The daily update, a podcast briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork, is brought to you by Lucas Ford:

Get the daily update delivered straight to your inbox each weekday morning by subscribing to our newsletter. Or listen through Apple Podcasts by subscribing to Closer Look. 

Here are the headlines across the North Fork for Wednesday, Feb. 27:

NEWS

16-year-old charged in connection to threat at Riverhead High School

Riverhead IDA ups tax break by $1M for EPCAL company

Southold Town discusses state-led renewable energy initiative

Former police chief to serve as St. Patrick’s Day grand marshal

Town tables consideration of United Riverhead Terminal biofuel tanks

Greenport High School students to perform ‘School of Rock’

WEATHER

It will be mostly cloudy today with a high of 27 degrees. Snow is likely tonight with a chance that as much as one to three inches will fall, according to National Weather Service. The low forecast tonight is 26 degrees.

The post Daily Update: High school student arrested, tax breaks granted, grand marshal announced appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The Southold Town Board unanimously adopted a six-month moratorium on the issuance of approvals and permits for properties on Main Road in Mattituck between Bay Avenue and Pike Street.

The moratorium was proposed at a work session Feb. 12, during which Town Board members agreed that approving new projects would be counterproductive to both an ongoing traffic study and town comprehensive plan that is underway.

Nine speakers addressed the Town Board at a public hearing Tuesday, all in support of the moratorium. One letter was also submitted.

Anne Smith, former superintendent of Mattituck-Cutchogue School District, recently joined the Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association to form a work group to monitor pending projects and development in the area.

“We welcome the opportunity to pause together and explore other opportunities for possible recreational community development grants that could usher in a sustainable and unique approach to achieve a vision for smart growth,” Ms. Smith said.

Officials said the moratorium, which may be extended after the initial six months, will help the board review new projects in the context of the results of the traffic study and final comprehensive plan, which the board is aiming to adopt in the coming months.

It would not affect residential permits or public institutions, officials said.

According to the legislation, the traffic study is analyzing three intersections in the area where Main Road intersects with side streets, but there are five other intersections where there are no pedestrian crosswalks or other traffic-calming measures. Officials want the traffic study to be expanded to address the additional intersections. 

In addition, the Planning Board has determined that there is a need for more public parking in the Love Lane area. Other infrastructure improvements and recommendations are expected to be included in the town comprehensive plan. 

Charles Gueli, president of the civic association, said that multiple studies from 2005 to the present have identified traffic as a problem in that corridor. He called for a “holistic solution” that considers other intersections that would be impacted by any changes to the traffic pattern along Main Road. 

“The town is being prudent by suspending development along this corridor long enough to obtain the results of the current traffic study and then determine the best way to mitigate the impact of increased traffic while ensuring pedestrian, bike riding and automobile safety,” Mr. Gueli said.

Abigail Wickham, who has a law office in the impact area, said properties that are already developed with commercial buildings should be exempt. “Six months, in the scheme of things, especially site plans, is not a very long time, but if extended could create undue hardship,” she said.

The moratorium would directly impact plans to construct a 20,000-square-foot Brinkmann’s hardware store at the corner of Main Road and New Suffolk Avenue in Mattituck, though the Town Board did not specifically refer to that application.

The Brinkmanns did not appear at the public hearing.

“People come here because we have what they don’t have,” said Mattituck resident Robert Harper, quoting Councilman Bob Ghosio. “When development goes out of control, we get things that maybe we don’t need.”

tsmith@timesreview.com

The post Town adopts Main Road building moratorium appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Longtime baseball coach Steve DeCaro will not return to the Mattituck High School baseball field this season.

Mr. DeCaro, who was placed on administrative leave last fall, will be replaced by longtime assistant coach Gene Rochler of Wading River.

The spring sports season officially begins Monday. Mr. Rochler was formally approved as the varsity coach by the Board of Education in January. Former Mattituck baseball player Tom Ascher (Class of 2011) was approved as varsity assistant coach. He also serves as an assistant coach on the varsity basketball team.

The school board had approved Mr. DeCaro for the varsity position in July, before the turmoil that led to his being placed on administrative leave in October for unspecified reasons. All coaching positions are approved on a year-to-year basis.

Mr. DeCaro, who had also been the district’s physics teacher, declined comment. 

Roughly 200 community members attended a school board meeting in October to express frustration about Mr. DeCaro’s sudden removal from the classroom. At that meeting, board president Charles Anderson said the administration was investigating the situation and that the board alone would determine his future with the district.

Last November, former Mattituck High School physics teacher Tom Tomaszewski was hired to replace Mr. DeCaro and has been teaching his physics and AP physics classes since that time, the district said in a statement.

Mr. Tomaszewski taught physics in the district from 1971 to 1988, before Mr. DeCaro joined the faculty in 1996.

It is unclear if Mr. DeCaro will be removed from his full-time faculty position in the district.

He had coached the baseball team since 2003 and tallied a record of 238-139-1. He led the team to a state championship in 2015 and was named Suffolk County Coach of the Year by Newsday that season. He earned that honor again in 2017 after leading the Tuckers to the Long Island championship.

The Tuckers went 12-11 last season, were the No. 3 seed in the Class B playoffs and saw their season end against Babylon in the postseason.

WITH BOB LIEPA 

knalepinski@timesreview.com

The post Steve DeCaro out as Mattituck baseball coach appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The Southold Democratic committee nominated Greg Doroski of Mattituck as its candidate for supervisor in this fall’s election, along with Town Board candidates Bob Hanlon of Orient and Sarah Nappa of Southold. 

Mr. Doroski was the managing partner and head brewer at Threes Brewing in Brooklyn, and most recently has worked at Raphael Vineyards, he said. He’s also an ordained deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Southold.

He graduated from Mattituck High School in 1999 and has a degree in philosophy from Drew University.

Mr. Hanlon, who was unable to attend the nominating convention Wednesday, is a former attorney, educator and administrator who has been active in the Orient Association, the Oysterponds Historical Society and the Orient Fire District.

Ms. Nappa is “a small business owner, chef, service industry and wine industry professional with a broad agricultural background,” she said. She and her husband own Anthony Nappa Wines, as well as the Winemaker Studio in Peconic.

Democrats also nominated incumbent Nick Krupski for trustee and Dan Ross, a former Town Councilman,  for justice.

Mr. Krupski is the Democrats’ only incumbent, since Brian Hughes, who was elected justice with Democratic support four years ago, will run on the Republican slate this fall.

“We live in a remarkable place here,” Mr. Doroski said at Wednesday’s nominating convention at Touch of Venice in Cutchogue. “A place of great beauty and deep history, filled with unique people. But I also think our community is kind of at a crossroads. While our local government has done a really great job of preserving land over the past 30 years, our community is struggling to sustain itself.”

“The Southold Town median household income is far too low for most locals to afford the median home price,” Mr. Doroski continued. “The class sizes in our local schools are at historic lows. And there’s no affordable apartment rentals.”

He added: “To be clear, land preservation is absolutely vital to community preservation and we must continue to keep preserving as much land as possible. But it’s not the whole story here.”

Ms. Nappa also said she feels the “current climate isn’t working for our small business community.”

She said the town needs to “preserve the farmer, not just the farm.”

“We cannot afford to let our community character be lost to neglect or lack of planning in action,” Mr. Hanlon said in a letter read at the convention. “We cannot afford to lose the scale of this place too, to fall prey to overbuilding and the loss of a full-time population.”

The Democrats did not select a candidate for tax receiver, assessor or a second trustee position.

Supervisor Scott Russell, Council members Bill Ruland and Jill Doherty, Trustee Glenn Goldsmith, Assessor Rich Caggiano and Judge Hughes, all incumbents, were  nominated Monday night at the Southold Town Republican committee’s convention at the Southold American Legion. Kelly Fogarty will run on the GOP line in place of retiring tax receiver George Sullivan.

Photo Caption: Greg Doroski, Sarah Evans, Nick Krupski and Dan Ross. (Credit: Tim Gannon)

The post Southold Democrats nominate slate for November town elections appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Listings prepared for Times Review Media Group by Suffolk Research Service, dated Dec. 31, 2018-Jan. 6, 2019.

Brought to you by:

CALVERTON (11933)

• Naso, R by Executor to EECL Properties LLC, 4600 Middle Country Rd (600-97-1-80), (R), $150,000

• Villas at Roanoke LLC to Castillo, Francisco, 205 South Path (600-97-2-4.2), (R), $525,000

CUTCHOGUE (11935)

• Spiro, M to Gordon, Gerard, 1900 Sterling Rd (1000-104-4-18.4), (R), $499,000

• Krupski Family LP to Cardinale, Alan, 6025 Nassau Point Rd (1000-111-13-7), (R), $973,000

• Krupski Family LP to Cardinale, Rene, 6125 Nassau Point Rd (1000-111-13-8), (V), $1,074,500

EAST MARION (11939)

• Cassaro, M to Trieu-Tanzi, Lena, 605 Beach Ct (1000-37-7-8.1), (V), $612,000

• Cassaro, D & M to Tanzi, Vito, 3345 Cedar Ln (1000-37-7-10.2), (R), $4,388,000

FLANDERS (11901)

• Farrell Jr, J to Frankow, Michael, 281 & 220 Royal Ave (900-123-1-63), (R), $300,000

• Harris Jr, K to Birch 45 LLC, 45 Birch Ct (900-181-7-34), (R), $230,000

GREENPORT (11944)

• Lopez, E & R to Catalan, Zenaida, 380 Madison St (1000-40-5-18), (R), $295,000

JAMESPORT (11947)

• Martin, B to Ali, Choudry, 49 & 46 Lagoon Ct (600-88-2-7), (R), $805,000

NEW SUFFOLK (11956)

• Curott, P to 2500 Grathwohl Rd LLC, 2500 & 2455 Grathwohl Rd (1000-117-2-10), (R), $1,050,000

ORIENT (11957)

• Arnold, W & C to Stefanides, Paraskevas, 300 Latham Ln (1000-15-9-1.10), (R), $1,350,000

RIVERHEAD (11901)

• Rothstein, M by Referee to 1201 Willow Pond LLC, 1201 Willow Pond Dr (600-18.1-3-73), (R), $225,100

• Robinson, C to 209 Horton LLC, 209 Horton Ave (600-81-2-13), (V), $71,000

• Lanza, F & M to Falco, Theresa, 153 Stoneleigh Dr, #3101 (600-82.5-2-25), (R), $519,000

• Riverhead Medical Arts to North Shore University Hospital, 1333 Roanoke Ave (600-108-3-16), (C), $6,000,000

• Community Housing Inno to Sevlic, Amir, 1211 E Main St (600-111-2-2), (R), $265,000

SHELTER ISLAND (11964)

• Scudder, P & E to Town of Shelter Island, 46 Congdon Rd (700-15-4-134.2), (V), $800,000

• Hunkele, K to Pascaud, Sylvain, 10 Terry Dr (700-17-1-67), (R), $685,000

SOUTHOLD (11971)

• Philippides, N & M & G to Riccoboni, Rosemarie, 290 Old Cove Blvd (1000-52-2-12.1), (R), $510,000

• McLean, G to Mangan, Michael, 350 Blue Marlin Dr (1000-57-1-25), (R), $1,040,000

• Trunce, Hulse & Wolbert to Vandenburgh, Richard & Ann, 95 Main Bayview Rd (1000-70-5-26), (R), $650,000

• Surozenski, M to Surozenski, David, 1635 Smith Dr N (1000-76-2-5), (R), $450,000

• Probe Family Trust to FHP Enterprises Inc, 2865 S Harbor Rd (1000-78-3-3), (R), $417,000

WADING RIVER (11792)

• Daley, G & A by Referee to Riteway Home Construction, 120 Old Orchard Rd (600-26-1-23), (R), $205,000

• Franks, J & R to Holt, Lucille, 58 Cliff Rd (600-27-3-9), (R), $520,000

• Beecher, S to Hampson, Danielle, 194 Hulse Ave (600-33-6-21), (R), $225,000

• Bove, A to Diocese of Long Island, Trustees, 301 North Side Rd (600-36-2-1.3), (R), $550,000

• Frevola, J & Carey, C to Elenterio, Charles, 10 St Andrews Path (600-96-1-13.42), (R), $635,000

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

The post Real Estate Transfers: Feb. 28, 2019 appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The daily update, a podcast briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork, is brought to you by Lucas Ford:

Get the daily update delivered straight to your inbox each weekday morning by subscribing to our newsletter. Or listen through Apple Podcasts by subscribing to Closer Look. 

Here are the headlines across the North Fork for Thursday, Feb. 28:

NEWS

Southold Democrats nominate slate for November town elections

Town adopts Main Road building moratorium

Steve DeCaro out as Mattituck baseball coach

Malcolm Cater embraces opportunity in arena football league

Local performers celebrate Black History Month in Riverhead

WEATHER

Expect cloudy skies through mid-morning today, then gradual clearing, with a high near 37 degrees, wind chill values between 20 and 30, and a north wind of 7 to 10 mph, according to the National Weather Service. There’s a slight chance of snow overnight when the low will reach 27 degrees.

The post Daily Update: Dems announce slate, moratorium approved, baseball coach out appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The Suffolk County Legislature is hosting public hearings on three controversial proposals during its meeting next week at the County Center in Riverside.

The issues up for discussion are recreational marijuana, banning single-use plastic straws and stirrers, and a requirement for businesses to use biodegradable products. The regular meeting starts Tuesday, March 5 at 9:30 a.m. The public hearings start that afternoon at 2 p.m. The public is invited to speak out on the topics.

Ahead of Tuesday’s hearings, here is a breakdown of each proposal up for public input:

Recreational marijuana

Lawmakers want to prohibit the retail sale of marijuana products in the county. The legislation comes in light of the fact that New York State is considering the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes, while giving local municipalities the option to opt out of the law.

The hearing notice states that “marijuana has long been regarded as a gateway drug that has long been an introduction to drug culture and can lead to the use and abuse of other substances.”

The proposed law also said marijuana impairs functions needed to safely complete tasks like operating a motor vehicle.

Read the full proposal.

Straws and stirrers

Another push is to have single-use plastic beverage straws and stirrers be distributed by request only at restaurants.

The proposed legislation states that Americans collectively use 500 million plastic straws per day, “despite the fact that most people do not need a straw to drink their beverage.” It also states that straws are frequently ingested by marine life, which can cause death.

Read the full proposal.

Biodegradable products

A third hearing deals with a proposed law to require businesses in Suffolk County to use biodegradable products.

“This Legislature further determines that alternative biodegradable food service items are readily available to meet the vast majority of food service needs,” the proposal reads.

It continues, “The use of biodegradable and/or compostable food service products will reduce the waste stream in Suffolk County and provide a commensurate reduction in waste disposal costs.”

Read the full proposal.

There may be other hearings in addition to these three on the agenda as well Tuesday.

The post County sets hearings on recreational marijuana, single use plastic ban appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Town Board members discussed a proposal that would provide affordable housing assistance in the five East End towns through money raised from the Community Preservation Fund.

Assemblyman Fred Thiele (I-Sag Harbor) proposed the Town Community Housing Fund in early February. The fund would provide financial assistance to first-time homebuyers, create opportunities for owning and rental housing, rehabilitating existing buildings for community housing, counseling and education impact payment to local school districts under the proposed legislation.

It would be paid for through a 0.5 percent increase in the real estate transfer tax.

There is already a 2 percent real estate transfer tax to paid into the Community Preservation Fund, which allows towns to purchase and preserve open space.

The new proposal has bipartisan support, Mr. Russell said, but the decision to create the fund would be up to town boards and needs to be offered as a local referendum to be decided by voters.

“I think you’re going put this on the ballot and the public is going to vote for it 2-1,” Mr. Russell said. “I’m not in a position to say I oppose it or I support it because ultimately, it’s up to the voters. But the reality is, there is just no other perceivable way to create financial resources to promote affordable housing.”

Board member Louisa Evans said after reading through a fact sheet on the project, she’s concerned with the town administering affordable housing.

“When you’re partnering with another group, which is one of the things they want to do, I think that’s great,” she said. “But to have the town purchase property to move affordable houses on, and then the town becomes the administrator of that project … I think that adding that bureaucracy to the town is not right.”

When it comes to affordable housing, Mr. Ruland said, Southold is practically out of options — so a new concept should always be considered.

Mr. Russell said he plans to discuss the fund with the town Housing Commission. A final decision has not been made. Mr. Russell said the affordable housing issue has moved to the forefront of Southold in recent years.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

Photo caption: (Left to right) Board members Jill Doherty,, Louisa Evans and Bill Ruland at Tuesday’s work session. (Kate Nalepinski photo)

The post Board discusses affordable housing proposal, supervisor says it’s up to voters appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The daily update, a podcast briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork, is brought to you by Lucas Ford:

Get the daily update delivered straight to your inbox each weekday morning by subscribing to our newsletter. Or listen through Apple Podcasts by subscribing to Closer Look. 

Here are the headlines across the North Fork for Friday, March 1:

NEWS

County sets hearings on recreational marijuana, single use plastic ban

Board discusses affordable housing proposal, supervisor says it’s up to voters

NORTHFORKER

Karen Rivara followed a long and winding path to becoming a pioneer

This is Lauri Spitz’s story and it’s one worth telling

WEATHER

A chance for snow and rain exists through Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Today expect cloudy skies with a high near 37 and a low around 34 tonight with a chance for a wintry mix of rain, snow and sleet into the morning hours.

The post Daily Update: Hearing on marijuana law, affordable housing tax, restaurant expansion appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The owners of Green Hill Kitchen are seeking an expansion that includes outdoor seating and additional kitchen and storage space at the restaurant, located at 48 Front Street in Greenport. 

Robert Brown, the architect for the applicants, presented the plans during a pre-submission conference at a Planning Board meeting Thursday.

According to the plans, a 20-by-16-foot first floor addition is planned to increase the size of the kitchen. A 20-by-26-foot second floor addition would house office and storage space, Mr. Brown said.

The applicants are also seeking approval for the existing performance venue space located on the second floor of the restaurant and to add outdoor seating on a rear patio on the ground level. The current site plan did not indicate how many seats would be added; one of several concerns that Planning Board members asked Mr. Brown to address in his revised plans.

Planning Board member John Cotugno asked if the additional square footage would require more parking.

“I know everything is grandfathered, but now we’re adding more space … it seems like it would be adding insult to injury,” he said.

Currently there are two or three parking spaces behind the building, which Planning Board chair Mary Given was concerned about losing.

“Two or three spaces in Greenport is like gold,” she said. “We don’t want to lose any that we have existing.”

Mr. Brown said the addition would not increase the occupancy of the building, but Ms. Given pushed back, reminding him of the new outdoor seating.

“It’s not the full width of the property,” Mr. Brown said. “There’s still room for cars.”

Ms. Given said the board would be looking into whether the property owners will need to add parking.

In a letter, village Planner Anthony Portillo made several suggestions for Mr. Brown to consider. Among them are a layout for the outdoor seating proposed, a buffer between the outdoor dining space and sidewalk and sound mitigation to ensure that noise levels from live music stay below levels set in the village code.

Live entertainment, he wrote, “will bring in larger crowds at later hours and should be taken into consideration regarding egress and noise.”

The new kitchen and cooler space would be subject to Suffolk County Health Department approval and Zoning Board of Appeals approval since the project would increase lot coverage from the allowable 40 percent to 49.3 percent.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Marilyn E. McNulty of Laurel died at home Feb. 28. She was 90.

Visitors will be received Tuesday, March 5, from 10 a.m. to noon, at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. Funeral services officiated by Father Peter Garry will be held after visitation, followed by interment at Sacred Heart R. C. Cemetery.

The post Marilyn E. McNulty appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Garcia Vasquez of Calverton was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Cutchogue Saturday evening, police reports said.

Ms. Vasquez allegedly failed to yield to a Southold Town Police vehicle and proceeded to make a right turn onto Route 48 from Depot Lane, reports said. 

Upon further investigation, Ms. Vasquez was found to be intoxicated with an open container of Heineken beer in her vehicle.

Ms. Vasquez was transported to headquarters, processed and held for arraignment.

• A physical altercation in Mattituck Sunday morning prompted a response from police, reports said.

Around 2 a.m., police received a report of multiple Riverhead residents engaged in a fight outside of 140 Pike St. in Mattituck. Upon further investigation, police found several people out in the roadway yelling. Police reports said prior to their appearance, one individual tackled another and placed him in a choke-hold.

Several members of the Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene. No arrests were made and no parties intended to pursue charges at this time, reports said.

• A Southold man reported receiving a scam call Thursday evening demanding money.

The scammer allegedly said told the man his grandson was in jail and he needed to transfer $9,800.00 to a bank account to post bail.

Police reports said a similar scam call reported earlier this month might be affiliated with the incident.

• Police are investigating a burglary that occurred in Mattituck last Monday, reports said.

Around noon, a Mattituck man reported that a rear basement window of his home at 600 Inlet View East in Mattituck had been pried open. The individual told police his grandson was watching over the residence while he was away and he was unaware of the damages. The grandson stated the damage was new and he was last at the residence Feb. 16 around 4 p.m.

• Police are investigating a report of larceny that occurred in Peconic Saturday afternoon.

A Southold man reported that an individual sold his boat without his permission, reports said. The man said he gave the title of the boat to the individual, who was then asked to have the boat registered.

After police contacted the other individual, he said the Southold man gave him the boat as a gift and he sold it in 2013. He claimed that the caller had been angry at him recently, prompting him to ask for the boat back.

Police suggested the individual file a claim in civil court, as this is a civil matter. Police took no further investigation.

• Police are investigating a case of larceny reported Friday evening at Sea Tow International at 700 Hummel Ave. in Southold, reports said.

A Southold woman reported that a previous employee stole multiple pieces of electronic equipment valued over $2,000.

The woman told police that she’s noticed multiple unauthorized charges on a credit card over the past few months. She said there are two Microsoft Surface laptops purchased by Sea Tow that can’t be located.

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.

The post Southold Blotter: Calverton woman arrested for DWI in Cutchogue appeared first on Suffolk Times.

You’ll read in this edition about a dog park being established, about dredging planned in Greenport to help boaters, about a Mattituck teen who has been selected for a very prestigious ballet program and about the candidates both political parties have picked to run for local office.

If you pick up the Riverhead News-Review, you’ll learn about tax abatements, lawsuits, the retirement of a police detective after 31 years and the closure of a 64-year-old family business. You might also want to take a look at the Shelter Island Reporter to read about what’s going on over there.

Reporting these stories is part of our duty as community newspapers to do our best to keep you informed, to highlight what should be highlighted, to point out what should be pointed out and to celebrate what should be celebrated. A good example of that is this week’s guest column on the importance of Black History Month.

But, of course, farther-reaching events are playing out at the same time on a larger stage, events that impact all of us on the North Fork and across America. As we write this, Michael Cohen — our president’s former fixer and lawyer, all-around crook and soon-to-be prison inmate — is detailing for a congressional panel what he characterizes as the crimes and behavior of the man he spent years lying for.

He is testifying with the cameras on, so we can all see and hear it. Tomorrow, he will testify behind closed doors. So much is at stake in our country it is hard to put it all into words.

No matter what Mr. Cohen says, some of us will dismiss it all as lies because he’s spent most of his legal career as a paid prevaricator. Others among us will be horrified at the allegations and know that, had anything similar been thrown at former President Barack Obama, the GOP would have demanded his removal from office and wanted him tried for treason.

It seems we are living in a split-screen America. We keep rooting for one side or the other even when it no longer matters — or makes any sense. 

We hope you’ll appreciate that our focus is on our communities and all the great things being done locally to make them wonderful places to live and work. Occasionally, though, we must weigh in on events, big and small, that occur beyond our towns and neighborhoods but affect every one of us. 

We did this last week with the growing Catholic sex abuse scandal. You will read a number of letters in our papers this week from readers upset by that coverage. We are glad to print those letters. Keep them coming.

In the meantime, grab a coffee and head over to the ice rink in Greenport. Look out for the magnificent bald eagle that has been spotted in Mattituck. It looks like we might soon be home to a bald eagle family somewhere on the North Fork. 

That’s good news this week in split-screen America.

The post Editorial: This is some week in America appeared first on Suffolk Times.

In just 14 years, Alexis Stavrinos has gone through 10 years of ballet classes, countless hours of private instruction and hundreds of pairs of canvas slippers and pointe shoes. On a cold January morning, all of her hard work boiled down to one audition at the American Ballet Theatre in New York City.

She stood on a line that snaked around the block, wide-eyed with butterflies in her stomach. Inside, judges circled the studio, watching a sea of dancers in black leotards warm up with pliés and tendus at the barre.

“[The judges] look at your technique. And they see your passion for dance — if you’re right for the [Summer] Intensive,” Alexis recalled during an interview Monday. “I do get jitters, but once I’m [in the audition room,] I’m having fun,” she said.

Then, on Jan. 14, which also happened to be her 14th birthday, Alexis received the exciting news: acceptance into the prestigious ABT Summer Intensive. In July, she will begin the three-week program at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, dorming with other dancers ages 11 to 17 and taking classes taught by ABT faculty and distinguished guest instructors.

The Mattituck eighth-grader said she’s most looking forward to honing her skills and broadening her horizons beyond the North Fork, where she has studied ballet with Cheryl Rains at the Moya Strast Ballet Theater on Pike Street since she was 4.

“I did it for fun, and around 11 I started taking it seriously,” Alexis said, recalling the first day she went on pointe. “I was ready. [Ms. Rains] prepared us with strength training.”

It was clear from the moment she executed her first arabesque at the barre that her posture was rare and polished for a beginner.

Ms. Rains, a Russian-trained dancer, has been teaching for over 30 years. Sometimes, she said, you can “just tell,” when a student is destined for bigger things. “[Alexis] has a natural ability,” she said in an interview Tuesday. “She’s got a good brain for remembering the steps. If you give her corrections, she’s able to fix it on the first try. She’s a very good student, and a beautiful dancer.”

Though Alexis has tried other styles of dance — tap, Irish step — ballet is where she found her passion. “[Irish step] was not my thing,” she said, laughing. “It’s straight and stuff. I like the grace [of ballet] and how you can tell a story with your movements.”

The 5-foot, 7-inch dancer said her goal is to one day dance professionally with the American Ballet Theatre. She hopes that the Summer Intensive will help her realize that dream.

Last summer, she participated in a six-week intensive program hosted by the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Connecticut. Though she was invited back, Ms. Rains encouraged her to try a New York-based company. “It’s exciting. It’s a really good opportunity for her to get some contacts in New York,” her teacher said.

Both Alexis and her brother, Nikolas, 11, who takes hip-hop and jazz dance classes, get their love of dance from their mom, Linda Stavrinos. “I didn’t grow up in the ballet world,” she explained, but has always loved ballroom dancing. 

Ms. Stavrinos is in awe of her daughter’s commitment and supportive of her dream. “Whatever she decides to pursue, I will back her. It’s important to be happy and love what you do every day,” she said.

Between balancing at least three ballet classes a week, Alexis also plays on the school volleyball team, is a member of the science club and maintains a spot on the high honor roll. “She’s very disciplined,” Ms. Rains said of her student.

If Alexis does make it into the company at ABT, she won’t be the first from Mattituck. Cory Stearns, 33, is currently a principal dancer with the company. He left Mattituck High School at age 15 when he was offered a scholarship to study at the Royal Ballet School in London.

“Mattituck is a small town. It’s close to the city — and I’d go there occasionally to take classes on the weekends, but [London] was way outside of the box for me,” he said when reached by phone Tuesday.

He said that Summer Intensives, such as the one offered by ABT, are opportunities to receive great training — essential to any dancer. “No matter how much talent you have, if you don’t have good training then you really can’t get very far,” Mr. Stearns said.

Also necessary for someone pursuing a career in dance, he stressed, is passion and a deep appreciation. “I feel so privileged to be able to do this,” Mr. Stearns said, even after 15 seasons. “That feeling has only gotten stronger.”

Speaking of her first intensive training, Alexis said she had a great experience, but summed it up in one word: harsh. “But I kind of liked that. I like when the teachers are … not mean, but strict. You learn more from it.”

Before shipping off to Tuscaloosa, Alexis will perform “Coppélia” with her studio at the Southold American Legion on June 23.

Ms. Stavrinos has been watching her daughter perform there for years. Now a young woman, her mother knows that opportunity will lead Alexis far from the North Fork — bittersweet for any parent, but exciting at the same time.

“I hope to watch Alexis on a bigger stage one day,” she said.

tsmith@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Alexis Stavrinos is heading to the University of Alabama this summer for the ballet program. 

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The Greenport Village Board formally approved a measure to  establish a 72-hour time limit for parking at the Fourth Street parking lot.

The lot, located south of the train tracks, is owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Agency and did not have time-based parking regulations. The issue came to light last year after locals and board trustees noticed vehicles were parked in the lot for several months.

According to the legislation, the purpose is to “improve available parking for the residents of the village and their guests and other visitors to the village.”

Violators would be subject to an initial parking fine of $75, according to the village code.

Greenport get charging station

A charging station for electric vehicles is coming to Greenport Village. At Thursday’s meeting, the Village Board approved an agreement with the Power Authority of the State of New York to install the equipment on property owned by the village.

According to the agreement, one fast-charging unit that can service two vehicles will be installed by village electric utilities staff in the municipal parking lot on Adams Street between First Street and Main Street.

Correction: The parking fine would be $75. The amount listed was incorrect in the original post.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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During Black History Month we are reminded of the success and accomplishments we in the black community have achieved. However, we must realize that success is not by chance. There are principles that you follow to be successful. Being knowledgeable of one’s history is one such principle.

Most ethnic communities, in an effort to enhance their children’s journey to success, establish a curriculum in their schools and in their community to teach them about their history and their culture so that no matter where they go they remain intact and connected to their history.

They know who they are, they know their origin in the world and they know their history. For example, the Chinese know their history, the Italians know their history, the Japanese know their history and most human beings on this earth know their history.

Yet we in the black community have been deprived for so long of the knowledge of our history. This is why, years ago, we had to fight to get any type of Pan-African studies and ethnic-based curriculums in schools and on college campuses. In some cases, we still have to fight to learn some of the rich knowledge of our ancient history.

Our history goes far beyond the roles of George Washington Carver and Frederick Douglass, and let me offer this breaking news: Our history did not begin with slavery. Our children need to know about the royalty of our history. How we played major roles in the development of this world not just in sports and entertainment as society would like to limit us to, but in the fields of religion, science, medicine, education, literature and more.

We have been disconnected from the root of our true ancient history. If you disconnect a tree from its roots the tree dies. If you disconnect the roots from the earth the tree dies. The roots of a people is their history. It’s the history that when you know it you draw nourishment from it because your history teaches you and sheds light on the full possibility of what you can achieve.

You become confident and connected to what you can achieve by knowing what your ancestors have done to pave the way. That achievement does not seem so far away when you know that it has a connection to your own ancient history as an African-American.

To deprive our children, to deprive our students and deprive ourselves as a whole of knowing anything about our history puts us in a position where we cannot draw nourishment from the root of our own history because we have been cut off from that root. So in most cases we are left with a Eurocentric root of our history that does not nourish us. It only deprives us of all the nutrients of an unbiased history that has not been watered down and tainted by a society whose efforts were to keep us “12 years a slave” and counting.

Where there is deprivation there is a sense of no value. This sense of no value can cause us to branch away from the root of our history and draw our nourishment from the sunlight of the history of others. This photosynthesis affects the fruit that we bear.

We are taught to admire and psychologically memorize the historical accomplishments of others: “In 14 hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue …” We were more focused on memorizing a lie about a discovery than focusing on the truth of our own history. This is just one example of the misguided history that was embedded in us as children. Their history produced discoverers, great thinkers, Inventors, builders of empires, while our history produced slaves. That was the history lesson taught.

In the black community, the longer we are deprived of the true knowledge of our history the longer we will experience a disconnection. It’s this disconnection that produces skepticism regarding the richness and the royalty of our history and how our history reaches far beyond the infamous timeline of 1619.

We cannot solely rely on others outside of our community to educate us about our true identity and history. We all have to take the initiative to research and educate ourselves, our children and our community. That is why the acknowledgement of Black History Month is important. However, teaching, studying and knowing our history each and every day in each and every month is even greater.

Mr. Hobson is a Riverhead native currently living in Virginia.

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A solemn middle-aged man enters his living room. He sits down, takes a deep breath and looks directly at his daughter, seated across from him.

“Tell me it’s a joke,” he says, holding up her suicide note. “It’s gotta be a joke; it can’t be real.”

She doesn’t answer. Instead, she listens, as he shares what his life would be like without her.

This is the opening scene of Mattituck High School senior Lucas Kosmynka’s latest short film, “You Matter,” which stars high school custodian Michael Fedele. The four-minute video was written and filmed by the duo.

“My way of communicating to other people is through my camera,” Lucas said. “I thought it would be appropriate to make a film about suicide and mental health and bring awareness to it … Sometimes, your closest friends, your family members can be going through it, and they’ll be doing their best job of hiding it and keeping it away from you.”

Mr. Fedele, 56, a custodian in the district, said he’s lost friends to suicide, so he was eager to act in the short film, which resonated with him.

But this isn’t the first time Mr. Fedele and Lucas have partnered on a project.

About two years ago, Mr. Fedele said he and Lucas bonded at the school over their mutual love for filmmaking.

“We shared our ideas, our dreams; we still do,” Mr. Fedele said. “We talk about different shots and about how things transform on film and the creative process. We help each other out.”

Where Lucas struggled to formulate his creative ideas on the screen, Mr. Fedele helped him out by putting his ideas into imagery and writing, he said. Lucas always has an idea for him to play with.

“Lucas doesn’t realize he’s given me these ideas that are hard for him to spell out, then I can channel those ideas,” Mr. Fedele said.

From there, the pair formed a tight bond. Mr. Fedele has acted in two other short films that Lucas has shot: “Reflection,” about a man who is being chased by himself, and “Emissary,” about accepting the loss of a loved one.

“If there’s an opportunity for something to be said, he uses the camera as the means to present that,” Mr. Fedele said. “It’s really his talent and his gift to be able to send a message.”

Mr. Fedele attended acting classes at the HB Studio in New York City. After jumping around to different acting gigs on the East Coast, he joined the district as a custodian, where he has been for nine years.

Lucas said he had a rough cut of the short film completed an hour after shooting, posted the video to Instagram and received positive feedback from people as far away as Florida.

“That feels special,” he said. “To the point where I don’t even know them, but I made an impact on their life. That’s something I want to stick with.”

The high school senior aspires to study filmmaking in college and to stay in touch with Mr. Fedele as his career continues.

Mr. Fedele said he knows the power of social media can make waves. He said he hopes the video prompts people to understand and consider the theme of the video.

“As a parent, you have to be aware of [suicidal tendencies],” he said. “My message to anybody is this: We’re all important. And that’s what the video is really about.”

Lucas’ published work is available on his YouTube channel, Lucas Tran.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Mattituck High School custodian Michael Fedele worked with senior Lucas Kosmynka on Lucas’s latest short film, ‘You Matter,’ which addresses mental illness.

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With broad bipartisan support, the House of Representatives Tuesday voted to pass the Natural Resources Management Act, which will permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

The fund is financed through revenues from offshore oil and gas royalty payments and helps protect parks, trails, wildlife refuges and recreation areas in all 50 states.

According to Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), who supported the bill, the fund has supported over 90 projects in Suffolk County alone. 

“On Long Island, our coastal economy is a vital component of our overall economy, and clean water, land and air are essential priorities all protected by the LWCF,” Mr. Zeldin said in a news release Wednesday.

Congress created the fund in 1964 with the idea of taking revenues from the depletion of one natural resource to preserve another. According to the LWCF Coalition, $900 million in royalties are paid by energy companies who drill on the Outer Continental Shelf to the fund each year.

It has helped fund National Parks including Rocky Mountain and the Grand Canyon, national forests and community parks, trails and ball fields.

Since its creation, Suffolk County has received $24 million in funding, according to Mr. Zeldin.

Locally, Mr. Zeldin said, the fund supports “public access, fishing, hunting, recreation and our environment without taking a dime of taxpayer money.” Such projects include the South Jamesport Boat Launch, Wildwood State Park beach building in Wading River, shoreline protection at Orient State Park and the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge in Shirley.

Funding for the LWCF expired at the end of September 2018.

“I’ve been proud to help lead the fight to permanently reauthorize this important fund in the House … this is a huge win for our community and communities across the country,” he said. 

The bill now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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The light snow that fell Saturday morning was nearly gone by the end of the day, but a more significant late-winter punch is on its way.

The National Weather Service upped its projected snow totals overnight for a storm that’s expected to hit the area late Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. A winter storm warning goes into effect at 1 p.m. Sunday and will last through 7 a.m. Monday as moderate snow, heavy at times, is expected.

An estimated five to seven inches of snow is expected, putting the storm on pace for the highest total so far this winter, according to the NWS. Amounts may be lower across the South Fork as rain mixes in late tonight. The eastern most portion of the North Fork could see the highest totals locally.

The snowy weather could make travel difficult Sunday night and for the Monday morning commute, potentially impacting schools. Visibility could be 1/2-mile or less at times during the storm. The heaviest snow will be during overnight hours.

The temperature is expected to climb Monday afternoon as the storm passes, giving way to clear skies. The high temperature is going to be near 41. Mostly sunny skies are forecast through Friday.

Editor’s Note: This post was updated at 5 p.m. with the latest information from the NWS.

Photo credit: National Weather Service

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As a snowstorm begins to hit the area Sunday night, some school districts have already begun to issue delayed openings for Monday.

Check back here for updates as they become available.

Schools

Greenport School District — Two-hour delayed opening.

Mattituck School District — Two-hour delayed opening.

Southold School District — Two-hour delayed opening.

Other Delays/Closings

Southold Town Offices — Two-hour delayed opening.

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