A man working on a roof plunged nearly 25 feet onto the ground and was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital Friday afternoon, according to Mattituck Fire Department Chief James Rugnetta.

A Suffolk Police helicopter landed at Strawberry Fields in Mattituck at 3 p.m. and departed about 15 minutes later. The man had been working on the roof at Strong’s Yacht Center and when he fell through it, Mr. Rugnetta said. He was treated by first responders from the Mattituck Fire Department and transported by ambulance to await the medevac.

The extent of the injuries was not immediately clear.

Additional information was not yet available.

Photo caption: A Suffolk Police helicopter landed in Mattituck Friday to transport the victim. (Credit: Tara Smith)

tsmith@timesreview.com

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As tennis observers around the world gather together at Flushing Meadows in a few weeks for our approaching National Tennis Championships, an older observer of the scene keeps returning to a collection of chapters and essays in an outstanding and historical narrative about the sport, written by an extraordinary reporter of champions.

In an age that boasted such writing stalwarts as Damon Runyon, Grantland Rice and Heywood Broun, Al Laney in “Covering the Court” assists the reader on a sentimental journey back through the mirrors of time. Laney was the night editor at the Paris Herald during most of the 1920s and later became associated with the New York Herald Tribune as an enriching correspondent in the realm of tennis and golf.

Turning to the pre-World War I era, focus is directed toward the fabulous Maurice McLoughlin, our own champion in 1912 and 1913. He was billed as the “California Comet” and stung the ball in those days better than most. The “Comet” became the author’s hero and tennis then became a natural outlet for this writer.

The book’s many touching and dramatic moments center on such unusual champions, men and women who were able to maintain a level of professional style and grace while facing tremendous pressures.

Post-World War I introduced the flamboyant William “Big Bill” Tilden of Philadelphia, who was the finest practitioner of the game between 1920 and 1930. Tilden won six consecutive U.S. titles, from 1920 through 1925. He was upended by one of the four French Musketeers, Henri Cochet, in the semifinals at Forest Hills in 1926, but came back a few years later and won again in 1929.

Tilden viewed the court as a stage and accepted the plaudits of his public more often than his many contemporaries. He was by far a very intelligent player who perfected the cannonball service, which always helped him during difficult moments. Tilden scored more important victories coming from behind than many other competitors of his day, although no historian has yet been able to explain one of his heartbreaking defeats in the 1927 Wimbledon final after leading, 5-1, in the concluding set.

The rise of the four Frenchmen in 1924 — Cochet, René Lacoste, Jean Borotra and Jacques Brugnon — brought viewers sensational matches over the rest of the decade as Tilden faced them 18 times between 1927 and 1930, winning eight while coping with birthdays that slowly nudged him to the back side of the hill. His last amateur title, at 37, included a stunning Wimbledon semifinal match over Borotra in 1930 en route to an easy winning final over Wilmer Allison, who later became our national titleist in 1935. By the way, most champions of this era realized that failure at Wimbledon, the holy of holies, dims beautiful triumphs elsewhere.

Women champions, as well, play a significant role in this book, especially in 1926 at Monte Carlo, where “glamorous people wandered about pathways decked with flowers.” Cocktail and dinner parties became foundations for social and business success. This enclave of aristocracy, centered at Cannes, produced one of the most memorable ladies’ matches in 1926, between world champion Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills (later Moody), a rising young player from California known as “Little Miss Poker Face.” The unusual description of this pulverizing match must be read to be appreciated in its fullest drama. The author reports that the French champion arrived at center court “unusually dressed in a bandeau of many colors.” Mademoiselle Lenglen placed women’s tennis on the map and barely prevailed in this confrontation. By 1933, Wills had won Wimbledon six times and was French and U.S. champion four times, losing only one set during that run.

The writer addresses eloquently the eras of Fred Perry, the exquisite English champion, and J. Donald Budge, who by the late 1930s was the highest-ranked men’s player in the world. Budge may have had the finest backhand the game has ever seen. If it weren’t for a training camp mishap in the early 1940s, Budge might well have achieved additional laurels. His triumphs during his playing days led to the distinctive Grand Slam in 1938, an enviable achievement that moved him close to the top of our century’s distinctive champions.

Laney discusses the so-called “big game,” i.e., serve and volley made popular by Jack Kramer during the 1940s that really was utilized by the better players of the late 19th century. There is a wonderful chapter on the difference between a first-class player and a champion. A champion maintains greatness without touching it and sets up an opponent with a series of shots before the final error or winning point.

For later-day historians, there is additional commentary on Ken Rosewall, Lewis Hoad, Richard (Pancho) Gonzales, Gottfried von Cramm, Rodney Laver, Alice Marble, Helen Jacobs, Maureen Connolly, Maria Bueno and Margaret Smith Court. This is a book about singles and brings to interested readers the historical achievements of these wondrous players and their fine contributions to a sport first called lawn tennis in 1874.

The writer played varsity tennis at Boston College from 1948 to 1952.

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If there is one area, one topic in our national discussion more acrimonious than the current argument over immigration, we can’t think of it right now. Television hosts go on about how America no longer looks the way it once did, comments praised by a former KKK leader.

Children are separated from their parents at our border and flown to holding areas in other parts of the country. Many public officials do not condemn it. Some even hold the people behind it up as personal heroes.

What follows is a testament to how far we’ve come in this great land in a very short amount of time.

On Jan. 19, 1989, President Ronald Reagan gave his final speech at the podium in the White House. He was there to hand out the Presidential Medal of Freedom and, in his speech, he made these comments about immigration:

“… American freedom does not belong to just one nation. We’re custodians of freedom for the world. In Philadelphia two centuries ago, James Allen wrote in his diary that ‘If we fail, liberty no longer continues an inhabitant of this globe.’ Well, we didn’t fail. And still, we must not fail. For freedom is not the property of one generation; it’s the obligation of this and every generation. It’s our duty to protect it and expand it and pass it undiminished to those still unborn.

“… since this is my last speech I will give as President, I think it’s fitting to leave one final thought, an observation about a country which I love. It was stated best in a letter I received not long ago. The man wrote me and said: ‘You can go to live in France, but you cannot be a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.’

“Yes, the torch of Lady Liberty symbolizes our freedom and represents our heritage, the compact with our parents, our grandparents, and our ancestors. It is that lady who gives us our great and special place in the world. For it’s the great life force of each generation of new Americans that guarantees that America’s triumph shall continue unsurpassed into the next century and beyond.

“Other countries may seek to compete with us; but in one area, as a beacon of freedom and opportunity that draws the people of the world, no country on Earth comes close.

“This, I believe, is one of the most important sources of America’s greatness. We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people — our strength — from every country and every corner of the world. And by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our nation.

“While other countries cling to the stale past, here in America we breathe life into dreams. We create the future, and the world follows us into tomorrow. Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we’re a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier.

“This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.”

So much has changed.

A year ago this month in Virginia, white nationalists and neo-Nazis shouted Nazi slogans and waved the swastika. They denounced Jews as Satan’s children. Marchers held out their right arms in a Nazi salute. Berlin 1938?

This happened in August 2017 in the United States of America.

So much has changed.

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The lights went down after the youth cast of “Seussical” took their bows Sunday, Aug. 5, marking the end of the North Fork Community Theatre’s 60th season. A week later, to celebrate, the theater’s board president Mary Kalich grasped a sledgehammer, took a deep breath, and swung at the stage.

As she took the first swing, several board members joined Ms. Kalich with their own hammers.

As the groundbreaking began, a group of the theater’s supporters — performers, board members and donors — were gathered to say goodbye. For now.

When the building reopens in 2019, actors and audiences will be met with an upgraded theater which still has lots of charm.

“We really want to make this a premier theatrical destination and in order to do that, we need to have the right facilities,” Ms. Kalich said on a recent walkthrough of the church-turned-theater.

Anyone who’s seen a show at the theater can probably attest: sound is a major issue, especially when a musical uses a live pit orchestra. Currently, the pit is set up on the house floor, and despite efforts to contain the sound, it bounces around with uneven distribution.

“It’s really loud,” Ms. Kalich said. “You can’t hear the actors.”

The pit orchestra will find a more suitable home beneath the stage, which will be dug out to create a true ‘pit.’

Ms. Kalich is co-chairing the renovation committee with Mike Hipp of Westhampton. Mr. Hipp, who got his NFCT start in the 1992 youth production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” now works in the estimating department at Riverhead Building Supply. “With such an old building, there were concerns” about structural integrity, he said.

The North Fork Community Theatre in Mattituck. (Credit: Tara Smith)

The orchestra pit will eliminate the first row of seats, but the seating chart will be reconfigured to eliminate a center aisle, bringing cramped corner seats into the center.

Both wings will be extended out, and Ms. Kalich noted that the backstage areas will all be leveled out, resulting in more space. Currently, the poorly lit areas are made up of a series of narrow staircases and confusing entrance and exit points, sometimes requiring performers to exit the building to get from one side of the stage to the other.

New rehearsal space is also planned for the theater’s basement, along with new lighting and rigging technology and a new HVAC system.

Working with a theater architect to develop the plans and sound design, local architect Rob Stromski will be undertaking the $950,000 project, funded almost entirely by community donations.

The interior upgrades build on earlier fundraising efforts that helped them purchase the theater and complete some exterior upgrades.

The building was purchased from the Mattituck Presbyterian Church in 2012 after a 20-year lease expired. The NFCT had been performing in the building for more than 50 years.

“They asked us to purchase or leave and all of a sudden we had to raise $500,000 to buy the building,” Ms. Kalich recalled. They raised $500,000 to purchase the building outright. “Since then, it’s been really clear that people care about this space.”

The troupe became homeowners and the to-do list grew.

First came exterior upgrades, including installing an outdoor covered patio and box office window that Ms. Kalich said has cut down on wait times to purchase tickets.

As crews adorned the building with a fresh coat of paint, they discovered a hidden stained-glass window behind the marquee on the north side of the theater.

The glass has since been restored and a new free-standing sign was put up on the lawn.

Keeping the theater’s charm intact was key for the board of directors, many of whom have been performing there since they were kids. “The point of this renovation is to do core infrastructure stuff, so we’re starting from the ground up,” Ms. Kalich said.

Though the theater will remain closed for the rest of the year, there are plans to put up a fall show and annual variety show at to-be-determined locations. Theater officials are hoping to reopen next spring with a production of “The Producers.”

A fresh coat of interior paint and replacing the 166 seats, Ms. Kalich said, will come after the bare-bones work is completed. “The pretty, shiny stuff we can do afterwards. It’ll look and sound different because we want to improve the way you see, hear and experience live theater.”

Ahead of Sunday’s groundbreaking ceremony, Mr. Hipp reflected on what the NFCT means to him. “It’s where I met my wife 26 years ago,” he said. May’s production of “Oliver!” marked the first time Mr. Hipp was joined by his wife, Kimet Speed, and their two sons on stage for a show.

He admitted to being a bit nervous about tearing the place apart. “You become attached to the place, the people, the experience,” Mr. Hipp said. “I don’t think it’s an accident that [the theater] has been here for 60 years. There’s something special about it.”

Photo caption: Mary Kalich, president of the North Fork Community Theatre, took the first swing at the stage during a groundbreaking ceremony Sunday. She is co-chairing the renovation project with Mike Hipp, right. (Credit: Tara Smith)

tsmith@timesreview.com

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A Mattituck man driving on Sound Avenue near Mill Lane in Mattituck was stopped for speeding last Sunday around 4:11 a.m., according to Southold Town police. Max Padula, 25, was found to be intoxicated and refused to take a breath test, police said. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, the report states.

• Eva Kelly, 36, of Mastic Beach was arrested for driving with a suspended license and with an expired inspection last Thursday around 8:47 a.m. in Cutchogue, police said.

• An illegal bonfire was reported on 67 Steps Beach in Greenport last Tuesday around midnight, police said. When an officer arrived at the scene, the fire was smoldering with empty beer cans surrounding it, but no subjects were found.

• A Greenport man was issued an appearance ticket last Thursday around 8 p.m. for drinking an alcoholic beverage in a public place in the Adams Street parking lot in Greenport Village, police said.

• A Greenport woman said an unknown person stole multiple items from her apartment in Peconic Landing on Friday around 3 p.m., including two crosses, a pearl necklace and her cellphone, police said.

• A Southold couple reported a group of people entering their property without permission, jumping into their pool and then throwing their outdoor furniture into the pool on Saturday around noon and they also have the incident on surveillance video, police said.

• A Southold man said Monday that unknown people threw eggs at two school buses over the weekend at Southold High School, police said.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

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It’s not about food trucks.

Let me start by saying I am 100 percent pro-food trucks at wineries, breweries or even farm stands. OK great; now that I have established that, I will continue.

This is a direct response to the Aug. 4 editorial. I will explain the complexities that the editorial lacks and flesh out a topic that is not as simple as the picture the editorial paints.

Zoning is the first problem in this issue. Since, by and large, wineries are classified as agricultural zoning they are not allowed to produce food on site. For many years, this is how the relationship between vineyard and restaurant was developed. The vineyard would contact a restaurant to see if it had the proper catering permit to provide food on site during events. The restaurants would carry local wines to support the upstart industry. I can’t say I’ve tasted the wine made back at the birth of the industry but I know from speaking with my grandfather and other professionals it has come leaps and bounds.

As the industry grew, new money poured into the North Fork, and those with little or no connection to the community or familiarity with town code began to build more vineyards. It was then that the challenge to the code was beginning to be made. Commercial-grade kitchens were built in some of these wineries so they could double as a catering hall or at the very least provide food, which as we know is not permitted on agriculturally zoned land. While most of this was limited and squashed by town enforcers/zoning board, there are wineries with these kitchens somehow still installed.

Now, food trucks have come along and the debate has heated up with real concern. America is built on competition, but also on the ability of the government to equal the playing field. Winery owners who have the capital do not need local restaurants as much as they did when they couldn’t sell North Fork wine to anybody outside the area. They can now just buy their own food trucks and employ people to run them, keeping it all in house.

The first check/balance of a winery being able to do this is the commissary a food truck is supposed to have. It is quite simple to dodge actually. Catering companies have been using a “loophole” for years and it continues to be done. You can claim to the health department that the commissary is the kitchen of a local restaurant, while the food is actually made at the winery. The reason this is important is because the food truck or catering company without a commissary does not have to pay the taxes on property, therefore have an unfair advantage.

Permitting food trucks that are actually owned and operated by a local restaurant that has proper permits should be allowed. What shouldn’t be allowed is wineries buying their own food trucks and hiring people to operate them. This is what has begun to happen at vineyards — and is the real reason there is an outcry.

There are at least three vineyards in Southold Town that have the kitchens to be able to prep food on site. The ease with which they can prep the food, place the prepped food into their food truck and offer VIP table service makes the statement “Wineries cannot function like restaurants, on that much everyone can agree,” completely untrue. What I have just explained in detail is the slippery slope that endangers not the rural integrity, but fair business practices.

For me, when it comes down to it, I just want to know where the future stands for me. When I come back home to start my business, will it always be threatened by non-enforceable code? Will it be that I can start or help start a restaurant at a winery? Will it even be in the Town of Southold that I want to do business?

I hesitated to write this a year ago and now everything I would have written has come to pass. I also write this as no longer an employee of the family business, with no skin in the game anymore — except for when I return to start my own business. I write this so that we can have transparency on this topic from somebody with a different level of understanding.

I hope this will help wineries, farm stands, restaurants and, most important, the town come together and work together. Or maybe nothing will be done because that requires a lot more effort and the businesses with agricultural zoning will be able to continue to do things outside what their zoning permits. I hope for the former.

The author was born and raised in Mattituck and has worked as a chef at his family businesses, including Jamesport Manor Inn.

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Greenport resident Mimi Meyers was walking her dog on Conkling Point Tuesday about 9 a.m. with her grandson, Bob Meyers, 10, when she nearly tripped over a 10-foot plank of varnished mahogany.

“From the way it was glued together, it looked like the kind of wood that’s used to make sailboats,” Ms. Meyers said.

She had read the Shelter Island Reporter article about Badger, the 31-foot sailboat that sunk off Conkling Point on August 1, and thought the plank of wood resembled its upper rim. While she and her husband, Gary Mangus are not entirely sure it’s a piece of Badger, they think it’s “about the right length.”

“Given the condition of the plank, it seems like the boat got beat up pretty bad down there,” said Mr. Mangus, who sometimes watches the Wednesday Night races from the Point.

As the owner of the boat, Ross Allonby, and two guests onboard passed Conkling Point near the Southold side that evening, they were hit by a severe gust just as they crossed the tide line. Mr. Allonby pushed the tiller away and immediately tried to ease the mainsheet, but the mainsheet block had swiveled away from him and the line immediately next to the cleat was jammed behind a lifted floorboard. He was unable to release the mainsheet in the vital seconds needed to ease out the sail.

The vessel “broached,” or heeled over, with the sail laying flat in the water. It then filled with water and quickly began to submerge. The three sailors were rescued with no injuries, but Badger was gone in less than 60 seconds.

As of last week, Mr Allonby, was “95 percent confident” that he had spotted Badger’s wreckage south of the North Ferry on a sonar screen, and salvage plans were pending.

“A lot of times we get the kind of stuff that blows off sailboats, like lifejackets and so on,” Mr. Mangus said. “Or chunks of docks or construction materials. But this is the first time we’ve seen something like this.”

Ms. Meyers has contacted Mr. Allonby to see if he wants to retrieve or inspect the plank. She has not heard back from him yet.

“If he wants it back, it’s here,” she said.

Photo caption: From left, Gary Mangus, Bob Meyers, and Mimi Meyers stand on Conkling Point, with Shelter Island behind them, holding the 10-foot plank of wood that is suspected to be a piece of Badger. (Annabelle Woodward photo) 

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The Town of Southold is mulling over the idea of replacing its 1,434 street lights with LED bulbs and fixtures.

Initial calculations estimated the project cost at approximately $750,000 and completion time at two to three months. 

Currently, only one in seven street lights in the town are LED, and those have LED bulbs in conventional fixtures. 

“We spend about $100,000 on street lighting and about $83,000 of that is attributable to these lamps,” said town engineer Michael Collins. “We think that in the first year we can shave $56,000 off of that number.”

Jeff Standish, director of public works for the town, said LED lights last longer and don’t require as much maintenance, freeing up employees for other tasks around the town. He also said hiring another person in his department would be beneficial. 

He added that when he looked into switching to LED fixtures years ago, it would have cost almost $2 million, but the price of material has dropped significantly.

Fishers Island Justice Louisa Evans worried that some residents would complain about the lights being too bright. Mr. Collins said the lights would be “pretty yellow.”

He added that they are looking into a possible New York State Energy Research and Development Authority grant to fund the project.

The board unanimously agreed that transitioning to LED bulbs and fixtures would be beneficial for the town in the long run, and gave the go-ahead for town engineers and the Department of Public Works to continue their research and come up with a complete cost and installation plan.

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Perry Gershon of East Hampton won the Democratic primary in June for the 1st Congressional District. He’ll challenge Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) in November for his seat in Congress. Mr. Gershon sat down with the editors and reporters of The Suffolk Times ahead of the election to discuss a few of the issues that are a focus in the campaign.

Here is a condensed version of the conversation.

Q: What are you hearing from people and how do you think you are doing?

A: We have tremendous Democratic energy right now in this district at a level that, best I can tell, we haven’t seen since at least 2012 and some may say 2006/2008. It’s a culmination of the Trump administration and people’s general reaction to that and just a feeling of dissatisfaction with [Congressman] Lee Zeldin himself and a lot of the policies that he’s been behind.

Q: Do you hear more things about Zeldin or more things about [President Donald] Trump?

A: At the moment, hearing more things about Zeldin. I’d say in the Democratic primary if you’re trying to bring them out to get people to vote you talk Trump. But I think now the focus is on issues. It’s on health care probably more than anything else … There’s another issue that matters to everyone in Long Island and in the state, really. The Republican tax plan and the loss of state and local/property tax deductions.

Q: When they talk about Zeldin, what’s bothering people that you’re encountering?

A: It’s a combination of extremism, feeling abandoned that he’s become political. I do think Zeldin was elected as a moderate. People thought he represented something and in this last term he’s been anything but that. He’s got one thing in particular in common with Trump, which is governing for one party as opposed to everybody … Zeldin doesn’t hold town halls, he holds mobile town halls and controls who can participate in it. Which is representing your supporters, perhaps, but it’s not hearing the point of view of the district.

Q: Are there issues unique to out here, like fishing or farming or small businesses, that you think he’s really dropped the ball on?

A: Yes. Let’s start with his signature issue, Plum Island. I’m not going to attack his position on Plum Island. I think the right idea is to preserve it and keep it from being developed and ideally to keep it useful as a research facility. And he likes to say that he has gotten Plum Island through the House, numerous times. But he’s not getting anything passed into law. There’s more to being a successful legislator than just passing laws, even if your name is on it.

Q: If the House flips over in November, would you be in favor of seeking impeachment against the president or just more digging into things, like tax returns?

A: I don’t think it’s fair to prejudge any inquiry. There’s a probe going on and it’s a criminal probe of what happened in the election. [Special counsel Robert] Mueller is studying it … So let him finish, let’s see what the results show and then let’s make a decision. It wouldn’t be right, regardless of what I feel, for me to take a position on it today because I don’t know what he’s going to find.

Q: In terms of foreign policy where do you think Zeldin has gone off the rails?

A: I think, in many ways, he’s too rah-rah with President Trump. I’ll start with the recent meeting Trump had with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin … Zeldin was willing to say that, yes, the Russians interfered. But he had no criticism of the president … Iran is another good example. Whether you supported the JCPOA at the time or not it was in place and it was serving as a deterrent … It’s unclear what’s going to happen from here. I’m hopeful. I root for the United States. So I’m hopeful that Trump somehow does cut a better deal … There are lots of ways you can make it better. But why not work on making it better while you’re still in it instead of pulling out?

Q: Mr. Zeldin was very much in favor of moving the American embassy to Jerusalem. How did you feel about that?

A: Like Zeldin, I’m Jewish. I’m a very, very strong supporter of the state of Israel. Congress decided 20-plus years ago that the embassy should be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem … The last thing I wanna do is say that I don’t think the embassy belongs in Jerusalem because I think it does. I think the timing and the ceremony could have been handled better. I don’t think you need to incite people. If you’re moving the embassy to Jerusalem, do it quietly.

Q: How do you think Zeldin responded when the separations at the border were taking place?

A: I certainly would have responded differently. I’m very much for comprehensive immigration reform and I’m very much for border security. There was a rally in East Quogue and some people came to me and asked me if I was for abolishing ICE. I’m like absolutely not — ICE is important and it is wrong to take that position. But at the same time you can be pro-ICE and still be for reforming ICE. We should have comprehensive immigration reform and we should have strong and enforceable borders … You don’t separate children from their parents because that creates problems. There are other issues with immigration that are important. You’ve got people who’ve been in this country for a long period of time. You have the DREAMers. And they should have a path to citizenship.

Q: In some circles of the Democratic party now there seems to be a very lefty, socialist view of the direction your party should be taken, on things like health care. Where do you come in on that?

A: You can look at who our Democratic congressmen were historically and they were all moderate and I think that’s what works [in New York One.] I consider myself to be a progressive, but at the same time I also consider myself to be a moderate and strongly pro-business. I have a business background. I’m a capitalist, I’m not a socialist. I think business is the engine that drives America. I think health care is also a right. It’s not a privilege. I’d like to see everybody have universal health care, but I’d do it in steps. Not being penalized for preexisting conditions is probably the most important gain we have. And if that’s under attack I’m going to focus on preserving that.

Q: How do you combat the image that Zeldin’s pushed out there? That you’re a guy from the city, you don’t represent the East End, you’re just parachuting in?

A: I’m certainly not just parachuting in anywhere. I’ve lived here for 20 years. I got married in this district. My wife’s family has been in the Hamptons since the 1970s. I think I have a pretty good, strong connection to New York One. I’ve been a taxpayer for 20 years. But having said all that I really don’t want to respond to it. What I want to talk about is health care. I want to talk about taxes. I want to talk about some of the crazy things he’s for, like concealed carry reciprocity … I want to talk about job creation and how to do that.

Q: How do you combat all the millennials stuck at home or leaving Long Island because they can’t afford to live here?

A: You have to invest in yourself first. What Zeldin and the Republicans got behind is just a general tax cut to everybody. Their feeling is if you cut taxes the wealth will trickle down. Well, it doesn’t trickle down here in Long Island. But if you invest in what you have then you can make yourselves better. If we can invest in our plans and our infrastructure businesses will want to open here and they’ll be able to offer a higher paying jobs which will work for younger people. There are other things we need to do. Student debt is an absolute killer for young people. And I think we need a federal program that alleviates that burden and alleviates it not just for the people in school today but for the people who are shackled by their student debt.

Q: Just briefly, what’s your background?

A: I graduated Yale in 1984. I was a molecular biochemistry and biophysics major. I went to medical school for 2 1/2 years and in 1987 I left because I realized I was living in my parents’ shadow. My mom is a very famous researcher: she developed the chickenpox vaccine. My dad is also a very famous neurobiologist. So in January of ’87 I left and opened a sports bar. I ran it for 3 1/2 years and then sold it. I moved out to California and went to business school at Berkley and came back in 1993 and got involved in a startup real estate lending business.

Photo caption: Perry Gershon pictured in June after winning the Democratic primary. (Credit: Kelly Zegers)

nsmith@timesreview.com

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The Peconic Land Trust is seeking state grant funding to help revitalize trails at the Wolf Preserve in Southold.

The 23-acre preserve off Main Bayview Road is currently home to two hiking trails, which the organization is hoping to eventually connect.

After receiving approval from Southold Town at a July 31 board meeting, the land trust submitted a $29,000 matching grant proposal to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation under the Environmental Protection Fund.

The funding will help fund a portion of the costs to hire a landscape architecture firm to complete a landscape master plan for the property, according to Picnic Land Trust vice president Yvette DeBow-Salsedo.

“The landscape master plan will incorporate a review of the site and determine all the necessary features, tasks, permits and costs for the implementation of an accessible trail system at the Wolf Preserve that would traverse freshwater wetland habitats, meadows, and woodland areas,” Ms. DeBow-Salsedo said.

Their ultimate goal is a trail that would comply with federal trail accessibility guidelines. “We’re looking to make [the trails] a little bit of an easier grade for people who have mobility issues,” said Brendan Minogue, a land steward at Peconic Land Trust.

The current trail network ventures about a half mile into a wooded area and along a wetland area. 

“The whole middle portion is a wetland area that’s not really visible or easily accessible from the trails,” Mr. Minogue said. “We’re hoping to possibly connect the two sides with a boardwalk and possibly put in some educational features to open it up to more use for the community.”

The total project cost would be determined in the master plan.

According to Mr. Minogue, the Wolf Preserve property was chosen because its existing trails already mimic some of the Forest Service trail accessibility guidelines, which set standards for width, grade, resting areas and passing spaces.

Lenore Wolf donated the property to the Peconic Land Trust in her will in 2003. The New York City resident found solace in Southold, where she moved to enjoy retirement in the mid-1970s. It was opened to the public in 2006 and features wetlands, woodlands and meadows.

“The potential accessible trail system at the Wolf Preserve is a great opportunity to extend the legacy of Dr. Lenore Wolf, who saw the preserve as a place for people to ‘breathe and renew their connection to the land,’ ” said Pam Greene, senior vice president of the Peconic Land Trust.

The accessible trail system would be the first of its kind on the North Fork. 

“It’s something we didn’t see a lot of and thought it would be a nice thing for the community, especially up here. You have Peconic Landing just down the road and overall, an aging population [that is still interested in being outside],” Mr. Minogue said.

The agency expects a decision on the grant in November.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Brittany Walker, the longest-serving member of the Greenport/Southold high school field hockey team, must have looked around at the start of the team’s first preseason practice on Monday morning and wondered to herself, “Who are some of these people?”

Good question.

With the loss of seven players (all starters) from last year’s team, Greenport has seen a good deal of turnover. That’s a lot of positions to fill, and a lot of new faces to fill them with.

“We don’t all know each other,” said Walker, a senior forward in her fifth year on the team. “I played other sports with some of them … I recognize some of them, but I’ve never played field hockey with them.”

Some introductions may have been in order.

Aside from Walker, Greenport has only three other seniors: forward Jules Atkins and defenders Emelyn Azurdia and Nereida Torivio.

Goal scoring was an issue for Greenport, which went 3-11 last year. Defense could be a concern now. The only returning starting defender is sophomore Magda Rodriguez.

“I inherited a lot of seniors last year who were great, but now we really have a really brand new team, a very young team, which comes with its challenges and its greatness,” the team’s second-year coach, Kaitlin Daniels, said after the practice at Greenport High School. “We’re building from the ground up, but I couldn’t ask for better seniors to be setting a positive example for them.”

As part of Monday morning’s practice, the Porters played a version of tag. It was both cardio work and a team-bonding exercise.

With a bunch of newcomers, developing a sense of camaraderie is as important as ever before Greenport opens its season Sept. 6 at Pierson/Bridgehampton.

“I really believe in team bonding,” Daniels said. “I think it’s important that the girls know each other, they trust each other and that they’re having a good time together. They want to come to practice and see their teammates. Any team that doesn’t have that feeling, it really shows on the field.”

Greenport is coming off a 3-11 season. The Porters lost some talented players and clearly having their work cut out for them.

“Definitely, we’re going to have to rebuild, and it’s going to be a learning experience for sure,” said Walker, who won the team’s Unsung Hero Award and shared the Coach’s Award with Atkins last year. “We have a lot of ninth-graders who haven’t played on the varsity level before. It will be a new experience for everyone, not just them, but it should be fun. We all get to learn from each other.”

Greenport’s seniors from last year have moved on. Ale Cardi, Liz Clark, Madison Hilton, Zoe Medina, Ashley Payne, Isabelle Torres and Lena Wolf are gone. Now it’s time for the new generation of Porters to make their mark.

“It kind of feels sad because this is my last preseason,” said Atkins.

Atkins and Walker have taken on enhanced leadership roles.

“They’ve really stepped up in a big way and they’re also familiar with my vision for the program and how I run it, having done it last year, so I really rely on them to set a positive example,” said Daniels.

Walker hopes that when the pieces are put together, it adds up to a “good, fun senior year. I want everyone to enjoy playing and to keep them playing … and really to just become a team and know that when we leave, when we step off the field for our last game, that we left everything on the field.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Brittany Walker has been a member of the Greenport/Southold high school field hockey team longer than anyone else. (Credit: Bob Liepa)

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James I. Melrose, native Long Islander and mariner, passed away peacefully at home on Aug. 6, 2018. He was born in Huntington Nov. 11, 1944, the second of three Melrose boys raised by Edith and Robert Melrose of Lloyd Harbor and Greenport, N.Y.

Jim attended Walt Whitman High School followed by a brief time at Farmingdale University before he entered the workforce and honed his skills in machining and surveying. It was at this time he was to meet his wife-to-be, Midge Ruediger of Cold Spring Harbor, who attended C.W. Post College. Their courtship was interrupted when Jim received notice of being drafted into the Army. After basic training he was assigned to the 109th Maintenance Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, where he rose to the rank of sergeant E-5 while stationed in Vietnam. James and the soon-to-be Mrs. Melrose were married just over a month after his homecoming in 1968.

In 1968, combining his mechanical skills and love for the sea, Jim started his dock building company, Melrose Marine Service Inc., working out of Jacobson Shipyard in Oyster Bay. Originally started as a one-man operation, he turned it into a marine construction company that would build and service marine structures on the North Shore of Long Island for the next 50 years. In 1973 he built his 45-foot work tug, Dragon, which has been a fixture of the Huntington/Oyster Bay/Manhasset and Greenport areas for the last 45 years.

By 1980, Jim relocated to Greenport, his home until his death. He continued to work in Suffolk, Nassau, Connecticut and upstate New York. In the early 1990s, there was an opportunity for Jim and Melrose Marine Service to expand into the field of environmental cleanup. Jim used this opportunity to fabricate the equipment, unavailable at the time, including water filtration systems and a suction dredge for underwater vacuuming of areas contaminated by heavy industrial metals. He formed Seaway Environment Technologies with Chesner Engineering, through the help of NYSERDA, to clean sites such as the Hudson River. Collaboration with Cornell Institute would see this technology at work in a mock application at their Cedar Beach, Southold, outpost during the early 2000s.

Retirement would allow Jim to tinker in his shop on Albertson Lane and get back to sailing. Jim and his wife could be seen regularly sailing out of Sterling Harbor or rowing his Whitehall or in their two-man kayak.

Jim also liked to share his knowledge, helping friends, and to contribute to local waterfront programs. He was also known around Greenport for his school board attempt in 1993, which he lost, but his campaign to get computers into the school was not in vain.

Jim is survived by his wife of 50 years, Midge; three sons, Eric and Steven, both of Greenport, and David, of Brooklyn; David’s wife, Jodie; and their daughter, Ava.

An informal celebration of Jim’s life will be held at Greenport Yacht and Shipbuilding Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 3 to 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090.

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

This is a paid notice.

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I’m James Hull, owner and brewer here at the Shelter Island Craft Brewery, on Shelter Island, N.Y.

We’re on our fourth year now. We opened on July 3, 2015 and have been going strong ever since.

We’re a small brewery here, only a half barrel at a time, so it’s really a true craft brewery. We’re constricted to just selling from here, because we simply just don’t make enough beer to be able to put it out on taps at bars and restaurants. Everything is handmade in a very small batch. We use ingredients from the island here. Some of the stuff comes from my backyard actually, from my garden.

Most of the time we start at 4 a.m., and often times it goes late into the night because we are constantly running out of beer. We want to keep that small batch handcrafted thing going, rather than industrialize. Making beer is a pretty simple process. It’s the combination of grain, hot water, yeast and then you’ve got beer. It sits in a fermenter tank for sometimes a little more than two weeks. It’s all about all the flavors that go in and the hops that you use, and the adjuncts you add to it along the way.

James Hull of Shelter Island Craft Brewery. (Rachel Siford photo)

It’s too hard to pick my favorite beer that we make. I love them all, and they all sell equally believe it or not. Some of my veterans are 114, which is an IPA, and because we’re on Route 114, we brew it for 114 minutes and add hops constantly every three to five minutes that produce different levels of flavor.

The reason I am brewing this beer is because I like to cook. I’m a foodie and my friends inside that help out are also chefs, so we concentrate more on the nuances of flavor more than anything else.

My favorite part is that I don’t need to have a restaurant and I can do my flavor thing right here without going into 18-hour days and becoming a slave to a kitchen.

“The Work We Do” is a Suffolk Times multimedia project profiling workers on the North Fork. Read it first and see more photos every Monday on Instagram @thesuffolktimes and watch the video on facebook.com/thesuffolktimes.

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Following a long-established tradition, on the first day of preseason practice Monday morning, the Southold High School boys varsity and junior varsity soccer teams began their journey into the fall season by walking in tandem, two by two, from the school toward the field.

They marched through a metal gate and over the new track before arriving at their new artificial turf field.

“Beautiful,” said junior forward Joe Silvestro.

“It’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful,” head coach Andrew Sadowski beamed. “It’s green, it’s flat. Comfortable.”

The First Settlers, who lost in the Suffolk County Class C final to long-time rival Pierson/Bridgehampton, 1-0, last year, hope to use the new field to their advantage and as they aim to advance beyond the county championship.

“It should because, ‘Hey, look at that, a brand new field; let’s show everyone how we do, how we play, show them how good we are, show them who’s boss pretty much,’ ” said junior center back Stephen Schill.

Since Southold hasn’t won a county crown since 2015, this is one hungry team.

“I’ve been looking forward to it every year I have been playing soccer,” Schill said. “I’ve got only two years of soccer left. In one or two of the years, I would love to [win] counties and go on, move forward.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Sadowski, who enters his 25th Southold season as the dean of all Suffolk boys soccer coaches, noted that many League VII teams play on grass fields. That will force his squad to reacclimate itself for road games. The Settlers have played on grass in the past.

“It’s nice to play on a flat surface,” he said. “Obviously, playing on a turf field, the ball moves quicker. It’s unforgiving. You make a mistake, you can’t blame the field. The quality of their touch on the ball is just going to have to continue to get better the more we play on it.

“The other thing is that most of our away games will be on grass fields, so we’re going to have to play that switch back and forth a little bit.”

A few signs on the fence at the entrance remind athletes that they may wear only molded cleats or any kind of athletic shoes, that sharp objects were forbidden as was food and sports drinks or liquids, other than water, among other rules.

Many players already were familiar with the new multi-purpose field, funded by a $9.7 million capital bond, that opened May 29. The field includes a flagpole, a scoreboard that still needs to be installed and stands on the east end. A huge red “S” is situated at midfield on the field, which has red, blue and white lines that differentiate markings for lacrosse, field hockey and soccer.

“It’s definitely different than grass because grass is a lot thicker,” Silvestro said. “So, it’s a lot getting used to the touch on the ball. It will go out a little bit further when you hit it and it will bounce more. We’ve been out here for at least two months. Since it has been put in we’ve been playing on it since the last day of school.”

Added Schill: “We’ve been playing through the summer just because it was a new turf field. I’m looking forward playing on it this year.”

The first practice went pretty much to plan, which included stretching exercises, a 1 1/2-mile run (six times around the track), drills and a scrimmage that stressed players’ possession skills as three, and not two, teams vied for the ball, with several water breaks on a cool August morning.

Several players did not show up for the morning session — there was another in the evening — which concerned Sadowski.

“We have quite a few kids who are going to play who aren’t here,” he said. “Some of them we knew that they were out of the country, visiting family, things like that. There are a couple who did not show up today and we’re not sure why. They played summer league. I’m just hoping they had to work this morning and they were afraid to tell us.”

Sadowski, who can be a demanding coach, saw some improvement as the first session went on, although he felt there still was a long way to go.

“We got better as the morning went along,” he said. “There’s a little bit more effort. Attention to detail still needs a lot to be improved. We’ll see. Definitely a work in progress.”

Photo caption: Junior center back Stephen Schill making a pass on Southold’s new artificial turf field Monday morning. (Credit: Garret Meade)

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UPDATE (8 p.m.): The Mattituck home where political graffiti was discovered Tuesday morning belongs to celebrity chef Tom Colicchio.

Mr. Colicchio, of “Top Chef” fame, later tweeted to his 926,000 followers that the act “was in response” to him displaying a Perry Gershon yard sign. Mr. Gershon is a Democrat who is running against Republican Lee Zeldin in the 1st Congressional District.

Neighbors saw the name “Trump” sprayed on the roadway and mailbox of the home during a morning walk. The sign appeared damaged and a tire track in the mud nearby suggested a car may have run into it. On the roadway, “Cuomo = Death to America,” and on the homeowner’s lawn, “Go home” with another indistinguishable message.

Mr. Colicchio’s tweet continued, “What say you, @leezeldin?”

The graffiti also appeared to take aim at  Mr. Colicchio’s wife, Lori Silverbus, who also tweeted about the incident this morning, writing ” Cute touch: my name & a defaced Jewish star.”

This was in response for putting a @perrygershon yard sign up. What say you @leezeldin also my wife’s name a cross and a Jewish Star pic.twitter.com/vFKIJPaJhD

— Tom Colicchio (@tomcolicchio) August 21, 2018

Mr. Zeldin posted a response on Facebook, saying “This coward needs to be identified and prosecuted.”

Mr. Colicchio has been politically active in recent years, mostly in relation to food policy issues. He once stated in a Tweet to The Suffolk Times that he votes in the 1st District.

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley said Tuesday night that the Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit responded to assist Southold in the investigation and the case is not being classified as a hate crime.

Original story: Morning walks are a routine for Linda Burke, but she was shocked Tuesday morning to come across graffiti on usually pristine Mill Lane in Mattituck.

As she slowed down near a home at the Wickham Avenue intersection, Ms. Burke began to make out the letters: “Trump” emblazoned on the roadway and mailbox of a home sporting a sign for Perry Gershon, a Democrat who is running against Republican Lee Zeldin in the First Congressional District.

The sign appeared damaged and a tire track in the mud nearby suggested a car may have run into it.

More sinister messages appeared on the roadway, “Cuomo = Death to America,” and on the homeowner’s lawn, “Go home” with another indistinguishable message. “I couldn’t make out what some of it said, but you get the gist,” Ms. Burke said later Tuesday morning. “I came upon it and thought, ‘Whoa.’ ”

According to Ms. Burke, who lives nearby, a crew from the Southold Town Highway Department arrived to begin cleaning up the graffiti as she snapped a few pictures with her cellphone.

She thought to document the incident because it’s not something often seen in Mattituck.

“It’s shocking and disappointing. I went for a walk to relax and clear my head. I really think it’s sad that people have to resort to that kind of communication,” she said.

Photos Ms. Burke took along Mill Lane Tuesday morning. (Credit: Linda Burke)

Kristin Avondet of nearby Grand Avenue drove by on her way to work as a crew was cleaning up the graffiti. “It’s extremely sad and a little scary that people are being targeted for political affiliations,” she said. “It has me thinking twice about putting up any signs at my own house.”

Though she doesn’t know the homeowners personally, Ms. Avondet can relate to them. Her car has been vandalized twice, which she says she believes is because of a Bernie Sanders bumper sticker.

Ms. Avondet, who grew up in the area, said she doesn’t recognize this spike of hatred. “People always had differing views and opinions, but we managed to live in harmony despite that,” she said. “This isn’t the [Mattituck] I grew up in.”

The Southold Town police and highway departments did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

This incident comes on the heels of an act of vandalism at the Greek Orthodox Church in Greenport and is concerning to Sonia Spar, who co-chairs the Southold Anti-Bias Task Force.

“It is very troubling,” Ms. Spar said of the incidents. “The hateful messages that these actions send to our community cannot be met with silence. Our community must come together to strongly denounce these attacks.”

tsmith@timesreview.com

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The Southold Planning Board met Monday with representatives of the Tenedios Agricultural Building, a proposed 8,664-square-foot building to house livestock and store feed, supplies and farm equipment on 34.5 acres of farmland owned by Fresh & Co adjacent to Narrow River Road in Orient.

The board discussed the many concerns the public brought up at past public hearings, like the scenic impact, wetlands and surface water protection from animal waste, and the possibility of special events at the location.

Representatives for the landowner, Pat Moore and Bill Kelly, said that they understand that there are no special events permitted on land where development rights were sold, which includes the land where the barn sits.

“If anywhere else on the property, it goes to the Town Board and is out of our purview,” planning board chairman Donald Wilcenski said.

The board completed a site visit at the proposed location, where they determined the paddocks had good quality grass cover and flood zones were checked. The Southold Town Trustees were also able to verify the building is far enough away from wetlands. The board did recommend the applicant move the pig enclosure 50 feet off the southwest border of the property to prevent runoff into the wetlands.

The Architectural Review Committee and the Land Preservation Committee recommended that the Planning Board require the structure be moved 200 feet to the west. The applicant complied.

The Agricultural Committee said that the scenic vista should not be impacted, but rather that this barn could be part of the scenic vista since it is set so far back from Main Road, according to Planning Board staff reports.

As for environmental concerns, the Southold Town Trustees admitted that the proposed barn location is outside its jurisdiction, but would like the applicant’s cooperation in contacting professional guidance from Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Planning Department director Heather Lanza said that the landowner provided information about how he plans to manage the animals and that he had good farm management practices such as rotational grazing and buffers from the wetlands.

The Long Island Farm Bureau also submitted comments to the board saying that it would be a concern if the town sets a precedent on restricting farm land, and they would encourage but not require the farm to have a voluntary Nutrient Management Plan and Integrated Pest Management Plan done by the local Soil and Water Conservation District.

The planning board closed the public hearing on the Tenedios Agricultural Barn proposal last month.

rsiford@timesreview.com 

Photo: Bill Kelly and Pat Moore talk to planning board members and staff at Monday’s work session.

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Friends, family, superheroes, a piñata and three-time Grammy nominee Brady Rymer — all were present at Greenport’s Herzog Park Monday night to celebrate Sam. 

Sam is Sam Duffy, a 7-year-old boy who has spent the last 3 1/2 years battling leukemia, which he has now done successfully, according to his mom, Holly Lanzetta. 

She received permission from Greenport Village earlier this month to throw a party at the beach and park between 5th and 6th streets to celebrate Sam’s

positive prognosis and everyone was invited. It was a potluck dinner to which people brought dishes for everyone to share. 

Ms. Lanzetta said “hundreds of people” have helped her and her son. 

“So many in this community have come out and really saved Sam and me through this whole journey,” she said. 

A former Greenport resident, Ms. Lanzetta now lives in Southold. 

Sam and his mother Holly Lanzetta at the Monday night celebration. (Tim Gannon photo)

The party had soccer, a piñata (at which Sam got first crack), music by Brady Rymer of Southold, a few guys running around dressed as Captain America, Superman and Spider-Man — and even swimming at the beach. 

“This is exactly what I wanted,” said Ms. Lanzetta, who was dressed as Catwoman. “To see everyone getting to know one another. It’s so cool to see so many walks of life, and so many different groups of people. I want to say how grateful I am that everyone came out and so many donated to make this happen … I can’t thank this community enough.”

She said she plans to start a foundation to benefit kids with cancer.

It will be called “Sam’s Heroes” and will arrange for superheroes to visit kids in hospitals and help youngsters who might not be able to get costumes to do so. 

The idea came from Sam, a fan of superheroes.

Sam has endured 25 spinal taps, as well as chemotherapy, and still has to take pills every day that often wear him down, Ms. Lanzetta said. 

“For him to be as cool as he is, after everything he’s gone through, to be still smiling … I’m super proud of the attitude he’s had through this whole thing,” his mother said in a brief speech to those in attendance.

Sam, meanwhile, couldn’t wait to get to that piñata.

Photo caption: The community came out to celebrate Sam (center, holding soccer ball). (Tim Gannon photo) 

tgannon@timesreview.com

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The Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council has secured funding for a number of improvements to the Old House in Cutchogue, including installing electricity and searching for evidence of 17th-century witchcraft practices.

The Old House will be getting electricity set up within the house, and in order to do so, wires must be installed underground. An archaeologist must be involved in order to protect the national historic landmark, and since the historical society will already be doing some digging, they thought this would be a great time to dig for witch-related items as well.

“We have good reason to believe there may be evidence of what are known as ‘witch bottles’ intentionally buried, because that is a known custom or superstition with the Puritans,” Zachary Studenroth, the director of the historical council, said.

Mr. Studenroth said people during this time period tended to practice various methods to ward off supernatural beings. He will be working with Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants to lead a dig in September in the Village Green, where the Old House sits, to see if they can discover any buried witch-related items.

During the 17th century, it was common for people to bury so-called witch bottles near any entrances to their homes, which were filled with things like fingernails, urine, dirt and other unsanitary things. The hope was that this would cause any witches pain if they were to enter their house.

“This is going to be one of the themes that we’ll be discussing with visitors when they come to the property because we’re looking to illustrate the post-medieval period and how people lived and what they thought about who they were,” Mr. Studenroth said.

“To have such interesting physical evidence about how they were, on one hand, true believers of the new-Christian era, [while] they still had one foot back in their superstitious medieval world,” he said.

Witches were often used to explain things that science can now explain but were not understood centuries ago, like crop failures or strange weather.

The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation awarded the historical council with a matching grant of $50,000. The project will total about $100,000 and will consist of several parts. About two-thirds of the cost will go towards repairing siding that has been damaged by sun exposure. The rest will be spent on electrical work as well as the dig. The council is also working on making the Old House wheelchair accessible.

In 1940, the Old House was renovated and small primitive stick dolls were found underneath the floorboards. They were once thought to be toys for children, but Mr. Studenroth has since learned that they are known in England as poppets and were hidden in houses to safeguard inhabitants.

He has also discovered about a dozen intentional burn marks in the Old House kitchen near the fireplace. This was to signify to any spirits that tried to enter the house through the chimney that the house had already been burned, according to Mr. Studenroth.

The dig will take place September 22 and 23 and will be open to the public to watch and ask questions.

“We’re not doing a witch tour here, but it’s one way of introducing the mind and the lifestyle of the period,” Mr. Studenroth said.

rsiford@timesreview.com

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August 17, 1978

More than three dozen people were arrested for for protesting at the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant. 

The strains of “This Land Is Your Land” rang out, punctuated by the calls: “No nukes…No nukes.”

Blankets were thrown over the barbed wire fence at the entrance to the Long Island Lighting Company’s nuclear plant under construction at Shoreham.

Aug. 17, 1993

County officials have signed an agreement to allow Southold Development Corporation to sell Robin’s Island. The agreement has allowed California-based Robis Corporation to buy the 435-acre island in Peconic Bay, upsetting preservationists.

North Fork Environmental Council spokeswoman Linda Levy condemned the inking of an agreement and threatened to sue the county if papers were indeed signed without a legislative vote authorizing the deal and/or completion of state environmental quality review act (SEQRA) procedure.

Aug. 23, 1968

Eastern Long Island Hospital announced an increase in room rates effective Aug. 15.

A letter was sent to each patient: “Eastern Long Island Hospital has maintained ‘Doors that never close’ in order that medical care of the highest caliber may be made available to all in need … It is estimated that 75 percent of hospital expenses are for payroll in hospitals across the country, so it is at ELIH. There have been three salary increases for the employees since the last room rate increase; therefore, it has been the decision of the Trustees that room rate increase is mandatory to meet additional costs.’”

Aug. 21, 1953

A yacht owner escaped injury as his vessel exploded and and burned at Mitchell’s Pier.

A gas vapor explosion blew Colonel Chester Haberlin through the canvas awning on the dock. The 26-foot cabin cruiser Imshi, a steel yacht was swept by flames following the explosion.

The fire department extinguished the blaze and the weekend cruiser was towed to Hanff’s Boat Yard.

Aug. 19, 1943

The season’s outstanding baseball game will be held  between Tommy Jernick’s town team and the G.B. & C. Co. team at the Polo Grounds in Greenport Aug. 29

This game promises to draw many old time fans as the players comprising the Southold team will line up with such stars as Johnny Norklun, Marty Shipulski, Hank Sanford, Jimmy Gagen, Brick Stezer, Issy Krupski and Harold “Goldy” Goldsmith.

The Southold-Greenport tussles in the past 10 years will be revived and as the fans know, anything can be expected.

Aug. 17, 1928

A car washing machine, the latest type of high-pressure machine for washing cars has been installed in Wilson’s Garage opposite the Post Office.

Aug. 17, 1878

Capt. S. P. Rackett has had six more large and commodious bath houses erected, and furnished, and painted in the highest style of the art.

Fashion notes: Young ladies wear caps like those of the Roman peasant women. The old fashioned drooping chignon is about ready to be revived.

Caption: A photo of protesters at the 1978 power plant protest. (Credit: Pete Parpan)

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Update (6 a.m.): The victim of a robbery at the Mattituck baseball field told police two black males ran off with his cell phone and a silver necklace around 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, Southold Town Police said in a press release.

Southold Town Police patrol officers along with K9 officers from the Riverhead Police Department searched the area of Rochelle Place where a suspect was located hiding in the reeds a short time later, the release stated.

That suspect was taken into custody and transported to Southold Town Police headquarters for further questioning. An active investigation is underway.

Southold Town Police did not name the suspect in the press release.

*This post will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.

Original story: One suspect is in custody after Southold Town police swarmed the area around Bay Avenue in Mattituck late Wednesday afternoon after a report of an armed robbery.

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley confirmed one man was in custody and said the investigation is still active. A press release would be issued with further details, he said.

Police appeared to be searching for a second suspect and at one point around 5:45 p.m., multiple police cars sped over to the Mattituck Plaza and officers were questioning two men in front of the movie theater. The men were allowed to go and police then left the area.

A K-9 unit, and additional officers from Riverhead Town police, were on scene in the area near Veterans Beach during the investigation.

*This post will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.

Photo caption: Police Chief Martin Flatley, right, and a K-9 unit on Bay Avenue Wednesday afternoon in Mattituck. (Credit: Tara Smith)

joew@timesreview.com

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