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Middle Country Public Library director Sophia Serlis-McPhillips cuts the ribbon during the grand opening of the library’s new café. Photo by Raymond Janis

Middle Country Public Library, Centereach unveiled its new café Friday, Sept. 8, continuing an ongoing campaign expanding arts, education and cultural opportunities throughout the greater Middle Country area.

The new café offers freshly brewed coffee and craft espresso drinks from TEND Coffee and baked goods from JeJoJo Bagels of Centereach. It is open from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Library staff hosted community members and public officials for the grand opening ceremony. Library director Sophia Serlis-McPhillips cut the ribbon to the cheers and adulation of the crowd.

“This café is part of a renovation we did for the entire library, which started in 2018,” she said. “We had a soft opening over the summer, but today was the official.”

Serlis-McPhillips highlighted the considerable public demand for a café space through the years, suggesting that the recent library renovations offer a suitable opportunity to embark upon the undertaking.

“We wanted to do that because it seemed like what the patrons and the community wanted,” the MCPL director said. “It is nice for people just to sit down and relax.”

She continued, “Unlike some other places, we are manning the staff. So we hire the staff and train them,” adding that the partnership with JeJoJo’s represents an ongoing effort by the library “to keep everything local.”

Along with the new café, MCPL offers a new maker space and a recording studio. Serlis-McPhillips noted how these innovations have “become part of our everyday operation.”

Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa and Middle Country Public Library director Sophia Serlis-McPhillips celebrate the grand opening of the library’s café. Photo by Raymond Janis

Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa (C-Selden), the majority leader of the county Legislature whose 4th District includes Centereach, congratulated library staff and patrons alike.

“This is just an exciting day for the residents of Middle County to have a facility like this,” he said. “We’ve always had beautiful libraries, but this just takes it up a notch.”

The majority leader highlighted how the new café plays into ongoing community revitalization efforts, with proposals for greater public investments and sewers. He maintained arts and cultural institutions such as MCPL as “vital” to the health and future prosperity of the community. 

“We should never overlook arts — whether they be from paintings to theatrics to … 3D printing,” he added. “The capabilities are unlimited for what we can do, and we have to keep that alive and well in our community.”

Town of Brookhaven Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden), who represents Centereach on the Town Board, was once a part-time employee at MCPL. He underscored the several transformations the facility has undergone since his departure.

“It’s just so heartwarming to see how much it’s growing and adapting to the times,” he said. “To see how much it’s growing and everything they do, it’s just amazing.”

Manzella expressed enthusiasm for the opportunities of sewers and for further community revitalization and commercial redevelopment. But as local government works toward those objectives, he said institutions like MCPL remain a “cornerstone” for residents.

“Anything that helps provide the arts, that helps provide outlets for any kind of entertainment or fun, the library is something that provides that,” the councilman said.

Adding to these sentiments, Serlis-McPhillips regarded the library as “central.”

“I definitely feel that we are in the heart of the community,” she said. “Our community supports the library a lot,” adding, “When we work together collectively, I think that makes a difference.”

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Harvey Weiss. Photo courtesy Ilona Weiss-Pepe
Prepared by Ilona Weiss-Pepe

Harvey Weiss, a longtime Port Jefferson resident, died Saturday, Sept. 9. He was 89.

Born on May 28, 1934, Weiss moved to Port Jefferson in 1968, where he resided for the remainder of his life.

Weiss was a member of the U.S. armed forces stationed in Japan during the Korean War. After completing his military service, he attended the University of Houston, where he majored in engineering.

Weiss was a man of many talents. He worked as a flight test engineer at Grumman Aerospace for 34 years, assisting with the aircraft testing and lunar construction for the first landing on the moon. 

He retired in 1992 and became a science educator at Bayside High School until his retirement in 1994. He served on the Village of Port Jefferson Planning Board for 15 years, where his knowledge of village code and ordinances was put toward meaningful public ends. He also worked as a village code inspector for years and for the board of elections for decades.

Weiss was an accomplished jazz guitarist. He could pick up any instrument by ear and play, though his passion for jazz guitar was unrivaled. He played at LANs End and other venues throughout the 1960s and ’70s. Harvey was also a member of the Port Jefferson Country Club, where he played both golf and tennis. He was a passionate patriot with an elaborate knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. His love for the police and his country was strong, and he believed passionately in the principle of justice for all. Throughout his life, Weiss personified the ideals of integrity, always doing the right thing even when no one was looking. 

Family members remember Weiss as an open, compassionate and amazing human being.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; daughters Jessica and Ilona; brother Robert; stepchildren Mark and Eric; and grandchildren Marlo, Sam, Toni and Sal.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation at givemichaeljfox.org.

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Photo courtesy Ira Costell
By Ira Costell

As September heralds the approaching changes brought on during Earth’s annual autumnal shift, so too does it offer a pathway to a new life for many as it also marks National Recovery Month. 

This comes on the heels of International Overdose Awareness Day which occurred on Aug. 31. This day, for too many families like mine, is a yearly reminder of the awful price exacted by the disease of addiction. 

The lives lost during the ongoing opioid crisis in this country has impacted every community across this country as over 107,000 deaths of our fellow citizens occurred in 2022. Let that sink in. That is the equivalent of almost 300 people a day, or one person every four minutes or so who has died from a treatable and preventable disease.

Can you imagine the resources we would commit to deal with a crisis if every single day a jet plane with 300 people crashed? I dare say everything in the U. S. would come to a screeching halt until we determined how to deal with such a monumental tragedy. 

Yet, the most pressing public health crisis in our country equal to or, at the moment, worse than COVID-19 typically gets short shrift but once a year from many public officials.

This year, many municipalities across Long Island, including Brookhaven Town “went purple” to honor and acknowledge Overdose Awareness day Thursday, Aug. 31 [See story, “Brookhaven goes purple, marks Opioid Awareness Month with calls for intervention,” Sept. 7, TBR News Media]. Many of my fellow warriors in this battle gathered that day to remember and to raise our voices for those no longer here to speak for themselves. 

I added my voice to this fight nearly 15 years ago to honor my nephew David Aaron Costell who, just shy of his 23rd birthday, succumbed to a heroin overdose on Feb. 12, 2007. 

He was a sweet, loving if troubled young man who found recovery for a short time but sadly relapsed due to limited resources of support our society afforded him at the time. But, as the heroin crisis on Long Island became more prominent with Newsday reports of the death of Natalie Chiappa, an 18-year-old honors student, I knew it was time for action.

So, I ultimately became a family advocate involved with educating the press and running to Albany over many legislative sessions. It was poignantly sad but rewarding to work with many families across New York state to change public policy in order to save lives which otherwise would be lost to addiction. 

We accomplished a lot over several years by the passage of better access to treatment to make it harder for insurance companies to refuse treatment so easily to those seeking help. Also, we passed the NYS 911 Good Samaritan Law, which encourages young people to seek help for anyone in overdose without fear of legal consequences. 

We also advocated for the state I-STOP Law, which has nearly eliminated “doctor shopping” by addicts, and changed to an e-prescribing process, thereby enabling a real-time database when prescribing narcotics like opioids.

Along the way, I met many amazing individuals I came to know and love who turned their grief into helping others. Not only did we help change laws, many I have come to know help change lives. 

There is Avi Israel with Save the Michaels of the World in Buffalo and here on Long Island, Gabriel’s Giving Tree and Thomas’ Hope Foundation by my friends Paulette Phillipe and Linda Ventura with help from Teri Kroll, who lovingly offer services to families and individuals impacted by addiction. These are angels in action.

So I am grateful to Brookhaven Town, where I live, and other municipalities which scheduled similar activities on Aug. 31. It was one way to reduce the stigma of drug overdoses and to honor those souls around our area who no longer will share Thanksgiving dinners with us later this year. 

It is not the first time nor the last time families will be at the steps of Town Hall and shed tears for the loved ones as they recall their sons and daughters, husbands and wives, nieces and nephews or fathers and mothers whose lives were cut short by the scourge of opioids and fentanyl. It brings public attention to this crucial issue and hopefully can build support for more action in the future. 

And, while this is a laudable goal, it is not nearly enough to hold hands, hug each other in grief and move on again until next August when Town Hall is lit up purple, the color for Overdose Awareness.

According to an annual report issued last year by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (D), Suffolk County experienced more cumulative deaths due to overdose than any other county in the state. And, it is easy to extrapolate that Brookhaven Town has more deaths than any other township in Suffolk County. 

I submit it is incumbent on Brookhaven, as well as other towns and the county, to invest more resources at the municipal level to address this absolute horror visited upon our families. It is not only essential to reduce the suffering from the loss of a loved one, but we lose untold hours of productivity in our workplaces due to the toxic stress of families with members still in active addiction. 

Thankfully, Suffolk County just announced another round of nearly $20 million from funds realized by the lawsuit against drug companies and Big Pharma in the opioid settlement case initiated by former Presiding Officer Rob Calarco [D-Patchogue].

I urge Brookhaven Town to promptly put together a proposal to obtain some of these funds to undertake initiatives which could provide better mental health and addiction services to our communities. Babylon Town, with less than half the population of Brookhaven, presently runs a facility called the Beacon Family Wellness Center, which provides drug and alcohol services as well as other important supports. 

This could and should be a priority for the largest town in Suffolk, which is essentially Ground Zero for the addiction and overdose crisis on Long Island. 

With Overdose Awareness Day past, it is important to remember. But it is more important to act substantially throughout the year with tangible programs which can assist people along the path to a healthy life. That is the true way to show support for National Recovery Month.

Ira Costell is the president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association.

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Sound Beach residents and public officials rally outside the hamlet’s post office on New York Avenue Wednesday, Sept. 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa

Sound Beach’s residents and political representatives are fed up over the prolonged closure of the hamlet’s post office on New York Avenue, which has been closed for repairs since May.

New York State Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk), Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point), among others, rallied outside the post office Wednesday, Sept. 6, putting pressure on the U.S. Postal Service and the property owner to expedite reopening of the complex.

Some 15 weeks ago, the Brooklyn-based property owner of the building posted a sign on the door informing of its immediate but temporary closure. Sound Beach residents, blindsided by the abruptness, were forced to wait over a week to receive mail from nearby offices.

The private property owner has largely been unreceptive to attempts to reach out, according to Chad Lennon, a representative of U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1).

“We’ve been communicating,” Lennon said. “We haven’t seen reciprocation.”

USPS replied once, informing LaLota that they expected the landowner to make repairs and reopen the post office by Sept. 8. Despite this, the property owner hasn’t filed any permits for work on the building to date. Needless to say the office was not opened on Sept. 8.

The town is prepared to conduct an analysis of the building, along with repairs, when permitted. There are “building engineers on staff to come in this building and know right away what it needs to be up to code,” Palumbo said. “This is absolutely unacceptable.”

Palumbo suggested the landowner is “slow walking” the process while continuing to get rent from the federal government.

“You should not have to pay for services you don’t get,” Romaine said. “Just as the federal government shouldn’t pay taxes for a building that’s closed.”

Palumbo, meanwhile, considered the town “the most important entity” in prompting action and incurring change.

“The owners of this property need to be held accountable and held responsible to do the right thing,” Bonner said. “Bring this post office back to the residents and the community of Sound Beach.”

Some residents had time-sensitive packages, such as medication, that they were not receiving. One woman said that the contents had melted by the time she did received her package.

“We walked by one day, and it was closed,” said Patty Blasberg, who has lived in Sound Beach for 33 years. “That should be public knowledge,” adding that the post office closure “is detrimental to our community.”

Many in attendance, including Bonner, said that in a small hamlet like Sound Beach, the post office is vital to the “community’s identity.”

Blasberg said she always enjoyed the social aspect of going to the post office, where she could see her neighbors. “We want the community to thrive,” she said. “You can’t do that without a post office.”

According to Shirley Smith, another Sound Beach resident, the post office has needed repairs for a while and mentioned a leaking ceiling.

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File photo by Raymond Janis
By Samantha Rutt

As the local election season intensifies, Suffolk County’s wastewater infrastructure has now become the defining policy issue, with residents and environmentalists demanding immediate action to address what they consider an environmental crisis.

Water quality of Long Island’s coveted waterways is currently suffering as the county’s wastewater infrastructure deteriorates rapidly. Much of the system was built decades ago and has not been adequately upgraded to meet the demands of the growing population, critics say.

“Clean water is crucial to the health of our families, the lifeblood of our economy and central to our way of life,” said businessman Dave Calone, Democratic candidate for Suffolk County executive running against Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R). “Unfortunately, our water quality is at an all-time low, and we need to act now to protect it.”

Local officials, residents and environmentalists have voiced concerns over the issue. Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said, “Suffolk County Legislators have an ethical and moral obligation to protect our drinking and coastal water resources.”

County Water Quality Restoration Act

The Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, a plan to restore the county’s water quality, includes two bills that would create a fund to restore clean water by connecting homes and businesses to sewers and finance clean water septic system replacements.

“The need for an overall plan for wastewater infrastructure has been well-recognized for more than 60 years,” said Peter Scully, deputy county executive for administration.

Earlier this year, Scully had spearheaded a proposed 1/8 penny sales tax initiative to finance wastewater infrastructure. This proposal was rejected by the county Legislature in July, setting the stage for a contentious election season over this issue [See story, “Suffolk County Legislature recesses, blocks referendum on wastewater fund,” July 27, TBR News Media].

“Tragically, the Legislature doesn’t consider this a priority and has refused to let the public vote on this plan,” Esposito said. “Letting the public vote on a clean water referendum is good policy and good for democracy. It is deeply disturbing that the legislators support neither of those objectives.”

Impact on elections

The Republican vote to recess has met with fierce opposition from county Democrats, who are using the wastewater controversy to highlight differences in platforms.

“Republicans did not vote to put the referendum on the ballot,” said Keith Davies, Suffolk County Democratic Committee campaign manager. “It is clear that Republicans chose not to trust voters to make their own decisions. In our opinion, it was the wrong decision.”

Responding to these charges, county Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport), who is defending her 18th Legislative District seat against pediatrician Eve Meltzer-Krief (D-Centerport), indicated that her caucus is avoiding a rush to judgment.

“Rushing to pass legislation that is flawed and that will raise our taxes is simply irresponsible and not what our residents deserve,” Bontempi said. “Holding off with a referendum for a couple of months will certainly not lead to the end of Long Island, like some fearmongers like to claim.”

Many of the county’s wastewater treatment plants, pipelines and pumping stations are well past their intended lifespans, representing a growing risk for sewage leaks, overflows and contamination of local waterways and bays.

Meltzer-Krief warned that this could have devastating consequences for the region and its fragile ecosystems, including its renowned coastal areas and marine life.

“The quality of our waterways and bays here in Suffolk County is currently the poorest it has ever been,” she said. “The main cause is nitrogen runoff from outdated cesspools and septic systems which flows into our waters and triggers potentially toxic algal blooms which deprive marine life of the oxygen they need to survive.”

Research from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicates that nitrogen from sewage is suffocating Long Island’s bays and harbors, contaminating drinking water and causing fish kills and algal blooms.

“Thankfully, scientists know how to reverse this troubling and urgent environmental concern and clean our waters,” Meltzer-Krief said.

But, she added, “It is the responsibility of our county legislators to follow the science and protect our children from the toxins in the water by securing funding for the recommended clean water infrastructure.”

While local officials and environmental organizations have been sounding the alarm for years over aging infrastructure, progress has been slow and funding for these projects has often fallen short of what is required.

Restoring clean, healthy water requires drastically reducing nitrogen pollution from its primary source — Suffolk County’s approximately 360,000 nitrogen-polluting cesspools and septic systems.

“Once the legislation has been amended to properly address our wastewater infrastructure, the voters will be able to decide,” Bontempi said. “The Republican majority at the Suffolk County Legislature wants clean water, too.”

Suffolk County elections will take place Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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Port Jefferson school district aims to expand summer programs for drone technologies. Photo from Metro Graphics
By Nasrin Zahed

The Port Jefferson School District held its second Board of Education meeting of the 2023-24 school year Tuesday, Sept. 12, highlighting the success of districtwide summer programs and the expansion of year-round enrichment opportunities.

Jodi Cahill, director of special education, presented a detailed recount of the Extended School Year Summer Program. It is a 30-day program geared for students K-8 with moderate to severe disabilities to maintain skill levels acquired in the previous school year and prevent summer regression. This program is recommended to students based on their individualized education plans, known as IEPs.

Cahill emphasized that while this program is tailored as a continued learning opportunity for students to carry skills from last June into the following school year, it is still fun and engaging. Weekly curriculum themes, stimulating activities and field trips were in place to maintain and encourage student engagement.

Michael Caravello, music and fine arts director, took to the floor to discuss the Summer Music Camp, congratulating the program on 21 years of operation. The camp caters to students at all levels of musical talent to both prepare them for entrance and continued participation in band and orchestra programs. It also offers ukulele classes and a NYSSMA jumpstart program.

Caravello added that the camp aimed to provide students with a relaxing and open atmosphere to begin or continue their exploration of music while teaching the importance of collaboration and problem-solving among peers.

Adam Sherrard, director of health, physical education and athletics, presented on the success of the Athletic Summer Camps’ second year of running. With 20 camps advertised to students, the total offerings doubled from the program’s initial rollout in 2021-22. Over 80 student volunteers aided coaches and instructors in facilitating these programs, some even being recent graduates who took pleasure in participating. 

The camps served as forums for students to be active, work on personal health and form connections between older and younger peers.

The summer programs ebbed to a close with the Summer Academic Enrichment Program. Two camps were offered to students grades six to 12, introducing them to the world of coding and drones. The drone camp was made possible by a grant proposal to the Port Jefferson Royal Education Foundation, providing $2,000 for the district that was used to purchase 10 drones for student use.

Robert Neidig, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said that the hope is now to expand summer programs to create more opportunities for students from the elementary level and beyond.

He stated that the district has applied to the state to use Title IV federal financial funding to create enrichment opportunities throughout the academic school year, with approval pending. 

The Board of Education will reconvene on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.

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From left, T.J. Hatter, Long Island director of intergovernmental affairs for New York State Attorney General Letitia James; former New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright; Anthony Rotoli Jr., president of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Vigiano Brothers Lodge 3436; and Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich. Photo by Raymond Janis

Rain couldn’t halt the annual memorial service held on Monday, Sept. 11, in downtown Port Jefferson.

The Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Vigiano Brothers Lodge 3436 hosts this event each year. The vigil honors the lives of brothers John and Joseph Vigiano, who died from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001.

Traditionally held outdoors in Harborfront Park, this year’s iteration moved to the Village Center’s drier interior, a last-minute accommodation courtesy of the Village of Port Jefferson.

“I don’t care if it was raining or not raining, we were going to get this done,” said Anthony Rotoli Jr., president of the lodge.

Lodge members, community residents, faith leaders and public officials gathered for a ceremony of prayer and reflection. Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), former New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) and T.J. Hatter, Long Island director of intergovernmental affairs for New York State Attorney General Letitia James (D), each addressed the audience in turn.

T.J. Hatter, Long Island director of intergovernmental affairs for New York State Attorney General Letitia James, speaks during a Sept. 11 memorial service at the Port Jefferson Village Center. Photo by Raymond Janis

Of the many annual events Kornreich attends, he referred to 9/11 memorial services as “the most solemn and most painful.” Despite the lingering pain over two decades later, the councilmember maintained that the nation has endured.

“Although that day was a day of terror and sorrow and tragedy, the days that followed became days of community, hope and resolve,” he said.

In the face of tragedy, Hatter maintained that “inspiration can come from many places.” He asked those present to apply the examples of service and selflessness exhibited on 9/11 to their daily lives.

“Hope is real,” he said. “There is no such thing as false or too much hope. There is only hope. As we remember those who were lost that day, I want to thank you all for being here to help keep that hope alive.”

Englebright offered that services such as these can keep the memory of the 9/11 fallen heroes alive.

“We must never forget, always remember, and always give thanks to those who ran into the buildings and up the stairway into heaven on behalf of all of us,” he said. “The rain is the tears from heaven today.”

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Starting soon, all newborns in New York state will receive testing for congenital cytomegalovirus. Photo by Farajiibrahim from Wikimedia Commons

Starting later this month or early next month, all children born in New York state will receive testing for congenital cytomegalovirus, an infection that can cause hearing loss and learning deficits.

The state will track children who test positive for this virus, which is related to the virus for chickenpox, herpes and mononucleosis, over the years after their birth to provide early intervention amid the development of any symptoms and to provide a baseline for understanding how the virus may affect the growth and development of other children born with the virus.

Mothers who contract CMV, which is the most common congenital virus and the leading nongenetic cause of deafness in children, for the first time while they are pregnant can transmit the virus to their developing child.

Local doctors suggested that this testing, which other states would likely examine closely, provided a welcome opportunity to gather information about their children, even if the test raised questions or concerns about what the diagnosis means.

“Knowledge is power,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “The more you can tell a parent about what’s going on, the more they can make informed decisions.”

To be sure, Nachman anticipated that more parents initially might opt out of having their child’s screen result reported in their newborn record, until pediatricians and obstetricians have had a chance to talk with them.

There will be a “lot more opting out in the beginning” until parents understand what the test means and how it might help in understanding a virus that could affect their children’s health and development, Nachman said.

One in 200 babies

New York State recently received a contract from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to add screening for this virus for a period of a year.

Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

Parents of babies who test positive will receive referrals to infectious disease specialists across the state for follow-up and evaluation.

The state predicts about one out of every 200 newborns may test positive for the virus, according to the New York State Department of Health website.

Over half of the adults in the U.S. have had CMV, while most people don’t know they’ve had it because they show no symptoms.

Those who develop symptoms have sore throats, fever, fatigue and swollen glands, which are the kind of nonspecific conditions that characterize the body’s response to infections from other viruses.

Opt-out options

While all babies will receive a congenital CMV test, parents can choose to opt out of having their children’s screen result reported in their newborn screen record.

The state urges parents who would like to opt out to do so quickly, as newborn screen reports are complete five to seven days after birth.

Parents have several ways to opt out. They can scan the QR code found on their brochure, which will bring them to the Newborn Screening Program website and opt out portal. They can also remove and fill out the opt-out form in the parent brochure and give it to the hospital to submit with the newborn screen specimen.

Alternatively, parents can email a picture of the completed opt-out form to [email protected] or they can call the program at 518-473-7552 and press option five. Finally, parents can mail the opt-out form to the NYS Newborn Screening Program in Albany.

First steps

Nachman is co-leading one of the 11 units across the state in pediatric infectious disease with Dr. Andrew Handel.

The teams will meet once a month to discuss issues around CMV.

“One of the goals of the project, which is why it’s funded by NICHD is can we identify who is at risk” to develop problems such as hearing loss.

Among the numerous unanswered questions the group hopes to address is whether early treatment would be a way to prevent problems from developing, even among children who test positive but are asymptomatic. Giving medication to all children who test positive comes with its own problems, as the medication for CMV has side effects, said Nachman.

It’s not like “taking a dose of Tylenol, given several times a day for weeks at a time,” said Nachman. 

While women who have had CMV prior to pregnancy are unlikely to transmit the virus, Nachman discourages people from intentionally contracting the virus before becoming pregnant.

“We don’t encourage people to go out and get CMV so they’ll be cleared by the time they’re pregnant,” in part because people can develop symptoms, conditions and secondary infections after having the virus.

By monitoring the health of children after their diagnosis, the state hopes to understand more about the virus and its effects.

“We need to follow enough children long enough” to be able to address those medical questions and concerns, Nachman said.

The study might be able to find markers that could predict who might be at risk for hearing loss in the early years of a child’s life, she said.

During hearing screens that could occur every six months, children born with CMV can receive early intervention.

“The sooner we see something, the sooner we can act on it,” Nachman said.

As for developmental issues, children who show even a glimmer of a developmental delay can also receive early intervention.

At this point, Stony Brook has been participating in clinical trials for a vaccine, which, if approved, could be administered to adolescents.

The trials for the vaccine, which could last for 10 years, are still in the early stages of development.

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From left, Earl L. Vandermeulen High School’s Christopher Smith, Ava Romonoyske, Joshua Kwon, Evan Monaghan, Andi Kelly, Mari Fukuto, Marco Puopolo, Kay Moran and Michael Caravello. Photo courtesy PJSD

Members of Earl L. Vandermeulen High School’s music department paid tribute to those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, by giving a moving performance during the Port Jefferson Fire Department’s annual 9/11 memorial service. 

The students, led by Michael Caravello, director of music and fine arts, performed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “God Bless America” and taps.

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Wildcats take the field in their season opener. Photo by Bill Landon
Home crowd on opening night. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcat running back Liam Kershis finds an opening. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcat senior running back Liam Kershis powers through an opening. Photo by Bill Landon
Timeout, Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcat running back Liam Kershis looks for an opening. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcat defensive back Sean Casey makes the tackle. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcat defensive back Sean Casey makes the tackle. Photo by Bill Landon
Timeout, Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Senior wide receiver Kiernan Clifford makes the catch for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Halftime entertainment. Photo by Bill Landon
Halftime entertainment. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcat wide receiver Sean Casey bolts out of the backfield. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River quarterback Tyler Hermanns hands off. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcat running back Liam Kershis powers up the left sideline. Photo by Bill Landon
Michael Casey after his touchdown catch for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon

The Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats kicked off their 2023 campaign looking to continue their winning ways of last season by hosting Elwood-John H. Glenn at Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field Friday night, Sept. 8, but a win wasn’t in the cards as the Wildcats fell, 21-13. 

John Glenn scored three minutes into the second quarter, holding the Wildcats scoreless at the halftime break. Wide receiver Michael Casey broke the ice for the Wildcats off a 10-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Tyler Hermanns in the third quarter to trail, 14-7. Glenn answered back in the final 12 minutes of play to make it a two-score game before Sean Casey — Michael’s twin brother — found the end zone on another 10-yard pass from Hermanns for the final score.

The Wildcats will look to put a “W” in the win column with another home game Thursday, Sept. 14, when they host Wyandanch. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

– Photos by Bill Landon

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