Legislator Trotta donating blood at one of his sponsored drives at Travis Hall, Church of St. Joseph in Kings Park.
Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta, in conjunction with St. Joseph Church in Kings Park, will host a blood drive in St. Joseph Church’s Travis Hall, 59 Church Street, Kings Park on Thursday, June 5, from 1:45 p.m. until 7:45 p.m.
Free parking is available in the lot off Old Dock Road. The drive is to benefit the blood banks maintained by Long Island Blood Services, which provides blood to hospitals throughout Long Island.
To be eligible to donate blood, a person must be between the ages of 16 (16 with parental consent) and 76, (if older than 76, you need written permission from your doctor), weigh over 110 pounds and not have had a tattoo in the last three months. Please bring a valid photo ID with you. LI Blood Services recommends that you eat and drink plenty of fluids before donating. Previous donors should bring their blood donor card with them.
“Hospitals are always in need of blood supplies so it is important that if you can donate blood to do so because one pint of blood can help save three lives,” said Legislator Trotta. For more information, call 631-854-3900.
Stroke continues to remain a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. With over 12.2 million new strokes occurring each year, experts at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke say that every minute counts, as fast treatment may lessen the brain damage that a stroke can cause.
Stroke can affect anyone at any age, at any time, making it critical that everyone, especially those with known risk factors, understand and recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke, as well as their options as patients.
The signs of stroke can be subtle and hard to recognize, so educating yourself and others is key to noticing and responding quickly. One easy way to remember the signs of stroke is with the acronym FAST from the American Stroke Association. This stands for:
• F – Face Drooping
• A – Arm Weakness
• S – Speech Difficulty
• T – Time to call 911
The sudden onset of any of these signs, as well as confusion, severe headaches and vision problems, could mean that someone is having a stroke, which is why it’s important to call 911 immediately when a stroke is suspected.
Disability is common post-stroke, and recovery periods can be lengthy. This highlights the importance of speedy emergency care, which can help prevent disability and death, and may lead to a better quality of life post-stroke. It’s also important to understand that 25% (1 in 4) of stroke patients will experience a second stroke within the first five years. However, with lifestyle changes and proper care, patients can reduce their risk
“Everyone should be familiar with the signs and symptoms of stroke to ensure that they or a loved one receive appropriate and timely care. Going to the emergency room at the onset of symptoms can impact the care a patient receives, including their eligibility to enroll in a clinical trial, so it’s vital to seek immediate medical attention at the first sign of stroke,” says Clay Johnston, PhD, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder, Harbor Health.
One particular clinical trial, Librexia STROKE, is currently recruiting patients to evaluate an investigational medication for recurrent stroke prevention, but eligibility is time-sensitive and participants must enroll within 48 hours after the onset of their stroke symptoms. Delays in seeking care following the initial symptoms of a stroke can limit access to these types of innovative treatment options.
Learn life-saving facts about stroke prevention and treatment by visiting https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/stroke-symptoms.
“The opportunity to receive the best possible treatment and care begins with widespread awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke and the urgency of seeking immediate emergency medical attention when a stroke is suspected,” says Dr. Johnston. (StatePoint)
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Girl Scouts of Suffolk County hold annual flag placement at Calverton on May 24. Photo courtesy Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Approximately 50 girls from The Girl Scouts of Suffolk County (GSSC) honored Long Island military veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice by planting American Flags at their graves at Calverton National Cemetery on May 24.
The annual event sees Girl Scouts install more than 500 flags in just one section of the more than 1,000-acre military cemetery, which is the final resting place for more than 275,000 Veterans from every American conflict. The flag installation is part of the GSSC county-wide Service Unit activities and included girls ages 5 to 16 from Mastic Beach, Shirley, and Moriches.
“We place the flag, we say the names out loud, and we salute the grave,” said Olivia Phillips, 17, of Mastic. “We do it to show that we understand that sacrifice and we wouldn’t be here without them.”
The girls also earned a special “Calverton National Cemetery” patch to wear on their sashes and vests to salute their service.
“It shows how we are honoring the people who are buried here,” said Gabreilla Greco, 11, of Shirley. “If we didn’t do this, I feel like no one would, and it’s important to honor them.”
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. 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.
Exciting news for home chefs! Sur La Table, a culinary destination offering cooking classes, high-quality kitchen products, and premium in-store experiences, has announced their return to the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove with a grand opening set for Thursday, June 5 at 10 a.m. The new store will be situated in Lifestyle Village in the same location as before.
Created by chefs for chefs, this new store will provide an inviting space for culinary enthusiasts of all levels to explore the world of cooking — from hands on classes to top-of-the-line kitchen gear, Sur La Table “inspires chefs of all levels to make more and gather often,” according to a press release.
The opening is part of Simon Property Group’s multi-million dollar transformation project at the mall, which, when completed in 2026, will include a number of retailers including Zara, Mango and Primark; restaurants; new landscaping; interior and exterior improvements including new flooring, lighting and paint; along with an extensive revitalization of the mall’s Center Court and Food Court.
“Sur La Table’s arrival at Smith Haven Mall is one of many exciting changes we’re making to our center,” said Jillian Friello, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Smith Haven Mall. “This new addition aligns perfectly with our vision to offer shoppers a more dynamic, elevated, and diverse experience. We’re proud to welcome Sur La Table to our growing list of brands joining the center and are confident it will be a great addition to the mall.”
“We are thrilled to bring Sur La Table’s engaging experiences around cooking to the Smith Haven Mall,” said Sur La Table CEO, Jordan Voloshin. “Our mission has always been to inspire people to cook with joy, and this new location allows us to connect with an even larger community of food lovers. With the revitalization of Smith Haven Mall, we’re excited to be part of this exciting new chapter and offer a fresh, innovative shopping experience to the region.”
Store hours will be Mondays to Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.,Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To learn more about upcoming events, cooking classes, and exclusive products, visit www.surlatable.com.
A Column Promoting a More Earth-Friendly Lifestyle
By John L. Turner
John Turner
Over the past several weeks and continuing now in a diminished fashion, hundreds of millions of birds have been migrating north to their breeding grounds to raise the next generation. Colorful songbirds like warblers, tanagers, thrushes, grosbeaks, vireos, and many other groups are winging their way through the night to reach their desired destinations, using, remarkably, the celestial constellations and the Earth’s magnetic fields to orient themselves and stay on course until they arrive at their breeding grounds.
On their travels these birds face a gauntlet of challenges so the question is: would you like to take a simple step to help ensure they successfully complete their remarkable journeys? Shut off unneeded interior lights or pull down blinds to prevent the light from bleeding outward. Also, and more importantly, turn off exterior lights. A number of studies have documented that lighting confuses and disorients birds just as it does to moths, drawing them into unfriendly environments like developed areas where feral and free roaming pet cats and glass windows are abundant. By reducing the amount of ambient light we can help migrating birds safely reach their nesting sites. Plus, you’ll save a little in energy costs.
A resident of Setauket, author John L. Turner is a naturalist, conservation co-chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, and Conservation Policy Advocate for the Seatuck Environmental Association.
Legislator Steve Englebright, right, presents a check to Port Jefferson Historical Society Board members, from left to right, Joan Townley, Laura Warren and Nick Acampora.
Photo from Legislator Englebright’s office
Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) recently presented checks to representatives from various cultural organizations in his district to help them fund future projects.
“A genuine love for community has always been a driving factor in my work,” Englebright said. “Recently, I showcased my appreciation and support for several of our district’s most beloved cultural and arts organizations through Suffolk County Omnibus Grants.”
Legislator Englebright, center, presents a check to Three Village Community Trust board members, from left to right, Robert Reuter, Greg de Bruin, Peter Legakis and Herb Mones. Photo from Legislator Englebright’s office
During Legislator Englebright’s tenure as a New York State Assemblyman, he was the Prime Sponsor of legislation that led to what is commonly referred to as the hotel-motel room fee. The intention behind this initiative that is essentially a tax on people who live outside of our county, including many from other countries was to help generate funds that would enable Suffolk County Legislators to support the Long Island tourism industry through grants for programs for the arts, music, and history. The Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning administers the awards.
“This year, I experienced numerous full-circle moments as I was pleased to be able to award numerous community cultural organizations with funding that will help support important programs that our part of the county has become known for, such as the Gallery North Wet Paint Festival, the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce’s and Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s summer concert series, and the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council’s annual Dickens Festival,” the legislator said.
Several local galleries, music venues and museums were also granted awards, such as The Reboli Center for Art and History, The Jazz Loft, and the Long Island Museum.
“In total, I was able to provide room fee-derived funds amounting to more than $150,000 to 15 local organizations which, in turn, will help nurture a vibrant scene for lovers of art, music, and history while stimulating our local economy through tourism and leisure travel,” Englebright said.
The Fifth Legislative District’s grant recipients are The Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council, Gallery North, Theatre Three, The Reboli Center, The Jazz Loft, The Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce, The Frank Melville Memorial Foundation, The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, The Three Village Historical Society, The Long Island Museum, The Port Jefferson Historical Society, The Children’s Maritime Museum (Long Island Explorium), The Three Village Community Trust, The Ward Melville Heritage Organization and The Village of Port Jefferson.
Angelika Drees at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Drees is pointing to the pipe that runs clockwise, while, on the other side of that pipe, is another one (marked in yellow tape) that runs counterclockwise. Photo by Daniel Dunaief
By Daniel Dunaief
Finely tuned accelerators, constructed underground in rings that are over 1.5 miles long, can reveal secrets about the smallest parts of matter. At the same time, the work researchers do, which involves accelerating electrons, ions and other sub atomic particles, operates at a level considerably smaller than a human hair, using sensitive equipment under tightly controlled, high energy conditions.
Indeed, at this scale, researchers need to account for energies and changes that wouldn’t affect most human activities, but that can have significant impacts on the work they are doing and the conclusions they draw.
Over the years, accelerator physicists have encountered a wide range of challenges and, for a time, unexplained phenomena.
Accelerator physicist Angelika Drees has worked at Brookhaven National Laboratory since 1997 and has experience and expertise with several accelerators. She is currently working on the Electron Ion Collider (EIC), a unique instrument that will explore quarks and gluons — particles inside the atomic nucleus — that will have applications in medicine, materials science, and energy.
Drees does luminosity calculations. She tries to ensure more collisions. At the same time, she seeks to protect the equipment while keeping the backgrounds as low as achievable.
Drees works with a loss monitor and is responsible for that system, which includes over 400 monitors. The majority of these are installed between two beam pipes.
Lost signal
Drees has worked since 1997 at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), which is in its last experimental runs before it provides some of the materials for the new EIC.
As an accelerator, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has beam position monitors that are comprised of two opposing striplines inside the beam pipe that measure the position of the beam. These striplines, which are on either side of the beam, look at the difference in induced signal amplitude. Equal amplitude, with a difference of zero, implies that the beam is in the center.
While the engineers knew that the material for the cables, which transmit signals from the beam position monitor to the system that sees its location, would shrink when exposed to temperatures of 4 degrees Kelvin, they hadn’t adjusted the design to prepare for the change.
When the electronics shrunk after being exposed to temperatures close to absolute zero, which help make the magnets superconducting, they pulled themselves out of their power source.
“We could not see the position of the beam,” Drees explained. “This was during the so-called sextant test, and the beam was not (yet) circling.”
The magnets operated independent of the beam position monitors.
For about a year they could see the beamline 20 meters downstream. Before Drees arrived, the team updated the cables, putting kinks that allowed them to shrink without interfering with their operation of pulling themselves out of the power source.
“It was repaired and, ever since, there has been no further issue,” she said.
‘Weird variation’
Before she arrived at BNL, Drees conducted her PhD work at the Large Electron-Positron Collider, or LEP, which has now become the site of the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland.
The LEP was 27 kilometers long and was between 30 meters and 160 meters underground. It stretched below France and Switzerland. Some part of it was in soil that is affected by Lake Geneva. Half of the LEP was embedded below the Jura bedrock and the other half was embedded in softer sedimentary deposits close to the lake.
Scientists saw regular variation in their results, with a peak to peak beam energy of about 250 parts per million. By studying the timing of these peaks to a regular 28-day and daily cycle, they connected it to the moon.
“The moon not only affects Earth’s oceans, but the actual crust and thus the LEP ring inside it,” Drees explained.
The moon wasn’t the only outside influence on the LEP. Rainwater penetrated the tunnel.
The magnet yokes had concrete between metal laminations. The concrete absorbed the humidity and expanded, increasing pressure on the metal laminations.
That changed the magnetic permeability and the transfer function, which indicates how much bending magnetic field researchers get out of a magnet with a specific electric current.
Rain took about two weeks to show up in the data, as the water took that long to reach and alter the concrete.
During her PhD on the LEP beam energy measurement and calibration, Drees searched for environment effects as a part of her thesis.
While others discovered the moon tides before she arrived, she and other researchers couldn’t account for a ground current that was penetrating into the equipment.
Acting like an extra and inexplicable power source, this current changed the magnetic field.
The extra energy invalidated earlier results. The error bar was four times larger than they originally thought, causing the LEP working group to withdraw a paper and commit to redoing the analysis.
The energy disappeared from midnight to 4 am. Back then, researchers at the LEP were so eager for an explanation that they posted a message on a TV screen, offering an award, like a bottle of champagne, to anyone who could explain what was happening.
Suspecting planes might be contributing, Drees sent a student to the airport to monitor flights. The police, however, weren’t too pleased with this data gathering, initially questioning, then sending the student away.
Drees met with the power authority, who had measured ground currents in the area for years that stopped during those same post midnight hours.
That provided the necessary clue, as the trains — and, in particular the French ones — had contributed this unexplained energy.
Unlike the Swiss trains, which operate with alternating current, the French trains use direct current, which had affected their experiments.
Looking forward
Angelika Drees on her horse Pino.
Originally from Wuppertal, Germany, Drees balances the mentally demanding and inspirational challenges of working at these colliders with manual labor.
She earned money during her undergraduate and graduate school days by shoeing horses.
Drees currently owns a horse and works regularly on a horse farm, throwing hay bales and repairing fences.
“I like physical labor,” she said.
Several years ago, she traveled to Portugal, where she stopped at a farm with a Lusitano stallion. The horse had a loose shoe. While she couldn’t speak Portuguese with the person leading the stallion, who, as it turned out, was the national riding coach, she let him know that she could help.
After she repaired the shoe, he asked if she wanted to ride. She found riding this stallion in the back woods of Portugal “amazing.”
“Very brainy work and very physical work balances each other well,’ she said.
As for the colliders, Drees is looking forward to the construction of the EIC, even as she has bittersweet sentiments about RHIC closing down.
Ultimately, building the EIC presents challenges that she is eager to face.
Dr. Andrew Handel. Photo by Jeanne Neville/Stony Brook Medicine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Tick Bite Data Tracker shows that emergency department visits for tick bites have increased in May.
Children have the highest incidence of Lyme disease in the United States. Specifically, the age group most at risk is children aged 5 to 9 years old. Children are particularly vulnerable to tick bites because they often play in areas where ticks are prevalent.
According to the CSC, early signs and symptoms for most tick-related illnesses include a rash, fever and chills general ill feeling, hacheade, joint pain, muscle pain and stiff neck. If left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to serious long-term complications, including heart problems, neurological issues, and chronic arthritis.
The CDC estimates that nearly 500,000 people will contract Lyme disease this year, from just a single tick bite. A newly published study in the Journal of Medical Entomology provides critical insights into the emergence of babesiosis in the Mid-Atlantic region. Babesiosis can be more severe than Lyme disease, and can become a life-threatening disease for the elderly.
“Ticks can spread disease. Not all ticks can cause disease and not all bites will make you sick. The vast majority of tick bites do not result in any infection or other disease,” said Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and physician at the Stony Brook Regional Tick-Borne Disease Center in Hampton Bays, the first and only dedicated tick clinic in the Northeast.
“However, as tick bites and tickborne diseases become more common, it’s important to learn how to prevent a tick bite, how to remove a tick and stay safe year-round. Increased tick activity as the weather warms also means increased risk of tickborne diseases such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Powassan virus and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Also, an odd phenomenon known as an ‘alpha-gal allergy’ may develop after a lone star tick bite, leading to an allergy to red meat,” he said.
Dr. Handel shares a multi-pronged strategy to stay tick-free:
■ Wear light-colored, long-sleeve shirts and pants to make ticks more identifiable.
■ Tuck your pants into your socks so the ticks don’t have access to your skin.
■ Use 20-30% DEET insect repellent.
■ Perform routine tick checks when coming from the outdoors or nightly tick checks.
■ Check unexpected and common places on your body for ticks. Ticks love to hide in the beltline, behind the ears, hairline, and in skin folds.
■ If outdoors for an extensive time, consider treating clothes with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact.
■ Put your clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes on high heat to kill any ticks.
Handel adds that anyone bitten by a tick should save the tick for identification.
“Do remove a tick if it is attached. The only safe method is to use a tweezer and firmly grasp the tick right at the base of the skin, where its head is burrowed. Then pull directly away from the skin, without twisting. Once off, place the tick in a sealed bag. Then you can bring it to your clinician to examine and see if they can identify it and know what symptoms may develop into possible infections. We often hear of people using petroleum jelly or matches to kill the tick while it is attached to the skin. This is not effective and may cause much more harm to the skin,” he said.
A tick typically needs to be attached for at least 36 hours before Lyme disease becomes a concern. In those cases, a medical provider may prescribe a single dose of doxycycline to prevent infection.
“If you are bitten by a tick, don’t panic,” Handel said. “The majority of tick bites do not lead to an infection and we have effective antibiotics for preventing or treating these infections.”
This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Focus on Health supplement on May 22, 2025.
Julian Schlossberg, center, heads to the CAC on June 1.
Legendary producer and conversationalist, Julian Schlossberg, will be appearing at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington on Sunday, June 1 at 2:30 p.m. with the first East Coast screening in 35 years of his zany comedy, In The Spirit, with Elaine May, Peter Falk and Marlo Thomas topping the cast.
Afterwards there will be a discussion and book-signing reception for his new insider memoir marking six decades in show business, Try Not to Hold it Against Me: A Producer’s Life. The program also includes a hilarious film promo written and directed by Elaine May herself. Tickets are available at www.cinemaartscentre.org, by calling 631-423-7611 and at the box office.
Smithtown Township Arts Council has announced that the works of Smithtown artist Lynn Staiano will be on view at Apple Bank of Smithtown, 91 Route 111, Smithtown from May 26 to July 25. The exhibition, part of the Arts Council’s Outreach Gallery Program, may be viewed during regular banking hours Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to a press release.
Lynn Staiano is a self-taught artist who discovered a passion for painting during the pandemic. “Inspired by my late mother, a talented artist who nurtured creativity in our home, I found comfort and purpose in art during a time of global uncertainty. Though I had never formally painted before, I began exploring acrylics, later transitioning to oils, with occasional work in pastel and watercolor mediums,” she said.
The artist is particularly drawn to abandoned or fractured houses, barns, bridges, charming old windows, intriguing doors, and elements of antiquity.
“I am moved to express well-lived environments; loved, forgotten, and vintage items. I enjoy painting plein air and in the studio, with a focus on landscapes and still life compositions,” she explained.
Staiano’s art has been exhibited in galleries across Long Island. “Committed to continually growing as an artist, I honor my mother’s dream through classes, practice, experimentation, and exploration.”
“STAC is grateful to Apple Bank for its continued support of culture in our communities,” read the release.