The Huntington Republican Committee has announced that its 3rd annual Winter Coat Drive is underway. This year, it is partnering with the Family Service League, where the coats will be distributed to those in need.
In addition to men’s and women’s coats, they are requesting new and slightly used gloves, mittens, boots and scarves. All donations may be brought to Huntington GOP headquarters at 690 New York Ave. in Huntington, Monday through Thursday from noon to 4 p.m.
Last year’s drive saw 100 coats collected.
Founded in Huntington in 1926, FSL delivers tangible help and crisis intervention across various service areas, including mental health counseling, addiction prevention and treatment, homelessness, job training, trauma counseling, early education and family and senior support services. FSL offers over 60 programs at 20 locations throughout Long Island.
“In the short amount of time that we started this, it has become bigger and bigger,” said Tom McNally, chairman of the Huntington GOP. “We have seen a growing need for these items as the winter weather approaches, but we have been able to meet those needs, thanks to the generosity of the local residents.”
“Unfortunately, warm coats are a luxury for some children and adults residing in Greater Huntington,” said Karen Boorshtein, president and CEO of Family Service League. “We appreciate the efforts of Huntington Republican Party Chairman Thomas McNally to help us provide winter coats for those in need. The new and gently used coats being collected during the GOP’s coat drive will be given out to community members who utilize the programs at Family Service League’s Huntington Family Center and to those individuals residing in our shelters.”
Donations will be accepted until March 23. To learn more about the Family Service League, visit www.fsl-li.org. For more information about the Winter Coat Drive, call 631-549-6800, email [email protected] or visit www.huntingtongop.org.
The USS Shaw explodes during the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. Public domain photo
By Rich Acritelli
“We thought they were U.S. planes until we saw the big red sun on the wings, and they began to bomb and strafe, and there was that big red sun on their wings, and it was war.”
— William Harvey, USS Sacramento, 1941
Eighty-two years ago on Dec. 7, the Empire of Japan struck the United States Armed Forces stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
In the early morning hours, a massive Japanese naval and air presence was just 200 miles off the coast of these islands as military personnel and civilians awaited a leisurely Sunday. In an attack that lasted a little over two hours, an American population was thrust into a global conflict.
The surprise attack stunned government and military officials alike. Many Americans were shocked by this news, deluded by the inaccurate perception that the Japanese were not capable of hitting Hawaii with any robust force.
Instead, airmen, army forces and naval ships were reeling from continual aerial assaults by the Japanese Zero fighter aircraft that openly strafed American targets. From Japanese aircraft carriers, 40 torpedo planes, 103 level bombers, 131 dive bombers and 79 fighters opened up the war against American targets.
Once the smoke cleared, 2,403 American service members were killed, more than 1,000 injured and 19 American ships were crippled or destroyed.
The United States was fortunate that its three aircraft carriers were at sea. Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto initially stressed caution against this attack. He openly believed that if the American carriers were not hit, he could “run wild” for a year before the “sleeping giant awoke.”
Yamamoto, who traveled extensively around the United States, fully understood America’s economic and military potential, worrying that Japan would lose any long war against this country. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) rallied a shaken nation, announcing that a “state of war” existed between the U.S. and Japan.
Americans from all walks of life entered the U.S. Armed Forces to avenge this national tragedy and oppose the rise of fascism. The Japanese and Germans faced limited military achievements, but they underestimated the American resolve to mobilize every facet of its government, economy and population.
By 1945, America and its allies had achieved “complete” and “utter” victory first against Germany and then Japan.
A way to remember
Dec. 7, 1941, is a national day of remembrance of service for many past, present and future veterans. Recently, Thomas Semkow, a lifetime member of Rocky Point VFW Post 6249, died of cancer on Nov. 13, at 78. A soft-spoken man who was born in Manhattan and enjoyed every aspect of the Rocky Point VFW, Thomas was a Vietnam veteran. He was sent to Vietnam during the height of the fighting. Thomas had the unique experience of being a member of the Green Berets as a medic who worked closely with American and South Vietnamese forces who directly fought the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese Army.
Never one to speak about his experiences during the war, Thomas’ military achievements are on display at the VFW 6249 Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum, opening Thursday, Dec. 7.
His death is a continual reminder of the older World War II, Korean and Vietnam war veterans who are dying on a daily basis. They sacrificed greatly to defend this nation. Let us remember now their valor during the Japanese attack.
Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School, adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College and curator of the VFW 6249 Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum.
In an exclusive conversation, Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich discusses the futures of Jefferson Plaza in Port Jeff Station and Cablevision townwide. Then, the Three Village Central School District keeps Regents exam scores in students’ grades. Plus, a light-hearted chat about a recent afternoon filled with talk of love.
Dive into this week’s news on The Pressroom Afterhour: Keeping it Local with TBR. Visit tbrnewsmedia.com to read these stories and more. Follow us on:
The Vanderbilt Mansion library is decked out for the holidays.
Each December, the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport gives special evening tours of the decorated Mansion. This year, the Vanderbilt proudly introduces Sounds of the Seasons, a captivating new holiday program, planned for Saturday, December 9 and 16, from 5 to 9 p.m.
Transport yourself to the heyday of Eagle’s Nest, a time when radio was the heartbeat of everyday life.
Explore the festively adorned mansion and be serenaded by timeless Bing Crosby melodies, relive President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Christmas Eve commemorations, and be captivated by special holiday episodes of Suspense Radio.
This holiday celebration masterfully captures the essence of the Golden Age of Radio, blending festive cheer with nostalgic charm.
The Vanderbilt Mansion’s halls were decked by the Museum’s curators in collaboration with the Dix Hills, Centerport, Three Village, Asharoken, and Nathan Hale garden clubs.
Tickets, which are $15 per person, can be purchased on the Vanderbilt website, www.vanderbiltmuseum.org, for specific 30-minute tour times.
We have friends who live close to us who are pregnant. Okay, that sounds weird, right? She’s pregnant, and he looks sheepish, like he’s not sure what’s coming.
That’s not entirely fair. He was socially awkward before he brought his small package of genetic material to the pregnancy party. Why would anyone imagine he would be any different in the months before he makes a head first dive down the rabbit hole into the wonders and challenges of parenthood?
Now, if their families are anything like others I’ve known, they are bound to have a wide range of pre and post delivery discussions.
“Are you going to name the baby after my side of the family?”
“Make sure you put sugar, spice and everything nice in the crib or the baby will become colicky like your Aunt Michelle. She was one of the most miserable babies we’ve ever seen and that’s because her mother forgot about the sugar and spice under the crib.”
One of the most fascinating and sometimes confounding parts of the baby discussion, which can extend well into the years that follow, is the family credit for various traits.
To wit, “He’s incredibly serious and focused just like his Uncle Oswald. That Oswald was a man with a purpose from the time he was born, just like your little baby Joey.”
Or maybe, “Morgan has the same broad smile, laugh or sense of humor as her Aunt Carol.”
Each family can dig in, sharing ways that the developing child has characteristics they are convinced come from one side of the family, often from the speaker who has a proprietary interest in propagating the enduring myth of a family heritage.
Such talk suggests somehow that heredity is much more important than environment. The credit can go beyond physical characteristics such as long eyelashes, rounded shoulders, or sparkling eyes: they can include artistic talent, an ability to relate to other people, or a proficiency for languages.
That somehow seems un-American. After all, we the people generally believe that hard work can help people become proficient in any area, developing the kind of talent that differentiates them in their field and allowing them to control their destiny.
Such strong genetic links, while providing an appealing way to connect to ancestors and to those who aren’t around to smile and play with their descendants, is akin, if you’ll pardon the pun, to linking someone’s last name to their profession.
“Oh, the Jones family? Sure, they all became teachers. The Berringtons went into the clothing business, while the Shimmers all became dentists. They all have such gifted dental hands.”
Such blanket statements about where someone’s exceptionalism originated also throws the other sides of the family into the shadows, as if their only role were to ensure the ongoing survival of the dominant and more important family tree.
Family trees, however, like the trees that people decorate around this time of year, have bilateral symmetry, with people decorating each side in popcorn, cranberries and/or holiday lights.
Rarely does anyone do a deep dive into the other side of a family, learning whether the Jones family had faster legs, a quicker wit, better grades or a stronger work ethic.
Then again, the point of these claims isn’t to be scientific, thorough or even fair. It’s a way to connect the children of today with those who came before. Even if people don’t believe in reincarnation, focus on genes, or contemplate the enduring qualities of any family culture, they might feel tremendous joy and comfort hoping that this person’s unwritten life includes future chapters that reflect a familial past that need not be exclusive to one branch, one side or one person.
Story weaving may help give a developing life context and meaning. Ideally, those attributes and connections may remind the family and this new person about the kind of strong and accomplished roots that can help him or her develop into the kind of person he or she chooses to be, which would be a win for everyone.
This past weekend we traveled to Boston for a remarkable bridal shower. While I have been to many bridal showers before, this one was in honor of my first grandchild’s fiancee. Life is made up of firsts, of course, and we enjoy each of them in a special way. So up to Massachusetts we went for a new adventure.
I thought about my oldest grandson on the drive north. I still keenly remember the thrill of becoming a grandmother, of witnessing the beginning of the next generation. How lucky we grandparents are to reach that moment. I cherish a particular memory of having this adorable toddler running toward me as he entered the room, arms out for a hug, yelling “Grandma! Grandma!” on his arrival with his parents for a visit. Yes, I really was a grandma, I marveled then to myself, before scooping him up in my arms for a proper welcome.
After all, it’s a rarefied club one can aspire to but one is powerless to join on one’s own.
And that little person, grown up now to a handsome man who gives bear hugs, is extending the family with a new chapter, and I was going to celebrate with his soon-to-be wife.
It’s a phenomenon, this marriage bit, when you think about it. Two people meet, they fall in love, decide they want to spend the rest of their lives together, and the next thing you know, a small army of strangers rush to hug you and welcome you to the family. That’s what happens at a bridal shower, even as the avowed purpose is to help the newly weds set up their home with small gifts.
In addition, though, the two sides of the family get a chance to meet before the wedding, check each other out under joyful circumstances, then, no longer strangers, look forward to seeing each other at the nuptials. Maybe it’s not an accident that the shower is a women’s only affair. We have been known as the more critical of the sexes. If we have met and enjoyed the prospective extension of the family, the wedding will most likely go smoothly. Or so history might suggest.
Speaking of history, where did the idea of a bridal shower come from?
Here are two stories. The first dates back to 16th century Holland, where gifts were given to the bride to prepare her for her new life as a married woman if either she was too poor to buy them herself or her father didn’t approve of the marriage and wouldn’t provide a dowry. One such instance involved a father who wanted his daughter to marry a wealthy pig farmer, but she insisted on marrying a miller, who was from a lower class. The girl’s friends then supplied gifts to help her start a home.
The second story is from the Victorian Era. Ladies in those days would gather to wish the bride well, bringing small gifts like notes and home goods. These would be put in an open parasol, and they would “shower” them over her.
Today the bride’s friends and female relatives gather to wish the new bride well and help prepare the home, and that is exactly what happened in the lovely club setting on the water that we attended. My grand daughter-in-law’s shower was organized by her friend since early childhood. The day was bright and sunny on the outside, and so was the mood inside. We met some of her friends, her immediate family, her aunts and cousins, and enjoyed a delicious brunch together. We traded stories of how some of the women had found their husbands, where they now lived, how many children they had, what sort of work they did, in short the usual conversations when strangers first meet. The hit of the day was the clever 1 1/2 year-old son of the hostess who roamed among us and tried to put his sneaker on my foot. Gifts were opened by the bride, pictures were taken, and then slowly we dispersed, promising to see each other at the wedding, now an extended family.
The 2023 Double Helix Medals Dinner was once again held under the American Museum of Natural History's iconic blue whale model. Photo from CSHL
By Nick Wurm
On November 15, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) held its 18th annual Double Helix Medals dinner (DHMD) at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. CBS journalist Lesley Stahl returned to emcee the awards dinner, which honored Neri Oxman & William Ackman and 2018 Nobel laureate Jim Allison. Thanks to the event chairs and donors, the event raised more than $10 million. After receiving the Double Helix Medal, Oxman and Ackman announced an extraordinary gift, further breaking the event’s fundraising record to support scientific research and education at CSHL.
William Ackman & Neri Oxman
Neri Oxman & William Ackman are co-trustees of the Pershing Square Foundation. The organization empowers scientists to take on important social causes, including the environment, cancer, and cognitive health. Ackman is also the CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management and chairman of the Howard Hughes Corporation. Oxman is an innovative designer whose fusions of technology and biology have been featured in museums around the world. Her work has yielded over 150 scientific publications and inventions.
“Something we continue to this day is backing young, talented entrepreneurs who are on a mission to solve an important societal problem,” Ackman says. “We believe in taking risks with incredible scientists who have the ability to tackle these complex problems,” Oxman adds.
Dr. Jim Allison
Dr. Jim Allison is regental professor and chair of the MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Department of Immunology. He won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for pioneering the field of cancer immunotherapy. Since then, his research has led to the development of ipilimumab, an FDA-approved therapy for metastatic melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and lung cancer.
“The perception of immunology has shifted,” Dr. Allison says. “People used to say, ‘Will immunotherapy ever work?’ We now know it works. Immunotherapy is going to be a part of all cancer therapies for almost every kind of cancer.”
The 2023 DHMD was chaired by Ms. Jamie Nicholls and Mr. O. Francis Biondi, Ms. Barbara Amonson and Dr. Vincent Della Pietra, Drs. Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra and Stephen Della Pietra, Mr. and Mrs. John M. Desmarais, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Gray, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey E. Kelter, Dr. and Mrs. Tomislav Kundic, Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Lindsay, Ms. Ivana Stolnik-Lourie and Dr. Robert Lourie, Dr. Marcia Kramer Mayer, Dr. and Mrs. Howard L. Morgan, Drs. Marilyn and James Simons, and Mr. and Mrs. Paul J. Taubman.
Since the inaugural gala in 2006 honoring Muhammed Ali, the DHMD has raised over $60 million to support CSHL’s biological research and education programs.
Author Nick Wurm is a Communications Specialist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Photo from Tierney's office
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney on Dec. 5 announced the indictment of Daphna Zekaria, 54, of Syosset, a partner at the Huntington law firm of Sokolski and Zekaria, P.C., for allegedly stealing money from two clients.
Daphna Zekaria
“The allegations against this defendant represent an egregious violation of the trust that the victims placed in her as an attorney and a fiduciary,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The duties and responsibilities of attorney-client relationships are a critically essential element of our legal system, and my office will not tolerate individuals using their law degrees as licenses to steal.”
According to the investigation, in December 2021, Zekaria was hired by a New York State Lottery winner and allegedly made promises to hold a portion of her client’s money in the firm’s escrow account and invest an additional portion on his behalf. Instead of holding the money or investing it, she did neither and made large transfers to other individuals which she would not have been able to make, had her client’s funds not been deposited into her account. Zekaria collected a total of $230,000 from the victim in three separate transactions.
In March 2023, Zekaria was retained by a Manhattan woman to assist her in contesting eviction proceedings. Zekaria took $17,500 from the victim to represent her but allegedly performed no legal work on her behalf. After the victim requested her money back, a mere 13 days after providing payment, the defendant had allegedly spent the victim’s money on LIPA payments, and credit card bills.
Zekaria is charged with Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony; Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony and Scheme to Defraud, a Class E felony. She is also charged with Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor for allegedly failing to comply with a grand jury subpoena for records related to her dealings with the victims.
On December 5, 2023, Zekaria was arrested by investigators of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and arraigned on the indictment before County Court Judge, the Honorable Stephen L. Braslow who ordered Zekaria be released on her own recognizance and placed on supervised release. Her next court date is on December 13, 2023. She is being represented by the Legal Aid Society.
If you believe you are a victim of Zekaria, please call the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office at (631) 853-4626. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Katharine D’Aquila of the Public Corruption Bureau and was investigated by Assistant Special Investigator Brian Wood of the District Attorney’s Public Corruption Squad.
Veterinarian Steven Templeton, of Animal Health & Wellness in Setauket, pets his two rescue dogs Penny and Emmy. Penny, the black dog, recently passed away. Photo by Stephanie Templeton
Long Island veterinarians are scratching their heads, unsure of whether reports of a new and as yet poorly-defined respiratory illness in dogs is a new threat or whether the ongoing talk is something of a shaggy dog tale.
“No one knows what it is,” said Steven Templeton, a veterinarian at Animal Health & Wellness in Setauket. “Nobody seems to have a clue. Some suggested it was a weird new bacteria, while others suggested it was viral.”
As of now, a potential respiratory infection, which hasn’t been well-defined and differs in its origin depending on whom you ask, could be contributing to making some dogs in other parts of the country sicker than they might otherwise be from the usual assortment of canine maladies that strike at this time of year.
Templeton has seen an increase in respiratory cases in his practice, although none of the cases has become severe.
Some of the illnesses he’s treated are coming from dogs that have no known exposure to other dogs, which “makes you wonder if they’re not catching it from dogs, and if they’re catching it from people,” Templeton added. “It could be a variant of the flu or COVID.”
When Templeton graduated from veterinary school in 1989, he said the conventional wisdom was that dogs didn’t give people viruses and vice versa. Now, he said, that’s turned around, and humans and their best friends can and do share illnesses.
With conflicting reports that this illness could be viral or bacterial, the infection could be a grab bag description for more than one health threat, Templeton said.
As of now, this mysterious dog illness has reportedly affected dogs in 14 states.
At Animal Emergency Services in Middle Country Road in Selden, veterinarian Melody Ribeiro has had one pneumonia case in a dog, which was straightforward in its treatment.
The dog recovered.
Advice for dog owners
Dog owners have been asking about reports of this infection.
Ribeiro suggested people who are planning to travel check out the facility where they are bringing their pet to make sure they know how the dogs are handled.
Vets also recommended asking kennels or other boarding facilities if they isolate dogs who are coughing or might be contagious.
Templeton, who finds someone who can care for his dogs at home when he travels, added that minimizing group dog contact at this point might also help.
Similar to the advice health care providers who work with people offered during COVID, veterinarians suggested that dog owners should take special precautions with beloved pets who might be in vulnerable categories or who have underlying medical conditions.
Dogs who are particularly young or old, have conditions that weaken their immune system, have poor organ function or are not fully immunocompetent should stay away from gatherings where they might contract viral or bacterial infections.
“We say the same thing for animals that we say for humans for COVID,” said Templeton. “If they have underlying issues, stay away from public [gatherings]. They could be asking for trouble.”
Other dog challenges
Apart from the threat of one or a combination of infections, veterinarians also suggested that dogs continue to struggle with the carry-over from a pandemic that kept many of their human friends home for extended periods of time.
Dogs “feed off the emotions of their owners,” said Templeton. Owners who are stressed or who are angrier than normal can bring tension into their homes that can make their dogs act out.
Dog owners are increasingly asking veterinarians for drugs to help their dogs cope with anxiety or emotional problems.
“The drug approach is minimally effective,” Templeton said. He urged people to get their dogs training and to work with their pets to minimize their distress.
“Anxious owners have anxious dogs,” added Ribeiro.
Holiday risks
During the holidays, dogs can also get into foods they shouldn’t eat, which can lead to pancreatitis, Ribeiro said.
With the legalization of pot, dogs are also consuming products that have tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
The accidental consumption of THC has occurred over the last few years, with dogs coming in who need medical attention, Ribeiro said. Veterinarians urged people to be cautious about where they store their gummies or other products that might prove an irresistible attraction to their dogs.
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