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Press Release

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Police car

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the death of a man who was pulled
from the water in Nissequogue on June 8.

Fourth Precinct and Marine Bureau officers responded to a report of a swimmer in distress off of Long
Beach Road at approximately 6:41 p.m. Eric Soloff was pulled from the water a short time later.
Soloff, 63, of Nissequogue, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was
pronounced dead.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this incident to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-
6392.

Photo from Stony Brook University Athletics

The Stony Brook men’s basketball team is heading to Florida this fall as the Seawolves have been announced as a part of the field for the 2025 Sunshine Slam. The event will take place from November 24-25 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at Ticketmaster.com or on the day of competition at the Ocean Center box office.

Also competing in the event will be Florida Atlantic, George Mason, Loyola Marymount, and Ohio playing in the Beach bracket, while Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, and Pacific will join Stony Brook in the Ocean bracket.

The format for the Sunshine Slam will consist of a pair of semifinal round games in each bracket on November 24 and a championship and consolation game in each bracket on November 25. Champions will be crowned for both the Beach and Ocean brackets as well as all-tournament teams being announced for each. Match-ups and schedules will be announced at a later date.

Last November, in the 2024 Sunshine Slam, Clemson beat Penn State and San Francisco to win the Beach Bracket championship, while Radford took down Purdue Fort Wayne and Chicago State to win the Ocean bracket.

Photo from Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook Athletics has officially announced the game themes for the 2025 football season at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. The Seawolves are set to host six home games this fall, beginning on Saturday, September 6, when they take on Rhode Island. Season tickets are on sale now, and single-game tickets will be available starting in July.

Each home game will feature a unique theme designed to enhance the gameday experience and engage the campus and local community. From celebrating Long Island pride to honoring local heroes, this year’s slate of themes offers something for everyone.

A full breakdown of the 2025 game themes is listed below:

Saturday, September 6th vs. Rhode Island – For the Island
Kickoff the season with a celebration of everything and everyone that makes Long Island special, bringing the community together to mark the start of another football season.

Saturday, September 13th vs. Fordham – Kids Day/High School Band Day
Kids will take over gameday when the Seawolves host Fordham. There will be several opportunities for kids to be part of the action along with fun activities including balloon artists, face painters, and more! 

High school bands are provided the opportunity to spend gameday alongside the Spirit of Stony Brook and perform on the field at halftime. 

Saturday, September 27th vs. Merrimack – Family Weekend/Educator Appreciation Day
The annual Family Weekend will welcome the families of Stony Brook students to campus for a weekend filled with activities, including CommUniversity Day and the Seawolves matchup with the Warriors. For more information on Family Weekend click here

Join us for Educator Appreciation Day as we celebrate local educators and all they do to inspire and guide the next generation. 

Saturday, October 25th vs. Towson – Homecoming/Wear Red
Past, present, and future Seawolves make their way to campus for the annual Homecoming game. Show your Stony Brook pride and wear red against the Tigers! More information on Homecoming can be found here.

Saturday, November 8th vs. North Carolina A&T – Heroes Day
Pay tribute to true heroes as the Seawolves take on the Aggies. From military personnel and first responders to healthcare workers, educators, and more, this game celebrates their service and dedication with special recognitions throughout the day.

Saturday, November 22nd vs. Bryant – Senior Day/Fan Appreciation Day
Join us in honoring this year’s senior class and their contributions to Stony Brook Football. An on-field ceremony will take place prior to kickoff. 

Fan Appreciation Day will honor you, the fans! As a thank you for supporting the Seawolves, fans will be eligible to win special giveaways, fan experiences, and more.

Bring your group out to Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium and enjoy the thrill of gameday, exclusive group benefits, and great discounted pricing to help create an unforgettable experience.Click here or contact the Stony Brook Athletics ticket office at 631-632-WOLF or [email protected] to get started. 
More information on each theme and ticket offers will be available throughout the offseason on social media and at StonyBrookAthletics.com.

Children had fun during the 2nd annual David Wolmetz Family Fun fundraiser at Urban Air Lake Grove on June 8. Photo from Urban Air Lake Grove

Day of high flying fun for kids supports blood cancer research at Stony Brook Cancer Center

Long Island kids and their parents turned out for the second annual David Wolmetz Family Fun Day Fundraiser at Urban Air Lake Grove on June 8, honoring the late co-founder of Long Island’s tallest indoor adventure park and raising more than $10,000 to support research and treatment at Stony Brook Cancer Center.

Admission to the park for kids of all ages included access to the most popular attractions including the 30-foot-tall Sky Rider zipline, Mini Go-Karts, Climbing Walls, Bumper Cars, and more. Local vendors were also on hand for face painting, balloon animals, temporary tattoos and hourly raffles of everything from TVs to luxury vacations.

Proceeds from the event will go to support blood cancer research at the Stony Brook Cancer Center, where Wolmetz received treatment from 2019 to 2023.

“We grew up together, we went into this business together,” said Keith Handler, Co-Founder of Urban Air Lake Grove. “Dave loved to see kids happy and off their screens. This fundraiser is in honor of him to support the people who took care of him when he was sick.”

In October of 2018, Wolmetz was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He was admitted to Stony Brook Hospital’s 19th floor, where his treatment started immediately. The staff at the Cancer Center and hospital treated him throughout his cancer journey, which spanned the COVID pandemic, and subsequently several hospitalizations over the years due to his compromised immune system. Dave lost his battle with cancer on June 9, 2023.

“Stony Brook Cancer Center was a very special place for him, and he loved the medical professionals who took such good care of him,” said Carrie Wolmetz, wife of Dave Wolmetz. “He always had hope; he always stayed positive. And he was always ready to try whatever new treatments were available, for himself and for other people.”

Donations to Stony Brook Cancer Center can be made here.

About Urban Air Lake Grove

With 50,000 sq. ft. of active play space, Urban Air Lake Grove is home to a variety of indoor activities, including the Sky Rider, a zip-line style attraction with a winding track that carries young thrill-seekers flying along 30 feet in the air, the tallest on Long Island. Urban Air Lake Grove also offers a High Ropes obstacle course, Spin Zone bumper cars, and a full set of rock-climbing walls, wall-to-wall trampoline adventures, and Urban Air’s exclusive Urban Warrior Course™ and Battle Beam, mini Go Karts and Flash Pads, an interactive dance floor attraction.  Urban Air Lake Grove is located at 3147 Middle Country Road, Lake Grove, NY 11755. Phone: (631) 861-4125.

Police car. Stock photo

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a two-vehicle crash that injured
multiple people, two of them seriously, in Smithtown on June 7.

Thomas Cahill was driving a 2020 Kia Optima northbound on Route 25A when a 2020 Honda CRV,
traveling westbound on River Heights Drive, made a left turn in front of the Kia, which caused the
vehicles to collide at 10:03 p.m.

Cahill, 46, and his passenger Michael Cahill, 9, both of Kings Park, were transported to Good Samaritan
University Hospital in West Islip for treatment of minor injuries.

All occupants of the Honda, residents of Middle Village in Queens, NY, were transported to Stony
Brook University Hospital. The driver, Pietro Colombo, 86, suffered minor injuries. The front
passenger, Veto Colombo, 56, was not injured. Two passengers in the back, Maria Colombo, 76, and
Rosalia Colombo, 78, suffered serious injuries. Another passenger in the back, Angela Colombo, 55,
suffered minor injuries.

Both vehicles were impounded for a safety check. Anyone with information on this crash is asked to
contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.

Stock photo

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a two-vehicle crash that seriously
injured a driver and her two sisters in Lake Ronkonkoma on June 8.

Jesilynne Bauer was driving a 2010 Ford Focus southbound on Ronkonkoma Avenue, when the vehicle collided with a 2021 Jeep Gladiator traveling eastbound on the Long Island Expressway South Service
Road, at 6:28 a.m.

Jesilynne Bauer, 20, along with the two passengers in the Ford, Brooke Bauer, 19, and Madysen Bauer,
16, all of Centereach, were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious but
non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Jeep, Jay Perez, 27, of Shirley, and the passenger in the Jeep, Elizabeth Gutierrez, 54,
of Shirley, declined medical treatment at the scene. Both vehicles were impounded for a safety check. Any one with information on this crash is asked to contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.

Eight years of water testing

By George Hoffman

Almost a decade ago, Laurie Vetere and George Hoffman had a conversation about water quality concerns in Setauket Harbor and decided to form a group of like minded residents to work on improving water quality and the marine environment in the harbor. Out of that decision the Setauket Harbor Task Force was formed.

Since then a hardy group of local residents wake up twice a month at sunrise, from May through October and head out into the harbor with sophisticated equipment funded by the US EPA and take water quality readings in a dozen locations in Port Jefferson and Setauket harbors.

Setauket Harbor Task Force is part of a 50 harbor water quality monitoring program on both sides of the LI Sound in partnership with Save the Sound.  The water quality data collected under the Unified Water Study, is compiled and categorized in an biannual water quality report card for the Long Island Sound.  This data is used by municipalities, marine scientists and others to monitor the water quality health of Long Island Sound harbors.

Port Jefferson and Setauket Harbors continually rank in the top five harbors for water quality in the Long Island Sound.

This year marks the eighth year that Setauket Harbor Task Force has participated in the water quality monitoring program and is always looking for volunteers that like to get up early and be on a boat as the sun comes up.  If interested contact www.savesetauketharbor.org.

On Friday, May 30, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico joined Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil Manzella, representatives from The Crest Group, the Middle Island Civic Association, and local residents for the groundbreaking of The Villas at Oak Run, a new $35.1 million 55-and-over rental community located at 599 Middle Country Road in Middle Island.

The project, developed by The Crest Group, will consist of 37 duplex buildings totaling 93,138 square feet on a 23.5 acre site. Each two-bedroom, two-bath unit will include a one-car garage. Planned amenities include an indoor fitness center, a half-mile walking path, and an outdoor recreation area featuring pickleball courts. 

Notably, twenty percent of the townhomes will be designated as affordable and workforce housing, providing reduced monthly rents to qualifying residents at $2,280 per month while the remaing 80 percent market-rate rent is $3,650 per month.

“This project reflects continued progress in the revitalization of Middle Island,” said Supervisor Panico. “It brings much-needed housing options for our senior population, while also ensuring affordability for a portion of our workforce. I thank The Crest Group for their investment in this community and their efforts to deliver a well-balanced development.”

The Middle Island development is expected to take from 18 to 22 months to complete, but its first phase is expected to be delivered in the spring of 2026.

“Welcome Villas at Oak Run to Middle Island, and congratulations on your groundbreaking today!” said Brookhaven Town Councilman Michael Loguercio, who represents the area. “This will be a beautiful addition to the community once completed, and I look forward to their ribbon cutting in the near future.”

For more information about development projects in the Town of Brookhaven, visit www.brookhavenny.gov.

Mather Hospital
Harshini Devi Sobhan. Photo from Mather Hospital

Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson has expanded its Graduate Medical Education program with the addition of a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency program, starting on July 1, 2025. The Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month program that “aims to cultivate clinical, operational and leadership skills in pharmacists, all while delivering high-quality pharmaceutical care to patients,” according to a press release.

As licensed pharmacists the residents will participate in activities designed to deepen their knowledge of regulatory compliance, pharmacotherapy, medication safety, antibiotic stewardship, committee participation, and key pharmacy initiatives. The program provides residents with the opportunity to advance and strengthen their professional development, emerge as skilled practitioners, and prepare for PGY2 specialty training and board certification. 

“Our Pharmacy Department has long been dedicated to delivering exceptional, patient-centered care. Through the establishment of the pharmacy residency program, we reaffirm our commitment to preparing pharmacists to uphold elevated standards of practice,” read the release.

Allison Nicole Pollina. Photo from Mather Hospital

Program Director Maricelle Monteagudo-Chu, PharmD, said the pharmacy residents will be an invaluable addition to the team. “They will be entrusted with managing patients with complex disease states, a responsibility that requires a higher level of critical thinking and advanced clinical knowledge. They will also actively collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes, ensure the safe and effective use of medications, and advance excellence in pharmaceutical care,” she said.

To kick off the inaugural year, the first two residents will be Allison Nicole Pollina and Harshini Devi Sobhan, who both completed their Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy and Touro College of Pharmacy, respectively. Sobhan also received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from City University of New York, York College and a Master of Science in Health Sciences and Public Health from Touro University Worldwide.

Mather Hospital’s Graduate Medical Residency Program was established in 2014 to address a growing shortage of physicians in our community and an increasing demand for primary care physicians. The program now includes more than 110 residents in Internal Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Integrated Interventional Radiology, Psychiatry, and Transitional Year as well as fellowships in Gastroenterology and Hematology Oncology. 

A scene from the 'Empower Her!' festival o June 7. Photo from Girl Scouts of Suffolk County

The Girl Scouts of Suffolk County kicked off their summer camp and outdoor activity season  with “EmpowerHER!,” a daylong festival of music, fun, and sisterhood at Camp Edey in Bayport on June 7.

Designed as a fun and empowering day celebrating the fact that girls can do anything, EmpowerHER! featured yoga, meditation and STEM crafts, plus traditional Girl Scout activities like face painting, crafts and games, plus archery and fishing. Exhibitors included career fields in journalism, green energy, finance and law enforcement.

“We have the girls here on 90-plus acres, learning about career opportunities, about giving back in the community, about ways to be healthy and have fun outdoors,” said Tammy Severino, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of Suffolk County. “Our girls are learning leadership and entrepreneurial skills as well as STEM and the arts. We’re proud to bring girls and their families together for a day of inspiration and summer fun.”

Girls ages 5 and up wore their Girl Scouts vests and sashes adorned with badges and patches they have earned for a variety of activities.

“When you’re outside you get to meet new people and we’re getting ready for our summer camp that is coming up in a month or two,” said Brinleigh Ingwerson, of Northport. “We get to have so much fun. We can expand our creativity and our talents and express our feelings.”

“My favorite thing is the new people you get to meet and learning how to work together to help your community,” said Melanie Shek, 10, of Huntington. She and her troop are currently designing and building a pollinator garden at their school that will go toward their Bronze Award next year.

 About 200 Girl Scouts and their parents attended this year’s event.

 About Girl Scouts of Suffolk County

Since 1968, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County has been committed to building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. With over 15,000 members, they are one of the largest youth-serving agencies in Suffolk County. Girl Scouts helps girls develop their full individual potential; relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect; develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision making; and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, leadership skills, and cooperation with others. For more information about the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, please call (631) 543-6622 or visit www.gssc.us. Follow Girl Scouts of Suffolk County onFacebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.