🌱 Port Jefferson Daily: Parents Protest At Miller Place High

Hey, Port Jefferson! Let's get you all caught up to start this day off on an informed note. Here's everything you need to know in town today.

First, today's weather:

Variable clouds; breezy, mild. High: 58, low: 54.

Here are the top 4 stories in Port Jefferson today:

1. Parents protested in front of Miller Place High School Tuesday after the district sent out a letter saying it was removing mask breaks for students. In the letter, the district said it was following updated guidelines from the state. Students say the new rules are being enforced and that it's a lot stricter this time. More than 70 percent of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated, according to the state. However, the seven-day average transmission rate has climbed to 7.4 percent on Long Island, which is why Gov. Kathy Hochul called for mask requirements indoors unless there is a vaccine mandate in place. (News 12 Bronx)
2. The teenage Manorville couple who went missing Dec. 9 have been found and are safe, Suffolk authorities reported. Vincent Abolafia, 15, and his girlfriend, Kaileigh Catalano, also 15, were located in Manhattan. The NYPD and MTA Police Department assisted Suffolk police in this investigation. (GreaterLI)
3. Village History: What is now Belle Terre, coupled with an area in today’s Port Jefferson, once comprised the 1200-acre Oakwood estate. Surrounded on three sides by water, the property featured a country house, tilled land, woodlots, a hothouse, fruit and nut trees, sheepfolds, springs, an icehouse, a dairy, pigpens, barns and outbuildings. The estate even included a private cemetery, the Sugar Loaf Burying Grounds, where some of Oakwood’s workers and their family members had been interred. Mary B. Strong, known as “Lady Strong,” presided over the estate. In 1880, she was considered the wealthiest woman in Brookhaven Town, where she numbered among its largest taxpayers. (TBRNews)
4. Three varsity basketball players have been named to top 100 basketball players on Long Island list. Congratulations to John Sheils, Lola Idir and Abby Rolfe. Athletic Director Adam Sherrard said, "We are very proud to have John, Lola and Abby to represent Port Jefferson on the list of top the 100 top. They put the work in during the offseason to improve their skills and are great leaders on the court. We are looking forward to them helping to lead their teams deep into the postseason this year." (Port Jefferson School District)

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Today in Port Jefferson:

• MS Grade 7/8 Winter Concert HS Auditorium. (7 p.m.)
• Fun with Toddlers (Comsewogue) — Comsewogue Public Library. (10:30 a.m.)
• A Time for Kids: Mr. Potato Head — Port Jefferson Free Library. (11 a.m.)
• Teen Ring Candles — Port Jefferson Free Library. (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• It’s shaping up to be a smoother winter for folks in Farmingville. The Town of Brookhaven has completed a 22-road, $1 million paving project in Farmingville that included the replacement of damaged concrete curbing and more than 80 aprons, officials announced. The undertaking was part of the town’s effort to create safer environments for driving, bicycling and walking in the hamlet. (Greater Long Island)
• HIA-LI, one of Long Island’s largest business advocacy organizations, praised the decision by Breeze Airways to select Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip as its base of operations in New York State — and to initiate nonstop service from the airport to Charleston, South Carolina and Norfolk, Virginia. (LongIsland.com)
• It's been almost two years since COVID-19 began to batter the restaurant industry, forcing shutdowns and capacity restrictions that are now largely the stuff of memory. However, while federal stimulus money helped keep some businesses afloat through the pandemic, that buoy is no longer an option for bars and restaurants. Click on the link to see all the restaurants that went out of business in 2021. (Newsday)
• Port Jefferson Free Library: "Welcome to Crafters Anonymous. Hello, my name is Nikki and I started matching my outfits with my kits. New DIY kit for adults! First come, first serve." (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Thursday off right. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with your next update!

— Debora Whitehead

About me: Debora Whitehead is a dedicated wife and homeschooling mom from Coram, NY. She has a bachelor's degree in Education and loves to teach and write. Her passion for the community reflects on her volunteering work at the "Mariposa Ministry, " a nonprofit family assistance program. One of her strongest believes is Jesus Christ and when she is not parenting, teaching or reading, she is writing. One of her favorites quotes is: " The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."- Eleanor Roosevelt.