Floyd Memorial Library Podcast

Today, we sit down with Mary Jane Dinizio, a lifelong Greenporter whose memories stretch back to a time when the village was a very different place. Born and raised here in the 1930s and ’40s, Mary Jane grew up surrounded by a close-knit community where family, faith, and hard work shaped daily life. In our conversation, she reflects on her family’s deep roots in the area, what children did for fu...

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Manfred Stapff, physician, researcher, and author of Real-World Evidence Unveiled . Born and raised in Germany, Dr. Manfred Stapff’s career has taken him from serving as a flight surgeon in the German Air Force to working with major pharmaceutical companies like Merck and Forest Laboratories, and later as Chief Medical Officer at TriNetX, where he helped sha...

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Jamaal Boyce, an educator, author, and founder of The Black Experience in America, a groundbreaking course that invites students to think critically, question everything, and engage in open, honest dialogue about race, identity, and American history. We talk about Jamaal’s background and how he first got involved in teaching, and how his experiences led him to d...

A quick note before we begin: this episode contains discussion of substance abuse, addiction, and loss, which may be difficult for some listeners. Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Paul Maffetone, founder of Michael’s HOPE, a nonprofit born from loss and dedicated to saving lives through education, awareness, and compassion. A lifelong resident of Laurel, Paul grew up in a close-knit family th...

Today we’re joined by Brian Mealy, a dedicated public servant and lifelong North Fork resident whose family has deep roots in Southold. Brian has worn many hats in the community, from school boards to the Floyd Memorial Library, and now as a member of the Southold Town Board, where in 2021 he became the first African American elected to office in the town’s history. In our conversation, Brian refl...

Today on the podcast we’re joined by Steve Israel, former U.S. Congressman for New York’s 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts. A lifelong Long Islander, Steve represented his home region in Washington for over fifteen years, earning a reputation for thoughtful, pragmatic leadership and a deep commitment to the communities he served. His Long Island roots have always grounded his work in public ser...

Today on the podcast we’re joined by Felix Grucci Jr., former U.S. Congressman for New York’s 1st Congressional District. A lifelong Long Islander and fifth-generation member of the famed Grucci family, Felix grew up in a world of color, light, and precision, at the helm of one of America’s most celebrated family businesses, Fireworks by Grucci. Under his leadership, the company produced landmark...

Today on the podcast we’re joined by Tim Bishop, former U.S. Congressman for New York’s 1st Congressional District. A lifelong Long Islander who grew up in Southampton, Tim comes from a family deeply rooted in the East End’s history and community life. Before entering politics, he spent nearly three decades at Southampton College, where he served as Provost and worked to strengthen the college’s a...

Today on the podcast we’re joined by Eileen Powers, a lifelong resident of the East End and a candidate for Southold Town Justice. Eileen’s roots on the North Fork have shaped a career devoted to public service and the law. She began her legal journey in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office before serving as Town Attorney in Southampton, Village Attorney in Belle Terre, and later as South...

Today I’m joined by Darren St. George, Executive Director of the Southold Historical Museum. Darren grew up in a family deeply involved in theater, education, and history, an environment where storytelling was part of everyday life. That early exposure to performance and the power of narrative has carried through a remarkable career that bridges art and scholarship. With studies in psychology and...

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Leah Tillman-Sullivan, candidate for Southold Town Assessor. Leah grew up here in Southold, attended local schools, and has spent much of her career in public and community service, from working in Congress and the Chamber of Commerce to helping run a small local business, the Village Cheese Shop. In our conversation, Leah talks about her upbringing in Southold,...

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by two people who’ve devoted their lives to protecting the land that sustains us. John v. H. Halsey is the President and Founder of the Peconic Land Trust, an organization that for more than four decades has led the effort to preserve Long Island’s farmland, natural spaces, and water quality. Since 1983, John has helped safeguard tens of thousands of acres, ensur...

Today I’m joined by Ted Webb, whose life and family history are woven into the fabric of Greenport and the greater North Fork. With roots that stretch back generations, Ted grew up surrounded by stories of this land and its people, tales of farming, fishing, and community that shaped his enduring sense of home. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the tense days of the Bay of Pigs, he went on to...

Today I’m joined by Gianna Volpe, an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and storyteller whose voice has become a vital part of the East End. From her early curiosity about the world to studying photojournalism at the University of Missouri, Gianna has built a career grounded in empathy, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to truth. Through her reporting, photography, and her beloved radio...

Today we’re joined by Nicholas Planamento, a Southold resident and community member who has served on the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Planning Commission, and several other local committees. His experience in real estate has given him a close view of Southold’s housing needs and the changes shaping the North Fork. Over the years, he’s worked on a range of local issues, from planning and preservat...

Today we’re joined by Alexa Suess, a lifelong North Fork resident and small business owner. Alexa is the founder of Common Ground Fine Jewelry in Greenport, where she combines traditional craftsmanship with modern design inspired by the natural beauty of the East End. With a background in graphic design from the School of Visual Arts, she’s built a career that bridges creativity and community, ser...

Today on the podcast we’re joined by Greg Doroski, a lifelong resident of Mattituck and a candidate for Suffolk County Legislature in District 1. Greg grew up on the North Fork, steeped in the traditions of our community, and has carried that connection into a life of local service. Before entering politics he built a career in brewing, learning lessons about leadership, perseverance, and communit...

Today on the podcast, I’m speaking with Dana Forlenza, a candidate for Southold Town Tax Assessor. Dana grew up in Southold after her parents moved to the North Fork, and she’s a Mattituck High School graduate. She began her career in banking and later transitioned to insurance, gaining experience in property valuation and client service, skills closely connected to the responsibilities of the ass...

Today I’m joined by Stacey Krumenacker, a nationally board-certified health and wellness coach, Pilates and yoga instructor. Stacey has dedicated her career to helping others cultivate balance, strength, and mindfulness through movement and holistic wellness practices. In our conversation, Stacey shares her journey from her early inspirations in health and fitness, to her arrival on the North Fork...

In this episode, I speak with John Holzapfel, historian and honorary trustee at the Oysterponds Historical Society, about Roy Latham, an important figure in the natural history of Long Island. John shares insights from Latham’s unpublished journals, chronicling decades of observations of the East End’s wildlife and landscapes. We explore Latham’s enduring legacy and why his meticulous records rema...

Today I sit down with Abigail Field, candidate for Southold Town Clerk. In our conversation, Abigail reflects on her early life and her connection to the North Fork. She talks about her background as an attorney and the experiences that have shaped her approach to public service, what inspired her to run for Town Clerk, and her vision for improving transparency and accessibility at Town Hall. We a...

My guest today is Stephanie Hall, candidate for Fishers Island Town Justice and Southold Town Board. In our conversation, Stephanie talks about her connection to Fishers Island and how her background in science and public service has influenced her approach to community leadership. With more than 35 years of experience as a human geneticist, much of it at Pfizer, she brings an analytical and colla...

My guest today is Kate Stevens, candidate for Fishers Island Town Justice and Southold Town Board. In our conversation, Kate talks about her connection to Fishers Island and how it has influenced her approach to community involvement and leadership. With a background in architecture and education, she brings a practical and informed perspective to local issues. We discuss her decision to move to t...

Today, we sit down with historian and author Amy Folk to explore one of the most colorful and covert chapters in Long Island’s past: the era of rumrunning. In her book Rumrunning in Suffolk County: Tales from Liquor Island , Amy uncovers how geography, opportunity, and ingenuity turned the North Fork into a key hub of Prohibition-era smuggling. From daring midnight landings and hidden coves to the...

Today I’m joined by Paulette Satur and Eberhard Müller, the husband-and-wife team behind Satur Farms on the North Fork. Before founding the farm, Paulette built her career in horticulture and the wine industry, while Eberhard earned acclaim as a chef in Europe and at some of New York’s most celebrated restaurants. Their paths first crossed when Paulette was selling wine to one of Eberhard’s restau...