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Between You and Me: We invite you to our kickoff podcast for Women’s History Month with our special guest

by Leah Dunaief - February 21, 2024

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Women’s History Month is almost upon us. What is it all about? Named in 1978 by the schools of Sonoma County, California, “as a way of examining women’s history, issues and contributions,” according to the Encyclopedia Britannica on the internet, the celebration is throughout the month of March. Originally championed by the National Women’s History Alliance, “a variety of agencies, schools and organizations observe the month by focusing on the ‘consistently overlooked and undervalued’ role of American women in history.”

So do we.

On our podcast this week, we will have as special guest, Nancy Burner, who is a longtime local Elder Law attorney and who just expanded her practice by partnering with former judge, Gail Prudenti. We hope you will tune in, as we summarize the local news every week, to “the Pressroom Afterhour” and listen to what Ms Burner has to say about women in the law.

Hers will be the first of local female success stories that we plan to bring you throughout the month.

You can hear us on our website, tbrnewsmedia.com and click on “Listen Now” at the top of the home page. Or you can catch up with the Times Beacon Record podcast on Spotify. There is a fresh one every Friday afternoon, and we archive the past ones for your listening pleasure.

There are some different stories on how the Women’s History Month came to be. One dates to a rally in New York City on March 8, 1857, of female garment workers demanding better working conditions and more pay. Although the police were said to break up the demonstration, several years later the women formed their own union.

Whether true or not, in 1908 a branch of the New York City Social Democratic Women’s Society declared the last Sunday in February to be National Women’s Day. The first was held on February 23, 1909.

In 1911, International Women Day was observed on March 19, a creation of the International Socialist Women’s Conference, “to focus on the struggles of working women,” as opposed to a similar movement by the feminist “bourgeoisie.”

But the March 8 day from the mid-19th century, became the official date in 1921. Then in 1978, the Sonoma schools took it from there, naming it March Women’s History Week. The idea went to the United States Congress in 1981, where it eventually became Women’s History Month to be observed since 1987, snd further caught on in other countries.

Nancy Burner graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts from Stony Brook University and in the top 2 percent of her class with distinction from Hofstra University School of Law with her Juris Doctor in 1988. She created Hofstra”s first law school course in Elder Law in 2011 as an Adjunct Professor there. She has won numerous awards and distinctions over the years, including selection by her peers in Best Lawyers in America for Elder Law. She has also served as President of the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association and was inducted into the Hofstra University Law Inaugural Hall of Fame, one of only 50 such inductees.

We invite you to join us for the next Pressroom Afterhour podcast for a summary of some of this past week’s local news and the kick off to Women’s History Month. If, after listening, you have questions or comments, we want to hear them Email us at [email protected] or call at 631-751-7744.

We encourage feedback and thoughts about local issues.

Catholic Health names new Chief Operating Officer

by Press Release - February 20, 2024

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Catholic Health has named Gary Havican as its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, effective February 5, 2024. In this role, Havican will oversee the operations of Catholic Health’s six hospitals, its employed medical group, and its Home Care and Hospice services, according to a press release.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gary to Catholic Health. His track record for raising the bar in health care operations will greatly strengthen our commitment and efforts to deliver exceptional care at a consistently high standard system-wide,” said Catholic Health President & CEO Patrick M. O’Shaughnessy, DO, MBA. “Gary’s proven know-how in operational leadership, combined with his skills in physician relations, will be instrumental in driving Catholic Health’s continued expansion and commitment toward becoming the premier health system on Long Island.”

Havican brings over 27 years of experience in system leadership to Catholic Health, serving most recently as the President of Hartford HealthCare’s central region, part of a Connecticut-based $5.6 billion multi-hospital system. During his tenure, Healthgrades recognized his hospitals for outstanding patient experience, and the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded them 5-star ratings. He was also instrumental in the expansion of Hartford HealthCare’s MidState Medical Center and the creation of its Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute, a hospital within a hospital dedicated exclusively to orthopedics and musculoskeletal care.

“I look forward to working with Catholic Health’s outstanding team of health care leaders and innovators, building on the exceptional momentum already in motion in its delivery of consumer-centric compassionate care in every patient encounter,” said Havican. “Dr. O’Shaughnessy’s commitment to growth across the health system during these challenging times is what inspired me to join this team of health care visionaries, and to extend Catholic Health’s outstanding services to more Long Islanders.”

Prior to Hartford HealthCare, Havican worked at Middlesex Health where he held progressively responsible positions, and served as Vice President for Strategic Planning and Ambulatory Operations. Havican holds advanced degrees, including an MBA and a Doctor of Health Sciences.

Letters to the Editor: February 15, 2024

by TBR Staff - February 18, 2024

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letters_page-scaled-1-700x467-1-1-2-2 — File photo by Raymond Janis

Thank you from the White Family

To: Reverend Lisa of Bethel AME Church; our Bethel Church family; The Three Village community; Kevin Finnerty, director of athletics at Ward Melville High School; the Ward Melville faculty, Booster Club, students; Town of Brookhaven and others:

Words can’t express the heartfelt gratitude you all showed in your own special way during our time of sorrow. Thank you all so much for your kind words, cards, love and support!

Your memories, tributes and accolades that you shared were absolutely beautiful! They truly warmed our hearts and eased the pain for the moment. We knew Willie was special to his family, but from the attendance at his wake, homegoing celebration of life and repass, showed the love you had for him. Willie L. White is gone for now, but truly left a legacy that will forever live in our hearts.

Sincerely With Love,

The White Family

A call for fiscal accountability

The Port Times Record of Feb. 8 published a letter [“Rallying against unjust state aid cuts”] from Jessica Schmettan, superintendent of schools of the Port Jefferson School District, asking residents to use a district-provided form letter opposing the New York State governor’s proposed cut of 28.38 % in state aid (“Foundation Aid”) to the district.

I chose to write my own letter and sent state Assemblyman Flood [R-Port Jefferson] and state Sen. Palumbo [R-New Suffolk] the following:

I’m a longtime resident of the Port Jefferson School District and notice that the district is aggressively encouraging parents to engage in a letter-writing campaign to state legislators regarding the cut in Foundation Aid proposed in the governor’s [Kathy Hochul (D)] budget. I’m sure you will receive the form letter the district is circulating.

At this time, I would encourage you to examine the fiscal practices of this district. While the enrollment in the district continues to decline (from the present 910 students overall to projected enrollment close to 766 students by 2031) the district has done nothing to address this, despite numerous comments by district residents at Board of Education meetings.

Instead, a pattern of spending has seen district funds expended of close to $800,000 on new bleachers on an athletic field, $240,000 on sod for that field, and a proposed “security booth” projected to cost close to $400,000.

Two recent multimillion dollar bond issues ($23 million and $16 million, respectively) calling for substantial enhancements in an existing school building, as well as an artificial turn field costing $1.6 million, were wisely rejected by residents, although the district continues to ignore the message sent by residents.

Despite the significant drop in enrollment, administrative staffing in the district has not been reduced nor has the district explored other potential cuts to address this major financial problem.

The revenues from a Long Island Power Authority plant in the district are rapidly dwindling and the district presently faces seven Child Victims Act lawsuits. (The latter has only been acknowledged by the district when the proposed Foundation Aid cut was announced.) Transparency has not been evidenced by the school board and the administration.

While you are examining the campaign to restore Foundation Aid cuts to the district, I would strongly encourage you, in the interest of fiscal prudence, to examine the spending practices of this school district and hold the board and district accountable for the lack of effective stewardship of taxpayer funds.

Charles Backfish

Port Jefferson

Cut the losses!

The recent article in the Port Times [“Uncertainty looms over the future of Port Jefferson Country Club,” Feb. 8] shows the futility of trying to keep back the forces of nature — the way of wind and waves — as concerns the East Beach bluff. For some of us the attempt to save the country club building always seemed a fool’s errand.

To start with: Nature usually wins, but the previous village board of trustee’s would not admit to this, and forced without a vote a [$10 million] bond onto our taxes. See where this got us.

What to do? Declare the loss and build a more modest country club house way, way back, and let nature take its toll on the bluff; and focus on how to protect the downtown area with parks, shops, apartments and ferry infrastructure for the future and coming high waters.

Bente and Flemming Videbaek

Port Jefferson

Immigration history lesson

I want to thank Arnold Wishnia for the history lesson on immigration [“A critical analysis of immigration rhetoric,” TBR News Media letter, Feb. 8]. I was totally unaware that it occurred before the latest wave or that throughout human history some groups of people — including “mostly brown” people as Mr. Wishnia writes — treated other groups of people poorly. What an eye-opener. An eye-opener for him is that it is not only “Latin American immigrants” who are coming here illegally and in fact we don’t know who is coming. For this and many other reasons fear is reasonably mongered.

I could not and did not disregard “[George] Altemose’s inflammatory talk of invasion” as I do not know him and have not read the letter he wrote. This did not stop Wishnia from making assumptions about heroes and projection. An artful word to describe these assumptions is “prejudice” as Wishnia has, indeed, prejudged me.

Wishnia concludes by writing that I slandered the racist and sexist policy of diversity, equity and inclusion by describing it as racist and sexist. Let me ask him: If he did not get accepted by an Ivy League college or get hired as a university professor because of a quota, would he consider that to be “rather minimally” a mitigation of harm inflicted — not by him, but by other people? It seems that like Bruce Stillman [president and CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory], Wishnia’s prototypical elitism is showing.

Paul Mannix

Wading River

One year after Grand Central Madison’s opening

There is still much to do one year after the opening of the Grand Central Madison station. Information was omitted from the MTA ceremony celebration that Port Jefferson LIRR branch riders would be interested in.

How many of the original 73 East Side Access contracts has the MTA completed? What is their collective dollar value? How much of the $600 million in debt service payments buried in the agency operating budget that covered project costs are still outstanding?

The same applies to several hundred million more in debt service payments that financed $4 billion worth of LIRR readiness projects to support start of full service in February 2023. They are carried offline from the official project budget. These include the $2.6 billion Main Line Third Track, $450 million Jamaica Capacity Improvements, $387 million Ronkonkoma Double Track, $120 million Ronkonkoma Yard Expansion, $44 million Great Neck Pocket Track, $423 million for rail car fleet expansion. Without these, the LIRR would lack the expanded operational capabilities to support the promised 24 rush-hour train service to GCM and 40% increase in reverse peak rush-hour service. Honest accounting would include these other expenditures bringing the true cost of ESA to $16.1 billion.

How many thousands of the original promised daily ridership projection has not been achieved? This goes for the reverse peak as well. Why does Grand Central Madison still not provide 24/7 service as does Penn Station?

Grand Central Madison still has only two men’s bathrooms with a total of 18 urinals and 13 toilets, two women’s bathrooms with a total of 25 toilets, one lactation room and two gender neutral bathrooms each with a single capacity, all located on the Madison Concourse. There are none on the lower or upper level platforms and mezzanine.

There is still only one waiting room located on the Madison Concourse. It has only 29 seats and seven stools for Wi-Fi connections to serve riders. There are no other seating options on the platform and mezzanine levels while waiting.

Options for recycling newspapers or beverage containers, disposal of garbage or other waste continues to be nonexistent except for a handful of garbage cans at the platform level. There are few options to dispose of waste at either the mezzanine or Madison Concourse levels. This conflicts with MTA’s claim to be environmentally friendly.

There are still no open newsstands. These services are readily available in Metro-North Rail Road Grand Central Terminal, Penn and Jamaica stations.

There are 11 ticket vending machines still waiting to be installed. It appears that the designed space is not wide enough to accommodate standard LIRR ticket machines.

All the facility storefronts still stand vacant. The original completion date was 2011. Full-time service began in February 2023. MTA Real Estate had years to find tenants for the 32 vacant storefronts. MTA Real Estate has yet to issue a request for proposal to find a master tenant to manage all 32 vacant storefronts. When will this take place?

The MTA Arts & Design recent announcement that it is presenting a selection of works from photographer Stephen Wilkes’ “Day to Night” series of famous New York landmarks at this facility is of little value to most commuters. Some advertising posters would be better and generate some badly needed revenue.

Transparency on the part of Gov. Kathy Hochul [D], MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and LIRR President Richard Free in sharing with commuters, taxpayers, transit advocates and elected officials in dealing with these remaining open issues is required

Larry Penner

Great Neck

Comsewogue girls hoops erupts against close rival Rocky Point

by Bill Landon - February 18, 2024

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WJL_0304 — Comsewogue’s Vienna Guzman banks two for the Warriors in a road game against Rocky Point. Bill Landon photo

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By Bill Landon

Rocky Point trailed the Comsewogue Warriors from the opening tipoff but closed within two points at 24-22 at the halftime buzzer. Comsewogue erupted in the second half outscoring the Eagles by 10 points in the third quarter and eight more in the fourth to win the game 53-33 in the League IV road game Feb. 8.

Vienna Guzman topped the scoring charts for Comsewogue with 16 points followed by Maria Stamatopoulos and Jayla Callender with nine points apiece.

McKenzie Moeller led the Eagles with 10 points followed by Kylie Lamoureux who banked seven.

The win lifted the Warriors to 10-2 in league standings behind top-seeded Westhampton while the Eagles dropped to 8-4 for third place in the division.

Local wrestlers make statement in Suffolk Division 2 championship

by Bill Landon - February 17, 2024

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WJL_0792 — Port Jefferson’s Preston Biedenkapp battles Nate Spuhler @ 170lbs for the county championship. Photo by Bill Landon

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By Bill Landon

North Shore grapplers made a statement in the Suffolk County Division 2 wrestling championship at Center Moriches High School Friday night, Feb. 9, when Shoreham Wading River’s Chris Colon defeated Aidan Lee (124 lbs) in a 12-4 decision for the county championship yet again. Teammate Gavin Mangano easily won his match 15-0 against his Port Jeff opponent, Frank D’Elia, at 131 lbs.

Mount Sinai’s Brayden Fahrbach pinned his Port Jeff challenger, Cade Delgado, in just 38 seconds at 138 lbs for the county title.

Port Jeff’s Chris Lotten defeated Matt Cucciniello of Mount Sinai to become county champion at 152 lbs with a 9-2 decision. At 170 lbs, it was Port Jeff’s Preston Biedenkapp besting his Shoreham-Wading River opponent, Nate Spuhler, with a 6-0 decision.

John Glenn was the top team (302 points) followed by Mount Sinai (250) and Port Jefferson (214), with Shoreham-Wading River (175) placed fifth.

Winning the Rick Herrmann Most Outstanding Wrestler award was Shoreham-Wading River’s Gavin Mangano, while teammate Chris Colon shared the Jack Mahoney Champion of Champions title with John Glenn’s Tommy Aiello.

Port Jeff civic hosts local fire department and EMS organizations

by Samantha Rutt - February 17, 2024

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PJCivic — Representatives from Port Jefferson fire department and EMS organizations speak before the civic. Photo by Lynn Hallarman

By Samantha Rutt

The Port Jefferson Civic Association hosted a meeting on Feb. 12 dedicated to first responders.

“Our first responders have been there for us many a time, we have invited them here to help our residents learn what it takes to run such operations as well as learn what unique challenges they face,” civic association President Ana Hozyainova said.

The Port Jefferson Fire Department and EMS organizations have long been pillars of the Port Jefferson community, providing crucial emergency services to residents in times of need. However, recent challenges have highlighted the strain on these vital institutions, ranging from outdated facilities to a shortage of funding and volunteers.

One of the primary issues facing the Port Jefferson Fire Department and EMS is the state of their facilities. Many of the buildings housing these organizations are small and outdated, failing to meet the needs of modern emergency response. These facilities lack adequate space for equipment storage, training facilities and administrative offices, hindering the effectiveness of operations.

The most prominent issue facing the fire department is flooding. The location of the historic building is nestled in one of the lowest points of the town’s landscape allowing it to be highly susceptible to excess water. Third assistant fire chief, Christian Neubert, explained past complications the department faced during severe storms and excess rain.

“One of the big problems we have is the firehouse floods,” Neubert said. “So, getting the firefighters to the fire department can be complicated. We have a flood protocol that we put in place after the 2019 flood, that when there is an alarm, certain apparatuses are allocated to certain sides of Maple Place. Some go up the hill and some go down toward the village.”

The issue of flooding exacerbates the challenges already faced. Flooding not only poses a threat to the safety of personnel but also endangers critical equipment and resources essential for emergency response efforts.

“That’s one of our starting points for mitigating those emergencies,” Neubert added. “There’s a lot of logistical complications when we deal with those types of floods.”

Like the fire department, the EMS organization is also experiencing a facility crisis. The organization runs an EMS training program with Stony Brook University students.

“We run an EMS training program, the EMS Academy, out of our facility,” Mike Presta, deputy director from Port Jefferson EMS explained. “We make our pre-health student EMTs and they go on to serve the community for the four or five or six years that they’re working toward becoming a health professional.”

Presta continued explaining the program in greater detail, “Almost five years ago, we actually developed a program where they live in the building. We have 15 college kids that live there, they get free room and board.”

Though the efforts and intention of the EMS organization are pure, they face challenges running their organization alongside the student training program. Presta explained that due to the need for living quarters, the organization has set up trailers in the rear of the property to best suit the other operations of the organization.

In addition to facility woes, the Port Jefferson Fire Department and EMS are grappling with a significant shortage of volunteers. Traditionally volunteer-based, these organizations rely on community members willing to dedicate their time and expertise to serve their neighbors. However, in recent years, recruitment efforts have struggled to attract new volunteers.

“We don’t get a lot of local community volunteers. We don’t really have many from the village, we don’t have any from Belle Terre, we don’t have any from Mount Sinai. So, our organization has grown to really rely on our Stony Brook University students,” Presta said.

Funding is also an issue facing these organizations as they rely heavily on property tax levies within the district and little elsewhere.

“Unlike some of our neighboring districts and partners, we don’t have as large a commercial tax base means that we don’t get to pull from a Walmart or a BJ’s or Target or Home Depot or a Lowe’s, we don’t have those large places,” Neubert said. “So, we have to be very mindful with our spending.”

Neubert continued explaining some of the ways the department has made efforts to save: “Recently, the fire district outsourced this faction of services to the supported firemen. So, our dispatchers now are Setauket dispatchers. That was a huge savings for the fire district, because they no longer had to pay full-time dispatchers out of the firehouse. And the reason that had happened was because insurance premiums have gone significantly up because of the recent floods.”

In the face of these challenges, the dedication and commitment of the members of the Port Jefferson Fire Department and EMS remain unwavering. Despite the obstacles they face, these individuals continue to serve our community, ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents. As a community, it is incumbent upon us to support and strengthen these essential organizations as they work tirelessly to keep Port Jefferson safe.

The meeting also served as the first opportunity to register interest in running for officer positions for the civic association. Offices open for elections are, president, vice president, treasurer, recording secretary and corresponding secretary. Only members in good standing are eligible to run and the deadline to submit interest is March 11, also the date of the next association meeting.

Editorial: Where does Brookhaven’s garbage go from here?

by TBR Staff - February 17, 2024

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The Town of Brookhaven landfill, a titan of our local landscape, casts a long shadow over our future. While the initial plan promised its closure by 2024, the recent extension for incinerator ash disposal leaves us in a state of uncertainty. This reprieve begs a crucial question: What is the actual plan for the landfill, and where will our garbage go?

Residents deserve clarity. We’ve been told the landfill, nearing capacity, would soon reach its final chapter. Now, faced with a year or two extension, we’re left wondering: Is this a temporary fix or a signpost to a longer life for the landfill?

Beyond the timeline, the elephant in the room is ash disposal. Accepting Covanta’s waste may solve its immediate problem, but at what cost? Have the potential environmental impacts been thoroughly assessed? Are we simply swapping one set of concerns for another?

Perhaps most importantly, where is the long-term vision for waste management? Is this extension just a stopgap measure, or is there a concrete plan for a sustainable future beyond the landfill’s life span? We haven’t heard much about exploring alternatives like recycling, composting or waste-to-fuel technologies. Shouldn’t these be at the forefront of the conversation?

The Town Board owes it to residents to provide a comprehensive plan, not just piecemeal extensions. We need to know how the extension fits into the bigger picture, what alternatives are being explored and when we can expect a clear roadmap for the future.

This isn’t just about the landfill’s closure date, it’s about responsible waste management for generations to come. While there has been a lot of discussion, this postponement raises doubts about a future course. Residents seek transparency, clear communication and a commitment to solutions that prioritize both environmental health and responsible waste disposal. Until then, we’ll remain in limbo, watching the shadow of the landfill grow longer – and wondering where our waste will ultimately end up.

Sunrise Wind project making progress

by TBR Staff - February 17, 2024

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Research-Way-rendering-700x474-1 — Sunrise Wind. Photo courtesy Sunrise Wind

By Serena Carpino

Several Suffolk County elected officials have gathered in support for Sunrise Wind, an offshore wind project dedicated to using clean energy to power thousands of Long Island homes.

Sunrise Wind is operated under a 50/50 partnership between Ørsted, a Danish international climate action leader, and Eversource, a national leader in clean energy. The project has been ongoing since 2019 and organizers aim to have it completed by 2026, with the farm generating about 924 megawatts and supplying energy to nearly 600,000 homes across the Island.

Sunrise Wind is located approximately 30 miles east of Montauk. Developers plan to run cables through Smith Point Beach that will connect to Long Island’s electricity grid in Holbrook. Officials intend to use the wind farm to provide Island residents with 70% renewable energy by 2030, and 100% by 2040. Eventually, they hope to make Sunrise Wind a national energy hub.

The project has received bipartisan support across the county, with members of both parties agreeing to look toward a more renewable future. Officials supporting Sunrise Wind include County Executive Ed Romaine (R), state Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford), Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R), and other business and labor leaders.

“Here, this is not a Democrat or Republican issue,” Romaine explained. “Our focus is local and since we all live here, we want to solve the problems together to get this done. When I look at the future, I realize we’re going to need more energy than ever: Why not renewable?”

Other officials have commented how the project is already helping parts of Long Island with its $700 million investment in jobs, assets, and partnerships across Suffolk County.

“In the Mastic-Shirley community, Patriots Preserve, we got our first million dollars from this agreement,” Panico said. “We used that money in the creation of a beautiful pristine park in the tri-hamlet community, one of the most densely populated communities that is underserved.”

Furthermore, Sunrise Wind has brought many job opportunities to Long Island residents. According to Meaghan Wims, a spokesperson for Sunrise Wind, the project will “deliver major economic benefits and local jobs to New York … while accelerating the state’s growing offshore wind workforce and supply chain.”

Many officials agree that Sunrise Wind will bring many benefits to Long Island. However, they have also addressed potential concerns about the effect on marine life and fisheries.

“Climate change is an existential threat to the biodiversity of the natural world, and one of the best ways to protect that biodiversity is the development of clean energy,” Wims explained. That being said, Sunrise Wind takes “great care to ensure that offshore wind and wildlife coexist and thrive. We’ve taken a number of steps to ensure this coexistence, often by being directly responsive to requests from the fishing community.”

For example, officials at Sunrise Wind decided the boundaries of the wind farm after considering feedback from parties that could be affected. In addition, “we’ve set the industry standard by agreeing to uniform 1 x 1 nautical mile spacing across and gridded layout of our lease areas,” Wims said. “This is the widest spacing of any offshore wind farm in the world.” Because of this type of spacing, marine transit and fishery activity can continue to occur.

In addition to Sunrise Wind, Ørsted and Eversource also have South Fork Wind and Revolution Wind in the works. South Fork Wind is estimated to provide 132 MW of energy to New York and is projected to become the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in United States waters.

Revolution Wind will supply Rhode Island and Connecticut with 704 MW of power and offshore construction is set to begin in several months.

Obituary: Anthony Baltz, BNL senior scientist emeritus

by wpengine - February 16, 2024

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Anthony “Tony” John Baltz passed away on Dec. 21, in Port Jefferson. He was born on March 10, 1942, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Henry John Baltz Jr. and Theresa Catherine Baltz. In 1960, Tony joined the Jesuit Novitiate at Colombiere College in Clarkston, Michigan, then completed a bachelor’s degree in physics at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, in 1966. He obtained his doctorate in physics at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he met his wife-to-be, Marie Lepri.

Tony’s career spanned over 40 years at Brookhaven National Laboratory, where he ultimately was promoted to senior physicist in the Nuclear Theory Group and deputy theory group leader of the RIKEN BNL Research Center. He performed original research on solar neutrinos and on ultra-peripheral heavy-ion interactions and was awarded a patent for an improved magnet design applicable to particle accelerators. He was twice put in charge of the Nuclear Theory program at the Department of Energy Division of Nuclear Physics. He was elected fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Physical Society. Upon his retirement from BNL in 2012, he was named senior scientist emeritus.

Tony was a lifelong golf enthusiast, classical music connoisseur and world traveler. His striving for excellence, passion for unlocking the secrets of the universe and devotion to his wife and family serve as a testament to a life well lived. Tony was preceded in death by his parents and his niece Kristine. He is survived by his loving wife Marie; son Edward (Tracy) and son William (Shelley); grandchildren Juliana, El and Xavier; brothers Richard, David, Bernard, Christopher, Timothy and Thomas; sister Elizabeth; and six nephews, four nieces and numerous cousins.

Visitation will be at the Bryant Funeral Home, 411 Old Town Road, East Setauket, on Sunday, Feb. 18, from 4-6 p.m. A memorial service (livestreamed at uufsb.org) will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 380 Nicolls Road, East Setauket, on Monday, Feb. 19, from 3-5 p.m.

A snowy spectacle on Feb. 13

by Samantha Rutt - February 16, 2024

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By Samantha Rutt

Residents woke up to a winter wonderland on Feb. 13, as a snowstorm brought several inches of snow to the area. The storm, which began in the early hours of the morning and continued into the afternoon, leaving a picturesque scene across towns and villages along the North Shore.

Reports from local meteorologists indicated that the snowfall ranged from 4 to 6 inches in most areas, with some isolated spots receiving up to 8 inches. Strong winds accompanying the storm also led to drifting snow in certain areas, creating challenging conditions for morning commuters.

As a result of the inclement weather, several school districts in the region announced closures for the day, ensuring the safety of students and staff. Additionally, transportation authorities advised residents to exercise caution while traveling, as roadways and sidewalks were coated with snow and ice.

As the snow gradually tapered off throughout the day, municipal crews and private contractors worked diligently to clear roads and sidewalks, ensuring that normalcy could resume as soon as possible.

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