Letters to the Editor: Goodbye, Yellow Barn
Baiting Hollow
Goodbye, Yellow Barn
This June would have marked my 25th year volunteering at the Yellow Barn alongside Riverhead Free Library. As a summer resident, working there three days a week gave me the opportunity to greet and help not just the locals but folks from well beyond the far reaches of this community. Words cannot fully describe the significance of having this treasure trove of very affordable donated books, CDs, DVDs and puzzles offered to the multitude of weekly visitors.
Readers are the most interesting people to engage with, from the very young to well past octogenarians. The Barn welcomed teachers collecting for their class libraries, homeschoolers, school kids with their summer reading lists, grandparents seeking books for their grandkids, summer vacationers, railroad and military enthusiasts, crafters, music lovers, art enthusiasts and the list goes on.
The books were all for the prices they could afford while at the same time providing for programs to be developed and enjoyed at the library. Where else could one find the warm and welcoming atmosphere provided by the most dedicated staff of volunteers, many of whom have passed on through the years. These loyal people — especially our most recent director, Barbara Goss — have received their own measure of joy by serving the community through hard work in all kinds of weather. I can’t imagine that this priceless resource and truly loved “go to” destination will ever exist in the way it has for so many years. Laughter still rings from the operatic shrill from Churchill, the parrot propped on the shoulder of a regular customer, or from the happy licks of visiting canines like “Ralph,” escorted by another loyal customer. It’s the variety of interesting, inquisitive, thoughtful folks leaving with smiles of satisfaction that I will miss the most. The decision to close this most prized and appreciated destination has caused dismay and disappointment. I personally feel all of those who love the Barn have been tossed to the curb and will feel the loss for years to come.
Denise Johnson
Southold
Is autocracy our future?
In autocratic governments, the power of the ruler is absolute; dissent is not tolerated. We are, not so slowly, walking in that direction. Congressional Republicans are afraid to tell the president they disagree with him. They had the power of the purse, but have abdicated their job — basically just showing up and taking a paycheck. They fear retribution of many forms: public scorn on Truth Social, threats to primary them with buckets of money. They also fear for personal safety since the insurrection criminals were pardoned. Businesses as well are caving to his anti-DEI program and bending to his will. And we are in the beginning of his term.
This is not the Republican Party that my mother supported: Eisenhower, Javits, even Nixon. This administration makes Watergate look like a kindergarten prank.
I don’t pretend to have any idea what the future will bring, but each day I pray that we have an epidemic of backbones.
Rosellen Storm
Riverhead
A message for Tim Gannon
How many ridiculously long Town Board meetings did we sit through together?
Not everyone has your tolerance for quips, side jokes and constant under-the-breath comments in what can be hours of life-numbing boredom … punctuated by brief moments of small-town drama.
It just won’t be the same without you there to cover everything and everyone. You always took my article/news pitches (LOL, clearly not always) and I appreciated that, and you always gave fair coverage.
But wait! You never did that story on whether Riverhead actually throws away all the recycling that we put on the curb? (I’m pretty sure they do). So no, you can’t retire yet (but maybe you can get someone to do my story?).
No idea what else you could be doing after retirement, but I hope it’s fun, relaxing, and more interesting than (insert any politician’s name here).
Hopefully we’ll see you around at Magic Fountain, on Main Street or someplace … or if I have to sit through more meetings, you need to be there at the very least to keep me awake. Best wishes always.
Eve Kaplan-Walbrecht
Garden of Eve Organic Farm
Mattituck
Not everyone needs college
There is a lot pressure today for high school seniors to pursue a college education. I think educating students vocationally and technically post-secondarily is as important as college education.
Vocational and technical education offers students the practical skills and knowledge necessary to excel in noteworthy trades or professions. It is focused on giving students the tools they need to enter the workforce directly and succeed in their chosen fields. Plumbers, electricians, landscapers and countless other professionals make a worthwhile living through their trades.
Too many students are being pressured in pursuing college but are not being prepared for a career. I know some working at Starbucks after college.
Edward Marlatt
Mattituck
Disgraceful attack
In a stunning display of disrespect and self-aggrandizement, Donald Trump and JD Vance recently berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. Their brazen hostility — veiled as diplomacy — contradicts everything America should stand for.
These actions betray our nation’s longstanding values. America’s strength has always been anchored in our commitment to freedom, justice and respect for allies. Our predecessors fought and died for these ideals, yet Trump and Vance’s behavior undermines that legacy. Their dismissive, bullying approach tarnishes our global standing and abandons the very principles we have championed since our founding.
We must hold our leaders accountable. The American people deserve representatives who treat allies with respect and conduct foreign policy guided by dignity and moral courage. Let us not allow these shameful tactics to define us. Instead, let us reaffirm the enduring principles that have made our nation a beacon of hope for centuries.
TJ Wells
Southold
Where’d the grant go?
Can someone please explain how grant money from 2021 for bathrooms at the Senior Center was never used? It is now 2025! Furthermore, if money was to be used for bathrooms, doesn’t anyone besides me think that a portion of it should not be allocated to another project?
Barbara Cuenin
Southold
A wise choice
I was pleased to see that Southold Town Beach has been renamed in memory of George R. Sullivan, former tax receiver of Southold Town — an honor for a man who served his country and who continued a life of service when he came home. Kudos to the Southold Town Board for their wise choice.
Elaine Goldman
Mattituck
Confusion and chaos
The chaotic firing of federal employees is putting our country, our economy and our health at risk. Why isn’t Congress investigating these removals? Is Congress comfortable with having Musk, an unelected unconfirmed bureaucrat, doing their work? Has Congress carefully looked at the DOGE website? I did — and it’s far from transparent and does not show the huge savings Trump and Musk are claiming. The only thing I am sure of is that we have many hardworking federal employees out of work and a lot of confusion. Congress needs to abolish DOGE as quickly as possible and get rid of Musk. Unfortunately, I do not feel that there are enough Republicans willing to do this. In the meantime, we must demand that our representatives publicly send out five bullets to every constituent, on a weekly basis, explaining how they are monitoring DOGE and what their position is on their findings.
Elena Grefe
Cutchogue
Stupidity 101
In response to Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to the American people and repeated, “Donald, what you’re doing is stupid.” Mr. Trudeau is prescient. So let’s examine Trump’s stupidity.
Simply stated, when tariffs are imposed on imported products, consumer prices go up to cover them. So the bottom line is that the ultimate consumer is the one who ultimately winds up paying the tariff — not the exporter and not the importer. What it really amounts to is a tax on the consuming public, period.
If the exporting country responds by imposing their own tariffs on American goods, the price of those goods go up in the other country and the American goods cost more so our companies lose market share. Tariffs imposed on both importing and exporting does nothing more than raise the price of everything on both sides and only the governments collect them at the expense of their citizens.
Here’s what they might have taught at Trump University in a course that could have been titled Stupidity 101: If you can impose a billion dollars in tariffs and make your poorer citizens pay for it — just like a tax — you can then cut taxes for billionaires by a billion dollars and there you go. You just made the neediest in your country pay for billionaires to get richer.
And here’s the kicker: If you happen to have a representative in Congress who doesn’t speak up and oppose this slick trick, he might as well just be voting to tax you every time you go to the store. And in our case, that would be Mr. LaLota, a MAGA master of silence.
Maybe we should all remember that in next year’s mid-term election.
Michael Levy
Cutchogue
History tells a different story
Watching the media these days brings a sarcastic smile to my face. We have the president working hard to reduce the size of the federal government and ensure tax money is spent in the best interest of America.
Then we see the Democrats fighting him at every level. You want to talk about chaos? Aren’t our representatives, regardless of party, suppose to work toward the best interest of America?
Less government means more liberty. Less government means a balanced budget. Less government forces better efficiency.
But history shows us that neither party in Congress has the courage or capacity to accomplish their stated goals. “Government is not the answer, government is the problem,” said Ronald Reagan — and no truer statement has been made in my lifetime.
I am not sure what the future will bring but, again, We the People have spoken and selected our leader. He is doing what he said he would do and that is why he won 86% of all counties in the country!
Democracy is messy. For those of you who forgot, we have three coequal branches of government. Their struggles are our struggles. I have the “faith of our fathers” and I see the present vision and they go hand in hand
Bob Bittner
Greenport
Complex questions, crucial issues
Sincere thanks to the new Greenport Civic Association for organizing a village trustee candidates’ forum at Greenport School last week. I look forward to participating in additional public discussions of issues our village is facing. The organization offers a long-overdue service in creating an independent communication platform for our community.
The questions posed to the candidates were right on point. They were indeed complex (as some commented) but got to the heart of some of the thorny issues we’re facing in Greenport.
Addressing our 100-year-old sewer system is a case in point: While not “sexy,” the system will drive future development, both residential and commercial, and supports our village’s capacity to deal with the dramatic climate changes we’re experiencing.
Prior village administrations handled necessary improvements but the capital improvements ahead are more extensive (and expensive). There can be little progress in our small village’s ability to address affordable housing, for instance, without improving our sewer and water system capacities.
We ask a lot of our village’s trustees. While Greenport is small in size, we have big aspirations, including the desire to hold onto the maritime history that made us who we are as a community.
I respect all who stand up to serve our community, particularly during these difficult times. Our trustees need to do their homework and be prepared to dig into a number of complicated and layered issues, as well as drive the tough and creative conversations required to finance improvements.
Suzanne Donovan
Mattituck
Elections have consequences
It is difficult and sometimes uncomfortable for most of us to admit when we have made a mistake in judgment. Based on the whirlwind of activity during the first seven weeks of Donald Trump’s second term in the White House, is it a fair question to ask his supporters if “buyer’s remorse” is a fair adjective to describe their decision to cast a ballot for him?
John LaForce
Laurel
Chaos and cruelty
Last fall, talking to a Trump supporter, I expressed my concern about Ukraine, if he won. She made it clear she’d be voting for him and told me, “I pray for Ukraine every day.” I’m not at all cynical about prayer. But I wondered: Might one of those things cancel out the other?
It doesn’t feel hard to understand Ukraine’s position. Big, powerful Russia wants control of its smaller neighbor, Ukraine. The people of Ukraine have been suffering for three years, fighting to hold onto their country.
This current administration isn’t feeling bogged down by our old values. On the vote to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we voted against our allies and with Russia. And we’re denying Ukraine information about Putin’s military attacks that we had been sharing. Russia is taking advantage of Ukraine being more vulnerable with more attacks and more Ukrainians dying. We’ve shifted from being on the side of the good guys to supporting and being one of the bad guys.
I’m hearing his supporters are starting to give up expecting affordable prices for a carton of eggs. What’s selling now is chaos and cruelty. Sadly, the Republicans, Putin and the billionaires are buying it.
Mary Ellen Tomaszewski
New Suffolk
Efficiency or expediency?
How does the Trump administration say that laying off 7,000 employees at the IRS makes our government more efficient? The IRS is an agency that actually brings in money for the government — last year, by hiring experienced tax professionals, the U.S. was expected to recoup billions in additional tax revenue. To strip the IRS of its staff means the government cannot go after tax cheats. And that is exactly the goal for billionaires and corporations who don’t want to pay taxes.
But for the rest of us Americans, who do pay our taxes, how is this legitimate? How does anyone say with a straight face that this is about governmental efficiency?
Barbara Schnitzler
