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This week in Shelter Island history

REPORTER FILE PHOTO Thanks to a small group of residents who took over the annual event previously staged the Shelter Island Chamber of Commerce, Fireworks by Grucci will again provide a spectacular show on Saturday, July 11, off Crescent Beach.
REPORTER FILE PHOTO
Thanks to a small group of residents who took over the annual event previously staged by the Shelter Island Chamber of Commerce, Fireworks by Grucci will again provide a spectacular show on Saturday, July 11 off Crescent Beach.

50 YEARS AGO IN HISTORY

United States troop presence in Vietnam was increasing to about 75,000.Scores of doctors organized to fight the creation of the Medicare program, arguing that it was a proposal out of line with “the American dream” and “a mark of socialism.”

Project Head Start was launched as an eight-week summer program sparked by a belief that early education would be a step toward eliminating poverty.

David O. Selznick, producer of “Gone With the Wind,” died of a heart attack at age 63.

Actress/singer Rita Moreno, best known for her portrayal of Anita in the “West Side Story” film, married cardiologist Leonard Gordon.

And on shelter Island …

50 YEARS AGO
Delaney shoots blanks

When Democratic Party leader Louis Price announced 50 years ago that there wouldn’t be a Democrat contending for supervisor against six-time winner Evans Griffin, Suffolk County leader Lawrence Delaney angrily demanded Mr. Price resign his post.

That didn’t happen and Mr. Price, expecting an argument from county Democrats about the decision, went to Smithtown ready to do battle with party leaders. It never happened. Mr. Price later speculated that county leaders wouldn’t address the issue while he was in the room and pledged to continue to attend county meetings regularly.

POSTSCRIPT: This year, incumbent Democrat Jim Dougherty will face opposition from Republican former supervisor Art Williams. If re-elected, Mr. Dougherty would serve a fifth two-year term.

30 YEARS AGO
Heights debates parking

Thirty years ago members of the Heights Property Owners Corporation met several times to debate how to reduce parking problems, particularly along Grand and Bridge streets during the busy summer season.

Among the suggestions were to ask merchants to park in areas behind many of the stores to leave street parking for customers. There were also discussions about widening certain streets and making others one-way.

For example, there was a suggestion to eliminate the sidewalk outside the Heights Post Office and to make New York Avenue a one-way street. Clearly those steps never happened.

POSTSCRIPT: Parking that’s readily available in the Heights to locals most of the year remains difficult to find in the summer months, despite efforts to provide some additional spaces in the downtown area.

20 YEARS AGO
Fireworks to light up sky

At this time 20 years ago, the Shelter Island Chamber of Commerce was clamoring for contributions to help pay for the annual Fireworks Spectacular off Crescent Beach.

Through advertisements and direct outreach to businesses and individuals, the effort consumed a great deal of time and energy for the chamber as the cost of staging the event continued to climb.

In 2012, 2013 and 2014, the Chamber lost $4,800, $3,900 and $11,000, respectively, sponsoring the event.

POSTSCRIPT: This year, the Chamber of Commerce said it was abandoning the annual event that had grown to cost almost $40,000, but a group of residents took up the challenge and through an Internet campaign, raised the money needed and then some to create a base for ongoing summer fireworks.

The group has signed a three-year contract with Fireworks by Grucci and this year’s show is slated for Saturday, July 11.

10 YEARS AGO
Principal post to be eliminated

Ten years ago, the Shelter Island Board of Education voted to eliminate the post of middle school and high school principal and, instead, appoint an assistant to Interim Superintendent Gil DeCicco. The new appointee would also carry the title of assistant principal.

The board’s action came after principal Kevin Stack resigned the post to take a job in the Riverhead School District. Dr. Stack had held the principal’s position since 2002, marking the first time the job had not been part of the superintendent’s responsibilities.

POSTSCRIPT: With increasing paperwork and other responsibilities piling up in recent years, partially resulting from more required reporting related to state and federal mandates, former superintendent Michael Hynes moved former elementary school teacher Jennifer Rylott in a newly created position of academic administrator.

She served as interim superintendent between the time Dr. Hynes left the district last year and Superintendent Leonard Skuggevik came onboard in September. She continues in the post of academic administrator and oversees the district’s special education programs.

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