Mystery Picture: June 5, 2012

Gaby Treble Knows Oyster Bay

Gaby Treble correctly identified the May 31 mystery picture in the Enterprise Pilot. She said, “It’s the Oyster Bay High School principal. He’s taped to the wall with duct tape.” Ms. Treble recognized the principal, Dr. Dennis O’Hara, but checked with her brother Harrison, in seventh grade to be sure. She asked him, “How come he’s taped to the wall?”

Elfia Presta called to identify the picture and said, “It’s Dr. O’Hara in the Oyster Bay High School. I work there and he is my boss.” She and her office mates said the event was to raise funds for the eighth-grade trip to colleges to raise awareness about going to college.

Editorial: Nice Work If You Can Get It

In our Bayville election coverage on page four of this issue, Hank Pinkerton of Bayville ended with, “and remember, Memorial Day is all about remembering all those great men and women who fought and fight to keep our freedom and the freedom of others around the world … don’t let your freedoms be lost to a one part system with no choice.”

Wow. Those words mean a great deal when you consider the Town of Oyster Bay.

Mystery Picture: May 29, 2012

Gaby Treble Knows Oyster Bay

Gaby Treble called to identify the mystery picture in the May 24 issue of the Enterprise Pilot. She said, “I think that it was taken in the high school when they were voting.” Ms. Treble is a student at the Vernon School. She informed me, “Today we had an assembly on James H. Vernon. We learned when he was born and how old he was when he died. He had three sons and four daughters. He was born in 1873 and was a fireman.”

It’s nice to get a bit of history along with our Mystery Picture solutions, don’t you agree?

Editorial: Moving Theodore

A few weeks ago, OB resident Mike Rich contacted me with the news that he had a DVD of Moving Theodore, a mini-documentary tracing the history and rededication of the TR’s Rough Rider statue, to give me. It took me a while to view it: problems with time, but more exactly I needed our IT guy to set it up to play on my computer at work. I tried at home but couldn’t manage it. Now I have a clue for the next time.

I just can’t thank Mike enough. Having lived through the moving of Theodore in real time – some of it, not all of the information – it was lovely to watch it all again. Producer/Director Jeff Parente and Assistant Director/Editor Ron Smith are to be congratulated on their work. The piece is dedicated to the memory of Fritz Coudert, John Gable and Andy Tini – three men who have died, but were instrumental in Moving Theodore.

Mystery Picture: May 22, 2012

Billy Minicozzi Knows Oyster Bay

The mystery picture in the May 17 issue of the Enterprise Pilot was identified by Billy Minicozzi, who guessed it was Centre Island Beach. Actually, that was not the identification we had hoped for. We wanted someone to say, “It’s the Centre Island Beach during the Sagamore Rowing Association Regatta.” We have photographs we took at the event that we hope to have together for our May 31 issue.

Gregory Adami guessed the photo was taken at an Oyster Festival at Roosevelt Park. He said that last year they had some tents set up on the sand. He also suggested it might be the Polar Bear Swim – another good guess. We chatted about texting while driving. Mr. Adami said he drives along a 36-mile stretch of Sunrise Highway going to work every day and is amazed at the number of young women, ages 18 to 25, who drive while texting, and putting on makeup and/or eating breakfast.

Editorial: Saving The Day For Preservation

The Oyster Bay Town Board has approved town landmark status for the Maine Maid Inn, also known as the Valentine Hicks House, in Jericho, announced Town Supervisor John Venditto at the May 15 town board meeting.    

“The Town Landmarks Preservation Commission had recommended that the now-closed Maine Maid Inn, which was housed in the ca. 1789 Valentine Hicks House, be designated a town landmark, citing it as ‘a place of historic value and aesthetic interest by reason of its architectural design and uniqueness as part of the history of the Town of Oyster Bay,’” Supervisor Venditto said. “At a November 15, 2011 hearing, the town board heard experts in the field of historic preservation give supporting reasons why the building should be designated a landmark.

Mystery Picture: May 15, 2012

Marian Liskowicz Knows Oyster Bay

The mystery photo in the May 10 issue of the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot was correctly solved by Marian Liskowicz. He said, “It’s taken on Route 106 and is the [Oyster Rides] taxi service and the Clam Bar. I go by there every day on the way to work.”

Billy Minicozzi recognized the van on the left as belonging to Oyster Rides and identified the other vehicle as a trolley. On a sports note he said, “I hope T-Bone has a good year with the Jets.“ Don’t you love sports? What I enjoy is the freedom they have with the English language, creating a style of their own. The comment is about T-Bone as a new name for Tim Tebow, who is now with the Jets. A great name for a good-looking hunk.

Editorial: Knowledge Is Power

Mother’s Day really doesn’t need to exist as far as I am concerned. Being a mother is a reward in itself. It needs no special day or presents. First there is the incredible feeling of holding your newborn baby in your arms. [Pause here to think of the magnitude of that experience.]

Soon after my daughter Lynne Astrid Karppi was born at New York University Hospital, I was walking down the street in Great Neck Terrace, where we were living. I was pushing the beautiful baby carriage my mother had bought for her. It was navy blue and wood and steel with a fold-down hood, and a cover in case of rain and a fabulous blanket she had knitted for her only grandchild.

Mystery Picture: May 8, 2012

Mystery Pictures Welcomes Conversation

Gaby Treble called to answer the April 26 mystery picture on Monday afternoon, April 30, after we had gone to press. She had the correct answer, however. She said, “The mystery picture is the back of Christ Church, near the Oyster Bay Library.” Ms. Treble is a student at the Vernon school.

Ton Heijmen had called the past week to identify the picture of Christ Church, which he recognized because he sings there. We knew his wife, Peggy, from interviewing her about the new dog park being built by the Town of Oyster Bay. Unfortunately in the rush of deadlines we omitted him from last week’s mystery picture column. Luckily he called last week again. We had a fascinating discussion (fascinating to me) about the Finnish language.

Editorial: Keeping The Oysters And Clams In Oyster Bay

Currently, representatives of the Town of Oyster Bay are meeting with the North Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association (NOBBA) to eliminate a lawsuit that could cost millions of dollars. The members of NOBBA are the baymen, local residents, who ply the waters of the harbor for clams and oysters, and who are currently suing Frank M. Flower & Sons, Inc. (FMF), the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) and the State of New York, claiming there are several problems in the management of the shellfishing rights in the bay, including moving the bamboo poles with red and orange flags using GPS positioning that define the FMF leased land of 1,830 acres out of a harbor total of about 2,500 acres. Had it not been for the work of FMF in stocking the harbor with shellfish when they created their hatchery in 1962, the bay would not be the great area for shellfishing the baymen currently enjoy using for their harvesting activities. There are other demands such as the cost FMF pays TOB for their lease, which NOBBA has brought up as they seek a negotiated settlement.