Michael Christodoulou of Edward Jones, 97 Main Street, Suite F in Stony BrookVillage has been recognized as being among the Forbes 2024 Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors Best-In-State. The selection was based on research by SHOOK Research LLC, data as of March 2024. Among the selection criteria were assets under care, compliance records and best practices for serving clients. “I’m deeply honored … I am grateful to everyone who made this possible,” said Christodoulou in a statement.
The Town of Smithtown Board meeting Aug. 13 included discussions on authorizations for construction of a freight yard on Old Northport Road. The majority of the meeting was dedicated to hearing from residents who voiced notable worries concerning the freight yard.
“Many of us here have the same concerns and are here to share our opinions,” said Diane Calderone, a Fort Salonga resident. “To me, there are so many reasons why I don’t think it’s a good idea, and I don’t understand the support for this.”
The Town of Smithtown has previously appeared to support the project. “My number one reason against the freight yard is health concerns. Many people have asthma and respiratory issues, among other ailments. The exhaust and pollution from this freight yard — from the freight trains and the trucks parked there to move materials and goods off the trains onto the trucks for distribution across the island — that’s going to generate a lot of pollution and exhaust. That’s not going to be good for anybody’s health, even if you don’t have asthma or any respiratory conditions today. Who knows what that will create in the future? I think that’s a huge risk this freight yard poses to the public,” she said.
Calderone expressed her desire for support from the board. “I’m here to speak about your support of the freight yard. I hope with us coming here, speaking out, taking time to show that this is important to us, you will reconsider and rescind your support. Instead, you should be helping us, leading us in opposing the freight yard. We can’t do it as individuals, although we are trying as hard as we can.” She closed her speech by cautioning the board that their support is crucial to stopping the project. “We really need you to help us oppose this freight yard.”
Another speaker, Anthony Haberman, expressed apprehension regarding the risk of accidents. “I ask everyone to put themselves in my shoes. I’m a father, a business owner in Commack and I have three small children,” Haberman said. He noted a statistic, stating that the nation faces an average of three derailment incidents daily, which raises concerns about the risk of an accident occurring at this freight yard.
Many of the speakers at the meeting felt the board should reconsider its position on the project.
Primary concerns included pollution, air quality, health risks, increased traffic and the potential for accidents involving both the trains and vehicles traveling to and from the site. The board did not discuss its position in detail after hearing from the speakers.
Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright, right, presented proclamations to, left to right, teacher Susan Archer, lunch monitor Jessica Carioscia and Minnesauke Elementary Student Aidan Sterne. Photo from Steven Englebright’s office
When Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright (D-Setauket) heard a Minnesauke Elementary student had been saved from choking at the end of the school year, he knew he had to honor the people involved in saving the fourth grader.
At the Suffolk County Legislature’s July 30th General Meeting, Englebright presented proclamations to Minnesauke student Aidan Sterne, lunch monitor Jessica Carioscia and recently retired fourth-grade teacher Susan Archer.
“What young people can do is incredible, especially when dedicated professionals surround them,” Englebright said.
Aidan, who will begin fifth grade at Minnesauke Elementary School in September, recently saved a friend from choking due to Carioscia’s training and Archer’s recognition of the importance of providing vital lessons in first aid.
At the beginning of each school year, Archer would conduct a lesson on identifying when someone is choking and then demonstrate the Heimlich maneuver for her fourth graders. She would review the lifesaving procedure at the end of the school year.
Aidan was fortunate to be in her class. On the day of the review, he noticed one of his friends in distress and remembered the signs of choking and the importance of notifying an adult.
Aidan quickly alerted Carioscia, who performed the Heimlich maneuver on his friend and was able to clear the food the student was choking on.
As Englebright presented the three with proclamations on July 30, the legislator thanked them for their dedication and vigilance.
“This incident is a testament to the importance of education in raising awareness about health emergencies and first-aid training,” Englebright said. “All three played a vital role in avoiding what could have been a horrific tragedy.”
Art Billadello of Setauket snapped this beautiful sunset overlooking Stony Brook Harbor while attending a summer concert on the Village Green on Aug. 11.
Kimberly Christian. Courtesy Rocky Point Union Free School District
The Rocky Point School District welcomes Kimberly Christian, as its new director of math, science, technology, business education, career and technical education, and family and consumer sciences. Dr. Christian will continue to advance initiatives in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for the district.
Christian earned an undergraduate degree in biology from Cornell University, a Master of Arts in Teaching Biology, a doctorate in science education, and certification in school district leadership from Stony Brook University.
In her new role,Christian aims to provide all students with a comprehensive, 21st-century education to develop information literacy, critical thinking, and analytical skills. She is known for her motivation, innovation, and problem-solving skills. She hopes to foster productive, collaborative relationships among colleagues, parents, students, and community members.
“I am pleased to join the Rocky Point community,” Christian said. “It is a privilege to work alongside our talented educators, supportive staff, and enthusiastic students and families. I look forward to advancing initiatives that will drive student success and inspire a passion for learning.”
Christian has been a science teacher at Smithtown High School East since 2004, where she taught AP Biology and Project Lead the Way: Medical Interventions, as well as Regents Living Environment and Oceans. She contributed to curriculum development and implementation and maintained innovative instructional practices, integrating technology and differentiation.
For the past decade, Christian has served as an instructional specialist at Smithtown High School East, where she facilitated dialogue between colleagues and district leadership. Her work included participating in the science curriculum committee, aligning K-12 science instruction with NYSSLS, and coordinating standardized testing administration, including local and state exams. She also collaborated with the district’s science director on master scheduling, managed materials acquisition, and provided professional development during conference days and department meetings.
She co-authored “NGSS-Based Teacher Professional Development to Implement Engineering Practices in STEM Instruction,” published in 2021 in the International Journal of STEM Education, and “NGSS Teacher Professional Development to Implement Engineering Practices in Science Instruction,” presented virtually at the 2020 International Conference of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching in Portland, Oregon.
Stony Brook University named physician-scientist Dr. Imoigele “Imo” Aisiku as chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Renaissance School of Medicine, starting Aug. 15.
A national leader who has dedicated his career to critical care and neurocritical care in emergency medicine, Aisiku worked for more than a decade at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Aisiku, who was born in Nigeria and raised in Brooklyn and Auburn, Massachusetts, found several factors appealing about the Stony Brook role.
“My immediate family is predominantly in the Northeast” stretching from New York to Richmond, Virginia,” he said. Additionally, he suggested that numerous aspects of the role were “right in my area of expertise.”
His experience at Brigham and Women’s Hospital involved integrating systems, and he recognizes the opportunity to deploy that skill set at Stony Brook, where he will help integrate the emergency department at different hospitals.
He also has considerable experience in critical care, which is a strength at SBU.
“There are some natural synergies that you couldn’t script” he added, including strong clinical interest in stroke, telehealth, critical care and a desire to develop a systems integration model
Indeed, before he came to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Aisiku worked at the University of Texas at Houston. UT Houston/Memorial Hermann was one of the earliest to be named a JCAHO Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Aisiku was the medical director of their neurosurgery intensive care unit, which had one of the first mobile stroke units in the country. The unit was a collaboration between EMS, neurology, the stroke division, EM and the ICU.
A mobile stroke unit can provide critical and timely diagnostics and care for people having a stroke, which can not only save lives but can also lead to a dramatic improvement in the outcome after a stroke event for patients.
Stony Brook currently has two mobile stroke units and is working on adding a third.
“I hope to leverage what is the strength of Stony Brook with my experiences” and strengthen any weaknesses in a bidirectional manner, said Aisiku, who will report to Peter Igarashi, dean of the Renaissance School of Medicine.
For his part, Igarashi was eager to welcome the new addition to the emergency department.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Aisiku will lead Stony Brook’s remarkable team of emergency physicians,” Igarashi said in a statement. “As a pioneering physician-scientist in neurocritical care, and as an emergency medicine scholar and researcher, Dr. Aisiku will help advance our capacity to save lives and care for critically ill patients in the years to come.”
Evolutionary change
The new emergency department chair is hoping to learn more about Stony Brook’s strengths and weaknesses before implementing any changes.
“I hope to make a change and a difference,” Aisiku explained in an email. “I believe it is prudent to aim for evolutionary change and, if there is an opportunity, for positive revolutionary change.”
His goal is to see the department grow from a regional strength to a national and even an international strength.
He plans to develop partnerships with other chairs and departments and hopes to enhance programmatic and faculty development.
Aisiku also hopes to develop opportunities for faculty at Stony Brook, including in areas that involve research. He would like to see the department earn more National Institutes of Health and federal funding.
DEI experience
An accomplished physician, researcher and administrator, Aisiku also has considerable experience building and encouraging opportunities for underrepresented groups in medicine.
Aisiku was the founder and director of the Offices of IDEaS, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Social Justice, in Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he credits a team of faculty administrative staff and supportive chair for the success of that effort.
Aisiku “played a crucial role in the development of the office of IDEaS,” Jayelani Hall, administrative manager for Emergency Medicine and the Office of IDEaS at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, explained in an email. Aisiku’s vision for creating an inclusive environment and commitment to equity and diversity were “instrumental in shaping the initiatives and programs that define IDEaS today.”
IDEaS has launched several initiatives, such as the Profile in Diversity Series and the SPAK Grant program, which provides funding to projects that advance diversity, equity and inclusion.
The office established scholarship programs to support underrepresented students pursuing careers in medicine and health care, Hall added.
The president of Brigham and Women’s Hospital named Aisiku endowed Distinguished Chair in Health Equity and Diversity.
The broader Stony Brook area extending to New York City “draws diverse and international people to the region,” Aisiku explained. “While I acknowledge that [DEI] is an area of controversy in our country, I believe continuing to strive for diversity has a significant role for the development of our youth all the way to impacting our patients.”
In speaking with the leadership of the hospital and medical school, Aisiku believes his diversity goals are “aligned in these efforts” as he looks forward to developing strategies that will lead to diverse students, residents and faculty.
In addition to providing opportunities to students in the health care field, a more diverse population of caregivers enhances the patient experience, Aisiku contends.
A diverse health care force provides greater opportunity for patient choice and advocacy, he added.
Aisiku, who has master’s degrees in business administration from Goizueta School of Business and a master’s in clinical research from Rollings School of Public Health at Emory University, would like to partner with the business school and the school of public health, among others, to build diversity, which may broaden and enhance his efforts in this area.
People who have worked with Aisiku appreciate his commitment and openness to those around him.
Aisiku is “known for his compassion and dedication both as a physician and as a leader,” Hall wrote. “He consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that his patients receive the best care possible and his commitment to equity in health care is evident in all his endeavors.”
Hall suggested that the Stony Brook community is fortunate to have Aisiku in this role.
“Given his track record, I fully expect him to engage deeply with students, faculty and community members, fostering connections and driving positive change,” Hall explained.
From left to right, Robert Samuel Decosta Higgins, Jayelani Hall, Imoigele Aisiku, Ron Walls and Mike VanRooyen, at a ceremony for Aisiku. Photo courtesy Imoigele Aisiku
Telehealth experience
Over a decade ago, Aisiku started iDoc Telehealth Solutions, a telemedicine company dedicated to critical and neurocritical care and tele-stroke services, with the goal of providing this type of care to people in areas that didn’t have enough clinicians with that experience.
Since then, he has become co-CEO of a public company called VSEE Health.
He expects to pass the torch on to other executives. His commitment is to the university as his obligation to the company is for about four more months.
To be sure, he wants to ensure there are no conflicts of interest in his roles at Stony Brook and in the decision about how and in what ways the university can continue to build telehealth capacity.
“If there is an opportunity to enhance an area, with full disclosure, there can be pathways to achieve things that improve the patient experience while separating ‘church’ and ‘state’ so to speak,” he explained in an email.
Morana Lasic, interim chief diversity & inclusion officer at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, suggested that Aisiku has served as a personal and institutional resource for a wide range of people.
Aisiku “works with those who are yet to enter the medical field and need mentorship, just as he does with institution presidents,” Lasic explained in an email. “He empowers those on his team and pays special attention to those who are often forgotten in mentorship (such as young administrative staff.)”
Lasic added that Aisiku was generous with his time and has reached out to her with emails and new thoughts and ideas at any time of day.
“Just like the rest of his life, his sleeping schedule is unique and his own, and he wears an Oura ring (which tracks sleep patterns) just to confuse it,” Lasic said.
In his research, Aisiku has focused on three areas: traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhages and acute respiratory distress syndrome/sepsis.
Aisiku is living with his wife Diana, who is a nurse, and their 4 1/2-year-old son Myles in Westbury. They are in the process of searching for a home.
Outside of work, Aisiku has a black belt in the martial art of Jeet Kune Do, enjoys working out and played Division 3 tennis and basketball, at Worcester State University. He is also a motorcycle enthusiast.
As for his likely contribution to the Stony Brook community, Lasic, who has been at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for 25 years, suggested that she anticipated he would continue on an impressive journey.
Aisiku is “one of the most innovative leaders in academic medicine I have seen in a long time,” she wrote. “He is a true role model in his ability to connect with those around him.”
Theatre Three in Port Jefferson has announced that Colleen Rebecca Britt is the new Director of Children’s Theatre and Educational Programs.
A New York-based freelance director, actor, and teaching artist, Britt will be directing the annual productions of A Kooky Spooky Halloween, Barnaby Saves Christmas, and The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, along with other productions set for 2024-2025. Additionally, she will be taking on the Educational Touring programs, working on the existing shows and curating new works to travel to schools.
Over the course of the year, Britt will bring her vision and experience to expanding and revitalizing Theatre Three’s commitment to theatre for young audiences. She will also direct the Mainstage production of Crossing Delancey, which opens January 18, 2025.
Edward Lange, [Northport, Lower Main Street], 1880. Watercolor, gouache, and lead pencil on paper, 15.375 x 21.625. Collection of Preservation Long Island, 2011.2
Preservation Long Island presents Promoting Long Island: The Art of Edward Lange, 1870–1889, a new exhibition focusing on the life, work, and career of one of Long Island’s most prolific artists of the late nineteenth century. On view August 16 – December 1 2024 at the Preservation Long Island Gallery, 161 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, this exhibition of watercolors, photographs, and historical objects from the collection of Preservation Long Island and on loan from collections across Long Island, is inspired by the upcoming release of Preservation Long Island’s latest publication of the same name, arriving September 2024.
Edward Lange grew up in a German family of prominent artists and publishers and arrived on Long Island during one of its most critical moments. For nearly two decades, he watched new industry creep into an older agricultural landscape and used his artwork to record the region’s transformation. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Lange inserted himself into Long Island’s booming economy and created detailed images of main streets, factories, railroad depots, and hotels that resonated with local residents and tourists alike.
“Lange’s artwork represents a tangible connection to a period of Long Island’s history when its people, culture, and landscape were undergoing rapid change,” said Elizabeth Abrams, Preservation Long Island Interim Executive Director. “The artist’s views of Long Island towns, villages, landscapes, and waterscapes have endeared themselves to Long Islanders and visitors for over 135 years.”
“Artists like Lange played a significant role in a promoting Long Island’s scenery to the larger public during the nineteenth century,” noted Preservation Long Island Chief Curator & Director of Collections, Lauren Brincat. “Not only was Lange’s artwork reflective of a resulting new age of booming tourism on Long Island, but it was instrumental in the region’s growth by advertising hotels, resorts, and experiences to a greater public.”
Peter Fedoryk, exhibition guest curator added, “In the late nineteenth century, Lange’s artwork had immense visual influence in the New York metropolitan area. Today, the artist’s paintings, drawings, prints, and photographic reproductions are celebrated as snapshots of a world before suburbanization permanently reshaped Long Island’s built environment.”
Programming
Exhibition related programs and events will take place throughout the show’s run and include:
Curator Exhibition Tour: September 28, 2024
Northport Walking Tour: October 6, 2024
Authors Panel Discussion & Book Signing: November 16, 2024
Call or visit Preservation Long Island’s website for more information about the exhibition and related programs and events.
Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History; Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association; Heckscher Museum of Art; Huntington Historical Society; Incorporated Village of Northport; The Long Island Museum; Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation, & Museums; Oyster Bay Historical Society; Raynham Hall Museum, Smithtown Historical Society; Veronica Mollica; Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor.
Publication
The exhibition accompanies the release of Preservation Long Island’s latest publication, Promoting Long Island: The Art of Edward Lange, 1870–1889 which presents over two years of new research into Edward Lange’s life and work. The new hardcover publication, arriving September 2024, features over 100 full-color images. Edited and authored by Preservation Long Island’s Chief Curator & Director of Collections, Lauren Brincat, and former curatorial fellow, Peter Fedoryk, the book also includes essays by Jennifer L. Anderson, Thomas Busciglio-Ritter, and Joshua M. Ruff.
Generous funding in support of this publication has been provided by The Gerry Charitable Trust and The Decorative Arts Trust
About Preservation Long Island
Preservation Long Island is a not-for-profit organization that works with Long Islanders to raise awareness, appreciation, and support for the protection of our shared past through advocacy, education, and the stewardship of historic sites and collections.
The 2023 cast of Theatre Three's 'A Christmas Carol'
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson will hold Young People’s auditions (ages 8–17) for its 40th annual production of the holiday classic Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. They will be double-casting nine roles (for a total of eighteen young people). Readings are provided. A Christmas carol (“Christmas Is Coming”) will be taught.
Rehearsals begin late September and are weeknights (beginning at 7 p.m.); Saturdays (mornings or afternoons); and Sundays (mornings, afternoons, or evenings). Young people must appear in half of the performances, including the student matinees. Performances will be held from Nov. 9 toDec. 28, 2024.
For full details visit http://theatrethree.com/acc-auditions/. For more information, call 631-928-9100.
Sunny Island Foot Spa has been the subject of a two-month NPD investigation. Courtesy Craigslist
By Lauren Feldman
The Aug. 13 meeting of the Northport Board of Trustees revealed shocking details from a months-long investigation by the Northport Police Department. Chief of Police Christopher Hughes reported on the conclusion of an inquiry into a local spa suspected of prostitution.
Sunny Island Foot Spa, located at 377 Fort Salonga Road, first drew police attention in June when “alarming” advertisements appeared on Craigslist. The ads, Hughes said, described spa services as performed by “sweet and discreet pretty girls” and the “best service” by “young and beautiful girls from Asia.” The ad has since been removed, and a subsequent one posted in July refrained from mentioning spa employees.
“Our investigation began immediately following the June ad,” Hughes said. While the investigation did not yield evidence of prostitution, Hughes noted that the spa’s ads were listed on “several websites known to advertise adult services.” He added, “The mere messaging in the ads can easily attract individuals looking for those types of services.” Hughes also reported that police observed only male clientele entering and leaving the premises during the investigation.
On Aug. 8 and 9, Jing Fang Zhou, 50, and Lisi Ou, 38, both of Flushing, were arrested for the “unauthorized practice of a profession.” Hughes thanked lead investigator Detective Stephen Kerekes, the county district attorney [Ray Tierney] and his team. “We were able to work together to identify an illegitimate business and effectively end their illicit operation,” Hughes said.
Since last week’s arrests, the spa is reportedly vacant, and Hughes noted that no further traffic has been observed in or around the establishment.
At the same meeting, the board approved Hughes’ resolution, which adds another detective position to the Northport Police Department. Officer Sean Sagistano was recommended for the position and, per the resolution, “will not receive the additional pay and benefits he is entitled to under the collective bargaining agreement until the day after Stephen Kerekes vacates his current position of detective.” The board also clarified that this measure will not increase the size of the police department, and Sagistano will continue to be assigned to patrol duties.
Resolution 2024-139 also drew attention from the board. The resolution authorizes Mayor Donna Koch to execute a contract to purchase a new ambulance. Residents may be aware that an ongoing ambulance purchase has been progressing slowly for some time.
In February 2022, the village passed a resolution to purchase another ambulance from a company that has yet to deliver. As a result, the fire commissioner met with Koch last week to discuss purchasing an alternative unit: a 2024 Ford F-550 Wheeled Coach through LI Proliner Inc., estimated to cost $470,343.
The initial unit, the village is being told, will not be ready until the end of the first quarter of 2025, which may lead to its cancellation. Koch emphasized that the new unit is a stock model with everything the department needs. Additionally, the unit includes a Stryker, a part worth $100,000 that is already included with the vehicle. The board approved the measure to move forward with this purchase, but the decision to cancel the initial ambulance order was not voted on at this time.
Board meetings are held once a month at the Northport Village Hall, 224 Main St., Northport. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 6 p.m. For more information, visit northportny.gov.
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