The Port Times Record - October 27, 2022

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The transformation of Upper Port is happening in real time after years of welldocumented social issues and underinvestment.

In the coming weeks, the village will complete two major initiatives. Station Street will soon open to traffic, and the Port Jefferson

a 45-unit affordable

housing complex developed by Conifer Realty, will launch.

As these projects open, further planning is in full swing. Conifer is working with the Village of Port Jefferson Planning Board on a second development located at the Main and Perry streets intersection. Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees is actively pursuing a vision for the proposed Six Acre Park along Highlands Boulevard.

In an exclusive interview with Mayor Margot Garant, she summarized the activities. “I think we’ve made great progress,” she said. “I think it’s a great start to what will continue to make [Upper Port] a safe and welcome place.”

Completing these projects marks the next chapter in a multiyear village undertaking to revitalize its uptown. Yet as the area undergoes its metamorphosis, a broader conversation is emerging.

The street-level view of the Port Je erson Crossing apartments, a 45-unit a ordable housing complex opening within weeks.

Photo by Raymond Janis

PJSTCA talks public safety, LIRR electrification, Brookhaven redistricting, shake-up at the helm

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Port Jefferson Station/Terryville

Association met Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Comsewogue Public Library for its monthly general meeting covering various topics.

Due to a recent shortage of Suffolk County COPE officers, civic vice president Sal Pitti, whose background is in law enforcement, delivered the public safety report. He concentrated on the crime trend of catalytic converter thefts in the area.

“It’s a multiagency, multilevel thing going on, and we’re not the only ones,” he said. “They’re getting hit upstate. They’re getting hit downstate. They’re getting hit everywhere in New York and in other states.”

The most popular models among auto thieves, according to Pitti, are the older models of the Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, and Ford F-150. Given the uptick in this phenomenon, he announced the Suffolk County Police Department is exploring an auto crimes unit.

“The last time I talked to the commissioner [Rodney Harrison], he told me he’s working on establishing an auto crimes unit … that can get more in-depth, more cross agency and get more information from other places,” he said.

A student representative from Comsewogue

School District announced an upcoming Halloween event at the high school. “This upcoming Friday, Oct. 28, from 4 to 6 [p.m.] is Trick or Treat Street at the high school with diverse clubs and organizations creating a safe environment for the young trick-or-treaters,” he said.

With news from the library, Comsewogue director Debbie Engelhardt announced that Andrea Malchiodi has recently assumed the role of the assistant library director.

“Andrea brings excellent experience to the library, most recently having worked at the Lindenhurst Memorial Library as a department head and prior to that at Mastics-MorichesShirley [Community Library],” Engelhardt said.

Also making an appearance was Bruce Miller, former Port Jefferson Village trustee. Miller gave a string of updates on the ongoing efforts to electrify the Long Island Rail Road’s Port Jefferson Branch line.

Though MTA is funneling billions of dollars throughout New York City and Nassau County, Miller held that the railroad is showing little concern for the needs of its North Shore riders.

“There’s $10 billion on the table for the MTA, and they don’t show a lot of preference for the Port Jefferson/North Shore line,” Miller said. “They’re stripping off ridership from this line here, who are commuting to Ronkonkoma and some [going] as far as Hicksville or Huntington to get a decent ride.”

Responding to this assessment, Charlie McAteer, the civic organization’s corresponding secretary, concurred. “I think your point is well taken that we’re losing ridership because it’s inconvenient,” he said.

Pitti chimed in, discussing how electrification would tie into an overall plan to redevelop the Lawrence Aviation property. However, according to him, the gears can only begin to turn with a commitment from the MTA-LIRR.

“Everything is set and ready to move forward, but we all know how everything moves,” the vice president said. “We’re basically waiting for the MTA.”

Ed Garboski, president of PJSTCA, updated the members on the Town of Brookhaven’s redistricting process, which concluded on Thursday, Sept. 29. [See story, “Brookhaven town board unanimously adopts new map, concludes redistricting process,” The Port Times Record, Oct. 6, also TBR News Media website.]

Garboski said the Town Board selected a map that constituted the least amount of change for Council District 1. This district encompasses Port Jefferson Station and Terryville. “They made the least amount of change for our area,” he said.

While CD1 remained primarily unchanged by the end of the redistricting process, a tiny sliver of the community east of Pine Street shifted into CD2. However, Garboski

suggested this change was understandable.

“Most of the people in the area that got redistricted go to Mount Sinai schools,” he said. “Everything else stays. The [Train Car] Park stays in our area. The revitalization area. All of the things that everyone was concerned about, we have.” Following this outcome, the civic leadership sent a letter of thanks to the Town Board for keeping the PJS/T community intact.

Before adjourning, Garboski and Pitti announced they had sold their houses recently. Within about a year, both will no longer be residents of the area, precipitating a turnover of the civic’s top two posts.

The body passed a resolution to allow the two civic leaders to stay in their seats for the interim period. A special election will likely take place in the fall of 2023.

Pictured above, the PJSTCA executive board.

Photo by Raymond Janis

Law Office of Tara A.

At 90, Al Kopcienski reflects upon the value of service

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Born 90 years ago this past Sunday, Al Kopcienski of Miller Place has led a life of uninterrupted service to his community.

Kopcienski’s sizable extended family flew in from around the country Oct. 22 to honor his life. On this joyous occasion, his daughter Elizabeth Schwartz thought it necessary to look back on her father’s life and reflect upon his achievements.

In an interview, Schwartz shared her father’s long commitment to the area. “My dad has been so invested in this community in a very quiet way,” she said. “The community needs to know. We need to remember people who are our unsung heroes.”

Kopcienski’s legacy of community service spans nearly a century. Among his many posts, he served as president of the Mount Sinai School District Board of Education, more than 60 years with the Port Jefferson Rotary Club, and the Miller Place Fire Department where he served as chief from 1967-68.

He lives by the Rotarian motto, “Service above self.” Schwartz said she and her siblings were also raised to follow this ethos.

“We were all raised — all eight of us — were raised with this mantra, ‘Service above self,’ that hard work is good work, that our job is to give to the community,” she said. “It is about community and not always about one person or self.”

Over the past nine decades, Kopcienski has witnessed firsthand the gradual transformation of the area. He said the little farming economy he once knew has gradually become a bustling environment.

“This area was a big farming area, and through the transition of years the farmers have disappeared,” he said. “The farming industry disappeared, and then the developers

came in and started building houses.”

Despite the differences today from the undisturbed landscape Kopcienski knew growing up, he said young people can still derive vital lessons from his generation.

“One of my favorite sayings is ‘rest means rust,’” he said, emphasizing the value of physical movement and manual labor. “The service industry is well organized and has well-paying positions.”

While on the Mount Sinai school board, Kopcienski pushed for expanding opportunities for students pursuing professional trades. While today, many may place higher education at a premium, he still sees the value of these alternative career paths.

“There was a local superintendent of schools that would say, ‘All my kids graduate and go on to college,’” Kopcienski said. “I said to him, ‘What about the poor kid that can’t go on to college? What about the kid who went to BOCES, a trade school, where he spent half the day at school and then learned a trade?’” He added, “One of the problems we have is that people don’t want to get their hands dirty.”

Even at 90 years old, Kopcienski is still getting his hands dirty today, driving the ambulance for the fire department. He said he receives his fair share of raised eyebrows when arriving on the scene of an emergency.

“They say, ‘That old man’s driving the ambulance?’” he joked. Schwartz interjected, adding, “He comes home and tells us about all of the old people he drives to the hospital. And I said, ‘The old people, like 20 years younger than you, Pop?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’”

Despite the many changes he has observed over time, Kopcienski sees reason for hope. With 24 grandchildren, he now gets his chance to sit back, watch and follow the rising generation as it embarks on its path.

Still, at 90, there appear to be no signs of rust or rest on this lifelong community servant.

Area doctors urge caution amid viral triple threat this fall and winter

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

This fall and winter, several infections have their sights set on your lungs.

Amid threats from diseases that affect other organ systems, three of them — COVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus — can and often do attack the lungs.

While the current strain of COVID isn’t as lethal as the original, the virus continues to mutate, leading to new strains and, potentially, to different strains later this fall.

At the same time, the flu and RSV have been waiting for an opening after COVID protections like masks also kept them at bay during 2020 and 2021.

“How bad is the winter going to be?” asked Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “It will be based on more [COVID] variants coming through, with a strong flu season, which is never something you want to see.”

The number of cases of respiratory illnesses like RSV and the flu has been lower in the last few years. The lack of exposure to those viruses, however, may give them an opening for a stronger return in the population.

These viruses “didn’t paddle along for a while,” Nachman said. “Now, they are paddling furiously. Everyone is seeing them.”

People’s immune systems may not be prepared for the threat from these recurring viruses.

When people arrive at the hospital, health care officials often see the same symptoms, with coughing and sneezing.

“It could be one, two or three” causes at the same time, Nachman said.

The combination of contracting more than one virus at the same time could lead to prolonged and painful illnesses.

COVID reality

Much as people would like to return to a pre-pandemic reality, the SARS-CoV2 virus not only continues to infect people, but it also remains something of an evasive target, with mutations leading to new variants.

While area hospitals don’t test for the specific COVID strain when patients are sick, doctors expect that some of the people who have contracted the disease have the modern variants.

“Undoubtedly, many cases that are coming to our Emergency Department are due to the new Omicron sub-variants,” said Dr. Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at Port Jefferson’s St. Charles Hospital. “Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that Omicron BA.5 cases are trending downwards and the cases due to the sub-variants are on the rise.”

Symptoms of the newer variants are similar to others, with fever, chills, cough, runny nose, fatigue, muscle or body aches,

shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, Dhuper explained.

Doctors said it was difficult to gauge how effective the new bivalent COVID vaccines are against the latest strains.

The latest booster may “not be active against all the coming variants,” explained Dr. Phillip Nizza, attending infectious disease physician at St. Charles Hospital.

The new booster was designed to enhance the reaction to the BA.4 and BA.5 variants.

“We don’t have enough data” to determine the effectiveness of the booster against current and future threats, Nachman said. “How effective it will be depends” on differences between the booster and the strain someone contracts.

Still, the vaccine is likely to provide some benefits, doctors said.

“The purpose of the vaccine is to attenuate the symptoms from the virus and reduce the severity of illness, hospitalizations

and/or death,” Dhuper wrote. “And I think the vaccines would be very successful in accomplishing that objective.”

Even for people who have been infected recently with COVID, Nachman urged people to get a booster.

The combination of an infection and a booster “Is always better than not getting a vaccine,” Nachman said. “You should get a vaccine. The timing is tricky” and could involve getting a dose two weeks after contracting the virus or waiting.

The viral threat during the December holidays, in particular, is higher, so Nachman urges being as immunized as possible before then.

With people not wearing masks and not even testing for the virus even when they get sick, Nachman suggested that it’s “highly likely” the country will see new variants by the spring.

Nachman urged people to take steps to protect themselves, which includes eating well, exercising, receiving the latest vaccination

and limiting exposure, particularly for those who might be vulnerable.

“Take care of yourself,” Nachman urged.

At Stony Brook University Hospital, the wards are busy, with a steady stream of patients coming in, receiving treatment and getting discharged, Nachman said.

“We’re seeing a lot of other viral illnesses,” she added.

She sees a ramp-up in RSV, which she doesn’t expect to peak until Thanksgiving.

Dhuper remains concerned about viral threats this fall and winter.

“We do anticipate a worse flu season this year as the herd immunity is at a lower level,” he wrote. “People should get their flu shots sooner rather than later as that is the only primary protection we have to offer. People with comorbidities should particularly be concerned as the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalization and even death could be higher without the protection from the vaccine.”

While Nizza hasn’t seen any major spike in the flu yet, he suggested in an email that “now would be a good time to get vaccinated.”

Got all that? Good, now, when you’re outside, far from other people and you want to give your lungs a break, take a deep, cleansing breath. Other times? Protect your health and the health of your family and community.

Doctors suggest getting immunized before the holiday gathering season begin. Stock photo from Metro

‘The purpose of the vaccine is to attenuate the symptoms from the virus and reduce the severity of illness, hospitalizations and/or death.’

— Dr. Sunil Dhuper

Missing Ronkonkoma girl

Police seek driver of fatal hit and run

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the driver whose vehicle struck two pedestrians, one fatally, in Coram earlier this month.

A vehicle traveling westbound on Granny Road struck two 13-year-old siblings who were walking in a bike lane on Oct. 12 at 7:25 p.m. One of the teens, Tyler Phillips, pictured above, died of his injuries on Oct. 15. His sister, Krystal Randolph, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Following further investigation, detectives believe the vehicle that fled the scene was a darkcolored 2005 to 2009 Chevrolet Equinox. The vehicle’s front passenger headlight is damaged and there is damage to the front passenger bumper. The side view front passenger mirror is broken.

The Crime Stoppers fast cash reward is up to $5,000 and will be issued within seven days of an arrest.

Two men killed in Miller Place crash

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed two men in Miller Place on Oct. 24.

Victoria Graham was driving a 2019 Kia Sedona eastbound on Route 25A, east of Park Avenue, when she attempted to make a U-turn in the vehicle and was struck by a westbound 2011 Audi convertible coupe at approximately 7:30 p.m.

The driver of the Audi, Victor Lanzotti, 32, of Rocky Point, and his passenger, Raymond Neff, 37, of Mount Sinai, were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. Graham, 35, of Shirley, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-lifethreatening injuries.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help to locate a 12-year-old Ronkonkoma girl who was reported missing last week. Madeline RiveraCordon was last seen leaving her residence on Pond Road on Oct. 19 at approximately 7 p.m. Detectives believe she might be in Brentwood, Central Islip or Patchogue. Madeline is Hispanic, 4 feet 8 inches tall, and approximately 80 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. Detectives are asking anyone with information on her location to call 911 or Fourth Squad detectives at 631-854-8452.

Arrest made in catalytic converter theft

Suffolk County Police arrested a Medford man for allegedly stealing two catalytic converters from a vehicle in a parking lot in Rocky Point on Oct. 22 at 9 a.m.

A man with a saw and a catalytic converter was walking in the parking lot of 576 Route 25A at 9 a.m. when the owner of a nearby business observed the man. The witness chased the suspect until he entered the Rocky Point State Pine Barrens Preserve. Seventh Precinct Patrol Units, Aviation and Canine Sections responded. It was determined two catalytic converters had been stolen from a box truck. After a three hour search, Canine Police Officer Matthew Dewitt and his canine, Champ, located Daniel Labbe, 42, hiding in the woods.

Seventh Squad detectives charged Labbe with Grand Larceny 4th Degree, Auto Stripping 2nd Degree, Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree, Possession of Burglar’s Tools and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th Degree.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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.

Have you seen Madeline? Photo from SCPD

Tyler Phillips Photo from SCPD

LEGALS

DISTRICTMEETING NOTICEOFSPECIAL

DECEMBER12,2022 OFSUFFOLK,NEWYORK INTHECOUNTY FREESCHOOLDISTRICT, PORTJEFFERSONUNION

NOTICEISHEREBYGIVEN

Meetingofthequalified 2022,aSpecialDistrict adoptedonSeptember13, CountyofSuffolk,NewYork, FreeSchoolDistrict,inthe thePortJeffersonUnion oftheBoardofEducationof thatpursuanttoaresolution

votersofsaidSchoolDistrictwillbeheldon Monday,

o’clockP.M.(Prevailing 6:00o’clockA.M.to9:00 December12,2022 from

Time)attheEarlL.VandermeulenHighSchool,350

OldPostRoad,PortJefferson,NewYork,forthe

followingBondPropositions: purposeofvotinguponthe

BONDPROPOSITION#1

(a)ThattheBoardof RESOLVED:

EducationofthePortJeffersonUnionFreeSchool

Suffolk,NewYork(the District,intheCountyof

“District”),isherebyauthorizedtoundertakea

whichPlanisonfileand Architect,P.C.(the“Plan”), preparedbyJohnA.Grillo, anddescribedinaplan substantiallyasreferredto District(the“Project”) instructionalneedsofthe infrastructureand projecttoaddressthe facilitiesimprovement

availableforpublicinspectionintheofficeofthe

toprovidenewmusicroom constructionofanaddition including,butnotlimitedto: DistrictClerk,saidProject

space,interiorspacereconfigurationandalteration,

heating,ventilationandair lockerroomrenovationsand

conditionsystemimprovements;alloftheforegoingtoincludetheoriginal

therewith;andtoexpend requiredinconnection demolitionandotherwork ancillaryorrelatedsite, machinery,apparatusand furnishings,equipment,

therefor,includingpreliminarycostsandcostsincidentaltheretoandtothe

oftheProjectassetforthin thecostsofthecomponents $23,127,000;providedthat estimatedtotalcostof amountnottoexceedthe financingthereof,an

Districtareherebyauthorizedtobeissuedinthe

dueandpayable. asthesameshallbecome theinterestonsaidbonds taxisherebyvotedtopay exceed$23,127,000,anda principalamountofnotto

APPROVED ,theBoardof BONDPROPOSITION#1IS (a)T HATINTHEEVENT RESOLVED: BONDPROPOSITION#2

EducationofthePortJeffersonUnionFreeSchool

“District”),isherebyfurther Suffolk,NewYork(the District,intheCountyof

authorizedtoinstallasyntheticturffieldattheHigh

saidtax,bondsofthe (c)thatinanticipationof BoardofEducation; shallbedeterminedbysaid andinsuchamountsas installmentsinsuchyears tobeleviedandcollectedin financesuchcost,suchtax toexceed$1,876,000to votedintheamountofnot (b)thatataxishereby $1,876,000; estimatedtotalcostof anamountnottoexceedthe andtothefinancingthereof, andcostsincidentalthereto includingpreliminarycosts andtoexpendtherefor, officeoftheDistrictClerk, publicinspectioninthe isonfileandavailablefor P.C.(the“Plan”),whichPlan preparedbyJAGArchitect accordancewithaplan $1,876,000,substantiallyin estimatedmaximumcostof School/MiddleSchoolatthe

Districtareherebyauthorizedtobeissuedinthe

and becomedueandpayable; bondsasthesameshall paytheinterestonsaid andataxisherebyvotedto ofnottoexceed$1,876,000 aggregateprincipalamount

(d) thatifthisBondProposition#2isapproved,it

condensedform: substantiallythefollowing SpecialDistrictMeetingin usedforvotingatsaid shallappearontheballots SuchBondPropositions

BONDPROPOSITION#1

YES NO

RESOLVED:

(a)ThattheBoardof

EducationofthePortJeffersonUnionFreeSchool

Suffolk,NewYork(the District,intheCountyof

“District”),isherebyauthorizedtoundertakea

infrastructureand projecttoaddressthe facilitiesimprovement

instructionalneedssubstantiallyasreferredtoand

describedinaplanpreparedbyJohnA.Grillo,

Architect,P.C.,andtoexpendnottoexceed

andpayable. thesameshallbecomedue interestonsaidbondsas herebyvotedtopaythe $23,127,000,andataxis amountofnottoexceed issuedintheprincipal areherebyauthorizedtobe tax,bondsoftheDistrict thatinanticipationofsuch BoardofEducation;and(c) shallbedeterminedbysaid andinsuchamountsas installmentsinsuchyears leviedandcollectedin suchcost,suchtaxtobe $23,127,000tofinance theamountofnottoexceed thatataxisherebyvotedin $23,127,000therefor;(b)

BONDPROPOSITION#2

YES NO

APPROVED ,theBoardof BONDPROPOSITION#1IS (a) THATINTHEEVENT RESOLVED:

EducationofthePortJeffersonUnionFreeSchool

“District”),isherebyfurther Suffolk,NewYork(the District,intheCountyof

authorizedtoinstallasyntheticturffieldattheHigh

suchtax,bondsofthe (c)thatinanticipationof BoardofEducation;and shallbedeterminedbysaid andinsuchamountsas installmentsinsuchyears tobeleviedandcollectedin financesuchcost,suchtax toexceed$23,127,000to votedintheamountofnot (b)thatataxishereby District; thebestinterestsofthe thatsuchreallocationisin Educationshalldetermine componentsiftheBoardof reallocatedamongsuch detailinthePlanmaybe therefor;(b)thatataxis nottoexceed$1,876,000

ArchitectPC,andtoexpend preparedbyJohnA.Grillo, accordancewithaplan $1,876,000,substantiallyin estimatedtotalcostof School/MiddleSchoolatthe

taxtobeleviedandcollectedininstallmentsin

suchyearsandinsuch

amountsasshallbedeterminedbysaidBoardof

Education;(c)thatinanticipationofsaidtax,bondsof

alsoapproved thatBondProposition#1is effectiveonlyintheevent approved,itshallbecome thisBondProposition#2is andpayable;and(d) thatif thesameshallbecomedue interestonsaidbondsas herebyvotedtopaythe $1,876,000andataxis amountofnottoexceed theaggregateprincipal authorizedtobeissuedin theDistrictarehereby

Thevotingwillbeconducted

byballotonvotingmachinesorbypaperballots

theirballots. votersthenpresenttocast necessarytoenablethe asmuchlongerasmaybe P.M.(PrevailingTime)and o’clockA.M.to9:00o’clock remainopenfrom6:00 Lawandthepollswill asprovidedintheEducation

NOTICEISFURTHERGIVEN

thatapplicationsforabsenteeballotsmaybeobtained

thevoter,thecompleted theballotistobemailedto Friday,exceptholidays.If Time)onMondaythrough o’clockP.M.(Prevailing o’clockA.M.and4:00 betweenthehoursof8:00 fromtheDistrictClerk

applicationmustbereceivedbytheDistrictClerk

deliveredpersonallytothe Iftheballotistobe Monday,December5,2022. P.M.(PrevailingTime),on notlaterthan4:00o’clock

voter,thecompletedapplicationmustbereceived

(PrevailingTime),onFriday, laterthan4:00o’clockP.M. bytheDistrictClerknot

December3,2022.Completedballotsmustbe

havebeenissuedwillbe whomabsenteeballotsshall vote.Alistofallpersonsto Time)onthedayofthe o’clockP.M.(Prevailing Clerknolaterthan5:00 receivedbytheDistrict

availableforpublicinspectionintheofficeofthe

approved Proposition#1isalso intheeventthatBond shallbecomeeffectiveonly Militaryvoterswhoare

suchballotapplicationor mailintheirrequestfor transmissionorelectronic bymail,facsimile applicationormilitaryballot receiveamilitaryballot designateapreferenceto ballot.Militaryvotersmay anapplicationforamilitary SchoolDistrictmaysubmit qualifiedvotersofthe

ballot.Militaryvoterapplicationformsmustbe

oftheUnitedStatespostal showingacancellationmark December12,2022and closeofthepollson DistrictClerkbeforethe receivedintheOfficeofthe becanvassedunlessitis(1) 2022.Nomilitaryballotwill p.m.onNovember16, Districtnolaterthan5:00 DistrictClerkoftheSchool receivedintheOfficeofthe

serviceoraforeigncountry’spostalservice,or

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schooldistrictmeetingor offeringtovoteatany requireallnewpersons LawSection2018-cwhich theprovisionsofEducation ofEducationhasadopted DistrictMeeting.TheBoard nextprecedingsaidSpecial foraperiodofthirtydays residentwithintheDistrict ageorolder,and(3)a States,(2)eighteenyearsof (1)acitizenoftheUnited qualifiedvoterisonewhois isaqualifiedvoter.A meetingonlyifsuchperson voteatsaidSpecialDistrict Apersonshallbeentitledto

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AVISODEJUNTAESPECIAL

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10951010/274xptr

NOTICEOFSALE

COUNTYOFSUFFOLK SUPREMECOURT

U.S.BankNationalAssociation,notinitsindividual

Defendant(s) MatthewShea;etal., AGAINST Series2016-CTT,Plaintiff trusteefortheRMACTrust, capacitybutsolelyas

BrookhavenTownHall,1 atpublicauctionatthe undersignedRefereewillsell enteredMay22,2019I,the ForeclosureandSaleduly PursuanttoaJudgmentof

IndependenceHill,Farmingville,NY11738onNovember14,2022at10:30AM,

JudicialDistrict. establishedbytheTenth ofForeclosedProperty ConcerningPublicAuctions totheCOVID-19Policies willbeconductedpursuant 617544/2017.Theauction filedJudgmentIndex# soldsubjecttoprovisionsof andcosts.Premiseswillbe $252,156.27plusinterest amountofjudgment Lot014.000.Approximate Section168.00Block08.00

JamesMcElhone,Esq.,

Referee

Attorney(s)forthePlaintiff LLC Shapiro,DiCaro&Barak, LOGSLegalGroupLLPf/k/a

175MileCrossingBoulevardRochester,NewYork

(877)430-4792 14624

Dated:September20,2022

11004010/134xptr

legals@tbrnewsmedia.com pagaderos. medidaquevenzanysean interesesdedichosbonosa impuestoparapagarlos porlapresentesevotaun excedalos$23,127,000,y montodecapitalqueno bonosdelDistritoporun autorizalaemisiónde impuesto,porlapresentese previsióndedicho deEducación;y(c)queen quedeterminedichaJunta losañosyenlosmontos yrecaudaráencuotasen dichoimpuestoseimpondrá parafinanciardichocosto, noexcedalos$23,127,000 impuestoporunmontoque presentesevotaun $23,127,000;(b)queporla gastarparaellonomásde Grillo,Arquitecto,P.C.,y preparadoporJohnA.

votación. deoficinahastaeldíadela duranteelhorarioregular SecretariodelDistrito públicaenlaoficinadel disponibleparainspección devotoenausenciaestará leshabránemitidoboletas laspersonasalasquese votación.Unalistadetodas prevaleciente)eldíadela tardaralas5:00p.m.(Hora boletascompletasamás Distritodeberecibirlas 2022.ElSecretariodel viernes3dediciembrede (Horaprevaleciente),el amástardaralas4:00p.m. recibirlasolicitudcompleta SecretariodelDistritodebe personalmentealvotante,el boletasevaaentregar dediciembrede2022.Sila prevaleciente),ellunes,5 NewYork,District0200 CountyofSuffolk,Stateof theTownofBrookhaven, situate,lyingandbeingin improvementserected, withthebuildingsand plotpieceorparcelofland, NY11764.Allthatcertain RadioAvenue,MillerPlace, premisesknownas198

SUPREMECOURT-COUNTY SALEINFORECLOSURE REFEREE’SNOTICEOF

OCARROLLA/K/AMICHAEL OCARROLLA/K/AMIKEV. O’CARROLLA/K/AMICHAEL against-MICHAEL MORTGAGE,INC.,PlaintiffTOWELLSFARGOHOME SUCCESSORBYMERGER WELLSFARGOBANK,NA OFSUFFOLK

V.OCARROLL,etalDefendant(s).

PursuanttoaJudgmentof

ForeclosureandSaleenteredonJanuary15,2020.

theBrookhavenTownHall,1 willsellatpublicauctionat I,theundersignedReferee

IndependenceHill,Farmingville,NY11738onthe15th

plot,pieceorparcelofreal 10:30AM.Allthatcertain dayofNovember,2022at

property,withtheimprovementstherein

andcosts. $74,647.31plusinterest Approximateamountoflien 07.00,Lot:027.000) (Section:403.00,Block: Island,NY11953-2311. ArtistLakeDrive,Middle Premisesknownas131 ofNewYork. CountyofSuffolkandState theTownofBrookhaven, apartofacondominiumin contained,situateandbeing

Unapersonatendrá

Premiseswillbesoldsubjecttoprovisionsoffiled

LEGALS con’t on pg. 3 judgmentandtermsofsale.

LEGALS

LEGALS con’t from pg. 2

DuringtheCOVID-19health Dated:August22,2022 Tel.516/742-1212 Westbury,NY11590 Suite315 1400OldCountryRoad, Attorney(s)forPlaintiff Stein,Wiener&RothLLP Referee. AnnetteEaderesto,Esq., IndexNo.027364/2013.

emergency,biddersarerequiredtocomplywithall

butnotlimitedto,wearing thetimeofsaleincluding requirementsineffectat governmentalhealth

facecoveringsandmaintainingsocialdistancing(at

theauction,whiletendering least6-feetapart)during

depositandatanysubsequentclosing.Biddersare

alsorequiredtocomply

withtheForeclosureAuctionRulesandCOVID-19

Sale. setforthintheTermsof additiontotheconditions CourtofthisCountyin issuedbytheSupreme HealthEmergencyRules

11007010/134xptr

TRUSTCOMPANY,AS DEUTSCHEBANKNATIONAL OFSUFFOLK SUPREMECOURT-COUNTY OFSALEINFORECLOSURE REFEREE’SNOTICE

TRUSTEEFORTHECERTIFICATEHOLDERSOFMERRILLLYNCHMORTGAGE

INVESTORSTRUST,MORTGAGELOANASSET-BACKED

PursuanttoaJudgmentof Defendant(s). against-MHAMEDATA,etal 2007-MLN1,PlaintiffCERTIFICATES,SERIES

ForeclosureandSaleenteredonMarch15,2022.I,

BrookhavenTownHall,1 sellatpublicauctionatthe theundersignedRefereewill

IndependenceHill,Farmingville,NY11738onthe17th

improvementsthereon withthebuildingsand plot,pieceorparcelofland 10:00AM.Allthatcertain dayofNovember,2022at

Brookhaven,CountyofSuffolkandStateofNewYork.

Premisesknownas12

LynwoodAvenue,Farmingville,NY11738.

andcosts. $500,551.43plusinterest Approximateamountoflien 033.00) 628.00,Block:8.00,Lot: (District:0200,Section:

Premiseswillbesoldsubjecttoprovisionsoffiled

DuringtheCOVID-19health Dated:September19,2022 Tel.347/286-7409 NewYork,NY10170 Suite840 420LexingtonAvenue, Attorney(s)forPlaintiff Pierce,LLC McCallaRaymerLeibert Referee. DonnaEngland,Esq., IndexNo.067744/2014. judgmentandtermsofsale.

emergency,biddersarerequiredtocomplywithall

butnotlimitedto,wearing thetimeofsaleincluding requirementsineffectat governmentalhealth

facecoveringsandmaintainingsocialdistancing(at

theauction,whiletendering least6-feetapart)during

depositandatanysubsequentclosing.Biddersare

alsorequiredtocomply

withtheForeclosureAuctionRulesandCOVID-19

Sale. setforthintheTermsof additiontotheconditions CourtofthisCountyin issuedbytheSupreme HealthEmergencyRules

11103010/204xptr

NOTICEOFSALE

Tawila/k/aRajaY.Tawil; RajaiTawila/k/aRajaiY. AGAINST Plaintiff JPMorganChaseBank,N.A., COUNTYOFSUFFOLK SUPREMECOURT

SuzanneO’Briena/k/aSuzanneR.O’Brien

parkinglot.) TownofBrookhavenMarina NY11777(westendofthe W.Broadway,Pt.Jefferson,

11165010/271xptr

Where: PortJefferson November1,2022 When: Tuesday, BIDOfficersElection What: 2022PortJefferson

DistrictSecretary MarilynPeterson

11217010/271xptr

NewYork PortJeffersonStation, TERRYVILLEFIREDISTRICT

on11/03/2022.Adjacent publichearingat6:00pm Brookhavenwillholda BoardoftheTownof AccessoryApartmentReview isherebygiventhatthe TownofBrookhaven,notice BuildingOrdinanceofthe ofsection§85-258ofthe Pursuanttotheprovisions

Ronkonkomaa/k/aRonkonkoma,NY11779.Allthat

JudicialDistrict. establishedbytheTenth ofForeclosedProperty ConcerningPublicAuctions totheCOVID-19Policies willbeconductedpursuant 608885/2016.Theauction filedJudgmentIndex# soldsubjecttoprovisionsof andcosts.Premiseswillbe $79,363.99plusinterest amountofjudgment Lot015.001.Approximate Section620.00Block04.00 NewYork,District0200 CountyofSuffolk,Stateof theTownofBrookhaven, situate,lyingandbeingin andimprovementserected, ofland,withthebuildings certainplotpieceorparcel

Referee StephenJ.McGiff,Esq.,

(877)430-4792 Rochester,NewYork14624 Boulevard 175MileCrossing Attorney(s)forthePlaintiff LLC Shapiro,DiCaro&Barak, LOGSLegalGroupLLPf/k/a

Dated:October14,2022

11164010/274xptr

heldbythePortJefferson Apublicmeetingwillbe

HarborCommissiontoprovidepublicinformationand

seasoninthePortJefferson aboutthe2022boating toobtainpubliccomment

beingintheTownof erected,situate,lyingand PortJeffersonHarbor,130 AnnexBuildinglocatedat theTownofBrookhaven

96NewtonBoulevard,Lake 9:00AM,premisesknownas onNovember30,2022at Hill,Farmingville,NY11738 TownHall,1Independence FrontstepsofBrookhaven sellatpublicauctionatthe theundersignedRefereewill enteredJanuary11,2019I, ForeclosureandSaleduly PursuanttoaJudgmentof NewYork

VillageCenter@6:30pm

PortJeffersonBID@gmail. com

11216010/271xptr

NewYork PortJeffersonStation, TERRYVILLEFIREDISTRICT

NOTICEISHEREBYGIVEN

FireDistrict,intheTownof Commissioners,Terryville thattheBoardofFire

Brookhaven,CountyofSuffolk,StateofNewYork,

regularmeetingonOctober beingdulyconvenedinthe

18,2022afterduedeliberationthereupondidadopt

DispatchRadio. Fundinordertopurchase: EquipmentCapitalReserve FireDistrictPurchaseof madefromtheTerryville thesumof$7,000.00tobe expenditurenottoexceed “RESOLVEDTHATan thefollowingresolution:

permissivereferendumand Fundshallbesubjecttoa EquipmentCapitalReserve DistrictPurchaseof fromtheTerryvilleFire thisexpenditureoffunds FURTHERRESOLVEDthat

thattheFireDistrictSecretaryshall,withintendays

fromadoptionofthis

resolution,publishtherequirednoticeandotherwise

effectuatethesame.” takeanystepsnecessaryto

FireDistrict,intheTownof Commissioners,Terryville thattheBoardofFire NOTICEISHEREBYGIVEN

Brookhaven,CountyofSuffolk,StateofNewYork,

regularmeetingonOctober beingdulyconvenedinthe

18,2022afterduedeliberationthereupondidadopt

upgrade,andEMSlockers. andstriping,EMSroom Station3parkinglotsealing Fundinordertopurchase: GroundsCapitalReserve FireDistrictBuildings& bemadefromtheTerryville thesumof$30,000.00to expenditurenottoexceed “RESOLVEDTHATan thefollowingresolution:

FireDistrictSecretaryshall, referendumandthatthe besubjecttoapermissive CapitalReserveFundshall DistrictBuildings&Grounds fromtheTerryvilleFire thisexpenditureoffunds FURTHERRESOLVEDthat

withintendaysfromadoptionofthisresolution,

andotherwisetakeany publishtherequirednotice

stepsnecessarytoeffectuatethesame.”

BYORDEROFTHEBOARD

DISTRICT OFTHETERRYVILLEFIRE OFFIRECOMMISSIONERS

NewYork PortJeffersonStation, Dated:October18,2022

DistrictSecretary MarilynPeterson

propertyownersand/orothersinterestedinanywayin

Board.Anyoneinterestedin AccessoryApartmentReview publiccommentstothe theproposalmaymake

submittingwrittencommentstotheBoardmay

alsodosoviaemailat

building-aa@BrookhavenNY. gov

ROCKYPOINTNY11778 320LOCUSTDR JOSHUA&KRISTENFLYNN AA019886

ROCKYPOINTNY11778 5WILLOWRD DILRUKSHIADILANGANI AA020036

PORTJEFFSTANY11776 179GROVEST ZHANGZHONG AA020076

STONYBROOKNY11790 20MARIONAVE &MARGUERITE RYANROGERJ AA020078

SELDENNY11784 25CHOATEAVE BJORNEBYALAN&GWEN AA020080

66CHAMPLINAVE MARCASEGUNDO AA020089

BELLPORTNY11713

CENTERMORICHESNY 21BLACKPINEST DICUFFADELIO&LORAINE AA17353

11934

HarborComplex.ThemeetingwillbeheldonNovember9,2022at6:00p.m.at

DISTRICT OFTHETERRYVILLEFIRE OFFIRECOMMISSIONERS BYORDEROFTHEBOARD

Dated:October18,2022

PortJeffersonStation,

11218010/271xptr

ACCESSORYAPARTMENT

TOWNOFBROOKHAVEN REVIEWBOARD

TownofBrookhaven ReviewBoard AccessoryApartment IreneD’Abramo

11259010/271xptr

legals@tbrnewsmedia.com a/k/aSuzanneR.O’BrienTawil,Defendant(s)

Painting windows

PJ arts conservancy hosts 4th annual Harvest Festival

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Creativity was in the air last weekend in Port Jefferson village.

On Saturday, Oct. 22, young artists took to the Village Center to showcase their creative talents during this year’s Harvest Festival. Hosted by the Port Jefferson Harbor Education & Arts Conservancy, this year marked the festival’s fourth year in existence in what has become a local annual tradition.

Illene Hope, who preferred not to reveal her last name, is a conservancy member who has overseen and coordinated this event since its inception. She came up with the original idea for the window contest from her years spent in the Hudson Valley.

“I used to live up in Westchester,” she said. “In Westchester, they’ve been doing this for decades. They have an enormous village that attracts an enormous number of painters, and when I was living there, my daughter and I used to paint.”

After participating in that event several times, Hope decided to bring the idea to Port Jefferson. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t that be great to do our own version of it down here?’” she said. “This is a much smaller scale, but I think people still enjoy it tremendously.”

The artworks featured in the contest were evaluated by a panel of judges, who are artists and graphic designers in their own right. The criteria for judging were based on the skills employed to create the work.

“They base it not necessarily on age, but they base it on skill,” she said. “It has to do with the skill of the painter and how they were able to put that skill into the piece on the window.”

Hope said the harvest festival closely aligns with the conservancy’s organizational aims to advance arts and education throughout the village.

“It’s an education and arts organization, and we try to promote that through these kinds of events,” she said.

This year’s event had a lower

Photos by Raymond Janis

turnout than in years past. Hope attributes that primarily to some of the other major community events that were taking place

simultaneously.

Looking ahead to next year, Hope said she expects “a bigger crowd and more windows painted.”

“It’s not just slapping paint on a window,” she said. “They have to come up with a theme and an idea and then how to facilitate it.” The event coordinator

added, “The kids just love it because it brings out a lot of conversation and analytical ways of looking at things. … It’s a great experience.”

Long Island fish kills climb to over 50 this summer

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Fish kills in waterways around Long Island climbed to over 50 this summer from about five per year in earlier years, driven by increasing water temperatures, algal blooms and increased nitrogen in local waters.

With temperatures climbing more than 2 degrees Celsius over the last two decades, waters around Long Island don’t have as much oxygen, particularly at night when photosynthetic plants are no longer able to catch sunlight and turn it into oxygen.

The fish kills represent a “pretty big number,” said Christopher Gobler, endowed chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.

Members of Gobler’s lab sample Long Island waters routinely as a part of their research. While his team was out gathering data, Gobler asked them to report any fish kills that included 10 or more fish. The area between Hempstead Harbor and Northport Harbor routinely included observations of fish kills.

Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen

than colder water, because oxygen can escape more easily from water in higher heat.

With temperature as the primary driver, a combination of factors robs the water of oxygen.

“The warmer the water gets, the quicker the bacteria take oxygen out, the faster the fish are respiring” Gobler said.

He added the fish kills often included menhaden, or bunker, fish. These fish have returned in larger numbers in recent years to the waters around Long Island amid other conservation efforts. More menhaden this summer also brought sharks to the area, as these apex predators hunt bunker fish.

While global warming likely had a significant impact on the number of fish kills, Gobler said, an increase in nitrogen in local waterways also contributed to anoxic conditions and is something residents can control locally.

With more nitrogen, typically from onsite wastewater, algae have more nutrients to grow.

At the same time, when more abundant algae dies, the bacteria that break down the algae consume oxygen.

An additional emerging perspective suggests that the more abundant algae at night are respiring, removing oxygen from the water.

Gobler said people can reduce the release of nitrogen into local waterways, which can also affect groundwater, by upgrading their sewage

treatment systems. Suffolk County has created rules, including a Reclaim our Water Septic Improvement Program, which protects the environment by reducing nitrogen emissions.

Gobler remains concerned not only for the fish that wash up in numbers along the shore, but for the marine organisms that aren’t as mobile, such as the invertebrates at the bottom of the waterways.

The fish kills are a flag that “these water bodies are impaired and are not capable of

sustaining marine life in a way we’d like them to,” Gobler said.

As for the future, Gobler said it’s difficult to predict how the combination of factors, from global warming to nitrogen runoff, will affect marine life.

“Maybe next year, we go back to five [fish kills] in the summer,” he said. This year was “unlike anything we’ve seen” with a combination of high temperatures and numerous fish kills.

Paid for by The Committee To Elect Skyler Johnson

Fish kills in Long Island have increased from about five per year to 50 this summer. Photo by Laurie Vetere

Halloween Spooktacular music festival arrives at the Train Car Park

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Two bastions of commerce and culture joined forces on Saturday, Oct. 22, for a night of fright and fun at Port Jefferson Station’s Train Car Park.

The Spooktacular Music Festival was a three-hour production co-hosted by the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce and the local affiliate of the School of Rock, the largest music school franchise nationwide. The event showcased the talents of local student musicians while bringing community members together for a night out.

Tracie and Jaime Smith have owned the Port Jefferson-based franchise of the School of Rock for 12 years. They described the music school as a place connecting like-minded youth with a shared passion for music.

“A lot of the kids that come to the School of Rock don’t quite fit in in public school,” Jaime Smith said. “When they come to our school, they are exactly who they are, and they’re accepted for that, regardless of age, race, it doesn’t matter.” He added, “They all share that common goal of art, and they do a heck of a job expressing that on stage.”

This sentiment held on Saturday night as the student performers entertained hundreds of spectators on the Train Car Park’s main lawn, playing songs across various genres, such as classic rock and punk rock.

Tracie Smith offered her perspective on the evening, saying that the event closely aligned with the music school’s

organizational principles.

“We pride ourselves on getting the kids on stage,” she said. “It’s not just taking a guitar lesson in your basement and never doing anything with it. We get the kids on stage multiple times per year, and they get to rock out,” adding, “It helps them build their confidence and meet other like-minded kids.”

While the School of Rock has held the event in years past, this marked the first year the performance was held at the Train Car Park. Jennifer Dzvonar, president of PJSTCC, was also present during the event and discussed how it all came together.

“We’re trying to get some more community events over here at the Train Car Park, so together we said, ‘Bring it here, and we’ll do it in collaboration with the chamber,’” she said. “We have some chamber members here setting up some tables. It’s open to the community, free admission, and with live music and fun.”

For Dzvonar, this event marks just the next chapter in a string of recent positive developments for the Greater Comsewogue area. According to her, boosting recreational use at the Train Car Park has been the chamber’s priority for years.

Now, with the availability of public funds and political will, those plans are bearing fruit. “We have always been trying to get this up and running,” she said. “Phase one is trying to get the park usable for the community, so they’re going to be making a walking path in here, we’re getting a parking lot and we’re going to get a playground.” She added, “Hopefully, that should be completed by the end of this year. If not, then the beginning of next year.”

After these improvements are executed, the chamber plans to use the historic train car on-site for community tourism. In addition, plans are in place to repurpose some of it as office space, providing chamber members with new headquarters.

“Our vision is coming to fruition finally,” Dzvonar said. “This is exactly what we wanted for the community — a place to come, a place for kids and adults, a place for anybody. Basically, the motto of the chamber is to bring local businesses and the community together. This is a hub for that.”

Jaime and Tracie Smith have observed a gradual shift in the area throughout their time running the music school. For them, the arts will continue to play a central role in the area’s burgeoning cultural renaissance.

“What we’ve seen in the over a decade that we’ve been here is a movement toward families and the arts and a dedication to the community,” Jaime Smith said. “There has been a real movement forward toward creating something different here … and music always brings people together.”

Tracie Smith added to this perspective, touching upon how the COVID-19 pandemic has brought more families from New York City onto Long Island. Given these trends, she sees reason for optimism.

“We’ve seen such a nice bump in our enrollment postCOVID,” she said. “We’ve seen a lot of new families, a lot of resurgences, a lot of people moving from the city to come here, so we’re looking forward to the future for sure.”

— Photos by Raymond Janis

Community revitalization in context

Richard Murdocco is an adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at Stony Brook University. His writings focus on land use, economic development and environmental policies on Long Island. In an interview, Murdocco detailed the regional and historical context surrounding redevelopment efforts in Port Jeff.

Downtown revitalization on Long Island dates back at least six decades, said Murdocco, when communities started tackling the effects of suburbanization and population boom.

“Downtown revitalization is not anything new,” Murdocco said. “The first comprehensive plans were drafted in the early ’60s by the Long Island Regional Planning Board and Dr. Lee Koppelman. Those identified key downtown areas where to focus growth, and the whole point of the plans was to mitigate the ever-ongoing suburban sprawl that western Suffolk County, especially, was getting a taste of at that time.”

With the eastward expansion of the Northern State Parkway and the construction of the Long Island Expressway, downtown areas soon became targets for growth. Ideally, this growth consisted of additional multifamily housing options, expanded retail sectors and developing neighborhoods near

train stations.

Although development plans today are often pitched as novel or innovative, Murdocco contends that the general framework underlying revitalization has been replicated across generations.

“These concepts are as old as city building,” he said. “It may be new for Long Island, but it’s not new in practice.”

The Patchogue model

Today, proponents often cite the Village of Patchogue as a cornerstone of community revitalization on Long Island. Spearheading these efforts is Paul Pontieri, who has served as the village’s mayor since 2004.

In an interview, Pontieri detailed his approach to community building. For him, areas that thrive are those with people.

“For an area to be successful, there has to be people and there has to be a reason for people to be there,” he said. “Businesses go where people are.”

Another priority for Pontieri was attracting young families into Patchogue. “We have a lot of young families,” he said. “That happened because we provided the kind of housing they can afford.”

Apartments were central for creating affordable housing options, according to Pontieri.

While existing rents may appear overpriced to some, he believes these rent payments are preferable to the mandatory down payments when taking out a mortgage.

“Right now, if you have to put 20% down on a $500,000 home, you’re telling me that a 22- or 23-year-old that just got married has $100,000 to give on a down payment — it’s not going to happen, and that’s the reality,” he said. “You have to have the apartments because they will come into the apartments and begin to save their money, even though the rents on those apartments seem exorbitant.”

Pontieri holds that Long Island communities today face the challenge of drawing and keeping youth. According to him, young people will inevitably move away from unaffordable areas.

“You have a choice: You can sit there in your house — you and your wife at 75 years old — and your kids move someplace else because they can’t afford to live in your village,” he said, “Or you make your community user-friendly, kidfriendly, young-family friendly.”

Murdocco said Patchogue had been held up as the standard-bearer for community rejuvenation because Pontieri more or less carried his vision through to completion. Though revitalization brought unintended consequences for Patchogue, such as magnifying a “parking problem that was enhanced and amplified by growth,” Murdocco said the example is generally regarded favorably.

“Overall, it’s lauded as a model because they did it,” the adjunct professor said. “For all intents and purposes, the area is thriving relative to what it was.”

Differentiating Upper Port

While Garant acknowledges the utility of Pontieri’s method for Patchogue, she points out some key distinctions unique to Upper Port.

Like Pontieri, she holds that the neighborhood’s success depends on the people it can attract.

“I believe that new residents and the new opportunity will drive an economic base and new economic success,” she said. Though arriving at this new resident base, Garant is employing a different approach.

For one, the two villages differ widely concerning their respective topographies. When organizing a plan, Garant said Port Jefferson must operate within the confines of limited space, further constrained by the existing built environment.

“Patchogue is flat, and it’s a grid system, so you can spread out there and have larger parcels that connect to the heart of your village,” she said. “In Port Jefferson, we’re in a bowl. We’re surrounded very much by residential [zones] on both sides of Main, so I see us as able to grow a bit differently.”

Tying into the issue of topography is the matter of density. Garant maintains Pontieri had

greater flexibility, enabling vertical and horizontal expansion to accommodate a growing population.

“Our little footprint can’t really hold as much as Patchogue,” Garant said.

Applying the Patchogue model to Upper Port is further complicated by the historical and cultural differences between the two villages. Garant stated she intends to bring a family oriented culture to Upper Port. In contrast, Patchogue attracts a more robust nightlife scene accentuating its bar and restaurant culture.

“I just have a different philosophy when trying to revitalize the neighborhood,” Garant said. “I think Patchogue became known for the young, jet-setting community, the Alive After Five [street fair] bringing people to Main Street with a different sort of culture in mind. We’re looking at making things family oriented and not so much focused on bars and restaurants.”

In an email statement, trustee Lauren Sheprow, who emphasized revitalizing Upper Port as part of her campaign earlier this year, remarked that she was impressed by the ongoing progress. She remains committed to following the guidelines of the Port Jefferson 2030 Comprehensive Plan, published in 2014.

Referring to the master plan, she said, “It does appear to be guiding the progress we are seeing take shape uptown. It would be interesting to take a holistic look at the plan to see how far we have progressed through its recommendations, and if the plan maintains its relevance in current times where zoning is concerned, and how we might be looking at the geography east of Main Street.”

Six Acre Park

Along with plans for new apartments, Garant said the proposed Six Acre Park would be integral to the overall health of Upper Port. Through the Six Acre Park Committee, plans for this last sliver

of open space in the area are in high gear. [See story, “Six Acre Park Committee presents its vision,” The Port Times Record, May 19, also TBR News Media website.]

Trustee Rebecca Kassay is the trustee liaison to the committee. She refers to the parkland as necessary for supporting new residents moving into the village.

“As far as Upper Port, I am hoping and doing what I can to plan for a vibrant, balanced community up there,” she said. “The Six Acre Park is something that I see as a crucial element to balancing out the densification of housing up there.”

With more density, Kassay foresees Six Acre Park as an outlet for the rising population of Upper Port. “Everyone needs a place to step out from a suburban or more urban-like setting and breathe fresh air and connect to nature,” she said.

“The vision for Six Acre Park is to allow folks to do just that.”

In recent public meetings, a debate has arisen

over a possible difference of opinion between the village board and the planning board over activeuse space at Six Acre Park. [See story, “PJ village board … addresses Six Acre Park” and more, The Port Times Record, Sept. 22, also TBR News Media website.]

Garant said the Board of Trustees has yet to receive an official opinion on behalf of the Planning Board. Still, the mayor does not see sufficient reason to modify the plan.

“We’re talking about creating an arboretumlike park used for educational purposes,” she said.

“At this point in time, we don’t have enough land. The uptown population is welcome to use the rest of the parkland throughout this village.” Garant added, “But we are extremely mindful that when the new residents come to live uptown and they bring their needs, there’s a lot more that’s going to happen uptown and a lot more opportunity for us to make adjustments.”

Identifying the public good

New development, in large part, is made possible by the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency, which can offer tax exemptions to spur economic growth. Former village trustee Bruce Miller has been among the critics of Upper Port redevelopment, taking issue with these IDA subsidies.

“It’s an open secret that the properties were very poorly maintained up there,” Miller said.

“In my opinion, property owners have allowed their buildings to deteriorate so that they would be able to sell the properties to — in this case — subsidized developers.”

In Miller’s assessment, while the projects are taxpayer supported, their community benefit is outweighed by the cost to the general fund.

“The buildings that are being built are paying very little in the way of taxes,” Miller said. “At 10 years it ramps up, but even at 15 years there’s not much tax they’re paying on them.”

Responding to this critique, Lisa Mulligan, CEO of Brookhaven IDA, released the following statement by email: “In accordance with our mission, the Brookhaven IDA is committed to improving the quality of life for Brookhaven residents, through fostering economic growth, creating jobs and employment opportunities, and increasing the town’s commercial tax base. The revitalization of uptown Port Jefferson is critical to the long-term economic well-being of the region, and housing is one key component of this.”

Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), who represents Port Jefferson on the Town Council, also took issue with Miller’s claim. For him, the

purpose of IDA subsidies is to identify benefits to the community and advance the public good.

“So often, there is no public benefit,” he said. “If it’s the will of Port Jefferson Village to revitalize an area that has struggled to attract investment for many years, that may be an appropriate use of IDA funding.”

However, Kornreich also acknowledged that these tax incentives come at a cost for ordinary taxpayers. For this reason, it remains crucial that the IDA has a firm grasp of the public good and advances that end alone.

“When this unelected body gives these benefits to a developer, it’s a tax increase on everyone within that taxing district ... they are increasing your taxes,” the councilmember said. “When you pay those increased taxes, what you’re doing is supporting this vision of a public good.” In instances where the IDA functions without a view of the public good, he added, “It’s a huge betrayal.”

Garant suggested that ridding Upper Port of vacant lots constituted a public good in itself. While IDA benefits may mean short-term sacrifices for village residents, the tax exemptions will soon expire and the village will collect its usual rates.

“For us in the short term, we might be making a little bit of a sacrifice, but I can tell you right now what I’m making on the payment in lieu of taxes program is more than what I was getting on those buildings when they were blighted,” she said. “Six, seven, eight years down the road, when we’re at the end of those PILOT agreements, we’re going to be getting a sizable tax contribution from these properties.” She added, “I was looking down a 10- to 15-year road for the Village of Port Jefferson.”

Murdocco foresees opportunities for continued discussions within the village. According to him, community development done right is highly collaborative, uniting the various stakeholders around a common aim.

“A good plan is the genesis of effort and conversation between the constituents, elected officials, economists, environmentalists, civic organizations, resident groups, business owners and, yes, real estate developers,” he said. “I know for a fact that in Upper Port Jefferson, a lot of that did happen.”

The SBU adjunct professor added, “In terms of defining a public benefit, it depends on what the community wants. Do they want economic growth for an underutilized area? Do they want environmental protection? Do they want health and safety? That all depends on the people who live there.”

undergoes transformation

from COVER

‘A good plan is the genesis of effort and conversation between the constituents, elected officials, economists, environmentalists, civic organizations, resident groups, business owners and, yes, real estate developers.’

— RICHARD MURDOCCO

The

apartments.

Photo

‘The Six Acre Park is something that I see as a crucial element to balancing out the densification of housing up there.’

— REBECCA KASSAY

to the Editor

The Suffolk County PBA knows Fleming, a 20-year resident of Long Island, has the dedication and prosecutorial experience to put public safety first.

David Friedman St. James

important to me:

•Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022: no •Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022: no •Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022: no •Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act: no

•Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022: no

2021: no

•George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021: no

New York state’s culture of violent crime

A resounding ‘no’ vote

I have recently been inundated with political ads courting my vote, from both political parties. One candidate is Republican Lee Zeldin. In his bid for the New York State governor’s office, Congressman Zeldin seeks my “yes” vote.

Here is how he voted on issues that are

•Freedom to Vote: John R Lewis Act: no •Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: no •Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021: no

•Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment: no •Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021: no

•Protecting the Right to Organize Act of

And how ironic that Zeldin voted “yes” for reaffirming the House of Representatives’ commitment to the orderly and peaceful transfer of power called for in the Constitution and introduced in the House on Sept. 29, 2020, which passed with 397 “yes” votes. We now know how he changed his position a short time later.

Therefore, Zeldin, you have earned my vote but it is a resounding “no.”

Sue Parker Stony Brook

Under one party rule, the quality of life in New York state has suffered a stunning decline over the last three years. The most obvious and unhealthy symptom of this decay is a spike in violent crime.

In 2019 Democrats, controlling all branches of government, ignored dire warnings from both law enforcement and district attorneys, before passing two laws. One was to institute a cashless bail program. The other raised the age from 16 to 18 for people to be tried as adults.

Possible action plan

The right to freedom of speech is essential to democracy. So, too, is responsible speech. Whether false claims of election fraud are an incitement to imminent lawless action or not, whether those claims are protected speech or not, is a matter on which we may disagree. There should be no disagreement, however, on the damage being done to our democracy by undermining confidence in free and fair elections. I believe the enthusiasm for claims of fraud would be diminished and freedom of speech fully protected if the following conditions were established.

•First, no candidate for federal office can attain or remain in office until relevant claims of election fraud are resolved either by agreement of the parties or by the courts.

•Next, a fraudulent election claim should be understood to apply to all federal offices and all candidates for federal office on the ballot.

Make a Statement...

•Should claims of election fraud not be resolved by the start of new terms of office, congressional seats at issue should remain empty until the claims of fraud have been resolved.

•Government should continue only with those fairly elected.

•Should the presidency and vice presidency be at issue, the established order of succession should apply.

•Finally, significant criminal and civil penalties should be established for claims before the courts judged to be so lacking in evidence as to be frivolous or designed to delay the seating of fairly elected candidates to federal office.

I am not a lawyer and these suggestions may be more easily gamed than I realize. If that is so, modify them or suggest others. Do not turn away and later ask “for whom the bell tolls.” John Donne told us “it tolls for thee.”

Forrest McMullen South Setauket

Cheap reelection move by AG James

The late New York State Attorney General Louis Lefkowitz was a mainstream Republican. He served for 22 years from 1957 to 1979 earning the title “the people’s lawyer.” Today’s state Attorney General Letitia James [D] use of his title “the people’s lawyer” in campaign TV commercials represents consumer fraud. James, with under four years in office, has yet to build a record worthy of this title. Her accomplishments don’t come anywhere close to those of Lefkowitz. Co-opting this title just serves as a cheap reelection television ad sound bite.

Larry Penner Great Neck

Judges, forced by statute to put unstable, dangerous people back on the streets have yielded exactly the kind of awful results non-woke clear thinkers would expect.

Tommy Bailey, a hardworking steamfitter and father of three, was very well regarded in his Brooklyn community. Coming home from work, he was allegedly stabbed to death on a subway train by Alvin Charles. The latter mentioned had been arrested in July 2021 for allegedly stabbing a different straphanger in Brooklyn. Charles was freed on supervised release, only to kill Bailey.

On Oct. 4, Adam Bennefield was arrested on domestic abuse charges, and ordered to stay away from his wife, Keaira. Under state law, based on the charges, the judge was not permitted to require him to post bail. The very next day, while driving her kids to school, Keaira Bennefield, a 30-yearold mother of three, was allegedly murdered by her estranged husband in Buffalo. The grieving family reported she was wearing a bulletproof vest when

Adam Bennefield reportedly shot Keaira, right in front of those children.

Raising the age to be tried as an adult to 18 has been a gift to street gangs. They’re recruiting kids as young as 12 into a type of criminal apprenticeship. And why not? That controversial legislation increased the age of criminal prosecution for gun possession … to 18 years old. Meaning kids under that age caught carrying a firearm are headed to family court.

Here’s a powerful example of just how badly this policy has played in the real world. In July 2021, a “major gang war” between ruthless Bronx crews left boys ages 13, 16 and 19 dead within five days. The two youngest had long arrest records including robbery, assault and gun possession.

A law enforcement source is quoted in the New York Post on July 12, 2021, as saying, “The system that purports to help these kids is actually acting as an incubator for future violence.” The 16-year-old “gets caught with guns, goes to kidglove Family Court, and he’s out here walking the streets. The kid gloves ultimately allowed him to get murdered.”

While these types of senseless violent acts seem to have become part of New Yorker’s daily lives, Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] and Democratic lawmakers have shown no interest in holding a special legislative session to fix the mess they’ve made.

Given this kind of arrogant indifference to their constituents’ concerns over New York’s growing culture of violent crime, Kathy and company shouldn’t be surprised if, in a couple of weeks, voters express their great displeasure.

Jim Soviero East Setauket

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The age of the uninformed voter

Election Day is less than two weeks away, and now is the time for citizens to begin researching their ballots.

When we vote, we are not merely selecting a “D” or “R.” Our representatives are living, breathing creatures with all of the features of ordinary citizens. They possess personality traits, character flaws, preferences, opinions and persuasions.

In these last few weeks, we must uncover these traits and determine whether they align with our values. Today, it is not enough to show up to the polls and vote. Here in Suffolk County, we find numerous examples of the popular will being subverted to advance the interests of a powerful few.

Take judicial elections, for example. Party leaders hold enormous power concerning our judges. Through a sequence of dealmaking and compromises — most of which happen behind closed doors and away from the public eye — the party leaders line up all county judgeships through crossendorsements well before the election.

To receive a judgeship and the sweet $185,000 to $211,000 salary that comes with it, our “elected” judges do what they must. They answer to their superiors, who are the political bosses awarding them their seats of power and cushy salaries. Meanwhile, the ordinary citizens — those paying these salaries — get left behind and forgotten.

If we do not research our ballots thoroughly, then our only options this November are those handpicked by the party chieftains. An uninformed citizenry only reinforces this broken electoral system, rendering our elected officials less accountable to the people with each passing election.

A functional, vibrant democracy requires that citizens take an active, rather than passive, role in the electoral process. We must take a deeper plunge into the candidates on our ballots. Who are these people? What are their professional backgrounds? If elected, how will they advance our values and interests?

It is time for the people to take back the reins of power. Let not the political bosses pull our strings as they do the puppets they try to plant in office.

If we want politicians to be accountable to us, we must give our votes much more weight. Blindly voting down a ballot is as pointless and unproductive as not voting at all, especially since ballots also include candidates who have not actively campaigned. No person, regardless of party affiliation, is entitled to our vote.

Next week, TBR News Media will release its election supplement. Read through those articles, and get to know your prospective representatives. Let us break away from the party masters. Let the age of the uninformed voter die a sudden, unceremonious death.

WRITE TO US … We welcome your letters.

They should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style and good taste. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include a phone number and address for confirmation. Email letters to: editor1@tbrnewsmedia.com or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Letters to the Editor

School bond vote adds higher tax burden

I’m writing in response to the article “Port Jefferson School District hosts first of three scheduled bond tours”’ [The Port Times Record, Oct. 20].

I was one of the people who took that tour, along with two friends who are also district residents. Unfortunately, while the article references questions asked by some in the group, it did not go into any significant detail, relying instead on the superintendent’s response to the effect that “some of the prices are surprising” and the district relied on the architect’s assessment of needs and cost — though the breakdown of costs were not at all specific. Indeed, the $25 million price tag proposed in the bonds is quite a substantial one for this very small school district.

While there are certainly some areas of infrastructure needing updating, such as replacing an antiquated heating system with a modern efficient heating/cooling system, there are other areas of “not really necessary but would be nice to have.” This would include putting a bathroom(s) closer to the cafeteria, relocating high school classrooms for art, tech and music from structures located outside, demolishing part of the HS auditorium to create two small music rooms and converting an underused locker room for art and technology. It must be noted that students have had the current school layout for decades without the quality of their educational experience being jeopardized.

These millions of dollars do not add new square footage to the school. Rather, this mostly entails repurposing existing building space or doing cosmetic work such as installing new suspended ceiling tiles and flooring in limited areas. These types of renovations are much lower in cost than actually building new structures where extensive and expensive electric, plumbing and heating work need to be done. The $25 million figure seems very inflated compared to what Port Jefferson residents would gain by these projects.

Furthermore, is this really the time to be spending this kind of money? Our per-pupil spending per year of $39,815 as at 2020-21 is one of the highest on Long Island. With declining LIPA contributions to our taxes, persistent inflation and a $10 million village bond — to shore up the country club’s eroding East Beach bluff — Port Jefferson residents will face a very significant impact on their property taxes. Should residents be burdened with an additional tax wallop for a school district with a current total of 333 high school students as at 2021 and

an overall total enrollment (pre-K through grade 12) projected to decline from a 2022 estimate of 891 to 766 pupils in nine years?

Also, do we wish to spend nearly $2 million for a crumb-rubber turf field with a limited life expectancy and with so few students to form teams who would be truly competitive players for each sport? Artificial turf may also bring deleterious health implications that have been cited by state Assemblyman Steve Englebright [D-Setauket] and requires serious study.

We are told that if we make our schools more physically attractive more people will move here. But if taxes go up significantly — which they undoubtedly will — young families might not be attracted to Port Jefferson as they have in the past. The village has a reputation for lower property taxes than our neighbors and offering a small top-notch academic “private school” setting for its residents. If we don’t curtail our expenditures, Port Jefferson may someday not be able to claim either of these attributes.

Gail Sternberg Port Jefferson Lost glory

America has been blessed with three precious documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Federalist Papers. The security of these documents may be in great danger.

Presently dark clouds of national dissension gather endangering the nation. The republic dwells in a state of sedition endangering our Founders’ constitutional intent.

Our republic miraculously survived the tyranny of Great Britain. Today the state of our nation is in far greater danger as was Troy. Deception was both internal and external.

It must never be forgotten: A nation without borders is a nation no more. Within the annals of history, no republic

has ever survived beyond 200 years. The present cracks within our foundation cannot be denied.

Objective truth: There has never been a nation that has offered so much to humanity than America. God bless America.

Leonard J. Henderson

Veteran of World War II

Port Jefferson Fleming receives support of police organizations

Running for Congress this year in our District 1 are Bridget Fleming, a centrist Democrat, and Nick LaLota, a party-line Republican.

LaLota echoes the standard Republican falsehoods about voter fraud. He seems remarkably indifferent about the threat to American democracy represented by the failed coup of Jan. 6, propelled by these same falsehoods. According to him, it’s just another partisan issue. His campaign website contains not a single word about the effects of climate change, even though rising sea levels, flooding and more powerful hurricanes and nor’easters should concern every Long Islander.

Fleming has made public safety a major concern of hers. This is why she has received the endorsement of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association as well as that of the Police Conference of New York. She is the only Long Island Democrat running for Congress to receive the PBA endorsement. This is because she was a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office for 10 years, a member of the sex crimes prosecution unit and in charge of another unit devoted to attacking fraud in public programs. She’s also dedicated to stopping the flow of high-powered out-ofstate guns to New York, which can put more firepower in the hands of criminals than in the hands of the police.

Editor’s note: There will be no letters to the editor in our Nov. 3 edition. The page that normally features letters will have TBR News Media’s endorsements for the 2022 elections. Our letters page will return Nov. 10.

Port Jefferson School district residents will go to the polls Monday, Dec. 12, to vote on a $25 million package to update school infrastructure throughout the district. Administrators propose demolishing the current music portable, pictured above, and repurposing existing interior spaces for music classes.

Our pets do as much, or more, for us as we do for them

In

before our son had a driver’s license and I had to pick him up from school, I brought the dog in the car. I’d see my son walking from school, head down, shoulders slumped, with the equivalent of a teenage angst enveloping him.

and everything our son did, particularly when he pet our dog’s ears, was welcome and appreciated.

While I know many people love puppies, with their fluffy fur and their playful demeanor, I have become increasingly attached and fond of our dog as he has aged.

And, as my wife has said, the feeling appears to be mutual.

I’m feeling. When I get off the phone after an exasperating call with a customer service representative, he comes wagging over as if to say, “Yeah, that was annoying, but you’ll be fine and I’m still incredibly soft. Don’t you want to check?”

let out (yes, that was a different time). He used to return when he was ready and after he’d visited the neighbors and tended to his physical needs.

None of the above

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

get to the car, ready to throw himself into the seat next to me, to tell me his day was “fine” or that he “didn’t want to talk about anything,” and then he’d see the dog, wagging and prancing in the back seat and he was helpless against such charm and unbridled joy.

Our dog would throw his head into his hands, letting our son know that anything

When he was younger, our dog rarely came when I called him. He seemed fine with my petting him, but he didn’t go out of his way to get up from a comfortable nap.

But, then, something happened in the last year. Maybe it’s because we’ve traveled to visit family and friends for weddings and we haven’t taken him on each of our trips, or because he suddenly figured out that I feed him, provide water and take him for his necessary walks.

Whatever the case, he’s as happy to see me as I am to see him. At the same time, he’s become increasingly sensitive to the stress

Recently, I contracted COVID-19. My wife, who hasn’t been feeling too well herself, took incredible care of me, picking up food and medicine while I shivered in bed and struggled to swallow through the razor blades dangling in the back of my throat.

In addition to the necessary and helpful support from my wife and brothers, I received encouragement from our dog, who seemed to recognize something was amiss. He came to the side of the bed and leaned his head into my hand. He put his paw up near my arm as well, wagging cautiously and looking into my eyes.

He reminded me of our dog from my childhood. Also, a golden retriever, our earlier dog raced to the kitchen door to be

Do you have a special retreat in the neighborhood?

Last week I wrote about the pleasure of getting away, even for a day, and enjoying the foliage season in lower New England. This time I want to wax rhapsodic (well, in a manner of speaking) about the special places we love here in the neighborhood.

Melville Memorial Park, not far from 25A and my office in Setauket, but nicely hidden from view. Opened in 1937 as a memorial to Frank Melville Jr., it was the brainchild of his wife, Jennie MacConnell Melville, and his son, Ward Melville. While it is privately owned, the park is open for the pleasure of the public every day from sunrise to sunset.

In my junior year of high school, I developed a migraine that limited my ability to see and gave me a horrific headache. At the same time, all physical contact was uncomfortable, from my friend touching my hand to guide me to the nurse to my mother escorting me to the car.

When I returned home, I lay in a dark room, miserable under the searing pain. The dog, who wasn’t used to having me home during the day, stayed in my room all day. He didn’t move or make a sound and, more amazingly, he never tried to touch my hand.

He finally went outside after I got up and felt better. He stood guard all those years ago, just as our pets do now, protecting us against strangers and offering support in our lowest and most emotionally vulnerable moments.

by with their owners. The dogs immediately veered over for a pat, and sometimes the owners lingered for a chat.

It was quite a social affair on a beautiful fall afternoon for dogs and people.

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

Do you have such a special place? By which, I mean a place you go when you want to enjoy the beauty of the area, where you can sit and relax and let concerns just melt away for a few minutes. Or where you can go to think out troubles peacefully, deciding what to do next. Or maybe, you just want a bucolic walk. One such location for me is the Frank

So who was Frank Melville, you might ask, and how did it happen that a park is dedicated to him?

Frank Melville Jr. started by selling shoes to the residents from his sailboat on a fixed schedule, as he and his family of wife and small children circumnavigated Long Island. Eventually, he founded the Thom McAn brand with J. Franklin McElwain, a New Hampshire shoe manufacturer, exactly one hundred years ago. Their first retail shoe store in New York, selling a few simple styles at a low fixed price, then expanded to hundreds of stores across the US, becoming the largest footwear retailer in the country with 1400 stores. The brand name was eventually bought by Sears 86 years later.

As they grew wealthy, the Melvilles, who lived in Manhattan, bought a second home for themselves in Old Field, and became increasingly philanthropic, donating local land for community benefit, including what is now the campus for Stony Brook University. And it was Ward Melville, who visualized and created Stony Brook Village in 1941, the first outdoor mall in the country, and to this day, a fun daytime destination.

When I walk through the park, which surrounds the duck pond with leafy and varied greenery now changing colors, I marvel at the generosity and vision of the Melville family in fashioning such a jewel for anyone who wishes to enjoy its paved path, picture postcard views and many benches. It is such a place of respite for those of us who work just around the corner and those who come with their dogs from farther away.

Dogs are welcome, as long as their owners pick up after them. We sat on one of the benches last Saturday and called out, “Hello, Dog,” to the various pooches as they walked

One of the people we met as we strolled along was Anita Lago, an energetic woman from Stony Brook who discovered the pond and the park eight years ago and has been coming over to enjoy the swans regularly since then. When she was found cleaning out the stray fishing lines and other detritus that might enmesh the fowl, she was offered a pail and a rake by the foundation that oversees the park and invited to be official. And so, she can be found at water’s edge, when she is not at her full-time job, a hard-working volunteer helping to keep the pond clean and the swans and other fowl safe.

The Frank Melville Memorial Park is supported by donations from a grateful public. It’s that kind of place, one that brings out the best in all of us as it gifts to us all year round.