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TBR News Media

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Local news is making news lately.

Last week, tech giant Google reached an agreement with the Canadian government that will allow the search engine to continue publishing links to local news outlets under select conditions. As part of the bargain, Google will pay out roughly U.S. $73.5 million annually to Canadian news companies.

We regard this development as a significant victory for local journalism, setting a powerful precedent we can follow here in the United States.

The local press is a vital institution for sustaining democracy. We know that in news deserts — or places not served by a local newspaper — communities generally have less civic engagement and more governmental mismanagement.

Without local news, we become alienated from the democratic process. Distant bureaucracies in Washington and Albany — over which we have little influence as private citizens — dominate our mental space and shape our worldviews.

Without local news, we can consume only the most polarizing, partisan content from mainstream media outlets that prosper and profit from a national culture of division.

At TBR, we are committed to a ground-up style of democracy. A stable federalist system requires a solid foundation. Like the food chain, community journalism is the primary producer, giving life to all other levels of democracy. Without the local press, our entire democratic ecosystem could collapse.

Local journalists reporting on civic matters and informed citizens engaging in the political process are the pillars of a thriving democracy. But how our industry is changing.

Today, local outlets fight just to survive — much less thrive and expand. Local newspapers have simply struggled to adapt in this digital age. Meanwhile, tech conglomerates are cannibalizing the local media landscape, circulating and monetizing our content without equitable compensation while siphoning away precious advertising dollars from small businesses — the lifeblood of the local press.

We find this dynamic deeply problematic. Fortunately, we have recourse.

Right now, the state Legislature is considering the Local Journalism Sustainability Act. This measure would create tax credits for local journalists and monetarily reward local news subscribers.

We regard this legislation as a positive first step toward attracting and retaining talent in our industry while counteracting the declines faced by many of our shuttering peers. We ask each of our state legislators to support this measure and invite readers to lobby them on our behalf.

But the work doesn’t end in Albany. Local news outlets in the U.S. deserve compensation from Big Tech, similar to our Canadian counterparts. If Canada can defend its local press, our federal government can, too.

The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate earlier this year by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) with broad bipartisan support, would allow local outlets to jointly negotiate fair compensation for access to our content by Google, Facebook and other large corporations.

We urge our U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) to pick up the measure, guiding the slim House majority toward enactment.

As local press members, we are staring down an extinction-level event. The monopolistic, plagiaristic, predatory tactics of Big Tech must end. We ask for a level playing field.

To our readers and public officials alike, we urge you to do what you can to stand up for local news.

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Photo by Raymond Janis

Thanking community for solidarity around farm animals

Dear Community,

I want to thank you, the community, for coming together to keep the animals at the historic Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Old Post Road in East Setauket.

A special thank you to those who stopped by on Nov, 8, while Preservation Long Island [the farm owner] was trying to take away the animals. There was no notice that they were coming that day. Your presence was deeply appreciated.

Even though the farm animals — the four sheep and Snowball the pony — will be removed at some time soon, your commitment to try to keep them at the farm brought our community together in a beautiful way. It was a deep disappointment that the director of Preservation Long Island hardened her heart to not let the animals live out their lives at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm.

No one knows when the director is planning to remove the animals. You may want to take some “Grandma Moses”-style photos before the animals are taken away.

Again, my sincere thanks.

Bonnie Dunbar

Setauket

Three Village school board’s regressive decision on Regents exams

At the Nov. 29 meeting of the Three Village Central School District Board of Education, a decision was made to regress to the pre-COVID era in terms of how Regents exams will figure into our students’ grade point averages.

Instead of permanently instating the “do no harm” policy that has been in place since the pandemic, a slim majority voted to do away with it altogether. The “grading committee” apparently felt it was far more important to simply lower the percentage that the exams will count in a final course GPA from 12% to 10% rather than take into consideration the considerable damage these flawed exams can do to one’s final course grade.

The simple truth is that most students who will be taking Regents exams this year are either first timers or those who have not been tainted by the tests because of the policy that has been in place. I applaud the one board member, Karen Roughley, who delivered an extremely comprehensive argument for why the “do no harm” policy was the most advantageous opportunity for our students to be successful.

Students who excel all year and achieve mastery in their quarter grades should not have the average destroyed by one test. There are innumerable factors that can alter how students perform on their Regents, including test anxiety and/or other mental health issues, illness, outside distractions and so forth. Yet the board ignored the opportunity to ensure that our students do not suffer if they are unable to regurgitate information during a three-hour state exam.

New York State neither requires nor recommends that Regents exams be counted in a student’s final course grade. Several districts, including Jericho — that Three Village chooses to compare themselves to — do not count Regents exams in their final GPA.

Why then, with this information, does this district insist on continuing down this archaic rabbit hole? Is it not enough that the Chemistry Regents includes a downward curve or that the ELA and United States history exams have formats now that even the strongest students struggle with?

The grading committee’s claim that our students wouldn’t put forth the same effort if they knew the scores wouldn’t count was completely disproven by the data presentation at the meeting. The mere suggestion is insulting to our kids and those responsible for preparing them for the exams.

The board’s decision was one of cowardice and a disregard for our children’s success. To say I am disappointed, as a great many parents are, would be a huge understatement.

Stefanie Werner

East Setauket

Miller Place fire commissioner bid

Dear Residents of the Miller Place Fire District,

My name is Kyle Markott and I’m writing to ask for your support as I run for Miller Place Fire District commissioner. I believe my skills, knowledge and experience of fire district operations make me an ideal candidate for the position of fire commissioner.

I joined the Miller Place Fire Department as a .junior member in 1994 at the age of 14. After serving four years in the juniors, I was honored to be sworn in as an active member. As years went by, I rose through the ranks serving as chief driver, lieutenant and then captain of the Engine Company. In 2007 I was elected as 3rd assistant chief. I went on to serve eight years in the chief’s office attaining the rank of chief of department in 2013-14.

I believe what sets me apart is my experience with fire district operations. For the past four years I have served as a fire district manager. I handle all aspects of the fire district on a day-to-day basis including the management of a 20-person staff, creation of the annual budget, truck and building maintenance, overseeing a 24/7 dispatch and EMS operation, and daily interaction with all our vendors.

Having knowledge of what is happening in other fire districts and the county is also an important trait of an effective commissioner. For the past nine years I have served on the Suffolk County Fire Rescue & Emergency Services Commission, and I currently serve as chairman. This commission makes recommendations to the county executive and Legislature regarding fire and EMS services in the county.

I hope my over-26 years of experience in the fire and EMS service makes me the best candidate for the commissioner position.

The commissioner election is on Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 4-9 p.m. at the Miller Place Fire Department headquarters located at 12 Miller Place Road.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kyle Markott

Miller Place

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Photo by Raymond Janis

Why cashless bail is right

The starting place for any discussion of bail reform is an understanding that jails are terrible places. This includes county jails, rural jails and frankly even the drunk tank where those arrested for DUI are properly held overnight.

Anyone accused of a misdemeanor or a nonviolent felony who spends a week or weeks in jail will be damaged forever. They will be terrorized, abused and intimidated by the other inmates. They may be raped and infected with AIDS.

If they have a job, they will have to call in, and more likely than not will lose that job. If they have a business, the business will likely fail. Single parents may lose custody of their children. All of which reinforces the cycle of poverty, which is at least contributory to what causes poor people (those who cannot make cash bail are by definition poor people) to commit misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies.

A priori, the impact of cash bail is visited on the poor — like if they had the $500 they would have paid it — and poverty is disproportionately inflicted on people of color. Oh, yeah, people of color get arrested a lot more than white people. Cash bail is inherently discriminatory.

Let’s dispose of the outcry that through cashless bail we are putting dangerous criminals out on the street. At worst, what we are doing is putting cashless suspects back on the street while continuing to let the ones with cash out on the street.

One of the fundamental principles of our society is that a person accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Bail is justified by a weighted measure of factors on the likelihood that the defendant will show up in court. The courts are supposed to consider threats to the community — antagonistic to the presumption of innocence — only when the prosecution makes a strong showing in support of a charge involving violence or the threat of violence.

New York’s vision of bail reform was limited to misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies. So take the “dangerous criminal” argument off the table.

Timothy Glynn

Setauket

A message from outgoing Leg. Esteban

As the results have come in and the voice of our community has been heard, I write this with a heart full of gratitude. Serving you has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Though the outcome was not what we hoped for, the journey has been immeasurably rewarding.

I express my deepest thanks to the Suffolk County GOP, my staff and campaign team. Your tireless dedication and belief in our vision have been the backbone of our efforts. I’ve seen your hard work and sacrifices firsthand, and it will not be forgotten.

To my supporters, your passion has been my inspiration. Every handshake, every story, every event, every moment spent with you has reinforced my commitment to public service.

This moment is not the end of our story; it’s merely the turn of a page, the beginning of a new chapter. Change is an essential thread in the fabric of our democracy, and I embrace it fully, eager to see where it leads us all.

To my family, my children and my wife, your support has been my sanctuary. Politics is a demanding path, and without your love and sacrifice, this journey would have been impossible. And to my dear mother, who is battling illness in the hospital, with incredible strength, my focus now turns to you, to return the loving support you have always given me.

I pledge to continue to be a voice for the voiceless, to advocate for those in need and to help forge a future that benefits all. Our work together is far from over, and I eagerly anticipate the next ways in which I can serve.

I extend my congratulations to Rebecca Sanin [D-Huntington Station]. Taking on the mantle of leadership is no small task, and I have great respect for anyone who steps forward to serve the public in this capacity. I trust that you will carry forward the wishes and needs of our community with integrity and dedication. May our transition be smooth and our shared objectives for the community’s welfare continue to be the guiding light of our efforts.

Thank you all, once again, for the privilege of being your public servant.

Manuel Esteban

Suffolk County Legislator

Legislative District 16

Support your community by shopping local this Saturday

You can support small retailers and restaurants by joining me and your neighbors on the 13th annual National Small Business Saturday, this coming Nov. 25.

Small Business Saturday began on Nov. 27, 2010. It was in response to both Black Friday (large stores) and Cyber Monday (e-commerce stores).

Small Business Saturday is designed for those starting holiday shopping to patronize small along with local community-based businesses.

Many small independent businesses are at the mercy of suppliers, who control the price they have to pay for merchandise. The small business employees go out of their way to help find what I need. Customer service is their motto.

An independent mom-and-pop store does not have the bulk buying purchasing power that Amazon or large national chain stores have. This is why they sometimes charge a little more.

It is worth the price to avoid the crowds and long lines at larger stores in exchange for the convenience and friendly service your neighborhood community store offers.

Our local entrepreneurs have continued the good fight to keep their existing staff and suppliers employed without layoffs and canceling supply orders. They work long hours, pay taxes, keep people employed and help fight crime by serving as the eyes and ears of neighborhoods. Foot traffic is essential for the survival of neighborhood commercial districts.

The owners of independent mom-and-pop stores are the backbone of our neighborhood commercial districts. Show your support by making a purchase.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Clarifying recent events at Sherwood-Jayne Farm

Preservation Long Island would like to clarify the events that took place at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Nov. 8.

The entire 12.5-acre farm is private property, as are the grazing sheep and pony. We have made access to the animals and the property available to the public as a community benefit.

Considering that the farm site is not an active animal farm, we came to the realization earlier this year that the aging animals will soon require care beyond what we can provide. The decision was not financially driven — it was in the best interest of the animals.

While Susanna Gatz has undoubtedly been a loving caretaker, she is not the only person capable of caring for the animals. She was first made aware of PLI’s plans for the animals and the change in her status as early as April.

We understand how community members will miss the sheep and Snowball — as we will — but we have committed ourselves to finding a solution that will provide animals of an advanced age with the services they will require.

After working within the community and searching for the best possible fit, we found Berkshire Sanctuary Farm, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing aging animals with a serene location and professional veterinary care.

When Susanna’s friends arrived to protest the transfer of the animals to Berkshire on Nov. 8, we did allow children onto our private property to say goodbye to the animals as a courtesy. Unfortunately, the noise and activity of Susanna’s adult protesters stressed the animals into a state where Berkshire felt it was not safe to humanely move them during the commotion.

We hope we have not lost the opportunity to provide the animals with a forever home at Berkshire.

Alexandra Parsons Wolfe

Executive Director

Preservation Long Island

Sherwood-Jayne Farm animals should be allowed to stay

Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Old Post Road in East Setauket is a jewel of our community.

Thanks to the actions of people within our community and elsewhere, the farm has remained a lovely and happy place for both adults and children to enjoy just as Mr. Howard Sherwood envisioned long ago.

Unfortunately, the owners of the farm, Preservation Long Island, have decided to remove the animals from the residence, sending the four sheep to Berkshire Farm Sanctuary in Peru, Massachusetts, and Snowball the pony to an undisclosed location on Long Island.

I googled the sanctuary to find out about its purpose. Their mission is “to rescue, rehabilitate and provide a safe haven for abandoned, abused and neglected companion and farm animals and promote humane education and compassion to all beings.” This is a beautiful mission, but the animals at Sherwood-Jayne have never been abandoned, abused or neglected. They have been tenderly and compassionately cared for all their lives.

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, the executive director of Preservation Long Island, Alexandra Wolfe, and a security guard arrived at the farm with minimal notice with the intention to promptly remove the animals from the farm. Ms. Wolfe then refused to give information to the current caretaker as to where Snowball would be heading or who would be caring for her.

This action showed medical neglect as there was no exchange of information about the care that Snowball has received to keep her alive and well. Thanks to the uprising of concerned local neighbors, this event was drawn to a halt, and at the end of the skirmish, the animals remained at the farm. None of these actions make sense to me, or to many community members.

The animals should be allowed to live out their remaining days in their happy and safe place at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm.

Bonnie Dunbar

Setauket

Notice of important civic meeting on Jefferson Plaza

As president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, I want to inform my neighbors of the opportunity to shape the future of our community and have your voices heard. 

On Tuesday, Nov. 28, we will gather, as we do most months at 7 p.m. at the Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, and hold our regular civic association meeting. Check out our website at www.pjstca.org for future meeting notifications and join with others who seek to beautify, improve and celebrate Port Jefferson Station/Terryville. 

While I believe all our meetings are enriching and interesting, this particular meeting is of significance as it will be dedicated to the discussion of the redevelopment by Staller Associates of the Jefferson Plaza Shopping Center, where the Post Office is on Route 112.

The proposed project envisions the construction of 280 units of residential apartments in two structures, which could reach 50 feet in height, as well as include 49,000 square feet of new and updated commercial space to serve the new and existing residents.

Such a proposal presents this community with an opportunity as we seek to renew and revitalize an area that has been a concern to many and has focused us on quality-of-life issues in our community. But, as with any potential change, there are related impacts that have been raised by active members of our civic and the broader community as occurred in February 2022 when the developer presented this concept to 125 concerned citizens who attended that night.

More recently, I heard this past weekend that up to 80 people met at the shopping center on a cold Sunday morning to discuss the new project and connect with their neighbors.

It is my hope on Nov. 28 to facilitate an informative and vibrant discussion of all the implications — positive or negative — such an opportunity presents in order to develop consensus of how our community views this pivotal development. I am certain there will be spirited debate as there are many opinions to be aired by everyone. I also hope we can do so with an attitude of acceptance, decorum and mutual respect.

All of this activity is taking place in advance of a public hearing at 5 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Town Hall when the Brookhaven Town Board will consider this zoning change request. Therefore, I invite all those interested to join us on Nov. 28, so we can raise our voice two days later at the Town Board and help influence the future of this hamlet we are so proud of in a positive direction.

Ira Costell, President

Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association

Have our leaders ever traveled along the Port Jeff Branch?

You can learn a great deal about the priorities of our elected officials by what they do and don’t do when it comes to delivering funding for transportation projects.

Over the past few days, U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer [D-NY] and Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY], joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] and others, announced federal funding of $1.3 billion toward advancing the $1.6 billion East River Tunnel reconstruction, $1.6 billion toward the $3.1 billion Metro North Bronx East Penn Station Access, $3.4 billion toward the $7.7 billion New York City Transit Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 and $3.8 billion toward Amtrak’s $16.8 billion Gateway Tunnel (for two new tunnels plus rehabilitation of two existing Hudson River tunnels connecting New Jersey with Penn Station) projects.

Not a dime as a down payment to pay for any National Environmental Policy Act review, additional planning or preliminary design and engineering for the $3 billion-plus MTA Long Island Rail Road double tracking electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch.

This seed money, in the millions, is necessary if these improvements to the LIRR Port Jefferson Branch can become eligible for any future Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grants New Starts Core Capacity Full Funding Grant Agreement for $1.5 billion many years down the road.

Schumer, Gillibrand and Hochul, by their actions — or in this case, inaction — have clearly indicated no interest in supporting any advancement of future capital improvements to the Port Jefferson Branch. Commuters, residents, taxpayers, project advocates and others may want to consider withholding your potential campaign contributions and votes when they run for another term in office.

This is the only influence you have.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

Editor’s note: The writer is a transportation analyst and former director for Federal Transit Administration Region 2.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Appreciation for community support

The farm animals at Sherwood-Jayne Farm in Setauket. File photo by Nancy Trump

‘Tis the season of gratitude, and I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the community members who have taken the time to support the animals at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm in Setauket.

The love I have felt from each of you has meant so much. Thank you for the phone calls, the visits at the farm and the tracking down of me on social media to share your kind words and encouragement. While the animals have continued to live on the property, this is due to the plans of Preservation Long Island to remove them being put on hold — meaning that the potential of the animals leaving the farm is still a very high probability. So to all of you who spoke up to help put those plans on hold, I ask you to do it again. These animals are a legacy to the Sherwood-Jayne Farm and a treasure to our community. Let’s keep the conversation going and the beauty of our town intact.

 

Susanna Gatz

Setauket

Saying thanks for local road repair

I have to say thank you to the town [Brookhaven Highway Department] for repairing the road on Terryville Road in Port Jefferson Station. They did a wonderful job.

Kitty Shults

Port Jeff Station

A plan for reducing energy rates

The biggest chunk of my utility bill, like that of all ratepayers, covers “delivery fees,” not the price of gas.

This subsidy allows gas companies to expand their methane-leaking infrastructure at a time when common sense tells us we should be reducing reliance on gas in favor of solar and wind power.

Delivery fees also fund lobbying campaigns to encourage more gas usage and derail mandated clean energy projects. Some companies even promise they’re moving to “renewable natural gas,” which is nearly all methane, the most effective means of heating our atmosphere and oceans, causing more intense rainstorms and flooding.

The health risks of indoor gas pollution should have us seriously considering electric stoves and other home appliances. Indoor pollution from electric stoves can easily exceed health guidelines, spreading throughout our homes. Such concentrations of toxic substances would be considered illegal if it occurred outside, and dramatically increases children’s risk of asthma.

On a state policy level, it’s time for Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] to include the NY HEAT (Home Energy Affordable Transition) Act in her executive budget after state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie [D-Bronx] blocked its passage.

NY HEAT sets out a timely and strategic right-sizing of the gas distribution system in a just and affordable manner. Removing the 100-foot subsidy rule, or “free hook-up,” and prohibiting installation of gas service into areas previously without it would save consumers $200 million a year. This is a logical move, as new home construction is already required to shift to all-electric. NY HEAT would also empower legislators to gradually decommission gas pipelines and cap energy costs for low- and moderate-income families at 6% of income.

NY HEAT addresses our rising utility bills, while helping to decarbonize our communities.

Debra Handel

Shoreham

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Inside this issue is a treasure trove of first-hand information about the candidates and the issues in the coming election. How do I know? Because we, the different members of the editorial board of Times Beacon Record Newspapers, personally interviewed 25 people running for office across the three towns that we serve: Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington. The offices the candidates are running for are all local, which means that these are the officials who will have the most direct effect on our lives. 

The positions range this year from county legislators to town supervisors, town council, and town clerk. We asked them questions without bias, seeking only to understand who they were, what they believed and what we could expect from each of them, should they be elected — or re-elected, as the case might be. The setting in our conference room was relaxed, and we hoped comfortable, with opponents for each office seated together around the table responding to questions put to them by our editors and reporters. 

Sometimes there were four candidates, sometimes only one who might be running unopposed or against a shadow opponent, but mostly there were two during each session. Most of the time, the hour goes by calmly, but occasionally the opponents get testy with each other — they may even become openly hostile.

At one such session some years ago, one of the candidates invited the other out to the back parking lot “to settle things.” When the other began to take off his jacket, we quickly intervened. But there were no such flare-ups this year. 

The answers were timed in an attempt to get to the main ideas without running on too long. There was ample time at the end for each visitor to tell us anything more that perhaps we hadn’t elicited with our questioning. 

We have written up the details of each interview in a separate article for the election section. And we discuss the candidates at the end of each hour and come to a conclusion for the endorsement. 

Most of the time, the editorial group was unanimous because the choices were fairly direct. But for a couple of races, we talked over the pros and cons of each candidate at length before making the selection. These endorsements are based on both the in-depth interviews and the considerable information we know about the incumbents since we have been covering them closely throughout their terms in office. Of course, after reading the stories, you may or may not agree with our conclusions. Our job is to get you thinking.

The many hours that are given to this task, throughout the month of October, are a service for our readers. We are privileged to enjoy an extended face-to-face time with those standing for election, and we feel an obligation to pass along whatever information, facts and impressions we gather during these sessions. We sincerely hope we help in the sometimes-difficult job of casting a responsible vote.

Each year we include in the election section a sample ballot that we are able to procure from the Suffolk County Board of Elections because readers have told us that it is a great advantage for them to receive the ballot at the voting poll already knowing how it is laid out.

Our editorial board is made up of staffers with different political leanings, but when we put our journalists’ hats on, we try to judge each race strictly on the merits of the opposing candidates. And while it is technically possible for me to be tyrannical about the final selections, that is almost never the case. We decide by majority rule.

Sincere thanks to the talented staff who join in this extra work each year. We truly believe that we are watchdogs for the people, and nowhere is that more necessary than in reporting about government and its office holders. We hope we have helped you, whether you read by newspaper and/or online. Now please vote.  

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