Featured Story

This week in Shelter Island history

Old, open book with a damaged cover.

50 YEARS AGO IN HISTORY

The rate of unemployment was at 4.5 percent and it cost a nickel to mail a first class letter.The film adaptation of Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” premiered in theaters after Jack Valenti of the Motion Picture Association of America gave approval providing it not be shown to anyone under 18 unless accompanied by an adult.

The Mamas & Papas won a gold record for “Monday, Monday.”

Janis Joplin made her debut as a rock vocalist with Big Brother and the Holding Company at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco.

The Broadway play, “On A Clear Day, You Can See Forever,” closed at the Mark Hellinger Theatre after 280 performances.

And on Shelter Island

50 YEARS AGO
Raising the tower

It was 50 years ago that a tower was being erected at the town dump — sorry about that, Jay Card, but it wasn’t called a Recycling Center back then — to bring cable television signals to Shelter Islanders.

The approximately five-ton tower was installed using a crane.

POSTSCRIPT: Today, the latest tower — this one to provide improved cellular phone service as well as to improve emergency communications for firefighters, according to commissioners — would be set at the Manhanset Firehouse on Cobbetts Lane.

Before it can be built, the Town Board must hold a hearing and decide whether or not to issue a special permit.

30 YEARS AGO
Support needed for fireworks

In 1986, the Reporter was campaigning for residents and business owners to contribute money to ensure the annual summer fireworks program could continue.

The committee that organized the popular annual display had worked to iron out problems, including liability insurance.

The show went on that year and for many years since, under the auspices of the Shelter Island Chamber of Commerce.

POSTSCRIPT: Last spring, when the Chamber of Commerce bowed out, a committee of local residents took up the challenge.

They raised the necessary funding and were able to secure a contract with Fireworks by Grucci for a multi-year contract and are back seeking contributions for the July 9 fireworks.

Checks may be mailed to P.O. Box 452 Shelter Island, NY 11964 or contributions made online at gofundme.com/sifireworks. All contributions are tax deductible.

20 YEARS AGO
Senior class members debate immigration and censorship

Students from the Regents and Advanced Placement classes debated pros and cons of economics and participation in government classes.

POSTSCRIPT: Clearly, the subject matter being debated 20 years ago that was emotional for many of the students participating has grown in importance in today’s political climate.

10 YEARS AGO
Housing group said to be hamstrung

A Community Housing Board member in 2006 took his colleagues to task for failure to move forward in meeting the town’s affordable housing issues.

Richard Zaun said members were frequently absent from meetings, leaving the problem of housing largely ignored. No plans had been developed for procedures necessary to implement  methods of meeting housing needs, he told the Town Board at a work session in June 2006.

POSTSCRIPT: Fast forward to 2016 and the Community Housing Board has become a viable entity with co-chair Mary-Faith Westervelt and her colleagues working to breath new life into the program.

It has already referred one proposal to the Town Board for a two-unit structure and heard from other property owners, inquiring about how they might offer rental units in their houses.

It is pushing to reactivate the list of applicants who are in need of such housing.

While it has always been an uphill battle as neighbors of any proposed workforce housing are quick to rally against it, Ms. Westervelt is determined to identify how much of a need there is on Shelter Island and to work with her colleagues to keep the program alive to fill needs that emerge.

[email protected]