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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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METRO photo

By Robert Cannon, Esq.

Robert Cannon, Esq.

Consider this scenario: a 75-year-old woman, Jane, began to exhibit signs of cognitive decline last year. She is widowed and has one child. Moreover, her financial advisor contacted a relative to advise that Jane was making unusual withdrawals and that there is a concern that she may be the subject of financial exploitation. The relative no longer believes she can take care of her financial affairs and is concerned that she is not looking after her personal needs. 

As a first step, the family tried to talk to her last year about meeting with an estate planning attorney, but she refused to do so. There are no known advance directives in place and her condition has deteriorated significantly. In addition, Jane has a 40-year-old son with Down syndrome who is entirely reliant upon her. What can be done?

First step is to determine if Jane has the capacity to sign advance directives including a health care proxy and power of attorney. If this is not possible because she has deteriorated to the extent of being unable to handle her affairs or appoint someone to do so, the family may need to explore the commencement of a Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 proceeding seeking the appointment of a guardian of the person and property of Jane.

The commencement of the proceeding involves filing a verified petition with the Supreme Court of the county in which she resides outlining the reasons why it is believed that she does not understand or appreciate the extent of her limitations and that she is likely to suffer harm if a guardian is not appointed for her. The appointment of a guardian in MHL Article 81 proceedings is based on functional limitations and not on medical diagnoses.

In light of the financial advisors concerns regarding potential financial exploitation, at the outset of the proceeding, it may be prudent to request that the Court appoint a Temporary Guardian to immediately take steps to secure Jane’s finances and prevent any further abuse.

The Court will set a hearing date and all interested persons will have to be notified, including Jane’s son and her living siblings. The Court will appoint a Court Evaluator to conduct an investigation, which will include meeting Jane in person, speaking with other friends and family members, and investigating her finances. In limited circumstances it may be appropriate for the Court Evaluator to request the permission of the Court to review medical records. The Court may appoint an attorney to represent Jane. The Petitioner would be required to testify at the hearing along with any other witnesses that will help demonstrate to the Court Jane’s need for a guardian. The Court Evaluator will also testify as to their findings and recommendations.

If appointed, the permanent guardian will step into your Jane’s shoes. The petitioner can request to serve as guardian or it can be a third party. The Court can tailor the powers granted to the guardian to meet Jane’s individual needs and can appoint a guardian of the person, a guardian of the property, or both. There are various safeguards in place to ensure that once a guardian is appointed, Jane will be protected, including the requirement that the guardian obtain a bond and file annual reports with the Court.

Once Jane is squared away, the family members will need to turn their attention to Jane’s son. The first inquiry should be if Jane or anyone else was ever appointed as her son’s guardian. If not, we must consider the possibility of commencing a SCPA 17-A guardianship proceeding in the Surrogate’s Court of the County in which he resides. Unlike MHL Article 81, the appointment of a guardian in a SCPA 17-A proceeding is driven by medical diagnoses. 

As part of the application, a licensed physician and licensed psychologist with a PhD are required to submit Affirmations certifying that Jane’s son is intellectually or developmentally disabled. A guardian appointed in this manner is granted broad decision- making authority over financial and medical matters.

As you can see, seeking guardianship for an adult in New York can be quite nuanced. Whether it be through the Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 or SCPA Article 17-A, it is possible to provide for the needs of these vulnerable adults.

Robert Cannon, Esq. is a senior associate attorney at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C focusing his practice areas on Elder Law and Guardianships. Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. serves clients from Manhattan to the east end of Long Island with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, Manhattan and East Hampton.

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Person utilizing coding software on a computer. Pixabay photo

By Aramis Khosronejad

With the rise of artificial intelligence and the seemingly ever-changing technological world, the main question coming from educators and parents is how the new generation is going to adapt and thrive in the dawn of this new era. Stony Brook University’s new summer camp aims to prepare them.

Located in the university’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology, the program is a collaboration between Stony Brook and Sunrise Technology.

The program has yielded extremely impressive results and received international attention, attracting students from as far as Hong Kong. This largely has to do with the outreach program managed by Rong Zhao, the director of Stony Brook’s CEWIT, which strives to engage students from local high schools on Long Island. Zhao said that the “demonstration” of the self-driving car models “is the biggest attraction.”

The camp is important, according to Zhao, because it shows students that such advanced technology such as self-driving cars and AI isn’t something to fear. “[It isn’t] this mystical, futuristic thing … it’s tangible … [the students] think, ‘Wow, I can code this.’ It is, in the end, the future generation that we’re helping.”

By teaching students to understand that advanced technologies such as AI aren’t something far off into the future but is our current reality, the camp aims to prepare the new generations to adapt to this inevitable future.

According to a report in Forbes by MIT and Boston University, AI will replace as many as 2 million manufacturing workers by 2025. With such rapidly approaching change, preparing the new generation to adapt to this future is paramount. This kind of preparation is exactly what this interactive AI summer camp aims to do, according to Zhao.

Yu Sun, founder and CEO of Sunrise Technology, explained in an interview with TBR News Media how the camp works. It consists of three main activities for students: Lectures where students will listen to a professor speak on the coding process; computer labs where students will be able to apply what they learned from the lectures; and lastly, a project where students will develop and deploy their own self-driving car models.

The program will “give the students an idea of how these self-driving programs work using their own unique design, which also keeps them engaged,” Sun said. She believes that, regardless of whether parents or students are interested in STEM, “AI is such an up-and-coming buzz and parents want students to be exposed to this field.”

“How can we turn this into an educational opportunity which will have a real impact?” Zhao asked. The future is here already, and teaching students how to thrive and adapt to it is essential.

The program spans over two sessions: The first consisted of two weeks from July 8 to 19, and the second session will consist of another two weeks from Aug. 5 to 16. Students from 9th to 12th grade are eligible for the summer camp.

There are very few prerequisites for this program. The second session of the program is still available for any interested high school students.

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Martin Stromsten. Courtesy of the Stromsten family

Prepared by the Stromsten family

Martin “Marty” L. Stromsten, 88, passed away after a short illness on Tuesday,  July 16.  He was born in Port Jefferson, on Jan. 31, 1936 and was the son of Norwegian immigrants, the late Endre and Karen Gard Stromsten.  

Marty was a graduate of Earl L.Vandermeulen High School where he first discovered his love of music.  At the age of 14 he took up the trumpet and by 18 he had been accepted to the Crane School of Music in Potsdam. He received his master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music where he met many titans of music.  

In the United States Army, he continued pursuing his passion by playing in the Army Band, serving honorably from 1959 to 1961. Later, he worked as an elementary band music teacher, passing on his talents to many eager students and creating an elementary jazz band.  He was always looking for new and innovative ways to teach his students how to understand and love music.  His last place of employment was in the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District. 

Every community Marty lived in benefitted from his musical talent.  He was constantly forming, conducting or playing in different musical groups from Dixieland bands to big band jazz, and classical quintets to community orchestras.  

Marty was a longtime resident of Port Jefferson and Riverhead.  Outdoors, he loved walking on the beautiful beaches of Long Island and sailing in his sailboat on the Long Island Sound. Politics, books and music were his favorite topics of discussion. Even though he would tell you he was a “terrible student”, he was very well-read and could talk on just about any topic.  Many who have met him would consider him a brilliant, generous, and friendly person.  Marty settled in Port Jefferson and was very proud of the family that he and his then wife, Joan, created.      

Marty is survived by Helen Jones, his life partner of 28 years; Joan Stromsten, the mother of his children; daughters Pamela Fetcho and Suzanne Hennigan; his grandchildren, Nicholas Fetcho, Jesse Fetcho, Trevor Hennigan and Taylor Hennigan; and his great grandchildren, Aiden Fetcho, Atlas Fetcho and Ava Pickett. He was predeceased by his cherished son, Erik Stromsten and his brother, Edvin Stromsten.

Marty lived a life on his terms, and it was a life well lived.

The funeral will be held on Friday, July 26, at 3:30 p.m. at the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home in Clifton Park. Calling hours will be from 1:30 to 3:30 pm on Friday prior to the service. Interment will be in the Jonesville Cemetery, Clifton Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society in Latham. For online condolences please visit gordoncemerickfuneralhome.com

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Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
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Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli

By Rich Acritelli

“The goal is always to work the hardest.” Track and  field standout – Jasmine Moore

Rocky Point resident Alexandra “Alex” Kelly, a gifted, 20-year-old athlete, had the opportunity to compete in the 2024 Olympic Trials June 21. There, she was placed 21st in the Women’s Long Jump Qualification – Group 1. She has gained valuable knowledge watching the preparation of other top athletes on the national stage.

Reuben Jones, assistant women’s track and field coach at Princeton University, said, “Alex is one of the all-time most physically-gifted athletes I have ever coached in my 14 years in the Ivy League and the last eight with Princeton. Alex can raise her game to meet the level of any competition. Before she graduates, she can surpass the 22-foot mark in the long jump and the 45-foot mark for the triple jump.”

In 2022, Kelly graduated from Rocky Point High School as an honor student, with a 101 GPA, who enjoyed singing in the chorus and working as lifeguard at her local beach.

As an eighth grader, she was still somewhat new to athletics but still broke the long and triple jump records at the high school.

During COVID-19, every athlete was stopped in their tracks. But, being the positive individual she is, Kelly took this period in stride, and realized that it could be an opportunity for growth. She prioritized her leg health, and never stopped training.

For a time, Kelly ran the 4×100 meter relay, and while she liked this event with her teammates, she stopped running this discipline to devote more time to jumping. To stay in shape, she ran sprints and had a strenuous lifting regimen. All of this training paid dividends as Kelly kept establishing new jumping records, and finished first in New York State championships in the triple jump during the 2021-22 winter and spring track seasons.

Right before high school graduation, Kelly was New Balance Nationals champion in the triple jump, held at the University of Pennsylvania.

As this remarkable athlete successfully competed at the highest levels of track and field in high school, Kelly was aggressively recruited by Columbia, Dartmouth, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford and both the Air Force and Naval academies.

For Kelly, Princeton University was the perfect distance away from home. She is majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology, and minoring in the history of science technology and medicine. Kelly is equally as dedicated to her academics.

During her freshman season, Kelly quickly cemented her presence on the Princeton team, as she helped the school earn three Ivy League titles.

This special athlete has some current time to see her family and friends, but she looks forward to her junior season when she will return to Princeton as a captain.

A goal-oriented student-athlete who has her eyes set on attaining her education and the pursuit of athletics brilliance, she will keep being a role model to other younger women and will surely continue to make the North Shore proud of her accomplishments.

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Nathan Hale Nature Preserve. Photo courtesy of Paul Thomson

By Sabrina Artusa

The Town of Huntington Planning Board rescinded preliminary approval for a development proposal in Halesite located at 78 Bay Ave. and 211 Vineyard Road. The developer, Vineyard Bay Estates LLC, proposed an eight-home subdivision to be built in on a 4-acre plot.

The board approved the application in February and has received ardent community pushback since its passing. The development sits on 10 acres of wooded, hilly land — an area the community says has immense environmental and cultural significance. The developers plan to preserve the remaining land.

Nathan Hale Nature Preserve filed a lawsuit against the Town of Huntington Planning Board and Vineyard Bay Estates in March, claiming that the Planning Board’s SEQRA declaration of significance is erroneous and lacking “a rational basis.” 

Paul Thomson, member of the Nathan Hale Nature Preserve, said that the Planning Board, instead of filing a pre populated environmental assessment form (EAF), the developer printed their own form which gave an “incomplete” analysis of the property and the impacts of development.

“We want this process restarted in good faith and we want to be able to publicly comment on this process going forward,” Thomson said. “And that they take a hard look under SEQRA to see if environmental impact statements are necessary.”

The formal EAF states that the area is sensitive for archaeological sites, but the developer’s form submitted that it was not a sensitive area.

At a June meeting the developer’s lawyer, Michael McCarthy, argued against an environmental review. The community, including Thomson, presented their concerns to the board, which included the fact that the area could hold significance to Native Americans. 

“​​If I need to supplement the EAF [Part 1], I’ll supplement the EAF,” McCarthy said at the meeting. “If I need to, you know, correct something that was a box that was checked wrong, we’ll will check the box correctly.” He went on to note that he does not believe a full environmental impact study is necessary.

In February, the Planning Board accepted the environmental review and the application simultaneously without allowing time for a public hearing. 

Lisa Perillo, attorney for Nathan Hale Nature Preserve, wrote in a letter to the board that the full effects of construction on such a steep slope have not been properly examined. 

“We don’t understand why the priority is to develop as opposed to protect, and we think the Town of Huntington has made it very clear in its voting process that we want environmental space and these sleeping slopes protected,” Thomson said.

He added, “Let the chips fall where they fall, we just want it done according to the law and according to the procedures.”

Thomson and the rest of the nonprofit’s members are also concerned the endangered northern long-eared bats would be put in danger by development. 

Last October, Thomson said he brought the issue to the attention of the town’s Environmental Open Space & Park Fund Advisory Committee, which advises the Town Board on buying and preserving open space. The committee reportedly agreed that the property should be preserved. 

According to Newsday, McCarthy and Planning Board attorney Ed Gathman have entered into a stipulation agreement to reset the approval process. 

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An artist’s rendering of a youth sports complex and medical office that would be called Destination Kings Park. Photo courtesy Prospect Realty Partners

By Evan McAteer

DestinationKP is a relatively newly proposed development that is aiming to establish three things: a sports center for Long Island-based youth, an expansive medical center and commercial retail opportunities.

Kelly Murphy, executive director and CEO of the Suffolk County IDA. Photo courtesy Suffolk County IDA

The two groups spearheading the project are Prospect Sports Partners of New York and Agape Community Sports Services of San Antonio, Texas.

According to a Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency press release dated July 8, the IDA has agreed to support the ongoing development and that DestinationKP will be the “largest privately-owned, mixed-use sports and medical complex in the tri-state region.”

Located at 350 Old Northport Road, Kings Park, approximately 44.5 acres of land will be transformed into a “state-of-the-art regional tourist destination for sporting events, camps and tournaments.”

In a general overview of the project, DestinationKP is expected to cost upward of $92 million, and create more than 100 full-time employment opportunities. As a hub for visitors and tourists alike, the project would create steady tax revenue, as well.

In specific terms, DestinationKP will consist of six, multipurpose outdoor playing fields, and one practice field. For indoor sports, a 63,900-square-foot facility will be built, with 10 regulation basketball courts, three indoor multipurpose fields and a concessions complex. 

While Agape Community Sports Services will be handling the development of the sports-oriented facilities, Prospect Sports Partners is set to lead the commercial/medical center’s construction. This medical office building will stand on 50,000 square-feet.

According to the press release, the IDA plans on supporting the medical center’s construction: “The more-than $22.5 million investment will be leased to a tenant specializing in providing medical care, rehabilitation services and other sports-related uses to become a sports medical hub and regional tourism destination. Moreover, the complex also received a significant amount of support from the Suffolk County Economic Development Corporation through $52 million in nontaxable bonds and $17.5 million in taxable bonds.”

The economics are sound and offer traveling families a “regional sports and tourism destination,” according to Kenny Henderson, a co-owner of Prospect Sports Partners.

DestinationKP has three objectives, the first of which is offering Long Island youth a place to safely gather and engage in organized recreational sports. 

Kelly Murphy, executive director and CEO of Suffolk County IDA, said, “This groundbreaking project aims to provide our local youth, especially those encountering socio-economic obstacles, with access to organized sports opportunities that were once unavailable to them.” 

The second objective is creating an economically stimulating project for local Long Island workers.

Murphy added, “The Suffolk IDA is proud to support this project that fulfills a significant need for our children and families, while providing high-quality job opportunities as well as substantial revenue generation for local businesses and taxing jurisdictions.”

The third goal of DestinationKP is the encouragement for tourism within Long Island broadly, and near the community itself.

“Any Long Island family who has children in competitive sports will tell you about the challenges and expenses associated with traveling to out-of-state tournaments,” Murphy said. “Having this asset in our region will be an enormous draw and become a sought-after destination that will keep the economic benefits of the complex’s numerous activities and offerings right here in Suffolk County.”

Highlighting Suffolk County IDA’s Long Island First policy,” which prioritizes in-community spending and supports local businesses, DestinationKP stands as an important supporter. The project itself does not have an expected completion date, but construction and funding are well underway. More information about DestinationKP and its developers can be found at the website: www.destinationkp.com.

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By Katherine Kelton

Three Village resident Matthew Niegocki. Photo courtesy Matthew Niegocki

Three Village resident Matthew Niegocki has been ranked No. 91 Top Best-in-State Financial Security Professionals on the 2024 Forbes list.

TBR News Media sat down with Niegocki to learn about his work and how he earned the coveted Forbes title. 

Niegocki, who grew up in Ridge, had to make a difficult decision upon graduating college: Did he want to become a police officer or pursue an insurance career? He admits to not knowing much about financial security as it was more of an area of intrigue for him. 

Though his proficiency in the job is undeniable: “Right out of college, after interviewing at different financial advising positions, I chose Prudential. Graduated in May and started in June, 18 years later here I am.”

Niegocki’s dedication to his profession is unparalleled.

He shared a recent story that underscores his clientele relationships.

“I have a client out in Glendale, Queens — a senior woman,” he said. “She called me up asking for funds out of one of her accounts to make home improvements. So, I sent her some of the money. Then, she calls up again asking for more money — and this is someone who doesn’t spend extensively, and lives below her means. Her taking out large deposits, to me, raised a red flag.”

He continued by saying he had a conversation with her about exactly what home improvements she was having done that cost such a deep investment: a 7-foot flat roof for which she was going to be charged $136,000. Niegocki immediately called the Queens district attorney’s office and a contractor friend of his, who traveled out to the woman’s home.

It was clear to Niegocki that his client was being scammed.

“The guy that was scamming her got two guys from Home Depot, and they weren’t even using the correct tools,” he said. His contractor was able to complete the job, charging only a fraction of the original at $11,000. 

“My philosophy is to have a conversation,” he added. Taking time to build relationships with clients is key. With new prospects, he asks many questions, ensuring he is properly understanding them and their concerns, on a personal level.

Prudential Financial, the financial security company for which Niegocki has worked his entire career, has been designated one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies — an award given by the Ethisphere Institute, for the last 10 years.

Niegocki does admit that most firms in the financial security industry are “good companies.” He says that there is not a lot of competition within the industry, “believe it or not.”

He usually advises people not to switch their financial advisers, so long as they are happy. 

Prudential does have a unique outlook on insurance, Niegocki shared.

“It’s more of a needs-based approach. So, we sit down with families, individuals and business owners and have a conversation to see what their concerns are and what they’re looking to accomplish. Based on that, we tailor retirement planning and life insurance around that,” he said.

The Forbes distinction gives Niegocki extra credibility, as it will distinguish him from other advisers in the state.

Outside of work, Niegocki’s life does not revolve around phone calls, computer screens or emails. He enjoys a very active lifestyle, biking around the shores of the Three Village community, gardening and spending time with his family.

Matthew Niegocki, pictured with the Three Village Dads. Photo courtesy Matthew Niegocki

As a part of his community appreciation, he joined the Three Village Dads Foundation. This group has raised over $100,000 for the Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. The nonprofit, additionally, fundraises for local businesses and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3054, which serves the Three Village area.

“I love the Three Village community,” he said. “I feel like it’s a community like no other. There’s so much history. It’s great to raise a family and own a business — it is beautiful here.”

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File photo by Raymond Janis

America’s ‘war on opioids’

Fifteen years ago, a local 13-year-old boy died on his couch after overdosing from opioids. It was a shock to our community, and it set the ominous precedent for the opioid epidemic that has ravaged our country. As I often ask, why is it taking so long to stop the ever-increasing overdose deaths? Americans are dying inside our borders thanks to our adversaries who are funneling deadly drugs that have killed more Americans than multiple U.S. wars. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than 1 million Americans have died from opioid overdoses. In 2023, over 100,000 Americans died of overdoses, including an estimated 366 from the powerful opioid fentanyl in Suffolk County. 

As the former Suffolk County Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel chair, I can tell you firsthand that the “war on opioids” is not even close to being over, even as we see a slight decline in death rates. We need to see this epidemic as a real war that our adversaries are waging against us and use military force to stop the needless deaths of so many of our fellow Americans. Those actions include sanctions on China, a hard crackdown on drug cartels and the border, and a united front throughout this country to address the carnage of the drug epidemic. 

That means putting some of the proposed $850 billion in military spending toward our own internal “war on opioids.” The Supreme Court recently ruled that the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue Pharma that produces OxyContin, cannot be shielded from liability. This decision holds the Sacklers accountable, however it also puts $6 billion in settlement funding, targeted to address the opioid epidemic, in jeopardy.

Let’s stop wasting time over political bashing and focus on what we need to do to make our country stronger and safer. We can end this war by uniting and finding effective strategies to identify drug dealers through law enforcement, providing services for those who need addiction and mental health support, and educating our kids on the dangers of opioids.

So much money has been made in legal and illegal opioid drug sales, yet no money can replace the loved ones we’ve lost who battled addiction and did not know they were casualties of America’s “war on opioids.” It’s time to end this war!

Sarah Anker

Former Suffolk County legislator and chair of Suffolk County’s Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel. Current NYS Senate District 1 Democratic candidate.

A statement by Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey 

Violence has no place in our political process, whether in our capitols or on the campaign trail. We are thankful that former President Trump was not seriously harmed and we send our prayers to the loved ones of the rally spectators who were apparent victims of this callous assassination attempt. Kudos for the bravery and quick response of the Secret Service and members of law enforcement.

Kevin McCaffrey

Suffolk County Legislature

A statement from Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine

Hatred and acts of violence toward an elected official or candidate for office regardless of political affiliation have no place in this country. As Americans, we stand united on the principles that make our country strong. While there are no reported threats in Suffolk County at this time, my office will continue to monitor the situation.

Ed Romaine

Suffolk County Executive

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Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai. Wikimedia Commons photo

By Peter Sloniewsky

On Thursday, June 11, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) was joined by Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R) and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) to promote a new I/A water filtration system, soon to be installed at Cedar Beach.

Innovative and Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems use advanced treatment methods to remove nitrogen and other pollutants from wastewater before it is released into the environment.

As of July 2021, Suffolk County requires installment of I/A systems for most new residential construction projects. However, much of Long Island, especially Suffolk, uses septic systems instead of sewers due to the area’s historic low population density. While septic systems are cost-effective and efficient, increases in population have led to nitrogen pollution in both surface-level and underground bodies of water. This nitrogen pollution causes harmful algal blooms, which can destroy ecosystems by consuming excess oxygen in water and cause a variety of conditions in exposed humans.

The more-than 1.5 million people of Suffolk County rely on more than 380,000 cesspools and wastewater systems, including over 209,000 systems located in areas that already have environmental risks. Bonner, who represents the town’s District 2, told TBR News Media that “we have a water problem, with a direct correspondence to cesspools.”

Additionally, the sewer systems already in place on Long Island have a tendency to contribute to road runoff, with a similar effect of nitrogen pollution. When there is more water than sewer pipe systems can handle, partially treated wastewater can flow directly into nearby bodies of water, which can include waste, pesticides, oil and litter. Bonner clarified that “the topography [of the North Shore] lends itself to road runoff … I/A systems and sewers will certainly help that.”

In Suffolk County, there are two types of I/A systems which have been approved by the Department of Health Services — FujiClean and HydroAction. Both technologies have been proven to reduce total nitrogen levels far below the county standard, and to reduce those levels more than 80% from conventional septic systems (which do not typically meet the standard).

The Cedar Beach filtration system will be paid for by a $100,000 grant funded by the Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program. This program was revised and extended in late June, and was sponsored by Romaine.

Revisions to the program include the establishment of a referendum for this November’s general election ballot, which, if approved, would establish an additional sales tax of one-eighth of 1 percent to fund a new Water Quality Restoration Fund. Romaine claimed he “cannot emphasize enough the importance of this referendum” to address water contaminants, and the language of the referendum itself claims that its passage will ensure “county funding to 2060 for clean water projects, improvements in drinking water, bays and harbors” — such as the I/A system to be installed at Cedar Beach.

Bonner told TBR News Media that this new fund would be “split between I/A systems and sewers,” and Romaine described the fund as vital to fund sewer construction especially in less developed areas of the county.

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An aedes albopictus mosquito, better known as the Asian tiger mosquito. Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Mosquitoes can be much more than a nuisance as they search for their next blood meal: they can also pass along potentially dangerous viruses.

Long considered a tropical and subtropical health threat, dengue fever has reached record levels in the Americas this year. The illness has been traveling with Aedes mosquitoes that have been moving further north amid global climate change.

As of early July, mosquitoes in Texas, Florida and California have had one of the four viruses associated with the disease. Through early July, Florida reported 10 cases from local spread, according to an American Medical Association update.

Suffolk County residents who have traveled into areas that have dengue have contracted the illness, which has symptoms that are similar to the flu, such as high fever, headaches, body aches, nausea, vomiting and a rash.

Suffolk County has reported 12 cases of travel-related dengue so far through early July, which is more than all of last year and is the highest level since 2013, when 13 cases were reported for the entire year.

“We do have a fair amount of concern with global warming,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “Even if people do not believe in it, mosquitoes have changed where they’re located. There is concern that the mosquitoes” will continue their trek farther north.

Suffolk County is one of many places throughout the country and the Americas that have reported an increase in cases for a disease for which residents have generally had no exposure and, as a result, no natural immunity.

New York State Department of Health alerted medial professionals to consider dengue as a diagnosis if people who are sick have a travel history and related symptoms, Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Health Commissioner, explained in an email.

Symptoms of dengue typically begin within two weeks of being bitten by an infected mosquito.

From January 1 through June 24, countries in the Americas reported more than 9.7 million dengue cases, twice as many as in all of 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Indeed, in Puerto Rico, infection levels climbed so high in early April that the Puerto Rico Health Department declared a public health emergency.

While a majority of dengue infections are asymptomatic or produce mild illnesses, the virus can cause severe cases and can be fatal, according to the World Health Organization.

“Anyone who lives in or travels to an area with risk of dengue is at risk for infection,” Pigott explained. “Children and those who are elderly are at higher risk for serious illness.”

People with dengue typically receive supportive care, which includes rest, pain medications and fluids.

Protection

Health professionals urged people traveling to areas with dengue to take a number of steps to protect themselves.

EPA-registered insect repellents, coupled with loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants can keep mosquitoes away.

Additionally, people can treat their clothing and gear, including hats, shoes and socks, with permethrin.

“Don’t be around standing water, which is a wonderful place for mosquitoes to breed,” advised Nachman.

In Suffolk County, the arthropod-borne disease lab collects mosquitoes and sends them to the New York State Department of Health lab in Wadsworth, New York. Asian tiger mosquitoes, which have carried dengue, zika and chikungunya viruses, have been found in Suffolk County, Pigott added.

“No samples of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that have been sent to the lab have tested positive for those viruses,” Pigott wrote.

While health professionals are on the lookout for potential cases of dengue among residents who have traveled, they are more concerned currently with West Nile virus, which people can contract locally.

Other local illnesses

As for illnesses in the county, Nachman has seen patients who have been battling a collection of viruses, including enteroviruses and Covid.

Residents who are staying around Long Island should continue to be careful about ticks that can carry Lyme disease. Anyone who is going hiking should consider long pants and long sleeves, as well as dirt on their clothing.

“If you take your kids out to hike, check them and you for ticks,” said Nachman.

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