A scene from the Hands Off! rally in Port Jefferson Station on April 5. Photo courtesy Dee Hensen
A scene from the Hands Off! rally in Port Jefferson Station on April 5. Photo courtesy Dee Hensen
A scene from the Hands Off! rally in Port Jefferson Station on April 5. Photo courtesy Dee Hensen
A scene from the Hands Off! rally in Port Jefferson Station on April 5. Photo courtesy Dee Hensen
Some locals traveled to New York City to participate in a Hands Off! march. Photo by Michael Vincenti
By Sabrina Artusa
Port Jefferson Station was one of over a thousand across the country to participate in a “Hands Off!” demonstration on April 5.
The protest was organized as an objection to the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s involvement in government affairs. Residents stood along the intersection of Route 347 and Route 112 voicing their opposition to the Department of Government Efficiency, the sidelining of climate issues, cuts to veteran affairs, deportations and the increased tariffs.
The North Brookhaven Democratic Club was the main host of this arm of the “Hands Off!” movement.
Dee Hensen, president of the club since its inception 6 years ago, said this protest was the largest one she has ever attended.
“It was really energizing and it gives you a little bit of comfort knowing there are so many people out there with similar concerns,” Hensen said. “It is great to be a part of a big movement.”
The communal passion and dedication exhibited during the protest revitalized Hensen in her mission. “It gives you confidence that you can fight these things and make it better,” she said.
This protest comes after several protests across the Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington areas since President Donald Trump (R) took office. In March, there was a protest every weekend. Furthermore, residents have taken to demonstrating outside the offices of their elected officials. Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY1) has had two protests outside his Hauppauge office, with residents criticizing his lack of town halls and compliance with some federal initiatives.
Michael Vincenti, a Stony Brook resident who attended a “Hands Off!” march in New York City, said, “It was great to be surrounded by like-minded people. I was astounded to see so many people show up in the rain and stop traffic for miles.”
Left to right: Rep. Nick Lalota (R-NY1), Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY2), Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) and Laura Gillen (D-NY4). Screenshot from a livestream of the meeting
By Sabrina Artusa
An hour-long conference was held in Woodbury on March 28 by the Long Island Association for their What’s New in Washington series. Congress members Nick LaLota (R-NY1), Tom Suozzi (D-NY3), Laura Gillen (D-NY4) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY2) met to answer pressing questions regarding present federal policies. Moderator Matt Cohen led the discussion.
SALT
The four congress members spoke of their bipartisanship and dedication to serving Long Island together. Suozzi commended LaLota and Garbarino on going against their party in opposing the SALT cap, which restricts tax deduction on income, sales or property taxes to $10,000. The cap expires this year
“The continuation of that cap will not pass because there are enough of us that will vote against any bill that tries that,” Garbarino said.
“Our leadership knows that we are absolutely strong and steadfast in our position here, to take us seriously. I am willing to vote ‘No’ if there isn’t enough SALT in that reconciliation package,” LaLota said.
Gillen said that she is working in a “bipartisan fashion” to get rid of the cap. Garbarino said that President Donald Trump (R) has said he was on board with eliminating the cap. Indeed, Gillen said the president campaigned in her district on that claim.
Off-shore drilling
LaLota said he supports the safe extraction of natural resources through drilling, which would be “good for jobs, good for the environment [and] good for the economy.”
Suozzi, a self-proclaimed “big environmentalist,” said that it takes “too long to get stuff done in America” due to partisanship and excess rules and regulations: a roadblock that he says diminishes the immediacy of environmental acts.
Federal cuts
Suozzi and Gillen are firmly against the appropriateness and rationale of the cuts of the Department of Government Efficiency, with Suozzi calling the cuts “reckless” and strewn with hasty firings and “mistakes” leading to the removal of essential researchers. While Suozzi acknowledged the importance of efficiency, he argued that attrition and early retirement packages were suitable alternatives.
“Laying off the lowest wage people is creating this fear and panic. I understand the need to disrupt things. I buy that need. I just think it has been too cavalier in how it is affecting people and how it is affecting services that have to be provided,” Suozzi said.
LaLota said, “We need to put the country on a better track and this is the start.” He added that the government is in desperate need of budget changes and that the budget hasn’t been balanced “in 25 years.”
The Long Island Association is the region’s leading nonprofit and nonpartisan business organization. We look forward to more such conferences. To check out other events go to: www.longislandassociation.org.
Brian Crowe and Leilani Garcia on their trip. Photo courtesy Leilani Garcia
By Sabrina Artusa
Leilani Garcia and Brian Crowe learned a lot over their five-day, 80-mile hike from Robert Moses State Park in Babylon to the Montauk Lighthouse. They learned that short breaks every hour help them tackle their long 20-plus-mile days and how to adjust their 50-lb backpacks, crammed with food and fresh water, to better disperse the weight. They learned where the best beach camp spots are and how to follow the tides. Over the course of five days, they endured wind and rain, high tides and high mileage not just to reach their destination, Montauk, but to raise awareness for colon cancer.
Crowe, a Huntington native, was diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago in its late stages. Experiencing intense pain in his side, he went to see his gastroenterologist for the first time. A CAT scan revealed a tumor in his large intestine. The severity of the growth, which grew from seven centimeters to nine over the course of a week, was removed with the assistance of Crowe’s friend and surgeon Joesph Vazzana in in a 12-hour life-saving surgery. The 9-month recovery was “exasperating” for Crowe, who said he couldn’t walk or eat immediately after the operation.
“I was miserable,” Crowe said. “But he saved my life.”
Throughout their hike, Crowe and Garcia spread their mission and succeeded in reminding people of the importance of getting a colonoscopy.
Crowe said that cancer often goes untalked about. After getting it himself, he said he felt there was an “embarrassing” stigma surrounding the disease. “I didn’t want to talk about it and I didn’t want anyone else to talk about it,” he said.
After finding out he had colon cancer, he discovered that several family members have also had cancer, including three of his aunts.Now, he realizes that as a survivor, he has an “obligation” to talk about his experience and hopefully encourage others to routinely get a colonoscopy.
“Reaching out to the community can save lives,” said Garcia, who has had family members affected by cancer.
Garcia and Crowe met at Decker’s Nursery and Florist, where Garcia, tired of her conventional Christmas tree, was perusing other indoor plants to decorate. There she met Crowe, who worked there and suggested the spiky Japanese orange bush Garcia ended up buying.
When Crowe told Garcia about his longtime aspiration of traveling from Robert Moses to Montauk, Garcia took to the idea and helped bring it to fruition, creating a website to broadcast their mission.
The trip
While the trip is dedicated toward raising awareness for colon cancer, Garcia and Crowe also went with the mission of reconnecting with nature and themselves.
The pair started their day at sunrise and usually walked until sundown, clocking as many miles as they could while also taking in “how unbelievable Long Island is.” Garcia and Crowe started their mornings by setting their intentions for the day.
Fueled by Kind bars, dark chocolate and peanut butter, they traversed the coast, sometimes stopping to pick up interesting scallop shells, admire the view or talk to curious beachgoers.
One man asked them what they were doing. When they told him about their “Mission to Montauk,” he immediately returned to his home, remembering to schedule his own colonoscopy. “It’s like holding the door for someone else,” Crowe said.
When one of them got tired or discouraged, the other made sure to offer encouragement. Garcia mentioned how during a difficult portion of the hike, where she just wanted to stop and pitch the tent, Crowe encouraged her to sing, something he knows she loves to do. “We were kind of joyful in that chaos,” Garcia said, adding that both she and Crowe, who is also a music producer, have a deep appreciation for music.
The wind was a challenge, and often required them to cover their faces. “We kind of opened up our minds a little bit going into the sand storm. Respect it, appreciate it, and see what goodness comes out of it.”
Despite the challenges, Crowe and Garcia look at the experience with appreciation. “I felt so grounded and connected,” Garcia said.” It was meditative. . .it’s just like life. There are some challenges but with each challenge you become stronger [and] resilient.”
Cary Staller talks to the group and addresses concerns. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The plan designs. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The plan designs. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Cary Staller talks to the group and addresses concerns. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Of three proposed architectural designs for the buildings, this one was voted most popular, according to a raise of hands. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Of three proposed architectural designs for the buildings, this one was voted in the middle, according to a raise of hands. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Of three proposed architectural designs for the buildings, this one was voted least popular, according to a raise of hands. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Community members at the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association meeting on 3/25/25. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association met on March 25 with Staller Associates Realty and its architect to discuss possible architectural designs for the Staller’s 280-unit, three-story apartment complex, which would replace the abandoned shopping center on Route 112, between Cherub Lane and Terryville Road.
John Lewis from NELSON Worldwide, described as a “masters of suburban mixed-used development master plans” by Staller Associates Vice President Valentin Staller, presented three possible designs for the civic’s consideration. The three buildings were all angular, with long wrap-around balconies, large windows, discrete first-floor parking garages and glass elements.
The first design was mostly brick with a “warehouse or mercantile kind of feel,” said Lewis, who was inspired by feedback about the Staller’s property in Farmingdale, The Lofts on Main; the second integrates more color and other textures and materials with sleek white columns, while the third is more geometric, contemporary and mostly white.
“A more residential tone is more of a tone of exclusivity than inclusivity. A commercial feel allows people to feel welcome and draws them in,” Lewis said, saying later that the property will be a community center as people walk from store to store.
Some residents repeated the complaint that it is reminiscent of Brooklyn and Queens; others thought it was trendy and would be popular among the younger generation; many wanted a more subdued, classic New England feel — something that would mesh more with Port Jefferson.
While aesthetic discussion revolved mostly around feel, but some residents wanted specific elements such as a unique trim, no shutters or more cast stone.
“They are a little sterile. I like the idea of making it more farmhouse or colonial,” said a Port Jefferson resident.
“We are the gateway to Port Jefferson…is there a way to make this more to that kind of perception?” asked another.
Staller had previously lowered the building height at the request of the civic. The property will have a 25-foot setback, be 35-45 feet tall and will not include balconies in the back where the building faces a residential area as well as a larger buffer.
PJS/Terryville Civic President Ira Costell appreciated the effort to involve the community, but was dissapointed with the renderings. He said a computerized model that displayed the depth and other aspects of the project would have given a “real sense of the feel of the place” and allowed for more effective communication in the future. The meeting which was attended by around 70 people and lasted 2 hours.”It is a starting point rather than ending,” Costell said.
Staller Associates President Cary Staller said construction will start in two to three years. He still intends to devote 20% of the units to people with disabilities, although he doesn’t have a price point per unit approximation. Staller Associates is still looking for vendors, and the civic responded with many suggestions, ranging from a health food grocery store to a bakery, a suggestion that was enthusiastically received.
Bike lanes and sidewalks are part of the plan, and Cary Staller said he is trying to connect the bike lane to the existing lane. “We are going to have bike lanes from Terryville throughout the site and then to [the Greenway] and we think that will make the Greenway a lot more desirable,” Cary Staller said.
Lewis said there will be some construction traffic but roads will remain open.
Three students from the Stony Brook School sat down on March 19 to take one of the most difficult mathematical exams for high school students in the country.
The exam could potentially make them eligible for the country’s olympic math team. After an exceptional performance in the American Mathematics Competitions, and the subsequent American Invitational Mathematics Examination, they moved on to the next round of exams, the USA Mathematical Olympiad. The simple fact of their progression is an accomplishment and proof of their skill as they join the ranks of America’s competitive student mathematicians.
Junior Joseph Jung and sophomores Sanchuan Feng and Junlin Wang participated in the AMC with 300,000 other students before progressing to the AIME, where they answer 15 questions in three hours.
Ten students from the SBS advanced to the AIME, placing them in the top 5% of AMC scorers; Jung and Feng were selected to continue to USAMO and Wang was selected to continue to the USA Junior Mathematical Olympiad. The SBS only had two students qualify for the USAMO in the past 18 years.
The AMC is a 25-question examination and consists of three levels: AMC 8, AMC 10 and AMC 12. The levels are based on grade level — a student, however, can choose to take an exam above their grade level, so they can take several. Level AMC 12 can be taken by any student in 12th grade or below; Feng, a sophomore, was admitted to the USAMO based on his performance in AMC 12, two grades above his own.
It isn’t rare for SBS students to qualify for the AIME; however, it is rare for a student to progress to the USAMO, “the third level in the competition ladder,” according to SBS Math Department Head Steve Stortz.
“I was thrilled and genuinely surprised,” Jung said, recalling his reaction to learning that he was chosen to continue. “It’s rewarding to see the hard work pay off, especially considering the high level of competition. Advancing further motivates me to continue learning and improving.”
“Their success is truly impressive,” said SBS Academic Dean Jeffrey Smith. “Scoring in the USAMO category means these three stood out among tens of thousands of students nationwide, landing in the top 250–300 or so. It’s a huge accomplishment that shows off their incredible problem-solving skills and mathematical creativity — stuff that goes way beyond typical high school math.”
While the SBS isn’t considered “specialized” in math, it has an advanced mathematics program that is rapidly evolving and expanding. In addition to advanced math classes such as linear algebra, advanced topics in math, and Advanced Placement calculus, the SBS is attempting to grow its math olympiad team and make it more “formal,” according to Stortz.
Stortz said that the advanced courses help enable students like Wang, Feng and Jung to reach their potential. In previous years, the highest level the school offered was AP calculus. Now, students can take linear algebra and multi linear calculus as part of Stony Brook University’s Accelerated College Education program.
“Here they are, high school students, and they are doing math that, if you were a math major and you were maybe in your junior year, you will reach some of these questions,” Stortz said.
The USAMO and USAJMO take place over two days: 4.5 hours one day and 4.5 hours the next. The nine-hour exam consists of only six questions. Stortz said that the students typically use all of the time.
Jung, the vice president of the math club, said that these competitions help fuel his passion for math. “Early recognition in competitions like the AMC 8 and various school honors further inspired my ongoing passion for math,” he said. “I think of math as a language: how people can communicate with each other through numbers and letters.”
Jung hopes to build upon his mathematical skill in a career in technology, “particularly in areas like space exploration or cryptography.”
The northern dusky salamander in Anita Lago’s hand when she found it on Sept. 1, 2024. Photo courtesy Anita Lago
By Sabrina Artusa
Anita Lago was walking along a stream leading to the emptied Stony Brook Mill Pond on Sept 1, overturned earth and strewn twigs littering her path, when she spotted a black object. Thinking it was a fishing lure she picked it up.
“It was not a fishing lure, it had legs,” she said.
Lago put it back and showed a picture of the salamander to John Turner of the Seatuck Environmental Association, who shared it with Smithtown High School East senior and Four Harbors Audubon Society board member Gabe Finger. Finger and Turner identified the salamander as a northern dusky salamander.
A light form of the northern dusky salamander. Photo courtesy John Turner
The northern dusky salamander isn’t known to live on Long Island — the only traces of it having existed on the island are nearly a century old. One of the only samples was secured by Long Island naturalist Roy Latham.
Finger and Turner returned to the pond. Finger overturned a rock and found another. Wading in the stream, Turner and Finger found four more salamanders of two different morphs: two salamanders were darker gray and two were a lighter, sandier color. The genetic expression of the salamander allows for wide varying appearances, Turner said, just like people.
The finding was pure “serendipity,” according to Turner. “No one was looking for it.”
“It is remarkable for a species that is thought to be gone for almost a century and to still be here and to be here in a fairly suburban part of Long Island,” Turner said. “I would not think of Stony Brook as where you would find it. I would think it would be further out east, maybe by the pine barrens, and it is hiding in plain sight.”
Gabe Finger presenting the discovery of the salamander at the Long Island Natural History Conference at Stony Brook University on March 21. Photo courtesy SCSD
Finger, who will be attending Cornell University to study sustainability and wildlife biology. gave a presentation about the finding at a Long Island Natural History Conference at Stony Brook University on March 21. “Since I was very, very little I’ve always been just fascinated with animals and I knew from a very young age that all I wanted to do with my life was study animals,” he said.
Since the salamanders found at the Stony Brook Mill Pond have likely been geographically separated from their ancestors for tens of thousands of years, it is possible that they evolved into a new species —an offshoot of the northern dusky salamander.
The northern dusky salamander resides in cold, trickling waters. The small, fast flowing tributaries of the North Shore fit these criteria: the streams aren’t in the sun long enough to get warm and are fast-flowing enough for a quick turnover of water. The salamander also lurks in the muddy stream banks, maybe hiding under a rock or log.
Turner and Finger can’t pursue their studies further until they have permission to take a small toe clip of the salamander to study its DNA. “There’s been a lot of red tape to go through,” Finger said.
Once they have a DNA sample and the salamanders become more active in the warmer weather, researchers can begin employing environmental DNA collection techniques to detect the presence of salamanders by simply testing the water of streams in which they potentially reside.
Rendering of the Smith Haven Mall after intended renovations. Photo courtesy Simon Property Group
By Sabrina Artusa
The Smith Haven Mall will undergo “major redevelopment” this summer, including new stores, an outdoor green area and new flooring. The work is expected to be completed in 2026.
The process of renovating has already begun with the addition of stores like Primark and Ford’s Garage. Sur la Table, a former favorite that filed for bankruptcy in 2020, will return. The court between Barnes & Nobles and the mall entrance will be transformed to allow for more seating and open space.
“At Simon, we are committed to making significant investments across our portfolio to ensure that our centers continue to deliver exceptional customer experiences for today’s shoppers,” said Mark Silvestri, president of development at Simon, a property group that owns Smith Haven Mall.
Other shops to be added include fashion retailers Zara and Mango and a golf facility with a bar called Golf Lounge 18.
Smith Haven Mall management were unable to disclose additional information. More information can be found at https://www.simon.com/mall/smith-haven-mall
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
A scene from the rally at the Northport VA Center on March 14. Photo courtesy Bob Dennis, AFGE Local 1843 president
By Sabrina Artusa
Veterans and members of the American Federation of Government Employees assembled Friday, March 14, in front of the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center to protest cuts to the federal workforce, particularly in relation to veteran services.
According to a March 5 video statement from the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, the department aims to decrease staff by 15%. Currently, the department employs 470,000 people, according to Collins, which he aims to get down to the 2019 level of 399,957. “The federal government does not exist to employ people. It exists to serve people,” Collins said.
“In response to President Trump’s (R) Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative, VA is conducting a department-wide review of its organization, operations and structure,” he said. This includes eliminating “not mission critical” contracts.
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides benefits and health care through VA medical centers in addition to access to housing loans and grants, educational programs and support the transition back to civilian life.
The VA centers cater to the unique needs of veterans, both mentally and physically. AFGE Local 1843 President Bob Dennis attended the rally, “The doctors are familiar with their cases, They love coming to the place because they know they will get the care they deserve.”
AFGE represents some of the employees of the VA center. He said for years the medical experts have endured long hours and short staffing. In fact, he said in the past, the goal was to grow and advertise the services of the VA.
“Our big goal was to grow,” he said. “We used to send out a medical unit that could be driven … so we would go to other places and the veterans would know we are coming to support them with patient care.”
In his statement, Dennis asserted that cuts would not diminish veteran care but eradicate unnecessities.
Dennis has spoken with some officials, like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) whom he says recognized the threat embedded in cuts.
“We are trying to get the best thing we can possibly get for our nation’s heroes,” Dennis said. “We protect the people that deserve to be protected. We want to honor our veterans. And that is one thing we won’t change.”
A picture of the property to be annexed, screen shotted from the Town of Brookhaven’s online map application. The upper gray portion indicates the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson. Photo courtesy the Town of Brookhaven website
By Sabrina Artusa
The Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees and the Town of Brookhaven Council met for a joint public hearing for the prospective annexation of the Port Jefferson Station property on March 6.
James Tsunis, owner of the 5.6-acre parcel next to Baylis Avenue in Port Jefferson Station, initiated the historic hearing between the entities when he requested that five plots of land be annexed to Port Jefferson village. The last time the two entities met for a joint hearing was in 1978.
Area in question is highlighted during the meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Tsunis and his company, Northwind Group, intend to develop the area into a 48-unit multifamily townhouse complex, which would be impossible under Brookhaven’s current industrial zoning. If the land is annexed, it will be in the purview of the Port Jefferson village planning board, and Tsunis would apply for a rezoning application with the village instead of the town. In this 3.5-hour meeting, Tsunis, as the petitioner, was to prove to both boards that there is a clear public benefit from annexation.
Previously, Brookhaven council members gave feedback indicating that if Tsunis were to submit a rezoning application, it would be rejected.
Tsunis, a 50-year Port Jefferson resident, said “None of the residents of the Village of Port Jefferson want industrial [development] on the property. So what do we do? We annex it into the village because that is who is affected by the use of this property.”
In conjunction with his Brook Meadows plan, Tsunis would contribute $500,000 to the village, assist in rebuilding the William Tooker House, the oldest structure in the village, build a community garden and build a sidewalk from the property to Sheep Pasture Road.
Baylis Avenue and Sheep Pasture Road
Brookhaven Town Board Meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Tsunis’ attorney Michael Towey argued that the singular access road to the property from Sheep Pasture Road, which serves as the border between the town and the village, is problematic. “This section is completely geographically isolated from the town. It is only accessible through the village,” Towey said.
Since Sheep Pasture Road is the only entry point, Towey argued that the village residents will be affected by whatever is built on the parcel. “We believe the village and its residents [have] reason to be concerned not in the sense of any imminent threat, but in the sense that they presently lack control over how this territory or how these properties will be utilized in the future,” he said.
Supervisor Dan Panico (R) said that any property adjacent to an incorporated village would be implicated by that argument. Indeed, in order to reach Scenic View Court, a residential area neighboring Baylis Avenue, one must pass through the village from the east, though the road can be accessed without entering the village from the west. The Port Jefferson Marina, owned by the Town of Brookhaven, requires passing through the village.
Services
If the annexation is approved by both boards, the children who reside on the property would attend the Comsewogue School District, despite living in the village. The properties are currently serviced by the Terryville Fire District and will remain so even if the property is annexed. “An annexation of the property would place a division in unity of purpose of the public services providing emergency and educational services,” Town of Brookhaven Planning Director Don Hohn said.
Area in question is highlighted during the meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Towey argued that the village already assumes responsibility for the road, and including the road in Brookhaven’s district was not efficient, although this could not be proven. Brookhaven paved the road in 2023.
Town of Brookhaven Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro (R) issued a letter of support of the annexation, writing “this will alleviate the duplication of services by more than one municipality on the same roadway.”
Some speakers reiterated the revitalization of Port Jefferson village as a benefit of the Brooks Meadows plan. Of the 24 speakers that addressed the board, 18 were in support of the development.
Jim Steiner hopes Brooks Meadows would breathe new life into the village: “[Revitalization] has been a slow process and to have a townhouse type place within walking distance will help lift up the neighborhood.”
Industrial vs. Multifamily
Hohn noted the increased traffic associated with multifamily zoning, stating that the daily trips would be lower if the area remains zoned industrial. “If the maximum building size allowed on a L1 industrial lot were to be developed, this would generate 214 total daily trips. The maximum building size on a multifamily lot, were it to be developed, would be 372 daily trips.” This assertion was corroborated by the Town of Brookhaven Highway Department, though the letter added that the traffic wouldn’t create “significant traffic impacts.”The maximum building height would be 50 feet in light industrial zoning and 35 feet in multifamily zoning in Brookhaven.
Alexander and Jim Tsunis listening to the public testimonies at the Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Many residents expressed displeasure over the aspect of letting the property remain industrial. Port Jefferson resident Gary Zamek said, “The Village of Port Jefferson does not need more industrial land on Sheep Pasture Road…I know Port Jefferson is trying to revitalize our uptown area. It just seems obvious to me that more residents as opposed to trucks would help create that.”
Businesses such as health clubs, offices, warehouses and veterinary hospitals would all be permitted in an area zoned industrial, as noted in Chapter 85 in Brookhaven’s town zone.
Further, some speakers supported the annexation as it would supply additional housing. Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D, Stony Brook) said, “On the application, it indicated there would be four affordable units…This will not be affordable housing by any means. Four of them will be.”
“As a trustee, I want to see owned real estate,” Port Jefferson village Trustee Xena Ugrinsky said.
The Brook Meadows site proposal was analyzed by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Planning and Development in 2023 before it was removed for consideration by Tsunis.The plan was analyzed and disapproved by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Planning and Development in 2023, citing incongruence with adjacent industrial zoning, additional traffic and that a change of zone is simply unnecessary and prohibitive to prospective light industrial zoning developments. The walkability score from the property was listed as 56 partly due to its distance to the Port Jefferson Train Station and downtown, an estimated 10-minute walk. Tsunis then withdrew his application.
“If it was to be developed industrially, it would likely, in my opinion, be developed into something more demure when it comes to light industrial like a self-storage, which is typically a generator of almost zero,” Panico said.
The prospect of a rail yard being built by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority at the Lawrence Aviation site is another consideration of the Brookhaven town council. Tsunis included a 100-foot buffer from the tracks in his plan, but Panico argued that this location would not be in the public’s best interest.
The town and the village have to vote on the annexation within 90 days of the hearing. If the town and village don’t vote in agreement, then one entity could appeal the other’s decision, according to Town of Brookhaven Attorney James Burke.
The public comment period closes on March 14 at midnight for online submissions and at 4:30 p.m. for physical submissions by mail.
Rep. Thomas Suozzi took phone calls from his constituents on March 6. Photo courtesy of Suozzi's Facebook page
By Sabrina Artusa
Representative Nick LaLota (R-NY1) on March 5 and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) held a virtual town hall March 6 address their constituent’s concerns, where federal cuts were chief among them.
U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi
Suozzi’s town hall was attended by over 10,000 people. Suozzi, who was one of 10 Democrats to censure Texas Representative Al Green (D-9th) after Green interrupted President Donald Trump’s(R) Joint Address to Congress, fielded questions on his motivation behind the vote.
“That is not appropriate,” he said, noting. “If it was a Republican doing that to a Democrat it wouldn’t be appropriate and I can’t be a hypocrite.”
Instead of “getting caught up in the protests and the sign-holding and interrupting the president’s speech,” Suozzi emphasized building relationships on “both sides of the aisle” as a method for Democrats to gain a foothold in Congress and “get things done” and “win the argument.”
Residents asked how Suozzi will stand against the federal cuts, including $880 million in proposed cuts to Medicaid. Education, litigation and mobilization were the three primary routes to change, said Suozzi.
Suozzi added that, “58,000 are in the affordable care act that comes from Medicaid; 305,000 people on Long Island are low-income individuals on Medicaid; 133,000 disabled Long Islanders are on Medicaid; and62% of people in my district in nursing homes are on Medicaid … when you want to see someone’s values look at their budget.”
“We need to talk about the importance of Medicaid and how important it is in your life,” Suozzi told a disabled speaker who relies on Medicaid and Social Security and was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to afford to live on Long Island without the aid.
Suozzi admitted that he gets frustrated with the opposite party, but disagrees with dramatic displays of protest such as Green’s, whom he said he has successfully worked with in the past. At the address, Suozzi said he “was angry at the president” but doesn’t want to indulge forces that “want to divide us.”
One speaker called this approach “naïve,” saying Suozzi has “fallen prey to the paradox of tolerance.” Overall, the meeting lasted an hour. Speakers who were unable to ask questions were encouraged to leave a voicemail.
To contact Suozzi go to suozzi.houe.gov. Washington, DC, office at (202- 225-3335.
U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota
LaLota held a town hall on March 5. The tele-town hall comes after a President’s Day rally held at his office by Indivisible, a grassroots national movement. The rally was organized to demand an in-person town hall meeting. Lalota has previously only held tele-town halls.
He fielded accusations that tele-town halls are scripted with questions not being representative of his constituents’ concerns,responding that these claims were untrue.
Integrating polls throughout the call, LaLota garnered feedback on hot topics such as tariffs and Medicaid cuts. In regard to the tariffs, LaLota said he would monitor them and felt confident that the president would use precision and care when using tariffs as leverage.
LaLota said “we need to reduce spending: and he wants “people in government to root out things that don’t make sense.”
To contact LaLota go to house.lalota.gov; district phone number is (631) 289-1097.
Prev
