Election Day is Tuesday, but thousands of New Yorkers have already cast their ballots as the state allowed early voting for the first time this year.

Early voting ran for nine days starting Oct. 26. Polls were closed Monday as election workers prepared for regular Election Day on Nov. 5.

Statewide, 256,251 residents voted early, according to preliminary data from the state Board of Elections.

That figure includes 17,012 voters in Suffolk County — just under two percent of the 977,134 registered active voters in the county.

Nassau, the sixth most populated county in the state, attracted the highest overall turnout among early voters with 30,018 residents voting over the nine-day period.

Locally, Southold led in early voting with 1,532 votes cast at the Human Resource Center in Mattituck. Riverhead’s polling place at the Aquebogue Senior Center drew 1,323 voters, according to data collected by the Suffolk County Board of Elections. Those figures do not necessarily reflect how many residents in each town voted early, since Suffolk County residents could vote at any of the 10 polling places, officials said.

Using a new electronic sign-in system via iPad, a voter’s town would display on the screen and their ballot for their town could be printed on-demand.

Around 2 p.m. at the Riverhead Senior Center Friday, nearly 20 people were waiting to check in and feed their ballot into the machine. Among those voters were Frank and Eileen Boccio of Remsenberg. Though they are Southampton residents, they opted to vote early in Riverhead since it was a closer drive than the Southampton Town polling location at the Stony Brook Southampton campus.

Ms. Boccio said she otherwise would not have been able to vote in this year’s election, since she would be babysitting her grandchildren in Nassau County overnight on Election Day.

Though she and her husband feel the state should impose voter ID regulations, they agreed that early voting is a step in the right direction. “The more we can encourage people to show up and vote, the better,” Mr. Boccio said.

Poll workers at both the Riverhead and Southold locations said early voting was off to a strong start and each had a “steady” stream of voters all day Friday.

Voters in both locations praised the measure.

“It’s a big help,” Elizabeth O’Reilly of East Marion said at the Human Resource Center in Mattituck Friday.

She said she works late and finds it difficult to get to the polls on Election Day.

“This gives me some options,” she said. “It’s nice to have it done.”

In several counties, including Nassau and Suffolk, Sunday, Nov. 3 saw the highest number of early voters throughout the nine days with 5,426 and 3,079 voters, respectively.

Albany, Dutchess, Monroe, Ononaga, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester counties and New York City also saw the highest turnout on Sunday.

Co-executive director of the state Board of Elections Robert Brehm said that statewide, the process went smoothly.

“The voters seemed to like the convenience of not having to vote on just the one day,” he said in a statement.

According to the agency’s other co-executive director, Todd Valentine, statewide turnout was approximately 1.9% over the early voting period.

“With nothing to compare it to, we don’t know yet if that is high or low,” he said in a statement, noting that after the election is finalized, officials would meet with local commissioners and stakeholders to review the process ahead of the presidential election in 2020.

The election before a Presidential election is traditionally the lowest year for turnout, with 17.33% in 2015 and 19.9% in 2011, according to Mr. Brehm.

“The true test will come in 2020, but I like to think we have laid a good foundation that we can build on,” he said.

New York is the 39th state to offer early voting to residents. It was passed by the State Legislature on Jan. 24, 2019. The legislation required at least one early voting site per county, and one site per 50,000 voters. Lawmakers additionally authorized electronic poll books be used to ensure voters can only vote once.

Advocates of early voting have said the measure will increase overall voter participation and ease lines at polling places on Election Day.

“We think it’s great,” said Debra Gudmundsen of Calverton, who voted Friday with her husband, George.

“It’s long overdue. We’re so progressive here, but New York has these archaic laws,” Mr. Gudmundsen said. “All new systems have their glitches, but it’s great to have the early voting. It should have been done a long time ago.”

In 2020, New York will have 27 days of early voting overall, nine each for the Presidential Primary, April 28, the State & Federal Primary, June 23, and the General Election, November 3.

Caption: The senior center in Mattituck served as the location for early voting in Southold Town. (Credit: Tara Smith)

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Maureen Ellen Van Etten, 68, passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, at her home in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

She was born April 17, 1951, in Greenport, Long Island, N.Y., to Paul Clark Quarty Sr. and Mari (Flynn) Quarty.

Along with her parents, Moe was preceded in passing by her infant brother Donald Quarty, brother Paul Clark Quarty Jr. and daughter Jolene Turpin.

Moe had a beautiful spirit and a heart of gold. In her free time, she was an avid reader and found joy and comfort in reading her Bible. Above all else, Moe loved her family with her whole heart and will be deeply missed by all who had the honor of getting to know her.

Left to cherish Moe’s memory are her husband of 43 years, Tom Van Etten of Greenport, Long Island, N.Y.; their children, Crystal and her fiancé, Jeese Curtin, of Conway, S.C.; Michael Earl Rose Jr. and his wife, Christine, of Loris, S.C.; Chad Rose and his wife, Stephani James, of Myrtle Beach; and Raymond Van Etten and his husband, Jason Thomas, also of Myrtle Beach; her adoring grandchildren Tiffany, Tara and husband Joseph Brookins, Holly Cobb and fiancé Christian Stevens, Marley Talbot, Michael, Winter, Logan Rose, Ireland Rose, Jovan and Jayson Turpin; and great-grandchildren C-Jay, Micaylee, Aiden and Kaitlynn.

A funeral service in celebration of Moe’s life will be held Monday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m. at Burroughs Funeral Home, Murrells Inlet, S.C. The family will greet friends until 8 p.m. A graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, at Ocean Woods Memorial Cemetery in Myrtle Beach.

At the request of the family, in lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions in Moe’s name to the Arthritis Foundation, 1355 Peachtree St. NE. Suite 600. Atlanta, GA 30309 (atarthritis.org) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (stjude.org).

To view details online or offer words of comfort through the online guestbook, kindly visit burroughsfh.com.

This is a paid notice.

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Six months after the closing of the Capital One bank branch in Greenport, the building may soon have a new tenant.

Peconic Bay Medical Center is planning to lease the vacant building, at 230 Main Street, and open medical offices, PBMC president and CEO Andrew Mitchell confirmed Monday.

Mr. Mitchell said the location will offer primary care as well as several specialties, including gastroenterology, general surgery and cardiology.

“We’ve always had patients coming from the east,” he said. “Now, we just want to make it more convenient for them.”

Northwell Health Services has submitted an application to the Greenport Village Planning Board and is proposing several interior renovations to the former bank building to accommodate medical offices.

The proposal is set to be discussed during a pre-submission conference at a village Planning Board meeting Thursday, Nov. 7.

The announcement comes soon after Peconic Bay Medical Center opened a new practice on Main Road in Cutchogue in the former BNB bank building.

“More and more, the industry is seeing bank branches close and medical offices open,” Mr. Mitchell said, adding that the response has been welcome from patients. “When we opened up Cutchogue, we saw tremendous interest in that office.”

The Cutchogue location focuses on primary care, women’s health and general surgery with Dr. Luigi Buono, Nurse Practitioner and Certified nurse midwife Julia Chachere and Dr. Agostino Cervone.

Mr. Mitchell said patients on the East End largely come to PBMC for specialty care.

“I think we’re going to bring orthopedics over to Cutchogue,” he said, which will tie into the services eventually offered in Greenport. “They all work together.”

He said the new office also provides an opportunity to care for patients, such as Peconic Landing residents, who travel west for health care.

“We have a large population [of patients who are] 65 and older, and transportation is a challenge,” Mr. Mitchell said. “So the more we can bring the services directly to where people live, the better it is for the community.”

Earlier this year, Southold Town partnered with several agencies to form a senior program, Long Island Senior Sound Care, which recognizes Greenport as a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community. Data compiled from that project demonstrated that more than 50% of residents in Greenport West are over 60 — and that’s not including the residents of San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation or Peconic Landing.

Recognizing the challenges faced by an aging population, there’s been a regional effort to bring additional health services to the East End.

Earlier this year, Eastern Long Island Hospital merged with Stony Brook Medicine and has vowed to increase services locally.

Mr. Mitchell said that as a regional medical center on the East End, “It’s really important for [PBMC] to make ourselves more available to people locally. The community keeps asking for it, so I think we’re doing the right thing.”

Greenport Village Mayor George Hubbard Jr. said Monday that he was eager to learn more about the plan.

When Capital One  made the announcement the branch would be closing in February, Mr. Hubbard expressed concern about a vacant building in the downtown area.

“It’s a good use of the property, it has the parking there. I think that it’s a good idea,” he said Monday.

While the project must receive Planning Board approval, Mr. Mitchell anticipates the office to be up and running by spring 2020.

Caption: The former Capital One building in Greenport. (Credit: Suffolk Times file photo)

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Robert C. Reeves Jr. of Orient, N.Y., died Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, at the age of 79, from complications related to cardiac arrest.

He was born Jan. 3, 1940, to Robert C. and Gertrude (King) Reeves.

Bob was employed at Clinton A. Hommel Inc. Plumbing and Heating Supply for 49 years, the last 28 years as owner of the business.

Bob had been an active member of the Orient Fire Department since February 1958, and held numerous leadership positions over the years.

He was a co-founder and organizer of the Orient Fire Department Rescue Squad. He was a member of the Junior Order United American Mechanics since 1965. He was a past president of Orient Community Activities and a member of Orient Congregational Church.

His hobbies included hunting, fishing, ice boating, community service and being with and enjoying his family and friends.

Bob is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marge (née Geehreng), of Black Mountain, N.C.; daughter Deb (Oscar) Erlanson of Austin, Texas, and grandsons Jacob Fowler and Jesse Fowler of Kyle, Texas; son Tom (Cheri) Reeves of Arp, Texas, and grandson James (Crystal) Reeves of Arlington, Va., granddaughter Keri Reeves and great-granddaughter Jordan Reeves of Providence, R.I.; step-grandson Eric (Sujin) Becraft, step-great-grandson Ewan Becraft and step-great-granddaughter Rakel Becraft of Deluth, Ga.; sister Jerie Newman of Orient; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Edwin.

Bob will be cremated, as he requested. A memorial service may be planned and announced in the future.

Memorial donations may be made to Orient Fire Department, P.O. Box 130, Orient, NY 11957.

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

This is a paid notice.

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TOWN BOARD

Four-year term, two open seats
Salary: $36,861

Jill Doherty

Hamlet: New Suffolk
Occupation: Town councilwoman, bookkeeper and office manager at Creative Environmental Design in Peconic
Party Lines: Republican, Conservative, Independence

About: Ms. Doherty, 55, is a longtime Southold resident and has two children in their 20s.

She was first elected to the Town Board in 2011 and is seeking a third term. Ms. Doherty previously worked as a clerk in Town Hall and served two terms on the Board of Trustees. She has been involved with the Mattituck Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary for nearly 30 years and volunteers her time bartending for several local organizations and fundraisers.

On the Town Board, Ms. Doherty serves as liaison to the town’s shellfish advisory and tree committees.

Her pitch: Ms. Doherty said her background in accounting and government give her a good sense of fiscal management on a town level. She said she has continued to advocate for environmental issues, including water quality, as a Town Board member and helped draft the rental code. If reelected, she said she wants to immediately get to work on creating the rental permit renewal process. Ms. Doherty said her approach to the issues allow her to consider how her decisions — especially updates to town code — may have broader impacts.

In her words: “I treat everybody fairly. I listen. I’m open and I know how to get things done. It might not be the vision that you come to me with, but I can point you in the right direction. I’m available and flexible. I’m committed to [the Town Board] and will stay committed to this.

Bob Hanlon

Hamlet: Orient
Occupation: Retired attorney and educator
Party Lines: Democratic

About: Mr. Hanlon, 72, has lived in Southold for 14 years with his wife, Jessica Frankel, who is a librarian at Southold Free Library.

He is a seven-year member of the Orient Association and served four years as its president. He is also a board member of the Oysterponds Historical Society and his term as a fire district commissioner in Orient will expire in December.

His pitch: Mr. Hanlon said his involvement in community organizations will make him an asset to the Town Board. With the Orient Association, Mr. Hanlon helped fight a plan by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council to divert tractor trailers via ferry through the North Fork.

As a fire commissioner, Mr. Hanlon said he reviewed contracts to recoup $70,000 in unpaid cell tower fees.

Issues such as house size and water quality are at the top of his agenda, and Mr. Hanlon outlined several immediate steps the town could take to address those problems, including working with town planners and builders and mandating innovative/alternative wastewater systems on new construction projects in Southold.

In his words: “I have no agenda and don’t represent any particular group — I’m not a partisan person. My only concern is to try and find ways to try and take care of [Southold]. One thing I’ve learned in my various careers has served me well: listen to constituents and keep asking questions. The most important thing is listening to the community.”

Eugene Gluck

Hamlet: Southold
Occupation: Graphic designer, real estate agent
Party Lines: Libertarian

About: Mr. Gluck, 53, grew up in the Bronx and earned a BFA in fine art and graphic design from Southampton College. He then moved to the North Fork and has since served as the president of the North Fork Chamber of Commerce, executive director of the North Fork Promotion Council and treasurer of both the Cut-ch-ogue Lions Club and North Fork Environmental Council.

He has also been a member of the Third New York Regiment Long Island Companies reenactment group. He is the father of two adult daughters.

His pitch: Mr. Gluck said additional affordable housing opportunities are needed in order to maintain a viable workforce for local businesses. He’d like to see more fiscal responsibility and a smaller, more transparent government. Mr. Gluck said his taxes have doubled in the last 10 years and he’s concerned that the increases don’t always translate into more services.

Another key issue is transportation. He said more frequent and dependable train service is needed and believes the bus system could better serve the area on Route 48.

In his words: “I have a lot of experience, I know business owners. I’ve done a lot of work insofar as promoting tourism. I know that’s a touchy subject, but it can be handled in a way so it doesn’t compound the issues. I think there’s a lack of focus right now in Town Hall and I’d like to bring it back to these pertinent issues.”

Sarah Nappa

Hamlet: Southold
Occupation: Farmer, chef, small business owner
Party Lines: Democratic

About: Ms. Nappa, 38, has a degree in animal science and agricultural business from Colorado State University. She moved here in 2007 with her husband, Anthony, and has worked as a chef at several local restaurants before opening The Winemaker Studio in Peconic. Ms. Nappa and her husband are raising two young children on their 3-acre farm.

Her pitch: Ms. Nappa said her experience as a small business owner and farmer gives her insight into what isn’t working in town government. She said Southold is at a “tipping point” due to a lack of planning by the current administration. She’d work with small business owners and the farming community to make appropriate updates to the code and streamline processes to make them more efficient. Ms. Nappa also said that while preserving land is important, it’s equally important to ensure a thriving agricultural industry is in place to continue farming that land.

In her words: “I have education, knowledge and expertise in a lot of the key industries in Southold. I’ve been operating my own small business for over 10 years and I’ve had to adapt and change in order to stay viable.

I understand what the next generation of farmers is going to need to be able to make it here. I have fresh ideas and a new vision, and I’m willing to put in the work it’s going to take to get the code updated and make sure the future is secure.”

Bill Ruland

Hamlet: Mattituck
Occupation: Town councilman, farmer
Party Lines: Republican, Conservative, Independence

About: Mr. Ruland, 71, was first elected to the Town Board in 2007 and currently serves as deputy supervisor.

He is a lifelong Mattituck resident and previously served on the Mattituck-Cut-ch-ogue Board of Education for 24 years, including 13 as president. He is a third-generation farmer who serves as treasurer for the Long Island Cauliflower Association and is a past president of the Long Island Farm Bureau. He and his wife have two children and four grandchildren.

His pitch: Mr. Ruland’s commitment to public service has led him to seek a fourth term on the Town Board. Specifically, he said his experience in municipal finance, budgeting and labor relations give him the necessary skills for the position.

Citing his background in farming, Mr. Ruland said he wants to continue working to preserve agricultural lands from development.

Mr. Ruland also oversees the town’s fuel and fleet management program, which he said allows the town to better track data and cut costs where possible. He said there’s more to be done in that area to continue reducing costs and improving efficiency.

He serves as liaison or co-liaison to at least 10 other committees, including the agricultural advisory, transportation and economic development committees.

In his words: “I think my love and passion for the community I was born and raised in runs really deep, and I’m not ready to give up yet. I still think I have much to offer.”

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There are two open Board of Trustees seats in Southold this year. The four-year term has a salary of $20,355. Incumbent trustees Glenn Goldsmith (R, C, I-Mattituck) and A. Nicholas Krupski (D, Cutchogue) are both seeking a second term to the position.

Incumbent town assessor Richard Caggiano (R, C, I-Southold) is seeking another four year term at a salary of $80,603.

After longtime tax receiver George Sullivan decided not to seek reelection this year, he was replaced on the ticket by Kelly Fogarty, (R, C, I-Mattituck) a certified public accountant. The tax receiver earns a salary of $42,075.

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

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Click to enlarge.

The post Election 2019: Sample Ballot appeared first on Suffolk Times.

In addition to town elections, this year’s ballot features larger, regional races for county executive, county legislator, state Supreme Court judges and a Family Court judge.

For county executive, incumbent Democrat Steve Bellone is running for re-election in a three-way race against current Republican Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy Jr. and Libertarian Gregory Fischer of Calverton.

Mr. Bellone is seeking a third four-year term.

Mr. Kennedy is currently serving his second term as county comptroller and previously served for 10 years as a county legislator in the 12th district, which covers the western part of Suffolk, including parts of Smithtown, Nesconset, Hauppauge, Lake Grove and Centereach.

Mr. Fischer, who has degrees in business and finance, has 35 years of consulting experience for businesses and nonprofit organizations.

He has run for numerous elected offices at the state, town and local level, most recently in 2018 against longtime state Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson).

In the race for the county Legislature, incumbent Al Krupski (D-Cut-chogue) is seeking re-election to his seat, which he first won in 2013, filling a vacancy left by the resignation of Ed Romaine.

Mr. Krupski has previously served for 20 years as a Southold Town Trustee and for seven years as a town councilman.

Mr. Krupski, who owns the eponymous pumpkin farm in Peconic, will also be running on the Conservative and Independence party lines.

His opponent is Remy Bell, a Republican from Riverhead who also challenged Mr. Krupski in 2015 and 2017.

Mr. Bell is an election clerk at the Suffolk County Board of Elections, a longtime member of the Polish Town Civic Association and former chairman of the Riverhead Republican Committee.

The 1st Legislative District is the largest in Suffolk County and spans all of Southold and Riverhead towns and a section of Brookhaven Town that stretches as far south as Center Moriches.

Mr. Bell has not been actively campaigning.

Eight candidates are competing for six state Supreme Court justice positions. They serve 14-year terms.

In a cross-endorsement deal, six candidates have all been endorsed by the Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties. They are: former Nassau county Democratic elections commissioner David Gugerty of Bayville; incumbent Justice Angela Iannacci of Manhasset; Stephen Lynch, a Court of Claims judge from Speonk; Family Court Judge Thomas Rademaker of Sea Cliff; and county court judges David Sullivan of New Hyde Park and Christopher Quinn of Wantagh.

Christopher Garvey of Amityville and Annette Totten of Riverhead are also seeking seats on the state Supreme Court on the Libertarian line.

The Family Court judge race has four candidates vying for two open seats, according to the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

Victoria Gumbs Moore of Wheatley Heights and Andrea Schiavoni of North Haven are running on the Democratic, Conservative, Working Families and Independence lines.

Richard Hoffman of Hauppauge and Michael Sendlenski of Southampton are on the Republican and Libertarian lines.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Town Supervisor

Four-year term
Salary: $111,916

Scott Russell

Hamlet: Cutchogue
Occupation: Town Supervisor
Party Lines: Republican, Conservative, Independence

About: Mr. Russell, 55, was born and raised in Mattituck. He has a degree from George Washington University. He served briefly as a legal assistant for a law firm in New York City, began his public service career as an aide to former congressman William Carney and later was an elected town assessor for 15 years. He is the father of a son and a daughter.

His pitch: The 14-year incumbent said that his next term would see implementation of the town’s recently completed comprehensive plan, particularly with regard to land use and zoning.

Mr. Russell said he’d also maintain services for “often overlooked” populations, such as the Meals on Wheels program that sees approximately 20,000 meals delivered to seniors annually.

Mr. Russell also said he’d continue an ongoing effort to bring a recreational facility with an indoor pool to Southold, as well as green energy. He said he’d continue the town’s approach to land preservation and financial management that have put the town in a strong position.

In his words: “I’ve established a record through hard work and a nonpartisan, cooperative spirit with everyone. What’s key is access, maintaining my accessibility to the public.”

Greg Doroski

Greg Doroski

Hamlet: Mattituck
Occupation: Running for supervisor
Party Lines: Democratic, Libertarian

About: Mr. Doroski, 39, was born and raised in Southold Town and graduated from Mattituck High School in 1999.

After earning a degree in philosophy from Drew University, he worked in Brooklyn as a project manager for a residential property management company before moving back to Cut-ch-ogue to work as a brewer at Greenport Harbor Brewing Co.

He was the managing partner and head brewer at Threes Brewing in Brooklyn and most recently worked at Raphael Vineyards.

Mr. Doroski is also an ordained deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Southold and is raising two young daughters with his wife, Liz.

His pitch: Mr. Doroski said the skills he’s amassed from his experience in property management and business make him an ideal candidate for Town Supervisor. He pointed to the environment, economy and management of change to be his top three issues impacting Southold.

Mr. Doroski said he’s running to improve water quality, level the playing field when it comes to small businesses and manage change to preserve what makes Southold unique.

In his words: “As we see all of the young people move away, and their parents move away, the character of this community is shifting on a fundamental level. The way I look at it is, if I’m not willing to jump in and change things, then I’ve got to stop complaining.”

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While voting has been underway in New York for more than a week already, it’s now officially Election Day.

The Suffolk Times has you covered with everything you need to know before voting. Scroll below for profiles on the candidates, a list of polling places, Suffolk Times endorsements and a sample ballot.

Voting begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 9 p.m.

Polling Places

• Find out where to vote

Southold Candidates

• Supervisor
• Town Board
• Trustees/Tax Receiver/Assessor

Who else is on the ballot?

• Read about the candidates for county executive and county legislator

On the Issues

• Coverage of the Supervisor race
• Coverage of the Town Board race

Endorsements

The Suffolk Times’ picks:

• Supervisor
• Town Board
• County Legislator
• County Executive

Sample Ballot

• See what your ballot will look like

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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 Tuesday, Nov. 5:

NEWS

Southold Voter’s Guide 2019: Candidates, endorsements, polling places

Riverhead Voter’s Guide 2019: Candidates, endorsements, polling places

Two percent of Suffolk residents were early voters in first year

Riverhead woman now facing attempted murder charge in Flanders shooting

PBMC eyes expansion into Greenport; will lease former Capital One space

Times Review to host panel discussion on the future of Riverhead

NORTHFORKER

Brighten up your fall decor with the sisters behind Laurel Floral Design

WEATHER

Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high of 61 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The low tonight will be around 41. There’s a chance of showers throughout the day today.

The post Daily Update: Election Day preview, Riverhead woman indicted, PBMC expanding east appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Myron William Goldstein, born Jan. 21, 1939, passed away peacefully Oct. 10, 2019.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Abraham and Shirley Goldstein. He leaves behind his loving and devoted wife, Donna; his children, Robert and his wife, Terri, David, Marc, Lori and her husband, Tommy, Jonna and Jerry; his grandchildren, whom he adores, Ryan, Kevin, Kyle, Nikole, Josh, TK, JJ and Brady; his great-grandchildren, Jameson, Josephine and Riley; his brother, Seymour, and wife, Laura; and his niece and nephew, Staci and Michael.

Myron owned Hope Physical and Aquatic Therapy for many years and, after retiring, he and Donna owned Eastern Long Island Kampground in Greenport, N.Y. Myron was also a member of the Greenport Fire Department.

We will all miss his sense of humor.

Donations are being accepted in Myron W. Goldstein’s name at Bienes Cancer Center, Holy Cross Hospital, 4725 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308.

This is a paid notice.

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Richard S. Engert of Southold died at home Oct. 25. He was 85.

He was born July 5, 1934, in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Mr. Engert’s family said he was a stellar student-athlete who was an integral part of the 1959 St. John’s basketball team that won both the ECAC Holiday Festival and the NIT Championship.

He, with his wife, Edith, at his side, dedicated his life to education and his family. They raised their children, Robin, Lisa, Richard, Greg, Christina and Keith, in Kings Park while Mr. Engert worked as an administrator in the Elwood School District. Post retirement, he remained active in the Catholic Church, working as the comptroller for Holy Family and St. Agnes.

Predeceased by his wife, he is survived by his children and nine grandchildren.

Services took place Nov. 2 at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport, followed by a Mass at St. Agnes R.C. Church.

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A new effort to revitalize the skate park on Moores Lane in Greenport has surfaced. 

The Greenport Skate Park Project committee will host its first community meeting Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 5:30 p.m. at the Red Schoolhouse on Front Street.

In late September, reports of graffiti at the property appeared on the “Let’s Talk Village Of Greenport” Facebook page. The post contained images of neglect and damage at the 20,000-square-foot facility, showing it as visibly unfit for public use.

Rena Wilhelm of Greenport, owner of The Weathered Barn, said days later that she was motivated to form a group to revitalize the skate park with help from resident Lucas Natali.

“A lot of times, we hear this rhetoric of ‘all the improvements go toward the Business District, they don’t go toward the people who live here year-round,’ ” Ms. Wilhelm said, “and I just thought this was the perfect opportunity to bridge that gap a little bit.”

In October, Ms. Wilhelm reached out to avid skateboarder Robin Mueller of Green Hill Kitchen and lawyer Kelly O’Shea, a Business Improvement District member, to work on the committee.

Knowing of her friend’s writing skills, Ms. Wilhelm requested that Ms. O’Shea act as a grant writer for the local group. Committee members hope to receive funding through grants from recreational organizations, like the Tony Hawk Foundation, and from local legislators.

“When she put it out there as something we could do, I jumped on it,” Ms. O’Shea said. “I was happy to say, ‘Yeah, I’ll pick up the pen and do the writing piece.’ ”

Ms. O’Shea said this is an opportunity to improve the village.

“I have a vision in my own head of what it will be,” she said, “and my hope is that it becomes a recreational magnet for kids and adults and families.”

Since the park is owned by Greenport, Mayor George Hubbard Jr. said, any renovations the committee wants completed must go through the village.

At their Oct. 17 work session, Village Board members supported the effort to rebuild the skate park and granted the group permission to pursue the project.

“They can move forward with it. The board recognizes that they have permission to go and do something; they just have to run it by us first,” Mr. Hubbard said.

Village administrator Paul Pallas said the village recently repaired a small portion of the half-pipe at the skate park and completed a significant amount of work repainting equipment. Two of the concrete ramps there still need to be repaired, he said.

Trustee Peter Clarke, who serves as village liaison to the new committee, said he intended to mention the group at the meeting and was “pleasantly surprised” when the mayor referenced it on his own.

“With the revitalization that’s going on in that area with the railroad, I think it’s a great opportunity and the timing is good,” Mr. Clarke said.

The committee operates through a Facebook page and Instagram account representing the park.

Though she’s not a skater, Ms. Wilhelm said she’s invested in the project because the park continues to bring a variety of people into the village.

“This is so much more than just skating,” she said. “The only difference in the people who skate is their skill level — it’s all backgrounds, all ages, all genders — it’s almost like the culture itself encourages people to try new things.”

The November meeting will collect information from skaters, the parents of young skaters and community members who want to offer their opinions and ideas, Ms. Wilhelm said.

“A lot of people want to be a part of it, but the first thing we have to do is assess — not so much that the park needs improvements, but does part of it needs to be redesigned?” she said. “We want to ask if we have the right kind of fixtures to go with what the kids are actually doing.”

Some committee members are requesting revival of the skate park festival fundraiser, a summer event started back in 2009 by Michelle and Michael Bendik to help rehab the park. The last festival was held in 2014 after it was hosted by the village, according to previous reports from The Suffolk Times.

This isn’t the first time a community group has worked to revive Greenport’s skate park. In August 2013, Village Board members called for the formation of a committee to help maintain the facility after several reports of anti-Semitic graffiti, littering and damage there.

Caption: Christopher Thomas of Bay Shore, then 8 years old skates at the park in 2014. (Credit: Katharine Schroeder)

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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Donna King of Shelter Island said she and her husband Wayne couldn’t have asked for a better day as they set out at sunrise Monday from Congdons Creek for Orient Harbor. 

The weather was perfect on the official opening for scalloping in state-controlled waters. There was no wind, mild temperatures for November and bright sunshine as they started dredging for the delicious — and for those who work on the water — profitable bivalves.

There was only one downside.

“There were no scallops,” she said.

Well, almost none. “We left at 6:30 [a.m.] and got back at 2:30 [p.m.] and didn’t get half a bushel, or half a wire basket,” Ms. King said.

There were boats coming and going at Orient she added, but “people were getting 11 or 12 scallops. They’re just not there.”

That was the consensus for all those who went out scalloping across the East End this week and at the markets they sell to.

At both Braun Seafood Co. in Cutchogue and Southold Fish Market no scallops had been delivered by mid-afternoon. When they finally received some inventory, Braun was selling them for $30 per pound. By mid-afternoon Tuesday, the market had just one bushel crews had opened.

Braun owner Ken Homan said he heard some baymen were bringing home so few scallops they were selling to neighbors instead of markets.

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. Environmental factors are in the mix to determine whether it’s feast or famine for baymen looking for a good catch.

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 1980s was a calamity that brought the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the baymen together in agreement that scalloping season had to be changed to maximize the chances for scallops to spawn.

But those environmental factors, such as runoff from fertilizers and antiquated septic systems, have hurt the fishery during some recent years.

Charlie Manwaring, owner of Southold Fish Market, said those down years have economic consequences for the baymen, markets and local restaurants.

“It just hurts everything,” he said. “You don’t realize how big that one season is.”

Veteran Shelter Island bayman Skip Tuttle described opening day with one word: “awful.” He, along with Ms. King, blamed fertilizer runoff used on waterfront lawns, among other factors, including the change over the years in water temperatures.

“The water’s been so warm,” Ms. King said.

Many baymen didn’t go out for scallops Monday, and John Kotula of Shelter Island was one of them.

“From what I heard, and by my own reconnaissance, I didn’t think it was worth it,” Mr. Kotula said. “On top of it, I had some mechanical problems.”

If his research and other signs showed a good crop of scallops to be harvested, would he have found a way to get out on the water?

“Yes,” Mr. Kotula said.

Caption: Baymen Ed Clark and Rollie Clark leaving from Congdons Creek Monday morning for scallops. (Credit: Beverlea Walz)

With reporting from Kate Nalepinski and Steve Wick.

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Curious Southold residents who stayed up deep into the night on Election Day might have to wait a while to find out who won in the races for Town Supervisor and Town Board.

While preliminary results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections show incumbent Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, a Republican, leading Democratic challenger Greg Doroski by 220 votes (3,988 to 3,768), the victory celebration was put on hold Tuesday night. That’s largely because at least 473 absentee ballots must still be counted.

“It is a very tight election,” said Southold Town Republican Committee Chair Peter McGreevy. “The future of Southold is with the Board of Elections. I believe it’s in our favor, but it’s very close.”

That tightness is particularly true in the race for Southold Town Board, where Democratic challenger Sarah Nappa trailed longtime incumbent Republican Bill Ruland by just 47 votes, 3,778 to 3,731. Fellow incumbent Republican Jill Doherty leads all vote getters with 3,896 votes and Democratic challenger Bob Hanlon is the fourth-highest vote getter at 3,618.

The race between incumbent Town Justice Brian Hughes, who was backed by Republicans this year after one term as a Democrat, and challenger Dan Ross, was also too close to call. Judge Hughes held just a 95-vote lead at 3,870 to 3,775.

Mr. Russell checks results on Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo’s phone Tuesday. (Credit: Elizabeth Wagner)

The party affiliation of the 473 absentee voters makes things appear even closer in each of these races with 248 registered Democrats returning ballots to 128 Republican voters. There were also 18 Independence and five Conservative absentee voters, minor parties that endorsed the Republican candidates. That means the races, and in particular Ms. Nappa’s bid for a Town Board seat, might ultimately be decided by 74 absentee voters with no party affiliation.

It is also possible, Southold Town Democratic Committee Chair Kathryn Casey Quigley pointed out, that even more absentee ballots could come in. As of Monday, there were still 264 outstanding absentee ballots in Southold Town.

“The law is that any [ballot] postmarked [Nov. 4] will be counted even if they arrive [Wednesday],” she said. “There could be a few more that trickle in. Probably not a ton.”

While the County’s absentee ballot count will begin Wednesday, Mr. McGreevy cautioned it might take up to two weeks to certify the races in Southold. In 2017, when Democrat Mary Eisenstein closed a 123-vote gap down to 34,  the final count took three weeks.

In an emailed statement sent Wednesday morning to his campaign mailing list, Mr. Hanlon, 71, of Orient said that while it’s unlikely he and Mr. Doroski will win election, he believed Ms. Nappa and Mr. Ross have a “very good shot at a victory.”

Mr. Russell, who was first elected Town Supervisor in 2005 and this year became the longest tenured elected supervisor in town history, thanked his supporters Tuesday night at GOP headquarters in Mattituck, but declined to declare victory in the race for a new four-year term.

“I can’t say how grateful I am with all of you,” said Mr. Russell, 55, of Cutchogue. “So far, so good, but we have a ways to go. But we will pull it out,” he concluded to a round of applause.

Greg Doroski addressed supporters before the results rolled on election night. (Credit: Tara Smith)

At the town Democrats’ gala at Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. in Peconic, tension turned to excitement as the results came into sharper focus.

“I think we ran a helluva race and no matter what happens I think we’ve done a really good job,” Mr. Doroski, 39, of Mattituck said in an interview. “We raised important issues and this administration has been dragging their feet.”

He added that no matter where the final results end up they will show that roughly half the town voted for change. Win or lose, he said he has no plans to go away.

“It’s not just about winning the election it’s about preserving the future of our home,” he said. “There are many different ways to do that. And I’m happy with how things have gone.”

Ms. Nappa, 38, of Southold described Tuesday’s preliminary results as the “start of a conversation.”

“I’m really proud of the campaign that we ran and getting that kind of support as newcomers coming out of the gate,” she said.

Town political leaders, like Mr. McGreevy (shown here), spent much of Tuesday night trying to make sense of the results. (Credit: Elizabeth Wagner)

The Southold Town Board has been made up entirely of Republicans and Conservatives since Democrat Al Krupski, who won re-election for County Legislator Tuesday, abandoned his former seat in 2013 to run in a special election for his current one. Each of the incumbents has been in office since at least January 2014.

Mr. Ruland, 71, of Mattituck, whose seat appears most in jeopardy, was first elected to the board in 2007. He also serves in an appointed role as the town’s deputy supervisor.

The 8,229 votes cast in the supervisor race are the most since 2005, Mr. Russell’s first year running for the position and the election that saw town residents support a referendum to extend the supervisor’s term from two years to four. That was also the previous closest race for Mr. Russell, who captured 63.2% of the vote that year and so far just 51.4% in 2019.

Early voting likely played a factor for Democrats as unofficial results shared by town Democrats indicates that registered Democrats outvoted Republicans 708-439 in the nine days leading up to Election Day. Absentee ballots push that advantage up another 120 voters.

Mr. Doroski received more votes than any Southold Democratic candidate for supervisor since Josh Horton won in 2003.

For now, it’s the closest Southold supervisor race since 1995, when Jean Cochran became the town’s first female supervisor and Republicans took back the town from the United Southold party. Ms. Cochran edged former supervisor Tom Wickham by just 174 votes that year.

No matter what the end result is in the Supervisor and Town Board races, at least one newly elected official will be sworn into office as Republican Kelly Fogarty ran unopposed for receiver of taxes. Incumbent Trustees Glenn Goldsmith and Nick Krupski were also re-elected without a challenge, as was Assessor Rich Caggiano.

On the county side, County Executive Steve Bellone, a Democrat, won a new term, defeating Republican John Kennedy with 55% of the vote. Democrats also appear to have won 10 of 18 seats in the Legislature.

Top Caption: It appears Democratic Town Board candidate Sarah Nappa, shown here being greeted with applause from supporters, is in an extremely close race with incumbent Bill Ruland for the second council seat.

gparpan@timesreview.com

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Southold brought its “A” game, but Rhinebeck walked off a winner in its pursuit of the New York State Class C boys soccer championship.

Noah Lortie bagged a pair of second-half goals as Rhinebeck emerged a 2-0 victor, despite some stellar play by Southold goalkeeper Cole Brigham, in a Southeast Region semifinal Tuesday night at Middletown High School’s Faller Field.

Southold coach Andrew Sadowski was anything but disappointed, however, with how the First Settlers played.

“They played very well,” he said before his team headed for the bus ride home. “They played with a lot of heart and I’m very proud of them. [Rhinebeck is] a very talented team, but our boys took it to them.”

Lortie was a difference-maker. The junior forward fired in an unassisted goal from the top of the penalty area to the low right corner for a 1-0 lead with 29 minutes and 44 seconds remaining. Then, just 2:32 later, following a hand-ball call, he converted a penalty kick for the Hawks, who will face Hamilton in a regional final Saturday night at Pace University.

Lortie might have had more goals if not for Brigham. The senior keeper stopped a Lortie penalty kick in the first half as well as point-blank shots and a breakaway. Brigham was credited with 17 saves in his final high school game. “And they were brilliant saves,” Sadowski said. “It was his best game ever. He was just on.”

Brigham played behind a defense of Tyler Woodhull, Nick Grathwohl, Edy Nazario and Freddy Palencia.

Sadowski said Stephen Schill “was a major workhorse” in midfield, where he played alongside Jaishaun McRae, Justin Uguna and Elmer Deleon.

Joe Silvestro and Danny Palencia played up top and put shots on goal that Brendan Hines (nine saves) had to deal with.

“We were pressuring them the first half, and then of course the second half when we went down, we were just trying to find our way back into the game,” Sadowski said. “We had our chances at goal.”

Sadowski said the Settlers stuck to the game plan. “They played well together as a team, as an entire unit,” he said. “They did not back down from tackles. They fought right till the end.”

“They could have just played afraid and packed it in and they didn’t,” he continued. “The boys played their game. We went forward, created chances. We obviously got shots on goal. We just couldn’t find the mark.”

Rhinebeck (17-0-1) is ranked second in the state in Class C by the New York State Sportswriters Association. Southold is ranked 10th in the poll that was released Monday.

This has to go down as one of the strangest seasons in Sadowski’s 26 years as Southold’s coach. Tuesday’s game was only his second officially this season after having missed almost the entire campaign since being struck on the neck by a soccer ball and injured during a preseason training session.

Southold lost its first five games before finding its way, reaching the playoffs and finishing with an 8-9-1 record. Assistant coach Lucas Grigonis ran the team while Sadowski was out.

Southold had defeated Greenport, 5-2, in the Suffolk County final for its first county title since 2015, its eighth Suffolk title in the last 15 years and 22nd at the Class C or D level since 1978.

“We finally figured out a way to win a county title again,” Sadowski said. “Southold boys soccer is alive and well.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

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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 Wednesday, Nov. 6:

NEWS

Southold Town races too close to call on Election Day

Aguiar defeats Jens-Smith in Riverhead supervisor race as GOP sweeps

Slim pickings on opening days of scallop season

Riverhead School District schedules another bond presentation for Wednesday

Greenport community group forms to revive Moores Lane skate park

SPORTS

Boys Soccer: Rhinebeck stops Settlers in regional semis

Girls Soccer: Borriello strikes twice in 2:14, SWR earns an ‘A’

NORTHFORKER

For Claudia Fleming, re-release of beloved cookbook comes at perfect time

WEATHER

Expect sunny skies today with a high of 53 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The low tonight will be around 33.

The post Daily Update: Southold election too close to call, scallop season off to scary start appeared first on Suffolk Times.

Eve McDavid Mullins, formerly of New York City and Southold, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, at Carillon Assisted Living of Knightdale, N.C., after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. She was 87 years old.

Born in Brooklyn June 1, 1932, Eve was the sole child of Rix and Mary McDavid. 

She grew up in Parkchester in the Bronx and attended Marietta College in Ohio, where she met her future husband, Jim Mullins. At the time of Jim’s death in 2001, Eve and Jim had celebrated 51 years married with three children and five grandchildren. 

A gourmet cook, gardener and homemaker, Eve enriched the lives of all who knew her. Her love of hosting family and friends to superior dinners and parties was legendary. She will be sorely missed. Eve and Jim maintained residences in both Stuyvesant Town in New York City and in Southold, Long Island, where she was an active volunteer at the Southold Historical Society Gift Shop for many years. 

Eve is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Kathy (Jim) DeMay and Mary (Stephen) Witherspoon; and her grandchildren, James Witherspoon, Charles Witherspoon, Thomas DeMay, Henry DeMay and Mary DeMay. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Edgar Mullins, and her son, James Patrick Mullins. 

Visitors will be received Saturday, Nov. 9, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated following the visitation at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Patrick’s R.C. Church in Southold, officiated by Father John Barrett. Interment will follow at Saint Patrick’s R.C. Cemetery in Southold. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation ,alzfdn.org/support-us/donate, or Medi Home Health & Hospice, c/o Hospice Care Charity, 355 S. Madison Blvd., Roxboro NC 27573.  

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As the 2019 deer hunting season gets underway, officials overseeing Southold’s deer management program are reporting a stronger start than previous years.

The season opened Tuesday, Oct. 1 and runs through Jan. 31, 2020. For the first time this year, Southold Town has increased the reach of its deer management program by allowing landowners with upwards of five acres to participate.

“We’re up 21 deer from last year,” environmental analyst Craig Jobes reported to Town Board members at a work session Wednesday morning.

As of Nov. 6, 126 deer have been harvested townwide, compared to just 105 last year on the same date, he said.

Slightly less deer have been hunted on town-owned properties, but Mr. Jobes said feedback among private landowners has been positive so far.

“One thing I really like is seeing the number of donations,” Mr. Jobes said, noting that 78 have been donated so far, compared to 46 in 2018. “Every year we see a little more of an increase, but this year we’ve really seen a big spike in [donations]” he said.

Keeping last year’s total donation of 130 deer in mind, he believes they’ll far exceed that this season.

Hundreds of people have benefitted from the program as over 51,000 pounds of venison have been donated to those in need since the program began a decade ago, according to town Department of Public Works director Jeff Standish.

The department has been awarded approximately $92,000 in grant funding, which will help improve its facility by adding chest freezers that will allow for meat storage locally. Mr. Jobes said they are waiting for the funds to be distributed so the project can begin.

The grant would also help cover butchering costs, he said.

“That way, in case the state coalition funds run dry like we had a threat of last year, then we still have money in place to have these deer butchered, so nothing’s going to waste,” Mr. Jobes said.

So far, the areas with the highest yields have been Mulford Court in Orient and Tall Pines in the Bayview area of Southold, which historically always come out on top.

Several new properties, including Brushes Creek in Laurel and Carroll Avenue in Peconic, have also seen harvests, according to Mr. Jobes.

“The new properties bring excitement to hunters,” he said. “They like to hunt somewhere new, with new scenery.”

Councilman Bill Ruland asked how the numbers reflect the overall herd size.

“Where I live, it’s been the wild west for two weeks,” he said, as deer enter mating season.

Mr. Standish said that the herd increases quickly, pointing out that last years fawn numbers were relatively low, but there has been a sharp increase this year.

He said that despite the challenge of keeping up with an ever-growing population, Southold is the most proactive town on the issue.

“Are we conquering the problem? No. But we are doing our hardest to manage what we can manage,” he said.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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