The Village Beacon Record - February 16, 2023

Ward Melville HS captures rst place in BNL Science Bowl Also: Whaling Museum debuts new exhibit, Photo of the Week, SBU Sports B1

Photo by Raymond Janis

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Kevin LaValle sworn in as Brookhaven town clerk

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

the Town Board in 2013.

TOWN

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sound Beach civic honors past president, meets new 7th Precinct inspector

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The Sound Beach Civic Association met on Monday, Feb. 13, at the Sound Beach Firehouse, joined by public officials, first responders and special honoree Bill Pellenz.

A past president and longtime civic member who also accrued over 50 years in the Sound Beach Fire Department, Pellenz was recognized for his contributions to the greater area. Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) presented Pellenz with a town proclamation.

Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) recognized Pellenz for his commitment to public safety. She recounted the many challenges faced in planning and

launching the North Shore Rail Trail, which formally opened last summer.

Anker said Pellenz was instrumental in bringing attention to key safety needs for the trail. “He understands where to go with issues,” she said. “We were able to make additional safety measures because of you, Bill.”

Representing U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) was Peter Ganley, who presented Pellenz with a certificate of congressional recognition, particularly noting his efforts to support veterans throughout the hamlet.

William Rosasco, chief of the Sound Beach Fire Department, chronicled Pellenz’s long service to the department, starting as a probationary firefighter and working his way up the ranks to captain of Engine Company 2.

“In the 36 years that I’ve been a member of this department, it’s been a pleasure working with Bill and being able to call him a friend,” Rosasco said.

SBCA president Bea Ruberto discussed Pellenz’s several contributions within the civic, notably to Veterans Memorial Park.

“On behalf of the Sound Beach Civic Association, I want to thank you for all the work that you have done for this organization and the community,” she said. “Also, I want to thank you for all of the work that you will do,” to which Pellenz responded: “I’m not going anywhere.”

General meeting

Following the ceremony, the civic held a brief meeting. Members were introduced to William Doherty, the 7th Precinct’s new inspector. In a brief statement to the body, he referred to his recent

promotion as “the cherry on top of my career.”

“I look forward to working with everyone in this room through your elected officials and through my community liaison officers,” he said. “I tell you in my heart of hearts that this is the assignment that I wanted,” adding, “I don’t think I would have chosen any other precinct but the 7th.”

Ruberto reported that the civic would soon welcome a student volunteer from the Rocky Point school district, who will attend meetings. “That’s one of the things that we really try to do,” she said. “We try to work with young people in our community.”

Following adjournment, the attendees enjoyed cake in Pellenz’s honor.

Trevor Green: Rocky Point’s promising two-sport athlete

BY RICH ACRITELLI DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Rocky Point ninth grader Trevor Green is a dual-threat swimmer and cross-country runner, and is among the promising athletes on the North Shore. On Saturday, Feb. 11, Green competed at Stony Brook University for the Suffolk County swimming championships.

His swim training regimen is a daunting, year-long commitment. He spends many hours daily in the pool.

The disciplined Green understands that achievement is earned through the accumulation of consistent effort. Always armed with a can-do attitude, he placed among the elite swimmers in Saturday’s county competition.

This season, Green has attained state qualifying times for the 500-meter freestyle, 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. The counties would be no different, with Green placing near the top in the butterfly and backstroke events. During

his races, the athlete had a strong show of support from his parents, grandparents, sister and friends.

As Green prepares for the state swimming championships in Utica, he treads upon familiar ground.

In November, Green qualified as an individual for Rocky Point’s cross country team. At Sunken Meadow during the Section XI state qualifier, Green placed seventh overall and ran a 5K of 17 minutes, 41 seconds. A week later, he ran just outside Utica at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Senior High School for the state championships. One of the youngest runners in that meet, Green ran in borrowed spikes on a saturated course but placed a creditable 17th.

Competing against the very best runners and swimmers of New York state, Green has proven himself a force. He looks optimistically toward the future, continually seeking ways to improve his times.

Green continues his pursuit of perfection in two of the most strenuous and physically taxing sports in athletics, representing his school and community well.

Above, Bill Pellenz (fifth from right) poses with public officials, civic leaders and first responders during a meeting of the Sound Beach Civic Association on Monday, Feb. 13. Left, William Doherty, the 7th Precinct’s new inspector.

Photos by Raymond Janis

Trevor Green, dual-sport student-athlete at Rocky Point High School. Photo courtesy Rich Acritelli

Raymond J. Janis Jr.: The beating heart of the North Fork

BY RAYMOND JANIS IV EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Raymond “Ray” Joseph Janis Jr., of South Jamesport, was a consummate fighter all his life.

When Randy and Darrell started their own families, they carried Ray and Rowena’s values forward for the next generation. Their children revered their grandfather, affectionately known to them as “Grandpa” (even “G-pa”).

OBITUARY

His fight began on the football field, where he and his brother helped secure a Suffolk County championship in 1953. He was willing to fight for his country and community, first serving in the U.S. Army Reserves and then volunteering in the Jamesport Fire Department. Later in life, he fought long and hard against heart disease.

Now his fight is over and, for once, he rests easy. Ray died peacefully surrounded by family at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead on Sunday, Feb. 12. He was 88.

Boys from the North Fork

Ray was born on Jan. 23, 1935, with his identical twin, Jerry, at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport. They were the first pair of twins delivered by cesarean in the hospital’s history, their lives etched into local history from the very outset.

Until Jerry’s death in 2012, the twins were inseparable. The farm boys of the North Fork walked to and from school together, tended farm animals together, played sports together and spent the bulk of their lives in each other’s company.

Ray and Jerry both attended Riverhead High School, where they won the famed 1953 county title against Amityville. Also a fierce badminton duo, the pair won the county championship in doubles.

After graduating high school, they both took up carpentry. Renowned artisans, Ray and Jerry opened and co-owned the Twin Builders company, constructing homes along the East End and throughout Suffolk County. The structures they built were meant to last, standing as living relics of their ingenuity and skill, their dynamic collaboration and the special love the two had shared.

Delivering eggs from his family’s farm, Ray met his other partner in life, Rowena Ambrose. Both shy, it took some convincing from Rowena’s matchmaker aunt, Julia, before the two went out on their first date.

Ray escorted Rowena to a Southampton beauty contest, where the two discovered magnetic chemistry on the dance floor. A floodlight beaming down upon them, they formed an unbroken bond that would span nearly seven decades. They married in 1958 and raised two sons, Raymond III “Randy” and Darrell.

“A fireman’s son”

As the twin builders went to work building up their community, Ray also went to work protecting it. He joined the Jamesport Fire Department in 1966 and was an active member for the rest of his life.

Ray held the rank of fire chief in the years 1983-85, serving alongside his brother-in-law Ray Diem, and celebrated 50 years with the

department in 2016.

In reaching this milestone, the New York State Senate commemorated his local contribution with a legislative resolution.

“Throughout 50 years of devoted service, this volunteer heroically performed, above and beyond the call of duty, those responsibilities which define the task of fire protection,” the resolution said.

But his duties at the firehouse never disrupted Ray’s responsibilities to his family. He was completely devoted to his wife, supporting Rowena through his declining health. He was a kind, loving father and role

model to Randy and Darrell.

On his office wall lies the poem, “A Fireman’s Son,” a visible reminder of the ideals he nourished in his two boys. It reads, “My dad’s a fireman, and proud am I, indeed. For he is someone special, whose wisdom I still need.”

Ray stayed present in his sons’ lives, coaching Little League and youth basketball teams, teaching them to shuck clams and constantly pointing them down a proper course. Randy and Darrell’s characters, generous and warm, are a testament to their upbringing under Ray’s instruction.

Some of their fondest memories are those spent with Grandpa — summer carnivals sponsored by the fire department, Christmas parties at the firehouse and backyard Sunday dinners.

A heart

To know Ray is to know his heart — not merely the physical complications that ailed him later in life but also the love, kindness and strength contained within it.

For decades, he battled through frequent strains on his heart. Keeping him alive were innumerable pills, myriad doctor visits and overnight hospital stays and nearly a halfdozen major cardiac procedures.

Yet, in the face of these hurdles, the fire burning within him to keep living could not be extinguished. In his final two years, his health was largely sustained by the contributions of his sister-in-law, Lucille, whose tireless dedication and tender care helped extend his life. The time tacked on through her efforts is immeasurable and priceless.

During his life, Ray gave much of himself to the people he loved, the causes he backed and the values he upheld. He was the ultimate gentleman, always putting the needs of others before his own, never speaking ill of someone else. The good feelings were mutual, earning him the love of his family and the respect of his community.

Ray reminds us to love unconditionally, to serve others and to never squander the precious moments we have here on Earth. He approached his days with abundant energy, vigor and optimism. He savored every second he had.

For Ray, being alive was a thrill in itself. He embraced life in all its multiplicity, accepting the trials and triumphs as they came in turn. Through it all, his heart was the last of his organs to finally give out — a full heart that kept beating to the very end.

Ray is survived by his wife, Rowena; his sons Randy (Theresa) and Darrell (Bernadette); his grandchildren, Ally, Megan, Alec, Raymond IV and Claire; and his large extended family.

The wake will take place Friday, Feb. 17, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. His fireman’s funeral procession will leave DeFriest-Grattan Saturday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. funeral Mass at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Riverhead.

Donations in Ray’s honor can be sent to the Jamesport Fire Department.

Raymond J. Janis Jr.

Humpback whale deaths increase along Eastern Seaboard

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

This year has been tough for the population of humpback whales, as eight of them from Maine to Florida have had so-called unusual mortality events as at Feb. 7.

ENVIRONMENT & NATURE

Indeed, a 41-foot humpback whale was discovered washed up Jan. 30 at Lido Beach on the South Shore. The whale likely died after a vessel strike, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Officials said.

Threats to whales in the area include getting hit by boats, becoming entangled in fishing lines and ocean noise.

The last of these potential dangers to humpbacks has received considerable attention from some members of the popular press, who have suggested that the process of installing wind farms along the coastline has or may create the kind of noises that can cause trauma to whale ears and that might throw a whale off course in its search for food.

To provide a broader context, unusual mortality events have been occurring for humpback whales since 2016, as 180 have been stranded along East Coast states since that time, according to NOAA data.

Scientists were able to study about half of the total humpback whale strandings from 2016 and attributed about 40% to ship strike or entanglements. The rest either died from starvation, parasites, inconclusive causes, or were in places where it would have been difficult to study and analyze them.

The combination of whales distracted by feeding and boat traffic has led to some of the deaths.

“Our waterways are one of the busiest on Earth,” said Nomi Dayan, executive director of The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor. “During busy eating months, when they are gorging, it’s harder to pay attention” to what’s around them.

Many of these humpback whale deaths occurred during periods when wind farm activity was low along the Eastern Seaboard.

“What we’re seeing right now [in terms of whale strandings] is something that has been going on for years,” said Lesley Thorne, associate professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.

In a press conference last month, officials suggested that the wind farms, which are designed to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, cut down on carbon emissions and slow global warming, are not likely to make what is already a challenging period for humpbacks even worse.

“At this point, based on the information that

we do have, we do not believe the evidence supports that those planned construction activities would exacerbate or compound these ongoing unusual mortality events,” Ben Laws, biologist with NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources, said during a Jan. 18 conference call with reporters.

As part of the investigation process, NOAA has brought together an independent team of scientists to coordinate with the Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events to review data, sample stranded whales and determine the next steps for this investigation.

The scientists include marine mammal stranding network members, academics and veterinarians with local state and federal biologists.

At this point, most of the surveys off the coasts of New York and New Jersey are “characterizing the seafloor and the sub-bottom for engineering purposes for

the foundation of offshore wind facilities as well as looking at cable burial risks along that route,” Brian Hooker, marine biologist in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, said on the press call.

Slower boat speeds

Reducing boat speeds in areas where whales are likely hunting for food or migrating can reduce the likelihood of vessel strikes and, in the event of contact, can improve the outcome for whales.

“What’s been demonstrated in the past is that, with faster vessels, collisions are more likely to occur and it’s more likely for that collision to be fatal,” Thorne said. The specific speeds or thresholds that are more likely to cause fatal collisions vary depending on the whale species.

The whales around Long Island include sei whales, North Atlantic right whales, finback whales, minke whales and, rarely, blue whales, according to Dayan.

Some management strategies for a host of whales such as the North Atlantic right whale include seasonal management areas, in which boats around a particular area during a specific season are required to travel more slowly.

Floating humpback whale offshore of Delaware. Photo courtesy the Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute

‘What we’re seeing right now [in terms of whale strandings] is something that has been going on for years.’

— LESLEY THORNE

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

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

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

Over 80 packs of Pokeman cards stolen

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police

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

Smithtown jewelry store robbed

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

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

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

Coram man arrested for robbing woman

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

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

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

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

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

Photo from SCPD

Photo from SCPD

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Pictured clockwise from top-left: Shoreham Wading River’s Thomas Palumbo competes at 138 pounds; Palumbo attempts to take his opponent down; Mt. Sinai’s Shane Wells competes at 102 pounds; and SWR’s Gavin Mangano competes at 110 pounds. Photos by Bill Landon

Mustangs and Wildcats compete at Suffolk wrestling championships

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The grapplers of Port Jefferson narrowly missed top honors in the Robert Fallot Memorial Suffolk County Div. II wrestling championships at Mattituck High School on Saturday, Feb. 11.

With an overall team score of 220.5 points, the Royals were just 10 points shy of top-placed finisher John Glenn. ShorehamWading River placed third, with 192 points, and Mount Sinai followed with 159.5.

Port Jefferson’s Liam Rogers and SWR’s

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

Pictured clockwise, from above: Mount Sinai’s Derek Menechino competes at 126 pounds; Mount Sinai’s Brayden Fahrbach competes at 132 pounds; Mount Sinai’s Matt Cuccinello competes at 138 pounds; and Mt. Sinai’s Shane Wells competes at 102 pounds in the Suffolk County Div. II finals at Mattituck High School Feb. 11.

— Photos by Bill Landon

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Letters to the Editor Editorial Using music to appreciate history

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LIRR East Side Access Grand Central Madison bloopers

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

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

Escalators are steep and require 90 seconds of travel time. The Penn Station tradition of asking fellow riders to move to one side so others can more quickly walk up or down the escalator will not occur here. In addition to those riders physically challenged, there will be many others such as pregnant women, those with bicycles, people who suffer from vertigo or altophobia, limited eyesight and seniors who may not be comfortable riding escalators, but will instead elect to use elevators. How would only two elevators provide sufficient capacity especially if one or both suffer mechanical difficulties?

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

You better be in good physical shape if you can find a seat in the waiting room when your train is posted to ensure boarding before departure. There is one set of escalators on the Madison concourse south end yet to be opened.

It is accompanied by a sign “Coming soon.” The same is true for a number of ticket-vending machines identified by signage as “Future” that have not been installed. The fire alarm system was undergoing a test. When it comes to disposal of newspapers, beverage containers, garbage or other waste, there doesn’t appear to be any attempt for recycling let alone disposal of what can’t be recycled. Are riders supposed to carry all of this to street level before being able to throw it out?

Many people, while waiting for a train, enjoy stopping by a newsstand to purchase a paper or periodical. I didn’t see any potential newsstands

or any newspaper vending machines. Newsstands are readily available in Metro-North Grand Central Terminal, Penn and Jamaica stations.

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

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

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

Larry Penner Great Neck

The meaning of wearing pins

In regard to the editorial last week with that consummate liar Rep. George Santos [R-NY3] happily smiling on page A18, it is a travesty giving him space on your editorial page. Myself, and probably the rest of normal people, would probably feel the same. However, this is just one point I would like to expound upon.

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

If we can’t call “Ghostbusters (Who Ya Gonna Call?),” people and/

or politicians wearing abortion pins have their right to their opinions, but to glorify abortion by wearing this pin on their person is even more unscrupulous and despicable than the AR-15 semi-automatic, non-assault weapon pins your editorial uses the same adjectives for.

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

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

Rhoda Angelier Coram

Bill to protect bees and birds

For the last few years, I have written a letter to the editor about the dangers of neonicotinoids or “neonics.” This pesticide is linked to massive bee, bird and insect losses worldwide.

Since the introduction in the mid1990s, neonics have threatened our pollinators, such as bees, which are vital to agricultural production. Neonics are coated on corn, wheat, soy and barley seed before planting. They offer few benefits to the agricultural cycle and are easily replaceable with safer alternatives.

Not only do long-lasting neonics destroy our birds and bees but they become infused in plants that are eaten by humans. They remain in the soil and are washed by the rain into drinking water supplies and marine environments.

The Birds and Bees Protection Act (A3226/S1856) would prohibit the sale of these pesticides. The bill passed the New York State Assembly on a bipartisan base last year but failed in the state Senate. I would encourage everyone to contact their state representatives and Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] to encourage passage of this bill in memory of the late Setauket beekeeper Maria Hoffman.

Edward Romaine Town of Brookhaven Supervisor

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

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

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

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

pet him and assure him he’s wonderful.

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

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

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

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

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

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

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

— The “tickle the piano keys” wave. After

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

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

Being single today is dramatically different

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

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

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

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

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

How has this happened?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

D. None of the above

Brawling out

Mount Sinai and SWR wrestlers compete in Su olk County Div. II championships

Photo by Bill Landon