The four candidates vying for two seats on the Greenport Village Board introduced themselves and answered questions from the public at a candidate forum Monday night at Floyd Memorial Library. 

The event was organized and moderated by Rena Casey-Wilhelm, who took questions from the audience and from a “Greenport Village 2019 Election” Facebook page she created.

Since Mayor George Hubbard Jr. is running unopposed, only the trustee candidates were asked questions. And only one of the two incumbents up for re-election is seeking another term, as Doug Roberts opted not to run again.

The other incumbent, Jack Martilotta, a Greenport High School teacher and National Guard reservist, is pursuing another four-year term.

The other candidates are Devin McMahon, a former village Planning Board chair and bar manager at Lucharito’s; Lily Dougherty-Johnson, who owns Lily’s Farm and works part-time at CAST (Community Action Southold Town); and Peter Clarke, who owns Clarke’s Garden and Home store in the village.

Devin McMahon

Mr. McMahon, 33, said he’s lived in Greenport his entire life. He served for five years on the village Planning Board and was its chair.

“I’m running because I want to continue volunteering my time,” he said. “I’m a lifelong member of the community who has seen the struggles people are dealing with in trying to stay within the community.”

Lily Dougherty-Johnson

Ms. Dougherty-Johnson, 38, also grew up in Greenport. “My motivation is because I love this space,” she said in explaining her decision to run for office.

She’s volunteered with the Dances in the Park committee and the Friends of Mitchell Park.

“I just want to stay involved and I want the village to retain the character it had when I was growing up, but also welcome all the new change. We need to be planning for change and for the things we want to see.”

Peter Clarke

Mr. Clarke, 60, moved to Greenport in 1998 and became a full-time resident in 2010.

“After a few years of living here part-time, I realized it’s a place I wanted to live in full-time,” he said.

He owns Clarke’s Garden and Home in the village and served as president of the Business Improvement District for several years. He said he has extensive business experience as well as volunteering work.

“We’re at a crossroads,” he said. “We are trying to make good decisions for the future of Greenport and they don’t have easy answers. My goal is to engage the community and make sure we take a road that includes everyone that’s a constituent in the community.”

Jack Martilotta

Mr. Martilotta, 43, has lived in Greenport for 12 years and lived on the North Fork before that.

“I moved out here when I got out of the service, I met my wife, and this is where we wanted to live,” he said.

Mr. Martilotta is also the varsity football coach at Greenport. He served in the Army and still serves in the National Guard.

He said there were a lot of challenges in the village when he was first elected four years ago, and many of them have been met, including repairing the power plant, repaving many village streets and widening Main Street.

Below is a sampling of some of the questions and answers from Monday’s forum:

Q: How can you promote community involvement?

Ms. Dougherty-Johnson said the village web site could be “more user-friendly,” and suggested that the village get its own Facebook page. She said she’s written letters to the village officials and gotten no response.

Mr. Clarke said outreach is the first thing that comes to mind, both electronically and in person.

“Encouraging people to voice their opinions and thoughts and concerns,” he said. He said he will make himself available for open office hours if elected.

Mr. Martilotta said the board has made some related changes in the last four years, such as moving meetings to 7 p.m. and streaming them online. He said he was initially concerned that not many people were watching them it, but eventually realized they were, as he often encountered people who asked him about things they’d seen on meeting videos.

Mr. McMahon said community involvement is incumbent on community members. He said when he was Planning Board chair, people would often say that they didn’t know applications had even been proposed. He said increased visibility can get more people involved and engaging younger generations to come to village meetings would help.

Q: What is the village’s most glaring shortfall?

While none of the candidates felt the village had a “glaring” shortfall, Mr. Martilotta said the village needs to do a better job of communicating and explaining its vision.

Mr. McMahon said finding a creative way to get issues out to the community before meetings could be beneficial. Often, people hear about items that were discussed at a prior meeting, he said.

Ms. Dougherty-Johnson said the village should do more long-range planning.

Mr. Clarke said he feels the board needs to be faster in moving from ideas to implementation.

Q: What would you like to see happen in the village?

Ms. Dougherty-Johnson said she’d like to see the waterfront remain accessible and not be developed into more condos, and would also like to see businesses other than hotels and restaurants downtown.

Mr. Clarke said he’d like to engage experts on a case-by-case basis to augment the Village Hall staff.

“We need resources so we are not viewed as a small hamlet that the big boys can come into and take advantage of,” he said.

Mr. Martilotta said the most important asset the village has is its sewer plant. “That’s the jewel of the entire village,” he said. “It’s something no one else has on the North Fork. We don’t have septic rings and immediately outside the village does.”

He said the village should try to find a way to extend the sewers to the Stirling Harbor area.

Mr. McMahon agreed with Mr. Martilotta. He also cited infrastructure and long-range planning.

Q: How would you alleviate parking problems?

Mr. Clarke said the village had a parking study done in the mid-2000s but only some of its recommendations were implemented. He said the BID suggested implementing municipal meters downtown but that was rejected.

He supports a system in which people would pay to park in prime parking spots, with lower-priced flat rates for the entire day in other areas. He also encouraged the development of off-site parking within a quarter-mile of downtown at a low price or art no cost.

Mr. Martilotta said metered parking “didn’t seem particularly popular.”

The village recently put a limit on how long people can park at the MTA lot and the village hired seasonal traffic control officers to enforce parking laws.

“There is no simple solution to the parking problems in the village,” Mr. McMahon said. He suggested taking several approaches, such as seasonal meters on parts of Front and Main Streets, and parking passes for village residents.

“It has to be a comprehensive approach,” he said.

Increasing communication with the Long Island Rail Road was also suggested. Mr. McMahon said the LIRR frequently says it doesn’t provide more service on the North Fork because they don’t have the ridership. But they don’t have the ridership because they don’t have the service, he said.

Ms. Dougherty-Johnson said she likes the idea of a shuttle from Moore’s Lane to downtown Greenport. “It would be a good, low-cost option and we’re not paving anything,” she said.

Also on the ballot in November but not actively running for trustee is Cynthia Roe, better known as Cyndy Pease Roe, who said this week that she has withdrawn her candidacy.

Voting in the village election will take place Tuesday, March 19, at the Third Street Fire Station, where polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

tgannon@timesreview.com

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A thrilling season for the Greenport Porters came to an end Saturday in Binghamton as Cooperstown won a Class C semifinal, 108-98, in triple overtime.

Jack Lambert scored a game-high 53 points for Cooperstown, which advances into the state championship Sunday against Middle Early College.

It’s the second straight season the Porters lost in the state semifinals.

The Porters had chances to sink a go-ahead basket at the end of regulation and both of the first two overtimes. Ahkee Anderson’s jumpshots at the end of regulation and the first overtime were off the mark and Jaxan Swann had a chance for a long three-pointer in the final seconds of the second overtime that missed.

Class C Boys B-ball Semifinals: No scoring. Greenport and Cooperstown are headed to second Overtime! pic.twitter.com/nOEGNUi9p1

— NYSPHSAA (@NYSPHSAA) March 16, 2019

Cooperstown finally took control in the third overtime, quickly jumping out to a five-point lead, as the Porters began to run out of gas. Cooperstown pulled ahead by double digits in the final overtime.

The Porters came back from five down in the second overtime as Anderson sank a long three-pointer to tie the score at 91 with 55 seconds left. Anderson had a monster game with 30 points. Lambert shot 20 of 32 from the field.

The Porters had to play the final two overtimes without center Jude Swann, who fouled out late in the first overtime.

The state championship between Cooperstown and Middle Early College will be at noon Sunday.

The Webster Sports Network streamed the game live from Binghamton and Suffolk Times Sports editor Bob Liepa provided live updates. Check back for the full recap.

Photo caption: Ahkee Anderson tries to get past the defender. (Credit: Jeff Miller)

Tweets by BobLiepa

FIRST HALF VIDEO:

SECOND HALF VIDEO:

The post Live Coverage: Greenport falls in triple overtime classic appeared first on Suffolk Times.

The door to the Greenport locker room remained closed for a while. One could only imagine the scene inside as the Porters tried to compose themselves and come to terms with the fact that their basketball season had just ended with a second straight loss in the New York State Class C semifinals.

When the players and coaches finally emerged, the picture became clear. It was a picture of exhaustion. Utter exhaustion: physically, emotionally and mentally.

After playing 48 minutes and three overtimes, Greenport had to reconcile the fact that, once again, it had fallen just short of a place in a state final. Not even the drama of playing in a historical game could lessen that blow.

A record-setting 53-point performance by Jack Lambert put Cooperstown over the top in a 108-98 shootout over Greenport Saturday at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton. The combined 206 points is a state tournament record, easily eclipsing the 179 produced in a Traditional-Hutchinson game in 1982.

Cooperstown (25-2) will play for its first state title tomorrow against Middle Early College (22-4).

Greenport (21-3), meanwhile, begins its offseason.

The Porters appeared devastated by the loss. When the game ended, a number of them held their heads in their hands, looking down. Some cried and were consoled by coaches or teammates.

Greenport coach Ev Corwin, wearing a reddened face when he emerged from the locker room to meet the media, said of his players: “It’s tough. I feel for them.”

Ahkee Anderson, who led Greenport with 30 points, said: “It was an historical game … Win or lose, we know we played hard. Everyone played so hard.”

Anderson, a junior guard who also had nine rebounds, seven steals and six assists, was named to the all-tournament team. He also spent the day going to nose to nose on both sides of the ball with Lambert.

Lambert was relentless. The 6-2 senior scored 12 points in the third overtime to help Cooperstown close the game on a 17-7 run. For the game he shot 20-for-32 from the field (4-for-7 on three-point attempts) and drained nine of 11 free throws.

Lambert’s 53 points exceeded the previous state tournament record of 47 that was shared by Hamilton’s Adonal Foyle (1994) and Jamesville-DeWitt’s Bernard Blunt (1990).

Anderson called Lambert “one of the best players I’ve seen.”

Ahkee Anderson scored 30 points. (Credit: Jeff Miller)

Corwin said Lambert “was amazing today. He just made big shot after big shot.”

Furthermore, Cooperstown’s 6-8 sophomore, John Kennedy, was an artist and force majeure in the paint. The big man had 25 points on 11-for-15 field-goal shooting and scored 22 of his points in the paint. He also came down with 22 rebounds.

“I never saw that type of play out of him on tape, and that’s why … I kind of take with a grain of salt what I watch on tape,” Corwin said. “The kid was a much, much better player offensively than I had seen and defensively very smart. He is a big detour there.”

Both teams showed extraordinary resilience throughout, battling back after falling behind. Still, Anderson said, “We weren’t expecting it to go to three overtimes.”

An Anderson layup and a Jaxan Swann three-point play gave Greenport a 75-73 edge with 46 seconds left in the fourth quarter. But then Lambert — there’s that player again — hit a jumper from the right wing, making it 75-all. Anderson attempted a two-pointer that struck the front rim.

On to overtime.

Greenport’s big man, 6-4 senior Jude Swann (18 points, 12 rebounds), fouled out with 35 seconds left in the first OT and his team trailing, 84-82. (Cooperstown’s Ryan Lansing had fouled out earlier in the period.) But Anderson calmly drained two foul shots with 30 seconds to go. An Anderson steal gave Greenport another shot at the basket, but the Porters missed. Lambert came down with the rebound and charged down the court while being hounded by Anderson and Jaxan Swann, who blocked his shot as time expired.

On to OT No. 2.

Jude Swann defended in the post. (Credit: Jeff Miller)

Cooperstown led, 91-86, in the second extra session before a Zach Riggins layup and an Anderson three-pointer evened things at 91-91. Later, Greenport played for the last shot, but Jaxan Swann’s deep three attempt fell short.

On to OT No. 3.

Greenport’s magic finally ran out. Cooperstown used a 14-1 burst to surge ahead, 102-95, with 52 seconds left. The writing was on the wall. An Anderson layup cut the Cooperstown lead to six points, but Lambert buried four free throws in the final 21 seconds to ice it.

“It feels like we just played 10 games,” said Corwin.

Cooperstown also received 12 points from Calvin Sandler.

Jaxan Swann had 26 points in his final game for Greenport. “It was fun while it lasted because me and my brothers all know we gave it our all,” the senior guard said. “It was a fun game, and that’s all it is. It’s supposed to be fun. We had fun today.”

Everett Corwin Jr. supplied Greenport with 11 points.

Greenport, supported by a healthy (and vocal) turnout of fans, has a 1-6 career record in the state final four, reaching a state final once in a four-point loss to South Kortright in 2009. The Porters were determined to be state champions this year.

“I thought this was the year they were going to get their true reward,” Coach Corwin said. “I really, really felt that, but it’s a gauntlet. It’s tough. It’s a long, long process. We ran into a buzz saw.”

“I’m just more upset for my guys,” he added. “They’re a great group of kids. I just really feel awful for them.”

Facing the glare of television lights, Anderson said, “This was a tough one.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Greenport assistant coach Ryan Creighton consoles Everett Corwin Jr. after the Porters’ triple-overtime loss to Cooperstown in the state Class C semifinals in Binghamton. (Credit: Jeff Miller)

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The pain was real. The tears were real.

The emotions were real.

Greenport’s 108-98 triple-overtime loss to Cooperstown in the New York State Class C boys basketball semifinals Saturday hurt in more ways than one. Not only had the Porters come within a win of a state final for a second straight year, but the loss meant saying goodbye to the team’s seven seniors. Goodbyes aren’t easy for a team as close as the Porters are.

After the game at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, coach Ev Corwin said: “On a personal level, these guys over the last couple of years, they have become a part of my family here. They’re at my house. That’s why I’m all choked up because a couple of guys I won’t see much …”

Then Corwin cut himself short and turned away from the media momentarily to compose himself.

This was the final Swann song for two of Greenport’s senior starters, brothers Jaxan and Jude Swann, who have done so much to help propel the Porters to a second straight final-four appearance. The heart they showed in the game was consistent with how they played throughout the season.

During the third overtime period, Jaxan Swann hurt his leg while going for an offensive rebound. After he was looked at, he was helped to his feet and trotted with a visible limp to the other end of the floor before coming out of the game briefly. He returned soon after.

“It’s just my loyalty to my brothers, and I’d do anything for them,” he said. “I just had to get up. I couldn’t stay down.”

Greenport will also graduate starting forward Reese Costello and 6-4 center Zach Riggins, who had done good work coming off the bench and was presented with a sportsmanship award after game. The team’s other seniors are Meko Ameden-Bell, Luca Benidze and Sean McElroy.

“I love them,” Corwin said. “I just told them they gave me so much joy the last couple of years, just to be a part of this group and just taking that little ride here. All I can tell them is thank you.”

• LI teams go 1-4

The state championships bring together 20 teams from five classes. Of the four Long Island teams that made it to Binghamton, only Brentwood reached a final. Brentwood lost to West Genesee, 70-57, in the Class AA final Saturday night. In addition to Greenport, Manhasset (Class A) and Center Moriches (Class B) also lost in semifinals.

After burning Greenport for a state tournament-record 53 points, Cooperstown senior Jack Lambert was a mere mortal in the Class C final Sunday, scoring 23 points in a 71-61 defeat of Middle Early College.

• Three cheers for the fans

Greenport was well represented in the stands by purple-clad fans who made the trip upstate to cheer their team on. It didn’t go unnoticed. Jaxan Swann expressed his appreciation for the team’s fans. “They give us everything, and for them, I’ll do anything,” he said. “I’ll go to war for them, me and my brothers and my coaches.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Jaxan Swann, who had 26 points in his final game for Greenport, attempting a layup. He finished his career 19 points shy of 1,000. (Credit: Jeff Miller)

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From my couch 240 miles away from Binghamton, my heart pounded with anticipation Saturday. I spent several years at the beginning of my career covering sports, and few games I’ve ever witnessed could match what was unfolding at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.

Not one overtime.

Not two overtimes.

Three overtimes!

The boys basketball Class C semifinal game between the hometown Porters and Cooperstown became an instant classic once the final buzzer sounded, a game people will talk about at the state tournament years from now.

Remember that time the kid on Cooperstown scored 53 in that triple overtime game?

But sports can be cruel. That’s what makes the thrill of winning such a rush. And this time, after all the points, after all the drama, after all the highlight plays, it was the Porters on the short end of an otherwise thrilling game. Cooperstown 108, Greenport 98.

At one point during overtime, a co-worker texted me about how wild the Greenport game was. It was great to be able to follow so closely from afar, thanks to the efforts of Kevin Webster, who streamed the game through his Webster Sports Network to hundreds of Greenport fans. And our sports editor, Bob Liepa, was there courtside, typing up live updates and commentary on Twitter. There’s no greater time than March for basketball fans, and to have a local high school team advance so far into the state tournament only added to the excitement. As expected, the Greenport community rallied around their team and the support was overwhelming, from the fire department escort early Friday morning to the sea of purple in the stands Saturday morning in Binghamton.

There are just over 150 teams across New York in Class C and to be one of the last four standing is no small feat. It’s worth remembering just how difficult it is to win a state title in basketball, perhaps the most difficult accomplishment for any team sport in New York. Consider this year, no Long Island teams won state titles, and the quality of the teams in each classification was outstanding: Brentwood in Class AA, Center Moriches in Class B, for example.

Moments after the Porters’ game ended Saturday, my attention shifted to the next big moment of March: college basketball conference tournaments. At 1 p.m., I tuned into CBS Sports Network to watch my alma mater, St. Bonaventure, play against the University of Rhode Island in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

I quickly regrouped from the disappointment of the Porters loss to begin cheering for the next big game. And two hours later, I was all smiles as St. Bona came from 15 points down to win and advance into Sunday’s championship. With a few minutes left in the game, and a win all but assured, I texted my wife at work to plead my case for going into Brooklyn the next day for the championship game.

Sunday happened to be St. Patrick’s Day, the biggest day of the year for my Irish wife.

But she knows how much I love basketball, so she agreed to take an early-morning train into Barclays Center, throw on a St. Bona sweatshirt and cheer alongside me.

Up for grabs was a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

We got to Barclays Center and found a sea of brown and white in support of St. Bona. I was at home.

Everything started perfectly, as the Bonnies jumped out to a 15-point lead. I could already picture myself watching them in the NCAA Tournament a few days later.

But as I said earlier, sports can be cruel.

The lead in the second half slowly disappeared, and suddenly with three minutes to go, the team trailed by eight.

Just when it seemed over, a quick rally and a 3-pointer with under a minute to go made it a two-point game. The crowd was delirious.

Finally, one possession was left. After two missed shots, the ball swung into the corner to a player who had just checked in due to a starter fouling out. He caught the ball with four seconds left, down by two. He shot an open three-pointer, his only shot of the game, for the win. I leaned forward against the railing, as the ball seemingly hung in the air forever, ready to jump in excitement.

The ball hit off the back of the rim, and just like that, the season was over.

Talk about a swing of emotions. Sports can be a gut punch at times.

As the NCAA Tournament begins in full Thursday, I’ll be back in front of the TV, computer and phone watching all the action. I won’t have any rooting interest any more this month, only for a bracket that will likely be busted by Saturday.

Photo caption: Jaxan Swann goes to the basket for Greenport. (Credit: Jeff Miller)

The author is the editor of The Suffolk Times and Riverhead News-Review. He can be reached at 631-354-8049 or joew@timesreview.com.

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The tax rate in Greenport Village will increase by just over two percent as a result of the tentative village budget proposed by Mayor George Hubbard Jr., which was released Wednesday.

“There’s a modest tax increase in it, of 2.09 percent,” Mr. Hubbard said at Thursday’s village trustee meeting. “If fits under the tax cap. We have money in there for two additional part-time traffic control officers to try and take care of that issue.”

The $10.6 million budget is up by 3.66 percent in spending, or $375,720.

Mr. Hubbard said afterwards that people complained that there were no TCOs on duty on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so the village is trying to get someone on duty for at least part of every day.

The tax levy increase in the 2019-2020 proposed budget is 3.83 percent. The state tax cap applies to the tax levy and is at two percent this year, although it allows for a number of exemptions, such as tax base growth. Officials said the village budget does not pierce the cap.

A budget hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, at 6 p.m. in the Old Schoolhouse museum on the intersection of Front and First streets.

“We also have money for a building inspector, but not a senior building inspector,” Mr. Hubbard said. “It will just be someone off the civil service list and we will probably have to train that person.”

The village has been trying to get a full-time head of the building department for more than a year, according to the mayor.

“We had tried getting a building inspector last year but nobody was on the list and everybody at the top of the list had already found jobs,” he said. “So we’re looking to advertise that position. We’ve been doing a lot with part-timers, but we’re looking to get one person full-time to be the focus person.”

Mr. Hubbard said there also are two people retiring from the highway department as well that will be replaced.

“The budget went up a little bit because we needed to do some bonding for the road repairs last year,” he said.

The proposed 2019-2020 budget shows about $91,000 in debt service for road improvement projects.

tgannon@timesreview.com

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An unexpected package arrived at Greenport High School Monday. Inside was an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol in honor of the Greenport boys basketball team. An accompanying Certificate of Authenticity noted how the flag was flown on March 20.

Joan Dinizio, the athletic department secretary, said she was shocked when she opened the package. No one in the athletic department knew it was coming.

The package had been addressed to Porters basketball coach Ev Corwin and Ms. Dinizio. When she opened it, Mr. Corwin’s son, Ev Jr. happened to be in the room along with athletic director Chris Golden.

“I got all chocked up reading the accompanying certificate to [Ev Jr.] and Chris Golden,” Ms. Dinizio noted in a Facebook message.

Ms. Dinizio shared a photo of the certificate on Facebook Monday afternoon. She said it was the effort of a 1998 Greenport graduate, Heather Latney-Kelly, who made it all happen. She’s a sergeant with the U.S. Capitol Police, Ms. Dinizio said.

The certificate reads: “This flag of the United States of America was flown over the United States Capitol on behalf of Sergeant Heather Latney-Kelly in honor of 2018-19 Greenport Porters Men’s Basketball Team for their hard work and dedication both on and off the court. As a GHS graduate, I am very proud of these young men, not just by their success on the court, but the way they conduct themselves off the court. To the team and coaches, you have earned the respect of your competitors and the lasting admiration of your supporters. PORTER PRIDE!”

Ms. Dinizio said they plan to frame the flag with the certificate.

The Porters recently wrapped up one of their best seasons in program history, advancing to the semifinals of the state tournament for the second consecutive year. The Porters lost a triple overtime classic in the semifinals to Cooperstown, the team that went on to win the Class C state championship.

(Photo credit: Joan Dinizio)

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When Sandpiper Ice Cream closed its doors last October, some fans of the Greenport shop held out hope it would eventually reopen for the season.

But the family that’s owned the business for the past 40 years is making it official: Sandpiper has served its last cone. 

“We didn’t really have an announcement to say we were closing … apparently some people caught on pretty quickly when the Jernick’s trucks were coming and cleaning out the building,” said Alley Adair Nilsen-Diaz, whose stepfather, Paris Stachtiaris, opened the business with his father, Achilles, in 1979.

Ms. Nilsen-Diaz worked the counter at the shop for a decade, beginning when she was 14 years old. She said the decision to close was strictly financial and that her mother, Jessica Nilsen, and stepfather have plans to retire to Florida while she focuses on growing her own pet-sitting business.

The most difficult part of closing the shop, she said, is losing the connection to Greenport Village.

“People would come back year after year and we would see families grow,” she said. “We would see little kids come in with parents and then, 10 years later, they’d have kids of their own. Everyone comes back.”

Known for its traditional flavors like chocolate, peanut butter and strawberry, the ice cream spot could at times see lines out the door during the high season.

“There were lines of people around the corner sometimes during maritime festivals and things like that,” Ms. Nilsen-Diaz said. “We got a lot of foot traffic during those days.”

Marc LaMaina, who owns the neighboring Lucharitos restaurant, said his sister worked at the business roughly 30 years ago, so they’ve known the family for a while.

“It’s the end of an ice cream era,” he said. “It’s always a shame to see a local business go.”

Ms. Nilsen-Diaz said that although they say they’re retiring, she could picture her parents get back in the business down south.

“I think they’re going to get bored, because they’re still young,” she said. “It’s just a feeling I have. They say they’re done … but I know my parents.”

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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The soccer relationship between Chris Golden and his daughter, Jillian, has been a complex one. Chris is not only Jillian’s father, but he is also her coach and athletic director.

Wearing three hats at once can be tricky for the Southold/Greenport girls soccer coach and Greenport athletic director, but he seems to have navigated it well.

“Sometimes it could be a little unsettling,” he said, “but overall, I always respected that, A, she’s my daughter, and I’ve always had a lot of respect for her as a player, her knowledge of the game.”

Jillian’s knowledge and skills are taking the high-scoring forward to the next level. It’s the same with another Greenport High School senior, defensive midfielder Mateo Arias Roldan. Both signed on with NCAA Division III teams at a signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon at the school — Golden with the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Roldan with SUNY/Purchase.

Both players have been six-year varsity players (and starters for five of them) for their high school teams.

Jillian, an All-State first-team player in 2017, amassed 54 goals and 24 assists over her high school career, playing in four county finals, two regional finals and a state semifinal.

“There was a lot of pressure on her to score and she handled that very, very well,” Chris said. “So, I was always appreciative of that. She gave a hundred and 10 percent every time she was on the field.”

John Jay (appropriately nicknamed the Bloodhounds), which is located in upper Manhattan, was a natural choice for Jillian, who will major in forensic science.

“I picked John Jay because I thought that it would be the perfect school for me,” she said. “It’s in the city, so there’s a lot of sights and sounds and things to do.”

Roldan, a versatile All-County player who can play any field position, bagged 13 goals and 15 assists in his time with the Porters.

Roldan, whose pre-calculus class attended the signing ceremony and took photos, said he selected Purchase because it has a “nice campus, it was close to home and I got the chance to play soccer there. I’m pretty excited just to experience a whole new level of school and sports.”

Chris Golden said: “Mateo can play anywhere, but he was used more in midfield and more in that holding midfield role. Really, things revolved around Mateo, the flow of the game, the pace of the game. His technical ability is as good as anyone I’ve seen come out of Greenport. He’s extremely proficient with the ball. His decision-making, relative to where he is on the field, is excellent. He’s able to slow the game down when it needs to be. He’s able to speed it up when it needs to be.”

Following the ceremony, Jillian Golden said she felt relief. “Finally, the college process is over because it’s stressful and everything else, but I’m just super excited and super happy and I don’t regret my decision at all,” she said. “This is where I want to go and play the next four years and I know that I’m going to be really happy.”

Oh, and she had one final parting thought: “I think John Jay’s going to be the team beat next year, that’s all I can say.”

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Greenport senior soccer players Jillian Golden (John Jay) and Mateo Arias Roldan (SUNY/Purchase) have signed with NCAA Division III teams. (Credit: Bob Liepa)

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A turf field and updated tennis courts will no longer be included in Greenport Union Free School District’s proposed Capital Improvement Project. 

Eliminating these items as options further reduces the highest possible cost for the project to $23.8 million. The change came after consideration of community feedback, district officials said.

About 60 people attended the third of four public hearings on the project Monday night, when Superintendent David Gamberg revealed the latest price reduction on a project first proposed in February as costing as much as $29.8 million. The district outlined less costly options that excluded athletic improvements, such as the turf field, at follow-up meetings.

Now, the plan is consolidated into a single option.

Mr. Gamberg said officials have been taking community comments into consideration since the Feb. 5 meeting at which the project was first outlined.

“And it’s much more than new bathrooms and new lockers,” he said. “It’s connected to the community, it’s connected to who we are.”

School board president Babette Cornine said the board will vote on the final project proposal the week of April 8. A final public hearing will be held before the board’s vote. Residents would then vote whether to approve the project in June, in a vote separate from the regular May budget vote.

An updated breakdown of projected tax increases to cover the cost of the bonds was not provided.

Ms. Cornine said the district has received bids to repair one of the damaged men’s bathrooms in the school, which plans to be renovated this summer.

Bill Wisbauer of Tetra Tech Architects and Engineers, which is partnering with the district, explained that bids for the project are determined by the lowest responsible bidder and are unrelated to the location of the bidders.

William Swiskey, who has expressed his frustration with the bond project at previous meetings, suggested the district push back the dates on the bond project and tackle only the damaged bathrooms over the summer. He said the district can delay the date of the bond project.

“You’re acting like you don’t have options — and you do,” he said.

But Mr. Wisbauer said because the plan needs to be approved by the state before voter authorization, the project cannot be delayed.

Greenport High School senior Colin Rossetti, who runs  the district’s historical society club, provided community members with the historical context of the building. He’s immersed himself in the history of Greenport, he said.

“Nearly 90 years have gone by since the construction began on our current school building,” he said. “Many things have changed in that time. What has not changed is the importance of a safe and modern school facility.”

Village Trustee Doug Roberts said: “Can you help us understand how good we have it on our taxes now compared to the buildings around us? Help us understand the relative way in which are taxes are not brought up over the years … Can you help us quantify this?”

Mr. Gamberg said the district is working to find the historical increment of taxes, but it’s difficult to nail down a comparison between other communities.

“There is a general sense that in the 1990s, before there was a tax cap, that there were a series of budgets that were either at $0, I believe in the early 2000s there was a negative budget,” he said. “Tax base does differ in one community versus another … and is based on years and years of change.”

In response to Mr. Roberts’ statement, Mr. Swiskey said if the project is approved, it might frustrate older Greenport community members who are struggling financially.

Mr. Gamberg said if the project is not passed by voters, the buildings and grounds committee will consider alternative options.

“The plan is to go back to the drawing board, and try to consider input and get the right amount for the right amount of work that needs to happen,” he said.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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A seemingly innocuous application to raise a home that sits in a flood zone turned into a debate last Thursday about frequently submerged cesspools located in that area and the harm they may be doing to the aquifer.

The case involves a wetlands permit application from Stephen Bull and Terese Svoboda, who are seeking to raise their home on Sandy Beach Road so it doesn’t flood as often.

Mr. Bull said at a public hearing in February that the house has been flooded repeatedly by various storms, and that it’s very old. He said he wants to raise the structure by three feet to protect against future storms. Greenport Village code requires all wetlands permits to be reviewed by the village Conservation Advisory Council, which must file a report with the Village Board on each application.

That report basically says the board would be comfortable with the application so long as the county health department gives its approval to the home’s septic system, which is often underwater.

Mr. Bull’s home is not the only one on Sandy Beach Road in this situation, according to CAC member John Saladino.

“We allow 26 homes to defecate into the bay and into the creek on a daily basis,” Mr. Saladino said at last Thursday’s Village Board meeting. “How do we turn a blind eye to that?”

He said the village is spending in money in other areas, such as collecting runoff at road ends and building storm drains, to protect the quality of the surface water.

The Village Board plans to vote on a resolution Thursday, March 28 to declare that the wetlands application “will not have a significant negative impact on the environment.”

Mayor George Hubbard Jr. also suggested the board take the CAC’s advice.

At last Thursday’s meeting, village attorney Joe Prokop and village administrator Paul Pallas debated whether the village is required to send the application to the county health department.

Trustee Mary Bess Phillips said that if the board is going to make Mr. Bull go before the county, it should make all of the Sandy Beach homeowners go as well.

“I wouldn’t object to that,” Trustee Julia Robins said. She backed the CAC recommendation to require that the application get county approval. She said she has no objection to the applicants’ plan to raise the house, but added, “I have questions about all of the houses down there with their sewers emptying into the creek.”

Mr. Bull, who attended last week’s Village Board meeting on another matter, didn’t speak on the issue of his application.

But at a Feb. 28 public hearing on the application, he objected to the provision to make him go before the county health department.

“We’re just raising the house,” he said. “We’re not increasing the square footage of the house; we’re not flushing the toilet more often.”

He said he’s never had to pump out the cesspool. But he acknowledged during the hearing that he doesn’t believe he could get approval from the county for his existing system.

Mr. Saladino said that in a prior application from Mr. Bull, the he county already told the village the application is a “matter for local determination,” meaning that the county will leave the ruling up to the village.

Greenport has considered extending its sewer district to the Sandy Beach area, although cost has been an issue, since homeowners there would be hit with large tax increases because there are so few homes.

tgannon@timesreview.com

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The new owners of Claudio’s got a “fast-tracked” approval of their wetlands permit at Thursday’s Greenport Village Board meeting, as officials expressed concern over the disruption the work could cause for other businesses if Claudio’s doesn’t complete construction by Memorial Day. 

The wetlands permit was needed to replace bulkheading in three areas at the waterfront site.

Normally, when the board holds a public hearing on a wetlands permit application, it doesn’t vote on the proposal until the following month, at the next Village Board meeting.

On Thursday, the board held the hearing and also decided to vote on the application at the same meeting, at the urging of board member Julia Robins.

“I think that if the contractor doesn’t finish with this work by Memorial Day weekend, it’s going to have a serious impact on the downtown business district,” she said. “Right now, I counted about 30 to 35 [parking] spaces [in the Claudio’s lot] that are barricaded off [because of ongoing work].”

Ms. Robins worried this would have customers at the three Claudio’s restaurants searching for parking elsewhere in the village.

“Plus we have a new hotel here and they’ll have an additional impact on our parking,” she said. “So I’m very concerned that we give these people the opportunity they need to get to work right away.”

John Costello, the marine contractor for Claudio’s, said one of the bulkheads in front of the restaurant was built in 1952 and is “eminently dangerous” and could collapse.

“It’s been falling over for almost 15 years,” Mr. Costello said. “I have seriously repaired it several times during that time.”

A temporary deck was placed over it “because somebody is going to fall through a hole,” he said.

Trustee Mary Bess Phillips said another issue facing Claudio’s is that their permit with the state Department of Environmental Conservation expires on Aug. 18. She questioned if the work could even be done by then.

Mr. Costello said if someone told him to do the job now, he could get it done by the current expiration of that permit. He said he will make an application to renew the permit. The DEC and Army Corps of Engineers permits must be in place before the wetlands permit can be issued, officials said.

Tora Matsuoka, whose company is managing the restaurant for PWIB Claudio Real Estate LLC, the new owners, said by phone on Friday, “We will definitely have everything open by Memorial Day.”

He said one of their goals is to remain open year-round.

Trustee Doug Roberts, in his last meeting on the board, said everyone wants Claudio’s open by Memorial Day, but he asked why the wetlands permit wasn’t applied for earlier.

Mr. Matsuoka said they acquired the property in April of last year and it was in bad condition then. He said they didn’t realize that the DEC and Army Corps of Engineers permits that were already in place needed to be transferred to the new ownership name. He said the Army Corps permit took a long time to get because of the government shutdown.

“We’re not looking for any special treatment,” Mr. Matsuoka said. “Our main concern is safety.”

The village’s Conservation Advisory Council, which makes recommendations to the board on wetlands permits, also suggested that, consistent with the village’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, Claudio’s should install a pumpout station, and it should provide a maintenance schedule that will certify that the bulkhead will last 30 years.

The board eliminated that requirement Thursday after Mr. Costello questioned how anyone could guarantee a bulkhead for 30 years. Instead, the town is requiring an “ongoing maintenance schedule” for the bulkheads.

tgannon@timesreview.com

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Floyd Memorial Library in Greenport will be temporarily closed from April 8-13 as interior renovations continue. 

“Libraries are changing,” said library director Lisa Richland Tuesday. “It’s about making room for people to be here.”

Work on the 102-year-old building began last fall when the HVAC system failed, Ms. Richland said. All of the flooring throughout the library will also be replaced.

“It’s been about 20 years,” she said.

The interior layout will also see updates with the teen and children’s space being combined and furnished with new shelving and seating. The current teen area will become a co-working space for anyone to use, Ms. Richland said.

“It’s going to be a really nice space,” she said. “We’re adapting to the 21st century.”

Though the entire library will be closed for a week, the lower level will remain closed through April 21, she said, adding that patrons are welcome to use any of the other North Fork libraries during the renovations.

The library celebrated 100 years in 2017. Ms. Richland said the last major improvement was made in 1999, when an expansion created additional community space and handicapped accessibility.

Ms. Richland estimated the project cost upwards of $100,000 and was funded through a legacy donation. She is anticipating all of the work to be completed before Memorial Day.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Following a plethora of presentations and public hearings over the past two months, all Greenport school board members voiced support regarding the district’s proposed $23.8 million Capital Improvement Project. 

Construction for the bond project, which would modify and renovate the school building, could begin as early as summer 2020, Superintendent David Gamberg said. A previous $29.8 million version of the plan, proposed Feb. 5, included a turf field.

In the near future, Mr. Gamberg said, the scope of the project will be brought to the bond council, which will draft a resolution of the proposal to appear on ballots. If approved by the school board in late April or early May, voters can choose to approve the project June 20, district officials said.

The project would have at least two ballot items for voters: one would approve most of the interior changes, totaling $21.2 million; the second option, which adds an additional $2.6 million to the project, would include upgrades to the tennis courts and track. The second item cannot be approved without the first, Mr. Gamberg said at a previous board meeting.

Board member Daniel Creedon said he believes the project is necessary, but he’s concerned that the upgraded track would benefit community members, not students. He said all the money raised from taxes should go to students, not residents of the community.

Building and Grounds Committee and board member Heather Wolf was not present at the meeting. Board president Babette Cornine read a letter Ms. Wolf submitted: “‘Rather than proposing small projects, we, as committee members, felt it was fair to lay everything on the line so that taxpayers didn’t have to wonder what would be asked of them next,’” she wrote.

Ms. Cornine, who is also on the committee, said she supports the project. She said she’s listened to comments from the community for the last 18 months and knows what changes the district needs to see.

“We cannot save money fast enough to do what we need to do to help our children and give them what they deserve,” she said.

Board member Kirsten Droskoski said she’s “completely in support” of the bond project and noted the importance of the marine program.

Board member Tina Volinski offered a similar sentiment and said the project is a reflection of community comment.

“Everything that’s in the bond now is everything I heard over the past three months while I’ve been at the IGA, on my walk, via text and phone calls on the weekends,” she said. “I feel like we’ve listened to everybody, and I look forward to even more collaboration over the next few months.”

The school will hold a public tour of the building Saturday, April 13.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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The Greenport Village Board appointed some new members to its Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals and also discussed some of its priorities for the coming fiscal year during its organizational meeting last Thursday at the Old Schoolhouse. 

Mayor George Hubbard Jr. said last week that two people were resigning from the Planning Board, one from the ZBA and two from the Historic Preservation Commission.

For the Planning Board, the board appointed Lily Dougherty-Johnson to serve the balance of the term of departing member Noah Thomas, and Patricia Hammes to fill the seat held by Ben Burns, who will also step down.

Mr. Burns, 88, has served on the Planning Board since 2012, and also was an village trustee from 1999 to 2003.

Ms. Dougherty-Johnson ran for village trustee in March but came in third out of four candidates for two available seats.

The Village Board also reappointed member John Cotugno to another five-year term, and reappointed Mary Given as Planning Board chairperson.

On the ZBA, the board appointed John Reardon to fill the seat that Ellen Neff had held for 10 years. She decided not to seek another term. The board also reappointed John Saladino as ZBA chairman.

Mr. Hubbard said the board still is looking for people to replace Caroline Waloski and Susan Wetsel on the HPC.

Plans for upcoming year

“We don’t have a lot of new projects coming up, but we have a lot of stuff in the works, and we’re going to try and get a lot of these things taken care of and finished up,” Mr. Hubbard said.

These included dredging Sterling Basin, connecting the Sandy Beach area to the village sewer system and seeking grants to help with that project.

The village’s fiscal year runs from April to March.

The mayor also said the village is “getting close” to establishing a mini-train in the north part of Moore’s Woods. That project, a joint effort with the Greenport Rotary and the Railroad Museum of Long Island, is awaiting state Department of Environmental Conservation approval. A groundbreaking is expected in mid-to-late spring, Mr. Hubbard said.

The train engine, cars and tracks are being purchased from Rotary member Frank Field, who offered rides to kids on the miniature train on his Greenport property for more than 30 years. The train would be located on village property.

Mr. Hubbard also mentioned the drainage project at the road ends on Clark, Flint, Brown and Sixth streets, for which county grants have been secured.

Another project the village hopes to complete is redoing the bathroom and the playground equipment at Fifth Street Park to make them handicapped accessible, Mr. Hubbard said.

Paving the north end of Moore’s Lane, for which the village also received state grants, is another project the mayor hopes to complete this fiscal year.

Mr. Hubbard said Greenport residents are very helpful with the comments and tips they send to officials.

“It’s very helpful,” he said. “We know if there’s a problem or an issue somewhere, and through their letting us know about it, we try to take of it right away.”

tgannon@timesreview.com

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Five years ago, when I was writing my book about Greenport’s immigrants, a parent asked me to translate into Spanish a notice from her child’s school. It announced an event that interested her but, lacking an English-speaker close at hand, she had set it aside until it was too late to benefit.

That would never happen now. 

Greenport and Southold schools have taken unprecedented steps to meet the needs of the non-English-speaking students, primarily Hispanics from Mexico and Central America, who have come through their doors in the past two decades. 

District officials — notably Southold Superintendent David Gamberg, but others as well — have found many ways (some local initiatives, others dictated by New York State) to adapt to their schools’ changing populations and to prepare all students for the multicultural future that awaits us. 

Communication with parents, in person and in writing, is in Spanish and English; secretaries, nurses and counselors interact with students in both languages; Southold High School is experimenting with a delayed starting time for male students with jobs who need to earn money to pay off the debts they incurred to get to America. 

Most important is the employment of many more certified teachers of ELLs (educator jargon for English language learners, whether immigrants or U.S.-born children of immigrants). Five such teachers are now in each school district, though some work only part-time with ELLs and also teach other subjects to students whose first language is English. They are novices and veterans; the eminence grise is John Myers in Southold, whose high school students — most of them recent immigrants — put out a journal of essays in English every year.

As I interviewed these teachers recently, I realized that their backgrounds and responsibilities are complicated beyond the understanding of civilians like me. Several were themselves ELLs when they were young. For Daniela Norte, who teaches high school in Greenport, the experience inspired her professionally, but Evelyn Balcacer (in Southold) says, “All the mistakes were made with me,” noting that her struggle to learn English was very isolating.

For all of the teachers, the job calls on much more than pedagogical aptitude, linguistic facility and university training (they must have M.A.s). In addition to English, they are teaching culture, whether it’s the norms of classroom behavior or of teenage courtship.

Most of the youngest students were born in the U.S. and pick up English very quickly. “The little guys are sponges,” says Rebecca Lillis, head of the Greenport program. As for other lessons, they learn about the culture of school just as their English-speaking peers do. “Who is sitting on their bottoms?” Tara Polistena asks her Greenport kindergartners gently, and, “Sometimes we have to turn off the sillies” — universal reminders for 6-year-olds. But some elementary students have had little or no education in their home countries, and a teacher may encounter a newly arrived fourth-grader who does not know how to hold a pencil. 

Most challenging for the teachers is the acculturation of adolescent ELLs, who are often recent immigrants with painful histories and ambivalence about education. Detained at the U.S. border, they may be in the classroom only because a court has mandated it, or they may think that having to take history or science or math is a waste because all they really need is to learn English. They may eat hamburgers and admire hip-hop, but introducing them to American standards of socially acceptable behavior (most are male) and convincing them that American measures of success are attainable is uphill work. 

But local teachers are rising to the task. Ms. Lillis is proud of the student who had no English when he arrived but is now studying to be a police officer. “And we have students who initially can say only ‘hi’ and ‘bathroom’ but by the end of year they are telling you what they did over the weekend,” she says. Mr. Myers reports that five of his students who came to the U.S. as teenagers graduated last year with Regents diplomas from Southold High School; three went on to higher education. 

The demographic shift underway in this country is tectonic; we will be a majority-minority country in a generation. Even as they assimilate, immigrants and their children are constructing the economy that will result. In the New York metropolitan area, six million immigrants paid $66 billion in taxes and spent more than $154 billion on goods and services in 2016. In our Congressional district, immigrants, who now make up more than 12% of the population, share with the native born the beauties and opportunities of the East End. 

Teachers on the North Fork who work with the youngest of new Americans are not merely ushering them into this anticipated world; they are actively producing their future in it.

Ms. Gordon lives in Greenport. She is the author of ‘Village of Immigrants: Latinos in an Emerging America.’

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The East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation wants you!

More specifically, they want your photos and memorabilia from the 1950s and 1960s to put together an exhibit documenting how Greenport and the surrounding areas appeared during those decades.

“I thought, let’s dress up this room in the museum and make it a viable display with some activities that involve the community,” said Paul Kreiling, chairman of the museum board. 

Donated items will be returned. Scans of photos can also be used where possible, Mr. Kreiling said. 

The exhibit is being called “Snapshot: A Community Participation Event.”

The museum, which documents the area’s maritime heritage, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, he said.

The foundation’s mission includes maintaining — and operating cruises to — Long Beach Bar “Bug” Lighthouse, among others; running the annual East End Maritime Festival in the fall; and managing the museum and the foundation’s many education programs. 

The museum, housed in a former train station adjacent to North Ferry and the Long Island Rail Road, has a 750-gallon saltwater aquarium on site as well as exhibits dealing with local maritime history.

“The museum is a welcome center to the village,” Mr. Kreiling said. “It’s right in the middle of the transportation hub so, if nothing else, it’s a primer on Greenport, its history and what’s going on now.”

Mr. Kreiling said he’s not a historian. His love of Bug Light is what drew him to the museum.

“I’m a sailor, I work on boats, I sail past it all the time,” he said. “I’ve noticed it needs a little paint. 30 years is a long time.”

The ’50s and ’60s were an era of great change, but locally, they were very poorly documented, Mr. Kreiling said. 

“So I thought I’d open it up to the community,” he said. “What do you have? Let the community shape the exhibit.”

The museum began accepting submissions March 30, with the goal of opening the exhibit in May.

“So, it’s working, but it’s going slow. Really slow,” Mr. Kreiling said. He’s hoping that will change. 

“A lot of people lived through that era, but it’s not like now, where everyone is taking pictures with their cellphones. Taking a picture was a big deal then.” 

He is planning to promote the exhibit on social media, including the museum’s Facebook and Instagram pages. 

People wishing to loan photos or other memorabilia for the exhibit can send an email to director@eastendseaport.org or call 631-477-2100. 

“Whatever happens will be insightful. Will it be definitive? Absolutely not,” Mr. Kreiling said. “The idea is that they get to participate, and they get to be part of the museum. And they get it all back.”

Photo caption: East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation board members Tracy Orlando and Paul Kreiling with memorabilia. (Credit: Tim Gannon)

tgannon@timesreview.com

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A Greenport man facing a 30-count indictment following an alleged drunken driving crash that led to the death of a Queens woman last year wants to accept responsibility and will consider a plea deal, his attorney said after a brief court appearance Thursday in Central Islip.

Glenn Zaleski, 36, is facing up to 25 years in prison on the top charge of aggravated vehicular homicide.

“It’s not a case that we want to take to trial, necessarily,” said attorney Anthony Rutkowski of Southampton. “He wants to accept responsibility and we’re working toward a resolution.”

Suffolk County Judge Fernando Camacho set a plea conference for May 21.

After the judge and attorneys met for a conference Thursday, Judge Camacho said they are still waiting for the results of an accident reconstruction report.

Mr. Rutkowski said there hasn’t been an acceptable plea deal offered by prosecutors at this point and they still need to see the accident reconstruction report.

“It wouldn’t feel right to take any type of plea on a case where he admits recklessness without seeing what the actual accident reconstruction shows,” he said.

Mr. Zaleski pleaded not guilty in December to the upgraded charges following a grand jury indictment. He was not present in the courtroom Thursday.

Mr. Zaleski was driving a 2016 Dodge pick-up truck eastbound on Route 48 near Chapel Lane around 8:30 a.m. July 15 when he crossed over into westbound traffic and struck a minivan with seven occupants, according to police. He was originally charged with driving while intoxicated and suffered only minor injuries in the crash, police said at the time.

Witnesses said Mr. Zaleski swerved to the right of the road and overcorrected, crossing the double yellow line at “a high rate of speed” into the minivan. The force of the collision pushed the minivan off the road, prosecutors said at his initial arraignment in Southold Town Justice Court.

The driver of the van, You Feng Yang, 51, of Flushing was pronounced dead two hours later at Stony Brook University Hospital. Two passengers in the van were also airlifted to Stony Brook for treatment of serious injuries. The other four passengers, all adults from Flushing, were treated at local hospitals for injuries that were not life-threatening, according to police.

A blood test performed taken at the hospital following the crash showed Mr. Zaleski had a blood alcohol content of 0.22 percent, prosecutors said.

He is being held on $100,000 cash bail or $200,000 bond.

Correction: Attorney Anthony Rutkowski’s name was misspelled in an earlier version.

joew@timesreview.com

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A 21-year-old Greenport man was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated and a host of related offenses following an attempt to flee police on an ATV in the early morning hours Saturday, Southold Town police said.

Vincent Leone was operating an unregistered and uninsured ATV through the village shortly before 5 a.m. when an officer attempted to make a traffic stop, police said.

Mr. Leone fled through the village, into the Greenport High School parking lot onto Moore’s Lane before hiding in Moore’s woods, according to a police press release. Officers located Leone and determined that he was intoxicated.

Mr. Leone was transported to Southold Town police headquarters and held for arraignment.

In addition to the DWI, he was charged with violations for operating without a license, registration, insurance, proper headlights and for failing to stop at a sign.

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A marker honoring an iconic, rebellious North Fork newspaper editor now stands tall in Greenport Village.

Members of the Village Board, Stirling Historical Society and Press Club of Long Island unveiled a plaque honoring Henry Reeves, former editor and publisher of the ormer Greenport weekly newspaper, The Watchman, founded in 1858.

Mr. Reeves, who was also a village trustee, state assemblyman and a Southold Town supervisor for 20 years, was jailed in 1861 by the Lincoln administration for sedition for writing pro-South editorials in the Watchman at the beginning of the Civil War, Stirling Historical Society president Gail Horton said Thursday.

Press Club of Long Island historic sites chairman Bill Bleyer said the editor returned to his position at the paper after he was released from Fort Lafayette in New York Harbor after a four month stint.

Although most of the North had shifted to be pro-war after the Battle of Fort Sumter in South Carolina in April 1861, Mr. Bleyer said, the same wasn’t true for Mr. Reeves.

In her speech, Ms. Horton was quick to point out the controversial nature of the honoree: he opposed the war effort and came out in favor of the South during the Civil War.

“He’s a complicated person,” she said, “but he did an awful lot for Greenport, so we appreciate you honoring him for his devilish ways and for his great contribution to the community.”

According to an obituary published in May 1916 in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Mr. Reeves graduated from Union College and the University of Michigan. He was one of the oldest volunteer firemen in the state at one point, was a member of the Greenport Presbyterian Church and served as a member of something called the State Lunacy Commission from 1889-1897. As a member of the board of trustees of the Long Island Agricultural School at Farmingdale, he advocated for a state school in Suffolk County.

The Greenport sign is the fifth marker in PCLI’s historic sites program, which recognizes notable journalists across the Island. The group has honored the founding site of Newsday in Hempstead Village; the founding site of the Long Islander by Walt Whitman in Huntington; the Sag Harbor site where David Frothingham founded the first newspaper on Long Island; and a Roslyn Harbor site recognizing William Cullen Bryant, editor of the New York Evening Post.

“The fact that any journalist would be put in jail for exercising their First Amendment rights,” Mr. Bleyer said, “and certainly in the current environment where the president considers the media the enemy of the people — it’s important to reassert that journalists have a First Amendment right to assert their opinion, no matter how unpopular it may be.”

After Mr. Reeves’s death, an article appeared in The Suffolk Times which requested a memorial be mounted for him. It was suggested that the Greenport Board of Trustees raise funds to build a memorial, Ms. Horton said.

While that effort failed, Ms. Horton said she believes Mr. Reeves is important as he was eager to speak his mind.

“The most important thing was his First Amendment rights,” she said. “No matter what your opinion is, you have the right to put it out there.”

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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