Short stroll to beach from this Center Hall Ranch with in-ground pool! Kitchen features white cabinetry/granite counters/cooktop/double ovens/island/pantry. There is an enclosed porch with ceramic tile floor behind the living room. Full unfinished basement boasts 9′ ceiling. OSE to the 2-car garage
$899,000 | MLS# 3428697
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Almost 3 Acres Of Property with Stunning Views Of The LI Sound, 30 FT. Dock & Kayak Ramp. Spectacular Kitchen W/ Soapstone Counters, Wolf/Viking Appliances and Spacious Island. Master BR Suite On Main Level. LL Has Wine Cellar, Wet Bar, Gym, Family Rm and Theater.
$2,899,000 | MLS# 3351291
For more information click here
By Steven Zaitz
In a very congenial, natatorial setting, the Northport-Commack Varsity Girls swim team took on powerhouse Hauppauge-Smithtown last Wednesday at the Hauppauge High School pool.
Hauppauge-Smithtown defeated Northport-Commack, 104-74. But in a sense, both teams were winners as many of the girls qualified for state and county championships.
Lady Hauppauge Eagle senior Leah Treglia was the star of the meet, winning the 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly and was a member of two first place relay teams to boost the home side.
Northport-Commack Junior Makenna O’Brien finished a close second to Treglia in the 200-yard individual medley. Both ladies qualified for states in this event and Treglia, along with Sofia Burns, Sarah Lucca and MaryGrace Waring are going to states for their time of 1:52.02 in the 200-yard medley relay.
Caitlyn Riordan, of Northport-Commack, won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:04.21 winning by more than two and a half seconds. Riordan also won the 100-yard freestyle in 55.99. O’Brien won the 500-yard freestyle earning six points for the team and 7th grader London Strasser placed fifth in that event. Halea Duryea-Stern was sixth for the Lady Tiger-Cougars.
Duryea-Stern led a trio of Northport-Commack swimmers to first, second and third in the 100-yard breaststroke. Dorothy Amato and Ornella Bley took home second and third in that event.
Lady Tiger Paige Schilling was competitive in her diving body of work, scoring 155.02 from the judges. Casey Ryan, of Hauppauge-Smithtown, won with 182.47
In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Northport-Commack took first and second place. Lia Edlin Miller, Paige Simon, Avalina Giehl and Caitlin Lopez were in at 4:05.86. Gianna Negli, Eleanor Johnson, Kristina Rezler and Strasser took second.
Hauppauge-Smithtown dominated in the 100-yard butterfly with Treglia, Lucca and Makayla Lee sweeping the podium for first, second and third.
MAJESTIC STAG
Michael Sepe snapped this beautiful photo in a meadow at sunset on Aug. 21 in his hometown of Stony Brook
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The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Avenue, Huntington, joins with the Folk Music Society of Huntington in presenting the NorthShore Original Open Mic (NOOM) three Wednesday nights each month, beginning October 12. The open mic series, to be held in the Cinema’s Sky Room, is set for 7 p.m. with open mic sign-up beginning at 6:30 p.m. Although it is free to attend, donations will be sought and gratefully accepted.
“It’s our pleasure to continue the ever-deepening partnership between the Cinema Arts Centre and two pillars of Long Island music scene – the Folk Music Society of Huntington and NorthShore Original Open Mic (NOOM),” said Dylan Skolnick, co-director of the Cinema Arts Centre.
“The Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Hard Luck Café series has been a mainstay of our programming for many years, bringing some of the country’s best folk music performers to dedicated folk fans here in Huntington. With the introduction of a weekly open mic night we are delighted to offer even more opportunities for music lovers and artists to come together, as well as a space where seasoned performers can try out their newest original pieces and where up-and-coming musicians can get used to performing for a crowd,” Skolnick added.
“NOOM is thrilled to partner with the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Cinema Arts Centre and lay the groundwork for a weekly opportunity for original songwriters and performers to present their original songs in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere,” said Toby Tobias, a Huntington-based singer-songwriter who launched the open mic series at a small coffee shop in Northport in the fall of 2013.
One of the longest running weekly original open mics on Long Island, NOOM has reincarnated itself at quite a few North Shore locations through the years — most recently at Finley’s in Huntington. Although the COVID-19 pandemic precluded NOOM from taking place in-person since March 2020, songwriter Richard Parr has been livestreaming the open mic every week since then and will also be playing a major role when it resumes in-person.
“We invite singer-songwriters of varying skill levels and those who love live music, to gather at the Cinema Arts Centre to listen to songwriters, dedicated to the craft of writing and singing their songs, play and talk about their original music in an environment of goodwill and open-mindedness,” said Tobias. He noted that each NOOM will also include a featured 20-minute performance by a known/emerging local or touring songwriter starting at around 8 p.m. “I am very excited to be a part of this,” he said.
Michael Kornfeld, longtime president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington, shares their excitement. “FMSH is delighted to extend its partnerships with both NOOM and the Cinema Arts Centre and to help provide opportunities for local singer-songwriters to share their music with our community,” he said. “NOOM has been an Acoustic Ally of FMSH for a number of years. We’ve cross-promoted each other’s events and presented a couple of joint livestreams over the past two years.”
Affording local artists opportunities to share their talents with appreciative audiences in an intimate listening room atmosphere was the initial impetus behind the nonprofit presenting organization’s Hard Luck Café concert series many years ago, Kornfeld noted. That series now features a mix of local, regional and national touring artists. The Cinema Arts Centre has partnered with the Folk Music Society of Huntington and hosted the monthly Hard Luck Café concerts in its Sky Room for more than a decade. That series resumes on October 19 with featured act No Fuss and Feathers and will take place on the third Wednesday of each month, from 7-9:30/10 p.m. An open mic also precedes most Hard Luck Café concerts.
Upcoming dates include:
October 12, 26
November 2, 9, 30
December 7, 14, 28
Sign up here.
For more information, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
It was all Rocky Point in the team’s homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 1. The Eagles dominated the line of scrimmage with a 42-0 win over Eastport South Manor.
Quarterback Jeremy Graham punched in from short yardage for the opening score, then split the uprights for the point after kick to put the Eagles out to an early lead.
Later, Graham threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Viggiano four minutes into the second half and kicked the point after, giving Rocky Point a two-touchdown cushion.
Outside linebacker Dominic Viggiano, Anthony’s twin brother, blocked an ESM punt, recovered the ball, and jetted 29 yards for the score. Graham’s foot made it 21-0.
Eagles defensive back Liam Resinger scored on a punt return, covering 42 yards. The extra point gave the Eagles a four-score lead.
Rocky Point running back Joe Cecere ripped a 38-yard run for the score to end the third quarter to make it 35-0.
Cecere struck again midway through the fourth quarter with a 21-yard run. Graham, who didn’t miss the point after attempt all day, put the game away 42-0.
The win lifts Rocky Point to 3-1 at the midway point of their season. The Eagles will retake the field on Saturday, Oct. 8, when they travel to Half Hollow Hills West (4-0). Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
By Nancy Burner, Esq.
Skilled nursing care is a high level of care that can only be provided by trained and licensed professionals, such as registered nurses, licensed professional nurses, medical directors, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists.
Skilled care is short-term and helps people get back on their feet after injury or illness. Skilled nursing facilities are residential centers that provide nursing and rehabilitative services to patients on a short-term or long-term basis. Examples of the services provided at a skilled nursing facility include wound care, medication administration, physical and occupational therapy, and pulmonary rehabilitation.
Generally, patients who are admitted to skilled nursing facilities are recovering from surgery, injury, or acute illness, but a skilled nursing environment may also be appropriate for individuals suffering from chronic conditions that require constant medical supervision. If you or a loved one is interested in using Medicare for skilled nursing, though, there are specific admission requirements set by the federal government:
• The individual has Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) with a valid benefit period. The benefit period will start from the date of admission to a hospital or skilled nursing facility and last for up to 60 days after the end of the stay.
• The individual has a qualifying hospital stay. This generally means at least three in- patient days in a hospital.
• The doctor has recommended skilled nursing care for the individual on a daily basis. The care must be provided by skilled nurses and therapists or under their supervision and should be related to the condition that was attended to during the qualifying hospital stay.
• The individual is admitted to a skilled nursing facility that is certified by Medicare. A skilled nursing facility must meet strict criteria to maintain its Medicare certification.
Usually, the skilled nursing care services covered by Medicare include the room charges, provided that it is a semi-private or shared room, meals at the facility, and any nutritional counseling, as well as costs of medication, medical supplies, medical social services, and ambulance transportation. It also covers rehabilitative services that are required to recover from the condition, such as physical therapy, respiratory therapy, and speech therapy.
Medicare generally offers coverage for up to 100 days of treatment in a skilled nursing facility. Note that if the patient refuses the daily skilled care or therapy as recommended by the doctor, then the coverage by Medicare may be denied for the rest of the stay at the skilled nursing facility. Many patients are advised that they will not get the full 100 days of Medicare benefits because they had reached a “plateau” or that they failed to improve. This is known as the Improvement Standard and was a “rule of thumb” used to evaluate Medicare patients.
Applying the Improvement Standard resulted in the denial of much needed skilled care for thousands of Medicare patients. The denials were based on a finding that there was no likelihood of improvement in the patient’s condition. This standard ignored the fact that the patients needed skilled care in order to maintain their current state of health and to prevent them from deteriorating. More often than not, if the patient was not improving, Medicare coverage was denied. While this standard was widely used, it was inconsistent with Medicare law and regulations.
A court case brought by Medicare beneficiaries and national organizations against the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Jimmo v Sebelius) sought to change this. The plaintiffs argued that even though the term “plateau” does not appear in the Medicare regulations, it is this term that is often used and relied upon to deny coverage. The appropriate standard should be: will the covered services “maintain the current condition or prevent or slow further deterioration,” not whether the individual was showing signs improvement.
As a result of this litigation and the settlement on Jan. 24, 2013, patients should be able to continue receiving services provided by Medicare, even where improvement in the patient’s condition cannot be documented. However, the old standard continues to be used. Patients and their advocates should educate themselves on the correct standard to make sure coverage is not cut prematurely.
Nancy Burner, Esq. is the founder and managing partner at Burner Law Group, P.C with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, New York City and East Hampton.
As part of “The Great Give Back” through Suffolk County libraries, Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket will hold a Pet Food Drive through the month of October. They will be accepting new pet supplies (food, blankets, leashes, etc) in the Library lobby. All are welcome to donate (residents or non-residents) during Library hours. Library teen volunteers will then drop off the donated items at various locations. Questions? Call 631-941-4080.
Funeral services have been made for a nearly 30-year member of the Huntington Community First Aid Squad, Allison Russo-Elling.
Russo-Elling, in addition to her volunteer work in Huntington, was a lieutenant with the New York City Fire Department and a 24-year veteran of the FDNY. She was also a 9/11 first responder.
The lieutenant was attacked and stabbed multiple times while walking in Astoria, Queens, while on duty at FDNY’s EMS Station on Sept. 29. She was brought to Mount Sinai Queens Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
She was appointed to the FDNY as an EMT in 1998, according to the FDNY, and promoted to paramedic in 2002. She became a lieutenant in 2016.
Russo, a longtime Town of Huntington resident, joined the Huntington Community First Aid Squad in November 1992, according to the HCFAS Facebook page. She was also a day captain for 13 years. It was during her time with the first aid squad that she became an EMT.
THE HCFAS posted on its Facebook page that she was “loved by so many at HCFAS. She will be dearly missed by everyone, but her legacy will live within our hearts forever.”
In addition to her work within the Huntington community, she was a 24-year veteran of the FDNY, joining as an EMT in 1998.
Russo’s wake will be held at Commack Abbey Funeral Home in Commack on Monday, Oct. 3, and Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A service will be held Oct. 5 at the Tilles Center for Performing Arts in Brookville at 11 a.m. Cremation will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to EMS FDNY Help Fund, P.O. Box 604362, Bayside, NY 11360-4362. Or, Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center, 33 Warner Road, Huntington, NY 11743.
By David Dunaief, M.D.
The causes of eczema are unknown, but it is thought that nature and nurture are both at play (1). Essentially, it is a chronic inflammatory process that involves symptoms of rashes, itching, pain and redness (2).
It’s estimated that over seven percent of the U.S. adult population suffers from eczema (3), with twice as many females as males affected (4).
While there is no cure, there are treatments its symptoms. These range from over-the-counter creams and lotions to prescription steroid creams to oral steroids and injectable biologics. Antihistamines can also be used to treat itchiness. Some use phototherapy for severe cases, but research on its effectiveness is scant. Interestingly, lifestyle, 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.
Does diet play a role?
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 (5).
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 (6).
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 significantly improved.
What about supplements?
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 important 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).
The upshot? Don’t expect supplements to provide significant help. If you do try them, be sure to consult with your physician first.
Biologics
Injectable biologics are among the newest treatments and are generally recommended when other treatment options have failed (9). There are two currently approved by the FDA, dupilumab and tralokinumab-ldrm, with the latter recently approved in December 2021.
In trials, these injectable drugs 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.
Deeper impacts of eczema
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 (10).
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 (11). 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.
Eczema exists on a spectrum from annoying to significantly affecting a patient’s quality of life (12). Supplements may not be the solution, at least not borage oil or evening primrose oil. However, there may be promising 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.
References:
(1) Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh) 1985;117 (Suppl.):1-59. (2) uptodate.com. (3) J Inv Dermatol. 2017;137(1):26-30. (4) BMC Dermatol. 2013;13(14). (5) Allergy. 2010 Jun 1;65(6):758-765. (6) J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;50(3):391-404. (7) Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;4:CD004416. (8) mayoclinic.org (9) Medscape.com. (9) JAMA Dermatol. 2015;151(1):33-41. (10) J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021 Sep 24;S2213-2198(21)01018-7. (11) nationaleczema.org. (12) Contact Dermatitis 2008; 59:43-47.
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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