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A Message
from MAYOR MARGOT GARANT
Fall is the time to reflect and rejuvenate. While all the world begins to quiet down, our beautiful Village continues to glow golden with the crimson sunsets of fall.
We are so truly blessed to live here. Thank you for supporting this community and each other. I have been experiencing firsthand a robust rebounding of our economic prosperity in our Village business districts and local Not For Profit events and fundraising efforts. When we say there is something for everyone here, we certainly mean it - adult recreation, child programs to learn lifetime sports such as golf, tennis, and rowing, landmark events to enjoy down at the Village Center such as our Hill Climb or the archival exhibit of Cedar Hill Cemetery on display now on the second floor; take a morning walk down historic East Main Street or to Dog Beach, make an afternoon play date of it at Rocketship Park and a favorite afternoon treat to wind down the day. We have a robust and very fine quality of life for everyone!
The Holidays are around the corner, and that means family and tradition. For us, it means Homecoming and some of our favorite fall and winter events.
Tickets for our chowder crawl will be for sale soon - and bring your favorite pet to walk in our costumes pet parade during Harvest Fest!
We will be celebrating our 26th Annual Dickens Festival Dec. 3rd and 4th and have a wide variety of artists, venues, and talents coming to kick off our Holiday Season in the true spirit of all things Dickensian! Come one, come all - come enjoy this beautiful Village and be grateful for each other and the beauty we have each and every day.
See all events and more at PortJeff.com!
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from Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden | |
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Happy Fall! It's my favorite time of year...cool breezes, colorful foliage, pumpkins, sweaters, and apple cider. Our beautification initiative is jumping in with beautifully colored mums replacing some of the summer blooms. The flowers in the planters are still looking gorgeous, so we have decided to let them remain until it will be time to replace them with our holiday decor. Additionally, we are taking inventory of all of our fantastic holiday decorations and hoping to add a few more with the help of our Business Improvement District. Be on the lookout this holiday season for a brand new Christmas tree downtown!
My work with the Building and Planning Department continues with regular meetings with the department, as well as hearing from our applicants and continuing to develop ideas into strategies to help streamline the process. It is a complicated one, but we want the best experience for our businesses, developers, and residents.
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My work with the Architectural Review Committee continues with the review of sign permit applications as well as the St. Charles Hospital Emergency Room expansion. Recently a new member was added to the ARC. We welcome Shane Henry to the Committee.
Working together with the school district on Homecoming, we're excited about the parade on October 21. The "Light up the Night" parade should be a fun new addition to the weekend! We have worked with our local businesses to provide discounted faire when you wear your purple and white Royals gear! Please take a look at the school's flyer for further details. Go, Port Jeff!
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Kathianne Snaden
Trustee
Deputy Mayor, Port Jefferson Village
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Village Board of Trustees Meetings:
All Village Board Meetings are open to the public. On the first business Monday of every month at 5:00 pm, the BoTs meet in the conference room of Village Hall to conduct the business portion of the meeting. The public is welcome to sit in and listen only during this portion. The board then moves upstairs to the courtroom to conduct the public portion of the meeting and is open for the public to speak.
The Second Board of Trustees Meeting, which is usually held on the third Business Monday of the month, is also open to the public, but it is a business meeting only, starting at 3:30 pm, downstairs in the conference room. The public is welcome to attend, but there is no public input.
Planning Board:
The Planning Board is charged with specific duties and responsibilities, including long-range planning, reviewing subdivision plans, holding public hearings, forwarding recommendations on proposed zoning changes, and reviewing major developments. Decisions made by the Planning Board are binding.
Zoning Board of Appeals:
The Board members review all applications based on the Village Zoning Ordinances. All zoning designations are represented on a zoning map located at the Village Building & Planning Department, along with a detailed explanation of each designation within the Village Code.
6 Acre Park Committee
The 6 Acre park committee is tasked with developing recommendations for the six-acre parcel located on Highlands Blvd. between the train station and the Highlands at Port Jefferson condominium development. The committee is taking public input by emailing Trustee Rebecca Kassay. trustee-kassay@portjeff.com
Parks & Rec Advisory Committee
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Council can recommend local laws for the care, management, and protection of parks to the Board of Trustees. Additionally, they can recommend recreational programs, leisure, and cultural activities along with the programs' personnel, equipment, and materials. Furthermore, they can recommend modifications or new construction of recreation facilities, parks, and playgrounds—all by the trustees' approval.
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ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
A Committee On A Mission
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The Architectural Review Committee (ARC) is an advisory committee of the Village charged with preserving and enhancing the appearance of Port Jefferson, especially in areas of existing or potential scenic value, historical note, architectural merit, or of interest to the residents. They guide the qualities of exterior building design and good appearance in harmony with surrounding structures. The ARC promotes preservation by assisting property owners to maintain the appearance and architectural tone of their neighborhoods and preserve property values to eliminate blight.
We really appreciate their efforts and want you to know about their terrific work!
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EAST BEACH UPDATE
Progress is happening!
Since East Beach is closed, we want to ensure you get updates on the construction progress. Check it out!
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2022 FALL BRANCH PICK-UP SCHEDULE
1. West Side: 10/24 – 10/28 From Setauket line to West side of Main St.
2. Mid-Town: 10/31 – 11/04 East side of Main St. to West side of Belle Terre Rd.
3. East Side: 11/07 – 11/15 East side of Belle Terre Rd. to East side Village Boundary.
Please have your branches out prior to the start date for your area. The truck will be in your area only on the dates listed above. Thanks!
Branches are not picked up before October 24th or after November 15th. The next branch pick-up is in April 2023.
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SUNNY SKIES FOR THE ANNUAL GOLF OUTING
Everyone's a Winner
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The Village of Port Jefferson is a beautiful place to live, work, and play. That's why we're so excited that our Annual Village Golf Outing on October 6th was such a huge success! Everyone enjoyed the outing and had a wonderful experience while playing some great golf. It was great to see everyone, new and old enjoy the outing. For those unfamiliar with each other, it provided a fun opportunity to get acquainted.
Our thanks go out to all who participated and made this tournament successful. This year's outing was expanded to include people that work in our beautiful Village, including our school district.
With great pleasure, we announce the results of our Annual Village Golf Outing.
This year's winners are:
Closest to the pin on hole #16: Mike Johnson
Closest to the line on hole #12 Men: Peter Luqueer
Closest to the line on hole #12 Women: Cathy Terrano
Closest to the pin on hole #11: Bill Nicklaus
Longest drive hole #6 men: Ed Anderson
Longest drive hole #4 women: Deb Herman
Mens low gross: 66 Cody Buchalter, Owen Carey, Michael Omendes, Mike Johnson
Womens low gross: 84 Jackie Lorey, MJ Teto, Lisa Schildt, Dana Eng
Mixed low gross: 65 Jack Zamek, Sandy Zamek, Scott Zamek, Gary Zamek
The many winners received great prizes from our country club pro shop, and the grand prizes were sponsored by Mariano Rivera Honda and the Aubry family.
Our other sponsors: Catholic Health | St. Charles Hospital, Burner Law Group, P.C., the Conservancy and the Port Jefferson Fire Department all helped to make this outing the best yet.
"It was a day full of laughs, good food, and plenty of golf. You could tell everyone was having a great time," said Lisa Perry, the President of the Country Club Management Advisory Committee. "We had a fabulous turnout this year, with over 100 golfers in attendance. It was a great way to introduce our beautiful club to our friends and neighbors and let them enjoy our spectacular course."
The annual outing will always be one of the highlights of the year and an opportunity to reconnect with old friends while making new ones.
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But this year is a very special one because of our Honorary Tournament Chairman, Ron Carlson. Ron's dedication to our Village and our country club is inspiring.
It was Ron's vision that made the Village Golf Outing happen, and he built it into the not-to-miss event of the year. The outing started in 1978 with only 18 golfers! In 1999 when golf soared in popularity, the numbers grew to 230. Some golfers didn't finish their game and still wanted to enjoy the great dinner provided by Jerry Spiliotis and take part in the Village's awards and raffles. Everyone had a great time!
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Ron is still serving our community. He has been a member of the Country Club Management Advisory Council (CCMAC) for seven years and a Greens Chairman for five years. In addition to being a single-digit handicap golfer, he spent 35 years as the director of Parks & Recreation for the Village of Port Jefferson and still works part-time at the Village Center as the night manager.
Ron's love of family, Village, and his dedication to everything he gets involved in is a testament to his character. When Ron says he will do something - you can count on it getting done! The community continues to benefit from his never-ending dependability. Ron's contribution to our community is invaluable. We are lucky to have someone like him who gives so much back to his neighbors without asking or expecting anything in return.
Congratulations to Ron on your Honorary Chairmanship. It is a well-deserved accolade.
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From Code Chief Leute
There continues to be a rise in scams that disproportionately affect the elderly. These scams can come in by phone calls, emails, text messages, and letters to your home. Here are some things to look out for, and please share the information with your friends and family.
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Someone calling and saying they're from the IRS or another government agency asking you to pay them back taxes over the phone. It is illegal, and the IRS will never ask you to pay them back taxes through a call like this. If someone claims to be from the IRS, hang up immediately and call their local IRS office directly at 1-800-829-1040. Check out the IRS website for information on how to report scams. CLICK HERE
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A person calling and claiming that your computer has been hacked, but all they need is for you to log onto your computer so that they can fix it for you.
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Getting a call or email telling you a relative is in trouble and needs money immediately.
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Lottery Scams - You have won a foreign lottery and must send money for processing fees to collect your winnings.
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Extortionist Phone Calls - Someone pretending to be an attorney or law enforcement official calls to say that you are going to be arrested unless you send them cash right away.
These are only a few of the scams out there. Some reputable websites can help you identify these and more scams. The AARP site is a great place to start. https://www.aarp.org/
Stay safe and aware out there.
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from Trustee Rebecca Kassay
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As autumn colors begin to show themselves, I am all the more glad to be helping add beautiful and beneficial street trees to the Village's landscape. This shoulder season between summer fun-in-the-sun and bright holiday lights has so much to offer: the Harvest Festival, homecoming, and more!
In response to an overwhelming number of residents expressing a desire for more walkable streets throughout the Village, I am advocating for the Village to invest in a Village-wide "Complete Streets" study to examine how our roadways can be made safer for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages. This study would help the Board prioritize effective solutions like roadway restriping, the addition of sidewalks, and more; the study would also help the Village attain grant funding for these projects. Meetings with groups like Let's Move Long Island and Sidewalks for Safety assure me that we can achieve this goal for our residents.
Earlier this month, the Beach Street Community Garden hosted its final educational program of the season. Attended by both resident gardeners and
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community members, the engaging, fruitful program and Q&A only came to a close when it was too dark to see each other anymore in the cool autumn evening.
If you're interested in gardening on Beach Street, keep an eye out for the 2023 lotto to open in January!
You've likely noticed our Volunteer of the Month column in many of the past eReports. We'd like to hear from you: do you know a neighbor or a fellow volunteer here in the Village who we can shine a spotlight on and help to share their tale of community engagement? Email cfamularo@portjeff.com with their name and either phone or email information, as well as a sentence or two about what they do to make our community a better place.
Other ongoing efforts of note include: strategizing flood mitigation; seeking shared parking opportunities uptown; examining fiscally and environmentally responsible infrastructural improvements; and the Six Acre Park (meetings to be announced soon).
I hope to see you out in the autumn air this month. Meanwhile, stay cozy!
Enthusiastically,
Rebecca Kassay
Port Jefferson Village Trustee
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*Please Note: Harvestfest Events Subject to Change | |
from Trustee Lauren Sheprow
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I recently made a new acquaintance who has a long history with the Village of Port Jefferson. He is a retired contract negotiator who represented labor unions. He and his wife have a daughter who had the great fortune of experiencing one of the best teachers I know, Donna Sheprow, my sister-in-law, while she taught at the Charter School in Riverhead, about 15 years ago. He went out on a limb and friended me on Facebook while I was campaigning. I didn’t know him, but he had a nice face, and was friends with Donna, and my brother, Glenn - so I accepted. Then I ran into him while playing in a golf tournament in Wading River, and we had a chance to talk and I learned that his personality matched his face - very friendly, nice. He told me he understood the situation Port Jefferson was facing with its precarious bluff situation and the efforts the Village was taking to stabilize it, mentioning to me that he and his family live in a community in Wading River with beach access through their homeowner association.
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He invited me to come see what the Lewin community did to stabilize its bluff and its seriously steep beach access stairway, which had been washed away after every significant weather event at the time. Rather than continuing to spend the money to rebuild the staircase they decided at that time to work toward stabilizing the bluff. I traveled to Wading River last week to check it out and what I saw was astonishing. Ten years ago, with the guidance of an engineer, they designed a stabilization system. They built a bulkhead along the toe; built terraces and filled them with vegetation plantings up the face of the bluff. And today the Lewin Homeowner Association bluff is thick, healthy and plush with organically populated native growth. The staircase has withstood every storm over the past ten years. Some bulkhead reinforcement was needed after a particularly significant storm but other than that, the vegetation has filled in completely with native species that were naturally pollinated into the structure. It left me very optimistic that we are doing the right thing for Port Jefferson’s East Beach bluff and I look forward to reviewing the next phase plans for the project in the coming weeks.
Lauren Sheprow
Village Trustee
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PAINT PORT PINK
to fight against breast cancer!
Paint Port Pink is a month-long outreach by the Fortunato Breast Health Center at Mather Hospital with the mission of raising awareness about breast cancer, sharing information and education, and fostering solidarity in the community. Mather Hospital and the Village of Port Jefferson partner in this important event. Here is the information about the events that Mather Hospital shares on their website.
The next events are:
October 11th @ 12:00pm
Healthy Mind and Body: A Women's Health Panel Webinar - CLICK HERE to register
October 14th, Wear Pink Day: Show your solidarity with those affected by breast cancer. Wear your pink proudly!
October 24th, Pink Pumpkin Contest:
Make your pumpkin stand for something this October!
Pink your pumpkin in support of breast cancer awareness.
Here's how to do it:
1. Find your perfect pumpkin
2. Decorate your pumpkin in the pinkest fashion possible
3. Take a photo
4. Email your pumpkin photo to matherhospital@northwell.edu by October 24th, 2022. Include:
- Subject line: Pink Your Pumpkin
- Your full name
- Phone number
5. Use (hashtag) #paintportpink and post your pink pumpkin on your social media.
Remember to have your submissions in by October 24th.
The winner will be selected by employee leaders at Mather Hospital on October 25th and receive a $100 gift card.
More information at paintportpink.org
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City Bus Trips Update:
10 tickets are still available for the Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise.
911 Memorial & Museum: Cancelled. Any payments will be reimbursed.
Please call the Recreation Department regarding interests or questions at (631) 802-2160.
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Coming Soon! A family must-see for the holidays.
Holiday Train Show and NY Botanical Gardens Aglow. Thursday, December 29, 2pm into the early evening with spectacular views of the gardens aglow with festive lights.
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HOMECOMING 2022
Celebrate Port Jefferson
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If you're like us, you love fall for all the same reasons we do. The crisp air, the changing leaves, and of course, Homecoming Weekend! What better way to celebrate the town you call home than with a parade and a football game? It is the perfect way to celebrate our Village and all of the fun things it has to offer.
This year the festivities kick off with a 'Light Up the Night' parade that starts at 6:30 pm on Friday. It runs from the high school down Main Street to Caroline Field. It promises to be a fun event.
Saturday kicks off with fun activities on the football field at 12:30 pm. At 1:30, there is a senior recognition for the cheerleaders and football players. And the game kicks off at 2:00 pm, where the Royals take on Greenport. The game will surely be exciting, so come and support our boys!
Fall is a great time to get together with friends and family, and homecoming weekend is the perfect opportunity to do just that!
We look forward to seeing everyone there!
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It’s near that time of year again when we have to think about removing our vessels from the Village racks. I will be giving further notice; however, if you want to make a note......the vessels need to be removed by November 1st.
This is also the time of year that the Parks Department begins to shift from summer and fall and look ahead. The beach has closed, and the grass-cutting is slowing down. Halloween and Dickens will be here before you know it, and Parks
will certainly be involved.
This has been an interesting and challenging year at the country club. We had a major drought, had a superintendent abruptly leave, and could not find an assistant golf professional. However, I am proud of the way Jake Anderson (our Head Golf Pro) and Pat Sullivan (our new Golf Course Superintendent) met the challenge. Jake and Pat put together the staff that reflects their pride in the maintenance and operation of our club.
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Although we lost some of the fairways due to the lack of water, Pat and his crew thru many hours of extra work and expense, have them well on the way
to full recovery. All of the fairways that were affected have been roped off so that the healing can continue.
In the interim, we are looking at some qualified and experienced golf professionals to join our staff and
work alongside Jake. Again, I cannot come up with the words that would be fitting for the work that Jake and Pat have done this summer under very difficult conditions.
I also need to inform you that the Board approved the new membership rates this evening at our earlier business meeting. This means that those potential members that have been waiting for the “EARLY BIRD “ can sign up now in the membership office. This program will allow you to play the remaining days of this season and all of next season.
For those taking advantage of the
opportunity to play tennis at the club, we will keep courts 7 & 8 open as long as possible. I would estimate minimally until mid-November.
Stan Loucks
Trustee, Port Jefferson
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VILLAGE AND SCHOOL DISTRICT
Working together
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What do you get when you combine cheerleaders, a football team, and some dirty cars? A very successful car wash fundraiser!
The Village of Port Jefferson agreed to host a Cheer and Football fundraiser at Village Hall. Sixty students participated from the Varsity and JV teams to raise money to support the teams and help with their needed supplies and equipment. PJ Code enforcement even came to get their vehicles washed and bought some items at the bake sale. It sounds like a win-win!
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Organizer Sharon Philbrick shares, "We truly appreciate the support the Village gave us to help raise funds for the sports programs at the school. It greatly benefits the athletes when the community can come together to acknowledge their hard work and dedication." She adds, "For many students, athletics are what motivates them to become better people. It teaches them discipline, respect, and teamwork. All essential qualities to learn and continue through life."
Thank you, Port Jeff Village, Mayor Garant, and the trustees, for their support of our schools.
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Meet our team. Their stories are inspiring, and they provide excellent service to all who live here and visit. We will highlight a new professional every month and introduce you to the most amazing and talented individuals that make Port Jefferson Village so special. These are people who bring their experience and dedication every single day. When they say it takes a Village, they’re talking about the people of Port Jefferson Village! | |
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One of the great things about learning more about all the amazing people that work in our beautiful Village is that they are really impressive. Tennis Pro, Alex Dank, is very impressive! Here are a few highlights to get us started.
- He won USTA Tennis Professional of the Year for Junior Programs
- He went to university on a Tennis scholarship and achieved an NCAA Division two National Title.
- He won the Mayor's Cup at the US Open National Tennis Center in Queens.
Impressive is an understatement! Coach Alex takes his work very seriously. When designing the program for his younger players, he creates the right balance of fun and instruction. He designed the curriculum based on his Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) training to be engaging and informative and teach people of all ages the game of tennis.
Alex has a dual role in the Village. He is a Tennis Pro extraordinaire and an executive in the Recreation Department in charge of recreational programming at the Village Center. He is focused on constantly growing our program. He works closely with the Director of Recreation, Renee Lemmerman. Their synergy is apparent. The Village needed more facilities to meet the demand for Alex's successful programs. So they did the work it took to make it happen. They negotiated to use space at the elementary school for evening pickleball classes.
Our programs have skyrocketed in the last three years, with coach Alex at the helm of our tennis and pickleball programs. 263 children and 136 adults are in tennis, and pickleball has 321 players. Pickleball started last year. He built the pickleball program in one year!
Coach Alex is not only focusing on the techniques of tennis, but he also brings in the mental game of tennis. He ensures that he maintains a good relationship with each player. "I've grown with a lot of the children that I'm teaching. I've seen them grow up and advance their playing, and that is really gratifying," Alex states. "Everybody has my phone number and can call or text me anytime with questions about the class."
"I specifically like seeing our older residents participate in our programs because it makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile, like really getting them active. When you have a resident that's 75 years old on the pickleball court that is moving around and having fun, I feel like that is a great accomplishment." Shares Alex. His patience is unending, and his desire to be great at what he does shows in his interactions with every student. He enjoys teaching the full spectrum of ability, from beginner to advanced.
As residents, we benefit from an accomplished tennis coach with a proven track record of helping players of varying abilities to improve their technique and overall game strategy—his passion for coaching others and watching them climb the ladder of success.
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SELFIE ALERT
at Turtle Park #PJturtlepark
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A beautiful sculpture of a sea turtle has been installed in Port Jefferson's Turtle Park (adjacent to Harborfront Park in front of the Village Center), and it's all thanks to the New York Marine Rescue Center (NYMRC). The NYMRC, located in Riverhead, is the only permitted rehabilitation facility for sea turtles and seals in New York State. They received some grant funding to put sea turtle sculptures in local waterfront towns to promote their mission and Port Jefferson was high on their list!
We're so lucky to have this incredible piece of art here in Port! It was painted by local artist Jennifer Hannaford. She was inspired by a quote from Sylvia Earle, “No Water, No Life. No Blue, No Green “. This will engage the public in selfie photos with all the different artisan turtles in waterfront towns. The goal is to achieve greater awareness to their unique hospital and rehabilitation center, and inform the public about man made risks to sea life and various initiatives to correct them. The ultimate goal is to generate greater public awareness, education, involvement and support for the rescue efforts.
So head down to Turtle Park and take a selfie with our newest addition so we all can spread the word!
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SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING |
Protecting our streets and parks is a top priority. Our 'See Something - Say Something' campaign is designed to make you a part of the solution. Signs are being posted throughout Main Street, in both uptown and downtown areas. The phone number of the supervising Code Officer is prominently displayed on each sign. We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity or other hazards. If you see something unusual or witness any concerning behavior, call (631) 774-0066. The Code Enforcement Bureau will secure the scene immediately, investigate the situation and work with SCPD. Our Code officers have a well-established relationship with SCPD. Many of them are retired, active or auxiliary officers. We also have security cameras on our streets. SCPD’s real-time crime center is tied into our camera system and can monitor them when necessary. All crimes are reported to Suffolk County Police. It will take all of us to be proactive and diligent to continue with the good work that has already been established.
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Village Officials
Port eReport
Editor-in-chief - Kathianne Snaden
Editor - Charmaine Famularo
Graphic Artist - Sue Orifici
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