Floyd And Bernice Sarisohn - A Lifetime Of Fun And Games

Bernice & Floyd Sarisohn - photo by Jennifer M. KleiA Lifetime of Fun and Games

By Chad Kushins

When Floyd Sarisohn expects company at his home, he and wife Bernice raise the red flag. 

It’s not a warning, but rather, a sign that visitors have found the right house, the location of one of the largest and most eclectic chess collections in the country; the flag, once momentarily rested against the wind, vividly displays three chess pieces, ushering the inquisitive into the Sarisohn’s converted garage – the entrance to the makeshift museum. 

In anticipation of a visit, the Commack couple greets their visitors with properphoto by Jennifer M. Klei attire: Floyd, a retired district court judge who still maintains his private law practice, in a playful necktie showing, like the outside flag, chess pieces fitting into the design.  Bernice wears both a light jacket with the patterns of a checkered chessboard and a gracious smile.  They’re always proud to share their renowned private collection and the stories that come with each set; the storytelling, according to Floyd, is an important part of the collection itself, and the experience of being granted a by-invitation only visit.

“Each set comes with a history all it’s own,” he says, ushering guests through the converted foyer, a dazzling introduction to the hundreds of chess sets on display.  “And every set that we’ve collected comes with our own story about how we got it.”  The first thing that comes to mind, seeing the initial three walls adorned, top to bottom, with all sizes and shapes of little chessmen, carefully arranged behind the shimmering glass of the professional display cases one would expect in a china shop – is that when Floyd tells you for the first time, “We have a pretty big collection,” he wasn’t kidding.  In person, smiling with pride, he says, “Take a look around first, then you can ask about any of the sets you like – and please feel free to take photos!”

Next month marks the Sarisohns’ 60^th wedding anniversary, a feat equally impressive and beautiful as their chess set collection.  As a guest walks around, carefully, carefully – there’s so much glass and history surrounding – they are watched by Floyd and Bernice, not out of distrust, but rather, to study the reactions and curiosity of the guest – like proud curators.  After all, even in their own home, that’s what they really are. 

The collection, decades in the making, takes up four solid rooms: the converted garage, an adjacent sitting room, the den which doubles as a personal study, and finally, the basement – the crown jewel in the collection.  In each of the rooms, glass cases hold the displayed sets in meticulously arranged order – each piece itself and the full sets according to motif.  The foyer, for example, holds some very rare, more overtly artistic sets and, close to floor, sets originally designed to entertain children – Disney and other cartoon characters, fairy tales.  (The adult-oriented collections, such as the expensive subgenre of “erotic” chess pieces, are down in the basement; Floyd’s personal favorite genre, that of modern political and historical figures, is located in the study.  Of course, all of those are, too, arranged in a specific order of time period and country or origin.) 

Taken as a whole, the collection is overwhelming and magnificent to behold.  As Floyd and Bernice continue to watch and smile, it is apparent that they know visitors are having just that thought.  Again, that was their intention.  How could one not marvel at walls of chess pieces that represent all of American history, from Sacco and Vanzetti to Ken Starr and the Clinton impeachment, with all the presidents and first ladies standing guard in-between; or a Russian-designed set that features rounded squares in the board and pieces that are constructed like children’s “weebles”, so people could play on trains and the game would never be interrupted by the rocking of movement; or a six-tiered variation of the game, meant as a space-age prop from Star Trek (“Spock played this in an episode,” Floyd says.  “I read the book it came with, but it would be impossible to really play this way.”)

Or the various international versions of the game that feature pieces carved out of rare stones, woods, and found materials? 

According to Floyd, the smallest chess set he and Bernice own falls into that category – what looks like a large nut that slides open to reveal chess pieces no bigger than wooden splinters.  Of course, this set, made of taguanut and coming from Ecuador, isn’t for actual play; most of the Sarisohn’s collection is truly works of art meant solely for display purposes.

Floyd, leading the way back upstairs to the dazzling foyer, says, “I’ll show you the largest set in the collection.”  Once there, he points to the wall itself, where, close to the floor, a modular chess board that comes apart to conserve space has been arranged horizontally to make four self-contained tables that run the length of the room.  In proper order, the table’s top is aligned with a gorgeous white chess pieces, each approximately the size and height of beer steins. 

“It’s Italian,” he says, smiling.  “It’s made of porcelain.”

“It’s ceramic, dear,” calls Bernice, who has been watching her husband’s excitement from across the room.

Floyd, now playfully confused, says, “Are you sure?”

“Well,” she says, goading him with a matching smile, “porcelain is a type of ceramic, I think.”

In the living room, Floyd and Bernice are open to any questions about their joint passion for collecting.  This, too, is reflected by the motif of the room – paintings and framed prints of classical images of chess and historical figures playing, always a look on the subjects’ faces more serious and pensive than that of the Sarishons themselves when they get to talking about their life together, as they are decidedly playful in how they’ve spent their decades of married life.  “It all started when she gave me my first chess set as an engagement gift before the wedding,” he says.  “In 1957.”

“That was my mistake,” Bernice says, laughing.  Seated beside her husband on an adjacent couch, she is wholly aware of how cinematic-looking and all encompassing their home truly is.  Of their children, long grown and moved-out, she admits that it took an immense amount of patience for their unorthodox parents.  “We’ve met so many collectors – not just of chess sets – but of all kinds of things,” she says.  “It’s a common thing – the children of collectors always have more tolerance than genuine interest.”  As she says this, Floyd returns to the living room with a photograph of him and Bernice on Halloween many years ago; as in real life, he is the king and she is the queen – but here, dressed as actual, life-size chess pieces.  He immediately laughs again.  “That was actually for work – an office function.”

It’s difficult not to join in Floyd’s laughter at this.  He is a founding member of his firm.  A graduate of St. John’s University School of Law, and was elected as one of the first District Court Judges in Suffolk County; later, he served as Special Counsel to the New York State Assembly.  Among his other impressive legal credentials are tenures as Law Chair for the Suffolk County Democratic Committee and as Town Leader for the Smithtown Democratic Party.

But, that’s just his day job.  Chess collecting is something different, something special in its own way.

Floyd, answering the first real question that comes to mind, says, “Well, we play chess – sort of.  It’s really about the sets themselves … However, we both love the game and I really believe that it’s a positive thing that chess is taught in schools, particularly in the inner cities where they’ve established after-school clubs and things like that.  It’s a teaching tool and a great way to get kids to think and strategize.”  A longstanding member of the Boy Scouts of America, Floyd was an advocate for getting chess recognition as a merit badge within that organization, another point of pride to him and Bernice both.

But, among the genuine wonders of their home, what – with so many sets to choose from – are their favorites?

“We have three favorites,” he says.  “I have a personal favorite, so does Bernice.  Then, we have one that I think we both love.”

Bernice says, “My favorite one is the set we got in Venice.  We were on vacation and it was our last day there.  Whenever we get back from vacation, we’re always asked, ‘How many chess sets did you get while you were there?’  But this time, it was our last day there and we found it – I had to convince Floyd.”  That set, made of genuine Venetian glass, dates back to the 1700s.

“I think that was in 1986 or 1988,” says Floyd.  “Something like that.”

“You had to talk the man down in price, says Bernice.”

“In the antiques store?”

“That’s right,” she says, and laughs.

With a sincere appreciation for tongue-in-cheek humor, Floyd’s personal favorite is his “Clinton versus Dole” set, another of the entries in the historical section of his study.  A close second, he admits, is the one-of-a-kind set of the Clinton household, which was supposed to be given, as a gift, to the then-Clinton White House.  The problem?  “Hilary apparently hates caricatures!” says Floyd, still amused at how close the commissioned piece came to landing in a sitting President’s hands.

“Our shared favorite, though,” says Floyd, “is the large one downstairs – the one in the middle of the room.”  Indeed, once entering the basement, any visitor would first see an antique chess table, the board itself under glass, an air of an actual artifact in their midst.  This set, the Sarisohns’ most beloved piece in the collection, one made from Danish porcelain and made in Copenhagen, depicts the Moors against the Saracens.  “It may be spelled differently,” Floyd says, “but I can’t help loving that it has our name.”

Over the years, the Sarisohns’ collection has drawn them tons of accolades and admirers, particularly within the chess world and among fellow collectors.  Always looking to add new additions to their home, they’ve sold and traded certain sets for new ones.  “The internet literally opened up a new world of possibilities,” says Floyd.  Currently, the Sarisohns’ home contains approximately 900 sets on display; all told, they’ve acquired just under 2,000 sets total.  “It may not be the biggest in the world,” he adds, “but it’s definitely one of the biggest in the country.”

At one time, the couple even investigated the possibility of having their home declared as a recognized museum – something that may very well happen in the future.  For now, however, they still enjoy the chance to have visitors from all over the world come and see the shared passion that has added so much fun to their marriage for so many years.

And not all museums have the personal touch of being formally walked out and back to your car once the visit is over – and a sincere thank you for the interest. 

“Oh,” Floyd says, before returning back inside.  “I almost forgot.”

At that, he lowers the red flag.

Commack Man Arrested Charged With DWI For The Sixth Time

Carlos LennonThe New York State Police Troop L Farmingdale arrested Carlos Lennon, 24, of Commack NY, on April 12, 2012, at approximately 4:45 AM after he crashed his 1997 Ford into a guide rail on the eastbound Southern State Parkway near exit 28 in Wantagh.

 

This was Lennon’s sixth DWI arrest. Lennon had 5 prior arrests for DWI, including a previous conviction for felony DWI in Suffolk County. During processing Lennon attempted to elude the felony DWI charges by claiming to be his brother who had no prior arrests for driving while intoxicated. Lennons identity was confirmed by a fingerprint match.

 

Lennon was charged with felony DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the 2nd degree. Lennon is scheduled to be arraigned in Nassau County First District Court on April 13, 2012.

Frank DeRubeis Asks Town Board For Direction

Town Considers Smithtown-Kings Park Property

Planning Department pushes for strategy on 130-acre plot

By Chad Kushins

At the behest of Town Planning Director Frank DeRubeis, the Smithtown Town Board gathered this week at an April 10^th work session in the first step towards strategizing the future of a 130-acre plot on the Smithtown-Kings Park border.  The meeting, which was open to the public, gave the director an opportunity to lay out three possible solutions for the property, which he presented through a slideshow featuring an aerial view of the land. Click Here

Frank DeRubeis Asks Town Board For Direction

Town Considers Smithtown-Kings Park Property

Planning Department pushes for strategy on 130-acre plot

By Chad Kushins

At the behest of Town Planning Director Frank DeRubeis, the Smithtown Town Board gathered this week at an April 10^th work session in the first step towards strategizing the future of a 130-acre plot on the Smithtown-Kings Park border.  The meeting, which was open to the public, gave the director an opportunity to lay out three possible solutions for the property, which he presented through a slideshow featuring an aerial view of the land. 

“In the future, we are going to be receiving various requests for the changing of zones within this area,” DeRubeis explained to the Town Board members, all of whom were present except for Councilman Thomas McCarthy.  According to DeRubeis, the Board’s initial intentions for the acreage in question must be decided upon in the near future, as at least two of the three of his outlined solutions would each require ample time in their own right to put into action.  With a sense of both rationality and urgency, the director presented a series of aerial maps, each displaying the physical logistics of the land. 

The property at the focus of the town’s consideration is located at the intersection of Old Northport Road and Lawrence Road, leading north into the 130 acres which are divided – due to various land owners – into large sections of residential, light industry, and heavy industry.  By definition, “light industrial” accommodates low impact industrial development where little or no nuisance effects are generated, whereas “heavy industrial” provides locations for those industrial uses which may generate relatively high levels of impact on surrounding uses.  Additionally, in the case with landowners hoping to allow other businesses to work on their property or sub-lease sections of it, “wholesale industrial” means to offer to sell or rent, or to sell or rent, merchandise other than at retail levels.

Plan CAccording to DeRubeis, as outlined in his presentation, the three options that he had prepared for town consideration are each dictated through current land usage, environmental concern, and economic feasibility.

“We must take certain elements into consideration,” DeRubeis explained.  “The property itself is entirely surrounded by residential zoning and the southern and eastern sides are surrounded by a buffer … What I’m asking the Town Board for,” he continued, “is some direction as to which way [they] want to go.”

The property is currently divided among seven separate landowners, each utilizing their own section for various uses – all of which are zoned according to eachImage Planning Dept individual use.  Such a diverse amount of owners makes it “tough to have a single vision,” DeRubeis explained.

Although the property has been a subject of consistent local resident and media inquiry for years, this week’s official presentation from the Planning Department was triggered by a recent zone change application.  That applicant, Kings Park business owner and resident Anthony Leteri, of USA Recycling and Leteri Waste Management, already runs his company on 2.5 acres off of Lawrence Road.  However, with a new project in mind, Leteri is currently seeking a zone change to alter an adjacent 4.5 acres from residential to “wholesale business”, a division of industrial zoning, which would allow outdoor storage and, hopefully, attract smaller companies to come and locate themselves on his property.

“If allowed, we know that [the zone change] would attract new business right onto the land,” Leteri told Smithtown Matters.  “Unfortunately, my project has been on hold since a November 16^th public hearing.”  It was at that town meeting that Leteri initially applied for the zone change.

Leteri continued, “Having the [wholesale zoning] would definitely benefit in bringing in smaller businesses to come and use our facility.” 

According to DeRubeis, the property which includes Leteri’s land was, at one time, largely undeveloped.  Starting in the 1980s, however, requests for zoning changes were approved which kick-started the trend of populating the acreage with its diverse mix of residential and business.  Beginning modestly with some “light residential”, a 1986 request which would have allowed condominiums on a northern section of the property “didn’t go” anywhere; neither did a later inquiry to add a string of 23 single family homes. 

“There were numerous problems with the land itself,” DeRubeis continued.  “Many things have slowed development potential,” including, he added, the topography.  According to the director, the very level of the property – which is not flat – causes one concern; additionally, a large chunk of the property in the southeastern corner was, at one time, mined and loaded with approximately 40 feet of landfill, making that entire sectionImage - Planning Dept. “unbuildable.”  Although that section could, hypothetically, be excavated and made usable for construction, the process itself would be tremendously costly and time-consuming, according to DeRubeis’ presentation.

DeRubeis described each of his three potential solutions to Smithtown Matters as, in descending order, “Do Nothing” (a term he admittedly dislikes, but uses tentatively for descriptive purposes), “Proactive”, and finally, “Reactive”.

Each of the three come with their own pros and cons from a governmental standpoint, the first of which the director, forgoing the “do nothing” description, titled the “Limited Action Plan” or, “The Wait-and-See”.  Under this approach, the Town Board would purposefully wait to “monitor” the property and its diverse current owners’ usages, or even wait for a potential large investor to come in and purchase all of the properties, with the intention of developing the full 130 acres as one parcel.  “The major benefits of this plan,” DeRubeis stated, “is that the Board would just be responsible for monitoring the actions of the developer.”  However, he added, this could be “high risk” as far as the effects on surrounding residential areas and could prove potentially costly.  “With this plan,” he added, “the Town would keep an eye on the property, but not make any proactive changes.”

Second in the presented solutions is DeRubeis’ “Action Economic Development”, which would require the Town to develop a plan and than proactively pursue it.  This plan – which has the added benefit of possible “mix-use options” and could see the land used for numerous projects instead of just one single one – brings the property’s infrastructural problems to the forefront: no major road thoroughfares throughout the property, or a sewer system, which the town would be responsible for if a sole owner isn’t there to pick up that tab.  DeRubeis added that his option is, perhaps, the most expensive of the three possible options.  However, its benefits include “municipal control” and “tax benefits”.

Image Planning DeptLastly, DeRubeis explained the “Working with the Existing Use” option, which would single off the industrial areas of the property, isolate the residential development, and still add the needed road systems that would both connect and segregate the two uses.  A hybrid of sorts, this last plan means that zoning would match the individual needs of landowners within the property, while specific areas would be redeveloped with “light industry”.  Of this, DeRubeis commented, “This is not the best option, but the effects would be contained.”

DeRubeis’ presentation was met with a pragmatic understanding, as all present Town Board members acknowledged the necessity to come up with a strategy for the future of the property – yet, no one committed to any of the three strategy’s presented. All wished to see more detailed information in regards to each of the three options.

The Planning Department is expected to present further details to the Town Board by the end of the month; no further public meeting dates have been set.

Governor Cuomo Declares State of Emergency for Suffolk County to Help Fight Long Island Wildfires

Albany, NY (April 10, 2012)

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today declared a state of emergency for Suffolk County to allow New York State to better coordinate and respond with local governments to fight the ongoing wildfires on Long Island.

“With these wildfires causing serious damage on Long Island and other areas of the state, the state of emergency declaration will help us deploy vital resources to affected regions,” Governor Cuomo said. “The state continues to closely monitor the wildfires in Suffolk County, and we will continue to deploy whatever resources are necessary and do whatever is needed to protect New Yorkers and put out these fires.”

Three fires continue to burn in southeastern New York State. The largest fire is in Suffolk County, covering territory in the municipalities of Ridge, Wading River, Manorville and Brookhaven. A small number of residences have been evacuated as a precaution and shelter has been made available by the American Red Cross. Smaller fires have been reported on Staten Island, New York City and in Rockland County. A Red Flag Warning was issued by the National Weather Service effective 10:00 AM this morning to 8:00 PM this evening for New York City and Long Island.

A state of emergency enables New York to mobilize state resources to assist local governments more effectively and quickly, and if necessary gives the Governor the authority to suspend statutes, rules and regulations that would impede response and recovery activities. The declaration further gives the Governor the ability to direct state resources, such as firefighting equipment and personnel, to local governments in need. The declaration applies to Suffolk County.

Steps taken by New York State include:

• Field staff from State Police, Forest Ranger crews from the Department of Environmental Conservation, Fire Protection Specialists, and Office of Emergency Management staff have all been deployed to assist local governments in Suffolk County
•  More than 245 personnel are on the ground assisting in the emergency response effort and an additional 150 firefighters from 27 local volunteer fire departments are on the scene participating in firefighting efforts, which will continue throughout the night.
• One State Police helicopter has been deployed for more than 20 water dropping operations.  The helicopter is equipped with a Bambi Bucket ‘which can carry 250 gallons of water.  The water is scooped up from a local pond or lake and dropped on the hottest parts of the fire.
• One helicopter from the National Guard has been used for aerial surveys to determine fire perimeter and fire spread projections.