Yearly Archives: 2019

Overbay apartments break ground in PJ

by Kyle Barr - October 3, 2019

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Barbara Ransome and Mary Joy Pipe of the Port Jeff chamber of commerce stand with Jim Tsunis and family at the groundbreaking ceremony for the developing Overbay Apartment complex. Photo by Kyle Barr

Developers planted a golden shovel in the ground at 217 W. Broadway. On its shaft, it read one word, “Overbay.”

Hauppauge-based The Northwind Group, owners of the Overbay Apartment Complex, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 30. Jim Tsunis, CEO of Northwind, was joined by several members of the Tsunis clan in celebrating the start of construction. The CEO said construction should take about a year.

Pilings are already in the ground, Tsunis said. These had been screw-in pilings, which took around two weeks to put into the ground, compared to the several months of loud hammering for the neighboring Shipyard apartment complex.

Overbay LLC, a subsidiary of Northwind, has been in front of the project since the land was first purchased in 2013 for $1.8 million.

The 54,000-square-foot “nautical style” apartment building will be on the now-vacant site of the former Islander Boat Center building, which was demolished in 2017.

The complex is set to consist of 52 rentals with each expected to be 1,000 square feet each. Amenities include an 800-square-foot common room and a fitness facility. The complex will also contain an office area.

Parking will consist of 83 parking stalls for residents of Overbay and their guests, Tsunis said in an email. Parking is expected to be located on the exterior of the facility to the side and rear. The property borders a small creek on its southern end.

The project is just the latest apartment complex in Port Jefferson, sitting alongside the Shipyard complex and down the hill from The Hills at Port Jefferson in Upper Port. At the same time construction begins at Overbay, demolition started and is expected to be finished shortly at the now-vacant Cappy’s Carpets building. Local developer The Gitto Group is planning for a 46-unit complex called The Brookport.

Alison LaPointe, the special village attorney for the Building & Planning department, said the planning board granted final approval for the Gitto project Sept. 12 and the department has already supplied a demolition permit. The developer has applied for a building permit, but LaPointe said it has not yet been granted as it is going out to an engineering firm for additional review. There is no current timeline on when a building permit will be granted for the project.

A representative of The Gitto Group was not immediately available for comment.

SBU/PJ chamber hosts cultural humility panel for Port Jeff businesses

by Kyle Barr - October 3, 2019

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Panel (1) — Panelist discuss race and its relationship to the businesses in the Village of Port Jefferson. Photo from Barbara Ransome

the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted Stony Brook University at Due Baci Italian Restaurant for a panel and discussion about race and its relationship to the businesses in the Village of Port Jefferson. Photos from Barbara Ransome

Back in May, a Stony Brook University alumnus was restricted from entering the Port Jefferson bar and restaurant Harbor Grill for wearing what the bouncer had, at the time, thought was some kind of gang paraphernalia. The person in question, Gurvinder Grewal, was in fact wearing a turban, headwear of religious importance among those who practice Sikhism. Telling the bouncer this, he was restricted anyway.

Nearly four months later, on Sept. 24, the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted Stony Brook University at Due Baci Italian Restaurant for a panel and discussion about race and its relationship to the businesses in the Village of Port Jefferson.

The event was moderated by Jarvis Watson, the chief diversity officer at SBU. Panelists included Robbye Kinkade, clinical professor in the School of Health Technology and Management; Chris Tanaka, assistant director of LGBTQ Services; Shaheer Khan, president of the undergraduate student government; and Yamilex Taveras, a political science senior and president of the Latin American Student Organization.

University officials said the framework for the discussion was centered around running a business near a diverse public university.

“We have a diverse population on campus, and we wanted to give the Chamber members a sense of who might be walking through their doors,” said Judy Greiman, the chief deputy to the president at SBU, said in a release. “It’s important for these shops to understand that differences exist, that we have buying power and that we all want to feel welcome,”

The panel walked through changing demographics at the university. Slides presented to the businesses documented that while the number of fall enrollment has steadily increased since 2012, the campus has become increasingly diverse.

Those on the panel relayed their own experiences shopping in Port Jeff. Kinkade spoke of how, several years ago, she walked into a shop and was profiled. While there were several other customers in the store shopping around, she said an employee came up to her asking if she needed help, then continued to follow her around the entire time she was there. She noticed none of the white customers were getting the same treatment. While that shop has since closed, she, a person of color, said she largely stopped shopping in Port Jeff after that experience.

With the positive reception of the panel, she said she may intend to shop more in the village.

“I have nothing but the utmost praise for those folks, the members who attended,” added Kinkade. “I think for the chamber of commerce to want to come together and talk about this issue, is kudos to them. It was a bold, brave step.”

Joan Dickinson, the SBU community relations director, and Barbara Ransome, the director of operations for the chamber, had communicated together after the May incident. Ransome said they were looking for a way to present to local businesses on how to be more inclusive. They decided on a panel presentation including several officers and students from the university. Around 40 people, mostly Port Jeff business owners, came for the presentation.

The chamber director said the meeting was one of the most well received she’s had in her years at the chamber.

“The direct feedback that I was getting from people there was amazing — they felt there was so much information, with such sincerity and such genuine sharing,” she said. “They felt comfortable enough they were speaking because they felt they were in a safe space.”

This comes as Stony Brook and Port Jefferson are becoming steadily more intertwined. A PJ/SBU shuttle was first piloted last spring semester with a total ridership several thousand students coming into Port Jeff in its two-and-a-half-month tenure. Ransome called Stony Brook an increasingly vital partner with the village with the number of students who come down to eat and shop. She added this has been a change from previous years.

The SBU officials said those Port Jefferson businesses trying to be more welcoming to all walks of life should look toward examining dress code policies, revise their mission statements and hiring practices toward being more inclusive, and even look to include gender neutral bathrooms.

Yet, even the smallest gesture makes a big difference. Panelists suggested simply posting a notice in front of the shop that all people are welcome, that those who enter don’t have to fear being profiled, can go a long way.

“It’s important that we need to be inclusive to all potential customers,” Ransome said. “One of the most important things I thought is we need to help educate and we need to examine our best business practices, so we can continue at our optimal level of service to our community.”

This post was updated Oct. 4 to amend Dickinson’s title as well as add context to several quotes in the original article.

Editorial: Opioids and crime

by TBR Staff - October 2, 2019

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Sheriff Errol Toulon speaks at the Sept. 26 event. Photo from Suffolk County Village Officials Organization

The opioid epidemic is so expansive that it seems impossible that one individual can end the overdoses and deaths and the related crimes. But even in the smallest municipalities — the villages, fire districts, school districts, people have the opportunity to institute real change.

On Sept. 26, members of the Suffolk County Village Officials Organization met to hear from the district attorney, the police commissioner and the sheriff about the current state of the opioid crisis. Presenters reviewed a wide range of resources and programs available in the county, but also emphasized that we all need to think outside the box to collectively address the explosion of narcotic drug use, which has also led to a local increase in illegal gun crimes and sex trafficking.

Village officials should hold public information sessions on what was learned at this meeting and create committees comprised of residents committed to help. People need to be better informed. In turn, other community leaders can invite speakers into local schools and religious centers to speak on the topic.

The facts are alarming.

In 2018, Suffolk police launched a sex trafficking investigation unit that has identified and interviewed over 200 local sex trafficking victims. County leaders say that the people behind these crimes exploit the young women by making them dependent upon opioids and demanding repayment through sex. Instead of calling it prostitution, law enforcement prefers that people now refer to these crimes as sex trafficking, and a modern day form of slavery.

An increase in narcotics-related, court-authorized surveillance in the county through search warrant and phone-line eavesdropping has translated into a 49 percent increase in illegal handgun seizures and a doubling of illegal shotgun seizures.

If you are an elected official in one of these villages, also consider opening a line of communication on the topic with residents. Submissions can be anonymous.

The county has outlined as its goals for the explosion of narcotic use and related crimes: prevention, treatment and recovery. Whatever your ideas are to better accomplish this, please let it become more widely known with your local elected officials, who can convey this to other branches of government. As a news publication, we also welcome your input.

Since 2013, an estimated 2,109 people have died of an opioid overdose in the county, according to its statistics. That toll would be higher, but thankfully Narcan, the opioid overdose antidote, is credited with saving lives and has reversed 599 overdoses so far in 2019.

Clearly, though, there still is ongoing, nightmarish trouble stemming from prescription pain killers and illicit opioid addictions. Action is needed.

For help, people can call these emergency numbers:

Suffolk County Substance Abuse Hotline: 631-979-1700

Suffolk County Police Department Crime Stoppers and Drug Activity Hotline: 631-852-NARC (6272). Messages can also be sent as a text to “TIP SUFFOLK” at 888-777, but investigators prefer the open dialogue of a telephone call. All calls are confidential.

D. None of the Above: Swimming away from high school problems

by Daniel Dunaief - October 2, 2019

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Aberdeen-High-School-swim-team-3 — Stock photo

We think we know our kids, but really the converse is true.

My son recently told me that he thinks I’m angry every time I swim laps in a pool. At first, I dismissed the observation because swimming brings me peace.

And then I thought about my junior year of high school, when I joined my one and only swim team.

I loved the water, I had a few friends on the team and I was determined to do something different when each day in school felt like a bad version of “Groundhog Day,” long before the Bill Murray film arrived in theaters.

I had several shortcomings. For starters, I didn’t know how to do a flip turn. To the experienced swimmer, that’s as laughable as asking a NASCAR driver how to change gears or a baseball player which end of the bat to hold. It’s a basic skill. I’d approach the wall, gasping for air, roll to my right and kick hard.

Most of the time, I’d slam my foot into the lane marker and, on occasion would kick the poor swimmer in lane 5. I swam in lane 6, which was where swimmers who needed life jackets trained. The best swimmers occupied lane 1. They never seemed to need a breath, had hydrodynamic bodies that made them look like torpedoes and seemed slightly bored after an exhausting practice.

Oh, and they also wore Speedo bathing suits well. For someone accustomed to the boxing trunk bathing suits that I still wear today, Speedos seemed way too small. Besides, I’m not sure the small, colorful lightweight suits allowed me to shave even a tenth of a second off my barge-floating-downstream speed.

Each practice, the coach would tell us to swim 20 laps back and forth as a warm-up. By the end of the warm-up, which I never finished, we started practice. At that point, I was leaning hard on the wall, wondering whether I should climb out of the pool and grab some French fries.

When we dove off the blocks at the start of the race, I must have entered the water at the wrong angle. My goggles scraped down my nose and landed in front of my mouth, which made it impossible to see or breathe. Flopping blindly, I’d zigzag in slow motion across the pool.

Each practice completely drained me. My exhausted arms pulled through the water, splashing where others were gliding. My legs slapped at the water, instead of serving as propellers. And yet, something about the incredible energy required to survive each practice helped me, both mentally and physically.

I’m sure I lost weight. After all, such inefficient swimming burns off considerably more calories than floating effortlessly hither and yon. More importantly, though, I worked out everything that bothered me in my head as I listened to the gurgling noises my mouth made while I wiggled back and forth. Each lap, I replayed conversations that went awry, standardized tests that were like electroshock therapy and the missed social opportunities.

Gnashing my teeth, I worked out frustrations that built up during the day or the week. The herculean effort either removed toxins or prevented them from cluttering my brain. Sitting in my room at home after practice, I felt more at peace than I had at any point during the day.

But what my son must have perceived as I do laps today are the habits I formed during that winter season. My body instantly remembers how to use swimming to release tension. He may see the residual physical manifestations of the cauldron of emotions that I carried back and forth across that icy pool. And, hey, maybe I’d look like a happier swimmer if I ever learned how to do a flip turn.

Between You and Me: A delightful escape to a more refined world

by Leah Dunaief - October 2, 2019

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DOWNTON ABBEY — Photo by Jaap Buitendijk / Focus Features

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

It’s a time of transition. We can feel the weather changing and the seasons moving on. One day the temperature is 75 degrees, the next it might be 85 degrees, then in come the 60 degree days and the 50 degree nights. We live in a place where nature cycles through its daily gyrations to quarterly new worlds.

Those changes, if not on a daily basis, are nonetheless predictable from one year to the next. What aren’t predictable are the political gyrations we are witnessing from day to day. This makes for an uncertain outlook for the future, whether for our government, our economy or our society, and a certain ongoing anxiety for our citizenry.

Just look at the front page of any daily newspaper or listen to the top of the news on radio or television or read the blasts of news on your cellphone, and it’s enough to make for discomfort. There is undoubtedly a story about the latest bits of information seeping out from Republican President Donald Trump’s phone call to the Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in which he asked about former vice president Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential candidate, and his son Hunter’s business dealings there. The story then quickly jumps to impeachment inquiries and who may question whom on the matter, along with polls purportedly measuring support for such action. The words “treason” and “civil war” have crept into the media reports.

There has also got to be something about North Korea’s missiles being recently launched toward Japan even though — or perhaps just because — talks between the United States officials and the North Koreans seem to be back on again. One of the latest projectiles actually landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, making the Japanese exceedingly nervous.

A story about the negative effects of the tariffs on the global economy is a given. Global growth is predicted to slow to half of what was expected six months ago, and the evidence of the slowdown can be seen in less production on the factory floors. This translates into fewer jobs, less pay and a reduced standard of living. That means less consumer expenditures, which causes the economy to slow further. We also know the consequences of a faltering economy can be significant social unrest.

The global picture is further complicated by Brexit, that almost comic yet deadly serious tug-of-war playing out in British politics, which threatens future commerce and trade across the English Channel and indeed the world. With uncertainty, money is flowing into the American dollar, seen as a safe haven. This in turn makes the dollar stronger, which makes exports more expensive, further depressing trade.

So is there still room on the front page and in our minds for news of Iran, Peru, Hong Kong and India with its onion crisis?

There is also immigration, possible bias in Harvard admissions, racist threats, more #MeToo, gun control and climate change to vie for space in the news roundup. And more on taxing the wealthy, the opioid crisis, breaking up big tech and, of course, the run-up to the 2020 election are regular offerings in the news.

No wonder “Downton Abbey” is proving to be so popular at the movies. What delightful escapism to a world of orderly households, elaborate dinners and table settings, gorgeous clothing, comforting etiquette, bucolic scenery and crises over whether or not to add a refrigerator in the kitchen. The biggest challenge in that world is preparing properly for a visit from the king and queen of England.

So here is the antidote to the frenzy of the news. Either take some time away, as I did this past weekend when I left town to visit family and friends. I completely shut down newscasts, even those on my cellphone. Or go to the movies and enter the polite world of 1927 and the Crawley family. Or read the local news in the hometown papers and on the web and social media. There you know that if it’s from TBR News Media it’s both trustworthy and sane.

A window through history with the MPMS Historical Society

by Kyle Barr - October 2, 2019

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The near-300-year old William Miller House in Miller Place hummed with historical activity the weekend of Sept. 28. The Miller Place-Mount Sinai Historical Society hosted its annual Country Fair, bringing reenactors, local history buffs and community together.

Participants experienced open-hearth cooking and pottery making, while more local historians shared information on Colonial and Victorian games and how wampum beads were made. The Revolutionary War reenactors, the 3rd NY Regiment, Long Island Cos., shot off muskets and shared in the collective history of Long Island’s Revolutionary past. Meanwhile, Harry Randall, the historical society’s barn curator, showed off his huge collection of farm implements and tools in the old barn to the rear of the William Miller House.

Medical Compass: Diagnosing and treating atrial fibrillation

by David Dunaief - October 2, 2019

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Think twice before running out and getting a cup of coffee if you have AFib. Stock photo

The role of caffeine is still in question

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a common arrhythmia, an abnormal or irregular heartbeat. Though there are several options, including medications and invasive procedures, treatment mostly boils down to symptomatic treatment, rather than treating or reversing underlying causes.

What is AFib? It is an electrical malfunction that affects the atria, the two upper chambers of the heart, causing them to beat “irregularly irregular.” This means there is no set pattern that affects the rhythm and potentially causes a rapid heart rate. The result of this may be insufficient blood supply throughout the body.

Complications that may occur can be severely debilitating, such as stroke or even death. AFib’s prevalence is expected to more than double by 2030 (1). Risk factors include age (the older we get, the higher the probability), obesity, high blood pressure, premature atrial contractions and diabetes.

AFib is not always symptomatic; however, when it is, symptoms include shortness of breath, chest discomfort, light-headedness, fatigue and confusion. This arrhythmia can be diagnosed by electrocardiogram (ECG), but more likely with a 24-hour Holter monitor. The challenge in diagnosing AFib is that it can be intermittent.

There may be a better way to diagnose AFib. In a study, the Zio Patch, worn for 14 days, was more likely to show arrhythmia than a 24-hour Holter monitor (2). The Zio Patch is a waterproof adhesive patch on the chest, worn like a Band-Aid, with one ECG lead.

There are two main types of AFib, paroxysmal and persistent. Paroxysmal is acute, or sudden, and lasts for less than seven days, usually less than 24 hours. It tends to occur with greater frequency over time, but comes and goes. Persistent AFib is when it continues past seven days (3). AFib is a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse, especially without treatment.

Medications are meant to treat either the rate or rhythm or prevent strokes from occurring. Those that treat rate include beta blockers, like metoprolol, and calcium channel blockers, such as diltiazem (Cardizem). Examples of medications that treat rhythm are amiodarone and sotalol. Then there are anticoagulants that are meant to prevent stroke, such as warfarin and some newer medications, dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto) and apixaban (Eliquis). The newer anticoagulants are easier to administer but may have higher bleeding risks, in some circumstances with no antidote.

There is also ablation, an invasive procedure that requires threading a catheter through an artery, usually the femoral artery located in the groin, to reach the heart. In one type of ablation, the inappropriate nodes firing in the walls of the atria are ablated, or destroyed, using radiofrequency. This procedure causes scarring of atrial tissue. When successful, patients may no longer need medication.

The role of obesity

There is good news and bad news with obesity in regards to AFib. Let’s first talk about the bad news. In studies, those who are obese are at significantly increased risk. In the Framingham Heart Study, the risk of developing AFib was 52 percent greater in men who were obese and 46 percent greater in women who were obese when compared to those of normal weight (4). Obesity is defined as a BMI >30 kg/m², and normal weight as a BMI <25 kg/m². There were over 5,000 participants in this study with a follow-up of 13 years. The Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Study reinforces these results by showing that obese men were at a greater than twofold increased risk of developing AFib, and obese women were at a twofold increased risk (5).

Now the good news: Weight loss may help reduce the frequency of AFib episodes. That’s right; weight loss could be a simple treatment for this very dangerous arrhythmia. In a randomized controlled trial of 150 patients, those in the intervention group lost significantly more weight, 14 kg (32 pounds) versus 3.6 kg (eight pounds), and saw a significant reduction in atrial fibrillation severity score (AFSS) compared to those in the control group (6).

AFSS includes duration, severity and frequency of atrial fibrillation. All three components in the AFSS were reduced in the intervention group compared to the control group. There was a 692-minute decrease in the time spent in AFib over 12 months in the intervention arm, whereas there was a 419-minute increase in the time in AFib in the control group. These results are potentially very powerful; this is the first study to demonstrate that managing risk factors may actually help manage the disease.

Caffeine

According to a meta-analysis (a group of six population-based studies) done in China, caffeine does not increase, and may even decrease, the risk of AFib (7). The study did not reach statistical significance. The authors surmised that drinking coffee on a regular basis may be beneficial because caffeine has antifibrosis properties. Fibrosis is the occurrence of excess fibrous tissue, in this case, in the atria. Atrial fibrosis could be a preliminary contributing step to AFib. Since these were population-based studies, only an association can be made with this discovery, rather than a hard and fast link. Still, this is a surprising result.

However, in those who already have AFib, it seems that caffeine may exacerbate the frequency of symptomatic occurrences, at least anecdotally. With my patients, when we reduce or discontinue substances that have caffeine, such as coffee, tea and chocolate, the number of episodes of AFib seems to decline. I have also heard similar stories from my colleagues and their patients. So, think twice before running out and getting a cup of coffee if you have AFib. What we really need are randomized controlled studies done in patients with AFib, comparing people who consume caffeine regularly to those who have decreased or discontinued the substance.

The bottom line is this: If there were ever a reason needed for obese patients to lose weight, treating atrial fibrillation should be on the top of the list, especially since it is such a dangerous disease with severe potential complications.

References:

(1) Am J Cardiol. 2013 Oct. 15;112:1142-1147. (2) Am J Med. 2014 Jan.;127:95.e11-7. (3) Uptodate.com. (4) JAMA. 2004;292:2471-2477. (5) Am J Med. 2005;118:489-495. (6) JAMA. 2013;310:2050-2060. (7) Canadian J Cardiol online. 2014 Jan. 6.

Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

Gurwin Photo Contest winners capture beauty of planet Earth

by Heidi Sutton - October 2, 2019

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‘Photography helps people see’ ~ Berenice Abbott

By Heidi Sutton

Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Commack revealed the winners of its 26th annual Photo Contest at an award ceremony and reception on Sept. 18. The highlight of the evening was a traditional slide show of the winning selections from this and previous years. Project Assistant Phyllis Barone handed out the awards for the evening.

Sponsored by the Tiffen Company for the 13th year in a row, this year’s competition drew almost 800 entries from amateur photographers across the country. Of those submissions, 46 photos were chosen to be enlarged, framed and hung on permanent display in the nursing home. The breathtaking images will be on exhibit in the Helen and Nat Tiffen Gallery for a year and will then move up to the resident units.

The innovative event is the brainchild of Dennine W. Cook, chief public relations officer at Gurwin who came up with the initial idea in 1993 as a way of “making [Gurwin’s] bare walls worthy of a smile.”

“Your beautiful photography does more than just decorate the nursing and rehab center; it creates an ambiance that feels like home. It inspires people. It comforts people. It brings joy to people, not just our residents but our staff and visitors as well, every day,” said Cook. ”There aren’t that many things that you can do in this world that have that kind of sustaining impact.”

“This a favorite event of ours,” said President and CEO of the Gurwin Healthcare System Stuart B. Almer before thanking Cook for coming up with the contest and for “beautifying our hallways.”

This year’s winning photos are presented in a modern and stylish wooden frame provided by The Frame Center in Smithtown, as opposed to the silver metal framing of previous years, after Almer suggested the change “to enhance the photos even further.” All future contest winners will have the same frame “so the building looks nice and uniform going forward” he said.

Cook went on to speak of the profound impact these incredible images have made on residents of the 460-bed facility “to whom they mean so much.” She spoke of Debbie, a 60-year-old traumatic brain injury survivor at the facility. “She’s writing a book, she’s committed to getting back out into the world to compete in her second Iron Man. She’s feisty, she’s focused, she’s fierce, and she gets some of her inspiration from your photos on the wall.”

“This contest, although competitive and a great achievement for you as a photographer, is really about the people who get to see your work once it is chosen,” explained Cook.

The annual contest does not accept digital entries, only 8 × 10 prints, which are not returned. However, Cook was quick to assure the audience that all of the submissions will be put to good use. “[The residents] use them in art therapy as painting and drawing inspiration and in crafting classes. It’s become a great resource here at Gurwin and everyone is very grateful.”

This year’s judges, Christopher Appoldt (Christopher Appoldt Photography) and Tony Lopez (Tony Lopez Photography), were given the difficult task of choosing a grand prize winner along with honorable mentions for 12 categories as well as Best in Show, which this year was awarded to Bryan Ray from Half Moon Bay, California for “The Great Migration,” a stunning image of hundreds of wildebeest attempting to cross a river in Africa during a migration to greener pastures. Five additional photos were chosen as Resident Selections.

Added Cook, “All the selections, whether they be Honorable Mentions, Grand Prizes or Resident Selections will be judged, discussed and enjoyed by so many appreciative eyes for years to come and to me that’s the real honor — that your photos will hang for decades here in our resident’s home.”

Entries for next year’s photo contest will be accepted between Feb. 15 and April 15, 2020.

2019 WINNING SELECTIONS

BEST IN SHOW

“The Great Migration” by Bryan Ray

ACTION/SPORTS CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Drive to the Net” by Elise Rubin

Honorable Mention

“Skater Boy” by Carolyn Ciarelli

Honorable Mention

“Shake It Off” by James Napoli

ALTERED/ENHANCED CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“View from Governer’s Island” by Susan Silkowitz

Honorable Mention

“Captain America Caleb” by Deidre Elzer-Lento

Honorable Mention

“Working in the Fields” by Jan Golden

Honorable Mention

‘Unisphere After Dark” by Leon Hertzson

CHILDREN’S CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Serenity” by Ashley Tonno

Honorable Mention

“Four of a Kind” by Donna Crinnian

Honorable Mention

“The Friendly Forest Fairy” by Sarah Wenk

LANDSCAPES CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Glade Creek Grist Mill” by Mike DiRenzo

Honorable Mention

“Tufted Landscape” by Jeff Goldschmidt

Honorable Mention

“Horseshoe Falls, Niagara” by Barbara McCahill

LONG ISLAND/NEW YORK CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Melville Pond” by Jeff Goldschmidt

Honorable Mention

“Croton Dam” by Ellen Dunn

Honorable Mention

“Never Forget” by Carol Milazzo-DiRenzo

NATURE CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Solitary” by Jo-Anne Bodkin

Honorable Mention

“Under Angel Oak” by Carol Goldstein

Honorable Mention

“From Bud to Bloom” by Meryl Lorenzo

Honorable Mention

“Night Dreams” by Carol Milazzo-DiRenzo

PEOPLE CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Balancing Act” by Alan Sloyer

Honorable Mention

“Ballerina on Malecon, Cuba” by Roni Chastain

Honorable Mention

“Waiting for Sunrise, Death Valley” by Ellen Dunn

PETS CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Little Miss” by Lora Ann Batorsky

Honorable Mention

“Callie” by Jill Fanuzzi

Honorable Mention

“What’s for Dinner?” by Dan Greenburg

STILL LIFE CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Silk Threads” by Jo-Anne Bodkin

Honorable Mention

“Pink Rose” by Ellen Gallagher

Honorable Mention

“Mailbox, Italy” by Sondra Hammer

Honorable Mention

“Sunflower in Window” by William Hammer

TRAVEL CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Balloon over Bagan” by Alan Sloyer

Honorable Mention

“Starry Night in Rome” by Mike DiRenzo

Honorable Mention

“Lofoten, Norway” by Debbie Monastero

Honorable Mention

“The Dolomites” by Bobbie Turner

WILDLIFE CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“Snowy Flies” by Janis Hurley

Honorable Mention

“In Flight” by Adina Karp

Honorable Mention

“Mama Duck” by Carol Goldstein

STUDENT CATEGORY

Grand Prize

“The Vessel” by Alex Horowitz

Honorable Mention

“Cake Pop” by Chloe Catton

Honorable Mention

“Lost in the Green” by Stephanie Clarfield

RESIDENT SELECTIONS

“Cousins” by Howard Antosofsky

“Letchworth” by Rachel Perks

“Tufted Titmouse” by Michael Danielson

“Tall Ships Visit Greenport” by Barbara McCahill

“Harbor Seal” by Jacqueline Taffe

Annual Setauket Harbor Day highlights local waterway

by Rita J. Egan - October 2, 2019

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Water lovers enjoyed a late summer day Sept. 28. The Setauket Harbor Task Force held its fifth annual Setauket Harbor Day at the Town of Brookhaven dock and beach on Shore Road in East Setauket.

The free event included Harbor Day boat tours, food, live music, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing clinics, marine science exhibits, arts and crafts for kids and more.

The Setauket Harbor Task Force is a local nonprofit based in Setauket that advocates for improving water quality, enhancing community access and protecting and restoring the marine habitats and resiliency of the Setauket Harbor ecosystems. The annual event is dedicated to reconnecting residents with the harbor and stressing the importance of improving water quality and the harbor ecosystem.

Pictured clockwise from above, attendees out on the harbor enjoying a kayak lesson; Patricia Paladines of Four Harbors Audubon helps a child learn about harbor marine life and seining; a child helps a young kayaker to shore; and singer Susan Risoli and Tuba Man perform.

Taking steps toward Stony Brook church’s accessibility

by TBR Staff - October 2, 2019

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By Daniel Kerr

Runners and walkers gathered in front of All Souls Episcopal Church for the 11th annual Soles for All Souls 5K Race/2K Walk Sept. 29 as parishioners Annatje Clark and Veronique Velazquez sang the national anthem.

Nine-year-old Hudson Gaeta from Fort Salonga won the gold medal for the 13 and under group, and Stony Brook resident John Barker won the gold for the 80+ group. Stony Brook University alumnus Darian Sorouri set a new overall record time of 16 minutes, 41 seconds and Jessica Petrina of Selden set a new overall female time of 20:42.

Centereach resident Laura Shann won the Bravest Costume award for her multicolored running tutu, and Suffolk County Poet Laureate Barbara Southard led the Live Poets Society walkers. Several families fielded teams of multiple generations and fitness levels for this annual celebration. Local band DownPort provided live music during registration and the Olympic-style awards ceremony. Expert pre- and postrace stretching was provided by Dr. Kiley Holmes from PhysioRoam.

All funds raised will be dedicated to adding a bathroom to the historic chapel and making the church and its outreach activities (concerts, poetry readings, dialing visitation, etc.) accessible to all.

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