Pollytia Panagiotou, MD, has joined North Country Primary Medical Care, an internal medicine practice in Stony Brook Medicine’s expanding network of community practices and physicians located at 43 Radio Avenue in Miller Place.
Board certified in both internal medicine and obesity medicine, Dr. Panagiotou’s approach is to control disease with medicine and lifestyle changes to help her patients lead healthy lives and empower them to avoid preventable conditions. “We are very excited to have Dr. Panagiotou be a part of our community physician network,” said Juan Carlos Bucobo, MD, FASGE, President of Stony Brook Medicine Community Medical Group. “Dr. Panagiotou is a bright, energetic primary care physician who is a breath of fresh air to the beloved community of patients previously cared for by Dr. Dhillon. Her experience in obesity medicine and primary care will be a great benefit to our patients.”
Dr. Dhillon provided care in the community for more than 20 years until his passing in early 2021.
“I am very excited to join Stony Brook Medicine and continue the legacy of patient-centered care that Dr. Dhillon provided,” said Dr. Panagiotou. “It is indisputable that he left a noteworthy impression on his patients and I will strive to do the same. My goal is to inspire patients to achieve a higher level of health and provide the care they are accustomed to at North Country Primary Medical Care.”
Dr. Panagiotou received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Montclair State University and her medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine. She then completed her residency in internal medicine at Overlook Medical Center. Dr. Panagiotou is fluent in Greek and has a working knowledge of Spanish.
The practice is currently accepting new patients and has office hours Monday through Friday. For more information, call 631-821-8911.
Chart shows COVID-19 hospitalizations during the three waves. Image from the New York State Department of Health website
Phew!
The dramatic and steep rise in positive infections caused by the ubiquitous omicron mutant of the original COVID-19 strain is declining almost as rapidly as it climbed.
As of Tuesday, Jan. 25, the seven-day average for the percentage of people who tested positive for COVID in Suffolk County stood at 12%, which is well below the 25.9% for the same seven-day average who tested positive just two weeks earlier, according to figures from the New York State Department of Health.
Those numbers, which have been declining on a daily basis, are likely to fall even further, experts said.
“The omicron wave appears to have crested in Suffolk County and New York State, but not in other parts of the country,” Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, wrote in an email.
Public health officials attribute the welcome decline to several factors, including the increasing use of boosters, the adherence to mask guidelines and the reduction in travel and group gatherings.
“The numbers will decline slowly and steadily from the teens to single digits,” said Dr. Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at Port Jefferson’s St. Charles Hospital.
Sean Clouston, associate professor in the Program in Public Health and the Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, added in an email that the “decline appears real and the timing suggest that the holiday period was, again, the main driving factor in the higher rates. We are likely on the other side of this wave.”
The omicron variant, which has involved milder symptoms for many of those infected, has also resulted in fewer hospitalizations.
The increase in hospitalizations is “not proportionate to the rise in cases” Pigott explained. “Our hospitals were overwhelmed when SARS-CoV-2 first hit our area [in 2020]. That has not been the case for the delta wave or the omicron wave.”
Indeed, the increase in the percentage of people who are vaccinated and boosted has helped reduce the need for emergency medical services at hospitals.
Among fully vaccinated people in the state of New York, 0.23% of the population 12 and over has been hospitalized, according to the New York State Department of Health.
That trend also holds true in Suffolk County area hospitals, public health officials said.
“We are seeing significantly reduced number of adults admitted with COVID who have had vaccines and especially those who had vaccines plus boosters,” Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, explained in an email. “We suspect that the booster augments your initial immune response, lasting at least six months.”
While vaccines and boosters help prevent hospitalizations, they do not ward off all potential upper respiratory infections, Nachman added. Getting a primary series and a booster is “critical” to reducing the risk of more significant health effects from any potential infection.
The age range of people who are hospitalized has decreased, particularly during the third wave. In the first exposure to the Wuhan strain, a majority of those who needed critical medical care were over 65, particularly before the vaccine was available.
During the omicron wave, however, there is a “noticeable shift between the ages of 18 to 49,” Dhuper said. While the proportion of people as a whole in this group may be lower, in part because people in this age range may not have as many underlying medical conditions, the total number hospitalized is still higher because of the broader spread of the virus.
People in that younger age bracket are “the major shift,” Dhuper said.
The infectiousness of omicron also created a strain on hospitals, as health care workers, even those who were asymptomatic or had minor symptoms, were testing positive.
“We had never seen the number of staff members that were out during the first or second wave,” Dhuper said. Even though the number of people hospitalized wasn’t as high, the overall health care workers available to help care for the population “really stressed our system.”
In the prior waves of the pandemic, the Catholic hospitals were able to do load balancing, in which they shifted patients to hospitals that had the bed space and health care workers.
Toward the latter half of the omicron wave, such maneuvers weren’t as easy to manage in part because of the staff shortages caused by positive tests.
Discharging people earlier and using effective but limited supply monoclonal antibody treatments for eligible patients that reduce the severity of symptoms helped reduce the strain on the system, Dhuper added.
In terms of protecting the population, Dhuper urged residents to consider the benefit of vaccines and boosters.
“The majority of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit are unvaccinated,” Dhuper said.
The rate of people who were unvaccinated and hospitalized with COVID-19 in the week ending on Dec. 11, which was the highest figure for 2021, was 91.1 per 100,000 people in the population, compared with 4.1 per 100,000 among the vaccinated, according to the New York State Department of Health.
“Those are amazing numbers in terms of the role of vaccines and how it’s protecting people from getting hospitalized and dying,” Dhuper said.
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative recently recognized the Comsewogue Public Library as a leader in sustainability through its award-winning Sustainable Libraries Certification Program.
This initiative guides libraries through a step-by-step process to infuse triple bottom line sustainable decision-making into their library’s policies and actions.
Through Comsewogue’s participation in the program, they have strengthened their existing community partnerships and expanded into new collaborations. The library staff are keenly aware of the needs of their community, although not always able to directly meet them.
Forging partnerships with other agencies allows Comsewogue Public Library to leverage this insight and align their services to involve partnering community organizations to ensure that their community’s current and emerging needs are met. The ability to bring agencies and resources together highlights Comsewogue Public Library’s prominent role in establishing and maintaining a thriving and resilient community.
The Sustainable Libraries Certification designation demonstrates to their community that decision making based on the triple bottom line principles can have lasting and tangible benefits.
“Everything we do now is looked at differently,” said Comsewogue Director Debbie Engelhardt. “Purchases, procedures, policies are put through the Triple Bottom Line lens. We want to be Environmentally Sound, Socially Equitable and Economically Feasible in our decision making.”
As the library administration and staff worked through the rigorous benchmarking process, they reduced their greenhouse gas consumption through the installation of LED lighting fixtures, new HVAC units, a white roof and an EnergyStar-rated water heater.
Shredding and recycling events open to the community diverted 3720 gallons of paper and 1349 pounds of eWaste from the landfill. Energy and water savings information was broadcasted to the staff and community, with a representative from PSEG, the community’s energy provider, offering information and energy savings tips to library users.
Additionally, they collaborated with the Town of Brookhaven to provide a receptacle for the community to continue to recycle glass after household pickup was discontinued.
To promote empathy and respect for all members of their diverse community, cultural competency training was offered to the staff and the library’s program offerings included several engaging programs that celebrate the variety of multi-cultural heritages of those they serve.
The library set clear objectives in a new Collection Development Policy that sets out to promote literacy and inclusivity, encourage freedom of expression, and support their community’s interests. They have worked to expand their residents’ access to government services by hosting senior advocates, job fairs, and “Claim Your Unclaimed Funds” program.
Reflecting on the certification program, Children’s & Teen Librarian Debbie Bush said, “I believe our community better understands how we operate and sees our library as a sustainable leader in the community.”
International impact
Comsewogue Public Library is among the first libraries to participate in the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program, the first of its kind in the world. This benchmarking program was developed to assist libraries of all kinds – public, academic, and individual school librarians — to create opportunities to make better choices on behalf of the local and global community.
The program has been recognized by the International Federation of Library Associations at their 2019 World Congress in Athens, Greece, becoming the first program in the United States to be honored through their “Green Libraries” Award.
Comprehensive approach
With categories of actions focusing on each of the three pillars of triple bottom line sustainability such as Energy, Indoor Spaces, Social Cohesion and Resilience Planning, this comprehensive process leads a library toward institutional change that shifts the rationale for every decision to consider the local and global impacts.
Through this program, libraries work with their communities to listen and learn, allowing local needs to be identified and addressed. Strengthening the relationship between the library and the community they serve builds resilience through stronger connections with many organizations and increased access to information.
The path to certification through the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program is designed to be flexible for libraries of different types, sizes, and budgets and guided by the communities they serve. Each library that completes the program will select the benchmarks that best fit the needs of their library and community, resulting in a uniquely sustainable organization.
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative is expanding to enroll libraries throughout the United States, with nearly 50 libraries currently enrolled in the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program. Comsewogue Public Library is the ninth library to be certified through this program.
Residents rally in front of the H. Lee Dennison Building in support of IR 1964 on Jan. 24. Photo by Rita J. Egan
On Jan. 24, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) and county Legislator Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), who serves as the Legislature’s new presiding officer, reached an agreement regarding a county redistricting debate that has been ongoing for months.
The agreement, according to a press release from Bellone’s office, “paves the way for an open and fair process for adopting new legislative district maps and ensures an increase in the number of majority minority legislative districts in Suffolk County.”
At press time, a special meeting of the Legislature was being held to vote on an amendment in the County Charter. If approved, it will extend the period of time needed for the reapportionment commission to file new redistricting maps until Aug. 1. The legislators will also vote on new legislation “establishing a requirement that any maps drawn and adopted ahead of the 2023 legislative elections shall include no less than four majority minority legislative districts,” according to the press release.
The statement further explained that the bipartisan reapportionment commission will hold at least 10 public hearings to enable each town in Suffolk County to take part before maps are developed. After maps, which would include 18 new legislative districts, are agreed upon, at least two more meetings will be held.
“I am pleased to announce an agreement with the presiding officer that guarantees an unprecedented four majority-minority legislative districts in Suffolk County through a transparent redistricting process that is legally sustainable,” Bellone said. “Given the importance of ensuring fair representation for communities of color and looming legal challenges to the proposed map in IR 1964, we cannot leave to chance anything short of ensuring equitable representation, reflective of the county’s diversity, in our legislative district map.”
Republicans had begun legislation to rescind the Democrats IR 1964 redistricting reapportionment map bill that was passed Dec. 31 by the Legislature, when Democrats still held the majority in the county legislature. The Republicans are currently in the majority, 11-7. A lawsuit was also filed against the plan by Republicans, while the bill awaited Bellone’s signature or veto.
The county executive said he will work with the Legislature on the new agreement, which he feels will “commence a fair redistricting process that provides for significant public input in preparation for the next county election cycle in November 2023.”
The decision was made on the same day that local community advocacy groups joined forces at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge in search of fair representation for all Suffolk County residents.
The representatives, with a letter in hand signed by the members of the advocacy groups as well as elected officials and representatives of local Democratic committees, were urging Bellone to sign IR 1964. After a brief press conference, the representatives hand delivered the letter to the county executive’s office.
Among the speakers at the rally was Beverly Dean of the Brookhaven Rosa Parks Democratic Association.
“We must do this,” Dean said. “We must have this bill signed. The Suffolk County Legislature came together on Dec. 31, and put into action what we needed and they passed it. We need our county legislators that we elected to sign this into law today.”
Shoshana Hershkowitz, founder of Suffolk Progressives, and others at the rally felt a Republican redistricting plan would be gerrymandering. After the agreement between Bellone and McCaffrey, Hershkowitz released a statement.
“We are disappointed that despite the widespread support for IR 1964, including nonpartisan organizations like the League of Women Voters, County Executive Bellone has chosen to make a deal behind closed doors with Presiding Officer McCaffrey,” she wrote. “Quite frankly, given Mr. McCaffrey’s legislative record, trusting him to honor the promise of equitable redistricting is highly questionable.”
Comments from the Jan. 26 Suffolk County Legislature meeting were not available at press time.
Ward Melville senior Siena Hart drives the lane for the Patriots in a home game against Commack Jan 24. Credit: Bill Landon
Ward Melville’s Paige Carroll attempts to block Jordan DiPrima’s shot in a league II matchup Jan 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Commack’s Maya Kahn boxes out Siena Hart in a league II matchup Jan 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Commack’s Maya Kahn attempts to block Courtney Quinn’s shot in a league II matchup Jan 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville junior Kyra Giannelli looks for an open lane for the Patriots in a home game against Commack. Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior Kayla Gioffre with a two handed lay up for the Patriots in a home game against Commack Jan 24. Credit: Bill Landon
Sophomore forward Kaitlyn Lawrence drives the lane for the Patriots in a home game against Commack. Bill Landon
Commack junior Julia Greek shoots for the Patriots in a road game against Ward Melville Jan 24. Bill Landon photo
Commack junior Julia Greek drives the baseline for the Patriots in a road game against Ward Melville Jan 24. Bill Landon photo
Commack junior Fiona Kernaghan battles her way to the rim in a road game against Ward Melville Jan 24. Bill Landon photo
Commack junior Fiona Kernaghan drives to the basket in a road game against Ward Melville Jan 24. Bill Landon photo
Deanna Pagliaro boxes out Paige Carroll in a league II matchup Jan 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Commack junior Deanna Pagliaro boxes out Emma Bradshaw in a league II matchup Jan 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Commack’s Daphne Koutsoukos and Kaitlyn Lawrence look for the rebound in a league II matchup Jan 24. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior Courtney Quinn defends for the Patriots in a home game against Commack. Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior Courtney Quinn saves an errant pass for the Patriots in a home game against Commack. Bill Landon
Ward Melville kept pace with the visiting Commack Cougars, tied at 14 all going into the halftime break, but Commack dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Patriots to surge to a 12-point lead. The Patriots unable to answer the Commack offense onslaught fell to the Cougars, 48-35, in the League II matchup Jan. 24.
Fiona Kernaghan led the way for the Cougars with 17 points, and Jordan DiPrima banked 13, while Deanna Pagliaro netted eight. The Patriots Julia Greek scored two triples, four from the floor and a free throw leading her team with 15 points.
The win lifts the Cougars to 8-2 in league, 11-5 overall, and the loss drops the Patriots to 6-4, 9-5 overall.
Rob Sproston in his Marine uniform. Photo from Rob Sproston
“If you’re willing to put yourself and your dreams on the line, at the very least you’ll discover an inner strength you may have not known existed.” — Kurt Warner, Super Bowl quarterback and Hall of Famer
These words from this noted athlete who lived through a life of adversity, also identify the strength, character, humanity and resiliency of Baiting Hollow resident Robert “Rob” Sproston.
On March 31, 2020, Riverhead police officer Sproston was responding to a domestic incident of a young woman who was assaulted by her boyfriend with a knife. Her car was then stolen by the man.
On his way to the Baiting Hollow Country Club, Sproston was picking up lunch for the officers working on Main Street within the heart of Riverhead. As he was heading north on Osborn Avenue, not too far from Youngs Avenue, he heard the call of this developing incident, where the stolen car was heading westward toward his direction.
As the officer was trying to figure out the situation from the information that was being reported on his radio and preparing to be in pursuit of the subject, his life would forever be changed. Driving at a high speed with his sirens blasting and lights flashing, Sproston was trying to do his job in handling this delicate situation.
Rocky Point High School graduates, Matt Staker, Rob Sproston and Anthony Montalbano. Photo from Rob Sproston
As he headed up Osborn Avenue, another driver made a left onto Youngs Avenue, and he tried to move his police vehicle around the car.
Making the left, the driver drove directly into Sproston’s car, and the officer crashed into a chain-link fence. A pole shot through his windshield, hitting him through his face. Horribly injured in his car, the officer was near death before the first responders made it to the scene.
The life that Sproston led before the crash helped him prepare for this life-altering moment. As a young man, this “all-American kid” was always armed with a big smile and a can-do attitude. He was an active member of the Rocky Point Fire Department, played several years of varsity lacrosse on the Rocky Point High School team, and is a proud alumnus of the Class of 2010.
During his youthful years, Sproston enjoyed riding his quad with his friends within the powerlines behind the McDonald’s in Rocky Point. And he understood the practice of hard work through the intricacies of installing residential roofs with his father Billy.
In 2014, Rob Sproston began his career path by entering the Suffolk County Police Academy at the Grant Campus of Suffolk Community College in Brentwood. After graduation, he was hired as a part-time police officer for the Town of Riverhead.
Right away, he learned about the makeup of the community and believed that it was a good experience toward his professional growth within the field of law enforcement. While Sproston was not yet a full-time officer, he was thankful to gain this experience to work with the police, and to learn about the various challenges of this difficult job.
In 2016, with the prospect of being a full-time officer, he always wanted to serve this country and entered the United States Marine Corps.
As a 22-year-old, he was an older recruit who understood the importance of getting through the difficulties of military training for each day. Always a positive figure, he worked well with the other recruits to make it through their daily routines at Parris Island, South Carolina.
Sproston always believed that if you did not “embrace the suck,” that it would be difficult to make it through the hardships of training and the discipline of the Marines.
After he completed this training, Sproston was sent to Camp Geiger, North Carolina, where he learned how to become proficient within infantry training, weapons and tactics. Currently, he is with the Marine Corps Forces Reserve in Garden City, where he serves in an infantry sniper platoon, spends time in the field and enjoys the camaraderie of being in the military.
While he is proud of his time in the Marines, Sproston is glad to be serving closer to home, to be near his job, friends and family.
Before joining the service, he took the police exam to gain a permanent full-time position within a Suffolk County law enforcement department. He was eventually placed on a lottery and picked by the Riverhead Police Department in 2017.
Always willing to serve his nation and community, he was extremely pleased to be in uniform through the police and military. As a regular officer, Sproston patrolled the busy traffic and commercial areas of Route 58. This assignment offered him the chance to gain important knowledge of the local citizens, and the types of crimes that are common within this part of Riverhead.
And so on the day of the crash in March 2020, this police officer was near death, and right away the local fire department was dispatched to respond and provide aid. Service runs deep through the Sproston family, as his father Billy was one of the local fire and emergency support that arrived on this call.
At this point, his father did not know that his son was the officer in the wrecked vehicle as he approached this scene. Senior fire officials tried to keep his father away as they prepared to move him to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead.
Rob Sproston’s face was practically ripped apart from the crash and he lost two pints of blood. He was stabilized at Peconic Bay and was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he received major surgery and treatment toward the reconstruction of his face. For two weeks, he was in an induced coma. His father was at his side during this entire ordeal.
Rob Sproston in his Marine uniform. Photo from Rob Sproston
Speaking about these harrowing events, the son was completely reserved as he identified this near-death incident and his amazing recovery.
This young man still has minor nose-and-mouth surgery ahead, but his iron spirit completely demonstrates his unyielding resolve to continue a normal life.
Always an active citizen to help his community through the police and to defend our nation within the Marine Corps, Sproston has overcome several obstacles to return to duty. His professional and personal goal was achieved on July 1, 2021, when he was cleared by the police department to return to limited duty. He is looking forward to getting back into a sector car to be in the field.
Outside of the police, Sproston has resumed his life by working out in the gym and being cleared by a Navy doctor to return back to his infantry platoon. He is looking forward to the challenge of attending sniper school and being around his fellow Marines — always flashing a big smile.
Longtime Rocky Point High School social studies teacher and coach, Christopher Nentwich, said it best about Sproston’s positive qualities: “He was an ‘old-school’ student who was loyal, dedicated, hardworking and with a great sense of humor. I recommended Rob to several members of the police department and believed that he would be an outstanding addition to serve and protect the community of Riverhead.”
Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School and adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College.
A sign outside Infant Jesus Church in Port Jefferson welcoming pro-life activists this week. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Catholic parishioners across Long Island who support the pro-life movement rallied this week to support of the March for Life held in Washington, D.C.
According to Infant Jesus R.C. Church parishioner Kevin Crowley, in the past Catholic parishes in both counties have usually sent busloads of protesters to the nation’s capital every year, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic they had to bring the rally closer to home.
On Friday, Jan. 21 — the day of the D.C. event — Crowley said that nearly 90 people gathered inside the Port Jefferson church to participate in a three-part event: an early Mass, the rally which featured three different speakers and, then to finish, the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Crowley said that because the pandemic has made it impossible to send buses to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., this Friday, Jan. 21, the Diocese of Rockville Centre is sponsoring parish activities. These activities are intended to show support for the March for Life which will take place simultaneously in Washington — its 49th year.
Along with St. Louis de Montfort R.C. Church in Sound Beach and the Joan of Arc Council of the Knights of Columbus in Port Jeff, those who would typically be with the thousands down in Washington stayed local. The plan originally was for gatherers to rally on the front lawn of the church, just below the Sacred Heart statue, but Friday’s freezing conditions moved the group indoors.
The March for Life is an annual march to the Supreme Court of the United States that began in 1974 — a year after the landmark abortion decision in Roe v. Wade. This year’s theme in Washington was called “equality begins in the womb.”
This comes as the Supreme Court looks to reconsider the Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) decisions that had written the right to abortion in the federal constitution.
According to Crowley, who is a retired Suffolk County First District Court judge, the State of New York has already codified a nine-month abortion right into state law and will be considering adding an assisted suicide law during the coming legislative session.
Pro-life activists are hopeful that Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which was argued before the Supreme Court in December, will overturn or weaken Roe v. Wade. The decision on the consequential abortion case is expected by this summer.
Crowley added in the past more than five dozen people would take a bus to participate in the big rally, often having to deny people for lack of seats. The last time the group was able to attend was January 2020 — right before the coronavirus hit us locally.
The 2021 rally was canceled as it was in the heart of the pandemic, and 2022 looked hopeful. But Crowley said that because of the omicron variant, it was better to play it safe, but to also express their support that all human life — especially that of an unborn, the aged, the poor, the differently abled and the terminally ill — starts from conception to natural death, and that services should be available to women in situations that were unplanned or not ideal.
“We’re looking to the future,” Crowley said. “The positive things to help women in crisis pregnancies — not just during, but after.”
ShopRite has announced it will host a job fair to fill a variety of positions at its grocery stores on Saturday, Jan. 29 . Candidates looking to jump start their careers and gain valuable experience in retail, management, customer service and business are encouraged to visit any ShopRite store on Saturday, Jan. 29 to speak with a hiring manager on the spot.
The walk-up job fair is taking place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at nearly all ShopRite locations throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland. Interested candidates can visit the location of their choice and speak with a hiring manager for an immediate interview. Full-time, part-time and management positions are available, depending on location.
Available part-time positions, including general, perishable, front end and stocking clerks, feature flexible hours and a wide variety of cross training to provide team members with the knowledge, skills, and tools to work as a team throughout the store. Training programs include a game-based training app and are designed to provide a solid foundation so each individual can achieve their best at ShopRite.
ShopRite also offers associates entertainment and tuition discounts, as well as scholarship opportunities, and associates can work for family-owned businesses that are part of the retailer-owned supermarket cooperative Wakefern Food Corp.
Newfield senior Troy Guy shoots from the corner for the Wolverines in a home game against Northport. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Troy Guy scores for the Wolverines in a home game against Northport. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Troy Guy scores for the Wolverines in a home game against Northport. Bill Landon
Rebound
Northport’s Nick Watts and Josiah Fields look for the rebound in a league II matchup Jan 21. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield junior Kyle Miliano boxes out in a league II matchup at home against Northport Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Newfield’s Kyle Miliano goes up against Andrew Miller in a league II matchup Jan 21. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield senior Josh Jacob battles in the paint for the Wolverines in a home game against Northport. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Josh Jacob scores for the Wolverines in a home game against Northport. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Josh Jacob passes down low for the Wolverines in a home game against Northport. Bill Landon
Newfield sophomore Jacob Roman boxes out in a league II matchup at home against Northport Jan 21. Bill Landon
Northport’s J.J. Ahlstrand tries to block Troy Guy’s shot in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport’s J.J. Ahlstrand drives to the rim with Josiah Fields defending Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport senior J.J. Ahlstrand drives to the rim in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport senior J.J. Ahlstrand takes flight in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport senior J.J. Ahlstrand lays up for two in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Newfield senior Isaiah Brown with a rebound in a home game against Northport Jan 21. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Isaiah Brown blocks a shot in a home game against Northport Jan 21. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Isaiah Brown scores for the Wolverines in a home game against Northport Jan 21. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Hamza Yousef drives the baseline for the Wolverines in a league II matchup at home against Northport Jan 21. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Hamza Yousef shoots for the Wolverines in a league II matchup at home against Northport Jan 21. Bill Landon
Newfield senior Hamza Yousef drives the lane for the Wolverines in a league II matchup at home against Northport Jan 21. Bill Landon
Halftime entertainment
Northport junior Emmett Radziul lays up in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport junior Emmett Radziul drives the lane in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport junior Emmett Radziul with a jumper in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport junior Andrew Miller muscles his way to the rim in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport junior Andrew Miller scores in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
Northport junior Andrew Miller muscles his way to the rim in a road game against Newfield Jan 21. Bill Landon photo
The Northport Tigers came to visit the Newfield Wolverines in a League II matchup Jan. 21, where Newfield, after taking the early lead, stayed within striking distance until late in the game. Northport at 8-0 cashed in on a pair of technical fouls against Newfield to add five uncontested points from the charity stripe to put the game away, 47-35.
Newfield senior Josh Jacob did his damage down low to lead his team in scoring with 10, Kyle Miliano netted eight, and Hamza Yousef banked seven.
Brendan Carr led the way for Northport with 15. Nick Watts scored nine, and J.J Ahlstrand and Dylan McNaughton added seven points apiece.
The win lifts Northport to 9-0 to stay atop the League II leaderboard. Newfield slips to 6-3 in league, 9-6 overall, with five games remaining before post season play begins.
Many of you have asked me why I don’t feature more chicken recipes. Good question. I don’t know why because chicken has to be one of the most popular, dependable, versatile, economical and healthful foods out there. It’s high in protein and low in fat (minus its skin), and unless you’re a vegan or a vegetarian, it’s a staple on your every day as well as special menus. So here (fanfare please) by popular demand are a few of my favorite chicken recipes.
Chicken Marbella
YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 chickens, quartered
1/2 head of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl combine chicken, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, vinegar, oil, prunes, olives, capers and bay leaves; cover, refrigerate and marinate, turning occasionally, at least 8 hours. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large shallow baking dish, arrange chicken in a single layer, then pour marinate over it; sprinkle brown sugar on top and pour wine around edges. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, basting frequently. Chicken is done when thigh joint is pierced and releases clear juice. Remove bay leaves and discard. Transfer chicken to serving platter, spoon a little cooking liquid over it and sprinkle cilantro on top; pass remaining liquid in a gravy boat. Serve with rice or couscous.
Chicken alla Romana
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 frying chicken, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 slice bacon, diced
2 garlic cloves, halved
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup hot chicken broth
DIRECTIONS:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.In a large skillet, heat oil and bacon, then add garlic and chicken. Cook over medium high heat, turning once, until the chicken is golden on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Add the rosemary and wine, cover and continue cooking until chicken is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove garlic, stir in tomato paste and broth and cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half. Serve hot with orzo.
Chicken and Chick Pea Stew
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
One 3 – 4 pound chicken, cut up into 8 pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups diced onions
4 garlic cloves, peeled sliced,,
3 cups finely chopped celery
4 cups chopped carrots
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 dried bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
One 14-ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
1 cup gratedParmigiano cheese
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil; add onions and garlic and cook until they are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, bay leaf and thyme and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken, broth, wine, tomatoes and salt and pepper, then cover and place in oven for an hour. Stir in beans and cook for another half hour; remove bay leaf and thyme stems, sprinkle with fresh herbs and grated cheese. Serve with focaccia and a nice chunk of Asiago cheese.
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