Author: d.pitti

For my podcast, I’d like to do a series about dating in New York. I think it would be relatable, and potentially funny, to capture people of New York telling stories about different experiences they’ve had while dating around in New York. To separate the series into episodes, I think I would lump together stories with a common theme. For example, “Episode One: My most awkward date moment”… Episode Two: Best Exit/Escape …. Etc. etc (The episode names are just examples- will probably have a list of questions to ask interviewees, at which point I can choose final topics depending on best answers… Suggestions welcome!

By Dorothy Pitti

Year-round, New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation employees can be found off the coast of Long Island out on boats collecting water samples to test for safe clamming conditions. We sent journalist Dorothy Pitti along on a routine collection trip to report on the process and importance behind this sampling.

As the motor slowly lowers into the water of the Long Island sound, New York State DEC employees Kate Dieck and Mike DeMarco prepare for their routine water run- and I’m going with them.

The DEC, or department of environmental conservation, is responsible for regulating and protecting New York’s natural resources. For Mike and Kate, this means doing daily trips throughout different areas on the coast of Long Island collecting water samples. The samples that they collect are then brought back to the lab, where they are tested for- let’s just say- cleanliness.

“So we’re going out to all the different growing samples, and each station that we have to take, we’re gonna have to do it at incoming tide, and each station that we have to take is testing for fecal coliform in the water,” Dieck explains to me.
“So poop basically?”
“Yes, so basically any amount of rain, over rainfall, or anything that washes into the water,birds, dogs, any kind of animal.

So where might these sample results hold the most significance? If you’re a shellfish fan- you might want to listen up.

Ever wonder where those clams you ate at that restaurant came from? How about the ones you see on sale at the fish or supermarkets? If you’re anywhere in New York, chances are- they came from the Long Island Sound. These findings are crucial- considering whatever is in the water- may end up on your plate.

“Each station has a specific bottle number, so each station has like a different area where clammers usually are,” says Dieck.
“So you’re basically testing the water… the waters where the clams are. Because claims are filter feeders, so basically they’re filtering in the water. So if the water is contaminated, then so are the clams, and we can’t eat them. It’s dangerous, you can literally get sick and die.”

All of the results from the water sampling are forwarded directly to the FDA.

“The shellfish industry depends on us going out and getting these water samples,” says Demarco, “because if they do not monitor the water quality, the FDA can shut down the areas, and people would be without a job that are employed in that division.”

According to the DEC’s website, temporary closures can occur when an area that is normally open experiences sudden, short-term degradations in water quality. This could be the result of excessive amounts of stormwater runoff, or as Kate explained, the presence of harmful toxins in the water.
The website also states that temporary closures are also implemented when predictable conditions pose a threat to water quality. For example, during high-use periods such as holidays and special events, where the chance for recreational boaters to discharge waste overboard increases.

Today’s trip is along the coast of Moriches East, a town about 75 miles east of Manhattan.

Our 21 foot boat looks like a regular fishing boat, only instead of fishing poles we have one 4 foot white pole with a cylinder shaped clasp at the end. the clasp will hold our glass tubes as we dip them down into the water for samples.

“You have to take the sample 6 inches down and you want to fill the bottle almost three quarters of the way full,” says Dieck. “The lab needs room to shake it when they do all the testing, so you can’t fill it to the rim, otherwise it will come out as an inaccurate reading.”

As Kate collects the first sample, she puts a cap on the number labeled glass tube, and places it in a cooler of ice, since the samples must be kept at no more than 10 degrees celsius.

After a nice ride and several more water scoops, It was time to head back to shore.

Once we unload our cooler of samples out of the boat and into our truck, we reel in the boat for the ride back to the lab. Our 16 samples from 16 areas will be handed over for testing, and only time- specifically 24 hours- will tell the outcome.

For up-to-date results, you can view the official descriptions of all shellfish closures in New York State on the DEC website.

In the meantime, here’s to hoping today’s samples were home to your future baked clams.

For my wrap up feature I’d like to do a story on Baruch’s upcoming production of Next to Normal. I recently saw a flyer for it hung up at Baruch, and since that is one of my favorite Broadway shows, I decided to look it up. I found their Facebook page and from the looks of it, it’s a completely student-run production, and they have a go-fund-me page open for people to support the show. The show is about mental illness and i think covering their reasons for choosing the show/the production efforts/practices from an audio standpoint would make a great podcast. Hopefully it will be mutually beneficial, and might encourage students to donate to/attend the show.

For my podcast, i would like to interview Matthew Silver. Matthew is a street performer in Union Square that has developed some fame over the past couple of years. Many videos of him have gone viral (he is usually recognized as the bearded man in the leotard holding a rubber chicken screaming about “love farts” in the middle of Union Square and other areas of NYC.)

Aside from the absurdity of his performances, Matthew has developed a large fanbase. His Facebook page has over 304,000 likes, and he has recently started a youtube channel to feed his fandom.

Matthew message is heartwarming: he just wants his absurdity to bring laughter to the world and for people to stop taking themselves so seriously.

Matthew has already agreed to an interview, which will include questions about his start, his schedule, his fanbase, his goals, and why he does what he does.