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Yearly Archives: 2021

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Nan Guzzetta. Photo by John Griffin

By Michael Tessler

It was devastating to hear of the passing of one of our community’s greatest treasures. For those of us lucky enough to have known Nancy Altman “Nan” Guzzetta, we all knew just how special she was. It’s important that everyone who didn’t know Nan knows just how she impacted their lives too.

Nancy Altman “Nan” Guzzetta. Photo by John Griffin

Most in our community knew Nan as the owner of Antique Costume & Prop Rental on Main Street in Port Jefferson. For decades, she helped quietly bring to life every festival, celebration, and fun historical event in the area. When Nan was called to service, she didn’t just show up; she would move heaven and earth. Truthfully, on more than one occasion I saw her hoist a mannequin twice her size over her head … just to ensure a Civil War general would have the proper brass buckle. To say she took her work seriously would be an injustice; she didn’t just love history … she lived it. 

To Nan, her costumes weren’t just pieces of fabric … they were living pieces of history and art, many of which were originals or perfectly replicated to exact historical specifications. She explained to me that it wasn’t so much the details that mattered. It was about the respect that came with it. To her, it was personal that we honored legacies properly. 

Nan was feisty, funny, witty, and smart. She was both ahead of her time and yet seemed to belong to a bygone era. She was sophisticated, cultured, and worldly. For a woman of such small stature, she stood taller than most and never relented when she knew she was right. She was a woman of great principle and yet always shared a tenderness with those who knew her.

Here’s the truth though. Nan changed lives with her gift of time travel.

For the small child lacking in self-confidence whom she transformed into a Dickensian character of old and unleashed upon the streets of Port Jefferson, they will always know the joys and confidence that community service can bring. For the young woman who heard the forgotten story of a Setauket suffragette during a Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) Spirits Tour, she’ll spend the rest of her life knowing she too can transform policy and shape the future. For the Ward Melville High School freshman celebrating Culper Spy Day who sees a little of themself in Setauket’s Revolutionary War heroes, their lives will forever be transformed by Nan Guzzetta, a woman who made it her business to bring history to life and ensure no story go untold.

Nan left an incredible impact on so many, but to me, she was an unlikely friend and unforgettable mentor and confidant. Despite an age difference of some 60 years, our lives were wonderfully intertwined. We first met when she costumed me at just 10 years old as a Dickensian pickpocket for the Village of Port Jefferson’s annual Charles Dickens Festival. By chance, her son and his family had bought my childhood home which brought both of us great joy. 

Nan costumed Times Beacon Record News Media’s (TBR) first major film project, The Culper Spy Adventure, and helped introduce me to the wonders of film. We became great friends and our chats around history and politics would sometimes last for hours and hours. Occasional tea with her and her wonderful husband became some of my favorite memories. 

I’d always look forward to volunteering at the TVHS Spirits Tours, not just because they’re fun but because I knew it gave Nan such a thrill to see her costumes come to life when worn by such a passionate group of actors. Nan quite literally saved TBR’s Revolutionary War feature film One Life to Give on more than one occasion, procuring us silk stockings and enough tricorn hats to outfit a Continental Army. She was always there when her community needed her and she was always there for me. 

A few years ago, Nan picked up the phone, and on the other side of the line was a Hollywood producer in need of some costumes for a new series. Despite the fact I wasn’t yet a mature and/or responsible adult (as Nan often liked to remind me when I failed to bring back properly cleaned frockcoats) she insisted that the producer speak with me and consider hiring me to work on the show. He did. 

Some dozen or so television shows later here I am on my third year in Los Angeles running my own production company and because of Nan, I’ve now had the chance to work in Hollywood and achieve my dream of being a storyteller. Without her, I’m genuinely not sure where I’d be. I’ll forever be indebted to her for jumpstarting my journey and for all the kindness, understanding, and generosity she showed me. 

My last conversation with Nan was just about a month or so ago. We didn’t talk much about the past, but about our optimism and hope for the future. For her, history was a blueprint and a guide to help us do better. She had so much hope, especially in today’s young people.

Nan will forever stand among the greats in this community, no less than a Melville, Mather, Woodhull, or Strong. In everything she did, she thought about her neighbors, and the joy she could bring them, and the magic of history she could share. Her passion for the past was only surpassed by her love of family. To her, her children and grandchildren were and are the greatest gift she could leave behind to the place she calls home. 

Nan, you can rest easy knowing that the community you inspired will pick up that mantle and continue your work. Now it is time for us to honor your legacy and to ensure that future generations know of the extraordinary life you lived and the standard of service you set for us all.

Until we meet again, Nan. Thank you for making history. 

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Photo from Pexels

By Nancy Burner, Esq.

Nancy Burner, Esq.

When a co-owner of real property passes away, what happens next depends on how the co- owners took title to the property. 

Upon the death of a co-owner, it is necessary to review the last deed of record to make this determination. There are three ways to own property in New York as co-owners: tenants in common, joint tenants with rights of survivorship or tenants by the entirety.

Only married couples who were married at the time they took title to the property can own property as tenants by the entirety — a type of ownership that provides certain protections. If the property is owned as joint tenants with rights of survivorship or as tenants by the entirety, the deceased owner’s interest passes automatically to the surviving co-owner by operation of law. 

Generally, it is not necessary to have a new deed prepared removing the deceased co-owner. When the surviving owner sells the property in the future, the deceased co-owner’s interest can be disposed of by providing his or her death certificate to the title company. If the surviving owner decides to transfer the property during life for no consideration, such as to a trust for estate planning purposes, a notation on the deed should be made by the attorney who prepares it. Upon future sale, the death certificate will still need to be provided to the title company to prove that the survivor is the legal owner of the property.

If, however, the property is owned as tenants in common or if the deceased spouse was the sole owner of the property, the deceased owner’s interest does not pass by operation of law upon death. Instead, the deceased owner’s interest passes according to his or her Last Will and Testament or according to New York Law if the decedent died without a will.

While New York law technically provides that real property vests in the decedent’s heirs as of the date of death and can be transferred or sold by those heirs, the heirs may have issues with the title company insuring the transaction, especially within two years from the date of death. 

It is typically best to have an Executor or Administrator appointed to transfer or sell the property from the estate. However, in order for a fiduciary to be appointed, a probate or administration proceeding will be necessary in Surrogate’s Court.

It is important to note that if the deed is silent as to whether co-owners took title as tenants in common or joint tenants with rights of survivorship, the default is tenants in common. If the deed is silent but the co-owners were married at the time they took title, then it creates a tenancy by the entirety.

Nancy Burner, Esq. practices elder law and estate planning from her East Setauket office. Visit www.burnerlaw.com.

 

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The crime scene outside Dunkin' Donuts in the village. Photo from Margot Garant

It was a tragedy, but local officials say all the right protocols were in place which led to the quick arrest of a Port Jefferson Station man in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old David Bliss Jr. of Shirley.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, March 24, at approximately 3:35 p.m., when Bliss was shot in front of 122 Main St. in the village.

According to a Suffolk County Police Department spokesperson, police from the 6th Precinct were on the scene within 2 minutes, 32 seconds after the victim was hit. 

Mayor Margot Garant said the whole incident itself took less than 10 seconds, from the argument between the two men to the duo in the car driving off. 

“Upon learning of the incident, our code enforcement chief and I immediately headed to the scene,” she said. 

But the police were already there, and once the SCPD steps in, they take the reins on any incident. Upon assessment, the police spokesperson said, the detectives on the scene immediately determined that it was a targeted incident.

“Upon arrival at the Port Jefferson shooting scene, police knew the shooter had left the area in a vehicle immediately following the shooting and a lockdown was not necessary,” the police said in a statement to TBR News Media. “Each incident presents specific circumstances that are assessed by responding personnel to determine if a lockdown is warranted and what radius needs to be covered.”

Village trustee Kathianne Snaden said that although some people are curious and are upset over the protocol, the village did everything within their ability to keep their residents and children safe.

“Everybody wants to know why a lockdown didn’t happen, and the last answer is we do not have that authority,” she said. “We confirmed that with our attorney and we don’t have that right.”

Garant reiterated the same, that although people may think the local government has more ability to shut down a village, they do not. 

“As soon as Suffolk is on the scene, it is their game,” she said. “I do not have the authority to put the village in a lockdown situation. Under New York State law, I do not have that authority.”

Thanks to the village’s street cameras, police were able to get a license plate number and began tracking the vehicle which was already headed into Smithtown.

“The police officer on the scene confirmed the community is not in harm’s way,” Garant said. “He said they are tracking the vehicle in Stony Brook, heading to the Smithtown area and this is very much a one-on-one attack.”

And because investigators on the premise knew right away that the shooting was not a threat to the rest of the village, schools were not put on lockdown.

Snaden, who was watching her daughter’s tennis game at the school, got the call from Garant and immediately asked if a lockdown was needed.

“We can’t say it enough — as soon as the call came to me, my first question to the mayor was, ‘Are the kids safe?’” she said. “Margot was standing with Suffolk police who confirmed ‘yes.’”

Snaden, who is also the community liaison between the school district and the village government, began tracking down Port Jefferson Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan who was already aware of the situation and rerouted the buses to avoid Main Street.

“Everybody was fully aware, and the school was already doing whatever protocol they do in these situations,” Snaden said. “Superintendent Schmettan had already, long before, already known about it and was acting on their behalf.”

Schmettan told the mayor that once she heard of the incident and bus reroutes, she communicated with the SCPD and verified that a lockdown was not needed — all within less than 10 minutes of the actual shooting.

Snaden said that upon learning of the incident, students were brought into the building out of an abundance of caution at the discretion of the athletic director and coaches who had kids outside.

“Upon notification of an emergency situation, our district immediately enacts our safety and security plans to help safeguard our schools,” Schmettan said in a statement. 

“These plans have prescribed actions specific to various potential scenarios and are often guided by the unfolding details of the events transpiring. As the safety of our students and staff remain our top priority, we are thankful to our partners in law enforcement and our village officials for their continued partnership with regard to our safety efforts and for their open lines of communication along every step of the way.”

The next day

Garant said that the next day the village had a debriefing and decided to begin using their CodeRED system for situations like this.

Criticisms have been made that the village should have used the system to let residents know what happened, and Garant said normally CodeRED is used for villagewide emergencies, like natural disasters. 

“If we had used CodeRED in this instance, because of the initial information and the lack of information from Suffolk at that point, the CodeRED would have just said that there is police activity on Main Street, please avoid the area, period,” Snaden said. “It wouldn’t have said lockdown.”

She added, again, the village does not have the authority to lockdown. Only the governor or county executive can make those decisions. 

Garant said that the social media hysteria that happened along the way could have caused more harm than good.

“It’s dangerous, because what happened was parents rushed to the school, there could have been a traffic accident, there could have been who knows what,” Snaden added. “The rumors were extremely reckless.”

Some of the rumors claimed that a student from the Port Jefferson School District was the culprit, another was that it was an active drive-by shooter. Both of those claims ended up being false right away, but the threads kept going.

“It didn’t really matter what we did or didn’t do that day,” Garant said. “My job is to keep this community as safe as possible, and not create more chaos or danger to them.”

But Garant said she did have the executive decision to give the community statements on what was going on. 

“This is because of who we are as government officials that we choose to do,” she said. “Because we feel it’s important. We’re not required to have this line of communication with the district.”

Garant added the CodeRED system currently has 4,800 subscribers and, after last week’s event, they will now use it more consistently.

“I think the thing that we learned from this is that we’re going to use our CodeRED and you need to be on our system,” she said. “You can get a text, you can get a voicemail, you can get  an email. And that’s how you’re going to get alerted from us from this point forward.”

Catching the culprit

“The good news is because of their thorough investigation, they caught the shooter within 72 hours,” Garant said. “That’s exceptional.”

Snaden said the cameras that are throughout the village are state-of-the-art devices, which are hooked up to the Suffolk County Real Time Crime Center — the first village within the county do so.

When the code officer was on the scene, a doctor and nurse bystanders were already tending to the victim, as police headed over.

 “There were good people that did help,” she said.

Snaden added that the village has 37 code officers, plus the chief, who monitor the area, and who work alongside the police. Two more hires are planned for this month.

“We have a good working relationship with the SCPD,” she said. “The code officer that was there was the supervisor at the time and secured the scene. He did what you are supposed to do as an officer.”

On March 27, SCPD arrested Joseph Garcia, 19, of 11 Market St., Port Jefferson Station, and charged him with 2nd degree murder. 

He was arraigned on March 28 and pled not guilty. 

The investigation is still ongoing and details about the altercation between the two men have not been released.

The SCPD encourages anyone with information about a crime to report it to 911 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS (8477).

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Michael Frohman. Photo from SBU

By Daniel Dunaief

Bringing together researchers and clinicians from six countries, including scientists scattered throughout the United States, a team of scientists co-led by Stony Brook University’s Michael Frohman linked mutations in a gene to congenital heart disease.

Frohman, Chair of the Department of Pharmacological Sciences in the Renaissance School of Medicine at SBU, has worked with the gene Phospholipidase D1 (or PLD1), for over 25 years. Researchers including Najim Lahrouchi and Connie Bezzina at the University of Amsterdam Heart Center linked this gene to congenital heart disease.

“The current study represents a seminal finding in that we provide a robust link between recessive genetic variants of PLD1 and a rather specific severe congenital heart defect comprising right-side valvular abnormalities,” Bezzina wrote in an email. 

Michael Frohman at Glymur Falls in Iceland.

The international group collected information from 30 patients in 21 unrelated families and recently published their research in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

A number of other genes are also involved in congenital heart disease, which is the most common type of birth defect. People with congenital heart disease have a range of symptoms, from those who can be treated with medication and/or surgery for pre-term infants to those who can’t survive.

The discovery of this genetic link and congenital heart disease suggests that PLD1 “needs to be screened in cases with this specific presentation as it has implications for reproductive counseling in affected families,” Bezzina explained.

Bezzina wrote that she had identified the first family with this genetic defect about five years ago.

“We had a strong suspicion that we had found the causal gene, but we needed confirmation and for that, we needed to identify additional families,” she said. “That took some time.

Bezzina described the collaboration with Frohman as “critical,” as she and Lahrouchi had been struggling to set up the PLD1 enzymatic assay in their lab, without any success. Lahrouchi identified Frohman as a leading expert in the study of PLD1 and the team reached out to him.

His work was instrumental in determining the effect of the mutations on the enzymatic activity of PLD1, Bezzina explained.

The timing in connecting with Frohman proved fortuitous, as Frohman had been collaborating with Michael Airola, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology at Stony Brook University, on the structure of the PLD1 catalytic domain.

“Together, they immediately saw that the mutations found in the patients were located primarily in regions of the protein that are important for catalysis and this provided detailed insight into why the mutations caused the PLD1 enzyme to become non-functional,” Bezzina wrote.

These findings have implications for reproductive counseling, the scientists suggested.

A couple with an affected child who has a recessive variation of PLD1 could alert parents to the potential risk of having another child with a similar defect.

One of the variants the scientific team identified occurs in about two percent of Ashkenazi Jews, which means that 1 in 2,500 couples will have two carriers and a quarter of their conceptions will be homozygous recessive, which virtually guarantees congenital heart disease. This, however, is about three times less frequent than Tay-Sachs. “This has, in our view, clinical implications for assessing the risk of congenital heart defects among individuals of this ancestry,” said Bezzina.

The mutation probably arose among Ashkenazi Jews around 600 to 800 years ago. There are about 20 known disease mutations like Tay-Sachs in this population that are found only rarely in other groups.

Lahrouchi and Bezzina specialize in the genetics of congenital heart disease, which occurs worldwide in 7 out of every 1,000 live births.

With 56 coauthors, Frohman said this publication had the largest number of collaborators he’s ever had in a career that includes about 200 papers. While this is unusual for him, it’s not uncommon among papers in clinical research.

The lead researchers believed a comprehensive report with a uniform presentation of clinical data and biochemical analysis would provide a better resource for the field, so they brought together research from The Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Israel, France, Italy and the United States.

Previous research that involved Frohman revealed other patterns connected to the PLD1 gene. 

About a dozen years ago, Frohman helped discover that mice lacking the PLD1 gene, or that were inhibited by a drug that blocked its function, had platelets that are less easily activated, which meant they were less able to form large blood clots.

These mice had better outcomes with strokes, heart attacks and pulmonary embolisms.

The small molecule inhibitor was protective for these conditions before strokes, but only provided a small amount of protection afterwards. Technical reasons made it difficult to use this inhibitor in clinical trials.

The primary work in Frohman’s lab explores the link between PLD1 and cancer. He has shown that loss of PLD1 decreases breast cancer tumor growth and metastasis.

As for what’s next, Frohman said he has a scientific focus and a translational direction. On the scientific front, he would like to know why the gene is required for heart development. He is launching into a set of experiments in which he can detect what might go wrong in animal models early in the development of the heart. 

Clinically, he hopes to explore how one bad copy of the PLD1 gene combines with other genes that might contribute to cause enough difficulties to challenge the survival of a developing heart.

A resident of Old Field, Frohman lives with his wife Stella Tsirka, who is in the pharmacology department and is Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs in the Renaissance School of Medicine. The couple has two children, Dafni, who is a first-year medical student at Stony Brook and Evan, who is a lawyer clerking with a judge in Philadelphia.

Outside of work, Frohman, who earned MD and PhD degrees, enjoys hikes in parks, kayaking and biking.

Having a medical background helped him learn a “little bit about everything,” which gave him the opportunity to prepare for anything new, which included the medical implications of mutations in the PLD1 gene.

Bezzina hopes to continue to work with Frohman, on questions including how the mutation type affects disease severity. “An interplay with other predisposing genetic factors is very interesting to explore as that could also help us in dissecting the disease mechanism further,” she wrote.

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Patsy Vassallo during his military days. Photo from the Vassallo family

By Rich Acritelli

Rocky Point High School lost a special employee that held a special place within the staff and student body on March 21.  

Patsy Vassallo, of Miller Place, considered his moments within the hallways of this school to be amongst the most gratifying of his life. At 83 years old, Vassallo wore a big smile, where he engaged the young men and women of this school, and he spoke to all the staff members as a calming presence. 

Each day, Vassallo was pleased to go to work, where he embraced being a part of the RPHS community. As COVID-19 surely has that tested the roles of administrators, teachers and students, Vassallo was always a warm presence to lighten our atmosphere. 

Photo from the Vassallo family

Originally from Bayside, Queens, he started working at the young age of seven, where he learned how to repair footwear in a shoemaker shop. At 17, Vassallo enlisted into the New York Army National Guard where he proudly served in the military for eight years. 

For many decades, he held manufacturing engineering positions and was an entrepreneur that owned and operated machine, coffee and shoe businesses. Vassallo was a proponent of education and in his 60s, he taught college level courses as a lecturer of architectural design through the application of software.  

Always armed with a “can-do” attitude, Vassallo lived an extremely productive life. This was seen at 77 years old, where he provided customer service at a local hardware store. And when he was not working or spending time with his family, Vassallo was a drummer with his brother Charles who played the saxophone in a wedding band during the 1970s and 80s.  

Always known for his energy, athletically, Vassallo was also an avid golfer. One thing was for certain, Vassallo through his many interests was able to speak to every type of person that crossed his path, especially those individuals that were fortunate to see him at his most recent job. 

Vassallo’s greatest achievement was his family. He cherished his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He preached the necessity that “family always comes first,” and as the senior patriarch, Vassallo always exclaimed, “I love you to the moon and back.” 

In a brief matter of months, Vassallo had a reassuring presence that was welcomed by the staff of Rocky Point High School.  Principal John Hart believed that “At the age of 83, Pat quickly became a well-loved member of the High School community and was often referred to as a true gentleman. He proudly arrived early each day, exchanged pleasant conversations with our staff, was detail-oriented, and most importantly respectful and friendly to all those in this building.”   

Hart’s secretary, Sheila Grodotzke observed the positive qualities of Vassallo as “loving his job and his reliability in seriously taking his responsibilities. He showed and expressed such fierce pride in his family.”

“I will remember how he beamed with such passion and humbleness when he introduced me to his two grandchildren who attend our high school,” she added. “I truly miss him and never will forget him. May he rest in peace.”

Within these hard times for the Vassallo Family, RPHS wanted to thank these residents for the unique opportunity that our students and staff had in knowing this good man. While his loss has been on hard on his family, they were immensely proud of his many achievements. 

Thank you for the daily devotion and affection that Mr. Patsy Vassallo provided to all those that he befriended in this North Shore district. 

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Photo from SBUH

In response to an easing of state regulations and their approach to patient care, area hospitals are relaxing restrictions about patient visitors.

Cheryl Miranda, director of Patient Experience at Huntington Hospital, has been planning the new visitation policy since the beginning of the month. Photo from Huntington Hospital

Starting this past Monday, Huntington Hospital will allow patients who do not have COVID-19 to have one visitor per day, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. St. Charles and St. Catherine of Siena hospitals also allow one COVID-19 negative visitor per day during those same hours.

Huntington Hospital is responding to the medical, emotional and personal need its patients have for the support of family and friends during whatever health challenges they face.

“There is nothing like having your loved one at your bedside, holding your hand,” said Cheryl Miranda, director of Patient Experience at Huntington Hospital, which is a part of Northwell Health.

Family also provides helpful information, helping medical professionals know whether a patient’s behavior is different from normal

“As a nurse, I’ve always felt that family is part of the caregiving circle,” Miranda said. “The family knows their loved one better than anyone. They will help us provide better care.”

St. Charles Hospital and St. Catherine of Siena started allowing one hospital visitor per COVID-negative patient per day starting about four weeks ago.

Stony Brook is making several changes to its visitation policy.

As of April 1, the hospital is allowing two visitors for patients in labor and delivery, for pediatric patients and for patients in end-of-life situations. This will increase from one to two.

Patients receiving same day surgical procedures will also be allowed a patient visitor until a procedure begins. The visitor is required to wait outside during the procedure and then can return during the patient’s release from the hospital.

Inpatient child psychiatry will also allow a visitor, as will cancer center and outpatient offices.

Approved visitors to Stony Brook must wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth the entire time, will have symptom checks, including thermal scanning, will not be allowed outside the patient’s room, must maintain six feet of distance and must wash their hands on entering and leaving the room.

Hospitals had generally restricted most or all patient visitors over various periods in the last year amid the pandemic to limit the spread of COVID-19. Nurses throughout Long Island and the world have used tablets, phones and other technology to help their patients connect with family members, enabling them to see spouses, siblings, children, grandchildren and friends from hospital beds that often had them feeling isolated during their health battles.

Allowing visitors, who are still required to wear masks, will help hospitalized patients feel more normal and receive the kind of support that can brighten their day while shortening their hospital visit.

A hospital employee will screen patients on their way into the hospital, asking them questions about any possible symptoms and taking their temperature.

Visitors who are COVID-19 positive can’t enter. Additionally, visitors who come in from out of the state or whom they believe necessitates a screening will have a rapid swab.

“We are not asking everyone to be tested,” Miranda said.

The hospital is spreading the word about its new patient visitor policy by changing its on-hold messages, is sharing information on TV sets and is telling families directly during virtual visits that one person at a time can come to the hospital.

Patients can determine who visits, which includes family members and friends.

“There is nothing like having your loved one at your bedside, holding your hand.”

— Cheryl Miranda

Miranda said the medical staff is well-prepared for an increase in visitors through the hospital.

“I don’t have to tell anybody in this building to follow precautions,” Miranda said. “We’ve all been through this for 13 months now and there isn’t anyone” who needs reminding about personal protective equipment, hand washing or social distancing.

Initially, Huntington Hospital workers will escort visitors to patient rooms, reminding them about safety policies.

During visits, patients and visitors are expected to wear masks. If a family member comes during mealtime or brings food, the patient can eat, but should do so at a safe distance.

Miranda, who has been at Huntington Hospital for 20 years, realizes the suffering patients and their families have endured during the pandemic.

“To tell someone they can’t be here is an awful, awful thing,” Miranda said. “My heart goes out to the families that haven’t been allowed to be here” and to the patients who “haven’t been able to have their loved ones at their side.”

Miranda has been planning this new visitation policy since the beginning of the month.

The hospital has learned numerous lessons about health care, including by providing virtual support for patients.

In addition to bereavement support groups, which have been particularly busy as families mark the one-year anniversary of the loss of a loved one, the hospital is adding a long-haul support group.

Starting on Thursday, April 8 at 2 p.m., Huntington Hospital will offer support to people who have a lingering cough, ongoing debilitating fatigue, body aches, joint pain, shortness of breath, loss of taste and smell, difficulty sleeping, headaches and brain fog.

People interested in joining that group can email Kacey Farber at [email protected].

Dr. Jean Cacciabaudo, associate medical director at Huntington Hospital and a cardiologist, will sit on the long haulers support meeting. Cacciabaudo, who had COVID-19 and has some long haulers symptoms, will attend not just for herself, but to provide the physician’s perspective.

Miranda said the bereavement support groups have helped family members amid a loss.

“It’s the beauty of humanity, when we reach out and help each other,” Miranda said. “There’s no magic solution for grief and loss. For some people, it’s just about remembering all the wonderful things they had when they had that person and sharing that with other people. It’s about not being isolated. That’s a big key.”

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Photo from Urban Air

Urban Air Lake Grove owners Dave Wolmetz and Keith Handler (holding scissors) held a ribbon cutting to mark the official reopening of their business — one year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — on March 26. The celebration was attended by local, county and state officials and local chamber members.

The 48,000 sq. ft indoor adventure park, located at 3147 Middle Country Road in Lake Grove, was closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened briefly in fall 2020 after providing sufficient demonstration that it could operate safely but was ordered closed again five weeks later. A lawsuit filed in February 2021 forced the State of New York to allow Family Entertainment Centers across the state, including Urban Air, to open again under COVID-19 safety protocols.

“I was happy to attend the grand reopening of Urban Air Adventure Park at 3147 Middle Country Road in Lake Grove. For too long indoor entertainment facilities, like Urban Air, were ignored in the Governor’s reopening plan despite proving they could operate safely. I was proud to stand with my colleagues in government today and congratulate Urban Air on their reopening and wish them the best of luck with their business,” said Councilman LaValle.

“[It was] great to join Urban Air Adventure Park in Lake Grove for a grand re-opening! Amusements are opening back up in time for summer!” added Assemblyman Smith. 

Pictured from left, Brendan Chamberlain representing Leg. Nick Caracappa; Greater Middle Country Chamber President Lenore Paprocky; Leg. Leslie Kennedy;  Councilman Kevin LaValle; Assemblyman Doug Smith; Carrie and Dave Wolmetz; Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy; Keith Handler; NYS Senator Mario Mattera; Lake Grove Mayor Robert Scottaline; and Barbara Franco, Executive Director of the Greater Smithtown Chamber of Commerce. 

The park will operate at 25 percent capacity, with an e-commerce ticketing system managing two-hour timed entry for all guests. Tickets are purchased online in advance. To encourage social distancing, tickets will be offered for purchase at the door on a capacity only basis. Operating hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information, call 631-861-4125.

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Miller Place beat Southampton 8-0 at Miller Place High School on March 30.
Photos by Diana Fehling

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By Harry To

Suffolk County Republicans have endorsed Stephanie Bontempi, a fifth-grade teacher at The Green Vale School in Old Brookville and chairperson of Town of Huntington’s Beautification Advisory Council, in the race against Democrat Mark Cuthbertson for Suffolk County legislator in the 18th district. The election will take place in November.

A first-time candidate, Bontempi said that she has “always been into local politics,” but hasn’t been able to run for office due to her duties as a parent. Now, her kids have grown up and become independent, giving her an opportunity to run for office.

“I’m running on a campaign of quality of life for all of us to have a good quality of life on Long Island,” Bontempi said in a phone interview.

She emphasized the fact that Long Island has become increasingly expensive while wages have remained stagnant, a problem that’s forcing lifelong residents of the county to reconsider where they call home.

This, she said, has forced her son to move to North Carolina for affordable housing. Now she fears her daughters may be forced out next.

“I have two daughters,” she said. “I don’t want them to leave just because they can’t afford to be here.”

Bontempi believes the management of the Suffolk County budget is one of the main culprits of the rise in living expenses.

“Something needs to be done about the mismanagement of finances in Suffolk County,” she said. “That’s really why I’m running. We need to evaluate the process. We need to scrutinize how funds are being allocated. As it stands, we keep borrowing and borrowing.”

However, Bontempi said she couldn’t provide specifics as to what was being overfunded and what could be cut from the budget.

“If you ask me exactly what I’m going to do, I won’t really be able to answer that because I’ve never done this before,” she said. “There’s no transparency. It’s not until I’m there that I can really answer that question.”

In regard to her lack of political experience, compared to Cuthbertson, who is a longtime Huntington Town Board member, Bontempi said that anybody who has done a job for a while will have a history of experience.

“I’ve been teaching for a long time,” she said. “I’ve taught hundreds of children how to do fractions and percentages, and about ancient civilizations because I’ve done it for so long. If you’ve done something for a while, of course you’ll have a lot of achievements.”

In talking about her personal life, Bontempi spoke of her upbringing in Europe and her journey immigrating to the United States.

“I was born in Sweden to a Swedish dad and French-Italian mom, so I spent most of my time between Sweden and France,” she said. “I’m trilingual, and I’ve got a heavy accent that is kind of a mishmash of it all.”

Bontempi originally received her schooling in Europe but ended up coming to the United States before finishing her education.

“I got an opportunity to go to school in America and was very excited. Land of opportunity, right?” she said. “So, I came for my last year at Hartford University in Connecticut and graduated with a bachelor’s in business.”

Bontempi said she was granted American citizenship in 2003.

After a period of being a stay-at-home mother, Bontempi decided to change careers.

“I worked in telecommunications consulting for a little while, then I had kids and stayed home for a few years,” she said. “Then I tried real estate but that wasn’t for me, so I went back to school and got my graduate degree in elementary education.”

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Team Breakfast for Dinner had to break through a block of ice to release the keys to their food trucks and begin the competition. Photo from Breakfast for Dinner @bfdfoodtruck on Instagram

By Nancy Vallarella

Season 13 of “The Great Food Truck Race” is looking to be a lucky one for Long Island’s team, Breakfast For Dinner.

Harry Poole, of Smithtown, from team Breakfast for Dinner. Photo from Breakfast for Dinner @bfdfoodtruck on Instagram

Long Island natives Kate Wurtzel and Harry Poole, both of Smithtown, and April Nothdurft, of Islip, have taken first place in the weekly episodes 1, 2 and 3, which started March 7.  Their journey can still be followed through the bone-chilling wonderland of Alaska, on the Food Network channel, Sundays at 10 p.m.

In January 2020, the program’s host, Chef Tyler Florence, posted a casting call on Instagram. Mom and spice-blend entrepreneur Wurtzel responded and then scrambled for culinary talent to compose a team.

Harry Poole, a never-met-before neighbor and chef/owner of two family-owned restaurants — Jackson’s in Commack and Morrison’s in Plainview — joined Wurtzel and Poole’s longtime co-worker Nothdurft.  A day later, the trio interviewed with the Food Network via Skype.

The team had a concept. Poole’s wife Shelby designed a logo, and team Breakfast For Dinner was set to film at the end of March last year.

Then COVID-19 struck, closing down not only their businesses but also their Food Network dream. The months passed.

“It felt as though the opportunity was lost,” Poole said.

While the members of team BFD were acclimating to the “new normal” in the fall, Food Network reached out to the trio, and the race was back on.  With renewed spirit Wurtzel, Poole, and Nothdurft gave the opportunity their all. They became fast friends, fierce competitors and a family.

Team BFD can only speak about the episodes that have aired. Competing in the frigid and icy conditions of Alaska was a daily obstacle. Slipping, sliding, falling, on-the-fly snow-chain installation and driving trucks with 110 pounds of propane on board up and down snowy mountains became part of the daily routine.

Fortitude, teamwork, positive attitudes and culinary skill have all played in the success team Breakfast For Dinner has achieved.

In episode 1, contestants met on a snow-covered mountain top in Anchorage, where they had to break through a block of ice to release the keys to their food trucks and begin the competition. The fun continued in episode 2 in the city of Palmer, with an outdoor cookout requiring a fire started with flint for an old-fashioned cook-off in blustery conditions. Onto Homer for episode 3, where the competitors found themselves at sea catching salmon before traveling to a location to prep the day’s menu and begin selling from their food trucks.

Today, Wurtzel is growing her spice-blend company Keep It Spicy!; Poole continues to use Wurtzel’s spices in his food served at Jackson’s and Morrison’s; and Nothdurft is a mixologist at The Brixton in Babylon.

Three competition episodes remain. Tune in to see if Long Island’s team makes its way to winning $50K.

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