Letters to the Editor: Hijacking a Jewish holiday
Mattituck
Hijacking a Jewish holiday
The gold coins were still in my bag when I heard the news: Fifteen people were murdered at a beach in Australia — mostly Jews celebrating Hanukkah. A dastardly act to forever cloud Hanukkah, a happy holiday for children, the Festival of Lights, seven days during which children receive gold foil-covered chocolate coins.
When I saw the coins at King Kullen, I realized: It’s Hanukkah. I bought them for my Jewish friend, intending to give them to her when I saw her next. Now, a merry chase for a Hanukkah card. I finally found one — the last one — at CVS. I didn’t write a happy note in the card; it was no longer a happy occasion. Instead, I shared my sadness, because antisemitic terrorists hijacked Hanukkah, to forever be marred by this horrific act.
Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights. Hateful people tried to put those lights out.
This year, may they burn brighter.
Bill Stanton
Riverhead
Demolition derby
By proceeding with the demolition of the CRAFT’D/Sigal Building,Tim Hubbard and his Republican comrades demonstrated why they were not to be trusted and lost the supervisor election in November.
Let’s make lemonade out of bitter lemons by leaving the space green. An open lawn from Main Street to the river will enhance rather than overwhelm the Suffolk Theater, unveil rather than bury the historic buildings of the East End Arts Council, and create a place for audience overflow for amphitheater events.
It was very odd to see Secretary of State Walter Mosley among the pallbearers. He is associated with the progressive Working Families Party as well as being a New York State Democratic leader. Didn’t he know this was an inside job opposed by Riverhead Democrats?
Jerry Halpin can show what servant leadership means by saving Riverhead from Petrocelli’s greed. It will place him in stark contrast with Ken Rothwell, his presumed opponent in next November’s election.
John McAuliff
Greenport
Raise thanks
Hats off to Ian Wile and Rosalie Rung, alongside all local oyster farm operations, for organizing the “Raise Shell” event to benefit Cornell’s SPAT program.
It takes a lot of time and effort to pull off events such as these. Their creative, community-oriented approach brought together numerous village partners and businesses to show off what makes Greenport the village that can.
Here’s to the musicians, the shuckers, the restaurants, their staff and all those who came out to support SPAT, reminding us how critical it is to maintain the health of our local waters.
Suzanne Donovan
Mattituck
Not loving Love Lane’s holiday trees
Given the significant local issues The Suffolk Times covers throughout the year, it might seem somewhat silly to focus on a minor seasonal issue like the new, cold and utterly depressing LED-lit Christmas trees lining Mattituck’s Love Lane this season. Perhaps it’s old-fashioned of me to wish just one cherished thing was not subject to change for want of saving a few dollars or a few minutes.
While I appreciate the Mattituck Chamber of Commerce’s work to maintain this wonderful tradition each year, these new LEDs are no improvement. They don’t capture the essence of the Currier & Ives-like landscapes we’re so fortunate to have here on the North Fork. Moreover, they fail to infuse Love Lane, Mattituck’s beloved hub of small-town commerce, with the joy of the holiday season. Each December, Love Lane seemed to slow down, enveloped in a magical glow from the warm-lighted trees. It was a bit of Christmas alchemy, a benefit not only to me but also to the shop owners.
Though this may seem like a trivial matter to some, the original holiday trees, adorned with their candy-colored lights, have done more to alleviate the stressors of the season than almost anything else I can think of. They were an absolute highlight of the holidays on the North Fork.
I would love to understand the reason for the change, but if I am not alone in my disappointment with the new LED lighting, please contact the MCC and request they bring back the “old-fashioned” lights we all treasure and deserve. If not for this season, then for future ones.
Joy Ellinghaus
Southold
An imperfect country
I know in my soul that “haters gotta hate.” The “My vision” letter in last week’s paper was a testament to that sentiment. There are evil and corrupt people everywhere. The shooting of the National Guard people was evil. The corruption scandal in the Midwest was wrong. But so was the killing in Oklahoma City by Timothy McVeigh, the mass shooting in Las Vegas and the anniversary last week of Sandy Hook. Not an illegal immigrant among them. I try to feel sorry for people who insulate themselves from compassion. We are far from a perfect society, but anyone who does their due diligence and researches the facts will find that crime and corruption are in all of society, not just immigrants. Hitler sold that story in the 1930s. I, for one, don’t want that to be our legacy.
Rosellen Storm
Mattituck
Mattituck Park District secretary
On behalf of the Mattituck Park District and the residents we serve, I’d like to thank Abigail Field, who is leaving her position as secretary of the MPD at the end of the year.
During her time with us, she modernized our document management systems and communications and improved procedural compliance. Along with treasurer Lyle Girandola, she has transformed operation of the park district into a modern, efficient, compliant organization that is completely transparent. We wish Abigail success in her law practice.
I also welcome our new MPD attorney Ben Johnson, who joined us in November. His knowledge and experience in municipal law are welcome assets to our team. Our new secretary, Jen Lew, has started working with Abigail on her transition, and we are confident in her abilities.
I believe the MPD is well positioned to move into 2026. On behalf of my fellow commissioners and the entire team at the MPD, I’d like to thank all of our residents for their support and wish you all a very happy holiday season, as well as a healthy and successful New Year.
Kevin Byrne
commissioner and chairman
Greenport
Greenport’s short-term rentals
I have been critical of the Greenport Village Board, so it is fair to compliment them when they have worked toward a solution. Politicians cannot agree, but Greenport has rediscovered the “art of compromise” — a model for us.
There are several moving parts in this legislation. There are the many “parties” — residents, landlords, tenants, businesses and the community. Local towns and villages have mostly adopted codes to restrict short-term leaseholds. They have often moved from a position of moderate to high opposition based on some reasonable and unreasonable assumptions.
Our board is trying to create a new paradigm, maybe called an experiment. They recognize the troubling vacant storefronts and the positive, equitable synergy between and among those parties above. The board understands a village of 2,200 people with the surrounding communities can’t support a vibrant downtown. They consider the possibility that the tenants’ visits — often on weekends with frequent turnover — may provide a steady stream of customers versus longer stays. That income generated in the village is spending that causes ripples throughout the local economy — called the “Multiplier Effect,” widely accepted as valid. Perhaps 80% of net profit is re-spent, often locally. The code is also supported by fees, a code enforcement officer and the possibility of a hospitality tax that might be enacted by New York State, while the landlord pays property taxes and maintains the premises, enhancing the aesthetics.
This code strikes a balance that can revisited or amended but needs time to be interpreted and develop in practice. Enforcement can be improved with a computer program and a spreadsheet that tracks the rentals, reducing the labor intensity of some inspections and paper record keeping. The board must delegate to an administrator oversight of the program to make suggestions for improvements.
Michael Butler
Greenport
Farewell from DiAngela
It’s with a mix of sadness and gratitude that I’m writing to let you know that DiAngela Leather will be closing its doors on Dec. 24, after more than 37 incredible years of serving this community.
As I prepare to retire, I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your loyalty and support over the years. It’s been an honor to serve you, and I’ve always cherished the relationships we’ve built together.
We’ll be open until Dec. 24, so please stop by and say goodbye. Our team will be working hard to ensure that everyone gets the items they need before we close.
I’m grateful for the memories, the laughter, and the friendships we’ve shared. I’ll always look back on my time in business with a sense of pride and gratitude.
Thank you again for being part of our journey. We appreciate your loyalty and support.
Patty Carlos
owner
Southold
My thanks
I am overwhelmed and grateful to have been reelected as your councilman.
It takes a lot to run for office, to step forward balancing both family and work, to serve our beloved community — and I appreciate and thank Chris Talbot, Nick Planamento and Stephanie Hall for running for Town Board.
I am excited and look forward to working with newly elected Town Board members Kate Stevens and Alexa Suess.
Wishing all happy and healthy holidays.
Brian O. Mealy
Southold
Remembering Harry Wilson
After battling serious health issues, former Greenport High School teacher Harry Wilson died Dec. 8 at the age of 96.
After our class of 1958 graduated, Mr. Wilson left Greenport for schools in Amityville. He stayed in touch with our class and attended every reunion we had over the years. While at Greenport, he was a smart, soft-spoken and caring person we all came to admire. After our 40th reunion in 1998, Harry and I frequently met for lunch to talk about current events and to reminisce about our Greenport days.
As gracious and friendly as Harry was, he was always reluctant to talk about himself. It took me years to learn that he had participated in a Freedom Ride to Mississippi in the early 1960s. He was also a leader in New York to establish a union for school teachers — and was jailed for defying a judge’s order to return to the classroom. In all of our rambling conversations over 25 years, Harry didn’t mention these amazing episodes; I learned about them from some of his fellow activists.
In the spring of 1958, our class dedicated the “The Beachcomber” yearbook to Mr. Wilson: “To a sincere, patient and gracious man; to the teacher who has devoted time and attention so tirelessly in the best interests of the Senior Class. In appreciation for two years of laudable leadership and warm friendship as class advisor, the graduating class of 1958 dedicates this yearbook to Mr. Harry George Wilson.”
During my school days, I was a bit of a smart-ass who enjoyed needling teachers. However, after a couple of clashes with Harry, I learned that the better way was to behave and learn from his expressions of understanding and support. During a graduation party, I apologized for giving him a hard time. His response sort of floored me: “That’s all right,” he told me. “When you kids were at your worst is when I loved you the most.” Now there was a wonderful teacher.
David Higbee
