Riverhead Town Supervisor

The Riverhead battle for town supervisor pits GOP incumbent Tim Hubbard against local pastor Jerry Halpin.

Riverhead Town Board

Four candidates are vying for two open seats on the Riverhead Town Board. Incumbent councilmen Kenneth Rothwell and Bob Kern are both running for second, four-year terms. Both were elected in 2021 and have played critical roles in making decisions that shape Riverhead’s future. Two newcomers, Kevin Shea and Mark Woolley, have also entered the ring of this competitive race. Mr. Shea of Baiting Hollow, is a retired New York City firefighter and 9/11 first responder, and a staunch environmental steward. Mr. Woolley, a Riverhead native, is a seasoned government liaison who has worked with six different members of Congress.

Suffolk County Legislator

The race for County legislator between Republican incumbent Catherine Stark and Democrat Greg Doroski and it has an odd twist. Depending on the results of Proposition 2 on the ballot in Suffolk County, the winner could be back on the campaign trail next year. 

The proposition looks to extend the term for Suffolk County legislators to four years from their current two-year stint. 

If Prop 2 is approved, the elected legislator would serve a three-year term through 2028. 

If it fails, the winner will serve a one-year term and have to run again next year to get on board with the state’s move to even-year election cycles to coincide with state and federal elections.

Early voting wraps up today, with polls opening at 10 a.m. and staying open until 6 p.m. The voting booths are located on the lower level of Riverhead Town Hall at 4 West Second St. and in the rear of the Southold Town Recreation Center at 970 Peconic Lane in Peconic.

Can’t make it to vote early? Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, with voting from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. However, registered voters must report to their regular polling location. Find out where to vote on Election Day here.

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Residents may have seen cars lining farmland along Roanoke Avenue, and golfers may have noticed the parking lot of The Woods at Cherry Creek golf course was fuller than usual this weekend. Super telephoto cameras, spotting scopes and binoculars of all sizes were all searching for the wayward cuckoo, which has never been seen in New York before, and only two other times on the East Coast. Its last official sighting was in 2020 in Rhode Island; the first was in Massachusetts back in 1981.

North Fork bird and bug enthusiast Jay Rand was one of the first “on” the bird Thursday evening. He said the common cuckoo is currently in the wrong hemisphere. “I think that’s where the common name came from. Cuckoo is a widespread European and Asian bird, and then they migrate south to Africa for the winter,” he said. “So this particular, likely first-year bird was probably trying to migrate and maybe got blown over by that nor’easter.”

Listen to the common cuckoo

Strangely enough, Mr. Rand said, the initial sighting was actually made by a non-birder. Roy William Gardner was golfing at the Vineyards Golf and Country Club, happened to see it and snapped a photo to send to his birder nephew, Chris Sayers. From there, word got to Jay McGowan, who works with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology upstate. Once confirmed as the common cuckoo, he sent out the rare bird alert to the New York birding community on Discord at 4:55 p.m.

At 6:04 p.m., Mr. Rand posted, “On it now!” He and five other birders all saw it together. Since then, there have been 213 recorded sightings of the cuckoo on the birding site ebird.org. Mostly it was observed eating caterpillars. Two stakeout spots were set up over the weekend with many birders on the lookout for it, one at The Woods at Cherry Creek and on Roanoke Avenue south of Reeves Avenue.

Due to the extreme rarity of this species to the U.S., birders hopped in cars and on ferries and even airplanes to see it. Mr. Rand said well-known birders David and Tammy McQuade of Florida made the trip north. They often see 600 to 700 species of birds a year. Mr. McQuade reported it to his ebird list Saturday, Oct. 25.

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Birders had their 600mm camera lenses pointed at the common cuckoo Saturday evening. (Credit: Angela Colangelo) About 20 birders were documenting the “lifer” common cuckoo at the Woods at Cherry Creek Saturday evening. (Credit: Angela Colangelo) A woman snaps photos of a common cuckoo in Riverhead; it should be in Europe or Africa. (Credit: Angela Colangelo)

Both the farm and the golf course have been relatively open to the birders using their properties to spot the cuckoo, similar to last year when the rare lazuli bunting was spotted on a home bird feeder. There were some reports of the golf course sending birders away once the golfers teed off. Mr. Rand said that as long as birders are respectful of the property and neighbors, problems are unlikely. He said trespassing is only one of the concerns, however, especially with a rare bird outside its element, often called a “vagrant” in the birding community.

“Sometimes people with their cameras and cellphones, trying to take pictures, get a little close to the bird,” Mr. Rand said. “There’s two things and a really bad one is you’re stressing the bird out. The bird was just feeding in a great spot and now it has to find another good spot, but in addition, if the bird just flew away, you ruined it for other people that were coming to go see it.”

He said that was the case for the common cuckoo as well, but that after a few hours, it was relocated and the location reshared.

Mr. Rand said the birding community in general is growing ever more inclusive with information on sightings shared on ebird.org, Discord and social media. He said the hobby is also growing thanks to the ease of getting involved with apps like Merlin, which will help identify birds through questions, but will also “listen” to your surroundings and tell you which birds it hears.

He said there’s all kinds of ways to bird, from traveling and building life lists on ebird and competing with other area birders to just watching a backyard feeder. “Bird how you want to bird,” he encouraged. Mr. Rand is currently among the top 10 birders in Suffolk County with 349 species seen, and this common cuckoo was a “lifer” for him, meaning he’d never seen it before.

He said this vagrant in particular is special because even non-birders know what a cuckoo clock is and therefore can relate to it in some way, possibly piquing interest in birding. He also said that seeing the common cuckoo in New York is iconic and will be tough to beat moving forward.

The last confirmed common cuckoo sighting on ebird was at 9 a.m. on Sunday at The Woods at Cherry Creek.

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On Saturday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Riverhead Parks & Recreation Department and the North Fork Environmental Council will host a Repair Café and Halloween costume swap at the George Young Community Center at 446 S. Jamesport Ave, Jamesport.

“Repair Cafés are about more than fixing things. They’re about restoring a culture of reuse, learning practical skills, and sparking conversations between neighbors,” said Margaret Rose de Cruz, board director of NFEC. “It’s an antidote to our throwaway society.”

Repair Cafés are hands-on events where community members hand over broken household items — from small appliances to dull kitchen knives — to skilled “coaches,” who teach as they bring them back to life.

The idea is, fewer items in the landfill, more saved resources and a more connected community.

“Every time someone walks out of a Repair Café with something they thought was broken forever, you can see the excitement on their face,” said Ashley Schandel, assistant superintendent of Riverhead Parks & Recreation. “It’s empowering. People leave with a working item, new skills and often a new friend. That’s what makes this so special.”

Organizers said the volunteers — many who return consistently — enjoy each other’s company, but they prefer to be busy all afternoon. They said the help is free and to bring items like clothing, bicycles, small electronics, lamps, toys and tools to be repaired and knives, scissors, and garden tools to be sharpened.

“It’s time to go through your closets and your basement and attic and look for the things you stashed away that need to be repaired or that are not quite working right,” Ms. de Cruz said.

Added this year is a Halloween costume swap, modeled off a recent successful clothing swap that NFEC held in Cutchogue earlier in the year. The concept is simple: bring a costume, take a costume.

To volunteer as a coach, email Ms. Schandel, schandel@townofriverheadny.gov or Ms. de Cruz at Margaret@nfec1.org.

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Elizabeth Sultan, a junior at Westhampton Beach High School, recently launched Peter’s Packages, an organization supporting children and young adults navigating grief in honor of her father, Dr. Peter Sultan.

“In my mind, his death is tragic. I’m the one left hurting,” Elizabeth told the Riverhead News-Review in an exclusive interview. “I want to help other people who are left hurting.”

Dr. Sultan died suddenly on July 13 while participating in the Jamesport triathlon. He was 54. The surgeon had practiced at Peconic Bay Medical Center for more than 20 years, touching thousands of lives by restoring patients’ mobility and helping them live free from pain.

The outpouring of grief from across the North Fork and Riverhead made it clear that Dr. Sultan’s connection with the community extended far beyond the operating room. Whether through a shared devotion to family or a love of music, his commitment to those around him left a lasting mark.

Elizabeth wants to keep that legacy alive in her own way.

Each package includes what Elizabeth calls “comfort items” — small things meant to bring healing and connection to anyone who’s had to sit front row at their first funeral.

The grieving daughter said the many gifts she and her brother, William, received inspired her to launch Peter’s Packages in mid-August. 

One particular present that proved helpful to her was a journal. 

“I found it important to write down [feelings],” she said. “Meals were also important at the time so I included gift cards to places we went to.”

She started by collecting donations at events her father would normally attend, such as her soccer games and music performances.

“He was a light in my life,” she said. “He’d always sit in the front row. It was annoying at first [because of bad photos he’d take], but now I see how nice it was.”

She also recalled the many thankful patients the family would encounter, even once on a family trip to Pennsylvania. 

A favorite joke between them was guessing, “Who are we going to meet today?” she said. “I did know he was special.”

To support the initiative, donations are being accepted through an Amazon Wishlist featuring board games, sympathy candles, memory journals, tea selections, and arts and crafts supplies. 

Some donations have arrived with a note addressed to Elizabeth, which she sees as a way for her father’s former patients to find comfort.

The wishlist is already helping others heal, she added. 

As Peter’s Packages grows, Elizabeth intends to connect with local bereavement centers like the one at PBMC.

“It was a true gift to have Dr. Sultan as part of our extraordinary team, and we are honored to support Elizabeth and the mission of Peter’s Packages,” a spokesperson for Peconic Bay Medical Center said. “You can lend a hand by making a purchase from their Amazon Wishlist today.”

Donations can be distributed when a need arises or referred to a specific person. 

Follow Peter’s Packages on Instagram: @peters.packages.

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There will be potato sack races and tastiest jam contests, live music and sawmill demonstrations on the popular grounds, which were first slated to become the site of a nuclear power plant before concerned locals pushed for a better option.

Instead of a toxic plume, a cherished historical stop has bloomed on Sound Avenue over the last half-century.

This year’s 44th edition of the Country Fair takes place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 27 and 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

“We will have all the old favorites you have come to love, with demonstrations by traditional craftspeople, historic house tours, live music, children’s activities and our fabulous bake sale,” a spokesperson for the farm said.

“We will also have historical cooking demonstrations, Spirit of Long Island Drill Team horse performances, pony rides, food and beverage trucks, vendors and more! Plus all that, our neighbors at Long Island Antique Power Association have to offer including tractor pulls and sawmill demonstrations.”

Tickets cost $12 for ages 13 and up; $8 for ages 5 to 12; and admission is free for children ages 4 and under. In celebration of the 50th anniversary, tickets will be 50% off on Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon. Check out the full schedule.

Ahead of the much-anticipated weekend, Hallockville put out a call to North Fork home cooks and gardeners, inviting the community to a friendly competition to declare the tastiest jam, the perfect potato and the most spectacular squash (including pumpkins).

Entrants will each receive a free ticket to the country fair; first-, second- and third-place winners will each receive ribbons and a small cash prize.

Deadline for registration was Sept. 21. Winners will be announced and displayed at the fair.

This year’s visitors should also check out the newly renovated Naugles Barn, The overhaul, completed in June, includes two new entrances to the barn, first-floor windows and doors and — most importantly for those with young kids — new restrooms.

The improvements are just a small part of Hallockville Museum Farm’s evolution. It now offers programs that include summer camps, community and heritage gardens, beekeeping and handicrafts from the likes of the Sound Avenue Stitchers and Basket Weavers Guild of Eastern Long Island.

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Train to be a hospice companion volunteer 

East End Hospice is urgently seeking caring individuals in the community to provide in-home companionship and respite care to hospice patients on the North Fork. No prior experience is required, just a compassionate heart, a willingness to help others and the ability to complete a training program before beginning volunteer work. Free training will be offered twice a week in October via Zoom, and features multiple presenters, videos and real-life examples. 

Pre-registration and an interview are required. To learn more or apply, call 631-288-8400 or email Susan DiSario at volunteers@eeh.org.

Volunteers needed for drug prevention program

Riverhead Community Awareness Program Inc. seeks community volunteers to teach the 2025-26 “Too Good for Drugs” prevention program to fifth- and sixth-graders at Pulaski Street School. The program consists of eight monthly sessions taught by volunteers who are assisted by peer leaders from grades 8 through 12. The total time commitment is approximately two hours per school session month. 

For more information, or to sign up, contact prevention supervisor Cynthia Redmond at 631-727-3722 or Cynthia.Redmond@RiverheadCAP.org.

Beach Cleanup volunteers needed

The North Fork Environmental Council organized two local beach cleanups for Saturday, Sept. 20, as part of International Coastal Clean Up Day. In Riverhead from 9 to 11 a.m., volunteers will clean debris off of Reeves Beach, situated at the end of Park Road. Another option is to help clean up Breakwater Beach in Mattituck, also from 9 to 11 a.m. They ask for all volunteers to bring gloves and a bucket, and will provide gloves and bags as well.

Call or email the NFEC office with any questions 631-298-8880 or office@nfec1.org.

Repair experts and helpers needed

Riverhead Parks & Recreation and the North Fork Environmental Council have rescheduled their Repair Cafe to Saturday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m., at George Young Community Center, 446 S. Jamesport Ave., Jamesport. Repair broken items, get professsional advice, build community and participate in a Halloween costume swap. 

The event needs volunteers, helpers, skilled coaches and people with broken items. To volunteer, or for more information, email Schandel@townofriverheadny.gov or Margaret@nfec1.org. 

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The Montauk Surfcasters Association, the main sponsor of the contest for the last seven years, had rods and bait for kids to use and members were on hand to assist the anglers with baiting their rods and tying on lures.

Photos by Jeremy Garretson

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The top angler of the youth division, made up of kids 15 and under, won a rod and reel donated by West Marine. Xavier Viera, age 10, took top honors followed by Miller Sumwalt, 11, and Julia D’Alsace, 6.

The top adult angler, Valerie Barr, won a rod and reel donated by Dynamic Automotive. Willy Walker and Jeff Sumwalt, won second and third place rods and reels donated by the Montauk Surfcasters Association.

Flanders Men’s Club provided the event with hot dogs and soda, and J&H Transfer, Riverhead Beverage, Long Ireland Brewery and Sandy Pond Golf Course made other donations to the tournament.

The contest is intended to inspire a lifelong love of fishing and the outdoors. Snappers are an abundant species that put up a good fight, and the date of the snapper tournament coincides with a large number of fish in the river, ensuring plenty of bites.

“And for any kid who’s never done it, especially a lot of these kids haven’t, and they get a fish on, their first time going, their adrenaline’s going, [and] they’re happy,” said Brian Connor, president of the MSA in a previous interview. “We usually see these kids coming back year after year. You know, it’s a great thing. We need kids to be outside more instead of inside on screens.”

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Abigail Robillard (Credit: Courtesy photo) Max Odell (age 4) on his first day of Kindergarten at Riley Ave Elementary School (Credit: Courtesy photo) Taya Ann, first day at Pulaski Street Schoo, 5th grade (Credit: Courtesy photo) Riley Avenue 2025, 4th grade (Credit: Courtesy photo) Lila, Quinn and Elsie Corwin going into 8th, 6th and 4th grades (Credit: Courtesy photo) First day at Roanoke Ave. Elementary School (Credit: George Faella) First day at Roanoke Ave. Elementary School (Credit: George Faella) First day at Roanoke Ave. Elementary School (Credit: George Faella) Nola of Aquebogue (Credit: Courtesy photo)

Here are some recent Education headlines; scroll to the bottom for links to district calendars.

SWR District 2026 lunch program directives

Shoreham-Wading River cafeterias will be required to provide a complete meal to any student who asks for one under the state’s universal free meals program starting this year. The state program follows the National School Lunch Program as a criteria for nutrition at meal time. READ MORE

SWR High School gym fire shifts athletics, phys ed activities

Superintendent Gerard Poole said water damages to the gym floor — a result of efforts to extinguish the fire — will require “major renovation,” but all other areas will be open for the start of the year. Work to replace the floor has already begun, with the floor already ripped up as of Aug. 26. READ MORE

Community advisory committee formed by Riverhead school board

Effective in October, the Riverhead Central School District board of education will create its new Community Involvement and Language Access Advisory Committee to bridge gaps in communication and alert leadership of community concerns. READ MORE

Area districts lay out state-mandated cell ban plans

Gov. Hochul’s policy, which was approved as part of the 2026 fiscal year budget, prohibits unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on K-12 school grounds for the entire day, including classroom time, lunch and study hall periods. READ MORE

New athletic director Ferry to lead SWR wildcat pack 

Deb Ferry was appointed Shoreham-Wading River’s new director of health, physical education and athletics and plans to have a “boots on the ground approach.” She will replace former athletics director Eric Bramoff, who joined the district in July 2024. READ MORE

Wishing students, staff, teachers, administrators and parents an enriching 2025-26 year!

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Eric’s efforts serve a dual purpose in the community. First, he seeks to contribute to alleviating the serious shortage of O- and B- types facing the state of New York. Secondly, Eric dreams of pursuing a career in the health field.

He is well on his way, volunteering with Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corps. In addition to his commitment to the wider Riverhead area, Eric is also the student representative with the Riverhead Board of Education for the 2025-2026 school year.

“People should donate at my scholarship blood drive because one donation can save up to three lives,” Eric informed. “And by giving, you’re also helping support my education and future in healthcare.”

The participating donors in the upcoming blood drive with receive a mums plant sponsored by Gabrielsen’s Country Plant Farm on Herrick’s Lane in Jamesport and owned by the Gabrielsen family.

Visit nybc.org to assess eligibility for making a donating and necessary preparations for giving blood.

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The day included the playoffs of the Aldrich Sports League Summer Sunday soccer season, an exhibition game with players from the national amputee soccer team and a 3 vs. 3 ‘King of the Court’ basketball tournament.

During the exhibition game, members of the national amputee soccer team play against spectators and Aldrich Sports League Sunday soccer players who use crutches and have to play holding one leg in the air. Even the keepers put one hand behind their backs. The national team won again this year with an 11-0 shut out, which was good for $110 in donations.

Photos by Daniel Franc

Jovan Booker, a member of the national amputee soccer team said the sport “supports athletes both adult and youth to be able to have access to play soccer with a disability. There’s a national team for the men and one for the women, [and] we’re developing grassroots programs and a team for youth as well, so all of the proceeds and donations help build amputee soccer here in the U.S.”

Mr. Booker said the amputee soccer national cup is coming up Sept. 12 to 14 in Boston, where the top amputee team in the United States will be crowned. Following that, starting January, training camp kicks off for the national team preparations for the World Cup that takes place from July 31 to Aug. 9 in Costa Rica.

He listed ways to get involved with the sport. “You can support the growth of amputee soccer on usampsoccer.org, learn more about the sport and upcoming events,” Mr. Booker said. “You can make donations that help support competition and grassroots development.” He also mentioned the ASA YouTube channel where games and tournaments are streamed.

Moving on to the next exciting part of Sunday, the playoffs of the high-intensity Aldrich Sports League summer Sunday league, where play was fast-paced and surprisingly low scoring, given the quality talent on the field. Riverhead FC were eventually crowned champs of the league.

Photos by Daniel Franc

In the final tournament of the day, the 3 vs. 3 “King of the Court” tournament went to Team Marcellus.

Courtesy photos

At the end of the very long event, Aldrich Sports League organizers Joe Aiello and Francis Buonaiuto put together one last gathering, the after party at North Fork Taps and Corks in Southold. The next day, Mr. Buonaiuto said, “Spreading the love of sports and bringing our community together is what it is all about, and we want to thank everyone that came out to support us and the National Amputee team — especially all of our sponsors who helped make this all possible.”

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