Trees bloom along Elm Avenue in Smithtown. Photo from Town of Smithtown
The Town of Smithtown Department of Environment and Waterways (DEW) and its tree planting program has secured the title of Tree City USA for the township for it’s 37th year. The notification comes as the team of Urban Foresters gear up for Arbor Day on April 26, with a ceremonial tree planting at the Smithtown Senior Citizens Center.
Additionally, the department will plant 150 new street trees around town for the spring season. The Urban Forestry team plans to plant a total of 500 trees by the end of 2024.
“This award validates the Town’s commitment and investment towards maintaining a healthy environment and robust urban forestry program. I want to commend Environmental Director, David Barnes, and Urban Foresters; Tom Colella and Bob Barget for going above and beyond to grow our programming to new heights,” said Smithtown Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim.
“It’s easy to take for granted, especially in Spring, Summer and Fall, just how fortunate we are to live in an emerald city, lush with healthy trees and native pollinators. The work that DEW has done to ensure a booming tree inventory and maintenance program will undoubtedly offer beauty, health and countless environmental benefits for decades to come,” he added.
The Town of Smithtown was first declared Tree City USA in 1986 by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Since then, the Town has taken great pride in managing a sustainable streetscape lined with trees. The Town of Smithtown has proudly maintained its reputation as Tree City USA for over 37 years, in addition to recent efforts to begin a street tree census, and to identify invasive species.
The Department of Environment and Waterways Urban Forestry team is currently working to finalize the grant agreement with the U.S Forest Service. Upon completion Urban Foresters will begin planting 2,000 trees over a four year period beginning with 350 this fall.
DEW has planted 2,350 trees since 2019 and will total 2500 by the end of this Spring. Since the street tree inventory project began in April 2020, 25,000 trees out of an estimated 35,000 street trees within the township have been cataloged. Preliminary data from the I-Tree 10/13/22 Report shows that the Town of Smithtown has a greater than 30% tree canopy cover.
Residents can request street tree plantings in front of their residence by contacting the Department of Environment and Waterways Urban Forestry team via email at [email protected] or by phone at 631-360-7514.
Faculty, administrators, staff and current students at SuffolkCountyCommunityCollege will welcome new and prospective students to openhouse on Sunday, April 7, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. OpenHouse will take place at all three of the college’s campuses in Riverhead, Selden and Brentwood, as well as its Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center in Riverhead.
College faculty and administrators will greet visitors and offer detailed information about Suffolk’s varied degree and certificate programs. Admissions staff will be available to help students and parents answer questions and complete the admissions process, and financial aid representatives will provide information about recent changes to FAFSA, as well as the grants and loan process. In addition, visitors will have an opportunity to learn about the numerous scholarships available for students enrolled at Suffolk.
The open house will also provide students with an opportunity to:
meet faculty
tour campuses
learn about student organizations and clubs
Veterans should note that campus representatives will be available to provide educational and transitional services information.
“We look forward to welcoming students and their families as they learn about our academic programs and student support services,” said Joanne E. Braxton, Suffolk’s Dean of Enrollment Management, adding “visitors will also have the opportunity to tour the campus with student guides who can answer questions.”
Each of us has a microbiome — trillions of microbes that include bacteria, viruses and single-cell eukaryotes that influence our body’s functions. When “good” and “bad” microbes are in balance, we operate without problems. However, when the balance is tipped, often by environmental factors, such as diet, infectious diseases, and antibiotic use, it makes us more susceptible to diseases and disorders.
While the microbiome is found throughout our bodies, including the skin, the eyes and the gut, we’re going to focus on the gut, where most of our microbiome lives.
Research into the specifics of our microbiome’s role in healthy functioning is still in its infancy. Current research into the microbiome’s effects include its role in obesity, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s, and infectious diseases, such as colitis.
What influences our microbiome?
Lifestyle, such as diet, can impact our microbiome positively or negatively. Microbiome diversity may be significantly different in distinct geographic locations throughout the world, because diet and other environmental factors play such a large role.
When we take drugs, such as antibiotics, we can wipe out our microbial diversity, at least in the short term. This is why many have gastrointestinal upset while taking antibiotics. Antibiotics don’t differentiate between good and bad bacteria when they go to work.
One way to counteract these negative effects is to take a probiotic during and after your course of antibiotics. I recommend Renew Life’s 30-50 billion units once a day, two hours after an antibiotic dose and continuing once a day for 14 days after you have finished your prescription. If you really want to ratchet up the protection, you can take one dose of probiotics two hours after each antibiotic dose.
How does the microbiome affect weight?
Many obese patients continually struggle to lose weight. Obese and overweight patients now outnumber malnourished individuals worldwide (1).
For a long time, the paradigm for weight loss had been to cut calories. However, extreme low-calorie diets were not having a long-term impact. It turns out that our guts may play important roles in obesity and weight loss, determining whether we gain or lose weight.
The results from a study involving human twins and mice are fascinating (2). In each pair of human twins, one was obese and the other was lean. Gut bacteria from obese twins was transplanted into thin mice. The result: the thin mice became obese. However, when the lean human twins’ gut bacteria were transplanted to thin mice, the mice remained thin.
By pairing sets of human twins, one obese and one thin in each set, with mice that were identical to each other and raised in a sterile setting, researchers limited the confounding effects of environment and genetics on weight.
The most intriguing part of the study compared the effects of diet and gut bacteria. When the mice who had received gut transplants from obese twins were provided gut bacteria from thin twins and given fruit- and vegetable-rich, low-fat diet tablets, they lost significant weight. Interestingly, they only lost weight when on a good diet. The authors believe this suggests that an effective diet may alter the microbiome of obese patients, helping them lose weight. These are exciting, but preliminary, results. It is not yet clear which bacteria may be contributing these effects.
Does gut bacteria contribute to the development of rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that can be disabling, with patients typically suffering from significant joint soreness and joint breakdown. What if gut bacteria influenced RA risk? In a study, the gut bacteria in mice that were made susceptible to RA by deletion of certain genes (HLA-DR genes) were compared to those who were more resistant to developing RA (3). Researchers found that the RA-susceptible mice had a predominance of Clostridium bacteria and that those resistant to RA were dominated by bacteria such as bifidobacteria and Porphyromonadaceae species. The significance is that the bacteria in the RA-resistant mice are known for their anti-inflammatory effects.
Although we can’t yet say what the ideal gut bacteria should consist of, we do know a few things that can help you. Diet and other lifestyle considerations, such as eating and sleeping patterns or their disruptions, can affect the composition and diversity of gut bacteria (4). Studies have already demonstrated prebiotic effects of fiber and significant short-term changes to the microbiome when eating fruits, vegetables, and plant fiber. The research is continuing, but we’ve learned a lot already.
References:
(1) “The Evolution of Obesity”; Johns Hopkins University Press; 2009. (2) Science. 2013;341:1241214. (3) PLoS One. 2012;7:e36095. (4) Nutrients. 2019 Dec;11(12):2862.
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 or consult your personal physician.
Change is not just a distant possibility, it’s a force shaping the way we live, work and connect with one another today.
From artificial intelligence and machine learning to environmental and clean energy initiatives, the landscape of technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, presenting us with both challenges and opportunities.
In recent news we have seen the incorporation of AI in the classroom, workforce and in industry. We have seen integration of technology on a local level as in the case of the CBORD Patient app for meal ordering at Stony Brook University Hospital. We even see technology connecting one another in civics and other community gatherings with the use of platforms such as Zoom. We have the opportunity to chat in the many community-run online forums accessed via Facebook and other platforms.
We have seen proposals for clean energy initiatives such as the Sunrise Wind project or the governor’s proposal for electric school buses. We have also seen investments and grants given to institutions such as Brookhaven National Lab and Stony Brook University to help further innovation and creation.
While some may view these changes with apprehension or skepticism, we must recognize that the march of progress is unavoidable. Rather than resisting the tide of innovation, let us embrace it as a means to propel our community forward into a brighter, more prosperous future.
One of the most promising aspects of integrating emerging technologies into our community is the potential to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across various sectors. Whether it’s optimizing transportation systems through the use of predictive analytics or improving access to health care services through telemedicine and patient assistive applications, technology has the power to revolutionize the way we deliver essential services and meet the needs of our residents.
Moreover, the integration of emerging technologies can foster economic growth and innovation, attracting new businesses, entrepreneurs and investment opportunities to our community.
However, as we embark on this journey of technological integration, it’s essential that we do so with careful consideration for the ethical, social and environmental implications of our actions.
As we embrace emerging technologies, let us not lose sight of the importance of human connection and community cohesion. While technology has the power to connect us in unprecedented ways, it can never replace the warmth of a face-to-face conversation or the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a close-knit community.
Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright with his dog, Buster.
Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright’s office seeks donations for Long Island Cares’ Baxter’s Pet Pantry
Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright (D-Setauket) is participating in the 13th Annual Legislative Pet Food Drive Challenge to collect pet food for clients of Long Island Cares, Inc.—The Harry Chapin Food Bank
In 2009, Long Island Cares established Baxter’s Pet Pantry to assist families who might be having difficulty feeding their pets and to avoid placing those family pets in a shelter due to these challenges.
The drive is for all pet food, including for reptiles, fish, ferrets, hamsters, and others. The pet pantry always needs five-to ten-pound bags of dog and cat food, but larger bags are also accepted, as well as canned dog and cat food, cat litter, treats, and new toys.
“Since my dog Buster entered my life, he never fails to bring a smile to my face,” Englebright said. “I hope my constituents will join me and my colleagues in collecting pet food and essentials for those who need help providing for and keeping their pets.”
All pet food must be unopened and in its original packaging. No opened bags, ripped bags or loose pet food will be accepted.
Donations may be brought to Legislator Englebright’s district office at 306 Main Street, Port Jefferson. Drop off deadline is Friday, May 24. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
For more information, please call the office at 631-854-1650.
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We have learned to be impatient. Combining our instant gratification experiences with the information, access and communication at our fingertips, we have less tolerance to wait for anything.
When we find out we’ll have to stand in line for a meal for more than half an hour, we dive into our phones, searching for other nearby restaurants where we can eat within 10 minutes or less.
When we wait on the phone for customer service, we shake our heads, bite our lips, roll our eyes and sigh repeatedly while waiting for someone who encourages us to try the app or to use the automated system next time.
We want life to be at least as good if not better today than yesterday and we want that now. It’s a tough time to have to demonstrate patience and to show that we understand that life involves processes.
When we recover from an injury, we want to look at the damaged part of our bodies and, like Superman, somehow fix it by glaring at it or willing the cells involved in the process to work faster and to allow us to run on a stress fracture in our foot or to self-heal a torn rotator cuff so we can go back out and play tennis or softball again.
It’s tough to celebrate or appreciate small victories because we know where the finish line of our recovery is, where the endpoint of our request is and whatever we want immediately.
Perhaps we need to recalibrate our expectations to understand and appreciate what small wins look like. While we know what we’d like with the end result, we can see small improvements as a way to enjoy the moment and to understand and appreciate how we’re on the right track.
In recovering from my stress fracture, I have been impossibly impatient, staring at the treadmill the way I used to long for an ice cream sundae with hot caramel and chocolate sprinkles.
The treadmill, where I overdid my exercise routine and created the stress fracture, had been a source of relief.
Several times over the last few weeks, I was tempted to see if I could restart my running, only to decide, reluctantly, that I would be jeopardizing my longer term recovery.
Instead, I limited my walking and have appreciated how much better my foot feels when I maneuver around the house. The recovery isn’t complete, but the improvement, which seemed imperceptible at first, is now noticeable.
Recently, on a short walk with my dog, I spoke with a friend whose mother was celebrating a milestone birthday. Paul was frustrated with the lower quality of life that his mother is enduring, as she struggles with her memory and doesn’t enjoy many of the same things, like food and family, that used to bring her pleasure.
Paul wondered at the regular frustration he felt at the incremental losses he, his mother and their family felt each day.
While both my brothers are doctors, as was my father, I have no medical training, which makes it impossible for me to offer an informed opinion on the cognitive and physical processes that occur at the end of people’s lives.
That didn’t stop me from suggesting ways to find small wins each day, which may depend on the mental state of his mother.
At some point, those wins, whether they involve a memory of something meaningful to his mother, a card game that reaches completion, or a song she enjoys hearing can become the focus of a visit, rather than the parts she and they lose, can become the new yardstick for a win.
Impatience for something better immediately is a luxury, as are so many other aspects of life, we take for granted.
When the light turns green, we want to make the light so we can reach our destination. At the same time, a red light can give us a few extra seconds to look at the spring flowers blooming around someone’s house, to hear children shouting with delight as they pile into a car on the way to their youth soccer game, or to extend a conversation that might otherwise end when we step out of the car.
The cover of the first issue of The Village Times in 1976 by Pat Windrow
By Leah S. Dunaief
Leah Dunaief, Publisher
On Monday. April 8th, there will be two miracles: the eclipse of the sun in North America and the 48th birthday of The Village Times, the flagship paper of TBR News Media. While not in the same category, one being macro and the other micro, they are both remarkable in their own way.
If someone had told me I would be sitting here, writing this column on my computer 48 years after we had sent that first issue to bed, I would have been both stunned and yet not surprised. When we started, I never thought we would fail. Such is the necessary optimism of the entrepreneur. By the same token, where have all those years gone? They can be recaptured in 2,496 issues since so far; we never missed a week.
As for the total solar eclipse, this is the second time in seven years that the moon’s pathway will come between us and the sun, totally blocking out the light on the Earth beneath for as much as four minutes, depending on location. It will take 70 to 80 minutes for the eclipse to become total and the same amount of the time for the moon then to recede from the face of the sun. The route of darkness will begin on the west coast of Mexico and move northeast diagonally to exit off the east coast of Canada.
One way for us to think about all those intervening years since 1976 is by remembering how old our children were and what they were doing then. My sons recall our having a table at the July 4th Bicentennial celebration sponsored by the Three Village Historical Society at which we gave out copies of the three-month old newspaper. It was a great setting at which to introduce ourselves, and we produced a special section for the event. My sons were 10, 8 and almost 7 at the time, and I’m sure I had them moving through the crowd offering newspapers.
My husband, who was an accomplished photographer, had taken the pictures of costumed patriots for the supplement, so the occasion was, for us, a family affair in addition to an historic one.
You might ask how the moon, which is 400 times smaller than the sun, could obscure that solar surface. The answer is that the moon is about 400 times closer to us, and so when the moon is in the right spot, they seem the same size. And when the Earth gets between the moon and the sun, which happens a couple of times a year, we have a lunar eclipse, an occurrence less spectacular than a solar eclipse.
You might also ask how a newspaper started by a handful of housewives and 10 minor investors could possibly compete with established weeklies that had deep-pocketed owners and long histories of publishing. That, truly, was something of a miracle.
Our editorial staff was made up of smart mothers who felt captive in their kitchens and were looking for some sort of additional role in the community. They were willing to accept $5 for an assignment that they would then load their children into the station wagon and go cover, writing up the article after their children were asleep in the evening or their husbands came home to help with the family duties.
And that was after we were able to pay them the fee. Now they were “professionals.” For the first couple of years, we couldn’t pay them anything. Without too much hubris, I want to salute their intelligence and dedication to starting something we felt was of value and would serve our community and ultimately our democracy.
A prominent message of the Bicentennial was the need for accurate information in order for people to govern wisely themselves. That is why the first amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of the press and the national treasury partially subsidizes newspapers with discounted postage rates to this day.
We at TBR News Media continue to consider it a privilege to serve you by casting light on current issues.
YOU'RE INVITED TO A TEA PARTY
Catch a performance of 'Alice in Wonderland' at the John W. Engeman Theater this weekend.
PROGRAMS
Art in the Barn
Walt Whitman Birthplace Association, 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station presents Art in the Barn, storytime and hands-on art projects for pre-schoolers on April 6, 13, 20, 27, May 4, 18, 25 and June 1 at 11 a.m. $15 per child, $13 members. To register, visit waltwhitman.org/events.
Family Hour Sunday
Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington hosts a special Family Hour Sunday in both Spanish and English on April 7 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Children ages 5 through 10 are invited for a family-friendly art experience with educators Tami Wood and Karina Giménez. Explore works of art in the Museum and create fun art projects. $10 per child, adults free. Registration recommended by visiting www.heckscher.org.
Sunday Funday: Amazing Axolotls
Swim on over to Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown to see adorable aquatic salamanders called axolotls on April 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants will meet several axolotls and learn all about their unique adaptations through fun activities. Create a cool axolotl craft to take home. $15 per child$5 per adult. Register in advance at www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344
STEM Exploration Day
Suffolk County Farm and Education Center, 350 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank in partnership with the 9th Suffolk Cadet Squadron, Civil Air Patrol hosts a STEM Exploration Day on April 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. Enjoy hands-on activities such as building your own comet, launching rockets, riding a hoverboard, and various demonstrations including model aircraft flights. This event is free and available to all ages. Questions? Call 631-852-4600.
Story & Craft with Nana Carol
The Next Chapter bookstore, 204 New York Ave., Huntington hosts a Story and Craft event with Nana Carol on April 8 at 10:30 a.m. No registration required. Appropriate for ages 0-4. 631-482-5008
THEATER
‘Alice in Wonderland’
John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport present’s Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland from March 23 to April 28. Alice takes a tumble down an enchanted rabbit hole to an off-kilter world of mock turtles, dancing flora, punctual rabbits, and mad tea parties. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit c
‘The Adventures of Peter Rabbit’
Join Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson for a perennial favorite, The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, from April 13 to 27. “Over the hill and through the garden …” That mischievous rabbit Peter just can’t stay out of the McGregors’ garden! But with help fromhis sisters—Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-Tail—and his cousin, Benjamin Bunny, Peter learns the power of sharing and caring. Tickets are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
FILM
‘Toy Story 2’
Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of Toy Story 2 on April 7 at noon. This comedy-adventure picks up as Andy heads off to Cowboy Camp, leaving his toys to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when toy collector Al McWhiggin kidnaps Woody Tickets are $13 adults, $5 children 12 and under. www.cinemaartscentre.org.
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