WBLI

 WBLI-FM, located at 106.1 on the radio dial first emerged in 1971, replacing WPAC-FM. They originally broadcast from a trailer before moving to the Wedgewood Building on Main St. in Patchogue, and later from a custom building in Medford. 

The station had Block Party Weekends. Held every Labor Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July, the station would play one artist for an entire hour, all weekend long. It had a Saturday Night disco show called "Club 106" during the disco days, and a Sunday Night Oldies show known as "Only Gold" during the 70's through the mid 80's hosted by Don Nelson.

DJs from the '70s & '80s included Barry Neal, Randi Taylor, Bruce Michaels, Nick O'Neil, Chris Tyler, Bill Terry (was PD in the '80s), Jeff Thomas (also the PD), Scott Taylor, Don Nelson, Rick Sommers, Keith Allen (now of B103 Long Island), Rob McLean, Mary Ann (aka J.J. Kennedy of WLTW/New York City),Carl Dayton, TK Townsend, Brooke Daniels, Larry Adams, Scott Miller and Kelly Hart.

Its most recent incarnation began in 1996. Under Doc Medek and Al Levine as M-D/night jock the station redeveloped it's sound, voiced by Billy Moore, and a new jingle package, playing the current records, and had night show features like the "Fresh 5 at 9", and the "New Music Challenge" return. When Cox Radio took over 'BLI they evolved into a more mainstream playlist voiced by Kurt Flood, Mark Driscoll, Jennifer Vaughn, and Brian James. In 2006, Beau Weaver took over as voice of 106.1 BLI.

In 1996, the station dropped the Syndicated weekend Program "Open House Party" on Saturday nights in favor of a disco show hosted by Party Marty Mitchell, also the longtime host of the B-103 Disco Party, and currently, The K-JOY All Request Party Marty Saturday Night Show. Open House Party continued on Sunday nights until November of 96. Party Marty's show would continue until 1998 when "CLUB BLI" would begin, playing current club music. CLUB BLI is the current Saturday night show featuring occasional live broadcasts from popular Long Island clubs.

The morning program, known as "BLI in the Morning" features Dana DiDonato, "Big Gay Randy", Drew,and Ted Lindner with news and traffic. The show has benchmarks such as Dana's crush of the week, Randy's Happy Horoscopes, the Dirt report, Phoney-Phone crank calls; a staple of former co-host Steve Harper, and Hersday, a feature that was pioneered by former co-host Maria Garcia.

WBLI, which is currently owned by Cox Radio and licensed to Patchogue, New York, is programmed by Jeremy (J.J.) Rice who has been with the station since 1998. 

Sources:

70sKid. “WBLI-FM.” Long Island 70s Kid, 23 July 2013, www.longisland70skid.com/wbli-fm

“WBLI.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Dec. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBLI#:~:text=History-,Early%20years,off%20the%20air%20at%20sunset

Brooklyn Water Works - Freeport

 

The City of Brooklyn purchased Milburn Pond to supply the Ridgewood Reservoir in the 1880's. After the pond was enlarged, a new pumping station was needed to accommodate Brooklyn's growing need for water and the Brooklyn Waterworks, also known as the Milburn Pumping Station, was born. Brooklyn Water Works, located on the west side of North Brookside Avenue in Freeport, was a three-story brick Romanesque Revival building

Designed by Brooklyn architect, Frank Freeman, it was completed in 189. It housed five steam pumps and could deliver up to 54 million gallons of water a day.   Piping ran down the length of Sunrise Highway, continuing down Conduit Avenue in Brooklyn.

Once Brooklyn became part of New York City, however, the need for the new pumping station diminished.  In 1898, Brooklyn began receiving its water from the Croton Aqueduct system and in 1929, the Brooklyn Waterworks was used only as a backup water supply for emergencies.  Its two huge smokestacks were removed at that time.

The pumping station continued as a backup supply until it was decommissioned in 1977. The property was bought up by Nassau County. The property was then bought by developer Gary Mileus in 1989, for 1.4 million dollars to be used for 48 condos; construction to be completed in 1990.  However, a housing market collapse halted the project and, not long after, the building was severely damaged by fire.

The Brooklyn Waterworks was torn down on August 30, 2010.  According to an article in L & M Publications, the Brooklyn Waterworks had landmark status since 1986, but was found to be beyond repair. In 2012, Nassau County purchased the land for $6.22 million.  The site, which is south of the Brookside Preserve, cannot be developed.  The South Shore Audubon Society currently maintains the property.

 

Sources:

Brooklyn Waterworks, Freeport, Long Island, NY, clydesguides.blogspot.com/2010/12/brooklyn-waterworks-freeport-long.html. Accessed 16 Dec. 2023

Feeney, Regina. Libguides: Freeport History Encyclopedia, libguides.freeportlibrary.info/Encyclopedia/b. Accessed 16 Dec. 2023