Riverhead Town designates sixteen acres as Bell Town Heritage Area Pattie Bell, the wife of Mansfield Bell, and mother of Rev. Mary Bell Cooper. Right: Melkiah Bell, one of four brothers who bought 16 acres on the north side of Hubbard Avenue. (Courtesy photos)
In the 1930s, four brothers, the sons of a self-taught Black farmer and the grandsons of slaves hailing from Powhatan County in Virginia, made the move to Aquebogue.
They joined millions of African Americans migrating from the South to the North in search of better lives.
They were part of the “Great Migration,” a movement of 6 million African Americans out of the rural southern United States to the Northeast, Midwest and West between 1916 and 1970.
Town ditches plan for outdoor storage of cars after hearing public feedback Thousand of cars parked at the town’s Calverton Enterprise Park western runway in 2012. (file photo)
A public hearing on a proposal to allow outdoor storage of cars at designated areas in Calverton was postponed after Tuesday’s Riverhead Town Board meeting got snowed out.
But board members say have they gotten enough public feedback against the proposal to not reschedule it.
There were eight letters in opposition to the measure and additional feedback from the public against it.
“I’d like to make a motion to not repost this public hearing,” said Councilman Tim Hubbard. “We’ve heard from a tremendous amount of people in the community, particularly in the area we were referring to.”
Review of highway department audit shelved until superintendent can weigh in The Riverhead Town Highway Yard. (File photo by Barbarallen Koch)
The Riverhead Town Board agreed last Thursday to wait until Highway Superintendent George “Gio” Woodson can review an audit of his department before publicly discussing it.
The town’s independent audit committee recently completed an audit and was prepared to discuss it publicly at last Thursday’s Town Board work session.
The committee was formed around 2012 to provide independent oversight of town departments, according to its chairman, Jack Orben.
He said the committee, whose members are volunteers, has done audits on several town departments since then.
Marine who rescued woman honored with award in his name
Sgt. Marcus Santana summed up his feelings in one word: “Overwhelmed.”
Sgt. Santana, a Marine from Flanders, was honored Friday afternoon by the NAACP’s Eastern Long Island Branch for his heroics to aid an elderly woman who collapsed while crossing the street near the Riverside traffic circle in November.
While Sgt. Santana knew he was going to be honored at the ceremony at the Riverhead Free Library, he didn’t know one big surprise. He was presented a plaque for what will be an award bearing his name: the Sgt. Marcus L. Santana Special Recognition Award.
Town proposes outdoor car storage plan, but residents in Calverton oppose BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Cars, trucks and SUV’s parked on town-owned land at the eastern runway at the Calverton Enterprise Park.
The Riverhead Town Board has scheduled a public hearing for Feb. 2 on a proposal to designate certain areas where new cars can be stored with a special permit.
The Feb. 2 meeting starts at 2 p.m. and the public can participate online through the Zoom app or by phone.
So far, the proposal has been unpopular with Calverton residents.
The proposal would allow new motor vehicle storage conducted in conjunction with car dealers that have established businesses within the Town of Riverhead.