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Yearly Archives: 2025

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uard Elijah Olaniyi in action against Yale on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Olaniyi passed away on Thursday, Feb. 27 after a battle with brain cancer. Photo by Emma Harris/Statesman file

By George Caratzas 

Elijah Olaniyi, a former star for the Stony Brook University men’s basketball team died on Thursday, Feb. 27 after an on-and-off battle with brain cancer. He was 26.

More than 15 months ago, Olaniyi was diagnosed with a tumor on the right frontal lobe of his brain. After undergoing three different surgeries to remove it, it was revealed that the tumor had been cancerous. Olaniyi went through radiation therapy and declared himself cancer-free on Feb. 27, 2024. Late in 2024, Olaniyi was once again hospitalized, as the cancer returned.

Olaniyi was recruited out of Newark East Side High School in Newark, N.J., and lost his mother, Ruth Olaniyi, just two days after arriving at Stony Brook in 2017. Across four years with the Seawolves, Olaniyi distinguished himself as one of the best players in program history, averaging 12.2 points per game.

Nonetheless, he excelled on the court, serving as the sixth man for the Seawolves as a freshman. Appearing in every one of Stony Brook’s 32 games, Olaniyi averaged 7.8 points per game, on the way to being named the America East Conference’s Rookie of the Year.

He then took the next step forward as a sophomore, becoming a full-time starter and continuing his dominance. His production jumped, as he averaged 12.3 points per game and was named to the All-America East Third Team in the 2018-2019 season. His junior year proved to be his most fruitful, as he averaged 18.0 points per game. After his stellar 2019-2020 campaign, he was awarded with a selection to the All-America East First Team. 

The next year, Olaniyi took his talents south, transferring to the University of Miami for his senior year. After moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Olaniyi still found some success as he was good for 10.5 points per game while shooting 42.1% from the field. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA gave Olaniyi an additional year of eligibility, which he used to return to the north shore of Long Island for a graduate season as he pursued a degree in Business Management. 

In his final year of college basketball, Olaniyi dealt with a knee injury which sidelined him in the third game of the Seawolves’ season. Even upon returning to the court, Olaniyi took time off throughout the year to deal with mental health issues, something doctors later attributed to the tumor which they believe began to form during the 2021-2022 season.

After leaving Stony Brook, Olaniyi moved overseas, where he tried launching a professional career with the Basket-Ball Club Sparta Bertrange in Luxembourg. He played well in Europe during the 2022-2023 season, but was forced to medically retire on Dec. 6, 2023. 

In a statement to Stony Brook’s Statesman, Stony Brook Athletics said “We are completely shattered by the news of Elijah’s passing. Not only was Elijah a beloved member of our Seawolves family, he was a son, brother and friend who gave so much of himself to so many. Throughout his battle with cancer, he displayed the competitiveness and courage that he displayed on the basketball court. Although Elijah’s brave fight has peacefully come to an end, his legacy and the memories he left behind will endure forever.”

During their game against Hofstra the night of his passing, current members of the Seawolves wore a heart-shaped patch with the letter “E” in the center in Olaniyi’s honor. In emotional fashion, Stony Brook won that game over its cross-island rival by a final score of 59-56. 

“It’s hard because those of us that know Elijah and were part of his career and life, it’s difficult because he’s a kid, he’s a young man,” head coach Geno Ford said in a postgame press conference. “We knew it was coming because he had been battling this illness. He hung in there way longer than what was advertised, which was no shock because of the competitor and a warrior he was as a player.”

Olaniyi is survived by his father Festus, and five siblings: Samson, Gabriel, David, Esther and Hannah. 

George Caratzas is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

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Image by Alexandra Koch from Pixabay

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

As more teens learn about artificial intelligence, more are using ChatGPT in doing their schoolwork. According to K-12 Dive, an industry newsletter, between 2023 and 2024, the number doubled. What has also increased is the way in which students can cheat on assignments.

Like every new invention, there are pluses and minuses. Using ChatGPT as an aid can be of help by providing new ways to view information. It can create a metaphor or write a synopsis and offer a different perspective. It could also complete the homework in a false manner that deprives the student of real understanding, much like copying someone else’s notes, even if he or she gets a good grade.

And with so much pressure for good grades, some students may find it easier to cheat, especially in this way that is harder to detect, than to actually learn the new material. Of course, the person they are really cheating is themselves. While AI cheating may offer an academic pathway for short term success, if misused it undermines intellectual growth and also challenges students’ moral and ethical development.

Cheating, of one sort or another, has always existed in academic circles. One way I can recall, when I was in college, was to use Cliff Notes to summarize a plot. These were intended to enable a term paper on Tolstoy’s “War & Peace” or Dickens’ “Bleak House,” for example, without the student having to read the actual thick book. The student may have made it through the class but at what price?

Other forms of cheating included hiring someone to write that term paper for the student, or even hiring another student to take a final. We all knew in school that cheating, in various ways, existed.

So how can cheating be prevented?

The answer is, it probably can’t. But according to the K-12 Dive Newsletter, it can be minimized by creating “a culture of integrity” within which to dissuade cheating.

I can tell you how my college did so in the early 1960s. There was an Honor Board made up of students elected to that position for one year. Anyone accused of cheating or any other improper act could be brought before this jury of peers and either found innocent or, if deemed guilty, appropriately sentenced. Trials, which were few, were held in private, as were verdicts. Innocent until proven guilty was the mindset, and integrity was valued.

That said, I am sure people still cheated without getting caught.

As for catching those misusing ChatGPT, teachers are urged by the Newsletter to read assignments and consider them in light of what they know about each student’s abilities. Testing with pencil and paper in class is revealing. AI use for homework won’t help on a class test.

“Noting the absence of expected concepts or references used in class or the presence of concepts and references not taught in class,” is a giveaway, according to K-12 Dive.

And further advocated in the Newsletter is the idea that students will be less likely to cheat if they understand the moral principles at play, as discussed in the school.

Let’s applaud ChatGPT for what it can do. It can prove to be a helpful tool if used transparently. Students should be taught how.

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Stock photo

Dr. Arthur Leonard Graff, FACS, of Scranton, N.C. passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, March 1. He  was 80 years old.

Arthur Leonard Graff

Dr. Graff was born in Brooklyn on Sept. 21, 1944, to the late Joseph and Doris Andersen Graff. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 33 years, Marnette Travia Graff. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law: Robert Graff and his wife Jennifer of Bloomington, Minn.; Matthew Graff of Newcastle, Maine, and his first wife, Dorothy Dreasen Graff; and Sean Burk of Belhaven, N.C.; as well as grandchildren Rachel Graff, Ella Graff, Kevin Graff and Ryan Graff and his fiancée Katie Cronin. He was preceded in death by his brother Robert Graff.

Dr. Graff was a plastic and reconstructive surgeon for thirty years who started a four-man practice on Long Island where he also participated in cleft palate clinics and performed hand microsurgery. He was co-owner of a Port Jefferson restaurant where he learned to love cooking. After moving to North Carolina in 1996, Dr. Graff continued practicing medicine in Belhaven, where he gained coverage approval from the state of North Carolina for Medicaid patients with reconstructive needs. He also worked in the Emergency Department at Pungo District and Washington County hospitals.

Dr. Graff took pleasure in hunting in the Catskills and in his hunt club in North Carolina, deep-sea fishing around the world and attending the sporting events of his children and grandchildren. In retirement he enjoyed Nascar and F-1 racing, and would often be found walking his dogs along the Pungo River. In Hyde County, he was a member of the Scranton Volunteer Fire Department and served on various committees and boards throughout Eastern North Carolina. He traveled to many foreign countries with his wife but always looked forward to returning home to Scranton, a place he came to love. A devoted and supportive grandfather, he also cherished the friendships he made and kept in New York, North Carolina and England.

The family gratefully extends their thanks to the caring staff of Amedisys Hospice who allowed Arthur to spend his last days at his home, especially Kristen Battershell, RN, and Hattie Dixon.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Scranton Fire Department at 5224 Sladesville Credle Rd., Scranton, NC  27875.

Arrangements are by Bryan Funeral Service, Swan Quarter.

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Make a work of art out of recycled materials at Emma Clark Library's Crafternoon on March 15.
PROGRAMS

First Steps Into Nature 

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown presents First Steps Into Nature for children ages 2 to 4 on March 14, 21 and 28 at 9:30 a.m. Little ones will learn about nature through hands on interaction, music, crafts, stories, play and more. $20 per child. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Growing Up Wild

Town of Brookhaven continues its Spring nature programs with Growing Up Wild at Cedar Beach Nature Center, 244 Harbor Beach Road, Mt. Sinai on March 15 at 10 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. Children ages 3 to 6 along with a parent/caregiver will explore nature through stories and activities. Free but registration required by emailing [email protected].

Wildlife Wonders

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown presents Wildlife Wonders: Clever Creatures for ages 2 to 4 on March 15 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sweetbriar’s experienced educators help open up the wonders of the natural world for children, through hands-on activities, live animals, crafts, and much more. $20 per child. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor presents a St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt on March 15, 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Complete a scavenger hunt by exploring the Hatchery and solving the riddles. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 ages 3 to 12. 516-692-6768

Little Artists Workshop 

Walt Whitman Birthplace, 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station presents a Little Artists Workshop on March 15 at 11:30 a.m. Artist Robert Stenzel will guide young creators in exporing the magic of geometry in art. Using treats and toothpicks, children will build their own Buckminster Fuller-inspired structures from decahedrons to domes! For children in Pre-K through 4th grade. Cost is $20, $15 for members. To register, visit www.waltwhitman.org

Luck O’ The Dolphins Workshop

Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for a Luck O’ The Dolphins Workshop on March 15 at noon and again at 2 p.m. Discover the heartwarming story of Fungie, a wild dolphin who became the lucky mascot of a small village in Ireland. Design a lucky dolphin shrink-art keychain charm. No registration required. Admission fee plus $10 per participant.

Crafternoon at the LIbrary

Children ages 3 to 12 are invited to drop by Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket for a Crafternoon on March 15 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Create a work of art using recycled materials. Open to all. No registration required. Questions? Email [email protected].

Sunday Funday: Ssssensational Ssssnakes

Slither on over to Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown to see a selection of several ssssensational serpents on March 16 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will meet several snakes and learn about their unique adaptations through games and other participatory activities. Create a cool snake craft to take home. Best for families with children ages 3 to 10. Fee is $15 per child, $5 for adults. Register at www.sweetbriarnc.org.

Storytime Under the Stars

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its  Storytime Under the Stars series on March 16 at 6 p.m. A live narrator at the front of the theater will bring selected picture books to life, with pages projected onto the Planetarium dome so families can enjoy the illustrations and follow along. All children are invited to wear their comfiest pajamas and bring their favorite stuffed animal. Admission is $8 per person, $6 members. Register at www.vanderbiltmuseum.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 March 17 at 10:30 a.m. Free. No registration required. Appropriate for ages 0-4. 631-482-5008

Spring Rock Painting

Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket presents a Spring Rock Painting workshop on March 18 for children ages 3 to 12 with a grown-up. Stop in anytime between 4:30 and 6 p.m. to decorate rocks to jazz up your garden this spring. No registration required. Bring a friend! Questions? Email [email protected].

Stormy Weather

As part of its Pollywog Adventures series, Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor presents Stormy Weather on March 19 at 11 a.m. Children ages 2 to 5 will enjoy an activity, craft, story and feeding the hungry trout. $20 fee includes admission for the day for one child and one adult. Pre-registration required at www.cshfishhatchery.org. 516-692-6768

Celebrate Spring!

Celebrate the Spring Equinox with the Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society at Cold Spring Harbor Library, 95 Harbor Road, Cold Spring Harbor on March 19 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Come learn about what our local birds and other native animals do in springtime. Make a fun craft and go for a walk in the woods, weather permitting. For ages 5 to 10 with a caregiver. Free but registration is a must by calling Tess at 631-896-2872.

Growing Green

Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park presents a Tiny Tots program, Growing Green, on March 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Children ages 3 to 5 will enjoy short walks, story time, animal visitors, and crafts with a parent/caregiver. $4 per child. Reservations taken on www.eventbrite.com.

THEATER

‘Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz’

Catch a performance of ‘Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz’ at Theatre Three this weekend. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc

Theatre Three, 423 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz from Feb. 19 to March 29. Join them for an unforgettable trip down the Yellow Brick Road as Dorothy Gale is whisked away by a tornado to that magical land that lies just Over the Rainbow. Follow Dorothy and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Lion ­as they encounter challenges and celebrate friendship. All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical’

Up next at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is Diary of  a Wimpy Kid The Musical from March 22 to April 27. Read the books? Watched the movies? Now experience the musical! Middle school, ugh. It’s the worst. But Greg is determined not to be at the bottom of the popularity chart. He’ll leave that to his weird neighbor, Fregley. Or maybe Greg’s best friend, Rowley Jefferson. But it’s not going to be Greg…no way. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com

Send your calendar events to [email protected]

 

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Photo from Emma Clark Library

Recycle and Help the Library Earn a Free Bench

Photo from Emma Clark Library

Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket is participating in the NexTrex® Community Recycling Challenge, in collaboration with the Suffolk Library System. Library visitors are encouraged to deposit their plastic film (e.g. plastic bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, cereal bags, etc.) in the bin located in the Library’s vestibule.

If the community collects & recycles 1,000+ pounds in a year, Emma Clark Library will receive a free bench made from these materials. The Library started this challenge on March 1, 2025. All plastic must be clean, dry, and free of food residue. For more information on what is accepted, please visit emmaclark.org/nextrexchallenge.

For more information, call 631-941-4080

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File photo
Suffolk County Police arrested a woman for alleged prostitution during a massage parlor raid in Lindenhurst on March 12.

In response to numerous community complaints, First Precinct Crime Section officers and First Squad detectives, in conjunction with the Village of Lindenhurst Building Inspector, conducted an investigation into New Sunny Foot Spa, located at 141 North Wellwood Ave., and arrested Peimin Pan at 4:12 p.m.

Pan, 47, of Centereach, was charged with Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a felony, and Prostitution, a misdemeanor. Pan was issued a Desk Appearance Ticket and is scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.

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#15 Shamarla King looks to pass the ball during Wednesday's game. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The 12th seeded Stony Brook women’s basketball team could not overcome No. 13 Hampton in the first round of the 2025 CAA Championship, falling 76-75 at the CareFirst Arena on March 12. Breauna Ware scored a game-high 18 points, as Shamarla King added 17 with seven rebounds. Dallysshya Moreno registered a double-double with 13 points and a team-high 10 rebounds as Janay Brantley chipped in with 15 points and seven rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Stony Brook started hot going on a 7-0 scoring run to take an early lead with 8:19 left in the first quarter. The Seawolves were able to get out to at most, a 10-point lead before Hampton responded to tie things up at 21-21. King dominated with 10 points through the opening frame.

Stony Brook then started off the second quarter by going on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a three from Devyn Scott, to take a 26-21 lead. The Pirates then came roaring back to take a 41-36 lead heading into halftime.

Despite Stony Brook cutting into their deficit multiple times throughout the third quarter, the Seawolves continued to face a disadvantage.

Hampton kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 68-58 advantage before Stony Brook went on another 7-0 run to shrink the deficit to 68-65 with 4:22 to go in the contest. The Seawolves kept their comeback going, pulling within one possession with 41 seconds to go in the contest but Hampton managed to hold on for the 76-75 win.

QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES

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Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

Three Stony Brook Seawolves left Joe Nathan Field with homers, and seven different pitchers combined to allow just three runs, leading the Seawolves to a 5-3 victory over St. John’s on March 11.

Jacob Pedersen made the start for Stony Brook, allowing a walk in the first inning but stranding the runner at second with a strikeout to end the frame.

Erik Paulsen got things going for the Seawolves in the bottom of the first with a one-out double. Johnny Pilla followed with an RBI single, giving Stony Brook an early 1-0 lead.

St. John’s responded with a two-out rally in the second, plating two runs to take a 2-1 lead.

Matthew Canizares entered the game in the third and tossed a 1-2-3 inning.

The Seawolves threatened in the bottom of the third, putting runners on the corners with two outs after a hit-by-pitch to Nicholas Solorzano and a single from Paulsen, but St. John’s escaped the jam with a flyout.

Canizares returned for the fourth, issuing a leadoff walk but retiring the next three batters to keep the score at 2-1.

Stony Brook opened the bottom of the fourth with three consecutive singles from Nico Azpilcueta, Matthew Jackson, and Chanz Doughty. However, three straight fielder’s choices ended the rally.

Vincent Mariella entered in the fifth and fired a 1-2-3 inning. Stony Brook capitalized in the bottom half as Pilla singled with two outs, setting the stage for Azpilcueta’s two-run blast over the center field fence to give the Seawolves a 3-2 lead.

Ryan Dieguez took over in the sixth and retired the side in order.

The Seawolves extended their lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer from Cam Santerre.

Ty Panariello entered in the seventh and worked around runners on the corners to keep St. John’s scoreless.

Jackson launched a solo shot to left in the bottom of the seventh, pushing Stony Brook’s lead to 5-2.

St. John’s, hitless since the second inning, finally broke through with a solo home run off Micah Worley in the eighth, cutting the deficit to 5-3.

Paulsen took the mound in the ninth, allowing a leadoff single but inducing a flyout and an inning-ending double play to secure the victory.

Next up, the team returns to action this weekend at Joe Nathan Field, facing another Big East foe, Seton Hall. First pitch for the three-game series on March 14 is set for 2 p.m.; games on March 15 and March 16 are set for 1 p.m.  All three games can be streamed live on FloBaseball.

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Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

Stony Brook women’s lacrosse used an offensive explosion to defeat Towson, 17-6, in the CAA opener at LaValle Stadium on March 8. The Seawolves were led by Charlotte Wilmoth who scored six goals, and Riley McDonald who added four.

Stony Brook also dominated on the defensive end as it limited Towson to a season-low six goals. The Seawolves outshot the Tigers, 35-16 and recorded 30 shots on goals to Towson’s 13. The Seawolves also won the battle of the turnovers as they forced 17 turnovers, eight of which were caused, and only turned it over 11 times.

Wilmoth led a trio of Seawolves who tallied hat tricks in the win, along with McDonald and Isabella Caporuscio who notched a team-high 10 draw controls. Defensively, Alexandra Fusco, Avery Hines, and Caporuscio each recorded two caused turnovers apiece. In net, Natalia Altebrando got the start for Stony Brook, playing 56 minutes while making seven saves.

Towson provided six separate goal scorers in Luca DeMaio, Katie Roszko, Milana Ziakovic, Valerie, Thompson, Casey Mederith, and Savannah Safchuck. Goalkeeper Jenna Cardeno made 13 saves.

Stony Brook grabbed an early 2-0 lead just 4:29 into play with goals from McDonald and A. Fusco. Towson would counter with one of their own from DeMaio before a Seawolves 4-0 run over the next 9:59 carrying over into the second quarter.

The Tigers pieced together a pair of goals to get back within three before McDonald closed out the first half, giving the Seawolves a 7-3 lead into the intermission.

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#1 Devyn Scott is all smiles after Saturday's game. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics

Shamarla King, Zaida Gonzalez, and Breauna Ware combined to score 56 of Stony Brook’s 66 total points as the Seawolves defeated the Drexel Dragons, 66-59, on their home court on March 8 for Senior Day.

King and Gonzalez both led the Seawolves with 19 points as Ware tacked on 18 points. Dallysshya Moreno, Lauren Filien, and Janay Brantley notched buckets to help Stony Brook on their regular season finale victory. Defensively, Stony Brook held the Dragons to only 5.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc and forced 14 turnovers. Amaris Baker, the leading scorer in the CAA, was held to just 15 points while shooting 33 percent from the field for the Dragons.

Drexel started off hot, shooting 47 percent from the field taking a 19-11 lead through the first quarter over Stony Brook. King was dominant on both ends of the floor notching a team-high five points and one rebound.

Stony Brook then held the Dragons to a season-low five points through the second quarter. It would become a back-and-forth battle before a Seawolves’ 5-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Gonzalez to take their first lead of the day. The squad would proceed to take a 27-24 advantage heading into halftime. Stony Brook dominated in the paint, scoring 12 of its 16 points close to the basket.

Despite Drexel outscoring Stony Brook through the third quarter, the Seawolves held onto its advantage and owned a 42-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Stony Brook kept widening its lead, expanding it to 49-47 before going on a 5-0 run, finished off by a Gonzalez jumper, to grow the lead to 54-47 with 3:41 to go in the contest. The Seawolves held onto that lead for the rest of the game for the 66-59 win.

“Heck of a win. I’m so proud of how we defended, and took care of home court for our seniors,” said head coach Joy McCorvey noted postgame. 

“We talked a lot this week about how much they’ve given to this program ad how much they mean to this program. They continue to show up, whether things were going great or we had a bump in the road and that’s why we were able to prevail today. It starts with them and they come ready to fight everyday and I’m just so happy we were able to get this win for them,” she added.

The team headed to Washington D.C. for the 2025 CAA Championship on March 12 from our nation’s capital. Results were not available as of press time.

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