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Sabrina Artusa

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Director of Construction/Maintenance Brendan Warner speaks on water main breaks. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

On Feb. 3, the Suffolk County Water Authority delivered a presentation to the Three Village Civic Association, addressing water quality concerns and water main breaks.

SCWA Director of Water Quality and Lab Services Thomas Schneider said that the SCWA tests for more than double the number of compounds than required by the Environmental Protection Agency and endeavors to keep levels of these contaminants well under the maximum amount deemed safe. 

To filter the water, the SCWA integrates varying types of filtration systems depending on what contaminants are issues in that specific area. Commonly, the SCWA simply needs to add chlorine or adjust the ph level, but in other areas they filter with granulated activated carbon. 

“[At] each of the pump stations or well fields, the treatment at those is specific to what the water quality is at that particular well…its very distributed architecture rather than, as we referenced, in New York City where it all flows through one main source.” 

With contaminants that are especially difficult to extricate additional treatment is required. One such contaminant is 1,4-dioxane. 

Schneider said,”1,4-dioxane is a manmade chemical. It is used as a stabilizer in solvents and it is also found in a lot of consumer products, specifically laundry detergents, shampoos, and conditioners…this one is very difficult and expensive to remove.” 

In order to remove this contaminate the SCWA uses advanced oxidation procedure systems that use ultraviolet light to break down the 1,4-dioxane. Schneider added that the water authority has put in 16 of these systems so far, mostly in western Suffolk. 

In 2023, SCWA added two advanced oxidation procedure treatments in Northport, three in Halesite, one in Huntington Station, one in Kings Park and one in Huntington. 

According to the SCWA’s water quality reports from 2024, leeching from septic tanks and runoff from fertilizers, and pesticides were common likely sources of inorganic compounds.

In 2024, the SCWA added a new well and a GAC system at Stem Lane and Oxhead Lane. 

“Any disruption in the continuity of water mains or sometimes it could be a surface line. So it could be anything from a small break in the water main or a larger blowout of the water main. Sometimes it is a small trickle bubbling up from the ground,” said Director of Construction/Maintenance Brendan Warner. 

Water main breaks are caused by age or from outdated materials. Since Dec. 1 SCWA has already recorded 300 water main breaks, the second most in the last 10 years during this time. The average for the whole year is 500 breaks. Weather circumstances also play a factor in causing a main break; the freezing and thawing of soil and rapid temperature changes put stress on the pipes. The majority of the water main breaks happen to pipes made out of cast-iron, which are over half of the mains in the county. 

John Marafino, customer growth coordinator, urged civic members to reexamine their water use, get their irrigation systems checked and enact habits that limit water use, both helping conserve water and decreasing the water bill. 

“We have a sufficient but not limitless supply of water,” he said. “Watering everyday is not necessary to keep a green and healthy lawn.”

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Long Island chapter of Standing Up for Racial Justice held a rally in PJS on Feb. 2. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

On Sunday, Feb. 2, the newly founded Long Island chapter of Standing Up for Racial Justice, a national organization aimed toward mobilizing people against racial and economic inequality, met alongside Route 347 in Port Jefferson Station at “Resistance Corner.”

Around 20 men and women held signs in gloved hands, projecting their passion and mission to passing traffic. They faced the bitter cold together, united in their mission to sway newly elected Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson) to their purpose. 

SURJ was founded in 2009 in response to backlash over the election of former president Barack Obama (D). The organization is dedicated to mobilizing community members, particularly white people, and “to bring together others who were not already active in justice work or who were unsure about how to take action,” according to the website. 

This chapter, or “circle,” of SURJ was initiated by circle organizer Sarah Payne and began in November. SURJ encouraged the chapter to sign a pledge “to protect and resist” said Cindy Simon, a member of SURJ. The pledge asks Kassay to “stand up for the people [and] make sure the new policies don’t hurt us.” 

Simon said she received a positive response from Kassay. “I am steadfast in my commitment to justice, and in this, would offer my participation at a workshop or other forum where my presence and perspectives could help to further local community goals,” Kassay wrote in an email. 

“I want to live in a community where we take care of each other because we have more power than we think we have,” said one member to the crowd. “If we come together, we can fight for a world where everyone has what they need to live dignified lives:  health care, housing, a climate that keeps us safe [and] safety from unreasonable detention.” 

Some community members held American flags or wore red, white and blue attire. Others held signs reading “Defund the oligarchs,” “Protect people. Resist fascism” and “United against hate.”   

“The goal is to become an established group that can continue into 2025 and beyond,” Simon said.

Payne said that as organizer, she has noticed a lack of support for the LGBTQ community on Long Island, so she plans to direct the chapter accordingly to address those needs. 

“We’ve been looking at the intersectionality between queer and trans issues and racial justice issues,” Payne said. “Queer and trans issues are really close to the heart for a lot of people in our circle so I think that is more of our focus.”

“I’m hoping that now that we’ve done this it will be more like a self-sufficient group and we can go and do more actions now that we have this experience,” Payne added.

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A slide displaying some proposed improvements (right). Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

The Smithtown Town Board held the last public hearing Jan. 23 on the Kings Park Downtown Revitalization Plan before the window for public comments closes and it can be voted on for approval by the town board. 

The plan includes pedestrian-focused amenities and infrastructure, updated parking and wider sidewalks. It has been developed over the course of nine years. In 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) awarded Kings Park and Smithtown a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant. Further, updated and expanded sewer systems were necessary to make the plan possible. 

“Communities like St. James, Commack and Smithtown can’t afford to stand still,” Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown) said. “I have no problem with below ground parking…we are not going to turn Smithtown into Queens,” he said, responding to the common worry among critics that the increased floor maximum and below-ground parking represent a step toward further urbanization.

Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) addresses the Smithtown Town Board. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

The maximum height of 3 floors and 40 feet in the core downtown district, an increase, and the permittance of apartment buildings in the area were causes for criticism among some, including Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga). 

“I am not against building…I do not want overdevelopment of the town,” Trotta said. “When I think of underground parking, I think of Queens. We are setting a precedent.” 

State Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James) said, “What this board has done is commendable…Kings Park is in dire straits for development, for the right development.” 

The majority of residents and business owners who spoke were in support of the “long overdue” plan. Kevin Smith, a member of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, had a store front in Kings Park. “I was living my dream. It was the American dream. I had a shop front on Main Street and I had to close down,” he said. 

Smith reminisced on his own youth spent in Kings Park and how to have fun he would often visit other towns such as Patchogue or Babylon. He hoped that the return of a bustling downtown would keep the younger generation in Kings Park.

Some speakers, including Trotta, used their time before the board to protest the proposed 50-unit apartment building at the corner of Meadow Road and Indian Head Road. The adoption of the Kings Park revitalization plan would change the zoning of the area to transit-oriented development.  

Mike Rosato of Kings Park said, “Building height should be limited to no more than 2.5 stories to preserve the historical and suburban character of the community…this project along with others, if allowed to proceed, significantly alters the character of Kings Park, overwhelms local infrastructure, and negatively impacts our residential quality of life.” 

Another speaker said, “I think you guys should go forward with this project. It will give these young people an opportunity to afford a home.” 

For more information, visit the Smithtown website: www.smithtownny.gov.

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Ward Melville High School. File photo

By Sabrina Artusa

The New York State Education Department released data on enrollment, New York State Assessments and Regents scores. Assistant to the Superintendent and Chief Information Officer Laura Pimentel dissected the data in Three Village schools in a presentation on Jan. 22 to the Three Village Central School District.  

Enrollment has decreased to 5,433 students: 75 students less than 2024 and 1,296 students less than 2015. Elementary school enrollment has been consistent throughout the past few years while middle and high schools continue to decrease. 

Despite this, demographic data reveals an increase in English language learners and economically disadvantaged students. 

Elementary and middle school students have somewhat recovered from the post-pandemic chronic absenteeism spike. Of high school students 7.2% are chronically absent: a higher percentage than the previous four years.

If a student misses two days per month, they would be considered chronically absent. The high percentage of chronically absent students occurs concurrent with the increase in economically disadvantaged students and demand for mental health services, Scanlon noted. 

“People look at Three Village and think of a North Shore district doing very well academically. We do have this component that has really created some needs budgetarily and from what we put in the supports,” Superintendent Kevin Scanlon said. 

“We aren’t data-driven because of the opt-out movement and we have to put things in place that are going to give us that data so we can make some decision about our instructional program,” Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Brian Biscari said. 

NYS assessments

NYS assessments are offered to students from grades 3 through 8, but amid the opt-out movement that has swept Long Island school districts in recent years, no meaningful analysis can be surmised from the data. 

“These assessments help us evaluate the effectiveness of our instructional programs against the state standards, which is something we haven’t been able to do in a quote some time at the elementary and junior high school level,” Pimentel said. 

Of students who opted out,36.4% were from the English assessments, 35.2% from math and 34.3% from science. This contrasts with the federal government requirement that 95% of students take the test. The percentage of student participation is over 20% below the state average in both math and English Language Arts.

The assessments are no longer representative of teacher performance and have no impact on students’ grades. 

“In the absence of that we had to put in other benchmarks…about how we are able to compare students to one another in their grade level and from cohort to cohort as they are coming through, so that is another increase in the district because we have to supplement for what parents aren’t taking that is free with what the state offers,” Scanlon said. “The data is important to us as we try to place students appropriately and give them services appropriately.”

Bond referendum

Jeffery Carlson, interim deputy superintendent and head of the business department discussed funding for district expenses. The district is considering a bond proposal to pay for the $125 million in construction expenses and projects. 

The list of construction projects is aspirational, not realistic. Carlson said that while all the project will be listed, they do not intend to complete them all. 

“Sixty-six percent of the cost comes back to us in building aid. Whatever the cost of the project is, the state is paying two-thirds of the cost. And it isn’t only on the construction cost, it is on the interest as well,” Carlson said.

The bond would mean a $284 tax increase every year for 15 years, which would be the length of the bond. Scanlon said that safety and security projects — “things we must get done” — would be the priority while other projects like air conditioning for elementary school gyms and cafeterias could wait. 

Armed guards

Following a presentation Jan. 8 reviewing the past security measures and future options by Scanlon, the board discussed the possibility of arming guards. The district could arm guards outside the schools or inside the schools. 

Before 2012, secondary schools within the district only had one guard. Since the Sandy Hook shooting, the district added over 500 security cameras, vestibules, sign-in procedures, license readers, employee background checks and a head of security with a background in law enforcement. 

This year, the board also added an AI weapons detection technology called Zero Eyes. Scanlon noted that the district adds cameras every year, so the new tech does not impact the number of cameras added in a year. 

Since many security guards possess the background and clearance to be armed, the district could easily arm guards without having to undergo significant staff changes. 

“I would like to poll parents and students. As a board member who bears no risk whatsoever, I feel that I personally should have very little say in this,” said trustee David McKinnon. “I am happy to follow the lead of the major stakeholders here.”

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The stained-glass window after the Hendricks restored the framing. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick
Restoration underway at Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick
Restoration underway at Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick
Restoration underway at Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick
Restoration underway at Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick
Restoration underway at Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick
Restoration underway at Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick
Restoration underway at Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick
Restoration underway at Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo courtesy Nancy and Robert Hendrick

By Sabrina Artusa

In Northport, the Trinity Episcopal Church is transforming across time as local couple Nancy and Robert Hendrick renovate the building to reflect the original design. 

The church, built in 1889, sits on Main Street; its double red doors face the sidewalk, inviting pedestrians in, just as they had more than 100 years ago. Inside, five Tiffany stained-glass windows filter the light as it falls softly on the altar and pews.

Nancy and Robert Hendrick, a husband and wife artist duo who are also volunteer directors of Trinity Community Arts Center, are dedicated to unveiling the original grandeur of the church.

“It is such a beautiful space,” Robert Hendrick said. ”[We want] to bring back the feeling that throw the parishioners felt walking into that church in 1889. To get back to that feeling is our mission.”

The Hendricks, who have performed various art restorations and commissions in the past, said that the church presented them with an opportunity that they felt was especially suited for their interests and values, both artistically and personally. 

“We love our church and the people in it,” Nancy Hendrick said. 

The interior design has been modified over the years: original gold leafing around the stained-glass window of Jesus was painted gold, an original railing was replaced, and the altar was changed. While still beautiful, it lacked the timeless presence of its forebears.

“I don’t look at it as a renovation but we are updating or restoring this truly truly beautiful building,” the Rev. Andrew Garnet said. 

Garnet found old pictures of the church and had the idea to renovate. Robert and Nancy, having recently visited historic churches in Vienna, were inundated with inspiration. Nancy said, ”It is a wonderful space to give back to God. Everything absolutely just fell together perfectly. “

They decided to paint the walls with a metallic Italian plaster, creating an airy, cloudy effect. The altar will be restored to reflect its original gilding, and the frame was gilded with gold leaf in the original style. The rail is also being restored and will replace the new ones. 

“Everything we do as a parish is borne from what we do in church, what we do in mass, which is why as a tradition we spend so much time and effort on our sacred spaces,” he said, explaining the significance of the renovation to his parish. 

Robert, while examining the frame around the Jesus window, found traces of gold leaf in a rosette. The discovery gave renewed purpose to the pair’s work as it was a real trace of a detail that was almost forgotten. “[It was] reaffirming what we were doing,” Robert said. 

“In taking this church back to its origins, you kind of understand what those original parishioners were looking for, what was important to them,” he said. 

Garnet is rector of the parish and joined Trinity Episcopal Church three years ago. In that time, he has been focused on opening the church to the community and making it a welcoming space whether it is through movie nights or social events. “The saddest thing about a church is a closed door and an empty pew,” he said.

Creating the Trinity Community Arts Center was part of Garnet’s work goal of “meeting people where they are.” Northport is a bustling art district, and nourishing art’s intersection with religion is a way to do that. 

Garnet moved the Sunday morning coffee hour to the arts center instead of the church, thereby encouraging passerby not only to interact with the arts center, an arm of the church, but also to make connections with community members.

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Raquel Fernandez

By Sabrina Artusa

The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce honors two local business owners as members of the year, Raquel Fernandez and Risa Kluger.

The chamber’s director of operations, Barbara Ransome, said that while the chamber does not typically award the honor to two members, she felt that it was necessary to recognize both Kluger and Fernandez for their service to the Port Jefferson community. 

“They are very good business people. They take pride in the services they provide,” Ransome said.  

Fernandez and Kluger are businesswomen, but their identities as community members inform how they lead their businesses, Century 21/Icon and SERVPRO, respectively. Their obligation to their community is inextricable from their role as entrepreneurs, which is evident through the work they do with the chamber of commerce. 

Raquel Fernandez

Fernandez, who serves on the chamber’s executive board as the second vice president, believes a foundation of trust helps elevate the mutually beneficial relationship between consumers and herself. 

“I feel as a business owner you have to get involved so the community can identify with the brand and what you bring to the community and what you’re doing,” she said. “I wanted to create a culture that I could be proud of and really have a sense of family and loyalty —all the essence of all the things that I value.”

Serving in the chamber is “second nature” to Fernandez. “If I had something to tell myself 20 years ago, I would say join the chamber. Organically you are meeting the other business owners, networking, exchanging ideas, getting to know each other, and it becomes really cool that you get to support other businesses,” she said.

Ransome said Fernandez always does “the best she possible can” to assist the chamber, whether it is volunteering at the dragon boat festival, which is one of Fernandez’s favorite events, or sponsoring the events. “She has been very consistent and we are very appreciative,” Ransome said. 

Risa Kluger

Kluger directs her damage restoration business, SERVPRO, with the collegial mindset of a person helping her neighbors. 

“It’s a big responsibility, I feel, to set a standard to show people that you are an honest business person not only as a business but to the community,” she said. 

“From the very beginning she was there to help,” Ransome said of Kluger. “If I call and ask her to do anything, she’s there. It’s not only her, but she gets her entire family involved.”

Indeed, Kluger said that while she tries to always make time for chamber events, her busy schedule sometimes means she has to send representatives to support her.

“I felt the involvement was important to show a presence in the community; so you are not just there to earn money in the community, but to help and get involved,” Kluger said.  

Kluger also serves on the board of the Long Island Insurance Community, where she helps raise money for various charities, including the nonprofit United Way of Long Island. 

Ransome mentioned a specific instance that encapsulates Kluger’s dependability and generosity: After noticing roof damage on one of the chamber’s buildings, Kluger immediately had it repaired, without Ransome asking. 

Fernandez, too, finds fulfillment in using her business to help others. She runs a successful internship program, which has led past interns to pursue careers at major companies such as Amazon and J.P. Morgan. 

“To be able to be a part … [of] that and help them a lot along the way … that kind of drives me,” Fernandez said.  

Earning member of the year means a lot to both Kluger and Fernandez, who have worked hard to make their businesses successful while also staying true to their consumers.  

“Our industry is cyclic and you go through these ups and downs but you have to know how to weather the middle,” Fernandez said. “And then you realize you have been doing it for all these years and that in itself is a huge accomplishment.”

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Project Manager Camille Warner from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority presents information about lithium-ion batteries as the panel listens. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico (R) held a community forum to discuss battery energy storage systems on Tuesday, Jan 21 at Suffolk County Community College in Selden.

The forum featured a panel of professionals including an energy storage safety specialist, a deputy town attorney, a Stony Brook University professor and a chief fire marshal. 

Two battery energy storage facilities are proposed in Setauket by the Shell Group company Savion Energy. One facility is already being built in Patchogue.

The batteries

The forum began with a presentation by Camille Warner, project manager of a clean energy siting team for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Lithium-ion batteries are intended to hold energy, thus increasing the resilience of the grid by “provisioning essential resources” such as solar or wind energy. When renewable energy isn’t available, like when it is cloudy or windless, the batteries would release the energy stored, therefore prolonging the amount of energy we are able to derive from renewable resources. 

Lithium-ion batteries “store the most energy per unit weight or volume of any other battery system,” Warner said. To add, the batteries can help supplement energy during peak hours or when grid prices are high.

One system is proposed for a lot off Sheep Pasture Road and another is proposed between Parsonage and Old Town roads. 

Moss landing fires

A 350-kilowatt facility in Moss Landing, California. started a fire on Jan. 16. It was extinguished by Monday, Jan. 20. The cause of the fire is unknown, but it necessitated the evacuation of residents.

“At Moss Landing there was just open racks in an open building which had no fire breaks in between. We also know that the system was designed in 2017…The codes were not mature…the codes have gotten so much more mature,” Paul Rogers, an energy storage specialist for Energy Safety Response Group and a former New York City Fire Department Lieutenant, said.

He also mentioned that the Moss Landing BESS did not go through any large-scale fire testing. It is a current standard to test the failure of a BESS. 

The BESS systems proposed in Setauket will not be operated in a designated-use building, so the scale of any possible fire would not reach the level of the one in Moss Landing. The Brookhaven systems are compartmentalized. 

While residents were evacuated during the fire, testing has not revealed dangerous levels of hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, particulates or carbon monoxide. 

Chief Fire Marshal Christopher Mehrman said that it is doubtful an evacuation would be needed if the Brookhaven systems were to ever catch fire as it isn’t likely the fire would ever escape the property. 

When Panico asked what radius from a fire would experience diminished, and potentially harmful air quality, Mehrman said: “There is no defined radius. There are many factors that play into it – wind, time of day … whether there is a weather inversion that is keeping [the gasses] close to the ground or it is just flying up and going away.” 

Safety measures

The Energy Safety Response Group has worked with the state to refine the code. 

Precautions include a specific plan in case of failure. Experts must be present within four hours of a fire to help the fire department and should be available over the phone immediately.

“Someone who will take responsibility and start the decommissioning process should a fire take place … so the fire department can be relieved,” said Rogers.

Rogers also said that in addition to the National Fired Protection Agency’s compressed gasses and cryogenic fluids code, the state plans to add extra mandatory safety measures in preparing for and preventing BESS fires.  

Annual training will be provided to fire departments, annual inspections of the systems will take place, and the BESS will be peer reviewed by a third party before and after being built, paid for by the developing company. “This is not in NFPA 55. We went above and beyond the gold standard as far as I am concerned,” Rogers said. 

Rogers also said his group provides thorough, site-specific training to fire departments. In the case of a fire, the fire department is advised to let the module burn itself out and to use water to prevent the spread to other racks. 

“Limit the spread of the fire. That is the whole goal of this … we want to keep it within the box,” Rogers said. 

Explosions caused by thermal runaway are unlikely, according to Mehrman, who said, “Vapors burn off rather than lead to an explosion. We have not seen any battery storage facility fire that has failed beyond the perimeter.”

 Other concerns

Deputy Town Attorney Beth Reilly addressed legal questions as they pertained to the town code. 

In accordance with the town code, which dictates that noise levels cannot exceed 65 decibels at the property line from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. or 50 decibels after 10 p.m., the site will include buffers and vegetation to limit noise.

Panico, in response to financial queries, said the company “will pay taxes in accord with any other development” and “this is in no way being done with anything related to the landfill.”

Both Setauket sites are zoned appropriately, so the systems are permitted in those areas, despite their proximity to residential areas.  

Panico acknowledged the relevance of battery energy storage systems by appreciating the benefits of renewable energy in the fight against climate change. “There is a value from harnessing power from the wind and the sun,” he said. 

Councilmembers Jonathon Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), Neil Manzella (R-Selden), and Neil Foley (R-Patchogue) were also among those in attendance.

To view the forum, please use this link:

 

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The Jan. 14 Port Jefferson Board of Education meeting. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

The Port Jefferson Board of Education announced its strategy to pay for the $16.5 million settlement to be paid to the seven victims who filed a lawsuit under the New York State Child Victims Act.  at its Jan. 14 meeting.

The board obtained $5.1 million from the district’s capital reserve and is borrowing $11.5 million under a one-year contract from Oppenheimer &Cco. 

Deputy Superintendent Sean Leister said they committed to a short-term loan “to see what type of advocacy and state support comes through.”

“At the end of that year we will see if any of the money comes to the forefront, otherwise we will enter a long-term borrow,” he said. 

The district is held to a time restriction and wanted to take steps toward paying the settlement so as to focus more energy toward actually securing the funds without the time pressure. The year-long contract gives them time to explore solutions within legislature. 

Superintendent Jessica Schmettan said “there are multiple legislative solutions to help school districts with the CVA settlements” and that she and members of other districts dealing with settlements have spoken with legislators about “resurrecting bills.”

“I don’t think when they passed the Child Victims Act law they didn’t realize how it would impact the school districts,” Schmettan said. “We can’t just declare bankruptcy like the Catholic Church can. I think they wanted to help the victims but weren’t thinking of the financial aspect. “

One speaker expressed anxiety over the seemingly slow progress of securing funds. 

Vice President Tracy Zamek said, “We don’t have access to some of these reserves. It’s not an easy thing [to gain access]. We are advocating for access – that’s what we are fighting for.”

The loan begins on Jan. 23, and the district will only have to pay the 3.25% interest, amounting to over $300,000. 

Other business

The district initiates new programs to popularize reading among the student body. To increase literacy, the district is being less strict about which books are included in curriculum, and are instead allowing students to interact with books that interest them.

Required reading is still an important part of the lessons, but allowing students to have a choice has increased their interest and enjoyment in reading, according to teachers. 

Port Jefferson Middle School English teacher Chuck Ruoff  embraced the initiative. “A lot of time the books were chosen for the classroom. Sometimes students are turned off. I’m just interested in getting as many books in the classroom as we could. I got the feeling that I was holding some students back, in a way… reading isn’t just something that we do in the classroom with essays and short answer questions attached to it.”

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By Sabrina Artusa

The past two years in Suffolk County had the warmest average mean temperature and the warmest average low temperature of any two consecutive years on record.

According to data recorded by the Southeast Regional Climate Center (SERCC), January 2023 to January 2025 were the hottest 730 days of the past 42 years. 

The data, recorded at a station in Islip, reported the area’s average mean temperature as 55.1 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the third warmest year following 2023 and 2012, which both experienced an average mean temperature of 55.3 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The average low temperature was 47.1 degrees Fahrenheit, tying with 2012 as the warmest average low temperature, followed by 2023 with an average low temp of 47.0, only .1 degrees cooler. 

The years 2023 and 2024 rank high in most of the temperature charts, although 2024 was not among the top five highest average temperatures.

Long Island’s higher than normal temperatures are not unique; according to data obtained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the average temperature of the continental U.S. was the warmest to date. 

Compared to the baseline–the temperature from 1900 to 2000– the average temp of the U.S. in 2024 was almost 3 degrees Fahrenheit warmer. The base is 52.01 degrees Fahrenheit while 2024 experienced an average of 54.94.

Dr. Elizabeth Watson, an associate professor at Stony Brook University’s Department of Ecology and Evolution, specializes in climate change and its effects on coastal environments. 

According to Watson, global warming is generally felt more intensely in the winter months. As greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane continue to trap heat within our atmosphere, the Earth isn’t releasing heat as rapidly as it has in the past. 

The warming Earth doesn’t reach freezing temperatures as often, resulting in less snow to reflect the solar energy away from the Earth’s surface. 

“Snow affects the seasonal energy balance, so if you have more snow it reflects the light,” Watson said. 

This positive feedback loop has exacerbated warming and explains why there is such a noticeable change of temperature in winter months. 

The temperature increase is an indication of a change that is impacting Long Island weather and ecology. Extreme weather events like storm surges impose a threat not only to the coastal environment, but also infrastructure. 

In December 2023 and January 2024, Long Island experienced a storm surge–when a storm pushes water inland. Watson observed its effects in Patchogue, as water flowed out from the drains, blocks away from the Patchogue Bay. 

“When I think about climate change in this area I think about flooding and high sea levels,” Watson said. “If you have high temperatures that lead to more energetic storms that can lead to more storm surges.” She emphasized the danger flooding would have on Long Island communities, especially coastal towns like Port Jefferson, Northport, and Huntington. 

David Ansel, the vice president of the center for water protection at Save the Sound, interpreted the data in the context of what it means for the Long Island Sound. 

“As it is getting warmer and warmer, that is negatively impacting a number of things,” Ansel said.”One is water pollution and also the actual warming of the water itself, which makes the water less healthy for biodiversity and plant life.”

A warming climate correlates with severe single-day precipitation events, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Heavy rainfall in itself is cause for alarm–it can erode land and damage crops–but the potential for it to cause flooding is among the most detrimental to our community. 

Currently, Watson is studying the causes of forest dieback–a condition that leads trees and plants to weaken or die. Watson said. “Episodic storms seem to play a role. It seems [forest dieback] has accelerated a lot more in the past 10 years. It is not something that has started with Hurricane Sandy.” 

Long Island infrastructure is ill-suited to deal with the mass amount of rainfall that data shows is becoming increasingly common as temperature rises. The data secured from SERCC did not reveal abnormal rain in recent years, but national studies suggest an increase. 

“When it rains a lot in a short amount of time it overwhelms water treatment and for communities,” said Ansel, who is advocating for the replacement of outdated septic tanks and more efficient wastewater facilities. 

The Central and Western Basins of the Long Island Sound are healthy, according to a study released by Save the Sound in 2023 that tested the dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll levels, dissolved organic carbon, and water quality. Port Jefferson, Stony Brook, Old Field, and Nissequogue neighbor border this portion of the sound

The Eastern Narrows, which extend from New York City to Eaton’s Neck, is rated lower.

Increasingly, town officials are approaching Ansel for advice on how to improve their stormwater management and prepare for flooding. 

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President Jimmy Carter. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Sabrina Artusa

In the early 1980s, Robin Agnew’s parents were at the end of their rope. After years of struggling under the increased oil prices, Robin Agnew’s father, a commercial gardener, was struggling to maintain operation of his greenhouse in Terryville.

The inflated oil prices caused by President Jimmy Carter’s (D) embargo on oil from Iran drained any revenue her father gained from selling chrysanthemums and orchids.

“There was this hope that this incredible increase in oil prices would subside. Year after year it got worse,” Robin Agnew said. “It never changed.”

On June 30, 1980, Carter signed the Energy Security Act, which emphasized the development of renewable energy projects and energy conservation. 

By this time, the Agnew family’s “state of the art” greenhouses were falling into disrepair and Robin Agnew’s father was “working around the clock just to break even.” At this point her brother, Clark Jr., designed a new greenhouse. He proposed a greenhouse that can weather the elements and utilize the sun’s warmth to its highest potential. The greenhouse would be partially underground, with the top part south-facing to maximize exposure to the sun; it would use rocks as thermal energy storage and have a fan to spread the warm air. 

Clark Agnew Jr., a recent graduate who studied architecture, applied and was approved for a government grant to support his plans to create a new greenhouse.

“They had their backs against the wall and it saved them,” said Robin, who was around 13 when her parents received the grant. 

The greenhouse not only saved the livelihood of her parents, but supplied Robin and Clark with livelihoods of their own.

“He was extremely excited then,” Robin said of her brother. “It was his first really big project and to have someone acknowledge and support it was pretty life changing for him I would think.” 

Robin remarked how a member of the Carter administration, sent to supervise the project, had told her brother “that of all the grant money that they handed out, his was most impressive.” 

“It boosted the trajectory of his life because he felt like they made the right decision in his future and it gave him the confidence to go ahead and do big things,” she said. 

Carter’s presidency is marked by environmental advocacy and progressive climate policies. During his presidency, Carter passed numerous acts aimed at increasing energy efficiency and conservation. 

The grant program that helped the Agnew family was part of Carter’s larger mission of diversifying the country’s energy sources, thereby reducing the country’s reliance on oil. 

His vision in the power of renewable energy sources was such that Carter had solar panels installed on the White House. 

The Agnew greenhouse is still used by Robin Agnew, who refers to it as “her happy place.” There is an aviary, a grapefruit tree and constant warmth. A dressmaker, Robin Agnew works on her craft in the greenhouse as well. 

The greenhouse was a vessel for the economic growth of each of the Agnew family members; it actualized a future that could have easily slipped away without help from the Carter administration. 

“They [Robin Agnew’s parents] were extremely grateful and appreciative and so was I. For me it was amazing,” Robin said.

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