CUTCHOGUE
Some scallop history
Last week’s story, “Scallop season off to a slow start,” confirmed the unwelcome news of yet another year of dismal Peconic bay scallop harvests. In this article, Keith Reda made what I deem to be some unfortunate comments about ongoing restoration efforts: “I think we should stop trying to help because we are obviously not doing the right thing … maybe we should just quit meddling.”
As a scientist who has worked diligently for more than 35 years to restore Peconic Bay scallop populations and fisheries, I feel the need to weigh in here and provide some historical context. After brown tide algal blooms wiped out our scallops in 1995, commercial harvests were on life support for 12 years. During this time, no active plantings were being conducted. But even without any brown tides, scallop populations did not recover on their own. Beginning in 2006, using a science-based restoration strategy, our team at Cornell Cooperative Extension and Long Island University began planting millions of hatchery-reared bay scallops, born from wild Peconic scallop parents. As a direct result of this massive effort, commercial scallop harvests climbed to over 107,000 pounds of meats in both 2017 and 2018 — 32 times the average annual harvest prior to the start of our restoration efforts. This represents the most successful scallop restoration effort in all of North America — ever.
All of this is documented in peerreviewed scientific articles, published in top-tier journals. Had it not been for our restoration efforts, it is very likely the increased harvests andeconomic boon to baymen and fish markets after 2006 would not have occurred. Scientific investigations by our group and researchers at Stony Brook University have uncovered the reasons for scallop die-offs that have happened each year since 2019: a combination of disease and climate change. And now, we are working to use this knowledge to work toward a solution. We are not “meddling” — we are using proven strategies, striving to restore Peconic Bay scallop fisheries — yet again.
Stephen Tettelbach
SOUTHOLD
Now’s the time to do the work of the people
Now that the votes are counted and the winners and losers declared, it is time to get back to the work of the people. Admittedly, there are a lot of priorities. But indulge me for a moment to make a plea for the people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association website, 261,000 people aged 65-plus live in Suffolk County — 30,500 of them diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. This is a prevalence of 11.7% — higher than that of 70% of counties nationally. The vast majority of these individuals live in Congressional District 1 — our families, our friends and our neighbors.
Congressman Nick LaLota cosponsored the National Alzheimer’s Project Act Reauthorization and Alzheimer’s Accountability & Investment Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in October. These two pieces of bipartisan legislation renewed the nation’s commitment to fight against Alzheimer’s and continues the work of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease by supporting research and improving the delivery of clinical care and services.
As a caregiver and nine-year Alzheimer’s Association volunteer I want to thank Mr. LaLota for his support in the past, and hope he will continue in this fight against Alzheimer’s in his second term. This is the work of the people.
Nancy Chandler
CUTCHOGUE
Where will we stand?
This Veterans Day, I wonder: What were the American ideals that our veterans — my father and uncles, and all fathers, grandfathers, mothers and grandmothers — were willing to risk laying down their lives to defend?
Post-election, president-elect Trump has reiterated his campaign promise to round up, incarcerate and deport millions of undocumented immigrants, a key tenet of Project 2025. CNN has reported that the stock prices of private prison companies have soared since the election.
We live on a peninsula with an economy that has become dependent on undocumented immigrant workers. They live invisibly among us. But they work in the vineyards, the nurseries, our restaurant kitchens and in the building industry. They’re the ones digging ditches with shovels, hammering roof shingles in the hot July sun, cleaning our homes and maintaining our yards. They work for menial wages and live in substandard housing. Their children attend school with ours.
As historian Heather Cox Richardson pointed out in her Nov. 8 post in her daily “Letters from an American,” Catherine Rampell and Youyou Zhou of The Washington Post showed before the election that voters overwhelmingly preferred Harris’ policies to Trumps’s if they didn’t know which candidate proposed them. Further, Republican strategist Sarah Longwell, who studies focus groups, told NPR, “When I ask voters in focus groups if they think Donald Trump is an authoritarian, the No. 1 response by far is, ‘What is an authoritarian?’” When the time comes for the roundup on the North Fork, where will we stand? Where will our community, our churches, our business leaders, our local political officeholders, our police department, our school administrations and our political party leaders stand? The ones seeking to deport will need our cooperation in order to identify our undocumented neighbors. Where will we stand? Where will you stand?
Barbara Farr
KEENE VALLEY, N.Y.
What did you earn today?
I’m sure we all gained some income. At our jobs or through our investments. But guess what? The world’s 10 richest men increased their wealth by $64 billion today. Yes. $64 billion. How much did your wealth increase? This seems insane, and it is. This happened because Trump has pledged to decrease taxes… primarily on the richest people in the country and the world. What about you? Seems you’re not in the picture — unless you’re among the wealthiest people in America.
If you voted for Trump, you voted your approval of “trickle down economics.” George H.W. Bush called this “voodoo economics.” He was correct; the wealth hasn’t trickled down over the last 40 plus years.
The theory is that if you give the very rich a deal, they’ll spend and the money will trickle down to us. I think you’ll agree that it hasn’t worked. Since 1980, the average CEO’s income vs. the average worker’s has gone from about 27 to 1 to well over 300 to 1. Pretty sick.
If you voted for Trump, you voted to increase the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Maybe that’s what you wanted. I certainly didn’t.
Today, Joe Biden, graciously congratulated Trump. This is so unlike Trump four years ago, who ranted about the election being stolen. Without any evidence. This, despite the fact that our election system has been the model for the free world. We set up election processes in democratic countries everywhere. Yet, this felon tried to degrade our history.
What a contrast. Joe, with over 50 years of public service and many incredible achievements, including over the last four years, when are lives have improved so much after Trump Virus and incompetence. On the other hand we have Trump , whose only concern has been about himself. A convicted felon has been elected president. Insane!
Barbara Wasilausky
MOUNT SINAI
Thank you
I want to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of my volunteers and supporters for your unwavering dedication throughout my campaign for the New York State Senate. Whether you knocked on doors, made calls, donated resources or simply stood by my side, your commitment and hard work have made all the difference, and I am grateful and inspired.
After experiencing seven challenging campaigns as a Suffolk County legislator, I can tell you firsthand that it’s not easy running for political office. I first ran for school board trustee in 2005. In 2011, I ran for the county Legislature and won the 6th LD seat as a Democrat in one of the most Republican county districts, winning seven elections until I was termed-limited. I overcame political divisiveness by putting people over politics and finding common ground so we could get work done by making communities safer, cleaner and more affordable. Knowing the local issues and having both foresight and experience, I am proud to have facilitated many successful programs. Affordability will continue to be the top issue as we enter into a very turbulent political climate. While this election is over, the work we’ve started doesn’t stop here. The connections we’ve made, the conversations we’ve had and the ideas we’ve sparked will continue to shape the future. It has been my honor to have worked alongside some of the most dedicated and inspiring people in this county as we continue to make a difference. I wish my opponent the best and look forward to a continued partnership between government and community as we address our future goals.
Sarah Anker
GREENPORT
‘Brinkmann-ship’ on hardware store
Clearly the Brinkmanns’ plan to open a hardware store in Mattituck is now forever off the table.
I have a terrific idea for them: The old, long-empty Arcade Department Store in Greenport seems to be a great solution. Greenport no longer has a hardware store and we sorely need one.
How about it, Brinkmanns?
Cathy Haft
LAUREL
A Democrat’s decision
I am a Democrat who could find no rationale that would justify a vote for John Avlon over Nick LaLota.
If we really are advocates of bipartisanship in our politics, opposing Mr. LaLota because he is a Republican would have been counter to that principle.
John Viteritti