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Community Corner

News Nearby: $1M AstroTurf a Possibility for Rocky Point Schools

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Miller Place-Rocky Point

Rocky Point Schools May Spend $1M of Capital Reserves on AstroTurf

The Rocky Point School District recently held a community forum to introduce proposed capital projects, including the hotly debated topic of installing synthetic turf to the High School football field.

The estimated project costs include $1,010,000 for the replacement of the grass field with synthetic turf, $680,000 for the reconstruction of the existing track and $300,000 for the reconstruction of instructional laboratories.

According to the presentation, all proposed projects, if approved by the Board of Education and voters, will be funded through the District’s Capital Projects Reserve Fund.

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Port Jefferson

Joseph C. Erland: Port Jefferson Resident and Former Deputy Mayor Dies at 55

Joseph Erland, a member of the Port Jefferson community who played a part in local government sitting on the village board of trustees and serving as deputy mayor, died on Thursday at the age of 55.

Mr. Erland was a retired Long Island Railroad engineer as well as a 38-year member of the Port Jefferson Fire Department and fire commissioner.

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A message appeared on the village's official website regretfully announcing Mr. Erland’s passing.

“Those of us who had the pleasure of working alongside of Joe know his commitment, his love for this community and for his family,” the announcement said. “We will miss his smile and we send our sincerest condolences to his children at this time. You are a true Port Jefferson Hero Joe – rest in peace.”

Commack

Energy Efficiency Project Gets Underway at Commack Schools

Commack School District is kicking off its first steps of its Energy Efficiency Project as they begin the 2012-13 school year.

Richard Schramm, Commack's plant facilities administrator, said the district has started the official construction phase of its $18M Energy Efficiency project with Johnson Controls. Schramm gave an overview of the project, it's expected timeline and what progress has been made so far at the Sept. 13 Board of Education meeting.

Kings Park

The students of Kings Park High School had an opportunity to speak with top education officials and local politicians in a meeting held at the high school Thursday morning.

State Education Commissiner, John B. King Jr., paid a visit to the school along with state Sen. John Flanagan, Assemb. Michael Fitzpatrick and Board of Regents member Roger Tilles.

King sat with about 20 junior and senior students before visiting two classes that were in session.

Three Village

Louis Simpson, a Stony Brook University English professor who won a Pulitzer prize in 1964 for his collection At the End of the Open Road, died Sept. 14 at his home in Stony Brook. He was 89.

Simpson fought Alzheimer's Disease and was bed-ridden for an extended period of time, according to an obituary published in The New York Times

A critic once dubbed Simpson “the Chekhov of contemporary American poetry,” according to the obituary. Visitation will be at Bryant Funeral Home on Sept. 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with a 3 p.m. memorial service at Caroline Church on Sept. 27.

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