Beginning February 4, Avalon Nature Preserve in Stony Brook presents a 9-week virtual Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. The classes will be held on consecutive Thursdays via Zoom from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. through April 1.
Are you ready to be more active in your own well-being and health? Would you like to strengthen your resilience, improve coping with stress, and gain a sense of greater ease and balance in your life?
If so, this winter may be the time to join this supportive and experiential 9-week MBSR course that teaches, in a step-by-step fashion, the practice of mindfulness meditation for well-being in daily life.
Known as the Gold Standard for learning mindfulness meditation, MBSR was developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts’ Medical Center has been featured in countless media segments, hundreds of research studies and is now offered all over the world in hospitals, schools, business and sports. And at Avalon for the past 10 years!
This course is offered by Cheryl Kurash, Ph.D, Psychologist and Certified MBSR Teacher through UMASS Center for Mindfulness
Want to know more? For additional information and to pre-register for the course,
click the button below:
SBU Coach Chuck Priore on right. Photo by Jim Harrison/Stony Brook Athletics
The Stony Brook football team is set to play an untraditional season this spring. And head coach Chuck Priore is bullish on the Seawolves’ potential during a six-game CAA schedule that begins in March. “Overall, as a team, I’m excited,” Priore said on a kickoff CAA Football conference call on Wednesday.
The Seawolves, who begin official practices Feb. 5, return a dozen starters from a 2019 squad that produced its signature win against fifth-ranked Villanova.
Fields engineered three game-winning or game-tying fourth-quarter drives last season en route to one of the best seasons from a quarterback in school history. He recorded a program single-season-record 2,809 yards of total offense. His 2,471 passing yards ranked second most, trailing only T.J. Moriarty (2,495 in 2004). Fields also tossed 16 touchdowns and rushed for four more. He accumulated 338 rushing yards.
“The interesting thing was he had the opportunity all spring and summer to study himself. He got drill work when he was home from our quarterback coach to do,” Priore said. “The biggest thing ended up becoming his accuracy — and his improvement in that [area of the] game. His play-action game was lights out for us, his ability to throw the ball up the field, yards per reception. But he needed to become more accurate. And I think those are the things we worked on. We saw great improvement.
“He’s been part of the team now as a starter. He’s captain. And he knows he has the fall [2021 season too], which he is coming back for us. It’s a win for all of us.”
Lawton earned Freshman All-American honors from Phil Steele in 2019 after tallying 648 yards and seven touchdowns on 152 carries.
Nunez already has been tabbed a second-team Preseason All-American from HERO Sports and Stats Perform as well as first-team Preseason All-CAA Football by Phil Steele.
Catapano has been selected a co-captain after seeing action in all 12 games and making nine starts in 2019.
Morrison actually is moving to free safety to anchor the defense because Priore felt the squad had great depth at the corner position.
On special teams, Aussie punter Mitchell Wright returns as the first-stringer. Kamara was granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA after suffering a season-ending injury five games into the 2019 schedule.
“We think he’s a next-level guy,” Priore said.
Kamara, Burns and Dimanche have been tabbed second-team Preseason All-CAA Football by Phil Steele.Contressa is first-team Preseason All-CAA Football by that same publication.
“Defensively we have six linebackers — two by transfer, two by freshmen getting older and two who were in the program last year,” Priore said. “We’re really excited about that position.”
The Seawolves also will be bolstered by tight end Tyler Devera (Maryland transfer) and wide receivers Hunter Hayek (Rutgers) and Malik Love (New Hampshire).
The season consists of six conference games, with the CAA split into North and South divisions.
“This has been a team that has attacked it with a passion for success,” Priore said. “I think it built great team morale when we got back here in the fall after being apart.”
Blood pressure numbers of less than 120/80 mm Hg are considered within the normal range.
Nighttime blood pressure readings may be more accurate predictors
By David Dunaief, M.D.
Dr. David Dunaief
What could we possibly learn about blood pressure that we have not heard already? Studies teach us about diagnostic techniques and timing, as well as consequences of hypertension and its treatment.
Two arms please
When you go to the doctor’s office, they usually take your blood pressure first. But do they take readings in both arms and, if so, have you wondered why? I take blood pressure readings in both arms, because there may be significant benefit from this.
Researchers analyzed the Framingham Heart Study and Offspring Study and found that when blood pressure was taken in both arms and there was a difference of more than 10 mm Hg in the systolic (top number) blood pressure, they could identify an almost 40 percent increased risk of having a cardiac event, such as a stroke or a heart attack (1).
So, the next time you go to the doctor’s office, ask them to take your blood pressure in both arms to give you and your doctor a potential preliminary indication of increased cardiovascular disease risk.
Night beats daytime
When do you take your blood pressure? For most of us it is usually at the doctor’s office in the middle of the day. This may not be the most effective reading. Nighttime blood pressure readings may be the most accurate, according to one study (2).
This was a meta-analysis of nine observational studies involving over 13,000 patients. Neither the clinical nor daytime readings correlated significantly with cardiovascular events when multiple confounding variables were taken into account. However, every 10 mm Hg increase at night had a significant predictive value.
With patients, if blood pressure is high in my office, I suggest that they take their blood pressure at home, both in the morning and at night, and send me weekly readings. At least one of the readings should be taken before antihypertensive medications are taken, since these will alter the numbers.
Pass on the salt
There has always been a debate about whether salt plays a role in high blood pressure and heart disease. A compelling British study, called the Health Survey from England, implicates sodium as one potential factor exacerbating the risk for high blood pressure and, ultimately, cardiovascular disease (3). The results show that when salt intake was reduced by an average of 15 percent, there was a significant blood pressure reduction and that this reduction may be at least partially responsible for a 40 percent reduction in stroke mortality and a 42 percent reduction in heart disease mortality.
One potential study weakness was that physical activity was not taken into account. However, this study’s strength was that it measured salt intake through 24-hour urine tests. Most of our dietary salt comes from processed foods we least suspect, such as breads, pastas and cheeses.
Check your eyes
When we think of blood pressure-lowering medications, we don’t usually consider age-related macular degeneration as a potential side effect. However, in the Beaver Dam Eye Study, patients who were taking blood pressure medications were at a significant 72 percent increased overall risk of developing early-stage AMD (4). It did not matter which class of blood pressure-lowering drug the patient was using, all had similar effects: calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, diuretics, and angiotensin receptor blockers.
However, the researchers indicated that they could not determine whether the blood pressure or the blood pressure medication was the potential contributing factor. This is a controversial topic. If you are on blood pressure medications and are more than 65 years old, I would recommend that you get yearly eye exams by your ophthalmologist.
Manage your fall risk
One study shows that blood pressure medications significantly increase fall risk in the elderly (5). Overall, nine percent of these patients on blood pressure medications were seriously injured when they fell. Those who were considered moderate users of these medications had a 40 percent increased risk of fall. But, interestingly, those who were consider high-intensity users had a slightly less robust risk of fall (28 percent) than the moderate users. The researchers used the Medicare database with 5,000 participants as their data source. The average age of the participants in the study was 80.
Does this mean that we should discontinue blood pressure medications in this population? Not necessarily. This should be assessed at an individual level between the patient and the doctor. Also, one weakness of this study was that there was no dose-response curve. In other words, as the dosage increased with high blood pressure medications, one would expect a greater fall risk. However, the opposite was true.
So, we have some simple, easy-to-implement, takeaways. First, consider monitoring blood pressure in both arms, since a difference can mean an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Reduce your salt intake; it appears that many people may be sensitive to salt, as shown by the British study. If you do take blood pressure medications and are at least 65 years old, take steps to reduce your risk of falling and have annual ophthalmic exams to check for AMD.
References:
(1) Am J Med. 2014 Mar;127(3):209-215. (2) J Am Soc Hypertens 2014;8:e59. (3) BMJ Open 2014;4:e004549. (4) Ophthalmology online April 30, 2014. (5) JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(4):588-595.
Dr. David 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.
SCPD crime scene vans outside Danford's Hotel and Marina in the village. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Suffolk County Police Homicide detectives are investigating a body that washed up near Danfords Hotel and Marina in Port Jefferson at approximately 3 p.m. on Jan. 28.
Detectives said a man in his 40s was discovered in the water. Sources say it was called in when spotted by Port Jefferson Ferry workers.
A police officer at the scene said it appears non-criminal at this time.
According to the governor’s office, temporary state field hospitals, such as the one at Stony Brook University, were prepared for the winter with the removal of roofs and emptying the structures of equipment. Photo by Sue Wahlert
The state’s field hospital set up on the Stony Brook University grounds earlier this year has looked a little different over the past few weeks.
At the end of April, five climate-controlled structures were completed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide SBU Hospital and other local medical centers with more beds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents passing by the alternate care facility structures recently have noticed that they are roofless and the interior walls — used to create mini rooms — are now dismantled.
According to state officials, several temporary state field hospitals were prepared for the December winter storm, which included snow. Part of that prep work included emptying the structures of equipment and fixtures. At SBUH, the fabric tenting materials were also removed. However, the field hospital is not being dismantled completely in case it needs to be opened for patients. The 1,000-bed facility in Stony Brook has never been used.
According to state officials, all of the components that were removed were inventoried and are ready for use wherever needed, whether in Stony Brook, on Long Island or across the state.
The hospital extension was slated for patients with health care issues outside of COVID-19 in order to free up bed space in the hospital and other local medical centers to treat patients with the virus. The final cost for the alternate care facility was some $155 million, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. All work done by USACE for the construction of alternate care facilities was funded by Federal Emergency Management Agency mission assignments to USACE.
State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) said when the alternate care facilities were assembled little was known about the pandemic’s course.
“At the time that they were built, the hospitals in Queens had so many bodies that they were tying refrigeration trucks together in the parking lots, just to store the bodies,” he said, adding the hospitals couldn’t process and bury the bodies fast enough.
“To put it in perspective, that was the environment in which the governor’s office basically made a decision,” he said. “I think they were informed by the seriousness of space limitations.”
He added early on no one knew that the infection rates would be down by the summer.
“The reality is that hindsight is 20/20,” Englebright said. “At that point in time, they did not have the benefit of knowing the scale, magnitude or speed of the pandemic. The governor was successful in suppressing New York’s acceleration in those months in the spring. And so, I think you have to look at the current dismantlement of the hospital as a testament, not of wastefulness, but of merciful success in suppressing the acceleration of the pandemic in New York.”
'Shinnecock Indian Man, 18th Century,' oil painting by David Martine
One of the displays in the exhibit.
'Messemennuck' by Jeremy Dennis
One of the walls of the exhibit highlights the Shinnecock and offshore whaling. Above, a painting by David Martine titled Late Afternoon Rest.
'The Point Shinnecock' by Jeremy Dennis
Shinnecock arrowheads and shells on display at the exhibit.
By Tara Mae
For thousands of years, the Shinnecock (“People of the Stony Shore”) have depended on the water and maritime industries.
Expressed mainly through contemporary artwork, first person narratives, and historic artifacts, the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum and Education Center’s new exhibit, Shinnecock Artists and Long Island’s First Whalers, explores the often overlooked history of Indigenous whalers as well as the relationship between Indigenous people of Long Island and the sea.
“We wanted to spotlight the fascinating but under-told maritime history of the Shinnecock people. We used this exhibit as a launch to spotlight history as a whole,” Executive Director Nomi Dayan explained.
This dynamic is largely represented through the work of Shinnecock artists, especially Jeremy Dennis and David Martine, who contributed photography and oil paintings. Interactive elements are also incorporated into the installation, such as a children’s activity table and videos by Shinnecock artist Shane Weeks.
“We took a conscious step of staff stepping back and collaborating with several native artists, to spotlight native voices,” Dayan added.
Relics from Long Island’s Indigenous nautical past are showcased, like scrub brushes, items extracted from a midden (an oldtrash heap), and a small whalebone paddle. “I like how Nomi chose to frame our heritage and history through the lens of whaling … It’s a good way to show whaling as part of our history,” said Dennis.
Dependence on the ocean for survival influenced many aspects of tribal life, encompassing arts, values, and culture. However, much of the most accessible scholarship focuses on the European settlers’ relationship to the sea and overlooks local Indigenous history.
“Any exhibit like this is important for examining the Native American culture of Long Island, especially pertaining to the history of whaling and maritime culture of the local tribes, which were big parts of the culture for thousands of years. Native American culture doesn’t have much mainstream recognition except in inaccurate movie and television portrayals,” Martine said.
Open to the public through 2022, the display is a manifestation of the museum’s concerted effort to elevate and amplify the stories of traditionally otherized groups and diversify the stories the museum presents, according to Dayan.
“It came out of a strategic initiative … we prioritize telling stories of historically marginalized people. Pivoting to tell stories of Indigenous people addresses several needs, including strengthening visibility of the Shinnecock people, who have a long history of marginalization and dispossession. A preliminary study of the public indicated that it had limited prior knowledge of the Shinnecock, but interest in the tribe’s ways and culture was high,” she said.
Dennis similarly recognizes the impact of this exhibit. “There is a misunderstanding that the Shinnecock are no longer here, so creating any type of visual art or expression is a good start of showing that we are still here,” he said.
Like other Indigenous communities, the Shinnecock are currently being disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In highlighting the work of Indigenous artists, the museum expands patrons’ awareness of the Shinnecock tribe’s continued presence on Long Island and broadens their understanding of its history, according to Dayan.
To kick off programming for the exhibit, a virtual artist chat with Jeremy Dennis will be held on February 17 at 6 p.m. Dennis will discuss his landscape photography project, On This Site — Indigenous Long Island. Tickets may be obtained online at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/events, under the “Virtual Chats” tab.
The Whaling Museum is located at 301 Main Street in Cold Spring Harbor and is currently open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets to the exhibit may be purchased online at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/visit. Social distancing will be observed and masks are mandatory for entry. For further information, call 631-367-3418.
Photos courtesy of Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor
The Public Libraries of Suffolk County announced last week that it reached a record-breaking 2.7 million eBook checkouts on Live-brary.com during 2020.This achievement is no surprise to many, as 2020 lead to the increased growth and importance of library digital lending of eBooks and audiobooks while many buildings were closed due to the global pandemic. Live-brary, consisting of 56 libraries in Suffolk County, is one of 102 public library systems worldwide that surpassed one million checkouts.
The Public Libraries of Suffolk County have been providing readers 24/7 access to eBooks and audiobooks for several years through OverDrive and its award-winning Libby reading app.Reader interest has grown every year.
“This past year, though difficult, Suffolk libraries have demonstrated their commitment to readers wherever they may be through Live-brary’s eBook and audiobook collections providing much needed access to entertainment and learning opportunities,” said Kevin Verbesey, Director of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System.
The highest circulating title Live-brary readers borrowed through OverDrive in 2020 was Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.The top-circulating genre, romance, represents the most popular in a vast catalog that also includes thrillers, biographies, children/young adult and more.
The top five eBook titles borrowed through Live-brary’s digital collection in 2020:
1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
2. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
3. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
4. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
5. Educated by Tara Westover
The top five audiobook titles borrowed through Live-brary’s digital collection in 2020:
1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
3. Becoming by Michelle Obama
4. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
5. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Readers in Suffolk County just need a valid library card to access digital books from Live-brary’s OverDrive-powered digital collection.Readers can use any major device, including Apple®, Android™, Chromebook™ and Kindle® (US only).Visit https://live-brary.com/overdrive.com/ or download the Libby app to get started and borrow eBooks and audiobooks anytime, anywhere.
This article first appeared in Prime Times, a supplement of TBR News Media, on Jan. 28, 2021.
Photo from Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce
The Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce welcomed Long Island’s eighth Philly Pretzel Factory to the community with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 21. The storefront is located at 346 Route 25A, Suite 92, Rocky Point in the Kohl’s shopping center.
Special guests included Councilwoman Jane Bonner and Senator Anthony Palumbo, who each presented a Certificate of Congratulations, as well as the chamber board, chamber members and residents.
Philly Pretzel Factory is known for its signature hand-rolled, fresh baked pretzels that come with a wide selection of dips. Party trays are also available.
“The Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce … looks forward to Philly Pretzel Factory’s success and the future patrons the business will bring to the Rocky Point community,” said Gary Pollakusky, President andExecutive Director of the chamber.
“Thank you Rocky Point and surrounding communities for the warm welcome!We are super excited to serve you all,” said franchise owners Nick Grillo and Salvatore Ruffo.
Operating hours are Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-849-3507 or visitwww.facebook.com/ppfrockypoint/.
A drone shot of Long Island Innovation Park in Hauppauge. Photo from Town of Smithtown
The Town of Smithtown is asking the courts to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Hauppauge Union Free School District.
Earlier this month, the district filed a lawsuit against the town. The case, which would be heard in the Suffolk County Supreme Court, asked that the court annuls town zoning that would allow developers for the first time to build apartments in an overlay district in the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge.
The district alleged that the Town Board didn’t conduct a meaningful environmental review or consider potential impacts related to traffic, wastewater and an increase in enrollment in the Hauppauge school district.
In August, the Town Board approved a plan for developers to apply for special exceptions for mixed-use buildings that would include retail and restaurant space as well as apartments. Any apartments built would be on main roadways in the industrial park such as Motor Parkway and New Highway, and there would have to have a 1,000 square-foot buffer between a residential and commercial property.
Smithtown spokesperson Nicole Garguilo said the town is asking for a dismissal as it is believed that many residents have misunderstood reports about the upcoming development. While there are 13 light-industry lots in that park where mixed-use buildings might be a viable option in the future, news of 1,000 units and a possible 300 new students in the district have been misreported.
She said if developers wanted to flip a property, they would have to go through an environmental review process which includes soil and water samples, among other requirements. Developers would also have to go before the town’s Planning Board and Board of Zoning Appeals before any building could start — a process that could take a few years.
Any possible development will most likely feature studio and one-bedroom units.
That’s “either kids out of college or people who are just starting out in life, or the 55-and-older community who might want to downsize to an apartment who work in the area,” Garguilo said.
She noted that studies show young people who rent in an area tend to buy houses in the same neighborhood when they are ready, and numbers such as 300 new students were speculation of what could happen over a few decades.
Hauppauge Industrial Association of Long Island and the Long Island Builders Institute released a joint statement supporting the town’s zoning change after hearing of the school district’s legal challenge.
“The town engaged in a fair, open and transparent process all along the way,” said Terri Alessi-Miceli, president and CEO of HIA-LI. “I applaud Supervisor Ed Wehrheim [R] and the Town Board for including input from a broad spectrum of community stakeholders before voting for this zoning change.”
Mitch Pally, CEO of LIBI, said it was essential “to create conditions for sustained economic growth on Long Island” and to act strategically “to promote workforce attraction and retention.”
“Modern businesses are mobile, and we’re competing every day with other parts of the country to maintain and grow our business base here,” he said.
Pally added that more real property taxes from the industrial park in the future lower “the amount of real property taxes paid by residential property owners in the district.”
According to the HIA-LI and LIBI statement, Hauppauge industrial park businesses pay more than $44 million in real property taxes to the school district every year, translating into the Hauppauge school district tax rate being 40% lower per residence than the average tax rate in Suffolk County.
Above, Ron Carlson with the winning raffle ticket and the Gift Tree. Photo from PJCC
Photo from PJCC
Photo from PJCC
By Julianne Mosher
The Christmas season may be over, but one local man just won a holiday gift that will last him for quite a while.
Ron Carlson, a long-time employee of the Village of Port Jefferson, recently won a prize of $1,000 in gift cards thanks to the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce’s most recent raffle.
Barbara Ransome, Director of Operations at the chamber, said that during December’s annual Festival of Trees display inside the Port Jefferson Village Center a Gift Tree was set up next to the Festival’s main tree in hopes of raising money for the chamber. Visitors to the holiday exhibit were able to purchase a $5 raffle ticket to take a chance in winning gift certificates from over 25 chamber partners (a combined total of $1,000), plus a mini tree the family can use next year.
A resident of Miller Place, Carlson had worked as Parks and Recreation Director for 35 years, he said, and even after retirement decided to come back to the village part-time. “I have a strong feeling for the village and I wanted to support it when I saw the gift tree and the raffle,” Carlson said. “Barbara and the chamber are doing such a great job.” He said he didn’t expect to win, but when he did, it was “a great surprise.”
“There are a lot of fun things to do in the village,” he said, naming some of the shops and restaurants that donated including the Fox and Owl Inn, The Steam Room, Torte Jeff Pie Co., The East End Shirt Company and more.
Carlson said he has already started using some of the certificates, bringing his wife Gina to Pasta Pasta last week to celebrate her birthday. And even though he lives a little more east than where the village is, he said that events like these keep bringing him and his family back.
“It’s a fabulous place to come to, whether you’re a village resident or not,” he said. “Port Jefferson is one of the jewels of Long Island.”
Ransome said the raffle helped raise $200 which will go towards the operational budget of the chamber. “[The prize} couldn’t have happened to a nicer family that supports the village and the chamber of commerce.”
The highest circulating title Live-brary readers borrowed through OverDrive in 2020 was Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.
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