Maine is a beautiful state. It is also a long drive from my house, as we knew before we started the drive. We were heading to a wedding in the Camden area, and the nice thing about going by car was that we didn’t have to fit all the special clothes into a suitcase. We could just hang them up in the back seat, put a few basics into a small suitcase, and we were off.
This was to be a unique wedding in our experience: no ceremony. We were going to party all weekend with relatives and dear friends and a bride and groom that had married the week before.
Guests came from all over the United States to party. They came from the northwest states, the Rockies, the Midwest and the South to wish this modern couple well and witness a truly modern event.
It began with invitations via email. When you consider that traditional snail mail wedding invitations from save-the-date to breakfast the day after run a couple about to tie the knot an average of $530, this was a clever cost-saving move. It should be said, though, that this couple is not average.
For one, they are 36 years old, late to the party, which averages 29 for the groom and 27 for the bride nationally. So they have learned a thing or two about wedding costs.
Second, she is an event planner and was able to put her considerable experience helping other couples spend their money to saving for a leaner wedding, notwithstanding the guest list of some 140.
While we did not witness the solemn event during which they would pledge their everlasting love, we did hear remarks from the siblings, cousin, mother and father of the groom, mother and father of the bride in a kind of spontaneous fashion rather than according to ritualistic assignments. We didn’t know who was to speak next until they gave their prepared remarks.
The setting along the shore was both bucolic and rustic. Indoor activities, like dancing and hors d’œuvres, were in a barn-like structure that boasted chandeliers. The building was set on a long, grassy lawn that led to the beach, and guests enjoyed walking its length to the water and, since it was early evening, watching the sun set.
Dress, as you might have guessed, was Maine Cocktail. Many of the men wore trousers and sports jackets. Not many of the younger men wore suits. The women‘s attire was varied, from long dresses to cocktail length and pants, mostly adorned with flowered patterns and lots of summer colors.
The food was as varied as the dress. Appetizers included pastrami knishes, egg roll hot dogs and crab Rangoon. The Maine course included a buffet, offering brisket, mac and cheese, BBQ chicken, a vegetarian dish and copious salad —all happy food.
As original as this wedding may sound, it is something of a trend today. Just as dating apps and zoom weddings have become accepted, so have text message and email invites joined the era of digital romance. It is all part of a post-pandemic culture shift toward more casual gatherings. Some folks like it better. As Vogue magazine wrote, “The non-wedding wedding with less traditional clothing, casual food and spontaneous photography are growing in popularity.”
And of course, this movement is prompted by increasing wedding costs. This more relaxed type of wedding is more affordable than the traditional highly structured wedding of yore. And a lot of fun.
PS: I thank Jeff Crilley, who publishes digitally “The Rundown” for journalists, for sharing the above observations.
Michelle Schindler receiving the proclamation, from Supervisor Dan Panico. Screenshot
By Katherine Kelton
At the Aug. 8 Brookhaven Town Board meeting, council members officially recognized Aug. 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day. They also dedicated the month of September as National Recovery Month. Councilmember Johnathon Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) spoke briefly about the Brookhaven Goes Purple initiative that began in the 1st Council District he represents.
He introduced the co-founder of the initiative, Michelle Schindler, who also delivered an address. She said, “Our aim is to unite the community to achieve a safe, healthy and drug-free environment.” She also works as a prevention director for YMCA family services, where evidence-based prevention is key.
Schindler claimed, “Research nationally and locally on Long Island demonstrates communities with active prevention coalitions experience a lower rate of substance use compared to those without such coalitions.”
She was presented with a proclamation by Supervisor Dan Panico (R) and the council members.
Town board business
Before the ceremony of dedication, many resolutions were passed. One such resolution involved the application of a Sephora in Port Jefferson Station on Route 112 replacing a former CVS. The popular makeup store will now be brought to the Port Plaza as the plans for application were passed.
In East Setauket, a proposed change of use application was passed for Setauket Law, located on South Jersey Avenue. The space was labeled as vacant, however, Setauket Law has been running from the office space. The firm also applied for a variance of parking, which was also passed.
A vacant space in the South Jersey Avenue office complex is looking for a new tenant as well. The available space, which used to be a day care, is looking for either a new day care proprietor or something the community needs.
The owner of the building, Shimon Ohana, revealed that a playground structure for the previous day care was removed before he came into ownership of the space, which was turned into about 65 parking spots.
Kornreich asked Ohana about the limited parking and how that could affect what type of business takes the vacant space.
Ohana stated that he has a few daycares, looking at the space, which would be ideal for parking: “The majority of people coming to the day care are children, so they obviously don’t drive. It would primarily be staff and parent drop-off.”
The next meeting is Aug. 21 at Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill in Farmingville, and will be a zoning board meeting.
Enjoy traditional Hellenic dancing at this year's event. File photo by Giselle Barkley/TBR News Media
By Heidi Sutton
Traditional Greek food, music and dancing will take center stage as the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Port Jefferson hosts its 63rd annual Greek Festival on church grounds on Thursday, Aug. 22 from 5 to 10 p.m.,Friday, Aug. 23 from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24 from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 25 from noon to 9 p.m.
A celebration of Greek culture, the four-day event will feature a variety of vendors, fireworks, church tours, live Greek music and dancing, games of chance and carnival rides by Newton Shows. Pay-one-price bracelets for the rides may be purchased in advance at www.newtonshows.com.
Authentic mouth-watering foods such as gyros, tyropita (cheese pie), moussaka, souvlaki, and spanakopita (spinach pie) will be served up, along with sweet desserts such as galaktoboureko, koulourakia, baklava and hot loukoumades, a fried dough pastry favorite.
One of the main attractions at the festival is the over-the-top raffle that the church holds every year. This year 200 prizes will be awarded from cars — a 2024 Mercedes Benz GLB 250 SUV or $35,000 cash is first prize — to a laptop, X-box, espresso machine, outdoor fire pit, 32″ LG Smart TV, Coach bag, cash prizes and more. Tickets for the sweepstakes are $100 each and are limited to 3,999 tickets. The drawing will be held on Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.
Fireworks will be held on Friday and Saturday nights at 9:15 p.m., weather permitting.
Free shuttle buses will pick up attendees from Ward Melville High School, 380 Old Town Road, East Setauket to transport them to festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. Parking is also available at BASF Corporation across the street from the church at 361 Sheep Pasture Road ($20 fee) and at Head Start at 400 Sheep Pasture Road (free). Handicapped parking is available at the church at no charge. Admission to the festival is $2 per person; children under 12 can attend for free.
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption is located at 430 Sheep Pasture Road in Port Jefferson. For more information, call the church office at 631-473-0894 or visit www.portjeffgreekfest.com.
The original book cover, showing Fats Domino, and the 1970s New Orleans skyline. Courtesy John Broven
By John Broven
My first book, “Walking to New Orleans: The Story of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues,” was published Aug. 9, 1974. That’s 50 long years ago. The anniversary has triggered memories of my original research, the book’s impact and my subsequent journey from England to live in the United States.
The title was inspired by Fats Domino’s big 1960 hit — although his most famous record was “Blueberry Hill.”
An Englishman walking to New Orleans? It had a nice surreal ring.
Importantly, I discovered early on there was an untold story ready to be documented, namely the rise and fall of New Orleans R&B in the rock ‘n’ roll era (1945-70). The city’s vibrant R&B scene was a successor to its proud jazz heritage. My coverage extended beyond the artists, to include record people, session men, disc jockeys, distributors, jukebox operators, clubs and the musicians’ union, to give a rounded picture of the local music industry.
With the passing of time, very few of the original interviewees are still alive, which makes the preservation of their stories even more satisfying. The interview tapes and associated files are now lodged with my record collection, at the Library of Congress.
I had made my magical debut journey to the United States in April 1970, when transatlantic travel was an expensive luxury. Mike Leadbitter, my mentor and co-founder of Blues Unlimited — the first international blues magazine — and Robin Gosden, of Flyright Records, completed our small party.
We started out in New Orleans, then traveled through south Louisiana, up to Shreveport, Louisiana, across to Jackson, Mississippi, and then north, to Memphis, Chicago and New York. All locations had strong blues, (and more,) connections, as we observed the cultural and social conditions, firsthand. It was the time of good old-fashioned, shoe-leather journalism, when pen and notebook ruled.
Writing the book
On our return home, Leadbitter inquired pointedly if I was going to write a book. After asking on what subject, he retorted, “You’ve just been to New Orleans, haven’t you?”
The fuse had been lit.
And so, in the early 1970s I began assembling material for a first draft while, still, working full time in bank management. With the notable exception of Charlie Gillett’s seminal, “The Sound of the City,” there were few books covering any genre of rock ’n’ roll at the time.
The big breakthrough came in 1972, when Leadbitter arranged an interview in London for us with Dr. John, then making waves as the “Night Tripper” of voodoo rock.
The good doctor proved to be a walking encyclopedia of New Orleans R&B, much preferring to shed light on forgotten artists and musicians, as well as discussing hallowed sessions at Cosimo Matassa’s recording studios, than promote his own career.
With the first draft completed, I made another trip to New Orleans, for further interviews, to consolidate my initial research. It was spring 1973, just when the Nixon Watergate scandal was brewing.
In the introduction to the first edition, I recorded my excitement at approaching New Orleans by plane and thinking, “Could it be down there, that Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Huey Smith, Allen Toussaint, Earl King, Ernie K-Doe, Lee Dorsey and a whole host of talented musicians, made their names and actually live?”
Pre-Hurricane Katrina, most original, New Orleans R&B performers were still living in town so it was relatively easy to track them down — aided by my New Orleans friend and driver, James La Rocca, of course. The interviewees willingly told their rich stories into what was a, comparatively, new invention — a tape recorder.
Publication
On my return, I set about transcribing the interviews, and incorporating the best bits into the existing draft.
Simon Napier, the other co-founder of Blues Unlimited, suggested that the magazine should publish “Walking to New Orleans.”
We ordered an optimistic 3,000 copies, including 500 hardbacks, from the magazine’s professional printer. Our marketing strategy — if it could be described as such — was that Blues Unlimited had just over 2,000 subscribers, who were so interested in Black music, that half of them would buy the book to cover the outlay.
Amazingly, it worked.
John Broven at a book signing. Photo by Diane Wattekamps.
We sold a thousand copies by November 1974 and easily recouped our investment. That was the month Mike Leadbitter, such a visionary blues researcher, died of meningitis, at the tragically young age of 32.
The book’s reviews were universally favorable, (almost).
For promotion, I was a guest on two BBC radio shows, including “Honky Tonk,” hosted by Charlie Gillett, on Aug. 4, 1974. I nervously asked Gillett what his first question was going to be, to which he replied, “I don’t know, whatever comes to my head.” Luckily, the New Orleans records we played spoke for themselves.
A year or so later, out of the blue, Milburn Calhoun, owner of Pelican Publishing Co., in Gretna, Louisiana, asked if he could license the book for the U.S. We knew he would be able to hit markets that we ourselves could not possibly touch, such as the New Orleans tourist shops, and the Louisiana educational system.
But Calhoun insisted that the title be changed in spite of the self-explanatory subtitle — to my regret.
He said that “Americans” would not understand the title, “Walking to New Orleans.” And so the book became the simplistic “Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans” (1978.) In the pre-internet era, it wasn’t a problem, but over time, there was modest confusion about the same book having different titles.
The great thing is that Pelican has kept the book in print until now. Its reception was good enough for Pelican to commission another book, “South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous” (1983,) detailing the local Cajun, zydeco, swamp blues, hillbilly and swamp pop music scenes.
In 2016, Pelican published an updated third edition of “Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans,” and followed with an updated “South to Louisiana,” which won a 2020 ARSC award for “Best History in Recorded Country, Folk, or Roots Music.”
Oh, and yes. “Walking to New Orleans” was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011, as a Classic of Blues Literature. The various editions of the book have sold in excess of 25,000 copies.
The book’s legacy
It is hard for me to be objective about the legacy of “Walking to New Orleans.” What I can say is that by documenting and preserving stories, it brought a spotlight on many overlooked artists and musicians. Quite a few enjoyed resurrected careers. With the record reissue market in its infancy, the book helped to open up a back catalog of New Orleans R&B recordings on LP, and then, compact disc.
Remember, this was decades before music was just click away on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and the like.
I was delighted when local researchers Tad Jones, Jeff Hannusch and Rick Coleman, took up the challenge to explore the New Orleans R&B scene, in even greater depth, with their later books.
Further support in the city came from Wavelength, and then Offbeat magazines, not to mention Radio WWOZ, the Jazz & Heritage Festival and the Ponderosa Stomp.
“Walking to New Orleans” and “South to Louisiana” led me to write many liner notes for record companies — first for LPs, then for CDs. The books served as calling cards that led to my commission as a compilation consultant for Ace Records in London, from 1991 to 2006.
This experience paved the way for writing “Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock ’n’ Roll Pioneers,” (University of Illinois Press, 2009), where I interviewed influential record men and women, who launched the indie record business in the post-World War II years. Again, almost all the interviewees are dead, but oh what stories they had to tell.
Over the years, I have spoken at conferences from New Orleans to Los Angeles, and even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The cherry on the cake was meeting my wife, Shelley, through the Ace Records connection — her father owned Golden Crest Records, out of Huntington Station — and starting a new life on Long Island.
I was living the English Dream and American Dream at the same time. What a journey it has been — and to think, it all started 50 years ago!
John Broven of East Setauket is a copyeditor with TBR News Media. In celebration of the book’s 50th anniversary, Jasmine Records in the U.K. has released a double CD “Walking to New Orleans: An Aural Accompaniment” (available on Amazon).
The crew of 'Go Bananas,' Jason Dank and Ryan Matheson. Photo by Lynn Hallarman
By Lynn Hallarman
The reigning champion boat, Go Bananas, crewed by Jason Dank and Ryan Matheson, was soundly defeated by Doug Santo and Chris Voorhis in their seaworthy vessel, Yacht Rock, during the 13th annual Sikaflex “Quick & Dirty” Boat Build Competition held on Sunday, Aug. 11, at Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson.
After the race, the organization held a raffle drawing for a 12-foot fiddlehead double paddle canoe, custom-built by volunteers. Port Jeff resident Margaret Mansone was the big winner of the hand-built canoe raffle.
This year, six boats competed for the top spot mixed with confidence and trepidation, facing old rivals and hungry newcomers.
“We had a lot to prove,” Santo said in a post-race interview with TBR News Media.
The Long Island Seaport and Eco Center, based at the Bayles Boat Shop at Harborfront Park, hosts the race annually as part of a fundraiser to support its community-based educational activities.
The boat-building competition required teams to design and build a small boat within a five-hour time limit using only materials supplied by LISEC. Teams raced against the clock on Saturday, Aug. 10, to finish seaworthy ships in preparation for Sunday’s race.
Doug Santo and Chris Voorhis with their seaworthy vessel, ‘Yacht Rock.’ Photo by Lynn Hallarman
Prior to the race, judges Mayor Lauren Sheprow, former village trustee Rebecca Kassay, (now Democratic candidate for the state Assembly District 4,) and mother-son team Donna and Michael Antignano scored boat designs based on five criteria: uniqueness, neatness, construction, creative paint design and paddle design.
“We have learned from our past mistakes,” said Peter Charalambous, the captain of Winner II. As the 2019 champions, Charalambous and his fiancée, Sunny, have refined their building technique as they prepared for this year’s event to recapture their past glory.
Sadly, Winner II took on water and sank yards before the finish line.
Capsizing the start line, The Joey Z’s, was manned by Brian Tierney and Joe McNaughton, who “have no regrets.”
Heads held high, Mike DeMacia and Lyle Ross — crew of The Candy — gave it their all to the finish well behind the leaders.
Redeemed, Go Bananas was named the winner for best boat design, sharing top prize with Ken Callirgos and Matt Deveau, of The Wall, a paddleboard-style vessel. While some questioned whether a paddleboard qualifies as a boat, the United States Coast Guard recognizes it as such.
Go Bananas, Yacht Rock and The Wall raced in calm seas with precision and determination. In a surge of strength, Yacht Rock pulled ahead in the final seconds of a close contest for the win as the crowd’s roar reached a fevered pitch.
Downtown Port Jefferson flooded during Superstorm Sandy. File photo
This week’s Port Jefferson Civic meeting devoted a great deal of time to all things flood-related.
Now, of course, flood prevention is not unique. It is something all communities think about — especially, a port town.
But, why did the Village of Port Jefferson feel so strongly about a little bit of water falling from the sky, that they have decided to implement a two-phase plan, to build infrastructure designed to aid areas “[vulnerable] to flooding, associated with individual and co-occurring flood drivers?”
There are a few reasons. The first one is that this problem is not small, at all. It is much more dire than the flooding of yesteryear. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Long Island’s sea level has risen 13 inches from 1880. Just to put that figure into perspective, the global average is 8-9 inches. Secondly, warming temperatures have created hurricanes, with intense conditions, putting our island at increased storm surge-induced flooding, (for this factor, the South Shore is at a much higher risk.) And, lastly, Port Jefferson’s unique geography. Being situated on the harbor front, the village becomes susceptible to the strong flooding a confined harbor can induce.
Additionally, the area’s high groundwater table means that the soil does not have much capacity for additional water, thus exacerbating surface runoff, on an already small watershed. The geography of Port Jeff is, truly, unique, as it is a valley, which creates the imperfect opportunity for water to run down, from all directions — affording it the nickname “Drowned Meadow.”
So, what can we, as a community, do to prevent floods from disrupting our livelihoods? While this issue requires the careful care of our local government, as it is a truly serious issue, here are a few general suggestions:
• Consider purchasing a sump pump, to prevent basement or crawl space flooding.
• Ensure new building and development does not occur in flood-prone areas, or historic hurricane tracks.
• Merge nature-based solutions and infrastructure, to enhance resilience. An example would be improving upon infrastructure in need of flood safeguards, or replenishing beaches, to avoid erosion, and ensure the land’s natural slope and profile stays intact.
• Minimize your greenhouse gas emissions, to reduce the risk of severe storms. Starting is as easy as purchasing home appliances that are Energy Star — products approved by the EPA — certified, and lowering the thermostat.
• Bolster awareness. Talk to neighbors about the dangers of climate-influenced natural disasters, and generate community action. We need it
Port Jefferson Free Library, where the meeting was held. File photo
By Peter Sloniewsky
Port Jefferson Civic Association met Monday, Aug. 12, to discuss the flooding issue in the area, specifically regarding ongoing projects undertaken by the United States Geological Survey, and, also, by Campani and Schwarting Architects.
First, Kristina Masterson, supervisory hydrologist for the Water Resources Integrated Modeling and Analysis Section in the New York Water Science Center, presented an ongoing study run by the USGS that will help to accurately model floods in the Port Jefferson area.
Kristina Masterson. Courtesy USGS.gov
The study, titled “Assessment of compound flood risk from the combined effects of sea level rise on storm surge, tidal and groundwater flooding, and stormwater,” specifically examines compound floods. Locally, there are a variety of flood drivers such as the harbor, stormwater runoff from the underlying 2-square-mile watershed and the area’s high groundwater table.
The project will be in two phases. Phase one, set to be completed in this fall, is described as a “spatial analysis of vulnerability to flooding associated with individual and co-occurring flood drivers.” The conclusion of this phase will be an online interactive map which will allow users to check which relevant factors are most pertinent to flooding in any subsection of the mapped area.
In the second phase, planned for a completion date in winter 2025, USGS will create a “compound flood modeling framework” that will help researchers to better simulate the effects of flooding not only in Port Jefferson, but also in other areas which have been mapped in a similar way. With a more generalized compound flooding model, Masterson expressed hope that scientists and policymakers could better plan infrastructure around simulated flood patterns.
This USGS study is a part of the Long Island Sound Study, which was established in 1985 by Congress to focus on water quality. Since then, it has transformed largely into a focused effort toward resiliency. The current study is funded through the Sustainable and Resilient Communities Work Group, representing a state/federal partnership. USGS is nonregulatory, and the data gathered throughout this project will be publicly accessible after its publication.
The second project, presented by Michael Schwarting and Frances Campani, involved modeling the “steep streets” of Port Jefferson which converge on the harbor to better map out the placement of future damage-mitigation infrastructure projects.
The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer segment. One major theme was concerns about the pragmatism of both projects, asking why money was not spent on infrastructure directly.
Masterson explained, “Our study was funded by the Long Island Sound Study and the EPA. We have to follow through with the purview of the study. Second, we’re not design engineers. We’re trying to introduce foundational work, so that folks will be able to take a look at, and better understand, what the flood risks are, in their respective locations.”
Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow clarified at the meeting that the village has grants from both FEMA and the county, and is already in contact with engineering firms to work toward more directly pragmatic endeavors.
The civic association’s next meeting will be held Sept. 9 at the Port Jefferson Free Library.
Stony Brook University named physician-scientist Dr. Imoigele “Imo” Aisiku as chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Renaissance School of Medicine, starting Aug. 15.
A national leader who has dedicated his career to critical care and neurocritical care in emergency medicine, Aisiku worked for more than a decade at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Aisiku, who was born in Nigeria and raised in Brooklyn and Auburn, Massachusetts, found several factors appealing about the Stony Brook role.
“My immediate family is predominantly in the Northeast” stretching from New York to Richmond, Virginia,” he said. Additionally, he suggested that numerous aspects of the role were “right in my area of expertise.”
His experience at Brigham and Women’s Hospital involved integrating systems, and he recognizes the opportunity to deploy that skill set at Stony Brook, where he will help integrate the emergency department at different hospitals.
He also has considerable experience in critical care, which is a strength at SBU.
“There are some natural synergies that you couldn’t script” he added, including strong clinical interest in stroke, telehealth, critical care and a desire to develop a systems integration model
Indeed, before he came to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Aisiku worked at the University of Texas at Houston. UT Houston/Memorial Hermann was one of the earliest to be named a JCAHO Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Aisiku was the medical director of their neurosurgery intensive care unit, which had one of the first mobile stroke units in the country. The unit was a collaboration between EMS, neurology, the stroke division, EM and the ICU.
A mobile stroke unit can provide critical and timely diagnostics and care for people having a stroke, which can not only save lives but can also lead to a dramatic improvement in the outcome after a stroke event for patients.
Stony Brook currently has two mobile stroke units and is working on adding a third.
“I hope to leverage what is the strength of Stony Brook with my experiences” and strengthen any weaknesses in a bidirectional manner, said Aisiku, who will report to Peter Igarashi, dean of the Renaissance School of Medicine.
For his part, Igarashi was eager to welcome the new addition to the emergency department.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Aisiku will lead Stony Brook’s remarkable team of emergency physicians,” Igarashi said in a statement. “As a pioneering physician-scientist in neurocritical care, and as an emergency medicine scholar and researcher, Dr. Aisiku will help advance our capacity to save lives and care for critically ill patients in the years to come.”
Evolutionary change
The new emergency department chair is hoping to learn more about Stony Brook’s strengths and weaknesses before implementing any changes.
“I hope to make a change and a difference,” Aisiku explained in an email. “I believe it is prudent to aim for evolutionary change and, if there is an opportunity, for positive revolutionary change.”
His goal is to see the department grow from a regional strength to a national and even an international strength.
He plans to develop partnerships with other chairs and departments and hopes to enhance programmatic and faculty development.
Aisiku also hopes to develop opportunities for faculty at Stony Brook, including in areas that involve research. He would like to see the department earn more National Institutes of Health and federal funding.
DEI experience
An accomplished physician, researcher and administrator, Aisiku also has considerable experience building and encouraging opportunities for underrepresented groups in medicine.
Aisiku was the founder and director of the Offices of IDEaS, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Social Justice, in Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he credits a team of faculty administrative staff and supportive chair for the success of that effort.
Aisiku “played a crucial role in the development of the office of IDEaS,” Jayelani Hall, administrative manager for Emergency Medicine and the Office of IDEaS at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, explained in an email. Aisiku’s vision for creating an inclusive environment and commitment to equity and diversity were “instrumental in shaping the initiatives and programs that define IDEaS today.”
IDEaS has launched several initiatives, such as the Profile in Diversity Series and the SPAK Grant program, which provides funding to projects that advance diversity, equity and inclusion.
The office established scholarship programs to support underrepresented students pursuing careers in medicine and health care, Hall added.
The president of Brigham and Women’s Hospital named Aisiku endowed Distinguished Chair in Health Equity and Diversity.
The broader Stony Brook area extending to New York City “draws diverse and international people to the region,” Aisiku explained. “While I acknowledge that [DEI] is an area of controversy in our country, I believe continuing to strive for diversity has a significant role for the development of our youth all the way to impacting our patients.”
In speaking with the leadership of the hospital and medical school, Aisiku believes his diversity goals are “aligned in these efforts” as he looks forward to developing strategies that will lead to diverse students, residents and faculty.
In addition to providing opportunities to students in the health care field, a more diverse population of caregivers enhances the patient experience, Aisiku contends.
A diverse health care force provides greater opportunity for patient choice and advocacy, he added.
Aisiku, who has master’s degrees in business administration from Goizueta School of Business and a master’s in clinical research from Rollings School of Public Health at Emory University, would like to partner with the business school and the school of public health, among others, to build diversity, which may broaden and enhance his efforts in this area.
People who have worked with Aisiku appreciate his commitment and openness to those around him.
Aisiku is “known for his compassion and dedication both as a physician and as a leader,” Hall wrote. “He consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that his patients receive the best care possible and his commitment to equity in health care is evident in all his endeavors.”
Hall suggested that the Stony Brook community is fortunate to have Aisiku in this role.
“Given his track record, I fully expect him to engage deeply with students, faculty and community members, fostering connections and driving positive change,” Hall explained.
From left to right, Robert Samuel Decosta Higgins, Jayelani Hall, Imoigele Aisiku, Ron Walls and Mike VanRooyen, at a ceremony for Aisiku. Photo courtesy Imoigele Aisiku
Telehealth experience
Over a decade ago, Aisiku started iDoc Telehealth Solutions, a telemedicine company dedicated to critical and neurocritical care and tele-stroke services, with the goal of providing this type of care to people in areas that didn’t have enough clinicians with that experience.
Since then, he has become co-CEO of a public company called VSEE Health.
He expects to pass the torch on to other executives. His commitment is to the university as his obligation to the company is for about four more months.
To be sure, he wants to ensure there are no conflicts of interest in his roles at Stony Brook and in the decision about how and in what ways the university can continue to build telehealth capacity.
“If there is an opportunity to enhance an area, with full disclosure, there can be pathways to achieve things that improve the patient experience while separating ‘church’ and ‘state’ so to speak,” he explained in an email.
Morana Lasic, interim chief diversity & inclusion officer at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, suggested that Aisiku has served as a personal and institutional resource for a wide range of people.
Aisiku “works with those who are yet to enter the medical field and need mentorship, just as he does with institution presidents,” Lasic explained in an email. “He empowers those on his team and pays special attention to those who are often forgotten in mentorship (such as young administrative staff.)”
Lasic added that Aisiku was generous with his time and has reached out to her with emails and new thoughts and ideas at any time of day.
“Just like the rest of his life, his sleeping schedule is unique and his own, and he wears an Oura ring (which tracks sleep patterns) just to confuse it,” Lasic said.
In his research, Aisiku has focused on three areas: traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhages and acute respiratory distress syndrome/sepsis.
Aisiku is living with his wife Diana, who is a nurse, and their 4 1/2-year-old son Myles in Westbury. They are in the process of searching for a home.
Outside of work, Aisiku has a black belt in the martial art of Jeet Kune Do, enjoys working out and played Division 3 tennis and basketball, at Worcester State University. He is also a motorcycle enthusiast.
As for his likely contribution to the Stony Brook community, Lasic, who has been at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for 25 years, suggested that she anticipated he would continue on an impressive journey.
Aisiku is “one of the most innovative leaders in academic medicine I have seen in a long time,” she wrote. “He is a true role model in his ability to connect with those around him.”
Theatre Three in Port Jefferson has announced that Colleen Rebecca Britt is the new Director of Children’s Theatre and Educational Programs.
A New York-based freelance director, actor, and teaching artist, Britt will be directing the annual productions of A Kooky Spooky Halloween, Barnaby Saves Christmas, and The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, along with other productions set for 2024-2025. Additionally, she will be taking on the Educational Touring programs, working on the existing shows and curating new works to travel to schools.
Over the course of the year, Britt will bring her vision and experience to expanding and revitalizing Theatre Three’s commitment to theatre for young audiences. She will also direct the Mainstage production of Crossing Delancey, which opens January 18, 2025.
Art Billadello objects to the word “divisive” headlining a TBR news article [Aug. 1] about the gigantic “In Trump We Trust” sign put up on a building at the main intersection of Port Jefferson, right across from the ferry terminal. He ignores the obvious: Of course a sign like that is divisive.
This was not a campaign sign. It was put up in January 2020, immediately before President Joe Biden’s [D] inauguration and shortly after the attack on the U.S Capitol sparked by the lie that former President Donald Trump [R] hadn’t lost the election. Some 20 feet long and some 3 feet high, it was displayed on the building’s second story balcony. It took our national motto, “In God We Trust,” and swapped out “God” for “Trump.” How is that not divisive?
When I moved to this area over 35 years ago there were no political signs outside of election season, let alone a gigantic sign erected in the middle of town three months after the election, implicitly claiming God-like status for the losing candidate. All that changed after 2016. After that election was over and Trump won, his flags and banners didn’t come down. They remained prominently displayed throughout his entire term. Then, when Trump lost in 2020, the Trump flags and banners still didn’t come down after the election. Why is that? What is the purpose of this other than to provoke and inflame division within our community? It’s not exactly the kind of thing expected of a good neighbor. It expresses the opposite of what unites us.
As for the letter writer’s attempt to draw a false equivalence between Trump and Biden as equally divisive, it’s just more gaslighting. The Biden administration passed the first major infrastructure bill in decades with bipartisan support, in spite of opposition from the extreme left and the extreme right. Trump, on the other hand has trafficked in race-baiting and ethnic stereotypes, hurled childish and vitriolic insults at his political opponents, and refused to disavow the most extreme and violent of his supporters, even to the extent of refusing to condemn their threats to hang his own vice president for performing his constitutional duty.
David Friedman
St. James
Local Dems put politics first
During interviews with TBR, several local Democrats could barely hide their excitement over the change at the tippy-top of their party’s ticket [“Local Democrats see new political energy and interest after Biden withdraws,” TBR News Media, July 25].
John Avlon said, “People are excited to be a part of something bigger than themselves.” Dems are becoming “fired up” about their political prospects.
Steve Englebright was especially upbeat: “Everybody who I’ve talked to is energized. … I see the ascension of a Democratic candidate … who is a woman of color, a woman of substance, in terms of her accomplishments, as validating the idea that women are equally ready” to serve in any political office.
Hitchhiking on that idea, Rebecca Kassay added, “I’m energized and inspired to be running with our first potential female president.”
Suffolk County Democratic Committee campaign manager Keith Davies saw all this as a “great opportunity for local candidates to not have to worry about exciting Democrats.” Davies also added those running won’t have to spend much time fielding questions about President Joe Biden’s “cognitive abilities.”
All that uncontested “happy talk” was weeks ago. Missing then and, as of this writing, missing now, is any substantive talk of policy from the two candidates atop their ticket.
Both the vice president, Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Tim Walz, currently remain basically mute regarding specifics on how they’d manage inflation, illegal immigration, two wars started on their party’s watch, growing antisemitism especially on college campuses, fracking, police funding or restarting ICE “from scratch.”
The aforementioned, a partial list of important issues, does not include Harris’ 2019 call for ending private health insurance.
Campaign staffers trying to “walk back,” some would say flip flop, on her more extreme and unpopular positions are a poor substitute for answering probing questions in her own voice.
But, perhaps the most troubling part of the interview was Davies’ apparent relief that Biden’s “cognitive abilities” may no longer be a pesky political liability. The implication, in this time of multiple global existential crises, is that the fitness of POTUS is off the table. This, despite the fact that Biden’s significant cognitive disabilities remained purposely hidden, until after his awful debate. How then, without careful, unbiased scrutiny, could we know if the current president is fit to run our nation for the next six months?
It’s that kind of deliberate media incuriosity that has cost them credibility and gotten us to the point where unchallenged partisans can put their politics first, and celebrate muted candidates, with little fear of blowback.
Jim Soviero
East Setauket
The community we love
Every Saturday, my husband Bill and I head for the Rolling Pin Bakery at the Three Village Plaza in East Setauket to load up with goodies. This Saturday, when we entered the store, the manager called us over and surprisingly gave us an envelope with a $20 bill in it.
It was found on the floor last week. They looked at the security video and lo and behold … it was us!
The point of all this is that it is really satisfying to know that we live in a community with such honest and caring people.
Thank you to the staff at the Rolling Pin Bakery. You made our day as uplifting as those raisin scones.
Patricia Martin
Stony Brook
Errors in Joseph ‘JOJO’ LaRosa Foundation article
I want to bring your attention to two errors in the recent article that was published about the Joseph “JOJO” LaRosa Foundation golf outing on Monday, July 29 [“Celebrating the life of JoJo LaRosa,” The Village Times Herald, Aug. 1].
The first being at the beginning of the article where you refer to our foundation in parentheses as “Forever JoJo Strong.” This is not accurate. JoJo’s father — and our dad — has a separate foundation with that name. JoJo and I’s parents are divorced and therefore made two separate foundations.
The second error that needs to be corrected is when you refer to “JoJo’s dad” based on a comment by my mom Gina. In the interview she said, “my husband” when referring to the person JoJo used to play with at St. George’s Golf and Country Club and that is because her husband is JoJo’s stepdad, not his father. As I mentioned above, JoJo’s father is not married to my mom and has a separate foundation from JJLF.
I do apologize for the confusion, however, these are very important errors that need to be retracted or revised.
Emily LaRosa, Vice President
Joseph “JOJO” LaRosa Foundation
Editor’s note: We regret these errors and thank Emily LaRosa for bringing them to our attention.
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