The Port Times Record - March 13, 2023

Photo by Greg Catalano

As PJV braces for heightened flooding, work begins to manage ‘water problem’

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Between rising sea levels, more frequent and intense storms and a changing climate, the Village of Port Jefferson is also addressing longstanding flooding concerns.

Public officials, architects and residents gathered at Village Hall on Wednesday, April 5, sharing updated findings of the ongoing village Climate Resilience Plan in a community workshop. With water targeting the village from all angles, data is being used to develop new intervention strategies.

“The Village of Port Jefferson, Drowned Meadow if you will [the village’s original name], has had unending issues with flooding as a result of topography, tides, runoff, rains, storms, a shallow water table and many other issues,” said Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden. “I believe tonight’s workshop will be extremely helpful in moving Port Jefferson toward the ability to implement a responsible and solid resiliency plan.”

Trustee Rebecca Kassay, the village’s sustainability commissioner, updated the public on the status of the Project Advisory Committee.

Swallowing Disorders

By Dr. John Amato

Occasionally, we have all experienced problems swallowing. We may have gagged on food or have found it hard to get food down. Some of us may have had a liquid “go down the wrong way,” making us cough and/or feel like we were choking, or have had difficulty swallowing pills. However, a person with a swallowing disorder will have trouble like this most of the time.

A swallowing disorder known as dysphagia is typically treated by a speech pathologist with special training and experience in diagnosing and treating people with swallowing disorders. A swallowing disorder can often cause a person to experience food getting stuck when swallowing, or coughing when swallowing either liquids and/ or solid foods. Frequent coughing when swallowing can be a sign that food and/or

liquids may be seeping into the windpipe, thus increasing the person’s risk for a lung infection known as aspiration pneumonia. Swallowing problems are often experienced by people who have had a stroke, or who may have experienced head/ neck cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and other neuromuscular diseases, including children with special needs. Some swallowing disorders are also now being recognized as a disorder of aging due to age related muscle weakness, which if identified early can be readily treated before becoming a more serious problem.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a problem swallowing, it is important to know that treatment is available, and that early diagnosis can help a person begin to experience improved ease of swallowing, as well as an optimal quality of life!

Composed of residents, contractors, Conservation Advisory Council members and Amani Hosein, legislative aide to Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), the PAC is pursuing the Climate Resilience Plan for the village with a focus on flooding.

The study is made possible by an $82,500 grant from the New York State Department of State to fund the creation of the Port Jeff plan. Michael Schwarting is a partner of the local Campani and Schwarting Architects, one of the firms hired to carry out various tasks associated with the grant. During the meeting, he updated the public on the study’s findings.

Flooding: an Achilles’ heel

Schwarting analyzed Port Jeff’s long history of flooding using historical aerial photographs and maps. He identified various hidden water bodies, such as Crystal Lake near the fire station and other creeks and streams, flowing beneath the existing built environment in Lower Port.

“The maps tell us a good deal about the conditions, and what we know is that it’s all still there,” he said. “That water is underground, and it doesn’t go away.”

STORY CONTINUED ON A3

South Shore Speech-Language Pathology

South Shore Speech-Language Pathology would like to welcome Dr. John Amato, Speech-Language Pathologist, and a specialist in the evaluation/treatment of adults and children with swallowing disorders, to the clinical staff of South Shore Speech-Language Pathology. Dr. Amato is the former director of the Center for Speech, Swallowing, and Voice Disorders, and former Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. Dr. Amato will be heading up the adult/pediatric oral feeding, swallowing, and vocal rehabilitation division of South Shore Speech-Language Pathology, which also provides speech and language therapy for infants, children, and adults, who may be experiencing a variety of speech, language, and cognitive disorders.

For more information about swallowing disorders or to set up an appointment with Dr. Amato please call: 631-849-6499

Medicare and most other insurances accepted.

Climate Resilience

Continued from A2

Schwarting said three factors work to exacerbate flooding conditions: rising tides, waters below the surface and low-lying topography. “Those three things interact with one another to cause the problems that we’ve been having in the past, are still having and will have in a worse way, according to predictions,” the architect said.

The village is simultaneously afflicted by water from above, with projections for more frequent and intense precipitation events due to climate change. “The prediction is that the storms are going to increase,” Schwarting said, adding that as global sea levels rise, Port Jeff Harbor is projected to begin spilling over into much of the downtown business district.

Potential solutions

Despite the challenges ahead, Schwarting maintained that there are some natural remedies to help counteract these threats.

Storm drainage systems and rain gardens, for example, are already in place, collecting and channeling some of the stormwater load into the ground. Bioswales, bioretention planters and permeable pavement systems offer other modes of stormwater discharge and filtration, assigning it a reuse function as well.

The architect also proposed transitioning hardscape surfaces along the harbor, such as the Town of Brookhaven parking lot, as green space, which could add scenic value while acting as a floodwater sponge.

The next stages of the study will involve collecting more resident feedback and defining

projects worth public consideration. Schwarting said a similar meeting would take place as those phases progress.

“We will start to move toward solving the problem now that we have spent quite a bit of time understanding the problem,” Schwarting said.

Kassay acknowledged the complexities of the flooding question, referring to these initial findings as “a little overwhelming.” Despite this, she maintained that planning and intervention remain the proper path forward.

“The only thing worse than digging into this problem is to ignore it because it’s happening, whether or not we do something,” she said. “We really need to come together to prioritize, make these decisions and support this work so that it is guided toward the result that you wish to see as a community.”

To view the full presentation and the Q&A portion of the meeting, visit the village’s official YouTube channel: Inc Village of Port Jefferson - Official. To respond to the Port Jefferson Village Climate Resilience Survey, scan the QR code above.

Correction

In the March 30 Port Times Record article, “PJS/T civic elects Costell and Sagliocca, debates public business,” we incorrectly reported that Washington Memorial Park in Mount Sinai would be renamed Gerard Reggio Park. In fact, Washington Avenue Park in Port Jefferson Station will receive the name change. We apologize for any confusion.

Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden, left, Michael Schwarting, partner of Campani and Schwarting Architects, center, and trustee Rebecca Kassay. Photos by Raymond Janis

Port Jefferson School District Comsewogue School District

Students put their skills on display for Terryville’s Got Talent

Students at Terryville Elementary School took to the stage of their auditorium to sing, dance, act and tell jokes during Terryville’s Got Talent — the school’s first talent show since 2019.

Over 300 community members attended to see 31 student performances, a teachers’ performance and a grand finale.

Port Jeff students inducted into Tri-M Music Honor Society

The Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Chapter 2172 of the Tri-M Music Honor Society hosted its 16th annual honors recital and induction on April 4. This year’s inductees are students Thales Cheng, Caitlin

Dickhuth, Kenneth DixonLanza, Mari Fukuto, Iris He, Andi Kelly, Kay Moran, Fiona Reichers, Samantha Reichers, Alice Snyder, Emily Snyder, Kristina Shterengas and Madison Testa.

Requirements needed to become a member of Tri-M are based on the society’s five points of distinction: scholarship, character, cooperation, leadership and service.

Collaboration is FIRST for Port Jeff robotics team

Members of the Earl L. Vandermeulen High School robotics team took part in the recent FIRST competition at Hofstra University, putting their knowledge to the test against 50 other New York high school teams and six international teams from as far as India and Taiwan.

This year, Port Jefferson was joined by Mount Sinai

High School students. Their combined efforts helped the team make it to the final rounds to place seventh overall — an extremely challenging event to win, given the level of international competition.

Students used their math, science and engineering abilities and took months to design and build their robot, following strict rules, limited resources and an

intense time limit. The teams were challenged to raise funds, design a brand, hone teamwork skills and program their industrial-size robots to play a complex field game against like-minded competitors.

“We call FIRST Robotics Competition the ultimate sport for the mind,” Port Jefferson’s technology and engineering teacher and robotics team adviser Brian Chalmers said. “Applying skills learned in the classroom during competition is always a positive opportunity for our students. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get.”

He added, “We are proud of our students and grateful for our professional volunteer mentors who shared their time and talents to guide these students to success.”

“Terryville’s Got Talent is a great way for our students to showcase their passions in front of the community and share their talents with their peers,” said Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Quinn. “During each performance, the excitement and energy from the crowd was captivating and palpable. It was great to see how encouraging and supportive our community was of our talented students.”

Student Council advisor Dana Urbinati partnered with the Comsewogue Parent Teacher Association to coordinate the talent show. The night opened with a

choreographed performance of Cindy Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” featuring Terryville’s teachers.

Students then showcased Broadway musical numbers, baton-twirling routines, break-dancing acts, acrobatics

and comedy skits, among other performances. Acts included Gianna Costellano playing the violin, Avery Parker and Arianna Rizzo performing “Made You Look,” Madison Lewald and Emily Sullivan performing “The Phantom of The Opera,” Emma Lasker and Leila Saccoccio performing “Party in the USA” and Adriana Mejia performing “This Girl is on Fire,” among other acts.

The show culminated with all performers joining in a finale of Meghan Trainor’s “Better When I’m Dancing.” There were no winners or awards, as the night celebrated the talents of all.

For more information about the Comsewogue School District, visit the district’s website at www. comsewogue.k12.ny.us.

Two students performed a song from the Broadway musical, “The Phantom of the Opera,” above. Two students perform a dance routine. Photos courtesy CSD

Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Tri-M Music Honor Society students. Photo courtesy PJSD

Earl L. Vandermeulen High School robotics team. Photo courtesy PJSD

A Long Island man’s journey out of homelessness

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

A year ago, Devon Toney was among the countless ranks of Long Island’s homeless.

After serving out a 17-year prison sentence, Toney spent years moving from place to place, his nights often spent at bus and train stations. Unable to cohabitate with others due to years of trauma inflicted early on in life and prison, he turned away from the shelter system. [See earlier Toney story, “Homelessness: A national disgrace and a thorny issue,” TBR News Media website, July 14, 2022.]

During his prolonged period of homelessness, Toney characterized himself as “very undesirable to everybody,” his frustrations externalized in fits of rage. Now this cycle has been broken and, for once, he said he has found stability.

Thanks to the assistance of various community organizations, Toney has recently entered a stable housing arrangement, having recently joined the Rapid Re-Housing Program operated by Family Service League, which provides financial and housing assistance enabling access to private rental units.

Along with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, which had referred him to the program, Toney’s transition was also facilitated by the Council of Thought and Action, Heartsong and the Angels of Long Island organizations, among others.

Debbie Loesch, founder of the Patchoguebased nonprofit, Angels of Long Island, was instrumental in assisting Toney during his transition from homelessness, offering him per diem employment and watching out for him as he slowly got back on his feet.

“Life dealt him a couple of curveballs, but he has overcome them,” she said. “I’m very proud at how he’s turned his life around.”

Housed, he spends much of his time reading and in study. With stability, he now channels his energies into various civic aims to lift others out of homelessness.

Since entering stable living conditions, Toney described his day-to-day existence as “night and day.” “Stability just makes me a different person, a more desirable person,” he said. “I’m a lot happier.”

Despite the recent turn in Toney’s story, homelessness remains a painful reality for many other Long Islanders. For many, escape from the scourge of homelessness has become an even more significant challenge.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult for people to get out of homelessness for a number of reasons,” Mike Giuffrida, executive director of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, said in an interview. “The housing market has become

more expensive than ever, and there’s less availability of rental units.”

Further exacerbating the lack of housing, Giuffrida added that a greater proportion of Long Island’s homeless population is turning away from the shelter system.

“More people are experiencing homelessness on the street as opposed to temporarily entering shelter situations as a result of the current shelter structures not aligning with the needs and preferences of people experiencing housing instability,” he said.

As inflation and prices continue to mount, compounded by a lack of affordable housing, the region’s homeless face even more challenges.

Possible reforms

To deal with the growing problems tied to homelessness, Giuffrida recommended policymakers consider transformational reforms to the existing shelter system.

“If the current shelter structures are not reimagined, we should expect to see more people living on the street as opposed to in shelter,” he said.

Some manageable steps toward avoiding a spike in homelessness, Giuffrida suggested, could be eliminating burdensome shelter payment standards, reforming congregate shelter arrangements and offering non-U.S. citizens year-round access.

Giuffrida also recommended reimagining the mass transit network on Long Island, describing the existing infrastructure as “inadequate.”

“Transportation is a major barrier for people at risk of homelessness, experiencing homelessness or recently housed,” the executive director said.

Along with matters of policy, Giuffrida maintained that public awareness of homelessness offers a necessary first step toward alleviating the conditions of Long

Island’s homelessness while moving them off the streets.

“People who have never experienced homelessness have the most to learn about homelessness,” he said. “It’s very often that people who are most directly impacted by homelessness have the best ideas about how to solve homelessness and are more aware of people’s needs.”

Toney’s triumph

Since Loesch first met Toney, she has observed in him a tendency to give back to others. She also noted his desire to stay informed on policy trends, attend legislative meetings and speak up for those similarly afflicted by homelessness.

“He’s always reached out to help somebody else,” she said. “He’s always willing to help somebody.”

Loesch added that others could learn from Toney’s example, particularly his perseverance. She noted that he distinguished himself in seeking knowledge and information to facilitate his upward trajectory.

“He did his own research about how to obtain housing and what was available to him, and then he stayed on it,” she said.

The nonprofit founder reminded policymakers and community members to

remember to humanize the homelessness problem, approaching this through a human and problem-solving angle.

“We’re trying to save people from drowning, but we’re not going down the river to find out why they’re falling in,” she said. “We help people all over the world, but we don’t help our own people. There’s no reason that so many people should be homeless.”

Giuffrida emphasized that Toney is just one of countless other Long Islanders and Americans experiencing a similar lot. For communities and societies to begin to address the problem effectively, he maintained that all of those afflicted by homelessness must have a voice.

“We need to hear from all of the Devons,” he said.

Toney said the next stage in his journey is to acquire reliable transportation. He remains open to finding employment, saying that his experiences may uniquely qualify him for the nonprofit sector or related philanthropic enterprises.

“I know what it’s like not to have clothes, to be homeless and to go without food,” he said. “Helping individuals obtain food, clothing, housing and information … I would love that.”

Devon Toney, above, recently entered a stable living arrangement, fleeing homelessness. Despite the turn in his story, homelessness remains a reality for many across Long Island and the United States. Photo by Heartsong, courtesy Toney

‘We’re trying to save people from drowning, but we’re not going down the river to find out why they’re falling in.’

— DEBBIE LOESCH

Get Your Business On The Map!

Three Village Chamber of Commerce

• Once again, the 3 Village Community has requested a professional map of the area, published by The Village TIMES HERALD.

• The 3 Village Chamber of Commerce map will be on heavy white stock, measuring 33” x 22 1/2” in color and framed by advertising on both sides. Businesspeople throughout the community will distribute the map, and often display it for reference. In addition, the Chamber of Commerce will use it to actively promote business in the community

• All ads will be produced in color

Paper Sold Out on the New tand?

The following incidents have been reported by Su olk County Police: Suffolk County cracks down on illegal sale of

baby chicks

Suffolk County District Attorney

Raymond A. Tierney announced on April 5 that multiple Suffolk County businesses have been charged with misdemeanors for selling day-old baby chicks in quantities less than allowable by New York State law.

Restrictions on the sale of baby chicks, ducklings, other fowl, and bunnies are set forth in New York State Agriculture and Markets Law (“AML”) section 354, which states in part that “no person shall sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or baby rabbits under two months of age in any quantity less than six.” Any violation of this law may result in a misdemeanor charge punishable with up to one year in jail and a $500 fine.

For the past several weeks, members of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad investigated businesses that were illegally selling baby chicks, and subsequently made arrests at Long Island Poultry on Sound Avenue in Calverton, Raleigh Poultry Farm on Old Indian Head Road in Kings Park and Agway of Port Jefferson on Route 25A in Mount Sinai. Each business was charged with one count of AML 354(3).

PJS massage parlor raided

Suffolk County Police arrested a Flushing woman on April 11 for alleged unlawful practice of a profession during a massage parlor raid in Port Jefferson Station. In response to community complaints, Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives and Crime Section officers, in conjunction with the Town of Brookhaven Building Inspector, Town Fire Marshal and Town Investigator, conducted an investigation into an unnamed spa located at 10 Medical Drive, Suite D, in Port Jefferson Station at 3:17 p.m. Following an investigation, Shidi Zhang, 37, of 3508 146TH St., Flushing, was arrested and charged with alleged Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a felony. Several violations were also issued by Brookhaven Town.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

you recognize this woman?

Wanted for Selden petit larceny

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a woman who allegedly stole a Ninja kitchen appliance from Target, located at 307 Independence Plaza in Selden, at 3:34 p.m. on March 10.

Arrests made for sale of alcohol and e-nicotine to minors

Suffolk County Police arrested four employees after they allegedly sold alcohol and liquid e-nicotine to minors at businesses in the Sixth Precinct on April 10. In response to community complaints, Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers conducted an investigation into the sale of alcohol and liquid nicotine to minors at 10 businesses, four of which had violations.

Bharat Patel, 53, of East Patchogue, an employee of Club House Café in Centereach, was charged with alleged Unlawfully Dealing with a Child in the 1st Degree for selling alcohol to a person under the age of 21.

The following people were charged with alleged Unlawfully Dealing with a Child in the 2nd Degree for selling vape products to a person under the age of 21:Enis Secgin, 24, of Amityville, an employee of Cards & Smoke Vape Shop in Farmingville; Delroy Anderson, 25, of Port Jefferson Station, an employee of Happy Daze in Ronkonkoma; and Ali Sezgin Sire, 57, of Medford, an employee of Shell gas station in Centereach.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

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

Do

Photo from SCPD

Photo from SCPD

Middle Country special election to gauge public attitudes ahead of November

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The eyes of Brookhaven are upon Middle Country, where a special election later this month will help gauge the pulse of the people.

Former Town of Brookhaven Councilman

Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) took over as town clerk in February, vacating his seat on the Town Board and triggering a special election Tuesday, April 25, to complete his unexpired term ending in December.

The 3rd Council District spans Centereach, Selden and Lake Grove, with parts of Lake Ronkonkoma, Farmingville, Port Jefferson Station and Holtsville. Republicans currently occupy eight of the town’s 10 elected offices and hold a 5-1 majority on the Town Board.

Less than three weeks until Election Day, citizens townwide will be watching CD3, with implications for general elections this November.

Attorney Alyson Bass and civil servant Neil Manzella have received the town Democratic and Republican committee nods, respectively.

Bass, of Centereach, worked in private practice before entering the Suffolk County Attorney’s Office, where she currently deals with procurements, contracts and legislative drafting while coordinating with law enforcement agencies.

She is also involved in various community activities, serving as vice president of the Greater Gordon Heights Chamber of Commerce and president-elect of the Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association.

“My whole entire career was built on helping people, resolving problems and communicating,” she said in an interview. “To some extent, I’ve always felt that I was in public service to some degree because of the nature of my work,” adding that pursuing elective office “feels like a natural progression for me.”

Manzella, of Selden, has held various civil service posts throughout his professional career, working in the information technology department at the William Floyd and Longwood school districts before

transferring to the Suffolk County Board of Elections. He currently works in the Town of Brookhaven Assessor’s Office, where he has been for five years.

“Ever since I got involved in government, I’ve loved being able to serve the community,” he told TBR News Media. “I was offered this opportunity to run for an office that can really focus my attention on my home community, and I jumped at the opportunity.”

Policies

Bass indicated that the 3rd District is simultaneously grappling with several quality-of-life concerns as the Town Board works to overcome the financial and logistical pitfalls associated with closing the Brookhaven landfill. This facility constitutes a sizable share of the town’s public revenue.

“I think pushing to have a plan in place so that we aren’t so affected by the closure of the town dump is huge,” she said.

Given the 3rd District’s dense commercial and residential areas, Manzella highlighted the need for continual and close coordination with the town Highway Department in repaving local roadways.

“Kevin [LaValle] did a fantastic job on helping our roads, and I want to see that continued,” the Republican said.

This month’s special election comes

amid calls from Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to increase statewide housing stock by 3% over three years, a plan recently ridiculed by town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R). [See last week’s story, “Brookhaven officials speak out against governor’s proposed housing plan.”]

Despite gubernatorial pressures, both candidates for CD3 preferred local municipal oversight over development projects in Middle Country. Bass, a former Queens

resident, was apprehensive about applying a New York City standard to Brookhaven.

“I came back here for a reason, and I am interested in preserving the suburban lifestyle,” she said, noting that expanding affordable housing options for district residents remains “hugely important.”

Manzella centered his development aims around CD3’s commercial sector, which includes the bustling corridors of Middle Country and Portion roads. The candidate suggested the numerous undeveloped lots as a potentially lucrative tax base for the town.

“If somebody’s going to be coming in and building a shop, we don’t want to drag our feet with it,” he said. “We want to help them get through any red tape that they might hit governmentally and get them on the tax roll.”

Encouraging district residents to remain on Long Island by hosting frequent community events and activities are necessary, Manzella added. For Bass, reducing the town’s carbon footprint, promoting renewables and expanding teen programs are all on the agenda.

Prior to the special election April 25, early voting will occur at 700 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank, beginning Saturday, April 15, and running through Sunday, April 23. For more information, visit the website www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/ BOE/2023-Special-Early-Voting-FAQ.

Make a Statement...

Alyson Bass, left, and Neil Manzella are the Democratic and Republican nominees, respectively, for the Town of Brookhaven’s 3rd Council District. Left from Bass’ LinkedIn page; right courtesy Manzella

Hundreds converge upon Harborfront Park during Easter Parade

The Port Jefferson community marked yet another successful Easter Parade, with hundreds turning out for this year’s festivities.

Hosted by the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, the parade route started at Theatre Three, working down Main and finishing at Harborfront Park. Once there, a wild frenzy ensued, with children and parents rushing to the park to collect the hidden eggs.

VILLAGE

Fun and merriment went all around, the community and chamber capping off another memorable annual Easter tradition.

Photos by Greg Catalano

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Letters to the Editor Editorial

Looking toward a brighter future

The spring holidays and weather often fill people with hope and joy. This year is no different as residents may feel more optimistic than ever.

Local egg hunts and holiday events that took place last weekend exemplify the optimism our fellow residents are experiencing. While some community events during the past two years were able to take place, many of our social gatherings were severely limited. With egg hunts, organizers asked attendees to sign up for time slots. After egg hunting, they would need to complete any additional activities during a specific period due to COVID-19 precautions. Some events experienced low attendance amid COVID fears, with many people hesitant to return to their usual social activities.

This year, organizers were able to hold events resembling those held before COVID-19. Community members embraced the opportunity to get out of the house. For our reporters who were photographing the egg hunts and Port Jefferson parade, it was a delight to see community members able to fully enjoy activities and engage with each other.

It’s no surprise that we’re getting back to life as we knew it before 2020. It’s taken a while to get here, but it feels as though we are slowly approaching normalcy. As of April 6, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services reported 1.9% tested positive in the county, and the sevenday average was 1.8%. The COVID-19 Community Level for Suffolk is low. The DOHS also reported that as of April 7, 78.9% of county residents are fully vaccinated.

The community getting out and about regularly and mingling, as well as fewer COVID infections and more vaccinated people, are positive signs for the future.

This wave of good news is beneficial for small businesses as well. After spending a day full of fun activities, consider stopping by a local restaurant for lunch or dessert or patronizing a local store on the way home. Like community gatherings, our local mom-and-pops add a sense of place and charm to our towns and villages. Frequenting local downtowns gives these areas a chance to thrive, to employ even more of our residents and to pay taxes to our municipalities.

Our readers should keep an eye out for upcoming events in our coverage areas throughout the year as listed in our Arts & Lifestyles section.

We also remind residents that April 30 to May 6 marks National Small Business Week. Started by the U.S. Small Business Administration, these seven days recognize the contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. While enjoying the warm weather in the months ahead, we encourage our neighbors to grab a bite to eat, buy a new ornament or a plant for their home locally.

New York State Department of Health statistics indicate that nearly 5,000 Suffolk County residents have died from COVID-19. Many more throughout our state, nation and world have not survived the last few years. While we cannot undo what has happened, we can chart a course ahead. May these COVID years make us stronger, wiser and more socially responsible citizens. May we begin to thrive again, reminded of the joy and hope life has to offer. May we continue to rejoice and celebrate right in our backyards.

In the wrong township

Regarding the April 6 article, “Brookhaven officials speak out against governor’s proposed housing plan” — also an op-ed — on potential development which is, according to Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine [R], “exempt from environmental concerns ... don’t have sewers ... no height restrictions ... and local zoning is ignored.”

Deputy Supervisor Dan Panico [R-Manorville] in his April 6 oped provides four examples that lend themselves to this type of development, and rattles off Port Jefferson Station, North Bellport, East Patchogue and Mastic Beach.

Yes, we can read between your lines. And no, Dan. If you want development that is exempt from environmental concerns and without sewers, you are in the wrong township.

Joan Nickeson Terryville

Roadway changes at 112 and 347 a mistake

The intersection of routes 112 and 347 in Port Jefferson Station is a total disgrace.

The change to the intersection was a total waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned money. It solved nothing. Now all the traffic is backed up at the light to ShopRite, instead.

In order to get to 112 coming from the east, one must make three turns instead of simply turning left. It is the most confusing and frustrating roadway change, and for what?

The whole project really should be looked at from the point of view of public safety. Once you make a turn from the new way, it is unclear where to actually go. Has the New York State Department of Transportation even driven there since it ruined the intersection?

Yes, I am angry. I’ve been here since there was a traffic circle, and that would have been better reinstalled than the horrific mess that is there now.

Jean Jackson East Setauket

Opportunities squandered

Everyone deserves to live in safe, affordable housing. We are facing a housing crisis on Long Island. State and local governments must use their power to address this problem in a thoughtful and equitable way that benefits all of us.

Unfortunately, the response from too many Long Island elected officials to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s [D] “housing compact” fails to address the issue for the public good. In his perspective piece March 30, Dan Panico

[R-Manorville], Town of Brookhaven deputy supervisor and current town supervisor candidate, accuses the governor of threatening “local municipalities” and her push to increase housing availability as a “political charade.”

While I do not agree with all aspects of Hochul’s plan, I recognize that she is speaking to a need that local governments have failed to address. One example of this would be the development of the Heritage Spy Ring Golf Club senior complex in South Setauket, which is a project that Mr. Panico voted for in 2014. This project was approved despite the opposition of the community. It has not generated any affordable housing, with monthly apartment leases priced from $2,900 per month. What we desperately need in our communities is affordable housing for both young professionals and retirees, and this was an opportunity squandered.

Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich [D-Stony Brook] has also weighed in about local control, saying that “town council members are uniquely qualified to know and be accountable to the needs of our districts” in an April 6 Village Times Herald op-ed.

However, the Brookhaven Town Board isn’t listening to constituents. This past week, the Town Board unanimously sent a statement in support of New York State legislation to alienate protected parkland

to facilitate the siting of a waste transfer station not allowed by local zoning, in an environmental justice area and disadvantaged community. They did this over the objections of nearby communities of color and the state NAACP.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time we’ve seen this kind of action. In 2021, the Town Board unanimously voted to rezone 130 acres of land surrounding the Brookhaven landfill from residential to light industry, again over the objections of residents. That is not how representation should work.

This year, our local government is up for election at all levels. Too many politicians have placed their self-interest and personal ambition over the voices of those they are elected to represent.

We saw this in our town redistricting process last summer, where the Town Board unanimously approved the redistricting maps that residents spoke in opposition to at numerous public hearings.

There is too much at stake, from affordable housing to environmental protection to the democratic process itself, to allow the status quo to continue unchecked. We deserve better, and we must demand it from our elected officials.

Shoshana Hershkowitz South Setauket

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL

We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. Email letters to: editor1@tbrnewsmedia. com or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Cartoon by Kyle Horne @kylehorneart • kylehorneart.com

Opinion

Local female scientists react to BNL hiring its first female lab director

Finally!

Brookhaven National Laboratory has had nine lab directors since it was founded in 1946. Earlier this week, the Department of Energy facility, which has produced seven Nobel Prizes, has state-of-theart facilities, and employs over 2,800 scientists and technicians from around the world announced that it hired JoAnne Hewett as its first female lab director.

can and would inspire women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

“I am so delighted by the news that Dr. JoAnne Hewett has been named to be the next director of Brookhaven National Laboratory,” wrote Esther Takeuchi, William and Jane Knapp chair in Energy and the Environment and SUNY distinguished professor at Stony Brook University and chair of the Interdisciplinary Science Department at BNL. As the first female director for the lab, Hewett “is an inspiration not only for the women who are in the field, but for future female scientists who will witness first hand that success at the highest level.”

Laufer Center), Anissa Abi-Dargham [principal investigator for the Long Island Network for Clinical and Translational Science] and many other successful female faculty in leadership positions, hopefully, the message comes out loud and clear to our young women who are in science already, or aspire to be in science.”

For her part, Abi-Dargham, who is chair in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, described Hewett’s hire as “amazing” and suggested it was “really exciting to see an accomplished female scientist selected to head our collaborating institution at BNL!”

leadership skills and selected” to head BNL.

Leemor Joshua-Tor, professor and HHMI investigator at CSHL, called the hire “really great news” and indicated this was “especially true for the physical sciences, where there are even fewer women in senior positions than in biology.” Joshua-Tor added that the more women in senior, visible positions, “the more young women and girls see this as a normal career to have.”

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

Successful, determined, dedicated and award-winning local female scientists lauded the hire of Hewett, who comes to BNL from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory where she was associate lab director for fundamental physics and chief research officer. SLAC is operated by Stanford University in Menlo Park, California. In email responses, local female scientists suggested that Hewett’s hiring

Stella Tsirka, SUNY distinguished professor in the Department of Pharmacological Sciences at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, suggested this hire was a part of an increasing number of women in prominent positions in science at local institutions.

Stony Brook and BNL are “becoming a hub of strong female role models for younger females, in STEM, in medicine, in leadership!” Tsirka wrote. “Between [SB President] Maurie McInnis, Hewett, Ivet Bahar (the director of the

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Professor and Cancer Center Program co-leader Mikala Egeblad added that the significance of Hewett’s hire goes “well beyond inspiring young girls. It is important to have women leaders for all sciences, also for someone at my career stage. I hope that one day, we will get to a point when we don’t think about whether a leader is a woman or a man.”

Women remain underrepresented at top leadership positions, so Egeblad finds it “very inspiring to see a woman recognized for her

for coronation on

This column is a re-run from 2019. Listen, my children, and you shall hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April in Seventy-Five: Hardly a man is now alive

Who remembers that famous day and year.

also assumed that Revere was an ardent colonialist, hanging out with the likes of Samuel Adams and John Hancock, to whom he rode through the night in Concord to warn them of imminent capture by the British troops. That was about it until I did a little research, and here is what I found.

participated in the Boston Tea Party, during which Bostonians threw tea into Boston Harbor from the holds of ships anchored there to protest against parliamentary taxation without representation.

Alea Mills, professor and Cancer Center member at CSHL, wrote that it is “fantastic that BNL has found the very best scientist to lead them into their next new mission of success. And it’s an extra bonus that this top scientist happens to be a woman!”

Mills added that efforts to enhance diversity are fashionable currently, but all too often fall short. Hiring Hewett makes “real traction that will undoubtedly inspire future generations of young women in STEM.”

Patricia Wright, distinguished service professor at Stony Brook in the Department of Anthropology, wrote that it was “inspiring” to see a female director of BNL and that “young female scientists can aspire to being in that role some day.”

Between

you and me

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

So begins Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” about the famous midnight gallop that happened 248 years ago. The poem was first published in The Atlantic Monthly on January 1861, and I dutifully learned the first lines as a young student.

As a result, every April 18 I think of Paul Revere.

Who, exactly was Paul Revere?

I know that he was a talented silversmith because I have seen some of his work, starting with teapots and engravings, at antique shows. I

Revere was born in Boston on either Dec. 21, 1734, or Jan. 1, 1735, depending on different calendar conversions. That still makes him 40 years old that famous night. His father was Apollos Rivoire, a French Huguenot immigrant who had come on his own at the age of 13 to the New World and eventually married Deborah Hitchborn, the Boston-born daughter of an artisan and wharf-owning family (whose last name was also spelled Hichborn and Hitchbourn). Revere, the third of 12 children, attended school from age 7 through 13 and then learned the silversmithing trade. He was married twice, having been widowed in 1773 and remarried that same year, which means he was little more than a newlywed the night of the ride.

In addition to his work with silver, Revere did some dentistry to augment his income. He

TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWS MEDIA

The colonists were increasingly angered by severe taxes imposed on them by their mother country to help repay the considerable debt Britain had incurred from fighting the French and Indian War. Revere, as a rider for Boston’s Committee on Safety, had devised a system of signals with lanterns to communicate the whereabouts of the British soldiers. Hence that night, the message was, “One, if by land, two, if by sea.” In a sense, Revere was Boston’s first media man.

With others, he was aware that the British troops might shortly be on the move because on April 16, 1775, he rode out to Concord, Massachusetts, to urge the patriots there to move their military stores to a different location.

On the night of April 18, Dr. Joseph Warren told Revere and William Dawes that the king’s troops were about to embark in boats from Boston to go to Cambridge, and from there to Lexington and Concord by road that night.

Revere borrowed a swift mare named Brown Beauty, and waited on the far bank of the Charles River for the signal from the steeple of the Old North Church. Revere and Dawes made the ride from different locations should one of them be blocked from leaving Boston.

Revere, however, had the benefit of a distinguished publicist, Longfellow, who honored him accordingly. Also left out of the story was Dr. Samuel Prescott, who rode on to Concord after Revere was captured by a British patrol in Lexington. Revere soon escaped, while Dawes lost his horse and had to walk back to Lexington. But Prescott made it through to carry the warning.

Revere and the others surely did not yell, “The British are coming!” despite tales to the contrary. They were, in the final analysis, all British. They probably said, “The redcoats are coming!” and they surely didn’t yell since British troops were stationed throughout the countryside. Such is the mystique of history.

But “that famous day and year,” we know from ensuing battles, is true and to be celebrated this day.

D. None of the above

‘The British are coming’ this year

May 6!