Note to listeners, this episode contains graphic depictions of events on September 11th, 2001, and one offensive word.
Upon waking up in the morning, the first thing most of us do is open the weather app, reservedly hopeful. It feels as if winter should be over as we enter March, but as the weather for the day appears on our screens or televisions, we are greeted with a little cloud icon. Again.
Despite lengthening daylight hours and sporadic days of sunshine, Long Island enters March under cold and cloudy conditions. The low temperatures keep many inside clutching a hot beverage. In the summer, there would still be plenty of daylight hours to still take advantage of: a comparison that we can’t help but indulge in.
There are some days where our only outdoor time involves walking from the car to the front door; this lack of exposure to the sun as well the inability to pursue hobbies such as hiking, playing sports, swimming or gardening can cause seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD is characterized by oversleeping, overeating and social withdrawal in addition to decreased energy, loss of pleasure in hobbies and difficulty concentrating or making decisions, to name a few.
While many don’t experience the impacts of the season drastically enough to have a SAD diagnosis, the lack of time outdoors and under the sun undoubtedly has an effect on our behavior and outlook.
On a chemical level, researchers theorize that vitamin D, which we produce when we are exposed to sun, plays a role in the production of serotonin, otherwise known as the “happy chemical.” According to the National Institute of Mental Heath, the lower levels of vitamin D are common in people who suffer from SAD.
Furthermore, fewer daylight hours can cause the body to begin producing melatonin earlier, leading to oversleeping.
The uncomfortable weather understandably keeps us indoors, away from our hobbies, leaving us feeling unfulfilled. The days seem to pass faster without activities to break up the monotony of being indoors.
Luckily, we can take vitamin D supplements to compensate for our lack of sunlight exposure. While this can abate the chemical impacts, it is important to pay attention to how the season changes our lifestyle choices and to try to mitigate that or supplement it with something else.
Perhaps, instead of gardening outside, we decide to devote ourselves to a collection of houseplants. We can invest in some hand-warmers and warm weather clothing to continue hiking and walking without becoming uncomfortably cold. Or, we can take up a new engaging hobby like painting, knitting, or rock-climbing. Moving our body in some capacity is also important to make sure we stay in shape and boost our endorphins, which can decrease symptoms of depression, stabilize our mood, and help us manage stress.
As we enter the home-stretch of cold-weather, we should check in with our personal and physical needs.
The Suffolk County Police Department released the following statement on March 10 on the brush fires in the pine barrens this past weekend:
“Following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Arson Section detectives, the cause of multiple
brush fires on March 8 has been preliminarily ruled accidental. Detectives believe the cause is related to
a fire that spread following an attempt to make s’mores at a home on North Cozine Road in Manorville.
It’s believed strong winds spurred additional fires from embers leading to the brush fires.
Police are continuing to speak with witnesses and investigate tips.”
By Heidi Sutton
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Saturday, March 8 after multiple fire departments and emergency services battled three major brush fires in the Pine Barrens. The first fire started in Center Moriches around 1 p.m. and then spread very quickly to East Moriches, Eastport and Westhampton just north of Gabreski Airport. The National Guard was also involved in water drops. As of 8:30 p.m., portions of Sunrise Highway remained closed past exit 58 and the fire was 50% controlled. One firefighter was injured with burns and was flown to Stony Brook University for treatment.
“The fire is now two miles wide and two miles long. Part of the problem is the wind. …We stop this fire from spreading, and then we try to contain it,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said at a press conference Saturday evening. “It is not under control, as I speak, and probably will not be for several hours, if not probably tomorrow as well, because the winds will keep the embers alive, and we have to worry every day that this fire will start up again.”
“This is a coordinated effort to make sure that this does not turn into 1995 as well,” said Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico, referring to the August 1995 Sunrise Fire that burned 4,500 acres of pine barrens and took four days to contain. “I have authorized all of the heavy equipment from the landfill, from our highway department, our parks department — we are here to assist any fire department {in their efforts}. We are in this together …. and I pray for everyone’s safety.”
“Suffolk County continues to work with our partners in the Town of Southampton, New York State, Nassau County and the federal government to manage the active brushfires in Southampton. Thank you to Representative Nick LaLotta, Senator Chuck Schumer, Governor Kathy Hochul, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Southampton Supervisor Maria Z. Moore, Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico, Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the Southampton Police Department, the Suffolk County Police Department, state Representative Tommy John Schiavoni, state Senator Anthony Palumbo, NYC Mayor Eric Adams – who has offered us assistance – and volunteers from over 80 fire departments and emergency service agencies for their work in helping to combat the fires,” added Romaine in a statement.
“I spoke with County Executive Ed Romaine [this afternoon] about the brush fire in the Pine Barrens and informed him that the State of New York is here to provide any resources and support he needs. The New York National Guard has already begun providing air support by helicopter and is coordinating with local law enforcement,” said Gov. Hochul in a press release. “I have also deployed personnel from the Office of Emergency Management, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, State Parks and the New York State Police to assist Suffolk County’s response to this crisis. Public safety is my top priority, and I’m committed to doing everything possible to keep Long Islanders safe.”
By Bill Landon
The Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats (No.1) at 18-2 squared off against Islip (No.4) at 12-8 for the Suffolk Class A semi-final matchup on March 3. Having played each other twice during the regular season, both teams walked away with a win setting up the rubber match at Centereach High School.
The Wildcats broke out to an eight-point lead in the opening quarter but the Buccaneers found their three-point range to take a two-point lead into the halftime break.
Being the No.1 seed may have been a disadvantage to the Wildcats as their playoff bye left them out of the heat of battle since Feb. 8.
After both teams traded points over the next 14 minutes of play the Wildcats trailed by two with 38 seconds left in regulation. Islip stretched their lead to four points with less than 15 seconds left which forced the Wildcats to intentionally foul to stop the clock. The Buccaneers closed the door at the free throw line to put the game away 46-40 and will advance to the Class A final round.
Shoreham-Wading River will lose five seniors to graduation concluding their 24-2025 campaign with an impressive 18-3 record.
– Photos by Bill Landon
By Heidi Sutton
Whether or not your ancestors hail from the Emerald Isle, everyone is guaranteed to enjoy a family-friendly (and dog-friendly) St. Patrick’s Day parade. While Kings Park held its parade last week, there are still plenty of celebrations to attend on the North Shore. And don’t forget to wear shamrock green!
Center Moriches
Center Moriches’ 21st annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place in Center Moriches on Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m. The parade begins on Lake Avenue and ends at Railroad Avenue. This year’s Grand Marshal is Mark Danowski. For more information, visit www.moricheschamber.org.
Farmingdale
Farmingdale presents its 11th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m. The parade steps off at Northside Elementary School and proceeds down Main Street to the Village Green. This year’s Grand Marshal is Cheryl Parisi. Call 516-286-7800 for more information.
Huntington
The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) invites the community to its 91st annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Huntington on Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m. Grand Marshal New York State Assemblyman Keith P. Brown will lead the procession down New York Avenue to Main Street before ending at The Church of St. Patrick. Long Island’s oldest and largest, the parade will feature dozens of pipe bands. For more information, visit www.huntingtonhibernian.com.
Miller Place-Rocky Point
The Friends of St. Patrick will host the 73rd annual Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 16 at 1 p.m. sharp. The 2.8-mile parade starts at Harrison Avenue and Route 25A in Miller Place and then finishes at Broadway in Rocky Point. This year’s Co-Grand Marshals will be John and Raymond O’Sullivan. For further information, visit www.thefriendsofstpatrick.com or call 631-473-5100.
Ronkonkoma
The 35th annual Ronkonkoma St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m. Grand Marshal Dan Moloney will lead the parade from Amvets Post 48, 660 Hawkins Ave. at School Street, south down Hawkins Ave. ending at Thorne Street. Call 631-304-6303 or visit www.ronkonkomaparade.org.
St. James
St. James Chamber of Commerce presents the 41st annual St. James St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 15 at 1 p.m. The parade will step off along Lake Avenue from Woodlawn Avenue to the viewing stand in front of the gazebo ending just before St James Elementary School, rain or shine. Featuring scouts, dance troupes, pipe bands, school bands, floats, fire trucks and more. The grand marshal will be Robert J. Murphy. Rain date is March 22. 631-584-8510
Sugar kelp farming is a win-win
Suffolk County has a unique opportunity to lead in sustainable aquaculture by adding seaweed farming to its existing lease program. Seaweed cultivation offers immense environmental and economic benefits, including improved water quality, carbon sequestration, and the development of innovative industries such as sustainable plastics, animal feed, and biodegradable materials.
Non-profit organizations like Lazy Point Farms and its partners have demonstrated their commitment to supporting this industry through research, infrastructure development, and community education. The Town of Brookhaven is committed to collaborating with organizations like this to build sustainable practices, and we have a chance to help pioneer a robust model for providing critical resources to local growers. This initiative will not only create new economic opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs but also help New York catch up with neighboring states already thriving in seaweed production.
The opportunity is clear: there have been numerous inquiries from businesses for our locally grown seaweed, but not nearly enough supply to meet that demand. Seaweed production is truly a win-win, because as it generates revenue, it also helps drive the development of sustainable products and helps improve water quality in our bays and harbors.
Concerns about potential conflicts with boating and visual impact are addressed by the seasonal nature of kelp farming, which occurs outside peak boating months. Additionally, kelp farms enhance marine life and mitigate harmful algae blooms, benefiting all who rely on our waters.
By supporting this initiative, we can position Suffolk County and the Town of Brookhaven as leaders in sustainable aquaculture: creating jobs, protecting our waters, and strengthening our local economy. For more information, check out lazypointfarms.org or do some research on sugar kelp harvesting. It’s an effort worth supporting!
Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich
(D-Stony Brook)
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By Daniel Dunaief
Despite their importance in making a turkey sandwich, a clarinet, and an adorable puppy wagging its tail possible, quarks and gluons don’t figure into the realm of subjects discussed at water coolers, which, incidentally, also depend on the interaction between these subatomic particles.
Ejiro Umaka has the opportunity to change that, at least for a general audience including national legislators, in under three minutes while using only one slide.
A Research Associate at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Umaka won $2,000 at BNL’s second SLAM competition, in which she and nine other junior scientists presented their research in front of a live audience. Umaka planned to present her work this past Wednesday, March 5th to an audience of politicians, judges and people generally interested in science.
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY1) attended the previous event and extended his congratulations to Umaka.
“Dr. Umaka’s unwavering commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and her exceptional curiosity exemplify the pioneering spirit that positions Long Island at the forefront of research and technological development,” LaLota wrote in an email. “I am confident that [she] will represent Suffolk Count with distinction, and I eagerly anticipate her continued achievements.”
While the winner of the national competition will receive $4,000, the opportunity to compete and to describe her work for a general audience has already provided important experience for Umaka.
“I am honored to represent BNL,” Umaka explained in an email. “I am thrilled to discuss my work to a large audience without the usual scientific jargon, which has led to a deeper understanding of my work.”
During the SLAM competition, these scientists, whose competition will be live-streamed, use three minutes to inspire, captivate, and enlighten audiences whose decisions could affect future support and funding for important research projects.
In 2023, when Daniel Marx, Deputy Group Leader of the EIC Accelerator Design Group at BNL, traveled to Washington to represent BNL, he met several politicians from around the country, including Reps LaLota and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY2).
The politicians, many of whose districts, like LaLota’s included a national lab, were “certainly interested,” said Marx. He recalls speaking with Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN3), who served as Chairman of Energy and Water Appropriations.
Fleischmann, whose committee sets the budget for the Department of Energy and the national labs, was “very interested in having a conversation with us about the interplay between science and politics and how we can work together on that.”
Marx also enjoyed meeting with Bill Foster (D-IL14), who has a PhD in physics and has signs like “I love physics” in his office. “He has a really good grasp of what’s going on,” Marx recalled.
Foster asked penetrating and important questions about Marx’s work on developing the Electron Ion Collider.
Quarks, gluons and slowing down
Umaka is looking forward to representing BNL at the national competition and to sharing the science she does with a national audience.
Umaka works at the sPHENIX experiment, which is a radical makeover of the original PHENIX experiment. The experiment collects data at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC.
The size of a two-story house with a weight of about 1,000 tons (or about five adult blue whales), the sPHENIX detector will capture snapshots of 15,000 particle collisions per second.
After the superconducting magnet at the core of the sPHENIX traveled across the country from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California to Brookhaven, it was installed in 2021. Umaka arrived at the lab before the sPHENIX was assembled.
“It’s not every time as a physicist or junior researcher that you start off with an experiment that is new,” said Umaka.
The sPHENIX had to work out some early challenges. Initially, the experiment planned to use a mixture of gases in the time projection chamber that included neon. The war in Ukraine, however, created a shortage of neon, so the lab switched to a different gas and added isobutane. The group celebrated with an isobutane cake. Fortunately, the supermarket hadn’t run out of them.
Umaka explained in her winning talk that her experiments allow the team to explore the universe as it was millionths of a second after the Big Bang, when the primordial soup that contained quarks and gluons came together to create the world we know.
She compares the process at sPHENIX to having chicken soup in the form of the quark gluon plasma. The researchers then shoot small objects within a jet that are similar in scale to the other ingredients in the soup so they scatter off each other. From there, they can deduce the microscopic nature or point like structure of the plasma.
The role of sPHENIX is to record jets that come from the collision of nuclei that release quarks.
“The jet shoots through the soup, and this is why we can use jets as a probe,” Umaka explained.
In the experiments, the soup exhibits collective behavior, which is similar to the response of a school of fish that turn in unison when disturbed. When the researchers look at the soup on the level of individual quarks and gluons, the particles should behave like molecules in a gas.
By recording lots of collisions, sPHENIX increases the likelihood of finding and recording desirable jets useful for probing the soup at the level of individual quarks and gluons.
“We want to discover how the fluid-like (collective) nature of the soup emerges from fundamental interactions of quarks and gluons,” Umaka explained.
Nigerian roots
Born in Nigeria, Umaka moved to Houston in her teens when her parents transferred to the United States. When she was younger, she wasn’t confident in her science aptitude. She took difficult courses in which the social structure worked against her advancement as a woman.
In Houston, she took a particle physics course. The professor suggested she’d do well in his group and that she’d get to go to Geneva to do research.
“Sign me up,” she recalled saying, and she did.
A resident of Brookhaven, Umaka enjoys visiting the mall, reading books, attending yoga classes, listening to music and talking with family.
As for the SLAM event, Umaka appreciates the way the competition has increased her visibility.
“If people like the talk, they will invite you to do other stuff, which is great,” she said.
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To watch Ejiro Ukama give her presentation at the National SLAM competition, click here and go to 1:48.
By William Stieglitz
On Saturday, March 1, Long Islanders lined the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown to express their grievances with Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO who simultaneously oversees the Department of Government Efficiency established by President Donald Trump (R) this year. Protesters stretching a quarter mile down Smithtown Bypass held signs expressing concerns over corruption and the endangerment of democracy.
The rally was part of the nationwide Tesla Takedown movement, which has spawned a multitude of protests since mid-February. More than 50 happened Saturday, March 1, alone, with the protests encouraging people to “sell your Teslas, dump your stock, [and] join the picket lines” in order to strike back financially against Musk. With Tesla stocks having fallen 28% last month, organizers believe it to be working. Many of these protests were also part of the nationwide Indivisible organization.
The Smithtown rally was organized by the newly created United Voices for Freedom, which describes itself as “a grassroots group that serves to amplify progressive voices in the northern central region of Long Island.” Tiffany, who founded the group and wanted her last name kept private, said, “We’re all worried about the overreach of Musk and his ransacking of our federal agencies. No one elected Musk.” The concern of Musk being “unelected” was repeated by nearly every attendee interviewed, each having a wide range of grievances regarding the billionaire.
“He has a tremendous conflict of interest,” said Deborah Roberts, an attendee who previously organized a rally for congressional town halls. “He just ended the Verizon contract and put Starlink in, he controls communications and platforms online… he’s interfering in our economy and ruining our guardrails for safety in this country, but he’s not chipping away at his welfare program for Starlink and for SpaceX. And not only that, he’s dismantling bureaucracies that have oversight for both of those programs. He doesn’t want anyone looking.”
Roberts spoke too on concerns of Musk operating within the executive branch while neither having been vetted by Congress nor having divested himself of personal financial interest. His accessing of Americans’ private information was something many there found especially dangerous. “If you wanted a template for corruption,” said attendee Paula Fries, “this is it.”
Others elaborated on issues of what DOGE is cutting, expressing fear for Medicaid and Social Security, as well as concern that DOGE, having not gained congressional approval, has no legal standing to make those cuts. Attendee Ian Wilder described DOGE as “doing things that are frightening and destructive, like taking people out of the FAA, taking people who are in charge of nuclear weapons out.” There is some concern that because federal workers in the Social Security Admisitration have been fired, Social Security checks and Medicaid payments will not be made on time to help recipients.
Laura Lesch, another attendee, said this was not the way to run a government. “It might be the way to run a tech company,” she said, “but the way he’s going about this, just slash, slash, slash, without any regard for any of the fallout, is just not acceptable to me.”
More expressed concerns over Musk and Trump’s actions being those of oligarchs, and spoke to fear of authoritarianism. Future elections, multiple people expressed, would not be a certainty with this administration, unless they were fought for. “This could be our last hope for democracy,” one person said. “Unless people mobilize in large, large numbers, we’re screwed.”
In this sense, the protest, for many, had nothing to do with partisan preference. Robert Schaller, who described himself as having formerly been a Republican his whole life, said, “The whole thing is just ridiculous. I can’t even believe if a liberal ever turned around or the Democratic Party went out there and did a Hitler salute like he did, and then they try to backtrack it. … I mean, to alienate our allies the way they’re doing, is embarrassing. If my father and grandfather and the people that fought in World War II saw this today, they would be turning over in their graves.”
This sentiment was echoed by Fries, who made a similar statement. “My father is a World War II vet,” she said. “He fought in World War II, he fought against fascism, and this is the least I can do, is to show up and protest.”
Among the American flags waved by the protesters were Ukrainian flags too, the striking yellow and blue a reminder of the incident at the White House the day before. “I was appalled by yesterday’s news conference with Zelenskyy,” said attendee Lesch. “Our entire international relationships are going to go right down the tubes. It just doesn’t make sense to abandon all of Europe, which is what we’re doing, in effect.” She elaborated how at the conference, news groups such as the Associated Press were not allowed into the Oval Office, but “the Russian press was… and when asked how they got in, the answer was they just snuck in.”
A final issue among attendees was a desire to express all these concerns at an in-person congressional town hall, which has not occurred in Suffolk County since 2017. Roberts was collecting signatures at the event to petition for one. “My congressperson is Nick LaLota of CD1,” she said, “and he never has a public town hall meeting where he answers these important questions.” The petition has gained popularity with an online version as well, which thus far has garnered over 1,000 signatures.
The rally, overall, lasted two hours with over 500 people in attendance, according to the organizer, and a follow-up is planned for later this month. At the Tesla Showroom, no one was available for comment.
Nationally, there are Tesla Takedown protests scheduled through at least the end of the month, with protests scheduled outside the United States in Iceland, Portugal and the United Kingdom as well. Responding to the nationwide presence of the protests, the United Voices for Freedom organizer Tiffany said, “I think it shows that everyone is really unhappy with this, I think that people are really concerned about the state of our democracy and that we’re quickly falling into fascism, and people feel the need to get out and stop it, or at least try to stop it.”
By Daniel Dunaief
Nature rocks!
I know that’s not such a startling revelation, particularly to those people who go hiking, snorkeling or scuba diving.
It’s just that the world around us, and perhaps a flight away, puts the one we’ve created in perspective.
My wife and I recently took a vacation without the kids gasp!— for the first time in over two decades. We didn’t leave them home with a babysitter. They’re both grown up and out of the house, so we left our empty-ish nest, which still had two cats a dog and a vibrant and active bird feeder, to travel to a Caribbean island.
Yes, I know. These vacations can make just about anyone feel rhapsodic. You step off the plane onto a tarmac that’s invitingly warm and bright, you hear Bob Marley music, you feel the refreshing wind on your face, and you tilt your head back, feeling the tension ease out of your muscles more rapidly than if you were on a massage table.
While all of that is amazing, the time we spent communing with, appreciating, observing and feeling genuine awe towards nature were among the most remarkable and enjoyable moments of our travel.
Nature is the currency of communication in our household. Years ago, we were on long drives with children who wanted to know how much longer until we got wherever we were going and we’d see a fox scurrying across the road. We’d pull over and watch for a while, forgetting, for the moment, that we hadn’t arrived and feeling as if we were exactly where we should be.
So, yes, all four of us delight in the opportunity to observe, interact with, or appreciate nature, whether we’re far away or taking a walk through the neighborhood. On my morning walks with our dog, I often take pictures of the hawks that land nearby and the worms that wriggle on the sidewalk after a rainstorm and send them to my wife and children.
Anyway, my wife and I rocked back and forth on a boat that was taking us out to a coral reef, reveling in the pristine air and marveling at the pelicans that glided inches above the water, following their beaks to the next fish meal.
Even before we arrived, we saw turtles swimming near the boat, sticking their colorful heads out of the water so they could take a long gulp of air.
As we prepared to exit the boat, I was delighted to put on my prescription dive mask. Typically, I use a regular mask and try to connect the vague shapes I see at the bottom of the reef with the clearer images we have on our dive card.
This time, as soon as I looked down, I could see the white sand eight feet down and the contours and colors of the fish and the technicolor reef below.
As we made our way along the reef, we searched for the usual striped sergeant majors, green and blue parrotfish, multicolored tilefish, red squirrelfish and orange and white tobacco fish. Each of these residents of the reef contributes to a vibrant scene.
For a while, we tracked a stingray my wife spotted. We also spied the magnificent and svelte barracudas, with their conspicuous underbite and their shimmery silver sides.
Even though we went snorkeling at the same site several times, we witnessed something new with each visit. We watched a sand diver as it stopped on the bottom and perched on a rock, the way a movie studio might envision a mermaid preening on a rock near shore.
The snorkeling instructors required us to wear yellow flotation belts to keep us at the top of the water. That made diving to the bottom challenging, as these belts counteracted my efforts to kick myself closer to the reef. I secretly took mine off, handed it to my wife, and got a close up of the sand diver, which looks like a cross between a lizard and a fish.
On one of our days away, we took an excursion to a nearby island, where we watched an improbably large hermit crab slowly make its way across the sand, dragging its enormous shell. Nearby, lizards of different sizes chased each other as they searched for food or perhaps a preferable place in the sand.
While stepping away from work, concrete sidewalks, cooler air, and various responsibilities in and of itself was refreshing, immersing ourselves in nature offered transcendent peace.
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