Village Beacon Record

Patrick and Phil O’Brien, owners of local brand Anchor East, hosted their second beach cleanup at West Meadow Beach on Sunday. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Photo by Sabrina Artusa

Phil and Patrick O’Brien, owners of the Port Jefferson Station-based clothing brand Anchor East Apparel, hosted their second beach cleanup at West Meadow Beach on July 18.

The brothers grew up on the water and are heavily involved in the boating community. As a result, they decided to actualize their appreciation for Long Island and the water through their brand. 

When they developed the line during the initial COVID-19 lockdown, they knew they wanted to use their brand to promote beach cleanups. Only a couple months after launching their business, they successfully held their second beach cleanup on Sunday.

Phil O’Brien said the idea struck them after his daughter cut her foot on a piece of glass on the beach. They realized that in order to ensure the safety of civilians, the beaches need to be cleaner. Although the beaches might look acceptable, the sand is actually covered in “little things” like discarded ketchup packets and broken beer bottles. “You’d be amazed at how much you find,” he said. 

After only four hours, they accumulated a sizable pile of garbage, but not all of it was destined for the trash. The brothers dispatch recyclable material to be remade into bracelets, which they sell for $2 each. They donate 100% of the money made from bracelet sales to the Ocean Conservancy.

Photo by Sabrina Artusa

The O’Briens hope to make the cleanups a regular event, their goal being to hold three every summer. Ultimately, the brothers “plan to keep growing” and host beach cleanups all over Long Island, starting at the East End and making their way west.

Phil O’Brien said he hopes these cleanups will encourage people to more closely observe how they are impacting the beaches.

“We shouldn’t have to have companies promote this,” he said. “People need to be more aware.” 

The O’Briens have yet to establish a date for the next cleanup, but are likely going to have another one toward the end of the summer season. 

Sandra Swenk today at her home in Port Jefferson. Photo by Julianne Mosher

This month marks 50 years since Sandra Swenk was sworn in as the Village of Port Jefferson’s first woman mayor. 

In July of 1971, the 34-year-old mother of two took office as the village’s third mayor. Now, five decades later, she has paved the way for other lady leaders — not only here where she calls home, but throughout Long Island. 

A lifelong resident, she was born at Mather Hospital in 1937 and grew up inside The Mather House Museum during the ’40s, as her family were caretakers. 

Photo from the Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

“I had some good years there,” she said. “There were some things that are not there anymore, like a summer house, a beautiful old summer house that just kind of deteriorated years ago, but most of the property is fairly original today.”

After living there as a child, her family moved to various different homes surrounding Main Street — eventually settling with her husband John in a stunning historical home on Prospect Street in 1960.

“Port Jefferson is a great place to raise a child,” she said. “Because they can walk to school, and then we had downtown, and it wasn’t as busy as it is now.”

Swenk decided to become involved with Port Jeff’s politics early on, sitting on the board with her late husband to incorporate the village in 1963.

“We wanted to see the village incorporate and control its own destiny, so to speak,” she said. 

Always interested in keeping the quaint village beautiful, Swenk wanted to see street trees, plants planted and window boxes in the local storefronts. She and a group of volunteers helped make that possible. 

In 1971, Swenk decided to take the leap and run against the men of the village. In what she said was a low-key campaign, she said that she had a lot of support back then. Along with her son and daughter, she hand-delivered pamphlets around the village. 

“I was proud of her,” said her daughter Brenda. “She did a lot. There was a lot of family involvement. There were a lot of things that we all did together.”

Swenk ended up winning, serving three terms until she was beaten by Harold Sheprow in 1977.

“I was always interested in revitalization,” she said. 

According to Swenk, she wanted to keep the small-town atmosphere and have a recreational harbor. With the village known to be more industrial back then, she hoped to get rid of the gravel trucks and oil tanks that stayed near the water and the ferry. 

“I also wanted to have what’s called adaptive use, using the older buildings for present uses,” she said. “I was big on historic preservation, and still am a historical society member.”

Swenk said she used Cold Spring Harbor’s streets as a model. 

Above: Sandra Swenk on July 5, 1971 on the steps of Village Hall. Her daughter, Brenda, cheers her mother on in the lower right.
Photo from the Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

Another accomplishment she had during her tenure was working hand in hand with former state Sen. Leon Giuffreda (R) on a big safety issue that was happening around the village with its gravel trucks. 

She said trucks didn’t have covers and often times gravel would spill into the busy streets.  

“It was always a battle to get it cleaned up,” she said. “But today, if you see any kind of a truck, could be just a little truck or big truck or a gravel truck, they have to have covers — and now they do.”

Swenk said that from day one since she was elected, village board meetings were always busy. 

“There were more people who went to the public meetings, probably because I was a woman and they wanted to see how I was going to run them,” she said. “People just didn’t know whether a woman could handle a job like that.”

But she got the support she needed to win. 

“I think people realized I was genuinely concerned about the village. And its growth, and its business and its appearance,” she said. “That was very important to me and it still is.”

At first, she was the only woman in Village Hall, but during her second term, a woman trustee came in and gradually it grew from there. Since her run, Jeanne Garant served as mayor from 1999 to 2005, and her daughter Margot has just been elected to her seventh term.

Now, a half-century later, she still lives right off East Main Street and is still heavily involved with what’s going on around town. A member of the historical society, the First United Methodist Church and volunteer at The Mather House Museum, she keeps busy, but still reminisces about what life was like Down Port so many years ago.

“There’s no question that it’s changed,” she said. “When I was growing up here, we had all the necessary services in the village — we had a laundromat which we don’t have anymore, but for years had a hardware store, a dress shop, a drugstore. So, some of those needs have been lost along the way.”

Swenk wishes there was a grocery store for village residents to shop at. “I would love to have a grocery back here,” she said. “We’re really lacking that.”

She said she has been unhappy to see the development over the last decade, building upward with the continuous lack of parking — something that was an issue even during her tenure. 

Coffee and snacks are available, and snacks have been individually wrapped during the pandemic. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

The Ronald McDonald Family Room — a part of Stony Brook Children’s Hospital — has served as a sanctuary for parents and family members who have a child that is in prolonged care of the facility.

Officially opening in 2013, the purpose of the family room is to provide a respite space for parents to spend their downtime while their child is being treated in the hospital, whether that be long or short term. 

However, since the pandemic began, the lounge promptly shut down and is currently awaiting the green light from the hospital to reopen.

“It is sad because it shut down a great resource room,” said Tricia Telemaque, host and board member of the family room. “When we open really depends on the day-to-day and what happens with COVID. However, we are on alert and ready to go back full force.”

Coffee and snacks are available, and snacks have been individually wrapped during the pandemic. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

The lounge emulates an apartment-style environment with countless amenities for family members such as a fully stocked kitchen, private showers and laundry machines.

Pre-pandemic, volunteers would solicit the community to have restaurants, pizza places and bigger chains such as Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s deliver food that the volunteers would serve to the families of the sick children. The lounge offered breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Providing emotional support for families is another key aspect of the volunteer work. Having a person to talk to could serve as a stress reliever for the unfortunate circumstances going on in a parent’s life.

“I remember one day I was sitting in the room and this one woman was folding her laundry and she asked, ‘Could I just sit and talk to you because talking to someone while folding laundry feels normal’ so it really is more of a solace room,” Telemaque said. 

According to her, the children admitted in the hospital also have siblings who come to the lounge and are often forgotten about. The volunteers make sure there are plenty of books and toys to play with, not only for the child admitted but for their siblings too. 

“The intent is to not have any white coats [doctors] in the lounge,” Telemaque said. “So, it’s not a place where doctors and nurses can come in.” 

One of the biggest goals for Ronald McDonald House Charities is to bring awareness to Long Islanders about what the lounge is and its purpose for the families that use it. 

Since the pandemic began, the organization has continued to work hard for families who were suffering through the COVID period. However, donations of food have become more complicated due to the need to have items individually wrapped such as chips and granola bars. 

The family room relies fully on donations from the surrounding community and businesses, as it serves approximately 3,600 families a year, so fundraising is essential for their need to remain active. 

“When I started working in the room, I was amazed at how few of my friends knew that there was a Ronald McDonald [room] here in Stony Brook,” Telemaque said. “So simple awareness that there is such a need for something like this is very important and I think that is an underserved opportunity.” 

The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital has an area where families can sit and talk. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

Among many parents who have used the family room, Karen Maher said using the room has been a huge stress reliever on both her and her daughter, who is undergoing cancer treatment.

“I look at the Ronald McDonald House as a blessing,” Maher said. “They really helped my daughter’s treatment go much easier for me and her. They’d bring little gifts for her too, something as simple as a teddy or a blankie.” 

With the help of the lounge and their conveniences, Maher was finally able to get the rest and relaxation she needed.

For more information on how to donate to the Ronald McDonald Family Room in Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, visit www.rmhcnym.org or call 516-775-5683. 

District Attorney Tim Sini (D). File photo by Victoria Espinoza

Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini (D) today announced the indictment of an alleged gang member for Attempted Murder for shooting two victims in Port Jefferson Village.

“This was a senseless act of gun violence committed by a dangerous individual,”  Sini said. “Both victims have been left with severe lasting impacts as a result of the shooting. My Office will continue to hold gang members and perpetrators of gun violence accountable.”

Ethan Ladd, 20, is charged with two counts of Attempted Murder, a class B violent felony; two counts of Assault in the First Degree, a class B violent felony; Criminal Use of a Firearm in the First Degree, a class B violent felony; and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C violent felony.

Ladd has been identified by law enforcement as a member of the Just Chasing Money (“JCM”) gang.

At approximately 2 a.m. on June 19, Ladd entered a restaurant near 109 Main Street in Port Jefferson where he encountered a 23-year-old man and a 20-year old man and allegedly became engaged in an argument with one of the men. Ladd, the two men and several other individuals moved to a nearby parking lot where a physical altercation ensued with one of the men. 

Ladd allegedly retrieved a .380 caliber handgun from his vehicle and shot one of the men in the abdomen. He then allegedly shot the other man twice in the leg and once in the arm at close range before fleeing the scene in his vehicle.

Both victims were transported to a local hospital with serious physical injuries.

Following an investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Suffolk County Police Department, Ladd was arrested on June 20.

If convicted of the top counts, Ladd faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison.

Ladd was arraigned on the indictment today by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei.

The People requested that bail be set in the amount of $1 million cash or $5 million bond. The Court transferred bail from Ladd’s arraignment in Suffolk County District Court in the amount of $25,000, which Ladd previously posted.

He is due back in court on Aug. 26 and is being represented by Steven Politi.

 This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sheetal Shetty, of the Felony Offense Bureau.

 

by -
0 671
Photo from Sarah Anker

On Friday, June 11, the Suffolk County Legislature hosted the second annual Women Veterans Appreciation Day Ceremony over Zoom.

During the ceremony, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) recognized Janis Henderson as this year’s Suffolk County Women Veterans Appreciation Day 6th District Honoree. 

Henderson is a local veteran who proudly served during her early life in the United States Maine Corps. In addition to her military service, Janis was a school nurse at the Mount Sinai School District for 30 years and has been a member of the Mount Sinai Fire Department since 1974, earning Mount Sinai Fire Fighter of the year in 1977.

 “I have known Janis Henderson for many years, and it has always been wonderful to work with her,” Anker said. “Janis has been such a shining star in our community. She has not only served our community through active military service, but also as a life-long community volunteer. It gives me great pride and it is an honor to recognize Janis Henderson for this year’s Women Veterans Appreciation Day.”

Her devotion to service to the community extended beyond her careers as a veteran, firefighter and local school nurse. Janis has also dedicated much of her life to various community volunteerism efforts including serving on the Christian Outreach Board, as a member of the Episcopal Order of Saint Francis, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, being a wildlife animal rehabilitator and cocker spaniel rescuer, providing pet therapy at local nursing homes, and playing piano at the Port Jefferson Senior Center.

Last year, the Suffolk County Legislature designated June 12 as Women Veterans Appreciation Day through Resolution 94-2020 to recognize women who proudly serve in the United States Armed Forces. Each year, a woman veteran is honored in each legislative district.

 

Stock photo

Suffolk County police officers and Wading River Fire Department members rescued a woman who was in distress while swimming in the Long Island Sound in Shoreham on Sunday, July 18.

A woman called 911 to report that her friend, Johanna Scheiber, was swimming in the Long Island Sound and the caller, who was on Shoreham Beach, lost sight of Scheiber at approximately 6:50 a.m.

Marine Bureau Officer Gregory Stroh, 7th Precinct police officers and members of the Aviation Section responded. Seventh Precinct officers interviewed the caller and directed the police helicopter to the search area. 

Aviation Section Sergeant John Vahey, Officer David Rosante and Stony Brook University Hospital Flight Paramedic Chris Barnes, who were in the police helicopter, located Scheiber in the water approximately one-mile offshore and Barnes and Rosante dropped floatation devices from the helicopter to the swimmer.

 Members of the Wading River Fire Department responded on a boat and transported the victim to shore. Scheiber, 21, of Sayville, was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

Ira Dunne, president of The Social Brain in Port Jefferson Station, at last month’s Bike and Helmet Safety Day event. Photo from the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce

By Joan Nickeson

Selfless and supportive. There are many 501c3 nonprofits in our communities, which hold a special recognition by the state and local governments. In the old days we referred to them as “charities.” 

Being charitable has never been more important, so I’m shining the light on one exceptional organization, The Social Brain, founded by Ira Dunne. 

A behavioral specialist with a master’s in therapeutic recreation, Dunne has transformed the lives of traumatic brain injury survivors on Long Island and their office center is right here in Port Jefferson Station.

“Traumatic brain injury survivors may be getting support during the week, but come the weekend, there is a void,” Dunne said. “Building social activities that accommodate their physical challenges has lacked organized support. That’s why we created the Social Brain.”

They just completed their first music therapy event, where clients interacted with a certified therapist and 15 different instruments. Dunne explained how singing of familiar songs builds cognitive skills, sparking memories. Manipulating instruments motivates and engages the individuals in a fun group setting. 

The Social Brain, a member of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce, recently held a hugely successful Bike and Helmet Safety Day at the chamber train car. 

TBR News Media covered the event where new helmets were given away to children and adults, and the importance of head protection was discussed. All helmets had been donated via the Social Brain website; thesocialbrain.org. 

One hundred percent of their services are provided through donations. For more information contact Ira Dunne at 631-793-4311 or [email protected].

Joan Nickeson is an active member of the PJS/Terryville community and community liaison to the PJS/T Chamber of Commerce.

Photo from Mike Finnican

“What happened on September 11, is something that will be with me for every day of my life yet we know somehow we’ll pass through it. Time goes on. But it reminds us of the sole appreciation that we have always had for our family, our friends, our community and our country. He will be missed forever.” 

These were the words of Helga Curtin on Nov. 20, 2001, to identify the unique character of her late husband, Michael Sean Curtin, who was a sergeant major in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and a member of the New York City Emergency Services Unit. 

Photo from the 3256 Foundation

On 9/11, Mike Curtin wished his wife a happy birthday, sent flowers to her job and expected to arrive back at their Medford home where he was planning to make her a special dinner. On this beautiful late summer day, the United States was attacked by terrorists and, like many other rescue workers, he answered the call to help others survive this tragic date.  

As an Emergency Services Unit sergeant, Curtin was no stranger to handling delicate situations. Being a member of a strong city law enforcement agency, it was common for him to deal with a myriad of responsibilities. 

He was well versed in leading hostage negotiations, administering first aid, facing suicide attempts and helping others through challenging rescues of citizens. He had significant experience through the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. It was observed that he spent a great deal of time working with law and government officials during this early terrorism attack on the city. 

Always seen as a “squared away” leader through his time in the military, his presence was always felt during every type of incident, including Osama bin Laden’s first attempt to destroy this financial center.

Oklahoma City bombing and Harlem rescue

Two years later, he was ordered after the Oklahoma City bombing to assist within recovery efforts at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in that city. This building was devastated from domestic terrorism, where 168 people were killed, including six members of the Armed Forces. 

During this support, Curtin saw the red “blood stripe” of one of the two members of the Marine Corps that were lost in this debris. 

Randy Guzman was a Marine captain who worked in the recruiting station that was located on the sixth floor of this building. Curtin noticed his remains and right away asked for permission to detach fellow law enforcement and military figures to help him dig through the rubble to properly recover the remains of Guzman.  

For several hours, Curtin led this difficult task of using heavy machinery to reach this deceased Marine. Curtin was a combat veteran of the first Gulf War who was with the American spearhead to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi military. 

Photo from the 3256 Foundation

He still served in the Marine Corps Reserves, where he had the senior leadership rank of first sergeant. Once Curtin and his men reached Guzman, this loud work site, automatically became quiet, as the body was carried out with an American flag placed over the fallen Marine. 

Rarely speaking about his job, Curtin recalled this somber moment and said, “Everyone was watching in silence as we brought our Marine out.” 

The following year, members of the Guzman family and New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) took a picture with Curtin to show appreciation for his determination and skills to assist the residents of Oklahoma City impacted by this explosion.

A good friend who worked closely with Curtin to handle the immense tasks of the Emergency Services is retired Lt. Owen McCaffrey of Bay Shore. This officer was Curtin’s supervisor of Truck 2 in Harlem that helped cover nine precincts from 86th Street to Washington Heights within Upper Manhattan. 

Thinking of his good friend, McCaffrey believed that Curtin was one of the finest sergeants within the New York City Police Department to lead his men. To this day, McCaffrey vividly remembers the positive attributes of Curtin as being a “devoted, reliable, and trustworthy cop.” 

He saw the positive influence of the Marine Corps on the presence of Curtin who always stressed the importance of training, drilling his men and getting them to quickly think during all types of situations. 

And while this Marine was a tough, no-nonsense individual, Curtin usually cooked his men a breakfast of eggs, bacon and sausage. McCaffrey recalled that Curtin was a “solid supervisor that always looked after his men that were highly trained for their difficult jobs.” 

The bravery that Curtin demonstrated never subsided, and in 1999 he saved a trapped resident of a Harlem building before the structure collapsed.

September 11, 2001

On 9/11, as Curtin was planning to return home for his wife’s birthday, America was attacked. As our citizens were putting their children on school buses and handling their daily functions, this nation was hit by the sting of terrorism in Manhattan, Washington, D.C., and over the farm fields of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Right away, rescue workers headed toward the World Trade Center to help people escape the earliest moments of bin Laden’s assault on the United States. Curtin was with several other agency personnel who were quickly dispatched to aid others.

Never one to waver under any form of military or law enforcement duress, he was on hand to guide his men with the goal to save as many people as possible. Through this challenging chaos, Curtin and his fellow officers were in the middle of this attack that saw debris crashing around them, and thousands of people trying to flee from this terror. At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed, and it became apparent that the North Tower, also hit by an aircraft, would face the same the destruction.  

Photo from Mike Finnican

As some of his men were several floors above him to assist others to escape the North Tower, Curtin directed those officers around him to immediately leave this building before it collapsed, and head for safety. He refused to follow them, as according to McCaffrey, he made the “conscious decision” to stay with those remaining men that were still in this building, even as he realized that this building was going to eventually fall. At 10:28 a.m., officers from Truck 2 who were ordered to leave this location, watched in dismay as the North Tower fell to the ground.  They automatically realized that Curtin had passed away. He was one of 14 Emergency Services and Bomb Squad figures killed from these attacks on New York City.  

Whereas the authorities knew where Curtin was buried in the rubble of Ground Zero, it took until March 6, 2002, to finally locate the remains of this 13-year veteran of the NYPD. His body was not fully removed until Helga Curtin and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly arrived at the location. They were met by an army of rescue workers, law enforcement, salvage crews and government officials who were silent as Curtin was taken out of the debris with a flag placed over his body. Within the early morning hours, the motorcade that held Curtin was heading up FDR Drive in Manhattan. The streets were lined with police officers that stopped the traffic and saluted the remains of Curtin, who was escorted by his wife and local law enforcement and military leadership. Four years after Curtin lost his life with other rescue workers, President George W. Bush (R) posthumously awarded public safety officers the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor for those men and women who died in uniform during these attacks.

When speaking to different members of Curtin’s family, the affection that they have for him has never diminished since he died. This Rocky Point High School student was a strong soccer player who worked at the local statuary on Route 25A. After he graduated in 1975, he enlisted into the Marine Corps. His strong, smart and kind presence is still missed by his entire family from Helga, and his daughters Jennifer, Heather and Erika, also younger loved ones who are immensely proud of his honorable achievements to support this country.

Annual golf outing

Over the last 17 years, Curtin’s cousin Mike Finnican has been instrumental in organizing an annual golf outing that has been held at Cherry Creek in Riverhead. This function’s main goal is to remember Curtin and the numerous rescue workers and military members who have supported this country since 9/11. Finnican reflected on the hospitality of Curtin, especially during a July 4, 2001, barbecue that saw his cousin wear his red, white and blue shorts as he cooked for his family and friends. Some 20 years later, Finnican looked over the fairways and greens at Cherry Creek to see more than 300 people attend a golf outing that was held July 12. Finnican, along with his wife, children, grandchildren and members of the Lukasz, Dwyer and Curtin families, all donated their time to support their 20th successful golf outing. During the day, younger family members and friends wore smiles on their faces to sell raffle tickets and T-shirts for the 3256 Foundation. One of these included Michael Sullivan, the 5-year-old grandson named after Curtin, who was present with his parents and his cousins to support this family tradition.

Mike Curtin’s daughter, Jen Sullivan, with her husband Jon and their children, Michael and Grace. Child on the left is McCormack Baker, grandson of Mike Finnican. Photo from Mike Finnican

Curtin’s custom was to be warm to others, and this week his family and friends continued his legacy in making every participant of this outing feel welcome during a special annual event. Most people who read about the heroic exploits that Curtin presented in the military and the NYPD marvel at the abilities of this local graduate to serve at home and abroad. But this highly capable figure rarely addressed his experience and Finnican stated that Curtin “was a good man that never bragged about his experiences that was absolutely loyal to his family.”  

It is safe to say that Curtin’s name will be remembered for some time through this yearly golf outing. With a color guard and the sounds of bagpipes, laughter and stories that brought smiles to a crowd who listened intently about the professional stories of Curtin, it was easy to tell that everyone who played golf and attended the dinner had a grand time in honoring this hero. At the end of the night, there was a major raffle that saw people win televisions, video games, children’s toys, restaurant gift cards and an auction of sports memorabilia and baseball tickets.  

As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, there will be noticeable grief to remember the almost 3,000 people killed on that fateful day. But the golf outing had a surplus of smiles from the family members of Curtin and those law enforcement and military veterans who look forward to seeing each other to support this worthy endeavor. 

The 3256 Foundation over the last two decades has created an important sense of comradery amongst its participants to never forget the moment that America was attacked. And this would not be possible if it were not for determination of Finnican and his team who have established one of the finest patriotic events in Suffolk County. Like Curtin, his family members are patriots who seek little fanfare, and they are motivated to reflect on a hero who spent his life defending this country in the Marines and always helping others in the NYPD. 

May we never forget about rescue workers like Michael S. Curtin who were the earliest casualties of bin Laden’s attempt to harm the American way of life.

Photo by Julianne Mosher

Famed scientist, inventor and entrepreneur Nikola Tesla would have been 165 this year, and the best way to celebrate his life and legacy was to party at his old lab in Shoreham. 

On Saturday, July 10, hundreds of people gathered at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe for the Tesla Birthday Expo and Birthday Night Show.

The events featured a number of educational exhibits including many of the local STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and math — exhibits, robotic clubs, Tesla coils, Tesla car showcase, amateur radio, battlebots, Maker Space trailer, local artisans and an interactive STEAM bus from New York Institute of Technology. The daytime event was coupled with a lively nighttime celebration featuring the band ArcAttack.

“What an amazing day to celebrate one of this world’s most acclaimed scientist and inventor,” said county Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai). “Thanks to the many TSCW volunteers, local and international community support, and the many partnerships with government, Nikola Tesla’s legacy will continue to inspire and encourage our future scientists.”

The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, located in Shoreham, is Nikola Tesla’s last remaining laboratory. Known as a man before his time, he was deemed a genius while researching alternating current systems. He believed that energy didn’t have to be a rich man’s luxury. Energy could be available to all and powered naturally. He thought he could power the whole Northeastern seaboard from Niagara Falls. 

An inventor with hundreds of patents, he was involved in the invention of the radio, remote control and more.

In 1901 Tesla acquired the Wardenclyffe property in Shoreham to test his theories of being able to wirelessly transmit electrical messages, funded by J.P. Morgan. A huge 187-foot tower was designed and constructed for the purpose.

In 1903 creditors confiscated his heavier equipment, and in 1917 the tower was demolished. The concrete feet used to hold the structure can still be seen on the property today. 

Tesla was eventually cut off, causing him to lose control of the site. The property became a film processing company in the early ’30s, where harsh chemicals were dumped into the ground. The contaminated property was sold again and became shuttered in 1987. 

A decades-long cleanup ensued, and the property was put back up for sale. 

The community — locally, nationally and even internationally — came together to fundraise to eventually buy the property in 2013, preserve it and make it a real historic site. 

According to Doug Borge, chief operating officer at TSCW, “At our annual Tesla Birthday events, we not only celebrate Nikola Tesla’s contributions, but also his living legacy that we each build upon through science and innovation.”

The mission of Tesla’s last remaining lab is to develop the site into a transformative global science center that embraces his bold spirit of invention, provides innovative learning experiences, fosters the advancement of new technologies and preserves his legacy in the Tesla Museum.

The group imagines a world where people appreciate Tesla’s contributions, are inspired by his scientific audacity and engage in the future betterment of humanity.

“Today is a perfect example of where we are as an organization,” Borge said. “We’re a community hub for people that love science technology, that are associated with Nikola Tesla and to be a resource for people to leverage, learn and become their own version of Tesla.”

In general, technology and interactivity at this year’s Tesla Birthday Expo were more engaging and popular than ever, he added. New and expanded STEAM exhibits allowed attendees to get hands-on with Tesla inventions and technology. 

ArcAttack made their first visit to Wardenclyffe and took things to a whole new level with a performance at the night shows featuring Tesla coils, rock music and lightning-producing electric instruments. Volunteers in the audience were “zapped” in a Faraday cage, including TSCW’s executive director Marc Alessi.

“We weren’t sure what to expect in terms of attendance at this year’s Tesla Birthday events, due to the pandemic,” Borge said. “Fortunately, we had a great turnout at both the daytime Tesla Birthday Expo and night show.”

Borge added that “the expo is interesting because you can see the crowds clustering around specific exhibits and interacting with enthusiasm.”  

Some fan favorites were the 3D scan that showed the interior of Tesla’s laboratory as it looks today, the robotics and maker space area, along with the go-carts and robots zipping around. 

“This is such an exciting event for the community to learn about important advances in technology,” said attorney and advocate Laura Ahearn, of Port Jefferson. “I’m really excited about getting to meet community members that come here, and some of the high school students that have built from scratch robotic devices better than anything … when I was in high school, I wish I would have had the opportunities that these young students have because it’s going to help them in their future.”

Borge said within the next few weeks, demolition of the dilapidated, noncontributing factory building suffocating Tesla’s laboratory will begin. Additionally, they plan to break ground on its visitor center that will allow them to pilot exhibits and engage and educate more visitors at Wardenclyffe. 

“These are important next steps in the development of TSCW and a moment that many of our global supporters have been looking forward to since TSCW’s record-breaking crowdfund in 2012, which raised $1.4 million in six weeks from 33,000 donors in 108 countries,” he said. “These funds, along with a matching grant from New York State and contributions from supporters like the Musk Foundation, enabled us to purchase Wardenclyffe in 2013. Fast forward to 2021, and TSCW is now positioned to start renovations after raising $10.2 million and acquiring the necessary plans and permits. It’s important to note that we still need to raise another $9.8 million to finish developing the site.”

County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) also made an appearance.

“It’s just really exciting to encourage interest in science and to recognize the history here on Long Island,” she said. “It has such an important impact in so many ways.”

The center will be hosting more events this summer, including the Sound of Science concert on Aug. 28 in collaboration with another nonprofit, Rites of Spring Festival, that will offer a unique immersive musical experience by electronic musicians and contemporary composers.  

Sept. 23 is TSCW’s Third Annual Gala fundraiser for an evening of virtual entertainment, auctions and tech surprises. 

Later in the year, Wardenclyffe will host a Halloween event on Oct. 30, and their annual holiday lighting on Dec. 3. 

Stock photo

Starting on July 23, Tokyo will host the Summer Olympic Games with athletes from around the world without any spectators.

Medical director of Healthcare Epidemiology at Stony Brook University Hospital

Already postponed a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the games will look much more like the National Basketball Association bubble games and Major League Baseball’s empty stadiums than the current version of professional American sports.

“There is tremendous vaccination disparity throughout the globe,” said Susan Donelan, medical director of Healthcare Epidemiology at Stony Brook University Hospital, in an email. “Despite what many Americans believe, the global pandemic is very much alive and problematic. Superimpose this on the fact that another state of emergency has just been declared in Tokyo due to rising COVID-19 cases, and it is not difficult to understand how this decision was arrived at.”

Indeed, the Olympics draw athletes from close to 200 countries and territories, with thousands of competitors representing themselves, their families and their countries.

In Japan, just over 15% of the population is fully vaccinated, which is still “low compared with 47.4% in the United States and almost 50% in Britain, according to Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at St. Charles Hospital. “That greatly increases the probability of an explosion in the number of Covid infection cases especially if the Olympic stadiums are packed or even at 50% capacity.”

While people in the United States are increasingly relaxing restrictions after the increasing availability of vaccines, health officials throughout the world have not only had to contend with the uneven availability of the vaccine in different countries, but also with the spread of the more infectious delta variant.

The original virus, or so-called wild type, came from Wuhan, China. Over time, viruses mutate, typically during replication, when they incorrectly copy one or more of the base pairs in their genes.

Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at St. Charles Hospital

While most mutations are harmless, some can make a virus more problematic. Termed variants, viruses that differ from the original can produce different symptoms or have different qualities.

The delta variant, which started in India in December of 2020, has become the dominant strain in the United States and, likely in Suffolk County, in part because an infected person can transmit it much more easily.

The delta variant “concentrates in the upper respiratory cells, which is one of the reasons why it transmits so much easier among people and why it’s a concern,” said Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/Northwell Health and associate professor of medicine at Hofstra School of Medicine.

Indeed, the delta variant is 50% more transmissible than the alpha, or UK variant, which was about 50% more transmissible than the original, Donelan wrote.

Boosters

Amid the spread of the delta variant, companies like Pfizer have been meeting with federal health officials to discuss the potential need for a booster shot.

Pfizer’s rationale for a booster is that the vaccine’s ability to prevent infection and symptomatic disease seems to wane six months after vaccination, citing data from the Israel Ministry of Health, according to Dhuper.

The World Health Organization, however, indicates that “more data are needed before reaching the same conclusion,” Dhuper explained in an email. A recent study in the journal Nature found evidence that the immune response to vaccines is “strong and potentially long lasting,” which is based on the data that the germinal centers in the lymph nodes are producing immune cells directed at COVID-19.

At this point, officials from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are unwilling to provide an emergency use authorization for a booster.

These government agencies believe people who have been vaccinated are protected from severe disease and death, including variants like delta, Dhuper wrote.

Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/Northwell Health

Popp expressed confidence in the CDC to determine when a booster might be necessary, as the national health organization reviews data for the entire country.

Someone who is vaccinated in the United States should have “decent immunity” against this altered virus, according to Popp. The immunity will vary from person to person depending on the underlying health and immunity.

Indeed, Popp said several vaccinated people who have come to Huntington Hospital recently have tested positive for the virus.

The hospital discovered the cases, all but two of which were asymptomatic, because they tested for the virus for people who were coming to the hospital for other reasons, such as a broken hip. Two of the cases had mild symptoms, while the others were asymptomatic.

“The effectiveness of the current COVID vaccines is quite high,” Dhuper wrote. “In fact, it is much higher than some other vaccines we commonly receive.”

He contrasted this with the annual flu vaccine, which has an effectiveness of around 40 to 60% from year to year.

Dhuper also explained that antibodies are only part of the immune response that makes vaccines effective. T-cells and memory B cells are also involved. Some researchers have found that T cells in the blood of people who recovered from the original version of COVID-19 recognized the three mutant strains of the virus, which could reduce the severity of any subsequent infection.

Based on the available data and current information in Japan, Popp said he would likely participate in the Olympics in Tokyo if he were a member of an Olympic team.