The Times of Huntington-Northport - March 2, 2023

Harborfields’ Zephyr magazine named ‘Excellent’ in REALM contest

Harborfields High School’s annual Zephyr student publication, led by Editor in Chief Emma Byrom and “Zephyr” club adviser Eugenia Ritter, was recently awarded the rank of Excellent by the

National Council of Teachers of English in the 2022 Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines contest.

The REALM program serves to encourage schools to develop literary

magazines that celebrate the art and craft of writing. This year, schools in 42 states and five countries nominated 262 student magazines from middle school, high school and higher education.

Photo from Harborfields Central School District

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Mattera

joins The Salvation Army and Stony Brook Cancer Center to provide free breast cancer

State Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James), in conjunction with The Salvation Army, is hosting the Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Mobile Mammography Van in East Northport. The free breast cancer-screening event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 pm on Friday, March 10, at 319 Clay Pitts Road in East Northport.

Stony Brook University Cancer Center operates and staffs the mobile van, which was made possible through more than $3 million from the New York State Department of Health. The van provides convenient access to all women in the area to ensure that women on Long Island get the information they need to protect themselves from breast cancer.

This event is for women 40 and older who have not had a mammogram in the past year. An appointment is necessary and women interested should call 631-6384135 to schedule an appointment. For more information on the Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Mobile Mammography Van, residents can visit cancer.stonybrookmedicine.edu/ Patients/MammoVan.

According to information provided by

screening event

Stony Brook Cancer Center, most screenings are no cost since the cost of mammograms are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and almost all insurance companies. Any resident who has no insurance will be referred to the New York State Cancer Services Program, which may cover the cost of an exam.

In New York State, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women. Mammograms and breast cancer screenings can detect cancer at early stages, when it is often the most treatable.

“Early detection is the best way to combat and beat breast cancer and that makes access to no-cost screenings so critical,” Mattera said. “I thank Stony Brook University and The Salvation Army for partnering with us to provide this helpful preventive care and urge all in our community who can benefit to attend this event.”

For more information on this important event, including eligibility requirements, information for day of visit and directions to the event, visit mattera.nysenate.gov.

NOTICE OF CORRECTION

Readers’ Choice Correction

The Readers’ Choice publication that appeared in our 2/23/23 issue listing the winners contained an error in the cesspool service category.

Rocky Point Cesspool was listed with the wrong phone number and website. The correct information is:

Cesspool Service

Rocky Point Cesspool • Rocky Point, NY 11778 631-744-3915 • rockypointcesspool.com

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

The Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Mobile Mammography Van will be in East Northport on Friday, March 10. Photo from Sen. Mario Mattera’s office

Democrat and Republican nominees named for Suffolk County Exec race

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Municipalities throughout Suffolk County will undergo significant leadership changes in 2023.

Three-term incumbent Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) cannot run for reelection due to 12-year term limits for county offices.

“I’m running to work for the future of our county and its residents,” he told TBR News Media. “This is an opportunity to move Suffolk forward. And, quite honestly, nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.”

ELECTION 2023

Bellone’s absence at the top of the ticket has triggered a game of musical chairs across local governments, with an Election Day picture coming into focus.

County executive

Two major party candidates have emerged to fill Bellone’s seat. Venture capitalist and former federal and state prosecutor Dave Calone entered the race last summer and has since gained the backing of the county’s Democratic Committee.

Between increasing economic development initiatives and expanding transportation options, Calone regarded Suffolk as a place of growing opportunities.

“I felt like we needed someone with a private-sector background to help capitalize on those opportunities for our region,” he said, adding that his prosecutorial experience could help alleviate the issue of crime throughout the area.

Calone said he would connect law enforcement personnel with new technologies if elected. “I come from the technology sector and feel we can do more when it comes to law enforcement, giving police the tools and training they need to fight crime and help prevent crime,” he said.

He emphasized county support in promoting small business sectors and encouraging those wishing to start a new business.

Calone may have a tall task ahead as recent election results suggest county residents are moving toward the right, with Republicans gaining a majority in the county Legislature in 2021 while flipping the district attorney’s seat.

To counteract these trends, Calone pledged to focus on local issues, which he suggested are matters of personal qualification rather than party affiliation.

“I think Suffolk County is less about left versus right, but who is going to have the vision to move Suffolk County forward,” the Democratic nominee said.

Opposing Calone is Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R). He received his party’s nod during a nominating convention held Thursday, Feb. 23, in Ronkonkoma. Before becoming supervisor, Romaine was county clerk for 16 years starting in 1989 and did two separate tours in the county Legislature, one before and the other after his tenure as clerk.

The town supervisor added that he intends to campaign on the issues and policies he has overseen at the town level. He offered that fiscal responsibility and public trust in government remain top priorities.

“I’m looking to hold the line on taxes,” he said. “I’ve done it five different times with our budget, and I would like to do that with the county, reduce the county debt and improve the county bond rating to AAA.”

Romaine also addressed his environmental concerns, such as water quality and quantity. He proposed modernizing information technology systems, filling critical posts within the police department and resisting Albany’s development agenda for Long Island.

“I’m not a fan of the governor’s plan to urbanize our suburban communities,” he said.

Despite recent electoral history, a Republican has not occupied the county executive’s chair since Bob Gaffney left office in 2003. Asked why 2023 should be any different, Romaine suggested the coming election offers county voters a new direction.

“I think this is an opportunity to chart a new course,” he said.

In declaring for county executive, Romaine vacates his post as town supervisor. Brookhaven Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Dan Panico (R-Manorville) and Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant (D) have stepped forward to fill the seat, securing their parties’ respective nominations last week.

Dave Calone, left, and Ed Romaine are the Democratic and Republican nominees, respectively, for Suffolk County executive. Left from Calone’s campaign; right from the Brookhaven town website

DISTRICTMEETING

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Scientific officer urges more whale studies

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Since 2016, various agencies along the Eastern Seaboard have been investigating unusual mortality events among whales, including humpback, minke and North Atlantic right whales.

In recent months, a growing chorus of politicians, pundits and some environmental groups have suggested that efforts to build wind farms in the water and, specifically, to use sonar to develop a contour of the ocean floor, may be confusing whales, injuring their ears or causing these marine mammals to lose their way.

Research groups such as the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society have raced to the scenes of these beachings, hoping to gather enough information to learn about the lives of these whales and conduct necropsies to determine a cause of death.

[See story, “Humpback whale deaths increase along Eastern Seaboard,” TBR News Media website, Feb. 11.]

For many of these whales, however, the decaying condition of the carcass makes it difficult to draw a conclusive explanation. Additionally, some whales that weigh as much as 30,000 pounds have washed up in remote and protected places, making it difficult to analyze and remove them.

Robert DiGiovanni Jr., chief scientist at AMCS has responded to over 4,600 strandings of marine mammals and sea turtles and has tagged over 120 animals, according to the society’s website. Currently, he is serving as the principal investigator on aerial surveys in the mid-Atlantic region.

Pointing to data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, DiGiovanni suggested that many of the whale strandings relate to vessel strikes.

According to NOAA data, 181 humpback whale mortalities occurred between 2016 and early February of this year. Researchers were able to conduct necropsies on about half of those whales. Of those examined, about 40 percent had evidence of a ship strike or entanglement.

“We don’t have any evidence to suggest” a connection between wind farms and whale deaths, DiGiovanni said. “What we’re seeing is what we’ve been previously seeing.”

He urged a close examination of all the changes and factors that could affect the location and health of whales, “not just one source.”

The chief scientist advocates consistent and ongoing investment in research on a larger scale, which could aid in responding to ongoing concerns about whale mortality events.

Understanding where whales are located is critical to protecting them.

DiGiovanni pointed to street signs around schools and neighborhoods that urge drivers to slow down because there might be children running into the street or playing on lawns.

Similarly, research about the location and movement of marine mammals can enable policies that protect them while they’re around the shores of Long Island and, more broadly, the Eastern Seaboard.

Researchers need to get a “better understanding of where these animals are and how that changes from day to day, week to week and month to month,” DiGiovanni said.

In aerial surveys a few years ago in the first week of February, he saw one or two whales. Two weeks later, he saw 13 right whales.

“We need to get a better understanding of those changes to help manage that,” the chief scientist said.

Against the backdrop of ongoing unusual mortality events, DiGiovanni noted that whale deaths occurred consistently before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We saw a difference in what was going

on in the world, but we still had large whale occurrences,” he said. “Pulling all these pieces together is really important.”

The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society is working to develop incident command systems for marine mammal strandings with towns, fire departments, police and other authorities.

When DiGiovanni gets a call about a stranded whale, he can reach out to local partners, particularly in areas where these events have occurred in the past. Such rapid responses can ensure the safety of the crew and any bystanders on-site and can help bring needed equipment.

“What we do is very specialized,” DiGiovanni said. “Getting people to understand that and getting what’s needed is usually the first challenge.”

Members of the conservation society team sometimes work 12 or 14 days straight without a break, depending on the complexity of a stranding and the number of whales washing up on beaches.

“The people doing this work are extremely dedicated to what they’re trying to answer” about the life and death of marine mammals, he added. Some of them drive six hours to a site to bring their expertise to bear.

“The discovery part is why we do this — to answer questions that would otherwise go unnoticed,” DiGiovanni said.

A stranded humpback whale. Photo courtesy the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society

“We don’t have any evidence to suggest” a connection between wind farms and whale deaths.

— ROBERT DIGIOVANNI JR.

The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:

Six people arrested during vape operation

Suffolk County Police have arrested six people during an underage vape operation at locations in the Second Precinct on Feb. 23. In response to numerous community complaints, Second Precinct Crime Section officers conducted an investigation into the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes to minors during which 24 businesses were checked for compliance.

Three employees from the following stores were allegedly charged with Unlawfully Dealing with a Child 2nd Degree: Green Leaf Smoke Shop in Greenlawn; Cloud Empire Smoke Shop in Greenlawn; and East Northport Smoke Shop in East Northport. Two employees of the following stores were charged with Criminal Sale of Cannabis 3rd Degree: Cigar House Smoke and Vape Shop in Melville; and Intense Smoke in Melville. An employee at Nirvana Vape Shop in Huntington was charged with Unlawfully Dealing with a Child 2nd Degree and Criminal Sale of Cannabis 3rd Degree.

Compliance checks were conducted at 18 other businesses in the Second Precinct and no violations were issued. Of those 18 businesses, three were cited during a previous inspection but were found to be in compliance during this check.

Merchandise stolen from Commack Lowe’s Just released!

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who allegedly stole a circulator pump from Lowe’s, located at 100 North Service Road in Commack, at 5:43 p.m. on Dec. 28.

The man left the scene in a white BMW sedan.

Pedestrian killed in Commack car crash

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed a pedestrian in Commack on Feb.27. Krista Mooney was driving a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas eastbound on Scholar Lane, at the intersection of Shaker Ridge Lane, when her vehicle struck a pedestrian at 6:10 p.m.

The pedestrian, Matthew Conte, 36, of Commack, was pronounced dead at the scene. Mooney, 31, of Commack, was transported

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Wanted for petit larceny

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a woman who allegedly stole assorted merchandise from Walmart, located at 85 Crooked Hill Road in Commack, at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 30. She fled the location in a white Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck.

to Saint Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown for evaluation. The vehicle was impounded for a safety check. Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.

Man arrested for stealing from gym lockers

Suffolk County Police have arrested a West Babylon man for allegedly stealing property from fitness center lockers during the past five weeks. Suffolk County Police received reports of credit cards and wallets stolen from lockers, both secured and unsecured, at LA Fitness locations throughout the county since January.

Following an investigation, Carl Francois was arrested during a traffic stop on in Central Islip on Feb. 22. Francois, 56, was charged with 27 counts of alleged Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th Degree and two counts of Grand Larceny 4th Degree.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

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.

Do you recognize this man? Photo from SCPD

Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD

Northport Tigers clawed by Whitman Wildcats

BY STEVEN ZAITZ DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

At the start of the Suffolk County girls basketball title game, everything was taking shape as one would expect.

On the campus of Stony Brook University, Walt Whitman Wildcat superstar guard Iris Hoffman threw up a long brick early in the first quarter against Northport on Saturday afternoon, and Lady Tiger Forward Kennedy Radziul collected the rebound, raced down the court and scored to put Whitman in an 11-0 hole.

The heavily favored top-seeded Tigers, who still have the burning memory of losing in last year’s Suffolk County AA Final to another of their archrivals Longwood, was in a fury. Whitman, who had never made it to a final, seemed as if they were simply happy to be participating in one.

But over the course of a game, stuff happens. Things change.

Lady Cat guard Casey Wagner picked Radziul’s pocket with six minutes remaining in the half that made the score 19-13 in favor of the Lady Tigers, as this was an early example of the thousand paper cuts that were to come for head coach Rich Castellano and his Tigers, who were looking to win their 11th Suffolk AA title in school history.

Northport would lead by six, seven, eight and nine for much of the middle third of the game but they could not swat away the pesky Cats. Whitman, despite Hoffman’s departure from the game when she picked up her fourth personal foul, crept all the way back. When Wagner threw a pinpoint baseball pass to forward Kathleen O’Mara to end the third, and then O’Mara hit on a gorgeous reverse layup to start the fourth, the Wildcats led 36-33.

Northport senior forward Sarah Morawski had the best game of her four-year varsity career with five three-pointers and 22 total points, but no other Tiger was in double figures.

Individual scoring wasn’t top of mind for Castellano and his girls who were craving to play the Nassau County champion. After last year’s loss to the Lady Lions, a game in which they also led heading into the second half, they were determined to scratch and tigerclaw their way back in this one.

Down by five with time melting away fast, Claire Fitzpatrick, who

was quiet for much of the afternoon, made a nifty steal and then nailed a big basket from long range that made the score 42-40 with three minutes to go.

But Hoffman, who was inserted back into the game with her four fouls, stormed down the middle of the floor and hooked a no-look pass to O’Mara in the left corner.

O’Mara sank the 15-footer, and the Wildcats went up by four. Forward Emma Creighton, who wears a gigantic knee brace on her left leg, drove freely and aggressively to the rim on the Wildcats’ next possession and suddenly the Tiger deficit crept to five — and time grew short.

Morowski, in her 90th career game and certainly the most bittersweet, calmly hit a three after a Whitman free throw to cut a six-point lead in half to three, 46-43 — a one possession game. When Creighton threw the ball out of bounds for Whitman, the Tigers

had their chance to tie with about a minute to go.

Radziul, who does most of her scoring from 10 feet away and in, had a good look for three from the right elbow but the ball hit the back, left side of the rim and fell harmlessly into the hands of O’Mara. Northport was now a painful runner-up for the second year in a row. The final score was 48-44.

The Lady Tigers and their sparkling 21-2 overall record will have to wait at least another year to play the Nassau AA champion and this loss, piled on top of last year’s heartbreak, will make that wait feel much longer than just one time around the sun.

Meanwhile the Wildcats, who are currently on a 12-game winning streak, will face the winner of Massapequa and Baldwin. Whoever wins that game will travel to Hudson Valley Community College near Albany in the middle of March to compete for the New York State title.

Pictured clockwise from above, Tigers’ Kennedy Radziu; Northport’s Brooke Kershow looks to split defense; and Tigers’ Sarah Morawski goes baseline. Photos by Steven Zaitz

Cougars caged by Brentwood

BY STEVEN ZAITZ DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Sometimes the third time is not the charm.

The Commack boys basketball team, bidding for its first Suffolk County AA Championship in school history, lost to the Brentwood Indians on Saturday night, 68-46. The game was played in front of about 1,500 fans at Stony Brook University’s Island Federal Arena.

Despite having beaten Brentwood twice in the regular season, Commack could not close the deal and found themselves down by 10 points just five minutes into the game. They never fully recovered.

The Indians clogged up passing lanes and caused myriad turnovers that led to easy baskets, as sophomore guard Jeremiah Webb and junior forward Marquese Dennis led Brentwood with 14 points each. Junior guard Tyrell Davender had 13.

Commack, who came into the final game having beaten top-seeded Smithtown West in the semifinals, cut the lead from 12 to 6 in the final two minutes of the first half. But they could not seize upon that momentum coming out of the tunnel to start the third period.

The Cougars mustered only a single point in the first five minutes of the second half until Cougar guard Mike Gitz hit a three-pointer from the wing. But during this stretch, Brentwood had built a 38-22 lead. And when 5-foot-10 guard Josh Ramos from Brentwood rattled in a long ball from the right corner with four and a half left in the game, the Commack stands began to empty. The score was 51-29 in favor of the Indians.

Gitz led the Cougars with 16 but most of those came when the game was out of reach for Commack. Star guard Nick Waga was held to two field goals and just six points on the evening.

It was the fourth Suffolk AA crown for head coach Anthony Jimenez and Brentwood since 2014. Usually a highly seeded team, the seventh-ranked Indians had to knock off No. 2 Bayshore and No. 3 Bellport to reach the final. They finished with an overall record of 17-7. Commack finishes at 20-4.

Pictured clockwise from above, Cougars’ Nick Waga drives to hole but is called for an offensive foul; Commack’s Mike Gitz; and Cougars’ Chris McHugh (34) goes in for a contested layup as Freddy Diogene defends.

— Photos by Steven Zaitz

Huntington Republican Committee announces its slate of candidates for 2023 Election season

SUBMITTED BY HUNTINGTON REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE

Tom McNally, chairman of Huntington Republican Committee, announced in a press release that Brooke Lupinacci and Theresa Mari will run for Huntington Town Board, Andrew Raia for Town Clerk and Pamela Velastegui for Receiver of Taxes.

Lupinacci began her career in public service as an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County in the Economic Crimes Bureau, according to the press release. In 2015, she joined the Town as assistant town attorney. Most recently, she was appointed director of Labor Relations.

Mari is the founder of Theresa A. Mari, P.C., a Hauppauge law firm concentrating in family law, real estate law, and matrimonial law. She is a two-time recipient of the Suffolk County Bar Association President’s Award and currently serves on the Suffolk County Women’s Advisory Committee.

Raia, who was elected Town Clerk in 2019, previously served as New York State Assemblyman from 2003 to 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his office was the only Town department to remain fully operational. As Town Clerk, he made securing Town records a top priority while exploring ways to utilize new technology to enhance office productivity.

Velastegui served as dean of academics for The Green Vale School before becoming operations manager for her husband’s estate planning and wealth management firm, The Legacy Group. In 2021, she co-founded the Sonrisa Foundation, a nonprofit organization which helps children and families in need.

In addition, McNally announced in the press release, Legislators Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) Manuel Esteban (R-Commack) and Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport), will run

again in the 13th, 16th and 18th Legislative Districts, respectively.

Trotta was elected in 2013. Prior to being a Legislator, he served as a Suffolk County police officer for 25 years and with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force for more than 10 years. He is a member of the Economic Development, Planning & Housing; Environment, Parks & Agriculture; Public Safety; Public Works, Transportation & Energy; and Ways & Means Committees. Last year, he sponsored bills to eliminate the “red light ticket” fees and prohibit police officers from engaging in political activities.

Esteban, the son of immigrant parents from Cuba and Colombia, was elected County Legislator in 2021. During this time, he sponsored a bill to provide funding for the Suffolk County Police Department’s “Shot Spotter” program. He serves on the following committees: Government Operations, Personnel, Information Technology & Diversity; Public Safety; Ways & Means; and Health.

Bontempi, a Swedish immigrant, was elected in 2021. She is the vice chair of the Education & Labor and Health Committees and also serves on the Economic Development, Planning & Housing; Public Safety; and Ways & Means Committees. She co-sponsored a bill to repeal the fees from the “red-light tickets.”

McNally also announced that Anna Acquafredda is campaigning for District Court Judge. Acquafredda is an Assistant District Attorney with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Before joining the Nassau DA’s office, she was an investigative assistant with the National Insurance Crime Bureau at the Suffolk County DA’s Office. She is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association and the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association.

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As Bellone Rides Off, Others Step Forward

Cartoon by Kyle Horne: kylehorneart.com @kylehorneart

Editorial

For local elections, put principle over party

It is shaping up to be a big election season for the residents of Suffolk County. It may be early in 2023, but we’re already thinking about Election Day. County Executive Steve Bellone (D) is termed out, triggering massive turnover across levels of local government.

As local Democratic and Republican committees put forward their slate of candidates for county executive, town supervisor and various legislative positions, it is time for We the People to do our homework.

County, town and village officials have a different set of responsibilities than those serving on the state or federal levels. Their duties locally include making decisions about land use, law enforcement, roadwork, waste management, recreational facilities and matters that affect our everyday lives.

Preserving open space, treating our garbage and paving roads are not issues of Democrat versus Republican. These matters impact every resident, which is why it’s important to put aside party affiliation when we enter the voting booth this year. Experience matters.

Before you vote, take a look at the candidates’ respective backgrounds. Does a candidate have relevant experience in the public or private sectors that will aid his or her decision making? Here at TBR News Media, we will take a deep dive into these candidates over the coming months, introducing our readers to their professional backgrounds and policy positions.

We know all the candidates will have much to say in the months ahead, and many will back their goals for our future with concrete plans.

As journalists, it is our job to provide our readers with the information necessary to make informed decisions on Election Day. We take this responsibility seriously and look forward to following these elections closely.

In the meantime, we remind our readers that you play a part in this as well. By writing letters to the editor about the various local races, you have the opportunity to interpret and contextualize our election coverage. Letters are your chance to influence the shape of our democracy, so don’t squander it.

Before voting, remember to research your ballot thoroughly, check your party affiliation at the door and keep an open mind. We will be here to help along the way.

Letters to the Editor

Who do we trust?

I think we have reached a pinnacle in our country to put on our calendars, National Fairy Tale Story Day. A quote from conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, “Elon Musk didn’t just buy a company … he purchased a crime scene.”

The radical left has acquired extraordinarily power and has used this power to transform American society within our education system, journalism, technology, sports and entertainment. Despite the best efforts of the most powerful people in the most powerful organizations to “bury” the truth in the fathoms of “the deep state,” FTX, Twitter, Biden and Obama, censorship, collusion and corruption are all being exposed.

There used to be an American game show, “Who Do You Trust?” Who do we trust? Our three-letter agencies are all involved with lies and deceit. The FBI were so busy at school board meetings going after concerned parents while unauthorized Chinese “police stations” were being set up in America. Who let that happen? Why is China owning over 191,000 acres in rural America? Another thought, what is the role China playing in the visit to Moscow? I don’t think it’s playing Chinese checkers with Putin, rather strategic chess moves within their minds.

Our leaders keep throwing the mirage at us. They lead us astray and confuse the direction of our paths (Isaiah 3:12). I give credit to The New York Times, Sunday front page article, “Alone, Underage and Exploited for Labor.” Again, it’s exposing the truth of this self-made crisis. This is not a political issue, this is a human-being issue.

We need the best of the best, not just in the athletic arena but across the board for America: teachers, politicians, doctors, lawyers, etc. Merit should drive the way.

Our school system needs to be rebooted. There is a need to restore school standards along with restoring “election integrity.” If you ask the youth in China of their aspirations they will answer astronaut, scientist or engineer. Ask the youth of America, their answer is social media. Why is TikTok still around?

To conclude with a positive quote from John Adams, our second president, “Let frugality and industry be our virtues. Fire (our children) with ambition to be useful.” Let’s see Congress’ “spending diet.” May it be lean and responsible for the taxpayer money.

God help America.

No cancellation requested

In one of his recent letters [“Sign of our times”, Feb. 9], George Altemose accused me of wanting to “cancel” him and letter writer Mark Sertoff, supposedly because I disagree with their opinions about Rep. George Santos’ [R-NY3] election and electric vehicle efficiency [“Not only Santos economical with the truth”, “No electric car for me”, Jan. 19].

For the record, I don’t want to “cancel” anyone, and actually agree with them that politicians lie and EV technology is immature. I questioned the value of their letters because their arguments were disingenuous and therefore merely performative. If Altemose doesn’t care how Santos got elected, he should say so, rather than pretend that Santos’ lies are equivalent to the exaggeration and hype that politicians of both parties have always engaged in.

If Sertoff doesn’t think we can — or should — mitigate fossil fuel emissions, he should say so, rather than pretend to be concerned about the maturity of EV technology.

It would be wonderful to see thoughtful, good-faith letters from the right, but instead we regularly see disingenuous, sarcastic rants about “wokism,” “cancel culture,” “socialism” and “CRT” with no facts or logic to be found. Until we see more intellectually honest letters, we should continue to point out bogus rhetorical tactics. In any case, the First Amendment rights of Altemose and Sertoff will remain uninfringed since TBR Media, as a private company, can print — or not print — whatever it chooses.

Refreshingly, Altemose’s latest letter [“How to tackle carbon dioxide emissions”, Feb. 23] frankly acknowledges the reality of humancaused climate change and makes a concrete, fact-based policy proposal: Use more nuclear power production to supplement renewable energy sources. Although we could do without the sarcasm, he correctly points out the hypocrisy of some on the left for rejecting nuclear out of hand. I agree we should strive to make policy decisions based on science and evidence.

But the nuclear power programs of France and South Korea have been more successful than ours because they are both run by nation-level, state-owned utilities. This has allowed them to standardize reactor technology, build multiple plants simultaneously, consolidate technical and operations expertise, avoid the need for an adversarial regulatory framework and ensure accountability via high-profile political oversight. While not perfect, this approach has made French and South Korean nuclear plants safer and more economical than those produced under the one-off, state-bystate, externally regulated, private for-profit contractor model used in the U.S.

Would Americans support a federally owned nuclear utility (“socialism”!) if it meant a safer, cheaper and emissions-free energy supply? That’s a good question worth some vigorous, fact-based debate.

John Hover East Setauket FDA’s record has undermined its credibility

In the recent Associated Press article, “FDA’s own reputation could be restraining its misinfo fight,” the Food and Drug Administration questions why the American public does not fully trust the information provided by the agency.

As chairwoman of Suffolk County’s Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel, I can address that question by asking what most Americans have been wondering for the past 20 years: When was the FDA aware of the opioid epidemic, and what did it do to stop it? Additionally, why are there chemicals in American food, cosmetics and other products that are banned in other countries? And, why are there so many drug commercials on television aimed at the public when it should be up to our doctors to provide pharmaceutical guidance?

The role of the FDA is to protect “the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy and security of human drugs.” Perhaps it’s not what the FDA does that people don’t trust; it’s what it doesn’t do that Americans question.

Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) Suffolk County Legislator

Lisa Pius

Old Field

rita@tbrnewsmedia.com

Opinion

Let’s start with events from over three decades ago, shall we?

I had spent considerable time with Michelle when I was in college, as we both loved biology and studied coenzymes together.

have had one of those weeks where the phrase “It’s a small world after all” applies.exactly the same last name,” he said.

I held my breath.

“His first name was Ivan.”

A small electric shock worked its way through my body.

“That was my father,” I replied.

“Was?” he asked.

My father had died months earlier after an exhausting and painful battle with cancer.

D. None of the above

I had met Michelle’s father several times, mostly when a group of us visited her house. Her father, who was a doctor, was a wonderful host.

I had also met Michelle’s father’s partners in his medical practice. We spoke to each other on a first-name basis.

One of his partners and I were in a spacious kitchen as the sun was setting over a nearby hill. The partner asked me my last name.

When I spelled it out, he studied me closely.

“I had a roommate in medical school with

Adear friend of mine just celebrated her 65th birthday this week, and she regards it as a significant number. “How did I get here so fast?” she asks.

She also recognizes that she is getting older. That might even be a little scary.

Yes, she is now covered by Medicare. This is both an asset and a shock.

I hadn’t developed “reporter” mode, which is what my children call it when questions leap at rapid fire pace from my brain to my mouth. Instead, I tried to imagine this man and my father as roommates in medical school.

I asked a few questions, for which he had short and not particularly informative answers. Later that night, I called my mom to tell her about the interaction. She said she knew the man and that he and my father were roommates and friends for a short time.

That brings me to story number two. I frequently receive pitch emails from people in the field of public relations. These executives from all over the country and the world — including Japan and Australia — email me

with ideas to get their clients into the TBR newspapers.

I can’t always see a direct link between the coverage of stories in a community newspaper on Long Island and ideas that sometimes seem localized to other parts of the planet. When the connection seems tenuous, I don’t always read the emails all that carefully.

Recently, I received one such pitch and, despite not having a strong interest in the subject, read through the entire thing. The public relations executive was suggesting we cover a lecturer, author and authority figure in a particular field.

The first and middle names sounded familiar. When I got to the end of the pitch, where the email shared the person’s background, I realized that this woman and I attended the same college.

In fact, when I saw her picture, I immediately recognized her. She looked remarkably similar to how she looked decades ago —so, kudos to her for an ability to defy the effects of aging and gravity. That, I thought as I looked at her wrinkle-free face, could also be a topic she

shares with audiences at conferences.

A random email triggers memories of Secret Santas and bubble bath Get a Medicare card and you may have reached FOGO

is aging, that she has entered the first phase of the three-part delineation of older age. There is the young-older, from 65-75; then the middleolder, from 75-85; and the third segment, 85-95. Whoever decides and names these demographic groupings seems to have been unable to imagine any group beyond that point. Maybe it should be called “The Beyond Expectations Group.”

Between

When she looks at her new Medicare card, she wonders how this could be. Is she really now eligible for Medicare?

Her grandmother was on Medicare, surely not her. But there is her name; the reality is undeniable.

“Well,” she silently acknowledges, “it’s good to have that coverage.” But the sight still stings a bit.

Part of her response is the awareness that she

With her new realization comes a vow to concentrate on her health and to make the ensuing years hardy ones. She has vowed to pay more attention to her diet, to make better choices concerning what she eats. More fruits and veggies are in store. But no amount of blueberries and kale can eliminate aging. She has now followed through with her long-held intention to work with a trainer. And she is getting a new mattress to help her sleep better.

My friend is doing something helpful for herself. She is turning concerns of aging and the rapid passing of time into better health actions so as to control how she wants to age. Life for her will no longer be just on automatic pilot.

Although there are more older people in America than ever before, aging is fearful for 87% of the population, according to a survey of those turning 65 conducted by Pfizer. It’s called FOGO — fear of getting old.

Why are people afraid of getting old?

There are a number of reasons. Aging can diminish employment prospects. It is a given that older employees earn more than younger newcomers, and while it is illegal to discriminate by age, we all know that such bias exists. It is no wonder, then, that plastic surgeons do facelifts to combat wrinkles and laugh lines, adjust sagging necks and erase any other evidence of aging. And it is not only women who undergo such procedures. Many men feel the need to blunt evidence of having lived into and past middle age.

People fear losses: of physical ability, of their good looks, of sufficient finances, of memory, of loved ones and consequently of being lonely, and even of their health shortly to be burdened with chronic diseases. Underlying all this is the

She not only attended college at the same time and place, but was in the same dorm for three years. In our sophomore year, I was her Secret Santa, which means that I bought small gifts for her and asked friends and roommates to leave them surreptitiously outside her dorm room. It’s a fun gift exchange and improves mental health during exams and amid shorter daylight hours.

One night, I sat at a dinner with my friends, before the “Secret Santa reveal,” suppressing a satisfied smirk as her roommate described what a wonderful Secret Santa her friend had.

Her roommate quoted from the poem I had left her (in my roommate’s considerably more aesthetically pleasing handwriting) with a bottle of bubble bath. Wouldn’t it be funny if the secret to her youthful appearance were bubble baths, which she started using many years ago after getting an inexpensive Secret Santa gift? Probably not.

Either way, it’s a small world where unexpected connections can and do crop up, even in random emails.

fear of losing independence.

Interestingly, only 10% in the survey said they were afraid of dying.

Other cultures respect and may even venerate older members of society. Aging can bring people an enhanced sense of gratitude, a calmer demeanor, an awareness of what is truly important, greater ability to resolve conflicts and even an inclination toward forgiveness. Elders are assumed to have accumulated some wisdom just from more years of living and are respected for that.

Of one thing, my friend is sure. When we consider milestones, it seems like the time between them is little more than the blink of an eye. She clearly remembers the details of her Sweet 16 party, the fun of turning 21, her graduation from law school and now suddenly, to be in the Final Frontier is one swift stroke of time after the other. Blink and you are 65. And along comes the recognition that the future is no longer assured.

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