The Village Times Herald - October 27, 2022

PHOTO BY RAINA ANGELIER

Volunteers help rid Setauket pond of invasive plants

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

time around are not allowed on the pond, which Betti-Nash said made it more fun than past volunteer jobs.

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“They really enjoyed it, and they did a great job,” she said. “They worked really hard.”

VILLAGE

Local volunteers recently took on invaders of the natural kind at Frank Melville Memorial Park. Park volunteers and staff members joined forces with Four Harbors Audubon Society members and teen volunteers from Avalon Park’s Nature Initiative on Oct. 16. Their goal was to rid the FMMP pond of non-native and invasive aquatic plants.

Setauket-based environmentalist John Turner informed the FMMP board that water hyacinth and water lettuce in the pond were dangerous plants. It was the first time someone spotted them in the pond. Turner was leading the Nighthawk Watch at the park with members of the local Audubon society when the plants were observed.

The volunteers first went out on the pond via kayaks to pull, gather and bag the plants. FMMP trustee Luci Betti-Nash, who also is on the board of Four Harbors Audubon Society, was on hand for the cleanup. She said the team cleaned out the northern section of the pond and part of the southern portion. Betti-Nash said there are still more plants in the most southern portion of the pond. These, she said, will be taken care of at a later date. She added there is a possibility they may die off in the winter. If the winter is a mild one, the floating plants can potentially take root and survive.

“It’s important to nip it in the bud, get them out as soon as you can,” she said.

Within a month of the plants being discovered, Betti-Nash said, “they multiplied enormously.”

She said the teen volunteers have helped with cleanups in the park in the past to pull out invasive species, including vines such as porcelain berry and mile-a-minute, that take over trees.

Generally, the kayaks used by the teens this

Turner said if the plants weren’t pulled out of the water, they could cause issues over a few years.

“If they’re not controlled and then eradicated within a fairly short period of time — probably within a year or two or three — the entire pond surface will be covered with these plants and create a whole series of adverse environmental conditions,” he said.

Among the detrimental ecological effects would be wading birds, such as egrets, green herons and belted kingfishers, which depend on visually seeing fish, not being able to find food to survive and feed their young.

“People just aren’t aware of the problem that these plants pose,” Turner said.

He added the plants, that are native in South America, have caused problems in the southern United States. The decomposition process pulls oxygen out of the water and leads to an excess of nitrogen, which happens often in Long Island and coastal waters.

“It’s of great concern, because it could adversely impact both turtles and, certainly, fish that would suffocate,” Turner said.

Betti-Nash and Turner said they only have theories as to how the plants wound up in the pond and no definitive answers. Many people use them for decorative purposes in their personal koi ponds. However, the naturalists are not aware of anyone dumping the plants in the park’s pond as sometimes happens when people get rid of aquarium products into freshwater ponds, which is not recommended. Seeds can also get stuck on birds and, when the animal lands, the grains can be introduced to an area, which is also a possibility.

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Teen volunteers in kayaks tackle invasive aquatic plants at Frank Melville Memorial Park. Photo by Robert Reuter

Library announces annual contest for 3V junior high and high school students

Emma S. Clark Memorial Library is hosting its ninth Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest for junior high and high school students. The annual competition began this month.

Three Village students in grades 7–12 are asked to create a picture book for children. The winning teens receive a substantial monetary prize, are recognized at a special ceremony, and have the honor of their original books added to the library’s Local Focus Collection.

Students in grades 7–12 who live in Three Village are invited to showcase their creative artistic and writing talents, whether it be individually or collaboratively with a friend, in creating a children’s picture book by the contest deadline in January. Once the artwork and text are judged, winners are announced in March, and there is a ceremony in the spring honoring the winners and their original books. In addition to library trustees and staff, in the past, teachers and top school district administrators, as well as representatives and elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County and Town of Brookhaven, have all been in attendance at the event.

Last year’s Grand Prize winners were Matthew Blumenthal (Grades 7–9 category) and Amelia Grant and Anna Grant (Grades 10–12 category). The public may view previous year’s winning entries at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.

Contest details: The contest is divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one first prize winner and one second prize winner selected from each group. Each entry can be the work of a single author/illustrator or can be a joint effort between an author and an illustrator. The picture book entries must be their own original work (both artwork and text).

How to enter: Those in grades 7–12 may obtain an official entry form in-person in the library’s lobby or online at emmaclark.org/

picturebookaward. Included with the form are the contest procedures and guidelines. They should bring their completed picture book, along with a completed official entry form, to the Children’s Department by the contest deadline, Jan. 31, 2023.

Prizes and winner information: Each of the first prize award recipients will receive $400, and each of the second prize award recipients will receive $100 (in the event that a winning entry is a collaboration, the prize will be shared). Winning entries are bound, made into a hardcover book, and added to the library’s shelves.

Additional copies of the winning books will also be available for purchase by family and friends. Winners and their families will be invited to an awards ceremony on Monday, April 24, 2023. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation.

The Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award is given in memory of Helen Stein Shack by her family. As a teacher, Shack was committed to the education of children, and she especially loved literature written for them. She was a frequent visitor to the library where, even in retirement, she kept current with the latest children’s books.

SETAUKET

Left, library Director Ted Gutmann with first place winners (10-12th grade category) Anna and Amelia Grant receiving their big checks; and right, Gutmann with first place winner (7-9th grade category) Matthew Blumenthal. Photos from Emma S. Clark Memorial Library

SBU receives $147M in federal funding over eight years to treat WTC responders

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

As the medical challenges to first responders at the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 attacks increase, Stony Brook University’s treatment program has increased the number of people it helps and, recently, also the federal funds to support efforts to treat people.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently awarded the Stony Brook World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program $147 million over an eight-year period to expand patient care and support infrastructure needs.

The SB World Trade Center Health and Wellness program now sees up to 13,000 patients, which is more than double the 6,000 patients it used to see.

“Patients are getting sicker and their diseases are much more complex with a variety of different systems being involved, both psychologically as well as physically,” said Dr. Benjamin Luft, director of the WTC Wellness Program.

Through the work the SB WTC group has conducted, doctors and researchers have demonstrated that diseases and physical and cognitive challenges associated with aging have occurred more rapidly in the WTC population.

At the same time, COVID-19 has also exacerbated conditions related to exposure to the site, with over 20% of this population experiencing lingering symptoms due to the pandemic.

The WTC first responders have developed chronic sinusitis and a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD).

While these diseases occur in the general population, “the chronicity is unique,” Luft added.

The SB WTC Wellness program will use the funds to hire additional staff with specialties in pulmonology and psychiatry, among other areas, Luft said.

The majority of the work occurs at the Wellness Center’s main facility and clinic in Commack. SB also runs a site in Mineola. The funds will help revamp the Mineola site as well.

The two sites will use updated technologies and will deploy emerging capabilities in telehealth and artificial intelligence to communicate, diagnose and monitor cases.

Federal funds have supported the effort for 18 years, as NIOSH has funded clinical services for WTC patients treated at Stony Brook.

Medical conditions for this population have included post-traumatic stress disorder and respiratory illnesses.

The funding more than doubles the $60 million, five-year award the WTC Wellness Program received in 2017 from NIOSH that had

provided support until the end of March of this year. NIOSH had extended the grant for six months until the current funding started at the end of September, Luft said.

Patients have developed a range of cancers, as well as lung issues such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

Additionally, patients are struggling with a variety of mental processing challenges.

“We see a lot of patients who have a variety of cognitive and memory problems,” Luft said.

Luft emphasized that many of the thousands of patients he treats have several health issues simultaneously. By using new technologies, these efforts will enhance the quality of life for people who were on site after the attack.

Luft added that the connection and support from NIOSH have helped support health care for this population.

“The various people at NIOSH are really involved in the program,” he said. “It’s been very satisfying.”

Stony Brook University faculty in

public health, psychiatry, pulmonary care, cardiovascular care and neuroscience all take part in ongoing research related to the health issues of WTC responders.

Luft emphasized that the care first responders at the WTC receive tries to be “proactive” with an extensive effort to screen for various diseases, including cancer.

The research and treatment efforts for the WTC population extends to other health care initiatives for people exposed to carcinogens in wars or from other unintentional exposures.

The exposure from 911 is similar to those from burn pits, Camp Lejuene and other hazards.

“The toxins are similar,” Luft said.

THREE VILLAGE MEALS ON WHEELS

Are You Homebound?

• Our clients are homebound, chronically ill, convalescing from surgery or illness that prevents them from preparing their own meals.

• 2 meals are delivered at mid-day, Monday through Friday to the homes of our clients.

• We are a volunteer non-profit community-based organization serving all of Stony Brook, Setauket, East Setauket, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station and parts of adjacent communities since 1983.

• Give our number to your friends, relatives or neighbors in need of our services.

Volunteers are needed

Consider joining the ranks of our volunteers. It takes approximately 2 hours or less of your time one day per week.

We welcome donations

We rely on donations and do not receive funding through any government agency.

Three Village Meals On Wheels 216 Christian Ave. P.O. Box 853 Stony Brook, NY 631-689-7070

3villagemow@gmail.com

3villagemealsonwheels.org

WTC responders at Ground Zero, working on the pile in the aftermath of 911. Photo by John Bombace

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Police seek driver of fatal hit and run

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the driver whose vehicle struck two pedestrians, one fatally, in Coram earlier this month.

A vehicle traveling westbound on Granny Road struck two 13-year-old siblings who were walking in a bike lane on Oct. 12 at 7:25 p.m. One of the teens, Tyler Phillips, pictured above, died of his injuries on Oct. 15. His sister, Krystal Randolph, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Following further investigation, detectives believe the vehicle that fled the scene was a darkcolored 2005 to 2009 Chevrolet Equinox. The vehicle’s front passenger headlight is damaged and there is damage to the front passenger bumper. The side view front passenger mirror is broken.

The Crime Stoppers fast cash reward is up to $5,000 and will be issued within seven days of an arrest.

Two men killed in Miller Place crash

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed two men in Miller Place on Oct. 24.

Victoria Graham was driving a 2019 Kia Sedona eastbound on Route 25A, east of Park Avenue, when she attempted to make a U-turn in the vehicle and was struck by a westbound 2011 Audi convertible coupe at approximately 7:30 p.m.

The driver of the Audi, Victor Lanzotti, 32, of Rocky Point, and his passenger, Raymond Neff, 37, of Mount Sinai, were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. Graham, 35, of Shirley, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-lifethreatening injuries.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Missing Ronkonkoma girl

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help to locate a 12-year-old Ronkonkoma girl who was reported missing last week. Madeline RiveraCordon was last seen leaving her residence on Pond Road on Oct. 19 at approximately 7 p.m. Detectives believe she might be in Brentwood, Central Islip or Patchogue. Madeline is Hispanic, 4 feet 8 inches tall, and approximately 80 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. Detectives are asking anyone with information on her location to call 911 or Fourth Squad detectives at 631-854-8452.

Arrest made in catalytic converter theft

Suffolk County Police arrested a Medford man for allegedly stealing two catalytic converters from a vehicle in a parking lot in Rocky Point on Oct. 22 at 9 a.m.

A man with a saw and a catalytic converter was walking in the parking lot of 576 Route 25A at 9 a.m. when the owner of a nearby business observed the man. The witness chased the suspect until he entered the Rocky Point State Pine Barrens Preserve. Seventh Precinct Patrol Units, Aviation and Canine Sections responded. It was determined two catalytic converters had been stolen from a box truck. After a three hour search, Canine Police Officer Matthew Dewitt and his canine, Champ, located Daniel Labbe, 42, hiding in the woods.

Seventh Squad detectives charged Labbe with Grand Larceny 4th Degree, Auto Stripping 2nd Degree, Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree, Possession of Burglar’s Tools and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th Degree.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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.

Have you seen Madeline? Photo from SCPD

Tyler Phillips Photo from SCPD

Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern at the ree Village Inn is one of Long Island’s most iconic restaurants. e kitchen team is led by Chef Emeritus Senior Advisor Guy Reuge and Chef de Cuisine Fernando Machado, and the duo serves exquisite farm-to-table French inspired cuisine. e four-star restaurant is housed in a historic building and has received several prestigious awards including being recognized as Newsday’s top 100 restaurants on Long Island for ten consecutive years. Experience the cozy tavern room featuring a stone replace and historic wood beams, which accent the white walls or dine in the more formal dining room with a woodburning replace and crisp white tablecloths that are highlighted by warm red walls and comfortable banquettes. Al fresco dining is available during the warmer months, and overlooks a beautiful garden surrounded by seasonal oral and string lights, setting an elegant and romantic mood.

Reuge & Machado’s exquisite menu features creative dishes with an emphasis on local and seasonal bounty and produce. Start your meal with a delectable Hudson Valley foie gras, traditional steak tartare, or a customer favorite, panssies, (chick pea fries), served with a harissa mayonnaise. Flavorful entrées include the signature Tavern burger, pan seared sea scallops, grilled at iron steak or Mirabelle duck duo, which preparation changes with the seasons. Pair your meal with a selection from the Wine Spectator Award Winning wine list, featuring exceptional varietals and vintages. e impeccable service, re ned setting and delicious cuisine make for a dining experience unlike any other.

Mirabelle Restaurant and Tavern serves lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday, and brunch is available on Sunday, followed by dinner.

150 Main Street • Stony Brook mirabelletavern.com • 631.751.0555

Area doctors urge caution amid viral triple threat this fall and winter

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

This fall and winter, several infections have their sights set on your lungs.

Amid threats from diseases that affect other organ systems, three of them — COVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus — can and often do attack the lungs.

While the current strain of COVID isn’t as lethal as the original, the virus continues to mutate, leading to new strains and, potentially, to different strains later this fall.

At the same time, the flu and RSV have been waiting for an opening after COVID protections like masks also kept them at bay during 2020 and 2021.

“How bad is the winter going to be?” asked Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “It will be based on more [COVID] variants coming through, with a strong flu season, which is never something you want to see.”

The number of cases of respiratory illnesses like RSV and the flu has been lower in the last few years. The lack of exposure to those viruses, however, may give them an opening for a stronger return in the population.

These viruses “didn’t paddle along for a while,” Nachman said. “Now, they are paddling furiously. Everyone is seeing them.”

People’s immune systems may not be prepared for the threat from these recurring viruses.

When people arrive at the hospital, health care officials often see the same symptoms, with coughing and sneezing.

“It could be one, two or three” causes at the same time, Nachman said.

The combination of contracting more than one virus at the same time could lead to prolonged and painful illnesses.

COVID reality

Much as people would like to return to a pre-pandemic reality, the SARS-CoV2 virus not only continues to infect people, but it also remains something of an evasive target, with mutations leading to new variants.

While area hospitals don’t test for the specific COVID strain when patients are sick, doctors expect that some of the people who have contracted the disease have the modern variants.

“Undoubtedly, many cases that are coming to our Emergency Department are due to the new Omicron sub-variants,” said Dr. Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at Port Jefferson’s St. Charles Hospital. “Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that Omicron BA.5 cases are trending downwards and the cases due to the sub-variants are on the rise.”

Symptoms of the newer variants are similar to others, with fever, chills, cough, runny nose, fatigue, muscle or body aches,

shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, Dhuper explained.

Doctors said it was difficult to gauge how effective the new bivalent COVID vaccines are against the latest strains.

The latest booster may “not be active against all the coming variants,” explained Dr. Phillip Nizza, attending infectious disease physician at St. Charles Hospital.

The new booster was designed to enhance the reaction to the BA.4 and BA.5 variants.

“We don’t have enough data” to determine the effectiveness of the booster against current and future threats, Nachman said. “How effective it will be depends” on differences between the booster and the strain someone contracts.

Still, the vaccine is likely to provide some benefits, doctors said.

“The purpose of the vaccine is to attenuate the symptoms from the virus and reduce the severity of illness, hospitalizations

and/or death,” Dhuper wrote. “And I think the vaccines would be very successful in accomplishing that objective.”

Even for people who have been infected recently with COVID, Nachman urged people to get a booster.

The combination of an infection and a booster “Is always better than not getting a vaccine,” Nachman said. “You should get a vaccine. The timing is tricky” and could involve getting a dose two weeks after contracting the virus or waiting.

The viral threat during the December holidays, in particular, is higher, so Nachman urges being as immunized as possible before then.

With people not wearing masks and not even testing for the virus even when they get sick, Nachman suggested that it’s “highly likely” the country will see new variants by the spring.

Nachman urged people to take steps to protect themselves, which includes eating well, exercising, receiving the latest vaccination

and limiting exposure, particularly for those who might be vulnerable.

“Take care of yourself,” Nachman urged.

At Stony Brook University Hospital, the wards are busy, with a steady stream of patients coming in, receiving treatment and getting discharged, Nachman said.

“We’re seeing a lot of other viral illnesses,” she added.

She sees a ramp-up in RSV, which she doesn’t expect to peak until Thanksgiving.

Dhuper remains concerned about viral threats this fall and winter.

“We do anticipate a worse flu season this year as the herd immunity is at a lower level,” he wrote. “People should get their flu shots sooner rather than later as that is the only primary protection we have to offer. People with comorbidities should particularly be concerned as the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalization and even death could be higher without the protection from the vaccine.”

While Nizza hasn’t seen any major spike in the flu yet, he suggested in an email that “now would be a good time to get vaccinated.”

Got all that? Good, now, when you’re outside, far from other people and you want to give your lungs a break, take a deep, cleansing breath. Other times? Protect your health and the health of your family and community.

Doctors suggest getting immunized before the holiday gathering season begin. Stock photo from Metro

‘The purpose of the vaccine is to attenuate the symptoms from the virus and reduce the severity of illness, hospitalizations and/or death.’

— Dr. Sunil Dhuper

Community News

Chabad hosts evening of history and reflection from Auschwitz to the IDF

Leibel Mangel, a combat veteran in the Israeli Defense Forces, is coming to East Setauket on Sunday Oct. 30 at 7 p.m., and he will share his powerful story of challenges and successes at Village Chabad, 360 Nicolls Road, East Setauket.

At the age of 19, Mangel left his home and family in Cincinnati, Ohio, to enlist in the IDF as a lone soldier. As the son of a Rabbi and the grandson of one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, serving in the IDF was not a matter of if, but rather when.

Mangel served as a machine gunner in the Kfir Brigade, where he took part in numerous high profile anti-terror operations including the tragic discovery of the bodies of three teenage boys who were kidnapped from Gush Etzion in 2014.

Mangel has used his story and experiences to continue his service by fighting for Israel in both mainstream and social media and in cities throughout the country. Leibel is also the recipient of a 2017 Jewish People’s

Choice Award.

Tickets for the lecture can be purchased for $15 at MyVillageChabad.com/Lecture.

Tickets purchased on the day and at the door will be $25.

School News

Minnesauke Elementary School

Restful words

Fifth graders at Minnesauke Elementary School are “laying words to rest” in a Halloween-themed English activity.

Students chose words they think should never be used, including harassment, hatred and violence. They wrote their reasons on

gravestones and created their own word cemetery that hangs outside their classroom. The activity made students think about their own word choices, encouraging them to use positive words in their conversations and writing.

Endorsed by:

On Tuesday, November 8th

Vote to Elect

Paid for by The Committee To Elect Skyler Johnson

Photo from Three Village Central School District

Leibel Mangel, a combat veteran in the IDF, will share his experiences at the Village Chabad on Oct. 30.

Boys volleyball win a bye into semi-finals

The Ward Melville Patriots boys volleyball team was down 0-2 Oct. 20, but not for long. The team rallied in their home game against Connetquot, and the Patriots emerged with a reverse sweep in the Division 1 matchup. The final score, 3-2.

The win ended the regular season for the Patriots where they stand 13-1 in their division. The night also earned them a first round bye in the playoffs.

During the crucial matchup, captain Jarod Popp had 23 kills, 16 digs and two blocks, while sophomore Kyle Fagan had 23 kills and 14 digs.

Popp called the team “incredible.”

“Now our focus is on the playoffs where any team, one through seven, can win it all,” he said.

Richie Ragonese, senior captain, called both

teams “very talented.”

“We had our backs against the wall and knew we had to change that,” Ragonese said. “We fought hard until the last ball dropped.”

Head Coach Brian O’Shaughnessy said he was proud “of how hard our boys worked and fought in that game.”

“To come together and battle back from being down 0-2, to a team of Connetquot’s caliber was impressive to watch,” O’Shaughnessy said. “It showed how determined and resilient our boys can be.”

Ward Melville will play a home game Saturday, Oct 29, at noon against the winner of Wednesday’s West Islip vs. Bay Shore match. The winner of Saturday’s game will go on to the Suffolk County finals.

Photos by Philip Armato Jr.

Ward Melville

Putin’s folly: A birthday setback for the Russian dictator

BY RICH ACRITELLI DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, turned 70 on Oct. 7. He was showered with presents and praise as his soldiers continued to fight an ill-fated and illegal war in Ukraine. The Belarusian leader got him a new tractor. The ruler of Turkmenistan gave him celebratory watermelons. Countries such as Cuba, Turkey, South Africa and Kazakhstan called to wish him a happy birthday.

Yet, as Putin celebrated this milestone year, the septuagenarian dictator received reports that a strategic bridge connecting Russia to Crimea was severely damaged.

This bad news came amid a string of military and strategic blunders, the declining morale of his army and signs of growing internal unrest in Russia. Putin retaliated with missile strikes on Ukrainian civilian targets.

An invasion gone awry

Widely considered a poorly planned military operation, the once-vaunted Russian military has consistently demonstrated tactical weakness in supply, logistics and communications. Putin is deploying his army with massive shortages in weapons and food after his men chaotically abandoned much of their equipment on the battlefield.

Reports suggest that Putin has asked North

Korea and China for military hardware to recover its loss of tanks and trucks, which have been destroyed, deserted or captured.

While President Joe Biden (D) has pledged to keep American ground forces out of Ukraine, the United States has continually aided the Ukrainian army. So much American weaponry has been sent to Eastern Europe that America is entering new multibillion-dollar contracts with defense companies to replenish its own national arsenal.

The American military has mentored the Ukrainian officer corps with special warfare and tactical training. The U.S. Department of Defense has given the Ukrainians sensitive intelligence, helping them locate enemy forces and target them through conventional or guerrilla operations.

Currently, the Russian military is bleeding out. Part-time soldiers want no part in this war.

Making matters worse for Putin, his call-up of 300,000 reservists has met stark opposition from the Russian populace.

Putin has even lowered standards for recruitment, allowing the homeless, criminals, wounded soldiers and the middle-aged to enlist. The Russian military has become merely a debasement of the once-fierce Red Army, slowly reduced to second and third-rate personnel.

Outfoxed by the Ukrainian president

In the face of overwhelming Ukrainian resistance, many of Putin’s citizen-soldiers have

surrendered. Meanwhile, Russian conscripts, with little training, have gone into battle with obsolete weapons and limited food against a motivated enemy gaining momentum.

At every turn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outwitted and outmaneuvered his Russian counterpart. Zelenskyy has sent online messages to the Russian soldiers, declaring they will be treated well in defeat. Some Russians were even offered to be sent to another nation, where they could save their lives by sitting out the war.

Whereas the Ukrainians have proven themselves capable of deterring the Russians, Putin has employed desperate means. Given his nuclear options, we are now hearing about a possible escalation in a conflict that could get much worse.

Domestic unrest

On the home front, the invasion of Ukraine is unpopular; its effects felt the worst by Putin’s own people. Prominent Western businesses pulled out of Russia months ago, initiated by a global economic boycott designed to cripple the Russian economy.

In the name of wrecking Ukraine, Putin has incited demonstrations against his authority. He has tried to suppress these demonstrations and censor news of the conflict. Still, the stories of many Russian losses on every front are too

difficult to hide.

Russian citizens have followed the fighting in Ukraine, the heavy losses incurred by their fellow countrymen and the lack of supplies for their soldiers. In Russia, mass border crossings have taken place. Cars, many carrying young men, have been seen deserting conscription to the Russian army.

It is estimated that almost 200,000 reservists have fled Russia. Putin needs soldiers but has not yet resorted to calling upon his massive citizen population for a full-scale draft.

There is much fighting left and additional sacrifices to be made. The Ukrainians, however, have proven that there is no safe place for the Russian military within their territory.

While Putin plays with his new tractor and enjoys his watermelons, he has little else to celebrate on his birthday. He has waged an unjust war against a sovereign nation. His actions have greatly diminished Russia’s power and legitimacy worldwide.

If any of this forecasts a difficult road ahead, Putin’s 70th year will surely be a bad one for him.

Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School and adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College. Written in conjunction with members of the high school’s History Honor Society.

Hochul shows leadership we deserve

Lee Zeldin [R] wants us to believe he’s a moderate, “tough on crime” proponent of law and order. He is no such thing. This radical MAGA will ignore law and order if it serves his purposes. Ask the U.S. Capitol Police. Zeldin proved his anti-democracy bona fides by lying for former President Donald Trump’s [R] scheming insurrection, and disgracing himself with 147 Republicans to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Trump lost, but that didn’t stop them from trying to overthrow our democracy.

Insofar as “tough on crime,” that is another Zeldin charade. His plan is to stop crime after it has happened, the old, ineffective zero-tolerance ploy that ignores the causes and does nothing for public safety. What is he promising police officers who gleefully endorse him, when he will make their job much harder by flooding the state’s streets with more unregistered guns? For NYC, that has “disaster” written all over it.

At every opportunity, Zeldin voted against efforts to reduce gun violence and strengthen the social safety nets, which address violence and disorder. He voted against affordable health care, mental health services, drug treatment, affordable housing, poverty and even police funding. The safest towns don’t have different bail laws, they have better resources.

To cover for his pathetic voting record, he resorts to fearmongering ads with racist dog whistles that show only black people committing crimes.

Zeldin voted against the Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction bills, yet complains that Democrats have done nothing. He voted against bills that protect a girl’s and woman’s choice, contraception, nursing mothers, the equal-rights amendment and family violence prevention. He said he wouldn’t end abortion rights in New York. Don’t believe him.

Zeldin has no record of making life better other than for his rich donors. The Republicans took away our SALT deductions

and plan to endanger public health with upstate fracking. That will drag us backward.

Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] shows the leadership and vision we deserve. She created thousands of jobs with upstate hydropower, solar and wind initiatives, a new rail line in NYC, tax cuts for middleclass families/small businesses, expanded childcare, affordable housing and is bringing Micron Technology to New York. Working with the state Legislature she passed laws strengthening reproductive freedom, voting rights and gun safety.

Caral Bond East Setauket

Possible action plan

The right to freedom of speech is essential to democracy. So, too, is responsible speech. Whether false claims of election fraud are an incitement to imminent lawless action or not, whether those claims are protected speech or not, is a matter on which we may disagree.

There should be no disagreement, however, on the damage being done to our democracy by undermining confidence in free and fair elections. I believe the enthusiasm for claims of fraud would be diminished and freedom of speech fully protected if the following conditions were established.

•First, no candidate for federal office can attain or remain in office until relevant claims of election fraud are resolved either by agreement of the parties or by the courts.

•Next, a fraudulent election claim should be understood to apply to all federal offices and all candidates for federal office on the ballot.

•Should claims of election fraud not be resolved by the start of new terms of office, congressional seats at issue should remain empty until the claims of fraud have been resolved.

•Government should continue only with those fairly elected.

•Should the presidency and vice presidency be at issue, the established order of succession should apply.

•Finally, significant criminal and civil penalties should be established for claims before the courts judged to be so lacking in evidence as to be frivolous or designed to delay the seating

of fairly elected candidates to federal office.

I am not a lawyer and these suggestions may be more easily gamed than I realize. If that is so, modify them or suggest others. Do not turn away and later ask “for whom the bell tolls.” John Donne told us “it tolls for thee.”

Forrest McMullen South Setauket

Fleming receives support of police organizations

Running for Congress this year in our District 1 are Bridget Fleming, a centrist Democrat, and Nick LaLota, a party-line Republican.

LaLota echoes the standard Republican falsehoods about voter fraud. He seems remarkably indifferent about the threat to American democracy represented by the failed coup of Jan. 6, propelled by these same falsehoods. According to him, it’s just another partisan issue. His campaign website contains not a single word about the effects of climate change, even though rising sea levels, flooding and more powerful hurricanes and nor’easters should concern every Long Islander.

Fleming has made public safety a major concern of hers. This is why she has received the endorsement of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association as well as that of the Police Conference of New York. She is the only Long Island Democrat running for Congress to receive the PBA endorsement. This is because she was a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office for 10 years, a member of the sex crimes prosecution unit and in charge of another unit devoted to attacking fraud in public programs. She’s also dedicated to stopping the flow of high-powered out-of-state guns to New York, which can put more firepower in the hands of criminals than in the hands of the police.

The Suffolk County PBA knows Fleming, a 20-year resident of Long Island, has the

Editor’s

dedication and prosecutorial experience to put public safety first.

David Friedman St. James

A resounding ‘no’ vote

I have recently been inundated with political ads courting my vote, from both political parties. One candidate is Republican Lee Zeldin. In his bid for the New York State governor’s office, Congressman Zeldin seeks my “yes” vote.

Here is how he voted on issues that are important to me:

•Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022: no •Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022: no •Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022: no •Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act: no

•Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022: no

•Freedom to Vote: John R Lewis Act: no •Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: no •Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021: no •Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment: no •Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021: no

•Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021: no

•George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021: no

And how ironic that Zeldin voted “yes” for reaffirming the House of Representatives’ commitment to the orderly and peaceful transfer of power called for in the Constitution and introduced in the House on Sept. 29, 2020, which passed with 397 “yes” votes. We now know how he changed his position a short time later.

Therefore, Zeldin, you have earned my vote but it is a resounding “no.”

Sue Parker Stony Brook

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The age of the uninformed voter

Election Day is less than two weeks away, and now is the time for citizens to begin researching their ballots.

When we vote, we are not merely selecting a “D” or “R.” Our representatives are living, breathing creatures with all of the features of ordinary citizens. They possess personality traits, character flaws, preferences, opinions and persuasions.

In these last few weeks, we must uncover these traits and determine whether they align with our values. Today, it is not enough to show up to the polls and vote. Here in Suffolk County, we find numerous examples of the popular will being subverted to advance the interests of a powerful few.

Take judicial elections, for example. Party leaders hold enormous power concerning our judges. Through a sequence of dealmaking and compromises — most of which happen behind closed doors and away from the public eye — the party leaders line up all county judgeships through crossendorsements well before the election.

To receive a judgeship and the sweet $185,000 to $211,000 salary that comes with it, our “elected” judges do what they must. They answer to their superiors, who are the political bosses awarding them their seats of power and cushy salaries. Meanwhile, the ordinary citizens — those paying these salaries — get left behind and forgotten.

If we do not research our ballots thoroughly, then our only options this November are those handpicked by the party chieftains. An uninformed citizenry only reinforces this broken electoral system, rendering our elected officials less accountable to the people with each passing election.

A functional, vibrant democracy requires that citizens take an active, rather than passive, role in the electoral process. We must take a deeper plunge into the candidates on our ballots. Who are these people? What are their professional backgrounds? If elected, how will they advance our values and interests?

It is time for the people to take back the reins of power. Let not the political bosses pull our strings as they do the puppets they try to plant in office.

If we want politicians to be accountable to us, we must give our votes much more weight. Blindly voting down a ballot is as pointless and unproductive as not voting at all, especially since ballots also include candidates who have not actively campaigned. No person, regardless of party affiliation, is entitled to our vote.

Next week, TBR News Media will release its election supplement. Read through those articles, and get to know your prospective representatives. Let us break away from the party masters. Let the age of the uninformed voter die a sudden, unceremonious death.

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

Only one choice on the ballot on Nov. 8

New Yorkers have important decisions to make in the upcoming election on Nov. 8. Reproductive rights, gun safety and environmental protection are on the ballot. After the violence of Jan. 6, democracy itself is on the line.

For those of us who value environmental protection, access to reproductive health care and the need to have a safe society with less gun violence, there is only one choice on the ballot. We must vote for Democrats and reject Republican candidates, headed up by Trump acolyte Rep. Lee Zeldin running for New York governor. Recent news of texts to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows show the congressman plotting to contest the 2020 election before it was even called. We cannot have a governor who seeks to overturn elections. We deserve to have fair elections that are also safe.

The right-wing extremist attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6 has shown that we can no longer count on that. This is why we must repudiate election deniers like Zeldin at the ballot box on Nov. 8.

We must consider the safety of our planet. Zeldin and other downballot candidates continue to point to fossil fuel extraction as the answer to our energy problems, rather than investing in renewable energy that can help mitigate the climate emergency. We cannot have science deniers in office. That is why we must repudiate candidates like Zeldin, and CD 1’s Nick LaLota, who have advocated for fracking, at the ballot box on Nov. 8.

We must also look at gun safety legislation. Zeldin’s record on this is egregious. He has received tens of thousands of campaign dollars from the NRA and voted against common sense measures like universal background checks and reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. But it is not just Zeldin’s record we must examine.

Every Suffolk County Republican in the state Legislature voted against raising the age to purchase a semi-automatic weapon, just weeks after the massacres in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas. One cannot claim to be concerned about public safety, and also vote to keep weapons of war on our streets. It is why we must repudiate gun safety opponents at the ballot box on Nov. 8.

Finally, we need politicians who do

more than stoke fear and propose real solutions to the problems we face. We cannot frack, incarcerate and deny our way out of the very real challenges we face. When we invest in the social safety net and in renewable resources, our communities are safer for all of us.

When we protect reproductive rights, we invest in women’s health care. When we invest in free and fair elections, we are all safer and freer.

Those of us who value safety and freedom must reject the extremist policies of Republican candidates and vote for a future that serves all of us. For these reasons, I will be voting for Democrats on Nov. 8.

Shoshana Hershkowitz South Setauket

New York state’s culture of violent crime

Under one party rule, the quality of life in New York state has suffered a stunning decline over the last three years. The most obvious and unhealthy symptom of this decay is a spike in violent crime.

In 2019 Democrats, controlling all branches of government, ignored dire warnings from both law enforcement and district attorneys, before passing two laws. One was to institute a cashless bail program. The other raised the age from 16 to 18 for people to be tried as adults.

Judges, forced by statute to put unstable, dangerous people back on the streets have yielded exactly the kind of awful results non-woke clear thinkers would expect.

Tommy Bailey, a hardworking steamfitter and father of three, was very well regarded in his Brooklyn community. Coming home from work, he was allegedly stabbed to death on a subway train by Alvin Charles. The latter mentioned had been arrested in July 2021 for allegedly stabbing a different straphanger in Brooklyn. Charles was freed on supervised release, only to kill Bailey.

On Oct. 4, Adam Bennefield was arrested on domestic abuse charges, and ordered to stay away from his wife, Keaira. Under state law, based on the charges, the judge was not permitted to require him to post bail. The very next day, while driving her kids to school, Keaira Bennefield, a 30-yearold mother of three, was allegedly murdered by her estranged husband in Buffalo. The grieving family reported

Editor’s note: There will be no letters to the editor in our Nov. 3 edition. The page that normally features letters will have TBR News Media’s endorsements for the 2022 elections. Our letters page will return Nov. 10.

she was wearing a bulletproof vest when Adam Bennefield reportedly shot Keaira, right in front of those children.

Raising the age to be tried as an adult to 18 has been a gift to street gangs. They’re recruiting kids as young as 12 into a type of criminal apprenticeship. And why not? That controversial legislation increased the age of criminal prosecution for gun possession … to 18 years old. Meaning kids under that age caught carrying a firearm are headed to family court.

Here’s a powerful example of just how badly this policy has played in the real world. In July 2021, a “major gang war” between ruthless Bronx crews left boys ages 13, 16 and 19 dead within five days. The two youngest had long arrest records including robbery, assault and gun possession.

A law enforcement source is quoted in the New York Post on July 12, 2021, as saying, “The system that purports to help these kids is actually acting as an incubator for future violence.” The 16-year-old “gets caught with guns, goes to kid-glove Family Court, and he’s out here walking the streets. The kid gloves ultimately allowed him to get murdered.”

While these types of senseless violent acts seem to have become part of New Yorker’s daily lives, Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] and Democratic lawmakers have shown no interest in holding a special legislative session to fix the mess they’ve made.

Given this kind of arrogant indifference to their constituents’ concerns over New York’s growing culture of violent crime, Kathy and company shouldn’t be surprised if, in a couple of weeks, voters express their great displeasure.

Jim Soviero East Setauket

Cheap reelection move by AG James

The late New York State Attorney General Louis Lefkowitz was a mainstream Republican. He served for 22 years from 1957 to 1979 earning the title “the people’s lawyer.” Today’s state Attorney General Letitia James [D] use of his title “the people’s lawyer” in campaign TV commercials represents consumer fraud. James, with under four years in office, has yet to build a record worthy of this title. Her accomplishments don’t come anywhere close to those of Lefkowitz. Coopting this title just serves as a cheap reelection television ad sound bite.

Larry Penner Great Neck

Our pets do as much, or more, for us as we do for them

before our son had a driver’s license and I had to pick him up from school, I brought the dog in the car. I’d see my son walking from school, head down, shoulders slumped, with the equivalent of a teenage angst enveloping him.

and everything our son did, particularly when he pet our dog’s ears, was welcome and appreciated.

While I know many people love puppies, with their fluffy fur and their playful demeanor, I have become increasingly attached and fond of our dog as he has aged.

And, as my wife has said, the feeling appears to be mutual.

I’m feeling. When I get off the phone after an exasperating call with a customer service representative, he comes wagging over as if to say, “Yeah, that was annoying, but you’ll be fine and I’m still incredibly soft. Don’t you want to check?”

let out (yes, that was a different time). He used to return when he was ready and after he’d visited the neighbors and tended to his physical needs.

None of the above

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

He’d get to the car, ready to throw himself into the seat next to me, to tell me his day was “fine” or that he “didn’t want to talk about anything,” and then he’d see the dog, wagging and prancing in the back seat and he was helpless against such charm and unbridled joy.

Our dog would throw his head into his hands, letting our son know that anything

When he was younger, our dog rarely came when I called him. He seemed fine with my petting him, but he didn’t go out of his way to get up from a comfortable nap.

But, then, something happened in the last year. Maybe it’s because we’ve traveled to visit family and friends for weddings and we haven’t taken him on each of our trips, or because he suddenly figured out that I feed him, provide water and take him for his necessary walks.

Whatever the case, he’s as happy to see me as I am to see him. At the same time, he’s become increasingly sensitive to the stress

Recently, I contracted COVID-19. My wife, who hasn’t been feeling too well herself, took incredible care of me, picking up food and medicine while I shivered in bed and struggled to swallow through the razor blades dangling in the back of my throat.

In addition to the necessary and helpful support from my wife and brothers, I received encouragement from our dog, who seemed to recognize something was amiss. He came to the side of the bed and leaned his head into my hand. He put his paw up near my arm as well, wagging cautiously and looking into my eyes.

He reminded me of our dog from my childhood. Also, a golden retriever, our earlier dog raced to the kitchen door to be

Do you have a special retreat in the neighborhood?

Last week I wrote about the pleasure of getting away, even for a day, and enjoying the foliage season in lower New England. This time I want to wax rhapsodic (well, in a manner of speaking) about the special places we love here in the neighborhood.

Melville Memorial Park, not far from 25A and my office in Setauket, but nicely hidden from view. Opened in 1937 as a memorial to Frank Melville Jr., it was the brainchild of his wife, Jennie MacConnell Melville, and his son, Ward Melville. While it is privately owned, the park is open for the pleasure of the public every day from sunrise to sunset.

In my junior year of high school, I developed a migraine that limited my ability to see and gave me a horrific headache. At the same time, all physical contact was uncomfortable, from my friend touching my hand to guide me to the nurse to my mother escorting me to the car.

When I returned home, I lay in a dark room, miserable under the searing pain. The dog, who wasn’t used to having me home during the day, stayed in my room all day. He didn’t move or make a sound and, more amazingly, he never tried to touch my hand.

He finally went outside after I got up and felt better. He stood guard all those years ago, just as our pets do now, protecting us against strangers and offering support in our lowest and most emotionally vulnerable moments.

by with their owners. The dogs immediately veered over for a pat, and sometimes the owners lingered for a chat.

It was quite a social affair on a beautiful fall afternoon for dogs and people.

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

Do you have such a special place? By which, I mean a place you go when you want to enjoy the beauty of the area, where you can sit and relax and let concerns just melt away for a few minutes. Or where you can go to think out troubles peacefully, deciding what to do next. Or maybe, you just want a bucolic walk. One such location for me is the Frank

So who was Frank Melville, you might ask, and how did it happen that a park is dedicated to him?

Frank Melville Jr. started by selling shoes to the residents from his sailboat on a fixed schedule, as he and his family of wife and small children circumnavigated Long Island. Eventually, he founded the Thom McAn brand with J. Franklin McElwain, a New Hampshire shoe manufacturer, exactly one hundred years ago. Their first retail shoe store in New York, selling a few simple styles at a low fixed price, then expanded to hundreds of stores across the US, becoming the largest footwear retailer in the country with 1400 stores. The brand name was eventually bought by Sears 86 years later.

As they grew wealthy, the Melvilles, who lived in Manhattan, bought a second home for themselves in Old Field, and became increasingly philanthropic, donating local land for community benefit, including what is now the campus for Stony Brook University. And it was Ward Melville, who visualized and created Stony Brook Village in 1941, the first outdoor mall in the country, and to this day, a fun daytime destination.

When I walk through the park, which surrounds the duck pond with leafy and varied greenery now changing colors, I marvel at the generosity and vision of the Melville family in fashioning such a jewel for anyone who wishes to enjoy its paved path, picture postcard views and many benches. It is such a place of respite for those of us who work just around the corner and those who come with their dogs from farther away.

Dogs are welcome, as long as their owners pick up after them. We sat on one of the benches last Saturday and called out, “Hello, Dog,” to the various pooches as they walked

One of the people we met as we strolled along was Anita Lago, an energetic woman from Stony Brook who discovered the pond and the park eight years ago and has been coming over to enjoy the swans regularly since then. When she was found cleaning out the stray fishing lines and other detritus that might enmesh the fowl, she was offered a pail and a rake by the foundation that oversees the park and invited to be official. And so, she can be found at water’s edge, when she is not at her full-time job, a hard-working volunteer helping to keep the pond clean and the swans and other fowl safe.

The Frank Melville Memorial Park is supported by donations from a grateful public. It’s that kind of place, one that brings out the best in all of us as it gifts to us all year round.