Bob Rothman was a real North Fork local. He was born at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport, where he died last month at age 84.

A second-generation shopkeeper, Mr. Rothman was also an artist, pilot and photographer. On Saturday, Jan. 28, his aerial photographs and oil paintings will be on display at ART in Southold, the family-owned gallery located next to Rothman’s Department store on Main Street in Southold.

Son Ron Rothman said his father did most of his painting in the 1960s. In recent years, he said, the senior Mr. Rothman painted “from time to time, when inspired,” usually in the winter.

“But his painting was not something he flaunted,” Ron Rothman said. He said his father “always took photographs, going back to high school.” In the 1990s, Mr. Rothman took aerial photographs of the North Fork from aircraft he rented from Mattituck airbase, the same place he’d earned his private pilot’s license decades earlier, while attending Southold High School. Some of these photographs will be for sale, along with other photographs he took over the course of his life.

Ron Rothman described his father as “limitless. He rode his bike up to the week before he died and, like all good fathers, he could do anything and fix anything.”

Bob Rothman took full control of the family store in the late 1970s after the death his father, David Rothman.

“It was a good way to make a living on the North Fork,” Ron Rothman said. The department store has been in operation for 93 years. The opening reception for Mr. Rothman’s works begins at 5 p.m. The show will include Ron Rothman’s hand-colored photo prints and paintings by artist Stacy Brandfon, a gallery assistant.

Music will be provided by Crazy Helen, Southold Slim and the Park Ave. Gypsies.

gvolpe@timesreview.com

SAMANTHA BRIX PHOTO | Marco and Ann Marie Borghese, owners of Castello di Borghese, in their Cutchogue tasting room.

Marco and Ann Marie Borghese visited the North Fork for the first time for a wine tasting on Thanksgiving of 1998.

The longtime wine lovers — Mr. Borghese’s relatives owned a vineyard in Florence for generations and Ms. Borghese studied French wine in Paris — at once fell in love with Long Island’s land of grapevines.

“We came here to taste — not to shop for a vineyard,” Mr. Borghese said.

They didn’t know then they would soon own and work on their very own vineyard.

READ THE COMPLETE PROFILE ON OUR WINE PRESS BLOG

Michael Stephen Conway of East Marion and Park Slope, Brooklyn, died January 1 at N.Y. Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn. He was 60 years old.

He was born September 25, 1951, in Chelsea, Mass., to Edward and Bernadette (Young) Conway. A graduate of Wakefield Memorial High School in Massachusetts, he moved to Brooklyn in 1969. He earned a B.A. in English from Long Island University and embarked on a 36-year career with the NYC Department of Education. For 26 years he taught high-school English at such schools as Boys and Girls High School and Prospect Heights High School in Brooklyn. In 1984 he received an M.A. in English from Hunter College. Colleagues described him as “truly devoted to his craft, with a deep love for literature and teaching” and “a sweet and gallant soul.” Recognizing his extraordinary ability to inspire and mentor other teachers, the United Federation of Teachers appointed him as Teacher Specialist, first at Benjamin Bannecker High School in 1999 and then at Brooklyn Technical High School in 2004, where he ran professional development programs leading to a dramatic rise in students’ Regent Test scores. Critically injured in an electrical fire in Brooklyn, he retired from teaching in 2010.

Mr. Conway enjoyed summers in Maine and on the North Fork, where he married his longtime sweetheart, Robin Lee Simmen, at Founders Landing on July 6, 2007. A homeowner in East Marion for 10 years, he spent countless hours reading, walking and swimming at Sound and bay beaches on the East End. He loved Shakespeare, family, good friends and good food, especially the strawberries, sweet corn, tomatoes and scallops of Long Island and blueberries picked while hiking in Maine.

Mr. Conway is survived by his wife, Robin Simmen; his daughters, Kate, of Manhattan, and Margaret, of Brooklyn; his mother, Betty, of Naples, Fla.; his brothers, Edward, of Chatham, Mass., Stephen, of Groton, Mass., and Robert, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; his sisters, Anne Haglof of East Harwich, Mass., and Eileen Rounds of Bridgton, Maine; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A private crematory service was held January 6 at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. A memorial service at Brooklyn Botanic Garden is planned for late spring.

This is a paid notice.

BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | The former Courthouse Restaurant on Griffing Avenue has become a favorite target of graffiti vandals.

BY PAUL SQUIRE |  STAFF WRITER

For decades, the Courthouse Restaurant stood at the corner of Griffing and Railroad avenues, serving a bustling crowd of locals and visitors from the state Supreme Court building less than 100 feet away.

But the once-thriving restaurant, later known as J.P. Michael’s, has become a long-standing eyesore in the town’s historic courts district.

Over the last few months, things got even worse as the boarded-up restaurant was covered in graffiti. Riverhead Town code enforcers are now trying to get the building’s owner to paint over the ugly scrawlings.

The town last month issued a notice of violation to Lyle Pike, whom town officials named as the building’s owner, requiring him to clean the graffiti, said town code investigator Richard Downs. The notice gave Mr. Pike until Jan. 15 to clean up the graffiti, but as of Jan. 24, the building was still covered in tags.

Mr. Downs said Mr. Pike told him it’s been too cold to paint over the markings, but he hoped to address the graffiti this week.

Mr. Pike did not return calls seeking comment.

Councilman James Wooten alerted town code enforcers last month about the graffiti. “This building that used to be a wonderful addition to the Railroad Avenue area has become such an eyesore,” he wrote at the time in an email to the News-Review.

The Courthouse Restaurant building dates back to 1890, according to town records, and was expanded in 1974. The Klein family, who now own C.K.’s Deli, ran the Courthouse Restaurant for decades, until it was sold and renamed J.P. Michael’s.

J.P. Michael’s closed its doors after several years of operation and the building was sold off to several owners over the next decade.

The building was most recently sold to the current owners, Ebb Tide Bay LTD and Libra VII. Mr. Pike’s connection to these entities is unclear.

As the building has fallen into disrepair, local business owners, investors and politicians have debated how to restore the area around the state courthouse to its former glory. The county began renovating the Griffing Avenue court complex — the centerpiece of which is the more than 80-year-old Supreme Court building — in 2007 after the new courthouse behind the old buildings was completed.

In 2009, Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said she wanted the property to be used as part of a transit hub for a hypothetical downtown shuttle company. While that idea never came to fruition, the property was also included in the redesign of Vintage Square, a multi-million dollar development proposed by investor John Burke that would create apartments, restaurants, commercial space and a multiplex near the courthouses.

psquire@timesreview.com

Additional reporting by Barbaraellen Koch.

John Shipman Sherwood, a lifelong Greenport resident, died there Jan. 20 at San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. He was 91.

Born in Greenport Feb. 5, 1920, to Ida (Shipman) and John J. Sherwood, he graduated from Greenport High School in 1937 and from Drake Technical School in 1939.

Mr. Sherwood served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1944 to 1947, attaining the rank of corporal. He was a sharpshooter and earned seven service medals, including the Purple Heart. He married Edith Edwards in Greenport on Feb. 5, 1949.

He worked for five years as a draftsman in the New Departure Division of General Motors in Bristol, Conn., and was a civil engineer and draftsman for Van Tuyl & Son in Greenport for 29 years.

Active in village, town and county organizations for many years, Mr. Sherwood was named The Suffolk Times Public Servant of the Year in 2002. He was an assistant to the Southold Town Board of Assessors for 10 years and treasurer of the Vocational Education and Extension Board of Suffolk County for 20. He served the Village of Greenport as assessor from 1951 to 1959 and as Trustee from 1960 to 1965. He was also a longtime member of the Greenport Fire Department’s Star Hose Company and belonged to First Baptist Church of Greenport.

According to family members, he played the saxophone, enjoyed woodworking and crossword puzzles and was an avid reader and historian.

Mr. Sherwood is survived by his wife; his son, Jeff, of Malvern, Pa.; his daughters, Jenn, of Colchester, Conn., and Jeremy Neff of Homosassa Springs, Fla.; his sister, Martha Parrish; and four grandchildren.

Visiting hours will take place Saturday, Jan. 28, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Greenport, where a service will be held at 2 p.m., the Rev. Thomas LaMothe officiating. A reception will follow. Arrangements are being handled by Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport.

Donations may be made to Greenport Fire Dept. Star Hose Company, P.O. Box 345, Greenport NY 11944 or Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, 3800 Fettler Park Drive, Suite 104, Dumfries, VA 22025 (www.marineheritage.org).

Thomas Reinecke, a prominent member of the Orient community, died Monday, Jan. 23. A longtime resident of Closter, N.J., and Orient, he was 58.

Tom made his career as a builder and a firefighter. He was a former Chief of the Closter Fire Department and a hometown hero for being a first responder on 9/11. He was an avid fisherman, a hunter, a sports enthusiast and a true lover of life. Tom was an active member of Orient Yacht Club and was acknowledged for founding the annual Beefsteak fundraiser, now in its 20th year. Those who knew him respected his candor and his zest for life. He lived with courage and bravery.

Survived by his beloved wife of 37 years, Maria (née Naccarella), Tom was the devoted father of Thomas and Jonathan; loving son of Beatrice; dearest brother of Joy and Lisa; and uncle to 11 nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Knickerbocker Hook and Ladder Company, 100 Ruckman Road, Closter, NJ 07624 or the American Cancer Society, 20 Mercer St., Hackensack, NJ 07601.

This is a paid notice.

CHINESE ZODIAC CALENDAR

The year of the dragon is upon us.

Sunday evening marked the official transition from the year of the rabbit to the year of the dragon, a revered sign among Chinese people.

There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, including the rooster, horse, ox, and monkey, but the dragon is the only mythical creature.

The motto of the year of the dragon is “I reign,” it is associated with the color red and its gemstone is the ruby.

Suker Jiang, 31, a manager at Tony’s Asian Fusion in Mattituck, moved to the United States from China 10 years ago. He said the upcoming year is considered particularly special to his culture.

“The Chinese people call the emperor ‘the dragon’ so it’s very good luck,” Mr. Jiang said. He said there’s a basic misunderstanding between the Chinese and Americans over the dragon symbol.

“Americans see the dragon as a monster, a people-eater, but not in China,” he said. In mythology not only do dragons not eat people, they get along with all animals, he said. The creatures represent good luck, strength and power, making it an attractive sign to be born under, he added.

“The dragon children are special,” Mr. Jiang said. “People want to have babies in dragon years because they want to bring auspicious children — children who bring good luck — to the Asian empire.”

George Wei, a Riverhead resident who emigrated from China 23 years ago, said people get together and party on the Chinese New Year’s Eve.

“But since we don’t have an official holiday for the Chinese New Year here, we’ll just make some good food to eat,” he said. “It’s not like Times Square. People normally just watch TV and stay home.”

He said the Chinese zodiac symbols are “not really serious, it’s just fun. For example, if you belong to the rooster, maybe you wake up early. If you belong to the rooster, maybe you can’t sit still.”

Mr. Wei, a research engineer at Brookhaven National Laboratory, gives presentations on ancient Chinese culture and traditions at local schools, libraries and colleges.

“We talk about Chinese history, how the culture was lost because of the cultural revolution and how performing arts have brought that lost culture back,” he said. He said he’s learned much about traditional Chinese culture, “20 dynasties’ worth,” from Shen Yun, a five-day Chinese New Year celebration held at Lincoln Center every year. “This is stuff you cannot learn overnight,” he said.

In China, relatives and friends visit with one another on New Year’s Day. “But only for 10 minutes to exchange candy and say hello” because some people visit with as many as 20 families, Mr. Wei said. “Closer families might take longer.”

The dumpling is the main food staple of the Chinese New Year. “The dumpling means that you will get people together to enjoy life,” Mr. Wei said.

gvolpe@timesreview.com

Jan. 18, 1935 – Jan. 20, 2012

Maureen Burns joined her Savior, Jesus Christ, on January 20, 2012, at home, while being cared for by her husband, sister and children.

Maureen was born January 18, 1935, at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital to Anna and George Connelly. After George, a Scottish immigrant, died, Maureen was raised by Anna and Anna’s second husband, Max Siebenkas.

Maureen is survived by her husband of 55 years, the Rev. Ben Burns, with whom she shared her two passions – her church and her music. After marriage in Commack, N.Y., they lived in Hicksville and Woodbury, N.Y., where Ben had been appointed to the United Methodist churches. In 1961, he was appointed to the United Methodist Church in Southold, where they raised their children. They then moved to Hauppauge before settling into retirement in Greenport.

Maureen was a gifted musician and performer. She could move a crowd as a soprano singing Handel’s “Messiah” with a full orchestra, then have them humming along to Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” as she accompanied herself on the guitar. Maureen participated in a national tour with the Boris Goldovsky Opera Theater’s production of “La Bohème.” She also toured nationally under the direction of the prestigious piano team of Buck Whittamore and Jack Lowe. The Whit-Lo Singers provided entertainment for all musical tastes. Maureen was also a soloist with the Light Opera of Manhattan, particularly enjoying roles created by Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as soloing with the Long Island Choral Society and the North Fork Chorale. Along with Ben, she often performed Menotti’s opera “The Telephone.” She and Ben were mainstays in the Southold PTA talent show fundraiser, “Founder’s Follies.”

For most of her life, you knew where to find Maureen on Sunday morning – in the choir loft. In addition to singing in many East End churches, she performed regularly in Christian Scientist churches on the East End.
Maureen contributed much behind the curtain as well. In 1971 she was musical director of Southold High School’s performance of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” She also directed “Finian’s Rainbow” at the North Fork Community Theatre.

Maureen is survived by her sister and best friend Diana Hallock of Laurel, N.Y. Her sister Lynda St. Hilaire resides in Albuquerque, N.M.

In addition, Maureen leaves behind a son, Bradley, and two daughters, Beverly and Cheryl; sons-in-law Jim Sage and Jim Pryor; and four grandchildren, Shannon, Bailey, Sean and Chelsea.

Services, conducted by the Rev. Jin Kim, were held at Southold United Methodist Church on January 24, with interment at Commack Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are invited to East End Hospice or a church of your choice.

This is a paid notice.

Real estate photography has changed drastically over the past decade — and not necessarily for the benefit of longtime professional photographers.

Compounding the effects of the housing crisis, the transition from film to digital and the emergence of a new generation of photographers have led to much smaller incomes for established photographers and forced an exodus of veterans from what used to be a lucrative trade.

Local realtors agree that photographs have taken a hugely prominent role in recent years, as buyers view a multitude of photographs on real estate websites like Trulia.com and Zillow.com before agreeing to see a home in person. It’s just easier for anyone with a digital camera to snap some good ones.

Here are a handful of images from real estate photographers still in the business. And to read more, be sure to pick up a copy of this week’s Suffolk Times.

EDBERG MARKETING

This photo from Peter Berlin shows an aerial shot of a roughly 2,000-square-foot, 4-bedroom home on Shelter Island. The house is no longer on the market.

PETER BERLIN PHOTO

EDBERG MARKETING

Another bird’s-eye view of a home in Orient that is currently on the market for $1.4 million. With a water-front view, the home features 4 bedrooms.

PETER BERLIN PHOTO

EDBERG MARKETING

This photo of a Cutchogue home provides a glimpse to the water-front view the homeowner can enjoy while showing the spacious property in the front of the home.

PETER BERLIN PHOTO

EDBERG MARKETING

A tucked away home on the water, this two-story Cutchogue house is 2,000 square feet.

PETER BERLIN PHOTO

HAMPTONS GATEWAY PHOTOGRAPHY

A view from the front of a South Jamesport house.

PAUL DEMPSEY PHOTO

HAMPTONS GATEWAY PHOTOGRAPHY

This South Jamesport home features plenty of natural light in the master bedroom as captured by this photograph.

PAUL DEMPSEY PHOTO

HAMPTONS GATEWAY PHOTOGRAPHY

A view from the back of a South Jamesport house.

PAUL DEMPSEY PHOTO

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | Lauren Guja picked up 14 points and 9 rebounds, but Mattituck lost on a last-second three-point shot by Mount Sinai's Sarah Brand.

MUSTANGS 47, TUCKERS 45

It was Sarah Brand’s birthday, but it was Brand who marked the occasion by providing her teammates on the Mount Sinai girls basketball team with a gift, a non-league triumph over Mattituck, presented in a dramatic package.

Brand, a junior guard, celebrated her 17th birthday on Tuesday by hitting a three-point shot with 4/10ths of a second left, giving Mount Sinai a dramatic 47-45 victory on its home floor. Mattituck was unable to advance the ball beyond the mid-court line before time expired.

“You can’t make this stuff up,” Mount Sinai coach Kevin Walsh said. “I told her in the locker room, I hope she enjoys that moment because a lot of people play a lot of basketball in their lifetime and never make a shot like that at that moment in the game.”

Mattituck, leading by 45-44, lost the ball on a held-ball call while Tuckers coach Steve Van Dood tried to call a timeout. The possession arrow pointed in Mount Sinai’s direction. After the Mustangs called timeout with 3.2 seconds to go, they set up one final play. A play that the Mustangs were introduced to in practice two or three days earlier called for Marisa Colacino to make the inbounds pass to a flashing Alexandra Rose, who would then feed the ball back to Colacino for the shot. Rose was unable to find her way open, though, so Colacino turned to one of the play’s options: Brand.

GARRET MEADE PHOTO | Alex Berkoski of Mattituck taking to the air while penetrating the Mount Sinai paint.

Thanks in part to a critical screen set by Rose, Brand was wide open at the top of the key, at least a foot beyond the three-point line. Described by her coach as a streaky shooter known more for her driving ability than her jump shots, Brand said that when she released the shot, she thought she had just fired an air ball.

It was anything but. The ball swished through the net without touching the rim.

“I didn’t believe it,” the soft-spoken Brand said of the first game-winning shot of her career. “Yeah, that was pretty exciting.”

It was only the third win in 13 games this season for Mount Sinai, which is 1-6 in Suffolk County League VI.

“It’s a great feeling,” Colacino said. “It’s amazing.”

Amazing. That might be one word the Tuckers (5-7, 3-3 League VII) would use to describe it. They had led for most of the game.

“That’s a real tough one to lose,” said Mattituck center Lauren Guja.

After a reporter told Van Dood that Brand’s winning shot looked good from the moment of its release, he said: “Judging by the way the season’s been going, I had a feeling it was going in, too. Amazing. I’ve aged 20 years.”

The Tuckers started off well, building a 16-3 lead early in the second quarter that they later stretched to a 15-point margin when a Shannon Dwyer basket made it 23-8.

But Mount Sinai, which shot 1 for 6 from the field in the first quarter, hit 8 of its next 16 field-goal attempts to pull itself back in the game.

Colacino, whose three-pointer had cut Mattituck’s lead to one point at 45-44, led all scorers with 18 points. She also had 5 assists.

Brand’s game-winner gave her 11 points. Rose provided Mount Sinai with 9 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 1 block.

Mattituck received 14 points and 9 rebounds from Guja as well as 9 points from Alexa Orlando. Allie Wilcenski, Mattituck’s top rebounder, missed the game because of illness.

Without Wilcenski, Van Dood started Dwyer down low with Nicole Murphy on the wing. The coach said young players like Sydney Sanders, Katie Hoeg, and sisters Courtney and Nicole Murphy turned in good minutes. Nonetheless, the desired result evaded Mattituck.

“We just seem to have a hard time winning on the road, and that’s the sign of a young team, too,” Van Dood said. “I’m tired of saying young team. That’s really getting to me.”

Mount Sinai, meanwhile, could enjoy the way things played out, a rough start with a remarkable ending.

When Brand’s shot dropped, Walsh didn’t offer much of a reaction except a smile of relief.

“That’s the memory of a lifetime,” he said. “I don’t think she realizes what she just did and how cool that is. I hope she enjoys this day because, wow. It’s like the ending of a movie.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

SAMANTHA BRIX FILE PHOTO | Sherwood House Vineyard's new tasting shed will be subject to health department review.

Sherwood House Vineyards and Crystal Clear Cleaning Corp. must both undergo county health department review before their town applications can be approved, Southold Planning Board members said Monday.

The health department’s involvement would further delay the projects, both of which have sparked controversy.

Sherwood House, on Oregon Road in Mattituck, plans to build two patios for an outdoor wine tasting area that will replace a wine tasting shed. Its owners are currently in litigation with the town over their use of that shed, which sits on preserved land. Their new plan would relocate the wine tasting area to a portion of the property that has not been preserved.

The vineyard’s attorney, Patricia Moore, has insisted that the project does not require health department review because it is not inside a building. But town planner Brian Cumming said at Monday’s Planning Board work session that he received a call from health department engineer Craig Knepper, who said his department will need to review the project anyway because “wine and beer tasting is assigned a sewage flow.”

Ms. Moore said her clients will likely re-open the seasonal wine tasting shed in the spring if they need to take the extra time to go through health department review.

The town previously obtained a court injunction prohibiting the use of the tasting shed and vineyard owners Charles and Barbara Smithen have sued to force the Planning Board to approve their pending site plan.

“We’re at odds right now. The goal here is to resolve the litigation, not to continue it,” said Ms. Moore. “This costs the town money. It costs the applicant money, all for what is essentially a lemonade stand here.”

Planning Board chairman Don Wilcenski said it is the board’s responsibility to protect taxpayers.

“We’re not trying to slow the process down,” he said. “This is the first [application] of its kind. We are doing our due diligence.”

Ms. Moore argued that the board is placing an unwarranted obstacle before an existing business.

“They’ve been operating there for over 10 years,” she said. We need to think outside of the box on this one. Is the taxpayer going to continue to fund litigation on two separate cases? I think they’ve really bent over backwards to try to make peace with the town.”

Another of Ms. Moore’s clients, Crystal Clear Cleaning Corp., is looking to establish an office in an existing two-story garage on the company’s New Suffolk Road property.

Ms. Moore said her clients were under the impression they didn’t need to go to the health department for review. She asked if the Planning Board could approve the project with the stipulation that health department approval be in place before the building department issues a certificate of occupancy.

“This will delay the building process four months,” she added. “They have to relocate and they have to rebuild.”

Planners, however, said they wouldn’t know how the site should be configured until they received guidance from the health department on its sanitary flow requirements.

Board members were also concerned that two trees on the property had been cut down in the middle of the site plan process, after neighbors raised concerns over the visual impact of the property’s use as headquarters for the cleaning company and its vans.

They asked that the trees be replaced with five- to six-inch caliper zelkova trees and that a double row of evergreens six to seven feet high be placed along the front of the property.

“We want to hide all the commercial vehicles in back,” said Mr. Wilcenski.

“Why were the two trees cut down in the middle of the process?” asked board member Jim Rich.

“I have no idea,” said Ms. Moore.

byoung@timesreview.com

JENNIFER GUSTAVSON PHOTO | The sun beats down Tuesday afternoon on the ice skating rink at Mitchell Park in Greenport Village. Officials say they've been forced to close the rink on warm days this winter.

Village officials said the ice skating rink was closed twice this season due to warm weather: once last weekend and again on Monday.

But there is no plan to reduce its hours of operation and the rink will only close when it rains or when warm weather turns the rink into a pond.

Weather permitting, the rink is open Monday, 3 to 6 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday, 3 to 5 p.m.; Friday, 3 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“It’s been a huge, huge struggle,” said rink manager Mike Ryan in an interview last week. “Temperatures have approached the high 50s, it seems like every day now.”

Village administrator David Abatelli said at Monday’s work session that it costs the village $8,000 per month to keep the rink frozen.

The rink has its own refrigeration system, but it does rely on Mother Nature to keep the surface skateable.

“A lot of people are under the misconception that we just use a hose to flood the rink and freeze the water, but that’s not the way it’s done,” he said. “It has to be sprayed layer by layer and you need a few consistent days of cold weather to do it.”

It takes about 20 layers of sprayed water at about an hour per layer to lay a one-inch sheet of ice on the rink, Mr. Ryan said of the process, which can usually only be done at night. When a sunny day follows, the layers can start to melt.

Gianna Volpe and Beth Young contributed reporting. Read more village news in Thursday’s paper.

jennifer@timesreview.com

SAMANTHA BRIX FILE PHOTO | Congressman Tim Bishop shared his thought son the president's State of the Union Tuesday night.

Local Representative Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) issued a press release Wednesday following President Barack Obama’s fourth State of the Union Address. Read the Congressman’s take below and share your opinion with a comment of your own.

“For years, I have been advocating an end to taxpayer subsidies for companies that outsource American Jobs and new incentives for employers to bring skilled jobs back from overseas,” Mr. Bishop said. “I welcome the President’s leadership on this vital issue and look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to put Americans back to work and protect our future.”

GIANNA VOLPE PHOTO | Cross Sound Ferry docked in Orient Point on Sunday. The company won this year's North Fork Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award.

Bridgehampton National Bank president Kevin O’Connor and the Wronoski family, owners of Cross Sound Ferry, are the recipients of this year’s North Fork Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award, chamber officials announced Monday.

The winners will be honored during the chamber’s Snowflake Gala on Friday, Feb. 3, at Raphael Winery in Peconic.

Newly elected chamber president Andy Binkowski, who is also the manager of Cross Sound Ferry’s Orient Point terminal, said his company and Bridgehampton National Bank were the first two businesses considered for the award by the chamber’s board.

“Those names first stuck out in our minds,” Mr. Binkowski said. “So many businesses are worthy and, hopefully, we’ll be able to continue the awards ceremony for years to come.”

Mr. Binkowski, who has worked for Cross Sound Ferry for 10 years, said the company hosts the annual fireworks cruise, giving the proceeds to different local organizations, and sponsors a $1,000 scholarship at each North Fork school. Cross Sound Ferry also donated $100,000 worth of gravel to Southold Town last year for beach restoration, he said.

Mr. Binkowski said the chamber also picked Bridgehampton National Bank because of its charitable efforts and its sponsorship of the chamber’s annual golf outing, which began five years ago.

Mr. O’Connor said in a statement that he was gratified Bridgehampton National Bank won the chamber’s community service award and plans to continue partnering with local organizations to improve the quality of life on the North Fork.

Read more about the winners and the Chamber dinner in Thursday’s issue of The Suffolk Times.

jennifer@timesreview.com

GIANNA VOLPE | Cane pruning is one of two major forms of winter pruning used in North Fork Wine Country.

Vineyard manager and head winemaker Rosamond Baiz of Old Field Vineyards in Southold gives a short tutorial on cane pruning, one of two major styles of winter-time pruning.

Rosamond and husband Chris Baiz have been running the farm since 1996 when they took the reins. Martha Clara Vineyards helped their family transform what was once the Baiz-owned potato farm into a vineyard by laser-planting 8,000 Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines onto the property.

Read more about winter pruning in Thursday’s issue of The Suffolk Times.

LARRY SIMMS PHOTO | One of three vacant stores in a Jamesport shopping mall.

Debate on whether the proposed Village at Jamesport mall would fit the Rural Corridor character and zoning of the hamlet has raged for years. You won’t find any arguments — pro or con — about that here. What you will find is analysis of whether this 42,000-square-foot project (a) can succeed and (b) will boost our tax base.

If this mall could be built as of right, I’d have no comment. I own a business and have long favored free markets; others may risk their money as they see fit. However, when special permits are needed because planned uses aren’t allowed, applicants must show that their projects warrant changing the rules.

As the Riverhead Town Board considers these permits, let’s see how the Village at Jamesport stacks up.

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Jamesport

An aerial view of the commercial portion of the proposed Village at Jamesport, which is about 10 acres.

Jamesport

An outline of the commercial portion of the Village at Jamesport site plan, which was presented in the 423-page Final Environmental Impact Statement.

Jamesport

One of two empty buildings that are next to Duffy's Deli.

Jamesport

Two of three vacant shops in this mall are right next to each other. Katrinka Deli was a neighborhood fixture for decades before closing last year.

Jamesport

Nearly half of the total retail and office space — about 12,000-square feet — in this mall is available.

Jamesport

Fauna closed several years ago but remains standing today.

Zero-Sum

A zero-sum system is one in which the sum of the gains equals the sum of the losses. To understand how this is relevant, look at restaurants, nearly 20 percent of the proposed mall.

There are six “destination” restaurants within one mile of the site: Bayview Inn; Country Kitchen; Elbow Room; Grana; Luce & Hawkins; Jamesport Manor Inn. And just a 10-minute drive adds many more. Despite fine reputations, not all are thriving; winters are hard for those that rely heavily on agri-tourism, and the economy has everyone eating out less.

If two new restaurants are added to the mix — each much larger than those mentioned — it’s unlikely all will survive. Our population base is growing slowly, so the number of meals eaten out will remain fairly constant, making this a zero-sum micro-economy. If we add two restaurants, we lose two restaurants.

That means we haven’t increased the tax base. We haven’t created jobs. But we have ensured that two more eyesores dot the rural landscape we rely on to draw tourist business. Think Fauna, plus two.

The zero-sum principle applies to retail and office space on a bigger scale: 34,000 new square feet would take a community this size a long time to absorb, even if current space were full.

And Jamesport is far from full. Start at Manor Lane and walk west. You’ll pass 11 shops on the north side of Main Road in 1/10 mile. Of these, five are empty. On the south side, three of nine spaces at Jamesport Center are vacant.

Continue another mile and you’ll hit Vinland Commons. At 29,000 square feet, it’s almost as large as the proposed Village at Jamesport minus restaurants. Though clean and well-maintained, it’s 43 percent vacant; over 12,000 square feet sit empty at this mall alone.

Even when the economy improves, the notion of filling a total of over 60,000 square feet of retail and office space in Jamesport seems crazy. Few businesses — and fewer shoppers — seek the no-man’s-land between Route 58 big box country and the East End; we can only support so many boutiques.

What happens if the Village at Jamesport gets built? Some tenants always jump to the newest mall, so property owners already plagued by vacancies can look forward to more. And as the occupancy rate sinks further, so will market rents. Some landlords will fold; some properties will deteriorate.

It fakes a village

The heart of Village at Jamesport is its bistros: two buildings, each 4,000 square feet. Town code defines “bistro” as a restaurant having 50 or fewer seats; let’s assume the maximum, a 4,000-square-foot restaurant with 50 seats. Think about that.

Both Jamesport Manor Inn and Bayview Inn restaurants are much smaller than each bistro planned for Village at Jamesport, but Jamesport Manor Inn has twice the capacity, at a spacious 26 square feet per diner. Bayview has still more seats, at 21 square feet each. Luce & Hawkins is smaller but is in the same mid-20’s density range, typical for “fine dining.” (Tables and chairs are packed much tighter in casual restaurants.)

The Village at Jamesport bistros will have 80 square feet per customer.

The fewer seats in a restaurant, the harder it is to pay the bills. Food costs and labor vary with the number of customers served, but rent, utilities and taxes are all fixed overhead.

This project’s numbers are so odd that I asked Technomic — a leading national food service consultant — whether they could cite a successful restaurant anywhere with 80 square feet per seat. They said no. I conclude this is either a business plan doomed to fail or the buildings labeled “bistros” are to be something else entirely.

When there’s a red flag as big as this one, it would be negligent to award special use permits without closer scrutiny.

We can’t know what the developer plans to do with these spaces. But it’s routine in Riverhead for property owners to submit plans, build structures, discover “necessary” changes and get retroactive approval for something different. We see it again and again.

A Sensible Option

Dear Riverhead Town Board members, the proposal on your desks is not what it seems, and it can’t work. There’s no net economic benefit to the community, other property owners will be harmed and we can’t handle more vacant buildings. Don’t inflict this project on Jamesport.

It often helps to visualize extremes. Would you green light another aquarium? No. One would obviously fail. It’s no different with restaurants and offices, and since special permits are needed, you’re obliged to exercise judgment.

Don’t be charmed by the illusion of growth. And remember that adding malls everywhere makes it far harder to revive downtown — your stated top priority.

Here’s an alternative. One Jamesport shopkeeper told me, “I thought there were laws against building anything new if there’s a certain percent vacant space.” Now, that’s an idea worth considering — for the whole town. Encourage developers to adapt, reuse and rebuild. Craft incentives. Where variances or special permits are needed, link new construction to removal of abandoned space.

Developers want to build, and should. But instead of rubber-stamping their conventional plans, be creative. Be bold. Innovate. Challenge builders to enhance the community in lasting ways. Our future depends on it.

Larry Simms is a principal in a commercial flooring technology firm. He owns a house in South Jamesport.

How much should teachers contribute to their health insurance plans? It’s a simple question to ask, though not an easy one to answer.

But in this awful economy, and at a time when a state tax cap looms large over education programs, it’s a question many believe we should be asking of our local school board representatives.

Our state and local governments are short on cash at a time when all of us are, too. It’s safe to say most private sector employees believe it’s time our friends in the public sector start to give a little back — and health care contributions are an easy place to start.

It’s no secret public employees everywhere contribute considerably less to their health care costs than almost all of us who work in the private sector. That’s true not just of teachers, but also of other state, town and county workers.

Factor in the fact that school costs make up two-thirds of your tax bill, though, and you begin to realize just how much of a difference any kind of giveback from your local teachers union can make for you.

I’ve covered education for Times/Review Newsgroup for six years now, mostly in Brookhaven, sitting through countless school board meetings where programs that cost very little but benefit students a whole lot are put on the chopping block. Yet I can recall only two such meetings where teachers agreed to amend their contract outside of standard negotiations to increase their health care contribution.

In both instances, one last spring in Longwood and the other around the same time in Mount Sinai, teachers agreed to pay more toward their insurance than their contracts obliged them to. In Mount Sinai, a fairly small district, teachers said they would kick in an additional $500 each toward their health care coverage this school year, which was expected to save the district $100,000.

That’s a sacrifice of $10 per week for the teachers and a big savings for the people they serve.

Even with their $500 concession, teachers in the Mount Sinai School District, who contractually pay 12 percent as their health care contribution, will still pay far less out of pocket than the average private sector employee.

The average contribution expected from private sector employees in the U.S. is 27 percent, according to various published reports.

Yet contracts in each of the districts in our coverage area show that no teachers pay more than 15 percent of their health insurance costs.

Taxpayers in the Riverhead, Mattituck and Shoreham-Wading River school districts cover 85 percent of teachers’ health care contributions. In the tiny Oysterponds and New Suffolk districts, the most recent contracts available online show residents pick up 95 and 100 percent of the bill, respectively [the current Oysterponds contract was not available online]. In both the Greenport and Southold districts, current contracts have teachers paying more each year, but in both cases the current year’s contribution is under 15 percent.

Last year, Western Suffolk BOCES issued a press release announcing that veteran BOCES teachers will pay 20 percent toward their health insurance contribution this year; new BOCES teachers are paying 25 percent.

How much could our local school districts, and us as taxpayers, save if all teachers contributed this much?

Our teachers unions can even have a significant impact on health care savings without changing how much they pay as individuals, simply by increasing the amount they contribute for family plans.

Just last year the Albany Times-Union published a story showing how much less teachers pay toward their health care contributions than other state employees. The biggest difference came from how family plans are handled.

While most state laborers are contractually obligated to pay 10 percent for single-employee contributions, they pay 25 percent for family plans.

Only Oysterponds has a stipulation in its teacher contract that requires all tenured teachers to pay more for family coverage.

So we don’t just pay 85 percent of our teachers’ health care contributions in almost all North Fork districts, we also pay that for their spouses’ and children’s plans, too. And these costs are on the rise, especially considering that under federal health care laws, kids can now stay on their parents’ health insurance until age 26.

The Times-Union story cited a report released last year by the New York State Citizens Budget Commission, which found that if New York State teachers paid the same 10 percent single/25 percent family split most other state employees pay toward coverage, taxpayers statewide could save more than $500 million annually.

But our local teachers are very protective of their benefits packages, and there’s little indication any type of radical reform would be accepted at the bargaining table. It’s ultimately up to the school board members we elect to make our local teachers understand how much good they can do with just a little sacrifice.

Last year, with the tax cap looming and threats of state aid cuts coming down from Albany, the Shoreham-Wading River School District extended its expired teacher contract for two more years with no change in health care contributions.

I hope the other area school boards negotiating contracts now or in the near future — both Greenport and Riverhead are currently in talks with teachers on a new deal — make sure health care contributions are a major topic of conversation.

Editor’s Note: The version of this column published in Thursday’s paper used information from the previous Oysterponds contract, which expired in 2007. We regret the oversight and plan to publish a correction in next week’s paper. The error does not change the author’s sentiment.

gparpan@timesreview.com

It isn’t possible that the directors of the Suffolk County Water Authority would harbor a grudge, is it?

They wouldn’t seek to erect a power-generating windmill, as big as any standing anywhere on the North Fork, in the middle of wooded preserve teeming with wildlife near the shores of a tranquil lake as a “gotcha!” for the town’s unyielding — and ultimately successful — opposition to their cockamamie scheme to spend millions to bring public water to Orient, where the majority of residents were dead set against it?

Would they?

As town officials and the folks in Orient discovered the hard way, when it comes to the SCWA, always expect the unexpected.

Now before anyone starts yelling “nimbyism!” we should point out that wind turbines, even those the size of the authority’s project, are permitted in Southold, in certain areas and under certain circumstances. Given their size, the town requires a minimum of seven acres, limits the height to 120 feet and requires a full 300 feet between the tower and a property line. The authority’s turbine meets all those standards, but it fails to pass the most basic test. Only bona fide agricultural operations can install wind turbines.

The Laurel Lake preserve is definitely not a farm.

Which brings us back to the authority’s standard line, voiced often during the Orient dispute, that as an authority it need not comply with local laws. In the end, a protracted court battle might prove that assertion to be true. But if the authority did anything right in Orient, it was to conclude, wisely, that legalities aside, squaring off against the citizenry is not a smart move.

If there’s more to the project than a callous attempt to stick it to the town, the authority would deserve credit for thinking green — and for trying to tap into a renewable energy resource to offset the need for fossil fuel-generated electricity to power the pumps that keep the water flowing across the North Fork. Still, the project seems grounded in a misunderstanding of the value of open space — a misunderstanding still prevalent in parts of the county’s western end. Just because there are no houses on the land doesn’t mean anything goes.

The authority would be wise to take a good, long look at its turbine project before it spins out of control.

Thursday, January 26

Winter Film Festival, 6 p.m. at Floyd Memorial Library, 539 First St., Greenport. “The Concert.” Free. 477-0660.

Winter Concert, 7 p.m., performed by Southold Elementary School students in district auditorium, Oaklawn Avenue, Southold.

Northeast Stage presents Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play ‘night, Mother,’ 8 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church hall, 768 Main St., Greenport. Starring Jere Jacob and Amie Sponza; directed by Lenore DeKoven. Tickets $15 at door. northeaststage@optonline.net.

Friday, January 27

ELIH Auxiliary sale: handcrafted ‘vintage’ jewelry, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in conference room at Eastern Long Island Hospital, 201 Manor Place, Greenport. 477-5196.

Film ‘Winter’s Bone,’ 1:30 p.m. at Mattituck-Laurel Library, Main Road, Mattituck. A seventeen-year-old in the Ozarks sets out to track down her father, who put their house up for his bail bond and then disappeared. Based on novel by Daniel Woodrell. Free. 298-4134.

Junior High Drop-By, 2:45-4:45 p.m. for grades 7-8, with Penny Kelley at Southold Free Library, Main Road. Wii games, board games, crafts and more. 765-2077.

Opening reception, 5-7 p.m. for East End Arts annual Members’ Art Show, “Character,” at Lyceum Gallery in Montaukett Learning Resource Center at Suffolk County Community College’s Eastern Campus, 121 Speonk-Riverhead Road, Riverhead. Non-juried, all media exhibit includes performance art at reception. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments served. On view through Feb. 24. 727-0900.

Game Night, 6-8 p.m. for teens ages 13-17 at Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St. Register: 727-3228, ext. 6 or 12, askteen@riverheadlibrary.org.

Riverhead Middle School Middle Masques present ‘Grease Jr.: Go Greased Lightning,’ 7 p.m. in middle school cafetorium, 600 Harrison Ave. Tickets $8 in advance; $10 at door. Available from producer Pat Skura at school. 369-6767.

Mattituck High School Jazz Band concert, 7:30 p.m. in school auditorium, Main Road, Mattituck. Tickets $10 at door. 298-8471.

Northeast Stage presents ‘night, Mother,’ 8 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church hall, Greenport; see Thursday.

‘Doubt: A Parable’ by John Patrick Shanley, 8 p.m. at North Fork Community Theatre, Old Sound Avenue, Mattituck. Tickets $15: 298-6328, nfct.com.

Saturday, January 28

Meet the Author with Southold resident Rosemary McKinley, 11 a.m. at Southold Free Library, Main Road. Ms. McKinley has written a young adult novella “The Wampum Exchange,” set in 1650s Southold. Light refreshments, book signing, and presentation about research process required to write book. 765-2077

Family Science Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Long Island Science Center, 11 W. Main St., Riverhead. Admission $5; for all ages. Hands-on crafts plus make bubbles, solve pizza mystery, see what glows in the dark, talk and listen with whisper tube and more. 208-8000, syacubich@lisciencecenter.org.

Future Cheerleaders Camp registration, 12:30-3 p.m. in Southold High School gym. Fee $30, includes snack and beverage. Participants will cheer with varsity cheerleaders at Settlers’ home game Tuesday, Jan. 31. Contact Melissa at mwilcenski@mufsd.com.

Tae Kwon Do Introductory Class, 1-1:30 p.m. for ages 4-6, 2-2:45 p.m. for ages 7-12 at Cutchogue New Suffolk Library, Main Road, Cutchogue. Registration required: 734-6360.

‘Claimed by the Sea: Long Island Shipwrecks,’ 2 p.m. at Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St. Presentation by maritime historian, scuba diver and author Adam Grohman. Free. Register at 727-3228.

Riverhead Middle School Middle Masques present ‘Grease Jr.: Go Greased Lightning’ 2 p.m. in middle school cafetorium. See Friday.

Spaghetti dinner, 4-7 p.m., hosted by East Marion Junior Fire Department at firehouse, Main Road. Donation $10, kids under 12, $7.

Pianist Mary McCarthy plays ‘Songs of the Hebrides,’ Irish and Scottish tunes transcribed for piano, 4 p.m. at Poquatuck Hall, 1160 Skippers Lane, Orient. Tickets $10 at door.

Fourth Annual ‘Rockin’ for the Homeless’ benefit 6-10 p.m. at Polish Hall, Marcy Avenue, Riverhead. Doors open 5:30 p.m. Includes four Long Island bands: Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks, Who Are Those Guys, Rattlesnake Dawn and Boot Scoot Boogie. WLNG’s Lisa Dabrowski will emcee event. Chinese auction, 50/50 raffle and a freewill offering collection. Tickets $25 until Jan. 27, $35 at door. On sale at Barth’s Drug Store, Riverhead and Mattituck; Polish Hall; and Mattituck Presbyterian Church. All proceeds go to support John’s Place Mattituck Homeless Outreach. 298-4145, ext. 2, rockinforthehomeless.org.

Lecture ‘How to Buy and Use a Telescope,’ 7-9 p.m. at Custer Institute and Observatory, 1115 Main Bayview Road, Southold. Information from Jeff Norwood, owner of Camera Concepts in Patchogue, and opportunity for hands-on help from instructor and Custer’s staff; bring equipment. Suggested donation $15; $10 members; $5 full-time students. Includes stargazing after event. 765-2626.

‘Doubt: A Parable’ by John Patrick Shanley, 8 p.m. at North Fork Community Theatre. See Friday.

Northeast Stage presents ‘night, Mother,’ 8 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church hall, Greenport; see Thursday.

Sunday, January 29

Presentation by “Old House Doctor’ Joel Snodgrass, hosted by Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council, 2 p.m. at Cutchogue New Suffolk Library, Main Road, Cutchogue. How to solve preservation problems. Free; refreshments served. 734-7122.

Concert of Strings and Piano, 2 p.m. in downstairs meeting room at Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St. Part of ongoing Piano Plus Concert Series. Featuring Elizabeth Fayette on violin, Madeline Fayette on cello and Danny Kim on viola, with Daniel Baer on piano. Presented by Friends of RFL. Free. 727-3228.

‘Doubt: A Parable’ by John Patrick Shanley, 2:30 p.m.; see Friday.

Celebrating Schubert – A Winter Journey, 3 p.m. at Floyd Memorial Library, 539 First St., Greenport, with Linda Betjeman, piano, and Mel Mendelssohn, baritone. Songs from “Winter Journey” (with English translation) and several of Schubert’s solo piano pieces reference composer’s life. Free. 477-0660

Monday, January 30

Chinese New Year Celebration, 3:30-5 p.m. for teens ages 13-17 at Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St. Year of the Dragon; do calligraphy with Xiao Xia. Register: 727-3228, ext. 6 or 12, askteen@riverheadlibrary.org.

‘She Went A-Whaling: A Visual Journey,’ 6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Players Club in New York City, hosted by Oysterponds Historical Society. John Holzapfel’s dramatic visualization of journal of Martha Smith Brewer Brown, who sailed from Orient around the world on whaling ship “Lucy Ann” with husband Captain Edwin Peter Brown, Aug. 1847-July 1849. Pictures, movie clips and Martha’s own words illustrate her two-year journey. Tickets $15, includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. RSVP: 323-2480 or ohsorient@optonline.net.

John Halligan presents ‘Ryan’s Story,’ 7 p.m. at Mattituck High School, Main Road. Mr. Halligan will talk about his son, bullying, cyberbullying and teen suicide prevention to help others avoid their own tragedies. Sponsored by Mattituck High School and PTSA, Southold and Greenport high schools, Town of Southold Youth Bureau.

Tuesday, January 31

Southold Little League registration, 6-8 p.m. at Southold Town Recreation Center, Peconic Lane, Peconic for softball and baseball. Fee $75 per player and $125 for two or more siblings. First-time players bring copy of birth certificate. Continues Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 1-2. Call Larry Tuthill with questions at 275-4508.

Civil War Series – continued, 6:30 p.m. at Cutchogue New Suffolk Library, Main Road, Cutchogue. Richard Radoccia continues lecture/DVD series on era of American Civil War; Bull Run, border states, and early Union triumphs in the West. Free; refreshments served. 734-6360.

Wednesday, February 1

Valentine’s for Soldiers and Seniors, 3-5 p.m. for teens ages 13-17 at Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St. Register: 727-3228, ext. 6 or 12, askteen@riverheadlibrary.org. Teen community service program.

Eat Like a Bird for children grades K-1, 4 p.m. at Mattituck-Laurel Library, Main Road, Mattituck. Registration required: 298-4134.

Southold Little League registration, 6-8 p.m. at Southold Town Recreation Center. See Tuesday.

Thursday, February 2

Book Discussion led by Caroline MacArthur, 10:30 a.m. at Southold Free Library, Main Road. “In the Time of the Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez. 765-2077.

Open house and ribbon cutting, 1-3 p.m. at Maureen’s Haven, 28 Lincoln St., Riverhead, to celebrate opening of new facility. 727-6831.

Lego-Mania, 4-5 p.m. for grades K-2 at Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library, Main Road, Cutchogue. Register 734-6360.

Gail Horton: A Taste of Rug Hooking, 5-8 p.m. Part of Oysterponds Historical Society’s Traditional American Craft Series. All materials supplied; bring sharp scissors and large bag. Fee $80, $70 OHS members; includes materials. Classes continue Feb. 9-10. Register: 323-2480.

Winter Film Festival, 6 p.m. at Floyd Memorial Library, 539 First St., Greenport. “The Names of Love.” Free. 477-0660.

Southold Little League registration, 6-8 p.m. at Southold Town Recreation Center. See Tuesday.

Calendar Policy

In order to be listed in the calendar, events must be open to the general public and be not-for-profit, nonpartisan and nonsectarian in nature. The deadline for receipt of calendar listings is 5 p.m. Friday. To submit material: E-mail calendar@timesreview.com; mail to Times/Review News-papers, P.O. Box 1500, Mattituck, NY 11952; or fax to 298-3287. Call 298-3200 for information.

PECONIC

Victimized again

It is grossly unfair when a section of the population is singled out for a specific action.

So it is with us, the folks from the East End. Once more, the Suffolk County Legislature raises our cost of living. As reported recently in a Jan. 5, 2012, Newsday article, they say, Suffolk bus ridership will see their first fare increase in two decades when the cost of a ride will rise by one-third. This is not the first fare hike for the East End.

The rate was increased last spring from $1.50 to $2 to cover additional operation on Sunday for two routes, S92 and 10C. Both serve only the East End. They run from Orient through Riverhead and on to the Hamptons and back. As soon as the nice weather ended, so did the Sunday service, however the fare increase remained.

Newsday continues, “Under a plan unanimously approved … the fare will rise from $1.50 to $2 on most routes.” Read carefully, “most routes” does not include routes S92 and 10C. These fares will rise not to $2, but to $2.25. That’s 75 cents in less than a year, certainly more than the one-third increase mentioned.

Maybe that’s not so bad, you might say. However, the last fare hike here was just last spring. That put us, the East End, at the highest rate in all Suffolk. Now the fare is even higher and the service lower. Once again, a small section of the population bears the burden and gets less in return.

Where are our government officials when we need them?

Joel Reitman

ORIENT

Who is he?

I am shocked and disgusted by Jeanne Groeneveld’s account of torture to a Southold doe.

Unfortunately, Ms. Groeneveld could not/did not identify the perpetrator. I, for one, would like to know his name, if only to be sure that I never have any business or personal relationship with this dreadful individual.

Maureen Sanders

SOUTHOLD

See something? Call

I believe that most people are against inhumane treatment of living creatures. At least I hope so.

That story about the hunter who pulled a wounded living deer along on a rope in an area where hunting was prohibited was disgusting. Yet I know firsthand that stories like this are not unusual. Hunting of any sort is not allowed within 500 feet of a residence, any residence.

The story this woman related shows that the people might not be informed about what they can do other than wring their hands if something like this happens in their backyard.

First, call the police. Tell them that hunting is going on within 500 feet of a residence. Tell the police that the animal is still alive and being treated inhumanely. Last, demand to see the bow hunting license, and most important, get the plate number.

There was more than one person at the scene of this horror show. Do you know that a citizen’s arrest is legal?

Yet with all these good policies in effect this type of abuse is still rampant. I’ve had hunters in my backyard. I’ve called the police but circumstance made it difficult to get someone here before the culprit left. Sometimes the reasons being that people are indifferent, the police are not able to come and when they do come there are no laws that stop such misanthropes from truly being punished.

Most importantly, you have to do something other than lament that “someone should do something.” It’s up to you if you want this to stop, not the miscreants that would tie a living animal with a rope around its neck in the back of a truck.

Eve Randall

CUTCHOGUE

This is more intense

Southold Town law provides that, “Any change in use or intensity of use which will affect the characteristics of the site in terms of parking, loading, access, drainage, open space or utilities will require site plan approval.”

Using the property on the southeast corner of Peconic Lane and Main Road as a brewery rather than a car dealer may involve similar intensities, but the types of uses are dramatically different. Whether or not the intensity of use changes is secondary; the primary consideration is if the type of use will change.

It is hard to believe that Southold Planning Board found that changing the property use from a car dealership to a brewery will not “affect the characteristics of the site in terms of parking, loading, access, drainage, open space or utilities”.

It is also obvious that the proposed brewery will “eventually add a tasting room.” By approving development of a brewery without a tasting room, the Planning Board is partitioning the action which violates basic principles of land use regulation.

Development of North Fork beer breweries to complement North Fork wineries may be a positive development or not. By irrationally waiving the requirement of a site plan the Planning Board is neglecting its duty to review and contribute to the design of proposed development so that negative impacts are mitigated and positive impacts are promoted on the comprehensive plan of Southold Town and on both public and private nearby land uses.

Benja Schwartz

PECONIC

Who knew?

I didn’t realize that we had such a drainage problem on Route 25.

Tom Grattan Jr.

PECONIC

Dismayed, not angry

In the coming months, I predict many editorials will be written for and against the present administration and its ideology.

As an independent voter, I’m troubled by the direction people of the social progressive mindset would take this country. While it’s true I’m distraught, saddened and even dismayed by the social progressive’s ideology, I’m not yet angry.

I leave the anger and rhetoric to the far left social progressives in Washington and the Wall Street occupiers who believe success and capitalism is un-American.

Mr. Obama has succeeded in promoting class warfare by calling for the redistribution of wealth while overspending, increasing the national debt, devaluating the dollar and weakening the military so that the social progressives can continue paying for unserviceable pork and entitlement programs.

The Democratic Party has been replaced by the new Communist Party, whose only agenda is anti-religion. The bigotry of the secular progressive left is apparent when they take down crosses or censure “one nation under God” or “In God we trust.” A Communist does not pray to God, and what’s more he doesn’t want you to pray to God.

It was the social progressive Democrats that were instrumental in removing prayer from the classroom and banning the mention of God or displaying any icon in schools. They did this under the guise of separation of church and state.

The Founding Fathers were men of vision and moral conviction. They believed in a supreme being, a creator of all things good — in a word, God. They used the Bible as a framework when writing the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. The social progressives within the public school system will never include those facts as part of the curriculum in an American history class.

Like so many, I lean toward the traditionalist belief in a system or party where the recognition of a supreme being is first and foremost and the belief that our rights come from God, not the state, Mr. Obama or the social progressive Communists.

God bless all that would follow the Constitution and save the U.S.A.

George Dengel

CUTCHOGUE

Telling the truth

On the Sunday before Martin Luther King Day our community met to celebrate Dr. King at Peconic Landing. Supervisor Russell, Mayor Nyce, local clergy, members of the town’s Anti-Bias Task Force and others in the community were all there.

In stark contrast to this event, on Jan. 23 Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was faced with a question at a GOP rally in Florida that was astounding in its outright factual errors and subtext racism about President Obama. Throughout the questioner’s 40-second harangue, Mr. Santorum stood respectfully silent. He said nothing when the well-spoken supporter stated that President Obama should not be referred to as president. That President Obama was an avowed Muslim and had no legal right to be president. Lastly, the candidate was asked why no one was doing anything about it.

The president embodies all the family values that Mr. Santorum always talks about. He is not a Muslim but rather a solid Christian.

He does have the right to be called president. Although unnecessary, he did produce his long-form birth certificate and was overwhelmingly elected by the American people.

Why didn’t Mr. Santorum correct the gross errors, if not the undertones of bias that were evident in this question? Instead he stood with a smile on his lips and could only answer the question by telling us that he was running for president to unseat Mr. Obama.

When faced with a similar question four years ago Senator McCain did set the questioner straight. He seemed a little shocked by the question and by the fact this type of voter was part of his base. Mr. Santorum was not shocked, but rather seemed to welcome the question. His answer was pathetic and against everything both Martin Luther King Jr. and America stand for.

The same question should have been asked at the Florida debate of the other Republican candidates. A disavowal of this slander would not be setting a high bar for the upcoming election, but would at least set a minimum standard of truth-telling.

Morton Cogen