It started a few years back when my sister Nancy and I, by chance, purchased the same birthday card for each other. I don’t recall who sent the card first, but clearly the sentiments expressed told the story of our special sisterhood. Because we both cherished that particular card, we decided to continue to mail it to one another with a personal inscription on our birthdays. We’ve dubbed it: “Our traveling birthday card.” 

Wherever we are on our birthdays, the card is sent to that location. Like airline miles, it’s fun to log in the miles it has traveled and more fun to read the inscriptions. So far, it has journeyed to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Oregon and Long Island — and who knows where in the future.

Nancy and I have unwittingly created a new tradition in a world where tradition has gone the way of the dinosaur. As Tevye sings in the musical “Fiddler on the Roof”: “And how do we keep our balance? Tradition! Tradition!” Not so fast, Tevye … we live in a disposable society where the fabric of family life has changed in response to the world in which we live.

Many folks maintain their holiday traditions and some do not. I am appalled by the utter disregard for one of the most sacred holidays: Thanksgiving. Some big box stores are opening as early as 5 p.m. Consumers fl ock to said stores for a bargain — completely oblivious to the “bargain” of having family together. (Perhaps when they lose a loved one, they may reconsider.)

Giving thanks for the blessings of our lives has been replaced by consumerism. How sad. And equally sad is that folks who work in retail are forced to become “crowd-pleasers.” Kudos to the few stores who refused to open on Thanksgiving Day. But as long as folks are willing to leave their homes and line up to get crushed in a shopping melee, the profit-mongers will keep their doors open.

When I was growing up, we attended 11 a.m. Mass every Sunday. At 2 p.m. sharp, we enjoyed a traditional Sunday dinner. Our grandparents were in attendance as well as aunts, uncles and cousins. The menu was simple and did not vary much: salad, pasta, meatballs and a roast of some kind.

Later in the afternoon, Dad sent the older kids to the store for cream soda and ice cream. How simple our needs were. We weren’t in our own worlds, tapping away on our electronic devices; we interacted with each other.

Life was a tad different when my sons were growing up. We did strive to eat dinner together (difficult at times with two working parents). On Sunday morning we attended church as a family and enjoyed “Sunday dinners.” We made precious “remember when” memories at those dinners, as evidenced by my son’s recollections during my recent trip to California.

I moderate a youth group at my church. “My kids” are bright, other-centered and have taught me a thing or two, including introducing me to my new favorite groups: One Republic and Imagine Dragons. It’s a win-win situation. However, many sports require Sunday meets. Nowadays, churches are in competition with sports!

Families are kept super busy with little or no time or interaction. Families are blended; families are separated by distance or death. Regrettably, there are “throwaway” families — families that cease to exist because of a long-held grudge.

Tradition can encompass a wide range of spoken beliefs, culture, heritage rituals or philosophies. These practices are taught and passed on from one generation to another. I think of myself as an unconventional gal and, I admit, only a few of my traditions survived. Yet I’m delighted that Nancy and I have created a new tradition.

Someday our kids will fi nd our traveling card among our mementos. Will they carry and pass the torch? I would like to think so.

I hold that lovely thought tightly within my heart. For now, it will have to be enough.

Ms. Iannelli is a resident of Jamesport.

A car is buried in snow in Orient Tuesday. (Credit: Troy Gustavson)

You kids today have no idea how easy you have it. That, in a nugget, is the first thought that comes to mind as I contemplate “The Blizzard of 2015.”

You call this a “blizzard?” I’ll tell you about a blizzard: “The Blizzard of ’78.” No, not 1878 — 1978! When men were men and blizzards were, uh, blizzards. 

So, okay, it’s still snowing on the North Fork as I write this Tuesday morning. I suppose ’15 could eventually match or supersede ’78, but New York City already has canceled its snow emergency and they’re now saying Boston and points north and east will get the worst of it.

In the winter of 1977-78, the former Joan Giger Walker and I had just settled in as the new owners of The Suffolk Times and The News-Review, and we were living in a seasonal rental at Orient Point. So far, so good.

We had a vague sense that A Big Storm was coming, but you must remember that weather forecasting 37 years ago was nowhere as sophisticated as it is today. We had no weather apps like my newest fave, “Weather Bug,” which can tell me, among many other things, the precise location of the closest lightning strike. (As this is written: 422 miles away, somewhere off the coast of North Carolina.) So all we really knew was that it was going to snow and blow big time on a Monday, just as the newspapers were preparing to go to press for one of the first times under our ownership.

I remember thinking very distinctly: “I am not going to be the first publisher to fail to get these newspapers to press as scheduled due to a weather event.”

And then it began to snow. And snow. And snow.

When we awoke that Monday morning, there was already enough snow in the driveway that we later were able to dig, without having to pile up any snow, a functional igloo for our young daughters. But work, not play, was utmost in our minds, and our biggest challenge was getting to work, eight miles away, at The Suffolk Times office on Main Street in Greenport.

(Aside: This was long before the days when a reporter could work out of home, write a story on a laptop computer and file it as an e-mail attachment to the office. Similarly, when the paper was ready to go to press, the actual camera-ready pages had to be driven, sometimes through sleet and snow, to the printing plant. Today, those pages are transmitted electronically in an instant.)

So my first challenge was simply getting to the office. But Route 25 between Orient Point and Orient Village had not been fully plowed, causing me to take a “shortcut” into the village via Narrow River Road and King Street. But wait! The plowed road was only one vehicle wide, and wasn’t that a very big snowplow coming in the opposite direction? Yes, it was, and the driver, our eventual neighbor, Bob Douglass Sr., wasn’t buying my explanation that I was the new owner of the local paper and must get to work. So, after a brief discussion, he made me back up my car about half a mile, all the way to Orchard Street, with the big blade of the plow looming over my windshield. Welcome to the neighborhood, neighbor! (Update: I now realize he was only doing his job, and had no idea who this guy driving a car with Virginia plates really was.)

Memory fades somewhat after that vivid encounter on King Street, but I eventually got to the office, and I remember intrepid colleagues filtering in over the next 48 hours, and we eventually got the papers to press on time on Wednesday despite what many termed “The Storm of the Century.”

But now that I come to think of it, the kids today have an additional challenge: covering the Blizzard of 2015 as it happens in real time on the Web. Back in ’78, we could take our time gathering and disseminating the news. Today, as the storm still rages outside, you can read (and see!) about it as it happens on the Times/Review websites.

So maybe, just maybe, I realize, the kids today don’t have it so easy. But then I remember Bob Douglass and the blade of that looming snowplow.

Those were the days.

tgustavson@timesreview.com

Taylor Vibert and Sean Heaney.

Sean Heaney of Greenport and Taylor Vibert of East Marion have announced their engagement.

Taylor is the daughter of Kristine Vibert of East Marion. She graduated from Greenport High School in 2010.

Sean is the son of Kerry Heaney and Barbara Kosciusko. He is also a 2010 graduate of Greenport High School and graduated from Buffalo State College in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Sean is a co-owner of Heaney Marine Construction.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: you’ve heard of it. More commonly known as MRSA, it’s one of the better-known bacteria around, according to experts at Stony Brook University Medical Center.

A recent outbreak at Rocky Point High School demonstrates why. 

Five students, most of them members of the same sports team, have been diagnosed with infections from the bacteria, according to a message posted on the district’s website last Wednesday.

A type of staphylococcus bacteria, MRSA is a staph infection that differs from others — most notably because it’s resistant to a particular group of antibiotics, said Dr. Saul Hymes, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

That means a patient’s treatment options are limited, since not all antibiotics can kill the bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MRSA is one of 14 known strains of drug-resistant bacteria.

• Click here to read previous health columns

Despite this, Dr. Hymes said, people should know that “it is not inherently more dangerous or more aggressive than any other staph infection” and that there are antibiotics that can help. The trick is knowing what to look for and quickly seeking treatment.

MRSA generally starts with small red skin bumps resembling pimples, boils or even spider bites, along with redness, warmth, swelling, pus, and pain at the site, according to the CDC.

It spreads through direct contact with an infected wound or its discharge and by sharing personal items, such as towels or razors, that have touched infected skin, Dr. Hymes said.

Your best line of defense, he said, is washing your hands often, keeping personal items personal and showering after all athletic practices or events.

If you suspect you have MRSA, cover the wound with a bandage and visit your doctor’s office, Dr. Hymes said. He noted that treatment usually involves antibiotics and occasionally draining the infected area.

“Just because someone has MRSA does not mean they need to isolate themselves, but precautions should be taken,” he said.

Researchers are working to find new and effective antibiotic treatments to kill superbugs like MRSA, but they are not being created as quickly as they were in the past, according to the CDC, which began studying these types of bacteria more seriously in 2013.

Got a health question or column idea? Email Carrie Miller at cmiller@timesreview.com. Follow @carriemiller01

Marc LaMaina, owner of Lucharitos in Greenport, pitches an expansion of his Mexican restaurant to the Greenport Planning Board Thursday evening. (credit: Paul Squire)

Lucharitos owner Marc LaMaina wants to expand the kitchen of his Greenport restaurant, add a bathroom, a storage room, a walk-in freezer, expand the bar into a “U” shape, and double the number of seats for customers.

In order to do that, first, he has to tear down a wall.

The Mexican restaurant owner spoke before the village’s Planning Board Thursday night, seeking approval for a site plan to expand Lucharitos into a vacant space next door.

The larger restaurant would seat about 50 total customers. Lucharitos can now hold 16 customers at its tables and 12 at the bar, he said.

The proposal he pitched also seeks to create a second doorway for staff to enter in the back. Mr. LaMaina — who briefly entertained a run for village mayor last year — said he currently shares the door with the apartment upstairs.

“It gets a little complicated,” he said. The apartment would not be altered as part of the restaurant expansion.

Mr. LaMaina told the Planning Board he would not add any additional signs to the building, poking fun at his previous run-ins with the Zoning Board of Appeals over an illuminated sign that was finally approved last April.

“I’ve had enough,” he joked.

After the meeting, Mr. LaMaina said the wall that would be demolished isn’t a load-bearing wall. The expansion would also give Mr. LaMaina space to create a merchandise section of his restaurant to sell shirts and other products.

He hopes to have the project completed by early April, pending the approval of the board.

The proposal will now go to a public hearing, scheduled potentially as soon as next week, according a resolution passed by the Planning Board.

psquire@timesreview.com

Chris Paparo with his red-tailed hawk, Emmy, on a farm in Baiting Hollow. Mr. Paparo, a licensed falconer, has trained the bird to catch prey and come to him on demand, an activity that dates back thousands of years. Emmy has caught more than two dozen animals so far this falconing season. (Credit: Paul Squire)

High over the wooded hills just north of Lewin Farm in Baiting Hollow, Emmy the red-tailed hawk sits in her tree, watching me intently. Somehow, I sense her disapproval as the thick underbrush snags on my jeans and jacket. I fumble my way out of the thorns. 

Up ahead, Chris Paparo, Emmy’s handler and partner of sorts, walks ahead through the fallen branches and briars that catch on our clothes. He simply expects me to keep up. In my defense, I’ve been doing fairly well for a first-time falconer and someone who’s more of an indoorsman than an outdoorsman.

Paparo takes the long walking stick he’s been carrying and smacks it against the underbrush.

As I step over a branch, there’s a sudden gust of wind. Emmy leaves her perch behind us and soars overhead, the bells attached to her legs jingling loudly. A blur of brown and red, the red-tailed hawk flits past us, dodges between branches and crashes into brush about 50 feet away.

There’s a commotion as Emmy flaps her way airborne again and the rabbit hiding in the twigs jumps away to safety.

“She missed it!” Paparo cries out.

He stomps over the thorn bushes toward where Emmy made her attack, hitting the brush to flush the rabbit back out into the open. The rabbit would ultimately get away, one of many lucky critters to have dodged Emmy’s wicked talons that morning.

Read more on northforker.com

Three to five inches of snow is expected to fall on the North Fork tonight into Monday, according to the National Weather Service, which has issued a Winter Storm Watch through Monday afternoon. 

Snow could begin to fall as early as halftime of the Super Bowl tonight but isn’t expected to get heavy until about 4 a.m., according to the hourly forecast. That snow could turn to heavy rain during making for a sloppy morning commute.

“Hazardous travel due to reduced visibilities, snow, sleet and ice accumulations,” the National Weather Service alert reads. About a tenth of an inch of ice could accumulate, according to the NWS.

The Suffolk Times will continue to update this post over the next 24 hours with up-to-date weather reports, school closings or delays and reports on the roadways.

Looking for work? Check out the Times/Review classified section.

Looking for work, or know someone who is?

Times/Review classifieds offers local companies a place to advertise their job openings each week, and this week close to 40 positions are available from coaches, to a dock builder, to a bus driver.

And for anyone interested in submitting a classified ad, email: classifieds@timesreview.com.

Check out the listings below:

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CLERK: P/T, flexible hours with some additional hours in the summer months. No nights or weekends. Private country club in Riverhead is looking for experienced accounts payable clerk. Strong computer skills are required. Experience with Jonas software a plus. Job responsibilities may include, but not limited to: process vendor payments and incoming mail, maintain accurate vendor files, prepare requested reports, some GL work, some customer service. Have some knowledge of QuickBooks, be detail oriented, and work with a high degree of accuracy. Some light ac- counts receivable work is also required. Please send resume/cover letter to: sfurey@friarshead.org

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: F/T and part-time/weekend. Multi-tasking people-person with great computer/tech skills needed for premier real estate office. Send resume and cover letter to greenport@danielgale.com

ADMINISTRATOR: On duty. F/T, evenings. For our residential treatment center. Responsible for plan- ning, directing/coordinating the oversight of operations within the residential treatment center. B.A., plus work-related experience. Valid NYS driver’s license. Little Flower Children and Family Services in Wading River, NY. Fax resume, 631-929-6203 or email wadingriver-jobs@lfchild.org EOE

ADMINISTRATOR: On duty. F/T, overnight. For our residential treatment center. Responsible for plan- ning, directing/coordinating the oversight of operations within the residential treatment center. B.A., plus work-related experience. Valid NYS driver’s license. Little Flower Children and Family Services in Wading River, NY. Fax resume, 631-929-6203 or email wadingriver-jobs@lfchild.org EOE

APPLIANCE REPAIR TECHNICIAN: F/T. Residential. Reliable and experienced. 631-404-7270.

ASSISTANT MANAGER: for T-shirt screen printing. Experience preferred. Send resume to: P.O. Box 921, Riverhead, NY 11901.

CABINET INSTALLER: Custom millshop seeks experienced cabinetmaker for busy Southampton shop specializing in high-end residential cabinetry. English-speaking a plus and being able to work on employee basis. Email classads@pressnewsgroup.com (Subject: Blind Box 164). (S)

CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS: F/T, P/T, various shifts available. Must be able to work a Saturday or Sunday every week. For corporate headquarters located in Southold. Spanish proficiency a plus. For complete details about the position and to apply, visit www.seatow.com/jobs.

CHILDCARE WORKERS: F/T, P/ T and per diem needed to supervise the daily living activities and ensure the safety of children in our residen- tial treatment center. Related experience preferred and valid NYS driver’s license required. Little Flower Children and Family Services in Wading River, N.Y. Send resume, wadingriver-jobs@lfchild.org or fax 631-929-6203. EOE.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REP: F/T seasonal with possible P/T offseason for plant nursery. To provide sales and customer support. Must have plant knowledge, computer skills, be organized and have excellent interpersonal skills. Email resume, northforkplants@gmail.com

DENTAL OFFICE POSITIONS: F/T. Front desk, administrative assistant, dental assistant. Our growing practice is seeking dedicated, highly motivated individuals to join our team of compassionate players whose sole mission is to deliver dental care in the most effective/technological-driven environment. Must have a commitment to providing high-quality service and be able to communicate/function well within a team. Email cover letter/resume with desired position, greatsmile567@gmail.com

DIESEL/HEAVY-EQUIPMENT MECHANIC: Heated shop. Must have own tools/transportation. 516- 458-7328.

DIRECT CARE WORKERS: P/T and per diem needed to care for developmentally disabled adults in our intermediate care facility. Related experience preferred and valid NYS driver’s license required. Little Flower Children and Family Services, Wading River, N.Y. Send resume, wadingriver-jobs@lfchild.org or fax 631-929-6203. EOE.

DOCK BUILDER: F/T, year round. Experienced. Driver’s license required. South Shore. Benefits. 516-458-7328.

ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER: Must have 1- 2 years’ experience, own tools/transportation. 631-252-6581.

ENGINE MECHANIC: for rebuild project, Riverhead. Call for details, 631-766-3153.

HAIR DRESSER: For high-end clientele in a retirement community. Must be licensed. Call Sue, 631-477- 0500.

The winners of the annual kicking contest at Front Street Station in Greenport were Erin Doucett(left), Chris Doucett and Jen Delaney. (Credit: Grant Parpan photos)

During the Super Bowl you’re sure to hear the names Steven Hauschka and Stephen Gostkowski a whole bunch of times.

Here’s the name of one more kicker whose name is unlikely to roll off the tongue of announcer Al Michaels tonight: Chris Doucett. 

He was the winner of the 12th Annual Super Bowl Sunday Field Goal Kick Contest at Front Street Station in Greenport. The Greenport resident, and assistant coach on the Porters varsity football team, won the contest by kicking a 35-yard field goal in the parking lot behind the restaurant.

“That’s probably the best I’ve ever done,” he joked afterwards. “I think my previous best was from 30 yards.”

The way the contest works is all the kickers get three chances to successfully kick a field goal from 15 yards out. Those who make it try again from five yards farther out until male and female winners are determined.

Keeping it in the family, Mr. Doucett’s wife, Erin, was the female co-winner, tying with Jen Delaney of Greenport. The two kickers each struck from 15 yards out before failing from 20 and calling for a truce.

“It hurts my foot,” they could both be heard shouting. They weren’t kidding. With temperatures in the mid-30s and snow and ice surrounding the cleared out kicking area it was nothing like what the two NFL teams will experience in Arizona tonight.

Placing second for the men was Noah Thomas of Greenport, who failed to nail the 35-yarder despite striking from longer distances during practice. Nate Payne of Crooked Ladder Brewing Company, which poured its Gypsy Red and Reilly’s American Brown ales from its customized fire truck in the parking lot, said the runner up was there bright and early practicing. A recent transplant from Massachusetts, Mr. Thomas hopes his beloved Patriots have better luck tonight.

Mr. Doucett, a Giants fan, says he’ll also be pulling for the Pats.

“They’ve given us a couple, we can let them have another one,” he said.

This kick from 35 yards out ended up as the game-winner.

The final kick of the contest sailed wide left for Noah Thomas of Greenport.

Jen Delaney of Greenport celebrates her 15-yard field goal.

Nate Payne of Crooked Ladder Brewing Company strikes the Heisman pose … or something like it.

The Crooked Ladder beer truck can serve up to four microbrews at a time. The company plans to soon add a television and grill to the custom-fitted fire truck.

The Crooked Ladder beer truck can serve up to four microbrews at a time. The company plans to soon add a television and grill to the custom-fitted fire truck.

Noah Thomas appeared to be the favorite in the annual contest during practice.

Chris Doucett tries a 50-yard field goal for fun after already winning the contest. His son Sean, left, also converted a pair of field goals and showed off his arm at times too. He’s a quarterback at Greenport.

The Doucett family contestants: Sean, Erin and Chris.

gparpan@timesreview.com

A 37-year-old Riverhead woman was arrested for driving while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license early Sunday morning, Southold Town police said. 

Paula Valencia was observed driving her 2003 Mazda sedan eastbound on Route 25 in Mattituck shortly after 2 a.m. when police say she failed to maintain her lane of travel.

Ms. Valencia, who was driving with a suspended license, was found to have an odor of alcoholic beverage on her breath, slurred speech, blood-shot eyes and was unsteady on her feet, police said. She failed several on-site sobriety tests.

She was held at police headquarters for a morning arraignment, police said.

• A 38-year-old Mattituck man with no driver’s license and a past DWI arrest was arrested on a bench warrant from Southold Town Justice Court Sunday, police said.

Olegario Boch was caught after he was pulled over for a traffic infraction on Route 48 in Cutchogue about 10 a.m., police said.

He was arrested, issued a ticket and held for arraignment.

Here are 10 Suffolk Times stories you might have missed over the past week. To make sure you stay on top of breaking North Fork news, follow @thesuffolktimes on Twitter. 

Miguel Borrayo is our favorite story subject in a long time. Read to find out why. http://t.co/0sBuldTETF #northfork

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) January 30, 2015

John Costello has been indicted by a grand jury http://t.co/luXaDjSMeF #Greenport

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) January 29, 2015

Silver's arrest, the #MorelandCommission and our #NYS lawmakers here on the #EastEnd #LI http://t.co/kxKHeMZ5oP

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) January 28, 2015

North Forkers capture the Blizzard of 2015 on social media — http://t.co/dnuaOUpvMb

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) January 27, 2015

North Fork Smoked Fish's new plan raises more questions — http://t.co/rpXRJ0qSMm

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) January 30, 2015

Boys Basketball: Southold outscores Greenport 22-8 in 4th quarter for league win — http://t.co/DSqjtOrkWz pic.twitter.com/GIjiXTbOaA

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) January 30, 2015

#Greenport Village looks to force Meson Ole building's owner to acthttp://bit.ly/1DhbgtJ

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) January 31, 2015

Southold Trustee redies for deployment to Cuba — http://t.co/2BpAx0lkhh

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) January 31, 2015

#Lucharitos expansion would double size of #Greenport restaurant http://t.co/7HVZHp9Xie

— Suffolk Times (@thesuffolktimes) February 1, 2015

Firefighters recount rescue of unconscious man from burning home — http://t.co/37wt56Juxq pic.twitter.com/OOGcEsulxk

— RiverheadNewsReview (@riverheadnews1) January 31, 2015

Listings prepared for Times/Review Newspapers by Suffolk Research Service, dated Dec. 1-7, 2014. 

AQUEBOGUE (11931)
• D’Augusta, R & K to Rothbaum, Brad, 355 Stonecrop Rd (600-45-6-43), (R), $560,000

BAITING HOLLOW (11933)
• Bottinger, W & J to Kirkpatrick, Kathleen, 2102 Bluffs Dr S (600-11.2-1-142), (R), $315,000

CALVERTON (11933)
• Salemi, T & J to Lauto, Michael, 94 Golden Spruce Dr (600-80.1-1-17), (R), $486,000
• Scocozzo, J & J to Falvo, Vivian, 29 Golden Spruce Dr (600-81.1-1-1), (R), $510,000

CUTCHOGUE (11935)
• Talbot, E to Shannon, Jane, 680 Fairway Dr (1000-109-5-14.4), (R), $745,000

EAST MARION (11939)
• Theoharakis, A to Dalecki, Paul, 1925 Stars Rd (1000-22-4-9), (V), $155,000

GREENPORT (11944)
• Botto, H & R to Malone, Daniel, 1185 Wiggins Ln (1000-35-5-8), (R), $382,500
• Mills, M to 216 Third St Greenport Inc, 216 Third St (1001-4-9-17.1), (R), $220,000

JAMESPORT (11947)
• Federlin, J & C to Cesare, Thomas, 28 E Fairview Ave (600-7-2-7), (R), $387,500

LAUREL (11948)
• Jessup, R by Referee to Ariens, Christopher, 455 Macdonald Rd (1000-145-4-17), (R), $722,925

MATTITUCK (11952)
• Cappellino Fam Trust to Hall, Barnaby, 65 Soundview Ave (1000-99-3-2), (R), $1,010,000
• Bannon, D to Scholtz, Christopher, 350 Mayflower Rd (1000-107-8-29), (R), $383,500

ORIENT (11957)
• Air, D & C to Faerber, Max, 2072 Village Ln (1000-24-2-27), (C), $1,070,000

PECONIC (11958)
• Beisner, D & J to Generosa, Daniel, 315 Richmond Ln (1000-86-1-4.4), (R), $555,000
• Molinare, J to Mandery, Robert, 210 Shore Ln (1000-86-1-4.14), (R), $715,000

RIVERHEAD (11901)
• Gully Realty LLC to Wasilewski, Susan, 447 Pennys Rd (600-6-1-4), (R), $895,000
• Bello, M to Bailey, William, 18 Marine St (600-13-3-54), (R), $245,000
• Eastport Property Dvl to Stoneleigh Woods Riverhead, Off Stoneleigh Dvlpmt Rts (600-82-9-1), (V), $910,000
• Podrazik, J & E to Maas, Justin, 60 Forest Dr (600-85-1-10.65), (R), $260,000
• McGuire, M & I to Vaden, Mickie, 8 Blackberry Commons (600-109.1-1-8), (R), $250,000
• REJ Corp to Green State Realty LLC, 58 Mill Rd (600-120-1-31), (C), $2,950,000

SHELTER ISLAND (11964)
• Dickerson, G Trust to Clark, Richard, 3 Gardiners Bay Dr (700-3-2-51), (R), $785,000
• Carboy, D & R by Executor to Bastidas, Carlos, 12 Quaker Path (700-8-2-10), (V), $375,000
• Carey, B to Richardson, Nancy, 7 Apple Orchard L (700-26-1-1.1), (R), $6,575,000

SOUTH JAMESPORT (11970)
• Peconic Land Trust to Schiavetta, John, Oregon Rd (1000-94-3-1.13), (V), $266,900

SOUTHOLD (11971)
• Hasnas, B & M to Burke, Joseph, 300 Meadow Ct, Unit 33B (1000-87.1-1-33), (C), $620,000

WADING RIVER (11792)
• Walker, A & K to Dush, Ryan, 20 Karen Ct (600-37-2-10), (R), $416,500
• Smith, J & K to Clements, Brian, 23 Merion Circle (600-96-1-13.48), (R), $650,000

(Key: Tax map numbers = District-Section-Block-Lot; (A) = agriculture; (R) = residential; (V) = vacant property; (C) = commercial; (R&E) = recreation & entertainment; (CS) = community services; (I) = industrial; (PS) = public service; (P) = park land; as determined from assessed values in the current tax rolls.)

A 21-year-old Peconic man was arrested early Monday morning after he was found driving drunk and without a driver’s license, Southold Town police said. 

Alvaro Uyu-Puluc was travelling north on Depot Lane in Cutchogue about 2:30 a.m when he was observed failing to maintain his lane of travel before driving through a stop sign at the Route 48 intersection, police said.

After the vehicle was stopped, police discovered Mr. Uyu-Puluc was intoxicated and operating without a driver’s license. He was arrested and transported to police headquarters where he was processed and held for arraignment.

Monday’s midday slush was expected to turn to ice as temperatures fell. (Credit: Michael White)

Now comes the ice — and maybe a bit more snow.

With temperatures expected to drop into the mid-20s into the evening, National Weather Service meteorologists are advising people take extreme caution on area roadways, especially along Long Island’s North Shore.

A winter weather advisory remains in effect for all of Nassau and much of Suffolk through 6 p.m.

The hazardous travel conditions will be “due to icy and leftover snow accumulations for the morning commute,” the advisory reads. “Untreated roadways will become icy for the evening commute.”

Freezing rain is expected to continue falling throughout the day but change to snow and sleet in the afternoon.

Superintendent Vincent Orlando said earlier Monday that plows had hit the streets around 5 a.m.

“People need to take caution,” he said.

mwhite@timesreview.com

Stirling Square in Greenport.

Restoration work inside the former Main restaurant at Stirling Square in Greenport could slow the building’s conversion into a five-room inn, according to the building’s new owner. 

Owner Brent Pelton told the Greenport Planning Board at its meeting Thursday night that the transformation may be more difficult than originally thought.

“We’ve found that there’s a relatively rotten beam that needs to be repaired,” said Mr. Pelton, who appeared at the meeting with business partner and former The Riverhead Project owner Dennis McDermott.

Their plans call for a full renovation of the former Main building — the square’s anchor building — and repurposing the second floor to be used as an inn.

“We’re excited to move forward with it,” Mr. Pelton said.

He bought the Main Street parcel in September for $1.95 million. The property had previously been the site of a multi-venture restaurant complex opened by chef Keith Luce in 2013 known as “The Square.” It closed the following December.

Entrepreneur Matt Michel has since opened the popular 1943 Pizza Bar and the cocktail spot Brix and Rye in the complex.

The building that housed anchor restaurant Main has been closed ever since.

Mr. Pelton asked the Planning Board that he be allowed to begin working on the rotten beam and making repairs to the kitchen ceiling that also serves as the flooring on the second floor where the inn would be. Those issues could weaken the structure of the building if left unattended, said project architect Robert Brown.

Village officials said Mr. Pelton could speak to the building department to get the necessary clearance to begin the renovation while the Planning Board looks over his application for the use of the building.

Mr. Pelton said he would remove an awning at the restaurant and would consider donating it to a charity or nonprofit group.

Planning Board member Chris Dowling praised the architectural choices made for the building, like painting it white.

“It’s going to look like a proper New England inn,” he said as he thumbed through the site plan. The board will discuss the plan again at its next meeting in February.

psquire@timesreview.com

Mary Ellen McGirr of Cutchogue died Jan. 31 at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. She was 93.

She was born May 19, 1921, in New York City to Owen and Maryann Melly and was a teacher in New York City public schools.

Locally, Ms. McGirr was involved with Southold Peconic Senior Citizens, Mattituck Senior Center and Fleets Neck Homeowners Association.

Predeceased by her husband John in 1995; and her daughter Mary Eileen McCormack in 2000, she is survived by her daughter Theresa Ann Burger of Missouri; her son, John; her brother, Frank Melly of Southold; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

The family will receive visitors Tuesday, Feb. 3, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck. Interment will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Cutchogue.

Joan Gay Kent of Greenport passed away peacefully Jan. 26 after a long illness. She was a former longtime resident of Sands Point and Port Washington. 

Joan was born Feb. 20, 1924, graduated from Colby College in 1945 and embarked on her writing and public relations career. She married Stephen R. Kent in 1959 and moved to Sands Point.

Joan was a prodigious writer of historical events and authored “Discovering Sands Point: Its History, Its People, Its Places.” She served as president of Port Washington Public Library for over ten years, was one of the founders and past president of Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society and took an active roll in the Manhasset/Port Washington League of Women Voters. Joan was also a past historian for the Town of North Hempstead and former member of the Town Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Joan is survived by her sister, Janet Gay Hawkins of Greenport and her son Christopher of St. Johnsbury, Vt.,  his children Rebecca, Matthew and Jeremiah, and his two grandchildren, Rachel and Patrick. In addition, Joan is survived by her nephew, Jonathan Hawkins of Jamestown, R.I., his wife Brenda and his son Jackson Hawkins. She also leaves behind her step daughter, Pamela Riddle of Yuma, AZ, and her husband, Bruce; her stepgranddaughter, Maria Steyn Falkender of Clarksville Md, her husband, Michael, and their daughters Lauren and Kathryn.

Mrs. Kent’s burial will be private. A celebration of her life will be planed at Manhasset Bay Yacht Club in Port Washington at a date and time to be announced.

The family suggests a memorial donation in Joan’s name to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements were entrusted to Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport.

This is a paid notice.

The rate of real estate sales on the North Fork has increased to the point that available inventory can no longer meet demand.

That’s the key takeaway of the fourth-quarter results released last Thursday by Manhattan appraisal firm Miller Samuel and brokerage Douglas Elliman, said Miller Samuel president Jonathan Miller.

“The supply is trying to normalize,” Mr. Miller said. “It’s still not, but it’s better for consumers than it was a year ago.”

At the end of 2013, there were 455 houses on the market on the North Fork — from Aquebogue to Orient — according to the report. Points farther west weren’t included in the analysis. By the end of 2014, that number increased — albeit modestly — to 521 available homes. Meanwhile, residential sales in 2014 jumped a significant 34 percent from the same time the previous year — from 556 to 685.

As a result of this trend, Mr. Miller said, home prices on the North Fork will likely increase this year — but probably won’t spike.

“When you have sales rising faster than inventory can replace them, that means a faster market and you’re keeping pressure on prices to move higher,” he explained.

And despite the fact that inventory has improved since last year, that isn’t particularly impressive because 2013 set such a low bar, Mr. Miller said.

“Inventory in the region was falling for a number of years, effectively bottoming out about a year ago,” he said. “It got to the point where, a year ago, inventory was the lowest it had been since 2008. So here we are, saying inventory expanded from last year, but last year was the seven-year low.”

David Kapell, owner of Kapell Real Estate in Greenport, said his business has felt the effects of a shrinking inventory for the past two years. He believes homeowners are waiting to list their properties for financial reasons.

“They figure, ‘Maybe I’ll wait until next season and put it on [the market] when I might get a higher price,’ ” he said.

ryoung@timesreview.com

Agnes E. Piccolo of Cutchogue died Feb. 1, 2015 at the age of 89.

She was born in Southold Oct. 7, 1925, to Emilia (Bialkoski) and Antone Gadomski.

A graduate of Southold High School, she had been a manicurist at the Plaza Hotel in New York City where she met her future husband Michael Piccolo. They later married and lived for many years in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx where she was a bookkeeper for St. Benedict’s R.C. Church and a Girl Scout leader.

Family members said Ms. Piccolo was a loyal fan of the New York Yankees and a world traveler; having visited Europe, Austria, Italy, Australia, Egypt, Greece and many of the islands.

Predeceased on Dec. 30, 1997, by her husband Michael, she is survived by her daughter, Andrea Piccolo and her wife, Valentina DuBasky of New York City.

The family will receive visitors Wednesday, Feb. 4, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb.5, at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue. Interment will follow at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.

Laurel resident George P. Lauinger, formerly of Hempstead, Lloyd Harbor and Connecticut, died Feb. 1. He was 95.

Mr. Lauinger was born Jan. 28, 1920, in Brooklyn to George and Kathryn Lauinger. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1945.

He was the former owner of Stephen Ransom Inc., Ray Electric Inc., North Fork Beer and Soda, and Norfield Farm in Newtown, Conn.

Family members said Mr. Lauinger enjoyed sailing, the beach and yard work.

Predeceased by his wife, Beverly (née Stringham) in 2008 and his daughter Christine Taylor, Mr. Lauinger is survived by his sons, Peter, of East Northport, Erik, of East Setauket and John, of Fort Salonga; his daughters, Maria, of Setauket and Kara, of Cutchogue; 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

The family will receive visitors Wednesday, Feb. 4, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue. Interment will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Cutchogue.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or North Fork Animal Welfare League.