John A. Wilcenski Sr. of Mattituck died Feb. 13. He was 87.
Visitors will be received Sunday, Feb. 16, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck, where firematic services will be held at 7:30 p.m.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 17, at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue, officiated by Father Robert Wolosik. U.S. Navy honors will follow. Interment will take place at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.
Memorial donations may be made to Mattituck Fire Department.
Last August, The New York Times published its 1619 Project, a magazine-length examination of how slavery powered the early American economy and, over the generations, how it shaped our society and brought us to where we are today as a country.
The year 1619 is a kind of start date for slavery in North America, although evidence shows that the Spanish brought slaves to the Southeast even earlier. But in 1619, the White Lion brought kidnapped Africans to the coast of Virginia near Jamestown, where they were offloaded and sold into bondage.
With that ship’s cargo, the institution of slavery began. It would not end for another 246 years, when the South formally surrendered at the end of the Civil War in 1865. However, slavery by another name persisted well into the 20th century. That statement is not an interpretation of history in the last century; it is historical fact.
The 1619 Project drew considerable criticism from an assortment of top-notch American historians, some of whom felt the writing in the magazine was more about ideology than history. This editorial is not about that dispute. The back and forth of American history — what happened, what it means today — is a good thing, even more so today as we celebrate Black History Month across the country.
Black History Month serves to remind us of what we don’t know, and how the telling of our remarkable American story is incomplete. Many of us have read that the majority of Americans don’t know much about their country’s history. For example, recent surveys showed that a large block of our fellow citizens didn’t know that the Civil War was fought over slavery, or when World War I was fought, or who was president during World War II.
Locally, many residents of Riverhead and Southold, while knowledgeable about major events in our towns, did not know that slavery existed here from the mid-1600s until its end in 1827. A number of buildings you still see here were built by slaves. Many know about the so-called Founding Families, thinking that our history starts with them stepping ashore, pushing the indigenous Native people out of their way and claiming their land as their own.
Here is what we can say about that discussion: The history here continued with the arrival of these families, it did not start with them. Their histories as told are incomplete if we don’t also note that many of those families were slave owners — not to judge them through a 21st-century lens, but just to round out the story.
Today, we don’t know exactly how slaves got to the North Fork. There was presumably no slave market on Long Island; there was certainly one in Lower Manhattan. The slaves owned by some of the North Fork’s earliest English settlers were presumably purchased from other property owners.
As Black History Month reminds us, there is so much more for us to learn here, and we must engage with historians and other interested parties, but also with archaeologists, to discover more of our past. We need to up our game, and perhaps seek grants to fund serious research into the North Fork’s early settlers, the fate of the Natives and the local impact of slavery. Just knowing slaves’ names and what became of them would enrich our story and help us escape the wholly incomplete story we’ve been telling each other.
In the summer of 2018, 16-year-old Boy Scout Joe Pinto, while doing restoration work at the Old Cutchogue Burying Ground, discovered a long-buried headstone marking the graves of two African-American children. The gravestone marked the shared burial location of one Miriam Reeve, daughter of Elymus and Hagar Reeve, who died at age 8 in 1822, and Parthenia Silone, who died at age 1 in 1854. An accidental discovery showed us a vital part of our past.
There is so much more to be learned. The North Fork needs a Sylvester Manor-type foundation and study center, so our past can be mined and saved, and so we can remember everyone who played a role here — from 1640 right up to the scores of squalid farm labor and duck camps in Riverhead and Southold, which housed hundreds of southern-born black men and women into the mid-20th century. The very good people at Sylvester Manor on Shelter Island would be wise to begin to research the Sylvester family’s slave and plantation holdings in the Caribbean.
Committing ourselves to knowing the past is a year-round endeavor, even as we are inspired by the goodness of Black History Month and what it can teach us. It is said that the arc of history bends toward justice. Perhaps. But it surely bends toward truth.
I went into the job knowing how much I had to teach them. I came out of it realizing how much I had learned.
There was a vacancy on the Orient Fire District Board, and the remaining commissioners asked if I would consider filling out the term. There had been an audit by the State Comptroller’s Office and several issues had been identified that needed some attention. I had been very active in other community projects, but was an outsider to the “firematic” world.
While I had several cousins who served as firefighters, including two who died in the line of duty, I had never been a firefighter or an emergency medical technician. In my late 60s, I was a bit too old and infirm to start now. Perhaps I would bring an outsider’s point of view to the commissioner’s role that might be of value.
The Fire District is not the same as the fire department. The district is made up of elected officials (commissioners) and a few part-time staff who are responsible for setting up and funding firefighting and emergency services for the community. They raise taxes, collected for them by the town. They build and maintain fire stations, purchase equipment and set broad policies for the fire and emergency departments that will provide those services. Commissioners attend monthly meetings, pay bills, maintain facilities and equipment and keep up to date on the laws and best practices. They do not get paid. Not surprisingly, the commissioners are usually drawn from the ranks of active or retired firefighters and emergency personnel, but not always.
The fire departments and emergency services departments, often combined, provide the actual fire and rescue services on which we rely. In our local communities, these are currently all volunteers, from the chiefs, who are in charge of all emergency operations, all the way down to probationary rookies. They are our plumbers and our teachers, our retired executives and our young road workers. Mothers, brothers, police officers and cashiers.
They raise their hands and say, “I’m willing to spend dozens of hours to learn how to keep you safe, handle a medical emergency, protect your homes and businesses. I’ll show up evenings and weekends to keep training, to do it right and fast and smart. I’ll roll out of bed at 3 a.m. when the siren and my beeper go off, to be there if you need me.”
They also don’t get paid. They do it because they care. There are a few benefits — a very small pension if they stay in for at least five years. Some health benefits. Access to a small clubhouse where they can exchange tall tales about their bravest moments and greatest gaffes (and, no, your tax dollars don’t buy drinks and parties — that comes out of their own pockets). Sadly, but not surprisingly, it is difficult to find enough volunteers to take on these hard jobs with so few rewards. We desperately need more folks to step up and join.
After two decades as a government manager, and then several decades as a lawyer, I came to the commissioner’s job knowing a lot about running organizations and navigating complex issues. I came to help with the administration, the policies and the contracts. I think I did help a fair amount. But I also came to the job knowing so little about what the district and the department did, and how they did it.
My colleagues on the board and the officers and personnel in the department were skilled and smart. Most of them had already spent decades learning about protecting us and managing the organizations providing those services. And they did it after hours, after they spent full days earning a living and caring for their families. They had an understanding about cutting open a wrecked car, and controlling bleeding until the hospital, finding someone to fix a pumper truck and someone to clean smoke-stained turnout gear.
Small organizations can often seem insular, a bit cliquish. And jobs that demand hard work and pose risks, even more so. Sometimes the members of the group find it hard to explain to outsiders exactly what they do, or why they do it. As an outsider, I often asked questions that I thought my neighbors would like answers to — “Why are we doing this?” “How does that work?” “What do other districts and departments do?” “Is it worth that cost?”
Perhaps most importantly, I often asked, “Will this improve the health and safety of our community and our department members?” And almost always, I was satisfied with the answers.
I came into the job believing my education, skills, experience, point of view would benefit them. I left the job awed by the dedication, expertise, effort and community involvement of the women and men who served on the board and in the department, the immeasurable benefit that they gave to me and my neighbors. I had no idea.
I served four years as a commissioner. They were years well spent. It was an honor.
Mr. Hanlon ran unsuccessfully last fall for the Southold Town Board.
One year after instituting a building moratorium along Main Road in Mattituck, officials are eyeing a second six-month expansion.
Town attorney Bill Duffy said Tuesday that consultants are still working on zoning and traffic studies, as well as completing survey work related to plans for a traffic circle at the intersection of Route 25, Love Lane and Old Sound Avenue.
“[The New York State Department of Transportation] wanted it a little wider than what we thought was necessary, so, they are getting a survey to see exactly which plan we approve,” Mr. Duffy said in an interview.
Officials have cited the ongoing traffic study as its justification to implement the moratorium, which halted the issuance of permits along Main Road between Bay Avenue and Pike Street.
It directly thwarted plans to construct a 20,000-square-foot hardware store on the corner of Main Road and New Suffolk Avenue, but town officials say the moratorium provides a chance to step back and think about how that project — paired with any traffic improvements made to the intersection — could impact the overall area.
Consultants were hired to prepare a second Love Lane traffic study after the Town Board deemed a previous study inadequate in 2018. The new study, being done by engineers from AKRF, has an expanded scope and includes the eight arterial roads that feed into Route 25 within the impact area.
“That’s a much broader view,” Supervisor Scott Russell said in an interview. “There’s several different components to it. One of the components is a land use component…We’re anticipating the approval will be extended to give [the consultant] time to finish up his work.”
One property owner, represented by attorney Stephen Kiely, is seeking a variance from the moratorium in order to make site improvements there.
The Town Board set a pair of public hearings on the project. A March 10 hearing at 7 p.m. on the variance will be followed by a March 24 hearing at 4:30 p.m. on extending the moratorium.
The lights in the Center Moriches High School gym were dimmed, a spotlight hanging over the wrestling mat glared down and the announcement was made, “Ladies and gentlemen, your 2020 Section XI Division II finalists!”
With that, the 30 wrestlers left standing (including six from Mattituck/Greenport/Southold and five from Shoreham-Wading River) marched into the gym to hearty applause Friday night. Some of them were about to wrestle in the biggest match of their young lives. To the winners went a coveted place in the state tournament.
How much pressure is there wrestling under the spotlight, literally, on such a big stage with so much at stake?
“It’s a little overwhelming,” Mattituck senior Tyler Marlborough said. “It can be. I felt sick before I got out there on the mat.”
Marlborough and 14 others must have felt considerably better afterward as the newest class of Suffolk Division II champions.
Colby Suglia earned his second straight county title while both Jackson Cantelmo and Marlborough picked up their first for Mattituck. Shoreham’s Craig Jablonski became a first-time champion. All of them punched their tickets to Albany for the NYSPHSAA Championships Feb. 28 and 29.
Suglia (36-5, 108 career wins) lived up to his No. 1 seed at 220 pounds. The senior’s final opponent, SWR’s 6-7 Connor DeLumen (29-6), posed a challenge with his length. But Suglia overcame that, pinning DeLumen at 3 minutes, 1 second.
“Winning it two years in a row, it hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Suglia said. “I’m sure it will sink in when I’m a little older, probably … but right now it’s just a good feeling and I’m happy I did it.”
“The first one was definitely a lot more exciting,” he added. “… It’s still just a good feeling. There’s nothing like it.”
Suglia had scored a first-period pin against DeLumen, a senior with a 72-19 career record, earlier this season.
Mattituck coach Cory Dolson said other wrestlers stayed away from the 220 weight class in order to avoid Suglia. Among them was a teammate, Marlborough, who was conflicted about whether to risk going up a weight class to 285. He weighs 230 pounds.
“I won the first tournament of the season [at 285] and I was pretty surprised and I got my confidence rolling,” said Marlborough (33-7).
The senior’s confidence must have been sky high after he scored all six of his points in the third period for a 6-1 defeat of Elwood/John Glenn’s Ryan Kang (24-7) in their final. He scored a takedown, some back points and won a championship. “When he’s scoring points, he can beat a lot of guys,” said Dolson.
Marlborough said, “This means more than I can describe, to be honest with you.”
An all-Mattituck final at 160 pounds produced Mattituck’s first champion of the evening as Cantelmo (34-7), a junior, registered a 5-3 defeat of senior Malachi Boisseau (31-9).
Cantelmo, who has a 3-0 record against Boisseau, said, “Coming in I was like, ‘I have to win. I have to make a big impact this year.’ ”
“It’s always a little weird when you’re wrestling your teammate, especially in a match that is that important, but I think he stuck with his strengths,” Dolson said of Cantelmo. “He knows Malachi really, really well.”
How was it for Dolson watching two of his wrestlers battle for a county title?
“Listen, for me, I know we have somebody going to Albany, I just don’t know which one yet,” he said.
Shoreham’s Jablonski (41-4) had an 0-3 record against Glenn’s Anthony Mirando entering their 106-pound final. But a first-period, single-leg takedown brought Jablonski two points that stood for a 2-1 victory. “It feels good to finally win a match against him,” said the sophomore.
Shoreham coach Joe Condon said Jablonski is one of the hardest workers on his team. “He got the takedown and rode him out and didn’t give any real points, you know,” Condon said. “He wrestled real smart against a good opponent. He has no fear. He just attacks everyone.”
Shoreham was in first place, 10 points ahead of Mount Sinai, entering the finals. But the Wildcats finished second in the team scoring with 248 points to Mount Sinai’s 261. Mattituck was fourth with 201.
It had been only minutes after the tournament ended and Cantelmo was already thinking ahead to the next challenge.
He said, “It’s like already time to get back to work, get ready for states.”
Notes: In other finals, Shoreham’s Chris Colon (39-6), Connor Pearce (41-6) and Jake Jablonski (37-6) were runners-up. Colon lost, 2-1, to Mount Sinai’s Brayden Fahrbach at 99 pounds; Pearce was an 8-3 loser to Bayport-Blue Point’s Joe Sparacio, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, at 120; and Jake Jablonski lost, 6-2, at 132 to Mount Sinai’s Brenden Goodrich, the tournament’s Champion of Champions.
Mattituck, meanwhile, had two second-place finishers in addition to Boisseau. Cole DiGregorio (28-10) was beaten, 10-2, by Glenn’s Thomas Giaramita at 152. Ethan Schmidt (30-6), a two-time county finalist with 98 career wins, was pinned by Mount Sinai’s Joe Goodrich at 4:52.
Those were the words Southold senior guard Nick Grathwohl said to his teammates during a timeout with 11 seconds left in the Suffolk County Class C Championship against top-seed Pierson at East Hampton High School on Friday night.
Down just two points after mounting a furious comeback in
the final quarter—which the Settlers went into trailing 50-39–Southold head
coach Lucas Grigonis drew up a play for the tenacious senior and leading scorer
to drive to the hoop, and hopefully draw a foul. Instead, shortly after the
play began, Grathwohl found himself with just enough daylight in one of his
favorite places on the court—beyond the three-point arc—and, without
hesitation, took a shot.
It fell easily through the net, causing the Southold fans
sitting behind the bench to erupt in cheers. Pierson’s nearly half-court heave
attempt in the final seconds was no good, and the Settlers walked away with a
stunning upset of the Whalers.
It was the first county championship for the team since
2006.
Before Southold’s final possession, Grathwohl (who scored a
season-high 30 points) had inadvertently fouled Pierson’s Henry Brooks on an
inbounds play, a mistake that could have put the game out of reach if Brooks
had hit both free throws. Grathwohl was visibly frustrated after fouling
Brooks, but Grigonis quickly told him to put the moment in the past and focus
on the next move.
Grathwohl delivered, leading his team to an improbable
victory over a Pierson squad that went undefeated in League VIII play and beat the
Settlers by a combined 45 points in two regular season games this year.
An exuberant and breathless Grathwohl described the final
play with a nearly uncontainable smile after the game.
“When Brooks was taking a free throw, I looked at my bench
and said, ‘I got this,’” he said. “We called timeout and drew up a play, and
coach said to take it to the hoop and draw a foul. But I got two or three feet
of space, and took a shot, and it fell.
Southold guard Nick Grathwohl puts up the game winning three-point shot with under 10 seconds to play to win the game against Pierson. (Credit: George Faella)
“It felt great,” Grathwohl continued. “When I released it, I
just thought, please Lord, put it in the net.”
According to Grathwohl, the turning point in the game came
with 3:25 left, when Pierson’s standout sophomore guard Wilson Bennett fouled
out, with the Whalers leading 55-43. Bennett scored 14 of his 20 points in what
was a dominant third quarter for the Whalers, where they erased a 28-24
halftime deficit to take control of the game.
Knowing that one of Pierson’s most dynamic inside presences
would be sidelined for the rest of the game gave the Grathwohl and his
teammates an extra boost of confidence. And for Grathwohl, there’s nothing more
exciting than the chance to be in a pressure-packed situation at the end of a
game.
“Crunch time is my prime time,” he said. “I love the end of
the game. That’s when I have to step up. I have to be there for my team.”
The strategy to intentionally foul the Whalers when they
reached the double-bonus with two and a half minutes left was a risky one, but
it paid off. Pierson, a normally strong free-throw shooting team, missed three
of six free throw shots in the final minute (and were just 13 for 24 in the
game), while Southold continued to make key plays. Southold scored 12 points in
the final minute of the game—nine from Grathwohl, and three from Nick Eckhardt,
who hit a key three-pointer with 41 seconds left to cut Pierson’s lead to
57-55.
“The kids responded well and they adapted well,” Grigonis
said after the game. “That’s something we talk about a lot, and we’re obviously
pleased with the results.”
Grigonis admitted that he had an “oh my god” moment when he
saw Grathwohl release the game-winning three, but said he wasn’t surprised that
the senior took that shot—and that it went in.
“He’s a shooter, and he doesn’t lack confidence,” Grigonis said. “I’ve been coaching for 10 years, and I’ve had moments like this before, in soccer and basketball, and sometimes you just have to ride with the emotion, and Nick is an emotional player. He’s very good under pressure and he really does live for these moments. He did what we needed him to do.”
The win sends the Settlers to the regional semifinals against the Nassau County champion on March 10. Before then, they’ll play in the non-elimination Section XI tournament, starting with a game against the Class D champion Smithtown Christian Wednesday at Centereach High School. The winner plays the Class B champion Feb. 22.
It was a stomach-punch kind of loss for the Whalers, who had
their sights set on a county title after an undefeated run in League VIII this
year. They were also hoping to avenge a loss to Southold in the Class C
semifinal from last season (Greenport ultimately won the county title last
year). Pierson’s first-year head coach, Will Fujita, is no stranger to
heartbreak in the Class C final—he was a senior playing for Southold in 2012
when the Whalers beat the Settlers to win the county crown.
Grigonis was an assistant coach with the Settlers when
Fujita played for the team, and after the game, had plenty of praise for both
Fujita a strong Whalers team that had an impressive season.
“A lot of things had to go right for us to win this game,” he said. “And thanks to the basketball gods, they did.”
Southold resident Stanley I. Rubin died Feb. 14 at age 94.
Services will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 17, at Horton Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport, with Rabbi Howard Diamond and the Rev. Ann VanCleef officiating. Burial will follow at Orient Central Cemetery.
Nancy Goroff has raised more money and has more cash on hand than any of the other Democratic candidates seeking to win a primary for the Democratic endorsement for Congress, according to the latest Federal Elections Commission filing.
The winner will take on incumbent Republican Lee Zeldin of Shirley in the general election on Nov. 3. Mr. Zeldin has more than double the cash on hand than any of the Democratic candidates.
Ms. Goroff, 51, of Stony Brook is a Stony Brook University chemistry professor who heads the chemistry department there.
She announced her plans to run for Congress last July.
Also running for the Democratic nomination is Perry Gershon, 57, of East Hampton. In 2018, he won a Democratic primary and ran against Mr. Zeldin, who won with just over 51% of the vote.
Mr. Gershon announced last April that he would again seek the Democratic nod to challenge Mr. Zeldin.
The third Democratic candidate is Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Sag Harbor), who announced her plans to run for Congress in late November.
The winner of the June 23 primary will take on Mr. Zeldin, who is seeking his fourth two-year term in Congress.
Congressman Lee Zeldin
The FEC also lists Greg Fischer, a Democrat from Calverton, as running for Congress, although it says he has only raised $100 and hasn’t spent anything on his campaign.
The latest FEC filings, which run through the end of 2019, show the following numbers:
Lee Zeldin
• Amount raised: $2,582,217
• Amount left on hand: $1,508,472
Nancy Goroff
• Amount raised: $886,430
• Amount left on hand: $636,442
Perry Gershon
• Amount raised: $854,156
• Amount left on hand: $549,340
Bridget Fleming
• Amount raised: $239,095
• Amount left on hand: $202,254
Ms. Fleming has been touting her list of big-name supporters since joining the race. Her total was raised in a little over a month.
Among those backing her are state Assemblyman Fred Thiele (I-Sag Harbor); Legislator Al Krupski (D-Cutchogue); legislators Rob Calarco, Tom Donnelly, William Spencer and Sam Gonzalez; East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc; Shelter Island Town Supervisor Gerard Siller; and East End mayors Kathleen Mulcahy of Sag Harbor, Jeff Sander of North Haven, Don Louchheim of Sagaponack and Peter Sartorius of Quogue.
Ms. Goroff also has publicized some of her backers, including Legislator Kara Hahn and a group called EMILY’s List, which Ms. Goroff says is “the nation’s largest resource for women in politics.”
“Nancy’s background in science will enable her to bring an expertise to issues including climate change and creating jobs for the future,” said Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List, in a press release.
Mr. Gershon raised more than $400,000 in the second quarter of 2019 and said all of his contributions came from individual donors and supporters.
He said that in his 2018 race against Mr. Zeldin, he received none of the outside help that party nominees received in the 2014 and 2016 Congressional elections.
Mr. Gershon, Ms. Goroff and Ms. Fleming have issued press releases criticizing Mr. Zeldin on a host of issues, including his allegiance to President Donald Trump.
Last August, The New York Times published its 1619 Project, a magazine-length examination of how slavery powered the early American economy and, over the generations, how it shaped our society and brought us to where we are today as a country.
The year 1619 is a kind of start date for slavery in North America, although evidence shows that the Spanish brought slaves to the Southeast even earlier. But in 1619, the White Lion brought kidnapped Africans to the coast of Virginia near Jamestown, where they were offloaded and sold into bondage.
With that ship’s cargo, the institution of slavery began. It would not end for another 246 years, when the South formally surrendered at the end of the Civil War in 1865. However, slavery by another name persisted well into the 20th century. That statement is not an interpretation of history in the last century; it is historical fact.
The 1619 Project drew considerable criticism from an assortment of top-notch American historians, some of whom felt the writing in the magazine was more about ideology than history. This editorial is not about that dispute. The back and forth of American history — what happened, what it means today — is a good thing, even more so today as we celebrate Black History Month across the country.
Black History Month serves to remind us of what we don’t know, and how the telling of our remarkable American story is incomplete. Many of us have read that the majority of Americans don’t know much about their country’s history. For example, recent surveys showed that a large block of our fellow citizens didn’t know that the Civil War was fought over slavery, or when World War I was fought, or who was president during World War II.
Locally, many residents of Riverhead and Southold, while knowledgeable about major events in our towns, did not know that slavery existed here from the mid-1600s until its end in 1827. A number of buildings you still see here were built by slaves. Many know about the so-called Founding Families, thinking that our history starts with them stepping ashore, pushing the indigenous Native people out of their way and claiming their land as their own.
Here is what we can say about that discussion: The history here continued with the arrival of these families, it did not start with them. Their histories as told are incomplete if we don’t also note that many of those families were slave owners — not to judge them through a 21st-century lens, but just to round out the story.
Today, we don’t know exactly how slaves got to the North Fork. There was presumably no slave market on Long Island; there was certainly one in Lower Manhattan. The slaves owned by some of the North Fork’s earliest English settlers were presumably purchased from other property owners.
As Black History Month reminds us, there is so much more for us to learn here, and we must engage with historians and other interested parties, but also with archaeologists, to discover more of our past. We need to up our game, and perhaps seek grants to fund serious research into the North Fork’s early settlers, the fate of the Natives and the local impact of slavery. Just knowing slaves’ names and what became of them would enrich our story and help us escape the wholly incomplete story we’ve been telling each other.
In the summer of 2018, 16-year-old Boy Scout Joe Pinto, while doing restoration work at the Old Cutchogue Burying Ground, discovered a long-buried headstone marking the graves of two African-American children. The gravestone marked the shared burial location of one Miriam Reeve, daughter of Elymus and Hagar Reeve, who died at age 8 in 1822, and Parthenia Silone, who died at age 1 in 1854. An accidental discovery showed us a vital part of our past.
There is so much more to be learned. The North Fork needs a Sylvester Manor-type foundation and study center, so our past can be mined and saved, and so we can remember everyone who played a role here — from 1640 right up to the scores of squalid farm labor and duck camps in Riverhead and Southold, which housed hundreds of southern-born black men and women into the mid-20th century. The very good people at Sylvester Manor on Shelter Island would be wise to begin to research the Sylvester family’s slave and plantation holdings in the Caribbean.
Committing ourselves to knowing the past is a year-round endeavor, even as we are inspired by the goodness of Black History Month and what it can teach us. It is said that the arc of history bends toward justice. Perhaps. But it surely bends toward truth.
A Shelter Island woman who works at the Greenport 7-Eleven reported Friday around 7:57 p.m. that two male subjects refused to leave the store and that one was acting suspiciously while walking up and down the aisles.
The woman told police that one of the men, who was reported as undomiciled, was caught attempting to steal merchandise from behind the counter. When she asked him to leave, he refused, she said. The other man, a Greenport resident, reportedly paid for some of the merchandise and was not part of the disturbance.
The woman requested that the undomiciled man be removed from the store, stating that he was no longer welcome there. She signed an affidavit of trespass against him and police escorted the undomiciled man from the premises, advising him that he would be arrested upon return.
• An investigation is underway after a Greenport woman called police Friday around 11:38 a.m. to report that an unknown individual removed $9,895.93 from her Chase Bank account without her permission. The woman told police she had already contacted Chase Bank, adding that they returned the money to her account.
• An investigation is underway after a Greenport woman reported Friday around 10:02 a.m. that she was the victim of identity theft, involving $55,000.
• A detective was notified after a Greenport woman told police last Thursday around 11:54 p.m. that an unknown person took her $30,000 gray 2018 Dodge Ram, which was parked in front of her Sixth Street residence.
• An Orient woman reported to police last Wednesday around 5:51 p.m. that she saw flames coming from the upstairs window of a home on South Street in Greenport. Responding personnel gained entry and extinguished the fire, according to police. Members of the Greenport Fire Department reported the fire as being accidental. Police said no one was inside the apartment at the time of the incident. The building owner, a Greenport man, was on scene and was notified of the damage. Police attempted to contact the tenant as well, with negative results.
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.
Get ready to celebrate all things basketball, because NBA All-Star Weekend has arrived. This year, the events are sure to be filled with the greatest players in the league showing off their skills, along with tributes to recently passed NBA star Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna “Mambacita” Bryant. You can check out the game, the dunk contest, and all the fun without the trouble of cable TV. Here’s how to watch the 2020 NBA All-Star Game online.
What is the NBA All-Star Game?
The NBA All-Star Game is a mid-season exhibition of the best players in the NBA, and it is the centerpiece of a weekend long celebration of all things basketball. This year the 2020 NBA All-Star events are taking place at the United Center in Chicago. The NBA All-Star Game will also feature a halftime performance by Chance the Rapper with Lil Wayne, Quavo of Migos, and D.J. Khaled. Chaka Khan will sing the U.S. National Anthem, and Tenille Arts will sing the Canadian National Anthem
The NBA All-Star Game will be at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020. It features a new format, with several new rules. The two All-Star teams are no longer the Eastern division vs. Western division, but instead Captain led. Also the teams are playing in a competition to benefit charities based in the host city of Chicago. Each quarter will count separately to that goals for Chicago Scholars (Team LeBron) and After School Matters Chicago (Team Giannis).
Perhaps the biggest change made is to the end of the game. No longer will teams be able to run out the clock, because the fourth quarter won’t have a clock or a set time. Instead teams will play to a target score, where the first to reach the target score wins. It’s just like pickup basketball, where maybe first to 15 wins. In this game, the target score will be 24 points over the leaders score at the end of the third quarter. This means the game will have to end on a scored basket, not a buzzer.
Which players are on the NBA All-Star rosters?
The NBA has made quite a few changes over the years to the All-Star Game. One of the biggest changes has involved the selection of starters on the rosters. Two All-Star captains selected teams just like a pick up game.
Team LeBron Captain LeBron James picked four other starters to join him, including Anthony Davis, Luka Dončić, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Meanwhile Team Giannis Captain Giannis Antetokounmpo picked Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, Kemba Walker and Trae Young. Nick Nurse will coach Team Giannis, while Frank Vogel will coach Team LeBron.
Here are the complete rosters for tonight’s NBA All-Star Game.
Team LeBron
Starting lineup
LeBron James, Forward, Los Angeles Lakers, Team Captain
Anthony Davis, Forward/Center, Los Angeles Lakes
James Harden, Guard, Houston Rockets
Kawhi Leonard, Forward, Los Angeles Clippers
Luka Doncic, Forward/Guard, Dallas Mavericks
Reserves
Devin Booker, Guard, Phoenix Suns
Chris Paul, Guard, Oklahoma City Thunder
Damian Lillard, Guard, Portland Trailblazers
Nikola Jokic, Center, Denver Nuggets
Ben Simmons, Guard/Forward, Philadelphia 76ers
Domantas Sabonis, Forward/Center, Indiana Pacers
Jayson Tatum, Forward/Guard, Boston Celtics
Russell Westbrook, Guard, Houston Rockets
Team Giannis
Starting lineup
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Forward, Milwaukee Bucks, Team Captain
Joel Embiid, Center/Forward, Philadelphia 76ers
Pascal Siakam, Forward, Toronto Raptors
Kemba Walker, Guard, Boston Celtics
Trae Young, Guard, Atlanta Hawks
Reserves
Bam Adebayo, Center/Forward, Miami Heat
Brandon Ingram, Forward, New Orleans Pelicans
Donovan Mitchell, Guard, Utah Jazz
Jimmy Butler, Forward, Miami Heat
Rudy Gobert, Center, Utah Jazz
Kyle Lowry, Guard, Toronto Raptors
Khris Middleton Forward, Milwaukee Bucks
Watch the 2020 NBA All-Star Game online
The 2020 NBA All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday Night are both presentations of TNT. One of the easiest ways to watch these NBA All-Star events online is with a Live Streaming Service that includes TNT. Many of these services offer free trials, so NBA All-Star weekend might be the perfect time to try one out. Let’s take a look at these options that include TNT streaming live.
Hulu with Live TV
How to Watch the NBA All-Star Game online
1. DirecTV Now
We also have DirecTV Now on the list, where you can watch the NBA All-Game. The platform comes with plenty of channels we are sure you will love, and is split into seven bundles. Two of these bundles were introduced in Spring 2020, namely “plus” ($50/mo) and “max” ($70/mo), while the other five are “entertainment” ($93/mo), “choice” ($110/mo), “xtra” ($124/mo), “ultimate” ($135/mo), and “Optimo Mas” ($86/mo) have been around for a while, but they have a new name, and a new price tag that’s roughly double than it used to be.
If you want to customize your plan, you can still do that by adding two Spanish channel packs and three international packs, as well as premium networks. You’ll find that NBC and NBCSN are present in all seven bundles, so you can pick the one you like best for the channels it features or the price. On DirecTV Now, the cloud DVR features only 20 hours of video that can be stored, and there is no way to upgrade the feature. Subscribers also get to stream content to two devices at once, although a third can be added for $5 per month. Also, read the DirecTV Now review, it will give you all the details you need.
2. fuboTV
Next up, we have fuboTV, which is one of the best platforms to watch the NBA All-Star Game. It is for those who really love sports, given the high number of dedicated channels. The platform only has one bundle nowadays called fubo ($54.99/mo), but you can go for it without worrying too much, since there are dozens of channels you can get in there. There are also plenty of channel packs and premium networks you can add if you really want to have more to watch. That won’t be necessary for the Stanley Cup Finals, however, since the fubo bundle already features both NBC and NBCSN, so you’re covered.
Moreover, fuboTV subscribers are able to record any content they want, because 30 hours of cloud DVR space are included with the plan. If you want to increase the limit up to 500 hours of cloud space, you will have to pay $9.99 per month. Also, users are allowed to watch content on two devices at once, but a third can be added by paying $5.99 per month. Read our fuboTV review for more details on what the platform has to offer.
Next up to watch the NBA All-Star Game is SlingTV. It is a great platform that offers loads of customization options to those who seek this in service. There are three bundles you can choose from – Orange ($15/mo), Blue ($15/mo), and Orange + Blue ($25/mo), while more channel packs grouped by interest are available to purchase. Plus, there are also several premium networks you can enjoy. In the Blue and Orange + Blue bundles, you’ll find both NBCSN and NBC, so you’re good to go no matter whichever one of them you pick.
In case you want to save any of the content to watch later, Sling TV doesn’t offer any “free” cloud DVR space. Instead, you have to pay $5 per month for enough space for 50 hours of recordings. When you want to watch any content with your whole family, Sling TV has some of the best multiscreen streaming capabilities. Blue subscribers, for example, can stream any content up to three devices at the same time. While Orange + Blue subscribers can stream to four devices simultaneously. Read our Sling TV review for more info.
4. Hulu Live Package
Another platform on our list to watch the All-Star Game is Hulu. It is best known for the video-on-demand service it offers. For some time now, they are also offering a live TV plan that costs $44.99 per month. You can customize it by adding any of the two-channel packs or the premium channels. The bundle of channels that Hulu offers also includes NBCSN and NBC, so you can also watch all the Stanley Cup games.
Users of Hulu can also record content up to 50 hours of video to the cloud, and up to 200 hours of space can be upgraded at any point in time. The price is roughly $14.99 per month. Live TV subscribers also have the privilege to watch the content on two devices simultaneously. The “Unlimited Screens” feature which costs $14.99 per month gives users unlimited multiscreen streaming when on the home network, and a limit of three devices when out and about. Read our Hulu review for more information on what the platform has to offer.
Hulu with Live TV
The cost: $55 a month after a one week free trial
Watch Hulu on: Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and browsers
Local channels on Hulu: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and others. Find your local channels here.
NBA All-Star Game on Hulu: Yes, with TNT included.
Fubo TV
The cost: $55 a month after a one week trial
Watch Fubo TV on: Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, iOS, Android and web browsers
Local channels on Fubo TV: CBS, Fox, NBC and CW. Find your locals here.
NBA All-Star Game on Fubo TV: Yes, with TNT included.
Stream the NBA All-Star Game even if you’re outside the United States
You could be a major hoops head, but already have tickets to head out of the country. In that case, you might believe that you’re out of luck. Streaming services often block their feeds if you’re not in America. Now you’re locked out of Team LeBron vs Team Giannis.
However, there are ways to get things working again by using a VPN, which is short for “Virtual Private Network”. It sends your internet traffic from far away through a specific set of servers, then pops it back into the United States.
Does a VPN sound appealing to you? It’s easy to get a great one with subscription services that, for a few bucks a month, tunnel your traffic through your choice of a variety of locations. It can also give you security and peace of mind on open WiFi connections, because a VPN protects you against snoopers on any network.
Who will be competing in the NBA All-Star 3-Point contest & Slam Dunk contest?
NBA All-Star Saturday night features two of the most popular competitions taking center stage. The 3-Point Contest was made famous back in the 1980’s by the “Legend” Larry Bird. The Slam Dunk contest has been remade over and over again as the style of basketball has changed, but the most famous was Michael “Air” Jordan’s flight from the free-throw line.
The search for a new superintendent in Greenport and Southold school districts has begun — separately.
The districts, which have operated with a joint superintendent for nearly six years, will conduct separate searches for their next superintendents.
Southold is conducting its search through School Leadership LLC, a Malverne-based firm composed mainly of former educators and school board members.
Greenport will find its superintendent with help from Eastern Suffolk BOCES. Both Southold and Greenport searches are following a similar process of gathering input from stakeholder groups, joint superintendent David Gamberg said Thursday. Both searches are expected to be completed by the end of the school year.
Southold Parent Teachers Association hosted a community forum Wednesday to provide administrators from School Leadership LLC, Roseanne and Ranier Melucci, with ideas of what the community wants in a new superintendent.
That firm has already met with Southold students, elementary and junior/senior high school faculty, Mr. Melucci said at the meeting. The group will meet with the Board of Education Feb. 27 to review comments and suggestions made by local stakeholders.
Similarly, representatives from Eastern Suffolk BOCES will meet with Greenport’s Board of Education to share community input, Mr. Gamberg said, but a date for that meeting has not yet been determined.
Both districts will release surveys for community members who are unable to attend the forums. Southold’s is accessible online, and a similar survey will be posted for the Greenport process in the near future, Mr. Gamberg said.
A public job posting by TheJobNetwork for the Greenport superintendent position is not advertised as a shared position. The deadline for applications is Friday, March 6.
Mr. Gamberg, who announced his retirement earlier this year, began working for both schools in July 2014 under a two-year contract, according to previous reports.
In an interview last month, Mr. Gamberg said he was in a “unique situation” which allowed him to take on the current arrangement as joint superintendent and would prefer not to speculate about the selection process for his replacement.
The districts share services through an intermunicipal agreement established in 2013. They currently share three other administrative roles, besides the superintendent: director of educational technology, plants and facilities administrator and business official. The agreement has saved an average of $200,000 annually in each district. It’s unclear at this time if those positions will be maintained.
Southold and Greenport also share student programs, including theater, robotics, television broadcasting, athletics, agriculture, NJROTC, professional development, parent information nights and special education.
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Here are the headlines across the North Fork for Monday, Feb. 17
The Greenport Fire Department held its 175th annual Washington’s Birthday parade Saturday, a celebration of both the tradition and the department’s rich history.
The chilly weather didn’t stop people from lining the streets as firefighters from departments all across the East End marched in the parade.
Read more about the department’s history here and see more photos of the parade by Jeremy Garretson above.
Gail Heck of Laurel died Monday, Feb. 3, 2020. She was 85 years old.
Gail was born Aug. 11, 1934, to Leroy and Lillian (Gertie) Hagerstrom in Jamaica, Queens.
She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, LTC William E. Heck Jr.; and her brother, Alva Hagerstrom. Gail is survived by her daughter, Karen (Will), of Mattituck; her son, Roy (Kiera), of Aquebogue; and her six wonderful grandchildren: Abigail, Addison, Morgan, Gavin, Trey and Kara. Gail also leaves behind her sister-in-law, Carol; her niece, Kristin, and nephew, Jon (Gloria), and their children, Nicole, Emily, Devon, Blake, Casey and Jayden.
Gail married the love of her life, Bill, on June 11, 1955, and they embarked on a journey with the U.S. Army for 20 years. They lived in many places around the world, including Germany, Panama and Puerto Rico. They loved spending time in Southampton, where her father had built a bungalow on Cold Spring Pond. Gail and Bill decided to “retire” to Laurel — where Gail had spent every summer as a child on Peconic Bay — when they had their children.
For over 40 years, Gail was a very active participant in Mattituck Presbyterian Church, holding many positions including deacon and elder. Gail also helped to start a Moms In Touch group on the North Fork.
One of Gail’s passions was decorating the boards throughout the church hallways to show the work and faith of the congregation. Gail was a Girl Scout leader in both Germany and Mattituck for many years. She also enjoyed vacationing with Bill once he retired. More recently, Gail was a volunteer at John’s Place, helping out however she was able.
Gail will be missed and loved. She brought faith to many.
The family received friends Feb. 6 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. Funeral services were held Feb. 7 at Mattituck Presbyterian Church, officiated by Caren Heacock. Interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to John’s Place, c/o Mattituck Presbyterian Church, 12605 Main Road, Mattituck, NY 11952.
Former North Fork resident Joan Marie Akscin died Jan. 25.
She was born July 5, 1953, to Emily T. (Mileska) and William J. Borkowski in Riverhead, N.Y.
Raised in Cutchogue, N.Y., she was a graduate of Southold High School and Middletown State Hospital of Nursing.
Ms. Akscin raised her family in Southold and worked as a registered nurse at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport, N.Y., until her retirement in 1997. She later lived and worked as an R.N. in Statesville, N.C., and Ormond Beach, Fla., before moving to Clover, S.C., in 2018.
According to her family, Joan was a devout Christian who enjoyed sewing, arts and crafts, painting and spending time with her family.
Predeceased by brothers David Borkowski and William Borkowski Jr., Ms. Akscin is survived by her children, Andrew Akscin of Greenport, N.Y., and Tracey Goff of Holly Hill, Fla.; brothers Larry Borkowski of Mint Hill, N.C., Michael Borkowski of Clover, S.C., and Marty Borkowski of Statesville, N.C.; as well as aunts, uncles and several nieces and nephews.
A private family celebration of her life is planned at a later date.
Artemios V. Tsismenakis of Crete, Greece, Brooklyn and East Marion, died Feb. 14 in Brooklyn at age 89.
The family will receive visitors Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 2 to 4 and 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Dahill Funeral Home, 2525 65th Street, Brooklyn.
Visitation and funeral services on the North Fork will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Transfiguration of Christ Greek Orthodox Church in Mattituck, with visiting hours beginning at 11 a.m. followed by the funeral liturgy at noon.
Interment will follow at East Marion Cemetery, where the U.S. Army will render military honors.
Makaria will be held at O’Mally’s in Southold.
DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Renee M. Lauriguet, formerly of Mattituck and Jupiter, Fla., died Feb. 11 in Port Charlotte, Fla., at age 91.
She was born April 3, 1928, in Queens to Mary Agnes (Mannes) and James Kennedy and was raised in Bay Shore. On Christmas Eve 1947, she became engaged to Robert Lauriquet and they married Aug. 21, 1948.
She lived on the North Fork for nearly 40 years before moving permanently in 2011 to Florida, where she used to spend winters.
Ms. Lauriguet was a communicant of Sacred Heart Parish in Cutchogue. According to family, she was a mother and grandmother whose whole life was her family.
Predeceased by her husband March 9, 2011, she is survived by her children, Sharon Demopoulos of Mattituck, Robert Lauriguet Jr. of Port Charlotte, Fla., Michele Feaster of Freedom, Calif., Deborah Lauriguet Kolar of Santa Cruz, Calif., and Lynette Morales of Eugene, Ore.; a brother, Robert Kennedy; 11 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. She was also predeceased by brothers William and Joseph Kennedy.
Graveside services and interment will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 11 a.m. at Calverton National Cemetery.
DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home assisted the family.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
John T. Ahearn passed peacefully at the age of 82 on Feb. 17, 2020, surrounded by his family.
He is survived by his children, Kevin (and Karen) Ahearn, Kate Burt, Kristen (and Greg) Merigliano, John (and Sarah) Ahearn, Patty (and Drew) Miller and Matt (and Patti) Ahearn. He is survived by his grandchildren and step-grandchildren: Madison, Molly, Galen, Dreya, Tatiana, Caleb, Olivia, Maeve, Drew, Riley, Grace, Morgan, Eugene, Warren, Cameron and Ellie. He is survived by his siblings, Mary Louise (Sis) Fusillo, Jeanne Giacobbe and Ed (and Sharon) Ahearn. John was predeceased by his wife of 43 years, Kathleen FitzMaurice Ahearn; his grandson Seanne Patrick Burt; his son-in-law Michael Burt; and siblings Bobby Ahearn, Ruth Loeber and Anne Troy.
John will be remembered for his love of family, dedication to his job and the more-than-occasional round of golf. He served his country being enlisted in the U.S. Navy for four years. He was a quick wit, loved sports and delighted in the antics and accomplishments of his grandchildren.
Family will receive visitors Friday, Feb. 21, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, Feb. 22, at 11 a.m. at St. Agnes R.C. Church in Greenport. Cremation will be private.
