “Suffolk County Legislature neglecting wastewater infrastructure,” two directors from League of Women Voters of Huntington, July 13].
We live, work and raise our children on Long Island just as much as Democrats do. Creating a false sense of urgency, some have suggested that all opportunities to improve our water quality will be lost if we do not act today. Hardly.
Suffolk County’s Subwatersheds Wastewater Plan’s goal of restoring and protecting the waters of Suffolk from the impacts of nutrient enrichment-related water quality degradation is a 50-year plan. I am very proud of our pro-environmental record to date, which speaks for itself.
The Republican majority and Democratic minority, in a bipartisan fashion, have approved more than 200 resolutions, resulting in the appropriation of more than $155 million for sewers and other infrastructure projects, clean water initiatives and open space preservation.
To be clear, at the June 21 general meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature, we did not “vote down” two important pieces of legislation that came before us; both in accordance with the Suffolk County Subwatersheds Plan’s goal of reducing the nitrogen level in our groundwater and surface waters.
We simply voted to recess the public hearing, as we need to work out some concerns we have with the proposed legislation, one being that it allows for 10% to cover administrative costs and 75% for Innovative/Alternative Wastewater Systems.
Let’s do the math. Once 10% has been deducted for administrative costs, 67.5% remains for I/A systems, not 75%. And there is no set amount set aside for sewer infrastructure — zero dollars could be used for sewers.
It is our full intention to ultimately allow the voters to decide, via a referendum, whether this legislation should be adopted or not. However, it would be irresponsible to rush through this important work as it is our responsibility to put forward financially viable, sensible and fully transparent legislation. Should a referendum not take place in November, there will be another opportunity during primary elections in the spring, at no additional cost to the taxpayers.
I don’t need to “score political points.” What I need to do is serve the residents of Suffolk County with integrity, responsibility and transparency. And yes, once the voters have all the facts, it will be up to them to decide — of course.
Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport)
Suffolk County Legislator
18th Legislative District
Proposed sales tax a blank check for developers
I must respond to the letter to the editor in the July 13 edition regarding the proposed 1/8% sales tax increase that was recessed by the Legislature on June 21.
The estimated $3-to-4 billion additional tax is in addition to the 1/4% sales tax already in place for sewer expansion and septic system replacement. The building industry is strongly in favor of additional sewer expansion, which will permit further development, increase density and traffic and ultimately result in more pollution. If anyone thinks that Nassau County, which is mostly sewered, has better water quality than Suffolk, then I have a bridge to sell you.
If developers desire to connect to sewers and if homeowners desire to install $25,000 so-called advanced septic systems in their front yard (really underground sewage treatment plants with blowers, pumps and continuous electrical and maintenance costs) then they should pay for it themselves and not on the public dime.
The county is already losing population to lower taxed areas. If this wrong-headed proposal does appear on the November ballot, it should be voted down as a blank check to developers to build, build, build at an exorbitant cost to the public and the environment.
Peter Akras
Wading River
LIRR fare hikes neededto improve services
How many Port Jefferson LIRR riders remember that in July 1947 the LIRR increased fares by 20%?
MTA NYC Transit Bus, Subways and Staten Island Railway, MTA Bus along with Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad have been required every few years to exist on much smaller rate increases. Fare hikes are needed if the MTA operating agencies are to provide the services we count on. The rate rises are inevitable due to increasing costs of labor, power, fuel, supplies, materials, routine safety, state of good repair, replacement of worn-out rolling stock, upgrades to stations, yards and shops.
In 1993, 30 years ago, MetroCards were introduced. These provided free transfers between the subway and bus. This eliminated the old two-fare zones, making public transportation an even better bargain. It has been eight years since the $2.75 base fare was adopted.
Purchasing a weekly or monthly MetroCard, OMNY card or LIRR commutation ticket reduces the cost per ride and provides virtually unlimited trips. Employers offer transit checks which help subsidize a portion of the costs.
The quality and frequency of service is dependent upon a secure revenue stream. MTA management, MTA unions, riders, taxpayers along with city, state and Federal Transit Administration — that provides both capital and operating assistance — all must do their fair share.
This is necessary to ensure a safe and reliable service that millions of daily riders count on. We all have to contribute, be it at the farebox or through tax revenues generated by different levels of government redistributed back to the MTA.
TANSTAAFL stands for “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch” — or, in this case, a free ride.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL
We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation.
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The editorial supporting immigrants seeking asylum was wonderful [“Immigrants may be coming,” June 8]. We are a nation of immigrants — we all come from somewhere else. My ancestors came from Eastern Europe fleeing persecution and severe poverty. I wonder how many of the Suffolk County legislators who want to keep immigrants out, remember their origins.
Many of our ancestors underwent severe hardship to come here, none more than the immigrants coming now. All Americans, not only those of us living in border states need to do our share to welcome these people.
Adam Fisher
Port Jefferson Station
Not every migrantis an asylum seeker
The June 8 editorial makes an excellent point … for legal immigration.
The numbers quoted on crime from immigrants, are true … for legal immigrant communities, not from the illegal migrants crossing our southern border unimpeded (and now the northern border as well).
The United Nations defines “asylum seekers” as people looking for protection from political persecution, primarily. However, an important point that the U.N. also stipulates is that asylum needs to be granted from/to contiguous countries, for example the U.S. and Mexico, or the U.S. and Canada. Every migrant entering the U.S. from any country other than Mexico and Canada is entering the country illegally, committing a crime.
Regarding crime among illegal migrants, an estimated 4 million have crossed our southern border since 2020. Four million unverified, often untested for diseases — such as COVID — and in many cases human trafficked into indentured servitude paying off exorbitant fees to the cartels just to reach the border.
Once crossed, by definition they are criminals. The cartels have operational control of our borders, we are no longer a sovereign country. At last count, migrants from over 47 countries have been detained at the border. How many migrants have died just trying to reach the border? Unknowable. Each year over 100,000 Americans die from fentanyl poisoning, routinely coming across our border. Everyone knows someone who has lost a loved one, everyone.
There’s a significant difference between legal immigrants and illegal migrants. I agree with the editorial regarding the picture it paints, but for legal immigration.
We should address the legal immigration laws in the United States, welcome those that have something to offer the U.S., rather than enrich the cartels, abuse the migrants and further burden the taxpayer.
Rich Fleischman
East Setauket
Brain drain and the housing crisis
In contradiction to the June 1 editorial, “Plug Long Island’s ‘brain drain,’” it is not much of a puzzle how to get more of our youth to stay on Long Island. One need look no further than the housing crisis for causes and solutions.
I recently noticed upcoming property development near Bennetts Road and Route 25A in East Setauket that is exactly the opposite of what is needed to solve a problem everyone says they acknowledge: Four more expensive single-family houses, on 1-acre lots, all within walking distance of the post office, the Greenway, stores and restaurants, an LIRR station and Stony Brook University. If we cannot muster the will to require higher-density housing near transportation hubs and universities, then where?
The problem is hyper-local zoning decisions driven by existing homeowners so wealthy they don’t worry about their kids being priced out of the area, and a tribal political environment that makes it useful to scare homeowners about their property values. But what good are high property values if the brain — and youth — drain hollows out all other areas of life and the local economy?
Since we can’t seem to deal with new development sanely, can we at least make accessory dwelling units (basement and garage apartments, tiny houses, guest cottages) uniformly legal throughout Suffolk County? Even conservatives should support the right of homeowners to use their own property as they see fit. Reasonable limits on minimum lot size, maximum unit square footage, owner occupancy and rental agreement terms can address all the typical concerns.
The benefits of ADUs are myriad, and rapid increases in affordable, small housing have been demonstrated in Connecticut, New Hampshire and California. Homeowners can rent to young professionals to help pay the mortgage. Empty nesters can reside in ADUs while renting out the main house. Middle-aged homeowners can accommodate aging parents or adult children without sacrificing privacy and autonomy. And every occupied ADU takes someone out of the local rental market, lowering price pressures across the board.
ADUs require no tax money or impact studies, adding housing rapidly. Technically, most areas of Suffolk County already allow ADUs and thousands of units already exist, but a patchwork of complex restrictions and daunting permitting discourage homeowners from building new or renting existing units. What is needed is a clear, countywide set of legal policies that provide homeowners with consistency, clarity and certainty.
John Hover
East Setauket
Republicans inflame rather than inform immigration debate
This letter is a response to Charles Tramontana’s recent letter [“Yes, words do matter,” June 8] in answer to mine [“Words matter in immigration dialogue,” May 25]. I’ll reiterate that seeking asylum is legal, and that no human being is an “alien.” I believe that language needs to be based in truth, and must be used deliberately and accurately.
The truth is that Suffolk County is facing a lawsuit for the Republican legislators’ recent political stunt. We will now spend taxpayer dollars on lawsuits, dollars that could go to services and resources residents desperately need in this county. We have no idea how many asylum seekers are coming to the county. No asylum seekers have been relocated to our county to date. This reaffirms that this is a political ploy propagated by local politicians to activate their right-wing base in a low turnout election year. Those fearmongering tactics have long been a part of their well-worn playbook.
Mr. Tramontana’s letter blames recent immigration policy as the cause for this issue. To understand the root causes of immigration, it’s crucial to look beyond the past two years. This is a decades-long issue, going back to the civil unrest in Central America in the early 1970s. In 1986, then-President Ronald Reagan [R] signed a bipartisan bill known as the Reagan Amnesty Act, offering a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
We had the opportunity to again address immigration in 2013 when the U.S. Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan bill with a 68-32 vote, the most comprehensive since the Reagan Amnesty Act. Unfortunately, it was killed by the Tea Party House Republicans. We are still suffering the consequences of that squandered opportunity a decade later. Sadly, I do not believe that today’s House Republican majority has the willingness to solve this problem, which means we will continue to struggle with a lack of solutions due to political posturing and inaction.
Immigration, like many of the issues we’re contending with in this country, is a serious issue that requires leaders who engage in seeking solutions. The Republican members of the Suffolk County Legislature do not possess those qualities, and their rhetoric and actions on this issue inflame rather than inform. We can address this issue in a pragmatic and humane manner, but only if we engage in a good faith effort to do so. And to get there, we must choose our rhetoric carefully and thoughtfully, because words matter.
Shoshana Hershkowitz
South Setauket
FOIL review upholds electoral integrity
In the spirit of the upcoming Port Jefferson Village election, there appears to be some misconception of the election process.
Any candidate has the right to FOIL an opponent’s filed paperwork and question the validity of the petitions. This is not something new, it happens quite often.
I know this from experience since my petitions were reviewed by the Suffolk County Board of Elections when I ran for PJ Village trustee many years ago.
They found that some of the petitioners were not registered voters, and I did not have enough signatures to put me over the required threshold.
This process is in place to uphold the integrity of our elections.
Dominick Parillo
Port Jefferson
Local officials representing us well
Thank you for highlighting our local perspectives. It was a relief to read the astute eloquence of Suffolk Legislator Kara Hahn [D-Setauket] on the issue of immigration at the county Legislature. Equally reassuring was the letter by Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich [D-Stony Brook]. We are not lucky — we ensure this caliber of representation exists because we vote.
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