Tara Smith, Suffolk Times Journalist Profile

Articles

Class in session on Peconic Bay for science-hungry youngsters

Oct 22, 2024 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

Shimmering silver minnows thrashed in a net on a breezy October afternoon as a group of Riverhead High School students became marine scientists for the day. The students scooped the bait fish into a saltwater bucket before catching one in a PVC tube to measure its length and then releasing it back into the Peconic Bay at South Jamesport Beach.
Crop insurance program steady as farm bill delays persist

Jan 20, 2024 | farmweeknow.com | Brian Davis |Tara Smith

Over the past several months, farm bill talk has been center stage. With so many farm and conservation programs impacted by the farm bill, no grower is immune from the impacts of the uncertainty felt by a lack of farm bill progress. Luckily, we have the one-year extension providing brief relief to this stress. However, one program that farmers everywhere can lean on for more confidence in the face of this political uncertainty is crop insurance.
Riverhead mulling next moves after Vail-Leavitt Music Hall board resigns

Oct 24, 2023 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

Riverhead is contemplating its next steps afterall fivemembers of a nonprofit that oversees the historic Vail-Leavitt Music Hall resigned and turned in the keys earlier this month. Town attorney Erik Howard said Thursday he expects the town board will pass a resolution appointing themselves as interim members of the Vail-Leavitt board, adding the town isn’t planning on getting into the theater business. “It’s not their intention to be the managers of this entity or the building,” he said.
Riverhead IDA puts the breaks on Enterprise Park at Calverton plans

Oct 23, 2023 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

Plans for the Enterprise Park at Calverton could be headed back to the drawing board. The Riverhead Industrial Development Agency on Monday denied an application for financial assistance by Calverton Aviation & Technology, saying the venture group is not financially capable of developing a technology and aerospace hub at the former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Calverton.
Trial in ex-Southold cop Garrett Lake's wrongful termination claim set to start

Oct 21, 2023 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

A trial is scheduled to start Monday in the wrongful termination case a former Southold probationary cop brought against the town claiming officials fired him after he arrested two politically connected people for alleged drunken driving. Garrett Lake sued the town in 2016, claiming town officials retaliated against him for refusing to give special treatment to the friend of a town GOP leader and a Jamesport assistant fire chief after he arrested both in separate incidents.
Southold divided on implementing affordable housing plan approved by voters

Oct 17, 2023 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

Southold officials agree that the town should use money from its new community housing fund to provide loans for first-time homebuyers and encourage construction of accessory apartments to address the town's growing affordable housing crisis. But board members are at odds over how to implement the program. The town board on Oct. 10 voted 6-0 to approve the housing plan, which guides how money generated through a 0.5% tax on most real estate transactions will be spent.
Southold set to close on property for new police station, Justice Court

Oct 15, 2023 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

Southold's new police station and Justice Court will be just a stone's throw away from where the facilities now sit. Afterfiveyears of looking for a building, the town said last week itis close to finalizing a $1.4 million deal to purchase a 3.79-acre propertyimmediately westof the existing police headquarters on Main Road in Peconic. A closing is expected by the end of the year.
Riverhead's proposed $69.4M budget hikes taxes by nearly 5%, pierces tax cap

Oct 14, 2023 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

The Town of Riverhead is raising taxes by nearly 5% and piercing the state's 2% tax cap to cover the costs of additional police officers and employee benefits. The $69.4 million proposed budget for 2024 increases by 8.7% over last year's budget. Spending in the town’s three main funds would increase by $5.5 million, with $60.8 million allocated to the town’s general fund, $7.5 million in the town’s highway fund and $1.1 million to its street lighting fund.
Southold's $57M budget would dip into surplus funds to keep property taxes flat

Oct 12, 2023 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

Southold Supervisor Scott Russell has proposed a $56.8 million budget for 2024 that would freeze property taxes while maintaining services and programs. The spending plan, released Oct. 3, reflects a nearly 2% increase over the current $55.7 million budget, but Russell said property taxes would remain flat through the use of surplus funding.The spending increase would be offset by tapping $1.9 million in reserves to balance the budget.
Greenport's storied theater to reopen as North Fork Arts Center in late December

Oct 11, 2023 | newsday.com | Tara Smith

Tony Spiridakis was perhaps 5 or 6 years old when he caught a gladiator epic at the Greenport Theatre with his dad. “It blew my mind,” the Greenport resident said recently, recalling the moment that inspired him to become a filmmaker. Spiridakis, who is also founder of the Manhattan Film Institute, will now get to direct the future of the village theater where he spent countless hours catching movies.