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TBR News Media covers everything happening on the North Shore of Suffolk County from Cold Spring Harbor to Wading River.

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The start of the race. Photo by Matt Tisdell

By Matt Tisdell

More than 250 Long Islanders gathered at Stony Brook University on Sunday to participate in Anthony’s Red Shoe FUNd Run in support of the widespread fundraising effort for the $30 million Ronald McDonald House, which is set to be built next to Stony Brook University Hospital.

Lisa Muratori, a professor at the Stony Brook University School of Health Professions, led the event, which was held in honor of her nephew Anthony Petrocelli, who passed away in 2019, at 16 years old, after fighting ewing sarcoma for two years. Dr. Muratori’s family relied upon the Ronald McDonald House room in the children’s hospital during his time spent in the hospital, and they got involved with the charity after his passing with hopes that the hospital would expand from its current two rooms to a larger entity.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro chapter plans to open the 60,000-square-foot building, containing 30 suites, by the end of 2026, with the house’s official groundbreaking event occurring this past May. The first of its kind in Suffolk County, the house will host the families of those being cared for in the children’s hospital free of charge, with amenities like daily meals, laundry facilities, full pantries, and a gym provided during their stays.

“The Ronald McDonald House isn’t just a place to stay, it’s a place where families can find comfort, hope, and a sense of normalcy during incredibly difficult hard times,” Stacy Gropack, Dean of the School of Health Professions said before the race.

Lisa Muratori and Family. Photo by Matt Tisdell

“Whether you’re running, walking, cheering or volunteering, we appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts. Every step you take brings us closer to making sure that we can achieve the goals of the Ronald McDonald House and getting one on campus.”

Participants either ran in the 5k race or walked in a one-mile lap around the campus, with entry to the race costing $40 for the 5k, $30 for the one-mile and $20 for Stony Brook students. All in attendance were eligible for post-run raffles, with prizes ranging from T-shirts to gift cards, and were able to grab breakfast and lunch from food trucks surrounding the Student Activity Center for free.

Felipe Garcia, a 42-year-old long-distance runner from Port Jefferson Station, won first place in the 5k race with a time of 19 minutes and 30 seconds. He and his housemate, Lennie Nemerovsky, a 69-year-old retired pharmacist, previously attended the Head of the Harbor race held in April by the Ronald McDonald House Charities in St. James.

Stacy Gropack speaks at the event. Photo by Matt Tisdell

“We try to support the good intentions of the school to build a place for the parents of sick children to have a place to stay,” Nemerovsky said.

Muratori was pleased with the turnout and looks forward to the upcoming construction of the Ronald McDonald House. “We had a huge number of people, we raised a lot of money and everyone had a great time, we couldn’t be happier,” Muratori said after the race. “

We’re going to break ground and should be open by the end of 2026, so Suffolk County, take a look, we’re going to have a great big Ronald McDonald House right here on the Stony Brook campus.”

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

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Photo from Statepoint

Even the most skilled cybersecurity expert can fall prey to today’s incredibly sophisticated phishing attempts.

Phishing can take place in a variety of ways, but recognizing these “lures” is a powerful way to defang cybercriminals:

Phishing: Traditional phishing comes in the form of a fraudulent email that encourages recipients to click on a link and provide personal data. Often the subject lines are designed to entice the receiver with an interesting headline, timely topic or urgent request.

Smishing: An attacker sends a text prompting the recipient to click a link or call a number for more information. If the link is clicked, the user downloads malicious software to their phone.

Vishing: An attacker uses the telephone–or voice–to gain access to sensitive information for financial gain. The criminal usually poses as someone they are not, such as another employee, technical support person or someone representing a government agency.

Quishing: An attacker creates a fake QR code and uses it to direct victims to a malicious website that prompts them to enter their personal or financial information.

Ultimately, the easiest way for a cybercriminal to steal your information is to trick you into sharing it. Their fraudulent communications will often look official and appear to have come from a trusted source. However, there are warning signs to watch out for. Pause and ask yourself the following questions before responding:

Do you know the person who sent you the message? The source of an email or text can easily be forged, making it seem that a request is coming from someone you know. If something seems off or if the sender is asking for money or personal information, contact them through a different channel than the original message to confirm the message came from them.

Does the message create a sense of urgency? Criminals will often try to rush you into making an unwise decision. An example of such a message may read, “confirm your login details in the next 24 hours using the link below or your account will be suspended.” Always take the time necessary to think through your response and confirm legitimacy.

Does the offer seem too good to be true? Treat any messages announcing you’ve won money, a prize or the opportunity to purchase an item at a significant discount as suspicious.

Does the message ask you to click on a link or open an attachment? Be particularly wary of emails from people or organizations you don’t know urging you to click on a link or open an attachment. Doing so can lead to malware being installed on your device.

Does the telephone call ask for personal or financial account information? If you receive a call that just doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts. Hang up and call the customer service line from their official company website.

Does the message ask you to scan a QR code? As QR codes become more common in daily transactions, utilize these tips when scanning a code:

• First, check to determine that the QR code has not been tampered with, such as a sticker placed on top of the original code.

• Check the URL to make sure the code is sending you to the intended site and that the site looks authentic. Look for typos or misplaced letters.

• Exercise caution when entering information on a site accessed via a QR code and avoid making payments; manually enter a secure URL to complete a payment.

• Do not download an app from a QR code. Instead, search for the app via your device’s app store.

• If you receive a QR code from someone you know, reach out to them through a known number or address to verify that they sent you the code.

To learn more about cybersecurity best practices, visit PNC Bank’s Security & Privacy Center at pnc.com.

Don’t assume your tech savviness will protect you from today’s cybercrimes. In the face of increasingly sophisticated scams, an ounce of prevention can go a long way in helping you to protect yourself. (StatePoint)

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Kathryn Reeves (right) with loved ones. Courtesy Reeves family

Prepared by the Reeves Family

Kathryn T. Reeves, a lifelong resident of Port Jefferson until recently, died Sunday, Sept. 8 while visiting family in Pennsylvania. She was 79.

Kathy graduated from Earl L. Vandermeulen High School and earned a degree in accounting from Dowling College. She spent most of her career as an accountant with the CPA firm Michael J. Berger & Co. in Ronkonkoma.

Her father, the late Honorable Charles R. Thom, was Suffolk County’s first police commissioner. Her mother, the late Dorothy Thom (née Lee), was a homemaker and a descendant of Thomas Lee, one of Connecticut’s earliest settlers.

Kathy was a talented pianist, artist, singer and seamstress. She was a member of Bay Area Friends of the Arts and performed annually with the Choral Society of Moriches in their holiday presentation of Handel’s Messiah.

She loved gardening and dancing. Kathy was also a golfer and a longtime member of the Heatherwood Women’s Golf Club.

A single mother who balanced raising two children, working full time and attending night school, she married the love of her life, Michael Reeves, on June 29, 1985. Together, they built a lasting union founded on respect, friendship and love.

A memorial service will be held at Bryant Funeral Home in Setauket on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. Family and friends are invited to celebrate her life and share cherished memories.

Arrangements were entrusted to Bryant Funeral Home of Setauket. Visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guestbook.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Saving our resources

Thank you, county Legislator Steve Englebright [D-Setauket] for your marvelous Port Jefferson Civic Association meeting presentation this past Monday, Oct. 14, regarding the natural geological forces that continue to reshape our North Shore.

The lecture explained why the North Shore harbors east of Mount Sinai have been washed away over the millennia, and why Mount Sinai is the next of six remaining harbors in nature’s destructive pathway. In the 1930s, Mount Sinai harbor entrance jetties were constructed to prevent the natural eastward drift of Port Jefferson beach sediment from occluding its entrance.

Not only did this help preserve the harbor’s spawning grounds for fish and its riparian habitat for wildlife. It also provided storm flood protection and preserved its wonderful recreational resources for boating, fishing, swimming and other outdoor activities. Its sediment drift prevention stabilized the foot of our bluff and permitted its millennially denuded surface to develop a lush vegetative cover over a span of eight-decades.

These benefits ceased by 2017 when the unmaintained western jetty succumbed to three decades of storm destruction. Its loss produced accelerated sand drift and foot erosion that led to the collapse of the bluff’s vegetated surface by 2019. Reconstruction of the jetty in 2020 is again preventing eastern beach drift, and the section with seawall construction is no longer experiencing toe erosion.

It appears that we will be able to piecemeal recover from this tragedy after expediting the experts’ plans for controlling drainage from above by: (a) removing all cliffside courts; (b) building an effective storm drainage system and berm; (c) establishing absorptive crest vegetation; (d) repairing the breakthrough areas of bluff erosion; and (e) moving new tennis and pickleball courts far from areas with drainage issues — perhaps to the lower parking lot with use of East Beach for overflow venue parking.

The sophisticated engineering and ongoing maintenance efforts of seawall “dikes” in the Netherlands is considered a global model for highly successful coastal flood defense, and proper maintenance of a seawall provides protection for high-rise buildings 20 feet from the sea in Miami. With proper maintenance, man can battle natures erosive forces. Although changes in our Phase II project would be bureaucratically inconvenient, perhaps we should consider saving taxpayers the burden of the expensive upland steel-wall component with the understanding that clubhouse relocation may be needed in the future.

Brookhaven Town should also be convinced to develop a comprehensive Water Protection Plan (including Port Jefferson) similar to that developed by Southampton Town. Visit www.southamptontownny.gov and click on “Coastal Res. & Water Prot. Plan.”

                                        Al Cossari

          Member of the Port Jefferson Erosion Commission

Rethinking grades: The return of the ‘Do No Harm’ policy

At the Three Village Board of Education meeting held on Oct. 9, President Susan Rosenzweig reopened a discussion concerning the district’s currently defunct “Do No Harm” Policy.

Last fall the board, in its less than infinite wisdom, made the decision to abolish this policy which had been in place for several years and stated that if a grade on a Regents exam would lower a student’s final grade it would not be counted as part of that grade. If the score enhanced the final grade, it would indeed count.

After the Grading Committee led by Brian Biscari, assistant superintendent for educational services, made a determination to rescind this option and count Regents grades as 10% of a student’s final grade, the board voted to instate the new policy. A large majority of parents were appalled by this decision and made their feelings known, but to no avail. Now, seemingly under the radar, this policy was brought to the forefront with no notice, at a board meeting with little-to-no attendance.

Rosenzweig introduced the discussion with the assertion that after the June 2024 Regents season it was necessary to reconsider the decision that was made last fall. Her point was such that several school districts of our caliber (Jericho and Syosset) do not count the exams in students’ GPAs and our students could be put at a disadvantage by doing so. The scores in Three Village had not moved when the “Do No Harm” option was available and since New York State does not recommend factoring their exams into a GPA, it is simply not necessary. Karen Roughley, vice president, was in strong support of Rosenzweig’s argument as other trustees remained as wishy-washy as expected: Vinny Vizzo refused to articulate a solid opinion, claiming to see both sides, and Shaorui Li repeated her ridiculous attestation that the board “should not override a decision made by a committee of 35 educators.”

Trustee David McKinnon, the voice of consistency and specificity, strongly supported keeping our students on par with other districts by allowing them the advantage of not being penalized by state exams that do not necessarily embody the proper assessment of children’s knowledge and skills. His strongest point was that the state doesn’t stand behind their own tests so why should Three Village students have their grades affected by them?

In the end, after Biscari restated his belief that Regents exams have “value” and are “important for data collection” and Scanlon reiterated that the state is not doing away with the tests — they are simply instituting new pathways to graduation — the board took a vote. In what seemed like a unanimous decision, the board voted to reinstate the “Do No Harm” Policy in regards to the New York State Regents Examinations.

It was not clear, but I would hope for the sake of our kids that “Do No Harm” will be in effect for the January 2025 Regents exams and that parents and students will be made aware of the policy’s restoration. Since this discussion was not part of the Oct. 9 meeting agenda it is highly unlikely that anyone who did not watch and/or take part in the meeting is cognizant that this change was made.

As an informed parent I encourage those with students who are enrolled in courses culminating in a Regents exam to pay attention to the changes that are apparently coming with no notification. Thankfully the unplanned discussion led to a positive development, one that can only help our children. Granted, it’s no 30-minute start time adjustment, but at least our kids will have some relief from Regents anxiety. If only last year’s final grades could be recalculated to undo any harm that may have been done.

    Stefanie Werner

   East Setauket

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Janice. Photo courtesy of Brandpoint

For Janice, health and fitness were always priorities. Growing up in Jamaica, she’d been a sprinter for her high school track team. After moving to the U.S. in her mid-20s, she built a successful career in sales while raising two young children. Although she was busy, she maintained a healthy and active lifestyle. In fact, other than having slightly elevated blood pressure, she was the picture of good health.

Yet things changed dramatically for Janice when she reached her mid-40s. Her blood pressure escalated significantly and no longer responded to medication. Her menstrual cycles became unpredictable. Most unsettling of all were the alarming changes in her appearance. Her face swelled and she gained a significant amount of weight around the center of her body. “People asked me if I was on steroids,” Janice recalls. Her legs became emaciated and weak. She developed a fatty hump between the shoulders (buffalo hump) and grew so much facial hair she had to start shaving it. She fought constant lethargy during the day, but then would be unable to sleep during the night.

Looking back, she remembers, “I was constantly stressed out. I didn’t look well, and I didn’t feel well.”

“My blood sugar would just skyrocket.”

Things came to a head one afternoon. Feeling unwell, Janice experienced a dizzy spell and fell while getting out of the shower. Unable to move or see clearly, she was rushed to the emergency room, where her blood sugar was measured at 1,000 mg/dL – a level so high it could trigger a diabetic coma. She was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and discharged with a new regimen of medications and lifestyle modifications.

Despite following her doctor’s instructions, Janice’s problems persisted. “Even when eating healthy and taking all my meds, my blood sugar would just skyrocket after meals.” She soon learned her kidneys and heart were also being impacted.

“Nobody had bothered to put it all together.”

Janice was on up to 25 different medications, but her symptoms continued, and her frustration grew. “I saw so many doctors – nearly every kind of -ologist you can think of,” she recounts.

One day, a chance conversation with someone else’s healthcare provider led to a breakthrough. After mentioning her health struggles in passing, the doctor suggested she might have Cushing’s syndrome. Janice began to research Cushing’s syndrome (also known as hypercortisolism) and was struck by how similar the symptoms seemed to her own. She found a local endocrinologist, shared her suspicions about Cushing’s syndrome, and a combination of blood tests confirmed her theory: Her cortisol levels were highly elevated. Further testing revealed a growth on her pituitary gland was causing the excess cortisol.

“For so long,” she recalls, “nobody had bothered to put it all together.”

“Finally, I look and feel normal again.”

With her Cushing’s syndrome properly diagnosed, Janice underwent surgery to remove her pituitary growth. Her recovery was difficult, but since receiving treatment she has grown stronger, and her Cushing’s symptoms are better. She remembers feeling that “at last, there was light at the end of the tunnel.”

While Janice’s journey has not been easy, today she is much healthier. She has lost 50 pounds, her hypertension is under control, her blood sugar has returned to normal levels, her kidney function is stable, and she has resumed her active lifestyle.

When speaking with other patients who face similar symptoms, she urges them to be proactive in their care. “A lot of people are walking around with Cushing’s and don’t know it. It’s everyone’s responsibility to educate doctors so they can help new patients.” She cites her own experience as living proof, adding: “Finally, I look and feel normal again. And I’m so grateful.”

If you suspect you may have hypercortisolism or Cushing’s syndrome, talk to your doctor.

This article is the experience of one person and is not medical advice. Consult a medical professional for medical advice, diagnoses or treatment. (BPT)

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Edward Smith

Prepared by the Smith Family

Edward J. Smith Jr., 95, of Northport, died Sept. 10.

He was the beloved husband of the late Joan C. Smith (née Quigley.) He is survived by his loving children Suzie Smith, Cindy Latchford, Kevin Smith and Keith (Kathy) Smith. He was the cherished grandfather of Bryan and Dylan Latchford, Christine Orfei, Jenni, Katie, Heath, Meghan, Ryan and Shannon Smith, and the dear great-grandfather of Teagan and Jack Latchford, Cormac, Rowan and Winnie Orfei.

He was also a dear brother to Walter (Lorraine) Smith and the late Gloria Mae Schafer.

The proceedings were held by Nolan Funeral Home, in Northport.

He will be greatly missed.

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Howell E. Leming

Prepared by the Leming family

Howell E. Leming, a 55-year resident of Stony Brook and one of the first graduate students at Stony Brook University, died May 28, at 90.

Leming was born in Chicago where his father was a doctor at Hines Veterans Hospital. He spent his early years in La Grange Park, Illinois before his family returned to his father’s home state of Arkansas. He graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1951 and from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1955 with a degree in chemistry. In college, he was a cadet in the Army ROTC Chemical Corps.

Leming attended graduate school in physics at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri then followed his adviser, Alexander Pond, to become one of the first graduate students at the State University of New York at Oyster Bay (now Planting Fields). When the Stony Brook campus opened in 1962, he was among its first graduate students during its early years of mud and scaffolding. Like many students, he rented an apartment in Port Jefferson. In 1969, he moved to Stony Brook where he lived for the rest of his life.

He worked for many years in the publishing and printing industries, first as an editor at Prentice Hall and Exxon’s publications division and then in sales for Mergenthaler Linotype Company and Hell Graphic Systems, a printing equipment firm owned by Siemens. His career spanned the transition from hot type letterpress mechanical typesetting to the desktop publishing revolution and the dawn of the internet age.

Leming was a true gentleman and a Renaissance man, educated in the sciences with a deep love for history and literature. He had a way with words both spoken and written and read widely—from Xenophon and Caesar to A.A. Milne and Chinua Achebe. He was a font of knowledge, a gentle man and a true gentleman. Ave atque vale.

He is survived by his children Mary Claire of Stony Brook and Nicholas Reynolds of the United Kingdom, as well as five grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wives Christine Reynolds and Beatrice Willard Leming.

After retirement, Leming spent many happy hours in local libraries. Donations in his memory may be made to the Port Jefferson Free Library, 100 Thompson St., Port Jefferson, NY 11777 (portjefflibrary.org) or the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main St., Setauket, NY 11733 (emmaclark.org).

A memorial service will be held Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, 490 North Country Road, St. James, 11780.

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John Leahy

Prepared by the Leahy Family

John J. Leahy Jr., 79, of Selden, passed away on Sept. 22.

He was born Dec. 30, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia, to the Honorable John J. Leahy and Catherine Ryan Leahy. John grew up in both Southampton and Astoria, graduating from All Hallows High School. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fordham University.

John had a distinguished career as a senior sales account manager for Coca-Cola and Cablevision until his retirement in 2010. He also proudly served in the Army during the Vietnam War.

An avid sports enthusiast, John was passionate about all sports and was a devoted fan of the New York Yankees and New York Giants. He loved barbecuing and treasured time with his family, especially during their yearly trips to Woodloch Pines in Pennsylvania. Known for his great sense of humor, he kept friends and family laughing throughout the years and was affectionately called “Bud” by those closest to him.

John enjoyed dining at his favorite restaurants, Paces Steakhouse and The Elbow Room, and had a lifelong love for the Rolling Stones.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Pamela; his three children, Heather Leahy, Christina Leahy Gregory and Brian Leahy Jessica; and his three adored grandchildren, Brielle Leahy, Ethan Gregory and Jameson Leahy.

Arrangements were entrusted to Bryant Funeral Home of Setauket. Visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guestbook.

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Steve Zaitz standing in front of his photo exhibition at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo by Craig Brown

By Craig Brown

Steve Zaitz is passionate about high school sports and community as can be seen by his photography, which is on display at Trinity Episcopal Church on Main Street in Northport. The exhibition started Sunday, Oct. 6, and will continue through Oct. 19. There are photos of young athletes playing football, baseball, lacrosse, basketball and so many other competitions. 

Steve Zaitz standing in front of his photo exhibition at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Northport. Photo by Craig Brown

Zaitz calls his work “Blue, Sweat, and Tears,” which is a Churchillian take on athletic life in Northport High School. Their school colors are blue. The photographer, who contributes to TBR News Media, shares his sense of joy in capturing the moments of competition in a young person’s life. 

He lived and worked in New York City for many years. When he relocated to Long Island he was moved by the sense of school spirit in the high schools in the area. It seemed like a throwback to a different time and place in America. 

An award-winning sports journalist, he dedicates himself to bringing the struggles of the young adult athlete to life. He is modest when talking about his success in journalism, and he constantly gives credit to coaches and community members. However, his professionalism and commitment shine through in his words and art.

Zaitz introduced this writer to lacrosse coach Carol Rose and her husband Al. She is a pioneer in women’s sports and brought girls lacrosse to Northport High School in 1990. Recently she earned her 500th win in a match against Northport’s strong rival, Commack. Some of the best pictures in Zaitz’s exhibit are of Rose and her outstanding lacrosse players.

The curators of this event, Bob and Nancy Hendrick, belong to the church and have a strong affinity for the arts. They met in the early 1980s when they were both bodybuilders in the Schwarzenegger era of “Pumping Iron.” The couple have converted a building that used to be a nursery school into Trinity Community Art Center for the people of Northport and all of Long Island to enjoy. The center has sponsored events such as the popular cigar and bourbon nights, speed painting and powerlifting. 

The Hendricks were enthusiastic as they explained what this Zaitz event has meant to the church and the village.

The rector of Trinity Episcopal, Father Andrew Garnett, was delighted with the attendance and the positive feedback he was getting for the exhibit. He described it as “Meet Main Street.” Garnett is a great conversationalist, who is well versed in church politics during the American Revolution, the theology of British writer C.S. Lewis and, above all, the needs of his Northport community.

One of the advantages of this exhibit is being able to savor Northport itself, a beautiful and lively village on the North Shore. It was heartwarming to see the place filled with people enjoying the restaurants and pubs. 

There were loud cheers from the local bars as the happy patrons cheered for the Mets as they played the Philadelphia Phillies; there were couples merrily walking their dogs on sidewalks and in the parks; there were families laughing and enjoying a refreshing ice cream cone. And there is always John W. Engeman Theater.

The village of Northport feels like a living Norman Rockwell painting, so full of life and laughter. Go see this excellent photography exhibit that Zaitz and Trinity Church have put together, and enjoy a wonderful time in Northport with all its charms. 

If you want to learn more about Zaitz, and high school sports in general, follow his podcast at the_xi.buzzsprout.com.

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