JULIE LANE PHOTO | County Legislator Ed Romaine

With a push from Suffolk County Legislator Ed Romaine to enlist support from Sen. Charles Schumer, Greenport could be a step closer to what Mayor David Nyce has called the critical dredging of Stirling Harbor.

After a letter Mr. Romaine sent to the Army Corps of Engineers about the project went unanswered, he turned to Mr. Schumer, asking the Senator to intercede on behalf of the village. Mr. Schumer has agreed to try to push for the necessary permits to get the job done now, Mr. Romaine said.

Mr. Romaine was following up on a November 2011 press conference Mr. Nyce held at Sandy Beach overlooking Stirling Harbor in which the mayor asked that the feds to either do the job or get out of the way and let the village arrange the dredging.

“The small and mighty Village of Greenport will do it for them,” Mr. Nyce said at that press conference, indicating he has an offer on the table by an undisclosed source to tackle the job if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can’t move on the project this year.

“Please get out of the way and let us do it,” the mayor said.

Mr. Romaine followed up with his letter to the Army Corps of Engineers, but told Mr. Schumer he was disappointed it went unanswered.

In his latest communication with Mr. Schumer, Mr. Romaine said he hoped the senator would “make every effort to approve the dredging with all due haste.”

Mr. Schumer’s office did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Not only is Stirling Harbor used by fishing boats and pleasure craft, but it’s also the entryway to the emergency dock at Eastern Long Island Hospital, Mr. Romaine told Mr. Schumer. He noted that five commercial fishing businesses rely on access to Stirling Harbor.

“The dredging of Stirling Harbor is a priority and should be expedited,” Mr. Romaine said. “Our commercial fishing industry and those lives that may be saved by the hospital cannot afford any further delay.”

The last notice village officials got about the dredging was that there isn’t enough commercial use of Stirling Harbor to merit moving the project forward until at least the winter of 2013.

“That made me mad,” Mr. Nyce said. Stirling Harbor may be small potatoes to the federal government, but it’s vital to the village, he said. Everyone is waiting six or seven years for dredging, Mr. Nyce said.

“We don’t have time to wait,” he said.

jlane@timesreview.com

FILE PHOTO | CPF dollars may have been down in Southold for 2011, but they were up overall on the East End thanks to a $5 million increase in East Hampton.

Four out of five East End towns, including Southold, saw a decrease in Peconic Bay Community Preservation Fund revenues for 2011, according to information released this week by New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele’s office.

The revenue, generated through a 2 percent real estate transaction tax, is used to fund preservation of open space, historic landmarks, recreational facilities and farmland.

Southold’s CPF revenue decreased 7.5 percent from its 2010 totals, taking in $3.35 million last year, according to the data. Southold brought in $3.62 million in 2010.

Shelter Island’s CPF revenue decreased the most, down 39.7 percent to $820,000 in 2011 from $1.15 million in 2010.  He said Riverhead decreased 15.7 percent, collecting $1.93 million in 2011.

Despite the decreases, overall revenues collected by the CPF increased by .01 percent with $58.85 million generated in 2011.

That’s because Southampton saw an increase of 15.1 percent or $38.88 million in 2011, up from $33.79 million in 2010.

Mr.  Thiele said the Peconic Bay Regional Community Preservation Fund has generated $722 million for East End preservation since its inception in 1999.

gvolpe@timesreview.com

BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Local diver, researcher and author Adam Grohman gave a talk at Riverhead Free Library Saturday afternoon about his book 'Claimed by the Sea, Long Island Shipwrecks.'

The Costa Concordia is making headlines and “Titanic” is coming in 3-D to a theater near you, but some folks don’t realize Long Island has its own history of shipwrecks.

Diver, researcher and author Adam Grohman of Long Island gave a talk at Riverhead Free Library Saturday afternoon about his book “Claimed by the Sea, Long Island Shipwrecks.”

The book takes an in-depth look at 11 shipwrecks and maritime disasters in the waters of Long Island and New York. He looks into the circumstances around their their demise and exploration of them by divers and explorers.

Mr. Grohman is a boatswain mate in the United States Coast Guard Reserve and his book is published by the Underwater Historical Research Society.

He said that to him shipwrecks equal history.

“When diving you feel like you are in touch with the past,” Mr. Grohman said. “They are time capsules of equipment and design. It is an underwater looking glass into the lives of past generations.”

Some of the wrecks he talked about in depth were the Lexington 220-foot, long-side wheel steamer that caught on fire on Jan. 13, 1840 in the Long Island Sound. One hundred and fifty people died and only four survived. The ship was headed to New York from Connecticut. It sank near the Eaton’s Neck lighthouse off the coast of Huntington.

The most famous Long Island shipwreck was the Louis V. Place — a 163-foot-long schooner that went down in the Great South Bay on Feb. 8, 1895. It was within sight of the beach, but the winds were blowing so hard the Captain and seven men aboard tied themselves to the rigging of the ship. Claus Stuvens, who had survived five other shipwreck, was the only man aboard the Louis V. Place to survive that night.

Martin Anderson took photos of the shipwrecked schooner from the shore and afterwards Stuvens went door-to-door to sell them.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that more than 1,000 people journeyed across the ice on the Great South Bay from Bay Shore to Bellport to view the wreck. Two of the seaman who perished in the rigging are buried in a cemetery in Patchogue.

The worst loss of life in a local shipwreck happened on June 14, 1904 when the excursion wooden vessel General Slocum caught fire in the waters of ‘Hell’s Gate’ off of Astoria, Queens. Entire families were wiped out when 1,100 people perished.

Mr. Grohman called it “a tragedy of epic proportions.”

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Make your own Spanish tapas with these recipes.

The Cutchogue-New Suffolk Library presented “Introduction to Spanish Tapas with Chef Richard Kanowsky,” the latest in the library’s popular series of cooking programs, last week.

Chef Rich, who is the chef/owner of Kanobley Catering, gave a short history of Spanish tapas and a quick lesson in their preparation before participants began cooking.

Within an hour the enthusiastic chefs had assembled an assortment of tapas, including Spanish tuna on crostini, prosciutto wrapped asparagus and an olive tapenade.

Check out more photos from the event below along with two of the recipes.

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Pat Rochon, left, daughter Dawn, and Eileen Whitehead, all of Cutchogue, prepare prosciutto wrapped asparagus.

PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS

Ingredients for four

1/2 pound prosciutto, sliced

1/2 (8 ounce) package Neufchatel cheese, softened

12 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | From left: Denise Chuisano, Claudia Claxton and Donna Diakoumakos, all of Orient Point, begin work on their cherry tomatoes stuffed with cabrales mousse.

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Anna Barisic of New Suffolk shows off a marinated tomato as cooking partners Jeanne Lane and Rose Annabel of Cutchogue look on.

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Chef Richard Kanowsky shares some tips.

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Donna Diakoumakos of Orient Point, left, and Nicole Degregorio of Orient prepare cherry tomatoes stuffed with cabrales mousse.

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Bruce Reymann of Cutchogue, and Gabriela Tovar and Jeanette Cooper, both of New Suffolk, begin work on the Spanish tuna fish on crostini.

TUNA CROSTINI

Ingredients for 36 pieces

10 to 12 ounces canned or jarred Italian tuna packed in olive oil

2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing bread

1/3 cup Italian mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives

1 tablespoon drained capers

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

36 slices French bread, cut diagonally

Directions

JOHNATHAN FAMILY COURTESY PHOTO | Portrait of James T. Johnathan.

The Suffolk County Historical Society will mark Black History Month with two special events in February.

Reproductions of original photographs by James T. Johnathan (1887-1966), a pioneering African-American entrepreneur who documented the diverse hamlet of Bay Shore for more than half a century, will be featured in an exhibit opening Friday, Feb. 3, with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Mr. Johnathan, a self-taught photographer, moved to Bay Shore from Harlem in 1916 with his wife and children. Working out of his studio on Union Street (now Union Boulevard), he took portraits, documented the community’s everyday and special events and served as Bay Shore School District’s official photographer. The works in the exhibit represent a sampling of the 120 images in his family’s private collection.

The show will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., through Feb. 29.

Tuskegee airman Lee Hayes, courtesy of the Lee Hayes private collection.

Tuskegee Airman Lee Hayes of East Hampton will be honored at an event Wednesday, Feb. 15. One of the country’s first African-American airmen, Mr. Hayes will give a first-hand account of his unique experiences as an Army Air Corps bombardier during World War II, and SCHS will present him with an honorary plaque. The program will run from 11 a.m. to noon, preceded by refreshments at 10:30.

The Suffolk County Historical Society is located at 300 West Main Street in Riverhead. For more information, call 727-2881.

Hans J. Kuehl of Riverhead died Jan. 25 at the age of 75.

He was born Dec. 28, 1936, in Kiel, Germany, to Johannes and Henny (Kloth) Kuehl.

In 1960, he married Joan Tyrell and they lived in Flushing and later West Hempstead and Lindenhurst. He worked for many years as an electrician for the New York City Transit Authority until he retired. He and his wife then moved to North Carolina and Florida, but eventually they returned to Long Island and settled in Jamesport, and more recently, Riverhead.

Mr. Kuehl enjoyed model trains, car shows and traveling, according to family members. He was a member of Advent Lutheran Church in Mattituck and American Legion Griswold Terry Glover Post No. 803 in Southold.

He is survived by his wife; his sons, John, Joseph and Paul, all of Lindenhurst, and James, of Arizona; his sister, Ellen Schmahl of Germany; and two grandchildren.

The family received friends Jan. 29 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck, where Mr. Kuehl’s fellow Legionnaires conducted services. On Jan. 30, the Rev. George Summers also conducted services at the funeral home. Interment with U.S. Army military honors was at Calverton National Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | Kelsey McGayhey, who is one point shy of her 1,000th career point, taking aim while Pierson/Bridgehampton's Rachel Saidman (5) and May Ejven try to stop her.

INDIANS 37, WHALERS 30

The countdown to 1,000 points — and the drama — continues.

Kelsey McGayhey’s career point total sits at 999 points after the Shelter Island senior scored 20 in a 37-30 win over Pierson/Bridgehampton in girls basketball on Tuesday night. With the win at Pierson High School, their seventh in eight games, the Indians (8-4, 6-2 Suffolk County League VIII) clinched a playoff berth.

But the big question of the night was whether or not McGayhey would become the first Shelter Island player to reach the 1,000-point mark, something she is anxious to achieve.

“I’m furious,” McGayhey said in mock anger afterward. “I played pretty well, but I just wish I got that last point. I just want to get it over with. It’s killing me.”

McGayhey said she felt pressure before the game. Her parents had invited friends to the game, she said, and she noticed that a few news organizations were present, ready to record her 1,000th point.

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | Haley Willumsen of Shelter Island, tangling with Pierson/Bridgehampton's Abby Ruiz, collected 11 rebounds.

Then, after the opening tipoff, McGayhey experienced a different sort of pressure: Pierson/Bridgehampton’s box-and-one defense.

Whenever McGayhey received the ball, two and sometimes even three Whalers smothered her, determined to prevent the Shelter Island star from reaching the milestone.

“Defensively, we did a great job,” Pierson/Bridgehampton coach Dennis Case said. “We shut her down for a long time.”

McGayhey sank her first three shots, and had only 6 points by halftime. The 5-foot-11 center didn’t force things, though, and passed to open teammates.

“They worked very hard denying her the ball,” Shelter Island coach Peter Miedera said of the Whalers. “In the scheme of things, that’s pretty impressive, getting 20 points [when] everyone is focused on stopping you.”

It wasn’t a bad shooting night for McGayhey, who went 10 of 15 from the field. She did not take a foul shot.

“I thought she was going to make it,” Shelter Island forward Alexis Gibbs said. “It was close.”

Now McGayhey must wait until Friday when Shelter Island will play its next game at The Ross School.

“I think she’s upset she didn’t make it,” Gibbs said, “but it will be a show at Ross.”

The way the game started, it looked as if McGayhey would easily reach her goal. She banked in a layup in the opening moments and scored 6 of Shelter Island’s first 8 points.

But those remained her only points until the third quarter. When McGayhey headed to the bench with 49.3 seconds left in the second quarter for her only breather of the game, she had an unhappy look on her face. The ball wasn’t in her hands much in the first half.

Then things opened up for her a little bit in the third quarter. She drained a turnaround jumper from the foul line, converted an offensive rebound, made a layup, and got a ball to bounce in off the rim, leaving her with 14 points after three quarters.

Case couldn’t have been surprised that McGayhey would get her points. He had seen her play since she was a seventh-grader, and he said he knew she had what it takes to be a 1,000-point scorer. “She’s the real deal,” he said, adding, “She’s the best player in our league, absolutely.”

A layup in the fourth quarter brought McGayhey her final points with over a minute left. It was her last shot.

Shelter Island called a timeout with 16.5 seconds to go, undoubtedly with the aim of setting McGayhey up for one final shot, but the Indians turned the ball over and it never materialized.

Shelter Island trailed only once at 6-4, and was able to survive a 1-for-11 shooting slump in the third quarter when both teams hit a scoring drought, combining for only 7 points.

Case counted 10 possessions in that quarter during which his team picked up only 2 points. “Our biggest problem was we didn’t score in the third quarter,” he said. “We didn’t put enough points on the board.”

Megan Mundy had 6 assists and Haley Willumsen collected 11 rebounds for Shelter Island.

Sydnee McKie Senior, a junior, was Pierson/Bridgehampton’s top scorer with 12 points. “She had the best game of her career,” said Case.

Now McGayhey looks ahead to Friday with the virtual certainty that that will be the day she makes school history. McGayhey said that when that moment does come, and the game is stopped after she scores her 1,000th point, she will be emotional.

“I’m going to cry,” she said. “I’m going to go crazy. I’ve been looking forward to this since eighth grade.”

“It’s going to sound really corny,” she continued, “but it’s kind of like a dream.”

A dream that is likely to come true on Friday.

bliepa@timesreview.com

KATHARINE SCHROEDER FILE PHOTO | Oysterponds Board of Education will hold its final community forum today to give residents a chance to weigh in on the district’s secondary school contract at 11:30 a.m.

The Oysterponds Board of Education will hold its final community forum to give residents a chance to weigh in on the district’s secondary school contract at 11:30 a.m. today.

This is the fourth roundtable discussion the district has held since January.

In April, the district is expected to announce whether it will continue to send its junior and senior high school students to Greenport next year or seek an arrangement with another local district. New Suffolk, the only other North Fork district in a similar situation, sends its older students to Southold High School.

Board president Deborah Dumont said Oysterponds students enrolled at Greenport schools will be allowed to continue their education there even if the board approves a contract with a different district. In 2009, the board agreed to give parents a choice if the district decided to change high schools.

jennifer@timesreview.com

JULIE LANE FILE PHOTO | Greenport Farmers Market organizer Lara McNeil serves soup on Oct. 15, when the market closed for the season. Some village merchants want the market to relocate.

The Greenport Farmers Market is hoping to set up in a South Street parking lot this season, village officials announced Monday.

In a letter addressed to the Village Board, farmers market organizers said they would like to move their location to a municipal lot west of the IGA Supermarket.

The market’s previous location on Adams Street drew criticism from some village merchants last year. Some described the market as unfair competition and suspected its vendors were cutting into their business. And some said allowing the market to use public space, which means it pays no rent or property taxes, gives the business an unfair advantage. Other local business owners said the market caused traffic and parking problems.

Mayor David Nyce said the Village Board will discuss the market’s public assembly permit at its next work session on Feb. 21.

Read more from this week’s Village Board meeting in Thursday’s paper.

James H. Potts of Cutchogue died Jan. 23 at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport. He was 81.

He was born June 8, 1930, in Iowa, and earned a master’s degree. He had been an administrator at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University and worked as a consultant to Digital Equipment Corporation.

Family members said he was a mentor to many people, and enjoyed traveling and gardening.

Mr. Potts is survived by his wife, Kathleen Fraleigh of Cutchogue, and his son, James, of Virginia.

A service was held Jan. 28 at Church of the Redeemer in Mattituck. Cremation was private. Arrangements were handled by Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue.

Dorothy E. Olsen of Southold, formerly of Cresskill, N.J., died Jan. 25 at San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Greenport. She was 90.

She was born Sept. 29, 1921, in New York City to William and Dorothy (Kelton) Ryder and married Theodore J. Olsen in New York on April 20, 1947.

Family members said she enjoyed reading and watching game shows.

Predeceased by her husband and her son Timothy, Ms. Olsen is survived by her sons Theodore, Michael and Christopher; her daughters, Pamela Brown, Judith Kennedy and Karen Maisano; 13 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Visiting hours took place Jan. 28 at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. A graveside service was held Jan. 30 at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, N.J., followed by interment.

Donations may be made to San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Longtime Aquebogue resident Ann S. Kozenka died Jan. 28 at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. She was 93.

She was born July 23, 1918, in New Suffolk to Julius and Helen (Visinski) Zultoski. She married William Kozenka in Riverhead on Sept. 20, 1936.

Ms. Kozenka held many different jobs during her life. In her younger days, she was employed by musician and bandleader Freddy Martin. During World War II, she was a riveter at Republic Aviation on Long Island, where she worked on the P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the “Jug” — the largest, heaviest and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine.

Family members said, however, that she was happiest being a homemaker and working in her yard, which she continued into her early 90s.

Predeceased by her husband in 1988, Ms. Kozenka is survived by her daughters, Carol Roberts of Port Jefferson Station and Cynthia Slivonik of Aquebogue; her sister, Felicia Koroleski of Peconic; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated Saturday, Feb. 4, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Isidore R.C. Church in Riverhead, followed by interment at the church cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead

Donations may be made to St. Isidore R.C. Church Capital Campaign Fund or Westhampton Care Center.

A 2012 Ford Escape

The black 2003 Crown Victoria that Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell has been driving since he took office has fallen victim to a broken intake manifold, and the Town Board seemed poised this week to buy a new Ford Escape for the supervisor’s use.

Two weeks ago, the board issued a request for proposals for a Jeep Grand Cherokee or similar vehicle for the supervisor, but Mr. Russell said after researching the Escape he grew impressed with the vehicle.

A Jeep gets 17 miles per gallon around town and 19 mpg on the highway, while the Ford is rated at 23 mpg around town and 28 on the highway.

Mr. Russell said there is a hybrid version of the Escape, but its gas mileage isn’t sufficiently higher than the conventional model’s to justify the higher price tag. A hybrid Escape retails at $30,000 about $9,000 more than a new standard Escape.

Councilman Bill Ruland said Mr. Russell could buy the car through the state contract from a dealer in Rochester, which has 70 Escapes on the lot.

“I’m not a Ford person, but many municipalities have opted for this vehicle,” said Mr. Ruland.

Read more from this week’s Town Board meeting in Thursday’s paper.

byoung@timesreview.com

PAUL SQUIRE PHOTO | The future home of Ralph's Famous Italian Ices and Blue Duck Bakery in Riverhead.

The upcoming Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices location in downtown Riverhead will have a new neighbor: the Blue Duck Bakery.

The bakery, which has locations in Southampton and Southold, will share the building just west of Cliff’s Rendezvous on Main Street. Construction began at the property Wednesday morning as workers began tearing down the front facade of the building and dividing the inside of the store. Ralph’s is scheduled to be open by April 1, while the Blue Duck Bakery is aiming for a July opening, said project manager and an owner of the property, Herbert Israel.

After opening in Southampton in 1999, the Blue Duck Bakery expanded to Southold four years ago. The bakery delievers fresh bread as far as Brooklyn, and was considering an expansion into Mattituck to bake more bread.

“You can only bake so much between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.,” said bakery owner Keith Kouris in a 2010 interview. Mr. Kouris was unable to be reached for comment.

The building on Main Street was first used as an A&P grocery store in 1949, and was later converted into an antiques store, a furniture warehouse, and an auto discount center. Its front will be moved back 10 feet to create an awning with skylights.

The crews will split the building into three storefronts, with Ralph’s Italian Ices taking up 1,250 square feet on the left side of the building and the Blue Duck Bakery occupying about 2,000 square feet on the right. The construction is expected to cost about $400,000, Mr. Israel said.

The middle, vacant area will be sold as a separate storefront, and has already drawn interest from several potential clients, Mr. Israel said.

“We’re really the new product on the street,” he said. “So it won’t be vacant for long.”

psquire@timesreview.com

A map showing the redistricting proposal's impact on Long Island.

Assemblyman Dan Losquadro doesn’t want to see Southold and Shelter Island towns removed from his Assembly district and he’s taking the fight against North Fork redistricting to a public hearing next week.

If the redistricting occurs as a state committee suggests, most of the East End will only have one representative, with Fred Thiele representing the South Fork, Shelter Island and Southold and Mr. Losquadro representing Riverhead.

Mr. Losquadro (R-Shoreham) currently represents the North Fork, and the South Fork is represented by Mr. Thiele (I-Sag Harbor).

“As the assemblyman representing the largest population of any district in New York State, I understand the new district lines would result in my district becoming smaller. That being said, it pains me to see the North Fork split up in the new redistricting plan put forward by the Majority,” Mr. Losquadro said in a statement. “The North Fork and the South Fork are very different districts, with the North Fork having a large winery and agricultural base and the majority of its homeowners acting as primary residents.”

Assemblyman Losquadro and other North Fork elected officials are encouraging residents to voice their concerns at a Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment public hearing at 11 a.m. next Thursday, February 9 at the W.H. Rogers Legislative Office Building in Happauge.

Read more about the redistricting plan in Thursday’s News-Review.

gparpan@timesreview.com

While state lawmakers mull increasing the minimum wage by $1.25, East End representatives in Albany are at odds on how the move would affect the local economy.

South Fork Assemblyman Fred Thiele (I-Sag Harbor) is pushing legislation to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 per hour, because he believes it will help lower-income families, he said. The bill he is co-sponsoring with Assemblyman Keith Wright (D-Harlem), also includes increasing the minimum wage for food service workers who receive tips from $5 to $5.86 per hour.

The bill was introduced in the Democratically dominated Assembly this week. If lawmakers voted strictly along party lines, the measure would pass the Assembly but fail in the Senate, where Republicans have a narrow majority.

Mr. Thiele said neighboring states, such as Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as 15 other states across the country and the District of Columbia, all have higher minimum wages than New York. The South Fork assemblyman said he believes it’s unacceptable that minimum wage in the state has only increase 10 cents per hour in the past five years.

“We must increase the minimum wage so lower-income families aren’t forced to choose between everyday necessities like rent, heat, gas, food and prescription drugs,” Mr. Thiele said. “No one who works full time should be poor and without hope.”

But North Fork Assemblyman Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham) opposes raising the minimum wage, saying such a move would be a burden to small businesses in the current economic downturn. He also disagrees with Mr. Thiele’s reasoning to increase the minimum wage, mainly because Mr. Losquadro believes those types of jobs are mostly intended for dependent workers, such as students and part-time employees.

“I don’t agree with putting in place a minimum wage that is somehow going to provide for a certain standard of living,” Mr. Losquadro said. “These jobs aren’t intended for people to raise a family with.”

Mr. Losquadro said the move will also be detrimental to the local economy because it would force business owners to hire less employees.

Instead, he said, there should be stricter enforcement of cracking down on businesses that pay their employees off the books, which is a term to describe paying workers in cash and avoiding paying taxes typically taken out of payroll.

“This will drive an underground economy where more businesses will look to pay people off the books,” he said, adding that he would expect worker exploitation to increase as well.

Janine Nebons, general manager at the Tanger Outlet Center in Riverhead and president of the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce, said in an email she couldn’t comment on the proposed legislation because Chamber officials haven’t reviewed the bill, but did say: “At the current minimum wage rate of $7.25, a full-time employee is making $15,000. We know that it is impossible to raise a family on Long Island making that wage.”

Mr. Thiele said raising the minimum wage will create a positive ripple effect in the local economy. He added the top three industries that saw growth nationwide in recent years were retail sales employees, cashiers and food preparation workers, which are predominately minimum-wage jobs.

“With income inequality increasing, it’s vital that we rekindle the spirit of shared prosperity and the dignity of hard work,” Mr. Thiele said.

If approved, the new wages would go into affect next year and then would be linked to the rate of inflation beginning in 2014.

jennifer@timesreview.com

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | An emotional Kelsey McGayhey was presented with flowers after making the shot that put her over the 1,000-point mark.

INDIANS 41, COSMOS 22

One thousand points had been on Kelsey McGayhey’s agenda for a long time, going back to when she was a fourth-grader playing for a Catholic Youth Organization team. Her mother told her that one day either she or her older sister, Katie, would score 1,000 career points for Shelter Island.

That day was Friday.

Kelsey McGayhey became the first 1,000-point scorer in team history Friday, a day that was full of drama, excitement and celebration for Shelter Island, not to mention a 41-22 defeat of The Ross School in East Hampton.

“I just kept picturing this moment over and over again,” McGayhey said, “and it’s exactly how I wanted it to happen.”

Needing one point to reach the 1,000-point mark, McGayhey didn’t waste much time. Just seven seconds into the Suffolk County League VIII game she attempted a shot that missed. But it was only 26 seconds later when, after receiving a pass from Megan Mundy, McGayhey put up a smooth 10-foot jump shot that went in, hitting nothing but net.

The senior center clapped her hands together and then brought them to her face in disbelief as she received a standing ovation. The game was stopped while the emotional McGayhey, with tears in her eyes, was presented with flowers and hugged by teammates.

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | Kelsey McGayhey became Shelter Island's first 1,000-point scorer on this jump shot 33 seconds into Friday's game at The Ross School.

“It’s a major achievement,” Shelter Island coach Peter Miedera, holding a microphone, told the assembled crowd, which included a healthy representation of Shelter Islanders who were eager to witness the historic feat. “It couldn’t have happened to a better person.”

The experience made an impact on other people, too. Haley Willumsen, a senior guard for Shelter Island who has known McGayhey since childhood, said the memory of the event will be with her for her entire life.

“She did it,” Willumsen said. “I think it’s awesome. It’s the record at our school, so obviously it’s really hard to accomplish, and it shows how much of a great player she is.”

By the time she headed to the bench to applause with 1:23 left in the game, McGayhey had scored 16 points, raising her career total to 1,015. She shot 7 for 19 from the floor and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line. In addition, McGayhey had 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 1 assist.

Miedera said the achievement may be something McGayhey appreciates even more in the years to come.

“Once you pass a threshold like that, your name is going up on the gym [wall], and generation after generation is going to see that and you know that’s forever,” he said. “You forever have that. It doesn’t define you as a person, but it defines you as a special ballplayer. She made her mark.”

After McGayhey scored 20 points in Shelter Island’s previous game, a win over Pierson/Bridgehampton three days earlier, there was no question that she would get the point she needed for the milestone on Friday. Among those in attendance were plenty of Shelter Island fans, including the school’s boys basketball team, cheerleaders and McGayhey’s parents, Pat and Dave.

McGayhey, who was still emotional during a postgame interview, said: “When a whole wave of people started coming in [to the gym], I was like: ‘Oh my God. All these people are here for me.’ Honestly, it kind of just shows how many people support and love me.”

A smiling McGayhey received a warm round of applause from Shelter Island fans when she walked onto the court for pregame warmups. She seemed to be in a jovial mood. Later during warmups, she noticed a reporter who had been covering the team in the run up to her quest for 1,000 points. She turned to him and asked in a joking manner, “Are you following me?”

A McGayhey basket gave Shelter Island (9-4, 7-2) an 18-16 lead by halftime.

The Indians took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring Ross by 16-0 and limiting the Cosmos (1-10, 0-8) to only one field-goal attempt in the quarter. McGayhey was responsible for 10 of those points, including a layup at the buzzer ending the quarter.

“Our offense starts with our defense, and we picked up defensively,” said Miedera, whose team forced Ross into committing 41 turnovers.

Ajiah Jones-King led Ross with 8 points, and teammate Autumn Williams grabbed 11 rebounds.

It was the eighth win in nine games for Shelter Island, and a day in the basketball life of Kelsey McGayhey that she will long cherish.

“It was great,” she said, “it really was.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

BEARS 58, FIRST SETTLERS 33

Despite the return of senior guard Winston Wilcenski, Southold could not overcome The Stony Brook School, dropping a 58-33 decision in a Suffolk County League VIII boys basketball game in Stony Brook on Friday night.

Wilcenski, who missed the last four games because of “an internal manner,” according to coach Jeff Ellis, scored 7 of his team-high 9 points for the First Settlers (4-10, 4-6) in the second quarter.

Southold got off to a rocky start and never recovered against the Bears (9-5, 9-4), who rolled to a 21-6 first-quarter lead.

Jerome Washington led the Bears with 16 points. Brandon Odom sank four three-point shots to finish with 12 points.

Southold will host Bridgehampton on Tuesday.

SAMANTHA BRIX PHOTO | Lorraine O'Fee, lighting sales associate, and Will Bunton, sales associate, at Revco Eletrical Supply Inc. in Southold with a display of LED and CFL light bulbs.

The switch to energy-efficient light bulbs is increasingly common on the North Fork as people recognize the move’s money-saving benefits and bask in the bucks saved on their electric bills.

Light-emitting diode, or LED, light bulbs are up to 90 percent more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs, according to the Energy Star program, and compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, are 75 percent more efficient.

In 2009, the typical annual energy bill for a home with incandescent lighting was $2,200, according to Energy Star. About 12 percent of that, or $264, goes to home lighting.

With CFL bulbs, your lighting bill could be cut 75 percent to $66. By using all LED light bulbs, your bill could diminish 90 percent to $26.

“For homeowners, CFL is the way to go,” said Matt Ghosio, branch manager at Schwing Electrical in Riverhead.

That’s because LED bulbs are more expensive up front — a 12-watt LED lights costs about $40, while a 13-watt CFL bulb, its equivalent, costs about $30 and an equivalent 60-watt incandescent bulb costs just $2.

“LED is a bit on the pricey side, so people are slow to adopt it right away because of the initial investment,” Mr. Ghosio said. “But we are starting to see more and more people use them.”

CFLs have become more prevalent in North Fork homes, he said, but some people complain that it takes up to three minutes for the bulbs to reach their maximum brightness.

Some also don’t like the colder look of the light CFLs cast. While incandescent bulbs have a warm orange or yellow tint, which is most desirable in homes, LED and CFL lights emit colder hues of blue, green or gray. Incandescents make homes, and even people, appear more attractive, Mr. Ghosio said. Those bulbs can be found in many supermarkets, too, as they make food look more appealing.

But the downsides of incandescents can’t be ignored. Up to 98 percent of energy consumed by incandescent light bulbs is wasted as heat, not light, according to the Energy Star program. A 60-watt incandescent bulb will last about 1,000 hours, while an equivalent CFL will last 10,000 hours and an LED will last 25,000.

“You could save a ton by switching over to LED versus regular incandescent,” said Lorraine O’Fee, lighting sales associate at Revco Electrical Supply Inc. in Southold.

The Long Island Power Authority offers discounts and rebates to commercial establishments that use Energy Star-qualified LED replacement bulbs and fixtures.

Nearly 50 businesses across Long Island take advantage of the program, including the Home Depot in Riverhead and Revco in both Riverhead and Southold, according to LIPA.

Ms. O’Fee said Riverhead Building Supply recently replaced all its incandescent bulbs with LED lights.

The company “was burning 34,400 watts, and now they’re using 10,358 watts,” she said. “They’re saving a ton and they’re getting more light.

“Commercially, it makes a huge, huge difference,” she added, since many lights are on throughout the day.

Energy-efficient bulbs make a difference in all types of indoor spaces, since the average American spends 90 percent of his or her time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There’s no doubt lights are on for much of that time.

Ms. O’Fee said homeowners and commercial operations alike are increasingly opting for CFL and LED lights — and even halogen lights, which use 10 to 40 percent less energy than incandescent.

“It doesn’t make sense not to,” she said

sbrix@timesreview.com

BARBARAELLEN KOCH FILE PHOTO | Digger's in Riverhead will be serving up plenty of deals for Sunday's Giants-Patriots Super Bowl.

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, we’ve compiled a list of local hot spots to get cozy at and watch the game. Whether you’re for the Pats or Big Blue, these East End restaurants will take care of you.

Digger’s, Riverhead
Address:
58 West Main Street
(631) 369-3200

Number of TVs: 10

Specials: No frills, just fun and football. Special football menu with tailgating food like 50 cent wings. $3 Coors and $4 Coronas.

Phil’s, Wading River
Address:
1856 Wading River Manor Road
(631) 929-0508

Number of TVs: 40+

Specials: $2.50 domestic drafts and $4 import drafts. Half-price appetizers.

Legends, New Suffolk
Address:
835 1st Street
(631) 734-5123

Number of TVs: 23

Specials: Free halftime buffet – Roasted pig, short ribs, wings, and pizza.

Elbow East, Southold
Address:
50 North Sea Drive
(631) 765-1203

Number of TVs: 6

Specials: $1 off drinks (happy hour prices) throughout the game. Free halftime buffet — hero, salads, finger foods.

Front Street Station, Greenport
Address:
212 Front Street
(631) 477-8724

Number of TVs: 6

Specials: Annual field goal kicking contest at 1 p.m. in back parking lot. Three $100 gift certificates to Front Street Station will be awarded to the top male, female and child kicker. Well drink specials, $3 Bud and Bud light bottles.
Free halftime buffet — wings, Rigatoni alla vodka, potato skins, mussels, and baked clams. Giveaways.

Four Doors Down, Mattituck
Address:
10560 Main Road
(631) 298-8311

Number of TVs: 8

Specials: $3 Coors Light drafts and drink specials. Free half-time buffet. Touchdown shots, T-shirts, keychains and giveaways.

Cliff’s Elbow Room, Riverhead
Address:
1549 Main Rd
(631) 722-3292

Number of TVs: 4

Specials: Beer specials, T-shirt giveaways. Free halftime buffet — wings, kilbasa, sour kraut, baked ziti.

Elbow Room Too, Laurel
1085 Franklinville Road
(631) 298-3262

Number of TVs: 4

Specials: $5 burgers. Beer specials and giveaways.

Editor’s Note: Restaurants and bars listed are Times/Review advertisers.