The long search is over. The Mattituck High School boys soccer team has found a true goal scorer.

Coach Will Hayes said, for the first time in four years, he has a goal scorer. His name is Jack Burkhardt.

Burkhardt, a junior forward, has been on the team since he was a freshman. But this isn’t the same Burkhardt, even since last year when he was more of a role player.

Burkhardt called the change “dramatic. Last season I didn’t have many opportunities to finish and show my talent. This year the coach just said I can let loose and go crazy.”

Oh boy has he let loose. Burkhardt, one of the top point producers in Suffolk County, has let loose for 16 goals and 14 assists, both top figures for League VII.

Burkhardt had the ideal forum to demonstrate his talent in Friday’s homecoming game at Mattituck High School. He had a foot in four goals, with two goals and two assists in a 5-0 league defeat of Pierson/Bridgehampton. It was Mattituck’s fifth win in six games.

“It’s really been an explosion,” Hayes said of Burkhardt’s production. “It’s a huge change from [last year to] what he’s doing right now. Everything he does he does at a high level.”

Mattituck (10-5, 9-3) is also getting offense from junior midfielder Dane Reda. Reda scored twice Friday (both goals assisted by Burkhardt), giving him nine for the season to go with six assists.

Goalkeeper James Jacobs, one of nine Mattituck seniors recognized before the game, has been dealing with a sprained ankle. Jacobs started the match and played about five minutes before junior Emmett Ryan substituted in for him. Jacobs took part in his 20th career shutout, tying him with Cody Huntley for the school record, according to Hayes.

“We’re going to take it slowly” with Jacobs, said Hayes, who expects his first-string goalie to be fine for the playoffs.

Despite controlling the match, Mattituck clung to a slim 1-0 lead until Charlie Bordsen finished off a long free kick from Oswald Cuellar on the Tuckers’ 26th shot of the game. “We started getting in a groove and finishing our opportunities,” said Reda.

It was the first of four second-half goals Mattituck struck for within a span of 11 minutes and 48 seconds. Bordsen also had an assist during that flurry, as did Bryce Grathwohl.

Burkhardt came within inches of netting a hat trick, but hooked a shot off the left goalpost.

“I’m taking tons of shots this season,” he said. “Not all of them go in.”

Mattituck outshot Pierson, 27-6, and earned eight of the game’s 10 corner kicks.

William Walker made nine saves for Pierson (2-12, 2-9). Earlier in the season, Mattituck beat the Whalers, 4-1.

“We hit a speed bump in the middle of the season,” Hayes said. “Since then we haven’t looked back … We’re playing at a level that’s more in the line of Mattituck teams in the past.”

And Burkhardt has done his part.

“He’s been playing soccer for a long time,” said Reda, who has known Burkhardt since they were in kindergarten. “He sees the field really well. He knows where the ball should be.”

Often, that’s in the net.

Mattituck has one regular-season game remaining, a non-leaguer Monday against Wheatley at Centereach Park. Hayes expects the Tuckers will have an away playoff game after that. “We’re ready for the playoffs,” he said.

Reda agreed, saying, “It should be a good postseason.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Mattituck junior forward Jack Burkhardt delivering a cross in the first half against Pierson/Bridgehampton. (Credit: Bob Liepa)

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Police responded to a report of a sunken boat with one person in the water near Plum Island around 5 p.m. last Thursday. The Orient Fire Department helped the person out of the water. The person was later treated and released after the boat was towed back to Orient By The Sea, where it was placed on the owner’s trailer.

• A Southold woman notified police Saturday of a burglary on Soundview Avenue in Southold. According to a police report, a suspect had forced entry into the back door. No suspect was found when police arrived.

• An Orient man filed a report claiming that more than $4,700 worth of fraudulent charges were made to his checking account.

• A Mattituck man reported that an unknown vehicle struck the front bumper and hood of his car overnight Saturday while it was parked in front of his house on East Mill Drive. A police report said the car sustained extensive damage.

• On Saturday, a New Suffolk woman driving west on Route 25 near Tuckers Lane in Southold lost control of her vehicle, which skidded off of the roadway, hit a curb, and rolled over once, according to a report. The vehicle landed back on all four tires. All passengers left the incident in stable condition.

• Southold police were called to investigate a physical altercation between two housemates at a Greenport home, according to a report. One of the individuals suffered a swollen right eye and later admitted to being under the influence of alcohol. No arrests were made.

• A vehicle overturned in Mattituck and its driver suffered minor cuts after skidding on a patch of slippery road near Love Lane and Main Road at 2:20 p.m. Saturday. The driver, a Flanders man, refused medical attention.

• Police received a call last Wednesday about a potential burglary on Wickham Avenue in Mattituck last Wednesday. A Mattituck woman told police she saw a white work van back into the driveway of her neighbor’s residence. When the alarm went off, the suspects left the area immediately, she told police. No damage was done to the residence and there were no obvious signs of forced entry, according to a report.

• A Mattituck woman reported to police Tuesday that multiple items had been stolen from her farm stand on Sound Avenue. The police report states that the stolen items included cookies, bread cash, and an iPad. Police are investigating.

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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In the weeks and months following the July 2015 limousine crash in Cutchogue that left four young women dead, law enforcement pulling over limousines and party buses for inspection became a familiar sight on busy East End weekends. The tragedy made all too clear the danger posed by such large vehicles, in which most passengers are not properly secured with safety belts, and emphasized that much closer attention must be paid to improving safety.

A special grand jury that investigated the crash called for tougher regulation of limousine construction, prohibiting limos from making U-turns and stricter licensing for limo drivers, among other recommendations. Out of a disaster, we had hoped, perhaps some good might come.

But this past weekend, more than three years later, another crash involving a limo occurred upstate — one that defied comprehension. Twenty people dead. Every person in the limousine perished. It was described as the deadliest U.S. accident in nine years.

As details began to emerge this week, we learned just how unnecessary this latest tragedy was. The driver allegedly had an improper license, The New York Times reported. The limousine company also had a history of failed vehicle inspections and was connected to a scheme to illegally obtain driver’s licenses. 

The limousine involved in the crash had been deemed unsafe. One of the victims even sent a text before the crash, saying she was worried about its condition. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it had failed an inspection only a month earlier. So how does a ticking time bomb end up back on the road?

More must be done to prevent these horrific tragedies, by improving limousine design, keeping unsafe vehicles off our roads and more closely monitoring the people who drive these limos, with so many lives in their hands. The 2016 grand jury report outlined more recommendations, including the installation of multiple “anti-intrusion bars” in stretch limousines and special licensing requirements specific to stretch limos and commercial drivers.

“Given the gaps in federal regulation of stretch limousines, New York State … could enact legislation that would make the streets of the state safer and protect limousine customers from any hidden defects in the vehicles they ride,” the grand jury report noted.

The families of the women who died in Cutchogue — Lauren Baruch, Amy Grabina, Brittney Schulman and Stephanie Belli — created the LABS petition in their honor. It was meant to raise awareness of the dangers posed by limos and support for safety improvements that could be implemented. “Let’s make some changes,” it reads.

The influx of limos on the East End won’t be slowing down any time soon, as the winery and restaurant industries continue to thrive. The upstate tragedy is another reminder of how much more must still be done to prevent future catastrophes and the devastating losses they leave behind.

As former district attorney Thomas Spota said in 2016, there’s “a fine line between a limo and a hearse.”

Photo caption: Left: Amy Grabina, Lauren Baruch, Stephanie Belli (top) and Brittney Schulman. (Credit: Facebook)

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Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) was among the first political figures to embrace the candidacy of Donald Trump, which he did with the eagerness of a tick embedding itself in a deer’s ear. Mr. Zeldin is proving to be a faithful sycophant to the philanderer-in-chief through his failure to speak out against presidential actions and behavior that threaten the fundamentals of a democratic and constitutional society.

He remains silent as his president vilifies a free press, demonizes our justice system, ignores truth in public statements, displays racial bias, habitually disrespects women and allows children to be detained in cages. Silence is not leadership — it is a hallmark of cowardice.

Mr. Zeldin has some influential admirers from outside his Congressional district, including the controversial Steve Bannon, of “alt-right” and white supremacy fame, who graciously hosted a $1,000-a-plate dinner for Mr. Zeldin in Manhattan last December. Our representative is apparently comfortable associating with proponents of racial and religious bias. Surely Mr. Zeldin, himself Jewish, is aware that many ultra-right individuals and groups are anti-Semitic.

A member of the House Financial Services Committee, Mr. Zeldin is actively working to undermine regulations on financial institutions, such as the Dodd-Frank Act, passed by Congress to minimize risky financial practices and avoid another recession. The announced purpose of this deregulation, called the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155) — referred to derisively by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) as the “Bank Lobbyist Act” — is to relieve small local and regional banks of over-regulation. What Mr. Zeldin seems not to understand is that in this bill, “small” is defined as institutions having up to a quarter of a billion dollars in assets. Thus, under this bill, only 12 of the country’s 62 largest banks would require special oversight to ensure they’re not at risk of failing. We have forgotten all about the cowboy years of under-regulated banking, which led to the 2008 recession. 

Mr. Zeldin’s diligence in eviscerating banking regulations does have its rewards — he is receiving his largest donations from a $3.2-billion campaign war chest benefiting several candidates and funded by PACs representing finance, real estate and insurance institutions. Mr. Zeldin’s share of this lobbying fund is over $800,000, more than a third of his campaign contributions. This PAC money, coming from outside our Congressional district, is a strong inducement for Mr. Zeldin to act in ways that may not benefit the constituents he is supposed to be serving.

Like his president, Mr. Zeldin is accused of being a climate change denier and offering weak support for pro-environment issues. The League of Conservation Voters looked at his voting record on 30 pro-environment bills introduced in Congress in 2017. He voted against 26 of these, supported three of them, and missed a vote on one. For this record, the League of Conservation Voters awarded Mr. Zeldin a score of 9 percent on his support of pro-environmental issues in 2017 and a lifetime score of 10 percent. These scores place Mr. Zeldin near the bottom of all Congress members on pro-environmental issues.

Only the dimmest bulb on the tree could fail to perceive that our government is becoming dysfunctional and failing to work for us. The president’s promised efforts to “drain the swamp” have exposed an odious bog from which mud-covered creatures are emerging in handcuffs for high crimes and misdemeanors. We need to replace the people who pretend to represent us but do not really advance our interests. Mr. Zeldin’s Democratic challenger, Perry Gershon, has fresh ideas and will help restore sanity to our government and trust in our elected officials.

The authors reside in Southold.

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Treat others how you want to be treated.

The phrase often associated with empathy and respect will be permanently embedded into the Oysterponds Elementary School building after all 101 elementary school students completed a wall mural with the slogan last Friday. 

“It’s timeless, it’s universal, and it’s especially important today, in our community, in our country, and in our world,” East Hampton author-illustrator Joyce Raimondo said. 

The 4-by-8 foot “unity” mural, designed by Ms. Raimondo, depicts a diverse group of students playing and sharing together. The project is part of an anti-bullying education campaign within Ms. Raimondo’s art education program, Imagine That! The anti-bullying movement is intended to teach students about positive character.

“It’s to teach them to get along with each other, to be inclusive, and really how to celebrate diversity,” she said.

Oysterponds Elementary School teacher Susan Poveromo, who helped organize the project, said the placement of the mural will motivate students and faculty to engage more positively with one another. 

“It’s going to be placed in the lobby, so when someone enters, they’re not going to see a sign that just says ‘no bullying,’ they’re going to know how to address that.”

The Southold Police Department and senior citizens also got involved in the project, painting with students last Friday, Ms. Poveromo said.  

“It’s really been a whole community project,” she said.

Imagine That! has pursued school projects across Long Island, Ms. Raimondo said. 

All the students at Oysterponds Elementary School helped with the mural. (Kate Nalepinski photo)

“We’ve worked with schools from East Hampton to Nassau County, and we’ve literally worked with thousands of children,” she said. “We’re trying to get this into every school on Long Island.”

Ms. Raimondo said she initiated the Imagine That! program after she visited elementary schools as an author and noticed a lack of illustrations to go with character posters. 

“There were many signs posted around schools that said ‘empathy’ or ‘compassion,’ but weren’t any illustrations to go with these words,” she said. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have the children work together, not only to illustrate a theme of unity and diversity, but to actually experience what it means to be unified?’ ” 

After Oysterponds art teacher Laurie Sanders found work that Ms. Raimondo had completed online, she said she pushed to bring in the Imagine That! team for the mural. 

“We like pulling in outside artists,” she said. “Children are so focused with a different person. I take art classes and learn from different artists, then I make it my own. I want them to have that experience.”

The project is part of the “Reach for the Stars” enrichment program, one of several planned for the year within the district, designed to offer supplemental learning to all students, Ms. Poveromo said. In November, students will work with songwriter Brian Chevalier to create a song that matches the slogan on the mural. The program plans to have students record and sing their song at an assembly with Mr. Chevalier.

Ms. Raimondo said she believes the Oysterpond district is exemplary of the mural’s slogan.

“The sense of community, the children’s behavior, the art teacher jumping in to help, the local police stopping in to paint, older volunteers coming in,” she said. “It all really shows the character present in this district.”

knalepinski@timesreview.com

Photo caption: (From right to left): Artist Joyce Raimondo and teachers Susan Poveromo and Laurie Sanders stand with a few of the student artists. (Kate Nalepinski photo)

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Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Cairo, Egypt. 

These are just a few the favorite locations Cutchogue resident Jennifer Monahan has traveled to over the course of her career as a licensed architect. 

Ms. Monahan, who has worked at embassies and consulates in over 60 countries during more than 80 postings around the globe, was sworn in as a foreign service specialist construction engineer by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in August.

“It was an incredible honor,” said Ms. Monahan. “He really captivates a room.” 

Reaching that pinnacle in her career was no easy task, she said. 

“The vetting process for most foreign service officers is long,” she said. “But this whole process took me roughly 18 months.”

Specialists must complete a series of background checks, exams, essays and oral assessments — even before their first formal interview. Ms. Monahan said she believes the length of this process is related to the endurance and devotion required to do the job. 

“They want to be sure you’re committed to the position,” she said. “I spent hours upon hours writing and editing those papers.”

Because Department of State construction engineers tackle large scale projects that can cost upwards of $100 million, Ms. Monahan said, after getting the position, employees are not deployed right away. 

“They don’t just write you a check and say, ‘Go have fun,’ ” she said. “It’s more complex than that.” 

Employee placements, she explained, are determined at the time they are needed. Even if an employee is deployed to focus on one project, it could easily be canceled. 

“It could be canceled for security reasons, evolving budget considerations,” she said. “Or, you could be asked to finish another project that was started by someone else. The safety of Americans always comes first.” 

Ms. Monahan works at taming a golden eagle on the outskirts of Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, while on temporary duty as a foreign service specialist construction engineer. (Jennifer Monahan courtesy photo)

Ms. Monahan is currently working in the Bureau of Overseas Building Operations (OBO) in Rosslyn, Va., which she said is responsible for identifying, acquiring, planning, constructing, purchasing and maintaining buildings in other countries. The 16,000 buildings managed by the OBO are intended for embassies, consulates, residencies and many other government buildings around the globe.

The official OBO website says its their mission is to provide “safe, secure and functional facilities that represent the U.S. government to the host nation and support our staff in the achievement of U.S. foreign policy objectives.”

OBO houses several offices, divisions, and branches. Ms. Monahan works in construction management inside the Construction, Securities and Management Directorate, which is charge of maintaining buildings. 

Ms. Monahan keeps her branch chief updated routinely on security and safety. She also speaks with regularly project architects, design managers and financial representatives.

Ms. Monahan previously worked for the government as an alternate contracting officer representative for five years, during which she traveled frequently on temporary duty for nonpermanent assignments. Her favorite location during this time, she said, was Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

“It was so exotic, and very exciting,” she said. “But hard for a vegetarian.” 

Ms. Monahan said she has been interested in architecture since she was a student at Garden City High School. 

“Design work isn’t my thing,” she said. “I specialize in construction and building contract management only.” 

She earned a degree in architecture from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., before becoming a Peace Corps volunteer in western Kenya. For three years, Ms. Monahan focused on large-scale projects that included constructing buildings out of green and locally produced materials.

“It allowed me to develop architectural skills,” she said. 

After returning to the U.S., Ms. Monahan earned her architectural license in New York, and received an MBA from Columbia Business School in Manhattan. Later, she married Michael Kretschman, an engineer, and moved to Cutchogue, where they’ve been for roughly 20 years. Her husband, she said, is her biggest support system. 

“He holds down the house and takes care of our pooch in Cutchogue,” she said. “I couldn’t do this job without him.” 

Ms. Monahan said she travels between Virginia and New York weekly, but doesn’t mind the hefty commute.

“I’m used to the travel back and forth,” she said. “It doesn’t faze me so much.” 

Ms. Monahan said she is eager to learn as much as she can in her new position. 

“I am proud and honored to work in this capacity. We have to deliver a sense of security to people and to think that’d be entrusted to me is very humbling.”

knalepinski@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Jennifer Monahan rides a camel outside the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt, while on temporary duty at Embassy Cairo. (Courtesy photo)

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Southold resident Kathleen LaGrego passed away peacefully at her home Oct. 12, 2018. She was 85.

Kathleen was born Dec. 9, 1932, in Brooklyn to Philip and Mae Mastrogiovanni and married John LaGrego June 19, 1955.

Kathleen worked as a medical assistant and office manager for Dr. Herbert Arm for many years. She was known by her family and friends as a loving, caring person who had a quick wit and a heart of gold.

A loving wife, sister, mother, aunt and grandmother, Kathleen is survived by her children, Patricia DiGregorio (Tom Troy) of Southold and Chris (Wendy), of East Northport; and three grandchildren, Ryan DiGregorio and Sam and Ben LaGrego.

The family will receive visitors Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold. Interment will take place at the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to East End Hospice or the L.I. Alzheimer’s Association.

This is a paid notice.

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My name is Georgia Neighley and I’m a proud employee of goodfood. in Mattituck. I’ve been working here actually just since this past spring. I work five days, so it’s a full-time gig. I work your regular 9 to 5 and, it depends, every day is always different. I get here, I make coffee, I work together with the kitchen staff and we get all the empanadas out and the salads and such and then from there, it could go anywhere. 

I do the front-of-the-house counter work, but it ranges from there too; I get together everything for paper orders and I work on the books. I’m a jack-of-all-trades, I guess, in this place. I can’t forget to mention the fact that we have the best coffee in town and that I’m constantly surrounded by this delicious food all day, which can be quite torturous and just the staff, they’re really like family. And then I have my customers. I have my regulars who I see every day. I’ll answer the phone, I’ll hear a voice and I know exactly what they’re going to order. I’m quite close with a few people. 

We have a wide range of things, different ethnic foods. The owner, Luchi, she’s from Uruguay so a lot of our food comes from her upbringing there and a strong passion for fresh flavors, local foods. We have everything from tacos, empanadas to just regular old falafel and everything. 

Georgia Neighley of goodfood. (Krysten Massa photo)

I’ve learned a lot from all aspects of the business. I know a lot more about cooking and also just what it takes to run a business because I do work so closely with the owner and I do help her out on a lot of things. I value the insight I’ve received on how to keep things running smoothly, which is not easy. It can get very challenging. Sometimes I get here and I open the door at 9 o’clock and there’s just a line of people out the door. That can get very difficult but also rewarding because once the crowd leaves and you get to sit back and look and say, “Hey, we just did that guys. We made it through.” 

I really enjoy working in the back of the house. Whenever I’m not swamped with people up here, I can go back and chop some vegetables, help out making the empanadas and then I also really like to do the more business side of the operation. My favorite thing is definitely just the people I work with. I love them so dearly. It really is just a really awesome place to work. 

“The Work We Do” is a Suffolk Times multimedia project profiling workers on the North Fork. It is made possible by Peconic Landing in Greenport. See photos on Instagram @thesuffolktimes.

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Before going into Dig Pink mode, the Mattituck High School girls volleyball team dug something else: its first league championship in 14 years.

With a three-set win at Shelter Island Friday, Mattituck assured itself of a share of the Suffolk County League VIII title.

“It’s crazy that we have gone to states and done all of this crazy stuff, and then we haven’t won a league championship” in all of that time, said junior outside hitter Viki Harkin.

Of course, in each of those intervening years, Mattituck was in the same league as powerhouses Elwood/John Glenn and Bayport-Blue Point. Enough said. It should be pointed out, however, that Mattituck came close last year, finishing second in League VII.

The Tuckers were dropped down to League VIII this year and have been reclassified as a Class C team after being in Class B the last two years. That means they don’t have to worry about Glenn or Bayport in the standings or the playoffs.

That spells opportunity.

“We took it,” said Harkin.

Miranda Hedges, a junior setter, said: “A lot of these girls haven’t ever experienced it before and now we know what it feels like. We want to keep it that way and keep going ahead positively.”

If nothing else, Mattituck has learned to cherish league championships. They don’t come easily or often for most teams. Yet, coach Frank Massa is looking down the road at the challenges ahead.

“Of course it feels nice that you have won the league championship, but that just shows perseverance and some consistency throughout the year,” he said, adding: “But the aim has to be to kind of forget about that. That’s nice, but there’s going to be a playoff game or two that we’re going to have to be ready for … It’s been a good year so far, but the run that you make in the playoffs really has a lasting affect.”

For the second time this season, Mattituck dispatched Greenport/Southold in three sets, 25-15, 25-16, 25-14, in its Dig Pink match Monday at Mattituck High School. The Tuckers (12-2, 11-0), wearing pink tie-dye shirts that they made, assured themselves of sole possession of first place with the win.

Throughout the match in a gym festooned with pink and white balloons, Mattituck trailed only once, and briefly, at 3-2 in the first set after consecutive hitting errors. It was a fairly ugly set for the Tuckers but, as good teams do, they cleaned things up and obtained the desired result.

The high-flying, hard-swinging Harkin cranked eight kills to go with three service aces and a block. Mattituck’s two new setters, Ashley Young (nine) and Hedges, combined for 15 assists. Young, a sophomore, also went 19-for-19 from the service line.

“Honestly, they’re doing really well,” Harkin said of her setters. “Setting is definitely the hardest. If I was setting, I’d probably get double touches every time. I don’t know how they do it.”

Emily Russell pounded down nine kills for Greenport (4-7, 4-6). Liz Jernick added nine assists, a kill and a block, and Courtney Cocheo made 13 digs.

Greenport hurt itself with nine service errors and an 81 percent efficiency at the service line. Mattituck served at 93 percent with five service errors.

Greenport is trying to scratch its way into the playoffs. The Porters have two league matches remaining: Friday at home against Center Moriches and at Pierson/Bridgehampton Oct. 22.

For the first time after two winless seasons, Greenport’s final regular-season match will mean something. “The last match will mean a lot now,” said coach Mike Gunther.

What is Gunther’s take on newly crowned Mattituck?

“Their skilled players have all-around skills,” he said. “They’re really aggressive. They’re comfortable with what they’re doing … The hitters hit and they expect to succeed.”

Mattituck has three regular-season matches left — non-leaguers against Shoreham-Wading River Friday and Bayport next Monday and a league encounter with Center Moriches Oct. 25.

“We have three quality teams coming up,” Massa said. “We have to get ourselves ready for the playoffs.”

Not long after the teams exchanged postgame handshakes Monday, Massa and the Tuckers disappeared into a back gym.

“We went in the back gym and we got rowdy,” Hedges said. “We cheered.”

And why not? The Tuckers have a lot to cheer about these days.

“It’s exciting,” Harkin said. “In the beginning of the season, this was our goal, and to complete this, it’s a big deal.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Mattituck outside hitter Charlotte Keil hitting past a block attempt by Greenport/Southold’s Isabelle Higgins. (Credit: Garret Meade)

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The two candidates vying to represent New York’s 1st Congressional District will face off in a debate hosted by the Mattituck Chamber of Commerce next week.

Incumbent Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) is running for his third term against Democrat Perry Gershon, a businessman.

The debate is slated for Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m. at the Vineyards at Aquebogue.

A New York Times and Siena College poll conducted Oct. 4-8 shows Mr. Zeldin leading in the race by eight points.

Pollsters made 27,178 phone calls and spoke with 502 constituents within the district, which encompasses the five East End towns, all of Brookhaven Town and some of Smithtown.

Of those, 49 percent said they would cast a vote for Mr. Zeldin; 41 percent indicated they would vote for Gershon. Ten percent of voters in the district reported being undecided about how they will vote.

Based on the interviews, the poll shows Mr. Zeldin is viewed favorably by 48 percent and unfavorably by 35 percent of respondents while Mr. Gershon is viewed favorably by 29 percent and unfavorably by 27 percent of those who took the survey.

Forty-four percent told the New York Times they were unfamiliar with Mr. Gershon, compared to 17 percent who are unfamiliar with Mr. Zeldin.

The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 4.6 points.

Mr. Zeldin’s campaign team said the poll comes as no surprise. “[The poll] reflects the continued, widespread support [Mr. Zeldin] has in every corner of this district,” said Chris Boyle, communications director for the Zeldin campaign.

“This is also the result of hundreds of volunteers and supporters on the ground walking door to door, making phone calls and requesting lawn signs to help get the message out,” Mr. Boyle said.

President Trump tweeted support for Mr. Zeldin in late September, saying the incumbent has his “complete and total endorsement.”

“Congressman Lee Zeldin is doing a fantastic job in D.C. Tough and smart, he loves our country and will always be there to do the right thing,” the president said.

A separate poll completed Oct. 8-10 by D.C.-based GBA Strategies shows Mr. Zeldin ahead by just three points, with 49.5 percent to Mr. Gershon’s 46.2 percent.

Their margin of error is reported to be plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

“Every indication is that there’s a great grassroots surge breaking Perry’s way. Other polls, including one completed after the Times poll, show NY-1 in a statistical dead heat,” said Alexandra Dakich, press secretary for Mr. Gershon’s campaign. “We’ve knocked on 150,000 doors. It all leads to tremendous confidence Perry will win the only poll that matters, on Election Day.”

In September, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee designated the NY-1 race as part of its “Red to Blue” program, which identifies high-priority campaigns across the country.

NY-1 has historically been a battleground district, flipping between parties. Mr. Zeldin won his second term in 2016 by 16 points against former Southampton Town supervisor Anna Throne-Holst.

Other polling organizations, including the Cook Political Report, FiveThirtyEight and Center for Politics show the district as “likely” to vote for a Republican candidate.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Georgine M. Zaneski of Peconic died Oct. 11 at Stony Brook Hospital. She was 67.

She was born in Greenport, N.Y., July 21, 1951, to Margaret F. (Wokosky) and George Krukowski and later attended Maria College in Albany. On Aug. 19, 1972, she married Michael A. Zaneski at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold.

Georgine had been a registered nurse at Eastern Long Island Hospital and a communicant of St. Patrick R.C. Church.

Predeceased by her husband on Sept. 18, 2003, she is survived by her sons, Michael, of Carmel, N.Y., and Andrew, of Pembroke, Mass.; a brother, George Krukowski Jr.; and three grandchildren, Alexander, William and Lauren.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 4 to 7 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Patrick R.C. Church. Interment will follow at the church cemetery.

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Greenport resident Keith McCamy died at his home at high noon Oct. 13, 2018, surrounded by his beloved family, dogs and cats. He was 80 years old.

Born Sept. 7, 1938, in Cambridge, N.Y., to Julia (Boggess) and James L. McCamy, Keith attended the University of Wisconsin/Madison, earning his Ph.D. in geophysics. He married sculptor Arden Scott in Madison in 1961, and the couple lived in New York City until moving to Greenport in 1978. Keith worked for many years as a seismologist at Columbia University’s Lamont Doherty Research Center and published several papers on seismic refraction.

Fond of sports, Keith was especially passionate about ice hockey and played the game for many years. He served as the first manager of Greenport’s ice skating rink, becoming “King of the Zamboni,” and he counted learning to drive the ice-grooming machine among his greatest accomplishments. He also enjoyed sailing, both the usual kind and on ice, and belonged to the Orient Ice Yacht Club.

Keith was a great lover of music and possessed a prodigious capacity for memorization. He applied this talent to most of Gilbert and Sullivan’s patter songs, including perhaps the most difficult, “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General” from “The Pirates of Penzance,” which he could perform word for word “without skipping a syllable.”

Predeceased by his brother, Colin, Keith is survived by his wife; his children, Kate, Angus, Megan and Ian; his grandchildren, Grace, Alasdair and James; and many devoted friends.

Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978-7048 (eeh.org).

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Suzanne M. Egan of Orient died at her home Oct. 12. She was 72.

She was born July 15, 1946, in Newton, Mass., to Frances (Gotshall) and Zenas Egan.

Ms. Egan worked for 40 years as an executive producer of corporate events for Jack Morton Worldwide in New York City.

She is survived by her partner, Cheryl Tortoriello.

A memorial celebration will be announced for a later date. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of The Suffolk Times.

Arrangements were in the care of Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport.

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Amelia S. Zippel of Mattituck, formerly of Wading River, died Oct. 14 at San Simeon by the Sound nursing home in Greenport. She was 89 years old.

The family will receive friends Thursday, Oct. 18, from 3 to 7 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck. Monsignor Joseph W. Staudt will officiate.

Interment will follow at Calverton National Cemetery.

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Gregory V. Case, a longtime North Fork resident, died Oct. 12 at Southampton Hospital. He was 71 years old.Born March 15, 1947, to Madeleine (MacNish) and Norman B. Case, he was raised in Syosset and spent his summers on the Case family property in Cutchogue.

Educated in culinary arts, he worked for many years as a cook at Syosset Hospital.

In his spare time, he enjoyed reading and music.

Predeceased by his parents and a brother, Frank Case, he is survived by the Bryant, MacNish and Case/Birmingham families and many cousins and their families.

The family received friends Oct. 15 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. Interment took place at Cutchogue Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Hamptons Care Center, 64 County Road 39, Southampton, NY 11968 would be appreciated.

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Dennis Wallace Reichardt died Oct. 4, 2018, at home with his wife, Jean, and his daughter, Autumn, by his side. He was 64.Dennis was born Jan. 5, 1954, in Queens, N.Y., to Arthur and Jacqueline (Bingham) Reichardt. They moved to Bethpage, N.Y., when Dennis was a young boy. He graduated from Bethpage High School and then received a bachelor’s degree from New York Institute of Technology.

Dennis knew from an early age that he wanted to become a police officer and he achieved that goal, starting his career as a campus police officer at Stony Brook University. On Sept. 27, 1982, Dennis was sworn in as a police officer with the Suffolk County Police Department. Upon graduating from the police academy he was assigned to the 2nd Precinct in Huntington, where he served for five years and then transferred to the police academy as a recruit instructor. Later in his career he worked in police headquarters as an investigator in the Applicant Investigation Section. He then went on to serve at the 6th Precinct in Coram; while there he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was transferred to the 5th Precinct in Patchogue and served several years there until his next assignment, at the Special Patrol Bureau. While there he worked one summer with the Marine Bureau and then his last assignment, as a sergeant in the Emergency Service Unit.

Dennis served 11 years with ESU and on Sept. 11, 2001, he was assigned to respond to the World Trade Center, where he and his team worked tirelessly in the recovery effort. Dennis proudly served for 29 years as a member of the Suffolk County Police Department and was grateful to have the opportunity to work at a job he loved and the honor of serving with so many members of the police family during his career.

Upon his retirement on July 11, 2011, Dennis wasn’t idle for too long. He became a school bus driver for Sunrise Bus Company and was affectionately known as Mr. D. He enjoyed the years he worked for the company and the friendships he made with his fellow drivers and the children and their families along his route.

Dennis enjoyed spending time with his wife and children the most, and he planned many vacations through the years, with camping at Hither Hills in Montauk at the top of his list and St. John U.S. Virgin Islands. He always stood behind his children, providing guidance and support; he was a caring father and husband. His easygoing personality made him well liked by many. He will be missed.

Dennis is survived by Jean, his wife of 25 years; his children, Kristopher Reichardt (Lauren), Adam Reichardt (Pilar) and Autumn Reichardt; his grandson, Jack Henry Reichardt; siblings, Carol Caudy (Roger), Robert Reichardt (Karen) and Jill Bennardo (Dave); and many loving in-laws, nieces and nephews, and dear friends.

The family received friends Oct. 10 and 11 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated Oct. 12 at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, officiated by Msgr. Joseph Staudt. Interment followed at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.

Those wishing to remember Dennis in a special way may make a memorial donation to Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation or to FealGood Foundation.

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Barbara Ann Dickerson, lifelong resident of the North Fork, died at her home in Laurel Oct. 11, 2018. She was 80 years old.Born Feb. 19, 1938, in Greenport to Alice (Sepenoski) and John Kruszeski, Barbara graduated from Riverhead High School with the Class of 1955.

Barbara worked as treasurer for the Mattituck Fire District for 25 years, from 1991 to 2016, and was also an accounting manager for Roy Reeve Insurance Company for 25 years. She was a member of Sacred Heart Parish.

Predeceased by her husband, Philemon T. Dickerson, and siblings Helen Rosko, Alice Krupski and John Kruszeski, she is survived by her children, Kevin Dickerson (Nancy) of Calverton, Deborah Rohla (Jay) of Lisle, Ill., Diane Kokes (Brian) of Redondo Beach, Calif., and David Dickerson (Karen) of Southold; grandchildren, Amanda, Olivia, Melanie, Nicholas, Rebecca, William, Natalie and Charles; and sister, Jeanette Swotkewicz of Aquebogue.

The family received friends Oct. 15 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated Oct. 16 at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, officiated by Monsignor Joseph W. Staudt. Interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery.

Memorial donations in Barbara’s name may be made to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978-7048.

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In the first of a number of scheduled events featuring both candidates for the 1st Congressional District, U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) and Democratic challenger Perry Gershon answered a battery of questions Monday evening about their environmental views, posed by some of the region’s most vocal environmental protection advocates.

Mr. Zeldin, who has been given low grades for his voting record by the event’s hosts, the League of Conservation Voters admitted that he thinks protection of the environment nationwide has been weakened by the Trump administration’s rollbacks of environmental regulations. He split from President Donald Trump’s stance on climate change by saying he believes the warming climate has been caused or exacerbated by human activity.

At the same time, Mr. Zeldin defended his own record while in Congress and spotlighted what he saw as environmental successes for the region — funding support for Long Island Sound and the National Estuary Program — and his own opposition to the administration’s proposal to open the Eastern Seaboard to offshore oil exploration.

“I believe it is hugely important that we have stringent standards to provide clean air and clean water,” he said. “We have to set ambitious goals, but they have to be attainable goals.”

Mr. Gershon, for his part, was resoundingly critical of the Trump administration’s “attack” on the environment and said that voters in the 1st District and elsewhere should elect representatives next month who will vote to stall the administration’s anti-environmental policies.

“Like many institutions in this country, the environment is under attack by the current administration,” Mr. Gershon said. “It used to be the role of a congressman was to ensure money flowing to the environmental projects in your district. But there is an attack on clean air and water standards, there is an attack on the [Environmental Protection Agency], and we need a congressman who is going to stand up to this administration.”

Mr. Gershon’s view was clearly shared by the hosts of Monday’s debate and the three environmental advocates who posed the questions to the two candidates.

“We think the environment is a bipartisan issue,” Adrienne Esposito, the executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said in posing one of her questions. “Yet the Trump administration seems to be working very hard at eviscerating protection measures while Suffolk County regularly receives an ‘F’ for air quality.”

Each candidate appeared separately before the panel and audience of 150 people for about 40 minutes each, answering the same questions.

Outside the event, which was held at the Suffolk County Community College Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center on Main Street in Riverhead, dozens of Gershon supporters gathered holding signs, angry that they were barred from filling the only half-full room, because college staff had set a limit on the number of attendees. Nearby, a pickup truck with an American flag mounted in its bed adorned with Zeldin banners played patriotic music.

Some Gershon supporters said that people who had registered to attend the event through Mr. Zeldin’s website had been unfairly allowed to take up all the chairs in the audience before those who registered through Mr. Gershon’s site could get in. But the audience inside appeared about evenly split between supporters of Mr. Zeldin and those of Mr. Gershon.

Mr. Zeldin and Mr. Gershon are scheduled to hold a handful of debates or forums at which both will be in attendance — as compared to the dozens that have been the tradition between the candidates for the 1st District seat. Both men are scheduled to sit for a forum hosted by the Press News Group and Sag Harbor Express Thursday, Oct. 25, that will not be open to the public but will be televised on LTV and SeaTV. There will be a public debate between both candidates at Hampton Bays High School Monday, Oct. 29, hosted by the League of Women Voters, with The Press participating.

On Monday night, Mr. Zeldin made nary a mention of his opponent, who a recent poll showed is trailing him by 8 percentage points, and actually toed some of the same policy lines that Mr. Gershon leapt across with both feet. Each man said he would support more federal funding for expanding sewer systems on Long Island to help improve water quality. Mr. Zeldin said there is also substantial state funding available for such projects.

The men differed on how to address sea level rise, with Mr. Gershon saying that moving development off the coastline must ultimately be the goal, while Mr. Zeldin said that sand replenishment projects and other protections, when suitable, could protect homes and businesses from sea level rise.

“You can put Band-Aids—they work sometimes, they don’t work sometimes — but the real answer is to move back away from the shores,” Mr. Gershon said. “And the steps we should be taking to make our future better is to fight climate change.”

Mr. Gershon called for Congress to restore funding to the EPA and once again press for enforcement of clean air and clean water standards abandoned by the Trump administration. “We need members of Congress that are making sure the EPA is doing what the EPA is supposed to do,” he said.

Mr. Zeldin pointed to Long Island, which draws much of its power from inefficient decades-old diesel power plants. Requiring upgrades would help efficiency, but would be costly. “I don’t want to support something just because it sounds good,” he said.

Mr. Gershon said the federal government should entirely abandon Trump administration proposals to sell off some federally owned lands for mineral exploration and to turn control of others over to states to oversee. Mr. Zeldin said he agreed, but that such issues, particularly in western states, are more complicated than most Long Islanders understand.

He pointed to his own lobbying to keep Plum Island in federal ownership after the disease research labs are moved to new facilities in Kansas sometime after 2022, and said he wants to see public access to the property increased and the mostly undeveloped nature of the island kept intact.

While Mr. Gershon noted Mr. Zeldin’s legislative opposition to the Trump offshore drilling plan, he said that Eastern Long Island’s congressman should be advocating for incentives to boost the use of alternative energies like solar power as well as electric vehicles.

With a subtle hint at what he expects will be another successful reelection bid, Mr. Zeldin closed by urging supporters of both sides to start thinking about how they will comport themselves after Election Day.

“My message to anyone who is running … we need to do a better job of working together,” Mr. Zeldin said. “Regardless of whether you come in first or second, you accept those results and work together. This is what America is all about.”

The author is a writer for The Southampton Press.

Photo caption: Congressman Lee Zeldin and Perry Gershon spoke at Monday’s debate. (Michael Wright photos)

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One resident who spoke at a public hearing Monday night questioned the size of the proposed Jakubiuk Farm & Nursery agricultural building in Southold.

The one-story, 12,000-square-foot building for agricultural storage on Youngs Avenue is proposed on 22 1/2 acres of farmland with development rights held by Southold Town. The proposal was the subject of a public hearing before the Southold Planning Board.

Alison Latham said she believed a building of that size would “drastically” alter the neighborhood’s character.

“I understand that agriculture is agriculture and you need space to store some equipment, but I want to make sure that it’s not landscaping business equipment and that it’s used properly and it keeps with the neighborhood.”

The applicant also proposed a 320-foot gravel driveway for access from Youngs Avenue. No parking stalls or a basement have been proposed. The plan is classified as a Type II action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and requires no further review.

Ms. Latham was concerned that the applicant also owns a landscaping business, and that they could potentially use this property as storage for landscaping trucks and trailers.

Representative Vic Prusinowski said that the land is not permitted to operate as a retail space, only to grow products for his business.

In regards to the size of the building, Mr. Prusinowski said that the building was approved by the town’s agriculture committee and that the size is not germane to this public hearing.

The public hearing was closed Monday night.

rsiford@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Alison Latham spoke during the public hearing. (Rachel Siford photo)

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In 2015, James Jacobs was looking forward to his first season on the Mattituck High School varsity boys soccer team as a backup goalkeeper to Kyle Makely on the Class B state champions. As a freshman, he was ready to pay his dues. Freshman goalkeepers traditionally wind up on the sidelines, soaking up the experience.

Then something happened.

Two weeks prior to the season, Makely moved to South Carolina, which left Jacobs as the No. 1 keeper.

Talk about getting thrown into the deep end of the pool.

Instead of sinking, Jacobs is on the verge of completing a four-year high school career soon that includes 65 starts, assumed to be a school record. Given that freshmen hardly tend goal regularly, that could be a Suffolk County, a Long Island or even a state record.

“It’s just luck,” Jacobs said of the opportunity to play so early.

“He grabbed the bull by the horns,” coach Will Hayes said.

In his varsity debut, the 6-foot, 195-pound Jacobs backstopped Mattituck to a 2-1 overtime victory over Riverhead, making nine saves on Sept. 4, 2015.

“At first I was nervous,” he said. “Who wouldn’t be nervous? A freshman playing varsity level sports. I was filling in shoes for a state championship team, a state championship-winning goalkeeper. After the first game, after the first couple of games, I was getting the feel of it. It was just adjusting to the physical level of varsity. It was a lot different from playing kids my age. I’m playing kids three years older than me. It’s all about learning. Once you get the hang of it, you’re good.”

Hayes has seen Jacobs grow into the role after a few bumps on the road, which was expected.

“He was utterly fearless,” he said. “The only reason it worked the first year was he wasn’t afraid. He had the size. He didn’t necessarily have the tools. He made mistakes, but he learned from his mistakes. He was the backbone of a team that really wasn’t very good, but they could defend capably. He was at the heart of that.”

There were awkward moments. Here was a freshman, shouting instructions to players sometimes three years his senior. In the high school, that’s unheard of.

“Goalkeepers are supposed to be loud, the loudest guy out there,” Jacobs said.

Slowly, but surely, Jacobs refined his game.

“I’ve improved manning [the] 18-yard box,” he said. “It’s mine, nobody’s allowed in there. Coming out for the corner kicks, defending set pieces, I’m way more active off my line. Even when the other team is playing through balls in, I’m always off my line, ready to come out and pick up a ball.”

Jacobs has been one of the major reasons why the Tuckers are 10-6 overall and 9-3 in League VII.

“Over the course of four years, he has had his ups and his downs,” Hayes said. “But when there’s a big game and there are points on the line, James is the guy you want in the goal. His maturity, his ability to speak up and own the box and commanding his defense is something we’re really going to miss. In the last four years we’ve been able to call on him when the chips are down.”

A friend’s mother convinced Jacobs to play for the Mattituck Arsenal as a fifth-grader. And, as has been the case with many goalkeepers, Jacobs was “drafted” to guard the goal.

“We needed a goalkeeper and I got thrown into it,” he said. “I wasn’t experienced at all, never played soccer before.”

His role model was his sister, Marissa, who played goal and sweeper for the Tuckers squad that captured the 2005 Class B state championship.

“I do remember her having gloves,” he said. “The fact that you could save the game, I thought that was cool. I liked the pressure as a goalkeeper.”

Jacobs has recorded a 37-27-11 career mark.

He rarely has been a spectator. As a freshman, he was forced to the sidelines due to a yellow card for a penalty-kick offense. Defender Dan Fedun donned goalkeeper gloves in a failed attempt to stop the PK in a 6-3 defeat to Southampton. Jacobs returned seconds later.

Jacobs missed a 2-1 loss at Center Moriches on Sept. 17 because of a red card with three minutes remaining in a 2-0 defeat to Babylon and was forced out of the 3-0 home victory over Greenport due to an ankle injury two minutes into the second half on Oct. 9. He was in for the opening minutes of the 5-0 win over Pierson/Bridgehampton on Friday, participating in his 20th career shutout, tying Cody Huntley for the school record.

“It’s rare for a goalkeeper to have that many, but it’s rare for a goalkeeper to play over 60 games in their career,” Hayes said. “He’s come into his own this season as a leader. He’s a captain. I’m proud to have played a role in his development, but his ability in the net is all him. It’s been fun to coach him.”

In a 1-0 loss at Babylon on Oct. 5, Hayes saw Jacobs at his best.

“I thought that was one of his finest games because he commanded the box on defense in a way he hasn’t in recent memory, and his ability in the net,” he said. “If we go far in the playoffs, he is going to be called upon.”

As the very last line of defense, a goalkeeper’s life can be lonely. Yet, Jacobs knows he is only as good as his back line, praising it, particularly center backs Bryce Grathwohl and Chris Nicholson.

“Our defense is always up for every game,” he said. “I love my back line. Chris and Bryce, I couldn’t ask for a better pair in the center backs. Bryce is an athlete, played club with me for years. We have chemistry. Chris Nicholson, the most insane athlete I’ve ever met, the fastest kid I’ve ever met.”

This has been Jacobs’ most enjoyable season.

“I see a huge difference in this team compared to the last three years,” he said. “We have a lot of young guys. They all come to practice and they work really hard. They all just want to win. The guys are really paying attention and they really know what they’re doing.”

With the Tuckers’ resurgence — they’ve won seven of nine games — Jacobs would love to end his career on a high note.

He remembered the excitement when Marissa and the girls team returned with the state championship trophy from upstate, given a special escort by the Mattituck Fire Department. As an eighth-grader, Jacobs attended the 2014 celebration at the school when the boys came home with their third state title with fire engines in tow while “We Are the Champions” was played.

“It was really cool,” he said. “I wish we can do that.”

The Tuckers must jump through several hoops to accomplish that, beginning with the Suffolk Class B semifinals on Oct. 24.

“I’m excited for it,” Jacobs said. “I’m hoping to get to see Babylon again. I think we can bring a good game to them. I’m just really focused on the next game, hoping to get a W.”

Several more Ws could lead to upstate Middletown, the site of the state championships.

Said Jacobs, “That would be so great.”

Photo caption: Senior goalkeeper James Jacobs has started 65 career games for Mattituck and been involved in 20 shutouts. (Credit: Garret Meade, file)

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