VT031909 by Dave Leaman

THE VILLAGE

TIMES HERAL ALD STONY BROOK • OLD FIELD • STRONG’S NECK • SETAUKET • EAST SETAUKET • SOUTH SETAUKET • POQUOTT

Volume 34, Number 2

March 19, 2009

75¢

They’ll be Singin’ in the Rain next week The theater arts program at Gelinas Junior High School is 25 years old, two times older than these budding stars who will play major parts in next week’s production of “Singin’ in the Rain,” running from March 26 through 28. It’s been 24 years since the first production of “Oklahoma” was performed at Gelinas and since then many other memorable performances have graced its stage.

“We’ve made it rain,” said Robert DePersio, choral and theater arts director. Gelinas holds the distinction of being the first junior high school in the nation to perform “Les Miserablés,” in the spring of 2005. “Students have been working hard on choreographing the dance numbers and putting all their talents together to pull off this feat,” said DePersio. Theater arts is open to all grades at Gelinas. Members

are accepted for all positions ranging from performers and musicians to technicians and painters. Parent volunteers of Gelinas students are also welcome. For information on tickets call 730-4789. Pictured from left are: Trevor Pearson, eighth grade, Lianne Frankel, ninth grade, and Billy Spitz, seventh grade. Photo courtesy of Annette Goldberg

Play ball!

Lesko v. Mazzei on partisanship, power, personnel Page A5

SBU’s J School hosts national conference on News Literacy Page A8

WMHS senior Preya Shah takes 8th place in U.S. at Intel awards in D.C., meets prez Page A14

Photo by Ted Taylor

The rites of spring are playing out in Florida and Arizona as baseball teams dust off their gloves and bats, stretch their muscles and try to impress the coaches. Saturday at Port St. Lucie, above, the Mets were working toward October and hoping this year to still be playing those seven long months from now. Hope springs eternal, even in Mets fans disappointed last year. It’s a new season: Let’s Go New York!

WMHS sophomore works for the birds

Meet LI business and professional women

Cardiowise Café at Mather

Through the looking glass

Borrell wins $1,000 grant from The Weather Channel

Our annual feature focusing on their success, how they do it

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Weather Channel and NEEF recognize winning environmental project BY JENNIFER CHOI jenchoi@tbrnewspapers.com

Ward Melville High School sophomore Anna Borrell is one of 29 students nationwide to receive a grant to complete an environmental project as part of the launch of a new social networking site, Planet Connect. The National Environmental Education Foundation, in partnership with the Weather Channel, awarded Borrell a $1,000 grant to pursue her project, which involves raising awareness about the piping plover, a threatened bird species that resides in limited areas of Long Island’s shore. Borrell, 15, said she is aiming for a May 16 beach cleanup and preservation effort that will help educate the local community. With assistance from Civic Teens, a committee of the Civic Association of the Setaukets and Stony Brook, the Ward Melville student said she hopes to get the entire community involved in a habitat restoration project. “It’s important to get involved with the environment,” Borrell said. “We need to prevent garbage anywhere we can and be mindful of animals that live here. We have to effectuate change.” Borrell’s stepfather Lev Ginzburg, a professor of ecology at Stony Brook University, said his stepdaughter’s interest in the environment began at home with his influence. “She’s very active, very social,” Ginzburg said. “I’m very happy. How can you

Gently used books for adults and children, a café and a children’s story time will be held Saturday, March 21, from 10 am to 4 pm at the Stony Brook Community Church, 216 Christian Ave., Stony Brook. Proceeds to benefit outreach programs. For more information call 751-0574.

Prom gowns for high school seniors

Photo courtesy of Syntax Communication

Ward Melville Principal Alan Baum congratulates Anna Borrell on winning a $1,000 grant to pursue her project to protect the piping plovers on Long Island.

not be?” After submitting reports in June, recipients of the Planet Connect grant will participate in summer environmental internships in their communities, according to a written release. With the launch of the website www.planet-connect.org, students who want to learn more about environmental topics will find a wealth of teen-friendly data, as well as information about environmental clubs and activities around the country. The networking capabilities of the site also allow students across the nation to share news and strategies and learn about “green” programs at colleges and universities. “The Planet Connect grants and

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website will give teens a chance to identify, publicize and tackle the problems they see every day,” National Environmental Education Foundation President Diane Wood said in the release. “Students want to be a part of solutions to environmental problems. The grant winners have incredible energy and fantastic projects that will be assets to their schools and communities.” Borrell, who will pursue a summer internship with a local research group to strengthen her research and writing skills, said she will continue in her efforts to “conserve resources and have a cleaner environment for future generations to help those after us.”

The Brookhaven Town Youth Bureau’s Prom Boutique is now open, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. The boutique, which began 12 years ago, offers free prom gowns and accessories to young women who otherwise would not be able to afford to attend their senior proms. All clients are kept strictly confidential. The program is available to all graduating seniors attending high schools in Brookhaven, and is open until the end of June. Donations are accepted all year long, and should be dry-cleaned prior to being dropped off. The Prom Boutique is located on the second floor of Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville. To schedule an appointment, call 451-8014.

The week in meetings • The Three Village Board of Education will hold its next budget review meeting at 8 pm on Tuesday, March 24, at the R.C. Murphy Junior High School on Oxhead Road in Stony Brook. • The Brookhaven Town Board will meet at 5 pm on Tuesday, March 24, in the auditorium at Town Hall in Farmingville. An agenda is available prior to the meeting at www.brookhaven. org. Click on Town Calendar.

MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A3

WMHS sophomore wins $1K grant

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Kym Jennings (right) of the J.C. Penney store at Roosevelt Field presents Ken Erickson of Brookhaven Lab’s AdoptaPlatoon program with 32 pairs of new sneakers, to be delivered to U.S. soldiers stationed in Afghanistan.

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The members of U.S. Army reconnaissance platoon 1-26 IN will be able to run faster and jump higher this month. On February 13, the J.C. Penney department store of Roosevelt Field donated 32 pairs of new sneakers to the soldiers through the local chapter of the AdoptaPlatoon program, which is based at Brookhaven National Laboratory. “We are so grateful for the donation from J.C. Penney, and the sneakers will go directly to soldiers in the front lines,” said Ken Erickson, a Ridge resident and Brookhaven Lab employee who heads the local AdoptaPlatoon chapter. “Most of these soldiers in the platoon are about 19 years old and they’re somebody’s kids. We want to do whatever we can to boost their morale and make them comfortable while they’re there.” The sneakers are scheduled to arrive in the Middle East this month and will then be delivered via helicopter to the soldiers who are stationed in the mountains of Afghanistan. While the

platoon originally requested 32 pairs of sneakers (one for each soldier), only 29 will be used. Since the original request, two members of the platoon have been killed and one has been injured. AdoptaPlatoon Soldier Support Effort is a national nonprofit organization that helps civilians to “adopt” a soldier or an entire platoon of soldiers by providing them with letters and items that they request including winter boots, shaving razors, magazines, snacks, and even backup generators. AdoptaPlatoon accepts supplies and fi nancial donations from individuals as well as local, regional, and national businesses. The Brookhaven Veterans Association’s AdoptaPlatoon committee has supported several platoons as well as deployed BNL employees and their children since its inception two years ago. Anyone who would like to adopt a soldier or a platoon, or contribute to the AdoptaPlatoon program should contact Ken Erickson at erickson@bnl.gov.

Inside this week News Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A23 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A22 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A22

Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A19 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A19 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A21

Leisure Arts & Lifestyles Art Exhibits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B22 Ask the Veterinarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B39 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B36-B38 Cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B26 Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B20-B22 Father Frank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B43

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The VILLAGE TIMES HERALD (USPS 365-950) is published Thursdays by TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWSPAPERS, 185 Route 25A, Setauket, NY 11733. Periodicals postage paid at Setauket, NY and additional mailing offices. Subscription price $35 annually. Leah S. Dunaief, Publisher. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733.

Lesko: Town needs strong supervisor; Mazzei: Town Board is where power belongs, wouldn’t reverse moves BY LEE LUTZ leelutz@tbrnewspapers.com

The chill in the room was palpable last week as Brookhaven Town supervisor candidates Tim Mazzei and Mark Lesko sat down for an almost two-hour face-toface debate. Neither offered to shake the other’s hand, either when they arrived at the TBR newspaper office nor at the conclusion of their verbal jousting. Lesko, a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York until he resigned to make his first run for public office, stressed his experience in leading the Long Island office for many years, overseeing “hundreds of attorneys” and staff, and prosecuting many cases. He specifically mentioned a few high-profile prosecutions, including the Lawrence Aviation pollution and fraud case in Port Jefferson, and the asphalt cartel corruption case that reached directly into Brookhaven Town. Mazzei, the current Brookhaven Town councilman from the 5th District, spoke of his roots in Blue Point, where he attended school, where he served on the school board prior to his appointment and subsequent election to his council seat, and his experience as a prosecutor in the Suffolk County district attorney’s office. Mazzei ultimately served as head of the district attorney’s homicide bureau and helped prosecute the high-profile Pius and Solomon murder cases. He maintains a law practice in Blue Point and owns a restaurant. First addressing Brookhaven’s fiscal

Photo by Joe Darrow

Brookhaven Town Supervisor candidates Mark Lesko, left, and Tim Mazzei barely looked at one another during the two hours they sparred in The Village Times Herald office.

health in the current recession, Mazzei pointed to cuts in spending already implemented by the town council and suggested “another 5 percent cut” could be in the offing. He said he was working closely with the town’s Division of Waste Management, looking to maximize planned revenues and seeking new ones. His opponent, Mark Lesko, said, “We need a strong chief financial officer, a supervisor determining what cuts to make.” Lesko criticized the “$10 million increase in spending” in 2008 that he blames on the Town Board’s Republican majority, led by Mazzei. Lesko also criticized Mazzei for the plan enacted only last month to reopen the Brookhaven amphitheater on

Bald Hill in Farmingville, stating it could cost taxpayers half a million dollars. “The amphitheater has never been closed,” Mazzei responded to the claim that it is being reopened, explaining that changes in plans for using the venue this year eliminated town-funded shows. “At worst,” he said, “we expect to break even.” Mazzei also said he “voted against [former Supervisor Brian] Foley’s spending increases twice” in 2006 and 2007. Mazzei said he had met with waste management March 12, and “projections look okay” for revenues in 2009. “‘We should be okay’ is not good enough,” Lesko retorted. He said acting supervisor Lori Baldassare complained

she was unable to get figures at the landfill from the commissioner hired by Mazzei. For his part, Mazzei said Commissioner Ed Hubbard “updates the supervisor’s office every month.” Asked if the 10 year contract with Brookhaven’s labor unions, signed in 2001 prior to Mazzei’s tenure on the board, was a mistake, locking the township into raises and benefits untenable in the failing economy, the councilman said, “I would consider renegotiations at this point.” Mazzei said he has had “extremely preliminary talks” with union leaders that have been “positive.” Calling the 10-year agreement the longest on Long Island, Lesko said he too has had preliminary discussions with the unions. “They understand reality,” Lesko said. “It’s a good sign that the union is being realistic.” He called the unions representing Brookhaven’s white collar and blue collar employees and Highway Department staff the town’s “most important partner.” Both candidates refuted allegations of negative campaigning, and both accused the other of doing so. Lesko said his has been a “fact-based campaign.” Mazzei said negative campaigning has “not been on my side, all my mailings are positive.” Actions on “the other side speak for themselves.” The councilman singled out a mailing in which his opponent claimed Mazzei used excessive amounts of gasoline in his town-owned Continued on page A20

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MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A5

Mazzei and Lesko differ on issues, style, direction

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A Legacy of Trust

SBU Journalism School hosts national conference on efforts to create savvy media consumers panel discussions during the three-day conference. Schneider said a “tsunami of infor“We must train the next generation of news consumers,” said Howard Sch- mation” from traditional outlets such as neider, dean of the Stony Brook Univer- newspapers and network news programs sity School of Journalism. “They have to and newer sources like the Internet and judge the credibility and reliability of 24-hour cable news networks is “blurinformation,” he added, and such judge- ring the line” between news, press rement is “crucial” to the future of our de- leases, public relations, blogs and Tweets. Without the ability to differentiate bemocracy. Schneider has been an advocate for tween reliable and questionable sources and stories, the public will news literacy for everyone be hamstrung in its ability — not just journalism stuto make informed choices, dents — since being named SBU’s School of he argues. Schneider said SBU’s first J school dean in Journalism is the goals for the conference May of 2006. Toward that end, and ‘certainly one of if were to “share what we’ve demonstrating an influ- not the key leader learned, create a community of interest, and plan how ence unusual for a school so to move forward.” young, SBU’s School of Jour- in driving this “The news media is the nalism hosted a news litera- movement across largest continuing educy conference at the Wang the country.’ cation institution in the Center last week, under— DEAN HOWARD world,” Schneider said, but written by the Ford FounSCHNEIDER warned that without traindation and attracting heavy ing in the critical considerhitters in print and electronic journalism. Speakers included ation of news, citizens may be unable to Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher of The discern the facts from the hype. Over 3,000 undergraduates at SBU, New York Times, and panelists included former Nightline host Ted Koppel, now not just journalism students, have ala senior news analyst for National Pub- ready taken the news literacy course at lic Radio; Vivian Schiller, president and the university, Schneider said. He reCEO of NPR; the presidents of Syracuse ported that over 120 people attended and Louisiana State universities and the last week’s inaugural news literacy conchancellor of the University of Missouri. ference, some coming from as far as Andrew Heyward, the former president Florida and California — and Bhutan, of CBS News, moderated one of the high in the Himalayas between India BY LEE LUTZ

leelutz@tbrnewspapers.com

File photo

Journalism School Dean Howard Schneider has been a proponent of teaching the science of critical information analysis since being appointed in June 2006.

and Tibet. Siok Sian Pek-Dorji, executive director of the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy and herself a writer and documentary fi lm producer, presented a “Report From The Front” to the conference participants on Friday. Schneider said this week that Syracuse and LSU will begin news literacy programs of their own. Also — in what he described as a “proposal only” at this point, and still in need of a funding source — SBU would train 50 to 100 out-of-work journalists to teach news literacy at 25 or more universities across the country. In addition, Schneider said,

the Ford Foundation has underwritten a two-week course in news literacy for high school teachers this summer at SBU. “On the whole,” said Schneider, “we are very pleased with the results” of last week’s conference. He said his J school is “certainly one of if not the key leader in driving this movement across the country.” Support for the conference was also provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the McCormick Foundation, as well as Stony Brook University.

Attention:All Community, Civic and Business Organizations You are cordially invited to The State of Suffolk County’s Fifth Legislative District by the Honorable Vivian Viloria-Fisher Legislator Thursday, March 26th at 9am Three Village Inn 150 Main Street • Stony Brook NY RSVP Natalie Gaebelein • 631-678-2531 Sponsored by The Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association PBA and Long Island Business News

PAGE A8 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

Dean says news literacy is critical to democracy

Spring at the mill ponds BY BEVERLY C. TYLER

Bird song, spring, the park at morning. Woodpeckers rat-a-tat, the woosh of wings-Canadian geese, a soft grouse call is heard. Bird song, first near and then far, across the pond. Bird song left and right. A gentle breeze turns the pond to silver, moving patterns of dark and light. The background sound of water flowing over the mill dam and into the bay. Pairs of mallards glide slowly across the pond. The trumpet call of geese announces flight as they rise from the pond and fly across the mill dam, across the march and into the bay. Trees surround the pond with patterns of greens of every shade. Dark evergreens and climbing vines. Bright green beech and silver-green sycamore. Patches of white dogwood adding depth and contrast. A heron glides effortlessly across the surface of the pond, rises and disappears into the cover of a black birch tree. I am over-whelmed by gentle sounds and contrasting scenery, by muted colors in every shade and texture. Blue-white sky and blue green water. God is present here. Beverly Tyler 2001

vtimes@tbrnewspapers.com

The beginning of spring, on March 20, is welcome as much for its promise of beautiful days to come as for the opportunity to get out and enjoy the beauty of nature. There is no place more special in spring than the Frank Melville Memorial Park in Setauket. The Greek revival Setauket Post Office with its Corinthian columns topped by corn-cob capitals marks the entrance to the horseshoe-shaped park. Completed in 1937, the park includes extensive plantings, a simulated grist mill, a magnificent view of Conscience Bay and the cottage of the last Setauket miller, Everett Hawkins. From the park there is an entrance to the Sanctuary grounds with its extensive nature paths. The Setauket Mill Pond was a center of commerce for the community from the time it was settled in 1655 until early in the 20th century. It is easy to imagine almost any time in Setauket history while in the park. Looking out over the mill dam, Conscience Bay reflects the 8,000 years the Native Americans lived here before the English settlers came to Setauket. The mill tells the story of the farmer grinding grain in the 1700s. The restored barn remembers the horse “Smokey” and speaks of a 19th century horse and carriage. The stone bridge relates how an immigrant greatgrandson came to Setauket and gave it an image of the countryside of rural England and Europe with a park. Just after dawn the Setauket Mill Pond shimmers with morning mist and reflects the early morning sky and the trees that

Photo by Beverly Tyler

Turtles on a log at the bridge dam, Frank Melville Memorial Park, spring 2008.

partially surround it. Walking along the path in the Frank Melville Memorial Park, the only sounds, except for the occasional car going by, are the birds in the trees and the ducks in the pond. They contrast with the greens, browns and grays of early morning. The contemplative surroundings starts the day with the beauty of God’s creation and gives perspective to the rest of the day. In the park, especially in the spring, something new is blooming almost every day. The picture it creates changes often. As the blue heron stands in the shallow water near the bridge waiting; as the sun warms the day and the plants and birds come alive; as the spring rain removes the shadows and adds soft pastels to the varied colors in the park; as the evening sun dips behind the hill and adds reflected trees to the water; and as the Canadian geese fly across the mill dam into Conscience Bay at dusk. The park is open every day from dawn to dusk. Enjoy!

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The park has been maintained since 1937 by the Frank Melville Memorial Foundation, founded by Mrs. Frank Melville to manage the property and the trust fund. The foundation also owns the 20 or so acres on the east and north sides of the park. These areas, to be maintained in their natural state, will continue to provide residents and visitors with an atmosphere of history and nature. Help protect and preserve the park, a community treasure, by joining the Friends of the Park and help “SAVE THE MILL PONDS” by sending your contribution for the “Friends of the Park,” to: P.O. Box 2967, Setauket, NY 11733-0876. Beverly Tyler is past president of the Trustees of the Frank Melville Memorial Foundation, Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society. Call 751-3730. Web sites: www.frankmelvillepark.org www.threevillagehistoricalsociety.org

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MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A9

HISTORY CLOSE AT HAND

PAGE A10 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

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The 2009-10 school budget will rise 2.85 percent — and the tax levy 3.32 percent — if current projections and assumptions are accurate, according to information presented at the March 10 meeting of the Three Village Board of Education. In a report entitled Budget Planning Update, Assistant Superintendent for Business Jeffrey Carlson outlined the assumptions under which he is proceeding with budget preparations. He listed reductions already made and displayed a chart comparing the current and, as of that moment, projected budget for the next school year. According to his presentation, Carlson is assuming Gov. David Paterson’s “deficit reduction assessment” of $3.97 million will be eliminated; the “sharing” of preschool education costs totaling $750,000, necessitated by Paterson’s initial budget proposal, would also be eliminated; $846,000 in federal stimulus funds may be “used for items already in the budget”; and Paterson’s proposed MTA payroll tax will not be included in the state budget eventually adopted by the Legislature in Albany, which would have cost the district $268,000 next year. Under the category of “Budget Reductions Made,” Carlson listed staff reductions totaling $375,000 due to declining enrollment; savings of $450,000 by reducing “contingency positions” from eight to two; savings of $149,000 for substitutes; $356,455 slated to be saved on “building level supplies, materials, equipment”; health insurance savings of $943,000; and other items totaling $645,000. The bottom line? A budget of $163,954,608 for the 2009-10 school year, an increase of $4,549,644 or 2.85 percent over the current spending plan. The figures presented by Carlson indicated that the tax levy on district property owners would increase by $3,881,242, or 3.32 percent, under the proposal. The process of adopting a budget to be placed before the voters on May 19 is still incomplete, and Carlson said the administration is reviewing the entire budget looking for “areas that can be reduced further.” At the March 17 Board of Education meeting, three areas of the proposed budget were discussed: pupil personnel services; visual arts and career development;

and School Age Child Care, community relations and adult education. Pupil personnel services, which includes special education, guidance, psychological services, social work services, English as a second language, home and hospital instruction, speech and kindergarten screening, has an overall proposed decrease of $96,173, excluding salaries. The majority of the decrease is due to special education services for BOCES, which will see a decrease of $94,998. Art and technology has a total proposed decrease of $163, excluding salaries. In technology, budget for equipment would decrease by $108, with the money going toward the continued necessary replacement of outdated power equipment. The third area of school and community partnerships has a proposed increase, excluding salaries, of $1,087. The Office of School and Community Partnerships provides programs that link homeschool and community K-12 including School Age Child Care, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, parent education, enrichment programs, high school to college Bridge Program, grants management and adult education. The School Age Child Care program began in 1985 with funds awarded through a competitive New York State pilot grant to address the needs of working families, said School and Community Partnerships Director Cathy Taldone. The program began with 30 children at Arrowhead Elementary, and last year SACC programs operated at all five elementary schools with 675 students participating. Taldone said tuition will not increase for 2009-10. Overall, the budget for SACC would increase from $765,232 in 2008-09 to $800,362 for next year, due to increased costs for contracted services, supplies/materials and salaries. Across all three areas, salaries have a proposed increase. In pupil personnel services salaries are increasing by $452,664; in visual arts and career development by $79,342; and in SACC/School and Community Relations/Adult Ed by $33,981. Trustee Diane Peritore announced there will be a rally at Newfield High School on Saturday at 11 am to protest the governor’s proposed MTA payroll tax. The next Board of Education budget meeting will be Tuesday, March 24 at 8 pm at Setauket Elementary School. Lee Lutz contributed to this story.

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MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A11

PAGE A12 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

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Elected officials representing Suffolk are expressing opposition to MTA Commission Chairman Richard Ravitch’s call for a “mobility tax” of 0.33 percent on all payrolls within the transit authority’s 12-county service region. His proposal would also add tolls to free bridge crossings. In “sense resolutions” passed last week, both Brookhaven and Huntington town boards urged state lawmakers to reject Ravitch’s proposal. Huntington officials said it would increase that township’s tax levies by $200,000. “Given the current state of the economy,” Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone stated, “it is imperative that all of us in town government focus on helping residents stretch their precious dollars,” and cited “going on record to forestall imposition of ill-conceived state taxes” as one way of doing so. The proposed mobility tax would raise $1.5 billion a year to cover debt service on a new MTA capital program. The new bridge tolls are expected to bring in another $600 million a year for mass transit. But Assemblyman Andy Raia (REast Northport) opined that the MTA has mismanaged its operation for many years and should be broken up and brought under control by the state’s De-

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Gov. David Paterson’s proposal to impose a ‘mobility tax’ has met with stiff resistance.

partment of Transportation. “It’s just one of the problems with authorities,” he said. “They go on to become these monoliths that escape direct government oversight. … I don’t think businesses whose employees don’t use mass transit should have to pay to subsidize the system.” Raia also said he worries that Long Island Rail Road commuters, who pay some of the highest rates in the country, will end up subsidizing New York City riders. “Not to mention, we live on an Island. There should be at least one free way off of Long Island.” Calling the MTA “the poster boy of Continued on page A13

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MTA commuter tax

Continued from page A12 poor performance,” Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) said he fears the proposed tax will kill jobs. “How do you ask taxpayers to dig deeper into their pocket to subsidize this kind of cost structure?” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s outrageous. You’re doing further damage to the business climate in this state and we’re already in a weak position — and we have the highest combined tax burden in any state in the Photo courtesy of Sen. LaValle country.” The recent LIRR employees’ disabili- State Senator Ken LaValle, shown here ty scandal also troubles him. “Why isn’t addressing his colleagues in Albany, is just the governor, why isn’t Majority Leader one of the local officials objecting to Gov. Smith or Speaker Silver demanding that Paterson’s proposal. the union and the railroad solve this problem and show a good faith to re- onerous,” he said. “That hits everybody: duce costs before you ask taxpayers to You’re going to be hit a dozen different help you out in this circumstance?” places all for this one tax. … The state’s Sen. Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jeffer- going to cut aid to schools and hospison) said he will not vote tals and nursing homes, for the tax or toll hikes. yet the MTA is going to “I think people just take more money from don’t understand that ‘… we cannot continue them with the tax on we have to make cuts, we to ask people who are their payroll. It’s most have to reorganize things hanging on by their unfair.” [in the MTA] and we just Despite the criticism cannot continue to ask fingernails to carry from local lawmakers, people who are hanging additional burdens.’ Gov. David Paterson on by their fingernails supports the commis— STATE SENATOR sion’s requests, spokesto carry additional burKEN LAVALLE woman Erin Duggan dens,” he said. Sen. Carl Marcellino said. (R-Syosset) said he could “Tax increases are almost live with the increased bridge always a last resort,” Duggan stated in tolls because if fewer people were to take an email. “This is necessary to avert mathe 59th Street Bridge, which is now jor fare increases and service cuts to a free, it could result in better air quality system used by millions of New Yorkers and improved traffic flow. every day, including commuters from “But the mobility tax is far more Long Island.”

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Preya Shah joined America’s top 40 during week of competition, meets President Obama, Nobel laureates BY JENNIFER CHOI jenchoi@tbrnewspapers.com

Preya Shah, the Ward Melville High School senior selected as an Intel Science Talent Search finalist, has been awarded eighth place in competition with the 40 young scientists from across the country who spent a week earlier this month in Washington, D.C., competing for the top prizes. Shah made her presentation to a panel of experts, answered questions designed to test each high school student’s ability to think on their feet, met and shook hands with President Barack Obama, and won a $20,000 scholarship for designing

a drug conjugate that treats drug-resistant cancer without causing significant side effects. Even though the judging process was very “rigorous,” it was “really exciting just to be able to meet the most important person in the country,” Shah said, adding that Obama discussed the “importance of science education” with the students who visited him at the White House. Shah noted that the trip to Washington was nothing less than “inspiring” as she also met some of the most renowned scientists and politicians, including Nobel laureates, former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell,

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Congressman Tim Bishop (D-Southampton). “We were very happy for her,” said Shah’s mother, Shilpa Shah, who attended the award ceremony with her husband, Ajay. Shilpa Shah, who met the Indian president and prime minister when she was a student in her native land, said she’s glad her daughter was able to experience meeting the nation’s leader. As for the Intel competition, “Knowing Preya, we knew she would do fine,” the proud mother said. The top competition prize this year, a $100,000 scholarship from the Intel Foundation, went to Eric Larson, 17, of Eugene, Ore., according to Intel’s announcement of the awards. Fift h place went to another Long Islander, Chelsea Jurman, 17, of Roslyn, who won a $25,000 scholarship for her project.

-PROUDIt’s kind of hard to find too many things to get excited about these days. Everything is pretty tough both business-wise and personally for lots of people in our community and around the world. Of course, it would be nice if the media would stop pounding everyone over the head with negative news over and over again. It’s becoming a selffulfilling prophecy. But we felt pretty good the other day when, after announcing some pretty tough financial results for the end of the year, Ford still sees no need to ask for government loans. In fact the CEO of Ford Motor Company said “Right now, I think with everything planned in the fiscal and monetary policy, I am very comfortable that we are going to start to turn things around through the second half of the year.” This doesn’t mean that Ford isn’t using lines of credit. But they have done it the old-fashioned way; they went out to banks and found financing. Ford is doing it! Ford is finding a way to make it through these hard times. This is the type of auto manufacturer that wants people to feel confident when buying one of their products.

Shah at the awards ceremony with Intel Chairman Craig Barrett, who began at Intel in 1974. Before joining Intel, he was an associate professor at Stanford University in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

With all that being said, Ford is putting out GREAT vehicles! Our new Ford vehicles are safe (more top safety-rated vehicles than any other manufacturer), high quality (now in a virtual tie with Toyota and Honda), good looking and fun to drive. In fact, Ford GAINED market share in the last three months of 2008. And there’s a lot more coming soon! Ford has said that, despite the economic challenges out there, they’re not pulling back on the most important thing of all; product. We are proud to be a Ford dealer and we feel fortunate to be part of such a great community! The entire Ford network is pulling together to bring the best products and services to you, our customer.

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Shah being congratulated by Harvard Professor of Science Dudley Herschbach. The professor won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and is chair of the Board of Trustees of Science Service, which publishes Science News and conducts the annual Intel Science Talent Search, and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, I hope you at least stop by and check out all of our award winning Ford line up. Thank you for your time and attention! We hope to see you soon! -The RAMP Ford Family ©83772

PAGE A14 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

WMHS senior awarded 8th place by Intel in D.C.

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Brookhaven’s partisan(?) election for supervisor In contrast to New York State, most affiliation is provided by flyers that disstates in the United States (70 percent) play endorsements accompanied by use nonpartisan elections for electing photographs. Lesko has been shown becandidates to city, county and town of- ing endorsed by five Democratic elected fices. Candidates for office run as in- officials (e.g., Assemblyman Steve Engdividuals, not as party candidates, and lebright), and although these flyers fail to are identified on the ballot only by their mention the party of these incumbents, home addresses and, in some states, their knowledgeable voters can easily conoccupations. clude that Lesko is a Democrat. The only The stark contrast with Brookhaven’s similar photo I have seen of Mazzei is an March 31 election for town supervi- unauthorized photo erroneously sugsor seems obvious. Mark gesting an endorsement Lesko and Tim Mazzei by ”Democrat District have been nominated by Attorney Thomas Spota,” their respective Demoseeming to make Mazzei cratic and Republican the candidate of both party organizations, and major parties. on March 31 their names Adding to the nonparwill appear on their partisan appearance of this ty’s row on the voting election is the fact that machines. Most of the one candidate, Lesko, has mailed campaign flyers never before participated have carried the address in Democratic party afof a Democratic or Repubfairs; his job as an assislican party committee. tant U.S. attorney, which Yet, strangely, both suhe held until this year, repervisor candidates in the quired that he be nonparupcoming election have tisan. Although Mazzei BY HOWARD SCARROW apparently made the decihas for several years been sion that it is in their best a Republican member interest to appear nonparof the Town Board and tisan. The many signs from now is the leader of the both parties that have dotted our high- Republican board majority, those facts ways, or that have appeared on neighbor- are not mentioned on his signs or in the hood lawns, have conspicuously failed campaign flyers I have seen. to carry a party label. Nor, despite being The outcome of the March 31 election mailed by the party committees, has the will go a long way toward determining content of the mailed flyers mentioned which party, Democrat or Republican, the party of the promoted candidate or will govern the town in the years ahead. of his opponent. Emphasized instead in An election campaign that fails to stress these flyers are the candidates’ personal that fact does all of us a disservice. qualities, past accomplishments, professional qualifications and their policy Howard Scarrow is a political science plans if elected. professor emeritus at Stony Brook For voters who have never heard of University. He writes an occasional Democrat Lesko or Republican Mazzei, column on the political scene. vtimes@tbrnewspapers.com the most important clue to their party

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Frankenstein at Brookhaven Lab Covington String Quartet performs movie score

The Covington String Quartet will play music composed to accompany the silent movie “Frankenstein” at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory on Wednesday, March 25, at noon in Berkner Hall. Sponsored by Brookhaven Science Associates, the company that manages the Lab, the concert is free and open to the public. All visitors to the Laboratory age 16 and over must bring a photo I.D. The Covington String Quartet recently premiered the original background music by Yukiko Nishimura to accompany Edison’s 1910 silent film, “Frankenstein.” That music will be performed during a screening of the short movie in its original 1910 form. String quartets by Haydn and Goldmark make up the balance of the recital. For information on the performers go to www.covingtonstringquartet.com.

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MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A15

OPINION

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2008 Woman of the Year Colleen Hanson, right, executive director of Gallery North in Setauket, proudly displays a certificate presented to her by The Village Times Herald Publisher Leah Dunaief.

Gold Still at an ALL TIME HIGH!

The Village Times Herald hosted its annual Men and Women of the Year reception at the Three Village Inn Sunday evening in Stony Brook. Publisher Leah Dunaief welcomed the full house and personally feted each of our 2008 recipients. Dunaief noted that this was the 33rd time she has presented these annual recognitions of service to special people who have gone the extra mile for the Three Village community, for Long Island and for more. This year’s honorees included two Grammy winners, the director of one of only 10 national laboratories in the United States, a congressman, a nurse-

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anesthetist-humanitarian, highly successful business leaders in our community, and a man with no official title who just happens to have been the best friend and strongest supporter any athlete at Ward Melville High School has had for almost the last 40 years. The Village Times Herald would like to particularly thank the event’s cosponsors, Stony Brook University and the Three Village Inn, whose innkeepers Dan and Merri Laffitte went out of their way to make the evening special. Our thanks also to the Setauket Frame Shop for the impressive framed certificates presented to each of our recipients.

Gregg Smith and the incredibly talented musical group he founded 41 years ago when director of choral music at Stony Brook University were honored as our People of the Year in the Arts. The Long Island Symphonic Choral Association has thrilled audiences around the world and has won three Grammy awards. Gregg Smith retired last year but remains intimately entwined with his musical creation.

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PAGE A16 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

Honoring The Village

Janette Handley of Budget Print Center and a ‘force to be reckoned with’ in the Three Village Chamber of Commerce received the 2008 award for Woman of the Year in Business. Out front or behind the scenes there is little the Chamber achieves that doesn’t bear the imprint of Janette Handley

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Correction: In “Smart meters on the way” (March 12), the amount of funding secured from NYSERDA for solar panels was misreported. The correct amount was $15 million. We regret the error.

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Philip Setzer, one quarter of the Grammy award winning and internationally admired Emerson String Quartet, accepted the award for our 2008 Men of the Year. The Stony Brook University-based classical musicians, shown above in concert at the Staller Center Recital Hall, are, from left, Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer (violins), David Finckel (cello) and Lawrence Dutton (viola).

Go to NorthShoreOfLongIsland.com for the full stories of all our honorees for 2008. Just Search under their names for the Dec. 25, 2008 stories. The Rev. Gregory Leonard of the Bethel AME Church in Setauket was honored as The Village Times Herald Man of the Year in Religion for his fine work not only within his congregation but as a chaplain for both the Long Island State Veterans Home and the Setauket Fire Department. Below left, Brookhaven National Laboratory Director Sam Aronson accepted the award for Man of the Year in Science.

Matthews file photo; White photo by Beverly Tyler

Poquott resident Kathy Matthews was honored as our Woman of the Year in Civics for her tireless efforts to make her village and Brookhaven a better place to live. Bobby White accepted on behalf of his older brother Willie White the award for Man of the Year in Sports.

Congressman Tim Bishop was recognized as the Man of the Year in Government for 2008. Photo by Lee Lutz

Photos by Lee Lutz

Photo by Lee Lutz

Nurse-anesthetist Galo Burbano was honored for his international effort to bring medical care to the underprivileged in his native Ecuador. Burbano founded Blanca’s House in honor of his mother.

Current Brookhaven Town employee Rosemary Weisner and former staffer Chris O’Connor were honored in the Environment category for their incredible success in organizing and then running last year’s Great Brookhaven Clean Up project. The townwide event is scheduled to be held again this year, on April 18.

Photo by Lee Lutz

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MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A17

Times Herald Men and Women of the Year

SUPREME COURT – COUNTY OF SUFFOLK DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE OF ARGENT MORTGAGE SECURITIES, INC. ASSET BACKED PASS THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-W4 UNDER THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF NOVEMBER 1, 2005, WITHOUT RECOURSE, Plaintiff against MARSHALL GOLDSTEIN; GAIL GOLDSTEIN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on July 10, 2008. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the front steps of the Brookhaven Town Hall, One Independence Hill, Farmingville, N.Y. on the 7th day of April, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. premises Beginning at a point on the easterly side of North County Road, distant 1074.13 feet southerly from the corner formed by the easterly side of North County Road with the center line of Main Street, and also being distant 951.98 feet southerly from the point where land now or formerly of Ward Melville intersects the easterly side of North County Road; Thence south 74 degrees 50 minutes east 65 feet; Thence north 70 degrees 09 minutes 4 seconds east 171.56 feet; Thence north 4 degrees 25 minutes east 60 feet to the southerly line of land now or formerly of Worthington Realty Corporation; Thence along land of Worthington Realty Corporation, south 85 degrees 35 minutes east 335 feet to the westerly line of land of school district#2; Thence along said school land, south 7 degrees 19 minutes 10 seconds west 160 feet; Thence north 75 degrees 56 minutes 30 seconds west 159.08 feet; Thence north 40 degrees 22 minutes 20 seconds west 59.40 feet; Thence north 73 degrees 46 minutes 20 seconds west 86.52 feet; Thence south 70 degrees 09 minutes 40 seconds west 215.04 feet (215.24 deed); Thence north 74 degrees 50 minutes west 76.35 feet to the easterly side of North County Road; Thence along the easterly side of North county Road, north 18 degrees 46 minutes 20 seconds east 30.06 feet to the point or place of Beginning. Said premises known as 75 Main Street, Setauket, N.Y. 11733. Tax account number: SBL # : 110-01-002. Approximate amount of lien $ 621,802.82 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 02521-07. Jonathan D. Brown, Esq., Referee. Fein Such & Crane, LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 1800 First Federal Plaza Rochester, N.Y. 14614 117 3/5 4x vth

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF SUFFOLK. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. f/k/a JPMorgan Chase Bank, Plaintiff against Steven J. Karpowicz, et al., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale entered herein and dated January 17, 2008, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Front Steps of Brookhaven Town Hall, One Independence Hill, Farmingville, County of Suffolk, State of New York, on April 20, 2009 at 9:30 AM, premises in the Coventry Manor Townhouses, being a plot 22.00 feet by 65.00 feet and known as 126 Fieldstone Court, MIDDLE ISLAND, Town of Brookhaven, State of New York. Approximate amount of lien $174,184.65 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed

judgment Index Number 0633756. Dated: March 9, 2009. Patricia Ann Dempsey, Esq., Referee. Zavatsky, Mendelsohn & Levy, LLP, Attorneys for Plaintiff, P.O. Box 510, 33 Queens Street, , Syosset, NY 11791-0510

to provide that the maximum number of years that may be earned in the plan after January 1, 2010 shall be increased from 37 years to 40 years, such change bearing no additional estimated annual cost, BE APPROVED?

139 3/19 4x vth

Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Supreme Court Suffolk County on the 3rd day of March 2009, bearing Index. No. 0908007, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at The Juliette A. Kinsella building, Riverhead, New York, grants: Saneil Vishwajit Shetty, the right, to assume the name Neel Ved Shetty. His/Her present address is 87 Christian Avenue, Stony Brook, NY 11790; Saneil Vishwajit Shetty’s date of birth is 11/26/2003. 140 3/19 1x vth

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION SETAUKET FIRE DISTRICT APRIL 21, 2009 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Setauket Fire District, in the Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk, State of New York, on March 5, 2009, a Special Election of the qualified voters of said Fire District will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 between the hours of 2:00 PM and 9:00 PM (prevailing time) at the Station 3 Firehouse located at Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, New York for the purpose of enabling said qualified voters to cast their votes upon the following Propositions: PROPOSITION NO. 1 SHALL the resolution of the Setauket Fire District, adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners of said District on March 5, 2009, pursuant to the provisions of the Town Law of the State of New York, which resolution provides that the following described vehicle be sold as surplus property, no longer necessary for any of the uses or purposes of the Setauket Fire District, upon the delivery and acceptance of a replacement vehicle, and further that this vehicle is valued at more than $50,000.00: 1988 E-One Tower Ladder Aerial, BE APPROVED?

All residents of the Fire District duly registered with the Suffolk County Board of Elections as of March 30, 2009 shall be eligible to vote. Dated: March 10, 2009 BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF THE SETAUKET FIRE DISTRICT Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York By: CYNTHIA HUBBARD Fire District Secretary 142 3/19 1x vth

PUBLIC NOTICE STONY BROOK FIRE DISTRICT TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN, SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Fire Commissioners of the STONY BROOK FIRE DISTRICT, at its meeting held on March 12, 2009, adopted the following Resolution with respect to Confined Space Rescue: The Board of Fire Commissioners of the Stony Brook Fire District (“District”) resolved that Stony Brook Fire Department (“Department”) is not to be the primary emergency responder of record for any emergency call or situation involving a business or commercial entity with respect to a confined space rescue incident unless the District grants to the applicant written authorization to use the Department as said primary emergency responder and the Chief of the Department consents. Dated: March 13, 2009 Stony Brook, N.Y. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS STONY BROOK FIRE DISTRICT Carol Lee Simco, Secretary 148 3/19 1x vth

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSESSION BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS SETAUKET FIRE DISTRICT

PROPOSITION NO. 2 SHALL the resolution of the Setauket Fire District, adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners of said District on March 5, 2009, pursuant to the provisions of the Town Law of the State of New York, which resolution provides that the Defined Benefit Program established by the Length of Service Award Program as approved by the voters of the Setauket Fire District shall be amended to provide that the monthly benefit accrued after January 1, 2010 shall be increased from $20.00 per month to $25.00 per month for each year of accrued service, such change bearing an estimated annual cost of $54,000.00, BE APPROVED? PROPOSITION NO. 3 SHALL the resolution of the Setauket Fire District, adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners of said District on March 5, 2009, pursuant to the provisions of the Town Law of the State of New York, which resolution provides that the Defined Benefit Program established by the Length of Service Award Program as approved by the voters of the Setauket Fire District shall be amended

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following public work session previously scheduled for March 19, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. by the Setauket Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners has been rescheduled for March 26, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at Headquarters, 190 Main Street, Setauket, N.Y.

Jewish war veterans honored Two former commanders of The Three Village Post of The Jewish War Veterans of The U.S.A., Seymour Kaitz and Arnold Levinson, were posthumously honored at a Suffolk County Veteran Awards Ceremony in Hauppauge. Certificates of Special Recognition were presented by Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. Kaitz and Levinson were honored for their courage and leadership in assuming post command when suffering severe illness. They led with outstanding effectiveness as commanders, carrying out their duties under the most dire conditions nearly until they drew their last breath. Pictured from left: County Legislator Steven Stern, chairman, Suffolk County Veterans and Seniors Committee; Phyllis Levinson (Arnold Levinson’s widow); Carolyn Kaitz (Seymour Kaitz’s widow); Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy; and Tom Ronayne, director, Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency. The Jewish War Veterans was founded in 1896 by Civil War Veterans and is the oldest active national veterans organization in America, now in its 114th year. For more information, please call 751-6421.

Heckler named to dean’s list at SUNY New Paltz Evan Heckler, a freshman at State University of New York at New Paltz, majoring in business, has been named to the dean’s list for the first semester. Heckler is a 2008 graduate of Ward Melville High School.

Lafayette College dean’s list Kaela A. Mahon, class of 2009, and Ryan Joseph McNeill, class of 2012, both of Setauket, have been named to the fall semester dean’s list at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. Students achieved a grade point average of at least 3.6 to earn this recognition.

Sher named to dean’s list Labanara named to dean’s at Brandeis University list at Providence College Lindsay Sher, daughter of Marcy and William Sher of Setauket, was named to the dean’s list for academic achievement during the fall semester at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. Dean’s list honors are awarded to students who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or above.

Sara Labanara, a resident of Stony Brook and a member of the class of 2011 has been named to the dean’s list at Providence College for the fall 2008 semester. To qualify for the dean’s list, students must achieve at least a 3.55 grade point average with a minimum of 12 credits.

Send information for the People page to: vtimes@tbrnewspapers.com.

Dated: March 12, 2009 Cynthia Hubbard, District Secretary 150 3/19 1x vth

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PAGE A18 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

PEOPLE

Legals

MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A19

PEOPLE Warren named to dean’s list at Roger Williams Jessica Warren of Stony Brook, a first-year student majoring in elementary education, has been named to the deans’ list at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island for academic excellence during the fall 2008 semester. A cumulative grade point average must be over 3.4, a mark of academic distinction and success.

Miccio graduates from Boston University Maeve B. Miccio graduated in January with a bachelor of arts degree in environmental analysis and policy from Boston University in Boston, Mass.

Boston University dean’s list East Setauket residents Jacqueline D. Porte, Alexsandra R. Sternig and Pamela E. Zucker were named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Boston University in Boston, Mass.

Student artwork placed on permanent display

Military News Maj. Gen. Joseph J. Taluto, The Adjutant General, announces the recent re-enlistment of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their continuing commitment to serve community, state and nation as part of the Army National Guard. Sergeant Aaron Chiu from East Setauket has reenlisted to continue service with the Company B 3-142d Aviation.

Fourteen Ward Melville High School student-artists’ work is now on permanent display at the Central Islip Courthouse. Through a request by the U.S. Attorney’s office, the school’s photography students, who were advised by Three Village Central School District Chairperson for Secondary Art & Technology Jennifer Trettner and teachers Kristen Dietz and Cortney Weisman, submitted original photographs depicting scenes from Long Island. The winning students’ pieces were framed and put on display in the courthouse. Additionally, the Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of New York, Long Island Criminal Division recognized the winners during their Annual Awards Presentation. Congratulations to the following talented student-artists: Kristine Beckmann, Paul Bertolino, Nick Evans, Billy Fernandez, Seren Karasu, Sam Mathew, Kristen Mingione, Jaime Porciello, Sydney Poupis, Erick Steinberg, Alexa Stonish, Lauren Tarantino, Christian Thorne and Andrew Visconti. The students are pictured here with Three Village Central School District Chairperson for Secondary Art & Technology Jennifer Trettner and teachers Kristen Dietz and Cortney Weisman. Not pictured are Seren Karasu, Sydney Poupis and Christian Thorne.

Hoefener presents at international conference The department of English at The College of New Jersey is pleased to announce that Allison Hoefener will be presenting her scholarly essay “Feminism in Ruth Fainlight’s ‘The Clarinettist’” at the international conference for Sigma Tau Delta, the international honor society in English. College and university students from the United States and Canada will be celebrating their academic achievements at the honor society’s annual convention, held this year in Minneapolis, Minn. from March 25-29. Hoefener competed against more than a thousand English majors from across the country to earn her spot in the pro-

gram. Her expenses for travel to the convention are being defrayed by the School of Culture and Society at The College of New Jersey. Deborah Compte, acting dean of Culture and Society and professor of Modern Languages, said, “We are extremely proud of the Sigma Tau Delta students who have been accepted to this year’s convention. Last year, the chapter at The College of New Jersey won the ‘Best Chapter’ award, and we expect that this year’s attendees will also do well.” Hoefener, a sophomore at The College of New Jersey, is from East Setauket. She is studying for a degree in English secondary teaching.

Obituary Rose Oreste Rose T. Oreste of Setauket died on March 4, in her 95th year. Ms. Oreste was the devoted aunt of Clifford Verbiar, Gerard Verbiar

and Candace Malenda. Funeral services were arranged by Moloney’s Lake Funeral Home of Lake Ronkonkoma. Interment was held at Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury.

Memorial service Albert Irvine Albert Irvine passed away Jan. 9. Following his wishes, no services were to be held at that time. However, Albert’s family is now hosting a celebration of his life. Friends and acquaintances of Albert, please come and remember him. If you have a story or anecdote you’d like to share, let the greeter at the door know. It will be noted and we will call on you later to relate it. Date: March 21. Time: 2 to 5 pm. Place: Miller Beach Surf Club, 23 Harbor Beach Road, Miller Place Tel: 473-9034

Courtesy Jennifer Finn, Syntax Communication

Hearts for the Homeless As part of their Hearts for the Homeless project, Arrowhead Elementary third-grade Brownie troop 6200 did chores for money, contributed portions of their allowance, donated some of their cookie money and collected food items from friends, neighbors and community members to help make 60 bagged lunches for the homeless. The lunch bags were overflowing with food due to the generous donations from Strathmore Bagels in East Setauket, Spins Gymnastics in Port Jefferson, and many friends and neighbors. On Valentines Day, the girls gathered to-

gether to decorate 60 bags, make 60 ham sandwiches and stuff the bags with fruit, puddings, chips, granola bars, snacks and drinks. It was a very rewarding project. The 60 lunch bags were delivered to a church in Medford, which was then delivered to homeless people. The troop has Bonnie Fear, the service unit community service liaison, to thank for the opportunity to work on this great project. One of the lessons they learned from this project is now their troop motto: “It is not how little I can do, but how much we can do together.”

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PAGE A20 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

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Photos by Joe Darrow

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SPRING REGISTRATION The Three Village Baseball & Softball League is the largest provider of baseball and softball in the Three Village area. It covers boys and girls from 5 (PK) to 17 years old and plays exclusively within the Three Village area. Spring registration is now almost over. You should have received a registration form in your child’s backpack in January. If you did not receive the registration form, you can go onto our website at www.3vbb.org to download the form and mail it in to the PO Box ASAP. We still need Intramural and Travel Sponsors We have extended the deadline to get your company name on a banner until March 31, 2009! Please visit our website to find out more information! The last managers/coaches meeting is scheduled for 7:30pm on Monday, March 30 at Murphy JHS in the cafeteria. We are also having our second umpires meeting in the cafeteria at 7:30pm. This year’s sportsmanship presentation is scheduled for 7:30pm on April 1 at Murphy JHS. If your child is in the first grade or older and you have not seen the program, one parent per household must attend this presentation in order for your child to be eligible to participate in the league. This is an important part of the league. It enables each parent the opportunity to come down to each game without having to be stressed out from overzealous parents or coaches. This is what separates our league for any other on Long Island!

Lastly, as we continue to grow in size, we are in need of more help on the board. Please consider volunteering and really making a difference!

Providing quality organized baseball and softball to children in the Three Village area since 1969

Continued from page A5 vehicle and purchased the gas using a town credit card instead of filling up for less at town pumps. Mazzei said his gas consumption amounted to 13 gallons per week, hardly excessive in a town the size of Brookhaven. He said town-issued vehicles are appropriate for elected officials who spend so many nights and weekends attending office-related functions. Lesko said Foley’s “reform agenda” included taking gas cards away from employees driving town cars and only a handful still used them, including Mazzei. Lesko pledged not to use a town vehicle to commute to Town Hall. Regarding the charge of negative campaigning, Lesko said an unflattering photo of his opponent in a mailing was not “doctored” but in fact was taken from a Republican website. He then accused Mazzei of bringing back the “old guard” that worked at Town Hall under prior Republican supervisors Felix Grucci and John LaValle. Lesko also said asphalt companies are contributing to Mazzei’s campaign, some of the same companies Lesko prosecuted for price fixing in Brookhaven. Lesko claimed it took a Democratic administration to end decades of no-bid insurance contracts that cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Mazzei countered that the reform of the town’s insurance policies actually began under the LaValle administration, headed by former Republican 2nd District Councilman Kevin McCarrick. “In two years they didn’t get it done,” Lesko said. “In two months Foley got it done.” The Democrat also criticized a mailing in which Mazzei is pictured standing with Suffolk District Attorney Tom Spota. Lesko said the mailing is “misleading” since Spota will not endorse any candidate due to his position. Mazzei countered that Spota is a former law partner from the 1990s and the two remain friends. “It was done because I want citizens to know I can be trusted,” Mazzei said. Both candidates indicated their support for preserving open space. Lesko said it must not be funded with taxes and indicated one element of his BIG plan for the town — Brookhaven Initiative for Growth — includes additional monies that would be paid to the town in return for speeding the approval process for development projects. That revenue would be targeted to parks and open space, Lesko said. Mazzei said he would endorse a new bond act to provide funding — he pointed out his support for the $100 million bond approved in 2004 for open space preservation that has now been exhausted — and noted $10 million remains in the town’s adopted capital budget for open space, intended to be spent over five years. “We need a planner to run the planning department,” Lesko said, addressing the vacancy that has existed since early last

year when Mazzei’s Town Board majority fired Commissioner David Woods. Lesko said attracting a “national caliber” candidate to the position was a “critical issue” for Brookhaven. “I voted for David Woods,” replied Mazzei, referring to the vote to approve Foley’s appointment in 2006, describing him as a “very good cerebral planner.” “But,” Mazzei added, “he doesn’t get the train into the station on time,” effectively blaming Woods for delays in processing applications under his leadership. “We have 20 certified planners” on the planning staff. “We need someone to manage the department.” Asked how he would hope to govern effectively should he be elected, Lesko, who would be in the minority on the Town Board, said he “believes in the power of good ideas.” Lesko also said “powers inherent in the office of supervisor can be exercised, for example, selecting the lowest responsible bidder for town contracts.” For his part, Mazzei was asked if he could lead without the extreme partisanship that has marked Brookhaven government since Foley’s election in 2005. “I already do that,” he replied. Noting votes he has cast with Foley and the Democratic council members, including the Tall Grass development in Shoreham and the Caithness power plant in Yaphank, “I get along very well.” He said “97 percent of votes” on the Town Board were 7-0 during the Foley administration. Lesko decried the “partisan” moves to remove authority from the supervisor’s office, such as the economic development division, the public information office and two citizen advocate positions defunded from Foley’s staff. He called Mazzei’s moves “an obsession that paralyzed town government.” “Economic development was moved to the Town Board,” Mazzei responded angrily. “Public information to the Town Board. The whole Town Board. No powers have been taken from the supervisor.” Mazzei said if elected to the post he would not reverse the actions and would not replace the supervisor’s staff positions defunded by his Town Board majority. “For three years under [former Republican supervisor] LaValle he didn’t move those departments,” Lesko argued, describing the changes as “pure partisanship.” The two disagreed vehemently on the current role of the supervisor’s office in personnel moves. “Oversight is critical,” said Lesko. “The chief financial officer is now removed from that equation. … Personnel is not under the supervisor.” “Personnel and purchasing are under the supervisor,” Mazzei said. But, he added, “Commissioners hire and fire, not the supervisor.” The special election is on March 31. Polls will be open from 6 am to 9 pm. The supervisor’s post will once again be contested in November no matter who wins in March.

MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A21

SPORTS

Pats hope to continue winning tradition BOYS’ LAX seven or eight seniors,” he said. “That’s rare at Ward Melville. We’ll have a lot of Last week on the final cut-down day sophomores and even some freshmen. for Ward Melville boys’ lacrosse, head Pat Day and Jimmy Ryan are the two coach Mike Hoppey had some tough players we can’t lose, and unfortunately decisions to make and kind words of we might have lost Jimmy with an injury. encouragement for the boys who didn’t The doctors will know soon.” Ryan, a left-hander, was an All-Divimake the roster: “You’re all good players and we respect you. It’s tough to make sion midfielder and Empire selection as the team at a very competitive program. a sophomore. Starting in goal for the Patriots will If you love to play lacrosse, don’t let this be the end of your career. People play be Zach Quinn, a senior who served as into their ‘60s. We’ve had seniors make understudy last year to All-American the team who were cut as juniors. We’ve Steve Rastivo. “Zach’s played very well had boys cut here go on to have great col- during the winter league and in the first week of practice,” said Hoppey. lege careers.” Backing up Quinn will be junior Joe Coach Hoppey then turned his attention to assessing the 2009 Patriots, a Bellavia and sophomore Bryan Droesch. program hoping to return to their fift h On defense the Patriots will be lead by seniors Pat Day (All-Division) and Tystraight county final and triumph. “We’re young this year, with only ler Brennan. “Juniors Matt Kunkel and Bryan Slevin are in the mix for starting jobs,” said Hoppey. “And junior John Walcott has also played very well.” Senior AJ Monteleone 3/19 Smith West @ Ward Melville (s) ..4:00 pm will lead the Ward Melville midfielders. Also back are 3/21 WM @ RP multi-team scrim .......9:30 am Al Destafano, Nick Giam3/24 Shoreham @ Ward Melville (s) ...4:00 pm paola and Kevin Naslons3/26 Ward Melville @ HHH West (s) .. 4:30 pm ki, three juniors who were 4/1 Sayville @ WM (NL) .......................4:00 pm steady contributors last season. Juniors John Haz4/4 WM @ NPT Acompora Jamboree. 9:00 am zard, Vin D’Andria and Al 4/6 WM @ Garden City (NL)................4:15 pm Cherney will also see duty 4/7 Lindenhurst @ Ward Melville .......2:00 pm at the midfield. 4/15 Ward Melville @ HHH East ........ 4:30 pm On attack the Patriots return All-County 4/17 WM @ Middle Country (New)....4:15 pm selection Cody Ferraro, 4/18 WM @ Yorktown (NL) .................2:00 pm the team’s second lead4/21 Pat-Medford @ Ward Melville .....4:15 pm ing scorer last season. BY JOHN WESTERMANN

katsports@tbrnewspapers.com

Come support the Patriot boys’ lacrosse team

Courtesy WMHS

The Ward Melville boys’ lacrosse team practices for their upcoming schedule, top. Coach Mike Hoppey, who hopes his team will return to their fifth straight county final, talks to senior captain Pat Day, above, during practice.

Ferraro, who will attend Army Prep, will be joined up front by juniors Chip Pittard, Greg Smith and Rich Hurley, senior Chris Cohen, sophomore Tyler Hegerty and freshman John Edmonds. “Edmonds will start the season on the second line but has the skills to move up,” said Hoppey. “He could be one of the great ones.” Hoppey said, “Division I is all the usual suspects again. West Islip is seeded number one. We’re number two. Smithtown East is third and very good again,

as are Bay Shore and William Floyd. Our nonleague schedule is challenging with Sayville, the second seed in Division II, Garden City and a very experienced Yorktown team.” Day, who will play with Ferraro next year at Army Prep, said, “I’m very excited about the season starting but I’m really sorry about Jimmy Ryan. That’s a big loss for us if he can’t play. The defense looks good again, as usual. And we hope to beat West Islip again, this time in the county finals.”

PAGE A22 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

EDITORIAL Time for haste Pain. There is, unfortunately, much of the economic variety to pass around these days. That is particularly true of our schools, where officials try to make the best of less revenue despite rising costs. The federal stimulus bill was supposed to bail them out, right? Two weeks ago we reported that Gov. David Paterson said New York’s share would negate the education aid cuts he had proposed to help counter a record state deficit. Except that Paterson’s assurances have made it no further than the newspapers, it seems. School districts embroiled in the budget formation process, which must be wrapped up next month, have yet to see an amended state aid proposal from the governor. Districts don’t know if Paterson’s promise to “restore” state aid means eliminating the deficit reduction assessment imposed on districts, or zeroing out overall aid decreases in comparison with 2008-09. For large districts the difference amounts to millions. Until they know the numbers, they can’t reliably calculate the tax impact of the spending the districts are proposing. Now is when schools need those figures most, as many consider layoffs to keep tax increases low so their budgets pass muster with a belt-tightening electorate. Perhaps with the federal stop-gap money, job cuts are no longer necessary, but until they know for sure school officials are obligated to plan for the worst. Which means that until the “all clear” is sounded, some teachers may be anticipating unemployment. Such consternation will clearly not promote the economic confidence the stimulus and other bailout efforts were intended to inspire. The Paterson administration claimed this week it cannot release final figures until ongoing budget negotiations with the Legislature are complete. But the governor has not even answered the most basic questions posed above by school officials, making their task far more arduous than in years past when districts had relatively accurate numbers to work with. Paterson should provide up-to-date data to the districts immediately.

News literacy critical The prominence of the attendees at the News Literacy Conference at SBU last week indicates the importance many place on the ability we must all master to understand and evaluate the “tsunami” of so-called news pummeling all of us every day (see page A8). We think the SBU School of Journalism, and in particular its dean, Howard Schneider, are on to something. Separating the wheat from the chaff is essential if we are going to position ourselves to make informed decisions on critical issues. The importance of analytically considering what newspapers and television and radio and the web toss at us, the ability to see through the fog and spin, and the need to understand an ever-increasing universe of information — far too much of which is generated by, shall we say, “journalists” not entirely loyal to the creed of who, what, where, when and how but instead determined to tell you why (in their own often skewed opinions) — has never been more important. Whether you read it on these pages, or in a daily, or learn it the radio, TV or the web, apply an appropriate level of skepticism, seek the facts, and always remember to consider the source.

OPINION Community members keep kitchens going TO THE EDITOR: The volunteers of Welcome INN would like to express their thanks to Jennifer Choi for her sensitive and in-depth article (“Helping more of those in need, a meal at a time,” March 12) about the soup kitchens and the important service we provide to the needy among us. We are grateful for the food donations we receive from local sources: Ann Marie’s Farm Stand, Rolling Pin Bakery, Hobbs Farm, Trader Joe’s and Costco. I would also like to bring to the attention of the community that in addition to these food donations it is necessary for us to raise $30,000 a year to cover additional food and supply expenses. Sen. Ken LaValle obtained a $5,000 grant and local service organizations, including the Port Jefferson Lions Club, Suffolk Lodge of Masonic Temple, Port Jefferson Polish American Independent Club and Decision Women in Commerce contribute to help defray costs. But we must rely on the generosity and compassion of the community to meet the majority of our budget. If anyone would like to make a charitable donation for this worthy cause please mail it to Welcome INN, PO Box 204, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776. Barbara Curtis President, Welcome INN

Thanks, Three Village TO THE EDITOR: With sincerity and affection Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, located in St. James R.C. Church in Setauket, would like to send a warm thank you to every person and every group who has supported our mission over the past years. Your kindnesses are not forgotten. In these, the toughest times, your support is greatly appreciated. Your continued support enables us to provide dignity and hope to those in need. The most sincere of thank yous. James Miccie, Coordinator Our Daily Bread

Incorporated Poquott, time to call it a day? TO THE EDITOR: The Poquott Village Board has: Ignored residents’ concerns about out of control village police, disbanding them only to repeat the same profligate waste on another pretend police force — all without referendum or public mandate to support the continuing major expense in a recession; Illegally censored FOIL request documents before submitting to a resident; Ceased using a local attorney specializing in local government and replaced with a Manhattan law firm at far greater cost; Pursued prosecution of the undersigned for the absurd transgression of dog-walking across a 50-foot parcel of what it claimed was a village beach, then declined to base its prosecution on ownership since it could not prove same. It ultimately lost its case when its lawyer also failed to prove maintenance; Following this waste of public funds, the board then spent considerably more trying to prove it does after all own the beach in proven private hands of a resident who has title deed and has for years paid taxes thereon; Arranged for its Manhattan law firm to write opinion claiming dredge spoil action having formed part of the beach now overrides prior deeded rights, thereby allowing village to claim ownership after all. (Beware other beach owners in case the village dredges near your property claiming your land rights null and void!); Continued employing Manhattan law firm after its representative was forced to acknowledge “oversight” of not ensuring village made legally necessary environmental study prior to passing apartment law. This fiasco

uncovered and objected to, the village has had to rescind the law and waste money in subsequent reversal process; In a former case where a resident sued the village for Van Brunt tree trimming which somehow ruined that person’s enjoyment of the waterfront, settled the case giving up village waterfront land and then made the plaintiff village roads commissioner! Interesting how some get their land appropriated and others get extra bits given to them along with village positions. I guess it depends on whether you file a lawsuit or not. Is that how it works? Whatever the original incorporation justification, it no longer exists. Duplicated and superfluous costs which similar communities (such as Strong’s Neck) do without should be unacceptable here too. Time to call it a day, Poquott Board — just go, you won’t be missed and the reduction in taxes will be appreciated. Peter Stubberfield Poquott

Classics safe, for now TO THE EDITOR: I share John McKinney’s concern about the precarious present and future of classical music on radio (“On the airwaves, classical music struggles to survive,” March 5). However, here on the north shore of Long Island we are fortunate to be able to listen to around-theclock classical music from two Connecticut stations, WMNR (88.1) and WSHU (91.1). Both stations are supported in large measure by listener contributions. If we get behind them, Bizet may remain safe, at least for a while, in the Three Villages and Port Jefferson. Martin Liebowitz, M.D. East Setauket

Missing police report TO THE EDITOR: Recent issues of the Times Village Herald no longer feature the Police Report column. I urge you to reinstate it. The information it contains is important. We, your readers, need to be aware of the challenges our police officers face in the line of duty and of recurring trends in criminal activities (e.g., thefts from parked cars, vandalism, and the like). I suspect that many of your readers also miss the occasional flashes of wit the editor of these reports injected into the column. John Shea East Setauket Editor’s note: We continue to keep readers informed of police and crime activities within our stories and briefs. Reporting of police activity remains one of our primary beats.

Veterans thankful TO THE PUBLISHER, EDITORS AND STAFF OF TBR NEWSPAPERS: On behalf of the officers, executive board and members of the American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 of Port Jefferson Station, we would like to thank you for your support and continuing coverage of our events and of veterans issues. In almost every issue I notice that one of your editorial staff is covering a veterans event and reporting on it. We at the Wilson Ritch Post are very grateful for this effort. We would like to also take this opportunity to thank wholeheartedly the efforts of Congressman Tim Bishop, state Sen. Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Steve Englebright for their unwavering support of veterans issues and of veterans’ causes. For those who braved the cold, crisp weather during our Pearl Harbor Remembrance Service this past December, you would have heard a gentleman eloquently playing “Taps.” To this gentleman, who to us is anonymous, we offer our sincere thanks as well. Please keep up the good work. Our veterans are certainly well worth it. Richard Knutson, Public Relations Officer American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

In our new recession-induced age of propriety, owning a personal jet is under a storm of disfavor. Though they represent the ultimate in conspicuous consumption, at least one good thing can be said about these super-expensive planes — compared to their big brothers the commercial airliners, they are relatively quiet. I know, because the seaside apartment I am renting in Florida lies in the approach path to the small airstrip at Boca Raton favored by jet-setting multi-millionaires. Their personal jets fly in and out all day long, announcing themselves with a thrilling whine of power and rumble of engines. The brethren of these planes, the big eardrum-pounding heavies, must use either West Palm Beach to the north or Fort Lauderdale to the south. The little jets are sleek and beautiful to watch. The sight of them approaching to land or climbing for altitude after departing suggests an intriguing air of mystery. Their silver fuselages carry no markings, no recognizable airline logos or colors. They arrive as early as dawn, and fly out way after dark. So to whom do they belong? One can only guess, but one thing is sure — the ranks of the wealthy have been thinned by Bernie Madoff. One assumes that prior to his depredations, the airways in and out of Boca Raton were even more crowded. Still, this remains a rich country, and though he appeared to have tried very hard Bernie did not manage to steal everybody’s money. The East Coast of South Florida is still a haven of extravagant wealth. The town

where I am staying, Highland Beach, is lined with an odd juxtaposition of high-rise condominiums and coops with modest apartments, and gargantuan ornate mansions in the $20 million price range. (For perspective, though it is right on the ocean, my own apartment is in a 50-year-old co-op whose windows and sliding glass doors don’t work very well. Yesterday one of the two elevators failed, trapping for a while a fellow snowbird from Stony Brook.) Madoff is much in the public awareness here. Fifteen miles to the north, in his winter retreat of Palm Beach, he ruined large numbers of friends and acquaintances. In Delray Beach, a mile from here, there’s an old-fashioned newsstand much like the late, lamented Darling’s in Port Jefferson. I go there often for my Racing Form and Wall Street Journal, and fall into conversations with old-time locals who congregate to complain about snowbirds like me. One morning the proprietor had on display a 168-page reprint of the list of Madoff ’s victims, which was eagerly perused for local names. The Palm Beach Post reported this morning on what wealthy society matrons are doing to show empathy with the less fortunate during the recession. Among other things, they’re digging into the back of their closets and wearing last year’s gowns to charity balls. In December, a group of women pledged they would insist their rich husbands not buy them expensive jewelry for Christmas. (Though this may have made them feel good, it might have cost the jobs of a couple of gold miners in South Africa and diamond

Signals As this grim recession drags on, I think more and more of the lost wisdom of small town America. BY JOHN MCKINNEY vtimes@tbrnewspapers.com

cutters on 47th Street. Oh, the law of unintended consequences). As this grim recession drags on, I think more and more of the lost wisdom of small town America. It was Wall Street, not Main Street, that plunged us into the abyss. Had the sharks on Wall Street not been demonically clever at concealing what they were doing, the little fish on Main Street would have refused to take the bait. I think of the brief single term of Mike Lee as mayor of Port Jefferson, when he doubled taxes to diminish the debt hanging over the Village Center. Said Mr. Lee, “I was raised not to buy things until I could afford to pay for them.” Mike, you should have been chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Between you and me

Celebrating strength in community What fun we had this past Sunday evening at the Three Village Inn. It was the Men and Women of the Year reception, at which the winners of 2008 in The Village Times Herald were presented with framed certificates before an audience of 137 (count ’em) community leaders. This was our 33rd such party, and they are always a high for us at the newspaper. We started the Men and Women of the Year issue, our only “all good news” issue, the week between Christmas and New Year’s in 1976, the year we started The Village Times. I copped the idea, sort of, from Time magazine, where I had worked. But Time selects one person who, each year, is the most newsworthy, regardless of the value of their efforts, whether Hitler or Mother Teresa. We, on the other hand, divide our community into categories, from the Arts to Business to Civics, all the way through to Sports and Volunteers. We then select

the residents who are making outstanding contributions to our villages, going that extra mile above and beyond what might be expected from them, and give them the spotlight — to further help them in their work and to express our collective appreciation. We ask your help in the nominating process, which begins in early summer with a form that we run in the paper. With those nominations that come in through the mail, Internet and telephone and the suggestions of our staff, we sit down and decide the winners each year. Once, early on, I thought we might run out of winners. It will never happen. The more people we get to know by covering the news, and the more we understand about how much is contributed to the greater good, the more people we want to honor. Sometimes we honor a past winner again because he or she has done something new or something more. We never tell the winners

TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWSPAPERS We welcome letters, photographs, comments and story ideas. Send your items to PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733 or email to leelutz@tbrnewspapers.com. Or drop by our news office at 185 Route 25A, Setauket. The opinions of our columnists are not necessarily those of the paper. Times Beacon Record Newspapers are published every Thursday. Address: PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733. Telephone: 631-751-7744 Web • www.northshoreoflongisland.com Contents copyright 2009.

why exactly we are interviewing them in the late fall for a story, and usually they don’t think to ask because what they are doing is newsworthy enough on its own. So when they discover that they have won, it’s a fun surprise. That first year, members of the Three Village community stepped forward and suggested a reception for the winners. They also offered to underwrite the party in a hands-across-thecommunity gesture. So we are the hosts each year, we speak about what each winner has done, we then give him or her a chance to tell where they are planning to go with their work in the coming year, and when they sit back down we give them a resounding round of applause in a public show of appreciation. Why did we start this and why do we enthusiastically continue it to this day? A sense of community is so important, such an enrichment in our lives. Learning about our common history, knowing

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Leah S. Dunaief GENERAL MANAGER Johness Kuisel EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lee Lutz EDITOR Lee Lutz LEISURE EDITOR Ellen Barcel SPORTS EDITOR Katherine Consorte ONLINE EDITOR Patricia Proven

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Alyssa Cutler EDITORIAL John Broven Jennifer Choi Joseph Darrow Michael Downer Arlene Gross Robert Leuner Patricia Proven Lisa Steuer John Westermann Dave Willinger

we are surrounded by kindly and caring neighbors, working together to maintain and preserve our natural resources and educate our children, these all contribute to a sense of security and well being for children and adults alike. At times of stress, like some of the economic uncertainties we are living through today, people tend to turn toward each other for support. Here’s an extreme example of what I’m talking about. If you remember, New York City — long considered a cold and impersonal place — became a lot more filled with kindness and mutual helpfulness after 9/11. Human values come more into focus in times of crisis. We are in what Frank Rich, columnist for The New York Times, calls a time of “social consciousness.” How lovely that we, who live out here, don’t have to first develop such a consciousness. It’s already here, as these awards ably demonstrate. We are so fortunate to live in a place with

PHOTOGRAPHY Alyssa Cutler John Griffin Robert O'Rourk ART AND PRODUCTION DIRECTOR David R. Leaman ART AND PRODUCTION Janet Fortuna Beth Heller Mason Wendy Mercier

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF vtimes@tbrnewspapers.com

community leaders and activists, and whatever the issues are locally, we sooner or later see most of them through to a successful resolution. So a sense of community is a wonderful thing. And since we are the community newspaper, we have always felt it part of our job to strengthen that sense wherever we can. Let me tell you, by the time everyone leaves the Men and Women of the Year reception each year, and we have recognized the efforts of all those special people who enhance our lives, there is a glowing pride of place.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kathryn Mandracchia ADVERTISING Mary Chirichella Robin Lemkin Barbara Newman Elizabeth Reuter Laura Satchwill Nancy Solomon Ted Taylor Lynn Tunney Minnie Yancey

CLASSIFIEDS DIRECTOR Ellen Segal BUSINESS MANAGER Sheila Murray CREDIT MANAGER Diane Wattecamps CIRCULATION MANAGER Alyssa Cutler BUSINESS OFFICE Sandi Gross Meg Malangone SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Terri Caruso

MARCH 19, 2009 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • PAGE A23

In post-Madoff world, tarnished trappings of wealth

Class of ‘71 E.L. Vandermeulen High School Port Jefferson, NY

Class of ‘77 Ward Melville High School East Setauket, NY

Leo Sternlicht

Class of ‘80 Ward Melville High School East Setauket, NY

Steve Rothstein

Riverhead F/L/M, Owner

Riverhead F/L/M, Sales Mgr.

Class of ‘77 Ward Melville High School East Setauket, NY

Malcolm Germaine

Riverhead F/L/M, Pre-Owned Sales Mgr.

Gabriel Tangredi

Riverhead F/L/M, Sales Associate

Class of ‘86 Ward Melville High School East Setauket, NY

Marc Donin

Riverhead F/L/M, Finance Manager

With the closing of your local Lincoln/Mercury dealers, you might have concerns about the service and maintenance of your Lincoln and Mercury vehicles. Fear no more! We all grew up here and went to school here, and we all still live here. As good neighbors, we promise that we will pick-up your vehicle from your home or business, have it serviced and return it to you, because as good neighbors, that is the least we can do.

The New

2009 Mercury Milan

0APR %

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60 Months

AVAILABLE UNTIL MARCH 31. 2009

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29 MPG RIVERHEAD FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY

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FREE Oil, Filter and Lube and 29 Point Inspection

FREE Tire Rotation

Check Tire Inflation & 29 Point Inspection

for all North Shore and Smithtown Lincoln/Mercury Customers

Check Hoses/Belts/Fluids, Check For Leaks, Inspect Brakes, Drivetrain and more.

With Your First Service at Riverhead Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Up to 5 quarts of oil, With Coupon only, cannot be combined. Not valid on Diesel Engines. Expires 03/31/2009

With Coupon only, cannot be combined. Expires 03/31/2009

RIVERHEAD FORD • LINCOLN • MERCURY • SALEEN

Route 58 Riverhead

631-727-2200 One mile East from Tanger Outlet

riverheadfordlm.com

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PAGE A24 • THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD • MARCH 19, 2009

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