Natalie “Greer” K. Poliwoda of Southold died Monday, Oct. 1, at her home, surrounded by the love of her family and the care and dedication of East End Hospice. She was 94 years old.

Born in Greenport May 1, 1918, to Adam and Dominica (Bialeski) Pekunka, she attended elementary school there but left to work on her parents’ farm in Arshamomaque.

Always a housewife, she enjoyed knitting, crocheting and gardening. She cared for many blueberry, blackberry and gooseberry bushes for several years and would often be seen selling the fruit on her “white bench” in her front yard.

She was a communicant of St. Agnes R.C. Church in Greenport and a member of the Greenport Homemakers for many years.

Predeceased by her husband, John G. Poliwoda, and a son, Gregory J. Poliwoda, she leaves her daughter, Carolyn-Joyce Faszczewski of Mattituck; a sister, Caroline Dobek of Greenport; three grandchildren, Michelle Miller of Chicago, Ill., John S. Ehlinger of Wellesley, Mass., and Kevin M. Ehlinger of Riverhead; and four great-grandchildren, Alexandra, Lillian and Jack Ehlinger of Massachusetts and Paige Miller of Chicago. She was also predeceased by a brother, Mitchell Pekunka of Greenport.

The family received friends Friday, Oct. 5, at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday, Oct. 6, at St. Agnes R.C. Church by Father Thomas P. Murray with the assistance of the Ministry of Consolation. Interment was at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.

This is a paid notice.

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | Kate Freudenberg won her third singles match in two sets as part of Mattituck’s sweep of Shelter Island.

TUCKERS 7, INDIANS 0

Considering that the Mattituck girls tennis team lost eight players from last year’s team, the Tuckers have done quite well for themselves this season. While they have helped themselves to another winning season, the Tuckers will need some help if they are to retain a share of the Suffolk County League VIII championship.

Mattituck breezed to victory on Monday, but it may be too little, too late. By beating Shelter Island’s first-year varsity team, 7-0, Mattituck kept its mathematical chances of securing a share of the league title alive, but that’s about it. In reality, the Tuckers may have said goodbye to their league title hopes with a 4-3 loss to first-place Eastport/South Manor on Friday.

In order for second-place Mattituck (10-3, 10-2) to catch up to Eastport/South Manor (14-1, 12-0), the Tuckers would not only need to win both of their remaining matches against Hampton Bays and Southampton, but they would need the Sharks to drop one of their two remaining matches against Shelter Island and Center Moriches.

“We need someone to beat them for us,” said Mattituck’s junior second singles player, Kyra Martin.

Not very likely.

Mattituck coach Jim Christy, a realist, said, “We’re going to end up in second.”

That means the Tuckers will miss out on the playoffs, but it doesn’t detract from what the team has accomplished this season. Strong, consistent play from the singles lineup of Molly Kowalski (10-3), Martin (12-1), Kate Freudenberg (13-0) and Caitlin Penny (12-1) has been the key ingredient in this winning recipe. The four seniors, who have been joined by 12 new additions to the squad, bring a professional, all-business approach to the court.

It could be argued that Mattituck has the best singles lineup in the league. The Tuckers have swept singles points in all of their matches except for the two they played against Eastport/South Manor and one against Southampton. In each of those matches Mattituck won three of the four singles contests.

“I guess I noticed after maybe the fourth or fifth match that they were going to be very tough to beat because they don’t beat themselves, they just don’t,” Christy said. “All four of them — it’s hard to describe — they just seem to be able to have the ability to stay in the moment. It’s like, I almost know if it gets to the 3-3 point, we’re going to win it, and if it’s the match point, we’re going to win it, and I think they believe that. They seem so calm, so relaxed.”

It sure seemed like that on a cool Monday afternoon when Mattituck had little trouble winning on its home courts against winless Shelter Island (0-13, 0-13). Once again, Mattituck’s singles lineup took care of business. Kowalski (6-3, 6-3 over Lisa Kaasik), Martin (6-1, 6-1 over Corrine Mahoney) and Freudenberg (6-0, 6-1 over Brianna Kimmelman) won their matches in two sets. Mattituck’s fourth singles player, Penny, took a win by forfeit.

But a good tennis team does not live by singles alone. Mattituck’s doubles teams kept up their end as well, winning two-set affairs. Perhaps the most competitive was in third doubles. Molly Fogarty and Autumn Harris prevailed in a first-set tiebreaker against Caitlin Binder and Madi Hallman, 7-4, before taking the second set, 6-1.

In the other doubles matches, Anna Kowalski and Courtney Penny beat Serina Kaasik and Taylor Sherman, 6-2, 6-0, and Christine Bieber and Melissa Hickox were 6-3, 6-2 winners over Nicole Poleshuk and Evi Saunders.

“Everyone just plays their game,” said Martin, who put 26 of her 29 first serves in play and outpointed Mahoney, 49-17. “Everyone’s an integral part of the wins.”

As a first-year team, it’s not surprising that Shelter Island has taken its lumps and is still awaiting its first varsity win.

“It’s not going to happen this year,” said coach Sue Warner, whose team has one match remaining against Eastport/South Manor.

Shelter Island made the jump to varsity tennis after two years of middle school and three years of junior varsity tennis. But adversity struck the Indians when they lost the services of two of their top singles players, Keri Ann Mahoney and Melissa Ames. Mahoney, who was an undefeated second singles player for the junior varsity team last year, underwent knee surgery, and Ames opted to play volleyball this fall.

“It hurts,” said Lisa Kaasik.

But this season has been about more than wins and losses for the Indians.

“Obviously our record doesn’t show how close we’ve been, but it’s been fun because we did J.V. for two years and it’s been more serious this year, but I think it hasn’t really changed our energy or our feeling for tennis,” Lisa Kaasik said. “We come out here to have fun.”

Warner said Shelter Island will likely go back to playing at the junior varsity level next year because of the young players she will have. But that doesn’t mean that the Indians haven’t learned a thing or two this season.

“I think they’re learning about tennis,” Warner said. “They’re learning sportsmanship because they’re not winning, so they need to learn to be courteous.”

“They’re resilient and they come back laughing every day,” she continued. “The young kids have really been a spark on my team this year. You know, winning isn’t everything. I think they’re still having fun, which helps. It helps the pain of losing.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Ten-year-olds Summer Echezuria and Gina Tedesco of Levittown nervously move through the haunted cornfield at Krupski’s Farm in Peconic.

Local families and visitors to the North Fork spent the three-day weekend at local farms picking pumpkins and apples. A scarecrow decorating contest was also held in Cutchogue Saturday.

Check out photographer Katharine Schroeder’s photos from Columbus Day weekend on the North Fork.

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Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTOS | Julie Rosellon, 3, and brother James, 7, of Mineola ride the tractor to the apple orchards at Wickham's Fruit Farm in Cutchogue on Saturday.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Marces Jackson, 4, and Jeremiah Long, 7, of Amityville take a break from apple picking at Wickham's Fruit Farm on Saturday

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Picking apples at Wickham's.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Tom Wickham instructs visitors on the best way to pick apples.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Abigail Hannula, 7, of Bellmore gets a boost from dad John at Wickham's on Saturday.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Photo-op at Wickham's.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Can you tell which ghoul is real in Krupski's haunted cornfield?

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Pumpkins await picking at Krupski's.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Visitors enjoy the fall harvest as a scarecrow keeps watch at Krupski's.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Haunted hayride at Krupski's.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Mark Hennessey, center, of Lake Grove plays with children at Krupski's.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Ten-year-olds Summer Echezuria and Gina Tedesco of Levittown nervously move through the haunted cornfield at Krupski's.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Ghoul Jesse Trafford of Riverhead surprises the McElliot family of Merrick.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

A ghoul waits for his chance to scare unsuspecting visitors at Krupski's.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Ghoul Jason Havelin surprises a family in the haunted cornfield.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Two-year-old Nikolai Vishnyakov of Brooklyn discovers that pumpkins are very heavy.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Eighteen-month-old Emma Kast of North Babylon runs through the pumpkin fields.

Columbus Day Weekend on the North Fork

Four-year-old Eleanor Siar of Cutchogue dives into a pile of hay followed by her sister Amelia, 5, at the Scarecrow Decorating contest in Cutchogue Saturday.

PAUL SQUIRE PHOTO | Jamesport firefighters at the scene of Monday night’s fire.

Jamesport firefighters doused a small basement fire late in an empty Riverhead home Monday night after a smoke alarm alerted firefighters of the incident.

Jamesport Fire Department received the automatic fire alarm from a house on Sound Shore Road just before 10 p.m., firefighters at the scene said. The fire chief who arrived at the scene found smoke inside the locked house, which was empty at the time of the fire, according to police.

A neighbor, who was on the phone with the owner of the house, passed along the code to the garage, where fire officials were able to take a back-up key and enter the house, police said.

The fire started underneath the first-floor fireplace, an officer at the scene said. Three engines were called to the scene as firefighters quickly “got to the root of the issue” and used fans to clear smoke from the house. Firefighters then used saws to break up the mantle to access other parts of the house, police said.

No one was harmed in the fire. The cause of the fire was not immediately available, police said. Jamesport Fire Department and the Riverhead Fire Marshall are investigating the incident.

psquire@timesreview.com

Southold Town’s plan to zone Plum Island before it can be sold by the federal government is slated for discussion at this morning’s Southold Town Board work session. Also up for discussion are the Southold animal shelter and comments from the town’s agricultural advisory committee on the comprehensive plan.

Also slated for discussion are approvals for property maintenance clean-ups, which are a result of the town’s recently approved legislation allowing the public works department to clean up derelict properties and attach a bill for their services to property tax bills.

A bill tabled last month to change the wetland permit section of the code is also up for discussion, as is an amendment to the pet waste law adopted early this summer clarifying the rules regarding cleaning up after livestock.

The Suffolk Times will begin live blogging the work session at 9 a.m. and the regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. An agenda for the meeting is available below.

Southold Town Board agenda, Oct. 9, 2012

GIANNA VOLPE FILE PHOTO | Fist and South in Greenport was selected as an ideal North Fork ‘eataway’ spot by Tasting Table, a national food blog.

Second homeowners, tourists and even local foodies take note: Tasting Table  has a North Fork ‘eataway’ trip itinerary all set for you.

The food blog selected the North Fork as a fall getaway spot for New York City food lovers looking for a weekend trip close to home.

Chosen among the recommendations in the itinerary are First and South in Greenport, The Lunch Truck in Southold and Fork & Anchor in Orient.

See the complete itinerary on tastingtable.com

Irene E. Robinson of South Jamesport died Oct. 2 in Warrenton, Va. She was 85.

She was born Nov. 19, 1926, in Riverhead to Stephanie (Andruszkiewicz) and Kazimierz Trubisz. She worked at Riverhead Savings Bank and North Fork Bank.

An avid golfer, she also enjoyed traveling, gardening, flowers and spending time with her family.

Ms. Robinson is survived by her husband, John H. Robinson; her son, John (Barbara), of Virginia; her sister, Theresa Zimnoski of Mattituck; and her grandchildren, Katherine Christie, Lauren Robinson and John C. Robinson Jr. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Antone Trubisz.

Visiting hours took place Oct. 5 at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead. A service was held Oct. 6 at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Riverhead, Father Larry Duncklee officiating. Interment was at the church cemetery.

This is a paid notice.

BETH YOUNG FILE PHOTO | Mattituck superintendent James McKenna at a school board meeting last year.

Anthony Claudio says age and gender discrimination played a role in the termination of his employment from the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District three years ago.

The district says the decision to not offer tenure and part ways with the special education teacher was based on his performance.

Now a jury will ultimately decide which side is right.

Opening statements in the civil suit filed in 2009 by Mr. Claudio against his former employer are expected to begin before Judge Joseph Bianco at the federal courthouse in Central Islip this afternoon. Jury selection was completed Tuesday morning, with three male and five female jurors having been selected.

The first witness, who could be called later this afternoon, is expected to be district clerk Cathy Gilliard.

Judge Bianco said in court Tuesday morning that the trial could last as long as three weeks or as many as 10 court sessions.

In his complaint, Mr. Claudio, 50, alleges that he was not offered tenure in a special education department where 28 of 30 employees were female and most were younger than 30. Mr. Claudio was 46 years old when he was denied tenure and had his probationary period ended in April 2009.

Additionally, he charges that the district coerced him into signing an agreement that he would not sue for tenure after the district extended his probationary period one year prior to his termination.

“Principal Shawn Petretti assured the plaintiff that he would attain tenure if he signed [the agreement] and continued on track,” reads the complaint, which was filed by Mr. Claudio’s attorney, Frank J. Blangiardo of Cutchogue.

In March 2009, district superintendent James McKenna sent Mr. Claudio a pair of letters stating he would be denied tenure due to administrators’ concerns over his instructional approach, according to court records.

The Board of Education voted 4-3 on April 16, 2009 to end Mr. Claudio’s probationary period, with board president Jerry Diffley, then-vice president Debra Cahill and board member Janique Nine voting in opposition to the resolution, according to minutes from the meeting.

Mr. Claudio alleges in his suit that in the days leading up to the board meeting, school board members were “threatened and influenced” by Mr. McKenna and Mr. Petretti to vote along with the superintendent’s recommendation.

In their answer to the complaint, attorneys from Devitt, Spellman and Barret of Smithtown, the firm representing Mattituck schools, argued that the district’s actions were justified.

“The defendant had a legitimate business purpose for its actions,” the answer to the complaint reads.

Mr. Claudio is seeking reinstatement, back pay and punitive damages in his complaint.

Check back later today for coverage from the trial’s first day.

jennifer@timesreview.com

Raymond O. Combs of Peconic died on Oct. 6, 2012, after suffering from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases for the past several years. He was 79 years old.

He was born in Oceanside, L.I., to Oscar L. and Flora S. (Plant) Combs and was a graduate of Oceanside High School and Hofstra College.

Ray served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958 as a Specialist 3rd Class and in the National Guard from 1958 to 1962.

In 1960, he married Agnes Cruickshank in Lynbrook and together they made their home in Sayville for 27 years. They moved to the North Fork 12 years ago.

Ray had been a business owner and partner of Volkmann Oil Corp in Patchogue. He was a member of Cutchogue United Methodist Church and the Long Island East District of the United Methodist Church, a participant in the NYAC Walk to Emmaus and a member of Patchogue Rotary Club and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE-Long Island Chapter 006).

Surviving are his wife, Agnes; three children, Margaret (Dan) King of Patchogue, Heather Combs of Peconic and Kenneth (Elizabeth) Combs of Mt. Sinai; four grandchildren, Gerald Wood III, Justin Wood, Jennifer Combs and Sarah Combs; and two great-grandchildren, Gerald Wood IV and Aiden Wood. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

The family received friends on Oct. 8 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck, where religious services were conducted Oct. 9 by the Rev. Noel Koestline.

Memorial donations to Katinka House, San Simeon by the Sound nursing home or the charity of your choice would be appreciated.

This is a paid notice.

Sally B. Grattan of Greenport died Oct. 8 at Eastern Long Island Hospital. She was 64.

Born March 11, 1948, in Greenport, she worked as a central registration clerk at ELIH for 36 years, until her retirement.

She enjoyed chinese auctions, going to Foxwoods Resort Casino, playing bingo and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband, Daniel P. Grattan Jr. of Greenport; her son and son-in-law Dan and Neil Saposnick of Medford; her son and daughter-in-law Timothy and Tammi Grattan of Greenport; and her grandchildren, Brianna and McKenna.

Visiting hours will take place Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 11, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport. A service will be held at the funeral home Friday, Oct. 12, at 10 a.m., followed by interment at Sterling Cemetery in Greenport.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Eastern Long Island Hospital, 201 Manor Place, Greenport, NY 11944.

This is a paid notice.

Longtime Greenport resident Deborah L. Pedersen died Oct. 6 at Eastern Long Island Hospital. She was 66.

She was born Dec. 20, 1945, in Greenport to Althea (Andruski) and Edmund Zeneski and graduated from Southold High School. She worked as a waitress at various local restaurants and as a caregiver in home health care.

Ms. Pedersen enjoyed gardening and taking care of her kitties.

She is survived by her partner, Chris Mosca; her daughter, Kim Corwin of Greenport; her son, B.J. Pedersen of Falls City, Neb.; her siblings, Edmund and Paul Zeneski, both of Southold; and a grandchild, Alex Corwin, whom she called “the light of my life.” She was predeceased by her mother in 1987 and her father in 1984.

A service will take place Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue. Cremation will be private. Arrangements were handled by Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport.

Donations may be made to the North Fork Animal Welfare League, 269 Peconic Lane,  Peconic, NY 11958 or Kent Animal Shelter, 2259 River Road, Calverton, NY 11933.

This is a paid notice.

Suffolk County Legislator Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) filed a bill on Tuesday urging the county to go to court to seek a refund of about $12 million in MTA payroll taxes the county paid to the state over the past four years.

A similar resolution was submitted in Brookhaven Town by Councilman Dan Panico, who said that town is seeking a refund of about $917,000 from the MTA.

Mr. Romaine is also running for Brookhaven Town supervisor in November.

Read more about the bill in Thursday’s paper.

TIM GANNON PHOTO | Suffolk County Legislator Ed Romaine and Brookhaven Town Councilman Dan Panico discuss plans for Suffolk County and the Town of Brookhaven to receive refunds from the former MTA payroll tax.

Former special education teacher Anthony Claudio in the 2009 Mattituck High School yearbook, his final school year with the district.

Anthony Claudio was told by his principal at Mattituck High School that he’d likely be granted tenure about a year before the former special education teacher was fired from the district, the principal testified in federal court Wednesday.

Mattituck High School principal Shawn Petretti told jurors he felt confident Mr. Claudio would receive tenure following a meeting between himself, special education director Tricia Desiderio and district superintendent James McKenna near the end of Mr. Claudio’s final year of his original three-year probationary term.

Mr. Claudio, 50, has alleged in a civil complaint that gender and age played a role in his being denied tenure and ultimately terminated in 2009 from a Mattituck-Cutchogue school district that employs mostly women – many of whom are younger than 30. The district has maintained that Mr. Claudio’s employment was terminated based on his performance in the classroom and his participation in special education committee meetings.

The trial got under way Tuesday before Judge Joseph Bianco at the federal courthouse in Central Islip.

In his complaint, Mr. Claudio states that Mr. Petretti told him in 2008 that he would likely receive tenure the following year if he signed an agreement to not sue for tenure after his probationary period with the district was extended for one more year.

Mr. Petretti said in a conversation with Mr. Claudio in the winter of 2008 he mentioned that he thought tenure would be granted that spring. The principal said that conversation came prior to the signing of any agreement.

“I came out with the impression [Mr. Claudio] would get tenure,” Mr. Petretti testified.

The principal described Mr. Claudio as a “team player” and said he admired his involvement with the local fire department and how he helped with various school and community events.

“He was the person I would go to if I needed something,” Mr. Petretti said.

The district’s school psychologist Elisabeth Terry and guidance counselor Brian Lynch also testified Wednesday, both saying they had no problems with Mr. Claudio’s job performance.

Mr. Petretti painted a different picture of Mr. Claudio’s abilities as an instructor during cross-examination by Jeltje DeJong, a Smithtown-based attorney representing the school district.

When Ms. DeJong asked Mr. Petretti if he agreed with Mr. McKenna’s reasons to deny Mr. Claudio tenure, he said he did and added that Mr. Claudio failed to cater to individual students’ needs. Reviewing classroom material was a constant  problem for the teacher, he said.

“There was slow improvement, but it wasn’t very strong,” Mr. Petretti said.

Although the principal described his final classroom evaluation of Mr. Claudio during the 2008-09 school year as “fair,” he testified that he didn’t write-up a review because he knew Mr. Claudio wouldn’t be working in the district the following year.

“He was determined to retain his position,” Mr. Petretti said. “I was trying to make a point to Mr. Claudio, he wasn’t going to get tenure.”

Mr. Petretti also testified Wednesday that he spoke in 2008 to Mr. Claudio’s wife, Mary, who worked as a substitute aide and a substitute secretary for the district, about what her husband’s options were.

Mr. Petretti said he told Ms. Claudio, who was battling ovarian cancer, that if Mr. Claudio resigned, he would be able to keep his health benefits through the summer. If he did not, the Board of Education would have to take action and their family health benefits would end following the official decision, he said.

“It was out of concern,” Mr. Petretti said, when asked why he had the conversation with Ms. Claudio.

Mr. Petretti also testified that he was the one who approached the administration with the idea to extend Mr. Claudio’s term by another year so he could have enough time to find employment elsewhere.

But school board member Janique Nine and former board vice president Debra Cahill testified Wednesday that the agreement stated the extension was for additional evaluation for consideration of tenure and made no reference to Mr. Claudio needing to find a new job.

Ms. Nine and Ms. Cahill, both of whom voted against ending Mr. Claudio’s probationary period during an April 16, 2009 school board meeting, said they didn’t agree with Mr. McKenna’s decision to deny Mr. Claudio tenure because an evaluation wasn’t completed during the teacher’s final year with the district.

“There was nothing,” Ms. Nine said, testifying that Mr. Claudio’s personnel file contained no reviews for  his final year of employment. “Not one observation [was filed].”

The trial resumes Thursday morning at 10:15 a.m. Mr. McKenna and Ms. Claudio are expected to take the stand.

jennifer@timesreview.com

Eric H. Alexander of Laurel died at the Westhampton Care Center on October 11, 2012. He was 63 years old.

Eric H. Alexander

Mr. Alexander was born in Greenport, N.Y. on February 10, 1949 to Frederick J. Alexander II and Beverly (Tuthill). After graduating from Riverhead High School in 1967, he went on to Bethany College, West Virginia followed by Adelphi. He graduated from SUNY Farmingdale with an AAS in mortuary science in 1971.

He joined the Reginald H Tuthill Funeral Home in 1971. He worked there until he retired in 2010.

Eric was on the Board of Directors of the Nassau-Suffolk Funeral Directors Association, where he was also a founding member. He was on the Board of Directors of Central Suffolk Hospital for 13 years, and served as board president for 2 years. Eric was also a member of the Riverhead Lions Club. He served as President of the club and was involved in many fundraisers. He also was a member of Old Steeple Community Church in Aquebogue, where was a member of the choir for many years. Eric loved giving back to the community and took pride in his work as a funeral director, helping families during difficult times.

He enjoyed hunting, skiing, golf (was a member of North Fork Country Club) and camping with his family.

On October 10, 1970 he married Mary Ann Dangelmeir. He is survived by his wife and their four children: Carrie (Mark), Judy, Eric (Quinn) and Mary, and two grandchildren; Lisa and Michael Norton.

Visiting hours are Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 from 2-4 and 7-9 at the Reginald H Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead. Funeral services will be at the United Methodist Church on Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. in Riverhead. Burial will take place at the Riverhead Cemetery.

In lieu of the flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer’s Association of Long Island, 45 Park Ave , Bay Shore, NY 11706.

This is a paid notice.

GIANNA VOLPE PHOTO | Sharon and Douglas Attridge pose in front of their new ‘little free library’ on Bergen Avenue in Mattituck.

A new library has come to the North Fork.

Chances are this is the first time you’re hearing of it, but you may know the librarian.

Mattituck’s Douglas Attridge of the local neo-classic rock band “Who Are Those Guys” recently set up a small free book exchange on the front lawn of his Bergen Avenue home as part of the national “Little Free Library” book project.

“A guy I work with [at the Riverhead Sewer District] brought back a local paper from Vermont and I saw an article about a guy up there who built a little free library designed to look like a covered bridge,” Mr. Attridge said. “I love to read and thought it was a really cool idea, so I went to their website, littlfreelibrary.org, to learn about it.”

In August, he set to work on his own little free library, where passersby are now welcome to borrow books on a “take a book, leave a book” basis.

“You don’t even have to bring back the book you take as long as you leave behind another book that you liked,” Mr. Attridge said.

After building the tiny library — a little red schoolhouse on a post in front of 5250 Bergen Ave. — he contacted the little free library organization to register his library, receive an official sign and get placed on the little free library’s location map.

As it turns out, Mr. Attridge’s little free library is the first on Long Island, if you don’t count the one in Brooklyn.

“Their original goal was to build as many libraries as Andrew Carnegie did during his lifetime,” he said of the organization, “But they’ve already surpassed that number.”

Mr. Attridge’s little free library is made from “smart siding” and leftover wood from building a tool shed, he said, noting that the website encourages builders to “go green” in their designs.

“I put a guest book inside and for the first week nobody touched it,” Mr. Attridge said, ”Then someone wrote, ‘Thanks’ and left two books. Then, just the other day, someone named Michaela H. wrote ‘This is great’ and left ‘On the Road’ by Jack Kerouac. I’ve always wanted to read that so I’m going to read it and put it back when I’m done with it.”

Mr. Attridge’s wife, Sharon, said she’s already witnessed visitors of the micro-library and loves the “pay it forward” philosophy of the project.

The couple said they aren’t worried about vandals or thieves, especially in Mattituck, which they consider a safe community.

“Plus,” Mr. Attridge said, “You can’t steal a free book.”

gvolpe@timesreview.com

BETH YOUNG PHOTO | County Legislator Ed Romaine speaking during Thursday’s tick task force meeting in Peconic. Seated are task force members (from left) Dr. Scott Campbell, director of Suffolk County Department of Health Services’s arthropod-borne disease laboratory; Shelter Island deer & tick committee chairwoman Patricia Schillingburg; Empire State Lyme Disease Association president Eva Haughie and DEC special assistant to the commissioner Vincent Palmer.

East Enders who have suffered the brunt of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases had their chance Wednesday night to explain their frustrations to a new county task force charged with coming up with concrete steps to control the spread of the diseases.

County Legislator Ed Romaine convened the 16-member Tick & Vector-Borne Disease Task Force earlier this fall in an attempt to focus on the health crisis facing the East End.

The committee held a public hearing at the Southold Recreation Center in Peconic Wednesday, at which several members of the task force got an earful from local people who’ve suffered from years of chronic Lyme Disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and other serious illnesses.

Many in attendance said they’ve had difficulty getting doctors to take their chronic symptoms seriously and put them on the long-term antibiotics they need to go about their lives. Still others told stories of years and sometimes decades in which they suffered misdiagnoses before finally being correctly diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

“The insurance companies don’t want to pay for it…. Doctors that know what to do and have the guts to do it are afraid,” said Sue Ulrich of Shirley. “You don’t need any of those degrees to know you are sick.”

“If you’re a tourist, you should come here in a tank and don’t get out,” said Ugo Polla of Cutchogue, who added that ticks abound in vineyards and other tourist destinations. “Have the wine delivered, drink it and get out.”

“It seems like we just keep studying these things. We need action,” said Hugh Switzer of Peconic. “We need support for our supervisor and board for actions necessary to get rid of deer. We have friends who no longer want to visit with us. They say, ‘why would I want to come if every time I go outside I have to check for ticks.’ Our children won’t bring our grandchildren to see us.”

Read more about Wednesday’s tick hearing in the Oct. 18 issue of The Suffolk Times.

BETH ANELLO PHOTO | A view across Long Island Sound Wednesday morning from Southold.

Reader Beth Anello captured this image of a rainbow stretching across Long Island Sound in Southold. There have been no confirmed reports of a pot of gold being found at either end of the rainbow.

TIM KELLY PHOTO | In a year boaters such as these enjoying Peconic Bay on a summer evening will be required to carry proof of taking a water safety course.

County Executive Steve Bellone signed a landmark boater’s safety law Thursday, setting in motion the countdown to the law’s implementation a year from now.

The bill, “Suffolk’s Safer Waterways Act,” received unanimous support from the County Legislature on Sept. 13, would require all Suffolk residents to pass an approved boater’s safety course before operating some pleasure boats in Suffolk waters. The law, which takes effect in Oct. 2013, would not apply to rowboats, canoes or kayaks.

The law includes penalties of up to $250 for a first offense, rising to $500 for a second offense. The maximum penalty is a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to a year in jail.

Some critics questioned the law’s main provision, noting that non-resident boaters would not be required to obtain a safety certificate. The concern is that boaters with the least amount of knowledge  of local waters would be exempt from the safety training requirement.

Others suggest the county may have overstepped its authority and that boating regulations are a state matter.

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | Adam Hicks of Mattituck holds off Mount Sinai’s Keegan Sabo near the finish line to grab 23rd place in a personal-best time of 18 minutes 28.56 seconds.

WESTHAMPTON BEACH INVITATIONAL

In cross country there are no shortcuts. Progress is made the old-fashioned way, by taking one stride after another and putting the miles in.

Perhaps no one knows that better than Adam Hicks and Jake Nolan. The two Mattituck High School juniors enjoyed the product of their labor on Thursday when they both clocked personal-best times in the Westhampton Beach Invitational.

“They did great,” Mattituck coach Julie Milliman said. “I’m not surprised because they work hard at practice.”

Hicks and Nolan were Mattituck’s first two finishers in the John Hanff boys varsity race at Indian Island County Park in Riverhead. Hicks completed the 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes 28.56 seconds, which left him in 23rd place.

“That just blew my mind,” said Hicks, who is in his third year on the team. “I feel really good about this.”

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | Mattituck junior Jake Nolan ran his fastest time ever, 18 minutes 50.23 seconds, and was 33rd among 138 finishers.

Nolan kept Hicks within his sight, using him as a marker all the way to the finish. It must have helped because Nolan came in 33rd among the 138 finishers in a time of 18:50.23.

“I feel great,” Nolan said. He added: “I paced with Adam today. He’s good, and that helped a lot. I usually don’t start out that fast.”

Two other Tuckers, senior Anthony Howell (42nd in 19:00.02) and junior Clay Davis (50th in 19:37.29), also cracked the top 50. They were followed by teammates Ralph Pugliese (56th in 19:58.66), Chris Mehalakes (59th in 20:05.96) and Kevin Schwartz (60th in 20:06.70).

The crisp autumn weather and the sunny sky made for ideal running conditions, that surely suited Half Hollow Hills East junior Sean Grossman just fine. Grossman, running a 5:26.4 mile pace, won the race in 16:53.89, beating out the runner-up, East Hampton junior Adam Cebulski, by less than four seconds. Two Babylon seniors, Matthew Finelli (17:00.53) and Tyler McGarvey (17:04.25), followed after them.

Hills East won the team scoring with 51 points. Mattituck was seventh among the 10 competing teams with 192 points.

Mattituck’s two best runners this season have been Marcos Perivolaris and Howell. Perivolaris turned his ankle recently and didn’t run on Thursday. Howell ran, but he has been hampered by injury, said Milliman.

Two Mattituck ninth-graders, Jack Dufton and Lucas Webb, claimed the first two places in the freshman race, which was run over a distance of 1.8 miles. Dufton’s time was 11:18.38; Webb was timed in 11:21.63. Five Tuckers were among the top 10 in that race, with the others being Eddie Dowling (fifth in 12:13.26), Matt Heffernan (seventh in 12:22.40) and Charles Zaloom (10th in 12:39.24).

bliepa@timesreview.com