The Times of Smithtown - January 26, 2023

PHOTO BY RITA J. EGAN

Gov. Hochul proposes additional funds for SBU research

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

As a part of her State of the State address last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) proposed providing additional financial support to Stony Brook University’s research effort.

UNIVERSITY

The governor proposed adding $200 million in capital funding for research labs at SBU and the University of Buffalo to invest in new and renovated research buildings, labs, and stateof-the art instrumentation.

In the proposal, the state would also match up to $500 million in state funds for SBU and three other university centers.

In the technical arena, the state would also provide $200 million in digital transformation and IT infrastructure across the State University of New York system, including SBU.

In a statement, Stony Brook President Maurie McInnis said “Governor Hochul’s announcement providing support for an endowment match, research labs, and innovative programs will help to propel Stony Brook to even greater heights.”

The SBU president added that the match would inspire “our philanthropic supporters to secure our long-term future while supporting current research and student scholarships. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her visionary leadership and for providing the flexibility and mission-specific resources needed to advance our transformational goals of doubling research expenditures and moving into the top 25-ranked public research universities nationally.”

SBU officials added that the additional research funding will allow the university to grow its technology-transfer and businessincubation programs, which foster New York’s entrepreneurs.

“More robust research and entrepreneurship

infrastructure will allow us to accelerate the commercialization of medical, engineering and other technologies generated from our faculty to start and grow companies across the state,” SBU officials explained in an email.

The university appreciates the governor’s support and officials look forward to seeing the final executive budget proposal with related details and working with the legislature to enact these proposals.

Previous recognition

The proposed funds come a year after the governor designated SBU and The University of Buffalo as New York State’s flagship universities as part of her plan for “A New Era for New York.”

The governor proposed additional funding for several efforts. The funds would help construct a multidisciplinary engineering building on campus. She also supported a partnership between SBU and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for NeuroAI, an initiative that combines neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

She suggested expanding the Stony Brook Center for Clean Water Technology research to include wastewater treatment technology and creation of the Suffolk County Wastewater Management District, both with the goal of protecting Long Island’s aquifer system.

The state could also support the modernization and repair of scientific labs and could fund “Grand Challenges” that will encourage cross-disciplinary research.

With additional funds, these universities would also have the ability to continue to hire top-rated faculty and researchers.

SBU and Buffalo are members of the Association of American Universities.

Annual research expenditures at the two universities are also a combined $663 million, including affiliated institutions.

Head of the Harbor resident’s love for village inspires trustee run

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Rallying against a proposed private dock has given one Head of the Harbor resident inspiration to run for village trustee.

village’s “tree-lined streets, and the views from Cordwood Park rival them all.”

The trustee-hopeful explained her run all comes down to preserving the rustic charm of Head of the Harbor.

transparency in the village, as she believes many residents don’t know the trustees’ decisions before they finalize them. Davidson said updating the village’s website and the return of the newsletter would help the trustees communicate better.

VILLAGE

Last year, Lisa Davidson and her neighbors were busy fighting the proposed construction of an 186-foot private dock on Swan Place in Nissequogue, which, if approved, would have been right next to Cordwood Park and Head of the Harbor.

Now, Davidson aims to collect 51 signatures by Feb. 14 to run for trustee in March. Two trustee seats will be open during the March 21 election as Daniel White and Jeff Fischer are up for reelection.

Not one to sit on the sidelines, Davidson said, “Just complaining accomplishes nothing.”

A village resident for more than two years, she immediately fell in love with Head of the Harbor. During her short time living on Long Island, Davidson said she has been a representative on the village’s Joint Village Coastal Management Commission, a Suffolk County polling inspector and a volunteer with Island Harvest food bank.

The wife and mother, who recently became a grandmother, was born in Los Angeles, and raised her two sons in New York City. An alum of UCLA, her professional career includes working as a business reporter with the Los Angeles Times and a field producer with Fox News. She has also worked for the National Geographic Society. Currently she is a consultant for those looking to produce their own television projects.

She said in addition to living in places such as California and New York City, her work as a print journalist, news and television producer took her around the world, which Davidson said has given her even more appreciation for her current hometown. She added Stony Brook Harbor, the

“It’s human nature when you’re exposed to something of beauty, you take it for granted instead of realizing, ‘Wow, this is so special,’” she said.

Last year her love for the village inspired her to help gather signatures for a petition, organize a rally at Cordwood Park and attend Nissequogue Village Planning Board meetings multiple times to speak out when the private dock on Swan Place was proposed. The board denied the owner’s request at the beginning of this year.

She and others collected 787 signatures on the petition to oppose the structure.

“It was really clear that the community did not want that dock,” she said.

An Aug. 27 rally at Cordwood Park, organized by Davidson, drew environmentalists such as former state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket); Kevin McAllister, founder and president of Defend H2O; and John Turner, conservation chair of Four Harbors Audubon Society.

Ralliers listed issues with private docks in the area, such as the shallowness of the water in the area. The Department of Environmental Conservation requires docks stand in 3 1/2 feet of water even at low tide. The length of the proposed Swan Place dock would have obstructed residents’ view of Stony Brook Harbor and restrict access to those walking along the beach or using their kayaks and canoes in the water. A dock would also adversely affect birds, turtles, flora and fauna as well as the water quality.

Another concern of Davidson and others was that if the village allowed one to be built, others would follow.

“If that one dock would have been allowed, he’d be representing every single person on this harbor, who wanted a dock demanding that, ‘Well, you let that one in, you have to let this other one,’” she said.

According to Davidson, another issue is that while an owner may own their land, they do not own the water. If a dock were allowed, she said, it would be the private taking of public land.

“If it was somewhere else on the harbor, it wouldn’t have been so catastrophic to the community,” she said. “That dock was going to take public land that was used all the time and make it private.”

Davidson said it’s vital for the villages to follow the Local Water Revitalization Program when making decisions regarding coastal management, something she said some seem to have forgotten.

She added that another one of her concerns is the budget as the village has started to spend its reserve, and she would like to see more

Many residents have also asked for the Hitherbrook Road extension, where kayaks were once launched, to be restored for use. Currently there are boulders there, because in the past a few drivers were known to have driven down the dirt road and wind upin the harbor at low tide and thenbe stuck. She said there has to be a solution to allow people to use their kayaks there once again but also be safe.

“There’s no listening,” she said. “Let’s figure out how this can work for everybody, and that’s what I would like to do in general.”

Like many in the village, Davidson has also been keeping an eye on the Gyrodyne property on Route 25A, right outside of the village, and its possible development in the future. In the past, the owners have talked about the possibility of developers constructing a hotel and assisted living facility. She said, “The village and its residents have made it really clear — they want to preserve our historic corridor and open spaces because once we allow development we’ve lost those assets forever.”

Davidson added she supports Head of the Harbor Mayor Douglas Dahlgard’s plea to preserve the entire property as a park.

“Short of that, the compromise plan, whereby half remains as open space and half is developed, is acceptable to the community,” she said. “Unfortunately, we now have another threat to that area as Albany is seeking land on which to build affordable housing. Whether it’s housing or a hotel, the streets cannot handle the additional traffic those would bring so we have a real challenge ahead of us.”

Head of the Harbor resident Lisa Davidson is in the process of gathering signatures to run for village trustee. Photo from Lisa Davidson

School bus safety program sparks dialogue within Suffolk County government

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The Suffolk County School Bus Safety Program has drawn scrutiny from Republican county officials targeting the program for alleged mismanagement.

Enacted unanimously by the county Legislature in 2021, this traffic safety program uses cameras attached near the stop arm of school buses to enforce the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law. The county has partnered with Virginia-based BusPatrol to operate the program.

Under state law, offenders caught passing buses while the stop arm is extended receive a $250 fine. The county code states, “net proceeds of any penalty … shall be expended for programs related to improving traffic safety and/or school district safety in Suffolk County.”

County Comptroller John Kennedy Jr. (R) recently announced his office is conducting an audit of the School Bus Safety program. He stated the program had captured his attention when numerous residents complained about receiving potentially erroneous violations.

“My interest in any program is always that a program is being operated as the laws that adopted it … sought to have it operate,” Kennedy said. “How is the revenue that’s being collected from the program being allocated? Is it being done under the terms of the contract? Is the vendor fulfilling all of their requirements?”

He added, “That’s the audit function, and it is universal across the board.”

Legislative purpose

Marykate Guilfoyle, a spokesperson for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D), summarized the motive for developing the program in the first place.

“The goal of the School Bus Safety program is to protect children as they get on and off the bus and to reduce the number of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses, which endangers the lives of students,” Guilfoyle said in an email. “The program is completely violator funded, and county proceeds are used to support public safety, traffic safety and school safety initiatives.”

County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) defended the School Bus Safety program. She said her office’s most frequent complaints are related to roadway safety and other traffic concerns.

“Red light cameras and school bus cameras are a way to prevent death and injuries without needing a paid police officer at every intersection and following every bus,” she said. “It’s a very efficient way for providing the consequence for breaking the rules of the road.”

Before the program took effect, Hahn added, few violators ever got caught. Today, they receive a fine, incentivizing better roadway behavior and creating a safer traffic environment.

“Now people have to change their behavior to no longer do the illegal action that puts people’s lives at risk,” the county legislator said.

Questions over potential misapplication

County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) said the School Bus Safety program is one of the few measures for which he

wishes he could rescind his “yes” vote. He said the Legislature was misled when the program was pitched.

Figures obtained by Trotta indicate the program grossed $23 million last year, with $13 million retained by the county and the outstanding $10 million collected by the vendor. Kennedy estimated the county government netted approximately $11 million.

“We don’t have all the net revenue,” Kennedy said. “That’s been another consequence of the hack” against the county government in September. For more on this ransomware event, see story, “Suffolk County cyberattack offers a window into the dangers of the digital age,” Nov. 17, also TBR News Media website.

By statute, the net proceeds generated by the School Bus Safety program must support various educational programs related to school bus and traffic safety. Asked how the

revenue is being spent, an administration official said the 2022 revenue figures are still being finalized.

Guilfoyle, however, cited specific examples of how the revenue supports countywide traffic education initiatives: “Examples of the county’s efforts include dedicating more than $1 million to school districts and $125,000 in [public service announcements] during the back-to-school months to educate drivers on the state law surrounding stopping for buses.”

Trotta viewed the school bus program as a lucrative moneymaker for the county and vendor rather than a measure promoting bus safety. He said the law is applied unfairly, ticketing busy multilane corridors in the same manner as residential neighborhoods.

“I’ve checked with all the school districts, and kids aren’t crossing major thoroughfares,” Trotta said. “I’m all for giving a ticket to someone who passes a school bus on a residential avenue because it’s dangerous. I’m not at all for 1,000 people on Jericho Turnpike getting tickets.”

While the county code imposes rigid reporting requirements regarding expenditures of revenues generated from the program, Kennedy said he has yet to see any reports to date.

Competing perspectives

Following an initial spike when programs such as this are first instituted, Hahn said offenses start to wane “because people begin to change their behaviors — they stop at red lights because they’re afraid of getting a ticket.”

In time, the legislator added, drivers throughout Suffolk “will no longer go around stopped school buses,” but “if they choose to break the law, they will get tickets.”

Trotta said he is pushing to repeal the School Bus Safety program altogether.

“The reality is it’s a sham, and it’s not what we were told it was going to be,” he said.

While Kennedy acknowledged the importance of traffic safety, he held that the audit is to determine whether the program is administered correctly.

“I never want to see somebody blowing a stopped school bus sign — it’s just heinous,” the county comptroller said. “But if [the program] is not being operated in a fair and proper and consistent manner by the school bus drivers and the vendor … then it’s a problem.”

Kennedy expects the audit to be finalized by the second quarter of 2023.

The Suffolk County School Bus Safety Program has drawn criticism from Republicans within the county government. Stock photo

‘Now people have to change their behavior to no longer do the illegal action that puts people’s lives at risk.’

—Kara Hahn

‘I’ve checked with all the school districts, and kids aren’t crossing major thoroughfares.’

—Rob Trotta

Elected officials say Hochul is misguided with affordable housing proposal

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Local elected officials held a press conference Friday, Jan. 20, to make it clear that they don’t agree with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) New York Housing Compact proposal.

State Assemblyman Keith Brown (R-Northport), who has been a zoning attorney for more than 20 years, in an interview after the press conference said incentives and funding are needed.

COUNTY

Republican state senators and assemblymembers, county legislators and town supervisors from Suffolk County gathered at the Perry B. Duryea State Office Building in Hauppauge with a message for Hochul. The elected members speaking at the press conference said zoning, land use and development matters are best left to local elected officials.

In her State of the State message earlier this month, Hochul proposed a housing strategy calling for 800,000 new homes to be built in the state over the course of a decade to address the lack of affordable housing. Among the plan’s requirements would be municipalities with Metropolitan Transportation Authority railroad stations to rezone to make way for higher-density residential development. All downstate cities, towns and villages served by the MTA would have a new home creation target over three years of 3%, compared to upstate counties that would need to build 1% more new homes over the same period.

But speakers on Jan. 20 called her proposed initiative “government overreach” and “misguided,” and they said municipalities should create zoning laws, grant building permits and urban plans based on the individual needs of their communities. Many added that a blanket state housing proposal wouldn’t work on Long Island due to lack of sewer systems, also infrastructure and environmental concerns.

The press conference was led by state Sen. Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue).

“We all agree that we have an affordable housing problem,” he said. “What we don’t agree on is how to fix it.”

He added, “The governor apparently believes that one size fits all is the way to go, that heavyhanded mandates are the way to go.”

Murray said the Village of Patchogue is the model of revitalizing villages and downtowns across the state. He added local issues must be considered, such as environmental concerns, traffic issues and parking options. He said Patchogue officials worked to rebuild the village’s infrastructure, invested in and expanded sewer plants, repaved 85% of its streets, invested into pools, parks and the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts. Murray added 700 new residential homes were built since 2003, 575 of them are within walking distance from the train station and village.

Town supervisors speak up

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said they were all concerned about what Long Island will look like in the future. He added there is a need for sewer systems in most towns, and local infrastructure needs improvement. He said the three rail lines that cross the town depend on diesel fuel, and he added overgrowth has also contaminated the waters.

“Governor, before you start talking about more housing, how about the infrastructure to support it?” Romaine said. “How about electrifying the rail? How about making sure the roads work? How about making sure that there are sewers?”

Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) said the town is manufacturing affordable housing “to the extent it’s possible” based on its infrastructure.

In the last five years, he said the town has approved the construction of 450 rental units, 10% of which are classified as affordable per state law.

“The only elected officials that know how to do that on Long Island are your local elected officials with the help of our county, state and federal officials as well,” Wehrheim said. “So, we are doing what the governor wants, but we’re doing it the right way.”

Town of Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth (R) said New York politics “is not Republican vs. Democrat. It’s New York City versus New York state.” He said the governor is affected

by New York City extremists.

“I implore the governor to form a working coalition of centrist Democrats and centrist Republicans in the state Legislature to govern from the center as the vast majority of New Yorkers expect of you,” Smyth said.

Additional perspectives

State Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (RSt. James) said when he hears the governor talk about local control, he feels she is aligning with the progressive left. He added “everything they touch they destroy,” listing the economy, energy independence and the southern border.

“They want to destroy our local zoning, and they will destroy what makes Long Island and New York state the wonderful place to live that it is,” Fitzpatrick said. “Local control works, and we seek a cooperative relationship, a carrot approach rather than the stick approach that she is putting before us.”

Eric Alexander, director of Vision Long Island, also spoke at the press conference. He acknowledged there is a housing problem on the Island and said the town supervisors have provided hope with past projects.

“They have been behind getting affordable housing in their communities,” Alexander said, adding 20,000 units of multihousing have been approved on Long Island over the past 17 years.

According to Alexander, 10,000 more units are coming down the pike, and 50 communities have had buildings built near transit stations.

He said Brookhaven’s Commercial Redevelopment Districts are excellent zoning examples of redevelopment and multifamily houses where there are incentives such as being near transportation and connecting to sewers.

“Those are the incentives that we should be talking about, not creating super zoning boards, and more bureaucracy,” Brown said.

In a statement to TBR News Media, Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), who was a former president of the Three Village Civic Association, said, “We have to be wise enough to recognize that the land under which our aquifers sit can only bear so much development.”

He gave the example of a parcel of land in Port Jefferson Station on Route 112 and near the train station. The large, vegetated parcel has restrictive covenants to limit the type of development on the site.

“This place is a vital area of green space, where trees can grow, where oxygen is produced and where rainwater is filtered before it goes down to the aquifers we drink from,” he said. “The governor’s proposal would throw all that planning out the window and turn this into a potential development site for hundreds of new units.”

Former state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), who was chair of the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee between 2015 and 2022, attended the press conference and in a phone interview said, “This is a proposal that attempts to meet one need, but has a likely outcome, if advanced, of completely overriding environmental concerns. Our first limiting factor for sustainable communities is the environment, in particular water — drinking water.”

He added the proposal to increase the density of housing not only overrides local planning but threatens communities’ quality of life.

He added, for example, a village such as Poquott wouldn’t be able to build more housing as it’s “essentially a completely built-out community.” Or, a hamlet such as St. James wouldn’t be able to add more housing near the train station.

“If you impose from above a mandate to change the land use, you’re basically impacting the environment immediately and, for the long term, the quality of life of a community,” he said.

Englebright and current elected officials are concerned that the housing legislation would be included in the state budget similar to bail reform.

Hochul’s administration has said more information on the housing proposal will be released in the near future.

Eric Alexander, director of Vision Long Island, at podium, joined elected officials at the Jan. 20 press conference. Photo by Rita J. Egan

Happy New

The following incidents have been reported

East Northport man arrested for DWI Suffolk County Police arrested an East Northport man on Jan. 21 for Leandra’s Law for allegedly driving while intoxicated following a motor vehicle crash with his 11-monthold daughter in the vehicle. Second Precinct police officers responded to a motor vehicle crash during which a 2021 Hyundai struck the rear of a 2020 Mazda on Elwood Road, at the intersection of Pulaski Road, at 6:40 p.m.

It was determined that the driver of the Hyundai, Matthew Gibney, was allegedly intoxicated. Gibney’s 11-month-old daughter was a passenger in the vehicle. The baby was transported by the Northport Fire Department to Huntington Hospital for evaluation. Gibney and the driver of the Mazda, Hillary Dorrejo, 22, of Yonkers, were not injured.

Gibney, 33, was charged with Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child Passenger 15 Years Old or Younger (Leandra’s Law) and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The Hyundai was impounded for a safety check. Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Second Squad at 631-854-8252.

Central Islip woman convicted of murder

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced on Jan. 24 that a jury has found 42-year-old Donatila O’Mahony guilty in the murder of an Aquebogue man in March 2020 and forging the victim’s will in an attempt to inherit his estate.

The evidence at trial established that the body of Lee Pedersen, 69, was discovered in his Aquebogue home on March 8, 2020. Pedersen died of a single gunshot to the back of his head. Several items, including Pedersen’s phone and cash, were missing from the home. The ensuing police investigation, which included interviewing several of Pedersen’s friends, including the defendant, as well as the recovery of surveillance video and the review of cell phone cell sites and records, revealed that the defendant was responsible for his murder. O’Mahony faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Wanted for Islandia 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 the man above who, acting in concert with another, allegedly stole six pairs of assorted men’s shoes from Famous Footwear, located at 1770 Veterans Memorial Highway, on Dec. 17. The shoes were valued at approximately $550. The man fled in a black Honda sedan.

E. Setauket woman arrested for DWI

Suffolk County Police arrested an East Setauket woman on Jan. 22 for Leandra’s Law for allegedly driving while intoxicated following a motor vehicle crash with two 14-year-old girls in her vehicle. Alison Drain was driving a 2018 BMW X5 northbound on Old Town Road in East Setauket with her daughter and her daughter’s friend in the vehicle, when she attempted to turn left on to Sheep Pasture Road and crashed into a southbound 2004 Lexus RX330 at approximately 5:25 p.m.

When Sixth Precinct officers arrived at the scene, they determined Drain was allegedly intoxicated and arrested her. The two 14-year-old girls were treated for minor injuries at Huntington Hospital at their request. A passenger in the Lexus was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Drain, 52, was charged with Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child Passenger 15 Years Old or Younger (Leandra’s Law), Felony Driving While Intoxicated and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The BMW was impounded for evidence. Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652.

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.

by Suffolk County Police:

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Do you recognize this man? Photo from SCPD

Donatila O’Mahony

Smithtown East edges Centereach

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The Bulls of Smithtown East (7-4) needed a win to secure a postseason appearance when they hosted Centereach (7-4) but they fell behind by seven points at the halftime break.

Smithtown East senior Benjiman Haug, however, provided the necessary spark in the third quarter, putting his team out front. The Bulls never looked back, winning the contest, 58-48, in this Division II matchup Monday, Jan. 23.

Haug finished with 22 points, and teammates James Burton and Dominic Galati

netted 12 and 11, respectively.

Centereach senior Tim McCarthy topped the scoring chart for the Cougars with 10 field goals, a three-pointer and four free throws for 27 points.

The win lifts Smithtown East to 8-4 in league, 11-4 overall. The loss drops the Cougars to 7-5 with four games remaining before postseason play begins.

Pictured clockwise from above, Smithtown East senior Benjiman Haug drives the baseline; Centereach senior Xander Torres scores for the Cougars; and Centereach senior Tim McCarthy boxes out for the Cougars.

— Photos by Bill Landon

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January brings welcome relief from persistent viral infections in county

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

HEALTH

Cases of monkeypox continue to be on the lower side, in part because of the number of vaccines people in the area have received.

To be sure, health care workers are still helping people overcome a range of infections circulating in the county.

After a November and December in which realities like a “tridemic” of viral threats sickened residents throughout Suffolk County, the new year has started off with fewer illnesses and cautious optimism among health care professionals.

“We are still seeing a smorgasbord of flu, COVID and RSV,” said Nachman. Of the people admitted to Stony Brook Hospital, most of them have a comorbidity.

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“The numbers are coming down now,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. The overall threat is “less” and “we’re in the take-a-deep-breath phase.”

Indeed, the frequency of cases of several viruses is lower.

“Flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are down,” Dr. Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/ Northwell Health and associate professor of medicine at Hofstra School of Medicine, explained in an email.

At the Catholic Health hospitals, including Port Jefferson-based St. Charles and Smithtown-based St. Catherine of Siena Hospital, the emergency room visits are down around 10% from a few weeks ago, said Dr. Jeffrey Wheeler, medical director of the Emergency Department at St. Charles.

In between too busy and too quiet, the hospital is in the “sweet spot” where health care providers have enough to do without frantically racing from one emergency to another, Wheeler said.

Among those visiting St. Charles, Wheeler added that health care providers are seeing a smattering of illnesses.

At the same time, the vaccine for the flu has proven to be a “good match” for the current strain, Nachman said. “Amongst those who did the flu shot, they have tended to not get sick enough to go to the doctor.”

According to New York State Department of Health figures, the overall numbers across the state have been declining for the flu. For the week ending Jan. 14, the number of infections was cut in half.

Suffolk County saw a slightly larger drop, falling 59% for the same week, to 571.

This year, people who were going to get the flu vaccine may have helped themselves and their families by getting the shot earlier, rather than dragging out the process of boosting their immune systems over the course of months. Nachman said.

At Huntington Hospital, admissions are “high,” and the hospital census remains high, Popp added.

Health care workers are diagnosing viruses like the flu and COVID-19 and have used available treatments to reduce the symptoms and the spread of these viruses.

New COVID vaccine approach

Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration posted documents online that reflected a possible future change in its approach to COVID-19 vaccinations.

Instead of recommending bivalent boosters or a range of ongoing vaccinations to provide protection against circulating strains, the FDA plans to approach COVID-19 vaccinations in the same way as the flu.

Each year, people who are otherwise healthy and may not have high risks may get a single dose of a vaccine based on the strains the administration anticipates may circulate, particularly during the colder winter months.

Health care professionals welcomed this approach.

Nachman and Popp thought a single shot would be “great” and appreciated how the annual vaccine would simplify the process while reducing inoculation fatigue.

“The simplest messages with the simplest strategy often wins,” Nachman said.

Bivalent booster concern

Addressing concerns raised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about a potential link between the bivalent booster and stroke, Nachman suggested that was one data point among many.

Israel has used the Pfizer bivalent booster exclusively and hasn’t seen any such evidence linking the booster to stroke.

The CDC data is “one of multiple data points that we use to look at safety events,” she said. “Not a single other one has shown any relationship with stroke among the elderly in the first 21 days.”

Smithtown, Commack track meet highlights

BY STEVEN ZAITZ DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Commack and Smithtown East’s winter track teams — girls and boys for both schools — participated in the Section XI League II Championships last Friday Night. Commack had a wildly successful meet as their girls finished first and their boys notched second overall. The Smithtown East girls finished fifth overall in a field of nine, and the boys, who competed as an undermanned squad, finished 10th.

The highlights of the evening for the Cougars and Bulls were as follows:

• Cougar Daniel Pagan won the Boys High Jump competition as the only jumper to scrape 6 feet. GianCarlo DiFava was fifth and Kaden Jacques was seventh for Commack.

• Lady Bull Emma Cawley inched out Lady Cougar Marissa Mauro for second place in the 600-meter run. Cawley was two hundredths of a second ahead of Mauro. Northport’s Ella Cancro won first.

• Nicole Bransfield took silver in the 55-meter hurdles with a mark of 9.22 and Sofia Toepfer, Katheryn Vidulich and Isabella Guido took second, third and fourth in the Long Jump and Vidulich took the gold in High Jump as the only female athlete to reach 5 feet. Toepfer was third in the 300-meter race.

• Emma Cawley was fourth in 300 for Smithtown East.

• Three runners in the Boys 1600 — Vincent Guarino, Sam Byrd and Dylan Manning finished third, fourth and fifth in a field of 23.

• Freshman Ella Murphy was eighth out of 27 in preliminaries of the 55 Meter dash.

• Madeline Pettit won the 1500-meter race walk for the Lady Cougars.

• Smithtown East’s girls did well in the relays finishing third in the 4 x 200 and second in the 4 x 800.

• Julie Thomas won gold in the Girls Shot Put and Gabriella Barth took the bronze. Both are Commack seniors.

• Seville Louissaint was productive on both the Triple Jump and Long Jump, placing second and third, respectively. Angel Reyes and Connor Cherney were third and fifth in the Triple Jump for the Cougars.

• Commack had three runners in the top 10 of the Boys 600-meter. Philip Rosengarten was thrid, DiFava was seventh and Michael McClain was 10th in a field of 28.

• Junior Dester Cuomo was fifth in a field of 27 for the East Bulls in the Boys 1000-meter run.

The meet took place at the Suffolk Federal Union Arena on the campus of Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood. Connetquot was the overall boys champion with Commack second and Northport in third. For the girls, Commack finished on top of Connetquot with Northport again in third.

Pictured clockwise from above, Nicole Bransfield, right, of Commack, got edged out by Kaylin Mallon, of Connetquot, in the 55-Meter hurdles; Kate Ball of Smithtown East in the high jump; Kaelen Sue-Kim-Ling was in the Top 10 in Long Jump for the East Bulls Winter Track Team; Emma Scheinman, right, of Commack in the 3000-meter; and Connor Spahn of the Commack Throwers.

—Photos by Steven Zaitz

Joseph Buzzetta, founder of Competition Auto Group, dies at 86

PREPARED BY THE BUZZETTA FAMILY

Joseph C. “Joe” Buzzetta, 86, of Saint James, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 15.

He was born on Dec. 30, 1936, in Ozone Park to John and Anna Buzzetta.

1957 as Joe was about to ship off to his Army post in Frankfurt, Germany.

OBITUARY

His parents were from Italian immigrant families, and he grew up with a wonderful close extended family and his maternal grandmother, Anna DiGennaro, was a second mother to Joe and his younger sister Johann.

When Joe was in his early teens, his family moved out to Centerport around 1950, as his parents had purchased a partnership in a budding new Italian restaurant, the Bella Vista, a beautiful old Victorian once owned by the Whitney family. The Buzzetta family was “all hands on deck” at the restaurant, making their home in its upstairs bedrooms for the first five or so years they were in business. Joe got a first-hand education there on how to run a family business from his father John, who was as great with people as he was meticulous in his record keeping and accounting.

The Bella Vista soon became a hot-spot for car clubs meetings and rallies, which fueled Joe’s love for automobiles. In addition to working at the restaurant, Joe got many car-related jobs around town and thus started his foray into the car business. He attended and graduated from Huntington High School and met the love of his life, Valerie, on a blind date. The pair married soon after they met in

While Joe had to attend to his military duties during the week, weekends were often spent exploring Germany and bordering countries by car. Joe and Val’s adventure really gained traction when they bought an Austin-Healey and started participating in club racing events and touring Europe. After seeing the successful results of his competitors driving the Porsche 356, they made the switch and thus began Joe’s racing legacy. After returning to the U.S. at the end of his service, Joe’s love for racing continued. As his amateur racing achievements started to add up, Joe gained national and international notoriety and his racing career really took off after getting contracted to race for the factory Porsche racing team in 1964. His success continued throughout his career with the brand, where he earned a reputation for being fast, earning consistent results, and always bringing the car home in one piece. Joe’s most notable success was winning the 1967 Nürburgring 1000KM race and multiple class victories at Daytona, Sebring and other races. He raced for Porsche through 1969.

While enjoying much success on the racetrack, Joe realized that his passion was in cars, and left the Bella Vista with his father’s blessing to start a repair shop called Competition Engineering with his racing mechanic and partner, Oscar Rubio. As he built his reputation on the racetrack, he also worked on growing the business and raising his

family with Valerie. They welcomed three children during the 1960s, Joseph Jr. in 1963; James in 1966, and Nancy in 1968. Realizing that their growing family needed to put down some roots in the community, they built a beautiful home in Nissequogue in the early 70s where they resided for many happy years before moving just one village over to Head of the Harbor, which they called home for the rest of their lives.

Due to his incredible success racing Porsches, he was able to get an audience with the franchise and the Porsche family itself granted him a retail point in Smithtown. Once he had a foothold, he worked hard to grow the tiny business and nurtured it into a successful enterprise, adding BMW, Mercedes, and Datsun (later Nissan) over the years. During those formative years Joe also joined the Nissequogue Golf Club, which was very near and dear to him and he served on some early boards there to help guide and shape the foundling club.

In addition to his growing love for golf, Joe learned to fly and became an excellent pilot, he also grew to love Vermont and was an avid skier, and was equally interested in boats and enjoyed navigating the waters of the Northeast. Fitness was another of his interests, and not a day went by that he did not work out in some capacity. Eventually, he and Oscar went their separate ways and the business continued growing, eventually spanning multiple locations for Mercedes and Sprinter Vans, BMW, Infiniti and Subaru stores and employing approximately 550 Long Islanders on staff.

Joe treasured his time at the office, continuing to go in on a consistent basis up until his final couple of years. Even in his last months, he would often ask his children how business was,

and expressed interest in getting back to the office as soon as he could. His family believes that the business was indeed the central passion that drove his life, and there was never a day that went by that he wasn’t thinking of it.

Joe was predeceased many years ago by his beloved younger sister Johann, his parents, and in 2015, by his beloved wife, Valerie. He is survived by his sons, Joseph Jr. (Hasmik), James (Laura), and daughter Nancy (Pablo); his beloved grandchildren, James, Daniel, Christopher, Valerie, Jennifer, Isabella, Joseph III, Pablo and Lailla; and his great-grandchildren, Blair and James III. In addition, he leaves behind many other beloved family, friends, and business associates. He was both beloved by, and loved, his team at the dealerships, and will be greatly missed but never forgotten.

Services were held Jan. 23. In lieu of flowers, Joe’s family requests that donations be made in Joe’s memory to either St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class

Joseph Buzzetta

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EditorialBirds of a feather, in our cars together

County officials are currently engaged in a contentious debate over the Suffolk County School Bus Safety Program.

Proponents say the program bolsters traffic safety around school buses. Detractors argue the program represents little more than a convenient revenue generator to plug holes in the county budget. Promoting safety on public roads remains a priority regardless of where one stands on the program itself.

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law is a worthy undertaking to protect school children. Whether cameras remain strapped to school buses, drivers should always be vigilant near a school bus with flashing yellow lights.

Under no circumstances should one ever pass a school bus while the stop arm is extended.

But roadway safety is not isolated to school buses. The U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 42,915 people died in traffic crashes in 2021. That’s a 10.5% increase from the previous year.

NHTSA reports collected from 2016 to 2020 indicate that nearly 1,000 vehicular fatalities occurred on Long Island, more than half of which were in Suffolk County.

Statistics aside, we read almost weekly reports of individuals involved in significant motor vehicle accidents within our coverage area. Many times, they include serious bodily injury to the victims. At other times, they can be fatal.

Long Island is unique in its autocentric character. Development of our Island happened nearly a century ago, and the suburbanization of Long Island happened almost simultaneously with the growth of the American automobile industry.

Planners, notably Robert Moses, saw the car as offering individual autonomy. They viewed the Long Island Dream as an expression of that individualistic promise.

Unfortunately, they failed to provide sufficient mass transit infrastructure, twisting a dream into our difficult reality.

Today, Long Islanders are glued to their cars. For most of us, getting to work requires a car. Having success in our professional and social lives requires a car. For those who do not live within walking distance of a train station, accessing the rail requires a car.

All of this highlights the need to drive responsibly.

When we operate a moving vehicle, we harness the power to unleash great bodily injury — even death — upon ourselves and others. At the same time, we can monitor our decisions and protect our fellows on the roads.

We can make our roads safer by following the speed limits, driving sober and taking extra precautions when we get behind the wheel.

Unfortunately, we Long Islanders are stuck in our cars for the foreseeable future. But we are stuck together.

Let us be mindful of our neighbors. Let us regard the lives of other drivers as we would our family members or friends.

We can help make these roads safer for all through our positive choices today.

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: rita@tbrnewsmedia.com or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Letters to the editor

Lies passed as opinions

In spite of all his “what abouts,” George Altemose does raise an important concern in his Jan. 19 letter [“Not only Santos economical with the truth”] about U.S. Rep. George Santos [R-NY3] and others: truth vs. falsehood. If we can’t tell one from the other, we’re in big trouble. It seems we’ve reached a point where factual truth simply doesn’t matter. In former White House aide Kellyanne Conway’s notorious phrase, if the facts are inconvenient, they’re simply replaced with more politically convenient “alternative facts.” These used to be called “lies.” Now they pass as “opinions.”

Here’s a small sample of “alternative facts” far more consequential than whether President Joe Biden [D] ever drove a tractor trailer or whether Sen. Elizabeth Warren [D-MA] has any Native American blood — which, incidentally, the letter writer gets wrong in asserting “DNA testing showed otherwise.”

Former President Donald Trump [R] won the 2020 election: There’s not a shred of evidence which stands up to scrutiny to support this falsehood. Nonetheless it’s still believed by millions of Americans. As a consequence, our Capitol was invaded on Jan. 6, 2021, by an angry mob that embraced it. This mob attempted to subvert our democracy by preventing the constitutional peaceful transfer of power, and to impose its will by force, based on this lie.

QAnon: Is the world run by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles — not coincidentally all Democrats — operating out of the basement of a certain pizzeria in Washington, D.C. (which pizzeria does not actually have a basement?) Do I really need to debunk this? In spite of being self-evidently ludicrous, millions of Americans believe it.

The “great replacement” theory: One recent survey shows a third of Americans believe there’s a plot to replace white Christian Americans with non-white immigrants for electoral gain. Another survey had nearly 70% of Republicans agreeing with the central tenets of this “theory.” Instead of seeing illegal immigration as a chaotic process driven by war, violence, oppression and poverty, believers in this notion see it as a conspiracy organized by Democrats, Jews or shadowy left-wing elites.

Once a fringe idea, originating with the European anti-Semitic right, it’s been mainstreamed thanks to its relentless popularization by media

personalities like Tucker Carlson on Fox News and politicians such as U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik [R-NY21] and Sen. J. D. Vance [R-OH]. It’s an invitation to violence: the murderers at the mass shootings in Buffalo, the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., were all influenced by it.

Sandy Hook was a hoax staged by paid actors to justify taking away people’s guns: Even after a noncontrite Alex Jones was ordered, upon being convicted of defamation, to pay $473 million in punitive damages for the suffering he caused parents of the murdered children by broadcasting this lie, his Infowars website still averages over 300,000 viewers daily. It’s not like he’s got no defenders, or that everyone is so disgusted by this rank lie that his credibility has been reduced to zero.

Santos is a symptom of a deeper pathology in our body politic: a culture of lying. And much as I’d love to appear nonpartisan by claiming that both political parties are equally at fault, that wouldn’t be the truth either. The Democrats aren’t choir boys, but the really big lies are embraced and spread by the reactionary faction which has seized control of the Republican Party. In spite of the letter writer equating Santos with some Democrats, there’s a huge difference: Santos is a fraud, from top to bottom.

David Friedman St. James

EVs include benefits, too Mark Sertoff’s letter in TBR News Media newspapers on Jan. 19 [“No electric car for me”] gave many arguments why he would not buy an electric vehicle. He is correct that EVs are heavier than gas vehicles because the weight of the battery is larger than the weight of a fuel tank, and this does lead to increased tire wear. But he is incorrect about brake wear. One of the great ways that EVs save energy is regenerative braking, that uses the motor as a generator to put the energy of the moving car back into the battery for reuse. Brakes in EVs last far longer than for gasoline cars because they are used only for emergency braking, and the regeneration greatly improves the efficiency of the vehicle, especially in stop-and-go traffic.

The cost of driving an electric car vs. a gas car depends on the prices of electricity and gasoline. Electric

cars typically go approximately 3 miles per kWhour, while gas cars go to approximately 30 miles per gallon. Electricity at night (from PSEG rate booklet) is 6 cents per kWh, so this is 2 cents per mile. If gas is $3 per gallon, then for a gas car it is 10 cents per mile.

Sertoff brings up other issues that pertain to many of the materials needed in modern society. All mining should comply with safety and labor guidelines and laws, and this is not an issue that is specific to EVs. Fracking to extract oil and gas also pollutes and can even cause earthquakes, so fossil fuels have their issues also. Proper recycling of lithium car batteries needs to be done and is the focus of many new companies. Batteries can catch fire, but so can fuel tanks. Statistics from Tesla state that there are 55 gasoline car fires for 1 billion miles driven, but only five EV car fires for the same distance driven. Batteries in EVs are temperature controlled and have warranties of at least 100,000 miles or eight years.

The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes money to speed the transition to EVs, tax incentives to install heat pumps for heating homes, and funding for long-distance transmission lines to efficiently carry energy from regions that have excess renewable energy to places that need it. The 50% increase in grid capacity that is needed is comparable to the increases that were made when air conditioning of homes became more prevalent. This transition will take place over time, so that utilities can upgrade their equipment as it is needed. The blackouts in Texas were because the local power authority did not require winterization of generation equipment. The blackouts in California were caused by extremely dry conditions — a result of global warming — so that power lines through forested areas could not be used because of fire danger.

To slow and reverse the warming of the planet, the world must change its reliance on fossil fuels. Electric cars still have issues, such as long trips requiring planning for charging and they have been expensive, but as these problems get solved, they are becoming excellent choices for many people, especially if you can charge in your garage every night and never visit a gas station.

Gene Sprouse Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Stony Brook University and Editor in Chief, Emeritus, American Physical Society

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

Hearing about jumping out of a plane while on a flight

When our children were young, a friend recently told me, she viewed the parents of people she met through a binary process.

D. None of the above

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

A mom of two boys, she figured she had a better chance, at least in the first 10 years or so of her sons’ lives, of interacting with the parents of other boys.When she met girls and their families, she was polite and friendly, without putting too much effort into getting to know them.

Fast forward almost two decades, and her children, like mine, are out of the house. She and her husband have an adorable, small dog that they dote on, transferring their abundant parenting attention to a canine companion.

Nowadays, my friend said, she sees people through a similar lens. She takes her small dog

to a dog park, where a fence separates pets under 40 pounds from the bigger, heavier versions. When she meets someone outside the park with a dog, she’s more likely to pay attention to their names and their stories if they have a small dog.

As I considered what she said about the parents of boys and girls, as well as the owners of dogs of different sizes, I wondered about the metaphorical fences we create.

Sure, those fences make it easier for us to find people who have similar interests and opinions and who might not challenge us or disagree with us in our decision-making. Those fences also, however, separate us from others with whom we might have even more connections or common interests than we thought, especially if the filter for our “in” and “out” groups is as arbitrary as having sons, daughters or small dogs.

What if a man with a large dog worked in a similar field, had two children about my friend’s offspring’s ages, and went to the same college at the same time? Then again, what if a woman on the other side of the fence had nothing in common with my friend? She had no children,

grew up in another country, worked in a completely different field, and didn’t see any of the same movies or read the same books? Would that make her less or more interesting? Perhaps that woman might be fascinating for her life experiences, compelling for her opinions, and amazing in her own way.

Recently, I sat in the window seat of a plane next to a large man who was stuck in the middle. An army veteran, he laughed as we reached our destination, saying he was unaccustomed to landing in planes. I took the bait, asking him why. He said he’d made over 150 jumps out of airplanes.

He and his unit jumped out of planes at 800 feet, although he didn’t need to do much jumping, as he felt as if a hand pulled him out when he got to the opening. He never had to pull a chord, as the parachute automatically started opening within a second of leaving the plane.

On one type of plane, he stepped out and immediately started falling. Another had a small “bubble” outside the entrance, where he and others stood before leaving the plane. One of his

army unit once forgot about the platform, took a small hop on the landing, and then rolled along the entire side of the plane. The others heard as his body scraped the airplane all the way to the back. Fortunately, the impact didn’t cause severe injuries.

One of the many instructions he received was to keep his chin on his chest as he exited. On his first jump, he didn’t, which caused enough discomfort that he never made that mistake again. He reached the ground at 38 miles per hour, at which point he was supposed to tuck and roll, ending on his back. Once, a crosswind turned him upside down and he landed on his head, cracking his helmet and causing a concussion.

Listening to his stories, I learned about something I will likely never do and connected with someone I will likely never see again. He did, however, expand my horizons and share his compelling life experiences, among other stories. I appreciated the opportunity to connect with someone who lives outside whatever fences I intentionally or unintentionally put up around me.

Proud of our columnists, including the nepotism of my sons

Maybe it sounds like I’m tooting our horn too much, but I have to say how proud I am of the columnists who write for our papers and website. They are clearly bright and offer the reader information and knowledge that aren’t usually found even in a big metro daily or a glossy magazine. They are, collectively and individually, one of the main reasons our hometown newspapers have managed to survive while so many of our colleagues, 25% of them in the nation, have had to shut their doors.

Readers want to learn from our regular columnists, who, by the way, are local residents. That’s not surprising, though, because the population we serve is exceptional, accomplished in their own right, and can be expected to harbor such talent. Let me explain. The columnists are found in the second section of the newspaper, called Arts & Lifestyles. In

the interest of full disclosure and without false modesty, I point out and salute my youngest son, Dr. David Dunaief. He is a physician totally committed to helping his patients, and the high regard is returned by them in equal measure, as testimonials about him confirm. In addition, he writes every week about current medical problems and brings readers up to date with the latest research and thinking regarding common ailments. I know him to be a voracious reader of medical journals and he footnotes his sources of expertise at the end of every “Medical Compass” column.

Dr. Matthew Kearns is a longtime popular veterinarian who writes “Ask the Vet,” keeping our beloved pets healthy. Michael E. Russell is a successful, retired financial professional who cannot cut the cord with Wall Street, and shares his thoughts on the economy and suggesting current buys on the stock market. He will also throw in something irreverent, or even askance, to keep you tuned in.

Also writing knowledgeably on the contemporary scene about finance and the economy is Michael Christodoulou, who is also an active financial advisor. Ever try to read your auto insurance policies? If I had trouble falling

asleep, they would knock me out by the second paragraph. Enter A. Craig Purcell, a partner in a long-established local law firm, who is attempting to explain auto insurance coverage, a merciful endeavor, with his column. His words do not put me to sleep. Shannon Malone will alternate the writing for us. Michael Ardolino, a well-known realtor, somehow manages to make both ends of a real estate transaction, for buyers and sellers, sound promising at this time.

Our lead movie and book reviewer is the highly talented Jeffrey Sanzel. In addition to being a terrific actor, he is a gifted writer and almost always feels the same way about what he is reviewing as I do. No wonder I think he is brilliant. Father Frank has been writing for the papers for many years and always with great integrity and compassion.

John Turner, famous naturalist and noted author and lecturer, keeps us apprised of challenges to nature. This is a niche for all residents near the shorelines of Long Island. He also writes “Living Lightly,” about being a responsible earth dweller. Bob Lipinski is the wine connoisseur who travels the world and keeps us aware of best wines and cheeses.

Lisa Scott and Nancy Marr of the Suffolk County

League of Women Voters, keep us informed about upcoming elections, new laws and important propositions. Elder law attorney Nancy Burner tells us about Medicare, estate planning, wills gifting, trustees, trusts and other critical issues as we age.

The last columnist I will mention is Daniel Dunaief, who, like bookends for my salute, is also my son. Among several other articles, he writes “The Power of Three,” explaining some of the research that is performed at Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Labs and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. He makes a deep dive into the science in such a way that layman readers can understand what is happening in the labs. He has been paid the ultimate compliment by the scientists for a journalist: they pick up the phone and willingly talk to him, unafraid that he will get the story wrong or misquote them. In fact, he has been told a rewarding number of times by the researchers that his questions for the articles have helped them further direct their work.

When my sons began writing for TBR News Media, a few readers accused me of nepotism. I haven’t heard that charge now in years.

P.S. Of course, we can’t forget Beverly C. Tyler and Kenneth Brady, stellar historians both.

Commack shines

Cougars take the lead in track championship

Sofia Toepfer in the 300 Meter sprint. She placed third for the Cougars.

Photo by Steven Zaitz