The Riverhead Industrial Development Agency is working to become more accessible to the public, members told the Town Board during a work session last week. 

In June, the agency announced that IDA meetings will be streamed live on channel 22 on Cablevision and on the Riverhead Town website, where they will be archived afterward.

Lori Ann Pipczynski said that the IDA amended its application, so now there will be a summary sheet on the first page that will be posted to the website before every public hearing.

“This way the public has, in a nutshell, what that application entails,” she said.

She also said for more complex proposals, the board has put together synopses that involves more details than a summary.

Meeting agendas are now located on the homepage of the IDA website. She also uploaded a powerpoint that was previously shared with the town board explaining what the IDA’s role is in the community.

The agency has begun posting quarterly reports on its website, listing public hearings, presentations and approvals given during the previous three months.

The IDA has authorized the involvement of an outside consultant who will provide assistance to Tracy James-Stark, executive director of the IDA, in maintaining the website and indexing project information. There will also be a new projects page on the site, which will highlight some reasons a project was approved. Proposals that are denied will not appear on the quarterly reports, but those interested will be able to view them in the minutes.

“Those are the things we’re happy to report over the last six months and I think that you’ll see a lot more accessibility,” Ms. Pipczynski said.

The IDA requested a town board liaison, and Town Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith said it is something she would consider. The liaison would not have a vote, but would be able to offer opinions.

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Gazing out at the Peconic River, Joyce Novak can’t help but ponder its past. 

Ms. Novak, newly appointed director of the Peconic Estuary Program, is especially interested in studying how the estuary has evolved. She already plans to go paleo — by examining fossils — to find some answers. 

“When we understand the past, in many senses we can plan for the future,” she said.

She comes to the Peconic after working for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s Blue Belt program, which focuses on green infrastructure and stormwater management. Before that, she spent 15 years in Ireland earning a master’s in ecology from the National University of Ireland in Galway, working on sustainable fisheries and, in 2017, earning a doctorate in coastal oceanography from the University of Limerick. She began in her new role May 7.

A native of Queens, Ms. Novak says she’s always been drawn to the coast. “My aunt and uncle have a house in Montauk, so I grew up surfcasting in Ditch Plains,” she said. “I’ve always spent my free time on the water.”

That’s what led her to Ireland, an island she said was the perfect locale to study rising sea levels, water quality and the fishing industry. 

Now back on her native island, Ms. Novak looks forward to continuing her coastal work. “Being able to bring coastal science to another coastline is exciting,” she said.

One of her first priorities will be gathering public feedback for the organization’s updated Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan, which hasn’t seen updates since it was approved in 2001. 

“It’s a way for us to look at what we’ve done wrong, what we’ve done right and what people think some of our future actions and goals should be,” she said. “And ensuring that people who historically have used the Peconics — whether it’s for their livelihood or for recreation — can still maintain that level of access.”

As PEP director, Ms. Novak will also oversee restoration projects, like establishing fish passages, wetland and water quality issues and community engagement, especially in schools. “Groups of high school students, for one class or one assignment during their four years, should be doing something on the Peconics if that’s what their backyard is. To really get their hands wet, quite literally, and their feet muddy and see what’s happening,” she said.

Along the Peconic, a fish passage was established in Grangebel Park in 2016, and Ms. Novak said there are plans to continue that project upstream. “It’s not about removing the dam, but giving the fish access” to their breeding grounds, she explained.

Another goal is helping Suffolk County towns and villages tap into grant money that’s available to complete these types of projects.

Water quality remains at the top of her agenda. “We’re quite concerned about the harmful algal blooms that occur,” she said, calling for more research into combating the annual blooms. Decades ago, brown tide was a major concern in the Peconic Estuary. Today, algal blooms including red, rust and mahogany tides, are more prevalent, but they weren’t included in PEP’s original management plan.

“Living shoreline” projects will see seaweed, grasses and ribbed mussels planted in waterways in Southold and Greenport. Ms. Novak plans to monitor how they affect nitrogen levels over several years.

Climate change is another key issue not addressed in the 2001 plan, and Ms. Novak hopes to focus on how rising sea levels will affect the Peconic Estuary. “In the last five years, everything I’ve done has come back to coastal resiliency. I think we have to learn that we’re not going to conquer [climate change],” she said, calling for a more realistic approach to things like storm management. “It’s about planning now, rather than saying we’re going to build back better, bigger and stronger every time.”

Though the Peconic Estuary Program has faced financial insecurity — EPA funding remains on the chopping block — Ms. Novak is hopeful that elected leaders will see the importance of the issue.

“On Long Island, representatives from both parties have fought for estuary programs, which is a great thing. It seems to be something that everyone can come together on,” she said.

Photo caption: Joyce Novak is the newly appointed director of the Peconic Estuary Program. (Credit: Tara Smith)

tsmith@timesreview.com

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The former First Parish Church in Northville is up for sale, but a potential sympathetic buyer hopes to take it off the market soon.

The Long Island Buddhist Meditation Center has confirmed interest in buying the property, at the corner of Sound Avenue and Church Lane, with an eye toward preservation. 

“We want to preserve this gorgeous piece of history on the East End,” said Don Jayamaha of Mattituck, treasurer of LIBMC. 

He also said that LIBMC would like the congregation that currently worships there, Community Baptist Church, to remain. The meditation center, which is directly across the street, will not move into the church, according to Mr. Jayamaha, but does wish to preserve it.

He said they are currently negotiating with the United Church of Christ, which owns the building.

The church, originally organized in 1829, erected its first building in Aquebogue in 1832. It moved to Sound Avenue in 1834, to a building that was later used as a Grange Hall. That building is currently the meditation center, which opened its doors there in March 2017.

A new church was built across the street in 1859. It later burned down and another building followed. That church also burned, in 1901, and was replaced by the current structure, known then as Sound Avenue Congregational Church, in 1904.

That building sits on .68 acres and received town historic landmark status in 1981, which is designed to protect its exterior appearance, according to local historian Richard Wines.

Mr. Wines also said the 1904 church was designed by a Brooklyn architect and built by local carpenters.

“It was kind of the latest thing in church architecture when it was designed, with its two towers and Gothic look,” he said.

In 1860, after the church relocated, Grange Hall became a school, the Northville Academy, Mr. Wines told the News-Review in 2014. The space later became a community center for local farmers who belonged to the National Grange, a nonprofit that advocates for rural America.

The auditorium in the church is set up in a semicircle, with the floor sloping down toward the main stage, surround by original stained-glass windows. The interior is lined with thousands of small diamond-shaped wooden shingles, all with the original varnish.

“It’s certainly historically significant given the history of the congregation, and it’s architecturally significant,” Mr. Wines said. 

The town’s Landmark Preservation Commission maintains a watch list of properties to make sure historically significant buildings are preserved.

“We want to make sure it winds up in good hands,” he added.

Listing agent Sherry Patterson of Tuccio Real Estate in Riverhead said that there was an accepted offer, but the property is not officially sold yet because there is no contract.

“Hopefully everything goes well,” Mr. Jayamaha said. “We are negotiating with the UCC. I’m pretty confident right now that we can come to some sort of agreement with them.”

rsiford@timesreview.com

Photo caption: The church at the corner of Church Lane and Sound Avenue in Northville is up for sale. The former First Parish Church was declared a town landmark in 1981. (Rachel Siford photo) 

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After three generations, Gail Boyd and her brother, Wayne, are finally able to memorialize their great-grandparents’ gravesite.

The siblings had long know that Louisa Elizabeth Hunter and George Anderson Brazier Sr., both of Native American ancestry, were buried at Mattituck Presbyterian Church. They died two years apart, in 1920 and 1922, respectively. Ms. Boyd said her grandmother and mother had both tried to get a headstone placed there, but had been discouraged by the church. 

“My grandmother, mother and I frequented the area, so I knew where they were buried,” said Ms. Boyd, who lives in Flanders. “My grandmother wanted to put a tombstone on the site, but she was discouraged. Every time. She was not given permission to put a tombstone at the church. They just couldn’t believe that they were buried there, and she had the paperwork.”

After her grandmother passed away in 1980, her mother continued the effort to memorialize the site, but was also unsuccessful.

Gail Boyd and her brother, Wayne. (Jeremy Garretson photo)

Finally, with the help of Hollis Warner, owner of Peconic Monument Works in Riverhead, and the church’s transition to an electronic records system, Ms. Boyd was able to have its official archives examined and confirm the location of her great-grandparents’ burial. 

Church bookkeeper Janice Fliss said it is unclear why Ms. Boyd’s family had trouble getting the burial site properly marked.

“I couldn’t tell you why,” she said. “Usually there’s no trouble doing this. The wheels just turn slowly and we have to dot our Is and cross our Ts.” 

“I had to write a letter,” Ms. Boyd said, “saying we’re not going to corrupt anything, we just want to put a tombstone there and get some closure for our family. That’s all we wanted, closure. About five weeks later, I got a phone call saying that it’s been approved and, boy, did we move.”

Ms. Boyd said her great-grandparents were known around Mattituck as “the little Indian couple.” Ms. Hunter was 4 feet 11 inches tall; Mr. Brazier was around 5 feet 3 inches tall. Ms. Boyd said Ms. Hunter was known to grow her hair below her waist, then cut and sell it to help support the family. She was a seamstress, and sold clothes to women around the town. Mr. Brazier was a seaman.

“They got married; she was about 18, he was about 38,” Ms. Boyd said. “He then settled down, and farmed the land in Mattituck. But he was a seaman all those years before. His father was a sailor, too. They had four children, two boys and two girls, and one of them happened to be my grandmother, Viola Brazier-Murray.”

A headstone for Louisa and George Brazier was put in place and a dedication was held July 22 at the church, led Ms. Boyd, who told stories about her great-grandparents and the hardships they faced in life. 

At the ceremony, the Rev. John Carrick said, “Gail described how the Native American population lived as agricultural workers and household servants, which struck me with its modern parallel to the Hispanic population … I prayed to the other graves which remain unmarked and gave thanks to God, who knows each one by name.”

“It’s just something that we figured we’d do after all these years to just keep some faith,” Ms. Boyd said, “and it took 98 years. It had to be on my watch, because I have no children. It’s all about closure.”

Photo caption: Family and friends came to mark the occasion (Jeremy Garretson photo)

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Will the real warriors, please stand up?

In one dugout we have the Long Island Road Warriors, whose nickname speaks for itself. Across from them, in the other dugout, we have the Riverhead Tomcats, who have shown the warrior spirit through their play.

By tomorrow evening, the ultimate warriors will be crowned.

Last year, as an expansion team, the Road Warriors won the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League championship. The Tomcats are the only one of the league’s seven active teams to have never won a league title.

If the Road Warriors are to repeat as champions, they can expect quite a fight on their hands, given what the Tomcats did in Game 2 of the championship series Tuesday.

Even in defeat, the Tomcats demonstrated how dangerous they can be when cornered. Despite trailing 11-5 through eight innings at Southampton High School, the Tomcats mounted a five-run rally in the top of the ninth inning. A pair of two-run homers by Eduardo Malinowski and Matt Daller, sandwiched around an RBI double by Connor Echols, pulled the Tomcats to within 11-10 with two outs. Miles Kelly of Mattituck was sent up as a pinch hitter with Josh Greene on first base, but reliever Brandon LaManna struck him out to end it.

The result forces a decisive third game tomorrow at Veterans Memorial Park in Calverton.

“These guys, they come back,” Tomcats coach John Galanoudis said. “They’re ready to go no matter what, and I know there’s a ton of fight in these guys.”

This has all the promise of being a special season for the Tomcats, who finished the regular season in first place for the first time in their 10-year history. They earned the top seed in the playoffs and picked up their first postseason win in six years. Now, they’re on the verge of capping their greatest season ever with a coveted championship. The club had reached the championship series twice before — in 2010 and 2012.

“I don’t think our team rolls over for people,” Daller said. “We have a lot of confidence.”

And a lot of firepower. Of the 29 hits in Tuesday’s slugfest, 17 came off Riverhead bats.

Through four innings, the only hit the Road Warriors had was Eric Roubal’s three-run homer that was followed over the fence by the diving leftfielder, Echols, in the second inning.

Two North Forkers play for the Road Warriors — second baseman Marcos Perivolaris of Mattituck and rightfielder Matt Stepnoski of Southold. They both made contributions to the Long Island win. Perivolaris robbed Chris Stefl (3-for-5, two RBIs) of a hit in the first inning, running to his left in shallow centerfield before making a diving catch for the third out. He also lined a single in the seventh. One of Stepnoski’s two hits was a bounced single that brought him two of his seven RBIs in the playoffs.

In many ways it was a close game, but the Tomcats ran into a bad inning. A really bad inning.

It came in the fifth. The Road Warriors sent 13 batters to the plate and put up seven runs. Stepnoski’s two-run hit came during that surge, which also included a two-run single by Thomas Colombo, an RBI single by Roubal (3-for-5, four RBIs) and bases-loaded walks by Ben McNeill and Patrick Lagravinese.

Joe Valentino, one of five pitchers used by the Road Warriors, was credited with the win, throwing three innings of four-hit relief and allowing one unearned run.

The way the Tomcats turned a game that appeared on the verge of a runaway into a thriller had to be chilling for the Road Warriors.

So, at this point, is this exciting or nerve-wracking for the Tomcats?

“It’s definitely exciting, but we’re all college athletes, so I think we all know how to handle pressure, and we’re all ready for it,” said Daller.

What’s the Tomcats’ mindset heading into Game 3?

“At this point, you got to win,” Stefl said. “You’ve gone this far, you might as well win it.”

Spoken like a true warrior.

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Matt Daller is congratulated by Chris Stefl after his two-run homer in the ninth inning pulled Riverhead to within 11-10 of Long Island. (Credit: Robert O’Rourk)

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The North Fork Ospreys didn’t reach the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League playoffs, but one of the Ospreys did. It’s part of Markus Melendez’s strange but enjoyable baseball summer.

Melendez, a senior catcher for Mitchell College in Connecticut, started out the summer with the Mystic Schooners of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. After a couple of weeks, his temporary contract with the Schooners expired. Melendez headed to Centereach to spend the summer with his father when he was asked if he wanted to play for the Ospreys, who needed a catcher.

Just like that, he was an Osprey.

Fast forward to July 22. The Ospreys were to play their final regular-season game that night against the Tomcats. The game was suspended after three innings because of rain. As Melendez was packing up his gear, he received a text message from Tomcats assistant coach Niko Bedell, inquiring if he would be interested in joining the Riverhead club for the playoffs. One of the Tomcats’ catchers, Ben Jackson, had to go home, leaving the team with only one catcher, Trevor Fagan.

Melendez’s reaction?

“At first I was like, ‘That’s awesome! Thank you so much for the opportunity. Is that allowed?’ ”

Good question. That had to be checked, but the league quickly gave its approval.

Interestingly, the suspended Tomcats-Ospreys game resumed on July 23. Melendez played his last game for the Ospreys against the Tomcats, the team he, and others, knew he would officially be joining later that day.

“I’m playing against Riverhead, and they know at this point that I’m going to join their team, so I go up for my first at-bat as an Osprey and [the Tomcats are] cheering for me,” he said. “… It was a surreal experience.”

Later that day, Melendez played his first game with the Tomcats in their final regular-season game against the Shelter Island Bucks.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better last-minute sub,” Tomcats coach John Galanoudis said. “He’s a hard worker. He understands the game. It was a very smooth transition. I remember when we went over signs for the first time. It was like that,” he added, snapping his fingers.

Entering Game 3 of the league finals against the Long Island Road Warriors Wednesday, Melendez had put up a .236 batting average with three homers and 11 RBIs in 25 combined games for the Ospreys and Tomcats.

Melendez’s new teammates roared their approval Friday when, wearing a borrowed helmet from Eduardo Malinowski, he blasted a two-run homer in an 11-5 loss to the Sag Harbor Whalers in Game 2 of the semifinals at Mashashimuet Park.

“Thank you, North Fork,” Galanoudis said after the game. “Markus coming aboard has been a huge help for us.”

For Melendez, the decision not to pack his bags for home after the regular season wasn’t much of a choice at all.

“This is possibly my last summer of playing ball, and I just couldn’t see myself hanging them up,” the 5-10, 175-pounder from Storrs, Conn, said. “I loved every minute with the Ospreys, but at the same time, I’m really enjoying my time as a Tomcat. These guys are really cool. They’ve taken me in like I’ve been here all summer. I can’t thank them enough.”

Perhaps the feeling is mutual.

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Markus Melendez has caught on with Riverhead, the third team he has played for this summer. (Credit: Robert O’Rourk)

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The Tomcats are the top cats.

No longer can the Riverhead Tomcats be called the only one of the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League’s seven active teams to have never won a league championship. Instead, just call them league champions.

The third time was a charm for the Tomcats in their third league championship series. Eduardo Malinowski drove in three runs, Chris Stefl homered and Casey Aubin pitched six innings of scoreless, one-hit ball as the Tomcats turned in a convincing Game 3 performance against the defending champion Long Island Road Warriors Wednesday. After closer Beau Keathley induced Marcos Perivolaris of Mattituck to pop up, the ball settled into the glove of Malinowski, the second baseman, and it was over. The Tomcats were 8-4 winners and, more importantly, league champions for the first time in their 10-year history.

Gloves flew and then a dogpile formed on the side of the pitcher’s mound at Veterans Memorial Park in Calverton. A couple of Tomcats snuck up behind general manager Patti Moore-White and dumped a bucket of water over her head in celebration.

“This group has been through a lot,” said the Tomcats’ rookie coach, John Galanoudis, referring to injuries and off-the-field issues. “They’ve faced a ton of adversity, things not going our way. We’ve had to grind it out the entire summer.”

And what a summer it has been. The Tomcats finished the regular season in first place (one point ahead of the Road Warriors) for the first time, putting up a 24-13-3 record. They entered the playoffs on a seven-game win streak, having won nine of 10 games. And then they went 4-2 in the playoffs.

What was their secret?

Staying loose and having fun.

“We decided to start playing carefree because we were stressing about some stuff that was going on on the side, and that’s when we were getting pulled apart and we lost a couple of games that we shouldn’t have lost,” Malinowski said. “We started playing stress-free baseball and carefree baseball, and that’s when we started stringing wins together.”

The Tomcats, oozing with confidence, looked loose Wednesday. It showed in their offense. Right off the bat they hit well, as is their custom. They looked locked in and led, 3-0, after one inning, stretching that to 8-0 by the seventh.

“I knew if we just pitched decently we were going to win because we have the bats,” said Stefl, the designated hitter whose opposite-field homer to lead off the seventh made it 8-0.

Two innings earlier, Josh Greene had made it 7-0 by banging a two-run single past third baseman Ben McNeill.

Malinowski (six RBIs in the series) and Stefl (seven hits in the three games) were named the championship series co-MVPs.

Aubin, normally a reliever, shut the Road Warriors down through the first six innings. He had seven strikeouts, walked two and hit a batter. That wasn’t all, though. Aubin made one of the plays of the year in the fifth when he used lightning quick reflexes to nab a line drive hit back at him before throwing to first base to complete a double play.

“Once I saw that, I knew this game was on our side,” said Stefl.

Aubin’s pitch count was 91 when the ball was handed over to Joe Murphy before Keathley, the sidearmer, worked the final 1 2/3 innings.

The second-year Road Warriors, who were trying to become the first HCBL club to win back-to-back titles, raised an eyebrow or two when they struck for four runs in the eighth. Matt Stepnoski of Southold singled in a run, another scored on an Eric Roubal groundout and then two more came in on a Thomas Colombo single.

Long Island put two runners on base in the ninth through walks, but Keathley left them there.

Malinowski, who stole three bases, described the Tomcats’ play as “scrappy. We had the stolen bags. We had timely hitting. We had the pitching today. Everybody did their job. We came out on top.”

That’s exactly where this team that doesn’t doubt itself expected to finish.

“They’re a special group,” Galanoudis said. “I think it got to a point where guys showed up at the ballpark and expected to win.”

This is the second championship Stefl has been a part of this year. His St. John’s team won the Big East championship. Of course, that didn’t detract from his desire to add another title to his résumé.

“You always want to win,” he said. “You never want to lose.”

That’s especially true for these cool cats.

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: The Riverhead Tomcats celebrate the first league championship in their 10-year history. (Credit: Daniel De Mato)

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There’s a battle going on in the water.

In one corner, there are shellfish, particularly oysters, which many say have been making a comeback in large part due to Suffolk County’s 10-year-old aquaculture lease program, which rents underwater land in Peconic and Gardiners bays to shellfish growers.

Most of the leases involve 10 acres, and the program now has 55 leased locations totaling 785 acres, with 21 new spots proposed, officials said.

In the other corner, there are recreational boaters.

While they say they support the shellfish program, many have also raised concerns that the proliferation of floating gear and buoys associated with the shellfish program could create navigational difficulties.

One group, the Shelter Island Yacht Club, is even asking Suffolk County to enact a moratorium on new 10-acre shellfishing leases until a review of the program is undertaken.

“This would allow the county the time to address concerns that have been raised, and for all involved to come to a resolution that addresses what occurs in the water column and the navigational impact prior to applicants making the additional investment as part of a ten-year lease program,” said yacht club commodore Bryan Carey wrote in a letter to county officials.

If a moratorium can’t be implemented, Mr. Carey wrote, “we would request the county develop specifications on gear and buoy systems as part of the lease program to mitigate the impact on boaters and sailors.”

These could include “restricting the use of floating gear and a requirement for daisy chain or similar approaches to buoy systems to minimize surface hazards,” his letter said.

The yacht club’s letter was read at Monday’s meeting of the county’s aquaculture lease program, where new leases are proposed, and was submitted as a comment on nine of the 21 proposed lease sites.

Mr. Carey said Monday that a number of the locations proposed for shellfish leases “are heavily used in navigating and sailing regattas.”

Chuck Westfall of the Long Island Oyster Growers Association took exception.

He said the term “navigational hazard” comes from the Coast Guard.

“If there’s a real navigational hazard, just call the Coast Guard. It may just be a navigational inconvenience, I’ll give you that,” Mr. Westfall said. “A navigation hazard is a real thing. It shouldn’t just be bandied about as if the house is on fire.”

He added that boaters are obligated to avoid fishing gear.

“And it doesn’t matter if you’re in a race or not. That’s just the way it is,” Mr. Westfall said.

A number of people from both sides voiced their opinions at Monday’s two-and-a-half hour meeting.

“This program has allowed a renewed oyster industry to become established, creating jobs and an economic engine while providing fresh local product that our residents and visitors enjoy,” said Rob Carpenter, administrative director of the Long Island Farm Bureau. “We are in support of all oyster growers’ ability to farm, and we are opposed to any moratorium.”

The Peconic Bay Sailing Association also objected to about a dozen of the proposed shellfishing sites.

Specifically, they objected to the use of floating gear other than marker buoys to support aquaculture operations.

“The use of floating pontoons or other larger devices to support off-bottom operations presents a hazard to navigation and increases the likelihood of damage to vessels and to the floating gear itself in waters regularly used by our members and other members of the public for day sailing and racing,” association commodore Greg Cukor said in a letter to the county.

Mr. Cukor said the problem is magnified at night because the floating gear is often unlighted.

But, he added, “the revitalization of the commercial shellfishing industry is a wonderful thing for the health of the bays and the local economy.”

He said some sailing association members are part-time commercial fishermen.

Ian Wile, owner of Little Creek Oyster Farm and Market in Greenport, got his start as an oyster farmer through the county program. He said the approximately 1,010 acres being used in the aquaculture program represents about one-half of a percent of the total number of bottom acres in the Peconic Bay system.

The 55 leases currently in place, he said, have an average of three employees and create 165 direct, year-round, non-hospitality, non-tourism-related jobs.

Mr. Wile said he spent about $250,000 on shellfishing-related purchases in 2017 and had a payroll of about $188,000.

“As a lifelong recreational boater and sailor with many miles past my rudder, I understand the frustration of navigation and sharing the water,” he said. “Dodging NYC water taxis, ferries, tankers and tugs was like sailing in a game of Frogger! However, I believe that the benefit of the many versus the impact on the few is important here.”

Mr. Wile urged the county not to declare a moratorium on new shellfishing leases.

Karin Rivara of Aeros Cultured Oyster Company in Southold was on the advisory committee that created the aquaculture lease program and has been growing shellfish in the Peconics herself for more than 35 years.

She also opposed a moratorium on new leases and said she supports the new applications discussed Monday.

The county is undertaking a 10-year review of the program, as was planned all along, and can review concerns people have with the program then, she said.

“I’m just a guy who loves to sail,” said Brian Andrews of New Suffolk, who noted that his main concern pertained to the area around Robins Island.

“There is a weekly regatta there from April to the end of October. It’s about 30 boats every Wednesday night,” he said.

He said this was “an important part of life” there, and expressed concern that equipment placed there for shellfishing could create a navigational hazard.

“I want this industry to thrive, and I think most recreational boaters and users of the waterway do, as well,” said county Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Sag Harbor), who represents the South Fork and Shelter Island. She urged the aquaculture lease board to consider the impact the leases it awards may have on potentially conflicting uses.

The board plans to decide who gets which lease spaces at its next meeting Monday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. in Riverhead Town Hall.

The board also announced that its 10-year review of the lease program would begin in September. The review was planned when the program launched, officials said.

“We will make every effort to make sure that people who want to participate in this process will be given the opportunity to do so,” said DeWitt Davis of the county’s economic development and planning division. The study, Mr. Davis said, will take between 18 and 24 months.

tgannon@timesreview.com

Photo caption: As oyster farming continues to expand in waters around the North Fork, a debate has emerged over balancing the concerns of the aquaculture industry and boaters. (David Benthal photo) 

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A proposed mosque on Harrison Avenue drew support from local Muslims who packed a Riverhead Town Planning Board meeting Thursday night.

About 30 Muslims were in attendance, although only a few spoke. They say that Riverhead needs a mosque to accommodate the growing Muslim population in the area.

“I’ve lived in Flanders for the past 20 years, and there’s no mosque here,” said Yousef Mohamad. “We have a lot of Muslim people who have moved into Riverhead and Flanders. For the past 10 years, I take my kids all the way to Selden to the mosque there, because there’s nothing close here to teach them the language and the religion.”

The Riverhead Islamic Center is proposed for 1.5 acres at 751 Harrison Ave. A building currently on the property is boarded up and the proposal calls for it be renovated for use by the imam of the mosque, according to Charles Cuddy, the attorney for the applicants. That building will be approximately 1,800 square feet when it’s done. The mosque would be located in a second building, a two-story, 6,500-square-foot, masonry-type building, Mr. Cuddy said.

“I own a business here in Riverhead,” said a man who only identified himself as Malik. “I used to own a supermarket and I know all of my community … Every 7-Eleven or grocery store or gas station, they are all Muslim people.”

He said there also are a lot of Turkish people who are Muslims.

“It’s a very good thing,” he said of the mosque.

Manana Sweat, who owns a nearby home on Harrison Avenue, was not in favor of the mosque.

“I’m not against any religion,” she said, but added that she felt the mosque would increase traffic and hurt property values.

“Harrison Avenue is the worst street in the entire Town of Riverhead,” she said. “There’s too much commercial development around it and Route 58.”

Planning Board member Ed Densieski said a mosque isn’t a commercial use, and places of worship are allowed anywhere under town zoning.

“I understand that this lady is frustrated,” said Ali Hamdouchi, who supports the mosque. “This is going to be a house of God, for worship. I think it’s going to be good for her to have some peace and safety.”

He said the Muslim community is growing in Riverhead.

“We would like to see a mosque here,” he said.

Mr. Cuddy said more than half of the churches in Riverhead are in residential neighborhoods.

“And in each case, I think they have improved the residential area that they are in. I don’t see any area that has a church and is a rundown area. So I think this will be a benefit.”

The first floor of the mosque will have a men’s worship area and a women’s worship area, he said. The second floor will have kitchenette, a classroom and restrooms.

A driveway is proposed to the north of the property to avoid congestion with the school traffic from Riverhead High School. Mr. Cuddy said the most significantly attended prayer day is Friday with 40 to 50 people. It will be over by about 2 p.m., he said.

The proposed parking lot would have 65 spaces, far more than the 42 required, so that cars will be kept off the road, Mr. Cuddy said.

The Planning Board closed the public hearing, meaning it will not take any additional comments. The board did not vote on the proposal.

The next Planning Board meeting is 3 p.m. Aug. 16 in Town Hall.

Photo caption: Ali Hamdouchi speaks in  favor of a mosque in Riverhead. (Credit: Tim Gannon)

tgannon@timesreview.com

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Calling all Riverhead alumni!

The Riverhead High School Class of 1973 is hosting its 45th reunion Saturday and alumni from all classes are welcomed to join. The lobster/chicken/clam bake is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Flanders Mens Club. The $80 admission includes beer and wine.

A DJ will be spinning tunes during the five-hour event.

For more information, contact Chrissy Mickaliger Lessard at lessard812@aol.com or 516-885-9874.

The post Riverhead alumni event scheduled for Saturday appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

A holiday light show is planned for Calverton this holiday season.

Bold Broadcasting, a media company based in East Hampton, is proposing a drive-through holiday light show, similar to those held at Smith Point County Park and Jones Beach.

“Essentially, it will bring people from all over Long Island to the East End during our slower months,” Bold Broadcasting CEO Matt Glaser said at Thursday’s Town Board work session. “Hopefully, [it will] bring some business on Main Street who could definitely use the help during the slower months.”

It would take place at the Long Island Sports Park off Edwards Avenue, and would run from the week before Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.

The show features about a mile and a half of 60 large holiday displays, some as large as 100-feet wide and 30-feet high. Mr. Glaser said it takes about five to seven minutes to drive through.

“It’s a family-friendly event,” Mr. Glaser said.

The Riverhead Town Board will vote Tuesday on a resolution to approve the light show.

Board members raised concerns regarding safety and emergency access routes. Councilwoman Jodi Giglio wasn’t confident that emergency responders could easily access the area in an emergency, but Mr. Glaser said the likelihood of a fire was highly unlikely and that road is wide enough for two vehicles.

“These displays are all LED; they’re not high wattage. There’s never been any incidents with this company that we work with,” Mr. Glaser said. “If there was a fire we would usher the vehicles through, stop vehicles from entering the property and we could use the parking lot to turn vehicles around that are on the waiting line.”

The Riverhead Fire Marshal will inspect the site and said that fire extinguishers on site would be a requirement.

The show would be open Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 11 p.m., and Sundays from 5 to 9 p.m. in November. Then, in December, Thursdays are added on to the schedule from 5 to 9 p.m.

The plans include about 1,500 feet of backup space if the event experiences too much congestion, and Mr. Glaser added that if it started to disrupt traffic on Edwards Avenue, cars would be turned away. No tents or vendors are going to be invited to the light show. He also agreed to assume the cost of police intervention should the traffic start disrupting other cars on Edwards Avenue.

He did not originally plan on having any bathroom facilities because no one should be getting out of vehicles. Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith said that if people are coming from across Long Island and may have long drives, porta potties are a necessity.

The site would be staffed with private employees to sell tickets and direct traffic. Busses are not welcome, only passenger vehicles are permitted, Mr. Glaser said.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Ms. Jens-Smith said. “I think we need family entertainment here and it’s a good bonus for the area.”

Entrance fees are $23 per car online and $25 at the door.

“I hope this can become a tradition for Riverhead and everyone can look forward to coming out here for the holidays,” Mr. Glaser said.

Photo credit: Bold Broadcasting LLC.

rsiford@timesreview.com

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Optimum broadband customers will no longer have free access to newsday.com after Sept. 15, according to an email sent by Newsday publisher Debby Krenek to employees Wednesday.

Newsday will launch an exclusive free trial offer to those customers for its digital content, under an agreement between Altice USA and Newsday Media Group, which will last “through the end of the year,” according to Ms. Krenek’s email. Optimum broadband customers can pay $3.49 a week after Dec. 31.

The change comes about two years after Altice USA acquired Cablevision and Newsday. The Netherlands-based company provides Optimum cable television and internet broadband services to residential and business customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and free access to newsday.com has been available to Optimum broadband customers for about a decade, until now.

Newsday print subscribers will continue to have free access to all newsday.com content, the paper reported.

Altice will begin notifying customers of the change Wednesday via email, Newsday reported.

As part of the agreement between companies, Patrick Dolan, who owned a partial stake in Newsday, has acquired the remaining shares, becoming the sole owner of the Long Island daily newspaper.

“As a result of a new agreement between Pat Dolan and Altice USA, Pat has effectively acquired the remaining ownership stake in Newsday, which demonstrates his strong confidence in our business and in our future,” Ms. Krenek wrote in the email.

Mr. Dolan owned 75 percent of Newsday since July 2016 when he acquired his stake for an undisclosed amount from Altice USA. He is a senior network adviser at News 12 Networks, part of the Altice USA news unit.

This purchase came less than a month after Altice USA’s parent, Altice N.V. of Amsterdam, bought Cablevision Systems Corp. of Bethpage for $17.7 billion. Newsday had been owned by Cablevision since 2008, which was founded by Patrick Dolan’s father, Charles F. Dolan.

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Calverton Aviation & Technology has responded to a 4 p.m. deadline imposed by Riverhead Town to notify officials whether it would submit additional financial information in regard to its proposal to purchase 1,640 acres of town-owned land at Enterprise Park at Calverton, according to Riverhead Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith and Stuart Bienenstock of Triple Five, the majority owner of CAT.

“CAT did send a response and they said they would provide some of the financials and that they would need 14 days to do so,” Ms. Jens-Smith said in an interview Friday afternoon just after the deadline. “They weren’t willing to provide everything we requested.”

Ms. Jens-Smith said the full board will have to discuss the response with the town’s financial advisors and attorneys to determine the next step.

Mr. Bienenstock also said the letter indicated CAT would provide some of what the town requested but not all of it.

“We believe this should give the town the information they need,” he said.

The information is being required in order for the town to determine if CAT is a “qualified and eligible sponsor,” a designation required in order to sell town land in an urban renewal area such as EPCAL.

The designation is meant to show if the company has the finances and ability to carry out whatever development plan they have for the site. CAT has submitted a one-page “intended development plan” that says its “emphasis will be on development of aviation, technology and supportive uses.”

Ms. Jens-Smith and council members Tim Hubbard and Catherine Kent said at the July 17 Town Board meeting that they did not feel the financial information submitted so far was enough.

If additional information is required, it would be provided in a non-public format and would be reviewed by a nationally-known auditing firm.

The letter did not address the issue of who would pay for the auditing firm, a cost some town officials said could range from $50,000 to $100,000.

“They kind of skirted around that, saying they would provide some information to the town and that if more is required, we can discuss that at a further date,” Ms. Jens-Smith said.

The auditing firm, if needed, would not be making a decision for the Town Board, but would instead provide a finding of facts on which the Town Board could make decision, she said. She feels CAT should pay for the auditing firm.

If the town finds that the information is insufficient, it could determine that CAT is not “qualified and eligible,” Ms. Jens-Smith said.

tgannon@timesreview.com

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Two separate car accidents involving eight vehicles caused the Riverhead Fire Department and Riverhead Town Police to jump into action Friday afternoon.

The two calls were received roughly 20 minutes apart causing officials to divided their resources as they rushed to aid possible victims and clear the roadways.

The first three-vehicle accident, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Pulaski Street and Raynor Ave., send multiple people to the hospital with what is believed to be non-life threating injuries, according to officials on the scene. The crash was cleared by 4 p.m.

The second crash involved five vehicles and happened at the intersection of Sound Ave. and Edwards Ave. around 3:50 p.m. According to Riverhead police, a westbound car struck the car in front of it and kept going, hitting three more cars in the eastbound lane.

The accident closed portions of the intersection at Sound Ave. and caused congestion on Edwards near Route 25. Traffic was also slowed eastbound of Route 25 and west of Edwards. No injuries were reported and no charges were filed, according to officials at the scene.

Top photo caption: The scene at Pulaski Street on Friday afternoon. (Grant Parpan photo) 

One of three vehicles involved being towed away. (Grant Parpan photo)

The scene at Edwards Ave. on Friday. (Grant Parpan photo)

Wheel came off on one of five vehicles involved in second crash. (Grant Parpan photo)

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Riverhead Town police arrested a Melville man for driving while intoxicated in Riverhead Saturday.

Willis Lindstadt, 24, was involved in a car accident around 12:15 a.m. on Main Street when police determined he was intoxicated, officials said.

He was charged with misdemeanor aggravated driving while intoxicated and held for morning arraignment.

• A Southold woman was arrested for stealing in Riverhead last Wednesday.

Danielle Cordone, 42, reported to police headquarters in response to a criminal summons around 11:45 a.m. and after she was fingerprinted she was charged with misdemeanor petit larceny, officials said.

• Robert Hogan, 54, was charged with misdemeanor criminal contempt and a violation around 2:55 a.m. last Tuesday on Wading River Manor Road in Calverton, officials said.

• Kathleen Smith was charged with misdemeanor petit larceny at Walmart on Route 58 around 2:15 p.m. Friday, officials said.

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.

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Before they dream of playing for the New York Yankees, every young ball player envisions a day when they step onto the field in Williamsport, Pa., to play in the Little League World Series. Founded in 1947, the tournament has expanded over the years to include teams from across the globe that compete in nationally televised games.

When Riverhead Little League hosted its 66th annual opening day in late April, there was reason for optimism that this could be a special year for the boys in the 11- and 12-year-old age group — the team that would compete for Williamsport. Last year, the boys reached the District 36 Championship game with a team of mostly 11-year-olds who were returning a year older and stronger.

Beginning in late June, when the All-Stars joined together to form one team, the boys began a journey that at times felt like a magic carpet ride. With each win, and each title, the boys began to captivate a town that proudly supported them.

It was a journey that served as a reminder of what makes sports so great. Here was a group of boys playing a game they love the right way, enjoying each moment and displaying sportsmanship that some pros would be wise to emulate.

In mid-July, the All-Stars defeated East Hampton, 4-1, to win the District 36 Championship at Stotzky Park in Riverhead — for only the second time since 2008.

“It was probably the best birthday gift ever,” coach Mike Mowdy said afterward, as he celebrated his 49th birthday.

The victory sent the All-Stars into the Section 4 East championship, where, in the finals against Plainview, they pulled out a win they’ll never forget. Trailing by two runs in the final inning, Riverhead rallied for three runs and a walk-off victory that sent the team into the state tournament. It was uncharted territory for Riverhead Little League.

The moment captured by News-Review photographer Daniel De Mato of the boys mobbing teammate David Raynor, who had just delivered a two-out, two-run single, perfectly sums up the joy — the airborne coach and the players’ jaw-dropping expressions.

Although the All-Stars’ run ultimately came to an end last week in the state tournament, they will always carry those moments with them as they begin new athletic endeavors.

“I think they are the epitome of youth baseball,” their coach said.

We would agree. Thanks for the ride, boys.

Photo caption: Coaches and teammates congratulate catcher David Raynor off Riverhead after his walk-off hit against Plainview July 18. (Credit: Daniel De Mato)

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Thousands of women across 23 countries banded together for the “Global Big Latch On’ Friday, a synchronized breastfeeding event to mark World Breastfeeding Week. Four moms participated at Peconic Bay Medical Center as did four more at HRHCare Health Center, both in Riverhead.

Joined by agencies like the Suffolk County Breastfeeding Coalition and other healthcare providers, nursing moms at PBMC began feeding around 10:30 a.m., to be counted in the event’s official tally.

The worldwide event is meant to foster a support network for moms and bring awareness to the cause through the simultaneous feeding. It began in New Zealand in 2005 and last year, 17,990 children were breastfed in 23 countries.

Lynne Digiuseppe, a breastfeeding coordinator with the county’s WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program, said this was the first year PBMC participated in the event.

“It’s nice to join in on a worldwide event,” said Ms. Digiuseppe, adding that it helps moms feel less alone.

In 2011, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a call to action to support breastfeeding. That report states that in the United States, bottle feeding is viewed en masse as the “normal” way to feed infants, and that mothers face barriers like a lack of familial support and embarrassment.

“We’re here to show moms that it’s OK to breastfeed in public and not to feel ashamed or let other people make them feel uncomfortable,” Ms. Digiuseppe said.

The participants in Friday’s event at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. (Credit: Tara Smith)

Increasingly, lactation “pods” are popping up in public spaces, so moms have a space to feed or pump without being sent to the restroom.

Jennifer Burns-Peterson, a clinical nutrition manager at PBMC, attended Friday’s event. She said she advocates for breastfeeding after nursing both of her sons, now 8 and 12. “It’s affordable, it’s convenient, and there are health benefits for mom and baby,” Ms. Peterson said. “And you don’t have to worry about running out.”

Several vendors and agencies were on hand to discuss available resources with the moms, including Dr. Lisa Visentin, a pediatrician and lactation consultant at Peconic Pediatrics. Her Riverhead office functions as a one-stop for new moms who must juggle initial doctor visits and learning the intricacies of breastfeeding: how to position a baby, achieve a successful latch and other techniques.

“We’re the person that Mom sees in those first few weeks after birth,” Dr. Visentin said. “They aren’t necessarily seeing their [ob/gyn] or their own doctor, so if moms are having trouble or has questions, we’re the person they’re going to see. So it’s important for us to be a resource,” she said.

Top photo: Megan Hays of Southold(from left) , Ashley Maher of Riverhead and Kathryn Cannino of Islip Terrace nurse their infants for the Global Big Latch On event held at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead Friday. (Credit: Tara Smith)

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Southampton Town police arrested a 65-year-old woman for driving while intoxicated in Flanders Friday.

According to police, someone called to report a reckless, erratic driver with no lights on heading west on Flanders Road at approximately 10:44 p.m. Soon after, an officer observed the vehicle failing to maintain its lane and executed a traffic stop on Long Neck Boulevard.

During the traffic stop, officers found the driver, Linda Jones of Calverton, to be intoxicated. She was arrested for DWI, a misdemeanor.

• A homeless woman was arrested for drugs and public sex last Wednesday. At approximately 5:34 p.m., police found Alison Pfefferkorn, 35, having sex in the back seat of a vehicle in a public parking lot near Wildwood Lake, police said.

She was also found to be in possession of a glass crack pipe, officials said.

Police charged Ms. Pfefferkorn with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor, and one count of public lewdness, a class B misdemeanor.

• A Flanders man was arrested for driving without a license Sunday. Around 1 p.m., police stopped Walter Casasola, 32, near Riverleigh Avenue in Riverside for having no NYS inspection. During the stop, Mr. Casasola told police he didn’t have a license, but displayed a temporary NYS inspection, officials said.

He was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, and one violation. 

• Police arrested a Riverhead man for driving with a suspended registration last Tuesday.

According to police, Melvin Dubon-Gonzales, 23, was stopped on Main Street in Southampton Village for a side brake light violation. A computer check of his registration revealed that the registration is under suspension for an insurance lapse, officials said.

Police issued Mr. Dubon-Gonzales field appearance and uniform traffic tickets. He was charged with driving with a suspended registration, a misdemeanor, and two violations and is due back in court Aug. 28.

• A Brookhaven man and his passenger were arrested on drug charges Friday, according to state police.

Police stopped Nicholas Noulis, 25, on Route 25 in Calverton for speeding around 7:10 p.m., when they found he was in possession of marijuana. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor, officials said.

Amanda Papp, a passenger in the vehicle, was found to be in possession of a controlled substance and a stun gun during the investigation, officials said. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class A misdemeanor.

They were both issued appearance tickets and will appear in court on August 13.

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.

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Ready your duct tape!

The Riverhead Cardboard Boat Race on the Peconic Riverfront is setting sail again on Saturday, Aug. 11. The free event hosted by the Riverhead Business Improvement District attracts hundreds to the dock to cheer on the duct-taped vessels.

Get there early to secure your spot on the waterfront. The event starts at 9 a.m.

Think you have what it takes to build and sail a winning cardboard boat? Register here.

This year, the races will coincide with a new event called Art in the Park, which will take place on the weekend of Aug. 9- 11 at Grangebel Park and will feature light-inspired art installations.

In addition, Thursday, Aug. 9 is when the final Alive on 25 event for this summer is scheduled. That event, in its third year, features live bands, food vendors and other entertainment on Main Street on alternating Thursday nights in July and August.

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A 5-year-old boy was seriously injured after being struck by an alleged drunken driver while bicycling in Riverhead Saturday night, according to Riverhead Town police.

Police responded to the intersection of Lewis Street and Doris Avenue shortly after 6:40 p.m. and found the boy lying in the roadway with a serious head injury. Members of the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to assist the boy and he was then flown via medevac to Stony Brook University Hospital, police said. The boys’ condition was downgraded from critical to serious at the time of the early morning press release Sunday.

Police said the driver of a 2003 Cadillac Escalade, William Downing of Riverhead, remained at the scene. Riverhead detectives and the New York State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit responded to investigate and determined Mr. Downing was attempting a left-hand turn on to Doris Avenue from Lewis Street when the vehicle struck the bicyclist in the intersection.

Mr. Downing, 77, was found to be operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol and was arrested for DWI, pending toxicology reports, police said. Mr. Downing, who has lived in Riverhead for 46 years and is retired, was arraigned in Riverhead Town Justice Court Sunday morning and released on $500 bail. His wife, daughter and pastor attended the arraignment before Judge Lori Hulse. They declined comment. Mr. Downing was represented by a Legal Aid attorney.

He is due back in court Aug. 21.

The vehicle was impounded for safety checks. The investigation is ongoing and any witnesses are asked to call Riverhead detectives at 631-727-4500, ext. 326.

Police could not immediately confirm to the News-Review whether the boy was wearing a helmet. In New York, all bicyclists under the age of 14 are required to wear helmets.

Photo caption: The bicycle in the roadway where the crash took place. (Credit: Stringer News)

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