2023 Year in Review: March
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Obituary: Frank D. Marino Jr.
Prepared by the Marino Family
Frank D. Marino Jr., 82, passed away on Dec. 10, 2023, after his battle with late stage bladder cancer. The Stony Brook resident joins his wife, Joan Macgregor Marino, who passed away on Nov. 22, 2022. He is survived by his children Gregory N. Marino, Frank W. Marino, and Barbara Marino McCown, all deeply saddened by his loss.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. at the Setauket Presbyterian Church. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers that donations be made in Frank and Joan’s memory to one or more of the following:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC)
https://help.rescue.org/donate/make-tribute-donation
Open Door Exchange
opendoorexchange.org/financialdonation
Three Village Meals on Wheels
www.3villagemealsonwheels.org
It’s a boy! Stony Brook University Hospital welcomes its first baby of 2024
Alicia DelliPizzi and Daryl Costa welcomed their son Theo Everest Costa to the world on New Year’s Day at Stony Brook University Hospital.
Weighing eight pounds, twelve ounces, the new baby boy was born at 2:09 am, about two hours into the start of 2024. Theo was delivered by Kathleen Sharrott, CNM and Catherine Leonard, RN.
“This New Year surpasses all others because we’re stepping into it with you in our arms,” said the couple from Medford as they celebrated the arrival of their third child.
Hitting the ground running, Hewett inspires BNL’s staff
By Daniel Dunaief
JoAnne Hewett hit the ground running when she arrived at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
She had no choice.
On her first day, Hewett, who is the first woman to lead the Department of Energy lab in its 76-year history, had to decide how to handle a technical problem at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, a machine that collides heavy beams of ions traveling around a 2.4-mile track.
Hewett, who is a theoretical physicist and had worked as associate lab director for fundamental physics and chief research at SLAC at Stanford University, was “able to grasp everything very quickly,” said Haiyan Gao, associate lab director for Nuclear and Particle Physics at BNL.
BNL decided to end its run of experiments on Aug. 4, earlier than the original plan for the end of September. It took some time to determine the root cause of the problem, which, fortunately, turned out to be a singular event and not a failure of the system.
Gao found it “quite refreshing in the sense that [Hewett] was very interested in the experimental, technical part” of the decision and called it “the right call.”
After arriving at BNL in August, Hewett has impressed many of the staff at BNL and is developing plans for the lab that extend into the next decade and beyond.
TBR News Media is pleased to name Hewett, who is a leader, an inspirational role model and a “people person,” as a 2023 Person of the Year.
In an interview, Hewett described an active first few days on the job.
“There’s nothing like a good initiation,” Hewett said. “Because I do have a collider and accelerator background, it was an easy decision to make.”
RHIC is planning to restart in March, which is about a month behind the normal schedule. Hewett expects the ion collider to get a full run for fiscal year 2024.
‘A breath of fresh air’
Having a new leader at the lab who does things differently “gets noticed,” said John Hill, the deputy director for science and technology. “She’s a breath of fresh air.”
Indeed, one of Hewett’s priorities has been to meet with all the technicians at the lab. She schedules group interactions where she talks with about 10 people at a time.
In addition to listening to the perspective of other BNL staff, Hewett wants “people to be enthusiastic here,” said Luisella Lari, project manager for the Electron-Ion Collider and senior scientist at BNL. “She takes time to explain the vision.”
Hewett’s approach, which includes a focus on the work and on the people who make the science possible, “makes me feel sure she is on our side” as an advocate, Lari added.
The new BNL lab director appreciates the pride people take in their work and in the effort to make contributions to everything from basic science to applied research that has the potential to contribute to new technology and to provide solutions for various challenges.
“People love their contribution to the big science mission,” said Hewett. “No matter what their role is, they understand that their contribution is important. We can’t get science out the door without them.”
Hewett wasn’t surprised to hear suggestions for ways to improve the lives of people at BNL. At the top of many people’s lists was reopening the cafeteria, which has been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re working very hard to get that open,” said Hewett.
Scientific goals
Top administrators at BNL appreciate Hewett’s long-range focus on improving the science and enhancing the equipment that makes discoveries possible.
Home to the National Synchrotron Lightsource II, which cost about $1 billion to make and was completed in 2015, BNL is focused on opportunities to upgrade a facility that can look at the inner workings of batteries while they are working or explore the interplay between the structure and function of important enzymes.
One of Hewett’s first questions to Hill was “what do you think about an upgrade,” he recalled. Hill said when it was first built, the NSLS-II was the brightest in the world, and now one or two other synchrotrons are brighter. She wanted to upgrade it to “keep its competitive edge.”
Hewett explained that the NSLS-II has the capacity for 60 beamlines. BNL has built 32 and is either constructing or planning another 12 to 15, which leaves room to plan and build 15 additional beamlines.
“Finishing that out is important,” said Hewett.
At the same time, BNL will be holding science workshops to determine which of the accelerator physics options makes sense. Hewett is also focused on enhancing the lab’s computing power.
“All science is data science,” she said. “We work so hard to create the data, we have to make sure we record and process it. If you don’t do that, you might as well not have run the facility.”
BNL just signed a funding request for a series of planned upgrades.
Hill is developing a year-long computational strategy, which includes a focus on the needs for the facility for the next 10 years.
One of the biggest appeals of coming to BNL for Hewett and for other scientists around the country and the world is the Electron-Ion Collider.
BNL won a competition to build the EIC on Long Island, with the help of Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator in Virginia. By colliding electrons and protons, the EIC will reveal how the subunits of protons and neutrons in the nucleus — the quarks and gluons — come together to help generate mass in visible matter.
Hewett is “heavily involved in the EIC, making sure we can deliver on that,” said Hill.
Recently, the Department of Energy passed a critical design landmark, which provides a green light to make long lead procurement items. Specifically, BNL received the authority to spend $100 million on items for construction of the collider that will take years to procure.
This, Hewett explained, is the approval before a funding baseline and schedule for the project.
“These take so long to order,” she said. “It’s not like going into a Target and picking something off the shelf. It takes a long time to keep the schedule on track.”
Hewett said she had no doubt the EIC team would pass this milestone.
She described the procurement project group as a rock star team and she had no doubt that they were going to get it.
BNL won’t get the official approval to spend money until January.
An appreciated first
Choosing Hewett to serve in the top role at BNL has inspired some of her fellow scientists and could serve as encouragement to other underrepresented people in scientific fields.
Her experience makes her “the best person for the job,” said Lari. “This is what I’d put before thinking she’s a woman.”
Lari said she is “extremely proud to be a part of her team because [Hewett] is a really competent scientist, person, and the fact that she’s a woman is a plus.”
Having a female lab director helps with recruitment, added Hill.
In dealing with some human resource issues, Hewett asked questions that reflected some of the challenges she faced, Hill said. “That was eye opening to me and will stick with me,” he added.
Personal inspiration
On the personal side, Hewett, who is a Star Trek fan and makes a quick lunch meal of yogurt and berries in her office on the fly, shared some of her personal struggles and decisions.
In a BNL video, she explained that she is a breast cancer survivor who dealt with the dreaded disease 16 years earlier.
“My main message is to increase awareness and the importance of screenings,” said Hewett. “If one more person gets screened because of the video, then that’s a success.”
Gao applauded Hewett’s message, even as she wasn’t sure she or others would be comfortable sharing personal health issues.
As for her move from California, Hewett, who is an only child, brought her 93-year old father Bob across the country with her.
Her father had moved with the family three times when Hewett was two, seven and 14, which created some symmetry for the latest travels.
The senior Hewett was prepared to travel to Long Island to be with his daughter, whom he calls his “best buddy.”
A dedicated daughter and lab director, Hewett comes to work energized by the achievements and warmth of the staff.
“I knew, of course, about the science before I came,” she said. “What I didn’t know was how wonderful all the people are. Everyone is extremely dedicated to the mission in their role and what they do. It’s like family.”
Eye on the Street: People of the Year 2023
By Carolyn Sackstein
The end of the year is a time for reflection.
To round out 2023, TBR News Media took to the local streets throughout our coverage area, asking locals to nominate a Person of the Year. Responses ranged from family members to artists to local and world leaders.
As we all contemplate our lives and look toward the future, we offer the following responses as a starting point for reflection.
— Photos by Carolyn Sackstein
Jason Woreth, Poquott
Woreth said he nominates “my wife, Jessica. She can do everything. She’s a superhero.”
Michael Gravino, Port Jefferson
Gravino nominates his daughter, Amy Louise Gravino. He said, “She has Asperger’s syndrome. When she was in high school, we were told don’t waste your money with college. She has a master’s degree now. She’s a success story.”
Julie Grosjean, France and Setauket
“I nominate my mother, Anne. She is the best woman in the world. She does a lot of things for me.”
Adam Aliberti, Setauket
When asked to nominate some-one as person of the year, Aliberti said, “Steven Englebright,” Suffolk County Legislator-elect for the county’s 5th District. “He was an assemblyman for years. He’s done wonders for the Setauket area.”
Lisa Parker, Coram
Parker was enthusiastic in her support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “He’s doing everything he can for his people,” she said. “He is trying so hard to give his people and country freedom. He deserves it.”
Ileana Toribio, Port Jefferson
Toribio stopped walking her dog to speak of having lost her father, Isaac Toribio, in February. She said, “He passed suddenly, out of nowhere. I was always a daddy’s girl. He has been in my spirit all day, every day this year. I would like to nominate him for his spirit and everything he did to contribute to our family.”
Nancy and Brian Wegenaar, East Setauket
Nancy Wegenaar wished to nominate actor Maurice Benard, who plays the character Sonny Corinthos on “General Hospital.” This was not a matter of simple fandom. Nancy said, “He wrote a book about bipolar disorder, ‘Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital.’ Our son, Travis, suffered and passed away from that at age 34. I read [Benard’s] book, and it helped me very much. He helped me through the loss of my son. He spends a lot of time online soothing people.” Her husband added, “He, Benard, is a big advocate for treatments of bipolar disorder.”
Brian Wegenaar wanted to add Father Frank Pizzarelli to their nomination. Brian said, “Father Frank, Hope House and Little Portion Friary helped us dealing with our son Travis. They gave us a lot of counseling and hope to move on from it and helped us understand the disease. He, Father Frank, has helped our family and the community. Father Frank is a saint.”
Chris Haydon, West Islip
Haydon agreed with Time magazine’s selection of Taylor Swift as Person of the Year. He said, “I followed her career from the early days. She is very talented. She’s a great businesswoman. She is wholesome. She gives back to the community.”
Anthony Tallini, Coram
Tallini nominates his mother as Person of the Year. “She does everything for everyone,” he said. “She’s very helpful. She doesn’t ask for much in return. My mother is taking care of my dad, who’s going through some medical issues.”
Louise Stagg, Port Jefferson
“I nominate my son, Jeffery Stagg. He’s very generous, a real family man. He’s a good provider and a good husband.”
Richard Kitson paves the way for veteran recognition and support
By Rich Acritelli
During the 1980s, there were many Vietnam War veterans raising families among us. Many of these veterans rarely spoke of their combat experiences. Richard Kitson is a local leader who tirelessly advocates for all veterans.
A longtime resident of Port Jefferson Station, president of the Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 11 and a Rocky Point VFW Post 6249 member, Kitson has always cared for veterans. Originally from Manhattan, he moved to Levittown in 1954 and lived among the massive veteran population that had used the Montgomery GI Bill for housing.
Coming from a large family, his father fought during the Battle of the Bulge, receiving the Purple Heart for his valor against the Germans during World War II.
Kitson enjoyed the bustling suburban community, where he swam at town pools, ran track, played basketball and was a talented baseball catcher who later coached his two sons.
After graduating high school in 1965, Kitson briefly attended St. Francis College in Brooklyn and moved back to Manhattan. Working and going to school full time, Kitson eventually joined the United States Marine Corps in 1966. He graduated from Parris Island, South Carolina, and was trained at the demolition and heavy equipment school.
After going to the Jungle Warfare Training Center at Camp Pendleton, California, Kitson was deployed to South Vietnam’s I Corps, stationed at Đông Hà Combat Base, located near the North and South Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone.
As a result of heavy casualties, Kitson’s job soon changed. He was ordered to be a mortarman to support the Marines fighting in the field. Quickly learning this new task, Kitson aimed to help American infantry “grunts” operate against the enemy.
This hotly contested area is remembered for its heavy American casualties. Years later, Kitson still vividly agonizes over the memory of lost comrades whom he considers close friends.
After completing his tour in South Vietnam, Kitson was ordered to Okinawa, Japan, to be stationed with his original company. Promoted to corporal, Kitson helped create many engineering products on the island. Arriving home in 1968, Kitson was sent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and quickly returned to civilian life.
Kitson observed the political and social upheaval of the war, remembering the poor reception veterans received on their return home. These feelings hardened when his younger brother, John, joined the Marines and was later killed in Vietnam.
The war shaped Kitson’s feelings. He committed that no veteran, regardless of tour of duty, should ever be forgotten by the public or other veterans.
Life grew increasingly difficult as Kitson encountered the hardships of veterans who could not find quality jobs. His family continued facing tragedy when another brother, Joseph, died in a car accident.
Married in 1969, Kitson worked in the bar business for over 10 years and had three children. In 1980, he was hired by the United States Postal Service. He was happier as this job provided more stability and insurance for his family. Kitson later became supervisor and postmaster for the Babylon Post Office, overseeing five buildings, four ZIP codes and 300 postal workers.
Kitson advocated for building the Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park at Bald Hill in Farmingville. He and his “Green Jackets” members of the Vietnam Veterans county chapter helped raise the $1.3 million to create this memorial structure seen from the Long Island Sound, the Atlantic Ocean and Connecticut.
Eighteen years after America pulled out of South Vietnam, Kitson’s group and local, state and federal officials unveiled this special monument on Nov. 11, 1991.
VFW Post 6249 Cmdr. Joe Cognitore, who grew up some 4 miles from Kitson in Farmingdale, marvels at his contributions.
Kitson “is a great guy who continually strives to care for veterans and to represent our citizens who fought in Vietnam decades ago,” Cognitore, also a Vietnam War vet, said. “He is an asset to the drive of this VFW to fulfill the needs of veteran causes in this community and nation.”
Kitson’s organization on Memorial Day reads the names of Vietnam veterans killed during the war from Suffolk County. Always understanding the importance of history, the Suffolk County chapter of Vietnam Veterans has been involved in teaching this conflict through classes at Ward Melville High School and the former Veterans Day program at Rocky Point High School. The group is always at the Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies held annually at Calverton National Cemetery.
Kitson, now 76, is the chief of community development and civic engagement at the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Helping veterans from World War II to the war on terror, he organizes transportation for vets to the hospital, offering guidance for tapping into government benefits.
During this holiday season, Kitson has already distributed hams and turkeys to feed needy veterans. A big, burly man with a voice reminiscent of actor Jack Nicholson’s, when one sees Kitson, one also receives a hearty hello, a big handshake and the question, “What can I do to help?”
For his valuable contributions through the Suffolk County chapter of Vietnam Veterans “Green Jackets” and his altruism and charity for local veterans, TBR News Media recognizes Richard Kitson as a 2023 Person of the Year.
Boatyard owner Dave Weber leads Northport in veterans appreciation
By Sabrina Artusa
The Village of Northport, known for its beautiful waterfront, thriving art sector and flourishing downtown, is widely appreciated by visitors and residents alike. Dave Weber Jr., a longtime resident, has consistently shown his love and appreciation for his community through fervent volunteerism, hands-on leadership and consideration for the overlooked.
Weber began his career in service as a junior firefighter in high school, following in his father’s footsteps, who was also a firefighter. After graduating from college and living briefly in Florida, Weber moved back to Northport, joined the fire department and took over Seymour’s Boatyard, which is listed in New York’s Historic Business Preservation Registry. Three years ago, he became a member of the village board of trustees.
One of Weber’s most consistent efforts has been fundraising for Paws of War, a nonprofit that trains shelter dogs as service dogs for veterans and first responders, like firefighters, who have physical or emotional traumas. This past summer, he raised over $15,000. The fundraiser was held alongside a free concert Weber organized in celebration of the Seymour’s Boatyard 100th anniversary.
He also raised money for the U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association when the status of their paychecks was uncertain. With community support, he raised money for gift cards to give to the officers at a dinner held at the firehouse.
“Not much is said of the Coast Guard, but they are one of the branches of service that should be taken care of. They are putting their life out on the line out there for others so we as community members should be taking care of them also,” Weber said.
Veterans affairs has been a significant concern of Weber’s. New York has the fifth largest veteran population at 790,000, according to the New York Health Foundation. Veteran suicide rates are significantly higher than the general population.
He got close to the Coast Guard community after organizing a CrossFit workout fundraiser for Nate Bruckenthal, a young Coast Guardsman who was killed in the Iraq War in 2004.
Weber also started Cow Harbor Warriors, along with several others. Under the Cow Harbor Warriors, Weber arranged for veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom to visit Northport, where they enjoyed the water and attended a welcome dinner at the firehouse and a fundraising party. The goal was for the veterans, who came from across the tristate area, to feel appreciated.
Weber’s compassion is inexhaustible but is occasionally limited by external factors, such as participation, as was the case with the Cow Harbor Warriors, which, after several years of events, came to a halt.
“Everything revolves around volunteerism,” he said. “We come up with the ideas and put them to paper, but sometimes following through and executing is tough — it is definitely tough.”
He continued, “We live in a picture-postcard community. It is a very giving community. All you have to do is look out the windows of my office to know that this is a very special place,” adding, “I feel lucky to be able to live here, and part of that is the ability to give back to the community.”
As Nicole Carey wrote in her nomination letter, “Often, if a person or an organization has an idea they want to bring forward, it is Dave they call.” She added, “He is the glue to all resources and often will help with the life of the project just because helping folks is second nature to him.”
For his continued dedication to his community, in both times of celebration and in times of need, Dave Weber is honored as a 2023 Person of the Year by TBR News Media.
Susan Perretti works toward peace at home and abroad
By Mallie Jane Kim
Susan Perretti, of Setauket, is no armchair activist.
Through local advocacy and international action, friends say, Perretti lives out her long-held belief that peace is not simply the absence of violence but a way of looking at the world differently.
“You can’t give up on peace, and you can’t give up on justice,” said Perretti, a journalist by trade. “I’m not about to do that, and I’m 71 years old.”
Local advocacy:
North Country Peace Group
Perretti was among the original members of the North Country Peace Group, which occupies a Setauket street corner Saturday mornings to display anti-war and pro-peace signs — including in recent months signs calling for a cease-fire in the Israel/Gaza war.
Myrna Gordon, of Port Jefferson, met Perretti in December 2002 as the group formed to protest the then-imminent war with Iraq. “You really get to know somebody standing on the street corner like that; we are sisters in solidarity,” Gordon said. “We’ve been through every type of protest — anti-war demonstrations, ban the bomb, everything. We’ve seen it all.”
She said Perretti has played a vital role in initiatives by the group over the past 20 years, including an annual Mother’s Day reading of the names of Long Island soldiers who died serving in Iraq and Afghanistan — there were 56 as of 2019, according to a database hosted by Newsday. The peace group presents photos and biographies of the soldiers as well.
“We want to honor the soldiers and what they do, but we want these wars to stop,” Gordon said.
Perretti also led a response to the 2018 death of about 40 Yemeni schoolchildren after a Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit their field trip bus with what intelligence indicated was a U.S.-made bomb.
She obtained blue backpacks like those photographed at the scene, and the group laid them out in several places around Suffolk County, including their usual protest corner, in front of an Army recruiting center and a corner near then-U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin’s [R-NY1] office.
International action:
Helping Afghan refugees
Perretti’s activism is not limited to raising awareness — she has also taken practical action.
As part of a global peace association that formed in the 2010s, Perretti developed a relationship over the years with a group of passionate, idealistic young men in Afghanistan over video calls administered by Kathy Kelly, 71, of St. Charles, Illinois.
These boys were concerned with women’s rights as well as taking care of widows and refugees, and according to Kelly, some of them had set up a school for street kids that included courses on nonviolence, alongside English and their regular subjects.
When the U.S. left Afghanistan to Taliban control in 2021, these “peace volunteers,” as Perretti referred to the young men in her recent article for peace website Pressenza, were among those suddenly in danger. The video-call members established a buddy system with them.
Over the next 14 months, Perretti kept in constant contact with her young friend, 21-year-old Mansoor, via text message while he escaped to Pakistan and she searched for a third country that might offer him asylum.
From her home in Setauket, Perretti wrote, she felt like she was journeying alongside this determined Afghan who called her “Mom.” One day, she heard gunfire in the background of a short video Mansoor sent her. “The graveness of his situation and my powerlessness to protect him were sobering,” she wrote.
In October 2022, Perretti finally met Mansoor in person at the airport in Toronto, where he is now studying to be a doctor, according to her article.
Kelly said she finds the journey of Perretti and Mansoor particularly encouraging because of their personal connection and Perretti’s consistency in aiding the young man and others like him.
“Not everybody can do all the work Susan has done, but everybody can aspire to share resources more radically, welcome people that might seem to be strangers and not feel divided by artificial borders,” Kelly said, adding that it’s easy to feel frustrated or hopeless when looking at world events. Stories like Perretti’s, she said, are “the antidote to cynicism.”
For her commitment to promoting peace both at home and abroad, TBR News Media recognizes Susan Perretti as a 2023 Person of the Year.
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