This week in Shelter Island history
Tree expert Chris Johnson volunteered his time and equipment to hang the race banner at the starting line in 2005.
50 YEARS AGO IN HISTORY
Mohammed Ali retained his world heavyweight boxing title by knocking out Sonny Liston in the first minute of the opening round in Lewiston, Maine.The largest teach-in to date began at the University of California at Berkeley with 30,000 participants protesting the war in Vietnam.
President Lyndon Johnson told a White House Conference on Natural Beauty he would ask Congress to ban billboards and automobile junk yards from view on interstate highways and primary routes, except in commercial and industrial areas.
Joan Rivers appeared at the Bitter End Cafe in Greenwich Village.
Representatives of four Latin American countries — Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua — formed a peace force to bring an end to a long-festering civil war in the Dominican Republic.
And on Shelter Island …
50 YEARS AGO
Griffing brings warning about succession
Fifty years ago, Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors Evan Griffing told Shelter Islanders to be cautious about calls for the East End towns to succeed from Suffolk County. He mentioned that Islanders should consider not only what the East End might gain by becoming a separate county, but what it would lose.
Succession should come only after exhausting all other options, Mr. Griffing warned. He said the county’s strength in Albany and Washington depended on a united county.
POSTSCRIPT: Talk of forming a separate Peconic County persists as East End officials have continued to complain that not only don’t they get their fair share of aid from Albany and Washington, but they often feel ignored by the Suffolk County Legislature that provides for the needs of towns to the west, with little attention to those on the East End.
30 YEARS AGO
Kontje issues ban on tap-filled pools
Long before there was an irrigation law, Supervisor George Kontje in 1985 invoked emergency powers to ban the use of local ground water to fill swimming pools. Residents with pools were told to retain their receipts to prove that their pools had been filled with trucked-in water.
The increasing scarcity of water led to such measures throughout New York State, New Jersey and Connecticut.
POSTSCRIPT: It wouldn’t be until 1993 that the Town Board passed legislation aimed at limiting irrigation and a dozen years later before it acted to require measures that would control use of automated irrigation systems. But throughout those years, the Town Board maintained the right to invoke emergency measures at any time it deemed necessary because of drought conditions.
20 YEARS AGO
Following caucuses, two spots still open
Democrats and Republicans 20 years ago had filed slates of candidates following their individual caucuses. Republicans had announced a slate of six candidates, but left two key spots open — not yet announcing candidates for supervisor or highway superintendent.
The Democrats had announced Hoot Sherman would seek a third term as supervisor, but the rest of the party slate was still blank.
POSTSCRIPT: This year, Democrats have announced their slate for the November election, but only named one candidate to seek a Town Board seat when two seats are available. Republican Peter Reich and independent Paul Shepherd, who runs without a party, are expected to seek to hold their seats, although both have been silent about their plans.
10 YEARS AGO
This is it — weekend of the 10k
That was the headline for the Shelter Island race that in 2005 was on May 21, not June as it is today. Both the men’s and women’s champions were planning to run to defend their titles. Atalalech Katema of Ethiopia was looking for a third consecutive win and Eric Chirchur of Kenya was seeking a second consecutive win.
The 5k noncompetitive walk was added for the first time.
POSTSCRIPT: This year, the race is a month off, set for June 20 and the original 5k non-competitive walk will still exist, but the first man and woman who cross the finish line in that race will receive medals.
