The Port Times Record - December 22, 2022

Photo by Raymond Janis

Photo

Celebrating the holidays amid health risks from the ‘tridemic’

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Around this time of year, parking lots are often full.

That’s true of the mall parking lot, as people go out to shop for holiday gifts for their friends and family, but it’s also true, especially this year, for hospitals and urgent care centers.

HEALTH

With the so-called “tridemic,” which is a combination of viruses that typically affect the lungs, including COVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV), infecting people of all ages, the need for health care and medical attention has been high in the weeks leading up to the holidays.

When Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, arrives at work at 7 a.m., she drives past urgent center parking lots that are “full for a reason. It’s because people are sick” and need medical attention at the start of the day.

Indeed, the combination of the three viruses, as well as other viruses and bacteria in the community such as adenovirus and enterovirus, has made it difficult for some children to attend schools and for adults to go to work.

For the week ending Dec. 10, which is the most recent period for which data is available, Suffolk County reported 3,936 cases of the flu, which is up 35% just from the prior week. The week ending Dec. 10 alone represents more than half of all flu cases for the entire 2019-2020 season, according to data from the New York State Department of Health.

At the same time, COVID and RSV numbers have climbed.

“We almost doubled our COVID census over the last three to four weeks,” Dr. Michael Khlat, chief medical officer at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown, explained in an email. St. Catherine currently has almost 60 COVID-positive patients. Nearly a third of those patients are admitted for COVID and are receiving intravenous remdesivir, while the others are incidental findings in the context of other medical needs.

“What is special about this surge is that it is inclusive of COVID, influenza, rhinovirus as well as RSV,” Khlat wrote. “The symptoms are very similar, and treatments are all supportive at this time.”

Family gatherings at Thanksgiving contributed to the increase, adding “extra turbocharging to the current respiratory viruses,” Nachman said.

The most vulnerable patients are the immunocompromised, patients with diabetes, chronic lung and cardiac disease, obese residents and patients with chronic liver and kidney disease, Khlat added.

Demand for beds

The influx of patients has meant that St. Catherine has had to increase its capacity of staffing using nursing agencies to meet the needs of the community for “seamless, high-quality care,” Khlat explained.

St. Catherine has also added more providers on the medical wards to care for patients and has load balanced patients with their Catholic services partner St. Charles Hospital and other Catholic Health facilities.

Nachman urged residents to see their primary care doctor if they have routine viral symptoms. Coming directly to the emergency room slows the process of delivering urgent care.

To be sure, Nachman urged anyone with chest pains or stroke-like symptoms should head directly to the emergency room.

Nachman said Stony Brook Children’s Hospital is transitioning to a model in which they triage patients who walk into the ER to assess the need for services.

As people prepare for family gatherings, Nachman suggested that they evaluate the risks of interacting with others.

People with an immune deficiency might want to wear masks or speak outside with others, particularly if someone in the group had one of the respiratory viruses.

Viruses like RSV are generally contagious for about three to eight days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

RSV spreads through close contact, which means that passing someone in a supermarket won’t likely spread the virus, while sitting and doing homework or eating a meal next to someone could.

As for COVID, Nachman continued to urge people to get the bivalent booster shot.

Every study, she said, shows that the booster drastically reduces the risk of being hospitalized with COVID.

People are waiting once again for COVID-19 and other tests at local urgent care centers. File photo by Lina Weingarten

GOP officials, advocates press Gov. Hochul for additional child care appropriations

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

In an effort to influence the upcoming state budget, Republican officials in the New York State Legislature joined policy advocates at the Perry B. Duryea State Office Building in Hauppauge Thursday, Dec. 15.

Also in attendance was Ryan Stanton, executive director of the Long Island Federation of Labor, who emphasized the inordinate expenses associated with child care and the need for state support.

POLITICS

The officials called the press event to raise public awareness about the lack of child care services on Long Island, hoping to pressure Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who is preparing the state budget for the 2024 fiscal year.

Child care on Long Island “is not a problem, it’s a crisis,” said Dean Murray, state Sen.-elect (R-East Patchogue), who organized the event. “We are at a crisis level on Long Island when it comes to child care, and there is no simple solution.”

Murray regarded the issues associated with child care as threefold. For him, the state government can remedy the problem by addressing its affordability, availability and accessibility.

While Murray applauded Hochul and the Legislature for targeting the issue in last year’s budget, he said the changes do not adequately account for regional economic differences throughout the state.

“The cost of living here on Long Island does not compare to areas upstate,” he said, “So when you have a statewide standard, it simply isn’t fair to regions like Long Island.”

He added that the child care is underfunded, arguing, “We need to do what we can as a government to help to create more availability, helping to build more facilities, helping to encourage employers to offer onsite child care.”

The state senator-elect regarded child care service as “a profession, not a job.” However, he said these professionals are often underpaid.

“Can you think of a job that’s more important than caring for our kids?” he said.

“This is a professional job. [The workers] need to be treated as such, and they need to be compensated as such.”

State Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) explained the problem similarly. He detailed the underinvestment in child care personnel, saying the incentive is to pursue other industries.

“The people right now with child care are leaving because they’re getting other jobs,” Mattera said. “They’re getting better [paying] jobs even in McDonald’s. That’s a problem.”

He added, “They are watching our kids and protecting our children, but they’re not getting paid properly.”

Mattera also addressed the need for more child care training programs. If child care is to be a profession, he said these service providers deserve similar specialized teaching to those of other fields.

“We need to educate,” the state senator

said. “We need to make sure [institutions] like Suffolk Community College, a perfect example, have some kind of a course … to have qualified people watching our children.”

Jennifer Rojas, executive director of the Commack-based Child Care Council of Suffolk, discussed the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the child care industry. While these essential services remained operational throughout the public health emergency, the industry has struggled since.

“When everything shut down in March of 2020, child care remained open because we knew how important it was for our essential workers to continue to work,” she said. “Unfortunately, our industry is in a crisis. … It’s expensive for parents, and the workforce is making poverty wages.”

She added, “It’s because you cannot raise the cost on parents in order to pay your staff more, so we’re stuck in this bubble where providers are not able to pay their staff and, therefore, not able to recruit.”

Without sufficient staff, Rojas said some child care programs are cutting back resources and, in some instances, shutting down altogether. “This is a crisis like we have never seen in this industry, and it’s always been an industry that has operated on razor-thin margins,” she added.

State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) echoed Rojas’ sentiments about the crippling effects of COVID-19 on child care service providers. To Giglio, the lockdowns generated conditions where child care was less necessary for parents.

“Because the moms couldn’t go to work and everybody was expected to stay home, a lot of these facilities closed down,” she said. “It costs a lot because your payroll is not going down and you’re still turning the lights on every day.”

“In both Nassau and Suffolk counties, the cost of care is about $30,000 a year,” he said. “That is more than going to the State University of New York for an entire year. You have working families struggling to make ends meet. In order to go to work, [they] must have care in many instances. And we’re asking them to pay for a college tuition bill or more.”

Giglio, a member of the state Assembly’s Labor and Economic Development committees, suggested funding child care to remediate labor shortages, viewing such an investment as an economic development tool.

“We have warehouses out there that are full of materials, waiting to be delivered to customers, and those items are not getting delivered because they don’t have the drivers,” she said. “We need to get people back to work. Employers are looking for workers, and parents are looking for a better life for their families.”

Concluding the press conference, Murray outlined some possible solutions. He recommended removing the statewide eligibility standard to resolve the regional economic differences between Long Island and the rest of the state.

“Because of our economic diversity here, [the statewide standard] doesn’t serve Long Island like it should,” the state senator-elect said. “Rather than a statewide eligibility level, we should break it into the 10 regional economic development council regions.”

With different standards for different regions, Murray maintained that Long Islanders could qualify for additional state aid for child care, reflective of their higher cost of living.

“This is a fairer way, especially for Long Island families,” he said.

Murray said another way to improve the issue is through employer-based on-site child care. He offered that expanding these benefits could assist working families and employers alike.

Speaking to employers directly, he said, “If you offer on-site child care as a benefit to your employees, I guarantee you that will put you above your competition in the game of recruitment,” adding, “What we want to do is incentivize that.”

Lastly, he suggested exploring any changes in state regulations that may be holding up the construction of new child care facilities. “We also need to sit down and look at whether or not there are regulations slowing down the building of health care facilities,” Murray said.

He added, “Let me be very clear: We will never change any regulations that deal with the health, the safety or the well-being of the children. But we should take a look at the regulations otherwise and see if they are slowing them down.”

Hochul is expected to release her proposed FY 2024 budget next month

Above, at podium, state Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James), surrounded by Long Island child care advocates and Republican colleagues in the state Legislature. Below, state Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead).

Photos by Raymond Janis

PJSTCC hosts annual menorah lighting ceremony at Train Car Park

The Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce annual menorah lighting ceremony took place Sunday, Dec. 18, at sundown in the hamlet’s Train Car Park.

Rabbi Aaron Benson of North Shore Jewish Center officiated the ceremony, offering a prayer to mark the first night of Hanukkah. The event was well attended by community members and many from the North Shore Jewish Center.

Among those joining the festivities were PJSTCC vice president Paul Perrone, the chamber’s community liaison Joan Nickeson and Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook).

Democracy and tech intersect to name Station Street

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Station Street, a one-way corridor between Port Jefferson train station and Port Jefferson Crossing apartments in Upper Port, is set to open early next year.

Following an upcoming Jan. 3 public hearing and a vote by the village’s board of trustees, the street will be codified within the village code. In an exclusive interview with Mayor Margot Garant, she offered some updates on the roadway opening.

“Physically, it’s ready,” she said. “The structure is up, the signage is installed, the lighting is in and the irrigation is in.”

Arriving at “Station Street” was an effort that integrated various aspects of the village government’s tech apparatus. That name was given to the street during the Upper Port master plan phase. Cementing the name, however, the village employed some creative means.

“We’ve been calling it that for almost a decade, but we thought, ‘Maybe it’s fun to give the public a chance’” to add input, Garant said.

As part of its monthly Port eReport, the village generated an online survey to collect input from the community. Charmaine Famularo, a village staff

member, organized the survey.

With over 130 entries, Station Street was the highest vote getter with 54 votes. Rail Road and Port Place tied as distant second-place finishers, with 19 votes each. Other names included Locomotion Lane, Gateway Drive and Upper Port Drive, among countless others. There were even humorous suggestions such as End of the Line Avenue and Whistle Way.

“We are so excited about the participation we received,” Famularo said in a text message. “Now, as we all pass the Station Street sign as we enter Port, we will have pride in our new road. It is one that we named.”

Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden voiced similar sentiments. In an email, she suggested public participation in naming the street added a sense of community identity.

“Having the residents involved in naming the street brings a sense of pride of ownership in the community that I strive to bring to this village,” Snaden said.

Garant regarded the street naming activity as part of an ongoing initiative by the village to boost readership and interaction with the eReport. “I think it adds strength and depth to the newsletter,” she said. “This newsletter is chock-full of information. It’s interactive. It can be a real way of getting the public more engaged.”

She added, “I think the more you understand the technology and are able to utilize it, it’s fun. It was a fun suggestion.”

While street renaming was the first example of incorporating tech in decisionmaking, it may serve other functions down the road.

When asked whether she foresees these technologies being used in different

formats, Garant said, “With that particular incident, a very small segment of the population responded. I think it’s a way — maybe in addition to a public hearing — of gaining public input, but it would not be the sole source.”

The naming of Station Street reflects how local policymakers and constituents relate to one another through technology. Garant stated the need for municipalities to adapt to these technologies and use them to strengthen local democracy.

“Social media is a very powerful, interactive tool, and if it’s used constructively, it can embrace a lot of important public input,” she said. “I think it can also be a way to distribute important public information.” She concluded by saying, “I think we’re finally getting our arms around that entire thing.”

Community members participated in a menorah lighting at the Train Car Park in Port Jefferson Station Sunday, Dec. 18. Photo by Paul Perrone

Red-light camera administration fee repeal awaits Bellone’s signature

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Suffolk County red-light camera offenders will find their bill will be a little less in the future.

County legislators passed a veto-proof resolution, 12-6, to repeal the $30 administration fee that was an addition to the $50 ticket at their general meeting Dec. 6. The resolution was sponsored by Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga). Trotta has been an opponent of the red-light camera ticket program since its inception more than a decade ago. The $30 administration fee was added a few years after the program began.

The bill now awaits County Executive Steve Bellone’s (D) signature.

All 11 Republican legislators were in favor of the legislation and Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) also voted for its repeal. The remaining Democrats voted against it.

Trotta has called the program a “money grab to generate revenue by the county executive.”

In a phone interview, Trotta said it’s the equivalent of people going a few miles over the speed limit.

“It’s not a safety issue, it’s a scam,” he said.

Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon) said in a statement that those who voted “no” did so because of the county’s budget.

“Repealing the administrative fee for redlight camera tickets is a fine idea and is not what our caucus has an issue with,” Richberg said. “This problem is we have a law on the books that says the Legislature cannot remove any funds out of the budget unless there is an offset, which there is not currently. Without a budget offset we are knowingly putting a $7 million hole in the county’s 2023 budget, which was voted on and passed less than a month ago. We’re not able to amend the budget until February, so until then there will be gaps that could lead to shortages in other areas.”

Trotta also acknowledged the problems with the budget. While he is against the redlight cameras entirely, he said removing them completely presently does not make sense.

“We’re in a bind where we have to be very careful,” Trotta said. “We have to start cutting before we can start cutting the cameras.”

Trotta said the current administration fee was deemed illegal by a state Supreme Court judge. The ruling was handed down in 2020, and the county has appealed it. With the redlight program being a state initiative, the county cannot charge more than other municipalities in the state, according to the court.

Marykate Guilfoyle, a spokeswoman for Bellone, said the county executive would sign the bill. Once Bellone signs the legislation and it is filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of New York, the law will take effect.

Town of Brookhaven celebrates the start of Hanukkah at annual menorah lighting ceremony

The Town of Brookhaven celebrated the start of Hanukkah at the Community Menorah Lighting ceremony Tuesday, Dec. 20, at Town Hall in Farmingville.

The annual holiday event was led by Rabbi

Mendy Goldberg of the Lubavitch of the East End/Chabad House of Coram. Guests enjoyed traditional Hanukkah songs and stories, entertainment and refreshments, including hot latkes and donuts.

Red-light camera tickets will soon be less expensive after the Suffolk County Legislature voted to repeal the $30 administration fee. File photo by Phil Corso

Above, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Neil Foley (R-Blue Point); Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R); Rabbi Mendy Goldberg and Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden). Photo courtesy the town’s public information office

The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police: Man suffers medical emergency, drives off dock in Port Jefferson

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating an incident during which a man died after driving his vehicle into the water in Port Jefferson on Dec. 16. Stuart Dorfman was operating a vehicle on West Broadway at the Port Jefferson dock when he suffered an apparent medical emergency and drove into the water at 7:20 p.m. Dorfman, 74, of Plainview, was pulled from the water and pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives are asking anyone with information on this incident to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392.

Suffolk County detectives intercept money for elderly scam victim

On Dec. 16, Suffolk County Police Financial Crimes Unit detectives intercepted cash that an elderly Louisiana man mailed as a part of a scam. Financial Crimes Unit detectives were made aware that an 82-year-old Lafayette, Louisiana, man sent $9,800 to a location on Union Boulevard in Bay Shore as part of a cyber scam. Detectives intercepted the money at a location in Ronkonkoma at 12:37 p.m. The money is being returned to the victim and the investigation is continuing.

Wanted for Medford petit larceny

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who allegedly stole from a Medford store in December. A man allegedly stole two chainsaws from Lowe’s, located at 2796 Route 112, at 10:50 a.m. on Dec. 1. The merchandise was valued at approximately $410.

Wanted for South Setauket petit larceny

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who allegedly stole from a South Setauket store in December. A man allegedly stole LEGOs, baby items and clothing from Target, located at 265 Pond Path, at 7:40 p.m. on Dec. 7. The merchandise is valued at approximately $915.

Wanted for South Setauket petit larceny

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate two people who allegedly stole from a South Setauket store in December. A man and the woman pictured above allegedly stole assorted groceries and clothing from Target, located at 265 Pond Path, at 5:50 p.m. on Dec. 9.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Do you recognize this man? Photo from SCPD

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Comsewogue Warriors cage Rocky Point Eagles

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

SPORTS

The Rocky Point Eagles had their hands full, facing a stout defense in a road game against Comsewogue.

In this Div. IV matchup on Thursday, Dec. 15, the Warriors broke out early, taking a 22-point lead going into the halftime break. The Eagles managed to outscore Comsewogue in the third quarter, but the Warriors slammed the door in the fourth, putting the game away, 49-29.

Leela Smith led the Eagles

with 13 points, Julia Koprowski scored six and teammate McKenzie Moeller netted five.

Danielle McGuire topped the scoring chart for the Warriors with four triples and a field goal for 14 points. Hannah Ellis notched 11 and Lalynn Kirschenheuter banked 10.

The win lifts the Warriors to 3-1 in their division. They return to action on Monday, Dec. 19, with a road game against Westhampton. The Eagles travel to Port Jefferson Tuesday, Dec. 20. Game times are 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Clockwise from above: Rocky Point senior Leela Smith boxes out; Comsewogue’s Maria Stamatopoulos shoots for the Warriors; and Comsewogue’s Jalynn Kirschenheuter lays up for two.

Pictured clockwise from top-left: Rocky Point senior Sarah May on a fast break for the Eagles; Comsewogue’s Hannah Ellis with an inside pass; Comsewogue’s Danielle McGuire scores; and Rocky Point junior Julia Koprowski drives the lane in a road game against Comsewogue.

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Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction

The successful candidate should have a minimum of five (5) yrs. professional exp. in school administration or comparable teaching leadership.

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NYS SDL or SDA Certification Required

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Editorial

Long Islanders need child care assistance

We often think of our country as the greatest in the world. In many ways, it is, but we are falling behind other first-world countries regarding health care costs, life expectancy, high-speed transportation and more.

Among our country’s greatest weaknesses is a lack of affordable child care options for parents.

Local Republican elected officials recently held a press conference on Thursday, Dec. 15, to raise awareness about this important issue.

Their mission was to implore New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to include increased aid for child care services in the 2024 state budget. Hochul’s budget is still in its early stages and is expected to be released next month.

While the issue was addressed to an extent in last year’s budget, the elected officials said more needs to be done. Their plea is for the governor to consider how the cost of living varies throughout the state, with Long Islanders spending more than many of their fellow New Yorkers.

For these reasons, a statewide child care eligibility level makes little sense for Long Islanders. If the statewide standard is not amended to reflect these differences, more people will flee this Island for more affordable regions of the state and nation.

In New York, more funding and incentives are needed to make child care more accessible for working parents, including building more facilities and encouraging employers to offer on-site options. We are seeing the exact opposite take place within our region, with many child care facilities cutting back their services or closing shop altogether.

The low salaries of those working in the industry also need to be corrected. Many are making minimum wage or close to it. It’s inexcusable that those responsible for taking care of children are paid so poorly that they can make the same or more while working for a fastfood restaurant or retailer.

The onset of the pandemic demonstrated how vital child care is to families. While many worked from home, those deemed essential workers, such as people in the medical, emergency, media and food industry fields, could work on-site. Child care facilities remaining open for these workers enabled them to continue providing residents with necessary vital services.

At the same time, many businesses deemed nonessential were shut down. With employees working from home, child care services experienced a drop-off in enrollment. The result was a decrease in cash flow, creating financial burdens on many facilities and several shutting their doors for good.

In addition to helping families afford these services, it’s imperative that our child care providers and professionals receive the financial support they need to open centers and keep them open with properly paid staff members. These are all serious red flags for our regional economy.

On-site day care is more than babysitting. The benefits of attending a child care center include improved social-emotional skills and children who are better prepared for elementary school.

The need for more child care assistance for Long Islanders should be a nonpartisan issue, something every elected official should be rallying for in the near future. We hope to see more public leaders speak up about the need and get behind any legislation to improve child care in our state.

The financial stability of New Yorkers — and most importantly, our children’s futures — depend on it.

WRITE TO US … We welcome your letters. They should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style and good taste. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include a phone number and address for confirmation. Email letters to: editor1@tbrnewsmedia.com or mail them to

TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Letters to the Editor

School bond vote a big disappointment

Being a proud grandparent of a Port Jefferson high school graduate and current senior, I was shocked by the 498-474 defeat of the Port Jefferson School District Proposition 1.

The price of apathy is the loss of structural improvements, increased security, enhanced academics and better nursing care. Loyalty to the school district can no longer be assumed at the voting booth.

Our school district is the village jewel which needed polishing. However, less than 1,000 residents saw fit to vote on Dec. 12. Too many parents, relatives, teachers, administrators, civil service employees and alums were no-shows. If they had voted, the bond could have been approved with your 25 more votes.

There are some naysayers who desire to dissolve our school district and consolidate elsewhere. If that becomes a reality, it will be a disaster. Students will lose small class sizes, special programs, short commutes, access to local businesses, athletic participation, a unique prom, historical pride, reunions, colors and a prestigious reputation for college admissions.

Teachers, administrators, aides and civil service employees will lose their jobs, contractual agreements, tenure, seniority, union reps, special assignments and colleagues. Residents will lose the LIPA subsidy, lower taxes, local control, buyers property values and a great district.

It’s time for organizations that support the school district to form political coalitions to offset the organized opposition. We must “Save Our Schools.” If action is not taken now, opponents will control future elections and school boards. Absence is not an option.

Philip Griffith Port Jefferson

Whelan for Bout would be magic, not chess

In Larry Penner’s letter appearing in this newspaper [“Biden doesn’t know how to play chess,” Dec. 15], he terms President Joe Biden [D] “a fool” for securing Brittney Griner’s release in exchange for Viktor Bout.

He claims Biden doesn’t know “how to play chess.” But what Penner is proposing — swapping Bout for Paul Whelan instead — isn’t chess. It’s magic. Regardless of Penner’s fantasy about “chess,” the only offer on the table was Bout for Griner. Take it or leave it.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the dictator of a totalitarian state, couldn’t care less about fairness or the supposed rules of the game. There was no offer of Bout for Whelan. He’d be more than happy to let Griner rot in a Russian forced labor camp while we held out for a deal that was never going to happen.

So, the choice was Bout for Griner, or nothing. Maybe Penner can tell us what he would have done, not in his imaginary world featuring a make-believe Putin who is ready to deal as Penner thinks he

ought, but in the real world which has a far less cooperative Putin. If he would have chosen “nothing,” he could at least come right out and say so.

In his letter, Penner remarks that Griner once said the national anthem should not be played before WNBA games. What possible bearing does that have on efforts made to secure her release? Is she less worthy of being released because she exercised her free speech rights to state an opinion not everyone shares?

Of course, Whelan should be released. No doubt the Biden administration is working to secure his release. It’s a difficult and delicate undertaking. The man Russia wants in exchange for him is not Bout, but a convicted Russian assassin serving a life sentence in Germany for gunning down an anti-Putin Chechen in broad daylight in a Berlin park.

Making the issue into who’s more worthy of release, Griner or Whelan, only serves Russian propaganda purposes. That’s exactly what the Russians want us to be fighting about.

What’s really important is knowing that if you hold an American passport, and you’re taken hostage by a rogue foreign government on trumped up charges, our government will do everything in its power to secure your release as quickly as possible, regardless of who you are or your political beliefs. The emphasis being on the word “possible.”

David Friedman St. James

Elon Musk and the Twitter factory

Our story begins some time around now. No, there’s no chocolate, despite the season, and there’s no meadow where everything is edible.

No, our modern-day story begins where so much of us live these days, online.

enter a sweepstakes.

When he narrows the field down to those who get the golden tweet, he plans to invite a group of five people to come to a virtual, top secret Twitter tour.

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

You see, a famous and once marvelous company called Twitter is run by an eccentric, wealthy and successful businessman named Elon Musk, who somehow figured out how to create and mass produce electric cars that require no gas and that sound like spaceships.

Musk has decided, after many hours of running Twitter, that he needs to find a successor.

So, borrowing a page from Willy Wonka, he provides invitations that cost 3 cents per tweet to

A few people try to make fake tickets, but the ever vigilant Musk spots the fraud. Day after day, people wait until, finally, five people, some of whom have never tweeted in their lives, have a chance to run the company.

Musk appears on screen wearing a top hat and a menacing smile. He demands that no one record what they see or take a screenshot of the secrets he is prepared to share.

Each person has a tiny image — about 1/4 the size of Musk’s — as they virtually walk through a factory floor.

On the first stop, Musk invites them to join him in the secret Hunter Biden/ New York Post room. Ah, yes, the story about the infamous laptop, which will undoubtedly become a part of an extensive investigation into the Biden progeny, is in this room.

“Don’t try to read anything!” he snaps. But, of course, one of the contestants can’t

resist. With a special tool that tracks eye movements, Musk knows that contestant No. 1, who is chewing gum constantly, is trying to decipher all the information. Her screen develops a horrible virus that turns it (and her entire computer) purple.

“You see?” he says, shaking his virtual head at the other small characters. “That’s what you get when you don’t listen. Oh, look, here they come now.”

Wearing virtual clothing embroidered with the Tesla logo, a modern day group of OompaLoompas appears on screen.

“Oompa, loompa, doompa dee do.

I’ve got another riddle for you. Oompa loompa, doompa dee dee if you are wise, you’ll listen to me. What do you get when you don’t listen to Musk?

A virus on your computer that will kill it before dusk.

Who do you think should have the last laugh? It certainly won’t be you or your staff. Take a moment to ponder this fact, Running Twitter may take too much tact.”

“Well,” Musk interrupts, waving away the virtual characters. “That’s enough of that. Now, let’s go for a virtual boat ride.”

In everyone steps as a boat careens through a choppy river, passing one door after another, with the names of celebrities who have been suspended hanging from each virtual room.

The boat stops near an embankment. The Musk character invites his guests to look at some special doors.

When he turns around, his virtual eyes widen in shock, his lower jaw drops down to his knees, and he hunches his shoulders.

“How? What? Wait, what’s going on?” he stammers, looking closely at the faces of his remaining four contestants.

Sure enough, on screen, Musk recognizes that two of the faces are the same as his, while the other two look like versions of Donald Trump.

“No, but, I made this game,” he whines. “How will we find out who wins?”

“Ah,” one of the Trumps says. “For that, you’ll have to tune into the sequel, which will only cost $99 and will become a collector’s item in no time.”

Peace. That is what religions ask for, what billions of people across all nations pray for. Why in our family of humanity is that goal so elusive?

Perhaps this is a question only for theologians and philosophers to answer. But now, in this glorious holiday season, when we speak and sing of Peace on Earth, we all articulate the ideal.

When will there be such peace?

The answer, it seems, is when all humans are of good will.

And what does that involve?

For starters, it requires acceptance and respect for the “other.” We need to see each other as humans with the same ambitions and desires and feelings. Rather than look down on and despise people who are simply different, we can be intrigued and interested in those differences and therefore in those who are different.

Rich Acritelli

Michael Ardolino

Melissa Arnold

Kyle Barr

Barbara Beltrami

Nancy Burner, Esq.

Leah Chiappino

Michael Christodoulou

Donna Deedy

Adam Dunaief

Tara Mae

Kevin McCarthy

Mary McCarthy

Jim Meadows

Media Origin

Chris Mellides

Julianne Mosher

Amanda Olsen

Fr. Frank Pizzarelli

Amanda Pomerantz

Many seek, and indeed can fi nd inner peace. But the dream of peace, the kind of peace that is defi ned as lack of conflict and freedom from fear of violence between individuals and groups, has never been achieved.

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

We can invite into our world those who are different from us in the way of skin color or appearance or beliefs. And if we can do so, we can see them as humans, just like us, and bigotry cannot exist. For we cannot look down on ourselves. If we are to do so, starting now, racism and antisemitism and every other sort of hatred of our neighbors disappears.

For there to be Peace on Earth, it must start with accepting the stranger, the “other” among us.

Daniel Dunaief

David Dunaief, M.D.

Bob Giglione

Aidan Johnson

Matthew Kearns, DVM

Bill Landon

Bob Lipinski

Nancy Marr

Sydney Manzano

Cayla Rosenhagen

Irene Ruddock

Michael E. Russell

Carolyn Sackstein

Jeffrey Sanzel

Lisa Scott

John Turner

Beverly C. Tyler

Steven Zaitz

This holiday season starts the path to peace with Viva la Difference!

All of us, who contributed to TBR

Media in 2022, wish you a healthy & happy holiday and new year!

Cheese Club brought Christmas cheer to Port Jefferson for over 40 years

BY KENNETH BRADY DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The Cheese Club was a charitable organization formed in 1915 and comprised of members of Brooklyn’s Knights of Columbus.

Considered among the leading citizens of Brooklyn, each a “big cheese,” the group’s influential founders self-mockingly referred to themselves as the Cheese Club, though other stories about the name’s origin abound.

HOMETOWN HISTORY

The Cheese Club is best known in Port Jefferson for its Christmas pilgrimage to the village, which it made without interruption from 1916-58 despite stormy weather, world wars and the Great Depression.

During each annual holiday visit, the club members gave yuletide gifts to the youngsters at the Brooklyn Home for Blind, Crippled and Defective Children, known today as St. Charles Hospital, and donated money for the year-round comfort of the handicapped boys and girls and their caregivers.

The club members and their entourage typically traveled from Flatbush to Port Jefferson on a specially chartered LIRR train, the Santa Claus Express, made up of coaches and a freight car filled with Christmas presents.

After disembarking at the Port Jefferson railroad station, Kris Kringle and the St. John’s Orphan Asylum Band from Brooklyn led the group as it marched to Infant Jesus R.C. Church at Myrtle and Main to attend Mass.

Numbering 400 strong during peak years, the procession then continued to St. Charles Hospital, where the sisters of the Daughters of Wisdom, who operated the hospital and looked after its disabled charges, served a welcoming luncheon.

Following the reception, children at the hospital provided two hours of entertainment, performing as singers, dancers, musicians and actors.

When the talent show ended, Santa Claus and his helpers took the stage and gave each boy and girl a Christmas stocking stuffed with toys, candy, games, clothing and fruit.

The Daughters of Wisdom also received a check to fund various projects at the hospital and on its grounds. Over the years, the money was used to purchase radios, movie projectors and physical therapy equipment for the children, build a sun shelter, defray the costs of a memorial organ, improve the sisters’ living quarters and maintain outdoor Stations of the Cross.

Following the establishment of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 1957 out of territory once within the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Cheese Club phased out its holiday visits to Port Jefferson and concentrated on charitable work closer to home.

The Cheese Club was a pioneer in bringing Christmas cheer to the handicapped children hospitalized in Port Jefferson and spurring other religious and nonsectarian organizations to support the disabled youngsters at St. Charles — not just at the holidays but throughout the year.

Kenneth Brady has served as the Port Jefferson Village historian and president of the Port Jefferson Conservancy, as well as on the boards of the Suffolk County Historical Society, Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council and Port Jefferson Historical Society. He is a longtime resident of the village.

Above: Led by Kris Kringle and the St. John’s Orphan Asylum Band, members of Cheese Club march down Port Jefferson’s Main Street. The Cheese Club was a charitable organization that brought Christmas cheer to the handicapped children hospitalized at St. Charles Hospital. Below, a Christmas postcard. Above courtesy the Peter Colen Collection; below courtesy the Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive