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Julia and Valerie D’Amico. Photo courtesy of D’Amico family

In 2025, labels are toxic, political and problematic.

DEI? Not allowed anymore. Woke? There’s undoubtedly an executive action to rid the nation of anything that fits under this large umbrella.

Fortunately, during last week’s final stage in a contest run by Stony Brook University’s Institute for Advanced Computational Science, politics didn’t enter the room, even though women, girls, families and boys met for a science competition.

The IACS unveiled the winners in their competition a few days after the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

The competition helped over 150 local students learn about women scientists who may not be household names, but who made significant contributions to their fields.

Some of these historical role models were firsts. Mary Jackson was the first female Black engineer. Marie Curie was the first woman to earn a degree from the University of Paris.

Others made significant, and sometimes overshadowed, contributions to their fields. Rosalind Franklin, for example, provided key x-ray crystallography images that uncovered the double helical structure of DNA.

For students in the area, the competition was not only an opportunity to learn about the history of these women and the challenges they overcame, but was also a chance to conduct their experiments and present them to a receptive audience.

All the competitors were not girls. The participants, whether or not they won, appreciated the opportunity to learn and compete.

Parents of these precocious children were thrilled that this contest provided an enrichment learning opportunity, built their daughters’ confidence, and gave the next generation a sense of the myriad opportunities the sciences might present to them.

Each of these students — and some of them worked in teams — produced a one minute video explaining who the scientist was, why she was important and how they conducted their own experiment.

Some of them extracted DNA from strawberries, while others, like co-winner Allison Wong launched small objects through the air with their own miniature catapults, measuring the time marbles, cotton balls, ping pong balls and bottle caps were in the air and the distance these objects traveled.

Even amid concerns about future funding for all kinds of science and educational programs, this second annual competition was clearly a success for the competitors and a source of great satisfaction for parents, science teachers, and extended family members.

This kind of educational outreach program is exactly what every area needs, as students not only competed to win cash prizes, but also asked about future opportunities for scientific learning and advancement.

We congratulate the IACS and the co-chairs of this effort, Professors Marivi Fernandez-Serra and Monica Buggalo at Stony Brook University, for putting this great event together. We also hope that this kind of community service and outreach continues to provide necessary opportunities for personal growth.

These students expanded on the typical effort to study for a test, memorize dates or answer multiple choice or short answer questions for a class assignment. These videos took days to produce and edit.

We thank women scientists of the past for everything they did in and out of the limelight and we take great comfort in pondering a future led by the boundless enthusiasm of the competitors who are in the early stages of their own journeys.

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Stony Brook University. File photo

This month, Stony Brook University anticipates the induction of a new president: an exciting time for students. Who will this new leader be and how will they shape the school? What do they have planned for the bustling university? What expertise do they bring? 

Simultaneously, the fate of the monetary foundation of SBU’s research is uncertain. The new president will be stepping into the role amidst changes that would redefine the school’s research aspirations. New York had previously received $5 billion in funds from the National Institutes of Health–an amount that was cut on Monday. The move was blocked by a federal judge after 22 states, including New York, filed a lawsuit against it.

“[The policy] will devastate critical public health research at universities and research institutions in the United States. Without relief from NIH’s action, these institutions’ cutting edge work to cure and treat human disease will grind to a halt,” the lawsuit reads. 

The plan creates ambiguities on a local level as institutions envision a future without millions in funding. The SUNY system’s downstate flagship university is not excluded. “From working to cure Alzheimer’s disease to improving cancer outcomes, from supporting 9/11 first responders to detecting brain aneurysms, your research is essential to our national security and economic leadership. NIH’s cuts represent an existential threat to public health.” SUNY Chancellor John King wrote in a statement released on Monday.

As much as 60% of the NIH grant budget can be devoted to indirect costs such as infrastructure and maintenance. These costs, known as facilities and administrative costs, help support research and would be lowered to 15%. “[The plan] will cost SUNY research an estimated $79 million for current grants, including more than $21 million over just the next five months.” King wrote.

The new president will be juggling the specific priorities of Stony Brook while navigating federal legalities of policies that will undoubtedly affect one of the institution’s major focuses, research. As president, they will have the power to shape the university in momentous ways, leaving their trace for years to come just as previous presidents have. They will also have to adapt to federal directives. The current changes on the national educational stage would put pressure on any university president and could affect the economy of surrounding areas, particularly as the university is the largest single-site employer on Long Island.. As we await the announcement of this new leader, who will have to navigate national funding in addition to the countless other challenges of assuming the top job, we recognize that their success is our success.

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METRO photo

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced her intention to ban cell phones during the school day. The state-wide initiative became more palpable when Hochul announced the 2025 budget plan, and she set aside $13.5 million in state funding to make it a reality. 

Hochul’s announcement occurs during an international trend of banning cell phones in schools. Countries like Brazil and Italy have passed legislation restricting phone use in schools to varying degrees; now, it is New York’s turn. The ban would prevent phone use throughout the entire school day rather than just in the classroom. 

One of the main arguments against the ban is parents’ fear that their children won’t be able to contact them in an emergency. Hochul’s report, published on her website, does not close off the possibility of allowing students access in extenuating situations. The scope of the ban is undefined, and seems to allow room for school modification. For instance, Hochul’s report does not wholly eliminate the use of devices for educational purposes, stating exceptions for, as an example, English-language learners who need the device to help translate. 

In many schools across the Island, including the Three Village School District where cell phones are banned except for during lunch periods in the middle and high schools, cell phone use is already restricted. 

The COVID-19 pandemic seemed to increase technology’s hold on the attention of students, serving as both their social lifeline and surrogate classroom, and now, back in the classroom, educators are observing the effects through decreased attention. Over 70% of teachers say that cellphones are distracting and problematic, according to Pew Research Center. 

Even the mere knowledge that their device is close by, either in their bag or on their desk, can distract students from absorbing information, diminishing retention and memory. In addition, phones can serve as a social crutch, keeping students from truly connecting with their classmates. 

The advantages of having a cellphone in school are numerous, including seamless communication in emergencies and access to educational services such as Flip grid and Kahoot, but given the many adverse effects on concentration, mental-health, memory and sociability, a ban seems favorable. The ban would begin at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. It brings to light issues that we should take into consideration, adults and students alike. 

Some adults complain of issues retaining information. Could cellphone-use be the culprit, sitting in our peripheral vision  and serving as a distraction as we try to read a book or get some work done? Research has shown it has.

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Pixabay photo

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. 

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Pixabay photo

The Long Island Sound has attracted many residents to the area. While walking across the beach and appreciating waters that change with the tides and weather, the beauty of a landscape we share with seagulls calling to each other and fiddler crabs racing in and out of the surf provides a comforting setting for our busy lives.

While the Long Island Sound seems resilient and constant, it faces an ongoing threat. After decades of existing adjacent to population-dense Long Island, its chemical makeup has suffered. 

About 9 million people live in the Long Island Sound watershed, which extends almost to Canada, with 1.5 million of those people residing in Suffolk County. The large population puts pressure on the sewer systems, which if ineffective, affect water quality. 

Ineffective wastewater management not only impacts drinking water, but also has profound and noticeable impacts on the Long Island Sound where the toxic runoff often ends up. Wastewater is adding nitrogen to the water, contributing to the growth of harmful algae blooms that overwhelm the surrounding ecosystem and cause beach closures.

Since we live on a watershed, how we use our water has the potential to erode the quality of the beaches we adore. To maintain the natural havens like Cedar Beach, Long Beach, and Sunken Meadow State Park we need a capable sewer system and modern septic tanks. 

Our area poses a unique threat to the Sound: Long Island is highly developed, containing paved roads and concrete essentially leading straight to the beach. The lack of undeveloped land to absorb the excess water causes it to flow into the Sound, with all the contaminants it picks up on the way. 

Our communities, too, will inevitably be impacted, unless we can make the proper preparations and implement mitigation techniques. Without improved sewage systems our community will not be able to cope with the escalating effects of climate change. Rising temperatures lead to more rainfall and more treacherous storm surges. We need to make sure our infrastructure can handle the strain to avoid flooding our towns. 

Last year, the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act was a step in the right direction. Passed on Nov. 5, the bill will provide the county with $4 billion to upgrade our water infrastructure. 

As the temperature rises, year by year, understanding how the qualities of Long Island interact with the changing climate can help us know what is at stake and how to protect it. 

We need to keep the momentum going.We must learn how to protect what we have. This may mean reducing our use of fertilizer to minimize contaminated runoff from entering the water. Or it may mean doing the best we can to encourage others to protect the shared treasure that is the Long Island Sound .

Fortunately, the portion of the Long Island Sound in our coverage area is relatively healthy; but we must take steps now to become informed and protect a valuable resource we can appreciate and enjoy.

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METRO photo

As winter enters it’s peak, drivers should be ever-conscious of the dangers the season poises to drivers and pedestrians.

The short winter days provide limited sunlight and therefore, limited visibility to drivers returning home during rush hour. With the sun setting at the early time, most people drive home from work in the hazy twilight. The early sunset often means that many are forced to drive towards the intolerable glare of the sun, blinding drivers who forgot their sunglasses.

Flurries crowd the window and accumulate on the ground. In the following days thirty degree weather is projected after last weeks hiatus of slightly warmer temperatures. Snow is in the forecast.

During times like these, it is imperative that we practice defensive driving. This means putting our blinkers on the ensure others can see our vehicles (even if there is next car is far away, remember, it is illegal to switch lanes without using your blinker), cleaning the frost off our cars so that it doesn’t blend in with the surroundings, and pumping the break and testing the acceleration on icy days. After snow, the roads are full of salt, moisture, and black ice–all of which affect the traction of the tires on the road.

In neighborhoods, folks who walk their dogs after getting home from work have to do so in the diminishing sunlight. We need to be cautious. As eager as we may be to get home, we must resist the urge to press the accelerator a little more as we round the bend to our homes. Sidewalks are not ubiquitous and dogs aren’t always well-behaved and walking calmly next to their owner. Pedestrians, wear bright, reflective colors, carry flashlights, and to the extent possible, walk on quiet streets.

The dangers to public safety from cold, early, snowy days are, of course, paramount, but the dangers to the state of our vehicles is not to be ignored. To save yourself hundreds in repairs, we must ensure that our vehicle is in top condition.

•Check the tire pressure. The cold weather can cause the air to contract and result in under-inflated tires.

•Clean the exhaust. Condensation build-up can cause the exhaust system to rust.

•Lift the wiper blades upwards off the windshield when it snows so they don’t break. Wipe down the rubber lining of the car door so the rigid rubber doesn’t make it difficult to open in freezing temperatures.

•Let the oil circulate. Oil gets thicker in colder temperatures, so we need to be conscious of allowing time for the oil to warm up or switch to oil with a lower viscosity for the winter.

Enjoy the sight of snow-lined trees and slowly descending flakes, but we should not let the precautions slip from our mind. Drive safely.

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Pixabay photo

Another year has almost gone. Maybe it was a good year for some of us or perhaps not. Maybe we’re wondering where all the days went when we could’ve sworn there were months left to lose ten pounds, learn to play the piano or master the art of relaxation. Time — it moves slowly but passes quickly.

2024 was a year of great change and tumult. November brought one of the most talked-about elections in recent history — a race that pitted the first Black Vice President, a woman, against a former president who survived an attempted assassination in July. The year also bore witness to nature’s fury with catastrophic storms like Hurricane Milton, Beryl and Helene wreaking havoc across the country, not to mention right here on the North Shore. And while some of the troubles of  2024 may fade into the past, remember — we endured it together as a community.

No matter how 2024 treated us, the good news is that a new year lies ahead. New Year’s Eve has a way of inspiring hope — a symbolic chance to start fresh to envision the possibilities of a blank slate. After the ball drops in Times Square, there’s a unique energy in the air — a sense of renewal that hopefully propels us into a year filled with potential.

But remember, 2025’s promise is only as meaningful as the actions we take to shape it. 2025 does have one very massive roadblock — December 31, 2025. So before another 365 days roll around, let’s set goals that matter — big, small or both, that we can achieve by the end of next year. Want to get involved in our community? Take that first step. Want to learn something new or pursue a long-held interest? Go for it. This is a cliche but it’s true — there’s nothing to lose and everything — even something — to gain. But above all, let’s be the change we want to see in our lives and in the world. If 2024 was a disappointment, let the fresh pages of a new calendar inspire us to address the challenges we see before us. Let’s not be deterred by the belief that meaningful change is only achievable by “others.” Change starts with all of us — and it can absolutely begin now.

As we bid farewell to 2024, all of us  wish everyone a happy and healthy new year. May 2025 bring joy, opportunity and the necessary inspiration to make it the best year yet. As J.P. Morgan wisely said, “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”

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Scene from the Three Village Historical Society's 45th annual Candlelight House Tour. Photo by Bill Landon

From this weekend’s Three Village Historical Society’s 45th annual Candlelight House Tour, to the Port Jefferson Charles Dickens Festival, we live in an area of rich history and culture.

The quaint holiday atmosphere of villages like Huntington and Stony Brook take us back to a more simple time and place — one of one-horse towns, one story buildings and one community spirit.

The North Shore of Suffolk County has a cozy charm coupled with not only rich historical background, but the cutting edge of modern-day living. Take for example Stony Brook University. Located 20 miles or less from all of TBR’s coverage areas, it is a world-class university, brimming with state-of-the-art scientific research, a diverse student body and cultural heritage. With the musical performances, various film screenings and varied organizations, which the university provides, as a result, the residents of Stony Brook have a portal to some of the most intriguing cultural presentations around.

With a home as unique as Suffolk’s North Shore, our residents appear to have a sense of community that is unlike a major city. We are able to boast a sense of connection that is only possible in a small town. Just walking down the street, one is greeted with warmth. A possible run in with a friend from a dedicated civic association can happen.

So don’t write off the suburbs too quickly.

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METRO photo

News can be one of the most important and constant aspects of every American’s life. It can permeate our every waking moment, from the televisions in waiting rooms, our phones’ constant push notifications and the reposting of articles all over our social media feeds.

Unfortunately, many Americans are discouraged by the negative news which surrounds us. They feel the polarization of the political parties, constant coverage of crime and oftentimes dark undercurrents that are aspects of the news. Some try to hide from current events for the sake of their own wellbeing. In fact, up to 43% of Americans avoid the news, in some form, according to this year’s Reuters Institute Digital News Report.

That is why we are pleased to share that this week’s newspaper is full of good news — something most people will happily welcome. It is always wonderful to revel in the holiday season and all of its elements, and that is precisely why happy news can be especially satisfying this time of year.

From the honoring of our Suffolk County veterans, to The Steam Room restaurant’s philanthropy this Thanksgiving, to wonderful spectacles of holiday cheer out of Huntington and Port Jeff, our communities have come together to provide each other with bits of joy, in our complicated world.

TBR brings the spirit of community to our readers’ doorsteps every week, and will always share with you the merry, along with the hard-hitting. We are proud of our communities and enjoy showing them off during this complex political climate. 

Thank you for your readership and support.

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Circa 1908

In light of this week’s article about Helping Hands and their phenomenal humanitarian work in our Long Island communities, it is difficult not to be moved by an organization like this, as we approach Thanksgiving.

Every last Thursday of November, we look forward to passing around cranberry sauce, crunchy stuffing and gravy-soaked turkey with the ones we love. Most people catch up with family they haven’t seen since the previous holiday, laugh about those age-old anecdotes relatives have been retelling for decades and maybe lounge around the TV in a “food-coma,” watching AMC’s yearly “Godfather” marathon.

But, as we anticipate Thursday’s day of rest, it is important to remember that the first part of the word Thanksgiving is “thanks.” Yes, many peoples’ families may cook year after year, but we shouldn’t come to accept it blindly. It is not something we should take for granted. Cooking for the ones we love is one of the kindest, most unifying acts we can bestow, and it is not as simple as putting a turkey into the oven.

With every hour of preparation cooks put into their Thanksgiving meals, they are not just putting in an hour of labor — they are putting in an hour of love, appreciation and devotion, for everyone they are cooking for. Appreciate them. Say thank you.

And while we should be cognizant of our loved ones on Thanksgiving, we must also think of those less fortunate. If we take the time to show gratitude for our family, we are one step closer to being able to show gratitude to strangers in need. To following the second part of the word.

According to Long Island Care’s website, over 220 thousand Long Islanders are food insecure, which is defined as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life.” That is a startling number, and proves that more help is needed in serving these individuals.

This Thanksgiving, enjoy the turkey, but consider stopping by a local food pantry with a donation, as well. It could be the difference between a day of sorrow and a day of joy for a family in need. And sometimes gratitude most rewards the giver.

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