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As advancements in health care surge forward, health insurance premiums continue to rise, leaving many on the North Fork puzzled as to what they need to know to better navigate their medical futures.

At the Oct. 23 Times Review Talks forum: “The State of Health Care & Health Insurance,” a panel of experts discussed its present and future, including Peconic Bay Medical Center president and CEO Andrew Mitchell; Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital chief administrative officer Paul J. Connor III; Anthony Cardona, president of Cardona & Company;  Dr. Jarid Pachter, vice chair of ELI Leadership Coordinating Council and SBUH Medical Board & MEC member at large, who is also the director of Quannacut Outpatient;  Davin Laurina, associate vice president of commercial sales and broker service for Healthfirst; and Erica Gerrity, director of management services for Peconic Bay Medical Center.

Times Review Media Group content director Grant Parpan moderated the discussion.

The post Times Review Talks: Health Care and Health Insurance on the East End appeared first on Suffolk Times.

An audit conducted by the Office of the State Comptroller revealed Greenport school’s former treasurer did not prepare accurate bank reconciliations in a timely manner.

The district’s treasurer failed to prepare 26 of 43 months of bank reconciliations in the necessary 30-day time frame and did not ensure that recorded balance for the district’s general fund bank account was accurately reflected for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic year, the audit states. The audit did not show any misuse of funds.

The school was audited from July 1, 2015 to Jan. 31, 2019 to determine if 43 monthly bank reconciliations, which ensures that money leaving district’s accounts each month match actual money spent, were accurate. The report was released to the public Oct. 11.

The audit found that 17 reconciliations for the district’s general fund were prepared in a timely manner while 26 reconciliations were prepared late, some of which were inaccurate.

During the audit period, four people served as the treasurer and from July 9 to Sept. 5, 2016, the position was vacant. Consequently, the audit states, transactions prepared were “unreliable” and the balance for the general fund did not accurately reflect the actual balance in the account, the report states.

Superintendent David Gamberg said in an email Thursday that “turnover and inexperience in the position were the main contributing factors in not preparing the bank reconciliations” in a timely manner. He noted that the entire business office staff turned over in 2016.

In over half of the monthly documents audited, there were unreconciled differences in payment — ranging from $13 to as much as nearly $3.4 million in several unrecorded transactions in April 2017, which included deposits, transfers between funds and payments for debt service and employee health insurance.

Often, appropriate accounting adjustments were not made until the end of the fiscal year — if at all, the report states.

“By not reconciling the bank balances with the balances recorded in accounting records in an accurate and timely manner, the Board [of Education] and officials have limited assurance that they are making decisions based on the district’s actual cash position,” the audit states.

Mr. Gamberg said the district takes the findings “seriously,” and district representatives have already begun to tackle the problem.

“Their findings were not new to us and we have been working diligently to post journal entries and prepare bank reconciliations timely,” he said.

The audit also found the district’s assistant superintendent of business, Charles Scheid, did not review bank reconciliations before they were included in the district’s monthly treasurer’s report, available on most monthly board agendas.

The audit states that the current treasurer, Mindy Doroski, is reviewing past bank reconciliations and is working to make appropriate adjustments. Mr. Scheid told the comptroller’s office that moving forward he will review and sign-off on bank reconciliations.

Mr. Gamberg said the district’s treasurer performs other job duties in addition to bank reconciliations. When they are learning a new job, he said, their primary focus is on major areas such as making sure staff and taxes are paid and federal/state payroll and retirement reports are prepared.

“With a busy office and a small business office staff, losing just one person causes difficulty,” he said. “Adjusting entries are only done when the item is thoroughly investigated and supported. In addition, the adjusting entry is never back dated in the accounting system, but is always done in the month the support is obtained.”

Since October 2018, bank reconciliations have been prepared and reviewed timely, Mr. Gamberg said. Currently, he said, there are no outstanding reconciling items.

In a letter of receipt to the State Comptroller, Mr. Gamberg said the district “remains committed to being responsible and compliant stewards of the District’s assets.”

The letter states that district officials plan to file a corrective action plan to address the concerns of the examination, a recommendation of the audit.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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The Democratic candidates for Town Board, Robert Hanlon and Sarah Nappa, have brought invaluable points of view to the campaign. We are particularly impressed with Mr. Hanlon, who for the past few years has been a regular presence at all levels of town government. Where he lacked information, he learned. He learned well, and this effort to know how government works has earned him a place at the table.

Because of his focus on town government, but also because he has raised critical issues such as the construction of oversized houses, we endorse Mr. Hanlon for the Town Board. He will bring balance, fresh vision and a new voice to the Town Board, which will only make it better and more effective.

Ms. Nappa has brought a determined and pointed focus to the campaign. Her voice is strong — and needed. And while we feel the presence of Mr. Hanlon on the board will bring with it a new voice, we don’t feel the Democrats made a case for why Mr. Ruland should not be re-elected.

Mr. Ruland served on the Mattituck-Cutchogue Board of Education for 24 years, and he has been on the Town Board for 12 years — 36 years of public service. He lives on the same Mattituck land his ancestors farmed. He knows well the old-style farming of potatoes that was Southold’s heritage up until 1984.

He also understands the new farming that has come to Southold in recent years — and the economic and social challenges that go with it. That said, Mr. Ruland can’t be blamed for being nostalgic for what was here for so long and what defined his own family’s history and the farming history of the entire North Fork. Our farm soils are among the best in America. We lose them at our own peril.

Mr. Ruland has been an unselfish public servant. He speaks the language of polite discourse. His reserve has served him and the town well, and he has earned another term on the board. We endorse him for re-election.

The work ahead for Southold Town government is massive, and gets bigger by the year. Just what is the proper use of farmland? Save farmland, yes. But how do we save the farmer? One without the other is land without a story. A balance between the new farming and the neighborhoods that border them must be struck. The goose that laid the golden egg should not be choked to death because of rapid, unregulated change. Government has a role to play, and must play it effectively.

Perhaps Southold’s biggest challenge going forward is how to deal with rising sea levels, more intense storms and the impact of climate change. Washed-out roads and beaches and flooded residential streets during high tides are becoming the norm. The age of relocating houses away from the water is upon us.

Endorsing Mr. Hanlon and Mr. Ruland is in no way a criticism of Ms. Nappa or Jill Doherty. As a member of the new and emerging farming economy, Ms. Nappa has a very important role to play as the town navigates its future while preserving the beauty we have in abundance. We hope she will stay involved, and continue to make her voice heard.

The post Endorsement: Bob Hanlon and William Ruland for Town Board appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The daily update, a podcast briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork, is brought to you by San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, award-winning care when and where you need it most.

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, Nov. 1:

OPINION

Endorsement: Bob Hanlon and William Ruland for Southold Town Board

Endorsement: Frank Beyrodt, Diane Tucci for Riverhead Town Board

NEWS

Comptroller audit outlines recommendation for Greenport school’s treasurer

Town Board again discusses dropping easement in Wading River

Steve Martin musical ‘Bright Star’ makes its Long Island premiere

SPORTS

Girls Soccer: Strong wind can’t slow down Wildcats as they advance to county final

NORTHFORKER

Reimagining history: East Bay Builders renovates Mattituck barn and farmhouse

WEATHER

Expect the sun to make its return today following days of rain and last night’s wind storm that downed trees and left thousands across the North Fork without power. 

But the cold weather is coming.

While the high temperature today will be about 58 degrees today, according to the National Weather Service, there is a freeze warning in effect for the overnight hours when temperatures are expected to dip down to as low as 30 degrees. 

Though the sun is supposed to last through the weekend, it likely won’t get above 58 during the daytime Saturday and Sunday, dipping into the 30s each night.

The post Daily Update: Freezing temps in forecast, Town Board endorsements appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The Peconic Bay scallop, a favorite of East End foodies and a late-year boon for area baymen, could be largely absent from markets and menus after the season opens up Monday.

Early reports from within the fishing industry suggest there are few bay scallops to harvest this year.

“There’s going to be scallops, but there’s not going to be many around,” said Southold Fish Market owner Charlie Manwaring. “It’s nothing like the last couple of years.”

On Shelter Island, several baymen said they had no plans to go out on opening day due to the grim population projections. Mr. Manwaring said he was told the same thing by some of the baymen he spoke with.

Because bay scallops live for just 18 to 22 months and reproduce only once, they are particularly susceptible to population fluctuations and the harvests have always been cyclical.

“Not good,” Braun Seafood Co. owner Ken Homan said of his expectations for the 2019-20 season. “I think the scallops must have spawned too early because they seem to have died early, but just a guess.”

Stephen Tettlebach, a shellfish ecologist with Cornell Cooperative Extension, is expected to discuss the prospects for the coming season at an event tonight, Friday, at 6 p.m. at the East End Seaport Museum in Greenport. He’ll also give an overview of the work that’s been done in recent years to restore the population.

Bay scallops were nearly driven to extinction due to “brown tide” algal blooms that affected bay waters from 1985 to 1987 and again in 1995. The collapse of the scallop population in the late 80s was a calamity that brought the DEC and the baymen together in agreement that scalloping season had to be changed to maximize the chances for scallops to spawn.

Environmental factors, such as runoff from fertilizers and antiquated septic systems have hurt the fishery during some recent years, but with improvements in water quality and a successful and ongoing reseeding program, the scallop population has gradually rebounded.

In 2017, bay scallops accounted for $1.57 million of revenue, the highest value harvest in New York since the 1994 harvest of $1.76 million.

Mr. Manwaring said it’s hard to accurately predict how much volume he’ll see Monday, but he has a “bad, bad feeling” based on what he’s heard from everyone he’s spoken with.

“If I get 20 bags in or something like that, they’re going to be worth a lot of money,” he said. “If we get a couple hundred bags in, that’s a different story.”

With reporting from Kate Nalepinski, Steve Wick and Charity Robey.

Caption: Skip Tuttle of Shelter Island heading out for the opening day of scallop season 2018. (Credit: Beverlea Walz)

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Athleticism, academics and attitude are what make Ahkee Anderson a triple-A high school football player. They are why coaches adore him, teammates like him and opponents respect him.

The line between teammates and opponents was blurred a bit Friday night when Anderson, a transfer from Greenport to Center Moriches this year, played against his former team.

“It was fun, you know, playing against the old friends and everything,” Anderson said after Center Moriches beat Greenport/Southold/Mattituck, 32-18, in a Suffolk County Division IV game. “It was a little weird, of course, at first … but it was definitely a fun game. I was definitely looking forward to this one, just to see everybody. A lot of my friends and family from Greenport came out to watch me play, so that was probably the best thing.”

The visiting Greenport fans might have felt a bit conflicted, seeing Anderson wearing the red and white Center Moriches uniform instead of Greenport purple and gold.

“I know tonight is pretty big for him,” Center Moriches coach Leonard Wright said. “I know personally he’s done a lot for that town and he grew up in that town and he still gets respect. I still get comments from the Greenport people about how good and how great he is. They wish the best for him, and he’s just that type of kid.”

It didn’t take the Red Devils (5-3) long to get Anderson, a senior who primarily plays wide receiver and defensive back for them, involved in the game. On the game’s third play from scrimmage he caught a 29-yard pass. Three plays later, he made it into the end zone after Hunter Hassett scrambled to his left before flipping the ball to him for a 15-yard touchdown reception.

Anderson ended up with three catches for 70 yards. He also made three tackles, including a hard hit on James Asip, who was slammed to the ground.

It was the final regular-season game for both teams. The only difference was it appears likely that Center Moriches, which entered the game in sixth place, is headed to the playoffs. Winless Greenport (0-8) is not.

This has been a brutal season, statistically, for the last-place Porters. They were shut out five times, lost four games by 54 points or more, and were outscored, 379-38.

But the Porters, with a sophomore-heavy roster, can take solace in that they ended their season on a hopeful note, turning in their best performance of the season in their closest game.

“The team has gotten so much better,” coach Jack Martilotta said. “The sophomores have gotten so much better. They’ve gotten so much playing experience that when they come back next year, we’re essentially bringing back the whole line.”

Martilotta said, win-loss record aside, the team’s spirits were up. “It’s funny, we’re on the bus ride over here and everybody’s in great spirits and ready to play,” he said.

What has kept the Porters motivated through all the adversity?

“Our coaches,” said senior running back/outside linebacker Isaiah Johnson, who made an interception, recovered a fumble and recorded a game-high seven tackles. “Our coaches telling us not to give up, and just the fact that we keep each other up. We might get mad at each other, but we give each other inspiration.”

Greenport fell behind, 26-0, by halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, Porters quarterback Nick Denicola threw three touchdown passes — a 15-yarder to Matt Warns (five catches, 72 yards), a 68-yarder to Alex Maysonet and a 15-yarder to Asip. Denicola, a sophomore, connected on 12 of 21 passes for 238 yards.

But Center Moriches brought too much game. Hassett (8 of 12, 181 yards) threw for two TDs, including a 33-yard pass to Danny Hromada. Brett Fuhrmann rushed for two TDs and 135 yards. Shane Kelly ran for a TD, too.

The unquestioned story line, though, was Anderson. Wright offered fulsome praise of the player.

“I wish I had eleven Ahkees,” the coach said, adding: “He’s every coach’s dream. He does anything that you ask of him and he does it at 100 percent.”

After the game, Anderson posed for a photo with Warns and met with Greenport’s Tyler Marlborough and Johnson before speaking with Martilotta. Johnson said, “I was telling him, ‘Good game,’ and I love him.”

Anderson’s cousin, sophomore cornerback/wide receiver Jahmeek Freeman, also plays for Greenport.

“Just another game,” Anderson said. “With all the love and everything, that was probably the only thing different about it.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Ahkee Anderson with some of his Center Moriches teammates before playing against his former Greenport/Southold/Mattituck team. (Credit: Bob Liepa)

The post Football: Anderson faces some old friends appeared first on Suffolk Times.

A Greenport man was arrested for driving while intoxicated last Thursday around 4 p.m. after another resident accused him of striking a dog and leaving the scene, according to Southold Town police. 

Christopher Lewis Moran, 65, was charged with DWI, police said.

According to police, a witness reported seeing a man driving on Third Street, at which point he heard a loud noise, which he described as a “thump.” He found a dog, who belonged to a nearby resident, injured in the roadway. The owner brought the dog to an emergency medical clinic.

The witness told police he saw the driver pull into a Third Street driveway and he followed to confront the driver. Mr. Moran denied hitting a dog and when interviewed by police, he said he had gone out to buy cigars.

Police found a dent on Mr. Moran’s front bumper license plate. He allegedly failed several sobriety tests, police said.

• James Ahrem, 56, of Central Islip was charged with DWI Friday. Police said Mr. Ahrem was stopped on Route 25 in Southold for failing to stay within the lane of travel. Police determined he was intoxicated and arrested him.

• A Cutchogue woman who appeared to have suffered an unknown medical emergency while driving, crashed into a telephone pole last Thursday in Southold.

Police said the woman was driving westbound on Route 25 when the medical emergency caused her to cross over into the eastbound lane and strike the pole. An update on her condition was not available.

• A Mattituck woman contacted police last Wednesday around 12:41 a.m. on behalf of her aunt, who has dementia, to report that the family wants an abandoned vehicle removed from their property. The vehicle, the woman said, has sat on the lawn for many years, unregistered and uninsured. The woman told police she believed another Mattituck man was the owner, but that man denied owning it. Police determined that the vehicle was last registered in his name. Southold Town Code Enforcement told the woman they would handle removal of the vehicle and needed a police report on file.

• A man with addresses in Greenport and Southold reported to police on Friday around 8:14 a.m. that his blue Makita MAC500 compressor, valued at $217.25, and a $10 lock had been stolen from his trailer, which was parked on Center Street in Greenport. The man told police he realized the compressor had gone missing around 8 a.m., but had last seen it two weeks before the date of the report. He also reported that the unknown suspect appeared to have used bolt cutters to gain access to the trailer. An investigation is underway.

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 Blotter: Greenport man arrested for allegedly leaving scene of crash involving dog appeared first on Suffolk Times.

One of two men charged in this summer’s street racing incident on the North Fork is now facing new legal issues after he allegedly filed a bogus insurance claim to collect a cash payout after wrecking his pricey McLaren sports car, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office.

Just one week after entering a guilty plea in Southold Town Justice Court, Gaston Castro, 35, of Flushing allegedly crashed the McLaren that had been returned to him, but reported to police and his insurance company that it had been stolen in an effort to collect a $160,000 cash payout.

Acting Queens District Attorney John Ryan said in a press release that Mr. Castro, 35, filed a police report with the NYPD’s 107th Precinct claiming the light blue car had been stolen from its parking spot outside his home on Jewel Avenue. The vehicle, which was later found in the brush off a road in Nassau County, was recovered by police. After Mr. Castro was notified that his car had been located, he contacted GEICO in an effort to collect the total cost of the vehicle, which he had purchased for $160,000 in 2018, the DA’s office said.

Prosecutors said that when confronted by investigators from NYPD’s auto fraud investigation unit, Mr. Castro admitted the car had not been stolen and that he crashed it and walked away.

“The defendant, caught in his tracks, is now facing prison time for his greed,” Mr. Ryan said in a statement.

Mr. Castro was charged with second-degree insurance fraud, third-degree attempted grand larceny, making a punishable false written statement and third-degree falsely reporting an incident. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

He’s due back in court Dec. 2.

In the July 21 incident on the North Fork, Mr. Castro and another man were spotted by police racing at around 130 mph and through red lights along County Road 48 between Peconic and Mattituck. They eventually abandoned their sports cars, including the blue McLaren, near Harbes Family Farm before leaving the scene. They were later arrested by Southold Town Police.

Mr. Castro and Mustafa Nayci, 42, of Coram both pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment and fourth-degree reckless driving before Judge Brian Hughes on Sept. 27. They were sentenced to 280 hours of community service and nearly $1,600 in fines and fees.

Mr. Castro is the owner of Mpireboyz Inc., according to records filed with the New York Department of State. Mpireboyz is a self-described international car club “aiming to unify car enthusiasts from all around the world,” according to its website.

Caption: Mr. Castro’s sports car at the town police impound lot in July. (Credit: Mahreen Khan)

gparpan@timesreview.com

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For three consecutive years, the four senior co-captains of the Southold boys soccer team walked off the field after the Suffolk County Class C final disappointed and dejected.

The First Settlers knew they had not only lost the championship game but a gateway to state tournament glory.

This time, however, they left no doubt, connecting four times in the opening half en route to an impressive 5-2 victory over Greenport at Diamond in the Pines on Saturday.

Last year Southold (8-8-1) suffered a crushing 1-0 overtime defeat to its North Fork neighbors and rivals.

“We all came out of here, some of us crying, so upset and this year coming out with smiles on our faces and almost tears of joy,” said midfielder Stephen Schill, a co-captain along with forward Joseph Silvestro, center back Tyler Woodhull and goalkeeper Cole Brigham. “Can’t believe it.”

When the finally whistle sounded, players on the bench, mostly substituted starters, bolted onto the field racing to the west end of the stadium to celebrate Southold’s 20th county championship with friends and family.

“Unexplainable,” Woodhull said. “It was amazing. Never felt anything like that before.”

Luke Grigonis, interim coach for most of the season while head coach Andrew Sadowski dealt with a neck injury, said: “Not overdue, but this team deserves it. It’s a testament to their attitude, their mentality and their work ethic.”

Because there are no Class C schools in Nassau County, the Settlers advanced to the Southeast Regional semifinals against Rhinebeck (Section IX) at Middletown High School on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

“We’re going to go into it pretty confident,” Woodhull said.

Due to Saturday’s result.

The halftime score was surprising because during the regular season, Southold won both encounters with the Porters (5-10-2), 3-2 and 3-1.

Southold midfielder Elmer Deleon scores on the empty Greenport net to make it 2-0, Saturday. (Credit: George Faella)

Prior to kickoff, Sadowski gave his team this message:

“Don’t hesitate, come out and play,” he said. “I just told them the first 15 minutes is going to dictate the entire game. It’s yours if you want it. They obviously wanted it.”

It took only 64 seconds for the Settlers to show how much they wanted it as Jaishaun McRae converted a scramble in the box off of Freddy Palencia’s corner kick for a 1-0 lead.

Southold did not let up. Silvestro’s right-wing feed set up an unmarked Elmer Deleon for an easy goal from point-blank range at 17:34. Silvestro slipped the ball into the lower right corner for a 3-0 margin at 20:43 before Daniel Palencia made it 4-0 with the first of two goals at 28:09. Palencia added at 60:11.

Silvestro said it “was super important” to come out strong.

“It came down to the wire every time,” he said of the last three finals. “Last year we had a heartbreaker. It was the last couple of seconds. We just didn’t want to take any chances and we just gave it all we got. … We just came out with a lot of fire.”

Brigham added: “This was our best game. We were clicking offensively and defensively.”

Sadowski was just happy to be on the sidelines for the first time this season. He had missed his duties as a social studies teacher and soccer coach since he was hit with a soccer ball on his neck during a freak preseason training accident. He returned to teaching on Wednesday.

“It’s a strange season when any of the coaches or players gets injured and can’t be a part of it, especially when it happens in training,” he said. “It was just a fluke accident. We joked about it. We dealt with it and its fine. They rose to the occasion and dealt with the adversity. Certainly helps that we’ve been together so long working together.”

Sadowski attended games but was forced to watch on the other side of the fence. “The energy and the excitement and the effort that the boys put in, that was the best welcome back this week,” he said.

The Settlers endured a tough final 2:23, when the Porters tallied their goals by Drew Wolf and Cesar Chapeton within 34-second span at 77:37 and 78:11, respectively. What really hurt Southold was losing defender Kenny Latham to a red card after he received his second yellow card with 71 seconds remaining. Latham will be suspended from Tuesday’s game.

“It’s going to change our back line,” Grigonis said. “Kenny will be missed.”

Top photo caption: The Class C champion Southold First Settlers. (Credit: George Faella)

The post Boys Soccer: Southold leaves no doubt in championship win against Greenport appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Al Krupski is among the strongest advocates for the North Fork. From his tenure as a Southold Town trustee, to his six years on the Suffolk County legislature, nobody has been more out front in terms of preserving our farms and farmland and the health of our salt creeks and bays.

In 2017, we said of him: “He is the brightest light on the North Fork political landscape.” Well, two years later, as he seeks a fourth term on the legislature, this remains true. We feel it would be accurate to say he is perhaps the brightest light on the East End for everything that makes Eastern Long Island the unique place that it is.

As it was in his previous elections to the Legislature, Mr. Krupski’s opponent is Remy Bell, a former Riverhead Town GOP chairman, who is little more than a placeholder on the ballot, meaning Mr. Krupski is essentially running unopposed. The GOP simply can’t touch him.

His family’s farming history in Peconic has been Mr. Krupski’s anchor point. His public service career grew out of that. It’s the garden from which his view of the North Fork and what is required to preserve it took root. The same ground also produced his son Nick Krupski, who, like his father, is keenly focused on the region’s beauty and the challenges ahead like climate change. Nick Krupski is running unopposed for reelection to the town trustees.

We, once again, enthusiastically endorse Mr. Krupski for reelection.

The post Endorsement: Al Krupski for Suffolk County Legislator appeared first on Suffolk Times.

When bike sharing was announced for Riverhead Town in September, Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith called the program “super exciting.” The Suffolk County program is called Bethpage Ride, and 17 locations in the county have been set up to date, with five in Hampton Bays.

To the delight of Riverhead officials, Bethpage Ride will soon be up and running in multiple locations in the town, including several downtown but also at the 9.2-mile Vietnam Veterans Memorial Trail at EPCAL, which is already popular with bike riders. Dozens of rental bikes will be kept at docking stations.

Bethpage Ride is a creation of Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone’s activist administration, and is among his best proposals. Here on the East End, another, far more urgent proposal has been pushed by the Bellone administration that shows his thinking on critical environmental issues: the county’s strong support for the installation of I/A septic systems as a means to reduce nitrogen pollution in groundwater.

Suffolk County is the most densely populated area with septic systems in the United States. These systems are heavy polluters of groundwater — the water we drink. The Bellone administration began promoting the news systems, called Innovative and Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems, which are said to reduce nitrogen by up to 70%. They also cost individual homeowners in excess of $20,000.

Mr. Bellone’s staff has held community meetings in Southold — and more are planned for Riverhead — to promote the systems, but also to promote access to county grants of up to $20,000 to cover installation costs. This is very important news for the East End, where septic systems are ubiquitous and, in hundreds of locations, very close to saltwater. By last spring, 102 systems had been installed countywide. On Tuesday, Mr. Bellone announced that more than 100 county residents applied for the grants in October.

This is very good news, and we on eastern Long Island need to do whatever it takes to keep our groundwater safe and our creeks and bays clean. Mr. Bellone’s opponents are John M. Kennedy, running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence Party lines, and Gregory John Fischer, on the Libertarian line.

We endorse Steve Bellone for Suffolk County executive.

The post Endorsement: Steve Bellone for Suffolk County Executive appeared first on Suffolk Times.

“Have just arrived here in a little sailboat from Sag Harbor with ten other fellows. Having a fine time. Yours, Fred.”

This greeting, written in inky, neat script, appeared on a postcard sent from an Orient boarding house in 1905.

It’s one of nearly 100 postcards from the turn of the century that used to decorate the entryway at Orient by the Sea, depicting everything from the ornate resorts of the time period to bungalows on Rocky Point Road, fishing and sailing to farming and potatoes.

Now with the landmark restaurant under new ownership, the framed relics have been saved by the Oysterponds Historical Society.

Longtime Orient by the Sea owner Bob Haase said he acquired the collection two decades ago from Frank and Janet Clark, who summered on Shelter Island and stopped in often for lunch overlooking Gardiner’s Bay.

“One day he called me over and said ‘Bob, check this out.’ He had an album full of old postcards,” Mr. Haase said. “I wanted to get copies made to make a collage, put it on the wall and hear stories from the old timers,” he said, about the old boarding houses or Mount Pleasant Inn.

The following summer, the Clarks came in for lunch and presented Mr. Haase with two frames: one of East Marion postcards and the other of Orient postcards, matted and ready to be hung. He said he’d loan them to Mr. Haase for as long as he’d like.

The agreement came to mind as the restaurant property sold earlier this year for $3.9 million to businessman Marc Rowan, founder of Apollo Global Management who also owns Duryea’s Lobster Deck in Montauk and Lulu Kitchen & Bar in Sag Harbor.

Unsure about what to do with the postcards, the Clarks agreed with Mr. Haase’s suggestion to donate them to the historical society.

A postcard dated Aug. 12, 1905. (Credit: Tara Smith)

Executive director Sarah Mills Sands said that though some of the postcards may be duplicates of items already in their collection, but they are an important addition. “They’ll be in our archives, so they’ll be preserved forever,” she said.

She’s hoping to find a spot to hang them in their new offices, located in the Vail House on their Village Lane campus.

“It’s a very important record of the community, to have postcards from that period,” said Ann ffolliott , who chairs the society’s collections committee. “We have a lot of photographs too, but [postcards] are how communities were represented to the outside world. So this is how people would have known about East Marion and Orient.”

Ms. ffolliott said the postcards also capture how the two communities distinguished themselves as seasonal destinations. “You could take a steamship from [New York City] to the wharf here and stay in these tiny little rooms. Part of the whole tourist experience is sending postcards to people,” she said.

“It was the early 20th century Instagram,” Ms. Sands joked.

Both agreed that the community would miss Orient by the Sea, and are honored to preserving a piece of its history.

“It was convenient and had a beautiful view that you didn’t have to cross the causeway for,” Ms. Sands said.

Mr. Haase assured the property would be in good hands. “They’ll be doing some renovating. It’s going to be really nice,” he said.

The bittersweet decision to sell came after 41 seasons. Mr. Haase’s parents bought the property in 1979 and he began running the restaurant in his twenties.

“Last year was hard getting help. I said you know what, maybe it’s time. But then at the beginning of the season I said, ‘oh boy, did I do the right thing?’ Because I know nothing else,” Mr. Haase said.

But he won’t be too far away. He’s agreed to manage the 95-slip marina at the property and is known to make guest appearances helping out at Porto Bello restaurant, which is owned by his wife Diana DiVello. He’s mostly looking forward to spending time with the couple’s eight grandchildren.

Last month, loyal regulars stopped by the restaurant on its last night to say goodbye. “People were giving me a pat on the back and telling me how much they’re going to miss the place,” Mr. Haase said. “It was a good feeling.”

tsmith@timesreview.com

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When the end comes, tears sometimes follow, but this was in the extreme.

After the horn sounded, ending the Suffolk County Class B girls soccer final Saturday night, the deliriously happy, triumphant Babylon players mobbed each other. Mattituck/Southold/Greenport players, meanwhile, looked devastated. Some just sat or squatted on the field, motionless, staring down. Others, bawling uncontrollably, were hugged and consoled by teammates.

MSG, which won last year’s Suffolk Class B championship in its first year of existence, took this 4-1 loss exceptionally hard. Coach Chris Golden later observed that the scene had a funereal feel to it.

The tears fell for a while before the MSG players finally exited Shoreham-Wading River High School’s Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field to the applause of their awaiting fans as they headed toward their bus.

MSG’s reaction was evidence of just how close the players on the team had grown.

“We’re a family and it’s so hard [for] this to be our last game and for it to be over,” said senior midfielder Claire Gatz, who struggled to fight back tears during her postgame interview. “It’s something that will hurt for while.”

Another MSG senior, striker Halle Foster, described the team as a second family. “Our team is very, very close and it’s very hard to say goodbye to them after this,” she said before apologizing to pause and regain her composure. “I was very honored to play with every single one of them.”

For a team that draws players from three schools to show such unity is striking. Golden said it’s a testament to the leadership of captains Maggie Bruer, Sarah Santacroce, Kaitlin Tobin and Gatz, as well as MSG’s three other seniors. “It’s really a credit to the seniors on this team that they kind of took it as their mission to embrace all the kids and … this is one of the tightest, cohesive groups that I’ve ever coached,” he said.

MSG’s season, which began with a game against Babylon (a 3-2 win by the North Forkers), ended against top-seeded Babylon (13-5). That first game was way back on Sept. 3. The Panthers looked like a different team this time around as they secured their second county championship in three years. They earned a place in the Long Island final Nov. 9 at Berner Middle School.

Three set pieces and a breakaway resulted in the Babylon goals. Babylon shot out to a 2-0 lead. Meghan Flaugher flicked a 30-yard free kick from Jayne Stark with the top of her head 8 minutes and 56 seconds into the match for her 16th goal of the year. Then Stark sent goalkeeper Aaliyah Shorter the wrong way in putting away a penalty kick that was awarded after Campbell Stein was pushed down in the penalty area 5:05 into the second half.

MSG sophomore Mackenzie Conroy, who had scored the game-winner in the season-opening game against Babylon, struck against the Panthers again. After successive close-range attempts failed to get through, Conroy hammered in a shot at 46:26.

But Ashley Bell converted a breakaway for her 15th goal of the year and Kristen Szuchy pounded in a ball that bounced her way after a corner kick to seal things for Babylon.

“They capitalized on their opportunities,” Golden said. “They scored off of three set pieces, made the most of their opportunities, and it’s hard to come back when a team scores off of three set pieces like that. You know, they played well. They earned it. They deserved it.”

With 6:10 left to play, Santacroce cranked a hard shot off the crossbar after her corner kick bounced back out to her.

No. 2 seed MSG (11-7) is 20-16 in its two-year history. When it was mentioned that MSG has done well for itself, Golden said: “That has nothing to do with me and that has everything to do with the quality of kids that we get. I just stand here and try make people laugh with some quick wit.”

On Saturday night, though, Golden spent time consoling players.

“This is definitely one of the closest teams I’ve ever been involved with and I think that everyone feels we’re one big family, and … it’s really hard to end the season like this because no one wants to leave,” Tobin said. “We want to go back to practice tomorrow and keep working, but we can’t.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Mattituck/Southold/Greenport’s Claire Gatz tries to get around Babylon’s Campbell Stein during the Suffolk County Class B final in Shoreham. (Credit: Bill Landon)

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It was championship weekend Saturday for local soccer teams.

First, the Southold and Greenport boys teams faced off in the Class C county final. The First Settlers won 5-2.

Then, the Mattituck/Southold/Greenport girls team played Babylon in the Class B final, falling 3-1 at Shoreham-Wading River High School.

Here’s a look back at some more photos from each game.

Southold midfielder Daniel Palencia and Greenport midfielder Ricky Campos fight for control of the ball. (Credit: George Faella)

Greenport midfielder Justin Lopez moves the ball up the sideline as Southold midfielder Freddy Palencia defends. (Credit: George Faella)

Southold midfielder Jaishaun McRae sends the rebound past Greenport keeper Felipe Solis to make it 1-0. (Credit: George Faella)

Southold midfielder Elmer Deleon scores on the empty Greenport net to make it 2-0, Saturday. (Credit: George Faella)

Southold midfielder Jaishaun McRae moves the ball against Greenport. (Credit: George Faella)

Nikki Searles takes a shot. (Credit: Bill Landon)

Halle Foster dribbles the ball. (Credit: Bill Landon)

Olivia Goerler (46) and Christine Kneuer (24) chase after the ball. (Credit: Bill Landon)

Claire Gatz (47) vies for possession. (Credit: Bill Landon)

Kaitlin Tobin vies for possession. (Credit: Bill Landon)

Sarah Santacroce (12) gains possession. (Credit: Bill Landon)

Claire Gatz gets an eye toward the goal. (Credit: Bill Landon)

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The daily update, a podcast briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork, is brought to you by San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, award-winning care when and where you need it most.

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 Monday, Nov. 4:

NEWS

Prognosticators say it will be a rough season for the Peconic Bay scallop

Time’s up for school immunizations; 31 students home-schooled in Riverhead

Mpireboyz strikes again: Car enthusiast accused of filing phoney insurance claim

Riverhead man found not competent to stand trial in murder case

SPORTS

Boys Soccer: Southold leaves no doubt in championship win against Greenport

Football: Daniels’ 4 TD runs spark Blue Waves to another win

Girls Soccer: A teary-eyed ending for MSG

NORTHFORKER

It’s Peconic Bay scallop season on the North Fork

It’s almost time to Shellabrate once again in Greenport

WEATHER

Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high of 58 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The low tonight will be around 46. There’s a slight chance of showers in the evening.

The post Daily Update: Fixing to be a rough scallop season, more home-schooled students appeared first on Suffolk Times.

For our final Times Review Talks event of 2019, we’ll be focusing on Riverhead in 2029.

“Riverhead: What Will It Look Like 10 Years from Now,” is set for noon on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at The Vineyards at Aquebogue. Topics expected to be discussed include the future of downtown development, Route 58, housing, Peconic Bay Medical Center, the EPCAL sale, the upcoming school bond vote and the revitalization of neighboring Riverside.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT NOW

Riverhead Town Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith, Councilwoman Jodi Giglio, Peconic Bay Medical Center President & CEO Andy Mitchell, Richmond Realty’s Ike Israel and Sean McLean of Mpact Collective and the Riverside redevelopment efforts are among the confirmed panelists. The discussion will be moderated by Times Review Media Group content director Grant Parpan. Representatives of the Riverhead School District, whose taxpayers will soon be asked to consider an $87.9 million facilities bond, declined to participate in the event.

Times Review Talks are panel discussions mostly on issues our communities are facing with the people who best understand the concerns and, in some cases, are in a position to make a difference. Times Review Media Group, which publishes both The Suffolk Times and Riverhead News-Review, held six previous events this year and is currently planning more talks for 2020.

Audience members are invited to ask questions during the 90-minute events. The $30 ticket price ($20 for Times Review subscribers) includes lunch. Space is limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance at bit.ly/TRTalks_November.

This month’s lead sponsors are Richmond Realty and Peconic Bay Medical Center. Additional sponsors are Riverhead Ford Lincoln, Riverhead Buick GMC, Suffolk Security Systems and Advantage Title.

The post Times Review to host panel discussion on the future of Riverhead appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Mirko A. Mrva of Riverhead, formerly of Southold, died Oct. 31 at Kanas Center for Hospice Care in Quiogue, N.Y. He was 79.

He was born in Ugljan, Croatia, April 26, 1940, to Stanko and Stanka (Goja) Mrva and later attended Chelsea High School and City College.

From 1963 to 1965, he served honorably in the United States Army.

On July 26, 1964, he married the former Maria Katina Miletic at St. Cyril and Methodius R.C. Church in Manhattan. They have resided on the North Fork for the past 23 years.

Mirko had been a regional manager for Penco Products, a steel equipment firm in Oaks, Pa.

In his free time, he enjoyed fishing, gardening, storytelling and travelling with family. Most of all, he will be remembered as a devoted family man.

He is survived by his wife, Maria; two daughters, Christina Mrva Ryan and Michelle Ann Magrino (Christopher); and five grandchildren, Kathryn Ryan, Michael Ryan, Nicholas Magrino, Thomas Magrino and Madeleine Magrino.

Visitors were received Nov. 4 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial followed at Saint Patrick R.C. Church in Southold, officiated by Father John Barrett. Interment with U.S. military honors took place at Saint Patrick R.C. Cemetery in Southold.

This is a paid notice.

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Anne Carolyn Lee (nee Costello), formerly of Jamesport and Mattituck, was born in Whitestone, N.Y., Sept. 3, 1932.

Anne was married to the late William A. Lee for 54 years until his passing on March 18, 2006. They lived on Long Island for 30 plus years until their retirement and moved to New Hampshire in 1992 and then Georgia in 1994.

Anne and Bill raised five children together. Anne cherished her roles as wife, mother and homemaker. Being with family, immediate and extended, was what made her happiest.

Anne also held a variety of employment positions throughout her married life to help support her growing family. She was a devout Christian who was known for hospitality, acts of service, a listening ear, and wise words of guidance.

Anne is survived by her daughter, Theresa (Terry) Hofer, and her four sons, Michael W. Lee and his wife, Robin, Thomas E. Lee and his wife, Maryanne Mullin, James J. Lee and his wife, Sheila, John A. Lee and his wife, Joanne; 16 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

The funeral service was held Oct. 31 at Faith Bible Church, 4907 GA-34, Sharpsburg, Ga., with the Rev. John Crotts officiating. Burial followed at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Ga. The family received friends prior to the service at the church.

Mowell Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Fayetteville, Ga. assisted the family.

This is a paid notice.

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Born to Harry Irving and May E. Howard of Greenport, N.Y., March 12, 1932, Addie peacefully passed away Oct. 25, 2019, surrounded by her loving family and caregiver, Dulce Delgado.

Born into a large family, Addie, the last to survive, was the youngest of her siblings, Winifred, Georgieanna, Dorothy, Levy, Blanche and John.

In July of 1952, Addie Howard married the love of her life, Alvin Lenard Pace, and resided in Peconic, N.Y., their whole lives.

After having worked several different jobs in various sectors, Addie found her forever career at the Southold Town Police Department as a clerk, retiring after 15 years of service.

The rest of Addie’s life was spent being the hub and heart of her family — the matriarch, the queen, the pulse of their lives. Spending many years serving her community in various capacities, Addie was a dedicated member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Southold, N.Y., as trustee and church clerk, as well as a dedicated leader in Girl Scouts.

A loving mother, wife, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, cousin, aunt and friend, Addie is survived by her husband, Alvin L. Pace, and daughter, Charlotte Pace Spano.

This is a paid notice.

The post Addie ‘Nema’ Pace appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Aug. 5, 1927 ~ Oct. 29, 2019

Marjorie “Midge” Katherine Hoffman of Cutchogue was a woman of great caring and intellect; a beloved wife and mother, grandmother, great-grandmother; and a devoted sister, aunt, neighbor and friend. She liked to laugh, and possessed an inner strength that served her well, especially during the last few challenging years.

Marjorie was good at “making the best of it” and was eager for others to do the same. In her professional life, she was a chemist and an educator, with a bachelor of science degree from Adelphi University. She enjoyed reading a good book and the daily newspaper. She filled her days with music, movies, learning, traveling and volunteering at her church, the Cutchogue library and the Book Cottage. She also loved the sea and, over the course of her long and good life, enjoyed the South Shore, Peconic Bay and Long Island Sound.

Marjorie was predeceased by her husband, Henry J. “Jack” Hoffman, in 2010, and leaves behind son Russ Hoffman and his wife, Sarah Foulger, of Boothbay Harbor, Maine; son Doug Hoffman and his wife, Claudia, of Fairfield, Conn.; four grandchildren, Noah, Chris, Whitney and Chelsea; four great-grandchildren, Mira, Max, Livi and James; and a sister, Audrey Marshall, all of whom loved her dearly.

A memorial service will take place Saturday, Nov. 16, at 11 a.m. at Cutchogue Presbyterian Church.

Memorial donations may be given to a charity of the donor’s choice or to Cutchogue Presbyterian Church. Interment was at Calverton National Cemetery.

DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold is assisting the family.

This is a paid notice.

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