The Port Times Record - February 16, 2023

PORT JEFFERSON • BELLE TERRE • PORT JEFFERSON STATION • TERRYVILLE

Photo by Raymond Janis

Make a Statement...

Suffolk DA’s office welcomes emotional support dog

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Domestic Violence Bureau, paired with Tillman, who will assist her as well as victims, witnesses and officers during traumatic events.

COUNTY

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office welcomed its newest hire, an emotional support canine named Tillman III, on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at the William J. Lindsay County Complex in Hauppauge.

Tillman is a 2-year-old Lab/golden retriever mix, bred and trained as a facility dog by Medfordbased Canine Companions. Assistant District Attorney Melissa Grier, of the Child Abuse and

“This is a tough system for victims, especially child victims,” District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) said. Tillman is “very comforting, and it’s just a good opportunity to help the kids with a very recognizable and lovable thing in a very unrecognizable and tough situation.”

Together, Tierney and Tillman strolled through the various rooms and hallways throughout the office building, the staff greeting their newest colleague with delight.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney greets the newest member of his staff, Tillman III. Photos by Raymond Janis

Leute suspended with pay, disciplinary hearing possible

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Fred Leute, the code enforcement chief in the Village of Port Jefferson, has been suspended with pay.

In an email, Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden, the village’s public safety commissioner, confirmed Leute’s suspension.

“Chief Leute has been suspended with pay until further notice,” Snaden said. “The department is running smoothly, and the village is safe and in good hands.”

The news comes just days after Leute delivered the department’s monthly report on public safety during a Board of Trustees meeting held Monday, Feb. 6.

Mayor Margot Garant said in an interview that Leute “had the opportunity to resign, and if he didn’t resign, then he has been informed that he will be brought up on the [New York Civil Service Law Section] 75 disciplinary charges and potentially have a hearing.”

When asked whether any particular incident precipitated the suspension, Garant declined to provide further details. “I cannot disclose anything that’s led up to this,” the mayor said. “He has rights. There’s a procedure to follow — being brought up on charges and having the hearing that he’s entitled to.”

Asked whether she or the village board had decided to suspend, Garant said, “The Board of Trustees was fully informed in exec session — and the labor attorney as well. There is no technical vote that has to happen until a hearing officer, after the hearing, makes a recommendation to the Board of Trustees.” She added, “Based on that recommendation, we will then take further action.”

Section 75

The state law requires that an employee covered under Section 75 “may not be removed or otherwise subjected to disciplinary penalty except for incompetency or misconduct shown after a hearing upon stated charges.”

Ken Girardin, a fellow at the Albany-based Empire Center for Public Policy, has extensively researched the Section 75 disciplinary review process. In an interview, he said the guidelines have been in place for nearly a century, laying out the ground rules by which a public employee can be charged and disciplined.

Section 75 “sets a process where those charges can be laid out and answered in a court-like setting, where an employee can bring witnesses in his or her defense,” he said, offering elected officials “an opportunity to decide whether that discipline should be meted out.”

Girardin suggested a degree of confidentiality is embedded within the review process to protect the due process rights of public employees.

“With respect to the public, there’s always a tough balance between keeping the public

apprised of what’s going on and respecting employees when charges have not yet been substantiated,” he said. “But with respect to transparency, the public has an absolute right to know whenever an employee is disciplined” following a Section 75 hearing.

Along with transparency is the matter of cost, which Girardin stated can quickly add up. Between the expense of paying a hearing officer, prosecutor, stenographer, potential witnesses and the suspended employee, he said municipalities must weigh the costs of going through with a hearing.

“The cost becomes a part of the calculation with employee discipline,” Girardin said, adding that mounting costs often increase the likelihood of a settlement, “the terms of which the public should know.”

Given the sensitive nature of the dispute, Girardin maintains that village officials are in a difficult bind, simultaneously weighing competing values of promoting transparency while respecting due process.

“To be fair, it puts them in a really weird spot,” he said. “Because it is a personnel matter,

where someone is potentially still without fault here, it’s really hard for them to talk about it.”

For village residents who may wish to stay informed about a potential disciplinary proceeding, Girardin implored them to wait patiently and to respect the procedures put in place.

“They have to assume that the person being charged is not guilty, and they shouldn’t expect any details until the hearing process has proven otherwise,” he said.

A moment in village history

In Leute’s absence, deputy chief John Borrero has assumed the role of acting chief. Garant ensured that the transition within the code department was relatively smooth.

“Everything is pretty automated up there,” she said. “We’re… assuring the ladies and gentlemen of the code bureau that they’re going to continue to get the support that they have always gotten from the administration and from the executive team here.”

Leute’s suspension also came shortly after Garant announced her retirement from public service. When asked if there was any connection between the two matters, she said they were unrelated.

“Unfortunately, this is the way the timing worked out,” the mayor said. “It is just a coincidence,” adding, “I wish that the timing had been altogether different.”

Fred Leute (right) presented certificates of commendation to code officers during a general meeting of the Port Jefferson Board of Trustees on Monday, Feb. 6. File photo by Raymond Janis

Village residents ‘have to assume that the person being charged is not guilty, and they shouldn’t expect any details until the hearing process has proven otherwise.’

— KEN GIRARDIN

Brookhaven receives $380K in federal infrastructure stimulus

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Public officials and first responders gathered Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Terryville Fire Department Station 2 in Port Jefferson Station, announcing the recent injection of federal funding to support roadway safety in the Town of Brookhaven.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program was established by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under this law, $5 billion will be spent over the next five years to limit roadway deaths and serious injuries.

U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) announced that the Town of Brookhaven was awarded $380,000 through the grant program.

“The average homeowner here on Long Island pays $14- or $15,000 in [property] taxes,” he said. “What people expect in return are safe streets, good schools and smooth roads.”

The congressman also touched upon the perceived imbalance between taxes contributed and funds received from the

federal government.

“For every dollar we send to Washington, Long Islanders get a mere 93 cents back in return investment,” LaLota said. “This infrastructure law is one of the ways that we can make that wrong right,” adding, “We can send money back to our local governments to ensure that we lower the tax burden and improve the quality of life.”

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) thanked LaLota for facilitating the additional infrastructure money. He said reducing roadway deaths is a matter of securing the necessary investment.

“For us to be successful, we have got to be the squeaky wheel that gets the grease,” he said.

There are “3,700 miles of roads in Brookhaven Town,” the supervisor said. “We’re concerned about our roads, and the federal dollars will help us maintain [and] make them safer.”

Town of Brookhaven Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Dan Panico (R-Manorville) also attended the event. He thanked LaLota on behalf of the Town Board.

“We have six council districts here in the Town of Brookhaven, and we want to thank Congressman LaLota for bringing this money home and let him know to keep that money coming,” he said.

Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R) called the press conference, saying the location was decided based on a recent nearby traffic fatality. According to him, the federal funds will go toward the town’s plan to reduce traffic fatalities on town roads to zero.

“Grants like this, programs like this … are part of a larger effort to make sure that we make our roads as safe as possible,” he said. “We know we can’t legislate morality. There are always going to be people who don’t obey speed limits or drive distracted or impaired.”

However, the highway superintendent added that local governments “can design roads safer — we can use proven trafficcalming measures.”

Losquadro said the highway department

uses several measures to identify problem roadways, such as the number of accidents, fatalities and other traffic-related incidents that occur upon them. When asked which roadways the $380,000 would target, he responded, “There are a number of criteria that go into examining that.”

Representing the Terryville Fire Department was 1st assistant chief Ray Kolb, who said the department responded to approximately 4,300 calls last year, “most of which were ambulance calls.”

Regarding the investment, he said the potential for more roadway repairs would support the work of the various first responder units within the area.

“We have paid 24-hour ambulance people, medical people, and they do a lot of our work for us,” the assistant chief said. “Anything we can get to help the safety of the roads is great.”

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine, above. U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota, at podium below.

Photos by Raymond Janis

Kevin LaValle sworn in as Brookhaven town clerk

Brookhaven Town Clerk Kevin LaValle (R) formally took office during a swearingin ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 1. He is the 44th occupant of the clerk’s office in the town’s 368-year history.

Deputy Town Clerk Lauren Thoden officiated the swearing-in. LaValle was elected after a Jan. 17 special election triggered when former Town Clerk Donna Lent (I) retired after nine years in the position.

LaValle previously served as a Brookhaven town councilman for the 3rd Council District, which includes Lake Grove, Centereach, Selden and parts of Lake Ronkonkoma, Farmingville, Port Jeff Station and Holbrook. He was first elected to

the Town Board in 2013.

Before entering elected office, LaValle served for three years as chief of staff for then-Suffolk County Legislator and incumbent Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R).

From 2007 to 2011, he was president and partowner of Pinnacle Title Agency. He also served as a legislative aide to former Suffolk County Legislator Tom Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma).

LaValle was educated in the Middle Country Central School District, graduating from Centereach High School in 1995. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Salisbury University, where he graduated in 2000. He currently resides in Selden.

Port Jefferson School District Residents

RESIDENT PUPILS OF THE PORT JEFFERSON UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT #6 WHO WILL BE STARTING TO ATTEND, CONTINUING TO ATTEND OR ANTICIPATE ATTENDING PRIVATE OR PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS ARE ENTITLED TO BUS TRANSPORTATION. TO QUALIFY FOR TRANSPORTATION THE DISTANCE FROM THE HOME TO THE PRIVATE OR PAROCHIAL SCHOOL MUST BE LESS THAN 15 MILES.

PRIVATE OR PAROCHIAL SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DISTRICT’S TRANSPORTATION OFFICE NO LATER THAN APRIL 1, 2023. THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST FORM MUST, BY LAW, BE SUBMITTED EACH YEAR. A SEPARATE FORM MUST BE FILED FOR EACH CHILD. IF, AFTER APPLYING, YOU WISH TO CHANGE THE SCHOOL FOR WHICH YOU HAD REQUESTED TRANSPORTATION, YOU MUST CANCEL YOUR PREVIOUS REQUEST AND SUBMIT A NEW REQUEST BY THE APRIL 1 DEADLINE.

YOU MAY OBTAIN THE ONLINE FORM FOR SUBMISSION AT www.portjeffschools.org/departments/transportation_information IF ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED PLEASE CALL THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICE AT 631-791-4261 BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7 A.M. AND 3 P.M.

2023-2024 Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Registration

The Port Je erson Union Free School District will open registration for the 20232024 Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs on Wednesday, Feb. 1. The Elementary School Registration Packet can be found under the Central Registration tab, under District, on the district website, www.portje schools.org. Registration packets can be dropped o during school hours, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to the Edna Louise Spear Elementary School or to the District O ce. Only packets that are complete will be accepted. Registration packets must be received by 3  p.m. on Friday, March 3.

The Pre-Kindergarten Program will be a full-day program located in the Elementary School. A lottery will be implemented if necessary for the Pre-Kindergarten Program. Noti cation of acceptance will be via email.  Please be aware that transportation is not provided for prekindergarten students.

To be eligible for prekindergarten and kindergarten, children must  be 4 and 5 years old, respectively, on or before Dec. 1, 2023, and  a resident within the boundaries of the Port Je erson School  District.

Please call 631-791-4323 for more information or to request a registration packet for pickup.

Brookhaven Deputy Town Clerk Lauren Thoden (left) swore Town Clerk Kevin LaValle into office on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Photo courtesy the Town of Brookhaven’s Public Information Office

The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police: Driver injured in Farmingville crash

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a crash that seriously injured a man in Farmingville on Feb. 14. Rafael Tavarez was stopped in traffic in his 2021 Ford F350 in the left lane of northbound Nicolls Road, north of Horseblock Place, when his vehicle was rearended by 2005 Lexus driven by Patrick McCrum at approximately 10:45 a.m.

McCrum, 61, of Ridge, was extracted by Farmingville Fire Department Rescue and taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Tavarez, 71, of Clifton, New Jersey, was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-lifethreatening injuries. His passenger, Wilby Tapia, 38, also of Clifton New Jersey, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Both vehicles were impounded for safety checks. Detectives are asking anyone with information about the crash to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652.

Over 80 packs of Pokeman cards stolen

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police

Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who allegedly stole 82 packages of Pokemon cards from Target, located at 255 Pond Path in South Setauket on Dec. 3 at approximately 2 p.m. The merchandise was valued at approximately $990.

Smithtown jewelry store robbed

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating the armed robbery of a Smithtown jewelry store that occurred on February 8.

A woman, wearing a face mask, was buzzed into L.I. Gold Mine, located at 135 West Main St., at approximately 5:15 p.m. The woman held the door open as four masked men, two displaying handguns, entered the store. The owner and an employee were held at gunpoint while the robbers allegedly smashed display cases and stole assorted jewelry. The five suspects drove away from the scene in a minivan, which they parked a short distance away, then split up and fled in two other vehicles. There were no injuries.

Outdoor heaters swiped from Lowe’s Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly stole two outdoor heaters, valued at approximately $400, from Lowe’s, located at 2796 Route 112 in Medford, on Dec. 28 at 6 p.m. The suspect fled in a tan Chevrolet sedan.

Coram man arrested for robbing woman

Suffolk County Police have arrested a man who allegedly robbed a woman at knifepoint and stole her vehicle in Coram on Feb. 11.

A woman was sitting in her 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan in her driveway on Teller Avenue when she was approached by Diorgenis Cruz-Torres at 12:26 a.m. Cruz-Torres allegedly used a hammer and smashed the driver’s side window of the vehicle and threatened the woman with a knife, pushing her away from the car before fleeing in the vehicle.

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives, with the help of an NYPD officer from Highway Patrol Unit 3, were able to track the vehicle through the victim’s cell phone. It was located on Sutton Place at East 58th Street in Manhattan and Cruz-Torres was taken into custody by an NYPD Midtown Precinct North officer. He was transferred into the custody of Sixth Squad detectives and taken to the Sixth Precinct for processing. Cruz-Torres, 22, of Coram, was charged with Robbery 1st Degree, a felony.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

Photo from SCPD

Photo from SCPD

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Dated:

PortJeffersonStation,NY

February16,2023

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Comsewogue School District

Perspective: Comsewogue business students get real-world experience at Topgolf

BY ANTHONY ROVELLO DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Coming in as a teacher from another school district, I had heard great things about Comsewogue’s commitment to projectbased learning for the students. Combined with my own experience in the workforce, I know how important it is for our business students to get actual hands-on learning in a fast-paced and successful business.

Comsewogue High School’s business students have taken such an approach to learning in different careers and fields for the past several years. Recently, our high school’s business students had the opportunity to visit Long Island’s recently opened Topgolf, a sports entertainment company located in Holtsville.

Topgolf is a rapidly expanding company that our students were excited to learn about. They had the chance to learn about its dayto-day operations as well as what it takes to operate a business.

Students left with some new ideas about how businesses operate, specifically in

strategic planning, day-to-day operations, leadership and management. It was impressive for our students to learn how Topgolf started in 2000 and grew to become a multinational sports entertainment company.

Most importantly, students got the opportunity to see, meet and talk to the folks at Topgolf for real-world advice and experiences.

Along with fellow Comsewogue business teachers Anthony Ketterer, Rami Joudeh, Aanchal Katyal and Trevor Ozimkowski, we expect to make a huge impact on our students and community now and have bigger things planned for the future.

“Our goal is to give our students realworld experience in a variety of different careers and fields,” high school principal Michael Mosca said. “Our students have recently worked closely with our local Chick-fil-A, real estate agencies, banks and Topgolf. These partnerships, in addition to our intro to teaching students working with Clinton Avenue Elementary School teachers, are just the beginning.”

Port Jefferson School District

Port Jeff students spread love through the community

Edna Louise Spear

Elementary School students not only think about others in their local community, but they often do something about it.

Students in Christine Bokina and Kristi Krieg’s fifth grade class and Maureen Zajac’s second grade class teamed up to bring some smiles to the faces of local children through

the school’s Buddy Program, creating an initiative of kindness, sharing and love for others.

Parents and guardians received notice of the need for the hundreds of treat bags and small plush toys and sent their second and fifth graders to school with the items.

In a quick turnaround that highlighted their teamwork, the

Port Jefferson first graders learn about communities

cross-grade-level collaborators created Valentine’s Day cards for the Port Jefferson-based donation center Give Kids Hope’s Project Valentine.

The cards will be presented to children assisted by the organization. The Buddies took another step forward, putting together candy-filled treat bags for children in the shelter.

First graders in Laura Kelly’s and Paige Lohmann’s class at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School have been learning all about communities in their social studies unit.

Students were exposed to different texts and activities to help build on the concepts of community roles and responsibilities. They were introduced to maps and discussed important places that make up their community.

Part of the unit included first graders interviewing community members in and around the school. Students could ask questions of the classroom visitors to help foster their learning through direct interaction.

Visitors included music teacher and local firefighter Christian Neubert, school nurse Joan Tucci, building head custodian Paul Scalcione and Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan. They learned how each member contributes to their community and the role that each plays.

“It was an excellent learning experience for them,” Lohmann said.

Anthony Rovello is a business teacher at Comsewogue High School.

Comsewogue High School’s business students outside Topgolf in Holtsville.

Photo courtesy Andrew Harris

Buddy Program students at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School. Photo courtesy PJSD

Edna Louise Spear Elementary School head custodian Paul Scalcione visited first graders. Photo courtesy PJSD

Warriors end season in postseason battle against Hauppauge

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

they could not recover. Hauppauge cruised to victory to win the postseason opener, 71-53, on Monday, Feb. 13.

and Austin Nesbitt and Chris Beverly netted eight points apiece.

SPORTS

The Hauppauge Eagles peppered the scoreboard in the opening round of the Suffolk A championship round during a road game against Comsewogue, nailing five three-pointers before the Warriors could answer.

Comsewogue limped into the second half trailing by 17 points, a deficit from which

Sophomore Cole Wood was the spark for the Eagles offense, draining five triples, five field goals and four from the charity stripe for 29 points total. Senior Mark Petre followed with 20 points, and Matt Neglia netted eight.

Comsewogue senior Hayden Morris-Gray topped the scoring chart for the Warriors with 21 points. Teammates Colin Strohm banked 13

Comsewogue concludes its 2022-23 campaign with a 12-4 league record, 15-6 overall.

The 11th-seeded Eagles live to fight another day. They play another road game against third-seeded Mount Sinai on Thursday, Feb. 16. Tipoff is slated for 5 p.m.

Photos by Bill Landon

Pictured clockwise, from right: Comsewogue senior Austin Nesbitt hits for three in the opening round of the playoffs; senior Hayden Morris-Gray battles down low; and Comsewogue senior Daimler Valerio keeps the ball in play.

Port Jeff wrestlers compete at Suffolk championships

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The grapplers of Port Jefferson narrowly missed top honors in the Robert Fallot Memorial Suffolk County Div. II wrestling championships at Mattituck High School on Saturday, Feb. 11. With an overall team score of 220.5 points, the Royals were just 10 points shy of the top-

placed finisher, John Glenn. Shoreham-Wading River placed third, with 192 points, and Mount Sinai followed with 159.5.

Port Jefferson’s Liam Rogers and SWR’s Thomas Palumbo made it to the final round. Mount Sinai’s Derek Menechino reached the final round at 126 pounds. Shoreham’s Gavin Mangano took top honors at 110 pounds, along with Brayden Fahrbach of Mount Sinai at 132 pounds.

Go

Nick Rodriguez, at 110 pounds, competes for Port Jefferson.

Photo by Bill Landon

Frank D’Elia, at 118 pounds, competes for Port Jefferson.

Photo by Bill Landon

Frank D’Elia, at 118 pounds, competes for Port Jefferson.

Photo by Bill Landon

Liam Rogers, at 152 pounds, competes for Port Jefferson.

Photo by Bill Landon

Liam Rogers, at 152 pounds, competes for Port Jefferson in the Suffolk County Div. II finals held Saturday, Feb. 11, at Mattituck High School.

Photo by Bill Landon

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Editorial Letters to the Editor

Using music to appreciate history

Black History Month is celebrated throughout February, and for more than 50 years, has provided an outlet for people to remember and reflect upon African American history.

We see many examples of Black history right here on Long Island. Though not fully understood or preserved, the examples feature most prominently in the field of entertainment.

How many readers are aware of the Red Rooster club on Route 25 between Gordon Heights and Coram with its national Black celebrities and advertising a “complete floor show every night” through the late 1940s? How many can recount the contributions made by the Celebrity Club in Freeport in the 1950s and ‘60s, when R&B and soul reigned supreme?

Then there was East Setauket’s own Paula Jean’s club, where not only could one enjoy the top national and local blues artists at the turn of the new millennium but also the most authentic Cajun or Creole cuisine this side of New Orleans and south Louisiana.

Never heard of these clubs and their place in the Black hierarchy? That’s all the more reason why measures should be taken by the state, counties, towns and villages to recognize these sites with heritage plaques. These important and historic local institutions should be studied in local history classes from K-12, community colleges and universities.

In years to come, the investment of time and resources will be paid off in the form of enhanced Long Island artistic recognition, increased tourist traffic and greater cross-cultural understanding.

Today, the local club tradition is continued in honor of many top Black jazz legends at Tom Manuel’s The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook in live performances and at its museum which features pioneering stars such as Louis Jordan — arguably the inspiration for rock ‘n’ roll music — and balladeer Arthur Prysock.

The recently opened Long Island Music Hall of Fame is located on the site of the Dogwood Hollow Amphitheater behind Stony Brook Village Center. It was the place to be for international acts such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong until 1970.

Like The Jazz Loft, LIMHOF is another institution preserving the music history of artists and entertainers of all colors and stripes. Both organizations should be supported and patronized by local residents and tourists alike. But more recognition through plaques and other landmarks should be offered by our municipalities, as is done with music trails in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Months celebrating specific cultures such as Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian Pacific Heritage Month and more, are all helpful for reminding us that our country is what it is today thanks to people of all walks of life. Recognizing our accomplishments shouldn’t be confined to just four weeks out of the year.

Let’s think of better ways to share the stories of people from all walks of life, those who accomplished greatly whether in music, politics, the armed forces or other fields. Let us remember and honor their legacy by putting those ideas into practice. Here on Long Island, there is diversity in history from which we can learn so much for our future benefit and enlightenment.

Announcing candidacy for village trustee

I am excited to announce that I am throwing my hat in the ring and intend to seek election as a trustee in the Village of Port Jefferson this June 2023. Over 22 years ago my wife Kelly and I moved our family to the village. We moved here because we felt that Port Jefferson was the perfect community to live and to raise our two children Victoria and Stephen. The village has met and exceeded every expectation we had.

I had the honor to serve as the village clerk and administrator of Port Jefferson for over 18 years and am proud of my contributions that have helped shape the community that we all love. My career in public service spans 30 years as I also served as the treasurer of the Village of Lindenhurst and, most recently, the clerk and treasurer of the Village of Westbury prior to my retirement last April.

I, like many of you, feel that Port Jeff is at a crossroad. Each year we, as a community, face new challenges some of which are outside our control. We need to ensure that we grow and evolve to keep up with our ever-changing world, while sustaining the quality of life and public services that make our village such a wonderful place to live in. Each year our community is asked to do more with less and it will take creative minds with a firm understanding of municipal budgets and finance to achieve this goal.

With my extensive experience in public service as well as my varied and extensive volunteer work in our community I believe I am uniquely qualified to help strike this difficult balance.

I have an open mind and open door and hope to hear from my neighbors regarding their ideas and concerns, and hope I will have your support on Election Day.

Bob Juliano Port Jefferson

Recognition for Mayor Garant

As a former village attorney in the early part of Margot Garant’s tenure as mayor and having served in that role for two previous mayors, I am in a somewhat unique position to comment on her mayoral performance. It was and has remained exemplary. Regardless of how a resident may feel about addressing country club bluff repairs, losing tax revenue from LIPA, the changing nature of Upper Port or parking congestion resulting from village growth, among other municipal quagmires, the record shows that Margot has never shied away from addressing hot-button issues or spearheading their resolution with her time, professional background and laserlike dedication.

We were lucky to have her.

The meaning of wearing pins

In regard to the editorial last week with that consummate liar Rep. George Santos [R-NY3] happily smiling on page A22, it is a travesty giving him space on your editorial page. Myself, and probably the rest of normal people, would probably feel the same. However, this is just one point I would like to expound upon.

While Santos and other politicians are proudly depicting AR-15 pins on themselves, ponder this. What about the other politicians proudly wearing abortion pins on themselves? If there are not enough police or military defending our safety and rights as human beings and citizens of the United States, should we or should we not assume taking protective measures upon ourselves safely and legally?

If we can’t call “Ghostbusters (Who Ya Gonna Call?),” people and/or politicians wearing abortion pins have their right to their opinions, but to glorify abortion by wearing this pin on their person is even more unscrupulous and despicable than the AR-15 semi-automatic, non-assault weapon pins your editorial uses the same adjectives for.

Wearing an American flag pin is honorable and patriotic. Wearing an AR-15 pin is a reflection of our Second Amendment in the hopes of using it solely to defend ourselves against an attempt on our lives or the lives of others.

Wearing an abortion pin does not reflect the same meaning as an AR-15 pin, but it rather reflects upon the right to abort a life rather than defend it. I think perhaps a pin stating “pro-life” would be more justifiable and appropriate instead of being so hell-bent.

Rhoda Angelier Coram

LIRR East Side Access Grand Central Madison bloopers

During my recent visit, I observed that there is still work to be done after the soft opening on Jan. 25 for Long Island Rail Road East Side Access to Grand Central Madison. So far, there is only limited shuttle service between Jamaica Station and GCM.

How will the 160,000 daily LIRR riders previously predicted by the MTA to use this supposedly state-of-the-art facility deal with some interesting challenges? There are only four elevators connecting the east and west lower and upper level tracks with the mezzanine and Madison concourse.

bicycles, people who suffer from vertigo or altophobia, limited eyesight and seniors who may not be comfortable riding escalators, but will instead elect to use elevators. How would only two elevators provide sufficient capacity especially if one or both suffer mechanical difficulties?

The one waiting room only has a 29-seat capacity plus seven stools with electrical outlets for recharging your Wi-Fi device to serve all the riders utilizing this facility. There are no benches on either platform, mezzanine level or Madison concourse to sit while waiting for your train. Perhaps the MTA and LIRR are afraid of an invasion by the homeless occupying space?

You better be in good physical shape if you can find a seat in the waiting room when your train is posted to ensure boarding before departure. There is one set of escalators on the Madison concourse south end yet to be opened. It is accompanied by a sign “Coming soon.” The same is true for a number of ticket-vending machines identified by signage as “Future” that have not been installed. The fire alarm system was undergoing a test. When it comes to disposal of newspapers, beverage containers, garbage or other waste, there doesn’t appear to be any attempt for recycling let alone disposal of what can’t be recycled. Are riders supposed to carry all of this to street level before being able to throw it out?

Many people, while waiting for a train, enjoy stopping by a newsstand to purchase a paper or periodical. I didn’t see any potential newsstands or any newspaper vending machines. Newsstands are readily available in Metro-North Grand Central Terminal, Penn and Jamaica stations.

A significant portion of the lighting is the old-style fluorescent bulb versus newer more efficient and environmentally friendly LED. A number of contractors are still walking around the facility in the process of completing contract punch list, inspection and acceptance, quality assurance and quality control.

Barry Warren Port Jefferson

Escalators are steep and require 90 seconds of travel time. The Penn Station tradition of asking fellow riders to move to one side so others can more quickly walk up or down the escalator will not occur here. In addition to those riders physically challenged, there will be many others such as pregnant women, those with

MTA Real Estate is in charge of leasing space. No retail space has opened to date. How many months of lost revenue will be incurred until all retail space is occupied? Ten years after the original completion date of 2013 as promised in the 2006 Federal Transit Administration $6.3 billion capital investment grant agreement — which capped the federal share at $2.6 billion — and $5 billion over budget, not including $1 billion more for the cost of financing for a total of $12.6 billion, LIRR commuters deserve better.

When it comes to East Side Access, the LIRR 1960s motto “Line of the Dashing Dan” perhaps should be changed to “Line of the Slow Moving Sloth.”

Larry Penner Great Neck

The subtle, and not so subtle, meanings behind types of hand waving

What says hello nonverbally more than a wave? I’m surprised nonhuman animals don’t do it more often.

It’s efficient, requires minimal energy most of the time and can be as subtle as a lifted finger or as dramatic as a fullbody wave signaling to someone at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

pet him and assure him he’s wonderful.

Back to waving — I think the gesture merits categories, along with a short explanation.

— The-wave-or-maybe-not moment: We’ve all been there. Someone we kind of know or with whom we might want to interact appears to wave at us. Is that for me, we wonder? We consider swiveling our heads to check, but we’re not owls. We raise our hand tentatively. When we realize the more popular person behind us is the wave target, we awkwardly run our fingers through our hair. Great recovery, we mutter to ourselves.

lifting their wrists, some people wiggle their fingers next to their heads, as if they are tapping an imaginary musical instrument to send a visual and auditory greeting.

he sees you, and he would prefer that you keep whatever eye contact you’re going to make to a minimum. In fact, if you need to look at something, look at his flat and indifferent hand.

People wave to me frequently, particularly when I’m walking my dog. I suspect many of them are really waving to my dog. He is cuter, more charming and more personable than I am. Sure, I’m happy to engage in a conversation about the weather, the latest “Big Game,” my kids, or someone else’s family, but my dog is prepared to throw his head into someone’s knees as long as they

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

— The “here-but-don’t-really-want-to-be” wave. Remember back when you were in high school, and your homeroom teacher took attendance? He or she would go down the list and when your name came up, you pulled your wrist back as casually as possible and pointed your fingers to the fluorescent lighting on the ceiling? It’s a wave and acknowledgment devoid of any enthusiasm.

— The “tickle the piano keys” wave. After

— The eraser wave. This can either be an enthusiastic or an unenthusiastic gesture. With this wave, people keep their fingers together and brush back and forth, as if they have an eraser in their hand and are removing an incorrect answer from the blackboard. This kind of wave can be an Eeyore greeting from the Winnie the Pooh series, in which he sighs and shares a burden with a deflated wave. With a head tilt, an affectionate smile, and faster side-to-side motion, this kind of wave can also signal a responsive and more enthusiastic greeting.

— The stiff-fingered-salute. Often offered by older men, this isn’t a wave so much as it is a signal that the person sees you, but does not intend to encourage any kind of dialog or further gesturing. It’s a nonverbal stop sign, telling you that he’s coming through,

Being single today is dramatically different

Nearly 40% of United States adults are single, which is up from 29% in 1990. Now, I’ve been married, and I’ve been single. My husband died just three months before we would have marked our 25th wedding anniversary and right around when the number of singles was so much lower. Next Friday would have been our 60th anniversary, but instead, I have been single for 35 years, so I know a little about both.

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

I was intrigued by an article in Time magazine that spoke about being single, asserting that about one-half of all singles aren’t interested in dating or a relationship and were happily single. This is quite a change from when I was newly alone. In the early 90s, single women

were at best often ignored, and at worst, stigmatized and even preyed upon. All but the closest friends disappeared, and being the odd number for a reservation in a restaurant was a decided obstacle to being included. I don’t think single men had it all that easy, either. While single men were often invited to gatherings, as opposed to single women, there might have been some doubt about their sexuality. Heterosexuality, as evidenced by marriage then, was the norm.

Today, according to Time, the solo life is thought of as authentic, fulfilling, meaningful and psychologically rich. I have found that to be true as the years have gone by, but what a total shift in popular perspective. The marriage rate has been decreasing for decades, as has the birth rate, and the age at which marriage finally may occur, if at all, is later in life for many.

How has this happened?

For one thing, marriage is no longer considered necessary for having a family or assuring financial comfort. Someone like Alexander

Hamilton, who was tortured throughout his life for being a bastard child of an unwed mother, would not recognize today’s values and would certainly have had an easier time of it.

While people in relationships may enjoy greater satisfaction, being married doesn’t guarantee happiness, as in, “They lived happily ever after.” There are people unhappy and even lonely in marriage, although with the decline in marriage, there has also been less divorce. Research shows that people in unhappy marriages have equal or worse health compared to those who never married.

Those who are single as a result of divorce seem to have the most difficult time, according to Time. Widowhood can also be associated with poor mental health, as grief can lead to depression and loneliness. But many of us cherish our freedom, independence, even our creativity and nonconformity, again according to Time, and I wholeheartedly agree.

There was a time when people, especially women, felt they had to have a man in order

— The tree-swaying-in-a-blustery-wind wave. Yes, this is one of those moments when people are so thrilled to see you that they raise their arms over their heads and wave quickly back and forth. They may even catch some air. People waving this way don’t care what others think and, more importantly, want to share how excited they are to see you. This kind of wave transitions into a full-body hug.

— Finally, to end on the opposite end of the spectrum from where we began, there’s the wave from someone you might otherwise want to ignore. That wave says, “I’m over here, I see you, but you’re not responding.” It has the same characteristics as the excited greeting, except that it adds the need for acknowledgment. If you’re embarrassed, that may be a bonus.

to define themselves and their position in society. A woman often was the one who sought financial security, while a man wanted a woman on his arm. Today, with the ability to earn a living, sometimes quite an excellent living, women don’t feel the same pressure to marry, nor do their mothers in urging them.

Singles have more time for themselves. They can focus on goals without having to consider the needs of someone else. There is also more time for spending on hobbies and self-care. This is especially true for younger women and for those who consider sex outside of committed relationships. That, of course, doesn’t preclude interest in a romantic relationship, which some enjoy.

As Time points out, being alone is not the same as being lonely. We singles often have strong ties to our families, to friends and to our neighborhoods. We can be actively involved in community organizations, have a sense of purpose and are generally self-sufficient. We have to be.

D. None of the above

Photo by Bill Landon