The Long Island Sound has attracted many residents to the area. While walking across the beach and appreciating waters that change with the tides and weather, the beauty of a landscape we share with seagulls calling to each other and fiddler crabs racing in and out of the surf provides a comforting setting for our busy lives.
While the Long Island Sound seems resilient and constant, it faces an ongoing threat. After decades of existing adjacent to population-dense Long Island, its chemical makeup has suffered.
About 9 million people live in the Long Island Sound watershed, which extends almost to Canada, with 1.5 million of those people residing in Suffolk County. The large population puts pressure on the sewer systems, which if ineffective, affect water quality.
Ineffective wastewater management not only impacts drinking water, but also has profound and noticeable impacts on the Long Island Sound where the toxic runoff often ends up. Wastewater is adding nitrogen to the water, contributing to the growth of harmful algae blooms that overwhelm the surrounding ecosystem and cause beach closures.
Since we live on a watershed, how we use our water has the potential to erode the quality of the beaches we adore. To maintain the natural havens like Cedar Beach, Long Beach, and Sunken Meadow State Park we need a capable sewer system and modern septic tanks.
Our area poses a unique threat to the Sound: Long Island is highly developed, containing paved roads and concrete essentially leading straight to the beach. The lack of undeveloped land to absorb the excess water causes it to flow into the Sound, with all the contaminants it picks up on the way.
Our communities, too, will inevitably be impacted, unless we can make the proper preparations and implement mitigation techniques. Without improved sewage systems our community will not be able to cope with the escalating effects of climate change. Rising temperatures lead to more rainfall and more treacherous storm surges. We need to make sure our infrastructure can handle the strain to avoid flooding our towns.
Last year, the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act was a step in the right direction. Passed on Nov. 5, the bill will provide the county with $4 billion to upgrade our water infrastructure.
As the temperature rises, year by year, understanding how the qualities of Long Island interact with the changing climate can help us know what is at stake and how to protect it.
We need to keep the momentum going.We must learn how to protect what we have. This may mean reducing our use of fertilizer to minimize contaminated runoff from entering the water. Or it may mean doing the best we can to encourage others to protect the shared treasure that is the Long Island Sound .
Fortunately, the portion of the Long Island Sound in our coverage area is relatively healthy; but we must take steps now to become informed and protect a valuable resource we can appreciate and enjoy.
Home remedies may be more helpful than supplements
By David Dunaief, M.D.
Dr. David Dunaief
These past few weeks, I’ve been hearing a lot more sniffling, sneezing and coughing. Cold season is here. A cold’s effects can range from mild annoyance to more serious symptoms that put us out of commission for weeks.
First, you might be able to prevent catching a cold with some common-sense tactics: wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face to help minimize your exposure. Frankly, this is good practice to avoid many of the viruses circulating at this time of year.
If you do catch a common cold, you might be able to reduce your symptoms or the cold’s duration with some simple homestyle remedies and a few dietary supplements.
How do you relieve cold symptoms?
Congestion or coughing symptoms can be eased by sitting in a steamy bathroom. This simulates a medical mist tent, moisturizing your nasal and bronchial passages.
You might also try nasal irrigation, which uses a saline rinse or spray to flush your sinuses. This can help clear immediate congestion and thin secretions (1). There are pre-filled versions on the market, which make them easier to use. If you mix your own, the Cleveland Clinic’s website has detailed instructions and guidance (2). A few key points: do not share equipment, clean your equipment properly, and do not use tap water without boiling it.
Dry heat is your enemy when you’re experiencing cold symptoms. If your home or office is dry, use a cool mist humidifier to put some humidity back in the air. Take care to clean your humidifier to avoid mildew and mold buildup.
You can eat salt-free soups loaded with vegetables to increase your nutrient intake and loosen congestion. I start with a sodium-free soup base and add spices, onions, spinach, broccoli, and other greens until it’s stew-like. High levels of sodium can dehydrate you and make you feel worse. Caffeine-free hot teas will also help loosen congestion and keep you hydrated.
Does Zinc reduce a cold’s duration?
According to a meta-analysis that included 13 trials, zinc in any form taken within 24 hours of your first symptoms may reduce the duration of a cold by at least one day (3). Even more importantly, zinc may significantly reduce the severity of your symptoms throughout, improving your quality of life. This may be due to an anti-inflammatory effect.
One of the studies found that zinc reduced the duration of the common cold by almost 50 percent from seven days to four days, cough symptoms were reduced by greater than 60 percent, and nasal discharge was reduced by 33 percent (4). Researchers used 13 grams of zinc acetate per lozenge taken three-to-four times daily for four days. This translates into 50-65 mg per day.
There are a few serious concerns with zinc. First, the dose researchers used was well above the maximum recommended intake is 40 mg per day for adults (5). Also, the FDA has warned against nasal zinc administration with sprays, which can result in permanent loss of smell.
Studies that showed a benefit have used different formulations, delivery systems and dosages, and there is no current recommendation or consensus on what is optimal.
Does vitamin C or echinacea help?
According to a review of 29 trials, vitamin C did not show any significant benefit in preventing or reducing cold symptoms or duration for the general population (6). However, a sub-group of serious marathon runners and other athletes who took vitamin C prophylactically caught 50 percent fewer colds.
The jury is still out on the effectiveness of echinacea for treatment of duration and symptoms, but the results are inconsistent and disappointing (7). In a randomized controlled trial with 719 patients, echinacea was no better than placebo for the treatment of common cold symptoms (8). There are ongoing studies to determine whether prophylactic use helps prevent colds (9).
Should you exercise or not?
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine may challenge your perceptions about exercising when you have a cold. Participants who did aerobic exercise at least five days per week, versus one or fewer days per week, had a 43 percent reduction in the number of days with colds over two 12-week periods during the fall and winter months (10). Even more interesting is that those who reported themselves as being highly fit had 46 percent fewer days with colds compared to those who perceived themselves as having low fitness. Their cold symptoms were reduced significantly as well.
References:
(1) Am Fam Physician. 2009 Nov 15;80(10):1117-9. (2) clevelandclinic.org (3) Open Respir Med J. 2011; 5: 51–58. (4) J Infect Dis. 2008 Mar 15;197(6):795-802. (5) ods.od.nih.gov. (6) Cochrane Database of Syst Reviews 2013, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000980. (7) Cochrane Database of Syst Reviews 2014, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD000530. (8) Ann Intern Med. 2010;153(12):769-777. (9) nccih.nih.gov. (10) British J Sports Med 2011;45:987-992.
Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.
In life, you often get second chances — and the same is true with investing. To illustrate: You might not have been able to contribute to a Roth IRA during your working years due to your income level, but you may get that opportunity as you near retirement, or even when you are retired — through a Roth conversion.
Why is a Roth IRA desirable for some people? Here are the key benefits:
Tax-free withdrawals
You put in after-tax dollars to a Roth IRA, so you can withdraw your contributions at any time, free of taxes and penalties. And if you’ve had your account for at least five years and you’re at least 59½, you can also withdraw your earnings free of taxes.
No RMDs
With a traditional IRA, you’ll have to start taking withdrawals — called required minimum distributions, or RMDs — when you turn 73, or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. But there’s no RMD requirement with a Roth IRA — you can essentially leave the money intact as long as you like.
Tax-free legacy for your heirs
When your heirs inherit your Roth IRA, they can withdraw the contributions without paying taxes or penalties, and if the account has been open at least five years, they can also withdraw earnings tax free.
But even if you were aware of these advantages, you might not have been able to invest in a Roth IRA for much of your life. For one thing, you might have earned too much money — a Roth IRA, unlike a traditional IRA, has income limits. Also, a Roth IRA has only been around since 1998, so, in the previous years, you were limited to a traditional IRA.
As you approach retirement, though, you might start thinking of just how much you’d like to benefit from a Roth IRA. And you can do so by converting your traditional IRA to a Roth. While this sounds simple, there’s a major caveat: taxes. You’ll be taxed on the amount in pre-tax dollars you contributed to a traditional IRA and then converted to a Roth IRA. (If you have both pre- and after-tax dollars in your traditional IRA, the taxable amount is based on the percentage of pre-tax dollars.)
If you have large amounts in a traditional IRA, the tax bill on conversion can be significant. The key to potentially lowering this tax bill is timing. Generally speaking, the lower your income in a given year, the more favorable it is for you to convert to a Roth IRA. So, for example, if you have already retired, but have not started collecting RMDs, your income may be down.
Timing also comes into play with the financial markets. When the market is going through a decline, and the value of your traditional IRA drops, you could convert the same number of shares of the underlying investments and receive a lower tax bill or convert more shares of these investments for what would have been the same tax bill.
Finally, you could lower your tax bill in any given year by stretching out your Roth IRA conversions over several years, rather than doing it all at once.
You’ll want to consult with your tax advisor before embarking on this conversion — but if it’s appropriate for your situation, you could find that owning a Roth IRA can benefit you and your family for years to come.
Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook, Member SIPC.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
What pairs best with a hot cup of coffee on a brisk winter’s day? A coffee cake! The following recipe features a plethora of chocolate and warm cinnamon coming together in every bite of this cake enriched with sour cream. Top it with the optional glaze or not. It’s wonderful either way.
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
Recipe by Marcia Stanley
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
YIELD: Makes 16 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Coffee Cake
1 cup finely chopped pecans, divided
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream
1/3 cup milk (skim, 2% or whole)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Glaze (optional)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk (skim, 2% or whole)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously grease a 10-inch-fluted tube pan or bundt pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the pecans over the bottom of the pan and set aside.
For cinnamon filling, in small bowl stir together the remaining 1/2 cup pecans, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set aside.
In large bowl stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until pieces resemble small peas. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In another bowl whisk together eggs, sour cream, 1/3 cup milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour into well in center of flour mixture.
Add chocolate chips. Stir just until combined. Remove 1 cup of the batter and stir into the cinnamon filling. Spread about half of the remaining chocolate chip batter in prepared pan. Spoon cinnamon filling over batter in pan. Carefully spoon the remaining chocolate chip batter on top. Gently smooth top. Bake coffee cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden skewer inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 10 minutes. Invert pan on a serving plate. Remove cake from pan. Let cool at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for glaze stir together all ingredients. Scrape into plastic sandwich bag. Snip off small corner of bag. Press glaze through corner of bag onto coffee cake top.
This week’s featured shelter pet is Green Bean Casserole, a 6-year-old female brown tabby cat at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.
Green Bean was one of several cats abandoned when their pet parents moved. This shy little lady with stunning green eyes will need a little patience before she can trust. She is used to living with multiple cats and can be adopted alone or with one of her housemates.
If you are interested in meeting Green Bean, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with her in the shelter’s Meet and Greet room.
The Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only).
For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.
From left, Iwao Ojima, Ashna Garg and Maurizio Del Poeta.
Photo by Kathryn Takemura
By Daniel Dunaief
It worked for mice and now, several years later, has shown promise for cats.
Researchers from Maurizio Del Poeta’s lab, working closely with those from Iwao Ojima’s team at Stony Brook University, have demonstrated that an experimental treatment against a fungus resistant to the current standard of care can work with cats battling a ferocious infection, albeit on a small sample size.
The Stony Brook team, along with scientists and veterinarians in Brazil, used a drug they created in 2018 called D13 to treat 10 cats with severe forms of a fungus that affects cats and humans called sporotrichosis.
With this treatment, which the researchers introduced as a powder into the cat’s food, half of the 10 felines whose skin was under insidious attack from the fungus staged remarkable recoveries, offering a potentially promising development that could one day also offer an alternative care for cats and for people.
“The prevalence in South America is 25 to 20 cases per 100,000 people, which is not low,” explained Del Poeta, Distinguished Professor of Microbiology and Immunology. “It affects mostly immunocompromised people and particularly people who have cats or people taking care of infected cats.”
Tis cat presented no improvement of the tumor-like lesion and of an ulcerated lesion on the nasal region upon treatment with ITC. After adding D13, the cat significantly improved, even though clinical cure was not achieved after 4 weeks of treatment with ITC and D13 combination.
Typically, people get superficial infections, but a person who is severely immunocompromised could have an infection that spreads and becomes fatal.
The work taps into the expertise of Ojima, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry. Ojima worked on the structure elucidation, the structure activity relationship and development of efficient synthetic methods for large scale synthesis of the drug.
Recent Stony Brook PhD graduate Ashna Garg contributed to this ongoing effort.
Ojima described the work as “solidly encouraging” and added that the scientists have “even better compounds in the same series for human use” that are more potent and more selective to fungi compared to humans which makes systemic toxicity “very low.”
Del Poeta’s lab has been studying sphingolipids metabolism and signaling in fungal and mammals cells to identify new markers for early diagnosis and microbial enzymes/ molecules essential to cause infections in the attempt to develop new antifungal targets.
To be sure, in the cat research, five out of the 10 cats didn’t complete the study. One of them died, although the cause of death was unknown, and four of the other cats abandoned the study.
Additionally, one of the cats for whom the drug worked showed an elevated level of a liver enzyme, which returned to normal within weeks of the conclusion of the study.
Still, the results were promising and provided encouraging improvements for cats battling an infection that threatened their health.
“I am very pleased with the efficacy of D13 on cats in Brazil,” explained Ojima, adding that it is “a compelling result.”
Additionally, in other preliminary studies, D13 works against various fungal infections, including cryptococcosis, aspergillosis and candidiasis. A new derivative of D13 is more effective for those other infections, the scientists said.
Del Poeta explained that the scientists chose to do the research in Brazil because of the prevalence of sporotrichosis in the area and because he had established collaborations in the country in earlier research.
‘Proud and grateful’
For her part, Garg was thrilled to contribute to research that provided a remedy to a deteriorating condition in an animal some of her friends own as pets.
Cat owners often reacted emotionally when she told them about her work, appreciating the significance of the results.
“I am deeply proud and grateful to have contributed to this work,” said Garg. “Its remarkable effectiveness continues to inspire and motivate me.”
A significant part of her PhD revolved around taking the initial lead compounds and developing second and third generation compounds to enhance their effectiveness and bioavailability.
With three bromine atoms, D13 is an unusual therapeutic treatment.
Bromine is “relatively rare among the top 200 pharmaceuticals,” Garg explained. “Bromine can be toxic or can act as an irritant. Part of my work involved exploring ways to reduce the bromine content” to make the treatment more viable in drug development. The scientists are working to understand why and how this treatment works.
“The exact mechanism of action of D13 is not fully understood yet but we are getting very close,” Garg explained.
With the third generation of D13, the team identified compounds that are highly fungal specific with broad spectrum activity, effectively eradicating 100 percent of the three malignant type of fungi.
“It’s important to note that some first and second generation compounds also demonstrated excellent antifungal activity at very low drug concentrations, even if they did not achieve complete eradication on one of the three fungal strains,” Garg added.
While promising, this study does not indicate a new human treatment will be on the market in the short term.
The scientists are doing toxicology studies and hope a new therapeutic option might be available as soon as five years, Del Poeta estimated.
From Delhi to Stony Brook
Garg, who defended her thesis in December, grew up in Delhi, India, where she pursued her undergraduate studies in Chemistry at Delhi University.
After that, she earned her Master’s in Chemistry at Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu, India.
Garg arrived at Stony Brook in 2019 and joined Ojima’s lab in early 2020, just at the start of the pandemic.
“It was indeed a challenging time to start a new position,” Garg acknowledged.
Currently a resident of Poquott, Garg enjoys living on Long Island, where she visits beaches, drives around the area and cooks.
Garg, who attended meetings in the labs of both Professors Ojima and Del Poeta, is grateful for the support of these senior scientists, who were also part of her thesis committee.
Del Poeta described Garg as a “dedicated scientist” with an “impeccable” work ethic.
“Drug synthesis can be very challenging,” Del Poeta described. “She is tirelessly resilient.”
Garg is staying at Stony Brook for another year as a post-doctoral researcher.
Del Poeta is pleased with the productive collaboration he’s had with Ojima, whom he described as “passionate, intellectually stimulating, dedicating, inspiring and hard working.”
If Del Poeta sends an email on Saturday night, Ojima typically replies by Sunday morning.
“It is an honor to collaborate with him,” Del Poeta explained. Ojima’s work “makes these impressive results possible.”
The journey to become an American citizen begins by meeting general requirements. You must be 18 or older to file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, and be a lawful permanent resident (have a “Green Card”). You must prove continuous permanent residence in the U.S. for at least 5 years, or 3 years if married to a U.S. citizen, and have lived at least 3 months in your state of residence.
The general filing fee is $765. There can be other fees depending on the applicants situation. Applicants who have served in the military can have the fee waived. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (www.uscis.gov) has more information on other requirements and documentation needed.
This can be a difficult process to wade through and sometimes requires the services of an immigration lawyer, which can add an enormous expense and burden.
USCIS officers interview applicants to test their ability to read, write, speak and understand English. During the interview the applicants are asked personal questions about their background. The speaking test consists of photographs of everyday activities. The applicant must explain what is happening in the photos. Their knowledge of U.S. history and government is also tested. USCIS provides materials to study and prepare for the test. There are vocabulary lists focusing on history and civics topics. The civics test will have 10 questions taken from the list of 100 studyquestions, such as: What is the supreme law of the land?, or Who wrote The Declaration of Independence? The applicant must answer six out of 10 questions correctly.
The Naturalization Ceremony is the last joyous step. It’s the culmination of a long and difficult process filled with red tape, bureaucracy, hard work and determination. The pandemic caused a backlog of applications with the shutdowns and shuttered immigration offices. But now large ceremonies at parks, arenas and courthouses are making a comeback.Each month hundreds of immigrants from many countries across the world take the Oath of Allegiance — giving up allegiance to their country of origin, promising to defend and protect the United States and its Constitution against all enemies, bear arms on behalf of the U.S. and perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by law.
Most immigrants come to America with the hope of achieving the American dream for themselves and their families. The judges presiding over the ceremonies often relate stories of immigrant ancestors who took a similar journey and made it possible for them to attain their own dreams. All Americans can relate to this and understand how challenging and life changing an experience that is.
The applicants are reminded that once they take the oath they are American citizens with all the rights, responsibilities, freedoms and privileges of every American. The happy smiles of the new citizens, and the friends and family members there to support and celebrate with them, makes it an inspiring occasion.
The League of Women Voters often attends these ceremonies to welcome the new citizens and assist them in registering to vote. This is a privilege and responsibility the new citizens cherish, as all Americans should. The League works diligently to register all eligible citizens and provides information to educate voters. Getting out the vote is a priority as the League believes everyone should make their voice heard. Voting is an American right (and responsibility) envied around the world. The League works to help voters understand and make an informed choice in the voting booth.
Last September 17 was Constitution Day, Citizenship Day and National Voter Registration Day. The Smithtown League and Five Towns College collaborated to register students. All students were quizzed about the Constitution and tried to answer basic civics questions that aspiring citizens are asked (and could win food or candy for participating!). The League also provided information about early voting and propositions appearing on the ballot. It was a great day to celebrate our democracy with enthusiastic young people who we hope will be responsible voters and civically engaged as adults.
Karen Anderson is a member of the leadership team of the Smithtown League of Women Voters, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https//my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county.
President Joe Biden walks to the Oval Office with President-elect Donald Trump, Wednesday, November 13, 2024. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) Wikimedia Commons Public Domain
By Daniel Dunaief
Daniel Dunaief
Here we are, teetering on the precipice of the transition from Joseph Biden back to Donald Trump at the White House.
What better time than now to ponder some random facts, such as birth order, about the presidency? I used a Potus Presidential Facts website that included siblings and half-siblings for the first part of this column and a host of other websites, including Wikipedia for the second part.
For starters, none of the men (it’s a men’s only club so far) who were the commander in chief were only children. Three presidents, meanwhile, had only one sibling. That list includes Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.
Now, I figured that more presidents were first children than subsequent children, in part because first children often rule the roost, as primogeniture would suggest. But I was wrong.
Yes, first children are well represented, as 11 presidents were the oldest in their families.
First born children who would go on to become president started with John Adams and James Madison and included Lyndon Baines Johnson, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush (43) and the soon-to be ex-president Joseph Biden, among others.
Second children, however, constituted the greatest number of presidents. After a lifetime of being described as number two, I now realize what a compliment such a designation is, at least in terms of presidential history, where number two is number one.
Starting with James Monroe, that list includes such luminaries as Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and, well, Richard Nixon. Okay, so, Nixon didn’t exactly cover himself in glory, resigning in disgrace after the Watergate Scandal, but he doesn’t bring all second children down.
First and second children constitute 56 percent of the presidents.
Going to the presidents who had numerous older siblings, the three presidents who were born seventh all shared the same first name: William. The seventh born commanders in chief were William Henry Harrison, William McKinley and William Howard Taft. If history is any guide, that means a seventh born William, assuming somehow your parents didn’t choose the name for any of your older siblings, has a path to the presidency.
Four presidents were born sixth, starting with George Washington. Joining the first president in the number six club are Martin Van Buren, John Tyler and Franklin Pierce.
The fifth born list only has three entrants: James Garfield, Chester A. Arthur and Grover Cleveland, who shares the distinction of being the only president elected in two non-consecutive terms with Trump.
Fourth born presidents also have three members, starting with Zachary Taylor, continuing with Rutherford B. Hayes and going to Trump.
And, finally, seven presidents were born third in their families. The list started with Thomas Jefferson and included Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Now, seven presidents were the youngest child, including Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield and William Henry Harrison.
On average, presidents had a little over five siblings. Biden had three siblings and Trump had four, making him the penultimate child.
James Madison, who served as the fourth president, had the most siblings, at 11.
While similar lists for first ladies are harder to find (at least for me), I did find some interesting factoids about a few first ladies.
During the war of 1812, Dolley Madison, whose first name originally had an “e” then didn’t in historical records and then did again as of 1958, rescued artifacts from the White House before the British burned it down. Frances Cleveland, meanwhile, was the youngest first lady and the only one who got married in the White House. At 21, she wed 49-year old Grover Cleveland.
Helen Taft was the first to ride with her husband in the inaugural parade and the first to ensure staff were treated equally in the White House. She planted the first of 3,000 cherry trees Tokyo had sent as a gift, helping to establish cherry trees as a staple along the Potomac river.
As for pets, Trump, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson were the only White House occupants who didn’t have pets, according to Wikipedia. I’m guessing that some of the Secret Service members bitten by Biden’s dog Commander would have preferred that the incumbent didn’t own a canine.
Teddy Roosevelt had numerous pets when he was president, including snakes, dogs, cats, a badger, birds, and guinea pigs.
Numerous presidents received larger animals that they sent elsewhere. Eisenhower, for example, received a baby Forest Elephant from the French Community of African Republics that he shipped to the National Zoo.
Damage to a home and vehicle from the Eaton Fire in northern Altadena, California in January 2025. Photo from Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain
By Leah S. Dunaief
Leah Dunaief, Publisher
It may have started as a new year filled with hope, but this is a difficult week. The terrible fires in Southern California have burned entire neighborhoods to the ground, from mansions to mobile homes. We already know about the displaced and the deaths, but more destruction may yet come. Weather forecasts from the National Weather Service are predicting fierce winds ahead that may drive the fires into new areas.
The end is not in sight.
While this horror is on the other side of the country, it is not remote. Many of us have friends and relatives who live, work, study or are retired there, driving the tragedy right into our midst and into our hearts in a deeply personal way. These are not only abstract numbers of people and homes about which we would feel a humanitarian empathy. These are our people. These are our forests and our lands. The dreadful irony of it all, remembering the 1972 Albert Hammond song, “It Never Rains in Southern California.”
While there was already a serious homeless population for Los Angeles, the newly displaced are trying to figure out what to do next. The lucky ones have relatives or friends with whom they can seek shelter. It may be long weeks, even months before they can return, if their homes miraculously are still standing. What if they are not? Will the insurance companies hold up to enable rebuilding, or will some of them declare bankruptcy, as they have done in similar cataclysmic situations, like the one in the Caribbean Island St. Croix? Can FEMA bear the entire load?
Private citizens can be counted on to respond generously, as we have with virtually every disaster in the world. With such an enormous catastrophe, the entire national economy could take a hit. How will the new administration respond?
Speaking of the government, we have less than a week before the new administration is sworn into office. The change of political parties may in itself contribute to some emotional reaction this week, regardless of one’s party affiliation.
Many Dems are worried, while many members in the GOP are optimistic. There has been much talk of changes to come, from buying Greenland for its exotic minerals to changing the name from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Perhaps more seriously, there may be a tax cut in the future, some change in immigration policy and new tariffs imposed or at least threatened.
Some good news did emerge this week. There may be a truce in Gaza after 15 months of violence, with some hostages to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and specific movements of Israeli troops. While the atmosphere surrounding the peace talks remains tense, according to media reports, there now seems some hope.
According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the negotiators are only awaiting Hamas’s sign off. Perhaps the imminent changeover of presidents from Biden to Trump in the United States hastened the deal. The governments of Qatar and Egypt have also directly participated in the talks.
Perhaps now the fighting in Ukraine and the fires in Southern California can also be brought to a halt. Then we could return to hope.
Teddy Roosevelt had numerous pets when he was president, including snakes, dogs, cats, a badger, birds, and guinea pigs.
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