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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

We are stuck in a headline and news cycle rut. Please find below some fantasy headlines, and the sources or unlikeliest of sources, for those news flashes.

— “Kardashian women decide not to show any more skin” – People Magazine. In the interests of encouraging people to dress appropriately for winter weather and to draw attention to their ideas rather than their bodies, the Kardashians decide that revealing less of their over-exposed bodies will aid society.

— “President Biden had a great day” – The New York Post. Granted, President Biden hasn’t exactly created a stellar track record in his first year in office – the withdrawal from Afghanistan clearly could have gone better – but the The New York Post seems intent on providing a steady stream of stories excoriating him for everything.

— “Former President Trump tells the whole truth and nothing but the truth” – The Washington Post. Fond of fact checking the former president, the Washington Post would certainly attract attention with a fact check that suggests the former leader of the free world was being honest.

— “Senator McConnell itching to approve Biden’s Supreme Court pick” – The New York Times. Using unnamed sources, of course, the Times could break one of the biggest stories of the decade if McConnell somehow signaled that he was eager to give a liberal Supreme Court nominee the benefit of the doubt and his full support.

— “Giants and Jets get A’s for effort” – New York Daily News. It seems obvious and easy to pick on losing sports teams, particularly those that haven’t delivered for rabid fans for years. Hometown papers could recognize the effort, even if the results aren’t there.

— “We don’t really know, but look out your window” – the Weather Channel. I give weather.com credit for calling last weekend’s nor’easter well. About five days before a single flake fell, they knew that a big storm had the potential to form and dump tons of snow in the area. They were right. Then again, all of that technology doesn’t always play out scenarios accurately. It’d be funny and fitting if they said on the air, “big storm could be coming our way. Or not.”

— “Inflation totally under control” – CNBC. Despite evidence to the contrary at the gas pump, in the supermarket and just about anywhere people have to pay for goods or services, wouldn’t it be great if inflation somehow, magically, came under control, giving the Fed the chance to stay on the sidelines for an economy still recovering from the pandemic?

— “Fauci appreciates the respect and support of Senator Rand Paul” — Reuters. Okay, so, this may be among the least likely of the headlines, but, wouldn’t it be nice/ shocking if the two doctors somehow were on the same page?

— “Spirit of bipartisanship sweeps through Washington” – Politico. Yeah, sure, we can dream. Dems and Repubs aren’t seeing eye to eye on anything. In fact, they seem to be energizing their bases by attacking the other side. Still, the day such a report came out would indeed be a chance to celebrate.

— “Children rediscover books” – Apple News Spotlight. Disenchanted with electronics, children around the world left social media for a day and enjoyed interacting with characters like Horton, Mr. Tumnus, Meg Murry, Alec Ramsey and Emma Woodhouse.

— “Hero scientists behind life saving vaccines” – Fox News. Despite some members of conservative media taking vaccines to protect themselves and their families, they and their guests sometimes praise those who resist vaccines and question the legitimacy of the vaccines for others.

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The Fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Here comes Russia again. I am of the generation of children that took refuge from an imaginary atomic bomb attack from Russia by pulling our coats over our heads and crouching under our desks. We grew up with the Cold War always threatening Soviet aggression on both foreign and domestic soils. Were there Communist cells, funded by Russia, hidden among us that could erupt at any time? McCarthy whipped the nation to a fever pitch. The United States and the Soviet Union raced each other to influence governments and people, ideologically and financially, all over the globe. 

I still remember the relief I felt, going to the old Metropolitan Opera House in 1959, to view a performance by members of the Bolshoi Ballet, who came to America bringing not only the most breathtaking dancers but also tangible evidence of detente. And then the Berlin Wall came down. I was there. At least I was there in 1989, six weeks before they broke through to West Berlin. I walked No Man’s Land, the barren stretch between East and West Berlin, with cameras trained on anyone who would start the crossing between those two universes, seeking permission from the guards to go behind the Iron Curtain. 

I was in the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C. in 1991 with a small group of journalists, being feted with caviar and blinis, when word came that the Soviet Union had crumbled, and then the embassy personnel cried. “The end of a dream,” they sobbed. The end of a nightmare, I thought, as they led us to the exits and fell upon the sumptuous food we left behind. Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Prize, the Russian people were real, not just the Evil Empire, and co-existence was finally possible. In a couple of years our attention turned to jihadists.

Now Russia is dramatically back in our lives. The Russia that for centuries had sought warm water ports and had ruled Crimea for 134 years until 1917. The Russia that again annexed Crimea, a part of Ukraine since 1954 and of an independent Ukraine since 1991, with armed intervention in 2014. The Russia that has now lined up reputedly over 100,000 troops on three sides of the Ukraine border, and with aggressive leadership is making demands.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is insisting that Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization initially formed after WWII as a protection against potential Soviet aggression, that has grown as more Eastern European countries have joined. Putin insists it is a security issue to have bordering Ukraine a NATO member. He also wants military exercises in nearby NATO states to cease and for offensive weapons to be removed from those NATO countries.

So where do we come into the picture?

“It seems to me that the United States does not care that much about Ukrainian security—maybe they think about it somewhere in the background,” Putin said in his news conference. “But their main task is to restrict the development of Russia.”

By “development,” the concern is that Putin wishes to restore the former Soviet empire and that, after Crimea, Ukraine would be the next step. Students of history will remember the lessons of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia and the “spheres of influence” imposed by the Yalta Conference (in ironically Crimea). Meanwhile, Putin, with his soldiers and weapons at the ready, is accusing the U.S. of threatening Russia. White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, likened Putin’s comments to “when the fox is screaming from the top of the henhouse that he’s scared of the chickens.”

Now, as of yesterday, the decision has been made to send several thousand troops to Poland, Germany and Romania. Presumably they are meant to show support for NATO and for the principle that countries may decide which alliances they will enter.

Meanwhile everyone concerned, including Putin, has embraced the idea of diplomacy as a path to a Ukrainian solution. For the moment, at least, the spotlight has moved away from constant COVID.

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Above, Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro with Holtsville Hal and Holtsville Hal’s handler, Greg Drossel.
Holtsville Hal 2022
Above, Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro with Holtsville Hal’s handler, Greg Drossel, revealing Hal’s 2022 prognostication.
Holtsville Hal 2022

Following the blizzard that battered Brookhaven Town this past weekend, Holtsville Hal’s 2022 prognostication was welcome news for many. After awaking from his slumber, Hal brushed the snow aside to emerge from his burrow and did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring for the Town of Brookhaven. The virtual event was livestreamed on the Holtsville Ecology Site’s Facebook page on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2.

According to tradition, if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; if not, spring should arrive early.

“After this weekend’s blizzard, I’m sure we are all looking forward to spring arriving on time and keeping our fingers crossed that our resident weatherman maintains his accuracy,” said Superintendent of Highways Daniel Losquadro. 

“Regardless, the Brookhaven Highway Department remains ready to handle whatever else Mother Nature sends our way during these remaining few weeks of winter.”

Above, Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro with Holtsville Hal’s handler, Greg Drossel, revealing Hal’s 2022 prognostication.

Photos courtesy of Town of Brookhaven

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Kevin A. Reed. Photo from Stony Brook University
As climate events continue to cause substantial widespread loss, damage, and financial costs that fall heavier on developing nations, a new commentary in the inaugural issue of PLOS Climate by two researchers, including Stony Brook University’s Professor Kevin A. Reed, calls for developed nations to direct resources toward operationalizing extreme weather events and impact attribution. While this kind of attribution technology is commonplace in the research community, if used by governments it could play a vital role in improving the global response to climate change by making that response more equitable and effective.

Authors Reed and Michael F. Wehner at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, point out the costs of extreme weather over the past 50 years are unevenly distributed across the world. Generally, the most financially expensive weather events have been hurricanes in the U.S., but the deadliest events are droughts and floods in developing nations.

“Our idea is to help guide and push operational centers and governments to use attribution technology to better quantify losses and damage due to climate change, so that the developed world can be better responsive to losses and damages in the developing world,” says Reed, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Research at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS).

The authors urge that extreme weather event attribution – science that quantifies the influence of anthropogenic climate change on specific individual events – can indeed play a significant role in quantifying loss and damage. They cite two examples in Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and a series of global heat waves over more than 25 years.

“While there has been much discussion about operationalizing extreme weather event attribution, none such exists today,” they write. “Rather attribution statements are performed by a myriad of academic-minded groups, mostly as research projects.”

They add that the credibility of extreme weather event attribution statements has been demonstrated for a wide variety of impactful events, and that observational, computational and statistical tools are readily available.

“Thus, we call on the funding agencies of developed nations to direct resources to their weather forecast services to begin to operationalize extreme weather event and impact attribution.”

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Michael Michaud Design Fern Earring
Michael Michaud Design Irish Thorn Brooch
Michael Vincent Michaud Mosaic Pendant

During February, The Reboli Center for Art & History in Stony Brook is proud to display the stunning botanical and cast glass jewelry created by Michael Michaud Design, as well as by his son Michael Vincent Michaud. According to Four Seasons Design Group, which represents the two companies, “The cast glass processes very much like the lost wax process of casting metal into jewelry. The glass is melted into a mold and then cooled and cleaned reproducing the shapes and colors to be placed into the metal bezels. During the process some air may be trapped in with the solidifying of the glass. It is those bubbles inside that make each piece unique and one of a kind.”

The Michael Michaud Design collection reflects his exceptional knowledge of jewelry making and his love of nature. He started as an apprentice mold cutter in 1973 and worked his way towards being a master precious metal caster and moldmaker. While a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Craftsmen, he learned many of the techniques that he still uses today to create his designs of nature in metal. Michaud worked for some of American’s leading jewelry designers before starting his own company.

Michael Vincent Michaud, the son of renowned jewelry designer Michael Michaud, studied with some of the finest glass artists at various institutions including the prestigious Corning and Urban glass programs. He was inspired by his father’s high craftsmanship and love of “art glass.” He was fortunate to begin his career at his father’s studio and collaborated with him to create glass elements for jewelry collections licensed by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. This experience enabled him and his brother Shane, who handles the business side, to create their own company, Michael Vincent Michaud, in 2011.

Their jewelry collection consists of pendants, necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, brooches and table art such as serving pieces, utensils, trivets and napkin rings.

“For the first time, The Reboli Center is delighted to showcase artisans who are a father and son.  Our Design Shop features some of the jewelry created by Michael Michaud Design, as well as by his son, Michael Vincent Michaud. Their jewelry is exquisitely detailed and so luminous when it catches the light,” said Lois Reboli, a founder and president of the Reboli Center.

The Reboli Center is located at 64 Main Street in Stony Brook, and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free and for more information, please call 631-751-7707.

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

Centereach

■A petit larceny was reported at Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach on Jan. 21. A man allegedly stole a 55” Samsung flat screen television valued at just over $400.

■Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported that a man allegedly stole a 65”Samsung flat screen television valued at just under $600 and an Vankyo projector screen valued at $240 on Jan. 18.

Commack

■ A store manager at Ulta Beauty on Veterans Highway in Commack reported that three men allegedly stole 21 assorted perfumes including Gucci, Dior and Chanel on Jan. 21. The value of the merchandise was valued at $2000.

■ CVS on Commack Road in Commack reported that a person took two shopping bags full of assorted cold medicine without paying on Jan. 18. The items were valued at approximately $500.

■ Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack called police on Jan. 21 to report a petit larceny. A man and a woman allegedly used a magnetic key to unlock all the merchandise protection in electronic department. Five Nintendo Switch games, one ps5 game, three Xbox games, one Xbox wireless controller, and two Xbox terabyte hard drives. The merchandise was valued at just under $1000.

Farmingdale

■ Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are investigating a robbery that occurred at an East Farmingdale bank on Jan. 23. A man allegedly entered TD Bank, located at 90 Broadhollow Road, at approximately 12:35 p.m., jumped over the counter and demanded cash from a teller. The teller complied and the man fled the bank on foot. The man was described as Black, approximately 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet tall, wearing dark clothing and a mask.

Greenlawn

■ First Presbyterian Church on Pulaski Road in Greenlawn reported that someone allegedly stole communion plates and cupholders valued at $75 on Jan. 21. 

Huntington

■ A catalytic converter was stolen from a 2007 Honda Accord parked in front of an apartment building on Dewey Street in Huntington on Jan. 18. 

■ A man called the police on Jan. 17 to report that a catalytic converter was stolen from his 2007 Honda CRV on Fairmount Street in Huntington. The vehicle had been parked across the street from his apartment.

■ A resident on Highview Drive in Huntington Bay called police on Jan. 17 to report a 2019 White BMW valued at approximately $20,000 had been stolen. 

Huntington Station

■ Ulta Beauty in the Huntington Shopping Center on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported that two people allegedly stole $2000 worth of fragrances on Jan. 22.

■ Sam Ash Music Stores on Old Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported a man allegedly stole a Taylor 214ce DLX guitar electric guitar valued at approximately $1600 on Dec. 30, 2021.

■ Macy’s at the Walt Whitman mall in Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported a petit larceny on Jan. 21. A woman allegedly stole six men’s coats valued at approximately $700.

■ Sno-Haus Ski and Snowboard Shop on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station reported that a man allegedly stole Fire +Ice ID ski jacket on Jan. 20. The jacket was valued at approximately $500.

Lake Grove

■Ulta Beauty on Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove that man and a woman allegedly stole 11 Dior men’s cologne bottles on Jan. 22. The value of the items was approximately $1200.

Melville

A woman parked her vehicle in a lot on the North Service Road of the LIE in Melville on Jan. 21. When she returned the front passenger side window was found broken and her handbag had been stolen containing a wallet, license and credit cards. 

Selden

■Target at Independence Plaza on Middle Country Road in Selden reported that a woman allegedly stole six boxes of diapers valued at approximately $270 on Jan. 20.

South Setauket

■Target on Pond Path in South Setauket called police on Jan 20 to report that a man allegedly stole 26 cans of baby formula valued at approximately $460.

■Target on Pond Path in South Setauket called police on Jan 22 to report a petit larceny. Someone allegedly stole Enfamil baby formula, paper towels and bath towels valued at approximately $700. 

■Stop and Shop in South Setauket reported a woman allegedly stole 5 bags of EZ Peel Shrimp valued at approximately $120 on Jan. 18.

■Best Buy on Pond Path in South Setauket called police to report a petit larceny on Jan. 18. A man allegedly walked out of the store with an iRobot Roomba s9+ vacuum without paying. The item was valued at approximately $850.

Stony Brook

■A resident on Quaker Path in Stony Brook reported that her vehicle was broken into on Jan. 18. Cash, gift cards, checks and a change purse were stolen

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

 

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Pixabay photo

When reading a police blotter — such as the one on page A6 — some people may be surprised at some of the incidents that occur in our towns and villages.

Take, for example, cars being broken into and the purses and laptops that were on one of the seats being stolen. Or people going around checking to see if a car door is open and, if it is, going inside the vehicle to see if there is anything valuable. Sometimes these incidents even involve teenagers seeing if they can find some loose change in the cupholder.

Police officers can’t be everywhere so the odds of one being nearby while someone is breaking a car window are next to impossible. And if someone is checking to see if a door is open, how are officers supposed to know if the vehicle belongs to the person or not?

When they are called to the scene, think of all the more serious incidents they are being taken away from to fill out a report for one that could have been prevented.

People who have grown up in a city know the golden rule, which is to lock doors, whether to a house or a car. It doesn’t matter if people are outside or inside their homes or vehicles. It can be as simple as that to reduce minor incidents in our communities. Also, valuables should never be left in plain sight in the car. If there is no choice, they should be put in the trunk, out of view.

Of course, we live in an imperfect world and crimes are going to happen even when people are careful.

TBR News Media has always encouraged neighborhood watches. In the early days of our media organization, The Village Times started the Neighborhood Watch in Suffolk County. Our editor at the time, Ann Fossan, was familiar with the Neighborhood Watch program from her home state of California. The program is easy enough to institute. Neighbors looking out their windows or walking down their driveways might spy an unfamiliar car or unknown person engaged in some inexplicable activity. They would then be encouraged by the police to call the nonemergency number of the local precinct and report it. The police do not feel they would be unnecessarily bothered; they welcome the cooperation of the public in order to do their jobs.

To work together as a neighborhood, the residents need to know how to alert each other. That means inviting neighbors over to a block leader’s home for coffee and exchanging phone numbers. In this way, people get to know their neighbors and, if there is a problem, everyone is alerted. Each block needs a block captain.

The result of our project was the alliance of 70 neighborhood groups which included 700 local families. At the time, teenage boys were going around checking to see if sliding patio doors on homes were open and, when they were, they would enter and commit theft. After establishing the Neighborhood Watch, the incidents decreased significantly.

Retirees can be especially effective with their oversight of local houses and streets from their homes.

Just the simple act of people being aware and mindful can make a difference. Frequently, discussions surround the fact that we need to show more support for law enforcement. This is one way to do that. Don’t aid and abet would-be criminals with careless behavior. Lock your doors and watch over your neighbors.

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#4 Anastasia Warren scored 12 points during Saturday's game. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The Seawolves came out victorious in the first Empire Clash as of the season as they defeated in-state SUNY rival UAlbany, 58-47, on Jan. 22 at Island Federal Arena. Stony Brook improves to 15-2, 6-1 America East on the season as it was led by three student-athletes scoring in double figures.

With the win, the Seawolves extend their winning streak to six games in a row. The six-game winning streak is Stony Brook’s second-longest streak of the season (won seven-straight games to start the season from Nov. 9-28). The Seawolves are now winners of eight out of their last nine games.

Stony Brook is one of 18 teams in the nation with 15 wins on the season. The Seawolves’ 15 wins are the most in the America East. The Seawolves moved into sole possession of first-place in the America East following today’s result.

Senior guard Anastasia Warren led the Seawolves with a team-high 12 points. Warren was followed by graduate forward India Pagan and junior guard Gigi Gonzalez. Both Pagan and Gonzalez each tallied 10 points apiece.

The Seawolves’ defense limited the Great Danes to 47 points on 33.9 percent shooting from the field, 14.3 percent shooting from three, and forced 21 turnovers. The Seawolves scored 25 points off turnovers as a result of their tenacious defensive effort.

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#15 Anthony Roberts plays defense during Saturday's game. Photo by Jay Bendlin/Stony Brook Athletics

Powered by a consistent attack throughout, the Stony Brook men’s basketball team (12-6, 4-1 America East) earned its third win in a row, knocking off UAlbany 86-78 at SEFCU Arena on Jan. 22.

The team shot 62.5 percent in the second half and hit four of their six shots from outside to keep their rivals at bay and set up a first-place clash with Vermont on Wednesday night. Anthony Roberts and Jahlil Jenkins paced five Seawolves in double figures, finishing with 18 and 16 points, respectively. They combined to shoot 13-for-21 from the field.

UAlbany jumped out of the gates to a 21-12 advantage at the 12:27 mark of the first half, but Stony Brook would respond with a 10-2 run to cut it down to one. After the hosts hit a three, the Seawolves doubled them up the rest of the way en route to a 40-35 halftime lead.

The Seawolves came storming out of the gates in the second half on a 10-4 run, opening up a double-figure lead that would only get as close as four the rest of the way to secure their third win in a row.

“Very, very, very well-played game for us. I think Albany came out and played super hard. They were prepared and excited,” said head coach Geno Ford. “We kept talking in those timeouts to weather the storm and stick with our gameplan. We’ve had a little tendency to get disjointed when things aren’t going well for us but tonight we didn’t do that and hopefully that’s a big sign of growth for us going forward. I thought Albany played well. The difference in the game was 3-point shooting. Excited for our guys. It was a really hard-fought win.”

Up next, the team welcomed the Vermont Catamounts on Jan. 26 for Round 2 of a series between the top two preseason teams in the America East. Results were not available as of press time.

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Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

Stony Brook University football head coach Chuck Priore has named linebacker Reidgee Dimanche, wide receiver Delante Hellams Jr., offensive lineman Kyle Nunez, and defensive back Randy Pringle as the Seawolves’ team captains for the 2022 season.

“I am really excited about the opportunity to work with our four captains for the 2022 football season. Reidgee Dimanche and Kyle Nunez are returning captains and they did a tremendous job in the 2021 season as leaders. They are joined by Randy Pringle and Delante Hellams Jr., which gives us great leadership. All four guys are sixth-year players and it’s awesome that we have that kind of leadership. Being a captain is about being yourself, you got elected for a reason, it’s probably because you’re a quality person, you set the examples correctly, and you love playing the game on the field. We are going to continue to strive to be successful that way with their leadership as a football program,” said coach Priore.

Dimanche is a returning captain and finished the 2021 season with 79 tackles (41 solo, 38 assists), 5.5 tackles for loss, a half of a sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 11 games. The linebacker was second on the team in total tackles and ranked 13th in the CAA.

Dimanche recorded a pair of 10-tackle games in 2021. He first made 10 stops in the Seawolves’ 24-3 win at Colgate on September 11. Two weeks later, Dimanche tallied 10 tackles against Fordham on September 25. The Hamilton, N.J. native registered six or more tackles in 10 out of 11 games this past season.

Hellams Jr. recorded 31 receptions for 357 yards in 2021. The wide receiver tallied at least one catch in every game this past season for the Seawolves. Hellams Jr. registered a season-high 66 yards on four receptions on October 2, at Rhode Island. He hauled in a season-long 36-yard reception against the Rams en route to his season-best 66-yard performance. The redshirt senior posted a season-high five receptions in the homecoming win over Richmond on October 23..

Like Dimanche, Nunez is a returning captain. Nunez earned All-CAA honors for the fourth year in a row and was tabbed to the Second Team for the third time in his career. The redshirt senior helped lead the Seawolves to 10 100-plus yard rushing performances in 2021. The team ran for 200 yards or more in three games and racked up a season-high 321 rushing yards in the, 36-14, win over UAlbany to reclaim the Golden Apple.

Nunez helped the running game average 176.1 yards per game, the second-most in the CAA and the Seawolves rushed for 19 touchdowns as a team, which were tied for the second-most in the conference.

Pringle finished the season with 47 tackles (27 solo, 20 assists), three interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and blocked kick. Pringle led the team in interceptions and was tied for the sixth-most in the CAA. His 47 tackles were good for the fourth-most on the team this past season. The defensive back helped the Seawolves earn a homecoming win over Richmond as he recorded a pair of interceptions in the win. The following week, Pringle recorded an interception in the road win at Maine on November 6. The Brooklyn native tallied a season-high eight tackles on October 9 at Towson.

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