CLOSE

Yearly Archives: 2025

by -
0 2003
An aerial view of the athletic fields at Charles P. Toner Park. Photo courtesy of Town of Smithtown, Planning Department 

On Jan. 12 Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim joined families, coaches, and young athletes at the St. James Nesconset Youth Football (SJNYF) Banquet to deliver an exciting announcement that will transform the future of youth sports in Smithtown. For the first time in the program’s history, the Bulls will have an official home field at Toner Park (also known as the Armory) in Nesconset. The field improvements will serve approximately 220 football, 200 Cheerleading and over 200 lacrosse families, all local to the township.

“This is a momentous occasion for the young athletes and their families who have waited years for a place to call home… We’re proud to deliver a facility worthy of their hard work and dedication. These fields are a testament to our commitment to investing in our youth and creating opportunities for them to thrive,” said Supervisor Wehrheim.

Wehrheim, Councilman Tom Lohmann and members of the Parks Department unveiled the project announcement during the annual banquet, where approximately 200 SJNYF families gathered to celebrate the Youth Football league’s achievements. The new athletic fields project, approved for the 2025 capital budget, will serve as home to the St. James Nesconset Youth Football & Cheer and over 200 local families with Smithtown Youth Lacrosse.

“We are absolutely thrilled to finally give our football players and cheerleaders a home base. We are incredibly grateful to the Town of Smithtown, Supervisor Wehrheim, and his team for turning this dream into a reality. This project is a testament to the unique partnership between the town, our athletic leagues, and the families who make it all possible. It’s a shining example of the power of teamwork and the belief that anything is achievable with dedication—a value we proudly instill in our young athletes every day,” said Russell Pace, SJN President.

Construction of the new fields will begin in April 2025. The first fully turfed football field is scheduled for completion in time for the Bulls’ practice season in August 2025. A second field will be hydroseeded this year, with plans to complete its transformation into a turfed athletic field in the 2026 capital budget year.

“I’m beyond thrilled that our lacrosse teams will finally have a state-of-the-art facility to call home. This is truly a dream come true for our kids, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped make it happen. These fields will have a profound impact on our young athletes—not only by enhancing their physical fitness and teamwork but also by fostering lifelong friendships. This facility is more than just a playing field; it’s a stepping stone to their potential, where they’ll learn some of life’s most valuable lessons, both on and off the field,” said Tom Bruckbauer, President of Smithtown Youth Lacrosse.

Additional projects on the Horizon for 2025

The 2025 fiscal year is set to bring exciting developments to Smithtown’s park system, further enhancing recreational opportunities for residents of all ages. Among the upcoming projects are new athletic fields at Cy Donnelly Park, which will provide a home for Kings Park Youth Athletic Leagues for Football, Lacrosse and Soccer. The fields are designed to accommodate the growing needs of our community athletic leagues. Additionally, the expansion of pickleball facilities is on the horizon, with plans to add more courts throughout the parks system to meet the sport’s surging popularity. The town is also exploring the potential for hosting pickleball tournaments at Charles P. Toner Park in the upcoming year ahead, which would not only provide local enthusiasts with competitive opportunities but also foster community engagement. These initiatives reflect Smithtown’s commitment to quality of life, health & wellness, and a sense of community through its top-tier recreational spaces.

NOTE: St. James Nesconset Youth Football & Cheer is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing instructional football and cheerleading programming for children ages 5 through 13. The organization focuses on teaching the fundamentals and proper techniques of sports, while fostering physical fitness, teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership skills in a safe and positive environment. The program’s mission is to create lasting friendships, cherished memories, and a love for the game in every participant.

 

 

 

by -
0 393
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

By Heidi Sutton

What pairs best with a hot cup of coffee on a brisk winter’s day? A coffee cake! The following recipe features a plethora of chocolate and warm cinnamon coming together in every bite of this cake enriched with sour cream. Top it with the optional glaze or not. It’s wonderful either way.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Recipe by Marcia Stanley

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

YIELD: Makes 16 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

Coffee Cake

1 cup finely chopped pecans, divided

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 container (8 oz.) sour cream

1/3 cup milk (skim, 2% or whole)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Glaze (optional)

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons milk (skim, 2% or whole)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously grease a 10-inch-fluted tube pan or bundt pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the pecans over the bottom of the pan and set aside.

For cinnamon filling, in small bowl stir together the remaining 1/2 cup pecans, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set aside.

In large bowl stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until pieces resemble small peas. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In another bowl whisk together eggs, sour cream, 1/3 cup milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour into well in center of flour mixture. 

Add chocolate chips. Stir just until combined. Remove 1 cup of the batter and stir into the cinnamon filling. Spread about half of the remaining chocolate chip batter in prepared pan. Spoon cinnamon filling over batter in pan. Carefully spoon the remaining chocolate chip batter on top. Gently smooth top. Bake coffee cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden skewer inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 10 minutes. Invert pan on a serving plate. Remove cake from pan. Let cool at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for glaze stir together all ingredients. Scrape into plastic sandwich bag. Snip off small corner of bag. Press glaze through corner of bag onto coffee cake top.

 

 

by -
0 1349
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Photo from Tierney's office

Daniel Fier Allegedly Embezzled Funds from Real Estate Escrow Accounts

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Jan. 16 that Daniel Fier, 40, of Patchogue, was indicted for Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, for allegedly stealing money from clients in connection with two real estate transactions.

“Alleged theft by professional misconduct is just as serious as any other larceny,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I am committed to impactful sentences on theft that will hold offenders accountable, strongly deter future crime, and expediently restore victims’ accounts.”

According to the investigation, in January 2022, Fier was hired to represent a seller in a real estate transaction. As part of the sale, a down payment of $13,450 was transferred from the purchaser to Fier’s attorney escrow account. Fier was required to hold the money in escrow and release it to the seller upon receiving authorization from the purchaser. However, Fier instead allegedly spent the purchaser’s money on personal expenses. When the purchaser later authorized release of the funds to the seller, the seller requested that Fier release the funds, but Fier allegedly never did.

Later, in October 2023, Fier was appointed as referee on the auction of a real estate property. On October 16, 2023, the property’s purchaser provided a down payment in the form of $65,000, which Fier deposited into his attorney escrow account.

Fier was required to hold the money in escrow and release it to the bank at the time of the property’s closing. However, Fier again allegedly spent the purchaser’s money on personal expenses. In November 2023, at the time of the real estate closing, when the purchaser later authorized release of the funds to the seller, the seller requested that Fier release the funds, but Fier allegedly did not comply.

On January 13, 2025, Fier was arrested by investigators assigned to the Public Corruption Squad of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

On January 14, 2025, Fier was arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz for Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, and Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony.

Justice Horowitz released Fier on his own recognizance with the condition that he be placed on Supervised Release. Fier is due back in court on February 4, 2025, and faces 5 to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by Jeremy Scileppi, Esq.

If you believe you have been victimized by Daniel Fier, please call the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office at (631) 853-4626.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Alexander D. Sylvan of the Public Corruption Bureau.

by -
0 585
1 of 2
Green Bean Casserole
Green Bean Casserole

MEET GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE!

This week’s featured shelter pet is Green Bean Casserole, a 6-year-old female brown tabby cat at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.

Green Bean was one of several cats abandoned when their pet parents moved. This shy little lady with stunning green eyes will need a little patience before she can trust. She is used to living with multiple cats and can be adopted alone or with one of her housemates.

If you are interested in meeting Green Bean, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with her in the shelter’s Meet and Greet room.

The Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). 

For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.

by -
0 856
E.T. PHONE HOME Catch a screening of 'E.T. The Extra-terrestrial' at the Cinema Arts Centre on Jan. 19.
PROGRAMS

First Steps in Nature

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown continues its First Steps in Nature series for ages 2 to 4 on Jan. 17 at 9:30 a.m. with hands-on exciting activities, crafts, stories and much more. Children will gain a greater appreciation of nature and wildlife while having fun. $20 per child. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Lunar New Year Celebration

Celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington on Jan. 18 from noon to 5 p.m. Learn about Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese culture at this free family event for all ages with live dance performances at 12:45 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. and live martial arts demonstrations at 3:45 p.m. Free. 631-380-3230. www.heckscher.org

Story & Craft with Nana Carol

The Next Chapter bookstore, 204 New York Ave., Huntington hosts a Story and Craft event with Nana Carol on Jan. 20 at 10:30 a.m. Free. No registration required. Appropriate for ages 0-4. 631-482-5008

Reptile Scavenger Hunt

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor presents Fact vs. Fiction All About Reptiles scavenger hunt on Jan. 20. Drop in between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to explore the hatchery and learn all about reptiles. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. 516-692-6768, www.cshfishhatchery.org. 

Patterns in Nature

As part of its Pollywog Adventures series,  Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor presents Patterns in Nature on Jan. 22 at 11 a.m. Children ages 2 to 5 will enjoy an indoor activity, craft, story and then head outside (weather permitting) to feed trout. $20 fee includes admission for the day for one child and one adult. Pre-registration required at www.cshfishhatchery.org. 516-692-6768

THEATER

‘Frozen Jr’

Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main St., Smithtown presents Frozen Jr. from Jan. 18 to Feb. 23. A story of true love and acceptance between sisters, Frozen Jr. expands upon the emotional relationship and journey between Princesses Anna and Elsa. When faced with danger, the two discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. Tickets are $25 per person. To order, call 1-800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

‘Hansel and Gretel’

Theatre Three, 423 Main St., Port Jefferson kicks off the new year with Hansel and Gretel from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8 with a sensory friendly performance on Jan. 26. Go into the woods for an outrageous adventure with the world’s most famous brother-and-sister team, Hansel and Gretel. A feeble father, a wicked stepmother, and a well-meaning if misguided witch add up to hilarious hijinx. All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘Frozen Jr’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport kicks off the new year with a production of Frozen Jr. from Jan. 25 to March 2. When faced with danger, princesses Anna and Elsa discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. This enchanting musical features all of the memorable songs from the hit Disney film and will thaw even the coldest heart! All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

FILM

‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids series with a screening of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial on Jan. 19 at noon. After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott who introduces “E.T.” to his brother and his little sister, and the children decide to keep its existence a secret. Rated PG. Tickets are $13 adults, $5 children. www.cinemaartscentre.or

Send your calendar events to [email protected]

 

by -
0 736
1 of 11
Ward Melville Freshman James Coffey drives the lane for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville junior Jack Degen drives the lane for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior Logan Seta scores for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Neelesh Raghurama shoots from the top of the key for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville freshman James Coffey lays up for two for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Timeout Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Eddie Shields scores for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Neelesh Raghurama hits for three for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior Brennan Kurtz lays up for two for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Neelesh Raghurama banks two for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior Neelesh Raghurama drives the lane for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

With six minutes left in the fourth quarter of a League II matchup between the Patriots of Ward Melville and the Sachem East Arrows, the game began anew with both teams deadlocked at 49-49.

Ward Melville senior Neelesh Raghurama did what he’s done all season, seemingly able to score from anywhere on the court and looking particularly comfortable from long range. Whether it was knocking down seven free throws, hitting a trio of three-pointers, or making three field goals, the senior topped the Patriots’ scoring chart with 22 points to lead his team to a 63-56 road victory Thursday night, Jan. 9.

Teammates Eddie Shields and Jack Degen scored 9 points each, while Logan Seta and James Coffey netted 8 points apiece, and Brennan Kurts added 7.

The win lifts the Patriots to 4-0 in league play and 9-3 overall, while the loss drops Sachem East to 5-6.

— Photos by Bill Landon 

by -
0 1923
Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Small particles from the raging wildfires in Los Angeles that have killed residents, destroyed homes and businesses and have caused massive evacuations have crossed the country, reaching Long Island.

Arthur Sedlacek, III Aerosol Processes Group leader at Brookhaven National Laboratory

“Our instruments are picking up evidence detecting California wildfires already,” said Arthur Sedlacek, III, Aerosol Processes Group leader in the Environmental & Climate Sciences Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory. “What’s happening 3,000 miles away can impact us” just like the fires in Quebec did.

The amount and concentration of particles on Long Island from these particles doesn’t present a health risk to many people in the population.

“For those who are sensitive to inhalation irritation, it opens up the possibility” of developing breathing difficulties or adding particles that could irritate their lungs, Sedlacek continued.

To be sure, the majority of people on Long Island and the east coast may not react to levels of particulates that are considerably lower than for residents of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.

Local doctors suggested that these particles can trigger a range of health problems for those who are closer to the flames and smoke.

“The general rule is the larger the exposure, the greater the effect,” said Dr. Norman Edelman, a  pulmonologist at Stony Brook Medicine. 

Researchers have shown that the exposure doesn’t have to be especially high to affect health.

‘We more we look, the more we see that lower and lower doses will have negative effects,” said Edelman.

If and when particulates build in the air where patients with lung challenges live, pulmonologists urge residents to take several steps to protect themselves.

First, they can adjust their medication to respond to a greater health threat.

In addition, they can wear a particle mask, which is not an ordinary surgical mask.

Over time, continued exposure to particulates through pollution, wildfires or other emissions may have a cumulative health effect.

Dr. Norman Edelman. Photo courtesy of SBU

In the South Bronx, about 40 percent of children have asthma, compared with closer to 10 percent for the rest of the country. While genetics may contribute to that level, “we believe it’s because they are exposed to intense, continuous air pollution from motor vehicle traffic,” said Edelman, as cars and trucks on the Cross Bronx Expressway pollute the air in nearby neighborhoods.

The cumulative effect on people with existing disease is more pronounced.

Even when exposure and a lung reaction end, people “don’t quite come back to where [they] started,” said Edelman. “They lose a little bit of lung function.”

Particulates not only can cause damage for people who have chronic lung issues, like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but can also cause problems for people who have other medical challenges.

“We do know that this kind of pollution generates heart attacks in people with heart disease,” said Edelman. “That’s relatively new knowledge.”

A heating cycle

The ongoing fires, which started on Jan. 7 and were exacerbated by the Santa Ana winds of 70 miles per hour, have been consuming everything in their path, throwing a range of particles into the air.

These can include organic particles, black particles, which is akin to something that comes out of the tailpipe of a school bus and all sorts of particles in between, Sedlacek said.

These particles can form condensation nuclei for clouds and water droplets and they can absorb solar radiation and light.

Heating the upper troposphere with particles that absorb radiation alters the typical convention dynamic, in which hot air usually rises and cool air sinks

These changes in convection, which can occur with each of these major wildfires, can affect local air currents and even, in the longer term, broader air circulation patterns.

Sedlacek suggested that some areas in California and in the west may have reduced the use of controlled burns, in part because of the potential for those fires to blaze out of control.

“With the absence of range management and controlled burns to clear out the understory, you don’t have those natural fire breaks that would otherwise exist,” said Sedlacek. “In my opinion, you have to do controlled burns.”

Wildfires, Sedlacek added, are a “natural part of the ecosystem,” returning nutrients that might otherwise be inaccessible to the soil.

Without wildfires or controlled burns, areas can have a build up of understory that grows over the course of decades and that are potentially more dangerous amid a warming planet caused by climate change.

Indeed, recent reports from the Copernicus Climate Change Service indicate that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with temperatures reaching 1.6 degrees Celsius above the average in pre-industrial revolution levels. The Paris Climate Accord aimed to keep the increase from the late 19th century to well below 2 degrees, with an emphasis on a 1.5 degree limit.

The fires themselves have become a part of the climate change cycle, contributing particulates and greenhouse gases to processes that have made each of these events that much worse.

“These fires generate greenhouse gases and aerosol particles in the atmosphere that can then further increase or contribute to a warming of the globe,” said Sedlacek. “We have this positive feedback loop.”

In the climate change community, researchers discuss feedback, which can be positive, pushing an event or trend further in the same direction, or negative, which alters a process.

Sedlacek likens this to driving in a car that’s heading to the right towards the shoulder. In negative feedback, a driver steers the car in the other direction while positive feedback pushes the car further from the road.

Wildfires, which contribute and exacerbate global warming, can push the car towards a ditch, Sedlacek said.

Some scientists have urged efforts to engage in geoengineering, in which researchers propose blocking the sun, which would cause negative feedback.

“That might be a great idea on paper, but I don’t know if you want to play chemistry on a global scale,” said Sedlacek. Considering efforts to reduce solar radiation has merit, he suggested, but requires a closer analysis under controlled circumstances to understand it.

“I sincerely hope that the powers that be will appreciate the importance of what we do to understand” these processes, Sedlacek said. Understanding the models researchers have created can inform decisions.

by -
0 749
File photo by Raymond Janis

Cancer Prevention in Action 

We have the power to prevent cervical cancer.

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Over 11,500 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2025. However, almost all of these cases are preventable. Through cervical cancer screening and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, we have the power to prevent cervical cancer.  

Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA) program is here to help you and your loved ones reduce your risk of cervical cancer with these prevention tips: 

Schedule your screening: Cervical cancer screening tests can find cells that lead to cancer so that they can be removed before cancer grows. In addition to the Pap test, testing for HPV cells within the cervix is now recommended as a primary screening method. The American Cancer Society recommends routine cervical cancer screening for people with a cervix starting at age 25 through 65. 

Get vaccinated: Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. The HPV vaccine prevents cervical, and five other types of cancer, by preventing the virus that causes them. HPV vaccination is recommended for children of all genders beginning at age 9. It is also recommended for adults not vaccinated in childhood through age 26. With over 135 million doses administered in the United States in the last two decades, the HPV vaccine has proven to be extremely safe and effective in preventing HPV cancers.  

Raise awareness: Cervical cancer is preventable. Raise awareness amongst your family, friends, and community that cervical cancer can be prevented through vaccination and screening. Consider organizing an awareness event or education session for your workplace, organization, PTA, or other community setting with Stony Brook Cancer Center’s CPiA program.  

The CPiA program works to increase HPV vaccination and reduce cancer rates on Long Island. CPiA educates people of all ages in a variety of community settings about cancer prevention and healthy living.  

To learn more about cervical cancer prevention or to get involved with CPiA at Stony Brook Cancer Center, go to www.takeactionagainstcancer.com or contact us at 631-444-4263 or at [email protected]. 

Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention in Action

The implications of the R-word

Dear anyone who uses the R-word, 

As the father of a young man with Down syndrome and the leader of a business where more than half of our colleagues have differing abilities, I feel compelled to address leaders who have used the R-word.

There is no denying your place in the world. That power and influence comes with a greater sense of obligation. Your statements matter. Your words matter. There was a time when using that term was acceptable. Yet in those times that word dehumanized people with differing abilities, people like my son John. That term denied people a sense of dignity and a place in our society.

That word gained prominence during a period when people with intellectual development disabilities were often shunned, relegated to institutions, denied an education, barred from employment and rejected by society. They were treated as sub-human.

Thankfully, times have changed. People with differing abilities have become full members of our society, many playing a prominent role. My son John is an entrepreneur like you and has co-founded the world’s largest sock store. And John is only one of a growing number of entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists, actors, athletes, and political activists with a differing ability. At our business, more than half our colleagues have a differing ability, and we succeed because of the excellent work they do.

People with differing abilities have been patient waiting for the rest of us to catch up, to recognize their strengths and ability to contribute to our society. We need them. We need them in our schools, our businesses and our communities. Terms like the R-word have faded away as people learn how much it hurts, see the negative impact it has and, most importantly, how wrong-headed the description is.

I urge you to consider how your words and actions might advance this progress rather than hinder it. Language has the power to uplift or harm, to unite or divide. You have the opportunity to champion a vision of inclusion, where every person—regardless of their abilities—is treated with respect and celebrated for their unique gifts.

I invite you to visit our business, John’s Crazy Socks. Come meet John and our colleagues with differing abilities. Come see first-hand the potential and humanity that outdated stereotypes obscure. As someone who has defied expectations and pushed boundaries, you have the ability to model a future that leaves no one behind.

This moment can be a turning point. By choosing compassion, understanding, and inclusion, you can inspire others to do the same and help build a world where dignity and opportunity are extended to all.

Will you join us in this mission? Your voice could be a powerful catalyst for change.

Regards,

Mark X. Cronin

Father, Advocate, and Co-Founder of John’s Crazy Socks

More details needed about lithium-ion batteries

We have under consideration at least two large lithium-ion battery installations in our local neighborhoods. One, according to Ira Costell, the president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, will be an 8-10 MW system, to be provided by New Leaf Energy. The other, also according to Mr. Costell, will be a mammoth 350 MW facility from Savion, although the Renewables Now website lists this as having a rated power of only 110 MW.

In any case, if we are to understand the capabilities and limitations of these installations, a more complete definition of their energy storage capabilities is required.

This must include not only a power rating, e.g., 10 MW, but also the length of time for which the power can be delivered by the battery. For example, if a battery can provide 10 MW of power for 5 hours, its energy rating is 50 MWh (megawatt hours). Thus, if we know the energy rating of a battery, and we also know the load power, we can calculate the time for which the power will be supplied. For example, a 50 MWh battery can provide 1 MW for 50 hours, or 5 MW for 10 hours, and so forth. At the end of these periods, the battery becomes fully discharged, and must be recharged for further use.

The energy capacities of these batteries are important, because of the intermittent and unpredictable nature of the mandated future energy sources, which will be solar arrays and windmills. When these sources are generating their full rated power, they will be both powering the commercial customers and charging the batteries. As an example, let us assume we have 2,000 houses, each with a load of 1,000 W (1 kW), or 2 MW total. A 50 MWh battery can therefore provide the required power (2 MW) for 25 hours. When the solar/wind power is available, it powers the customer houses and also charges the battery. When the solar/wind input power stops, the load power is provided by the battery, for up to 25 hours. If the input power outage exceeds 25 hours, the 2,000 customers will be without power until the input power becomes available.

The key point is that the energy (MWh) capability of the battery must be sufficient to provide the required power for at least the longest possible down time of the primary power source. If this condition is not met, prolonged power outages and blackouts will be the inevitable result.

If we are to understand and evaluate the capabilities of these proposed battery facilities, it would be most helpful to have New Leaf Energy and Savion provide the energy   specifications to us, rather than simply some undefined power numbers, which leave us in the dark with regard to the time for which the power will be available.

George Altemose

Setauket

by -
0 1146
From left, Iwao Ojima, Ashna Garg and Maurizio Del Poeta. Photo by Kathryn Takemura

By Daniel Dunaief

It worked for mice and now, several years later, has shown promise for cats.

Researchers from Maurizio Del Poeta’s lab, working closely with those from Iwao Ojima’s team at Stony Brook University, have demonstrated that an experimental treatment against a fungus resistant to the current standard of care can work with cats battling a ferocious infection, albeit on a small sample size.

The Stony Brook team, along with scientists and veterinarians in Brazil, used a drug they created in 2018 called D13 to treat 10 cats with severe forms of a fungus that affects cats and humans called sporotrichosis.

With this treatment, which the researchers introduced as a powder into the cat’s food, half of the 10 felines whose skin was under insidious attack from the fungus staged remarkable recoveries, offering a potentially promising development that could one day also offer an alternative care for cats and for people.

“The prevalence in South America is 25 to 20 cases per 100,000 people, which is not low,” explained Del Poeta, Distinguished Professor of Microbiology and Immunology. “It affects mostly immunocompromised people and particularly people who have cats or people taking care of infected cats.”

Tis cat presented no improvement of the tumor-like lesion and of an ulcerated lesion on the nasal region upon treatment with ITC. After adding D13, the cat significantly improved, even though clinical cure was not achieved after 4 weeks of treatment with ITC and D13 combination.

Typically, people get superficial infections, but a person who is severely immunocompromised could have an infection that spreads and becomes fatal.

The work taps into the expertise of Ojima, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry. Ojima worked on the structure elucidation, the structure activity relationship and development of efficient synthetic methods for large scale synthesis of the drug.

Recent Stony Brook PhD graduate Ashna Garg contributed to this ongoing effort.

Ojima described the work as “solidly encouraging” and added that the scientists have “even better compounds in the same series for human use” that are more potent and more selective to fungi compared to humans which makes systemic toxicity “very low.”

Del Poeta’s lab has been studying sphingolipids metabolism and signaling in fungal and mammals cells to identify new markers for early diagnosis and microbial enzymes/ molecules essential to cause infections in the attempt to develop new antifungal targets.

To be sure, in the cat research, five out of the 10 cats didn’t complete the study. One of them died, although the cause of death was unknown, and four of the other cats abandoned the study.

Additionally, one of the cats for whom the drug worked showed an elevated level of a liver enzyme, which returned to normal within weeks of the conclusion of the study.

Still, the results were promising and provided encouraging improvements for cats battling an infection that threatened their health.

“I am very pleased with the efficacy of D13 on cats in Brazil,” explained Ojima, adding that it is “a compelling result.”

Additionally, in other preliminary studies, D13 works against various fungal infections, including cryptococcosis, aspergillosis and candidiasis. A new derivative of D13 is more effective for those other infections, the scientists said.

Del Poeta explained that the scientists chose to do the research in Brazil because of the prevalence of sporotrichosis in the area and because he had established collaborations in the country in earlier research.

‘Proud and grateful’

For her part, Garg was thrilled to contribute to research that provided a remedy to a deteriorating condition in an animal some of her friends own as pets.

Cat owners often reacted emotionally when she told them about her work, appreciating the significance of the results.

“I am deeply proud and grateful to have contributed to this work,” said Garg. “Its remarkable effectiveness continues to inspire and motivate me.”

A significant part of her PhD revolved around taking the initial lead compounds and developing second and third generation compounds to enhance their effectiveness and bioavailability.

With three bromine atoms, D13 is an unusual therapeutic treatment.

Bromine is “relatively rare among the top 200 pharmaceuticals,” Garg explained. “Bromine can be toxic or can act as an irritant. Part of my work involved exploring ways to reduce the bromine content” to make the treatment more viable in drug development. The scientists are working to understand why and how this treatment works.

“The exact mechanism of action of D13 is not fully understood yet but we are getting very close,” Garg explained.

With the third generation of D13, the team identified compounds that are highly fungal specific with broad spectrum activity, effectively eradicating 100 percent of the three malignant type of fungi.

“It’s important to note that some first and second generation compounds also demonstrated excellent antifungal activity at very low drug concentrations, even if they did not achieve complete eradication on one of the three fungal strains,” Garg added.

While promising, this study does not indicate a new human treatment will be on the market in the short term.

The scientists are doing toxicology studies and hope a new therapeutic option might be available as soon as five years, Del Poeta estimated.

From Delhi to Stony Brook

Garg, who defended her thesis in December, grew up in Delhi, India, where she pursued her undergraduate studies in Chemistry at Delhi University.

After that, she earned her Master’s in Chemistry at Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu, India.

Garg arrived at Stony Brook in 2019 and joined Ojima’s lab in early 2020, just at the start of the pandemic.

“It was indeed a challenging time to start a new position,” Garg acknowledged.

Currently a resident of Poquott, Garg enjoys living on Long Island, where she visits beaches, drives around the area and cooks.

Garg, who attended meetings in the labs of both Professors Ojima and Del Poeta, is grateful for the support of these senior scientists, who were also part of her thesis committee.

Del Poeta described Garg as a “dedicated scientist” with an “impeccable” work ethic.

“Drug synthesis can be very challenging,” Del Poeta described. “She is tirelessly resilient.”

Garg is staying at Stony Brook for another year as a post-doctoral researcher.

Del Poeta is pleased with the productive collaboration he’s had with Ojima, whom he described as “passionate, intellectually stimulating, dedicating, inspiring and hard working.”

If Del Poeta sends an email on Saturday night, Ojima typically replies by Sunday morning.

“It is an honor to collaborate with him,” Del Poeta explained. Ojima’s work “makes these impressive results possible.”

by -
0 499
Robert Higgins

Robert “Bob” Higgins passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loved ones, on Jan. 4, 2025. He was 89.

Higgins was born to John and Mabel Higgins on April 2, 1935. He and his eight siblings were raised in Yonkers.

He attended Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers and graduated from Fordham University in 1959. It was there he met his beloved wife, Joan, whom he was married to for 60 years. He is now reunited with her in eternal rest. He will be greatly missed by his children, Laura, Brian, and Jeanine; his grandchildren Brian and Tyler Lombardi; and his siblings Mary, Joe, and Margaret. He was predeceased by his siblings John, Catherine, Nora, and Alice.

Higgins’ 89 years were well-lived and hard-working. He spent over 30 years working for Equitable Life Insurance in New York City, as well as several years with Cigna and New York Life before retiring. He rode the Long Island Railroad every day and often spoke of the friendships he had forged with fellow commuters. He regularly met several of them for lunch long after his retirement.

He served 40 years in the United States Navy Reserve, achieving the rank of commander before retiring in 1995. In 1973, he was briefly called into active duty for Operation Homecoming, where he debriefed prisoner of war repatriates following the Vietnam War.

Following his duty, he was recommended for a promotion. He was a true patriot with a generous heart.

Higgins enjoyed traveling with his family and friends and often took cruises to Bermuda and the Caribbean. He was very proud of his Irish heritage and did research to locate relatives from his family tree in Ireland, traveling abroad to meet many of them. He applied for and was approved for Irish citizenship.

He enjoyed playing golf with his neighborhood buddies, loved a good lobster or steak dinner, and frequently asked to visit Orem’s Diner or treat his grandsons to hibachi.He never wanted anyone to worry about him, always asked if you needed any money and was sure you would hit traffic, wherever you were headed, no matter the time of day. He was a quintessential sports couch potato—if there was a game on TV, he was watching it. A die-hard Jets fan, he was a season-ticket holder for over 60 years. It was his family’s dream to see a Super Bowl win alongside him.

Prev1...109110111...121Next Page 110 of 121
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©