Village Beacon Record

The federal government has begun taking orders for free at-home COVID-19 test kits. Residents can order 4 free at-home tests per household. Orders will usually ship in 7 to 12 days.

1. Visit http://covidtests.gov

2. Enter your contact details and shipping information.

3. Click Check Out Now.

4. Verify your information is correct and select Place My Order. People who can’t access the website or who have trouble ordering online can call a hotline — 1-800-232-0233 — to order their free tests.

The tests available for order:

Are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR

Can be taken anywhere

Give results within 30 minutes (no lab drop-off required)

Work whether or not you have COVID-⁠19 symptoms

Work whether or not you are up to date on your COVID-⁠19 vaccines

Are also referred to as self-tests or over-the-counter (OTC) tests

Take an at-⁠home test:

If you begin having COVID-⁠19 symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, or loss of taste or smell, or

At least 5 days after you come into close contact with someone with COVID-⁠19, or

When you’re going to gather with a group of people, especially those who are at risk of severe disease or may not be up to date on their COVID-⁠19 vaccines.

What if you test Positive?

A positive at-⁠home test result means that the test found the virus, and you very likely have COVID-⁠19.

If you test positive on your at-⁠home test, follow the latest CDC guidance for isolation.

What if you test Negative?

A negative at-⁠home test result means that the test did not find the virus, and you may have a lower risk of spreading COVID-19 to others. Check your test kit’s instructions for specific next steps. If you test negative, you should test again within a few days with at least 24 hours between tests.

If you test negative, follow the latest CDC guidance for self-⁠testing.

Testing is only one step you can take to protect yourself, friends, family, and others. Everyone is encouraged to get up to date with their COVID-⁠19 vaccinations. Visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccine or booster near you. Wear a well-fitted mask when gathering indoors and maintain 6 feet of distance between people.

The following incidents have been reported by the Suffolk County Police:

Centereach

■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a petit larceny on Jan. 16. A woman put various clothing items in her cart and left the store without paying. The stolen merchandise was valued at approximately $500.

Commack

■ A petit larceny was reported at the Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on Jan. 10. A man allegedly stole a coffee machine and assorted men’s clothing valued at $113.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on Jan. 12. A man allegedly broke a glass case and stole a Nintendo video valued at $300.

■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported a petit larceny on Jan. 15. A man allegedly stole a Milwaukee power tool valued at $170.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack called police on Jan. 16 to report a petit larceny. A man allegedly stole kitchen appliances valued at approximately $550.

East Setauket

■ BJ’s Wholesale Club on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket called the police on Jan. 9 at approximately 4 p.m. to report the theft of merchandise. A man allegedly took seafood from a case, concealed it under his coat and left without paying.

■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket called the police on Jan. 10 to report the theft of merchandise. Two women allegedly walked out of the store with assorted household items and tools without paying.

Hauppauge

■ A vehicle parked on North Hoffman in Hauppauge was broken into on Jan. 12. Credit cards and a drivers license were stolen.

■ A vehicle parked on Devonshire Road in Hauppauge was broken into on Jan. 13. The suspect broke the driver’s side window and stole a wallet and a gym bag.

Huntington

■ Mobile Gas on Wall Street reported a man allegedly pumped $40 worth of gas and drove away without paying on Jan. 16.

Lake Grove

■ Macy’s at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported a petit larceny on Jan. 9. A man allegedly stole clothing valued at approximately $230.

■ Ulta Beauty on Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove reported a shoplifter on Jan. 10 in Lake Grove. A man allegedly stole several bottles of perfume valued at approximately $2000.

■ A burglary was reported at Mayra’s Bakery on Hawkins Avenue in Lake Grove on Jan. 16. A suspect broke a glass door, entered the store and stole the cash drawer from the register. 

■ Ulta Beauty on Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove reported a shoplifter on Jan. 16. A woman allegedly stole various makeup and perfume valued at approximately $500.

Port Jefferson

■ The theft of a catalytic converter from a 2013 Toyota Tacoma was reported on Jan. 17. The vehicle had been parked overnight on Belle Terre Road in Port Jefferson from Jan. 16 to 17.

Port Jefferson Station

■ A resident living on Piedmont Drive in Port Jefferson Station reported the theft of a Hiboy Titan Electric Scooter on Jan. 11. The scooter was parked outside the residence when it was stolen.

■ Speedway on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station reported a burglary on Jan. 14. Unknown persons broke the lock on the front door with a crowbar and stole tobacco products.

Rocky Point

■ ADC Landscaping and Tree Service on Route 25A in Rocky Point reported the theft of landscaping equipment from a trailer located on the property on Jan. 14. Items stolen included hedge trimmers, weedwackers, chain saws and a backpack leaf blower.

■ Walgreens on Route 25A in Rocky Point called the police on Jan. 14 at approximately 2 p.m. to report that two men had shopped for miscellaneous pharmacy items and left without paying.

St. James

■ A burglary was reported at the IHOP on Alexander Avenue in St. James on Jan. 9. A person broke a window, entered the store and stole cash from the register.

Selden

■ Joe’s Campus Heroes on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a burglary on Jan. 8. Entry was gained through a broken front glass door and cash was stolen.

■ On Jan. 10 Home Depot on Middle Country Road in Selden reported that a man allegedly walked out of the store with an assortment of small hand tools without paying.

■ Target on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a petit larceny on Jan. 16. A man allegedly stole two Dyson vacuum cleaners valued at approximately $760.

■ A resident on Blue Point Road in Selden reported that his Kenworth Northwest Tow Truck was stolen on Jan. 7 at approximately 3 a.m. The resident reported the keys had been left in the truck.

■ Shah’s Halal Food on Middle Country Road in Selden called police on Jan. 11 after a customer allegedly ordered food from the restaurant and left without paying.

Setauket

■ A woman who parked her car in front of Mario’s Restaurant on Main Street in Setauket on Jan. 6 returned to her car at approximately 11 p.m. and found the front passenger window had been broken and a pocketbook and laptop was missing.

■ A resident living on Harmony Lane in Setauket reported that an unknown person entered their unlocked car parked in their driveway on Jan. 7 and stole cash.

South Huntington

■ Victoria Secret at the Walt Whitman Shops on Walt Whitman Road in South Huntington reported a petit larceny on Jan. 16. A woman allegedly stole women’s clothing valued at approximately $1050.

■ Ulta Beauty at the Walt Whitman Shops on Walt Whitman Road in South Huntington reported a shoplifter on Jan. 16. A man allegedly stole perfume valued at approximately $1600.

South Setauket

■ Target on Pond Path in South Setauket reported a petit larceny on Jan. 15. A woman allegedly stole various video game accessories valued at approximately $720.

■ Target on Pond Path in South Setauket called the police to report a grand larceny on Jan. 16. Three men allegedly stole Apple iPads and AirPods valued at $3460.

Stony Brook

■ A burglary was reported at Organic Krush on Main Street in Stony Brook on Jan. 7. A safe, three cash registers and cash were stolen.

■ Long Island Bagel Cafe on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook reported a burglary on Jan. 10. Access was gained by breaking the glass on the front door. Cash registers and cash were stolen.

Terryville

■ An unknown person stole two license plants off of a GMC pickup truck parked on Terryville Road in Terryville on Jan. 10.

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

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Mt. Sinai senior guard Casey Campo looks for the rebound in a league VI home game against Glenn Jan 20. Photo by Bill Landon

The Lady Mustangs of Mount Sinai trailed from the opening tip-off and edged ahead by one, with less than a minute left in the first half. 

John Glenn brought a potent three-point game that the Mustangs struggled to contain in the league VI matchup Jan 20.  

Tied at 41 all with six minutes left in regulation, John Glenn drew several fouls and did their damage from the free throw line defeating the Mustangs 61-53 for their first loss of the season. 

Mount Sinai senior Casey Campo topped the scoring charts with 24 points and Kyle Budke banked 18. 

The loss drops the Mustangs to 6-1 in league to share the top spot with Shoreham Wading River with six games remaining before post season play begins.

Photos by Bill Landon 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Civil Rights March In Washington D.C. in 1963.

During a march on Washington, D.C., back in August 1963, civil rights activist and minister the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech that was heard around the world. 

“I have a dream,” he recited, “that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”

Now, nearly 54 years after his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee, that speech still has clout, and its message is still being spread, but unfortunately King’s children and granddaughter still do not see what he had envisioned so long ago. 

The murders of Black men and women including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain and David McAtee — just to name a few — still continue some five decades after King’s plea for our country to stop its racism, bigotry and hate. 

How can we as a society still continue to judge, harass and kill people based solely on the color of their skin? Have we not learned?

This week would have been MLK’s 93rd birthday, and he would be ashamed of what is going on in our country.

When he died in 1968, Black people in America were fighting for their basic human rights. Now it’s 2022 and people of color are still fighting. Fortunately, they’re being joined by many others in the fight. 

While the summer of 2020 was one of civil unrest, protests, anger and tears, it was a summer which again started the conversation that enough is enough. 

In 2022, we as a society need to continue moving forward — not backward. 

MLK’s dream was for children, Black or white, to play happily and peacefully together. 

Let us start this new year with his dream in mind. Let us show respect for our neighbors and support causes of conscience. Let us remember the injustices and work to make sure they are not repeated.

We have the ability to succeed better as a society but what it will take is an awareness of injustice and the resolve to root it out.

Let us continue to keep Dr. King’s dream alive.  

Photo from SBU

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Isaiah Nengo recalled a day years ago when he was working in a field station in Kenya, searching for fossils.

A man who had a tremendous influence on his life was on the way to alter his horizons yet again, although this time the visit would have nothing to do with science.

Richard Leakey, the late founder of the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI) and a famed paleoanthropologist and conservationist, was bringing food from his home on the coast of Kenya in Lamu to the field station.

Leakey “prepared this lobster meal,” said Nengo, who is native of Nairobi, Kenya, and is currently associate director of TBI. “It was my first seafood meal. It was fantastic. I was like, ‘I’m sitting almost 600 miles from the ocean, it’s hot as hell and I’m eating lobster.’ That always stuck in my mind.”

Leakey, who died on Jan. 2 (see a tribute to the Stony Brook legend in this week’s Arts & Lifestyles page B12), left behind a lasting scientific legacy that filled science textbooks of people around the world, while he left an enduring food legacy that filled the stomachs of family, friends, coworkers and colleagues.

People fortunate enough to dine with him shared tales of Leakey’s culinary prowess and refined tastes.

Sonia Harmand, associate professor in the Anthropology Department at Stony Brook, took a long flight with Leakey to Kenya. Leakey had a salmon meal on the plane that didn’t meet his standards.

“He called the staff, and even the pilot came by to say hi because everybody knows about him,” Harmand said. Amid the introductions, he expressed his displeasure with the salmon.

When he returned to Kenya, he wrote to the airline and complained about the food.

As a host, Leakey went out of his way to make sure all of his guests enjoyed the food he purchased, prepared and served.

Harmand said her daughter Scarlett, who will turn nine in February, enjoyed eating at Leakey’s house because he prepared mussels and oysters he knew appealed to her.

“Every time you had a meal with him, he kept on asking if you liked it,” Harmand said.

Harmand also appreciated the unexpected gifts of incongruous foods at TBI. One day, Leakey arrived with ice cream and fresh strawberries.

“We had to eat it quickly,” she recalled with a laugh.

Another long time friend and colleague, Lawrence Martin, the director of TBI, said Leakey had a fondness for some Long Island foods. He particularly enjoyed ducks, as well as oysters and mussels from Long Island’s waterways.

“He said mussels were never as good in the warm water as they were in Stony Brook,” Martin said.

When he first got to know Leakey, Martin said Leakey cooked all the meals they shared, whether they were in Stony Brook or Kenya.

Martin called Leakey a “great chef” and said his late colleague “loved good food and loved going food shopping.”

While Leakey shared important information with former Stony Brook President Shirley Kenny, he also dined on memorable meals.

When they were on their own on Long Island without their spouses, Kenny invited Leakey over to her home for a meal.

After the dinner, he thanked her and promised he would return, providing she allowed him to do the cooking.

Sharing food with Leakey often meant benefiting from his storytelling prowess and his sense of humor.

Kenny and her family went on a safari with Jim and Marilyn Simons, co-founders of the Simons Foundation and supporters of science throughout Long Island.

“At the end of the day, we would sit in a circle and have drinks and [Leakey] would regale us with stories that were absolutely wonderful,” Kenny said. “You can’t even imagine how they made these [incredible] meals when there’s nothing out there to do it with.”

With hyenas howling at night and hot showers created with water heated by the sun during the day, the entire experience was “so exotic and so elegant at the same time,” Kenny added.

Harmand said Leakey didn’t cook with the goal of winning over people, but, rather, to share a connection.

“I don’t think he needed to impress anyone,” Harmand said. “He wanted to please you through food.”

Stock photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

There has been a lot in the news recently about COVID testing. We can request at-home test kits, and the government promises to send them to us through the mail. Also, we can shortly obtain N95 masks, the most efficient at filtering out microbes from the air, from pharmacies and other health centers. Those should be available to us by the end of next week.

Here is a new angle for consideration. Testing thus far has focused on using swabs inserted up the nose. But there is, perhaps, a more comfortable and more accurate possibility: spitting into a tube. “The virus shows up first in your mouth and throat,” according to Dr. Donald Milton, an expert on respiratory viruses at the University of Maryland who was quoted by The New York Times last Saturday. This means that testing saliva or swabbing the inside of the mouth could help identify people who are infected days earlier, some research suggests. 

Here are some findings from Dr. Milton and his associates. Three days before symptoms appear and for two days after, “saliva samples contained about three times as much virus nasal samples and were 12 times as likely to produce a positive P.C.R. (gold standard) result. After that, however, more virus began accumulating in the nose …” The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now authorized numerous saliva-based PCR tests which work well for screening students at schools.

“Saliva really has turned out to be a valuable specimen type and one that has increasingly been advocated as a primary testing sample,” said Dr. Glen Hansen, of the clinical microbiology and molecular diagnostics laboratory at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minnesota. 

Since Omicron “appears to replicate more quickly in the upper respiratory tract and have a shorter incubation period than earlier variants,” if attention to the mouth and throat would be able to detect the virus earlier it would be particularly valuable, according to Emily Anthes, the NYT reporter.

Further, researchers in South Africa, where Omicron was first identified, have determined that saliva swabs of that variant were better indicators of infection than nasal swabs in the P.C.R. tests, although the opposite was true for the Delta variant. But other research studies have had mixed results. As is usual, more research is needed.

There are also other aspects to saliva tests. It is possible that while highly sensitive tests like PCR might identify infection in saliva days earlier, less sensitive tests like the antigen test in the at-home kit, might not. And there are other considerations. What else has passed through the mouth before the test is given? And how will that affect the pH and the result? Also, saliva can be “viscous and difficult to work with,” especially when patients are sick and dehydrated, according to Dr. Marie-Louise Landry, director of the clinical virology laboratory at Yale New Haven Hospital, who is also quoted in the NYT.

In Britain, some at-home tests require swabbing both the throat and the nose. Multiple site testing would seem to offer an advantage. But test manufacturers would have to reconfigure their tests accordingly. Throat swabs need to be bigger. And most importantly, the at-home rapid antigen tests would have to be authorized for mouths or throats, which they currently are NOT. The biochemistry of the mouth is different from that of the nose and may yield a false positive.

Ultimately a variety of test options to meet a variety of situations would seem the best result. For those who have symptoms for several days, a nasal swab might be the choice. Saliva tests might work better for large-scale surveillance of asymptomatic people.

Meanwhile making at-home antigen tests available for everyone is a positive step.

Photo from Councilmember Kornreich's office

On January 14, Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich and Councilwoman Jane Bonner were honored to officiate at the swearing in ceremony of the incoming officers of the Port Jefferson Senior Citizen Club. The installation ceremony was held at the Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai.

The incoming officers of the club were presented with a Certificates of Congratulations from the Town acknowledging their selection as officers and the outgoing officers received Certificates of Appreciation for their service to the club.  Pictured left to right are Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich; Club Secretary Annette Okula; Treasurer, Joanne Daube; President, Edythe Budke; First Vice President Phyllis Rosen; Second Vice President, Sharon Goodman; Club Leader, Shirley Hudson and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (right).

“Thank you to current and past officers of the Port Jefferson Senior Citizen Club for their service. It’s important that we continue to support our Senior Clubs and I look forward to working with them to improve our community and meet their needs,” said Councilmember Kornreich.

“It’s always a pleasure to meet with the Port Jefferson Senior Citizen Club members and I am happy to see them enjoying our senior center again. Congratulations to the newly installed officers and a thank you to the outgoing officers for their service to the club,” added Councilwoman Bonner.

J & L Dream Productions, Inc. have announced their newest Long Island Queens! On Jan. 16at the Madison Theatre at Molloy College, Jessica Fuentes from Massapequa was crowned Miss Long Island Teen 2022 and Nadgeena Jerome from Baldwin was crowned Miss Long Island 2022. The event was held at the Madison Theatre at Molloy College in Rockville Centre.

They will begin their year of appearances promoting their platforms and engaging in the Long Island community. Jessica will be promoting her platform of mental health awareness and Nadgeena will be promoting her advocacy of mental health awareness through her initiative #reversethestigma.

Later this year, the 2022 queens will compete for the titles of Miss New York USA® and Miss New York Teen USA®, a title that is no stranger to the Long Island Pageants.

Top 5 Finalists Miss:

Miss Long Island 2022, Nadgeena Jerome, Baldwin; 1st Runner Up, Maxine Cesar, Valley Stream; 2nd Runner Up, Moumita Khondakar, Dix Hills; 3rd Runner Up, Lianne Webb, Baldwin, 4th Runner Up, Candace Johnson, Amityville

Top 5 Finalists Teen:

Miss Long Island Teen 2022, Jessica Fuentes, Massapequa; 1st Runner Up, Angelica Rivera, Merrick; 2nd Runner Up, Kennedy Ramos, Oceanside; 3rd Runner Up, Abigaille St. Fort, Valley Steam; 4th Runner Up, Gabriella Abruzzo, Massapequa

Other Award Winners:

Miss Photogenic Teen: Abigaille St. Fort, Valley Stream; Miss Photogenic: Janette Sheldrick, Centereach; Community Queen Teen: Emily Hall, Valley Stream; Community Queen Miss: Madisyn King, Shoreham; Directors Award Teen: Madeleine Cannon, Massapequa; Directors Award Miss: Lianne Webb, Baldwin; and Pageantry Spirit Award: Matessa Turner, Amityville

Also, I Am An Inspiration Teen: Angelica Rivera, Merrick; I Am An Inspiration Miss: Katrina Albanese, Center Moriches; Leader of Tomorrow Award Teen: Kennedy Ramos, Oceanside; Leader of Tomorrow Award Miss: Nadgeena Jerome, Baldwin; People’s Choice Teen: Erin Garnier & Sofia Garnier, Valley Stream; People’s Choice Miss: Candace Johnson, Amityville; Miss Congeniality Teen: Madeleine Cannon, Massapequa; and Miss Congeniality: Katrina Albanese, Center Moriches.

To follow Miss Long Island and Miss Long Island Teen’s journey to the state title or to request the 2022 queens for an appearance, please contact [email protected]. For more information on how you can become the next Miss Long Island or Miss Long Island Teen, visit www.lipageants.com.

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Shoreham-Wading River senior Mia Rosati goes for the rebound against Elwood John Glenn Jan 14. Bill Landon photo

It was Shoreham-Wading River’s defense and GraceAnn Leonard’s 25 points that led the Wildcats to a 59-42 win at home against John Glenn in a league VI matchup Jan. 14. 

Glenn trailed by six at the half but the Wildcats found their rhythm in the 3rd and stretched their legs in the final 8 minutes of play to put the game away. 

Leonard scored 12 field goals and a free throw, teammates Sophie Costello scored 7 from the floor a triple and two from the line for 19 points and Sophia Lavey banked 6. 

Carlie Cutinella netted 5 and Colleen Ohrtman and Katie Coster had two points apiece. 

The win lifts the Wildcats 5-1 in league for sole possession of 2nd place one game behind Mount Sinai.

— All photos by Bill Landon

METRO photo

Each January, Americans honor the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. with a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in January each year. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929, King would grow up to become one of the most influential people of the 21st century.

King’s tireless activism during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s improved the lives of millions of people, and his tragic assassination on April 4, 1968, marked one of the darkest days in American history. King’s oratory prowess is well-documented. Individuals across the globe are familiar with his “I Have a Dream” speech, which King delivered during the March on Washington less than a year before his death. Less familiar are some other notable facts about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

• If he were alive today, Martin Luther King, Jr. would still be years away from his 100th birthday. King was assassinated in 1968, when he was not yet 40 years old. Born in Atlanta in 1929, King could very much still be alive today and would have celebrated his 93rd birthday on January 15, 2022.

• King was an extraordinarily gifted student. At an age when many students were preparing to enter their sophomore or junior year of high school, King began his freshman year of college at Morehouse College. King enrolled at Morehouse when he was 15 after the school opened enrollment to junior high students in an effort to overcome a dip in enrollment related to World War II. King passed the entrance exam and enrolled in the fall of 1944.

• King was ordained as a minister prior to graduating from Morehouse. The Baptist ministry was something of a family business for the Kings, as Martin Luther King Jr.’s father, grandfather and great grandfather were all Baptist ministers. However, King did not initially intend to follow that path. He ultimately changed course and entered the ministry at age 18, graduating from Morehouse with a degree in sociology a year later.

• King survived a knife attack years before his assassination. King was stabbed in the chest with a letter opener during a book signing event in Harlem in 1958. His assailant, Izola Curry, was ultimately deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial. Though the attack did not kill him, King had to undergo intensive emergency surgery and was hospitalized for several weeks.

• Conspiracy theories surround King’s assassination. King’s assassin, James Earl Ray, was found guilty and sentenced to 99 years in prison. Authorities, including the United States Department of Justice, concluded Ray, a career criminal, acted alone. However, some, including surviving members of King’s family, believed his assassination was part of a conspiracy. Despite his tragic assassination in 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. left his mark on the world. That legacy is even more remarkable when considering the unique twists and turns King’s life took prior to his death.

Martin Luther King, Jr., was a remarkable human being. Celebrations of his life can involve revisiting some of his more notable moments.