Mary Ann Mauceri of Cutchogue died June 19, 2021. She was 56.
The family will receive visitors Thursday, July 1, from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, July 2, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, with Msgr. Joseph W. Staudt officiating.
Interment will follow at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.
The post Mary Ann Mauceri appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
The Greenport Board of Education extended the contract of Superintendent Marlon Small to 2026 at a meeting last Tuesday night.
The board hired him last year, with a term set to last until 2023. Board president Daniel Creedon said Mr. Small’s contract required the board to decide on an extension by June 30. A copy of the contract, obtained by The Suffolk Times, states that a decision on such an extension is required should the superintendent request one.
“If we had not extended it would be an indication that the board was dissatisfied with his work,” Mr. Creedon said in an email. “That is not the case … By essentially agreeing to a new five-year deal with the same terms of employment, we are trying to create stability in the job.”
He pointed out that East End superintendents, teachers and principals are paid “considerably less” than educators on the rest of Long Island. “A lukewarm indication from the board, demonstrated by a shorter extension, would encourage the superintendent to start testing the waters when other districts are looking for new superintendents.”
Mr. Small was previously the assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and accountability for the South Country School District in Brookhaven.
The board also confirmed a contract for the clerk and confidential secretary, and standardized holidays in employee contracts.
The vote on Mr. Small’s contract extension took place after a discussion in executive session. It was not an item on the meeting agenda.
The Greenport Board of Education approved $175,000 from district reserves to make repairs on school grounds.
The funds are intended to fix cracks in the school’s tennis courts, which have been closed for the past few months, add handrails to school bleachers so they meet code regulations, fix plumbing leaks and some electrical lighting issues, repair the well, fix a chain link fence on the property and repair the school HVAC system.
The board said the requested funds should cover repair expenses, although it’s possible costs may total more than expected. The district currently has a little more than $500,000 in reserves earmarked for repairs, according to Superintendent Marlon Small.
The district is still awaiting state approval to start construction on a new auxiliary gym. Although it’s uncertain when the start date may be, the project is expected to last around a year, Mr. Small said.
Mr. Small estimates that repair work on locker rooms and outside masonry, part of the district’s capital improvements project — separate from the requested reserve funds — will begin after the school year ends, perhaps in early July.
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The Southold Town Board approved a pair of monetary settlements to litigation at its Town Board meeting last Tuesday night. The first authorized the payment of $150,000 to Stony Brook University Hospital. Town officials said the payment was related to employee medical costs.
The second settlement stemmed from litigation between the town, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and a Valdosta, Ga. warehouse owner over improperly stored waste. The board authorized a $20,000 payment to the owner of the warehouse where a New Jersey-based carting company stored the waste.
Georgia’s environmental protection agency told Newsday that more than 40 municipalities from across the East Coast were named as potential responsible parties in the litigation, including the Suffolk towns of Southold, Shelter Island, Southampton and Smithtown.
The carter, Care Environmental Corp., and the property owner N.L. Bassford Jr., are working with the State of Georgia to clean up the property, where Newsday reported the refuse was stored so poorly, it posed an “immediate threat to life and health.”
Town officials told Newsday they no longer do business with the carter and they are seeking to recoup settlement costs.
Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell was absent from last Tuesday’s Town Board meetings, one day after a staff member called for an ambulance to Town Hall. He declined to discuss the issue at any length, saying in an email it “isn’t worth anyone’s time.” The town police department declined to release a police report on the incident and a Freedom of Information Act request was denied by the town attorney’s office, citing an “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
“There was no need for an ambulance,” Mr. Russell said. “That’s what happens when you have such a protective staff around you.”
The supervisor added that he wished to thank the Southold EMTs for their “professionalism and caring.”
The Southold Town Board took action to delay the appointment for a full-time office assistant for the Zoning Board of Appeals at its meeting last Tuesday night, with members saying the town must first address staffing needs in the building department.
The appointment would have moved a part-time staffer to full-time effective July 1 at a salary of just under $40,000, town officials said.
“I feel our priorities are misplaced here,” said Councilwoman Jill Doherty, who led the meeting in the absence of Mr. Russell. “I don’t think it’s the time to add more staff to zoning, given the needs in the building department.”
Councilman Bob Ghosio also voted against the resolution, which was then tabled to a later date.
In a follow-up interview, Ms. Doherty said the building department has an open building inspector position, but the town is awaiting the results of a recent civil service exam before filling the position. The town is also looking at possibly adding more staff to the department, which has been hit hard by a building boom, she said.
Building department records show 631 building permits were filed in the first five months in 2021, up from 452 in 2019.
When the Town Hall annex reopens next month, Ms. Doherty said the building department will only be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to give the staff a chance to catch up each day.
A pair of Southold Town police officers were promoted last week. Steven Grattan earned the rank of lieutenant, while Christopher Salmon was promoted to sergeant.
The post Town Hall Notes: Settlements approved; ambulance called for supervisor appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
The daily update is a podcast briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork.
Get the daily update delivered straight to your inbox each weekday morning by subscribing to our newsletter. Or listen through Apple Podcasts by subscribing to Closer Look.
Here are the headlines across the North Fork for Wednesday, June 23.
THE SUFFOLK TIMES
Greenport BOE: Superintendent’s contract extended; building repairs approved
Town Hall Notes: Settlements approved; ambulance called for supervisor
RIVERHEAD NEWS-REVIEW
Fourth of July celebration returning to Jamesport
NORTHFORKER
The Map: Primo spots for al fresco dining
Dream Day: A nautical jaunt to Port Jefferson
WEATHER
Expect sunny skies today with a high temperature of about 77 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.The low tonight will be around 57.
The post Greenport superintendent contract extended, Town settles litigation appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that New York’s COVID-19 state of emergency, which has been in place since last March, will end Thursday.
Mr. Cuomo lifted most COVID restrictions last week, after New York reached a landmark 70% vaccination rate among adults. As of Wednesday, according to the state, 71.2% of adult New Yorkers have received at least one vaccination dose and 63.5% are fully vaccinated.
“The emergency is over. It’s a new chapter,” Mr. Cuomo said of the March 7, 2020 executive order. He added that guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will remain in effect — unvaccinated individuals must continue to wear masks — and local governments may continue to enforce mandates where they exist, should they choose to.
Mr. Cuomo did not include a chart tracking COVID-19 cases in New York at his media briefing Wednesday, saying the state has “reached a new plateau” and is “past the day-to-day monitoring of COVID.”
The announcement marks the end of a grueling year marred with death, economic strains and other conditions exacerbated by the pandemic. But despite the lift of regulations, Mr. Cuomo emphasized that New Yorkers should not let their guard down.
“There will be another virus,” he said. “It will happen again, and we need to be prepared.”
He emphasized the importance of continued vaccinations — warning about COVID-19 mutations — and acknowledged that the state was unprepared for the virus last year.
“Don’t underestimate the lesson of COVID. We were right on the cusp of total chaos,” he said.
The governor signed into law a new mandate that will require healthcare facilities to establish clinical staffing committees of nurses, administrators and staffers providing direct care, charged with developing safe staffing plans to be implemented by Jan. 1.
Mr. Cuomo also emphasized the important role that essential works played during the pandemic. Starting today, he said, the state will provide $25 million in childcare scholarships to essential workers. The state also plans to open a new monument to essential workers in Battery Park City.
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The family of Marietta Laura Silvestre of Peconic will host a celebration of her life from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 10, at Southold High School (outdoors by the gymnasium). All are welcome; bring chairs.
Ms. Silvestre died April 2, 2021, at age 71.
DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold is assisting the family.
The post Marietta Silvestre celebration set appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
After a mild winter, experts are warning of an especially bad tick season in 2021.
The phones at East End Tick & Mosquito Control have been ringing “off the hook,” said owner Brian Kelly. And even though he takes precautions himself, he found a Lone Star tick on his chest last week.
“They’re not only happening at the beaches and the parks, these tick encounters, but most of the calls I’m getting are coming from people finding ticks in their own backyards all across the East End,” he said.
Experts say the lack of a deep frost on the ground this winter, combined with a large acorn harvest two years ago, have allowed tick populations to flourish.
“The mice like to feed on those nuts and if the mice have a lot of food, they’re the reservoirs for tick-borne disease,” Dr. Anna-Marie Wellins of Southampton Hospital said. “So more food, more mice, more ticks, more ticks that are infected.”
That fits with trends some doctors are seeing. Dr. Erin McGintee, who is on the medical advisory board for Southampton Hospital’s Tick Resource Center, said the number of alpha-gal allergies she diagnosed in 2020 was “considerably higher” than in 2019. Alpha-gal, which is associated with Lone Star ticks, causes allergic reactions to red meat.
She doesn’t really focus on other tick-borne diseases, but Suffolk County tracked higher infection rates of Lyme disease among ticks in Southold in 2020 — at 58% among adult black-legged ticks, it was 20% higher than the infection rate in 2019. The infection rate for Lyme disease among the nymphs of that species remained relatively stable, at 46% as compared to 44%.
“I have some theories,” Dr. McGintee said, referring to the higher number of alpha-gal diagnoses. “I don’t know if my theories are correct. But … one thought was that it’s just because we have so many people out here.”
She pointed out that the population on the East End increased during the pandemic. “Maybe summer people came out in March and never left,” she said. She also suggested the pandemic may have led people to opt for outdoor activities more than usual, causing higher exposure.
“And then I think maybe the third reason could just be that the more years that this allergy is around, the more people are becoming aware of it,” she said. “So it may be that people are more likely to recognize their symptoms as an alpha-gal allergy and seek out evaluation and testing for it.”
Dr. Wellins, who has also seen more patients come in with concerns about tick-borne disease, expressed a similar sentiment.
“I do think … that the public are becoming more educated, and they are pulling the ticks off sooner, they’re more vigilant than they have been. So I think the education is working,” she said.
Dr. Wellins pointed out that deer, which often carry ticks, are also more displaced — forcing them to migrate to residential areas.
“I was in Southampton Village [and] there was a doe in the parking lot,” she said. “It’s not unusual to see them walking on the street, on the sidewalk.”
Craig Jobes, an environmental analyst with the Town of Southold and a member of the deer management task force, said that the deer population is no longer “exploding” and the town is “hitting record numbers almost every season now, as far as harvests go,” but they’re still “having a hard time bringing the population down.”
“I mean, do [deer] have an effect on the tick population? Yes. But there are other factors as well,” he said.
Deer are not the only species that carry ticks. Dr. Wellins said ticks will grab onto any animal — including dogs and people — and feed for a few days before dropping off.
Mr. Jobes also expressed concern about the Lone Star tick. Of the three tick species on the East End, he said they’re the “most aggressive.”
“Years ago, we never used to really have them around here and then all of a sudden, let’s say six or seven years ago, they really exploded with them. And they’re a really prolific tick species,” he said.
Dr. Wellins said that what people think are bites from chiggers, tiny arachnids, are actually bites from Lone Star larvae. There are no chiggers on Long Island, she said.
“[Female Lone Star ticks] lay … a nest of eggs, and you walk into those areas with your bare feet or sandals. Now those larvae are very much more aggressive than the deer ticks are,” she explained.
Dr. McGintee called the Lone Star a “hunter tick.”
“It really actively seeks out prey,” she said. “It senses carbon dioxide coming off people and animals, and it actually will pursue you. Like if you’re sitting on your lawn, and a Lone Star tick senses your carbon dioxide, it’s not just like it stumbles upon you. It will actually track you.”
Jonathan Malewicz, a Mattituck resident, said he’s encountered “too many” ticks already this year.
“You kind of always have to check if you’re outside,” he said. The other day, he added, he checked his dog and “there had to be at least 15 ticks on him.”
“He’s an inside dog,” Mr. Malewicz said. “I don’t know if he rolled in a nest. But that was in our backyard, [and] we don’t have any deer that come into our backyard, just squirrels and birds and things like that.”
The Town of Southold posts information on how to prevent tick bites and what to do if you finds a tick on yourself, both online and in kiosks at the entrances to its trail systems. Southampton Hospital’s Regional Tick-Borne Disease Resource Center offers information online as well, along with a help line for tick removal and physician referrals at 631-726-TICK. They also offer free personal tick removal kits, which can be requested on the help line or by emailing Karen.Wulffraat@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
Dr. McGintee recommends that anyone who suspects they may have the alpha-gal allergy should see an allergist. She advises, though, that people should not get tested for alpha-gal unless they have symptoms.
“I know that sounds kind of scary to people, because they say oh, I had a Lone Star tick, so what am I supposed to do, wait till I eat meat and I have anaphylactic shock and then go see an allergist? And the truth is, it’s probably somewhere in between,” she said.
As with other food allergies, it’s possible to see a false positive test result.
“On the other hand, if you get a Lone Star tick bite, it might not be the smartest thing in the world to go out and eat a huge hamburger two weeks later,” she added. “Because we know that if you’re going to get alpha-gal allergy, you’re going to be at your biggest risk for reaction in the couple weeks after a Lone Star tick bite. And we also know that bigger portions and fattier meats are more likely to cause bigger problems.”
Dr. McGintee recommends people monitor their meat intake for the first month after a bite, to make sure they can tolerate leaner and smaller portions of meat without any symptoms. She emphasized that the alpha-gal allergy causes “acute allergic reactions occurring three to six hours after ingestion of mammalian meat, usually fatty mammalian meat.” The most common symptoms are itching and hives, followed by gastrointestinal symptoms.
In the meantime, Dr. Wellins said to “take the time out to protect yourself.” She outlined a list of tips:
• Wear long pants and long sleeves, which will also help with sun protection (but be careful to stay hydrated).
• Bug repellent or lemon eucalyptus oil on arms, legs, neck area — anywhere that’s exposed.
• Wear light-colored clothing and avoid sandals.
• Wear tight socks over your pants. “Not very fashionable, but it does work.”
• Wear rubber boots or waders in the garden.
• If you’re routinely outside, treat your clothes with permethrin (or buy pre-treated garments). You should do this outside, so there’s good ventilation. Very important: Do not apply permethrin to skin. Effective for limited washings. Only apply to fabric (sneakers maybe, but not boots).
• Sometimes rolling a lint roller when you’re outside will catch ticks before they have a chance to get under your clothing.
• When you come in from outside, put your clothing in the dryer — the high heat will kill ticks on the clothing. Do this before washing, which ticks can survive.
• Take a shower after you’re outside and then do a tick check. “They like to attach to warm, dark places, like behind the knee, and the groin area, or the lower back, under the arms and sometimes the neck area.” Daily checks are important.
• Have your property treated for ticks by a professional. Dogs and other pets could be potential carriers.
• If you find one on your body, remove it immediately using fine-nosed tweezers or an equivalent, and get as close to the head as possible. Pull it out straight-up and use alcohol to disinfect the area afterward. “There’s a lot of old wives’ tales that we tell people never to use” — do not use petroleum or a lighted match. Not only could you hurt yourself, but the tick may regurgitate the contents of its stomach, potentially accelerating the transmission of pathogens. After you pull it off, put it in a sealed, clear bag and take a picture. Enlarge the photo to identify the tick.
The post Beware of ticks this summer as experts say population on the rise appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
The daily update is a podcast briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork.
Get the daily update delivered straight to your inbox each weekday morning by subscribing to our newsletter. Or listen through Apple Podcasts by subscribing to Closer Look.
Here are the headlines across the North Fork for Thursday, June 24.
THE SUFFOLK TIMES
Cuomo: New York will end COVID-19 state of emergency Thursday
Beware of ticks this summer as experts say population on the rise
NORTHFORKER
Podcast: Here’s what’s happening the weekend of June 26
Travel around the North Fork with these new locally inspired bonbons
WEATHER
Expect sunny skies today with a high temperature of about 77 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The low tonight will be around 57. There’s a chance of rain this evening.
The post New York ends COVID state of emergency, Experts warn tick population on the rise appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
Despite pandemic regulations, high school drama clubs across the East End still put together productions this year — many earning several Teeny Awards nominations from East End Arts. The event celebrates the best in student theater.
Southold High School led the pack among North Fork schools when nominations were announced Thursday, with 20 nods. Riverhead followed with 16 nominations, Mattituck with six and Shelter Island with four.
“It’s been quite the show season,” East End Arts wrote of this year’s 18 participating schools. “Despite the many challenges this year has brought, you all persevered and presented your amazing talents.”
The organization noted that 24 different student productions were entered in the annual contest, which has expanded in recent years to include districts in Brookhaven Town. There were “six musicals, five one-act plays, five musical revues, four plays, three mini-musical series and one variety show” entered, according to EEA.
The 19th annual Teeny awards will be hybrid this year, a marked departure from last year’s virtual event. The ceremony — which will be held on Sunday, July 11 at 6 p.m. at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center — will also be livestreamed on Facebook, featuring in-person presenters, performers and nominees. It will be hosted by WLIW morning show host Gianna Volpe.
Here is the complete list of nominees:
PLAY
LEAD MALE IN A PLAY
LEAD FEMALE IN A PLAY
SUPPORTING MALE IN A PLAY
SUPPORTING FEMALE IN A PLAY
MUSICAL/MINI-MUSICAL
LEAD MALE IN A MUSICAL/MINI-MUSICAL
LEAD FEMALE IN A MUSICAL/MINI-MUSICAL
SUPPORTING MALE IN A MUSICAL/MINI-MUSICAL
SUPPORTING FEMALE IN A MUSICAL/MINI-MUSICAL
OUTSTANDING PERFORMER IN A PLAY, MUSICAL/MINI-MUSICAL, OR MUSICAL REVUE
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
OUTSTANDING POSTER DESIGN
JUDGES CHOICE
“This award is chosen by the judges in a vote. It is for a show, particular scene, musical number, dance number, ensemble effort, or group that the judges feel stands out enough to warrant the special recognition.”
NEW AWARDS
BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL REVUE
BEST DUET/TRIO PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL REVUE
BEST GROUP PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL REVUE
BEST MASTER OF CEREMONIES/HOST/NARRATOR IN A MUSICAL REVUE
BEST MUSICAL PERFORMANCE IN A VIDEO
BEST MONOLOGUE PERFORMANCE IN A VIDEO
Technical Recognition Honorees
Assistant Directors & Apprentices
Dance Captains
Lighting Design Assistants & Crew
Production & Production Assistants
Sound Design Assistants & Crew
Stage Managers
Stage Crew
Stage Building Crew
Special Effects & Video Production
Student Writers
Pit Orchestra
The post North Fork theater programs earn more than 40 Teeny Awards nominations appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
(1928-2021)
On June 21, 2021, John West McVicar died peacefully at home in Frederick, Md., with family around him. He was 92 years old.
John was born in Rochester, N.Y., the only child of Agnes and Herbert “Ken” McVicar, who loved him so dearly that they gave him the nickname PJ, for Pride and Joy. John spent his early years in Rochester and Syracuse and went to high school in Buffalo, N.Y. He was close with his Aunt Rosie and raised snakes as a hobby.
John earned a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Cornell University in 1952 and worked in Vermont and upstate New York until joining the army in 1954. He was stationed at Fort Eustis in Virginia when he met his soon-to-be life partner, Catherine “Kitty” White, a graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. The couple had twin gray and white ’56 Pontiac hardtop convertibles. They were clearly meant for each other. They married Jan. 14, 1956.
John and Kate raised their children in Purcellville, Va., where John worked as a country veterinarian, and Southold, N.Y., where he had a long career as a research veterinarian. They retired to Richmond, Va., then to St. Augustine, Fla., and finally Frederick, Md., to be nearer to family.
In his later years, John was an active volunteer, working 16 years for Habitat for Humanity, building homes with folks that dearly needed them. John was also a Sunday school teacher, church deacon and later a Seeker, exploring the deeper meanings of life and the role of religion. He enjoyed square dancing, bridge, hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail and sailing, a love he passed on to his sons.
John was a loving father and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Kate, whose death in 2016 left him with a broken heart. He was compassionate, thoughtful and a good listener, and all who knew him and cared for him later in life described him as “a sweetheart.” We will miss his sense of humor, smile and easy laugh, and his strong spiritual compass and empathy for those less fortunate.
John is survived by two daughters, Cathy Chafin and Amy Chase, and two sons, Bill and Dan, and their spouses, Carlos, Bill, Kathleen and Lee Anne; and nine grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, John asked that those wishing to make a donation in his memory please support Habitat for Humanity. A formal burial and service are not planned, but an informal remembrance will be scheduled at a later date at the United Church of Christ in St. Augustine, Fla., for family and friends.
This is a paid notice.
The post John West McVicar appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
Mary Ann Mauceri, 56, of Cutchogue, N.Y., and formerly of Smoke Rise, N.J., passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 19, 2021, after a long battle with COVID-19.
She is survived by her sons, Christopher J. Mauceri and Matthew Mauceri, both of Cutchogue. She is also survived by her parents, John J. Slattery and Maureen F. Slattery of Cutchogue; as well as her brother, John J. Slattery Jr., of Cutchogue and his fiancée, Jacqueline Larsen; as well as her sister, Patty Ann Hamblen of St. Petersburg, Fla., Eric Hamblen (brother-in-law) and Elise Ann Hamblen (niece).
Born on July 5th of 1964 in Mineola, N.Y., Mary Ann grew up in Huntington, N.Y., and northern New Jersey and was a graduate of Kinnelon High School’s class of 1982. A candid yearbook photo commented on her strikingly clear baby blue eyes, borrowing from a Ben Hecht quote to note they were “as innocent as if they had entered their sockets a half-hour ago.” Through the years, they remained that way, and gazing into them was always a gift. Nothing ever tarnished her wide-eyed optimism, her innate love for the life she was blessed to be living.
Mary Ann went on to achieve a bachelor’s of business administration degree from St. Bonaventure University in 1986, remarkably graduating right alongside her classmates despite missing a semester due to a life-threatening illness her freshman year. That comeback required unbridled tenacity, another trait she would carry throughout her life.
A career in finance brought her to Maryland and eventually back to Long Island, a place that first captured her heart during memorable summers spent on Nassau Point and appreciating the North Fork’s treasures as a child. Mary Ann became an accomplished and long-tenured portfolio specialist with Morgan Stanley in Riverhead, N.Y. Blending competence with compassion, she took pride in providing stellar service and invaluable peace of mind to so many dear clients who she considered friends.
Friendship was another Mary Ann specialty. Emerson wrote, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” It’s as if Mary Ann was his long-ago muse, because she embodied that belief. Her circle of friends was expansive and well-maintained, a product of being disarmingly present for people. She was always genuinely concerned with how life was unfolding for others. Loyalty really meant something to her. Mary Ann lived by the golden rule and was also an extremely devoted mother, daughter, sister and aunt. She inspired everybody.
But beyond all else, Mary Ann’s greatest legacy is her family. She was an amazing mother. As a single parent, she felt tremendously proud of the academic and athletic accomplishments of her two sons during their high school and college years. The personal sacrifices she made while raising and educating her beloved boys, ensuring they evolved so beautifully into young men, served only to magnify her sense of fulfillment. And the way she handled herself as she nurtured them, displaying unwavering dignity and grace, provided not only a priceless example of parental responsibility, but also a font of motherly love so deep that it can be drawn on forever.
Mary Ann never complained. Instead, she chose to focus on the love of her family, her friends, her country and her faith. Embracing these ordinary things gave her an extraordinary life. Hearing her talk about idyllic Cutchogue was enough to make anybody want to move there. From warm days spent barefoot along the sandy shores of Peconic Bay to fall afternoons admiring amber vineyards to countless hours enjoying the company of loved ones over a shared meal or movie, Mary Ann appreciated every bit of her life. She built a perfect home in a place she cherished.
Mary Ann’s blue eyes stayed bright to the end, but they’re closed now and our world has been dimmed. Still, in her memory we can always find light. And from her example, we know that’s what she would want us to do.
The family will receive visitors Thursday, July 1, from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck, N.Y. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, July 2, at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church in Mattituck, with Msgr. Joseph W. Staudt officiating. Interment will follow at Sacred Heart R.C. Cemetery in Cutchogue.
Memorial donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 13770 Noel Road, Suite 801889, Dallas, TX 75380; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959; or Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516.
This is a paid notice.
The post Mary Ann (Slattery) Mauceri appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
Those who work at or have already visited Hallockville Museum Farm may know what a special place it is, but now something could draw the attention of unsuspecting drivers. That’s the signpost up ahead. Your next stop — a site of historic significance.
Hallockville, located north of Sound Avenue in Riverhead, has a great history, with 19 historic buildings on 28 acres. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior in 1984.
It wasn’t until Thursday afternoon, however, that a sign memorializing Hallockville’s national historic listing was unveiled during a ceremony featuring public and museum officials. With some tugs of the burlap covering the new sign, Hallockville vice president Suzanne Johnson revealed the new plaque and post in the brilliant sunshine.
“It’s about time we had a sign like that, don’t you think?” asked Richard Wines, a Hallockville Board of Directors member and historian. “It was put on the National Register in 1984, so we’re only 35 years late.”
The museum said the historic marker was made possible by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation of Syracuse.
Hallockville executive director Roberta Shoten said: “When you see a Pomeroy sign … you think, ‘Oh, I should stop here. This must be something that needs to be recognized. It’s historic’ or, you know, something went on here or a battle or whatever it would be. And people will walk in and we’d be happy to have them.”
Walking onto the Hallockville property is like taking a step back into another century. The museum farm was created to preserve the history of farming on the North Fork. An original piece of the homestead dates back to 1765.
One can almost feel the history.
“I do, although you know, this is what I tell people, and you can use this or not, but I feel like we’re ‘Antiques Roadshow’ meets ‘American Pickers’ and sometimes meets ‘Hoarders’,” Ms. Shoten said. “There’s a lot of stuff here, and I’m not sure the value of everything, but it’s a lot to absorb on any given day.”
Ms. Shoten said the non-profit farm museum can see 14,000 to 15,000 visitors a year, with school groups, other tour groups, campers and the like. “In the COVID year, we still have a lot of people,” she said. “I think we probably had [3,000] to 4,000, just people coming by to enjoy being outside on 28 acres and not having to be shut in their house any more.”
Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski, a farmer himself, called Hallockville “a wonderful place. It’s a wonderful asset, not only for the community but really for the whole world, to understand the history of Long Island,” he said. “It’s so rich in history here, just keep this the way it is. You do such a beautiful job. It’s really nice. So it’s a pleasure to be here to recognize you being recognized.”
Among those in attendance were Hallockville co-president Alfonso Martinez-Fonts, New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar and Riverhead Town Board members Catherine Kent and Frank Beyrodt, who like Mr. Krupski is also a farmer.
Public officials presented Hallockville with certificates to commemorate the event.
Mr. Wines, a descendant of the Hallocks and others who were among the first settlers of Southold Town, has deep ties to this land. “Obviously, it’s a very special place for a whole lot of reasons,” he said. “One, especially, because this is the way all of Long Island once was. Even Brooklyn was once a farming community.”
That’s a history of national significance. Just look at the sign.
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A proposed roundabout at the intersection of Route 48 and Main Street in Greenport is being studied together at the state level with three other projects, including one in Calverton and two in East Hampton.
The state Department of Transportation combined the projects under one Statewide Transportation Improvement Number and says they will improve safety at four intersections.
These projects call for:
• Widening the intersection and adding turn lanes and Route 25 at Edwards Avenue in Calverton, in the Town of Riverhead.
• Widening the intersection and adding turn lanes at Route 114 (Sag Harbor Turnpike) at Stephen Hands Path in East Hampton Town
• Widening the intersection and adding turn lanes at Route 114 (Sag Harbor Turnpike) at Goodfriend Drive in East Hampton Town and
• “Potentially constructing a roundabout” at state Route 25 at County Road 48 in Greenport, in the Town of Southold.
“They are all lumped together in a single project. How they’re connected is beyond me, but that’s the way they’re doing it,” said Greenport Village Administrator Paul Pallas at last Thursday’s village work session.
The Route 48 intersection is in the Town of Southold and the unincorporated part of Greenport.
State officials say that including several locations in one project is used to save on design and legal costs.
DOT spokesman Stephen Canzoneri called it “a multi-location safety enhancement project, currently scheduled to go to bid in the fall of 2022, which is in the design phase.”
“These enhancements will provide a better traffic flow through the intersection and therefore decrease the accident rate at each location,” the DOT said on its web site.
The DOT said it would pursue a roundabout at this intersection in 2018 after ruling out a traffic signal there.
The intersection currently has a blinking caution light for east and west-bound traffic and a blinking stop light and a stop sign for traffic heading north out of Greenport.
The current status of the project is “in development,” and the bid opening for the job is expected to be in Fall 2022, according to the DOT web site. It says construction is expected to begin in winter of 2022/2023 and is expected to be completed in Fall 2023.
Mr. Pallas said he was told by state officials that the design approval is expected around August of 2021.
The project cost is about $5.3 million, and state and federal funding will be used, according to DOT.
The post Roundabout work expected to begin in Greenport next year appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
The daily update is a podcast briefing on what’s happening across the North Fork.
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Here are the headlines across the North Fork for Friday, June 25.
THE SUFFOLK TIMES
New sign points to Hallockville Museum Farm’s national historic listing
Roundabout work expected to begin in Greenport next year
North Fork theater programs earn more than 40 Teeny Awards nominations
RIVERHEAD NEWS-REVIEW
Riverhead Police: Gunshots fired inside and out of Trout Brook Lane home
NORTHFORKER
Meet the new owner of the Ram’s Head Inn on Shelter Island
North Fork Open Houses: 10 listings to check out for the weekend of June 25
WEATHER
Expect cloudy skies to give way to partial sunshine today with a high temperature of about 79 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The low tonight will be around 65.
Temperatures are expected to be in the 80s this weekend.
The post New sign points to Hallockville Museum Farm’s national historic listing, Roundabout coming to Greenport appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
A Laurel man told police on June 15 that his wife’s email account had been hacked and that a filter had been added to redirect all notifications from Delta Airlines to another email address. The man’s wife logged into her Delta account and saw that 50,000 frequent flyer miles had been traded for a electronic gift card in the amount of $500. Delta canceled the gift card and reinstated the frequent flyer miles.
• On Sunday police investigated the theft of two air conditioners from a house on Bridge Street in Greenport. The homeowner requested extra police patrols in the area and the investigation is continuing.
• Police responded to Claudio’s in Greenport Sunday after an anonymous caller complained of loud music coming from the site. Staff told police the volume would be turned down. Reports show police responded to a number of loud music complaints at residences in Mattituck as well.
• On June 14 and June 19 police investigated reports of illegal fireworks being displayed, one incident on Nassau Point Road in Cutchogue and the second on Harbor Lane in Cutchogue. When officers arrived at both locations no fireworks were seen.
• Police responded to a dispute Friday night in Peconic that involved a trash can. A police report said a man brought a full garbage can into a residence and a verbal dispute ensued with another person. Police advised one person to empty a full can outside before bringing it inside the residence. The report notes the two parties are involved in a dispute and one of them is trying to have the other evicted from the residence.
• A Southold resident on June 14 told police that an unknown person used the resident’s maiden name to open a Wells Fargo bank account. The complainant did not suffer any financial losses but was advised to closely monitor her account.
Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.
The post Blotter: Laurel man reports theft of frequent flyer miles appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
Fourth of July celebrations on the North Fork are back.
Last year, to make up for the postponement of the 28th annual New Suffolk parade due to COVID-19, community members organized a boat parade with more than 50 participants. A second procession is scheduled for 11 a.m. on July 4, but organizers said this year participants should “keep it nautical,” with no “political or unrelated agendas.”
Some events, however, have not come back for 2021. Shelter Island’s annual fireworks display was canceled for a second year in a row, due to concerns about safety and funding.
Here’s a few other Independence Day events you might want to put on your calendar:
• New Suffolk is hosting its second Fourth of July boat parade on Sunday, July 4 at 11 a.m. Participants are asked to meet at the red nun west of Robins Island no later than 10:45 a.m. Anyone interested in participating can register by emailing NSboatparade@yahoo.com with the names of their vessel, captain and crew. Observers may watch from the beach or Steamboat Wharf.
• Southold Village Merchants will host their 23rd annual Fourth of July parade at noon on July 4. The parade will run along Main Street from Boisseau Avenue to Tucker’s Lane. They’ve invited children to ride on floats or decorate their bikes and join the parade. Anyone interested in more information can call 631-765-4100.
• The Greater Jamesport Civic Association is hosting its annual Independence Day Celebration at George Young Community Center’s War Memorial with a color guard, guest speakers, patriotic music and an invocation.
• Harbes Family Farm is hosting a Fourth of July weekend from July 3-5. There will be free live music from 1 to 5 p.m. each day, with singer-guitarist Matt Taylor on Saturday, singer-songwriter Bryan Gallo on Sunday and singer-songwriter Glenn Jochum on Monday.
• Oysterponds Historical Society is hosting Heritage Day on Sunday, July 4 at noon., with readings of the Declaration of Independence and the singing of God Bless America, among other things.
• Tanger Outlets will offer giveaways and mini golf at a Fourth of July block party on Saturday, July 3 from noon to 4 p.m.
FIREWORKS
• The Greenport Fire Department is hosting its 49th annual carnival from June 30 to July 4 at the Polo Grounds on Moore’s Lane. The carnival will operate from 6-11 p.m. each day and there will be fireworks displays on Friday, July 2, with a rain date set for July 3, and on July 4 at 10 p.m.
• Orient will host a fireworks display on July 3 at 9:15 p.m., with a rain date of Aug. 7.
• The Riverhead Business Improvement District is bringing back Alive on 25 in downtown Riverhead, with live music, street vendors and other family-friendly activities. The free festival will take place along Main Street, from Griffing Avenue to McDermott Avenue on July 1, July 15, July 29 and Aug. 12 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. On July 1, the festival plans to kick off a fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. Visiters are not allowed to bring their own food or beverages, which are sold at the event. Families may bring blankets or lawn chairs to sit in Grangebel Park on the grounds of East End Arts. Main Street will be closed from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night of the festival.
• Riverhead Raceway, at 1797 Old Country Road in Riverhead, plans to host a night of “family fun” on July 3, with fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
The post A guide to this year’s Independence Day events on the North Fork appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
Few classes have had to overcome the type of adversity the graduating classes of 2021 have endured. The COVID-19 pandemic created unique hardships for not just one but two school years.
On Saturday, members of the senior class in Mattituck were able to put it all behind them with a commencement ceremony on the athletic field. It was the school’s 107th graduating class.
High School principal Shawn Petretti, who will begin his tenure as district superintendent next month, oversaw the ceremony, which included a valedictory address from graduate Luke Altman, salutatory remarks from Weronika Jachimowicz and an alumni address from Greg Ammirati of the class of 1996.
See below for scenes from the ceremony:
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We were reminded this week that our bays and boating can be a dangerous combination, as we saw once again that our first responders arrive to save the day on so many occasions.
On June 13, four people and a dog were rescued from a 10-foot boat a half-mile north of Wading River Beach in Riverhead. Reports had reached police of “several subjects that appeared to be struggling” in their small boat in Long Island Sound.
Upon arrival, police could see that they were grappling with the current and winds. The swift and overwhelming response included the Riverhead police department’s dive team, the Wading River and Rocky Point fire departments and the U.S. Coast Guard.
First to reach the boat were the dive team and the Rocky Point Fire Department’s marine unit. Everyone on board was brought back safely to shore.
On June 15, two people aboard a 29-foot boat pulled up dockside at Safe Harbor’s Greenport marina to gas up before heading out to enjoy a beautiful day on the bay. When the engine was started after fueling, a “violent” explosion threw William Gremler, 61, and Lisa Schoenstein, 43, into the water with serious burns and injuries.
As this week’s Suffolk Times reports, first responders were on scene in less than a minute, while someone, apparently a marina worker, grabbed a nearby dinghy and helped pull both people from the water. As the story also reports, Ms. Schoenstein kept Mr. Gremler’s head above water, surely saving his life.
The Southold, Greenport and East Marion fire departments responded, as did a Suffolk County Police Department helicopter, which took them both to the hospital. Everyone who was there and saw what happened said police and fire crews did an extraordinary job.
Then, on the evening of June 18, a Virginia man was rescued after his 16-foot sailboat overturned in the Sound off Kenney’s Beach in Southold. By all accounts, the 61-year-old simply could not catch up to the boat.
Here, once again, we saw our first responders jump into action. After Southold police officer John Crosser spotted the victim from land, bay constables John Kirincic and Kris Dimon brought him to safety, transferring him to a Southold Fire Department boat that returned him to shore at nearby McCabes Beach.
A Suffolk County police helicopter assisted in the rescue, which occurred shortly after 6 p.m. The man was checked out at the scene by EMS, but declined further medical treatment.
We are blessed to live on a narrow finger of land that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean, with salt water on both sides. But that water, be it ocean, Sound or bay — or even a backyard pool — can be perilous.
Our first responders deserve our full gratitude for the rescues they execute so professionally and for their ongoing devotion to assisting people who need them — often desperately.
The post Editorial: Our first responders save the day once again appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
Cutchogue East Elementary School has won a $5,000 grant through the 2020 Long Island Water Quality Challenge with an idea cooked up last year by sixth-graders in the school’s STEAM lab.
Before COVID-19 forced the school to go remote, the entire sixth-grade department brainstormed ideas to combat nitrogen pollution, according to STEAM coordinator Meghan Tepfenhardt. Students worked in groups of four or five in a “writer’s workshop model,” reading up on the problem and potential solutions before coming up with their own fix as a team.
“So that solution included selecting a site for whatever they wanted to do, whether it was a rooftop garden, or whatever it is that they came up with from their research,” Ms. Tepfenhardt, who managed the project, recalled. “They had to put together a quote — we had a local landscape architect that gave us kind of general quotes — and they pulled from that resource. And then they just created a plan.”
Two of those plans were selected and entered into the competition, sponsored by the Long Island Regional Planning Council in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. One proposal, a “rain garden” with indigenous plants resistant to deer and drought, ultimately won the grant.
The grant funds, initially frozen due to the pandemic, were released to the school last week.
“To make this stuff happen in the last year was a little bit of a challenge, but it was certainly worth it,” Ms. Tepfenhardt said.
The plan was finalized with help from the Suffolk County Soil & Water Conservation District, which offered feedback, suggesting plants and a location — optimizing the space by selecting an area on school grounds with excess runoff. The district’s AP Environmental students helped install the garden two weeks ago and it was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.
“It’s used for educational opportunities really, for our building … just helping students to understand the value of recharging water,” Ms. Tepfenhardt said. Students will help maintain the garden, which will be used as an outdoor learning space.
She expressed gratitude to the Long Island Regional Planning Council, emphasizing that the challenge was “well done” and “thoughtful about what’s age-appropriate and what’s authentic for kids.”
“It’s definitely something I want to return to in terms of, you know, an integrated project base unit where there’s a huge literacy component, there’s a science component, there’s a hands-on component, there’s a design component,” she said.
The school has a couple of other gardens that are already used for education, including a butterfly garden — “that’s just pretty much milkweed” — and a vegetable garden.
The post Cutchogue East wins $5,000 in water quality challenge appeared first on The Suffolk Times.
The Southold High School Class of 2021 came together one final time for a commencement ceremony Saturday.
The school’s senior class, which navigated the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic for much of its final two school years, was able to celebrate graduation as usual Sunday.
The event featured remarks from valedictorian Benjamin Ward and salutatorian Hanna DeSimone.
See below for photos from the ceremony:
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