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Yearly Archives: 2016

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A photo of the sun taken with the new telescope by Alan Friedman

Visitors to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium can now view the sun through a new solar telescope. The planetarium has just installed a Lunt Solar Systems hydrogen-alpha solar telescope in the observatory — for daytime observation of the sun.

Dave Bush keeps an eye on the sun with the new Vanderbilt solar telescope. Photo courtesy of the Vanderbilt Museum
Dave Bush keeps an eye on the sun with the new Vanderbilt solar telescope. Photo courtesy of the Vanderbilt Museum

Dave Bush, the planetarium’s technical and production coordinator, and an astronomy educator, said the solar telescope is mounted “piggy back” onto the 16-inch Meade reflecting telescope in order to track the sun across the sky.

“The refractor-style telescope with its 80-milimeter optical aperture gives us sharp detail and contrast of features on the surface and the limb, or edge, of the sun,” he said. “This telescope allows us to see prominences, flares, super granulation, filaments and active regions.”

Bush explained that hydrogen-alpha light is emitted by the hydrogen atoms that make up the majority of the sun’s composition. When electrons within the hydrogen atoms absorb energy and rise to a higher energy level and then fall back to their original orbits, light is emitted at a particular wavelength that can be seen with the specialized telescope.

“Typically, telescopic views of objects in outer space rarely change before our eyes in real time,” Bush said. “However, on a day when the sun is particularly active we can watch features on the sun evolve before our eyes while looking through an H-alpha telescope! The sun is dynamic and alive. It changes daily, and rotates,” he said.

A photo of the sun taken with the new telescope by Alan Friedman
A photo of the sun taken with the new telescope by Alan Friedman

In explaining the solar features in the picture of the sun, right, shot by photographer Alan Friedman, Bush said:

◆ The wisps of white curling off the upper left curve of the sun are prominences or arcs of gas that erupt from the surface. Sometimes the loops extend thousands of miles into space.

◆ The lighter spots and streaks are called plages, the French word for beaches, and are, appropriately, hot spots or bright emissions caused by emerging flux regions associated with the magnetic field of the sun.

◆ The tiny hair-like lines that extend from the surface are spicules. These are jets of hot gas that can rise up to 6,000 miles high. Most last only 15 minutes before morphing into new spicules.

◆ The dark spots are sun spots, which are cooler areas of the surface caused by the suppression of convection cells due to the sun’s strong magnetic field.

◆ The sun is 93 million miles from Earth and its size is almost beyond human comprehension — 1.3 million Earths could fit inside the sun.

The solar telescope is available for viewing on a limited schedule, on clear days. (The sun is not observable on cloudy or rainy days.)

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium is located at 180 Little Neck Road in Centerport. For more information, call 631-854-5579 or visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

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‘White Lilies,’ an oil painting by Ralph Iervolino will be raffled off at the show. Image from Constance Iervolino

The North Shore Beach Property Owners Association Auxiliary will host an Art Show & Sale at the North Shore Beach Clubhouse, 55 Clubhouse Drive, Rocky Point, Saturday, Aug. 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. and again from 7 to 9 p.m. Featuring 120 original paintings by nine Rocky Point artists. $5 admission includes light refreshments. Purchase a $5 raffle to win a painting. 25 percent of proceeds go toward NSBPOA renovations. Call 631-821-9207 for questions.

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'Into the Blue' by Mindy Carman

By Ellen Barcel

It was just about two years ago that Mindy Carman stopped into the Port Jefferson Village Center to ask about showing her work at the center’s gallery. She was surprised to find out that, first of all, the center was booked two years in advance. Second, the gallery is so large that a group show was suggested to her.

It didn’t take long for Carman to reach out to some of her artist friends and put together Celebrating the Beauty and Spirit of Long Island, a show of approximately 75 pieces that will run from Sept. 2 through Sept. 28. “Two years went by so fast,” said Carman who is now getting ready for the opening.

While the group’s common theme is the beauty of Long Island, each local artist approaches the theme in a very different way. Of the five artists, Carmen herself is a photographer. “Nancy and Charlie are my best friend’s parents,” referring to photographer and watercolorist Nancy Kapp and steel sculptor Charlie Kapp. Rounding out the artists showing their work are Mary Jo Allegra, landscapist in oils, and Moriah Ray, a watercolorist.

'Lobster Pot' by Mindy Carman
‘Lobster Pot’ by Mindy Carman

Carman noted she “mainly concentrates on capturing the beauty of our everyday surroundings [showing] us amazing images we take for granted living here in the coastal and agricultural towns of eastern Long Island.” This is evident in “Lobster Pot” an ordinary object found along the shore but seen from her very unique perspective.

Carman, who minored in photography in college, graduating from Stony Brook University, added, “capturing the moment in time, there’s something super-neat about that … It’s very gratifying when someone buys [a piece of my work].” She uses both film and digital media to capture that special moment in time. “I put pictures in old boat port holes as a frame,” said Carmen, noting that she also works in multimedia. “I design with sea glass and then pour resin on it.” There will be several of these multimedia pieces in the show as well as her photographs.

'Floral Study, Avalon' by Moriah Ray
‘Floral Study, Avalon’ by Moriah Ray

Ray, who grew up in Port Jefferson, attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She returned to Long Island with a master’s degree in art. A professional artist who works in art restoration and conservation, Ray will have approximately 15 of her watercolor paintings in the show. “I just love watercolor. It’s my favorite medium,” she said.

Ray did studies of wildflowers in Avalon Park in Stony Brook for some of her works. “I try to keep the light in there, keep it the way the flowers are in the landscaping,” she added. A palette knife is Allegra’s tool in creating her abstract landscapes. Usually a palette knife (a thin, flexible, blunt blade) is used to mix colors of paint on a palette. But some creative artists use the knife to apply paint to the canvas. Allegra, who is an art teacher at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, also teaches children’s and adult’s workshops during the summer in her Sun Porch Studio at her home in Stony Brook. Allegra attended Pratt Institute for undergraduate work and Columbia for a master’s degree in teaching and works primarily in oils.

The paints “move like butter, spreading across the canvas,” with the knife, she said. “I have a love affair with color and shape and how colors relate to each other.” She added, “The shapes in nature are an armature for applying color … I’ll mix a whole variety of colors that appeal to me … a palette of colors I’m attracted to. I let colors decide where they’re going on the canvas.” She added that the personality of each color “changes depending on who they’re hanging out with.” Quilters, stained glass artists and other artisans can relate to this, knowing that colors appear differently depending on what other colors they’re paired with.

Allegra’s canvases are small, in the six- to eight-inch range. Approximately 10 of them will be in the show. “I’m a playful person and my art definitely illustrates that. My hope is that when the people see my paintings they feel that,” she added.

‘The Wandering Star’ by Nancy Kapp. Photo from Milinda Watson
‘The Wandering Star’ by Nancy Kapp. Photo from Milinda Watson

Nancy Kapp, of Sound Beach, once worked in her husband’s ironworking business in addition to her photography and watercolors. “Photography has been my passion my whole life.” Her watercolors “are from my own photos — they’re all original.” Long Island, she said, “that’s my inspiration, the beauty of the area.” Kapp added, “My husband and I, as a couple, are boaters and skiers and that’s reflected in our art.”

Charlie Kapp, an ironworker by profession, “started the artistic side [of ironworking]” just a few years ago. “He does some freestanding work, up to about three feet,” but for the show, only pieces that can be hung on the wall are included, his wife said. “It’s something he always wanted to do.” She added that some of his work is also in a gallery in Vermont.

Ray summed up the show when she said, “Everybody’s pieces are so different. Long Island has such a rich culture.”

An opening reception, to which all are invited, will be held Friday, Sept. 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. The Port Jefferson Village Center is located at 101A East Broadway and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free. For further information, call 631-802-2160 or visit www.portjeff.com.

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Dog days got you down? Come meet the bulldogs of LIBR this Saturday. Photo courtesy of LIBR

Dog days got you down? Come meet the bulldogs of LIBR this Saturday. Photo courtesy of LIBR

Long Island Bulldog Rescue will hold its 4th annual Barbecue and Yard Sale Fundraiser Saturday, Aug. 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event, held at 304 Frowein Road in Center Moriches, will include a huge yard sale set on a beautiful horse farm, bullies on hand for guests to meet, as well as LIBR volunteers who will answer all questions on adoption, fostering and volunteering. Mobile dog grooming will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a wonderful barbecue, including hot dogs, hamburgers, and pasta salad, donated by the event sponsors, Iavarone Brothers, as well as beverages will be available for purchase during the fun-filled day. All proceeds will go toward providing medical, behavioral and other services to save the lives of bulldogs in urgent need of finding their own “LIBR 4EvrFamily!”® Free admission. Rain date is Aug. 28.

For more information, visit www.longislandbulldogrescue.org.

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Gloria Rocchio. Photo by Marie Gilberti

By Katelyn Winter

In 1939 Ward Melville along with his wife Dorothy created a not-for-profit corporation, the Stony Brook Community Fund, later named The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, to maintain and protect the historical and sensitive environmental properties that he would deed to it over the coming years. 75 years later, the organization continues to thrive. I recently had the opportunity to interview Ms. Gloria Rocchio, president of The WMHO, in her office at the Stony Brook Village Center.

How did you get involved with the WMHO?

My husband and I moved here on Memorial Day in 1977, and we volunteered for the organization. Mr. Melville passed away on June 7, 1977. I looked out the window, and I asked myself, is everything going to change? So we volunteered for a year or so, and then my predecessor decided to retire. I wasn’t too interested in applying [for the position] because I was head of Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau. My husband wanted me to, because he never saw me. I was traveling to Washington, Albany and all over Long Island. So I applied [because] after volunteering here for a couple of years, I thought I knew what should be changed. I told them what I thought at the interview, and as I was leaving, I thought, well I won’t be selected. And I was. 36 years later, here I am, and I love it.

So you’ve lived here since 1977?

Actually I’ve been coming here since 1959. My mother and I came here, and when I got married, it was the only place I wanted to live. [My husband and I] got married in Nassau County and we honeymooned at the Three Village Inn.

What do you love about being president of The WMHO?

Well, first of all, for the first ten years I worked for Mrs. Melville — she was president. She was a wonderful mentor; I learned everything from her. She guided me, she had a great sense of architecture, and she was just a very intelligent, brilliant lady. Every day is a challenge. When I hire people I always say you’ll never be bored again, and it’s true. It’s not for everybody, it’s 24/7, and I’m not a one-man band. I have a wonderful staff that’s very hard working and we have a board of trustees that are very interesting, community minded, selfless, dedicated, and many of the people in the community don’t know them but they’re there and we have many meetings throughout the year. I’m just happy to be here.

What do you love about Stony Brook Village, and what is your favorite season here?

Oh, I love it all, I can’t pick one over another. But season is probably the fall, it’s just beautiful. We own the wetlands, 88 acres of it, and [one day] Dr. [Erwin] Ernst and I took some elected officials to the Marine Conservation center in a boat. It was in October, and the grasses and the trees were so golden. It was [Ernst’s] idea to come up with a Discovery pontoon boat to go into the wetlands. It was so different than seeing it by land, and it has really amazed people. Twenty something years we’ve been doing it. I once got a call from a lady who said she wanted to “take that ride into the swamp.” The next day, she called and said, “I never knew anything about the importance of wetlands, and how they contribute to the ecosystem and the wildlife.” She said it was “phenomenal.” They’ve been giving us rave reviews ever since.

What is the story behind the portrait of George Washington that hangs behind your desk?

That’s a funny story, because for a while I didn’t know either. This is Mr. Melville’s office, and I’ve been sitting in front of this picture for 36 years. As the years went by, I started to understand why [it was there]. Mr. Melville purchased properties that had to do with early America and George Washington’s spy ring; he bought the Brewster House. He knew about that in 1942, and so he purchased the Grist Mill. All these things had to do with early America, and Mr. Melville was fascinated by George Washington and what he did, and I am too. I do a lot of research on the houses, and I learned that one of the Brewster’s was very involved in the construction of the King’s Highway, and that’s how I found out about Austin Roe. Now that’s the Heritage Trail. It’s all so important.

How is the ‘It Takes a Team to Build a Village’ exhibit going?

Very well. In fact, we had a reception fairly recently, and a lot of people came. The board said it’s so popular [that] we’re leaving it up as long as we can, because more and more people are finding out about it. We did this because it’s the 75th anniversary of the village, and most things that happened in this area came out of this organization. The archives are enormous. We started to look in boxes and we found an eight millimeter film. It said “The Village Dedication,” and we got it transferred so we could watch it. And son of a gun, it was a video of what Mr. Melville did on July 3, 1941! He had huge parades, and a beauty contest — which we wouldn’t do now. He dedicated the village from the balcony at the fire house. We thought we should do something like this, and we couldn’t do anything as grandiose as he did, but we had this nice little re-dedication on July 10, and it was great. Then we found extraordinary documents, and we’re hoping to get funding to work with Stony Brook University and the Frank Melville Memorial Library to digitize it all and create a website. It’s a huge undertaking but that’s what this has inspired us to do.

What would you say you are most proud of about your time with the WMHO?

One is the Walk for Beauty — 23 years, raising 1.3 million for breast cancer research. [Also] the Youth Corps — 20 years, putting through scores of children. We now have 69 children enrolled who will all know what Ward and Dorothy did here, and they can pay that forward and teach others. I’m proud of the Educational & Cultural Center we built, I’m proud of the Inner Court, where Crazy Beans is — that used to be storage sheds, and we converted them — and The Jazz Loft — I’m very proud of that.

Tell us what upcoming events you’re excited for people to enjoy.

Well, the website with the digitized documents is one. But we’ve also received a grant from the Robert D. L. Gardiner Foundation to do distance learning. What that means is that an instructor giving a lesson in, say, the Brewster House [in Setauket], would be filmed and onto the distance learning site so that people from around the world could learn about the rich history we have here. We already have the cameras installed in the Thompson House [in Setauket] and the Brewster House and we’re developing programs for them. One program should be ready this fall, and the other should be ready next spring. It’s very exciting.

Do you remember what your younger self wanted to be when you grew up?

It’s funny, I wanted to be an artist, and I was an artist, for a while. I went to Pratt College, went into that career, and felt too isolated — you painted alone. I like people. But this is kind of an art form, when you think about it. I worked for government, county executives for a while, but then got into, not events, but being head of promoting Long Island. It’s interesting; it’s definitely an art form, this place. Recently, I began to understand that Mr. Melville wanted us to live with history. We take it for granted, and we shouldn’t. It’s really a phenomenon, what we live with. This morning I got stopped by a resident who has lived here for a long time and she said, “I want to tell you, Gloria, that living here is like living in a park, it’s so beautiful. It’s just wonderful to have it this way.” And I told her, well, as long as we can, the organization plans to keep it that way. It gets more challenging with years. You try to respect the past, but we have to be current and relevant, and be receptive to change. That’s what we try to do.

If you had to pick an ice cream flavor to represent yourself, what would you choose?

Muddy boots! It’s from Latitude 121, it’s such a great flavor.

At the end of the charming and educational interview I had with Ms. Rocchio, she left me with a very inspiring piece of advice. It is a quote, originally by Kuan-Tzu from the third century BC. It is also part of the inscription on a plaque at the purple beech tree on the Stony Brook Village Green planted by Mrs. Dorothy Melville on her 88th birthday, and was incorporated into the speech given by Dr. Richard Rugen, chairman of the board of trustees of The WMHO, for the closing remarks of the 75th anniversary of Stony Brook Village July 10 of this year.

“If you plan for a year, sow a seed. If you plan for a decade, plant a tree.

If you plan for a century, educate the people.”

This simple quote compromises the heartfelt and dedicated mission of not only The Ward Melville Heritage Organization but of Ms. Rocchio herself.

Author Katelyn Winter is a rising junior at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa., majoring in English and creative writing. She is from Stony Brook and hopes to one day work in the publishing industry.

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As we count down the days of summer on our hands and feet and we prepare for yet another tour around the academic merry-go-round, some of us are squeezing in leisure activities that become increasingly harder to do amidst trigonometry tests, English exams, soccer practices and musical rehearsals.

Some summer revelers go to amusement parks, where their bodies travel in directions that defy the typical linear motion from our beds to our cars to our offices.

What is it about those moments when we fly around the corner of a roller coaster, or when we tilt back and forth in a machine that moves incredibly quickly that people find so thrilling? Is it the feeling of our stomachs moving inside our bodies, the moment when we experience something completely new and more akin to that which another animal, like a bird, might feel — or is it something more basic?

The answers depend on who you are and what you consider fun. I think, however, at the base of these wild rides is something we share in different degrees and circumstances. We enjoy the moment between when we exercise what we feel is the usual level of control over our lives, and that instant which balances between thrill and terror when we give up control.

Yes, I know there are people who crave control to such a degree that almost all the decisions they make seem rooted in the power to influence each element or variable in their lives. To return to a scene from childhood, they are holding a crayon in their hand and carefully staying within the lines of life’s coloring book.

Maybe I wasn’t enough of an artist, or maybe I just enjoyed the entropy that comes from my universe which always seems to be moving toward a greater state of disorder, but those undirected marks outside the lines always seemed so liberating. The lines were the equivalent of someone instructing me to, “Do this, stay here, do that.” My squiggly and nonrepresentational lines were enshrined in my response: “No, thanks.”

Recently, my son, brother and I went sailing in a strong wind. My brother, who captained the small boat, delighted at the sudden surge of speed as we flew across Port Jefferson Harbor. We were flying through the water at speeds that rivaled nearby motorboats, leaving behind a bubbly, foamy water trail. After several trips back and forth, the wind picked up enough strength that it submerged half of the boat. We heeled so far that my brother and son were heading toward the water. Still planted on the higher side of the boat, I reached for my son’s life jacket and held on, trying to use our combined weight to keep us from capsizing.

Seconds before we reached that tipping point, however, my brother let the sails out, dumping the wind and righting the ship just in time. While the outing was enjoyable up to that point, it reached a whole new level of excitement, especially for my son, who couldn’t wait to tell his cousins about how we started to tip. Naturally, their reaction was to put on their bathing suits, grab their life jackets and head for the boat.

So, what is it about those out-of-control moments that are so enjoyable, particularly in the retelling? Maybe, it’s just that — for the precise instant when gravity seems optional, when our routine experiences aren’t enough to allow us to predict the future with certainty the way we can with so many other things — anything is possible. And our minds, like our bodies, jump into the excitement of the unknown.

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A photo of Julia Diane Wilson is surrounded by her cousin, Ava Felice; Anna Lanze, and Julia’s best friend, Heidi Lanze. Photo by Donna Newman

Ten-year-old Julia Diane Wilson of Sound Beach lost her battle with acute lymphocytic leukemia two years ago this week.

Family and friends — both old and new — marked the anniversary with the second annual Team Julia — Fight Like a Girl memorial fundraiser held Aug. 21 at Stony Brook Yacht Club.

Mary Byrne, holding her son, Declan, who sports a Team Julia T-shirt. Photo by Donna Newman
Mary Byrne, holding her son, Declan, who sports a Team Julia T-shirt. Photo by Donna Newman

Julia’s grandparents, Dan and Diane Donahue, are longtime Setauket residents and this is the second year the fundraiser was hosted by the yacht club, where they are members.

The building was filled with supporters of all ages, from infants to senior citizens. Gift baskets were raffled off, T-shirts were sold and donations were accepted. Led by Julia’s parents and grandparents, the event seemed more a celebration of the girl’s life and spirit rather than a memorial.

This support group was an outgrowth of Julia’s compassion for others. Even while undergoing treatment herself, she wanted to make things better for the children around her. So the adults in her life committed to doing just that for Julia.

“Grandma, when I get better … Mommy, when I get better … we have to help these kids,” Diane Donahue recalled her granddaughter saying. She spoke of creating things at the hospital and watching Julia bring them to the child in the next bed, hoping to make him or her smile. “She was a true jewel — way beyond her years,” she said.

Team Julia is all about supporting children and their parents. They create goody bags to distribute at Stony Brook Children’s hospital. They help parents pay bills, and stock the pantry at the hematology/oncology clinic at the hospital with easy meals and snacks to help families through the long chemotherapy and infusion days. They also plan to feed families at Ronald McDonald House. Last year Julia’s father Dave Wilson said they created a prom for the children at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the city, bringing in lots of dresses for the girls to wear.

Brian Donahue shows off a spider on his face. Photo by Donna Newman
Brian Donahue shows off a spider on his face. Photo by Donna Newman

Julia’s mother Erin Wilson wants to start a group for bereaved parents. She feels there isn’t enough support for the grieving process, as losing a child to cancer usually involves months and months of treatment and hope.

Julia’s grandmother said the group considers educating the public, including representatives and senators in the U.S. Congress, another one of its top priorities.

“I don’t think anybody’s aware of it until they are in it,” Diane Donahue said. “And when you’re in it, it’s not a group you want to belong to, but I’ll tell you what, you can make a difference.”

She joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, sent messages to her congressman and lobbied the folks who control the lighting on the Empire State Building to light it up gold, the color symbolizing pediatric cancers. “They’ve made it other colors, but they won’t make it gold for the children,” she said.

According to the National Institute of Health’s website focusing on childhood cancers, an estimated 10,380 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in children aged birth to 14 in the U.S. this year. More than 1,200 children are expected to die from the disease. Pediatric cancer death rates have declined by nearly 70 percent over the past 40 years, but cancer remains the leading cause of death from disease among children.

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Mackedon and Woodruff with their winners trophies. Photo from Port Jefferson Country Club

By Joseph Wolkin

Entering Port Jefferson Country Club’s 2016 club championship spanning the first two weekends of August, South Setauket’s Gerry Mackedon had a winner’s mind-set. Before he even stepped foot onto the course, he believed he could come away with the win.

Golfing shortly after he started to walk as a toddler, Mackedon grew up a golf addict. His work ethic on the course has remained constant over the years, providing him with the skill set needed to become one of Long Island’s top prospects from an early age.

The 18-year-old walked onto the green with a pep in his step, looking to win on the course his father, Bill Mackedon, has worked at as the head golf professional for nine years.

“It was extremely hot and humid,” Mackedon said of the championship day, Sunday, Aug. 14. “I think the heat index was over 100 degrees. It was tough, but it was all worth it in the end. The conditions don’t really bother me. I just go out there and play. Everyone plays in the same conditions, so they don’t really bother me as much as others.”

With father by his side, the younger Mackedon he was able to win the tournament, one of several he has been triumphant at throughout 2016.

“My dad has always been there,” Mackedon said. “He hasn’t just been supporting me, but he’s been teaching me the important parts of life — and not just with golf. It’s good to have him next to me, having him teach me everything.”

The Ward Melville High School graduate helped lead his school team to the Suffolk championship this past season. During the Long Island Cup against Manhasset at Bethpage Black, Mackedon shot 2-over-par 73, leading the Patriots to a 415-427 victory.

Gerry Mackedon, who will be playing golf at St. John’s University. Photo from Gerry Mackedon
Gerry Mackedon, who will be playing golf at St. John’s University. Photo from Gerry Mackedon

Mackedon had been on the radar of college coaches throughout his high school career. When the time came to decide where he will play collegiate golf, he opted to attend St. John’s University, which offered him a scholarship to play at the Division I level.

“I don’t need to feel recognized,” Mackedon said while discussing his scholarship. “I just like to go out there and play my best. I just want to enjoy the game and have fun.”

While Mackedon remains humble about the opportunity to play golf in college, his new coach, Mal Galletta, is thrilled to have him with the Red Storm.

“Besides knowing his family a little bit — that’s a big factor for me also — I start recruiting kids during their junior year,” Galletta said. “By then, I have an idea of what kind of student they are.”

As far as the golf end, the coach said he watched Mackedon in person for the first time in a tournament playing at a junior event.

“He shot a 64 that day, so that was a pretty big eye-opener, especially when you can shoot that low on a challenging golf course,” he said. “And it’s not only watching his demeanor on the golf course, you have all these ingredients.”

For Mackedon, the goal is to compete on the PGA tour. Practicing day in and day out, he believes the goal is attainable.

“I practice for hours every day, play every day,” Mackedon said. “I played in lots of tournaments over the summer. … Golf is a very large and important part of my life.”

In August 2015, Mackedon played in the Met Open Championship at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck. He finished tied fourth out of the 17 amateur competitors who made the cut at that tournament, his best result in a USGA-supported event.

The Port Jefferson Country Club’s ladies championship was won by Donna Woodruff, of Port Jefferson. The deputy director of athletics at Stony Brook University, she scored a total of 245 to come home with the trophy.

“It being the club championship, every year you look forward to it,” Woodruff said. “It’s an opportunity to compete, and if you’re fortunate enough to play well over the three rounds, it’s nice to have an opportunity to contend for the championship.”

Woodruff considers herself an avid golfer. Though she didn’t grow up playing golf, her brothers and father began to play after she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990, and then the game appealed to her. As she began to learn how to play, the skill level came naturally.

Winning the tournament for the second straight year, Woodruff now has four championships at the Port Jefferson Country Club, something she never expected would happen when she started playing.

“It is a great opportunity to represent the club as its champion,” Woodruff said. “I feel honored to have done that; the competition for all of us is a great thing. Several people have the opportunity to win the championship, and I was just glad that I came away this time as the winner.”

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A professor and student at Stony Brook University School of Medicine look at a medical scan. File photo

Two major power players in the field of medical help and research have come together to form a new partnership.

Stony Brook University School of Medicine and Mount Sinai Health System, of New York City, have joined together to create more academic research opportunities to streamline and expand clinical care initiatives.

While they are not the first school of medicine to connect with a health system on Long Island — Hofstra University’s School of Medicine works with Northwell Health — this certainly means new breakthroughs are on the horizon in Suffolk County.

Dr. Kenneth Kaushansky, senior vice president for Health Sciences at Stony Brook University said that each institution will be bringing its biggest strengths to the table, thus making each other stronger.

Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine has strong biomedical, clinical research and health policy expertise, while Stony Brook University boasts programs with advanced mathematics, high-performance computing, and physical and chemical science departments.

Combining math and science programs together will help students become well rounded, and open up the possibility for new programs.

A press release said Stony Brook students will also be able to gain experience in areas of medicine that the university doesn’t currently offer, like observing and learning from heart transplants and other pilot programs. And students from either institution are now welcome to take classes at the other.

But this liaison is going beyond students.

Kaushansky said this partnership will improve patient care at both Stony Brook University Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital by allowing patients to easily seek services from either hospital.

This is a great endeavor that should be encouraged and supported by the community. Not only does this teaming help students get a more in-depth education and give professors more opportunities for expanded lessons, it will in turn help the residents of the North Shore by improving the care that the local hospital can offer through the new discoveries and breakthroughs the new partnership will make.

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Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro and Councilman Kevin LaValle stand on the freshly paved 43rd Street in Centereach. Photo from Losquadro’s office

Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R) joined with Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) to announce the completion of $1.4 million, 23-road paving project near Centereach High School and Dawnwood Middle School.

In addition to the replacement of 4,100 square feet of aprons and 2,700 linear feet of curb, this project included tree trimming; replacing area signs and guide rails; the addition of handicap ramps at the existing crosswalk by the middle school; milling and paving.

“This was an extensive paving project that addressed the concerns of area residents, motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as faculty and students in the Middle Country school district,” Losquadro said. “I am grateful that we were able to schedule and successfully complete this project during the summer.”

Roads paved during this project were 43rd Street, 57th Street, Arlene Court, Dawn Drive, Dusk Drive, Edwin Street, Forest Court, Forest Road, Irene Court, Kerry Court, Linda Drive, Linden Street, Market Street, Martha Street, Michael Court, Midday Drive, Morning Drive, Nikki Court, Noel Drive, Peggy Court, Stanley Drive, Sunset Drive and Vining Street.

“I thank Superintendent Dan Losquadro and the hardworking men and women of the Highway Department for working diligently in such high temperatures over the past couple of weeks,” LaValle said. “It was important to ensure the completion of this project occurred prior to school beginning next month. I am happy to see this project completed which positively affects the entire Centereach community.”

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