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Yearly Archives: 2023

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A DAY ON THE WATER Join the Setauket Harbor Task Force for kayak lessons, a boat ride, music, crafts and more during Setauket Harbor Day on Sept. 17 (event moved from Sept. 16). Photo by Maria Hoffman
Ongoing

Stone Bridge Nighthawk Watch

Every evening from Aug. 27 through Oct. 6, from 5:30 p.m. until dusk, the Four Harbors Audubon Society will be tallying migrating Common Nighthawks to better understand nighthawk population trends. Join them at the Stone Bridge at Frank Melville Memorial Park, One Old Field Road, Setauket to witness nighthawks as they pass over during their migratory journey to their wintering grounds in Brazil and Argentina. Visit www.4has.org for further details.

Thursday Sept. 14

An Evening Under the Stars

Huntington Historical Society hosts its annual fall fundraiser, An Evening Under the Stars Reimagined, at the Kissam House, 434 Park Ave., Huntington from 6 to 9 p.m. Enjoy a cocktail party with  hors d’oeuvres, food trucks, wines and beer from local breweries and live music performed by the Bogs. Tickets are $150 per person, $130 members at www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org. 631-427-7045

Friday Sept. 15

Greenlawn Greek Festival

St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Shrine Church, 1 Shrine Place, Greenlawn invites the community to its annual Greek Festival tonight from 6 to 10 p.m., and Sept. 16 and 17 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Enjoy authentic Greek food and pastries, rides and games. 631-261-7272, www.stparaskevi.org

Third Friday at the Reboli

The Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook continues its Third Friday series with an engaging talk with exhibiting artist Mickey Paraskevas from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Light refreshments and light snacks will be served at this free event. No reservations are required to attend. 631-751-7707

Saturday Sept. 16

Greenlawn Greek Festival

See Sept. 15 listing.

Dragon Boat Race Festival

The 9th annual Dragon Boat Race Festival heads to Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Presented by the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, the event will showcase dragon boat races throughout the day with Asian-themed food, cultural crafts, traditional lion dance, children activities and much more. Held rain or shine. Free admission. 631-473-1414, https://portjeffdragonboatracefest.com

St. Elizabeth Car Show

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton R.C. Church, 800 Portion Road, Lake Ronkonkoma presents its annual car show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with trophies, prizes and raffles. Spectators free. 631-484-2807

Garlic Festival

New location! Waterdrinker Farm, 663 Wading River Road, Manorville hosts the 21st annual Long Island Garlic Festival today and Sept. 17 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Go on a garlic scavenger hunt, learn about garlic on a musical hayride, try garlic ice cream with live music, vendor market, food trucks and family activities. Admission is $20 per person. 631-878-8653

Community Yard and Craft Sale

St. Cuthbert’s Episcopal Church, 18 Magnolia Place, Selden will host an outdoor yard and craft sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Families and vendors will be selling merchandise of all kinds, including yard sale wares, handmade clothing, jewelry, wreaths and more! 631-732-8773

Antiques, Flea Market & Craft Fair

The Manorville Historical Society will hold its 33rd annual Antiques, Craft Fair and Flea Market on the grounds of The Maples, 10 Ryerson Ave., Manorville from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Antiques, flea market items, handmade crafts, food and raffle auction. 631-878-8358

Setauket Country Fair

Caroline Episcopal Church of Setauket invites the community to it annual Country Fair on the grounds of the church (1 Dyke Road, Setauket) and the Setauket Village Green across from Emma Clark Library on from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring over 60 arts, crafts and gift vendors, barn sale, food court, baked goods, basket raffle and live music. Free admission. Rain date is Sept. 23. 631-941-4245

Treasures Sale

Setauket Presbyterian Church, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket will hold a Treasures Sale in Fellowship Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come shop for toys, games, jewelry, attic treasures, homegoods, and antiques. Baked goods and drinks will also be for sale. 631-941-4271

Pickle Festival

John Gardiner Farm, 900 Park Ave., Greenlawn presents its 43rd annual Pickle Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy specialty pickles, jams, farmer’s market, craft vendors, corn maze, hayrides and a ride on the restored Lollipop Farm train. Admission is $5. 631-754-1180

Craft Fair Weekend 

It’s apple season on the North Fork and while you’re heading out east visit the Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River for a Craft Fair Weekend today and Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy local craft vendors, bounce house, carousel and face painting for kids. 631-846-2370

San Gennaro Feast

Lenny Bruno Farms, 740 Wading River Road, Manorville presents the annual San Gennaro Feast: A traditional Italian-American celebration of food, fun, and family, today from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Featuring a vendor market, food trucks, games, beer and wine tastings, visit with farm animals and more. Admission is $10 per person, children 2 and under are free. 631-591-3592

Setauket Harbor Day – This event has been postponed to September 17.

Come celebrate the history of beautiful Setauket Harbor at the Brookhaven Town Dock and Beach on Shore Road from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy free kayak lessons and boat rides, learn about Setauket’s shipbuilding past and view displays of the marine environment of a thriving harbor. Enjoy live music, food, arts and crafts and more. Sponsored by the Setauket Harbor Task Force. Free. 631-404-6447 

German Fall Festival

St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 30 Brooksite Drive, Smithtown presents its annual German Fall Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featuring brats & beer, German baked goods, pickles, pretzels, hair braiding, vendors, bracelet making, children’s games, bounce house and raffles. Rain date is Sept. 23. 631-265-2288, www.standrewsofsmithtown.org

Victorian Tea 

Join the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society for a Victorian Tea at the Fitz-Greene Hallock Homestead (1888), 2869 Pond Road, Lake Ronkonkoma with two seatings: 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Enjoy a full Victorian Tea lunch, self-guided tour of the house and grounds and door prizes. $30 per person with timed seating. Reservations required. 631-588-7599

Baseball on the Farm

Preservation Long Island and the Long Island Museum have teamed up to host a  Baseball on the Farm event with the New York Mutual Base Ball Club at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm, 55 Old Post Road, E. Setauket from noon to 4 p.m. Enjoy an authentic 19th-century ballgame with the New York Mutual Base Ball Club against the Atlantics with live music, games, prizes, food and more. Free admission. Rain date Sept. 17. www.preservationlongisland.org

Car Show Fundraiser

Brandywine Living at Huntington Terrace, 70 Pinelawn Road, Melville will host a Classic Car Show to benefit veterans at 2 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase food and beverages to benefit Tunnels to Towers, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping veterans and enjoy live music. 631-531-0000

Sunday Sept. 17

Greenlawn Greek Festival

See Sept. 15 listing.

Garlic Festival

See Sept. 16 listing.

San Gennaro Feast

See Sept. 16 listing.

Craft Fair Weekend

See Sept. 16 listing.

Caumsett Hike

Join the staff at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington for a  6 mile, hilly, moderately paced walk to relax, socialize, and enjoy the park’s beauty from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. $4 per person. Advance reservations required by calling 631-423-1770

Taps & Talons at Hoyt Farm

Hoyt Farm, 200 New Highway, Commack host a Taps and Talons fundraiser for Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown from 2 to 6 p.m. With over 15 breweries, the event features beer tastings, live music, and wildlife demonstrations. This event is 21 and over; photo ID is required. Car pooling and ride share encouraged. Tickets are $45 per person at www.sweetbriarnc.org. 

John Avlon

CAC welcomes CNN’s John Avlon

Long Island LitFest presents an in-person talk with CNN news anchor and award-winning columnist John Avlon, as he discusses his latest book, Lincoln and the Fight for Peace with his wife, Margaret Hoover, the host of PBS’ “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover,” at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington at 2 p.m. Tickets are $40, $35 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

LITMA Contradance

Smithtown Historical Society’s Frank Brush Barn, 210 E. Main St., Smithtown will host a LITMA Contradance from 2 to 5 p.m. Basic instruction will be held at 1:45 p.m. Ridge Kennedy will be calling the Dance with music by Blarney Possum. $15 general admission, $10 LITMA members, $7.50 students, hildren under 16 free with paid adult. Please bring snacks to share at the break. 631-369-7854

Songwriters of LI Concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook will host a concert by Songwriters of Long Island at 3 p.m. An ‘all-star’ lineup will be performing several of their original songs each including Bob Sinclair, Frank “Kingee” Latorre, Rorie Kelly, Erik Semo, Martha Trachtenberg and Hank Stone. Free with admission to the museum. 631-689-5888,  visit www.limusichalloffame.org.

Baroque Sundays at Three

Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook presents a Baroque Sundays at Three concert in the Recital Hall at 3 p.m. Featuring Jeremy Rhizor on Baroque Violin, Arnie Tanimoto on Viola da Gamba and Marc Bellassai on Harpsichord. These performances are free of charge to the public and ask only for a good-will donation of $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. 631-632-7330

Monday Sept. 18

TVHS lecture

Three Village Historical Society continues its lecture series at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket tonight at 7 p.m. Author Brad Kolodny will discuss his latest book, Seeking Sanctuary: 125 Years of Synogogues on Long Island. Free and open to all. www.tvhs.org

Sky Room Talk

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents a Sky Room Talk titled  The Seriously Funny Cinema of Mel Brooks at 7:30 p.m. Film Historian Glenn Andreiev presents a one-night talk on the great Mel — with laugh-filled clips of his work in television and film. Tickets are $17, $12 members. www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Tuesday Sept. 19

Travel Presentation Club

The Travel Presentation Club will meet at 7 p.m. at tEmma S. Clark Memorial Library , 120 Main Street in Setauket. Janice and F. James Rohlf  will make a presentation entitled “Adventures at Ningaloo Riff and the Kimberley, Western Australia”. All are welcome. Please contact [email protected] for further information.

Wednesday Sept. 20

Harbor Jazz Festival

Jazz lovers are invited to attend the 8th annual Harbor Jazz Festival at The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook from Sept. 20 to 23. Each day brings a line-up of jazz greats, including some of the top internationally and nationally recognized talents. All events on Sept. 23 are free and take place on the front lawn of the Jazz Loft and on the Stony Brook Village Green. 631-751-1895, www.thejazzloft.org  

Hard Luck Cafe concert

Nashville-based singer-songwriters Halley Neal and Sam Robbins will kick off the 2023-2024 season of the monthly Hard Luck Café series co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Avenue, Huntington in the Cinema’s Sky Room on from 7 to 10 p.m. An open mic, for which sign-up is at 6:30 p.m., precedes the concert. Admission is $20, $15 members. www.cinemaartscentre.org

Cruise Night at The Shoppes

Cruise Nights are back at The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River from 5 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday through Oct. 25. Check out the fine array of classic and coveted automobiles from car enthusiasts from across Long Island in The Shoppes parking lot. 631-929-3500

Thursday Sept. 21

Harbor Jazz Festival

See Sept. 20 listing.

Film

‘Rather’

The Port Jefferson Documentary Series Fall 2023 season opens with a screening of  Rather at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson on Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. Frank Marshall’s incisive documentary is a long-overdue tribute to an icon of journalism, a late-in-life Twitter superstar, a father, husband, and a voice of reason, compassion, and brilliance: Dan Rather. Followed by a Q&A with guest speakers Taylor Wildenhaus and  Sarah Baxter. $10 (cash only) at the door or purchase in advance at www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com.

Theater

‘The Prom’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson kick off its 53rd season with The Prom from Sept. 16 to Oct. 21. As the lights dim on four fading Broadway stars, they wildly seek the spotlight. Courting the controversy surrounding a small-town Indiana prom, the quartet invades a community that wants to keep the party straight. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors, $20 students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘Rent’

Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown presents Jonathan Larson’s Rent from Sept. 16 to Oct. 22. Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, the groundbreaking musical follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians — Roger, Mimi, Tom, Angel, Maureen, Joanne, Benny and Mark — struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Tickets are $35 adults, $32 seniors, $28 students. To order, call 800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

‘Every Brilliant Thing’

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, in association with Response Crisis Center, presents Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man show starring Jeffrey Sanzel, on the Second Stage from Sept. 17 to Oct. 8.  With audience members recruited to take on supporting roles, Every Brilliant Thing is a heart-wrenching, hilarious story of depression and the lengths we will go for those we love. All seats are $20. Fifty percent of the gross proceeds of this production will benefit Response Crisis Center. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘Beautiful’

Main stage theater continues at the John W. Engeman Theater with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical from Sept. 14 to Oct. 29. From the chart-topping hits she wrote for the biggest acts in music to her own life-changing success with Tapestry, the show takes you back to where it all began–and takes you on the ride of a lifetime. Featuring such unforgettable classics as “You’ve Got a Friend,” “One Fine Day,” “So Far Away,” and many more. This Tony® and Grammy® Award-winning show is filled with the songs you remember and a story you’ll never forget. Tickets range from $85 to $90. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Antigone Now: A Short Drama’

The Theatres at Suffolk County Community College present Antigone Now: A Short Drama by Melissa Cooper in Theatre 119, Islip Arts Building Suffolk County Community College, 533 College Road, Selden on Oct. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 8 and 15 at 2 p.m. In the midst of a bombed-out city still feeling the aftershocks of war, the rebellious and intense Antigone defies her uncle to bury her disgraced brother. This contemporary response to the myth of Antigone brings powerful, modern prose to an ancient and universal story. *Mature Content  General admission: $15, veterans and students 16 years of age or younger $10. For tickets call 631-451-4163.

Class Reunions

•Save the date! Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17, 2024. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

You know that optical illusion with the vase and the two faces? If you’re looking at the outline of the white object, you see a vase, but if you look at the white as the background, you see two faces.

Is it possible that we might, at times, be missing something in our lives?

We drive from one event to another, often ignoring the people in the car next to us at a stoplight, at the birds resting on a telephone wire or at the last few rays of the sun as the light disappears over the horizon.

Instead, we’re focused on getting where we’re going, giving our mind a chance to wander to important things, like what we’re going to say to the coach of our son’s little league team, to our boss who wants to know why we’re late, or to that person at the deli counter who starts preparing our sandwich before we even order.

Along the way, we might be missing signs that could stimulate or enrich our mind in unexpected ways or that could provide the kind of unanticipated signs that serve as clues about our lives. Sure, some people read horoscopes for such help, they ponder the pithy poetry of fortune cookies, or they visit a psychic, who asks them if they’ve ever known a person named John or if they’ve ever gone with a date to a movie or like to take walks on the beach.

But, with our heads down, living on our phones, focusing on events and people far from us, is it possible that we might miss something akin to a puzzle piece in the mystery of our lives?

Sure, telemarketers are frustrating and annoying, offering us products we don’t need, asking us for personal information, and assuming a far-too-familiar tone.

What if those telemarketers, who are even more unpopular than used car salesman, journalists and politicians, offered us something between the lines of their scripts that might be of use to us? We don’t have to stay on the phone long with them and we don’t have to buy something we don’t want, but maybe we can give them half a minute, listening to them and politely declining their offer for more life insurance, a time share in the Everglades, or a chance to earn money as a personal shopper.

Maybe something they say will remind us of a task we wanted to accomplish, a phrase a friend or relative used to use, or a responsibility we haven’t yet met for ourselves. In a world in which there are no accidents, perhaps they can remind us of something we value.

Along the same lines, the scenery that flies by while we’re on a train, a bus or in a car could remind us of a picture we drew from our childhood, a tree we used to climb, or a friend who might need to hear from us but hasn’t felt strong enough to ask for help.

Hundreds and thousands of years ago, people looked to the skies for the kind of signs that might help them.

When we shut ourselves in our homes, disconnect from the people in the room or from the environment, we close down the opportunity to see or consider any signs from the world around us or to get out of our own limited physical, mental and emotional headspace. We also lock ourselves in to a particular way of thinking, removing the opportunity to consider whether today is a day to see the vase or the two faces.

By getting away from our computer screens, cell phones, and cubicles, we give ourselves a chance to see what the world offers, and how those cues affect the way we think about our lives.

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METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

My favorite meal of the day is breakfast. Now I’m not one of those happy people who awaken with the dawn, but I will say that my first thought after I open my eyes is usually breakfast. It used to be that I had to get up and walk the dog, but that’s history. Now, as soon as sleep is over, I am hungry.

Maybe that has something to do with the fact that I don’t eat past dinner, and that my dinner usually ends by 7:00 p.m. or even earlier. That means I have been fasting for at least 12 hours, maybe even 14, so my lustful appetite would seem valid. I start thinking about what I am going to make for breakfast while I am brushing my teeth. It’s almost never what you might expect.

I guess the traditional American breakfast is eggs and toast, and maybe some sort of meat, like bacon or ham. Or people start the day with cold cereal and milk in a bowl or hot oatmeal, with maybe some fruit on top. That’s if they have time to fix breakfast. 

Many people just run through the kitchen, put on their jackets and rush out the door to work or to school. Perhaps they might snag a roll or a piece of fruit on the way out, maybe even a cup of coffee if they remembered to plug in the pot the night before and to push the button on the way to the bathroom in the morning. Incredible as it sounds to me, I even know some people who eat nothing until dinner—a big dinner that then stretches right up to bedtime.

So what do I eat?

I might eat an egg with some veggies thrown in if it’s a weekend and I have time to cook. I particularly like English muffins with Irish butter and one of any number of different jams I harbor in my fridge. More often I will heat up some green lentil pasta that I prepared in advance, top it with low sodium spaghetti sauce and a couple of spices, and munch away. (Don’t Yuk! Just try it.) The green lentil flour, which comes in a box, is loaded with good nutrients: 11 grams of fiber; 25 grams plant-based protein. My favorite shape for the flour is rotini; it makes me think I am eating wheat pasta. And by the way, it’s made in Italy.

Or, I might finish off the previous night’s leftovers. That could be anything from shrimp, which I love, or a kind of white flaky fish like branzino or salmon. Now you might be taken aback by the nonconformist choices I make in the morning, so I will explain. I have had the pleasure of traveling to a number of different countries and eating their traditional breakfasts, so I am not in the least put off by eating my leftover sushi that I brought in the previous night. It makes me think I am in Bali.

On rainy mornings, I have the urge for pancakes because my mother, when I was a child, often made silver dollar pancakes for breakfast when it rained, especially if it rained really hard. The wonderful smell would fill the kitchen and bring us quickly to the table. I never put butter or syrup or powdered sugar on them; they were just delicious straight from the pan. I confess, though, that now I hardly ever have time to make them. I’m too busy looking for an umbrella.

Instead I grab a smoothie, filled with frozen fruits and dark green leafy vegetables, like baby bok choy and baby kale, that is pre-made in the refrigerator and carry it to my office, where I sip it through a straw for a couple of hours.

Another unorthodox breakfast that I enjoy is a salad, one with cucumbers, tomatoes, pears and walnuts, perked up with a little balsamic vinegar. I don’t care for iceberg lettuce much, preferring romaine and mixed greens.

I have learned that only some 35 percent of Americans eat breakfast every morning. How about you?

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Pixabay photo

United States defense and intelligence leaders agree that climate change is a threat to U.S. national security and is affecting global stability, military readiness, humanitarian crises, and the risk of war.

Scott Mandia. Photo by Victoria Sinacori

As part of Suffolk County Community College’s Faculty Talks series, nationally recognized climate change authority and twice featured National Geographic documentary expert, Suffolk County Community College Professor of Physical Sciences Scott Mandia will speak about Climate Change & National Security Implications on Monday, September 18 at Suffolk County Community College, Kreiling Hall Room 203, 533 College Road, Selden at 11:15 a.m. (Parking lot by water tower)

Mandia, the founder of the Climate Science Rapid Response Team that matches journalists with scientists to enable the media to better explain climate change and meteorological phenomenon will cover a range of topics including:

  • Evidence of a warming planet
  • Scientific evidence of the human cause
  • Who’s emitting the most greenhouse gases?
  • Who’s impacted the most? The poorest among us.
  • Super Storm Sandy
  • The World’s regions most impacted by climate change and implications
  • Solutions and taking action

Mandia has been called upon by The White House to present research about the impact of large-scale climate change on severe thunderstorms and tornadoes after a EF5 multiple-vortex tornado struck Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011. The tornado killed 158, injured 1,150 and caused $2.8 billion in damages – the costliest single tornado in US history. In addition to climate change, Mandia has written about Long Island hurricanes including the New England Hurricane of 1938, known locally as the “Long Island Express” and the future vulnerability of Long Island to hurricanes. He co-authored a book with Hunt Janin titled: Rising Sea Levels that was released before Hurricane Sandy hit Long Island and warned about the devastating effects of such a storm on New York.

 

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The Sand Tiger Shark, shown here in the NY Aquarium, is a common species that lives and feeds in coastal New York area waters. Credit: Julie Larsen, Wildlife Conservation Society

Scientists call for more research and key steps to gathering evidence around human-shark interactions, perspective published in Journal of Fish Biology

The lack of evidence about shark biology, their prey, and changes in the ecosystems of New York area coastal waters is a driving force to expand research about sharks and their populations in the region, so say a team of scientists in an article published in the Journal of Fish Biology.

As the 2023 summer season wraps up and marine biologists look to a new season and coming summers, the perspective piece challenges an emerging view that there is a growing number of human-shark interactions in the New York Bight (a triangular coastal region encompassing ocean and bay waters from New Jersey to the NYC metro area and Long Island) – all this because of growing shark populations and their feeding habits.

Lead author Oliver N. Shipley, PhD, a Research Assistant Professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University, and colleagues describe the current knowledge of shark biology in the region and detail the misalignment between scientific knowledge and anecdotal information reported in recent years in the media about sharks in the region. They provide several critical areas for future research that they hope will promote positive attitudes of sharks and their conservation and help mitigate future human-shark conflicts.

“Shark populations are poorly studied in the New York Bight. When human-shark interactions occur, this paucity of scientific data has resulted in inaccurate messages from some mainstream media trying to assign causality to these incidents,” says Shipley. “We are calling for steps to be taken to advance scientific knowledge in order to better understand shark populations and why human-shark interactions may be occurring.”

According to the authors, population declines of sharks and their relatives have been well documented over the last several decades, globally, primarily because of targeting fishing and bycatch from commercial and recreational fisheries. Yet in the temperate waters of the New York Bight, sharks have received heighted attention due to a reported increase in their activity close to the shore. And the complex relationship between sharks and humans has been further ignited by a recent spike in human-shark interactions along the coastal New York Bight.

The authors write: “Although we acknowledge both sightings of sharks and reporting of negative human-shark interactions has increased in recent years, assigning any immediate causality would be irresponsible and risky to both sharks and human stakeholders in the absence of scientific support.”

To counter the easily perceived immediate causality to the human-shark encounters, Shipley and colleagues recommend that going forward the following research avenues are necessary to gather evidence about shark populations in the region:

There needs to be an expansion of coastwide monitoring programs in the context of climate change. They suggest shark monitoring methods can include multiple approaches, such as coastal drone surveys, environmental DNA assessments, and robust spatial analyses that quantify interactions between climate and sharks, and their prey across time.

Michael Frisk, PhD, a Professor at SoMAS and senior author on the paper, explains that such surveys would lead to novel long-term data that can be used to assess the distribution of sharks in response to prey movements and environmental conditions. It would also help to better understand the environmental conditions that increase the potential overlap between sharks and humans, and therefore help to gauge the possibilities of such encounters and potentially reduce or prevent them.

At SoMAS, several research groups are undertaking research that examines so-called “hotspots” of shark-prey interactions along southern Long Island, and where these may be impacted by warming ocean conditions.

Shipley says he and fellow researchers intend to begin systematic drone surveys at several pilot beaches to support townships and state shark monitoring initiatives, in hopes of providing new data on the probability of human-shark overlap and what conditions may drive such overlap.

Co-authors of the position paper include: Michael G. Frisk of SoMAS; Jill A. Olin of the Great Lakes Research Center, Michigan Technological University; Christopher Scott, Division of Marine Resources, New York Department of Environmental Conservation; and Merry Camhi, of the New York Seascape Program at the New York Aquarium and Wildlife Conservation Society.

 

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Hurricane Lee, left, and Hurricane Margot churn over the Atlantic. Satellite photo from NOAA

City planners all along the eastern seaboard, meteorologists and people living in flood plains are all hoping the current projections for Hurricane Lee prove correct.

As of earlier this week, the hurricane, which became the fastest system to transition from a tropical storm into a Category 5 hurricane, was not expected to make direct landfall.

That, however, may only be a temporary reprieve, as the conditions that made such a rapid intensification of this monster storm, which, at one point, had wind speeds of 165 miles per hour, continue to exist during the rest of this hurricane season and will likely continue in future years.

Earlier this summer, a sensor off the coast of Florida recorded an ocean temperature of 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest ever recorded. That creates conditions that threaten marine life and provides the energy that fuels the growth and intensity of hurricanes.

“We know that the warmer the sea surface temperatures are that a storm interacts with, the increased likelihood that a storm will undergo rapid intensification,” said Kevin Reed, associate professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University. As the Earth continues to warm, Reed added, he expects those conditions to persist.

The exact timing of when a storm will intensify “remains a significant challenge to the weather community,” Reed added. “These types of events continually remind us that we have some way to go in forecasting the intensity of storms, even over a couple of days’ time scale.”

While most of the models predict the storm will head north before tracking toward a potentially dangerous landfall, Reed added that “there remains a possibility that the storm could take a track that interacts with New York or New England” and that the hurricane is still multiple days away from the region.

At this point, Reed believes such a landfall is not impossible but is unlikely.

Even without a landfall nearby, forecasters warn that the storm could produce dangerous rip currents and rough waters around the middle Atlantic states toward the latter part of this week.

NOAA forecast

One of the first things Reed does each morning and the last thing he does in the evening is check the National Hurricane Center site, among others.

A month ago, the hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, was relatively quiet.

At that point, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association updated its seasonal projection to suggest that the hurricane season would be above normal.

“Here we are, in the thick of things,” with multiple storms out there and high activity levels, Reed said. “It’s important to keep an eye on those storms. All it takes is one to make landfall in our region to have a lasting impact.”

Hurricane Lee is the fourth hurricane of the season and the 14th named storm, six ahead as of Sept. 9 of the average over the last 30 years, according to the National Hurricane Center data.

A Category 1 storm, Hurricane Margot, is moving northward in the Atlantic, where it is not expected to make landfall. Another two disturbances may also combine and form a tropical storm. If they do, the disturbance would be named Nigel.

Reed is currently working on a few projects in which he hopes to use climate information to help inform potential impacts of future storms in the local area and coastal regions.

He is looking back retrospectively at various storms to determine how those hurricanes might differ in a warmer world. Those projects, he said, are still in the early stages.

Well aware of the potential for strong storms to hit the area, Reed has looked at a flood map around his house to know where flood waters would go amid different conditions.

He has also talked with his family about what they would do during a storm and where they would get information in the event of an evacuation from New York.

“I try to practice what I preach,” Reed said.

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Do you recognize this couple? Photo from SCPD
Do you recognize this couple? Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Seventh Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate two people who allegedly stole merchandise from a Selden store this month.

A man and woman allegedly stole assorted grocery items and cleaning products from Target, located at 307 Independence Plaza, on September 5. 

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.

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Photo from SCPD
Photo from SCPD
Photo from SCPD

Five Suffolk County Police officers rescued a woman after her vehicle entered the water in Mastic on Sept. 12

A 53-year-old Shirley woman was driving a 2016 BMW i3 eastbound on Hampton Avenue when her vehicle went through a guardrail at the intersection with Riviera Drive and landed in the Forge River at 1:13 p.m.

Seventh Precinct Officers Thomas Ciota, Sean Roche, Steven Rathjen, Michael Magioncalda and Ryan Kelly entered the water and pulled the woman from her vehicle.

The woman was transported to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue for treatment of minor injuries. The officers did not require medical attention.

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Kumo

By Sabrina Artusa

On Saturday afternoon, Sept. 9, 28 people were made ill due to the mishandling of cooked rice served at Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse on Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook.

A group of 13-year-olds were at the restaurant celebrating a birthday when some girls started projectile vomiting. Sixteen others, celebrating a baby shower, got sick after leaving the restaurant.

“I’m extremely angry with the business,” the mother of one of the girls told News 12. “We all go out to eat all the time. We never think we’re going to eat somewhere, and the food is going to be contaminated.”

Employees at Kumo deferred comment to their lawyer, John Ruggiero of Garden City, who said that health officials thoroughly checked the kitchen. Ruggiero said the restaurant “immediately implemented” a new rice cooling procedure.

He added, “All steps have been taken to ensure that this never happens again and the restaurant is fully operational with the blessing of the health department.”

According to Suffolk County Department of Health guidelines, “If the food is not cooled in accordance with the sanitary code requirement, pathogens may grow to sufficient numbers to cause foodborne illness.”

Suffolk County spokesperson Marykate Guilfoyle told Newsday that 12 of the 28 people were hospitalized at Stony Brook University Hospital and released without staying overnight. She also said that the health department issued 15 violations. Eight of the violations were for foodborne illnesses, Guilfoyle said, while others were more minor.

“All of the corrective measures were taken and the restaurant is open,” she said.

“We are committed to learning from this incident, enhancing our practices and ensuring that every visit to Kumo is not just a meal but a memorable and safe experience,” owners Tony and Bobby Lam said in a statement to Fox News.

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These images reveal the striking similarities between real candy and edible products containing THC. Photos from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services

Children are getting into their parents’ supplies of edible marijuana, leading to an increase in illnesses and emergency room visits.

Stony Brook Pediatric Hospital treated 14 children in 2022 and 13 in 2021 — up from about one or two a year before 2020.

Dr. Candice Foy, a pediatric hospitalist at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine/Jeanne Neville

“In the last two years, we’ve seen very high numbers,” said Dr. Candice Foy, a pediatric hospitalist at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

The accidental consumption of marijuana among children has increased throughout the country. A study published in the journal “Pediatrics” indicates that calls to poison control centers for children five and under for the consumption of edibles containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — the main ingredient in the cannabis plant — rose to 3,054 in 2021 from 207 in 2017, with over 95 percent of the children finding gummies in their homes.

Amid an increase in adult use of edible gummies containing marijuana, children of a wide range of ages have mistaken them for candy, leading to symptoms that trigger medical concerns from their parents.

Children with THC in their system can have low blood pressure, high heart rates, lethargy and sleep for prolonged periods, Foy said.

One child required a machine to help breathe.

Dr. Jennifer Goebel, emergency room doctor at Huntington Hospital, said the hospital recently saw children who were dizzy and not acting appropriately.

When pediatric patients accidentally consume pot edibles, doctors also need to consider what else they might have in their system, Goebel added.

Dr. Jennifer Goebel, emergency room doctor at Huntington Hospital. File photo from Northwell Health

Significant exposure can “lead to severe hyperactive behaviors, slowed breathing and even coma,” Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Health Commissioner, explained in an email.

The health effects of marijuana can last 24 to 36 hours in children. The response may vary based on the amount ingested, the size of the child and metabolic factors, Pigott added.

Unlike naloxone, which health care providers can administer to counteract the effect of narcotics, doctors don’t have the same resources available with accidental marijuana ingestion.

Doctors opt for supportive care. A nauseous child could receive anti-nausea medication, while a child sleeping and not eating or drinking can receive intravenous fluids.

Typically, doctors observe children who consume marijuana for several hours, often releasing them to return home once the symptoms subside.

Hospitals are required to call child protective services during such an incident. Investigators usually find that such consumption is incidental, as parents sometimes leave their edibles in the wrong location.

“A lot of times, CPS will go in there” and, after checking the home, “will close the investigation,” Foy said.

Doctors and local officials urged people who consume such edibles themselves either not to keep them in the house or to put them in places far from other candy or food, such as in an inaccessible spot in the back of a closet.

Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. File photo

“The Department’s Office of Public Information has issued warnings about keeping edible gummies out of the reach of children through its social media channels,” Pigott explained in an email. “In addition, the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports and our partners in prevention promote safe keeping of all THC products, including edibles, out of reach and in secure child safe storage,” such as a lock box.

Goebel cautioned that children are adept at getting to products that appeal to them, mainly if the packaging makes them look like candy.

Many of the pot-related medical issues are “accidental,” Goebel said.

Hospitals have seen a range of children with marijuana symptoms, from as young as one year old to 11, with the vast majority falling between two and four years old, Foy said.

“I don’t think it’s something that a lot of people think about the same way they think about protecting their children from bleach and other chemicals commonly found” in the home, she said. It’s important to “get the message out” and ensure “people are talking about this.”

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services Office of Health Education offers curriculum and teacher training to public and private schools at no cost. The lessons address behaviors that lead to morbidity and mortality in the young, including intentional and unintentional injuries, such as injury caused by children ingesting edible gummies or other edible-infused products, Pigott wrote.

“During parent workshops, we show the similarity between real food items and the THC-containing items that look like the food item to highlight how deceptive and easy it is to mistakenly ingest cannabis-laden products,” he added.

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