Cutchogue Presbyterian Church is selling American flags for $5 to honor veterans. 

Flags may be purchased with the veteran’s name, branch of service, rank, war/conflict and dates of service and will be placed on the church’s front lawn to commemorate Veterans Day. All proceeds will be donated to Wounded Warrior Project.

The deadline to purchase flags is Oct. 25. Checks can be made payable to Wounded Warrior Project or Cutchogue Presbyterian Church and mailed to P.O. Box 964, Cutchogue, NY 11935.

Contact Barbara, 734-5922 or Janice, 208-1844.

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell. (Credit: Jen Nuzzo, file)

Speaking this summer about the dwindling size of the town’s police force, Southold Police Chief Martin Flatley said he was hopeful the town and its police union could hammer out a new contract for officers, paving the way for the department’s biggest hiring cycle in recent history.

If Town Supervisor Scott Russell’s $42.8 million proposed 2015 budget is any indication, the chief might just get his wish.

Mr. Russell included among the highlights of his proposed spending plan funding for the hiring of eight police officers, including six new posts that would be filled immediately and replacements for two retiring officers.

Chief Flatley said the hiring of new officers would be a huge boost for the understaffed department.

“Oh, definitely,” he said. “We’re operating 10 to 12 officers down most of the time.”

Mr. Flatley said an academy is planned for next month and he’s hoping to get any new officers hired in time to attend.

While the Town Board has budgeted for new hires in the past, the positions had not been filled as police continue to work without a contract. Mr. Russell said Tuesday he’s certain an arbitrator’s decision will be filed before the end of the year, and he expects the new contract will be in place for 2015, enabling the town to bring its police force up to 50 officers.

“I’m getting the feeling that both [Russell] and the board are in favor of the hiring,” Chief Flatley said. “I’m not encountering any resistance.

“It’s something that should be coming soon.”

HARD CHOICES

The supervisor’s proposed budget includes a 1.37 percent hike in overall spending next year, and an estimated 1.45 percent tax levy increase for local taxpayers.

While he called the financial outlook for the town in 2015 “good,” Mr. Russell said that in order to keep increases low and not pierce the state’s mandated 2 percent tax cap, “hard choices will need to be made.”

The supervisor’s budget message released Tuesday opens by saying “the budget I am proposing will present challenges to the Southold Town Board.”

“No budget is an isolated document and the decisions we need to make over the next few weeks will not just impact the budget for 2015 but will also impact budgets for subsequent years,” the supervisor wrote. “The budget I am submitting addresses the town’s general needs for next year while adhering to the adopted policies of the past that have served this town well.”

LAND PRESERVATION

The portion of the proposed budget dedicated to land acquisitions is expected to triple to $6.9 million next year.

“That figure estimates the cost of a few pending large projects,” Mr. Russell said in an email, declining to mention any specific properties. “The figure we estimate each year is the amount we believe we will need to close on properties that have already been reviewed by the land preservation department and there is general support for purchase.”

Mr. Russell said the estimate doesn’t mean the town is any more or less committed to preservation from year to year.

“It is just the estimate needed for pending projects that we believe [the town] might close on in the coming year,” he wrote. “Some projects take years to complete and it’s just timing.”

Overall spending from the community preservation fund would be about $9.9 million next year, with other monies going toward debt, stewardship, site development and legal counsel.

The town is projected to bring in about $5.5 million in new CPF revenues in 2015 and the proposed budget would utilize another $4.4 million from the fund.

REMAINING HEALTHY

While the supervisor described the town’s financial picture and its fund balance as healthy in his budget message, he cautioned that “all future capital projects and capital purchases should be made only after thorough vetting.”

“Fixed costs of debt service can substantially limit the discretionary spending of future boards and could make it very difficult to comply with New York State’s 2 percent tax cap legislation,” he wrote. “No future bonding should be executed until capital plans for infrastructure, building assets and equipment are completed.”

The supervisor’s budget proposes spending $1.2 million on capital projects in 2015, mainly through equipment purchases.

About $700,000 of that spending will be used to purchase a compost mulch turner and a payloader.

OFFICIALS TO TAKE SMALL RAISES

The combined salaries of all elected town officials would increase about 1.5 percent under the supervisor’s proposal. Total funding for all 19 elected positions would go from just over $965,000 in the current year to about $980,000 in 2015.

The proposed salaries are as follows:

Town Supervisor — $102,370

Town Board (4 members) — $33,716

Fishers Island Town Justice — $51,415

Southold Town Justice (2) — $68,969

Town Clerk — $98,639

Superintendent of Highways — $102,370

Tax Receiver — $38,486

Assessors (3) — $73,728

Trustees (5) — $18,619

gparpan@timesreview.com

The county’s tick committee said more resources are needed to combat tick-borne illness. (Cyndi Murray photo)

Suffolk County’s newly formed tick advisory committee wants the county to hire new full-time employees to comprehensively combat tick-borne illnesses.

On Tuesday, the 12-member panel suggested the county’s proposed 2015 spending plan should include a budget for four new employees that would work exclusively on monitoring the tick population and illnesses they carry.

Members said that budget should afford the Suffolk County Health Department enough to hire a biologist, epidemiologist and two lab technicians. The scope of work would include researchers going into the field to collect tick specimens and helping to determine the number of ticks in Suffolk County. It would not include any methods for controlling ticks.

“It takes a lot of time to do tick surveillance, but to me, it is a first step,” said Dominick Ninivaggi, director of the county’s division of vector control. “We are going to have to wait for an environmental impact statement to do any control methods, but we can get started on surveillance. This is a big enough problem where the county should consider putting someone on staff to deal with ticks full time. Conducting surveillance of tick populations would require someone’s attention on a full-time basis.”

At this point it is not clear where the monitoring would take place, nor how much it would take to fund the new positions and the project.

Jay Schneiderman (I-Montuak), the South Fork legislator who co-sponsored the legislation creating the committee, said he would meet with fellow legislators and health department officials to find a cost estimate. Although members would like to see the positions included in the 2015 budget — which has already been drafted by County Executive Steve Bellone — Mr. Schneiderman said a last minute amendment would be a challenge.

“It is always more challenging after the budget is proposed, but hopefully we can pull together a cost estimate,” Mr. Schneiderman said.

Monitoring the tick population is one recommendation the tick committee has suggested since it started meeting on a monthly basis in July. It is still considering methods of control.  The group is charged with advising the county’s vector control division, which is traditionally charged with controlling mosquito infestations, but whose yearly plans will now include a section on reducing tick-borne illnesses.

Mr. Ninivaggi said vector control has submitted its annual recommendations for the county for 2015, however, the report doesn’t offer a comprehensive plan for combating tick-borne illness. Instead, vector control’s recommendations for tick control are based using existing resources, Mr. Ninivaggi said. Suggestions include continuing to work with the county’s tick committee and reaching out to more experts in the field of tick-borne illness, he said.

“The part on ticks is short, because we are limited in our resources, but it is a start,” Mr. Ninivaggi said.  “Hopefully this time next year we will have a little more meat to it.”

More than dozen of Southold residents gathered to learn about the town’s new ad hoc civic committee. (Cyndi Murray photo)

Hands shot up from the audience when Southold Supervisor Scott Russell asked for volunteers to join the town’s newly formed citizens advisory committee to combat helicopter noise. 

About two dozen residents and officials — including county Legislator Al Krupski, state Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo and Southold Town Board members — attended an informal meeting Tuesday, where Mr. Russell explained the plan to create a community-based group to address noise abatement.

Following in the footsteps of South Fork towns, Southold’s citizens advisory committee would be similar to other committees in the region. The Sag Harbor citizens advisory committee was sanctioned by and works with the Southampton Town Board on any issue that affects the Sag Harbor hamlet — particularly helicopter noise. The Southold citizens advisory committee, Mr. Russell said, would also have the “full support of the Town Board.”

The group would be charged with rallying citizens, distributing information and reaching out to other East End groups combating helicopter noise. A main goal would be eliminating or reducing helicopter fights between New York City and East Hampton Airport, which account for the majority of helicopter traffic.

“We need the numbers because right now a couple of hundred voices from Southold aren’t enough,” Mr. Russell said. “This is about getting a unified voice.”

The Town Board will start by appointing a five-member ad hoc committee. However, Mr. Russell said, “sooner or later” it will be a independent committee that could potentially hold its own elections to choose officials, as the Sag Harbor group does.

The citizens advisory committee would be required to hold monthly meetings, record minutes and provide copies to the town. It would be permitted to post meeting notices and agendas through the town clerk’s office and be able to use town building space for meetings, Mr. Russell said.

Bob Malafronte, chair of the Sag Harbor group, spoke at Tuesday’s meeting, urging the Town Board to act quickly to form the committee, since the East Hampton Town Board will be deciding in December whether to accept or reject more federal funds for airport improvements.

If East Hampton takes the money, it won’t be able to place any limits on the type of aircraft that uses its airport, per FAA rules.

“We have to be ready as a coalition of north and south,” Mr. Malafronte said.

cmurray@timesreview.com

The Hansen family. (Courtesy photo)

Smiles, sun, and softball were the highlight of 9-year-old Drew Bailey Hansen’s weekend, as she played in a tournament organized by family and friends to raise awareness for Crohn’s disease.

In a three-day long event, known as the first Annual Strikeout Crohn’s Co-Ed Softball Tournament at Greenport’s Polo Grounds Softball Field — Doobee, as she is more affectionately known — was able to raise almost $17,000 for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America.

And they’re not stopping there.

In just a few short weeks, Doobee will be participating in the foundation’s Take Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis walk at Stony Brook University on Oct. 19, with monies from this past weekend’s event going towards her team’s donation.

Diagnosed at just 3-years-old, she and her family have found optimism and courage in helping to raise awareness for the chronic disease they face each and every day. There is no cure for the disease, which affects the bowels and causes abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue.

“My daughter is one of the bravest, funkiest, most amazing girls you could ever meet, and at just 9-years-old, she is wise beyond her years,” said her mother Martha, who helped organize what the family hopes will become an annual tradition.

“We feel this is the only thing we can do to help her and help others that are suffering,” she said. “It gives us purpose.”

Ms. Hansen said it was her husband Johne and his friend Andres Puerta who came up with the idea of a tournament. In total, 10 teams came out for the event, each donating a $400 entry fee. Lewin Farms, captained by Mike Bieber, beat Claudio’s led by Ian Ryan, in the finals by a score of 7-4.

She said the family was shocked to receive its most gracious donation — $10,000 — that came from the family of Austin Miller, a travel baseball player for the North Fork Ospreys that her family has hosted for the past two summers.

“My husband thought of everything, kids games, prizes and even an opening pitch ceremony,” she said, describing the weekend, which was filled with games and events.

“For the amount of fun that was had, I’m pretty sure we will definitely do it again next year,” Ms. Hansen said.

Those who missed the tournament but would like to make a donation for Doobee’s team can visit the foundation website.

Gillian Wood Pultz (right) and another African Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) volunteer prep a satellite clinic to administer rabies vaccines to dogs in the city of Voi, located in southern Kenya. (Courtesy photo)

Most people look forward to spending their precious vacation days enjoying rest, relaxation and the occasional cocktail, but that’s not the case with North Fork Animal Welfare League director Gillian Wood Pultz.

Twice a year since 2010, Ms. Wood Pultz has boarded a plane to Mexico to help spay and neuter 1,600 animals in just six days.

But this year, she decided to take her efforts even further away — about 8,000 miles, in fact — to Africa.

Armed with a sleeping bag and mosquito net, Ms. Wood Pultz flew from Mexico to Kenya on Aug. 19 to volunteer with the African Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), which had been working to stop the Kenyan government from using what Ms. Wood Pultz called an inhumane euthanasia practice in an effort to control the spread of rabies.

“The Kenyan government decided that in order to keep rabies at bay in humans, it had to reduce the population of stray dogs,” Ms. Wood Pultz said. “ANAW got involved and started a vaccination campaign.”

Ms. Wood Pultz joined a group of helpers from around the globe to vaccinate nearly 2,000 animals against rabies in just five days, sleeping on the roof of a building with other volunteers in order to save money.

The vaccinations replaced the Kenyan government’s use of strychnine, a form of poison that had been used to kill hundreds of stray dogs until March, when ANAW stepped in, according to the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals.

“It’s an oral poison, and it is a really harsh form [of euthanasia] — a horrible way to kill dogs,” Ms. Wood Pultz said.

NFAWL, which operates shelters in Riverhead and Southold towns, donated medical supplies and about 400 soon-to-expire vaccines that otherwise would have been thrown out, she said.

To help instill animal welfare, Ms. Wood Pultz said, “it is hugely important that everyone works together. We need cooperation and collaboration locally, nationally, and globally.”

She said her mission in Kenya went well beyond simply vaccinating animals.

“We want to change the way owners think of their animals,” she said.

Ms. Wood Pultz explained that dogs are treated as agricultural animals in that part of the world and frequently used to protect homes and herd cattle.

“Dogs are not considered pets. They are not allowed in the house,” she said. “It was so clear to me that they just didn’t know they were supposed to pet their dogs; they really weren’t sure.”

Ms. Wood Pultz said she set out to change that mindset.

“We started teaching the kids to rub their dog’s tummy,” she said. “One here, another there — and then, all of a sudden — all these kids had their dogs rolling in the field on their backs, wagging their tails.

“All you need is one of them to really get it and it can change an entire community,” she said.

cmiller@timesreview.com

Second photo credit: Gillian Wood Pultz said the highlight of her trip was helping children and families learn how to better care for their dogs, which included a tutorial on belly rubs. (Courtesy photo)

Sponsored By REVCO Lighting and Electrical Supply.

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As the weather begins to cool and thermostats begin to rise, there are a few things to take into consideration to keep your family and your home safe. October 5 marks the beginning of Fire Prevention Week, and we have some simple tips to help keep you protected.

Check Your Smoke Detector Monthly

Smoke detectors are mandatory in all buildings, and for good reason. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 37% of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present. Typically these devices are battery operated, and will alert you when it is time to change the battery. It is still wise to check your smoke alarms monthly to ensure all of the features are working properly. Smoke alarms should be placed on every floor and outside of each bedroom. They are very affordable, making it that much easier to protect your family from a home fire.

Unplug The Unnecessary

Unplugged Applicances

Not making toast? Unplug the toaster oven. There are many household items that require electricity, but they don’t need to take up space on the counter or continually draw energy when not in use. Items such as coffee makers, microwaves, computer chargers, lamps, and more can be left unplugged easily. In the event of a power surge, the outlets that normally house the devices may still be affected, but the items will not be damaged.

Fix Faulty Outlets Immediately

Faulty outlet

Properly secured outlets make all the difference in helping to protect your home from potential fires. Exposed wires are dangerous, especially in areas of the house where they can come into contact with water such as bathrooms or kitchens. Young children could also be harmed if they tamper with the wires. It is important to have a professional assess the outlet to ensure it is properly and safely installed.

Surge Protectors Work

Surge protectors for multiple electrical devices

There are some things that are just difficult to plug and unplug in your home, such as your home desktop computer, printer, and router, or even the family entertainment system. If you have a number of cords drawing power from one source, a surge protector is a great way to keep those items protected. Surge protectors are an affordable necessity now that homes are becoming more and more hi-tech.

Upgrade Your Electrical Service

Old wiring in your home may be causing a decrease in power, which is not only an inconvenience, but can actually damage sensitive electronics. Older homes especially need to have services upgraded to not only ensure safety, but efficiency. Companies like REVCO use a number of top rated vendors you can choose from based on your needs and budget. You can see a full list here (http://www.revco.org/electrical/).

Fires can spark from a number of things, but with proper preparedness you can help prevent damage to your home and keep your family safe.

To the editor:

Oct. 5-11 is National Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme is “Working Smoke Detectors Save Lives. Test Yours Every Month.” Fire Prevention Week was started by the National Fire Prevention Association after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, during which 300 people died and 100,000 were left homeless. 

In our beloved East End area covered by Times/Review Newspapers, we have witnessed far too many household fires in the past several years. Some of these fires were fatal. A household fire does not need to result in death if early warning systems are in place.

The smoke alarm is still the least expensive and most effective device to alert individuals to a household fire. Yet, in my 15 years of providing life safety services to the East End, my staff and I have witnessed numerous occasions where homeowners have removed batteries or entire smoke detectors from their own homes.

Why? Because it’s easy to procrastinate on simple tasks like testing or replacing batteries on a device we hope we never need to use. A household fire occurs in the United States every 83 seconds, resulting in over 3,000 deaths per year. Sadly, of those fatalities, when a smoke detector failed, 75 percent of the time it was due to missing, disconnected or dead batteries.

I encourage your readers to invest a small amount of time and money in testing, repairing and adding smoke detectors to their homes. I also recommend a visit to your local firehouse to learn more about fire safety from the brave men and women we call on to respond — our volunteer firefighters.

Paul Romanelli, Southold
president, Suffolk Security Systems

Here are some of today’s top stories across the North Fork. To stay on top of local news, follow The Suffolk Times on Facebook.

The start of last year’s 5K in Southold. (Credit: Katharine Schroeder, file)

I’m writing this column on a splendiferous day! I hope you had time to spend outside in the warm sunshine while we have it.

Birthdays abound! Celebrating are Carol Chilton on Oct. 4; Melissa DeSimone on the 5th; Michael Kettenbeil and Tom Jerome on the 9th; Karen Horne on the 14th; and Rosalie Cavaluzzi on the 16th. 

Neighbors helping neighbors should be second nature to all of us living in small towns. Won’t you help CAST stock its food pantry this Saturday, Oct. 4, at local grocery stores? The pantry is a valuable resource for struggling families in our community. The drive will run at the Greenport IGA, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Southold IGA, 9:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.; King Kullen in Cutchogue, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Waldbaum’s in Mattituck, 10:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. If you can’t make it to one of these locations, you can drop donations of non-perishable food or gift cards at the CAST office, 311 Front St., Greenport. For information or to volunteer, call 477-1717.

The Southold Historical Society is now accepting applications for a juried craft show to be held at the Peconic Recreation Center on Dec. 6. Call 765-5500 before Oct. 15.

The Southold Athletic Association’s fifth annual 5K Race and Fun Run is set for Saturday, Nov. 15, and is open now for registration and sponsorships. You can find the appropriate forms on the website, southoldufsd.com. Go to the news feed and follow the prompts for the Fun Run. To make it even better, all participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the North Fork Parish Outreach food pantry. Funds raised by this event will provide health and wellness opportunities for Southold students.

The Southold PTA’s Innisbrook fundraiser is in progress. Historically, this is one of the PTA’s best money-makers, providing both a quality product and support for the PTA. Anyone can make a purchase online any time of year and have it delivered to their home. Simply visit Innisbrook.com, enter the school code 120267 and shop away!

The Friends of the Southold Library sponsor “Do as You Please” bus trips to NYC twice a year and want to thank Hampton Jitney for working with them to hold the cost down to just $24, keeping the trip affordable for library patrons. The next trip is Dec. 13. Sign up now so you won’t miss it!

If you’re on Facebook, you may know about the Grateful Challenge. It basically asks that you post three things you are grateful for every day for a week. Well, I’m challenging you all to come up with ONE thing you’re grateful for every day until my next column. I know it might be hard to do when times are tough or you have a bad day, but you can. And as always, I challenge you to smile at all those you pass.

My next deadline is Sunday, Oct. 12, at noon. Please share your news!

Contact Southold columnist Tina Koslosky at SoutholdTina@aol.com or 631-765-2774.

Billy McAllister finds running room as he picks up some of his career-high 191 rushing yards for Greenport/Southold/Mattituck. (Credit: Garret Meade)

PORTERS 16, MARINERS 8

It may seem hard to believe now, seeing the battle scars on Tyshe Williams’ helmet, but it was only a little over a month ago when he was issued shiny new headgear. Now, with some of the gold paint peeled off the front of the helmet, revealing bright yellow underneath, Williams unquestionably has the roughest looking helmet on the Greenport/Southold/Mattituck high school football team.

Nevertheless, the helmet could be considered a source of pride for Williams, who has been petitioning coach Jack Martilotta for a replacement helmet. Those marks on Williams’ helmet are evidence of the violent collisions the senior fullback/middle linebacker has been involved in during the first four games of the season. They also say a lot about how active he has been on the field.

Williams played a tremendous game on both sides of the ball, Billy McAllister ran for a career-high 191 yards and the Porters churned out 299 rushing yards in a 16-8 win over Southampton/Ross on Wednesday night.

Rainfall shortly before the kickoff and some misting during it, left the field turf at Southampton High School’s Richard H. Smith Field slick and the ball was slippery. It surely wasn’t a night for throwing. Both teams kept the passing to a minimum, with each side completing only one pass for 7 yards.

That suited the Porters (2-2 in Suffolk County Division IV) just fine. They had more rushing yards than they managed in their first three games combined. McAllister had his best game ever for the Porters, surpassing 100 yards by halftime. The senior carried the ball 25 times, with eight of those runs for 10 yards or more.

It was McAllister hopping over the middle from 3 yards out for a touchdown that put the Porters in front, 13-6, with 4 minutes 26 seconds left in the second quarter.

A 26-yard field goal by John Drinkwater in the fourth quarter gave the Porters a bit more breathing room.

The game had started promisingly for the Porters. On the first series, they marched 68 yards in 11 plays (all runs), capped off by Williams’ 1-yard plunge for the score.

That touchdown could be seen as a just reward for the hard-working Williams. Not only did he have eight carries for 35 yards, but he was involved in 9 tackles, 7 of them solo. That gives Williams a team-leading 22 tackles for the season.

But the game didn’t turn out to be as easy for the Porters as that opening drive might have led one to believe. Southampton/Ross (1-3) responded with a second-quarter touchdown run by Andre Franklin (11 carries, 89 yards), who headed straight up the middle before moving out to the right and racing untouched 34 yards to the end zone.

Thomas Roughan lined up to kick the extra point, but after receiving the snap, Will Taylor-Reddick handed the ball off to Roughan, who ran it in for a 2-point conversion and an 8-7 lead.

The Porters moved the ball well, picking up 18 first downs to six by the Mariners.

Defensively, the Porters were aided by interceptions by Garrett Malave, Dominick Panetta (his third in three games) and Chris Dwyer, and a fumble recovery by Matt Drinkwater.

Roughan made 12 tackles and forced a fumble while Jack O’Brien had 9 tackles, one of them being a sack. Colby Lenahan, who ran for 85 yards, also caused a fumble and made two fumble recoveries on a night when holding onto the ball wasn’t easy.

Late in the game, John Drinkwater and Lenahan were ejected after a skirmish.

bliepa@timesreview.com

Here are the classifieds for Oct. 2, 2014. If you are interested in placing an ad, please call Karen, 631-354-8029 or email kcullen@timesreview.com.

Times Review classifieds: Oct. 2, 2014

Here is the Suffolk Times Service Directory for Oct. 2, 2014. If you are interested in placing an ad, please call Karen, 631-354-8029 or email kcullen@timesreview.com.

Suffolk Times Service Directory: Oct. 2, 2014

One local expert says stink bugs may become more of an annoyance in years to come. (Dan Gilrein courtesy)

For one thing, they are aptly named.

Residents who casually squash a halyomorpha halys underfoot will be assaulted by a sharp odor coming from the deceased marmorated (marbled) stink bug.

The smelly critters are here, with some people saying their houses are full of them: climbing walls, underfoot (careful) and hanging out in window curtains and drapes. “Everyone’s asking me about stink bugs,” said Wally Ogar of East End Pest Control on Shelter Island. “I’ve got them in my house, too.”

He’s not the only one. Joanne Sherman said she had never seen one until this spring, and there was no trace of them this summer. But just recently they were back. Neighbors, Ms. Sherman said, told her their house is covered with the bugs.

Mr. Ogar said it’s not a new phenomenon, but happens every fall when the bugs, ready to hibernate, make their way into houses.

But Craig Rosenberg of North Shore Exterminating in Southold said stink bugs are relatively new residents of the East End.

Daniel Gilrein, an entomologist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, said “there had been low numbers of stink bugs recorded over the last several years,” but that he and his colleagues “have seen more this year than previously.”

Mr. Gilrein added that he had about 15 in his Riverhead house last week.

Stink bugs might smell bad if roughed up, but they don’t bite and won’t hurt pets or do any structural damage. They’re unsightly and can be a nuisance in large numbers, the entomologist said. Stink bugs are not so benign to farms, orchards or gardens, however, feeding on fruits and leaves.

The jury is still out on getting rid of them, according to Mr. Rosenberg, who is cautious about using insecticides in homes without more information. He’s consulted with Mr. Gilrein and other entomologists and is waiting for upcoming seminars that will address a stink bug solution.

Mr. Rosenberg and Mr. Ogar said some insecticides can be put down outside houses near foundation lines, and Mr. Rosenberg has used “fly lights” in attics, which attracts the bugs and then captures them.

They can be vacuumed, Mr. Ogar said, but the bag has to be thrown away immediately. What should you do if you’re sharing quarters with stink bugs?

Mr. Gilrein advised making sure all possible entry points are sealed or screened off, but admitted this could be impossible for older homes.

“Over the next few years the population may be building, so if that’s the case and they become a serious annoyance, you might contact a pest control professional for assistance,” he added.

What shouldn’t you do if you’ve got stink bugs in the house?

“Panic,” Mr. Gilrein said.

The view of Wickham Creek in Cutchogue from West Creek Avenue. The creek has been off limits to baymen since 2007. (Credit: Carrie Miller)

The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced last week that areas of Mattituck and Wickham creeks will be opened for seasonal shellfish harvesting, a development that’s being hailed as a win for the town’s shellfish advisory committee.

For almost two decades, committee members have tested water quality locally — starting in Mattituck Creek in 1995 — hoping to liberate some of the many creeks that had been deemed off limits to area baymen.

DEC officials said last Thursday that 13 acres of Wickham Creek will be opened to commercial and recreational fishermen from Nov. 1 to May 14 annually.

Up to now, it’s been illegal to harvest or sell shellfish from that area since June 2007, said Michael Collins, a Southold Town engineer.

In addition, about 52 acres of underwater lands in Mattituck Creek will be open from Jan. 15 to April 15 annually. This is an upgrade from the creek’s prior “conditional” certification, which allowed for harvesting so long as no more than three inches of rainfall are recorded per day for seven consecutive days.

“When you go from a conditional to a seasonal certification, it is a major improvement,” said John Bredemeyer, president of the town Board of Trustees. “It means the standing water quality is healthy for a good portion of the year. It’s proof that the town’s drainage projects are improving the water quality.”

In January, Trustee Jim King explained that town engineers put multiple dry wells along the side of Bayview Avenue, on the west side of Mattituck Creek, helping to mitigate stormwater runoff entering the waterway. Mr. Collins explained that the committee’s water testing has also helped by identifying when investment in such infrastructure projects would be unnecessary, saving both time and money.

“Wickham Creek is a different story,” he said. “Samples after some very heavy rainfall showed the bacteria [was] not related to [stormwater] runoff. It looked like there may have been a larger transient geese population.”

The next step, Mr. Bredemeyer explained, would be achieving year-round certification for both creeks.

He said the shellfish advisory committee now aims to complete water quality testing at Narrow River in Orient, Spring Pond in East Marion and Sterling Creek in Greenport to see if stormwater mitigation projects are necessary.

Because of limited resources at the state DEC’s closest water-sampling lab, which is in Stony Brook, Mr. Bredemeyer said Trustees in Southold and East Hampton are pursuing building a relationship with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, to see if it would be interested in becoming a state DEC-qualified testing location.

“We’re hopeful that we can possibly get a qualified lab to do some additional samplings,” he said. “When the state DEC says they don’t have lab capability, we miss out on the opportunity to get a creek opened.”

Mr. Bredemeyer said the state agency has become overburdened due to testing for harmful algal blooms, like brown and red tides.

cmiller@timesreview.com

Shoreham-Wading River sporting events have been cancelled for today as the district mourns the loss of Tom Cutinella. (Credit: Grant Parpan)

A Thursday evening vigil has been planned in memory of a Shoreham-Wading River athlete who died after being injured during a football game Wednesday evening. 

Tom Cutinella, a 16-year-old junior, was “beloved by everyone who knew him,” said Superintendent Steven Cohen during a press conference at the school Thursday morning.

“I can only imagine the grief his family must be feeling,” the superintendent said. “We will do everything we can to support them and all of Tom’s classmates during this terrible time.”

Cutinella was hospitalized after colliding with another player during the third quarter of the team’s game at Elwood/John Glenn High School. He was taken to Huntington Hospital at 6:05 p.m., 20 minutes after the hit, and later died.

Mr. Cohen called the football play a “freak accident.” Cutinella had played football since entering high school two years ago, and this was his first year on varsity, according to the superintendent.

Cutinella also played lacrosse and was a member of the Natural Helpers program, Mr. Cohen said. Cutinella was the oldest of four siblings. He has two younger brothers and a younger sister.

Tom Cutinella, left, in his Twitter profile picture. (Credit: Twitter)

High school principal Daniel Holtzman said Cutinella was an “amazing student.”

“He connected with many students in the building and many teachers in the building, myself included,” the principal said.

Tonight’s vigil will begin at 4:30 p.m. on the Shoreham-Wading River High School athletic field.

Brian Baker, who coached Cutinella in lacrosse at Shoreham, described him as a role model and a leader.

“Tommy didn’t have a best friend, he had a ton of best friends,” Baker said.

Baker recalled one time after a tough loss Cutinella coming up to him and saying: “Hey coach, don’t worry, it’s just a lacrosse game.”

“Tommy was a role model not just for his peers, but for everyone that came around him,” Baker said. “He comes from a great family.”

Athletic activities at the district high school and middle school have been cancelled today, and an open house at the middle school has been postponed, according to a notice posted on the school website.

Flags at high school flew at half-staff Thursday morning.

School board president William McGrath said he didn’t know Tom personally but heard from those who knew him that he was “highly admired by everybody.”

“It’s just a complete and total tragedy,” Mr. McGrath said. “Everybody is devastated by this. They’re going to need their time and space to deal with this. The cacophony of media around here has me concerned.”

Suffolk police and school security at the entrance to Shoreham-Wading River High School, where the media waited outside this morning. (Credit: Grant Parpan)

Grief counselors have been made available for students and staff.

Mr. McGrath said he wasn’t aware of what happened Wednesday night, since it was an away game. He said that medical professionals and the district’s athletics trainer are at all the home football games.

According to the Annual Survey of Football Injury Research, there were eight deaths of high school football players in 2013 from direct contact.

Nationwide there have been an average of 3.1 deaths per football season in the last 10 years. The report is compiled by The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research.

ESPN reported that Cutinella was the third U.S. high school football player to die from injury in the past week.

Dr. Rosanna Sabini, a brain injury and concussion rehabilitation physician at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Southside Hospital, said the recent tragedies brings to light the dangers of a high-impact sport.

“I think that three having happened in such a short period of time is probably a random scenario, but certainly having had three happen at once will hopefully bring and shed more light on the potential for injury, and the severity of the injury that one might sustain in such a sport,” she said. “I just hope it opens more eyes.”

Cutinella is the first local athlete to die from an injury during a sporting event since Ronan Guyer, a cross country runner at Southold High School, died during a state meet practice near Buffalo in 2012.

Members of the Elwood School District, where the accident occurred Wednesday, said they were “extremely shocked and saddened.”

“We offer our most sincere condolences to Tom’s family and friends during this difficult time,” officials wrote on the district Facebook page. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Shoreham-Wading River School District community.”

The Elwood School District has also cancelled all athletic activities Thursday “out of respect and support for the Shoreham-Wading River community,” according to a district statement.

Cutinella’s death affected districts across the North Fork, where administrators posted messages of support to families and employees.

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the Shoreham-Wading River HS students, faculty and staff and especially to the family of Tom Cutinella who passed away during a football game yesterday,” the Greenport school district wrote on its Facebook page.

In a memo, Mattituck-Cutchogue school district athletics and health director Greggory Wormuth said district officials should be prepared to support students and will continue to “put a focus on safe play.”

“Nothing will bring this boy back to his family but maybe we can do little things to prevent a serious injury or even death by proactively moving forward,” Mr. Wormuth wrote. “Please keep Tom Cutinella, his family, and the entire community of SWR in your hearts and prayers.”

The game at John Glenn was played earlier than normal in the week because of Yom Kippur Saturday. Half the games in Suffolk County were Wednesday and the rest scheduled for today.

Shoreham was leading Glenn 17-12 when the game was suspended in the third quarter.

psquire@timesreview.com

Volunteer firefighters march in a Presidents Day parade hosted by Greenport Fire Department. (Randee Daddona file photo)

Local fire department and ambulance chiefs are praising recently signed legislation that protects volunteer firefighters and EMTs from losing their regular jobs for missing work while responding to disasters and crises.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law Sept. 23. The new law provides excused leave for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers who are called away to help out during a state of emergency.

Those volunteers will be granted unpaid excused leave for the duration of their service during a declared state of emergency, according to the legislation.

Employers can request that volunteers provide them with documentation showing they are on the fire department roster and the protection can be withdrawn if the employer can prove that the volunteer’s absence would cause “undue hardship” to the business.

Still, some at North Fork fire departments said the law would provide peace of mind for seasoned volunteers and new members alike.

Cutchogue Fire Department Chief Antone Berkoski said some are “reluctant” to join the department.

“They want to help the community but they’re afraid to get fired or they don’t want to have to take the days [off],” he said. This new legislation may make it easier to recruit new members, he said.

Joseph Raynor, Riverhead Fire Department’s fire chief, called the bill “good legislation.”

“Why should [your job] be held in jeopardy when you’re helping out your community?” he asked. While it’s comforting to know his volunteers will have their jobs protected while answering emergencies, Mr. Raynor said most managers in town are understanding in times of crisis.

“Riverhead businesses are very good about it,” he said. “But when you have to run across the businessman who’s not friendly to the fire services, it’s good to protect the [firefighters].”

Southold Fire Chief Peggy Killian also praised the new law.

“I think if you’re volunteering to help the community, you shouldn’t have to worry,” she said.

When contacted this week, Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance assistant chief Lisa Corwin said she hadn’t heard about the new law.

“We as volunteers want to be able to help when there is a disaster, and the last thing we should have to think about is how our job is going to be affected by volunteering to help others,” she said. “Fortunately, most of the members of RVAC are very dedicated, and whenever there is a crisis or threat of a big storm, we seem to have plenty of members to help the public, so this law will definitely help everyone.”

Emilie Reimer, who had 10 kills for Mattituck, found room to hit the ball between Southampton’s Maddy Elliston (8) and Lexi Rusko. (Credit: Garret Meade)

TUCKERS 25, 25, 25, MARINERS 21, 19, 22

Thursday was a pink out at Mattituck High School.

For one match, the Mattituck girls volleyball team traded in its traditional blue and gold uniforms for hot pink shirts. The occasion was a Dig Pink match to raise money for breast cancer awareness.

In recognition of the event, the Tuckers donned the pink shirts with black lettering that read on the front, “Who Says Girls Can’t Fight?” A ribbon was used in place of the “I” in the last word. One of the team’s starting setters, Carly Doorhy, designed the shirts.

Meanwhile, the school’s gym was decorated with handmade signs and pink and red balloons, lending a festive atmosphere to the occasion.

Before the match against Southampton, the Tuckers lined up on the court, facing the fans in the stands, and each one of them in turn stepped forward and announced who they were playing for. One of the Tuckers, libero Julia Orlando, played for her mother, Tracey, who is battling breast cancer and watched as her daughter’s serving helped the Tuckers close out the first half of their season with a 25-21, 25-19, 25-22 win.

The Tuckers (5-5, 3-3 in Suffolk County League VII) started all three games slowly, trailing by 20-13 in the first game, 8-3 in the second game and 21-20 in the third game before rallying.

Orlando changed the course of the first game with her no-spin serving, which helped her pick up 9 service aces. She put 22 of her 24 serves in play.

It took some time for Mattituck’s hitting game to kick into gear, but when it did, Emilie Reimer was virtually unstoppable, delivering fierce drives. Reimer, regarded as one of the top hitters in the league, clearly started feeling it about midway through the second game. She put away 10 kills to go with 2 blocks, 2 assists and 1 dink.

Doorhy was steady throughout the match, supplying her side with 17 assists.

Southampton (0-6, 0-6) received 5 aces from Lexi Rusko.

bliepa@timesreview.com

Members of the Shoreham-Wading River football team walk out onto the field during Thursday’s vigil. (Credit: Jen Nuzzo)

The scoreboard at Shoreham-Wading River High School reflected a 0-0 game with 54 seconds left Thursday afternoon as hundreds of community members stood around the football field.

But there was no game under way. 

Instead, the 54 on the scoreboard was the number of one young man who couldn’t be there: Tom Cutinella.

Cutinella, an offensive lineman, was hospitalized for a head injury after colliding with another player during the third quarter of the Wildcats’ game at Elwood/John Glenn High School Wednesday. He was taken to Huntington Hospital at 6:05 p.m., 20 minutes after the hit, and later died. The junior was 16 years old.

In his honor, hundreds gathered at his team’s home field in Shoreham to mourn Cutinella’s death, including players from the Elwood/John Glenn team. Football players from Port Jefferson, Ward Melville, Centereach, Babylon and Mount Sinai also participated in Thursday’s memorial.

In addition to forming a circle on the field and holding hands, players ran around the track a few times as the crowd clapped.

Tom Cutinella’s number 54 appeared on the scoreboard throughout Thursday’s event. (Credit: Jen Nuzzo)

Mount Sinai football player Nick Bongiorno, who also wears 54, said his team was supposed to play Hauppauge Thursday, but felt it was important to pay their respects at Cutinella’s memorial.

“Walking around and seeing all of these blank faces on everyone — all of them crying — it shows how he impacted Shoreham and the whole community,” he said.

Bongiorno said two of Cutinella’s cousins play on his team and described their reaction to Cutinella’s death as devastating.

“They can’t even talk,” he said. “They are completely shocked.”

Centereach football player Mike Turro told reporters how he and other players are mourning Cutinella while also trying to stay focused on the rest of the season.

“Everyone is sad about it,” he said. “It’s a freak accident — you can’t really help what happened. You still gotta go out and play.”

Reid K’Sean, who plays tight end and linebacker for Babylon, played against Cutinella last month. He described him as “a tough kid.”

“He was a hard hitter and flew to the ball,” he said. “It felt like a brotherhood [today]. It brought everyone together and it was very supportive.”

jnuzzo@timesreview.com

Meghan Elizabeth Cavanaugh and Kenneth Edwards MacNish.

Meghan Elizabeth Cavanaugh, the daughter of Andy and Tammy Cavanaugh of Hampton Bays, and Kenneth Edwards MacNish, the son of Rory and Merri MacNish of Mattituck, have announced their engagement. 

The couple met as children at Mattituck Presbyterian Church. Meghan, a 2006 graduate of Hampton Bays High School, earned a master’s degree in English education from Adelphi University and teaches at Hampton Bays High School.

Kenneth, a 2006 graduate of Mattituck High School, studied turf grass management at Rutgers University and works at Riverhead Beverage.

A fall 2015 wedding is planned.