When I first started teaching as a young, idealistic educator, I loved my first assignment to teach in the inner city of Washington, D.C. I was asked to teach seventh and eighth graders and to be the dean of discipline. What I think really saved me in those early years was being the basketball coach of an all African-American basketball team. Some of my students and players still reach out to me today.
Two years in, I was named principal of the junior high school division of this inner-city school. I’m still going for counseling for that experience, but I must admit I really loved my students and faculty and learned so much about what it really means to be an educator.
In the early 1980’s, I graduated to teaching on the college level. I started teaching social science at St. Joseph’s University, formerly St. Joseph’s College, in Patchogue. About the same time, I started to teach at Suffolk County Community College in Selden. After 10 years and being promoted to the rank of full professor, I was invited to teach in the honors college, probably one of the best kept secrets of higher education on Long Island.
Twenty years ago, I was invited to join the adjunct faculty at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service. I teach second year graduate students clinical practice. Their passion for their profession inspires me to stay the course and continue the journey!
Over the years, from my perspective, education has radically changed. Technology has been reshaping our schools for the past two decades. The pandemic had the greatest impact; my post-pandemic freshmen have, at best, weak communication skills. Their writing and critical thinking skills have been severely impaired. I have seen firsthand their tendency towards isolation, even in the midst of a crowd. So needless to say, its been a real challenge.
However, hope does live on! This spring semester at Suffolk County Community College, I have a 3:30 p.m. Introduction to Sociology class. It’s a full class with 35 students. I’m known for being tough and for giving a lot of work so I was somewhat surprised that the class was packed.
These young men and women have given me renewed hope for the future. Our class is like the United Nations. They are bright, hard-working and articulate; we speak about every social issue that is happening in our world. Their respect for diversity and difference is refreshing.
Recently, I asked them why they are so free to say what they think; without hesitancy a group of students called out and said because it’s a safe space. Maybe we need to work harder at creating more safe spaces in our schools at every level for the next generation!
Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.
Suffolk County Police arrested a Smithtown woman on March 23 for allegedly driving while intoxicated after a motor vehicle crash involving a police vehicle in Smithtown.
A Fourth Precinct Police officer was in his police vehicle parked on Route 25A at Oakside Road when a 2020 Nissan Rogue driven by Katelyn Lynch struck the rear of his police vehicle at approximately 12:30 a.m.
The officer was in his police vehicle waiting for a tow truck to respond following an unrelated crash on Route 25 that also involved a driver who was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. The officer was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Lynch, 25, of Smithtown, was arrested for DWI and transported to the hospital where she was treated and released. Lynch will be held overnight at the Fourth Precinct and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on March 24.
Rocky Point VFW thanks Jerry McGrath for his service. Photo courtesy Rich Acritelli
By Rich Acritelli
On March 29, the federal government will honor the military service of our American citizens through the National Vietnam War Veterans day.
On Saturday, March 16, VFW Post 6249 Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum thanked Wading River resident Jerry McGrath for his devotion to fighting for the United States during this conflict. A young man who was in the United States Army in South Vietnam, McGrath was an artillery sergeant in the field during the height of the fighting.
After his enlistment ended, McGrath became a long time teacher at the Wading River Elementary School. Over his teaching career, McGrath was a beloved figure for the younger generations of students from this North Shore community.
The affection for this teacher was recently seen as a picture of McGrath and his Vietnam War picture that has been placed in this local museum was placed on Facebook. Students from all decades responded to the kindness that McGrath presented to the boys and girls who he taught at this elementary school.
As a fifth grader, Eric Strovink was in McGrath’s class in 1981, and affectionately recalled the life-long lessons that he learned from this iconic figure. A physical education teacher at a Mount Sinai Elementary School, Strovink was a talented baseball player and wrestler who later followed in the same career as McGrath.
Speaking in front of members of the VFW Post 6249, Strovink asked McGrath questions about his time in Vietnam, as an educator, and his love of fishing. In 1985, McGrath began instructing courses on recreational fishing.
The positive character of McGrath and his expertise increased the class sizes through different educational and professional development workshops that were taught at local libraries and for the Suffolk County Parks Department. McGrath’s influence spread to Ward Melville, as one of his students, organized a fishing class at this high school.
Thank you to Jerry McGrath for his patriotic sacrifices during the Vietnam War. This disabled veteran from Wading River serves as an important reminder of local and national service that some teachers have experienced during their lifetime.
Conceptual plans for the 126-acre Lawrence Aviation Superfund site in Port Jefferson Station. Graphic from Suffolk County Landbank
By Sabrina Artusa
The long-abandoned Lawrence Aviation Superfund site in Port Jefferson Station is now completely demolished, and nearly ready for development.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been pursuing a contract to purchase 40 acres of the property to convert into a rail yard. Another portion is expected to be used for a solar farm. The rest will likely be preserved as open space.
Herb Mones, Friends of the Greenway editor-in-chief and president of the Three Village Community Trust, wrote in an email that while there hasn’t been an official sale to either the MTA or to a solar farm firm, it is likely that these sales will happen and that a portion of the Greenway trail will have to be rerouted to accommodate a new rail yard.
“This is great news for the surrounding community as it finally clears a giant eyesore and place for hanging out,” said Charlie McAteer, chair of Friends of the Greenway. “The idea of relocating the train yard to this site, along with the proposed passive solar farm and one-third of the space as open space, is a great benefit to all.”
The buildings are indeed demolished, but the area may need to undergo further examination to ensure that all harmful chemicals are neutralized. In order to continue with development plans, the Environmental Protection Agency is investigating for any residual contamination. The EPA expects to have more knowledge about the land’s status this summer. If further extensive remediation is required, it will be addressed in a public meeting.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website stated, “Remediation activities will continue for several years to come. The site cleanup activities will also result in site safety and security, allowing for a planned solar farm to be installed in the former footprint of the site buildings.
According to Mones, the MTA and the NYS Department of Transportation are in disagreement over a portion of the Greenway. Reportedly, the NYSDOT is unwilling to relinquish the portion of the Greenway that the MTA plans to use for the new rail yard.
The MTA hasn’t explicitly stated any intention to electrify the Port Jefferson Branch line. TBR News Media reported MTA CEO Janno Lieber as having said at an October meeting that electrification of the line was under consideration.
In rerouting, Friends of the Greenway wants to ensure the preservation of the trail experience, and has noted “requirements” such as security barriers between the rail yard and the path, a “significant buffer” between the path and homes, and accessibility.
“The redevelopment of the Lawrence Aviation property will benefit the wider community,” Mones said. “The removal of the buildings finally brings to an end a decaying, dilapidated industrial site that often attracted criminal activity: vandalism, graffiti, trespassing.”
Jacob L Houghton, PhD, in his Stony Brook Cancer Center laboratory. Photo by John Griffin
Stony Brook University signs licensing agreement with Perspective Therapeutics
Image-guided radionuclide therapy uses radioactive molecules designed to specifically target and kill cancer cells while sparing non-cancerous tissues. This form of targeted therapy can be effective against cancer, but traditional methods for applying this therapy can also result in significant adverse effects related to off-target radiation toxicity. A team of Stony Brook University researchers developed a new method for image-guided radionuclide therapy that uses a two-step process with specially-modified antibodies to target the cancerous tumors, followed by a radioligand designed to bind specifically to the modified antibody.
Preliminary studies have shown that the approach can drastically reduce adverse effects while remaining extremely effective at targeting and killing the cancer cells. The promise of this technology has led to an exclusive licensing agreement with Perspective Therapeutics, Inc., headquartered in Seattle, WA.
The licensing agreement with Perspective Therapeutics is through the Research Foundation for State University of New York’s (SUNY), a private, non-profit, education corporation that manages research administration and intellectual property for and on behalf of SUNY.
Nuclear imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy with biological molecules are a rapidly growing approach for the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cancer and other pathologies such as inflammation and infection. Traditionally, the therapy has primarily been used in specific diseases such as thyroid cancer, bone cancer metastases, and neuroendocrine cancer. However, a major potential drawback of existing technologies is a resulting high radiation dose to healthy tissues from the combination of long-lived radionuclides and long biological half-life of the targeting molecules.
Stony Brook University radiology researchers Jacob L. Houghton, PhD, and Vilma I.J. Jallinoja, PhD, developed a new technology that overcomes these hurdles to more widespread use of radionuclide therapy. The platform involves using a small molecule that is labeled with a therapeutic radionuclide known as a radioligand, along with a modified monoclonal antibody – such as those used in immunotherapies to target cancer cells – in a two-step process. The platform enabled them to use the specificity of monoclonal antibodies to target cancer and take advantage of a small molecule radioligand in a manner that retains the efficacy of the therapy while substantially improving the safety through a reduction in radiation toxicity.
Houghton, an Assistant Professor in the Department Radiology in the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM), and researcher in the Stony Brook Cancer Center, conducts research on targeted radionuclide therapy for diagnosing and treating cancer. He will continue to collaborate with scientists at Perspective Therapeutics as they further develop the technology. Jallinoja is no longer at Stony Brook.
“Our technology allows the use of such molecules for imaging and therapy while abrogating the concerns of radiation toxicity by using a pre-targeting technique which enables us to ‘label’ the biological molecule after it has been delivered to the target tissue and cleared from peripheral tissues,” explains Houghton.
Specifically, the pre-targeting radionuclide approach involves these steps: an antibody that has been modified to include an artificial binding group is administered to target to the tumor; then the radioligand carries the radionuclide to the tumor which binds specifically to the artificial binding group on the antibody. The radioligand rapidly accumulates in the tumor via this highly-specific interaction, and the unbound radioligand clears the body quickly. This process allows for optimal delivery of the radioactivity to the tumor, with little interaction with healthy tissue and organs.
This method differs from traditional approaches to targeted radionuclide therapy that directly attaches the radioactive payload to the targeting antibody, which can take days to accumulate in the tumor, leading to increased exposure to healthy tissues.
“By embracing a strategy that leverages the precision of monoclonal antibodies and the versatility of small molecules, Perspective is poised to redefine the landscape of radiation therapy,” says Thijs Spoor, Chief Executive Officer at Perspective Therapeutics. “One of our core missions as a company is to deliver safe and effective radiotherapies to patients.”
The team at Stony Brook University’s Intellectual Property Partners (IPP) worked to create the license with Perspective and develop a partnership to bridge new radiopharmaceutical technologies into eventual diagnostics and treatments.
“We are excited to partner with Perspective Therapeutics to advance this novel CB7-Adma pre-targeting platform toward clinical use. The combination of Perspective’s propriety radionuclide chelators and our pre-targeting platform has the potential to significantly improve clinical outcomes in a variety of cancer indications,” says Sean Boykevisch, PhD, Director of the IPP. “This partnership is a great example of how IPP works with Stony Brook inventors, helping them bridge their innovations with societal benefit in collaboration with industry partners.”
Perspective Therapeutics is a radiopharmaceutical development company that is pioneering the delivery of powerful radiation specifically to cancer cells via specialized targeting peptides. The Company is also developing complementary imaging diagnostics that incorporate the same targeting peptides. This “theranostic” approach is designed to see the specific tumor and then treat it to potentially improve efficacy and minimize toxicity associated with cancer treatments.
Caption: Jacob L Houghton, PhD, in his Stony Brook Cancer Center laboratory.
From left, Mikala Egeblad and Xue-Yan He. Photo from Constance Brukin
By Daniel Dunaief
They both have left Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, but the innovative research they did on Long Island and that they continue to do, is leaving its mark.
From left, Mikala Egeblad and Xue-Yan He at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana in 2022. Photo from Xue-Yan He
When Xue-Yan He was a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Mikala Egeblad, who was Associate Professor at CSHL, the tandem, along with collaborators, performed innovative research on mice to examine how stress affected the recurrence and spread of cancer in a mouse model.
In a paper published in late February in the journal Cancer Cell, He, who is currently Assistant Professor of Cell Biology & Physiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, discovered that stress-induced neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which typically trap and kill bacteria, trigger the spread of cancer.
“The purpose of our study is to find out what stress does to the body” of an animal model of cancer, said He.
The data in mice demonstrated that targeting NETs in stressed animals significantly reduced the risk for metastases, He explained, suggesting that reducing stress should help cancer treatment and prevention. The researchers speculate that drugs preventing NET formation can be developed and used as new treatments to slow or stop cancer’s spread.
To be sure, this finding, which is encouraging and has generated interest among cancer scientists and neurobiologists, involved a mouse model. Any potential application of this research to the diagnosis and treatment of people will take considerably more effort.
“I want to stress that the evidence for the link between stress, NETs, and cancer is from mouse studies,” Egeblad explained. “We will need to design human studies to know for sure whether the link also exists for humans.”
Still, Egeblad hopes that eventually reducing stress or targeting NETs could be options to prevent metastatic recurrence in cancer survivors. “One major challenge is that a cancer diagnosis by itself is incredibly stressful,” she explained. The results of these experiments have attracted considerable attention in the scientific community, where “there is a lot more to learn!”
Three part confirmation
When she was a postdoctoral researcher, He removed neutrophils from the mice using antibodies. Neutrophils, which are cells in the immune system, produce the NETs when they are triggered by the glucocorticoid stress hormone.
She also injected an enzyme called DNAse to destroy NETs in the test mice. The former CSHL postdoctoral researcher also used genetically engineered mice that didn’t respond to glucocorticoids.
With these approaches, the test mice developed metastasis at a much lower rate than those that had intact NETs. In addition, chronically stressed mice who didn’t have cancer had NETs that modified their lung tissue.
“Stress is doing something to prepare the organs for metastasis,” said He.
Linda Van Aelst, CSHL Professor and a collaborator on the study, suggested that this work validates efforts to approach mental health in the context of cancer.
“Reducing stress should be a component of cancer treatment and prevention,” Van Aelst said in a statement.
After He removed the primary tumor in the mouse models, the stressed mice developed metastatic cancer at a four-fold higher rate than the mice who weren’t stressed but who also previously had cancer.
The CSHL scientists primarily studied breast cancer for this work.
He appreciated the help and support from her colleagues at CSHL. “To really understand the mechanism” involved in the connection between stress and cancer, “you need a mouse model in the lab, an expert in neuroscience and an expert in the cancer field,” she said.
As a neuroscientist, Van Aelst offered suggestions and comments and helped He conduct behavioral tests to determine a mouse’s stress level. The work for this project formed the focus ofHe’s postdoctoral research, which started in 2016 and ended in 2023.
The link between stress and cancer is receiving increasing attention in the scientific community and has attracted attention on social media, He said.
CSHL “provided a great environment to perform all these experiments,” said He. The numerous meetings CSHL hosts and the willingness of principal investigators across departments made the lab “one of the best places” for a postdoctoral scientist.
“If you need anything from a neural perspective or a technical perspective, you can always find a collaborator” at CSHL, He added.
Born and raised in Nanjing, China, He enjoyed living on Long Island, visiting vineyards and trying to explore every state park. In the harbor, He caught blue crabs while her husband Chen Chen, who was a postdoctoral researcher at CSHL in the lab of Camila dos Santos, went fly fishing at Jones Beach.
In her current research, where she manages a lab that includes a senior scientist, a postdoctoral researcher and an undergraduate, He is extending the work she did at CSHL to colorectal cancer, where she is also analyzing how stress affects the spread of cancer.
“When you’re stressed, you can develop gastrointestinal problems, which is why I wanted to switch from breast cancer to colorectal cancer,” she said.
Extensions of the work
As for context for the research at CSHL, Egeblad wrote that doctors treating patients where the known risk of recurrence is high might use NETs in the blood as a biomarker.
The scientists think cancers that tend to metastasize to the liver, lung or spleen are the strongest candidates to determine the effect of NETs and stress on cancer.
“We have not seen any effects of targeting NETs for metastasis to the bone or the brain in our mouse model and similarly, the studies that have linked NETs to metastasis in human patients have mostly been cancer that has spread to the liver or the lung,” Egeblad said.
Egeblad appreciated the “fantastic job” He did on the work and described her former researcher as being “fearless.”
“She found that stress increased metastasis early in her project but it was a lot of work to discover it was the NETs that were responsible and to conduct studies to ensure that the results were applicable to different types of cancer,” Egeblad explained.
While the two researchers have gone to different institutions and are leading other lab efforts, Egeblad said she’d be happy to collaborate with her former student, who shares the same sense of humor.
Egeblad recalled how He ended her talks by telling the audience that her results showed that Egeblad should give her a “long vacation.”
“I think indeed that she has deserved one after all this work!” Egeblad offered.
Easter is right around the corner! Celebrate early at one of the following pancake breakfasts with a visit from the Easter Bunny. Don’t forget your camera!
Farmingville
Farmingville Fire Department, 780 Horseblock Road, Farmingville hosts a Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and Chinese Auction on March 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. $15 per person, ages 5 and under free includes pancakes, bacon and sausage, coffee, orange juice, water and one photo with the Easter Bunny.
Mount Sinai
Mt. Sinai Fire Department Company 1, 746 Mt. Sinai Coram Road, Mt. Sinai hosts its 14th annual Pancakes with the Easter Bunny on March 24 from 8 a.m. to noon. Come out and eat some pancakes, see the Easter Bunny and buy some raffles to win awesome prizes. Admission is $10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 children, children under age 4 are free. No reservations needed. Pay at the door. For more information, call 631-530-3820.
Port Jefferson Station
The Polish American Independent Ladies Auxiliary presents a Pancake Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at the Polish American Independent Club, 35 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station on March 24 with seatings at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Enjoy pancakes, sausage and fruit served with orange juice, coffee and tea with free photo booth with the Easter Bunny! Tickets are $20 adults, $10 children, under age 5 and under are free at the door. Call 516-383-3456 for more information.
St. James
St. James Volunteer Fire Department Engine #3, 533 North Country Road, St. James presents Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on March 24 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $7 adults, $3 ages 12 and under at the door. Call 631-584-5760 for more information.
Selden
Selden Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary will be hosting their annual breakfast with the Easter Bunny, at Engine #1, 44 Woodmere Place, Selden on March 24 from 8 a.m. to noon. Come on down and have some pancakes with the bunny, fun for all! $10 per person at the door, children 3 and under free!
There will also be raffle tickets available for purchase at the breakfast to win some Easter Basket goodies! For more information please email Samanthacotty6@gmailcom
Within any community, there exist unsung heroes whose dedication and selflessness stand as pillars of strength, ready to respond in times of crisis. Among these heroes are the brave people who serve in our local emergency service organizations.
We owe a debt of gratitude to these individuals who often work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure our safety and well-being.
The landscape of volunteerism in our local emergency services is shifting, and not necessarily for the better. Across the state, we are witnessing a decline in the number of volunteers stepping forward to serve their communities. In 2023, the Firefighters Association of the State of New York reported ranks dropping by more than 30% statewide from 110,000 to under 80,000 in the past 20 years.
This trend poses a significant challenge as our population continues to grow, placing an increased demand on emergency services.
Volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians have long been the backbone of our emergency response system, providing support ranging from medical crises to natural disasters. Their presence in our neighborhoods not only enhances our safety but also fosters a sense of unity and solidarity among residents.
Yet, as the demands on these services increase, the pool of volunteers is dwindling. The reasons behind this decline are multifaceted. Modern lifestyles often leave little room for the commitment required by volunteer emergency responders. Additionally, stringent training requirements and the inherent risks associated with the role can deter potential volunteers.
The ramifications of this decline in volunteerism are far-reaching. Shortages in staffing can lead to longer response times during emergencies, potentially jeopardizing lives and property. Moreover, the strain on existing volunteers can lead to burnout and reduced effectiveness in delivering timely aid.
We must recognize the importance of supporting our local emergency service organizations. First responders put their lives on the line day in and day out to keep our communities safe. Now more than ever, as our population burgeons and the need for emergency services grows, we must rally behind these invaluable organizations.
One solution lies in fostering a culture of volunteerism within our communities. By promoting awareness and appreciation for the vital role played by volunteer firefighters and EMTs, we can inspire more individuals to step forward and serve. More programs such as those offered by Port Jefferson EMS would help.
Furthermore, we must invest in the training and resources necessary to equip our emergency service organizations for success. Adequate funding and support from state and local governments are essential in ensuring that our firefighters and EMTs have the tools and training they need to excel in their roles.
We have a responsibility to safeguard the well-being of our communities. Supporting our local emergency service organizations is not just a civic duty, it is a moral imperative.
Overdevelopment was one of the main concerns throughout the meeting for several residents of the Town of Huntington who joined the Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, March 12, sharing their concerns on the plans to develop the Vineyard Bay Estates property, located at 78 Bay Ave. and 211 Vineyard Road, Halesite.
“This is not a request, but a plea on behalf of a neighborhood, on behalf of the conservation of wildlife, and the history of Huntington,” said Karen Witkowski, a Huntington resident.
Residents worried that the aftermath of this project would lead to extensive traffic in the area, more parking needs and more exhaust in the air, in a space already limited to handling these increases.
“Both of the roads that I use to leave the neighborhood would be impacted by this because they both would be developed,” said Gillian Inglis Glaser, a new resident of Huntington Bay Village.
Glaser spoke on the lack of notifying the residents on the proposed development, having spoken on the restrictions that would be put on their community not just after but also during the construction process of this project.
“I think that’s what we are looking for, transparency,” Glaser said. “In general, we need more information and transparency about the process and what’s happening.”
Other residents addressed that only a few members of the community received notification of the plans for development, with some expressing that even with the notification, there was a lack of transparency in the impact that this development would have on the community.
Construction for the development is expected to last at least two years, with the developers intending to build eight homes in the area.
There were further concerns about the outcome of the future on displaced wildlife. Some feared that wildlife would be pushed into the community, into residents’ homes and yards, after being displaced from their natural environment. One resident explained that this is already an issue, which he attributed to past developments.
The Nathan Hale Nature Preserve Committee has requested that the Town of Huntington favorably considers and records a motion to order the Planning Board to vacate its findings that the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act has been met with this subdivision. Furthermore, that there be no significant environmental impacts and the issuance of a negative declaration pursuant to the Planning Board’s review of the environmental assessment data and the regulations as set forth in the resolution filed with the Town Clerk’s office on Feb 6.
There is a call from NHNPC for the Planning Board to undertake a comprehensive assessment of environmental, wildlife, safety, traffic, flora, fauna, water and air issues associated with the development.
The committee is requesting that the Town Board requires the Planning Board to instruct the developers to immediately stop any further development and create architectural renderings of the project, with detailed depictions of the proposed homes, as situated on the proposed sites, along with the true heights of the 200-foot-long walls that are calculated to be 10 feet high and possibly 20 feet high to hold back the slope.
“There are countless reasons that this development should be halted,” said Denise Goodwin Pace, a 44-year resident of Huntington and a member of the Nathan Hale committee.
From left, Madison Klimkoski, Callie Shao, Molly Hyland, Francesca Zins, Abigail Sacco, Sadie Messler and Julia Lucca. Photo courtesy Smithtown CSD
The need: To provide canned food items for those in the community who are going hungry.
The project: Seven Accompsett Middle School students went to their classmates and encouraged their involvement to collect cans of food for those less fortunate.
The result: More than 2,000 cans of food donated and $2,500 raised.
Twice a year, the Lead4Change organization hosts TheLead4ChangeProject, which is a small grants program that showcases the growth of students as leaders and funds their ideas for community impact.
After collecting 2,384 cans, the students partnered with the Smithtown Township Food Pantry to donate all the cans they had collected.
Lead4Change then donated $2,500 to the pantry to help meet their needs as a community.
Herb Mones, Friends of the Greenway editor-in-chief and president of the Three Village Community Trust, wrote in an email that while there hasn’t been an official sale to either the MTA or to a solar farm firm, it is likely that these sales will happen and that a portion of the Greenway trail will have to be rerouted to accommodate a new rail yard.
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