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File photo by Raymond Janis

Reconfiguration is the right decision for 3V schools

This letter is meant to address all the Monday morning quarterbacks that are suddenly coming out of the woodwork to voice their complaints regarding the district reconfiguration. The timing of this mini defection is ironic since the reconfiguration is going to happen and the time for speaking up was before the official BOE vote. Hindsight critics can now take a seat. This change has been in the making for decades and remaining “unique” is not an option. 

How about joining the 21st century and accepting that our kids DESERVE this change?  The kids being affected by it are excited and more than capable of adapting.  The parents, being swayed by the ineffectual attempts of a former district employee, are the ones whining about the revision that is in fact going to happen.  This is not sudden, it has been researched and planned for, and the district has done its due diligence regarding transparency with the community.  I am certainly not always in agreement with Superintendent Kevin Scanlon or this Board of Education, in fact I have plenty of bones to pick with them, but on this I know they got it right. 

The sudden desire to combine a start time change with the reconfiguration is a whole other matter, but this has now joined the ranks of the top three things Three Village parents can gripe about.  I stand by my argument that this half-hour change is utterly useless and a complete waste of more than a million dollars.  If parents have enough time to write letters to the board about a reconfiguration that is already set to happen then they have more than enough time to monitor their children’s sleep habits.  And it matters not how old they are, take the phones and other devices away and they will fall asleep from sheer boredom. 

Let’s focus on the amazing opportunities that will come from this move and stop following the “lead” of a disgruntled former employee whose quarrel holds no water.  The cost (from transportation alone) and lack of difference that will result from the start time change should be the debate every taxpayer has with themselves come budget time.   As an alumnus, parent and lifelong community member I can’t wait to see how the mighty 3V thrives in a middle school model.  Dissenters, let it go already.

Stefanie Werner

East Setauket

 

BESS still under discussion 

George Altemose’s March 13 letter in TBR News Media [“BESS systems still in dispute”] about the proposed battery energy storage systems facility asks a valid question about how much power is needed to “power a home.”  Unfortunately, in his analysis of what would be needed he ends with an unjustified conclusion.  The average power used over the course of a day by most homes is about 1,000 watts, a value used by BESS proponents (my use is less). For an unstated reason Altemose says the average power use must be more like 5,000 watts, a factor of 5 larger.  This changes the picture dramatically.  It is true that use during the day and at night can differ significantly, but the 5,000 watts for an average use is high for all but the largest or power inefficient houses.

Peter Bond 

Stony Brook

LaLota and Suozzi hold town halls

I attended Nick LaLota’s (R-NY1) tele-town hall on March 5 [LaLota and Suozzi hold town halls, TBR News Media, March 13].

The one-hour event started a bit late. LaLota spoke for the first 10 minutes, answering accusations that questions were only accepted from supporters, and that they were not representative of his constituent’s concerns. He said that was not true. 

He then took about six questions from people who asked legitimate constituent concerns.  But he did not actually answer them. His replies consisted of rambling talking points — not substance. And because callers were cut off after asking their question, there was no “give and take.” 

I waited in the queue to ask: “Rep. LaLota, do you approve of the President’s alliance with Vladimir Putin? Yes or no?”  But I did not get the chance to ask. I’m sure there were a great many people who did not get to pose questions. 

The final 10 minutes were devoted to the congressman thanking us for participating in the town hall and his gratitude for being given the opportunity to represent us in the House of Representatives.

He did use polling opportunities to assess our views on a few topics. Press 1 to agree or 2 to disagree. I believe those polls were worthless. The only viewpoint LaLota will support is that of President Trump.

Donna Newman

Stony Brook

LaLota town hall disappoints

I appreciate that your March 13 edition reported on Congressman Nick LaLota’s (R-NY1) recent “Town Hall.”  I was on the call for that telephone event.  Unfortunately, it could hardly be characterized as “a town hall.”  The call lasted for sixty minutes.  There was time for only a very few questions to be asked of the congressman.  He spent about one quarter of the time, at the start and conclusion of the call, simply telling us what a good job he felt he was doing.  His answers were extremely lengthy and repetitive.  They rarely addressed the key elements of the questions.  They never allowed for a follow-up question.

The “polling” that LaLota conducted was your standard, misleading “push poll.”  Slightly paraphrasing: “Press 1, if you think we should try to reduce government waste.  Press 2, if you think it is okay for the government to waste taxpayer dollars.”

The question I had hoped to have asked was, “Will you please speak out against the indiscriminate, excessive cuts in government services that are hurting millions of Americans including thousands of your constituents; and will you speak out against the fact that so many of these cuts were done in a manner that was illegal and, in some cases, clearly unconstitutional?”

Robert Marcus

Setauket, New York

Community alert!

Greetings Port Jefferson Station/Terryville residents, as well as our friends and neighbors from nearby areas.

As many know, in September of 2024, the Town of Brookhaven approved the zoning change sought by Staller Associates for a 260- to 280-unit multifamily apartment complex redevelopment plan for Jefferson Plaza. This is where the existing local Post Office is located presently. This was a controversial proposal that will increase density to levels never seen locally before. As approved, this project will transform the face of our community. Our local civic association worked long and hard to try to voice our concerns regarding this intensive use to address the many impacts, both positive and potentially negative.

One concern was as this development moves forward it enhances a sense of place for our hamlet and creates a positive environment reflecting the character of community. One method for accomplishing this goal is thoughtful design and the use of good architecture. Will it be warm and welcoming or cold and imposing? In this instance, the choice can be ours.

In coordination with our Councilman, Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) and Brookhaven town, our civic association is sponsoring a community forum regarding this redevelopment plan at our monthly meeting. I urge all my neighbors and concerned citizens to join us on Tuesday March 25, at 7 p.m. at the Comsewogue Library. Representatives of Staller Associates will present various architectural designs to solicit input and comments from residents. This Visual Preference Survey process will enable us to shape and guide the face and feel of our neighborhood as this mega-project proceeds and impacts our area. Please join us and participate in our shared future.

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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By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

One day decades from now, will the people involved with the Environmental Protection Agency look back at their legacy and feel pride and satisfaction? Sure, reducing waste is a good idea, cutting unnecessary costs is beneficial and effective and removing regulations that might cause inefficiencies without adding much benefit could be helpful.

But at what cost and what is lost along the way?

Take, for example, the New York Times piece earlier this week that suggested that the EPA is exploring the possibility of laying off 1,155 chemists, biologists, toxicologists, and other scientists. The NYT cited Democrats on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology to describe this proposed plan.

The agency plans to get rid of 75 percent of the people who work in the Office of Research and Development. Does ignoring problems, removing the scientists who study them, and reducing the likelihood of tracking any threats to the environment and to human health make it better?

Lee Zeldin, former Republican congressmen from NY-1 and a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, is heading up the agency.

The proposal, which, fortunately, appears to be just that at this stage, reminds me of the time President Trump suggested that the only reason the United States has more cases of Covid than other nations was because we were testing for it.

So, the solution, implicit in that observation, is that if we don’t test for it, we won’t know how prevalent it is and we will look better compared with other nations.

No, look, I get it. On some level, more rigorous testing means we will find problems that might otherwise not require too much effort to solve. Some people who tested positive for Covid didn’t get that sick and didn’t require medical attention.

Knowing whether people contracted the virus, however, could be useful for everyone. You see, if a certain sub group of the country had the virus but didn’t get all that sick, scientists might be able to compare the blood, the backgrounds, or the pre-existing medical conditions to determine who is most or least at risk from various health threats.

The same holds true for the environment. Data is helpful and can and should help make informed decisions.

We don’t already know everything we need to know. As any scientist will tell you, the results they get can and often are exciting. What inspires them beyond their results is the next set of questions.

The federal government may not want to support every type of research, but dismissing over a thousand scientists can and will lead to the kind of dangerous information gaps that could affect human health and the environment.

Scientists don’t generally live lives of extreme wealth and luxury, unless they invent or patent something that people decide they can’t live without or that becomes a necessity.

I have known scientists for decades. They often work long hours, are dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and to contributing to their fields, and tend to live modest lives.

Back in the day when I covered Wall Street banks, I rubbed elbows with power brokers who thought nothing of spending lavishly on dinners, who sat a few rows from the on-deck circle at Yankee Stadium, and who had cars waiting for them day and night to bring them to and from their luxurious homes.

Scientists and educators, on the whole, don’t have the same professional financial options.

And yet they help advance society, protect us from infections, keep our water and air clean and gather the kind of information we shouldn’t ignore.

Before cutting over a thousand people in a drastic cost cutting initiative, the EPA and Zeldin should study the type of information these researchers produce.

We wouldn’t want to heat our houses by burning down the wood that supports our walls and ceilings. Scientists can help us figure out whether decisions by individuals or companies are doing just that, providing us with temporary warmth at great expense to the homes in which we live.

Information, after all, isn’t owned exclusively by one political party or another, the way a resort might be. As with other layoff decisions by the Trump administration, I hope they reconsider this one. If they do, the older versions of themselves and their grandchildren may one day appreciate it and benefit from the work these scientists do to protect the environment we share.

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

How do you feel about tipping these days? According to Fox News, some 90% of Americans feel tipping has gotten out of hand. Not only do tips seem to start at 18% rather than what used to be the standard 15%, they are also going up as restaurant prices go up since they are calculated on the amount of the check.

And Fox News is basing its information on a survey done by a company called WalletHub.

There are lots of other complaints, too, about tips. For instance, while tips used to be given to waiters, bartenders and hairdressers, the landscape has now changed. Tips are now expected at many checkout counters & other unlikely places.

“More and more establishments where you wouldn’t normally tip are asking for something extra, and people are even being asked to tip self-help machines with no human interaction,” according to WalletHub.

Why are tips even necessary?

Tipping originally was a way to express appreciation for a job well done, perhaps over and above what was expected. Now, it seems, it is a requirement on a restaurant check in the United States. Europeans leave only a couple of coins to express appreciation for good service.

Many years ago, when my dad was paying the bill for our meal in an eatery, he left a nickel as a tip. The waiter ran out onto the sidewalk after us, telling my dad how much his family depended on the tip money I remember my dad answering that the service had been abysmal. But he reached into his pocket, gave the man some money and explained that it was now charity and not a tip. It was a good distinction for me to learn.  He also suggested the man work harder at his job to better feed his family.

Something that annoys a good friend with whom I occasionally eat is that the suggested tips at the bottom of the bill are based on food plus tax rather than on food alone. Certainly there is no extra effort expended for adding taxes. So she will determine her tip on the amount above the tax line.

Another friend with whom I enjoy a meal in a restaurant always tips 30% because she feels being a waiter or waitress is a hard job, and people who do it really need the money.

Tips were also given to waiters and waitresses when we all knew they earned something like $2.50 an hour. Now, with minimum wage at $16.50 between salary and tip, it’s a different story.

WalletHub also released the following statistics:

Automatic service charges should be banned, according to 83% of respondents.

One in four believe tips should be taxed, in contrast to the current administration’s offer to make tips tax free.

When presented with a tip suggestion screen at a counter, 3 in ten tip less.

Some 40% of those surveyed think tipping should be replaced with an employee rating system that then tells the employer how to pay staffers.

Americans pay an average of $500 a year on tips.

More than 75% feel that tips should be divided only among employees who interact directly  with customers.

And finally, more than 50% of customers leave tips because of social pressure rather than as a result of good service.

A piece of advice offered by one respondent: If you are standing to place an order, as with checkout counters, no tip.

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2nd Annual Sea Glass Fiction Contest underway

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor in partnership with TBR News Media of Setauket, has announced the launch of the 2nd Annual Sea Glass Fiction Contest. This exciting competition invites students in grades 3-12 from Nassau and Suffolk counties to unleash their creativity by crafting stories inspired by a piece of sea glass chosen by the museum.

The contest challenges participants to imagine a unique journey for the selected sea glass fragment chosen by The Whaling Museum and to weave a captivating tale around it. The winning stories will have the chance to be read at the Sea Glass Festival, a prestigious event celebrating sea glass and its significance in maritime history. This year’s Sea Glass Festival will be held on Sunday, July 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are excited to see the imaginative stories that students will create for this contest,” said Nomi Dayan, Executive Director at The Whaling Museum. “Sea glass has a way of capturing the imagination, and we can’t wait to read the stories that come out of this unique contest.”

Entries must be submitted electronically through the submission form on The Whaling Museum’s website by April 30. The contest is free to enter, and all works must be original and written solely by the author. Only residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties are eligible to participate.

“We look forward to the opportunity to celebrate and highlight the creative tales of students in the area,” said Daniel Dunaief, a journalist with TBR News Media. “Entrants can envision ways a piece of glass, shaped by water and time, provides a clue in a compelling narrative.” 

Winners will be notified on or about June 1-7, and select winning entries will be eligible for publication in TBR News Media and on The Whaling Museum’s website. TBR will also highlight the winners on their weekly podcast, Pressroom Afterhour. In addition, contest winners will receive complimentary tickets to The Whaling Museum’s Sea Glass Festival, where they will be recognized with a certificate.

“We are grateful to TBR News Media for continuing to partner with us on this contest and helping to bring these young writers’ stories to a wider audience,” added Dayan.

For more information on the Sea Glass Fiction Contest, including guidelines and submission details, please visit cshwhalingmuseum.org/seaglasscontest.

 

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Governor Kathy Hochul joined State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald for a press conference on measles on March 19. Photo courtesy of Gov. Hochul's Office
All New Yorkers urged to ensure they are current with all recommended immunizations, especially Measles-Mumps-Rubella

Governor Kathy Hochul on March 19 launched a new web portal to support access to vaccines and public health information in the wake of measles cases in New York State: ny.gov/measles

The Governor joined State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald in a press conference to update New Yorkers on the cases and encouraged everyone to ensure they are current on all recommended immunizations.

There have been four total cases of measles in New York State so far this year, three in New York City and one in Suffolk County. None of the cases this year are related to each other or connected to the outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. The risk of measles to New Yorkers from these outbreaks is low.

“Measles doesn’t belong in the 21st century, and it certainly doesn’t belong in the State of New York,” Governor Hochul said. “As measles outbreaks occur at home and around the globe, it’s critical that New Yorkers take the necessary steps to get vaccinated, get educated and stave off the spread of this preventable disease — the safety of our communities depends on it.”

The New York State Department of Health and local health departments work together to monitor cases and alert the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All New Yorkers are urged to protect themselves by making sure they’re up to date on important, lifesaving immunizations.

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “The single way to prevent measles is to be immunized, and this is an irrefutable fact. Measles is much more than just a rash. In the current outbreak in the United States, one in five people are being admitted to a hospital. I urge all New Yorkers to ensure they are current on their measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) immunizations and immediately get vaccinated if they are not.”

Based on immunization registry data, the current statewide vaccination rate for babies up to two years old, excluding New York City, is 81.4 percent. This is the percent of children who have received at least one dose of the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccines. However, actual vaccination coverage among school-age children is higher, typically around 90 percent.

Individuals should receive two doses of the MMR vaccine to be protected. Those who aren’t sure about their immunization status should call their local health department or health care provider. Those who were born before 1957 have likely already been exposed to the virus and are immune. Those born between 1957 and 1971 should check with a doctor to ensure they’ve been properly immunized as vaccines administered during that time may not have been reliable.

Those who travel abroad should make sure they are vaccinated for measles. Babies as young as 6 months can get an MMR if they are traveling abroad. The babies should get their MMRs on schedule and need a total of three MMRs.

The State Health Department is monitoring the situation very carefully, along with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Local health departments in each county are prepared to investigate cases and distribute vaccines or other protective measures as needed.

“As measles outbreaks occur at home and around the globe, it’s critical that New Yorkers take the necessary steps to get vaccinated, get educated and stave off the spread of this preventable disease — the safety of our communities depends on it.”

Misinformation around vaccines has in recent years contributed to a rise in vaccine hesitancy, declining vaccination rates and a black market for fraudulent vaccination records. The Department takes an active role in combating vaccination fraud. This includes work by the Department’s Bureau of Investigations identifying, investigating, and seeking impactful enforcement actions against those who falsify vaccine records, as evidenced by several recent cases announced by the Department.

Combating vaccine fraud is a collective effort that includes various stakeholders responsible for community health and safety. The Department works with schools to help them fulfill their responsibility of reviewing vaccination records for fraud. Additionally, the Department partners with the New York State Education Department, local health departments and school-nurse professional organizations around this critical effort. Moreover, the Department’s Bureau of Investigations, in particular, works to educate, engage and support police and prosecutors statewide regarding vaccination fraud, which under New York law is a felony-level criminal offense.

Measles is a highly contagious, serious respiratory disease that causes rash and fever. In some cases, measles can reduce the immune system’s ability to fight other infections like pneumonia.

Serious complications of measles include hospitalization, pneumonia, brain swelling and death. Long-term serious complications can also include  subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a brain disease resulting from an earlier measles infection that can lead to permanent brain damage.

People who are infected with measles often get “measles immune amnesia,” which causes their immune system to lose memory to fight other infections like pneumonia. In places like Africa, where measles is more common, this is the largest driver of mortality.

Measles during pregnancy increases the risk of early labor, miscarriage and low birth weight infants.

Measles is caused by a virus that is spread by coughing or sneezing into the air. Individuals can catch the disease by breathing in the virus or by touching a contaminated surface, then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth. Complications may include pneumonia, encephalitis, miscarriage, preterm birth, hospitalization and death.

The incubation period for measles is up to 21 days. People who are exposed to measles should quarantine 21 days after exposure and those who test positive should isolate until four days after the rash appears.

Symptoms for measles can include the following:

7-14 days, and up to 21 days after a measles infection

  • High fever
  • Cough
  • Runny nose
  • Red, watery eyes

3-5 days after symptoms begin, a rash occurs

  • The rash usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet.
  • Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
  • The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body.
  • When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.

A person with measles can pass it to others as soon as four days before a rash appears and as late as four days after the rash appears.

Health care providers should report suspected measles cases to their local health department.

Visit the State Health Department’s dedicated measles website for information about the measles, immunization data and information for providers.

The State Health Department has also launched a new Global Health Update Report webpage to keep New Yorkers informed of ongoing and emerging infectious disease outbreaks. The report is updated every Friday.

Visit the CDC website for information about the measles vaccine.

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Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD
Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD
Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who allegedly stole from a South Setauket store this month.

The woman pictured above allegedly stole health products from Target, located at 255 Pond Path Road on March 11, at approximately 4:50 p.m. She fled in an older model Toyota Corolla 4-door sedan. The vehicle had several stickers on the rear of the vehicle.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.

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Howard Hanna Coach Realtors of Port Jefferson invites seniors looking to downsize to a FREE educational luncheon at the VFW Post 3054, 8 Jones Street, Setauket on Saturday, March 22 from noon to 2 p.m.

A panel of experts will be on hand to explore the planning and process of Downsizing for Seniors with a focus on housing options for seniors, addressing the challenges of buying a selling a property, financing issues and options, repairs and maintenance, Trusts and Estates and more.  Whether you are looking to make a move this year of sometime down the road, this is an event you won’t want to miss!

Lunch and prizes for all attendees as well as all your questions answered. Free but registration is required by calling 631-994-0082 or go to https://bit.ly/DownsizerWorkshop.

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IThe Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) has announced the launch of its inaugural Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Music Documentary Film Festival from Aug. 8 to Aug. 10  at LIMEHOF’s museum location at 97 Main Street in Stony Brook Village. Entries are now open to music documentary films from around the world and will be accepted through May 1st on FilmFreeway.

“This music documentary film festival is the perfect way to extend the mission of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame—to preserve the past, celebrate the present, and ignite a love for music in future generations,” said LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham who is organizing the film festival as Executive Director with film festival Artistic Director Wendy Feinberg.

While many know LIMEHOF as the exclusive home of the My Life: A Piano Man’s Journey Billy Joel exhibit, over the last 20 years, LIMEHOF has inducted over 130 Long Island artists, from a wide range of artists in all music genres including Billy Joel, Stephen Schwartz, Mariah Carey, Lou Reed, Clive Davis, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Ramones, Public Enemy, Carter Burwell, John Coltrane, Run DMC, Cyndi Lauper, Louis Armstrong and Simon & Garfunkel. This is the first time the museum is holding a music themed film festival of this kind.

“As a music lover, I am extremely excited to be involved in the creation of a film festival totally devoted to music docs to be held at a fantastic venue, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame!” said Wendy Feinberg, Artistic Director of the film festival.

The film festival has just accepted the new documentary “Cat’s in the Cradle: The Song That Changed Our Lives” which celebrates LIMEHOF inductee Harry Chapin who founded Long Island Cares. The film features several LIMEHOF inductees including Billy Joel, Pat Benatar, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Dee Snider.

“As Executive Director of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Music Documentary Film Festival, I am honored to announce the screening of Cats in the Cradle: The Song that Changed Our Lives,” said Needham. “Harry Chapin, a proud Long Islander and LIMEHOF inductee, used his music not only to tell stories but to change lives. This documentary beautifully captures the enduring power of Cats in the Cradle, a song that has resonated across generations and continues to inspire reflection on family, time, and the choices we make.”

This brand-new initiative amplifies LIMEHOF’s mission to celebrate music in all its forms. This festival will exclusively showcase music documentary films from around the world that examine music topics like music scenes, music history, tours, biographies, festivals, music education, concerts, culture and music technology.

The festival accepts music documentaries in features and shorts categories. The entry fee is $40, and entries are accepted through May 1. At the conclusion of the festival, awards will be issued in a variety of categories to recognize the best participating films. For more information, full rules and details please visit FilmFreeway(https://filmfreeway.com/LongIslandMusicandEntertainmentHallofFameMusicDocumentaryFilmFestival)

About LIMEHOF

Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all its forms.  In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook, New York. To date, the organization has inducted more than 130 musicians and music industry executives, and offers education programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators.

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SUNY Distinguished Professor Rowan Ricardo Phillips. Photo by Sue Kw0n

Stony Brook University Distinguished Professor Rowan Ricardo Phillips, from the College of Arts and Sciences Department of English, was recently recognized by the American Academy of Arts as a 2025 Arts and Letters Award winner.

“Art is its own reward,” said Professor Phillips. “But, even with that said, I feel honored to be in such fine company.”

The American Academy of Arts and Letters is an honor society of artists, architects, composers, and writers who foster and sustain interest in the arts. The Arts and Letters Award, established in 1941, was established to encourage creative work in the arts. The award is $10,000, granted annually to four architects, five artists, eight writers, and four composers.

“My sincere congratulations to Rowan Ricardo Phillips for yet another highly prestigious honor,” said David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “This has been an exciting year of recognition for Rowan’s creative work. His book, Silver, recently made the longlist for both the National Book Award and for the Laurel Prize. Now, Rowan has been selected as one of eight writers across all genres to receive the Arts and Letters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. We are so proud that Rowan is part of our intellectual and creative community. He is a brilliant ambassador for the Humanities at Stony Brook.”

“This is a significant honor from a very prestigious arts organization,” said Benedict Robinson, professor and chair of the Department of English. “The membership of the American Academy of Arts and Letters reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of all the arts in the contemporary U.S., and the list of honorees being recognized this year includes some of the most significant contributors to contemporary art and culture. It’s a tremendous honor for the Department of English and for Stony Brook University as a whole. We’re extremely lucky to have Professor Phillips as a colleague and teacher.”

Phillips was recently longlisted for the National Book Award and the Laurel Prize for his book, Silver. Phillips’ poem “The First and Final Poem Is the Sun” also was included in Best American Poetry 2024.

Phillips earned his doctorate in English Literature from Brown University in 2003. He is recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the Nicolás Guillén Outstanding Book Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports writing, a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award for Poetry, a Whiting Award, and the GLCA New Writers Award. He has also been a finalist for the National Book Award for his poetry collection, Heaven, the Griffin International Poetry Prize, the NAACP Award for Outstanding Work in Poetry, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

 

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Three Village Central School District Athletic Director Kevin Finnerty, left, and Legislator Steven Englebright, right, with the Ward Melville High School Cheerleading Team. Photo from Legislator Steven Englebright’s office
Legislator Steven Englebright (center) with Three Village Central School District Athletic Director Kevin Finnerty, left, Head Coach John Diel, second from left, members of the Ward Melville High School girls soccer team and Assistant Coach Louise Williams. Photo from Legislator Steven Englebright’s office
Three Village Central School District Athletic Director Kevin Finnerty with the Ward Melville High School Cheerleading Team. Photo from Legislator Steven Englebright’s office
Three Village Central School District Athletic Director Kevin Finnerty, Head Coach John Diel and Assistant Coach Louise Williams with members of the Ward Melville High School girls soccer team. Photo from Legislator Steven Englebright’s office

Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright (D-Setauket) honored two Ward Melville High School teams at the Legislature’s General Meeting on March 4.

On hand to receive proclamations from Englebright were the high school’s cheerleading and girls soccer team members. Both teams were recognized for their wins at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) championship games in November.

Cheerleading

The cheerleading team, coached by Head Coach Georgia Curtis and Assistant Coach Maggie Hurley, emerged as the 2024 Class A state Game Day Champions at a competition held at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy on November 10. The team earned the state title with a 90.6. In March 2024, they also were the state champions after winning the Competitive Class A title.

“To the Ward Melville cheerleaders thank you for cheering on the Ward Melville Patriots football and basketball teams and for providing moral support to your fellow athletes,” Englebright said. “Most important of all, congratulations to all of you on your hard work and athletic accomplishments that make your school district and our county and community proud of each and every one of you.”

A few days after their trip to the County Legislature, the team traveled to the state championship in Binghamton, where they walked away the Competitive Class A champions once again.

Girls soccer

The Ward Melville Patriots Girl’s Soccer Team won the 2024 state Class AAA final, 1-0, at SUNY Cortland on November 17. The win was their third consecutive victory at the state championships.

In addition to winning the three state finals in a row, the team – led by Captains Maddie Costello, Breena Harrigan, and Sarah Jablonsky and coached by Head Coach John Diehl and Assistant Coach Louise Williams – hasn’t lost a game in three seasons. They completed the 2024 season, 20-0-1. According to Newsday records, the Patriots’ 63 games without a loss is a Long Island girls soccer record.

“The skillful seniors on this team will have wonderful memories of being part of a stellar team and leave a legacy that, I am confident, their younger counterparts will take good care of in upcoming seasons,” Englebright said.

 

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