Letters to the Editor: Break down the blinds
Riverhead
Break down the blinds
The beautiful Broad Cove Preserve, purchased by Peconic Land Trust in 2021, has two duck blinds on their property. I have spoken to members of the Land Trust about these, without any change on their part.
This past winter I witnessed the slaughter of several ducks from one of their duck blinds while walking a trail at Indian Island County Park, which is across the creek from the preserve.
The duck blinds have been there for years but now that this property is preserved for wildlife and human enjoyment of said wildlife, I once again urge the Peconic Land Trust to remove the blinds.
Patty Burns
Riverhead
Memorial Day weekend
As Memorial day week end approaches, I urge each of us to watch out for pedestrians as we drive . I am still haunted by the death of a young boy three decades ago, struck down and killed as he went to the to the 7-Eleven at Route 58 in Riverhead.
Let’s show that we care about each other with respect in stead of anger and horn honking. Let’s spread kindness and courtesy as we drive. This is the beast way to honor our veterans.
Warren McKnight
Riverhead
Key hearing coming
On Wednesday, May 20, the Riverhead Town Board will hold a public hearing on the effort by three members to use eminent domain to seize the Long Island Science Center building on the west side of the Town Square. Ken Rothwell, Denise Merrifield and Joann Waski also aligned with development director Dawn Thomas to use the same legal maneuver to replace Craft’d with a five-story hotel/condo on the east side.
Insider dealing disregarded community intentions for the land and sold public property for the private profit of Joe Petrocelli, despite his hotel dominating the square, and overwhelming the historical heritage of The Suffolk theater and East End Arts buildings. The hearing that will shape the west side of the square deserves the transparency absent from the compromised process on the east side.
Some questions that must be publicly answered:
- How much did it cost to achieve eminent domain against Craft’d? How much more will it cost if the Science Center contests the board’s action and members of the community testify on its behalf?
- How much will it cost for the town to purchase the property? How will it be paid for? How long will it be held before it is sold to a private buyer?
- Does the board majority plan to demolish the current building or sell the land as is?
- Have the three board members, or the director of planning, or Joe Petrocelli had any contact with potential buyers? Who? What do they intend to do? How many stories will they build? Have they been or will they be campaign contributors?
- If the land is taken, could Petrocelli’s hotel move to that location so East End Arts is not hidden behind a five-story box and The Suffolk is not as overshadowed?
If enough of us show up at the hearing or speak out online, we might still save the Science Center. In my dreams we could even prompt reconsideration of the hotel boondoggle and save the whole Town Square.
John McAuliff
Riverhead Watch
Chicago
Can’t leave, can’t stay
It seems the same story: people who lived all their lives on the East End have to actually leave or live in the woods or in the car. And after one leaves, it’s missed. I miss the water; I miss the winter on the North Fork. And from what I see, there is no way I could ever go back unless I hit the lottery.
What is the solution? Well, it’s too late. Who can afford a house in Greenport that costs seven figures? It’s a shame.
Joey Pinter
Mattituck
Take action on ASAP
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Nancy Chandler for her letter regarding Alzheimer’s disease (“Alzheimer’s ‘mammogram moment’ ” April 9). Nancy is a dedicated and compassionate caregiver who facilitates a Caregiver Support Group in Mattituck that I am proud to be a part of. Having served as a caregiver for her mother, she now lovingly supports her husband, who has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease touches nearly all of us — whether through a friend, neighbor or family member. Its reach is wide, and its impact profound.
I sincerely hope that our community will heed Nancy’s call to action and contact our representatives in support of The Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act (ASAP). This important legislation would create a pathway for Medicare to cover FDA-approved blood tests for Alzheimer’s — an essential step toward earlier detection and better outcomes for patients and families alike.
Please consider reaching out to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand at 631-249-2825 or www.Gillibrand.senate.gov/contact. Every call and every letter makes a difference. Together, we can help move this vital legislation forward.
Nancy Loeffler
Southold
‘Chickens are not grapes’
The Town of Southold zoned 2340 Ackerly Pond Lane as Agricultural Conservation, thus designating it to be used for farming or single-family dwellings. The town then purchased the development rights to eliminate the use of the land for single-family dwellings.
Now, not one but two limited liability companies plan to begin raising egg-laying hens with industrial intensity. Who is limiting liability for the public? The town does not even know who is truly making the site plan application. Despite the appearance of hidden principals who apparently control the companies, the town Planning Board is relying on the alleged company’s representative’s statement that he is authorized to prove his own authority. With all due respect, we need real evidence, not circular claims.
To protect farmers from frivolous lawsuits, “Right to Farm” laws create a rebuttable presumption that farms do more good than harm. The Planning Board is relying on zoning presumptions to dismiss as frivolous scores of warnings that the proposed farm will cause serious problems for the environment and the health of the public. The warnings are not frivolous.
Chickens are not grapes. There has never been a chicken farm in the Town of Southold with the industrial intensity currently proposed. The science is not exact, but it is clear. By blatantly refusing to consider potential harmful impacts of the proposed agricultural operations, the Planning Board is denying science. To reject all warnings without due consideration of any warning is either ignorant or corrupt. Either way, it is wrong.
Leslie Herrlin, Rodney Herrlin, Sandra Kollen, John Reichert Sr., Madeline Reichert, Rose Anasagasti, Michael Anasagasti, Claire Kennedy, Eileen Bracken, Benja Schwartz,
Nancy Sawastynowicz
Southold
Words of wisdom
On April 30, former mayor Dave Kapell wrote about our town’s eroding tax base in The Suffolk Times and what troubles could ensue Southold Town (“A warning sign for Greenport’s future”). That man — with his vision, expertise, know-how and chutzpah — did a lot to make Greenport what it is today. If he’s warning us about things to come, shouldn’t we at least listen and heed some of his sage advice before it’s too late?
Elaine Goldman
Southold
Cleanup needed
The transfer station has strict rules for where every scrap of garbage and recycling must go.
Too bad the wind‑blown trash outside the gate doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo.
A good idea would be to have a local cleanup day once or twice a month to keep the outside of the transfer station as clean as the inside rules expect it to be.
Katrine Wolfgang
Fishers Island
Heartbreaking change
I am absolutely heartbroken to see the Arts Cafe close. It was the heart of our town square — a place we connected. Seeing it turned into a residence feels like we are losing the soul of our community to overdevelopment. It feels preventable.
Our limited community spaces deserve better protection. I want to know what measures were taken to prevent this, and what zoning protections are currently in place to stop the loss of our local public venues/gathering spaces.
It occurs to me that island gentrification converts neighborhoods into a “resort-style” environment, which benefits part-time homeowners seeking a high-end experience during their short stays. It takes only a handful of seasonal arrivals to alter the year-round population, in effect eroding the island’s local gift and turning it into an upscale resort.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on how we can make this community for everyone.
Aleksandra Norton
