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Local leaders at the Lawrence Aviation Site on June 2. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

Local stakeholders wait with bated breath as the June 30th deadline for the MTA to close on purchasing 40 acres of the closed Lawrence Aviation site approaches. Each passing day chips away at the possibility of a new railyard that would enable the electrification of the Port Jefferson Rail line. 

The Superfund site has been eradicated of the toxic pollutants that degraded the soil and water and is nearly cleared from the registry. Part of it will be used as a solar farm and part will be preserved as open space. The missing piece is in the hands of the MTA and DOT. 

Despite pressure from local stakeholders and politicians and the near absence of any pushback or even hesitation from the community, the plan stalls. A year ago this month, the DOT and MTA had a deadline for the MTA to purchase the property. Two extensions and 12 months later, little, except for the mounting impatience from the community, has changed.

In order for the MTA to move forward, the DOT, which currently owns a section of the Greenway that would need rerouting before construction can begin, must provide permission.

Business owners, environmentalists, legislators, town, county and state politicians are all rallying for a common cause: the benefit of the Long Island community. 

The delay causes numerous problems: it keeps commuters riding on with an inadequate and dated mode of transportation; it prevents electrification, which would be quieter and reduce pollution and it keeps the frequency of train travel on the current schedule, instead of increasing the number of trips.

The site has been in limbo for a year and is priced at only $10–such is the Suffolk County Landbanks’ desire for a deal. Now, the DOT needs to reach an agreement with the MTA allowing them access to the land that would facilitate the sale and enable the construction of a railyard. Local officials like Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D–Port Jefferson) are advocating with state officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul (D). With her help, perhaps the DOT and MTA can reach an agreement before this opportunity chugs away on an outdated line, in a plume of diesel smoke. 

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NYS Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay
Legislation Expands Access to Modern Septic Systems, Protecting Groundwater and Waterways Across New York
In a major environmental and affordability win, Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay announced the unanimous passage of her legislation (A8807/S8241-A) in both the New York State Assembly and Senate. The bill updates the reimbursement structure of the New York State Septic System Replacement Fund, making it easier and more affordable for New Yorkers to upgrade to advanced septic systems that significantly reduce water pollution, according to a press release.
The legislation increases the reimbursement rate to 75% of eligible costs, up to $25,000 per project, enabling more homeowners to install “clean water” septic systems that remove nitrogen, phosphorus, and other harmful contaminants before they reach groundwater, bays, harbors, lakes, and rivers– and the taps of the 8 million residents of Long Island. Assemblywoman Kassay stated, “Most New Yorkers want to do their part to protect our environment, but sometimes budgetary restrictions prevent families from making those efforts. I am proud to deliver legislation that not only further protects our water, but also addresses affordability issues.”
Outdated or failing septic systems are a major source of nutrient pollution across New York, contributing to harmful algal blooms, fish kills, and water quality degradation. While advanced septic technologies are significantly more effective at treating wastewater, their cost often puts them out of reach for many families—unless supported by state funding.
Environmental and public health advocates praised the bill’s passage as a vital step toward reducing pollution and advancing clean water infrastructure.
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said, “This critical legislation will be a catalyst for the public to be financially incentivized to replace their old, antiquated polluting cesspools and septic systems. No longer can we allow inadequately treated sewage, nitrogen pollution, and other contaminants to flow from our septic systems and enter into groundwater and our harbors, bays, rivers, lakes, and beaches. These grants will provide substantive financial assistance to allow people to make the change! The replacement program is already very popular with the public; however, this increase in funds will galvanize residents who were reluctant to make the switch because they needed a bit more financial help to act. We are very excited that this law got passed and thank Senator Harckham and Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay for getting it done!”
Kevin McDonald, Senior Policy Advisor, The Nature Conservancy, added, “Pollution from traditional septic systems harms wildlife and threatens clean drinking water across our state. On Long Island, the problem is especially severe where nitrogen pollution is harming our bays, harbors, and drinking water supply. To restore clean water and protect public health, we need to support property owners in upgrading septic systems with technology that can treat nitrogen pollution. The Nature Conservancy applauds the Senate and Assembly for passing legislation to enhance the state’s Septic System Replacement Fund, which will ensure clean water septic systems are within financial reach of more property owners. Thank you to bill sponsors Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay for championing this important policy change and to Governor Kathy Hochul and the Environmental Facilities Corporation for advancing this important grant program.”
The legislation builds on New York’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act and supports the long-term protection of drinking water supplies, recreational waterways, and marine habitats in regions such as Long Island, the Finger Lakes, and the Thousand Islands. “The passage of this legislation is another important step toward cleaner waters in, on, and around Long Island. Both our drinking water supply and the surrounding coastal waters will benefit from the legislation as homeowners are provided with significant additional financial incentives to install nitrogen reducing, state-of-the-art sanitary systems at their residences,” stated John Turner, Senior Conservation Policy Advocate, Seatuck Environmental Association. “We have no doubt that when this bill becomes law more Long Islanders will participate in efforts to safeguard their ground- and coastal waters. Kudos to Assemblymember Kassay for her leadership in sponsoring this critically important environmental protection measure,” John Turner concluded.
“In Suffolk County, the state’s largest county outside of New York City, there are over 380,000 outdated cesspools and septic tanks in use,” stated Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni. “Many of them are located in my district on the East End of Long Island. Onsite wastewater treatment systems reduce the amount of effluent and pollutants expelled into the environment, reducing the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus into surface and drinking waters, including Long Island’s sole-source aquifer. A.8807 falls in line with the priorities and needs of Long Island, and the environmental goals for the great State of New York. I commend the Senate and Assembly sponsors of A.8807, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Governor for the increased attention to the need for modernizing residential wastewater management across the state.”
The bill’s next step is for Governor Hochul to sign and chapter it, which could take place in the coming weeks or months. Strongly motivated by the environmental and affordability benefits of this legislation, Assemblywoman Kassay will continue to work with her colleagues in government and environmental advocates to ensure that this bill is signed into law.

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Residents advocate for the reopening of the post office in 2023. File photo

By Sofia Levorchick

Around May 29, 2023, the Sound Beach Post Office at 25 New York Ave. closed due to structural issues. With no concrete indication of a reopening date, the local community has advocated for its reopening. 

On May 30, 2025, Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY1) posted a positive update regarding the shuttered post office on Facebook. He has been a highly involved advocate of its reopening.

“USPS and the landlord have reached an agreement to move forward with critical repairs,” LaLota wrote. “This saga isn’t over — but it’s a real step in the right direction.”

The Sound Beach Civic Association has played an active role in efforts to restore postal services to the hamlet. President Beatrice Ruberto emphasized that the post office transcended beyond mail delivery. Since Sound Beach is a small, tight-knit community without a downtown, the post office served as a central gathering hub.

“The post office was not just where people got their mail,” Ruberto said. “It was a meeting place.”

This community dynamic, fostered by the post office, was the foundation of the SBCA’s campaign to reopen the post office. Members of the association sent out mass mailings as well as actively petitioned and rallied to restore the community landmark.

“As far as I’m concerned, were it not for the Sound Beach Civic Association, I’m not sure we would be where we are today,” Ruberto said.

All these efforts worked, drawing in local and state politicians to support the cause.

“Everybody from Senator Schumer [D] to Councilwoman Bonner [R, Rocky Point], they all stepped in,” Ruberto said. “They really all added their voices.”

The excitement among residents is palpable, with everyone looking forward to the post office reopening. The three postal clerks, who are well-known and loved in the community, are also elated about going back to their post office. 

“Let me just say that our postal clerks, we know them by their first names and they’re like part of a family,” Ruberto said. “I can’t even begin to say anybody who isn’t excited about this.”

However, it is still uncertain when the Sound Beach Post Office may reopen, who will pay for the repairs and how much they will cost. 

A lengthy and complex process is involved to get the post office reopened. The litigation just ended in May, and from there, a filing for dismissal is needed. In addition to all the legal work, many repairs are required due to flooding and structural damage that may have worsened during the post office’s two years of closure.

According to Ruberto, the SBCA has not yet received a concrete timeline regarding when the post office will reopen.

“I will be very surprised if the post office is not closed for another year,” Ruberto said. “This kind of stuff takes a long time, and I didn’t want people to think that now that the litigation is over, it’s going to be open soon.”

As the post office inches closer to its reopening, the SBCA has begun preparing a community celebration to commemorate Sound Beach again having its own post office.

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The Panthers of Miller Place, crowned the 2025 New York State Class A champions, return to the high school Saturday Night. Photo by Bill Landon
The Panthers of Miller Place, crowned the 2025 New York State Class A champions, return to the high school Saturday Night. Photo by Bill Landon
The Panthers of Miller Place, crowned the 2025 New York State Class A champions, return to the high school Saturday Night. Photo by Bill Landon
The Panthers of Miller Place, crowned the 2025 New York State Class A champions, return to the high school Saturday Night. Photo by Bill Landon
The Panthers of Miller Place, crowned the 2025 New York State Class A champions, return to the high school Saturday Night. Photo by Bill Landon
The Panthers of Miller Place, crowned the 2025 New York State Class A champions, return to the high school Saturday Night. Photo by Bill Landon
The Panthers of Miller Place, crowned the 2025 New York State Class A champions, return to the high school Saturday Night. Photo by Bill Landon
TThe Panthers of Miller Place, crowned the 2025 New York State Class A champions, return to the high school Saturday Night. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Having finished the regular season atop the league VI leaderboard at 17-2, the Miller Place Panthers returned to familiar territory, landing in the post season as the No. 1 seed in the Suffolk County Class A playoff bracket. 

A year ago, Miller Place battled their way to the New York State Class A championship but fell in the final round to claim the runner up position. The Panthers, a young team that lost no seniors to graduation last season, returned determined to capture the NYS championship title.

That road began with a shutout win to Islip in the quarterfinal round, then defeating Bayport Blue Point in the semifinal round. Followed by a victory over Kings Park for the county title, they punched  their ticket to the Long Island Championship round where they blanked Mineola 3-0.

Miller Place advanced to the southeast regional final against Marlboro Central, the very team the Panthers lost to in last years’ final round. Avenging their previous loss, they charted a 6-5 victory on June 6. Finally, the  state semifinal round at Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park in Binghamton took place on June 13, where they would face section IV champion Maine-Endwell. 

Miller Place did not allow a single run in their march to the championship title, blanking Maine-Endwell 4-0 then Williamsville South the section VI champion 3-0, capturing the very first NYS championship title in Panther history.

The Panthers triumphantly returned to the High School Saturday night to a hero’s welcome when they were met by the Miller Place community, well-wishers and fellow students. 

– Photos by Bill Landon

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METRO photo

By Luciana Hayes

This Father’s Day locals reflect on the special moments they shared with their fathers throughout their lives. 

TBR News Media asked community members, “What is your favorite memory with your father?”

Andrew Handel

Andrew recalls one on one breakfast with his dad before school. He referred to it as a “kind of special treat” that he cherishes to this day.

Katie Heuzey, Huntington

Katie’s favorite memory with her father was going out to her favorite restaurant, Pancho Villas in Huntington. She remembers her usual order, a burrito with melted cheese, like it was yesterday.

Jeremy Flint, East Setauket

Jeremy shares that his best memory with his father was when he and his brother helped their dad build a shed and clubhouse in their backyard. But the best part was when they got to sign their names next to their hand prints in the cement. Jeremy reflects by saying, “It stuck with me from the time I was a little kid.”

Mary Mantia, Holbrook

Mary remembers the hugs she shared with her father more than anything else. She describes the memories by noting, “He wasn’t a lovable man, but every once in a while we would listen to some music and he would give me a hug and it was just really nice.”

Josette Bianchi, East Setauket

Josette’s fondest memories with her father were Saturday morning hikes at Webster Park in Webster, New York. She recalls there being a tree that fell across a creek and she would treat the tree like a balance beam as she embraced her inner gymnast. She later mentioned, “My dad always encouraged me to try new things and to take chances and not just with that, but in life in general.”

Sevilla Lebowitz, East Setauket

Sevilla’s favorite memories with her father are the weekend beach trips. She recalls learning to fish, swimming, and a lot of unforgettable memories in the sand.

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Kindergartner Athena Corso. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
First grader John Jantzen. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Second grader Christopher Calvanese. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Third grader Erios Pikramenos. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Fourth grader Lyla Drucker. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL
Fifth grader Taran Sathish Kumar
Sixth grader Luke Dinsman. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL

The annual Elementary Science Fair Competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory on June 7 showcased a range of hypotheses students set out to test by following the scientific method.

Students presented questions inspired by their everyday lives, their interests, and timely topics in science. This year’s project titles included, “Alexa, Do my Homework!” “Does Taylor Swift Help Make my Dog Less Anxious?” “How Does the Air Pressure of a Soccer Ball Affect how far it Travels When Kicked?” and “Words Matter: How Encouragement Affects Performance.”

Brookhaven Lab scientists and local teachers volunteered to judge 258 projects and award the top spots and honorable mentions for each grade level, from kindergarten to sixth grade. The competition also included a Judges’ Choice award for creative questions.

“Our Elementary Science Fair is all about celebrating students’ first steps in STEM and providing positive memories that will inspire them as they consider future career paths,” said Daniel Trieu, competition co-coordinator and educational programs representative with Brookhaven Lab’s Office of Workforce Development and Science Education (WDSE). WDSE provides educational opportunities that highlight the Lab’s research initiatives, preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers.

A number of projects pulled in family and friends, including four-legged ones. Kindergarten student Savanna Stidd of Riley Avenue Elementary School wondered, “Am I really my dog’s best friend?” and found that her pup named Penny ran to her the fastest when called over. Her favorite part of the process? “I got to play with my dog,” she said.

Some students combined science and art, exploring how different types of music play into plant growth, whether music affects the way we draw, and which conditions contribute to the perfect place to hang their paintings. Others asked questions about food, including a project that tested which substance best mummified apples — complete with a life-size display prop mummy — and another that investigated why a student’s favorite ice cream flavor, chocolate, melts quickly in the summer.

Overall, the Science Fair is a chance to highlight students’ curiosity about the scientific process.

“My favorite part about being at the Science Fair is looking at my Science Fair project and seeing how hard I worked for it,” said Elijah David, a third grader from Coram Elementary School who conducted an experiment to see which liquids dissolved different types of candy the fastest. 

Students who earned first place in their grade level received medals and ribbons, along with banners to hang at their school to recognize the achievement. All participants received a ribbon in recognition of having won their grade-level competition at their school. Brookhaven Lab and Teachers Federal Credit Union sponsored the competition.

Science Fair awards

The following students earned first place in their grade level: 

◆ Kindergartner Athena Corso, Lincoln  Avenue Elementary School in Sayville for  “Don’t Wake a Sleeping Baby.”

◆ First grader John Jantzen, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville for “Electromagnet Avenue.”

◆ Second grader Christopher Calvanese, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown for “Monkey Bars or Ouchy Scars: Which playground surface absorbs the most impact?” 

◆ Third grader Erios Pikramenos, Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School in Rocky Point for “Lami vs. Eddy.”

◆ Fourth grader Lyla Drucker, Tamarac Elementary in Holtsville for “Upcycled Seed Paper.” 

◆ Fifth grader Taran Sathish Kumar, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown for “Waste to Blaze: Which Eco-Briquette Burns the Best.” 

◆ Sixth grader Luke Dinsman, Northport Middle School in Northport for “Defeating Drought: Can Hydrogels Help?” 

Judges’ choice

Kindergarten: Nate Doherty, Miller Avenue School in Shoreham

First Grade: Jack Gottesman, Tamarac Elementary School in Holtsville

Second Grade: Indie Crooke, Hampton Bays Elementary School in Hampton Bays

Third Grade: Colton Christian, Dayton Avenue School in Manorville

Fourth Grade: Mabel Gross, Dayton Avenue School in Manorville

Fifth Grade: Morgan Proscia, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville

Honorable mentions

Kindergarten: Arjun Yelika, Laurel Hill School in East Setauket; Savanna Stidd, Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton; and Peyton Lauten, Frank J. Carasiti Elementary in Rocky Point

First Grade: Grady McHugh, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown; and Cecilia Singh, Edna Louise Spear Elementary in Port Jefferson

Second Grade: Maggie Ruddick, Ridge Elementary School in Ridge; Rudhvin Maheshkumar, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge; and Nathan Kenny, Hiawatha Elementary in Lake Ronkonkoma

Third Grade: Emilia Rutigliano, Tamarac Elementary in Holtsville; Adalynn Bishop, Raynor Country Day School in Speonk; George Miyagishi, Park View Elementary School in Kings Park; Christopher Powell, Fifth Avenue School in East Northport; and Siena Roseto, Cutchogue East Elementary School in Cutchogue.

Fourth Grade: Kate Unterstein, Cutchogue East Elementary School in Cutchogue; Myles Savage, RCK Elementary School in Islip Terrace; Lily Argyros, Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge; Vincent Calvanese, Pines Elementary School in Smithtown; and Ruby Tafflock, Ocean Avenue School in Northport. 

Fifth Grade: Sofia Balcells, Raynor Country Day School in Speonk; and Ashleigh Bruno, Northport Middle School in Northport.

Sixth Grade: William Zeiger, Peconic Community School in Cutchogue; and Colette Breig, William T. Rogers Middle School in Kings Park.

Science Fair Expo

While the project showcase was underway, science fair participants and their families also visited the Science Fair Expo, which featured information about Brookhaven Lab, science demonstrations, and hands-on activities related to physics, nanoscale science, and more.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. For more info, visit science.energy.gov.

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The redesigned and fully stocked food pantry. Photo courtesy of Councilwoman Bonner's office

On June 7, Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner joined community members, volunteers, and local faith leaders to celebrate the grand re-opening of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Food Pantry at St. Anselm’s Episcopal Church in Shoreham. 

The event began with a special blessing of the newly renovated space by the Rev. Jenn Pilat, followed by the pantry’s first official “self-shop” session, marking a significant milestone in the church’s mission to combat food insecurity with dignity and compassion, according to a press release.

Pictured from left are the Rev. Jenn Pilat, Councilwoman Jane Bonner, and Deacon Richard Ohlsen. Photo from Councilwoman Bonner’s office

Councilwoman Bonner presented Rev. Pilat and the St. Anselm’s community with an official Certificate of Congratulations from the Town of Brookhaven, honoring their commitment to service “The re-opening of this pantry represents the best of what can happen when a community comes together to lift each other up,” said Bonner. “This is a space built on generosity, respect, and a shared dedication to ensuring that no one goes hungry.”

The food pantry, located at 4 Woodville Road in the lower parking lot of the church, has been redesigned into a spacious and welcoming “self-shop” model. With new refrigeration and freezer units, the pantry can now offer fresh produce, dairy, frozen meats, and shelf-stable items, giving clients the opportunity to shop for food with greater autonomy. 

The transformation was made possible through generous grant funding from Episcopal Ministries of Long Island and the dedicated work of volunteers who collectively contributed over 700 hours annually to keep the pantry running. Lay leaders Michael Solomito, Chuck and Donna LaSalla, Deacon Rich Ohlsen, and the Rev. Jenn Pilat were instrumental in reimagining the space, inspired by visits to other local food pantries.

The pantry serves residents from Shoreham, Wading River, Rocky Point, and Longwood, and currently operates every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit www.stanselmsofshoreham.org/ or call 631-744-7730.

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In observance of Juneteenth,  the United States Postal Service will not be operating and the delivery of our newspapers will be delayed by one day.  We appreciate your understanding as we honor this federal holiday, and regular delivery service will resume the following day.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Participate in the upcoming Bond Referendum Vote

As the elected board of trustees of the Smithtown Special Library District, we are writing to urge all district residents to participate in the upcoming bond referendum vote on Tuesday, July 1. As our community is aware, the storm last August devastated the lower level of our Smithtown Building, located at One North Country Road.  

Like many patrons, we ourselves were heartbroken by the damage that occurred. The lower level was so much more than just a place to store library materials. It represented the space to gather and connect with one another in our Community Rooms, a place for our patrons to explore their creativity and imagination in the Learn Lab – and, of course, a place to research and honor our region’s rich history in The Richard H. Handley Collection of Long Island Americana, otherwise known as the Long Island Room. 

While we are grateful to have reopened the first level of the Smithtown Building last month, there is more work to be done. Through the bond referendum proposal, we look forward to not only restoring what was lost in the storm – but reimagining the space and the services we offer to best meet the needs of our community.  

Through our “reimagining,” we look forward to introducing a podcast studio and the Federal Depository Library Program – both initiatives that were planned prior to the storm but were paused due to the building’s closure. In addition to housing the Federal Depository Library Program, our expanded Government Services Department will house the Patent and Trademark Resource Center and Passport Acceptance Facility.  

As trustees, we have heard the voices of our neighbors who miss the programs and spaces that brought us together. We see this as an opportunity to honor the library’s legacy while positioning it for the future for all residents in our community – from infants to seniors.  

We invite all community members to learn more about the proposal by visiting the library’s website at www.smithlib.org. Please also join us for a Community Open House at our Smithtown Building, located at One North County Road, Smithtown, on Tuesday, June 24, from 7:00 to -9:00 p.m. 

Thank you in advance for your participation on July 1. As a reminder, polls will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at all four library buildings. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Sincerely, 

The Smithtown Library Board of Trustees  

Research takes time, commitment & patience

When people think of science, they often picture breakthroughs: a new drug, a prosthetic device, an app for mental health. But science also begins with quieter questions.

I study maternal behavior in mice at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. I watch as a mother retrieves her scattered pups and brings them back to the nest. It is a simple act, but it reveals something powerful: the brain has circuitry for care.

In the Shea Lab, I ask what allows that care to happen. Which neurons fire when a mother searches for her pup? How do cues like sound or smell spark motivation? These are basic questions with no immediate product. But they form the foundation for understanding caregiving across species.

Some caregivers, in any species, do not respond in expected ways. In humans, postpartum depression, trauma or stress can alter parenting. To understand those disruptions, we must first understand how care functions when things go right. That begins in the brain. That kind of understanding depends on model systems we can study closely, like mice.

This work is often hard to fund. It is not linked to a clinical trial or a startup. It does not come with urgency built in. Yet without it, we would not know where to begin. Foundational studies in rodents showed how hormones like corticotropin-releasing hormone can disrupt maternal care. That early research helped uncover how stress alters brain circuits tied to bonding and motivation. These insights now shape how we approach mood disorders like postpartum depression.

Basic research like this is increasingly under threat. Studies that include terms like maternal or reproductive are sometimes stalled or rejected for political reasons rather than scientific ones. The result is a narrowing of what gets supported.

If we fund only projects with immediate payoff, we lose the slow, essential work that makes future breakthroughs possible. Basic science is not a detour. It is the path.

Model organisms are not a limitation. They are a strength. They allow us to ask precise, causal questions we cannot ask in humans. That is how we build maps of brain function and uncover principles that scale to complex systems.

Science needs time and space to explore. If this matters to you, speak up. Ask what kind of science your institutions support. Advocate for policies that protect curiosity-driven research. The science that teaches us to ask better questions is worth defending.

Hoda Tromblee, Cold Spring Harbor

Close the wage gap for people with disabilities

Organizations in New York can pay a person with a disability as little as $0.05 per hour, and it is legal. This must end.

It’s time for New York to eliminate the subminimum wage and treat people with disabilities with the fairness they deserve. The New York State Senate has passed Bill S28 to do just that, and now it is time for the Assembly to act before their session ends. 

As the father of John Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, I’ve seen firsthand what people with differing abilities can accomplish when given the chance. John co-founded a business with me, John’s Crazy Socks, and we have learned that hiring people with differing abilities is not charity, it’s good business. More than half of our employees have a disability. They work hard, deliver incredible results and earn the same wage as their colleagues. 

The subminimum wage law, a relic of 1938, allows people with disabilities to be paid as little as 5 cents an hour. That’s not just outdated, it’s wrong. It tells people that their labor, and their lives, are worth less.

New York should lead the nation by ending this discriminatory practice. No exceptions. No more second-class workers. I urge the State Assembly to pass A28 and help build a more inclusive and just future for all.

Mark X. Cronin, Farmingdale

SCWA is doing good work

It was with pleasure that I read about how “Suffolk County Water Authority achieves full compliance with federal PFAS standards — six years early” [TBR News Media, June 12]. I live behind one of those “17 granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment systems for PFAS” and while I was dubious about those two big green tanks that they erected on their property, I was informed of their purpose and now we see the result. Bravo. It will be a pleasure to pay Suffolk County Water Authority bills in the future.

Bruce Gaugler

Port Jefferson Station

An Open Letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul

Residents of the hamlet of Port Jefferson Station/Terryville, and our neighbors in Setauket and Village of Port Jefferson, bore the burden for years of the egregious pollution for profit at the hands of the disgraced owner of Lawrence Aviation. The concern for public health and safety was a significant concern for decades. Thankfully, the cleanup by EPA of this Superfund site rendered the parcel suitable for redevelopment giving hope to many of us who worked tirelessly to turn lemons into lemonade. We now can realize a public benefit, securing a bright and clean energy future where there once was blight and danger. The Suffolk Landbank worked together with stakeholders to develop plans to provide open space, a solar energy farm and a potential new MTA rail yard for the Long Island Rail Road on 40 acres of the property.

In the past, 40 acres and a mule were offered to provide economic self-sufficiency to those deserving a better future. The ability to retain the potential for the electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch of the LIRR will play a significant role in ensuring residents in our area and ridership along this line can join the modern era of clean and convenient transportation. This opportunity could be the “engine that drives” the resurgence and planned growth of our region with true transit-oriented development, adding to our economic self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, the mule in this case is the stubborn intransigence of the Department of Transportation that, for reasons that defy logic, threatens this entire undertaking based on a potential highway that will never be built.

This can easily be resolved with an easement agreement to address this issue. However, the original deal with the MTA to move this vision forward must be concluded by June 30, 2025, well before any final understanding with DOT can be worked out. We strongly request your immediate intervention to ensure this project can move forwawrd and the will of the people locally not be thwarted by bureaucratic dithering. We need your help to realize the better future we deserve by squeezing DOT to pay $10 to get this deal done and help us make some lemonade!

Ira Costell, President

Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Associatio

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL  

We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. Email letters to: [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

 

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Amid efforts to revisit budgets and cut federal spending, numerous initiatives have cut, frozen or threatened to reduce contributions to science.

Such approaches, through the Big Beautiful Bill and the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, threaten the future of research.

“Science funding is critical, and paying the full costs of scientific research is important,” explained Kevin Gardner, Vice President for Research and Innovation at Stony Brook University. “We pay the full price for defense contractors and don’t expect them to lose money doing important work for the federal government. Universities are the same.”

Indeed, in the Big Beautiful Bill, cuts to Medicaid threaten health care, which could have implications for the care hospital patients receive as well and the health of local hospitals themselves.

“Cuts to Medicaid indeed are a tremendous threat both to our community and to those that rely on the medicaid program and to the hospitals and academic medical centers that treat patients,” Gardner added. “They threaten the viability of academic medical centers across the country, including Stony Brook.”

Cuts to Medicaid funding may also strain state budgets, which may affect state university funding as well.

Even as senators prepare to review the Big Beautiful Bill, which passed a contested House by a single vote and that has some Republicans expressing buyer’s remorse, Gardner worried about federal research support.

“I remain very concerned about research funding,” Gardner wrote in an email. “I sometimes hear hopeful things, but overall I am not confident at all that the robust research funding that has driven prosperity across the US will continue.”

Gardner and co-author Michael Kinch, Chief Innovation Officer at Stony Brook, wrote an opinion piece in STAT News.

Half of all the drugs approved in the United States from 2020 to 2024 had key patents from academic universities. Most of that work was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to their opinion piece.

And yet, the administration has shared a proposed budget for 2026 that cuts National Institutes of Health funding by 43 percent compared with 2025 levels, according to STAT  News.

While spending less might appear beneficial in the short term, it threatens innovation, people’s health and future economic gains that might have otherwise come from research.

In dollars and cents, the return on investment from every dollar of NIH spending on research leads to $2.46 in economic activity overall, according to Bruce Stillman, President and CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL).

Cutting back not only has economic consequences but could affect training opportunities for future researchers.

Investments in basic scientific research, such as the kind done at CSHL “fuels innovation, boosts the economy, and paves the way to key medical advances,” Stillman wrote in the president’s essay.

The messages, policies and words from the Trump administration and some of the members of his cabinet have suggested that they are prepared to cut science funding by as much as 50 percent, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Political leaders from both sides of the aisle generally understand the value and importance of science, said Gardner.

These leaders, regardless of their party, need to stand up for the health and well-being of their constituents and the strength of the economy today and in the future by supporting science.

In the meantime, leaders in other countries have sensed a huge opening and are offering the best and brightest current and future scientists impressive and attractive packages to work in other institutions. These packages have worked for some scientists, who have decided to pursue their research interests on foreign soil, the way so many scientists from earlier decades used to do in the United States.

Our American politicians must stand for more than whatever their parties or their party leaders want or demand, particularly now. Yes, the country needs to make hard choices. Voting for science funding, supporting grants that have already passed through a rigorous screening process, and encouraging the kinds of questions that lead to a better future, should not be one of them.

That includes basic research, which is different from translational research.

“I visited a lab yesterday and was shown a new type of microscope that allowed a new way to observe living cells divide,” Gardner explained. “We don’t know what the new discoveries will be from that work, but we can imagine all the ways cell division contributes to health and disease.”

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