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Sabrina Artusa

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David Ansel, vice president for the Center for Water Protection, presenting the report’s results at a press conference on May 20. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

On May 20, Save the Sound, an environmental organization that analyzes the water quality of the Long Island Sound, compiled data revealing updated scores of beaches along Long Island’s coastline. The biennial report focuses on beach water quality, bacteria levels and swimming safety. 

The report was launched at a conference at Centerport Beach, with Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth (R) and Cornell Cooperative representatives present as Save the Sound Vice President of the Center for Water Protection David Ansel presented the grades, challenges and solutions for the Long Island Sound water quality. 

Using data collected by the departments of health that conduct the beach monitoring,  the beach report department of health, the beach report revealed an increase in wet weather that led to a decline in water quality. Consistently, samples collected within 48 hours of a quarter-inch or more of rainfall revealed diminished water quality. Indeed, there was an overall increase in samples that failed to meet state standards for bacteria concentration (including beaches in Connecticut). 

The grades, ranging from an F to an A+, are determined based on the presence of enterococcus bacteria. Swimmers can become sick if they swim in waters with unsafe concentrations of this fecal indicator bacteria. A failing sample contains 104 colony forming units per 100 ml. 

New York City and other areas surrounding the part of the Long Island Sound known as “the narrows” continue to receive low grades as the water is less often flushed out as opposed to beaches in eastern Suffolk County. 

Samples taken after precipitation contained higher levels of the bacteria suggest that pollutants are getting washed into the water. Ansel said “green infrastructure” can help. Paved areas do not allow for storm water absorption, instead leading runoff, and all the pollutants like oil and debris it picks up on the way, to run straight to the water. 

“We have seen high incidents of wet weather in the last number of years and we believe it is having a negative effect on the scores for the beaches. In our last beach report 78% of the beaches received As and Bs. In this year’s report 72% of the beaches are receiving As and Bs,” Ansel said, adding that we are coming off the wettest two-year stretch with 44 inches of rain. 

Animal waste is a big contributor to the presence of the bacteria in the water. Cleaning garbage, maintaining sewers and planting native plants can help minimize fecal-bacteria contamination. 

Ansel is active in advocating for solutions that would improve the Sound. The same day of the conference, he traveled to Albany to testify that more data is needed regarding algal blooms in saline water. 

“We are hopeful that there will be a conversion of Rikers Island to a water treatment facility that would have a materially positive impact on the Western Narrows of New York City and New York Sound.”

Smyth said the town began harvesting sugar kelp in 2022 and implemented a program for spawning oysters, which help filter the water. Huntington even supplies other municipalities with oysters shell stock to grow. 

“The sugar kelp is native to Long Island and requires little to no effort to grow in Long Island’s bays and harbors. The benefit is it improves water quality by removing harmful nitrogen which causes algae blooms,” Smyth said. 

Deputy Supervisor John McCarron said they harvest the kelp and grind it to a powder, which is then used as fertilizer. 

Although the town has only been harvesting sugar kelp for three years, McCarron said he has noticed  positive growth with marine wildlife diversity, with various species of fish dwelling by the kelp. The presence of wildlife seemed like a good sign. “This means it is doing something to clean up the area,” he said. 

High scoring beaches include Port Jefferson beach and Cedar Beach West, which had an A- and A+ respectively. 

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Port Jefferson High School. File photo by Elana Glowatz

By Sabrina Artusa

Two incumbents and one newcomer are vying for two seats on the Port Jefferson Board of Education. Ellen Boehm, current president, Randi DeWitt, current board member and challenger Jennie Berges attended a PTA-sponsored event to project their positions on district issues. 

Berges, a mom of three and the only candidate with children currently in the district, is a mental health counselor who is running to “be a voice” for parents and teachers who want to feel connected to the administration. 

Dewitt is a first-grade teacher of 26 years in another district and a lifelong Port Jefferson resident and attended the Port Jefferson School District herself before raising two children who graduated the district. “My platform is to continue to advocate for our students and to continue our district’s reputation for academic excellence,” she said. Her current term as a board member expires this year. 

Boehm, current president of the BOE, also graduated from the district and had children who did as well. She has been on the board since 2012 and took on the role of president five years ago. 

All three candidates acknowledge diminishing enrollment as an issue, although it is a trend that most schools have experienced post-COVID, according to data from the New York State  Education Department. Already a small district, the candidates spoke of how it factors in to board decisions. 

Berges said it is a draw that the board could potentially build off of the “smaller community feel” and intimate class sizes could be attractive to many families, as they were for hers. “Declining enrollment is a challenge,” she said. “Having a small school shouldn’t be. I think there are ways to work with what we have to work within the integrity of that.” 

The district is responding to the trend. Superintendent Jessica Schmettan said that there are fewer classes for certain grades. Programs are continuing strong, and even expanding in some areas such as full-day prekindergarten and a breakfast program. 

Addressing taxes, Boehm said she applauds administrators for keeping taxes lower than neighboring districts, but that residents on fixed income, including herself, are “feeling the strain.”

“I think it is really important that as a board and a district…that they stand behind the students and evaluate what is best for the students of Port Jeff. My hope is that it keeps programs intact. Does it mean that every teacher will be here forever? I don’t know.” 

2025-2026 budget 

The board held their last public hearing on the $49,406,575 budget on May 13 – a 2.89% increase from last years’ budget with a $741,969 increase in the tax levy from last years’ $39,396,316. The district lost around $111,000 in state aid.

The district continues to tackle costs amid the $16.5 million Child Victims Act settlement, which Schmettan said will have no effect on programing or quality of education to the students. WIth $5.1 million already paid, the district is under a one-year borrowing contract with Oppenheimer & Co for the remaining cost while they pursue potential solutions with the state. Around $400,000 from the undesignated reserve will be expended in the 2025-2026 school year to cover the interest. 

Now confronted with expenses that were previously shouldered by LIPA’s tax payments, Dewitt and Boehm said they explored the possibility of redefining the district lines, thus including more homes in their area and bringing in more revenue and students, but were unable to appeal to neighboring districts. 

On May 20 voters will also weigh in on a proposition pertaining to the renovation of the HVAC system, described as old and “inefficient” by Deputy Superintendent Sean Leister. “The pipes throughout the building are literally crumbling in our hands, he said. “I spent between $165,000 and $200,000 in repairs this year alone.” 

The board would like to use up to $3.2 million in capital reserves designated for upgrades and renovations to aid in financing the new system. Leister said that if the system isn’t repaired, the heat could reach unsafe levels by state standards and require the students to be sent home. Currently, they have to choose which rooms to air condition, he added.

Voting will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 20 in the Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Cafeteria. 

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The Forestwood Civic Association meeting on April 30. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The Forestwood Civic Association meeting on April 30. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The Forestwood Civic Association meeting on April 30. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa 

Residents of Forestwood continue to monitor changes to Blydenburgh County Park, which sits in the heart of their community. At a Forestwood Civic Association meeting, Suffolk County Chief Engineer Alexander Prego fielded questions regarding the design and timeline for a new dam, an essential step in the process of refilling Stump Pond.

The timeline for the lake, a signature characteristic of this national historic site and a major draw for hikers, fishers and kayakers, has been uncertain as county officials navigate permitting and funding. 

“Our goal is to build it back better,” Prego said. “That failure that occurred last fall — we need to make sure that we build it for more than that.” The failed dam was classified as Class A, or a low-hazard dam, where failure could result in damage to roads and undeveloped land with an unlikely risk of “substantial economic loss or substantial environmental damage.” The new dam will likely be Class B, or intermediate hazard, reflecting the reality of August’s storm and its potential for “downstream damage,” according to Suffolk County Department of Public Works Commissioner Charlie Bartha. The more “substantial” dam will require more periodic inspections from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Blydenburgh is on a watershed, meaning the water from over 12,000 acres of land accumulated at the park. “We need to estimate how much water of that 12,000 will be coming in during a 25- or 100-year storm,“ Prego said. The new dam and spillway will be able to handle 225% of a 100-year storm. They installed five stream gauges to record rainfall and tide data. “We need to measure everything coming in here,” he said. 

In April, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) released a document detailing the steps to be completed, which include permitting and inspections from several different departments such as the DEC and the New York State Historic Preservation Office. Prego said the county aims to have permitting and plans completed by the end of this year.

Of the $6.6 million of county money dedicated to rebuilding, the mapping, engineering planning and other analyses used $500,000. 

In addition, they plan to add a fish ladder to promote the migration of the American eel, brook trout and river otters. 

Forestwood residents expressed concern for trail accessibility for horses as well as the safety hazard posed by the soft, muddy surface of the empty lake. “What are you going to do to protect the pond area and at the same time protect the kids in our neighborhood?” one resident asked. 

The swamp-like crater was described as looking like “a breeding ground for mosquitoes” by one resident, who then asked how it is being treated. The county can use larvicide to eliminate mosquitoes before they hatch, said Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality Vice Chair Michael Kaufman. 

Members of the Suffolk County Department of Parks were invited but were not present for the meeting. Forestwood civic President Robert Sikora called their absence “very disappointing.” 

“They should’ve been here,” he said. “This is a park discussion.” Indeed, several residents had questions about trail maintenance that did not fall into the purview of the public works department.

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Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket. Photo by Elyse Sutton

By Sabrina Artusa

Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket is temporarily closed after staff noticed a strange odor on May 1. The smell was from a mold growth in a “contained area” of the library, necessitating repairs to the HVAC system. 

The mold, Cladosporium, is described by the National Institutes of Health as one of the “most common fungal inhabitants worldwide.” It appears as black or brown spots in a wide variety of conditions and surfaces such as carpets, HVAC grills, wallpaper or wood surfaces and is particularly drawn to damp, not-well-ventilated places like bathrooms or basements. 

According to library Director Ted Gutmann, the cause has not yet been determined and the remediation process is still underway.

The mold air-sampling concentration varied from light to heavy. Spore concentration levels of 1,500 and below are considered acceptable. Physical symptoms begin to materialize in people with normal immune functions when spore levels reach 10,000 or higher, although those with sensitive health may experience sneezing, an itchy throat or eyes, coughing, a runny nose or dry skin at a level of 3,000 spores. 

Gutmann said reopening “could be a few weeks away.” 

“We are working to make sure the process is completed as quickly and safely as possible,” he said. “As soon as we have more information, reopening updates will be posted on the library’s website and social media channels.”

The library will continue online zoom classes on the usual schedule but will extend holds and due dates of books, museum passes and items. The prolonged possession of library property will not accrue late fees and holds will be extended for one week past the date of reopening. The library will reopen once air quality tests confirm the mold’s eradication. The library card can be used at any Suffolk County library. 

Gutmann and library staff still plan to have the Seed Library outdoors. “Emma Clark is still here for the community during building closure,” Gutmann said, adding that several upcoming events will be held. 

The Catholic Health’s mobile outreach bus will park at the library on May 15 for free health screenings and E-Waste & Metal Recycling Day will be held in the parking lot on May 17. The Ellen Bodolub Chamber Music Concert on May 18 has been moved to the Setauket Neighborhood House. 

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The Smithtown Library's Main Branch reopens. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The Smithtown Library's Main Branch reopens. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A patron sitting at a table in the Cornelia Butler Reading Room. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A patron visits the newly reopened Smithtown Library. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa 

For the first time in 8 months, the Smithtown Library building’s doors are open. Patrons can once again browse shelves of books on the first floor of the library, previously closed due to the immense damage inflicted by the August, 2024, 100-year storm. 

Smithtown Library card-holders were able to visit the Nesconset, Commack and Kings Park buildings during the hiatus, and staff worked out of other branches. Services are still limited, as the community room and much of the media offerings were in the basement.

Smithtown Library Director Rob Lusak said the reopening was “a heartfelt moment.” Patrons and public officials turned up on the morning of May 5 as the library doors opened at 9:30 a.m., as they have done many times before. This time, though, the reopening was especially memorable. It reflected the months of hard work from public officials and library staff, as well as the immeasurable support from the community.

After the storm, the displaced employees had to build skills not many librarians would expect to use. For months, Lusak and his staff coordinated with contractors, learned the nuances of HVAC systems and the technicalities of rebuilding. They hauled soaked debris from the basement and salvaged what they could. They learned how to communicate with the Federal Emergency Management Association.  They flew to Michigan, where the majority of the rare-book collection is getting restored. Lusak said 42 of the 46 pallets of books will be restored by Prism Specialties. The remaining four pallets not restored by the company  will be restored by library workers.. 

The circulation staff, Lina O’Brien, Kim Seliger and Mary Bonamo worked at other branches since the storm. Seliger had been at the Smithtown building for 22 years. “I am happy to be back, even in a limited capacity,” she said. O’Brien had started at the Smithtown Library as a page, working her way up. 

Some staff members lost their belongings and offices in the storm. O’Brien said she saw a note she had written floating away in the video tape that recorded the storm, along with her desk. Assistant Library Director and Building Manager Eileen Caulfield lost her entire office. For now, she set up her computer right by the entrance. 

Patrons, too, are happy to be back among the familiar shelves and tables. In the children’s section, Jack Cotrone played with toy dinosaurs on the freshly steamed carpet floor. “He has been talking about coming back all year,” his mother Laura Cotrone said as Jack sat immersed with the toys. “They did a great job – it’s beautiful. I felt so bad with all the damage.” 

The damage required new HVAC and electrical systems, fire alarms and the complete emptying of the basement.

Peggy Micciche, a life-long Smithtown resident, said she used to visit the library every Tuesday night with her father, continuing her frequent visits into adulthood in order to study genealogy. “It is wonderful to have it back,” she said, adding that while she visited other branches, the nostalgic charm of the Smithtown building cannot be replaced. 

The library will be closed Friday evening and on Sunday as it continues to undergo repairs. The elevator is expected to be operational in the summer, allowing access to the mezzanine. 

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Harold Sheprow with grandson Connor. Photo from Lauren Sheprow
Harold Sheprow and Chuck Sewel. Photo courtesy Lauren Sheprow
Trustee Sheprow with Gordon Thompson. Photo from Lauren Sheprow
Peggy and Harold Sheprow in 2006. Photo courtesy Lauren Sheprow
The Sheprow Family in 2015. Photo courtesy Lauren Sheprow

This article was updated on May 7, 2025.

By Sabrina Artusa

Harold J. Sheprow, six-term mayor of the Village of Port Jefferson, passed away on May 1 at age 95, surrounded by family. 

Sheprow was born Dec, 25, 1929, in Queens to Harold Sheprow Sr. and Gladys Petrie. As a teenager, he joined the Merchant Marines and became chief engineer at 18. Upon his return, he was drafted in 1954 to serve in the Korean War. On Feb. 9, 1957, he married Margaret Mary Katherine Kerr (Peggy) with whom he spent 68 years. 

He then began working at Grumman Corporation, requiring he and Peggy to move to Port Jefferson Village from New Jersey in 1961. As an engineer, he worked on aircrafts like the F14 Tomcat, eventually retiring in 1990. 

Upon moving to the village and paying to take his family to the beach, he was galvanized to get involved in village politics, first as a member of the Planning Board, then as a trustee and finally as mayor. 

Sheprow was mayor for a total of 12 years — his lengthy tenure showcasing his dedication to serving his community, transcending his role as mayor and extending throughout his life. 

Under Sheprow’s leadership, the village acquired the 170-acre Port Jefferson Country Club. He worked tirelessly for almost a decade to achieve his vision of a Port Jefferson where residents could have a private property they could call their own. 

Famously, he attended a party where he made a connection to the country club’s owners. The acquaintance introduced him to the estate owners of the property. In a meeting, they agreed to lease the property to the village. They signed a $1 bill, sealing the agreement until a proper contract could be made. 

The country club, an acquisition that required years of effort and planning and some spontaneous creativity, now bears his name.

Former Director of Recreation and Parks Ron Carlson said he was working in town hall while Sheprow was on a phone call with attorneys from Winston estates. “He came into my office, sat down, and said ‘Ron, guess what’,” Carlson said. “I said, ‘What?’ He said you may not believe this, but we are going to buy that golf club.”

“He said he wasn’t positive, but I think he was,” Carlson added. “He knew deep down that the village would vote ‘yes’ to the acquisition.”

Father Francis Pizzarelli, who formed Hope House Ministries while Sheprow was mayor in 1980, said Sheprow’s “creative genius” and “tender heart” helped make the village what it is today.

“He was a law-and-order tough guy but I was always amazed with him,” Pizzarelli said. “He was always thinking and he would think outside the box.”

Sheprow also worked to open the waterfront for public use through the development of Danfords Hotel & Marina in 1986, making the village less “heavily industrious” and developing a sense of place, former Mayor Margot Garant said. 

As a father of six and an active golfer, Sheprow understood the need and value of recreational services in the village. 

“What was very fun about him was he was very pro-recreation and parks,” Carlson said.

Indeed, he organized a bus service to ferry residents to the beach during the summer; he held Halloween parties at the Village Center; he promoted sports programs to make the athletic fields more accessible, with fields booked almost every day of the week; and even formed a team with other village employees, participating in softball and bowling games against the Village of Patchogue employees.

He strived to make the village a pleasant place to live, full of beauty, recreation and accessible parkland. His leadership style inspired his successors, including Garant.

“He was a man for everybody. He wasn’t pretentious. You always felt comfortable around Hal,” she said. “He never made any situation feel like it was something that couldn’t be handled. He wasn’t mayor for title or prestige, he was mayor for helping the people.” 

Pizzarelli said that, although Sheprow was hesitant to support Hope House Ministries at first, he gave Pizzarelli the opportunity to argue his case and actively listened to other positions. 

“He was always open-minded, and that is what always impressed me,” Pizzarelli said. “Whatever you brought to him, even though he may push back, he allowed you to push back to him so he could have a better understanding of whatever the issue was you were bringing to him.” 

The Village of Port Jefferson made a social media post after Sheprow’s death, stating that the Sheprow family is “lightened by the fact that he was resting comfortably in his final moments, surrounded by loved ones.”

In an interview by Chris Ryon and Mark Sternberg in 2023 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the incorporation of the village, Sheprow said, “Being a mayor for Port Jefferson has got to be the most exciting experience anybody, laymen, could have. There is no better. I don’t care what you do in Port Jefferson, whether you go water-skiing, whatever you do, golf…nothing. Nothing is better than this — working in the Port Jeff government.”

Sheprow served as mayor from 1977 to 1985 and 1987 to 1991. His daughter, Lauren Sheprow, continues his legacy as mayor. He is survived by his wife Peggy; daughters Madelyn and Lauren; sons Dennis, Warren, Glenn and Brendan; 14 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his parents, brothers Ralph and Warren and son Neil Harold. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hope House Ministries of Port Jefferson. Visitation was on May 6 at Moloney’s Funeral Home in Port Jefferson Station. The funeral Mass was held on May 7 at St. Charles Chapel, 200 Belle Terre Road, Port Jefferson. Graveside service was be held at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Port Jefferson following the Mass. 

 

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A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
A scene from the Smithtown Historical Society's 2025 Easter Festival. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

On a warm and sunny April 19, families gathered at the Smithtown Historical Society for an Easter egg hunt, live music, crafts and a petting zoo. 

Food trucks parked on the grounds and, during breaks from the scavenger hunt or racing in the mini trucks, children sat in the shade and enjoyed an ice cream. Sheep, ponies, goats and llamas received much attention from the curious children. Adults perused craft booths that vendors set up next to a small stage, where the band Perfect Strangers covered the classics. 

Children in their Easter best sat next to the Easter bunny and posed for pictures. Bunny ears bobbed across the expansive grounds as children ran from one activity to the next, enjoying the fresh air and Easter festivities. 

— Photos by Sabrina Artusa

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Jude Rosenveld at the April 8 public hearing.

By Sabrina Artusa

During an April 8 Huntington Town board meeting, Cold Spring Harbor residents spoke on the proposed rezoning of the 23.75-acre RozeWood Farm and Estate property at 473 Woodbury Road. The period for public comment remains open. 

Currently, the owners of the property, Jude and Jan Rosenveld, want to create a 23-room retreat and spa on the property. To do so, the property will have to be zoned as a historic overlap district from an R-80 residential district. 

The property consists of a farm, a manor house, a farm house, guest cottages and a carriage house. There is also a tennis court and inground pool on the property, which will be used for the spa. 

“There are very few improvements being made to the property,” said Chris Robinson of Robinson and Mullers, an engineer on the project. Improvements would include a parking area and a second tennis court. The State Environmental Quality Review Act determination was negative. 

An online petition against the rezoning on Change.org has garnered over 640 signatures. Chief among the concerns of opponents was additional traffic congestion as well as the risks rezoning would create should future property owners decide to make further changes. Further, the use of the service road was cause of criticism, especially for those residing on neighboring properties who predict increased use would affect the peace of their community. 

Wayne Muller of Robinson and Muller Engineering said that traffic would not exceed any other possible projects permissible in the current R-80 Residential zoning, such as mosques or a private elementary school.

“Neither me, myself or my neighbors or the town of Huntington should be put in the position where trust is part of the equation. My neighbors and I respectfully ask that restrictive covenants be put in place if you consider putting in place this zone change,” said one resident.

The mansion was built in the 1930s, while the farmhouse was used in 1830 and is on the National Historic registry.

As the Huntington Town Board considers denoting millions to the water and sewer districts in Greenlawn, Dix Hills and South Huntington, residents question if new facilities are imminently necessary. 

“If there is anything you can do to put this off until the economy straightens off, that would be greatly appreciated especially by those who really can’t afford it,” said one Greenlawn resident, where there is a $6 million proposed expenditure. Nathaniel Corwin of Meyer Suozzi law firm, who is representing the Greenlawn water district, said “the estimated cost for [an advanced oxidation process] system including necessary GAC [granular activated carbon] systems, building as well as a very expensive generator is $9,994,000.” Since $3 million will be provided through on-hand funds, a bond would be required for the remainder. 

For more information of RozeWood Farm and Estate go to www.rozewoodfarm.com.

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The historical structure at Tesla Science Center after the fire on Nov. 21, 2023. Photo courtesy Tesla Science Center

By Sabrina Artusa

After the 2023 fire, the Tesla Science Center in Shoreham is on its way to rebuilding. In November 2023, the center was in the process of a $20 million restoration: the culmination of fundraising and a grassroots effort to turn the historic and dilapidated property into something educational and productive. 

While the fire poses an unfortunate hurdle to the center’s reopening, the board of directors are continuing to move ahead to offer at least a part of the center to the public: the Visitors Center. 

Marc Alessi standing in front of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe in Shoreham before the 2023 fire. File photo

“It is the beginning of the whole property, but right now it is everything,” said Marc Alessi, executive director. “It is the advertiser of what this will be. There is going to be one exhibit and a classroom and they can hold events and field trips.”

He expects to get the Visitors Center to open in 2026, having already secured a contractor to work on the building at the end of April. 

The nonprofit has already raised $14 million from across the country, in addition to federal grants that they will receive once the work those grants are designated for is complete. The fire, however, added $3.5 million to their original estimate of $20 million, as well as another year, at least, to their timeline until reopening. 

The Tesla center’s history has been spotted with difficulty. It took over a decade for the property to be secured, and then several years before enough money was raised to hire engineers and apply for permits. 

The historic nature of the buildings as well as the fact that it is situated on a brownfield, a property that could be contaminated by past use, contributed to making the center “the most complicated museum project in the country right now.” 

The site is not ideal, but in order to honor the 120-year-old building and the significance of the location to Tesla’s legacy, the complicated construction is worth it to Alessi, the rest of the staff and the board of directors as well as over 30,000 people who donated to the cause. “If it wasn’t Tesla’s historic lab, it wouldn’t be happening on this site…This is hallowed ground and a historic site in the making,” Alessi said. 

To honor the historic nature of the buildings, Alessi said they had to find a contractor with expertise in historic renovations. Their last contractor fell through and denied the insurance claim after the fire, he said. 

Now, the center has recently appointed four new board members with diverse backgrounds in an effort to expand the center’s mission. Matt Inman, one of the initial advocates for the center, cartoonist and creator of the popular card game “Exploding Kittens” is bringing “a new way of thinking“ and “a network we wouldn’t have known of,” said Alessi.

Kara Cannon, CEO of Enzo Biochem; Matt Domo, an innovator with a background in technology; and Romain Murenzi, a professor of physics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute with experience in science policy, joined the board of directors last month. 

“[Murenzi] has experience setting up science programs in nations across the world. If we want to be a global science center we have to get people like this involved who have that reach; and it will be an international board eventually,” Alessi said.

The center is expected to bring international visitors – perhaps tourists who are visiting New York City but make the trip to Long Island to visit the site of Tesla’s abandoned lab with all the exhibits and technologies it has to offer. Board members expect 180,000 visitors a year. 

Once the museum is established, they would like to employ traveling exhibits in the future, where other museums borrow from their niche collection. The museum will tell Tesla’s story but will be equally focused on new ideas and technologies. Alessi said, “[Tesla] was a ‘futurist. That is the kind of thinking we want to embrace and celebrate.”

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From left, Anthony Anatol, Luke Jantzen, Jon Seyfert and Andrew Senf after running the relay. Photo courtesy of David Seyfert

By Sabrina Artusa

The Ward Melville High School boys track team have proven themselves as formidable competitors repeatedly this season — the Ward Melville name consistently high on the rankings. In this year’s winter season, the Ward Melville Patriots upheld their reputation.

On March 8 senior Jon Seyfert stepped up to the line for the 1600-meter race telling himself that winning was the only option. Seyfert, usually calm before racing, was nervous. 

Jon Seyfert running his leg of the 4 x mile relay at the New Balance Nationals. Photo courtesy of David Seyfert

He knew he wanted to give his coach and parents a state championship. His goal was to secure a position in front in the first 100 meters. Having done so, he held his position, waiting for the right moment to push ahead. In the seventh lap, he took the lead: a move that did not go unchallenged. 

“Another kid comes out from [lane] three or four trying to cut off,” Seyfert said. “[He] either had to go faster or go behind me and at that point I was like, ‘I got this.’” 

The other runners were unable to catch up and Seyfert, remembering his coach’s advice to run through the line, flew past it with 13 others chasing behind, making Seyfert the state champion in the mile.

He completed the mile in 4:15:68, utilizing months of hard summer and fall training to push him past the competition. 

“[There was] a lot riding on it,” he said. “You don’t know how many chances you are going to get for a state championship.”

“From the time the gun went off, I couldn’t be more excited as a coach,” Coach Ryan DeLuca said. “He took his experiences from his past races and experiences and did everything right.” 

From the initial positioning to mid-race strategy to patiently waiting to make the final move in the seventh lap, Deluca said the race was Seyfert’s “best executed race in four years.” 

Last year, Seyfert came in second in Suffolk County’s cross-country championships. Now, he is first in the state in the indoor 1600 meters. 

Having become a state champion, Seyfert said his primary goal in every race is to reach his potential. “I just want to say I couldn’t have gone any faster. I want to finish and say I gave it my all. I really did try.”

On March 8, running the 1600 meters, Seyfert tried and succeeded. 

New Balance Nationals

On March 14 and 15, the Patriots were back for the New Balance Nationals for the distance medley relay and the 4x mile relay. 

After not performing as well as they hoped in the distance medley relay, sophomore Andrew Senf, juniors Anthony Anatol and Luke Jantzen and Seyfert approached the 4x mile race hopeful and ready. They had trained for months, 

DeLuca told his team, ‘You guys can rebound from this in a big way. And the race that didn’t go well was a good chance to flush [your] legs.” 

“They came back with vengeance,” he said. 

Senf was the lead-off runner. As he prepared at the line holding the baton, he endeavored to set up his teammates for a good race by getting out in front and pushing the pace in the last 300 meters. With the disappointing distance medley relay behind him, he felt that there “was no pressure” and that being at nationals was itself an accomplishment.

Senf ran a personal best and “took charge” early on, according to Seyfert, who said “it was really cool to see.” He created such a large gap between himself and the next runner that, when he handed off the baton, completing his mile in 4:26, Jantzen was in “no man’s land,” as Seyfert put it. 

Jantzen, excited to race, knew that they were going to break the school’s record for this event. He visualized the race and tried to mentally prepare for the mile ahead of him. 

He handed off the baton to Anatol, who held the team’s position and, with the help of Senf and Jantzen, was able to lap some of the competition. Seyfert took the baton from Anatol and finished the last leg. The four finished with a time of 17:51:90, making them 12th fastest in the country. 

“After that night we came back the next day and we put it all together. We did what we were supposed to,” Jantzen said. 

“A lot of what helped get us to this point is that we all have such a good dynamic as a team and not just the four of us on the team but the guys that didn’t go as well,” Senf said. “Being with the coaches and the other kids is just such a pleasure. If I were on another team I don’t know if I would find the same enjoyment. The people just make it so fun.”

For more information visit the school website: www.threevillagecsd.org.

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