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Letters to the Editor: February 6, 2025

by TBR Staff - February 6, 2025

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letters_page-scaled-1-700x467-1-1-1 — File photo by Raymond Janis

Poquott speed bumps

In response to Poquott Village Board communication dated Dec. 26, 2024. I have the following comments to be shared with the community at the Feb. 6 town hall meeting and via our local newspaper.

As a 38-year resident of Poquott I have seen traffic issues take many forms from the widespread and out of control imposition of illegal ticket issuance by employees of the village to the addition of unnecessary stop signs like the one at White Pine and Van Brunt. More recently and sadly it has become known that a resident’s small dog got loose from an unfenced yard and was hit by a car at the junction of Van Brunt and Shore Road. Undoubtedly speeding is perceived as an issue and much of this stems from previous Poquott Board members’ inability adequately to manage the development of what is known this side of the village as “The Middle Kingdom.” In this respect the additional traffic on Van Brunt stemmed from inappropriately relying in large part on traffic egress of the development of new homes via what became known as White Pine. It is my understanding and belief that instead or in addition, egress roadways should have been mandated directly onto the area where Van Brunt meets Shore Road.

The whole matter has parallels I suggest with those who buy homes next to airports and then complain about aircraft noise. Be that as it may, it is what it is and our current board, I acknowledge, has to be seen to address the issue.

However, I am opposed to what has been done in the pilot programs implemented for the following reasons:

1. Why has one side of the village been greatly inconvenienced and impacted with multiple speed bumps and stop signs while the other has a perfectly reasonable digital monitoring system?

2. Traffic returning from 25A to homes on Van Brunt beyond Shore Road now have to stop a ridiculous 4 times:

1. Once at a nasty speed bump as one approaches the area in question.

2. A second time at the stop sign.

3. A third time at speed bump 2, and

4. An absurd 4th time at speed bump 3.

3. I am retired and no longer in a hurry to go anywhere but I recognize that employed residents have stuff to do and places to go and all this nonsense does is irritate and slow their normal progress down to get to where they need to go after which they are far more likely to speed up again to make up for time and energy lost in what are laughably called “calming measures.”

4. Returning to 25A from the other direction is just as bad with stops for speed bump, then stop at incorrectly placed stop sign (where visibility to traffic coming along Shore Road from the right-hand side is not properly visible) then stop again at where the stop sign should have been placed to start with so that one can see traffic coming from the right, and finally once again at the next speed bump. Who decided upon this madness?

5. Even residents who will grind to an almost complete stop to get over these speed bumps will experience wear and damage to their vehicles suspension systems. This might be good news for those in the auto repair business but no one else. Will reimbursement be possible from the village? This could be financed by getting rid of the superfluous police force and saving further dollars from local taxes.

6. Needless to say, all this overkill results in the proliferation of a nasty aspect of living in Poquott – the unpleasant number of ridiculous signs that are indiscriminately plastered all over village roads and beaches. Talk about “nanny state” — my favorite is the particularly stupid one advising dog owners that they can only go onto the beach with a dog if waiting for or exiting from your boat. Which apparatchik of state thought this one up and how was it assumed this would be policed? It’s like a feeble attempt at a Monty Python sketch.

My suggestion is for the Board to rethink the entire mess. Either get rid of speed bumps entirely and perhaps use digital warning monitors on both sides of the village or re-site a single speed bump at a properly positioned stop sign.

Peter Stubberfield

East Setauket

Letter to Superintendent Scanlon

Dear Dr. Scanlon,

I am writing concerning the science teacher who was recently removed from the classroom because of online posts concerning the immigration policies of the new administration in Washington, D,C. My son was fortunate enough to be in this teacher’s class many years ago. She is an excellent and very patient teacher.

I understand why many reasonable Americans find the current demonization of immigrants to be inappropriate, very upsetting and dangerous. While this teacher’s comments were not kind, they were not personally threatening and appear to be well within her rights of free speech. In the sermon by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, less than one week ago, she reminds us all that the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches, mosques and synagogues, gurdwara, and temples. She asks for mercy and dignity for immigrants and all people in the USA and throughout the globe.

It appears that many of the responses from the Three Village community to this teacher’s post have been unkind and personally threatening. I ask you to return this excellent teacher to her classroom and ask everyone in the Three Village community to treat each other with the kindness, mercy and dignity we all deserve, and remember that while issues related to immigration policy may be complex and difficult for reasonable people to resolve, demonizing and poor treatment of immigrants is never appropriate.

Susan Ackerman

Stony Brook

D. None of the Above: Remembering the day the late Fay Vincent shared advice and a baseball story

by Daniel Dunaief - February 5, 2025

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By Daniel Dunaief

With temperatures soaring, the large gathering of friends and family used programs to fan themselves.

Sweat dripped down my back as I waited in a wooden chair amid bright sunshine to witness and celebrate my brother’s graduation from Colgate University. Thoughts of my brother mixed with a need to find shade and an ice cold drink.

I had attended several graduations before this one, including my older brother’s and my own from college. I recall my Ward Melville High School graduation being incredibly warm as well, but this one seemed longer and more protracted, perhaps because we had to drive several hours to attend.

I pondered all the phone calls to the 315 area code with my younger brother, who complained about the snow, the ice and the bitter cold temperatures, which was an enormous contrast to the stifling heat of that day.

The commencement speaker, Fay Vincent, was the commissioner of baseball at the time. His tenure started when his predecessor Bart Giamatti died of a heart attack at 51, eight days after banning Pete Rose from baseball for life for gambling on the game.

I thought about Vincent this week when I learned he had died at the age of 86 from cancer. I remember a surprising number of thoughts and ideas he shared during that momentous and proud day in our family’s life.

Fortunately, the sound system on that field was clear enough that I could hear almost every word he said.

He started off by saying that there’s no such thing as a good, long commencement speech. Similarly, there’s no such thing as a bad, short commencement speech.

The overheated audience laughed at both well-delivered lines, relieved that their children’s names would be called fairly soon.

He had three pieces of advice for these graduates. He recommended that they do something good. While that course of action depended on each person’s definition of “good,” he urged people to use their time effectively and to contribute something to society.

He then suggested that people do something well. Merely taking a job, moving on to graduate school, or doing some kind of internship wasn’t enough: graduates needed to commit to completing any task well, whatever that might be.

And, finally, he urged them to do something. That line also elicited considerable laughter from the appreciative crowd, who, by now, was eating out of his hand and wasn’t so sure they wanted this speech to end too rapidly.

He urged graduates not to return home and spend too much time pondering their future. They needed to go out and experience life. And, of course, once they took whatever next steps, they should remember to engage in good work while committing to doing it well.

Recognizing that the commissioner of baseball couldn’t get off the dais without sharing a baseball story, he also offered one about a rookie umpire.

The Houston Astros were playing the Yankees at the Astrodome in front of more than 50,000 adoring fans during their home opener.

Nolan Ryan, the ace of the team and one of the best pitchers in baseball who still holds the record with seven no hitters, was on the mound.

Mickey Rivers, the speedy Yankees center fielder, was stepping up to the plate. The umpire signaled for Ryan, who entered the Hall of Fame in 1999 as a Texas Ranger, to throw the first pitch.

The ball exploded into the catcher’s mitt. The fans waited as the seconds ticked by. The players looked in for the call. The umpire signaled weakly, “strike?” and extended his arm. The crowd cheered wildly as the catcher tossed the ball back to Ryan, who had started out his 27-year career as a member of the New York Mets.

Rivers took a step out of the box and smiled at the umpire. “Hey, it’s okay, blue,” Rivers said. “I didn’t see it either.”

Vincent told the story and offered his advice with such gusto and passion that I can still recall the speech and its effect on people all these years later.

Is it possible that Ryan was on another team during that speech and that another batter shared such relatable words to the umpire? Sure. But, I can remember the message, the charm and the encouragement (and, of course, the searing heat) as if I were sitting in that field yesterday, celebrating my brother’s graduation and appreciating Vincent’s word’s of wisdom.

Between You and Me: Cancer — then and now

by Leah Dunaief - February 5, 2025

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Cancer. Half a century ago, it was a word only whispered, so dreaded was the disease. It was considered a death sentence. People who had it were often shunned, as if it were contagious. And hospital treatments were demonic. As one cancer specialist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston put it, “We were kind of just pushing poisons and hoping for the best.”

But cancer deaths have plummeted in the last 30 years, as scientists and physicians have greatly improved their understanding of the pathology, and treatments now target some cancer-causing genes. Likened to diabetes, cancer might be thought of as a manageable chronic disease.

What exactly is cancer?

An excellent article in this Tuesday’s issue of The New York Times science section tackled that question. “Every day, billions of cells in our body divide or die off. Once in a while, though, something goes awry, and cells that should stop growing or die simply don’t. Left unchecked, those cells can turn into cancer,” writes Nina Agrawal.

Why that happens and how to treat the problem still puzzles scientists and doctors, but there has been great progress in understanding the disease in its various forms. While they used to think that mutations of genes caused all cancer, that has turned out to be only part of the story. Some mutations lay dormant an entire lifetime and never lead to cancer.

Separate from DNA code mutations, there are epigenetic changes, changes due to our environment in the way genes are expressed, that play a huge role. These may be caused by aging, dietary and environmental exposures, and chronic inflammation.

Some chemicals have long been known to cause cancer, like asbestos and those in cigarette smoke. Air pollution is now thought to increase risk, especially for lung and breast cancers, triggering inflammation. So does eating an unhealthy diet, which “can upset the balance of our microbiome, allowing certain bacteria to grow unchecked. Scientists think this may cause chronic inflammation, which can lead to colon or pancreatic cancers,” Dr. Davendra Sohal, a gastrointestinal oncologist, told The New York Times.

Interestingly, malignant tumors are made up of cancer cells, as well as normal cells “that have been recruited to support their growth,” according to The NYT. “Many of these normal cells are the same type of immune cells that will flood the site of an injury or infection to help heal that wound—by helping new cells multiply, generating blood vessels, stimulating new connective tissue and avoiding attacks from other parts of the immune system. These are capabilities that cancer cells can co-opt indefinitely to support their own growth.”

Epidemiologists estimate that 40 percent of cancers and cancer deaths can be caused by controllable risk factors. These include cigarette smoking, sun exposure, alcohol use and excess body weight. Some infections, for example, caused by hepatitis B and C viruses, human papillomavirus and H. pylori bacteria, can also cause certain cancers, according to the article.

Understanding better how the immune system works has opened up a new treatment field called immunotherapy, using T-cells, immune system fighters produced or processed by the thymus gland that kill cancer cells in lungs and skin, among others. Engineered by doctors, T-cells, forming CAR T-cell therapy, have been most effective against blood cancers, the reporter said.

Can cancer be cured?

While physicians are reluctant to use that term, newer treatments like stem cell transplants and CAR T therapy make for optimism, especially after a number of years elapse when a patient is in remission.

Research further to develop prevention and treatments must continue.

Your Turn: Why we must value people with differing abilities

by TBR Staff - February 5, 2025

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Mark X. Cronin and John Cronin — Mark X. Cronin with his son John. Facebook photo

A response to President Trump’s remarks

By Mark X. Cronin

In times of tragedy, our words matter. We witnessed sixty-seven people lose their lives, suddenly tossing mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, coworkers, and teammates into the darkest grief. In moments like these we must resist the urge to jump to conclusions.

President Trump, I heard what you said about the plane crash in Washington DC when you suggested that the hiring of people with intellectual developmental disabilities contributed to the tragedy. As the father of a young man with Down syndrome and an employer of people with differing abilities, I feel compelled to respond—not in anger, but to open a dialogue. I am not calling you out, instead I would like to invite you in, to learn more about what people with intellectual developmental disabilities can do and the contributions they are already making to our society and economy.

Let’s not blame people with differing abilities. Let’s not return to a time when they were shunned and ostracized. I want you to see how people with differing abilities contribute to our schools, workplaces, and communities. Across our nation and industries, people with differing abilities prove every day that they are valuable, skilled, and reliable employees. Companies like Microsoft, Walgreens, and EY have built successful programs hiring neurodiverse employees because they see their talent, not their limitations.

As an employer, I can assure you that no organization, least of all the FAA, knowingly places individuals in roles for which they are unqualified. Every air traffic controller undergoes intensive training and testing to ensure they meet the highest standards. The same applies to every pilot, engineer, and safety inspector. The inclusion of people with differing abilities does not mean lowering the bar; it means assessing skills fairly and placing people where they can succeed. That is not to say that no one made a mistake, but if mistakes were made, it is not because they had an intellectual developmental disability.

Mr. President, I invite you to see firsthand what inclusion looks like. Visit John’s Crazy Socks, meet my son John. He is an entrepreneur like you and a leader – EY named him Entrepreneur of the Year. More than half of our colleagues have a differing ability, meet them, see their dedication, talent, and hard work—not limitations. I believe that if you see this in action, you’ll understand why so many businesses, large and small, are embracing inclusive hiring as a competitive advantage.

America’s strength comes from the contributions of all its people. Never be blinded by a person’s limitations, be awed by their possibilities. When we focus on what individuals can do—rather than what they cannot—we build a stronger, more inclusive society. That’s the future and I hope you will lead us there.

Mark X. Cronin is co-founder and President of John’s Crazy Socks in Farmingdale.

Editorial: The sacrifice of change

by TBR Staff - February 3, 2025

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Recently, towns across our coverage area have had to confront the loss innate in progress, especially as it affects the delicate balancing scale of Long Island’s development. In Smithtown, the Kings Park Revitalization Plan enters its final stages leaving some residents overjoyed and others worried about congestion.

Simultaneously, in Setauket, the controversial battery energy storage facilities are being opposed partly because they would be located in population dense areas. These events have triggered vastly differing reactions, but all raise questions: How much change is too much? And, is change worth the loss?

The heart of the opposition in each of these issues is that Long Island is under threat of overdevelopment, as it has been for years. Despite this, it is becoming unlivable due to financial strains. Ever present in discourse across every sector, is the exodus of young Long-Islanders–the skills we lose when each one moves away taking their education and expertise with them, the sorrow of having a loved one no longer within driving distance.

The Kings Park Revitalization Plan struck the balance—nearly. Some people decry the development it promotes, while others say it is the very thing their hamlet needs and has the potential to bring life and energy back to their community, perhaps enticing young people to stay and build their lives, families and careers.

Each viewpoint, especially the critical ones, smoothed the rough surfaces of the plan. Paying attention to defects is an essential step in ensuring that we don’t become so infatuated with progress that we forget what we have.

Some people are still unhappy with the Kings Park Revitalization Plan as it enters its last step before it is voted on for approval. However, their voices help develop a more complete, well-informed opinion on what matters to our community.

Public hearings may slow down the process, delaying approval, but they prompt analysis and re-analysis, reminding us of the trade offs we need to consider.

Ward Melville coed varsity cheerleading team soars to new heights

by Bill Landon - February 3, 2025

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By Bill Landon

In an eight-team cheer competition at Eastport South Manor High School Saturday afternoon, Ward Melville was the class of the field in the coed cheer division. The Patriots, the 2024 NYSPHSAA state champion edged out Walt Whitman, the third place finisher, with a cumulative score of 86.35 points and East Islip, the runner up, with 87 points to capture top honors with a score of 90.65.

Ward Melville retakes the mat Feb. 15 for the Suffolk County Championship final at Sachem East High school with an eye on the 2025 NYSPHSAA championship on March 8.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Second update: Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run crash in Lake Grove

by Press Release - February 3, 2025

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Second update on Feb. 3: Detectives believe the vehicle that struck and killed a pedestrian on Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove on February 1 is a 2006 to 2007 dark gray Honda Accord. See photo attached.

Update on Feb. 2: Sampada Aduulla, 24, of Lake Grove, has been identified as the woman killed in a hit-and-run crash while crossing Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove on February 1.

Below is the original press release:

Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are investigating a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian in Lake Grove on Feb. 1.

A woman was crossing Nesconset Highway, near Hallock Road, when she was struck by a vehicle traveling eastbound at 6:20 a.m. that fled the scene. The woman, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to contact the Major Case Unit at 631-852-
6555 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

Selden man arrested for allegedly burglarizing multiple businesses in Suffolk County

by Press Release - February 3, 2025

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Suffolk County Police arrested a Selden man on Feb. 2 for having allegedly burglarized nine businesses between November 2024 and today.

Sixth Precinct officers responded to a 911 call reporting a burglary at Subway, located at 668 Middle Country Road in Selden at 9:49 a.m. Upon arrival, officers found the front glass window of the business had been broken and cash had been stolen from the register and coins from a donation jar. Following an investigation by Sixth Squad detectives, Michael Parise was identified and located a short time later on Middle Country Road in Coram at 11:07 a.m.

Parise has been identified as the man who has allegedly committed nine similar burglaries and one attempted burglary since November 2024. In all instances, he entered the business by breaking an exterior door or window and stole cash. In addition to the incident today, he was charged with Burglary 3rd Degree for the following incidents:

Subway, located at 2350 Route 347, Stony Brook, reported at approximately 5 a.m. on Nov. 27, 2024
Ssambap Korean BBQ, located at 2350 Route 347, Stony Brook, reported at 6:26 a.m. on Dec. 16, 2024
Orangetheory Fitness, located at 2306 Route 347, Stony Brook, reported at 10:59 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2024
Hype Cut and Color Bar, located at 159 Terry Road, Smithtown, reported at 9:32 a.m. on Dec. 27, 2024
Tainos Café and Lounge, located at 24 Middle Country Road, Coram, reported at 4 p.m. on Dec. 27, 2024
Bagel Café of Stony Brook, located at 2310 Route 347, Stony Brook, reported at 7:28 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2025
Kimochi Bubble Tea, located at 237 Middle Country Road, Selden, reported at 9:45 a.m. on Jan. 31
Middle Country Animal Hospital, located at 644D Middle Country Road, Selden, reported at 8:13 a.m. on Feb. 2, 2025

Parise was additionally charged with one count of Attempted Burglary 3rd Degree for an incident at Peking Chinese Kitchen, located at 640 Middle Country Road, Selden, during which he damaged a door to the restaurant but failed to gain entry on February 2, and Petit Larceny for stealing money from a donation box at McDonald’s, located at 2324 Route 347, Stony Brook, on December 26, 2024.

Parise, 49, of Selden was held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and was scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on February 3.

LIMEHOF honors 2024 ‘Educator of Note’ Craig Knapp at awards ceremony

by Press Release - February 2, 2025

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Alumni and current students perform and pack the house to celebrate popular Rocky Point Music Teacher

Students, former students, colleagues, friends and family of Rocky Point Elementary Music Teacher and Department Chairperson Craig Knapp packed the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEOHF) recently to honor the 2024 ‘Educator of Note’ winner. The ceremony was held at LIMEHOF’s museum location in Stony Brook at 97 Main Street. The event featured three musical performances by current and former students, live and video recorded speeches from colleagues and students, a video presentation about Knapp’s career and a special citation presentation by New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio.

“The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame is thrilled to honor Craig Knapp with the ‘Educator of Note’ Award and to recognize his extraordinary dedication, innovation, and profound impact on countless students and on music education in our community,” said LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham, who manages LIMEHOF’s education programs.

“I am absolutely honored to be inducted into the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame as the 2024 recipient of their ‘Educator of Note,’ said Knapp. “To be included on the list of past honorees—many of whom I have worked with collaboratively in a variety of music education organizations, committees, conferences, and initiatives—is both gratifying and humbling. I am very proud that I carved out a successful career in a rather unconventional and unique way.”

The event was emceed by LIMEHOF Educational Committee Member Mike Rodgers who is also director of music and performing arts in the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District. Live speakers included Music Department Chair from Rocky Point School District Amy Schecher, 5^th Grade Student Emma Wurm, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York (MYO) Dr. Anthea Jackson, New York State Assemblywomen Jodi Giglio. There were also recorded messages from colleagues including MYO Concert Choir Director Dr. Doreen Fryling.

“I thought today’s event was absolutely beautiful particularly the students were the highlight of it,” said Rodgers. “Not only to see the work that was done but the reflection from the students themselves.”

Current and former students honored Knapp with special musical performances. Rocky Point Students Serena Carley and Olna Carley, MYO Treble Choir students Nate Drinkwater and Andrew Nagle. Former student now Deer Park Music Teacher Grace Donofrio sang Georges Bizet’s Carmen accompanied by pianist Sara Ruggerio.

“Mr. Knapp is one of the most inspiring people and most deserving people of this kind of award,” said Donofrio. “He inspires me to be a music teacher, and I hope that I can be half of him one day as I learn and grow and continue in my career.”

Former student Julia Brandow traveled in from out of town, driving for over five hours to honor Knapp.

“Once he told me this was happening, I had to come… it was like no question, Brandow said. “He has done so much for us. The least I could do was be here today for him. Music is the biggest thing in my life and he 100% is the foundation for that.”

Music Teacher Desiree DeMelfi (herself a 2019 LIMEHOF Scholarship recipient) also spoke. She had nominated Craig and was mentored by him when she started her music teaching career.

“Craig has always wanted me to be the best music teacher and course director I could be,” said DeMelfi. “The impact of a true educator and mentor is evident from my story alone. Craig saw an opportunity to guide a young student from the same town he grew up in. He acted as a leader and decided to give me the best student teaching experience possible.”

With an impressive career that spans 27 years on Long Island, Craig Knapp is the 18th music teacher to be recognized by LIMEHOF since the ‘Educator of Note’ Award was established in 2007. This award recognizes exceptional teachers who demonstrate a commitment to music education, play an active role in the community, and have a significant influence on the lives of music students of all backgrounds and abilities.

Craig Knapp is the director of the Nassau and Suffolk Treble Choirs of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York, Elementary Classroom Music Specialist and Choral Director in the Rocky Point Public School District, former Adjunct Assistant Professor at Hofstra University, former Director of the Early Childhood Community Music Program at Stony Brook University, music educator, guest conductor, clinician, folk dance leader and author. He says of all his accomplishments, the most significant honor to him is the lasting influence he has had on his students.

“I have the luckiest job in the world as I get to wake up every Monday morning and make music with incredible children,” Knapp said. “Of all that I have achieved—more important than any accolades I could receive, books I could publish, guest conducting opportunities I could receive, invitations to present at professional development conferences, or performances I direct—my greatest accomplishment, and what I’m most proud of, is that students still come to visit me decades later to tell me that I was their favorite teacher and to thank me for the positive impact I had on their life. What could be better than that?”

For more information about the LIMEHOF ‘Educator of Note’ Award, visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/educator-of-note/

by TBR Staff - February 1, 2025

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