(Credit: MSNBC)

There was a moment during Saturday’s premiere of MSNBC’s “Lockup Extended Stay: Long Island,” the new reality series filmed at the Suffolk County Jail in Riverside, that offered a truly unique look at the inside of our local jail.

Two inmates — a woman facing a relatively short prison sentence and a man staring at life inside a tin can — are pronounced man and wife by Southampton Town Clerk Sunday Schiermeier, who announces, “You may now kiss the bride.”

After a few seconds of rare intimacy — they met only three months earlier inside that same jail — they are told to return to their stations.

They are now man and wife, but they’re inmates above all else.

It’s this moment that best illustrates why “Lockup” makes for great television, even if it merely exploits the unique circumstances of some of the jail’s more colorful inmates and will do little to improve their overall place in society.

A more informative and better intended show might feature inmates after they are released from prison or cover subjects dealing with Long Island’s heroin problem away from our jail. Like most reality shows, the primary goal of “Lockup” is to entertain.

I went into this review fully expecting to blast the show for its exploitative nature, but found it to still have enough heart and journalistic value to keep me interested. I will watch again.

One of the chief concerns we heard from readers since first reporting that the show would air this week was that it would portray Riverhead in a negative light. Of course, since it’s a show about life in jail, it’s hard to imagine it serving as a booster for tourism. The show is not meant to be a reflection on the people of Riverhead or Suffolk County, but rather a small portion of the prison population.

After one episode, “Lockup” has told us nothing about Riverhead or Riverside, except for a few brief glimpses of landmarks like the Suffolk Theater or the water tower. In fact, none of the three inmates featured in the first episode, “Sufferin’ County,” is from the East End.

Aisha Figueroa, the bride in the first episode, was arrested by police in Huntington for a robbery in which she allegedly fired a gun at a gas station attendant. She wed Chris Colbert of the Bronx, who is described as a high-ranking Bloods gang member awaiting trial for second-degree murder. The concept of Ms. Figueroa marrying someone who may never spend another day on the outside is explored in the episode, but not at any great depth.

Instead, we’re shown the actual ceremony and told how prison weddings work. Ms. Figueroa’s mother, one of the two witnesses permitted under jail rules, is shown being asked to remove her jewelry and even her bra before entering the jail.

“It has underwire in it,” corrections officer Neil MacDonald explains. “In here, that’s a dangerous instrument.”

Perhaps the episode’s most poignant moments involve the third featured inmate, Tyerance Mickey of the Bronx. Also a Bloods gang member, we’re told he’s in jail for charges of robbery, assault and murder — online prison records show he was actually convicted of robbery, assault and criminal possession of a weapon — and was awaiting transport to an upstate prison. He was originally being held on Riker’s Island, but was moved to Suffolk County because he was involved in too many fights there. He said he’s been a gang member since he was 10 years old.

In the episode, Mr. Mickey, a violent criminal who has spent half his life in a jail cell, is shown during a rare visit with his wife’s children, encouraging them to stay out of trouble. In another scene, he tells young gang members to get out of the lifestyle before it’s too late.

Online prison records show that both Mr. Mickey and Ms. Figueroa have since been shipped to upstate prisons. She’s eligible for parole next year. He’s facing between four and 10 years.

In a perfect world, we’d get more of these characters. But this is the television world and the trailer for the show promises to give us new characters and more violence in the coming weeks.

At least this week’s episode provided us with a handful of tender moments and a few glimpses of the harsh reality of prison. Will Mr. Mickey abandon his gang member past for a better life, as he promises? Will Ms. Figueroa and Mr. Colbert ever spend time together in a world where their meetings aren’t shared with guards?

We’ll probably never know what becomes of any of these three inmates, but their present circumstances tell us a happy ending isn’t likely.

The first episode may have been a pleasant surprise, but that’s television, not real life.

The author is the executive editor of Times Review Media Group. He can be reached at gparpan@timesreview.com or 631-354-8046.

The Suffolk County Republican Committee has nominated Riverhead resident Remy Bell to run against Legislator Al Krupski. (Credit: Tim Gannon)

The Suffolk County Republican Committee has selected Riverhead resident Remy Bell to oppose incumbent Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski (D-Cutchogue).

Mr. Bell, 59, is currently an election clerk at the Suffolk County Board of Elections and a longtime member of the Polish Town Civic Association.

He’s also the chair of Riverhead Town’s Handicapped Advisory Committee and the financial secretary of the Riverhead Polish Hall.

“I’ve been a Riverhead resident for more than 30 years,” he said Monday outside the Portuguese American Center of Suffolk in Farmingville, where the Suffolk County Republicans held their nominating convention.

“I think are many issues on the North Fork that have to be addressed,” Mr. Bell said in an interview. “And I think that the environment is the number one issue. We also have to look at bringing better paying jobs to the North Fork and the entire legislative district so young people can stay here and afford to live here.”

The district covers all of Southold and Riverhead towns, as well as a portion of eastern Brookhaven Town.

Mr. Bell owned Alfred’s Meat Market in Polish Town from 1983 to 1987 and Bell’s Food Market in Hampton Bays form 1979 to 1984.

This is not his first run for elected office.

In 1985, he was the Democratic candidate for the Suffolk County Legislature, opposing incumbent Republican Greg Blass of Jamesport. Then in 1986, he was the Democratic candidate for state assembly, opposing incumbent Republican Joe Sawicki of Southold.

He lost both races.

Why the party switch?

“I was originally a Republican and I switched to Democrat, but I found out that my views were more in line with Republicans, so I went back the Republican party, where I belong,” he said. “I’ve been a Republican for the last 29 years now.”

The incumbent, Mr. Krupski, a former Southold Town Councilman, is seeking a third term in the Legislature.

In Jan. 2013, he defeated Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter during a special election by a 7,152 to 3,447 vote to win the seat, which had been vacated by Republican Ed Romaine.

In Nov. 2013, Mr. Krupski faced Republican candidate Albie de Kerillis of East Marion and won by a 15,514 to 5,022 margin.

Mr. de Kerillis is running for Southold Town Board on the Democratic line this year.

As for this year’s Legislature race, Mr. Bell described Mr. Krupski as “a nice guy and a good businessman on the North Fork.”

“I don’t think that he can donate the time to the job that he needs to,” Mr. Bell added. “His business obligations have taken a lot of his time.”

Mr. Krupski, who is a farmer, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mr. Bell wasn’t the only Riverhead resident to be nominated by county Republicans Monday.

George Harkin of Baiting Hollow was nominated to run for a Family Court judge. He is currently a principal law clerk for New York State Supreme Court Justice David Reilly and has worked as a principal law clerk in the state attorney general’s office, as well as the state court of claims, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and has had his own private practice.

He’s also been involved in coaching youth sports for many years.

“I’ve always wanted to be a judge,” Mr. Harkin said.

He is one of two Republicans opposing incumbent Democrats Marlene Budd and Martha Luft.

tgannon@timesreview.com

Rainfall on Monday and Tuesday came as a welcome change of pace for local crops. (Credit: Joseph Pinciaro)

It might seem like a distant memory now, but last month proved to be the driest May on record, according to the National Weather Service, making the steady rainfall of June 1 and June 2 a relief to some farmers in the area.

The meteorological agency reported that a scant 0.42 inches fell throughout the month, as measured in Islip — the official NWS station on Long Island.

That’s the least rainfall ever recorded in May since records started being kept in 1984.

According to Faye Berthold, meteorologist with the NWS, last month also came in well below the 3.36 inch average in May.

The last five Mays, according to Ms. Berthold, have seen the following amounts of rainfall at the official NWS monitoring station:

• 2014: 2.66
• 2013: 3.05
• 2012: 4.22
• 2011: 3.81
• 2010: 2.85

More locally, unofficial stations — where the data is considered reliable, but not archived, as is Islip — reported similar rainfall. In Upton, a half inch of rain fell last month, and at Cornell Cooperative Extension on Sound Avenue, 0.40 inches fell.

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Local farmers have seen a mixed month themselves as a result of the lack of rainfall.

For produce farmer Jeff Rottkamp of Baiting Hollow’s Fox Hollow Farm, since it’s early in the growing season and the nights (and days) have often been cool, he’s only had to irrigate about once a week.

“We didn’t have the 90 to 95 degree days, and the stuff is young, so things are looking OK,” he said.

But crops like lettuce and spinach need more water than others, Phil Schmitt said.

“Obviously we’re irrigating a lot for May,” he said.

Ornamental plants being sold now needed about twice as much water last month as they typically do, according to Shade Trees Nursery manager Danielle Raby.

“We generally have two people hand-watering by day, in addition to running the irrigation at night,” she said.

That’s in comparison to typically having one employee hand water during the day — an employee who would otherwise be pruning, fertilizing, and spacing out trees.

“So now, we’ve been working harder, longer hours,” she added.

While prices haven’t been affected by the rain — as farmers say, the market dictates the price — profits have. As irrigation and personnel costs have increased, profits have decreased.

On the bright side, the first and second days of June have already brought rain. So maybe this month will be another story.

“You just gotta take what comes your way and go with it,” said Mr. Rottkamp. “Every year is different.”

jpinciaro@timesreview.com

Jeffrey Despeines at his Feb. 14, 2013 arraignment. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch, file)

The suspect police say was the gunman in the 2013 drive-by shooting of a Third Street home has pleaded guilty to felony charges.

Jeffrey Despeines, 24, of Centereach is one of four suspects — Jasmine Parsons, 21, of Mastic; Jordan Harrell, 20, of Medford; and Eric Baldwin Jr., 20, of Bellport — arrested Feb. 13 after Riverhead Town police responded to shooting in Riverhead just before 9 p.m. after hearing gunfire.

Mr. Despeines had a spent magazine in his shirt pocket and was carrying a loaded Smith & Wesson .38-caliber semiautomatic handgun at the time of his arrest, prosecutors said. He was also accused of defacing the registration on the gun.

Mr. Despeines pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm, third-degree criminal possession of a defaced weapon and first-degree reckless endangerment before Suffolk County Judge Mark Cohen on May 21, online records show.

Though seven bullets ripped through siding and into the living room and bedroom of two families living in the house, authorities said none of the people inside the house at the time of the shooting were injured.

Ms. Parsons, Mr. Harrell and Mr. Baldwin were all charged because they acted “in concert” in the shooting, according to a grand jury indictment.

Ms. Parsons, a former Riverhead woman who prosecutors say was the driver in the drive-by shooting, was sentenced in August 2013 to 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.

Mr. Harrell and Mr. Baldwin also pleaded guilty to felony charges. Details about their sentencing weren’t immediately available.

Mr. Despeines has been held on $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond bail in Suffolk County jail since his arraignment on March 1, 2013.

He is scheduled to be sentenced June 22.

jnuzzo@timesreview.com

A Riverhead man was arrested Friday on reckless driving and drug charges after being spotted by police driving without a seatbelt around 9:50 p.m. on Flanders Road, Southampton Town police said. 

When a police officer attempted to stop Thomas Lacolla, 26, he instead fled along County Road 94 at 80 mph, switching lanes and weaving through traffic, police said. He drove northbound in southbound lanes, into oncoming traffic before getting onto the Long Island Expressway, where he stopped his car.

It was then found that his license plate wasn’t registered to the vehicle he was driving, police said. Mr. Lacolla was charged with reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the second degree, third-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana, police said.

Riverhead jazz guitarist Matt Marshak with some of the pieces he helped inspire for Rhythm & Home, a new furniture line. (Courtesy photo)

How does a musician become a collaborator on a furniture line? For Riverhead jazz guitar player Matt Marshak, it started when the president of a furniture company happened to catch one of his shows.

Now, a new 70-piece collection is available under the name Rhythm & Home.

Read more about Mr. Marshak’s venture at northforker.com.

Cub Scout Pack 242 of Riverhead presents the colors before the season-opening game between North Fork and Riverhead on Sunday. (Credit: Robert O’Rourk)

Opening day is a special day in baseball. The pageantry, the anticipation and the high hopes teams take into the new season all contribute to a setting that is about as American as it gets. A clean slate is ready to be written on. The story it will tell is anyone’s guess.

The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League celebrated its third opening day with three games on Sunday, including a matchup between the North Fork Ospreys and the Riverhead Tomcats at Veterans Memorial Park in Calverton. They were the first games in an expanded 42-game regular season for the seven-team league. 

“At any level, whether it’s the majors, whether’s it’s the minors, whether it’s college, high school, Little League, when you put on the uniform for the first time in the year, it’s always a special feeling,” said Greg Diener, a league statistician.

For officials like the league president, Brett Mauser, opening day represents the culmination of off-season work involving the recruitment of players from colleges across the country. Mauser said the league has between 175 and 200 players from 27 states.

“For these players, it’s an opportunity for them to show what they can do and I know that the general managers really look forward to this day because … you see the fruits of your labor,” he said.

The Ospreys and the Tomcats, both sporting new uniforms, lined up along opposite baselines before the game while Cub Scout Pack 242 of Riverhead carried the American flag forward for the singing of the national anthem by Donna Butler of Riverhead.

Four Riverhead firefighters who rescued an unconscious man from a smoke-filled home engulfed in flames this past winter, were recognized for their heroism in a pregame ceremony. J. R. Renten, Steve Beal, Kevin Burgess and Anthony Chiaramonte then threw out the ceremonial first pitches.

And then it was time to play ball.

“It’s great to be out here again,” said Cameron Burt, a Mattituck High School graduate and Wading River resident who got the starting pitching assignment for the Ospreys, 3-1 winners. “College just ended a couple of weeks ago and we’re all chomping at the bit, ready to come back and play once again, doing what we love.”

What is special about opening day?

“It’s just the fact that you’re getting to play again,” said Jake Reinhardt, a pitcher for the Tomcats. “It’s always exciting.”

The Tomcats manager, Randy Caden, has been involved in baseball for 52 years, about 30 as a coach or manager.

“You never lose the excitement,” he said. “Once you lose that excitement, I won’t be coaching any more.”

For all that surrounds an opening day game, Tomcats pitcher Dan Jagiello said there should be no change in the approach by players to it. “It’s still playing baseball against veteran guys, the same intensity as any other game,” he said.

Mauser said the league has made progress in its short history, putting a high caliber of talent on the field, gaining the support of communities, receiving the backing of Major League Baseball and obtaining major sponsorships. “Overall, on the field and off the field, we feel very good about where we are,” he said.

“With each year we feel as though we’re taking great strides forward,” he added. “I think that the progress of the league is evident in the level of talent that has come here. It seems as though we have climbed a rung every year and we feel really great about that.”

The league has sent dozens of players into the professional ranks, including Nick Ahmed, an infielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Phil Klein, a pitcher for the Texas Rangers.

“The league is doing a good job with the talent and how it is branding itself, a lot of good things heading in the right direction,” the Ospreys manager, Bill Ianniciello, said. “It’s very advanced for a relatively young league. I’m delighted with it. I love being part of it.”

Diener said: “Every year we try to make this better and better. You have a bunch of people from across the country, from various different colleges across the country, and they’re just getting to know each other for the first time. It’s very special, and by the end of the summer, they’ll have a lot of memories that they’ll always treasure for a lifetime.”

Ryan Mahoney, an outfielder who is the Ospreys’ only returning player from last year, is counting on that. He said, “It’s going to be a fun season.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

The crowd dances along to the 2013 concert at Martha Clara Vineyards. This year’s event will be even bigger. (Credit: Carrie Miller, file)

Two years after Adam Lambert and Avicci headlined a music festival at Martha Clara Vineyards, another mega event is planned for this summer.

Music producer Nile Rodgers said the two-day festival scheduled for August will feature big name acts like Pharrell, Beck and Duran Duran.

Find out more details on the festival at northforker.com.

Representatives from the East End’s five towns met Wednesday in Riverhead. (Credit: Jen Nuzzo)

Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski has created a committee to come up with solutions for wildlife issues such as the area’s deer problem.

But the committee won’t have to start from scratch.

That’s because each of the five East End towns — Riverhead, Southold, Shelter Island, Southampton and East Hampton — already have their own policies.

“It’s really beneficial to get together to discuss different strategies to come up with the best solutions,” Mr. Krupski said after the committee’s first meeting Wednesday at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Riverhead. “Everyone here is interested in addressing the health and safety problems.”

Mr. Krupski said he decided to organize the meeting in order to find out which local practices have worked and failed.

The volunteer committee members agreed with the legislator’s outlook over how the growing deer population needs to be addressed in order to decrease tick-borne illnesses, damage to the environment and the danger of hitting a deer with a vehicle.

Some members said they believe tourism could suffer if visitors decide not to come to the East End out of fear of contracting tick-borne illnesses.

Others said they believe a deer cull is the only solution since there are no natural predators like coyote in the area and would like to create incentives for hunters.

In 2013, a deer cull controversy sparked over discussions about the value of using $225,000 in state funding to hire federal sharpshooters to reduce the deer population on the East End. The following year, the final tally of just 192 deer killed was announced and deemed a disappointment to many stakeholders.

In addition to officials from the East End towns, representatives from the New York State Department of Conservation, state Senator Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele’s offices, Brookhaven National Lab, Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, and Long Island Farm Bureau also attended the meeting.

The committee also plans to invite environmental advocacy groups to join in on the discussion.

Mr. Krupski said the next steps including having each town representative share their deer management policies, have a discussion about each program and come up with a couple of “clearly defined recommendations” to the state.

He also believes each town should hold forums to continue discussions with the public.

“Every town should continue to have those forums,” he said. “The public has got to be a part of it.”

The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 9 at Cornell Cooperative Extension.

For more information about the committee’s efforts, call Mr. Krupski’s office at 631-852-3200.

jnuzzo@timesreview.com

Cathy Liggon, 46, of Riverhead and Charles Roach, 50, of Flanders were seen driving from what police described as a known drug location last Monday on Flanders Road around 10 a.m., Southampton Town police said. 

They were stopped and, during an interview, police saw crack cocaine on the driver’s side floor of the vehicle. A crack pipe was later found in Ms. Liggon’s bra. Mr. Roach was seen putting his hands into his pockets and was then found to have crack cocaine folded into a $1 bill inside a cigarette box in his pocket, police said.

Ms. Liggon was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and traffic violations.

Mr. Roach was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, police said.

The Riverhead Town Board said at its work session Thursday that they will decide next week what private roads will be plowed by the town highway department next winter.

The issue came to a head last year when Highway Superintendent George Woodson sent a letter to residents of private roads saying the department would no longer plow snow on private roads, even though it has done so for years on many of those roads.

The board ultimately made a list of roads it had plowed for at least 10 years and held a hearing the proposal to allow such snow plowing and cold patching on those roads, in exchange for eliminating any private road signs. Some residents wanted to remain private, others wanted the town to provide the services. But the Town Board has yet to decide which roads it will take allow to be plowed and patched.

Also at work session, the board decided, again, to sell the dilapidated East Lawn building to Isabelle and Mary Gonzalez for $130,000. They had decided to do that two weeks ago, then reconsidered when two new offers came in, then changed their minds back on Thursday.

To read what else was discussed at the work session, click below to read a recap of News-Review reporter Tim Gannon’s live blog of the meeting and scroll down for the meeting agenda.

June_4,_2015_-_Agenda(1) by Timesreview

Guardian Angels members spent their patrol introducing themselves to the public and handing out informational pamphlets. (Credit: Guardian Angels)

The Angels stood their ground, and the panhandlers near the Riverhead train station “scattered.”

So said Benjamin Garcia, the patrol director for the NYC Guardian Angels, an anti-crime group that took to the downtown area for patrols Wednesday afternoon into the night.

“You had people hanging out at the station, standing in front of the grocery store asking for money,” Mr. Garcia said Thursday morning. “The people who were hanging out, they weren’t happy to see us. So that’s their tough luck.

“They wanted to know, why are you here?” he continued. “I said we’re here to make everybody safe. And once they saw I wasn’t moving for nothing, that’s when everybody scattered.”

Mr. Garcia was joined by one other Guardian Angel when patrols started at 1 p.m. on Railroad Avenue. Two more Angels who came west from Greenport joined the crew at 4 p.m. They all patrolled until about 10 p.m, Mr. Garcia said.

During that time they were also greeted by a Riverhead Town police officer who stopped her patrol car to come and say hello.

“She was very happy to see us,” he said.

The group has been welcomed to town by Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter and Police Chief David Hegermiller, though some other Town Board members have expressed reservations.

The Riverhead Business Improvement District recently came out against the Angels in Riverhead, saying the patrols might create a perception of lawlessness that doesn’t really exist.

But on Wednesday, aside from the what Mr. Garcia described as people just hanging out bother people for money, most passersby and the owners and employees of the Hispanic businesses, where the Angels did the bulk of their patrols, seemed happy to see them as they walked around, handing out informational flyers to recruit new members.

Anyone interested in joining the Guardian Angels can call (347) 942-2886.

mwhite@timesreview.com

Caption: Benjamin Garcia shakes hands with a Riverhead police officer on Griffing Avenue.

A former editor of the Riverhead News-Review and a “lifelong newspaper man,” Robert Wacker died Tuesday night. He was 92. 

Mr. Wacker, who helmed Riverhead’s weekly newspaper in the 1970s, also worked in numerous public relations and journalism jobs, including handling East End and court coverage for Newsday.

He met his wife of over 50 years, Ronnie, while working as a reporter for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

Robert ‘Bob’ Wacker

One of Mr. Wacker’s proudest moments of his career was when he broke for Newsday the story about former New York Governor Hugh Carey seeking state condemnation on his neighbor’s home on Shelter Island because he believed it would block his view. His son, Tim Wacker, said that after his father reported the story, the neighbor was allowed to build the home.

“He wrote for papers for [many] years so it’s hard to pick out which [stories] are his greatest,” his son said, adding that his father loved covering the court system.

In addition to journalism, Bob Wacker, as he was known, was a political junkie and a skilled debater able to argue any point, his son said. He also served in the United States Army during World War II, from which he was medically discharged.

Among the greatest memories his family has of him were those captured during family vacations, his son said.

“When we were very young, we were living in New Jersey, my father quit his very high-paying job, packed the whole family into a van and took the whole summer to drive up to Alaska,” Tim Wacker said. “That was the kind of person he was. He took chances and always came out on top.”

After that trip, the Wacker family settled in Cutchogue, where Bob lived until moving to Peconic Landing in Greenport.

“He was the most fun, that’s the truth,” said Tim Wacker of his late father, who he described as always being the center of the party and very able to command a stage.

Mr. Wacker is survived by his five sons: Jim, Christopher, Jonathan, Tim and Thomas. The family is inviting friends of Bob Wacker to celebrate his life at their Nassau Point home June 14 from 2 to 5 p.m.

nsmith@timesreview.com

The McGann-Mercy Class of 2015 at Wednesday’s graduation ceremony. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

The Class of 2015 at Bishop McGann-Mercy High School celebrated and said goodbye Wednesday evening during the graduation liturgy and commencement ceremony.

Valedictorian Elison Louis of Mastic and salutatorian Magdalena Duda of Riverhead addressed the student body and the school’s chaplain, Reverend Gerald Cestare, presided over the ceremony. Principal Carl Semmler and assistant principal Lisa Navarra presented academic honors and the diplomas were conferred by Bishop William Murphy.

The Class of 2015 featured students from as far east as Montauk and Greenport and as far west as Patchogue and Port Jefferson. The students received more than $12.4 million in scholarship offers; 100 percent of graduates will be pursuing post secondary studies or serving in the military, the school said.

See more photos below:

Meghan Bossone (left) and Adafih Blackburn (right) pose for a photo with Bishop William Murphy. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Bishop William Murphy gets friendly with Alyson Touhey of Pennsylvania and her 10-month-old son Killian before the graduation ceremony. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Valedictorian Elison Louis greets Bishop William Murphy. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Bereket Watts of Southold flashes a warm smile for Bishop William Murphy. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Jessica Marmelstein of Coram helps classmate City Le of MIller Place with her tassel. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

English teacher Monique Hernandez helps Taylor Konkel of Flanders button up her gown. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Jack Van de Wetering and his son Kurt in a climate controlled greenhouse area that they would modify to grow medical marijuana. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

The East End would be hard-pressed to find a more respected farmer and concerned community member than Jack Van de Wetering to be the face of a possible medical marijuana operation.

His contributions to Riverhead Town alone, where he operates Ivy Acres nurseries, are too numerous to list here. Among them, the longtime board of directors member at Peconic Bay Medical Center has donated plants and flowers to dozens of nonprofits, including the generous donations that helped get the hospital’s immensely popular Garden Festival fundraiser off the ground two decades ago. Years back, he even bankrolled a “town gardener” to help keep downtown Riverhead looking nice.

A former News-Review Person of the Year and Businessperson of the Year who employs 700 people in three states, Mr. Van de Wetering also has the experience and credentials needed to deliver on his promise of sustaining a successful operation and bringing good-paying jobs to Riverhead Town — should his business be one of five growers selected by the state.

The point is, this isn’t some outside company looking to set up shop on the North Fork and tap into its resources only to leave and sell its farmland for a residential subdivision when the business landscape changes. Aside from sales tax revenues to Suffolk County, when Mr. Van de Wetering and his son Kurt say their philanthropic give-back to the region would amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars, they mean it. They’ve proven that time and again.

On the other hand, Riverhead Town Board members shouldn’t be faulted for not throwing their support behind the Van de Weterings’ application with a letter to Albany. Keep in mind they only learned about the application last Thursday and three board members, reluctant to support the project so quickly, said they needed to do more research.

At the paper, we’ve done our research. We’ve reviewed the Van de Weterings’ application, are familiar with the state law and have full confidence that the positives of this operation would far outweigh any negatives. If the Ivy Acres site isn’t chosen, these sales tax revenues and solid careers in horticulture will go elsewhere in New York State — or on Long Island.

Elected leaders in Suffolk County should take time to examine the application, of course, but should support the project based on its merits — not on fears for the future.

Unfounded fears about its dangers are the reason it took the state so long to adopt a medical marijuana law in the first place.

• Jameula Carter of Flanders, 33, was arrested Sunday on Evergreen Road after he was seen attempting to cross Flanders Road around 6:40 p.m. and nearly being struck by multiple vehicles. He was seen having difficultly walking. He was determined to be under the influence of PCP. A glass jar containing PCP was found in Mr. Carter’s left front pants pocket, police said. 

He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and public appearance under the influence of narcotics or drugs, police said.

• A Flanders woman had the front window of her car broken on Port Street in Flanders last week, police said.

Police said the woman reported last Tuesday that her wallet, which contained six or seven credit cards, was missing. No arrest has been made.

• Two men were arrested on Old Quogue Road Friday after they were seen around 7:15 p.m. stumbling into traffic. Denzel Faines, 24, of Northampton and Willie Bryant, 34, of Flanders were later determined to be under the influence of PCP, police said.

Upon arrest, Mr. Faines was found to be in possession of five glassine envelopes containing heroin, police said, though a police report made no mention of PCP being recovered.

Both were charged with public appearance under the influence of a narcotic or drug and disorderly conduct obstructing traffic. Mr. Faines was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, officials said.

• Kevin Smith, 39, of Flanders was arrested at the intersection of Montauk Highway and Canoe Place Road last Thursday after being stopped for a traffic infraction around 11 p.m. An odor of marijuana was smelled coming from the car and, upon further investigation, an empty baggie containing cocaine residue was seen on the driver’s side floor. Two baggies containing crack cocaine were also found on the defendant, police said.

Mr. Smith was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and traffic violations, police said.

• A Riverhead man was arrested on Old Quogue Road last Thursday after he used a metal pipe to rob two men who were walking around 3:45 p.m., police said. Anthony Jenkins, 50, approached the men, asked them for money and then hit them with the pipe. The men fought back and Mr. Jenkins ran into the woods. The victims were treated for minor injuries. Suffolk County Police Aviation and Suffolk County Sheriff K-9 responded to the area and Mr. Jenkins was arrested a short time later near the scene, officials said.

He was charged with first-degree robbery, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and assault in the second degree police said.

• Police said 23-year-old Victor Irizarry of Riverside broke into a home on Pine Court in Northampton on Jan. 22 and stole a Sony PlayStation, which he’s accused of later selling, police said.

Mr. Irizarry was arrested and charged last Wednesday with second-degree burglary.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

Seven people on Pine Court in Northampton were arrested on drug charges last week as part of an East End Drugs Task Force investigation, authorities said.

The arrests occurred between 11:30 p.m. last Wednesday and 2 a.m. last Thursday, according to Southampton Town police reports.

A spokesman for the Suffolk County district attorney’s office said he couldn’t offer additional details on the arrests, since prosecutors are in the process of presenting evidence to a grand jury.

Among the arrested were four Northampton residents, a man and woman from Riverhead and a 17-year-old whose identity was not released:

Dana Barrow, 33, of Northampton was charged with felony drug possession with the intent to sell, misdemeanor use of drug paraphernalia and drug possession.

Daris Reddick, 45, of Northampton was also charged with felony drug possession with the intent to sell, and two other counts of drug possession. Tyrone Ligon, 44, of Northampton and Carolyn Parker, 42, of Riverhead face the same felony charge.

Mr. Ligon was additionally charged with one count of misdemeanor drug possession, while Ms. Parker faces a violation for possession of marijuana.

Both Alfred Cowell, 35, of Riverhead and Christopher Nucito, 26, of Northampton were charged misdemeanor drug possession.

Police said a 17-year-old, whose named was not released, was also arrested. Information about their arraignments was not immediately available.

An osprey couple is preparing for the birth of its three babies in a nest on the North Fork.

Best of all, you can be there to watch it. The hatchlings’ arrival — expected any day now — is being filmed and shown via a live video stream online.

Tax Reduction Services (TRS) is sponsoring Osprey Zone, a website that allows people to watch the osprey couple, affectionately named George and Gracie, in their nest with a view of the Peconic Bay.

The exact location of the nest hasn’t been revealed since the company doesn’t want people spooking the birds, said TRS president Paul Henry.

The feed has been live on the site since June 1. The osprey family has been seen nesting in that location since April, according to comments on the site.

Mr. Henry, who set up the streaming software, said he plans on making the website a permanent installation. He’ll use clips from the footage filmed this summer to make a documentary that will run on the site during the winter.

“We have footage from last year when they started building the nest and we’re getting footage of the babies being born and fed and learning to fly,” he said. “Hopefully during next spring, they come back and do it all again.”

Osprey Zone also features saved videos. The one- to two-minute long clips feature the birds returning to the nest with a fish, guarding the eggs, communicating with each other and more.

Mr. Henry said that while the hatching of the babies is exciting, there’s more to the birds’s story than that.

“There’s a wonderful story about how [the osprey] came back from near extinction,” he said. “That’s a very big part of story and my interest as well.”

He said that while he has a personal interest in both the osprey and filming, TRS is sponsoring the livestream for the community and Long Island as a whole to enjoy.

“I really think this is a really valuable thing here,” said Mr. Henry. “We have people contacting us who are bedridden, students, or disabled who are just watching it and enjoying it. It’s kind of calming. I think there’s a certain medicinal value to it in the way it affects people.”

nsmith@timesreview.com

Riverhead School District teachers will be serving frozen treats next week at Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices in Riverhead to raise money for elementary school enrichment programs.

This is the second time the Riverhead Central Faculty Association is hosting the “Scoop for Scholarships” event.

Frank LoPresti, who co-owns the Italian ice shop, said the fundraiser was a terrific occasion.

“We had a fabulous time with the RCFA fundraiser in September and we are thrilled to be able to give back Riverhead’s elementary students again,” he said.

According to the district, 20 teachers volunteered for the fundraiser last year; they raised over $600.

The next “Scoop for Scholarships” event is scheduled for Sunday, June 14, between noon and 3 p.m. when faculty association members will volunteer to scoop ices for customers and the Ralph’s will donate to the fund in return.

Ralph’s is located at 309 E. Main St. in Riverhead.

Over the past several weeks, the East End’s waterways have been inundated with toxic red and mahogany tides resulting in die-offs of diamondback terrapin (turtles), bunker and alewives. Our local media have done a good job of not only reporting on these occurrences but also speaking with the experts to explain them. So I was infuriated when Riverhead Supervisor Walter, asked about these die-offs, was quoted as saying that previous rain “may have washed toxins into the water” and quickly backed away from the “toxic” idea, saying later when asked about scientists’ findings, “Yeah, well everybody has their own theory. Mine is that the bluefish are chasing them into the river.”

Yeah, the bluefish are to blame.

This reminded me of the mayor in “Jaws” who, when presented with facts and conclusions by a scientist, said, “I don’t think either of one you are familiar with our problems.” Denial doesn’t solve any problem. As Dr. Chris Gobler of Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences has reported, the observations, the measurements and the science tell us that the red and mahogany tides, and the nitrogen in the water that fuels them, is the root cause. Not one person’s theory. Fact.
Could some bluefish have chased some baitfish up a river or creek? Sure. But that’s not the problem. It highlights a symptom.

See also: Riverhead Town scrambling to fix ‘critical’ situation 

The problem is that our waterways are in terrible shape. Some of it could be due to natural factors. For example, warmer waters hold less dissolved oxygen, and warmer water may be the new norm as a result of climate change. But you can’t ignore more, larger, longer-lasting and more toxic red tides across the Peconic Estuary. Water and red tides don’t know town boundaries. We’re all connected and these are all of our problems.

These algal blooms, like the mahogany tide, inhibit surface water mixing and the absorption of dissolved oxygen, driving oxygen levels down at night. When these organisms die, they sink to the bottom and decompose, which uses up the remaining dissolved oxygen in these lower, colder waters. The result is the readings of no oxygen that have been recorded in so many areas this spring and which mean that fish and other aquatic animals die. Fact.

But at the heart of the problem is the growing level of nitrogen in our waters: nitrogen from the wastewater treatment plant – whose effluent is piped into the Peconic River – nitrogen moving from our septic systems into our waters and nitrogen from home and farm fertilizers.

You want to blame bluefish? The blame lies in building beyond what our land and current wastewater treatment systems can handle. Higher density building – like Summerwind’s 51 units on a third of an acre – and more large-scale retail and commercial space – like along Route 58 – being added to Riverhead’s municipal wastewater treatment system means more nitrogen going into our river and bays. It’s that simple.

Of course, the rebuttal is that the treatment plant meets EPA standards and isn’t to blame. EPA standards are outdated and based on meeting drinking water standards of 10 parts per million (ppm) of nitrate. That’s fine for people, but the threshold level of nitrogen for a healthy, self-sustaining marine environment is around 0.5 ppm — or 20 times lower than the drinking water standard. We’re nowhere near that level in many of our local waters and, as a result, we have greater problems like the ones we’ve seen these past weeks.

It’s not the bluefish. It’s us, the people. But just like in “Jaws,” where any shark caught meant that the problem was solved, I can see the posters for this year’s snapper tournament: Help stop fish die-offs. Catch a snapper and reduce the number of bluefish, making our waters safe again.
In “Jaws,” the mayor said, “… it’s all psychological. You yell barracuda, everybody says, ‘Huh? What?’ You yell shark, we’ve got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July.”

In Riverhead, you blame bluefish for the fish die-off and some people think, “I guess.” You tell them that our waters are polluted, that you can’t eat the shellfish or that you can’t swim our beaches and you have a panic. You know what? I think we may need a good panic so maybe residents and businesses will demand that something be done.

I’ve been here for 55 years. I used to marvel at the huge schools of bunker and bluefish filling our waters every day. I haven’t seen those sights during the past 35 years. Some of it is overfishing, but it’s also due to the state of our waters. That’s the problem and that’s what we need to fix, all of us.

And for our elected officials in Riverhead: Rising sea level, warmer water temperatures, stronger storms, greater flooding and increased shoreline erosion — all stemming from climate change — are not theory, but fact. We can’t blame the bluefish for that, either.

Bill Toedter is president of North Fork Environmental Council, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group based in Mattituck.