The village power plant on Moores Lane. (Cyndi Murray file photo)

Greenport Village has decided to spend nearly $70,000 to help keep its electric plant running smoothly.

The decision comes more than seven years into a $5.8 million project to upgrade the Greenport Municipal Electric Plant that has featured dozens of costly snags along the way.

The board voted Monday night in favor of entering a three-year extended warranty and preventative maintenance program for its soon-to-be installed transformer. Electric supply company Avon/Wesco Distribution will perform the work for $67,690 to be paid over a three-year period, village administrator Paul Pallas said.

During the board’s work session last week, the maintenance plan was incorrectly said to cost about $18,000 annually — roughly $57,000 in total. Members of the board and the public questioned the large difference in estimated price over last week.  Mr. Pallas said he regretted the error, but said the transformer’s upkeep is essential to the future of the plant. The maintenance plan and warranty would protect the village moving forward — especially since that type of work cannot be performed in-house, Mr. Pallas said.

“We were thinking much lower figures at the work session,” Trustee David Murray said. “Is it worth it?”

“It really is,” said Mr. Pallas, who also serves as president of the New York Association of Public Power. “Keeping that transformer working is definitely worth it.”

The installation of the transformer is a part of the village’s second phase of upgrades to the electric plan that are scheduled to begin later this year, according to Mayor David Nyce.

The first phase of the multi-million dollar project was completed behind schedule earlier this year, but only after the village incurred a $108,000 penalty fee from the New York Power Association for failing to complete a test of its generators on time. That fee was later passed onto the public without notice.

The board has since vowed to NYPA and residents that the upgrades will be completed in a timely fashion.

The public can expect to learn more about the second phase during the board’s next meeting on May 19 when the village’s contractor on the project, Bob Braun of Genesys Engineering, addresses members.

cmurray@timesreview.com

Village board members hope to resurface the basketball courts on Third Street. (Credit: Cyndi Murray)

Greenport’s parks could be receiving a facelift after Village Board members voted to seek bids for several upgrades to spruce up the Third and Fifth street playgrounds and basketball courts.

Members are seeking a cost estimate on three projects that include replacing the fence at Third Street Park and resurfacing the basketball courts on both Third and Fifth streets.

Last week, Trustee Dave Murray first alerted the village board to the deteriorating condition of the playgrounds— taking particular issue with the fence at the Third Street Park.

“I’m so scared the kids are going to run out after a ball and get hit by a car,” Mr. Murray said.

The board agreed the concerns needed to be addressed for safety reasons and voted unanimously to seek out contractors for the work during Monday’s meeting.

cmurray@timesreview.com

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Southold cheerleaders perform during a basketball game this past winter. (Credit: Garret Meade)

Riverhead athletic director Bill Groth remembers attending cheerleading competitions for the first time sometime around the mid-90s. The Blue Waves were a newcomer to the competitive scene, a phenomenon just beginning to sweep Long Island.

“You go to those championships,” Groth said, “and you’re going to have one word come out: Wow.”

Over time, the Blue Waves have grown into one of the perennially strong teams in competitive cheerleading, a sport that’s as much gymnastics and dance as it is cheering.

For all the success Riverhead has enjoyed, the school’s athletes have never felt the satisfaction of seeing their sport officially recognized.

That changed Tuesday.

The New York State Board of Regents, which sets policy for public schools, unanimously approved cheerleading to be recognized as a sport in New York. The 17-0 vote Tuesday afternoon came on the heels of a recommendation made one day earlier by the P-12 education committee.

The vote allows the New York State Public High School Athletic Association to officially regulate cheerleading in the same manner it does every other sport.

The change, which would likely take effect next year, will allow for more uniform safety measures, stricter coaching certifications and a more structured schedule of competitions throughout the season, coaches said.

“I view it as it could be a really positive thing,” said Shoreham-Wading River cheerleading coach Tiffany Pelczar, who was a cheerleader at Riverhead and Hofstra University. “Anyone who’s a part of the sport really wants to see it move in a positive direction.”

Robert Zayas, executive director of NYSPHSAA, said in a statement that the change will allow athletes in cheerleading to be highlighted and promoted more with a championship event.

“Our association has been working on this initiative since 2009 and I am pleased to see the goal become a reality,” he said.

Many of the details remain unclear. The news came as a surprise to most in the cheerleading community.

“In terms of ironing out the details, that’s something we’re all going to be going through now,” Groth said. “But I think they’ve taken the major step. Now they’re in the batter’s box and we see what we do with it.”

Riverhead cheerleaders perform during halftime of a football game Nov. 16. (Credit: Daniel De Mato)

In Riverhead, cheerleading has already been treated as a sport in terms of the support it receives from the athletic department. The majority of girls who participate compete in cheerleading year-round on the school team and club teams.

“For us it’s not going to change so much,” said Riverhead coach Stephanie Piraino, who was a cheerleader at Boston College. “It’s just going to be a positive thing for the recognition for the kids. And it will be nice to hopefully have a state championship that we can go to.”

More than 116,000 girls participated in competitive spirit squads nationally in 2012-13, according to an annual survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Competitive spirit squads ranked ninth in popularity for girls sports, ahead of sports like lacrosse, field hockey and golf.

Most states already recognize cheerleading as a sport, according to NYSPHSAA. New York is the 33rd state to do so.

Coaches said they don’t expect any changes to be made in terms of teams cheering in the traditional sense at football and basketball games.

Cheerleading season typically starts with tryouts in late spring. The teams train over the summer before competitions start in the fall. The season extends into the winter with national competitions in January and February.

“As coaches we kind of piecemeal a little bit our competitions that we do throughout the year,” Piraino said. “We look to see who’s offering what. This will hopefully allow the coaches to have a schedule. We know where we’re going.”

A bevy of for-profit organizations currently host cheerleading competitions. Groth said he thinks limiting that type of competition would be a good thing.

“You will diminish the influence of outside organizations and whatever agenda they bring to the plate and you will increase the agenda of an educationally based program,” he said.

There’s skepticism in the cheerleading community.

For years, teams have strived to compete in contests like the National High School Cheerleading Championships hosted by Universal Cheerleaders Association. The Blue Waves have gone to nationals the past 10 years, Piraino said, and the team fund-raises to pay for the trip.

“It was a great experience for the kids,” she said. “The competition is amazing.”

Shoreham cheerleaders practicing stunts in a hallway area in the high school in 2011, which girls at the time contended was not an appropriate space for practice. (Courtesy photo)

Pelczar said in speaking to coaches over the past two days, eligibility for those type of competitions is a major concern.

“For teams that have been competing in these events for years and years and bringing home trophies and awards, I think the concern is now that it is a recognized sport, we will not be able to compete in competitions outside the state.”

Pelczar is in her third year as Shoreham’s varsity coach, taking over at a time when students were fighting for the school to better support the program. At the time, the team often practiced in a tight space in the school’s hallway with substandard mats.

“I really wanted to push and advocate for these kids,” Pelczar said.

The program has been moving in the right direction, Pelczar said, with new uniforms and some new equipment on the way.

“It’s nice to kind of be on the same level as some of the other sports programs,” she said.

joew@timesreview.com Follow @joewerk

The Village at Jamesport is proposed for this property just west of the hamlet’s business district. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch, file)

A 44-acre Jamesport property that has been the subject of a controversial development proposal is now being offered for sale as part of a bankruptcy proceeding.

A company called GA Keen Realty Advisors LLC has an advertisement in the New York Times Wednesday offering the 43.6 acres on Main Road in Jamesport as a “bankruptcy sale.” 

The ad says the land has “approvals in place for 42,000 square foot mixed use commercial center plus potential for additional development,” and it says the “sale includes valuable sand deposits.”

It was uncertain if that means sand mining.

A call to GA Keen Realty Advisors seeking comment was not immediately returned Wednesday.

In January, the owners of the property, Jul-Bet Enterprises LLC, which is headed by Julius Klein of Calverton;  and Jamesport Development LLC, of which Jul-Bet Enterprises is 50 percent owner, both filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The 43 acres includes two properties, which are both owned by Jamesport Development LLC, according to town records.

A 42,000-square-foot commercial project called Village at Jamesport has town approval to be built on an 10-acre parcel that fronts Route 25 across from Elbow Room Restaurant.

The Town Board also approved a special permit for the project to allow bistros, and professional offices in the project, although that approval has been challenged in court by a neighborhood group called Save Main Road.

Larry Simms, who heads Save Main Road, said the group would be issuing a statement on the bankruptcy sale later today.

A 160-unit retirement community has previously been proposed on a 34-acre parcel to the north. However, that land was later rezoned and current zoning will permit only 15 homes to be built on the site.

The Jamesport property was the subject of a foreclosure case brought by United International Bank on a claim that Jamesport Development LLC and Julius Klein defaulted on a $3.25 million mortgage. But that case was dismissed in 2012 on the grounds that Mr. Klein was not properly served with the foreclosure notice.

A separate foreclosure case involving property Jul-Bet Enterprises owns in Calverton, including the Dollar Storage property on River Road, was still pending. APC Partners, a company that bought United International Bank, claimed Jul-Bet Enterprises, Mr. Klein and others defaulted on a $4.5 million mortgage.

In an Aug. 12, 2013 decision in that case, state Supreme Court Justice Paul Baisley sentenced the 85-year-old Mr. Klein to six months in jail for contempt of court for allegedly failing to comply with court orders requiring him to turn over financial records.

The jail sentence was never carried out as discussion of the case continued in court, and the case was put on hold pending the outcome of the bankruptcy, according to officials.

Mr. Klein’s attorney, Eric Bressler, has said he does not comment on pending court cases.

tgannon@timesreview.com

Mary Ann Thilburg of Greenport died on April 29. She was 101.

The family will receive visitors Thursday, May 1, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport. A funeral Mass will take place Friday May 2, at 9:45 a.m. at St. Agnes R. C. Church in Greenport. Burial will take place at the church cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Agnes R.C. Church, 523 Front St., Greenport, NY 11944.

A complete obituary will follow.

Gerry Hayden and Chris Pendergast make their way down Old Sound Avenue in Mattituck last during the annual Ride for Life event last year. (Credit: Tim Kelly file)

Participants of the annual ALS Ride for Life event, which raises funds and awareness for the illness also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, are expected to start their ride in Southold Monday.

Chris Pendergast, a 1966 Mercy High School graduate who suffers from ALS and launched the first Ride for Life in 1998, is again participating in the ride. He visited the Cutchogue East Elementary School last week and talked to students about his experiences living with ALS and how he overcame adversity.

Students are fundraising for ALS research and creating banners to hold as riders pass the school Monday afternoon, officials said. Day Two of the Ride begins in Riverhead Tuesday.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, attacks the cells connecting the brain to various muscles by way of the spinal cord leading to paralysis. There is no cure.

The disease became well-known when it ended the career, and eventually the life, of New York Yankees star Lou Gehrig in 1941.

Learn more about the ride on the organization’s website.

jennifer@timesreview.com

Danielle Allen of Riverhead (center) as Aida in the “Dance of the Robe” as her people convince them to lead them. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Danielle Allen of Riverhead plays Aida in McGann-Mercy Theatre Company’s presentation of the Broadway show “Aida.”

Based on Verdi’s opera of the same name, the musical opens in the Eygptian wing of a modern day museum, where two strangers meet and a “transported” back to ancient Egypt. A love story between Aida of Nubia and Radames of Egypt, both of warring nations, evolves with a tragic ending.

More than 50 students are producing the show, directed by Bob Kelly. The show starts May 1 and runs through May 3 in the school auditorium at 7:30 p.m. A spaghetti dinner Friday will take place from 5 to 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 per person and $15 for dinner and show.

Scroll below for more photos:

Laura Field of East Hampton as Amneris (center left) and Patrick O’Brien of Riverhead (center right) as Radames in their wedding scene. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Patrick O’Brien of Riverhead as Radames (in red standing), general of the Egyptian army, during the scene “Arrival of the Slaves”, including Danielle Allen of Riverhead as Aida (front row far right) after she was captured. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Patrick O’Brien of Riverhead as Radames (in red standing), general of the Egyptian army, during the scene ‘Arrival of the Slaves.’ (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

-Patrick O’Brien of Riverhead as Radames (left)), general of the Egyptian army, and Ian Byrne of Baiting Hollow as Zoser, his father King of Egypt, in a scene called ‘Like Father like Son.’ (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Danielle Allen of Riverhead as Aida, the Nubian King’s daughter and Patrick O’Brien of Riverhead as Radames son of the King of Egypt and general of the Egyptian army singing ‘Enchantment Passing Through.’ (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Emily Auciello of Mastic as Mereb in a swordfight called “The Escape” with Zoser the King of Egypt played by Ian Byrne of Baiting Hollow. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

In the scene that takes place in a museum, Laura Field of East Hampton as Amneris, the Pharoah’s daughter, in love with Radames, captain of the Egyptian guard. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Cats of all ages are looking for a loving home at the NFAWL animal shelter in Peconic. (Credit: Carrie Miller)

Ever think about adopting a pet, but weren’t sure if you could find the right animal to complete your happy home? Well now is your chance.

North Fork Animal Welfare League is taking part in a nationwide pet adoption event — teaming up with the nonprofit Maddie’s Fund foundation and hundreds of other shelters — to find homes for 10,000 animals through fostering and waiving adoption fees. 

The Riverhead and Southold shelters will be working with interested adopters throughout the month of May, allowing families to foster pets for the month to ensure dog or cat, and owner, are a good fit.

Adoptions will be finalized the final weekend in May and adoption fees will be waived, according to a release from the league.

“We want all of them to have a chance to inspire, love and enrich the lives of their future families,” said David Duffield, head of Maddie’s Fund.

His foundation, which works to find pets loving homes, is footing the bill for all adoptions made during the weekend of May 31 and June 1, donating up to $10 million to be distributed among organizations for the adoptions.

For more information, visit the NFAWL website, call (631) 765-1811 or drop by either the Riverhead or Southold shelters.

cmiller@timesreview.com

Greenport’s railroad dock (center) as seen with a Google map. (Credit: Google maps)

To the Editor:

Captain Smith’s letter last week about the decline of commercial fishing in Greenport, of all places, was most troubling to read.

Back in the early 1980s, when I was county legislator for the East End, I worked long and hard with Village Mayor George Hubbard and IDA admin (and later mayor himself) David Kappel to get rebuilt what was then known as the LIRR dock — a dilapidated, unused eyesore.

Endless wrestling with federal, state and county agencies (negotiations with the US Army Corps of Engineers alone was a year-long nightmare) finally succeeded with permits and funding strictly owing to the rebuilt dock’s committed purpose — to be a commercial fishing dock.

Later, in the early ‘90s, when it was my privilege to serve Greenport again as village attorney, I can attest to how strong the village’s commitment to the dock’s use as a commercial fishing facility still was.

What happened?

How shameless for whoever it was, or is, to have allowed a promising and unique economic asset to morph into a ho-hum extension of a pedestrian sidewalk!

The people and the village board of this great community have it within their power to revive the wonderful dream that underlaid the dock’s original purpose.

This is a no-brainer. It means jobs, tax revenue and prosperity — a remarkable partnership between the private sector and government. All it takes is leadership. God speed to whoever assumes it.

Greg Blass, Jamesport

Father Thomas Murray is leaving St. Agnes Church in Greenport after a dozen years. Next stop: St. Therese of Lisieux Church in Montauk. (Credit: Paul Squire)

In a room at the St. Agnes rectory on Front Street in Greenport, past the lighthouse knocker on the door and nestled in a chair among the lighthouse pillows and sculptures, Father Thomas Murray motions to the art covering the walls.

A portrait of Bug Light. A photo of Fire Island’s lighthouse. An illustration of a lighthouse from Maine he acquired 30 years ago, the first piece of his collection. Father Tom reaches over The Monsignor, his beloved 9-year-old yellow Lab napping on the floor, and pulls a small framed pairing off the wall.

“This one is special,” he remarks. It’s the Orient Point lighthouse, created by a North Fork artist. The lighthouse reminds Father Tom of his spiritual calling.

“It’s a beacon,” he says. “Light, scattering the darkness.”

Father Tom is still missing art of the famous Montauk Point lighthouse, something he says he’s sure to get at his next home as pastor of St. Therese of Lisieux Church in Montauk.

After a dozen years as the pastor of St. Agnes Church, Father Tom is moving on when his term expires in June.

“I’m not meant to be here forever,” he says. “That’s the joy of working for God. You don’t know where he’s going to put you.”

When Father Tom came to Greenport in 2002, he had never been a pastor before. He jokes that Greenport “trained him well.” When he first arrived, a parishioner from Greenport gave him two words of warning: “Smile, we like to see a happy pastor” and “We’re all related.”

Greenport’s families seem to have accepted Father Tom with open arms.

Since he became pastor at St. Agnes, the church has expanded its outreach across the community, largely through volunteer efforts.

John’s Place, a homeless shelter run by local churches and synagogues, is hosted at St. Agnes. The church also holds Spanish mass on Saturdays.

“It’s really the people of St. Agnes who have made this a center of support for the community,” he says.

But those who have worked closely with him say Father Tom should take more credit.

“He’s made the parish a welcoming place,” says Sister Margaret Smyth, director of the North Fork Spanish Apostolate. “They would need him and I’ve never heard him say no.”

Father Tom has even opened his own home to his parishioners, hosting 60 or 70 Hispanic parishioners each year inside the rectory to celebrate the Lady of Guadalupe feast day.

It’s not just those in the church who recognize his accomplishments. Father Tom will be honored with an award at the 9th Annual May Mile hosted by Peconic Landing.

“Father Tom is a tremendously caring member of our Greenport and North Fork community who gives unselfishly of himself to everyone,” says Peconic Landing president and CEO Robert Syron. “He has touched many with his kind, gentle nature as well as his sense of humor. He is a true friend and confidante to many.”

Father Tom has a few more goodbye celebrations in store before he leaves June 25. He’ll say goodbye to the couples he’s married, the sons and daughters he’s baptized and the families whose loved ones he’s buried.

“So many of these people, I’ve been a part of their life,” he says quietly. “That, I think, is the hard part. People come up to me at Mass, at communion, and I remember … That’s the sad part. They are my family and it’s always been that.”

Father Tom pauses. St. Agnes’ pastor takes off his silver, thin-rimmed glasses to wipe the tears from his eyes before they can spill out. He then inhales deeply, remembering the advice he received 12 years ago from the Greenport parishioner, and smiles.

“One life comes to an end and another begins,” he says. “That’s resurrection. That’s Easter. That’s what we’re all about.”

psquire@timesreview.com

Rosalie Rung has launched a write-in campaign to serve on the Greenport school board.  (Credit: Courtesy)

A Greenport parent who had been on the fence about running for the school board has launched a write-in campaign after no one petitioned for the open seat.

Rosalie Rung, 41, is the mother of a sixth-grade student and a vice president at Healthguru.com, a website that features an online health video library.  She believes her digital media background can be an asset to the district as it continues to develop and enhance its technology programs.

Ms. Rung decided to run last week after reading an article in The Suffolk Times about the seat being left vacant by former board member Lisa Murray. She has since created a website to promote her write-in campaign, rosalierung.com.

“I’ve been looking for different ways to get involved with the school,” Ms. Rung said in an interview Monday. “I figured someone with past school board experience would file petitions. I was surprised that no one did, and decided that maybe this is a sign.”

Ms. Rung said she likes the school board’s current direction with education, especially in how it has committed to providing Chromebooks, iPads and laptops to students. To continue that momentum, she’d like to help the district secure programing available to schools, like free resources through Khan Academy, which provides students with academic help online.

Ms. Rung said her family has owned a home in Greenport for 12 years. The Rung’s summer home became their permanent residence more than a year ago after they moved from New York City, she said.

“The school was a big motivator for us to move,” Ms. Rung said. “I’m encouraged to be a part of the educational decision-making team.”

Ms. Murray, Greenport’s lone incumbent up for re-election, has cited personal reasons in her decision not to seek another term.

She was appointed to the board last summer to serve out the remaining year of Michael Mazzaferro’s term after he also resigned for personal reasons.

Prior to her appointment Ms. Murray, a mother of two school-aged children, was first elected to the board in 2009 and served until 2012. After she decided not to seek re-election in 2012, no one petitioned to run for the seat. Babette Cornine then won with 50 write-in votes.

As for this year’s election, school business administrator Diana Duell said if a qualified write-in candidate isn’t elected May 20 — or if there are no write-ins — then the seat will be deemed vacant and could either be filled by a special election or by board appointment. The seat could also be left vacant, she said.

jennifer@timesreview.com 

There are 25 open houses scheduled on the North Fork this weekend ranging from $375,000 to $1.9 million. Get a sneak peek at the listings on northforker.com.

Work was completed March 27 on the Mattituck Inlet dredging project. (Credit: Carrie Miller)

A couple of months after a long-awaited dredging project at Mattituck Inlet was completed, numbers show the project ran about $300,000 over budget, costing $2.5 million in total.

According to the office of Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), the overrun stemmed largely from the project running two weeks over schedule.

At the time, the extension was attributed to the need for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which completed the project, to dredge the inlet deeper than previously anticipated. Engineers had expected to dredge the inlet 11 feet deep in order to haul 100,000 cubic yards of sand to re-nourish nearby beaches, though they had to dig down to 14 feet.

In total, corps engineers removed over 108,000 cubic yards of from the inlet, with 98,251 cubic yards of that sand was placed on the easterly side to restore the sand-starved beach, according Mr. Bishop’s office.

[SEE PRIOR COVERAGE]

“There simply was not enough material in the inlet at the depth and width they had previously been authorized to do,” Mr. Bishop said in early March.

Despite the excess costs, the project — spearheaded by Ron and Doris McGreevey, whose beach had been eroding over the years and had been calling for the dredge work for over a decade — was still a much-needed success, Mr. Bishop said.

“The inlet will be easier to navigate and the beach will have been built up to a level that better protects coastal assets and recreational opportunities,” Mr. Bishop said. “Further, we will now have an established project from which to work should the beach need repair in the future.”

cmiller@timesreview.com

Southold cheerleaders perform during a basketball game this past winter. (Credit: Garret Meade)

Is cheerleading a sport?

That debate has raged in the greater sports community for decades.

Some would argue that cheerleading is merely an athletic activity. While there are interscholastic competitions for cheerleaders, the public most often just thinks of them as standing on the sidelines in support of their schools’ football and basketball teams.

But cheerleaders and their advocates contend it is a sport — one that’s growing more popular as it becomes more physically challenging and the risk of injury increases.

This week, The New York State Board of Regents now finally agreed by approving a measure that classifies cheerleading as an interscholastic sport across the state. It’s about time.

The proposal was first presented to the Board of Regents five years ago. In 2012, the movement gained the support of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which argued that any activity involving 15-foot-high human pyramids and teenagers being tossed in the air should be subject to the same safety rules and supervision required of other recognized sports, a list that ranges from the physically brutal worlds of football and wrestling to softer games like golf and badminton.

A study released in 2012 by the AAP showed that significantly more than half the catastrophic injuries in college and high school female sports occurred in cheerleading.

Ensuring these athletes’ safety should be of paramount concern to our high school athletic organizations.

Locally, the greatest impact of this week’s decision will be the new competitive opportunities it will present for cheerleaders across the North Fork.

Historically, area cheer squads have had to enter costly regional and national competitions hosted by a wide range of organizations. In some cases, individual athletes have to spend their own money to join all-star teams for any chance to compete.

The Board of Regents’ decision paves the way for Section XI and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association to host local competitions for cheerleading teams similar to events already enjoyed by athletes in other sports, many of which have lower student participation numbers. We hope this decision will give even more student athletes a chance to participate in this positive activity, which encourages physical fitness among our youth.

Cheerleading may not be a game, but it is a sport — one that produces some of today’s most dedicated high school athletes.

Julia C. Hopkins of Cutchogue died April 30 at Stony Brook University Medical Center. She was 76.

She was born March 3, 1938, in the United Kingdom to to Alfred and Freda Hopkins. Ms. Hopkins was a salesperson with Industrial Decorating in the U.K. and was a successful model with Ford Modeling agency.

Family members said Ms. Hopkins was an avid gardner, knitter and reader. She also enjoyed walking her dog on the beach.

She was predeceased by her brother, Nicky Hopkins; and is survived by her daughter, Alexandra (Matthew) Ninfo of Cutchogue; her brother, Paul of Austria; and her sister, Dee of the U.K.

Arrangements were handled by Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. Cremation was private.

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A police officer helped free a trapped cat that had gotten its head stuck in an exterior wall of a Mattituck woman’s garage Sunday morning, police said.

The officer was called to the house on Bay Avenue because the cat had wedged itself into the hole and couldn’t get out. The cat’s head was sticking out of the garage, while its body was stuck inside. The cop helped move furniture out of the way and called the North Fork Animal Rescue League to assist.

They managed to break the wood surrounding the cat’s neck, freeing it. The cat immediately ran away.

• A Mattituck woman’s border collie managed to open the front door to its house, make its way across a street and kill a neighbor’s chicken before bringing it back home, according to a police report. The neighbor told police he saw the dog go into his back yard on Harbor View Road and kill his black Australorp chicken, the report states. He did not want to press charges against his neighbor, but just wanted the incident documented.

• Two men were arrested in Peconic and Greenport Village in separate incidents last Tuesday morning after they were caught driving with suspended licenses.

At 9:18 a.m., Douglas Latney, 61, of Greenport was charged with aggravated unlicensed driving, a misdemeanor, after he crashed his car near Sterlington Deli. Police took Mr. Latney back to headquarters and released him with a ticket for a future court date.

About an hour later, Gary Viglione, 53, of Peconic was stopped on Main Road in Peconic for having an expired inspection sticker, police said. His license had been suspended for an insurance lapse and he was arrested, according to a police report. He was charged with the same misdemeanor as Mr. Latney and also released.

• Someone stole an iPhone, a purse, cash and a driver’s license out of a woman’s unlocked car in a Cutchogue parking lot Saturday afternoon, according to a police report.

The woman said she had parked the car in the King Kullen parking lot and realized when she got back to the car that someone had taken the items, police said.

psquire@timesreview.com

The  Suffolk Timesand its sister papers the Riverhead News-Review and Shelter Island Reporter became the first weeklies invited to participate in the Newseum’s online display of front pages Thursday. (Credit: Newseum)

Displayed on the Newseum’s website today are the front pages of nearly 900 newspapers from 69 countries around the world.

Scrolling through the gallery of covers, adjacent to the Daily News and The New York Times, you’ll find the The Suffolk Times. Also in the gallery, which is updated each day by the Washington, D.C. museum, are the Riverhead News-Review and Shelter Island Reporter.

The three newspapers, all published by Times/Review Newsgroup of Mattituck, are the first weekly newspapers displayed in the online front page tribute, the museum confirmed Thursday. 

The inaugural display comes two weeks after at least 130 weekly newspapers from across the country sent in their covers to the Newseum’s Today’s Front Pages editor in protest of the museum’s policy to only display papers with a daily circulation. Times/Review Newsgroup was among the publishers to take part in the protest, which was organized by Steve Thurston, who teaches community journalism at Montgomery College in Rockville, Md. and is a member of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors.

Organizers of the movement chose Apr. 17 because it is the birthday of Huck Boyd, the legendary community journalist from Phillipsburg, Kan.

The Newseum immediately responded by removing the word “daily” from the FAQs on the exhibit site that night. The policy now states that “any general interest newspaper” can email frontpages@newseum.org for instructions on how to participate.

On Wednesday, Times/Review executive editor Grant Parpan received an invitation from the Newseum to display the company’s front pages each week.

“[You] will be a welcome addition to the display,” the invitation read.

“When people get together like this and feel strongly about a specific issue, and mobilize and make specific arguments, it does have an impact,” Jonathan Thompson, the Newseum’s senior manager of media relations, told Poynter Institute for a story published that evening. The U.S. has approximately 1,380 daily and 6,000 weekly newspapers, according to Poynter.

Mr. Parpan said it’s an honor for the entire staff that its publications are the first weeklies displayed in the online gallery.

“I’m really glad the protest worked,” he said. “As much as I’m excited to see us up there, I’m looking forward to having our community newspaper peers alongside us.”

Times/Review will continue to submit its front pages on a weekly basis, Mr. Parpan said. Today’s Front Pages is also a ground-floor exhibit at the Pennsylvania Avenue museum, but that display includes just one newspaper from each of the 50 states, the D.C. and a dozen other countries.

“Community newspapers work so hard to cover the issues that matter most to their readers,” said Times/Review publisher Andrew Olsen. “Even though we print weekly, it’s a daily grind. It’s so nice to have our efforts recognized by the Newseum.”

jennifer@timesreview.com

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Soldier Ride participants in Greenport for the North Fork biking fundrasier.

May is National Bike Month and High Blood Pressure Education Month. This combined observance is an opportunity to celebrate the power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride — to save money, help the environment or just explore the community — and to improve our health. Bike to School Day is May 7, Bike to Work Week is May 12-16 and Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 16. Cycling is good exercise and a good way to maintain a healthy blood pressure, as are taking prescribed medications as directed, checking blood pressure regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and diet, walking briskly for 10 minutes several times a day, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol.

A very happy 50th wedding anniversary to John and Camille Heckmann, who celebrated their many years of matrimony with family and friends at a “wonderful and beautiful” event at the Soundview Restaurant.

Approximately 90 young scientists participated in the 11th annual science fair at Cutchogue East Elementary School. Students were impressive in their enthusiasm, creativity and knowledge! This was a non-competitive event but some projects met the criteria to participate in Brookhaven National Laboratory’s science competition and were presented in such a way that they’ll have the honor to move on to that competition. Hats off to all who took the time to participate and congratulations on a job well done! It has been Mary Grace Finora’s pleasure to chair the event and thanks go to her and Beth Morris, who will take over next year. A special thank-you goes to Peggy Dickerson and Sarah Maine and the student interviewers: Mrs. Kobus, Mrs. Zuhoski, Mrs. Charters, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, Ms. Benolich, Mrs. Kasmark and Dr. Slotkin, and the parent volunteers who manned the registration tables: Diane Harned, Jessica Kalish, Diane Nicholson and Mary Hasel.

‘Mattituck’s Got Talent’ is back. Junior high and high school students will perform Friday, May 9, at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Tickets are $10; proceeds support the DECA club.

The Cutchogue Homemakers’ next business meeting is on Tuesday, May 6, at 10 a.m. at Cutchogue United Methodist Church with guest speaker Sharon Simon from the Suffolk County Water Authority. May 13 will feature a presentation from the turtle rescue group; May 20’s speaker is to be announced; and the spring luncheon on May 28 will be held at noon at Vineyard Caterers.

It’s that time of year again. Don’t miss the “make us an offer” yard sale Saturday, May 17, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4905 Pequash Ave. (rain date: May 18). They promise tons of fabulous stuff at unbeatable prices! All proceeds will go to the Southold Town Relay for Life.

Here’s what’s on at Cutchogue New Suffolk Library: AARP Driver Safety Course, Thursday, May 1, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $20 member, $25 nonmember, registration required at 734-6360; and Friday Family Flick, May 2, 4 p.m. “Free Birds” (PG). Registration is requested for all the following: Storytime for ages 3-5, Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.; Tween Light Bulb Design for grades 5-8, Saturday, May 3, 1 p.m.; Storytime for 2s & 3s, Monday, May 5, 10 a.m.; Basic Bike Repair and Maintenance (bring your bike), Tuesday, May 6, 6:30 p.m.; and Legomania Jr. for grades K-2, Thursday, May 8, 4 p.m.

My next column is on May 15. Count your days and make them count; enjoy!

Contact Cutchogue-New Suffolk columnist Barbara Sheryll at bsheryll@optonline.net or 734-5242