The Times of Smithtown - March 2, 2023

Two

Middle School students advance in spelling bee contest

Exquisite, extraordinary and fabulous are all words to describe the accomplishments of Accompsett Middle School students Olivia Lipiec and Priya Prabhu. Both students advanced to the final round of the ScholarSkills/

Scripps Long Island Spelling Bee.

Olivia, who is a sixth grader, and seventhgrader Priya took the online qualifying test this past month and advanced to the Regional Bee to be held on Friday, March 24, at Half

Hollow Hills High School East.

Olivia previously won the Accompsett Middle School spelling bee in January. The winner of the Regional Bee advances to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

Accompsett Middle School students Olivia Lipiec and Priya Prabhu. Photo from Smithtown Central School District

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

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

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

Decades-long Kings Park resident to lead hamlet’s St. Pat’s parade

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

A former Irish immigrant, who has been calling Kings Park home for decades, is set to lead the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 4.

Born in County Carlow in the southeast region of Ireland in 1934, Michael Lacey has called Kings Park home since he was 21. When he arrived in his new hometown, Lacey found work at the Kings Park Psychiatric Hospital.

According to a press release from the parade committee, Lacey is known in the area “for his compassion, support and inspiration, earning him the title of this year’s honoree.”

Lacey said in a phone interview that when he found out he was this year’s grand marshal, he was excited and happy to hear the news. It’s an event he attends every year.

While living in Ireland, Lacey worked various jobs and traveled throughout his native country as a dance band musician and played the tenor saxophone. The grand marshal said he no longer plays the instrument but still sings. Many may know him from the annual Irish Night at the Kings Park Heritage Museum, where he performs Irish songs for the attendees.

While still in Ireland, he married

Kathleen Byrne, and they had their first child before moving to the United States. Lacey immigrated before his wife and child to earn money when finding a job in Ireland was difficult. Lacey said being raised during World War II was hard, during a time when his homeland could not get imports.

“We had a tough time, especially my parents with 10 kids,” he said. “We lived off nature. Everybody sowed their own gardens. When we were kids, everybody took their turn helping our father out in the garden.”

As a kid in Ireland, he said, “We’d go to the movies and see New York and all that and said, ‘Boy, it must be a great place.’ And it is the greatest country in the world.”

When he arrived at Kings Park, he lived on the hospital grounds and worked three jobs. He said he found it to be a friendly place.

“Everybody knew everybody in town,” he said. “If you walked down Main Street, everybody knew who you were.”

When his wife joined him months later, she found a job as a therapy aide at the psychiatric facility. The couple returned to Ireland in 1957 with no intentions of returning to the United States, but after seven weeks in their homeland decided to come back to Kings Park.

Lacey said they returned to Ireland because he was a bit homesick.

“Like they always say, ‘You got to go back and get it out of your system,’” he said. “So, I did go back, and I went back in the same old routine, and I said, ‘I have to go back to the States.’”

The Laceys put down roots in Kings Park and saved money to build a home. Over time Lacey was promoted to laundry manager at the hospital, where he worked for 33 years.

He and his wife helped many of her siblings move to America. The second youngest child in his family, he said his nine brothers and sisters were already settled in Ireland and never moved to the States.

In the parade committee’s press release, the committee members commended Lacey for helping many of his relatives move to America.

“Mike understands that life is tough at times, but he offered optimism and hope to those whom he encountered,” the press release continued. “He was willing so that they could lead a better life, without any thought of receiving anything in return.”

After raising four children in the hamlet and welcoming seven grandchildren into the family, Lacey’s wife passed away in 2021. He remains in the same home they built decades ago. Local family members will be joining Lacey in the parade as he makes his way through the streets of Kings Park.

The parade steps off at noon Saturday,

March 4, at the corner of Lou Avenue and Pulaski Road then continues down Main Street onto Church Street. The parade ends down Old Dock Road at William T. Rogers Middle School.

For more information, visit www.kpstpat.com.

Catholic Health and Long Island Cares partner to fight food insecurity

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

A local health care system and nonprofit have joined forces to help patients in the area.

Catholic Health and Hauppauge-based Long Island Cares food bank have been working together to help patients battling food insecurities.

“We have to engage health care partners in the fight against hunger,” said Jessica Rosati, Long Island Cares vice president for programs.

A pilot program was launched last summer in Catholic Health emergency rooms, including St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown and St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, to identify residents who need grocery supplements. The initiative includes health care practitioners screening emergency room patients for what are called “hunger vital signs.” If a screener deems a person is food needy, the patient can take a bag that has enough food for one or two people for three days.

Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein, Catholic Health vice president and chief public and community health officer, said there has been data showing that 10-15% of Long Islanders experience food insecurities.

“We don’t want people leaving our hospitals and going to a home with no food,”

Eisenstein said.

The doctor said questions asked during screening include if there is enough food in the patient’s home or if they have enough money to buy more. Eisenstein said the bags are meant to be a bridge until a person can receive additional help. Health care professionals will also ask patients if they need help connecting with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, or social services.

Rosati said food insecurity is a social determinant of health.

“It makes a lot of sense for health care providers to start screening individuals for food insecurity, simply because it has such a strong correlation with other diseases and disorders,” she said. “If we can treat people when they immediately come in, then we have a better chance of linking them with the appropriate services so they have all of their needs met — not only their physical health, but everything else.”

Eisenstein added that the hope is to prevent unnecessary readmissions. He gave the example that if a patient with congestive heart failure may not be able to afford nutritious food, they may be back in the emergency room with health problems.

He said unnecessary admissions might mean financial consequences for a health care system, but ensuring people don’t return to

the emergency room unnecessarily is part of a hospital’s mission “to be humane and serve the most vulnerable.”

According to Rosati, more than 1,000 meals in to-go bags were distributed at all six Catholic Health hospitals to date. She added all the food included in the bags are nonperishable, shelf stable, and staff ensure food is nutritionally sound before being purchased.

She added Catholic Health officials approached Long Island Cares about initiating the program and the health care system has taken ownership of the program and found donors to expand it. She commended Catholic Health

for its efforts, adding that such an initiative is “imperative for people’s overall health and the success of their health,” and hopes other providers will take note.

Bags are now also being distributed throughout the Catholic Health’s ambulatory care, walk-in clinics, home care operations and cancer institute locations throughout Long Island, including Smithtown, Port Jefferson, Commack and East Setauket.

Uniondale-based Harris Beach law firm recently donated $5,000 to the program, according to Long Island Cares, which will cover 2,000 meals.

Michael Lacey will be the 2023 grand marshal of the Kings Park annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Photo from Kings Park parade committee

Catholic Health patients identified as having food insecurities will be able to take home a bag with enough food for three days. Photo from Long Island Cares

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.

ENVIRONMENT & NATURE

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: Hauppauge woman arrested for forgery

Suffolk County Police arrested a woman on Feb. 21 for allegedly utilizing another individual’s identification to pawn items several times in Lindenhurst this month.

Property/Auto Crime Unit detectives began an investigation after discovering suspicious pawn activity by an individual selling new items to a pawn store in Lindenhurst between Feb. 8 and Feb. 14.

Following an investigation by Property/ Auto Crime detectives with assistance from First Precinct Crime Section officers, Jacqueline Nollman Hubbard was arrested near the Lindenhurst pawn shop with stolen property.

Nollman Hubbard, 40, of Hauppauge, was charged with five counts of alleged Criminal Personation 2nd Degree and five counts of Forgery 3rd Degree for using a Pennsylvania woman’s identification and forging her signature during the transactions. She was also charged with one count of Petit Larceny. 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 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 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.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Shoes stolen from Famous Footwear

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 who allegedly stole multiple pairs of shoes from Famous Footwear, located at 1770 Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia, at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Jan. 5. The items had an approximate value of $500.

PJS man arrested for drug/weapons charges

Suffolk County Police arrested a man during the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Port Jefferson Station on Feb. 22. Following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Narcotics and Criminal Intelligence detectives, Suffolk County District Attorney Office detectives, and assisted by Suffolk County Police Emergency Service Section and Sixth Precinct officers, a search warrant was executed at a residence at the Liberty Station Apartments, 1599 Route 112, at approximately 6:05 a.m.

Detectives found Nicholas Cox to be allegedly in possession of a loaded .25 caliber Lorcin semi-automatic handgun with an extra magazine along with approximately 50 grams of cocaine and fentanyl, along with drug packaging materials. Cox, 32, was charged with alleged Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd Degree, three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Degree, and two counts of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia 2nd 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

Mariner’s net Kingsmen

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

It was for the bragging rights for the small school championship when Kings Park faced off against Southampton for the chance to advance to challenge Brentwood the Class AA winners Saturday afternoon for the overall Section XI title game at Stony Brook University.

Kings Park, the Suffolk Class A champions seemed to have the measure of the Mariners (Class B winners) through 16 minutes of play, but Southampton surged in the third quarter to take their first lead of the game at Longwood High School Tuesday night. The Mariners were able to contain the Kingsmen’s potent offense until the final buzzer to snatch victory, winning 58-49.

Kings Park senior guard Matthew Garside did what

he’s done all season long, leading his team in scoring with 23 points. Garside is the top scorer in Suffolk County averaging 26.9 points per game with 135 field goals, 76 three-pointers and 147 free throws, according to Newsday. Teammates Matthew Lyman netted 10 points, and Joe Romano added eight in the Feb. 28 contest.

The Kingsmen retake the court in their quest for the Long Island Championship title game where they’ll face the Nassau A winner Mar. 11 at Island Federal Credit Arena at Stony Brook. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.

Pictured clockwise from above, Kings Park junior Joe Romano lays up for two in the small school championship game against Southampton; Kingsmen junior John Flynn boxes out; and Kings Park senior Matthew Garside drives the lane.

— Photos by Bill Landon

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

Flax Pond winter lecture series returns

Join the Friends of Flax Pond as they kick off their 20th annual Winter Lecture Series at the Childs Mansion, 19 Shore Road, Setauket (Old Field) on Sunday, March 5 at 3 p.m.

The first lecture will focus on the Friends of Flax Pond’s Summer Research Programs through the past 19 years as well as programs planned for the coming season.

Obituary

Christine Spero

Christine Spero, age 110, of Setauket, passed peacefully on Feb. 24.

She was the beloved wife of the late James Sr. and loving mother of Barbara Spero Trimarco (Vincent) and James Spero Jr. (Susan). She was also the adored grandma of Vincent Jr. and Michael (Rachel) and cherished great-grandma of Olivia, Ella, Gianna and Gemma.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10:45 a.m. Friday, March 3, at St. James R.C. Church in Setauket. Entombment to follow at St. Charles Cemetery. Arrangements were entrusted to Branch Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Jefferson’s Ferry Foundation www.jeffersonsferry.org/foundation or Good Shepherd Hospice www.chsli.org/ good-shepherd-hospice/ways-give.

Light refreshments will be served. Please bring a reusable coffee mug to reduce waste. The lecture is free, but donations are accepted.

Parking is at the Flax Pond Marine Laboratory adjacent to the mansion. If you need other arrangements for parking and/or have a handicap parking pass, please e-mail flaxpondfriends@ gmail.com or text 631-767-6287.

Make a Statement...

Christine Spero

Friends of Flax Pond will hold the Winter Lecture Series at the Childs Mansion starting March 5. Photo by John Turner

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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 6th District

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Old Field

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

Opinion

A random email triggers memories of Secret Santas and bubble bath

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

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

Get a Medicare card and you may have reached FOGO

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.

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

shares with audiences at conferences.

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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