This week in Shelter Island history
50 YEARS AGO IN HISTORY
Beatle John Lennon sold his psychedelic painted Rolls-Royce.
Tennis greats Rod Laver and Billie Jean King prevailed in the Wimbledon Tennis finals with Mr. Laver beating Tony Roche and Ms. King winning over Judy Tegart.
The Philadelphia 76ers traded Wilt Chamberlain to the LA Lakers.
Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, was born in Los Angeles.
And on Shelter Island . . .
40 YEARS AGO
Cablevision gets O.K. for overhead lines
Despite Shelter Island’s contract with Cablevision that called for installation of underground lines, the Town Board voted in July 1978 to allow the provider of cable services to use overhead utility poles for its lines.
The town set trade-offs for the waiver that Cablevision must send a representative to its twice monthly caucus meetings and conduct two annual postcard customer surveys to improve communications with the government and residents of the Island.
POSTSCRIPT: The town is about to enter into negotiations with Altice USA, formally known as Cablevision, for a contract renewal. In a Reporter story on June 21, it was predicted that since the company is the town’s only cable service provider, not much was expected to change in its agreement despite widespread customer dissatisfaction.
30 YEARS AGO
Islanders seek ferry fare breaks
North and South ferry companies were seeking rate increases in 1988 and the Suffolk County Legislature approved both. But among those testifying at hearings about the requests were people seeking discounted rates for Island residents.
One statement came from former Planning Board member and a member of the Island Ferry Advisory Committee Linda Homes, who noted that residents here are forced to go off-Island for many purposes, from doctors’ appointments to shopping for goods not available here.
Shelter Island was the only Island she could identify in the area where resident discounts were not available.
POSTSCRIPT: Today, both ferry companies offer discounted rates to Island residents.
20 YEARS AGO
Ferry to Foxwoods?
Those who love to gamble or enjoy the shows at casinos were delighted to read 20 years ago that there might be a new high-speed ferry starting in Riverhead and stopping in Greenport to pick up passengers and take them to New London where they could board a bus to Foxwoods Casino.
The casino had opened in 1992 in Connecticut and attracted many Long Island tourists.
POSTSCRIPT: Today, there is a fast ferry from Orient to carry passengers to New London where they can board a bus to Foxwoods.
10 YEARS AGO
First year of 4-posters reveal animals sharing habits
In 2008, the Cornell University-Cornell Cooperative Extension test project was underway on the Island and pictures taken showed deer sharing the feeding stations where their necks would be rubbed with the tickicide permethrin as they fed. But raccoons, foxes and even birds were less polite in using the stations not to eat but to set themselves up to attack other animals, seeing those animals as their next meal.
The deer, on the other hand, have sometimes kicked the 4-posters. During the test, 4-posters were only allowed in test areas such as Shelter Island and Fire Island.
POSTSCRIPT: Today, Shelter Island is among only a few — and some have said the only town — still using the 4-posters. At issue is whether permethrin has long-term toxic effects on the surroundings and whether its use during more than 11 years has resulted in the 4-posters being effective. Maintaining them is an expensive proposition and the Deer & Tick Committee has had many debates on the use of a considerable amount of its budget going to deploy and maintain the units. Others would prefer the emphasis be moved to culling the deer herd.
