Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are investigating a robbery that occurred at a Smithtown bank Oct. 2
A man entered TD Bank, located at 714 Smithtown Bypass, at approximately 11:50 a.m. and allegedly handed a teller a note indicating he had a gun and demanding cash. The teller complied with the suspect’s demands and gave him cash from the drawer. The robber fled on foot.
The robber was described as white, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall with a heavy build and short black hair. He was wearing a Dallas Cowboys face mask, a dark sweatshirt, red or orange shorts and black sneakers.
Detective are asking anyone with information on the robbery to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
The Smithtown Historical Society presents its annual Fall Lecture Series at the Frank Brush Barn, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown on Oct. 5, 12 and 19 at 7 p.m. All events are free but registration is required by visiting www.smithtownhistorical.org.
October 5th—Smithtown During World War II with SHS Vice-President Maureen Smilow
Join the Smithtown Historical Society’s Vice President and former Smithtown Social Studies teacher Maureen Smilow as she takes us back in time to World War II era Smithtown. Learn how the citizens of our town responded as they were inescapably drawn into the horrific events of the day. Blackened headlights, Victory Gardens and hometown heroes: Smithtowners did their part to make the world safe for democracy.
October 12th—George Washington’s Long Island Spy Ring, with Historian Bill Bleyer
Bill Bleyer, former prize-winning staff writer for Newsday, has written extensively about Long Island history for newspapers, magazines, and numerous books. His latest book focuses on the impact of George Washington’s Long Island-based “Culper Spy Ring,” and identifies Revolutionary War sites that remain today.
October 19th—The Lost Boys of Montauk with Journalist Amanda M. Fairbanks
Amanda M. Fairbanks is a journalist who has worked with The New York Times, HuffPost, and at The East Hampton Star, where she wrote investigative stories, features and profiles. Her debut novel is an account of a March 1984 tragedy at sea, when the commercial fishing boat Wind Blown left Montauk Harbor on a routine offshore voyage. The fate of the Wind Blown—the second-worst nautical disaster suffered by a Montauk fishing vessel in over a hundred years—has become interwoven with the local folklore of the East End. The story is a universal tale of family and brotherhood; when the dreams and ambitions of social classes collide.
For further information, please call 631-265-6768.
Scenes from the 15th annual Running of the Bull on Sept. 25. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Scenes from the 15th annual Running of the Bull on Sept. 25. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Scenes from the 15th annual Running of the Bull on Sept. 25. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Scenes from the 15th annual Running of the Bull on Sept. 25. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Scenes from the 15th annual Running of the Bull on Sept. 25. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Scenes from the 15th annual Running of the Bull on Sept. 25. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Maria Marascia was the first female to cross the line with a time of 19:46.43.Photo by Rita J. Egan
Willis Sommervell, below right, finished first in 19 minutes, 3.59 seconds. Photo by Rita J. Egan
It may not be Pamplona in Spain, but the Smithtown bulls ran down the streets of the town Sept. 25.
More than 140 runners took off from the Smithtown school district administration building on Main Street and New York Avenue for the 15th annual Running of the Bull. Damianos Realty Group and the Smithtown Chamber of Commerce hosted the 5K run which took runners into Juniper Avenue and down New Mill Road and Cygnet Drive.
The event honored John Damianos, the late principal and legal counsel of the realty group who died unexpectedly in 2019. As in past years, the beneficiary was Angela’s House, the nonprofit which offers families and professionals help with medically frail children.
Before the 5K race, families took part in a 1K fun run, many of whom stayed afterward to cheer on loved ones, including Willis Sommervell, below right, who won the main event in 19 minutes, 3.59 seconds and Maria Marascia, the first female to cross the line with a time of 19:46.43.
This week a Stony Brook Village Center icon closed its doors for the last time after 27 years in business, and residents wonder how it will ever be replaced.
At the end of July, the owner of Pentimento Restaurant, Dennis Young, began informing customers that his lease wasn’t being renewed. Frequent visitors to his establishment started a Facebook page and petition on Change.org to save the restaurant and show their support. Many even protested in front of the business and throughout the shopping center. They also rallied in front of Gloria Rocchio’s house, the president of Eagle Realty Holdings and The Ward Melville Heritage Organization.
Unfortunately, the owner and the board of Eagle Realty, the landlord, couldn’t come to an agreement after Young forgot to give notice about his intent to renew last year, 365 days before his lease expired as specified in the agreement.
The Village Times Herald and the TBR News Media website featured five articles within the past two months on the closing and protests, and some of the stories also appeared in The Times of Smithtown. Talking to all parties involved, hearing the different sides of the issue, it was apparent there was more to the impasse than forgetting to renew a lease. A couple of matters couldn’t even be discussed because lease negotiations between private businesses are private matters.
We are saddened that something couldn’t be worked out. Especially since Young was hoping to retire in the near future and extending the lease and being able to sell the business to someone else would have meant he could have walked away with something more in his pockets.
A couple of weeks ago we wrote about the closing of Book Revue in Huntington village. Just like the iconic bookstore drew people to Huntington with its eclectic selection of books and celebrity author signings, the restaurant has done the same in the Three Village community by serving up its delicious meals and more.
As one reader wrote in a letter to the editor last week, in the last 27 years the restaurant served as the place “where we have celebrated birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and religious milestones. It’s where we have had our first dates and our first jobs.”
Regular visitors to Stony Brook Village Center would find that on the nights the restaurant was closed, the parking lot in the section of the shopping center it is located on was practically empty. When it was open, it could be difficult to find a spot.
When people come to eat in a restaurant, especially if they have to wait for a table, they’ll visit nearby stores. And, Pentimento has been a big attraction for both locals and residents from surrounding towns. As we mentioned in our editorial about Book Revue, sometimes the closing of a popular establishment can have a domino effect. We hope this won’t be the case with the village center.
We’re not quite sure what will replace Pentimento, but it will take a long time for residents to create new memories in whatever business goes into the empty space.
We thank Young, restaurant manager Lisa Cusumano and the staff for their service to the community, and we wish them all the happiness in the world.
David, Raymond and Jason Lin, above, are now helping their father Bao Lin run Eastern Pavilion. Photo by Kimberly Brown
Serving customers for almost three decades, Eastern Pavilion is making a comeback as a fine-dining Asian Fusion restaurant.
The family run restaurant has become a place of refuge, relaxation and dining for residents. As soon as customers walk in, they will see the newly renovated restaurant that co-owner David Lin describes as elegant with a “Manhattan vibe.”
Before the pandemic started, founder Bao Lin had thought about retiring. However, he decided not to when his three sons, David, Raymond and Jason, decided to take on the responsibility of running the business with the goal of making it bigger and better than ever before.
“We grew up in the restaurant industry and wanted to keep the family business alive,” David Lin said. “We realized how happy the restaurant made us and we loved interacting with the customers.”
Having a loyal clientele base that has continued to designate Eastern Pavilion as its favorite restaurant, David said he can pick up the phone and know customers without even asking for a name.
“A lot of the clients that we have, we honestly consider a part of our family,” David Lin said. “We have customers that started with us 30 years ago, so that makes us want to push through and have this restaurant here for the next generation.”
It isn’t only the family hospitality that customers love about this restaurant, but the quality of the food, too. According to David Lin, the restaurant has a new master sushi chef who trained in Tokyo and introduced a Szechuan chef as well, so there is plenty of variety for anyone looking to grab a bite.
An additional bar has also been added to the restaurant, where Jason Lin highly recommends Eastern Pavilion’s signature drink, which combines cold sake, premium Japanese yuzu, vodka, peach syrup, seltzer and their secret ingredient, a special tea from overseas.
Comparing the cocktail to a Starbucks refresher, Jason Lin said this is the perfect summer pick-me-up.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about making my customers and the community happy,” Jason Lin said. “Especially after the COVID-era, we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity and spend our time revamping this place.”
Another must-have dish both Jason and David Lin recommend for first-time customers is their General Tso’s chicken, which they describe as the “bread and butter” of Eastern Pavilion.
The dish includes deep-fried, battered white-meat chicken cubes sautéed with spicy red peppers. To top it off is their in-house special tangy sauce. According to Jason Lin, this sauce has been perfected through trial and error for many decades and is very unique.
For more information on Eastern Pavilion, go to www.eprestaurant.com or visit the restaurant at 750 Route 25A, Setauket.
Patricia Paladines, from the Center for Environmental Education and Discovery in Brookhaven, along with young attendees check out the small fish they caught with a seining net and get ready to throw them back in the water while elected officials look on. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Patricia Paladines, from the Center for Environmental Education and Discovery in Brookhaven, along with young attendees check out the small fish they caught with a seining net and get ready to throw them back in the water. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Patricia Paladines, from the Center for Environmental Education and Discovery in Brookhaven, along with young attendees check out the small fish they caught with a seining net and get ready to throw them back in the water while elected officials look on. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine, Councilman Jonathan Kornreich, state Assemblyman Steve Englebright and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn stop by Setauket Harbor Day. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Attendees were able to go out on the harbor in kayaks. Photo by Maria Hoffman
Various booths were set up in the town parking lot for visitors to learn about the harbor and its inhabitants. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Beverly C. Tyler, chaplain and historian for the Old Field Point Power Squadron, talks with a visitor. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Attendees take a boat ride out on the harbor. Photo by Maria Hoffman
A celebration of a local harbor returned Sept. 25.
After canceling last year due to COVID-19, the Setauket Harbor Task Force was able to hold its annual Setauket Harbor Day at the Town of Brookhaven dock and beach on Shore Road in East Setauket.
The free event included boat tours of the harbor, kayaking, marine science exhibits and more.
The local nonprofit, which advocates for improving water quality and protecting and restoring marine habitats, hosts the annual event to help residents reconnect with the harbor.
Join Four Harbors Audubon’s NextGen Board Members, Cayla and Iris Rosenhagen, for some family fun while learning about our feathered friends at Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket on Oct. 2 from 1 to 2 p.m. Their one-hour program includes a children’s story reading, bird walk, and a bird inspired activity. Meet at the entrance to Frank Melville Park. Free but registration required. Email [email protected].
On Friday, October 1st at 5:00 p.m., as part of the final day of the Three Village Farmers Market, the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) will lead a fun, family friendly, interactive presentation on the United States Flag Code, led by former Regent of the Anna Smith Strong Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and current Trustee of the TVHS Board Holly Brainard. Complimentary US Flag Code booklets will be available for guests and TVHS will raffle off a new flag kit for all guests that sign up, in person, at the Three Village Farmers Market.
Children and adults will learn why the flag is important and how to properly handle the flag. Guests will learn other fun facts like what it means to turn a flag upside down and how to properly dispose of a flag.
The new flag drop box, that will be unveiled, was generously painted and donated by BSA Troop 2019 and will be maintained by BSA Troop 355. In conjunction with BSA Troop 355, TVHS will collect any torn or tattered flags, throughout the year, to properly dispose of (according to the US Flag Code) at a later date. The retired flag drop box will be available and accessible to all on the grounds of TVHS at 93 N. Country Road in Setauket.
Eczema is a common skin condition in both children and adults. It’s estimated that over seven percent of the U.S. adult population is afflicted (1), with twice as many females as males affected (2). Ranging in severity from mild to moderate to severe, adults tend to have moderate to severe eczema.
The causes of eczema are unknown, but it is thought that nature and nurture are both at play (3). Essentially, it is a chronic inflammatory process that involves symptoms of itching, pain, rashes and redness (4).
While there is no cure, treatments for eczema run the gamut from over-the-counter creams and lotions to prescription steroid creams to oral steroids and injectable biologics. Some use phototherapy for severe cases, but the research on its effectiveness is scant. Antihistamines are sometimes used to treat the itchiness. Interestingly, lifestyle modifications, specifically diet, may play an important role.
Two separate studies have shown an association between eczema and fracture risk, which we will investigate further. Let’s look at the evidence.
Not just skin deep
Eczema may be related to broken bones, according to several studies. For example, one observational study of 34,500 patients showed that those with eczema had a 44 percent increased risk of injury causing limitation and an even more disturbing 67 percent risk of bone fracture and bone or joint injury for those 30 years and older (5).
And if you have both fatigue or insomnia and eczema, you are at higher risk for bone or joint injury than having one or the other alone. The researchers postulated that the use of corticosteroids in treatment could be one reason for increased fracture risk, in addition to chronic inflammation, which may also contribute to the risk of bone loss.
Steroids may weaken bone, ligaments and tendons and may cause osteoporosis by decreasing bone mineral density.
A recently published study of over 500,000 patients tested this theory and found that the association between major osteoporotic fractures and atopic eczema remained, even after adjusting for a range of histories with oral corticosteroids (6). Also, fracture rates were higher in those with severe atopic eczema.
For those who have eczema, it may be wise to have a DEXA (bone) scan.
Do supplements help?
There are two well-known supplements for helping to reduce inflammation, evening primrose oil and borage oil. Are these supplements a good replacement for – or addition to – medications? The research is really mixed, leaning toward ineffective – and with some concerns.
In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials, evening primrose oil was no better than placebo in treating eczema (7).
The researchers also looked at eight studies of borage oil and found there was no difference from placebo in terms of symptom relief. While these supplements only had minor side effects in the study, they can interact with other medications. For example, evening primrose oil in combination with aspirin can cause clotting problems (8).
But don’t look to supplements for significant help.
Injectable solutions
Dupilumab is a biologic monoclonal antibody (9). In trials, this injectable drug showed good results, improving outcomes for moderate to severe eczema sufferers when topical steroids alone were not effective. Like any drug therapy, it does have side effects.
Topical probiotics
There are also potentially topical probiotics that could help with atopic dermatitis. In preliminary in-vitro (in a test tube) studies, the results look intriguing and show that topical probiotics from the human microbiome (gut) could potentially work as well as steroids (10). Currently, additional trials are underway in children with the atopic dermatitis form of eczema (11). This may be part of the road to treatments of the future. However, this is in very early stage of development.
Dietary possibilities
In a Japanese study involving over 700 pregnant women and their offspring, results showed that when the women ate either a diet high in green and yellow vegetables, beta carotene or citrus fruit there was a significant reduction in the risk of the child having eczema of 59 percent, 48 percent and 47 percent, respectively, when comparing highest to lowest consumption quartiles (12).
Elimination diets may also play a role. One study’s results showed when eggs were removed from the diet in those who were allergic, according to IgE testing, eczema improved significantly (13).
From an anecdotal perspective, I have seen very good results when treating patients who have eczema with dietary changes. My patient population includes about 15 to 20 percent of patients who suffer some level of eczema. For example, a young adult had eczema mostly on the extremities. When I first met the patient, these were angry, excoriated, erythematous and scratched lesions. However, after several months of a vegetable-rich diet, the patient’s skin had all but cleared.
Eczema exists on a spectrum from annoying to significantly affecting a patient’s quality of life (14). Supplements may not be the solution, at least not borage oil or evening primrose oil. However, there may be promising topical probiotics ahead and medications for the hard to treat. It might be best to avoid long-term systemic steroid use, because of the long-term side effects. Lifestyle modifications appear to be very effective, at least at the anecdotal level.
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.
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