Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will premiere a new show, We Are Guardians: How Satellites Help Us To Save the Planet, on Saturday, April 22, at 3 p.m. Other dates include April 29 and May 6.
We are all connected. Come and find out how.
Join us on a journey into, under, and around the many ecosystems across our planet. Discover how each component fits together, and how the health of each part is vital to the health of Planet Earth. Find out how, with the help of satellites and scientific study, we can understand the links between human activities and climate change, and what we can do to work together to improve the health of our shared home.
This visually stunning show is an immersive science film that features beautiful animation and creative storytelling that viewers of all ages can enjoy together.
Best suited for ages 8 and up.
Tickets are $15 adults, $13 seniors and students, $13 children ages 12 and under.
Amid an increase in adult and congenital infections, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services is urging pregnant mothers to get tested for syphilis.
Untested and untreated, infants born with the congenital bacteria can appear normal and healthy but can encounter developmental delays and health challenges later in their lives.
The county recommends that pregnant women get tested for syphilis at their first prenatal visit, at the beginning of their third trimester and again at delivery.
“Syphilis during pregnancy is easily cured with the right antibiotics,” Mary Pat Boyle, bureau chief for the Suffolk County STI Control Unit and member of the New York State Congenital Syphilis Elimination Strategic Planning Group, said in an email.
Pregnant New Yorkers can qualify for Medicaid at higher income levels. Uninsured pregnant residents may quality for a Special Enrollment Period to enroll in private health insurance through the NY State of Health Marketplace.
The county recognizes that “barriers to testing and treatment do exist,” Boyle said. “The county staff is aware that patients turning to urgent care for support find that the centers don’t treat syphilis and are referred to another provider causing delays in their treatment.”
At the same time, staff at Suffolk County, which has been social messaging about STIs during STI Awareness Week, has confronted issues with insurance companies that don’t cover benzathine penicillin G 2.4 million units, the medication needed in one to three doses as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the only treatment safe for pregnant women.
Suffolk County Department of Health Services brought this to the attention of NYSDOH, which is “looking into the matter,” according to county officials.
The incidence of syphilis for the population of the country has climbed dramatically. A report from the CDC showed that the number of cases of syphilis rose 32% to over 176,000 in 2021 from the prior year.
In New York State, pregnant persons with reported syphilis increased by 51% in 2020 to 53 from 35 in 2016.
In July 2022, Suffolk County’s Board of Sexually Transmitted Disease staff launched the Suffolk County Congenital Syphilis Prevention Initiative.
“The groups have been raising awareness of increased cases of maternal and congenital syphilis among those who work with at-risk women of childbearing age and mobilizing to implement evidence-based practices to prevent congenital syphilis,” Boyle said.
The bureau staff has visited over 167 Suffolk County OB/GYN providers to discuss best practices and distribute educational materials emphasizing the importance of STI testing and timely treatment.
The county’s STI unit is planning training for team members at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital, Southampton Hospital, Stony Brook University Hospital and Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic.
Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, noted the increase in congenital syphilis and suggested that newborns don’t necessarily show clear signs of the infection.
“You sometimes don’t know until perhaps years later, when the baby is not growing, thriving and meeting developmental milestones” that it has syphilis, Nachman said. “There are no abnormal blood tests. The baby looks fine.”
Nachman said that parents and doctors don’t want to “be in a position where you’re picking it up late” because untreated and untested syphilis could have a “lifelong” effect on the growing child.
Nachman added that testing for syphilis in newborns often involves a spinal tap, in which doctors take a small amount of fluid through a spinal tap. Spinal tap procedures in newborns can involve pain and tenderness, but do not generally present risks to the developing child.
Penicillin shortage
At the same time, the supply of penicillin could become a concern. As a generic drug, the profitability of penicillin has decreased dramatically.
The injectable form of penicillin, which is used to treat syphilis, may become a problem later this year and will “definitely be a problem next year and afterwards,” Nachman said.
Researchers are checking to see if there are other drugs, they can fine tune instead of penicillin. They are exploring whether they can convert other therapies that are short acting into longer acting treatments.
“Everyone is aware of the question and [researchers] are carving out different ways to answer” it, Nachman said.
If the county uncovers a shortage of syphilis treatment, it will work with the New York State Department of Health to address the problem, county health department officials said.
For adults, Nachman suggested that seeing an increase in syphilis among newborns suggest that the bacteria may be prevalent in the community.
“When I see an uptick in neonates, I think, ‘Oh, gosh, there are more adults out there’” with this infection, she said.
Narcan kits will be placed in close proximity to automated external defibrillators in county facilities. Stock photo
A new bill sponsored by Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) has been approved by the county Legislature.
Her resolution requires kits of naloxone — or Narcan, its brand name — to be supplied in close proximity to automated external defibrillatorsin all county facilities. The bill was co-sponsored by county Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park).
An April 4 press release stated that Narcan “is a lifesaving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when administered in a timely manner.” Hahn believes this bill will help to improve the outcomes of the opioid overdoses seen in the county.
Hahn has been passionate about fighting the opioid epidemic for more than a decade now. In April of 2012, she sponsored a resolution which enabled police officers to administer Narcan to overdose victims. The press release for the current resolution noted, “According to SCPD statistics, patrol officers equipped with Narcan have saved thousands of lives in the 10 years since the [original] bill was enacted.”
Old Field resident Carole Trottere came up with the idea for this legislation and brought it to Hahn’s attention only a few months ago.
“It’s really a no-brainer,” Trottere said. “Put them in wherever we have AEDs. … If you save one life, it’s sparing the parents the horrible grief that I go through and giving someone a second chance to try to get into recovery.”
Trottere has been reaching out to grieving parent groups. “You cannot believe how many groups there are on Long Island alone and nationally of grieving parents who have lost children to fentanyl and overdoses,” she said.
She has also been working with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit. Trottere lost her son, Alex Sutton, to a drug overdose in 2018, and last year planned an event in memory of him at his favorite pizza place. Police attended and carried out Narcan training at the event. This is something they would offer to anyone else who would like to plan an event in memory of a loved one.
According to the press release, the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence also supports Hahn’s efforts.
She said this bill will be beneficial because Narcan kits need to be readily available. “What is frightening about the disease of addiction is that it can happen to anyone,” she added. “So it does need to be everywhere.”
Hahn also mentioned that street drugs are now sometimes laced with fentanyl, so someone could be taking what they think is a simple Xanax, but it’s actually unexpectedly laced with fentanyl.
“It’s probably the person who unexpectedly overdoses that will benefit the most from its placement,” she said. “If it’s ubiquitously placed, then more people will be saved.”
Hahn said she’s working with local universities to build the pipeline of clinical social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists that can help people battling mental health issues. She indicated the system is under-resourced, and she would like to work toward strengthening child, adolescent, and adult mental health in our communities.
A scene from Benner's Farm 2023 Easter Egg Hunt. Photo by Rita J. Egan
The spring holidays and weather often fill people with hope and joy. This year is no different as residents may feel more optimistic than ever.
Local egg hunts and holiday events that took place last weekend exemplify the optimism our fellow residents are experiencing. While some community events during the past two years were able to take place, many of our social gatherings were severely limited. With egg hunts, organizers asked attendees to sign up for time slots. After egg hunting, they would need to complete any additional activities during a specific period due to COVID-19 precautions. Some events experienced low attendance amid COVID fears, with many people hesitant to return to their usual social activities.
This year, organizers were able to hold events resembling those held before COVID-19. Community members embraced the opportunity to get out of the house. For our reporters who were photographing the egg hunts and Port Jefferson parade, it was a delight to see community members able to fully enjoy activities and engage with each other.
It’s no surprise that we’re getting back to life as we knew it before 2020. It’s taken a while to get here, but it feels as though we are slowly approaching normalcy. As of April 6, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services reported 1.9% tested positive in the county, and the seven-day average was 1.8%. The COVID-19 Community Level for Suffolk is low. The DOHS also reported that as of April 7, 78.9% of county residents are fully vaccinated.
The community getting out and about regularly and mingling, as well as fewer COVID infections and more vaccinated people, are positive signs for the future.
This wave of good news is beneficial for small businesses as well. After spending a day full of fun activities, consider stopping by a local restaurant for lunch or dessert or patronizing a local store on the way home. Like community gatherings, our local mom-and-pops add a sense of place and charm to our towns and villages. Frequenting local downtowns gives these areas a chance to thrive, to employ even more of our residents and to pay taxes to our municipalities.
Our readers should keep an eye out for upcoming events in our coverage areas throughout the year as listed in our Arts & Lifestyles section.
We also remind residents that April 30 to May 6 marks National Small Business Week. Started by the U.S. Small Business Administration, these seven days recognize the contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. While enjoying the warm weather in the months ahead, we encourage our neighbors to grab a bite to eat, buy a new ornament or a plant for their home locally.
New York State Department of Health statistics indicate that nearly 5,000 Suffolk County residents have died from COVID-19. Many more throughout our state, nation and world have not survived the last few years. While we cannot undo what has happened, we can chart a course ahead. May these COVID years make us stronger, wiser and more socially responsible citizens. May we begin to thrive again, reminded of the joy and hope life has to offer. May we continue to rejoice and celebrate right in our backyards.
Huntington Town Board will have two open seats November, with Councilwoman Joan Cergol (D) and Councilman Eugene Cook (R) not running for reelection.
Huntington Republican Committee has nominated two candidates: attorney Theresa Mari and town personnel head, Brooke Lupinacci. The Democrats have put forward Don McKay, deputy commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, and Jen Hebert, program director of Kerber’s Farm School in Huntington and former local school board president.
TBR News Media reached out to the candidates to discuss their background, community involvement and what motivated them to run. We hope to have the opportunity to speak to McKay and Lupinacci in the coming weeks.
Republican Theresa Mari in one or two candidates running for Huntington Town Board seats. Photo from candidate
Theresa Mari
Mari has been an attorney for nearly 40 years, focusing much of her practice on family and matrimonial law. Originally from Port Jefferson Station, she has lived in Centerport for 30 years.
“We just have such a great town,” she said. “We’re just very lucky.”
While she grew up wanting to be a pediatrician, it was her internship at the office of state Attorney General Robert Abrams (D), while in college at SUNY Binghamton, that motivated her go to law school. The internship involved undercover work and investigations in the fraud department.
“I just I loved the whole thing,” she said.
After her time at the AG’s office, she secured internships in several law firms, learning more about the trade. While an English major, she took several philosophy and political science classes.
During her first year of law school at Hofstra University, she worked for Covidea, a computer banking company, in product development, and by her second year, was unofficially the general counsel, which became official once she graduated. She stayed on staff until the product was disbanded and helped close out the corporation.
Along with a few co-workers, she then founded a tire remanufacturing company, serving as their counsel and working them through to becoming public.
Once the business was sold, she went into private practice as Theresa A. Mari based in Hauppauge, quickly developing her love for family law while taking on real estate matters.
“I just found the family law stuff was really coming my way, and I liked it,” she said.
Mari quickly got on the fiduciary list to represent 18B plaintiffs and defendants, who cannot afford representation, so the court appoints a lawyer for them in family court. She also accepted appointments to represent children who receive court appointed attorneys at no cost to the family, which she still does to this day. In addition, Mari received a number of high-profile, privately paid court appointments to represent children in divorce cases, including the children of model Christie Brinkley and rapper 50 Cent.
“I have the respect of the judges,” she said. “And they knew I wasn’t going to be pushed around — I wasn’t going to be starstruck by it.”
Working cases involving such tremendous wealth and fame was challenging, she said, with high profile parents “set in their ways and decisions.”
Mari has also served as director of the Suffolk County Bar Association Charitable Foundation, which focuses on raising money for items like teddy bears in family court and clothes for foster children. The foundation also provided meals for first responders and gift cards for food pantries during the pandemic.
In addition, Mari worked with the Kiwanis International club, Cerebral Palsy Foundation and Every Child’s Dream, among other organizations.
“I spent most of my professional life advocating for and representing children in these kinds of dire circumstances and chairing all of these charitable foundations and so forth,” she said. “To me it’s the next logical step to try to serve my town and the community that I live in.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) proposal to change zoning laws, as well as overdevelopment, are some concerns she would like to address if elected.
“I’d like to keep Huntington, Huntington, not Queens,” Mari said.
Democrat Jen Hebert is one of two of the candidates running for two open Huntington Town Board seats. File photo by Rita J. Egan
Jen Hebert
Hebert was born and raised in East Williston, before relocating to Boston to attend Tufts University, where she received both undergraduate and graduate degrees in education.
After graduation, she taught kindergarten at a public school in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Hebert and her husband eventually decided to move back to Long Island to be closer to family.
“We were looking for a town that was similar to New England, and we decided Huntington was exactly the right place for us,” she said.
Having raised three sons in the Huntington school district, Hebert got involved in the district as a parent volunteer. Then, given her educational background, she decided to run for school board, serving for nine years.
“I’ve seen education from a 360-degree point of view,’ she said.
She counts the opening of the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School, during her time on the board, as one of its chief accomplishments during her tenure. The school accepts students via a lottery system, and focuses on science, technology, engineering and math. It was founded after the district closed the building in 2010 due to crime in the surrounding area.
She also worked to implement new AP classes, increase STEM throughout the district, and founded the Robotics team.
“We worked really hard to bring equity to education and opportunities for all of our diverse student body,” Hebert said.
Eventually, Hebert became vice president, and then president of the board, describing her leadership as assessable and unifying. When she was elected to the board, and the community was grappling with the Abrams school closure, it was a difficult time for the district, she said.
“When I got on the school board there was a lot of animosity and a lot of division, and I think that I worked really hard and was very successful in kind of uniting people,” she said, adding, “I’m a big, great consensus builder and a great team player.”
It was Hebert’s belief in term limits that caused her to step down from the board in 2020,she said.
“I felt that nine years was enough on the board, and it was time for somebody with fresh eyes to take a turn, somebody else with different ideas and different opinions,” she said.
Hebert then decided to run for Town Board in 2021, as she still had a drive and desire to represent her community.
“I work really hard,” she said. “When I dedicate myself to something I dedicate myself 100%. Also, I think that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”
Outside of the board, Hebert was administrator of St. John’s Nursery School in Huntington, until she became program director of Kerber’s Farm School about a year ago.
Kerber’s programming includes classes for children and adults of all ages, Hebert said, with topics such as organic gardening, farm-to-table cooking and sustainability. She has also brought in field trips with local districts for special-needs students, and created an internship program, an opportunity for Scouts to earn badges and a weekly life skills program.
If elected, she hopes to work on the revitalization of Huntington Station and advocate for the creation of a recreation center, as part of the $10 million revitalization grant the town was awarded from the state in January.
“I don’t want to be pinned down to something that I can’t then follow through on,” she said.
However, if she is able to be involved, she said developing a recreation center would be “a project near and dear to my heart.”
She is also environmentally conscious, she said, raising backyard chickens and planting native plants in her yard. If elected, it would be a priority to preserve open space and protect waterways.
“That’s going to be a huge priority for me in finding ways to do that,” she said. “Even if they’re just small, incremental ways, even if it means banning fertilizers — those things are going to be very important to me.”
Ultimately, she said, she wants to represent all residents, and be an accessible resource for her constituents.
“I would represent all of Huntington, all of the parts of Huntington, all of the people of Huntington,” she said. “I don’t care what side of the aisle you sit on, I don’t even care who you voted for. If I get the chance, I can hopefully be an accessible and a productive resource for our community.”
Devon Toney, above, recently entered a stable living arrangement, fleeing homelessness. Despite the turn in his story, homelessness remains a reality for many across Long Island and the United States. Photo by Heartsong, courtesy Toney
A year ago, Devon Toney was among the countless ranks of Long Island’s homeless.
After serving out a 17-year prison sentence, Toney spent years moving from place to place, his nights often spent at bus and train stations. Unable to cohabitate with others due to years of trauma inflicted early on in life and prison, he turned away from the shelter system. [See earlier Toney story, “Homelessness: A national disgrace and a thorny issue.”]
During his prolonged period of homelessness, Toney characterized himself as “very undesirable to everybody,” his frustrations externalized in fits of rage. Now this cycle has been broken and, for once, he said he has found stability.
‘Stability just makes me a different person, a more desirable person.’
— Devon Toney
Thanks to the assistance of various community organizations, Toney has recently entered a stable housing arrangement, having recently joined the Rapid Re-Housing Program operated by Family Service League, which provides financial and housing assistance enabling access to private rental units.
Along with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, which had referred him to the program, Toney’s transition was also facilitated by the Council of Thought and Action, Heartsong and the Angels of Long Island organizations, among others.
Debbie Loesch, founder of the Patchogue-based nonprofit, Angels of Long Island, was instrumental in assisting Toney during his transition from homelessness, offering him per diem employment and watching out for him as he slowly got back on his feet.
“Life dealt him a couple of curveballs, but he has overcome them,” she said. “I’m very proud at how he’s turned his life around.”
Housed, he spends much of his time reading and in study. With stability, he now channels his energies into various civic aims to lift others out of homelessness.
Since entering stable living conditions, Toney described his day-to-day existence as “night and day.” “Stability just makes me a different person, a more desirable person,” he said. “I’m a lot happier.”
Despite the recent turn in Toney’s story, homelessness remains a painful reality for many other Long Islanders. For many, escape from the scourge of homelessness has become an even more significant challenge.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for people to get out of homelessness for a number of reasons,” Mike Giuffrida, executive director of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, said in an interview. “The housing market has become more expensive than ever, and there’s less availability of rental units.”
Further exacerbating the lack of housing, Giuffrida added that a greater proportion of Long Island’s homeless population is turning away from the shelter system.
“More people are experiencing homelessness on the street as opposed to temporarily entering shelter situations as a result of the current shelter structures not aligning with the needs and preferences of people experiencing housing instability,” he said.
As inflation and prices continue to mount, compounded by a lack of affordable housing, the region’s homeless face even more challenges.
Possible reforms
To deal with the growing problems tied to homelessness, Giuffrida recommended policymakers consider transformational reforms to the existing shelter system.
“If the current shelter structures are not reimagined, we should expect to see more people living on the street as opposed to in shelter,” he said.
‘It’s very often that people who are most directly impacted by homelessness have the best ideas about how to solve homelessness.’
— Mike Giuffrida
Some manageable steps toward avoiding a spike in homelessness, Giuffrida suggested, could be eliminating burdensome shelter payment standards, reforming congregate shelter arrangements and offering non-U.S. citizens year-round access.
Giuffrida also recommended reimagining the mass transit network on Long Island, describing the existing infrastructure as “inadequate.”
“Transportation is a major barrier for people at risk of homelessness, experiencing homelessness or recently housed,” the executive director said.
Along with matters of policy, Giuffrida maintained that public awareness of homelessness offers a necessary first step toward alleviating the conditions of Long Island’s homelessness while moving them off the streets.
“People who have never experienced homelessness have the most to learn about homelessness,” he said. “It’s very often that people who are most directly impacted by homelessness have the best ideas about how to solve homelessness and are more aware of people’s needs.”
Toney’s triumph
Since Loesch first met Toney, she has observed in him a tendency to give back to others. She also noted his desire to stay informed on policy trends, attend legislative meetings and speak up for those similarly afflicted by homelessness.
“He’s always reached out to help somebody else,” she said. “He’s always willing to help somebody.”
‘We’re trying to save people from drowning, but we’re not going down the river to find out why they’re falling in.’
— Debbie Loesch
Loesch added that others could learn from Toney’s example, particularly his perseverance. She noted that he distinguished himself in seeking knowledge and information to facilitate his upward trajectory.
“He did his own research about how to obtain housing and what was available to him, and then he stayed on it,” she said.
The nonprofit founder reminded policymakers and community members to remember to humanize the homelessness problem, approaching this through a human and problem-solving angle.
“We’re trying to save people from drowning, but we’re not going down the river to find out why they’re falling in,” she said. “We help people all over the world, but we don’t help our own people. There’s no reason that so many people should be homeless.”
Giuffrida emphasized that Toney is just one of countless other Long Islanders and Americans experiencing a similar lot. For communities and societies to begin to address the problem effectively, he maintained that all of those afflicted by homelessness must have a voice.
“We need to hear from all of the Devons,” he said.
Toney said the next stage in his journey is to acquire reliable transportation. He remains open to finding employment, saying that his experiences may uniquely qualify him for the nonprofit sector or related philanthropic enterprises.
“I know what it’s like not to have clothes, to be homeless and to go without food,” he said. “Helping individuals obtain food, clothing, housing and information … I would love that.”
On Wednesday, April 12, at 11 a.m., a ceremony was held to rename a portion of Railroad Street in Huntington Station in memory of Huntington Community First Aid Squad and FDNY EMS Capt. Alison Russo. She was murdered in September last year while on duty in Queens.
A portion of Railroad Street in Huntington Station was renamed in honor of Captain Alison Russo, who was murdered in September while on duty in Queens. Photo by Daniel Febrizio
A media advisory notice said that Russo had been with HCFAS since 1992, serving for nearly 30 years. She also served in the FDNY for 24 years and was a first responder at the World Trade Center on 9/11. The HCFAS and the FDNY promoted Russo to captain following her death.
Huntington Town Supervisor Edmund Smyth (R) led the ceremony. It began with the pledge of allegiance followed by the Huntington High School Choir singing the national anthem.
Huntington Manor Fire Department Chaplain Chuck Brady then came to the podium to speak. “To us, this is so much more than just a renaming of a street,” he said. “It is more a remembrance that every time we go down this street we will remember Alison, her bravery, and her many selfless acts of compassion and love.”
After Brady said a prayer, Smyth took the podium. “There are an abundance of words that can be used to describe Captain Russo — dedicated, strong, friendly, compassionate,” he said. “Her legacy and impact will never be forgotten here in Huntington.”
Russo’s father, Frank Fuoco, was then invited to say a few words. “Alison never boasted of her achievements,” he said of his daughter. He went on to say that she devoted her career to helping those in need.
Speaking of the day she was murdered, he said, “We’re here today to honor and shed brightness on that day. I know Alison would like all uniformed and support personnel to share this event with her.” The father added, “There’s so much emptiness all around us without her, she was our hero.”
A portion of Railroad Street in Huntington Station was renamed in honor of Captain Alison Russo, who was murdered in September while on duty in Queens. Photo by Daniel Febrizio
Fuoco tearfully shared a dream he had on the eve of his birthday in which his daughter came to visit him dressed in her uniform. He relayed the dream to his wife and she told him, “That was Alison, wishing you happy birthday.”
Tiffany White, a member of HCFAS, then spoke about how Russo had impacted her life. “Alison was a mentor to many,” she said. “Ally took me under her wing [in 2005] and taught me about the EMS world. In 2008, I was able to become a full member because of her. She taught me everything I know about EMS.”
“Ally dedicated her life to helping others, whether you were a friend, a co-worker, or simply just a member of the community,” she added. “Today we honor Alison for all her hard work and dedication to the community that she so proudly served and lives that
she touched.”
Brady ended the ceremony with a closing prayer, then taps was played while the new sign was unveiled in memory of the fallen public servant. It reads: “Capt. Alison Russo Way: Huntington Community First
Aid Squad.”
Visit our website at tbrnewsmedia.com on and after Friday, April 14, to watch our video from the ceremony.
Art is a form of communication beyond words. It transcends language barriers and is accessible to those who seek to experience it. Cynthia Pascal’s creations speak through muted patterns, rich hues, softness imbued with strength. Her work tells stories of women, sometimes at rest or in repose, but always vibrantly alive.
As a celebration of art and life, Pascal’s posthumous exhibit, Cynthia Pascal: A Retrospective, at the Art League of Long Island, honors the artist who passed away in 2022 at the age of 92. On view at the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery from April 15 to 28, this showcase features 46 acrylic paintings and six clay sculptures from the late artist. It is an act of love; a tribute from a daughter to her mother in collaboration with the Art League.
‘Abstract of Women in Pink and Blue’ by Cynthia Pascal
“My son brought Cynthia to the Art League and showed her work to the curator, which resulted in booking the show — one last highlight of her life. After she passed, it was in my head to still do the exhibit. I also thought, that for my mom, there was no other way to honor her than to talk about her surrounded by her work,” said her daughter Jeanne Gambardella.
Pascal’s palette and art projects a subtle warmth, even innate safety, whether the female subjects stare assuredly and directly from the canvas, gaze at something only they see, or relax with eyes closed. The lines of the women may be soft but their presence is strong.
“I believe that this exhibit covers all styles, but Pascal particularly leans towards abstract impressionism: figures are flattened with colorful brushstrokes and bright colors. She celebrates the world that she knew: her art focuses on women, friendships, relationships, their roles in society. It is full of life and energy,” said Susan Peragallo, coordinator and curator of the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery.
A prodigious painter up until the very last months of her life, Pascal, who was a resident of Plainview, pursued both a personal and practical interest in interpersonal dynamics and emotions. She studied painting at Old Westbury College as well as the New School for Social Research in New York City, but was a licensed psychotherapist by profession and maintained a practice out of her home for more than 4 decades.
“I think she innately had a very emotional IQ and got the degree so she could use it. She was really socially, emotionally smart…[and] provided a safe place for everyone who talked to her,” Gambardella said.
This sense of security is evident in the self-assuredness of her subjects and the apparent ease with which they occupy space. That innate serenity can transcend to the audience and perhaps emanated from Pascal herself. She never lost her appreciation of beauty nor ability to create art, even as dementia dominated other aspects of her life during her last years.
‘Two Girls Sitting’ by Cynthia Pascal
“We would talk about [her art]. Cynthia could still talk about the work and the process. We had that language until the end. My mother was painting at the highest level,” Gambardella said. “I thought her work would show deterioration, but her painting was still there. It was the one thing that she still had, in addition to her family. She could access painting, and it was a means by which to express herself.”
As her characters commune in the paintings, Pascal was able to communicate through and about art, although words might otherwise fail her. Her art, which includes pastels in addition to different paints and clay sculptures, is an ongoing dialogue that allows connections to continue to develop.
“I was not familiar with her work before she approached us, and I was really thrilled to become acquainted with it. Her work is exciting, it is vivacious. She was around for a long time and I am delighted to have her work up on our walls,” Peragallo said.
Gambardella estimates that Pascal had about 10 shows in her life but was in a constant state of creation. She painted 20 pieces between 2018 and 2022, and most of the 46 works included in Retrospective were made in the past 10 years.
“I really truly feel joy when I look at her work. It is interesting — over the years, her work reflected her growth as an artist and where she was in life. When she was going through a divorce, I can see it reflected. I derive more pleasure in the joy, color, and strength of the women my mother depicted,” Gambardella said, adding that organizing the exhibit and arranging the remembrance were cathartic exercises as she grieved and adjusted to her new normal, having been her mother’s primary caregiver.
“Organizing this has absolutely been a labor of love for the last 5 months and beneficial to me in handling her passing, working on something to show who she was, her life’s work,” Gambardella said. “I kind of immersed myself in this project. It was a lot going through her decline and death with her, so this was healing. I am her supreme fan; my house has always been filled with her work.”
‘Dance Siesta’ by Cynthia Pascal
Now others will be able to surround themselves with Pascal’s art, and during the opening reception, envelop themselves in an environment resplendent with Pascal’s greatest joys including a soundtrack of her favorite classical music by Antonio Vivaldi, jazz interludes provided by a pianist hired for the evening, the easel she used for more than 60 years, and her favorite hat in her favorite color — pink.
“I am creating an atmosphere that I know she would love. After she died, people were calling about service details, and we instead decided to have a memorial at the gallery. Everyone in my family was in on it,” Gambardella said. “My mom and I were very close, this was the right thing to do…art and painting were her passions in life.”
The Art League of Long Island, 107 E. Deer Park Rd, Dix Hills presents the retrospective exhibit of Cynthia Pascal in the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery from April 15 to 28 with an opening reception on April 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. A celebratory remembrance introduction will be held from 6 to 6:30 p.m., followed by light refreshments. For more information, visit www.artleagueli.org or call 631-462-5400.
Regarding the April 6 article, “Brookhaven officials speak out against governor’s proposed housing plan” — also an op-ed — on potential development which is, according to Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine [R], “exempt from environmental concerns … don’t have sewers … no height restrictions … and local zoning is ignored.”
Deputy Supervisor Dan Panico [R-Manorville] in his April 6 op-ed provides four examples that lend themselves to this type of development, and rattles off Port Jefferson Station, North Bellport, East Patchogue and Mastic Beach.
Yes, we can read between your lines. And no, Dan. If you want development that is exempt from environmental concerns and without sewers, you are in the wrong township.
Joan Nickeson
Terryville
Roadway changes at 112 and 347 a mistake
The intersection of routes 112 and 347 in Port Jefferson Station is a total disgrace.
The change to the intersection was a total waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned money. It solved nothing. Now all the traffic is backed up at the light to ShopRite, instead.
In order to get to 112 coming from the east, one must make three turns instead of simply turning left. It is the most confusing and frustrating roadway change, and for what?
The whole project really should be looked at from the point of view of public safety. Once you make a turn from the new way, it is unclear where to actually go. Has the New York State Department of Transportation even driven there since it ruined the intersection?
Yes, I am angry. I’ve been here since there was a traffic circle, and that would have been better reinstalled than the horrific mess that is there now.
Jean Jackson
East Setauket
National Minority Health Month
April is National Minority Health Month, and we are urging that people of all skin tones protect themselves against skin cancer. Despite the common misconception that people of color cannot get skin cancer, it does affect people of all skin tones. Harmful ultraviolet rays can penetrate all skin types, regardless of your ethnicity, so even for people with dark skin, sun protection is necessary every day.
According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma rates have risen by 20% among Hispanics in the past two decades. The annual incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is currently 1 in 167 for Hispanics and 1 in 1,000 for African Americans —compared to 1 in 38 for white people.
Although people of color are diagnosed with skin cancer at lower rates than Caucasians, prognoses are typically poorer and survival rates are lower. Black patients with melanoma have an estimated five-year survival rate of 71 percent, versus 93 percent for white patients.
You can reduce your skin cancer risk by practicing sun safe strategies when outdoors. Applying sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, UV protective sunglasses and long-sleeved clothing, and seeking shade whenever possible, can help prevent skin cancer.
The Cancer Prevention in Action program at Stony Brook Cancer Center works to increase awareness about the dangers of UV radiation and promote sun safety to reduce skin cancer rates on Long Island. To learn more about Cancer Prevention in Action, visit the website takeactionagainstcancer.com or contact us at 631-444-4263 or email [email protected].
This program is supported with funds from Health Research Inc. and New York State.
Annalea Trask
Program Coordinator,
Cancer Prevention In Action
Stony Brook Cancer Center
Opportunities squandered
Everyone deserves to live in safe, affordable housing. We are facing a housing crisis on Long Island. State and local governments must use their power to address this problem in a thoughtful and equitable way that benefits all of us.
Unfortunately, the response from too many Long Island elected officials to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s [D] “housing compact” fails to address the issue for the public good. In his perspective piece March 30, Dan Panico [R-Manorville], Town of Brookhaven deputy supervisor and current town supervisor candidate, accuses the governor of threatening “local municipalities” and her push to increase housing availability as a “political charade.”
While I do not agree with all aspects of Hochul’s plan, I recognize that she is speaking to a need that local governments have failed to address. One example of this would be the development of the Heritage Spy Ring Golf Club senior complex in South Setauket, which is a project that Mr. Panico voted for in 2014. This project was approved despite the opposition of the community. It has not generated any affordable housing, with monthly apartment leases priced from $2,900 per month. What we desperately need in our communities is affordable housing for both young professionals and retirees, and this was an opportunity squandered.
Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich [D-Stony Brook] has also weighed in about local control, saying that “town council members are uniquely qualified to know and be accountable to the needs of our districts” in an April 6 TBR News Media op-ed.
However, the Brookhaven Town Board isn’t listening to constituents. This past week, the Town Board unanimously sent a statement in support of New York State legislation to alienate protected parkland to facilitate the siting of a waste transfer station not allowed by local zoning, in an environmental justice area and disadvantaged community. They did this over the objections of nearby communities of color and the state NAACP.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time we’ve seen this kind of action. In 2021, the Town Board unanimously voted to rezone 130 acres of land surrounding the Brookhaven landfill from residential to light industry, again over the objections of residents. That is not how representation should work.
This year, our local government is up for election at all levels. Too many politicians have placed their self-interest and personal ambition over the voices of those they are elected to represent.
We saw this in our town redistricting process last summer, where the Town Board unanimously approved the redistricting maps that residents spoke in opposition to at numerous public hearings.
There is too much at stake, from affordable housing to environmental protection to the democratic process itself, to allow the status quo to continue unchecked. We deserve better, and we must demand it from our elected officials.
Shoshana Hershkowitz
South Setauket
Wind power presents significant problems
According to a March 23 TBR News Media article, Sunrise Wind will soon be providing us with a wind farm which will contribute to New York state deriving 100% of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2040. Presumably this implies that the contribution of energy provided by all hydrocarbon fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, will be eliminated entirely.
While this may sound like a noble and virtuous goal, it does present a number of very significant problems, none of which were addressed in the aforementioned article. The production and distribution of electrical power began in the 1880s, as a direct result of the invention of the incandescent light bulb by Thomas Edison. Since that time, it has been generated by a combination of hydrocarbon fuels, supplemented by hydroelectric sources and, more recently, by nuclear reactors.
All of these power sources share a common characteristic: They reliably provide huge amounts of energy satisfying all of our needs, 100% of the time, day and night, in all kinds of weather, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, year in and year out.
If we choose to arbitrarily eliminate the vast energy contributions of hydrocarbon fuels, and if we also follow the advice of letter writer Arnold Wishnia and his friends and eliminate our nuclear power plants as well, we will thereby create a new problem. If our virtuous green power sources are only active with a very limited duty cycle, certainly much less than 50% of the time, what will provide our energy when the wind is not blowing, and the sun is not shining? Clearly, we will need some form of energy storage system, in which we will produce and store energy when it is available, i.e., when the wind blows and/or the sun shines, and recover this stored energy during the off times.
But what form will this energy storage system take? Can it be a huge collection of lithium-ion batteries? Can we perform electrolysis of sea water to produce hydrogen, which we can store in huge tanks? Can we pump vast amounts of water into huge towers, and then use it to power hydroelectric turbines? What shall we do?
We are told in the article that the windmills to be provided by Sunrise Wind will provide enough power for about 600,000 homes. However, we are not told whether this includes only the power delivered directly to the homes when the wind is blowing, or whether it includes the extra power that must be stored, such as in a battery, to power the homes when the wind is absent.
If Sunrise Wind, or Mr. Wishnia or anyone else, can describe an energy storage system that is compatible with achieving 100% elimination of hydrocarbon fuels and nuclear power generators in New York state by 2040, at an even remotely achievable cost, it would be most interesting and enlightening.
In my humble opinion, I believe that windmills and solar arrays can be useful supplements. We see this, for example, with a homeowner who installs solar panels on a roof, or a farmer who uses a windmill to pump water from a well. But to rely on these sources 100% of the time, for a venue the size of New York state, is, as they say, a horse of a different color.
JoAnne Hewett has been named the new BNL director. Photo from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
For the first time in its over 75-year history, Brookhaven National Laboratory named its first female lab director.
JoAnne Hewett, associate lab director for fundamental physics and chief research officer at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California, will take over the top job at BNL this summer.
Hewett will also join Stony Brook University as a tenured faculty member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics.
Hewett “is not only incredibly qualified and talented, but will also make history as the first woman to serve in this critical role,” Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who is the first woman elected governor of the Empire State, said in a statement. “The lab has developed innovative ways to deliver on New York’s top priorities, from battling disease to acting on climate change, that are making a difference today and for the future of New York.”
Hewett, who was the first woman member at SLAC in 1994, conducts research as a theoretical physicist, exploring the fundamental nature of space, matter and energy. Her work in physics focuses on efforts beyond the Standard Model of particle physics.
Stony Brook University Distinguished Professor and Director of the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics George Sterman described her hire as a “wonderful turn of events.”
In an email, Sterman wrote that her work “as a theoretical physicist has earned wide admiration, and her leadership has helped shape the national program in fundamental particles.”
Sterman suggested Hewett’s research “continues to influence experiments worldwide, and her perspectives will be greatly valued by her new colleagues at Stony Brook.”
With over 2,800 scientists, engineers, technicians and professionals and an annual budget of about $700 million, the researchers at BNL tap into the site’s state-of-the-art technology, including the National Synchrotron Lightsource II. These researchers, and the many scientists from around the country and the world, work in fields including nuclear and high energy physics, clean energy and climate science, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, photon sciences, isotope production, accelerator science and technology and national security.
Hewett is coming to BNL as it prepares to begin construction on the Electron-Ion Collider, or EIC. Estimated to cost between $1.7 billion and $2.8 billion, the EIC will allow researchers to look inside the nucleus at the protons and neutrons. The research will reveal the arrangement of quarks and gluons that make up the protons and neutrons of nuclei.
Discoveries from the EIC could lead to future technologies.
“I am head-over-heels excited to build the EIC in partnership with Jefferson Lab to unlock the mysteries of the force that binds Nature’s building blocks, to strengthen connections to industry and the community with Discovery Park, and to advance the multi-program missions of the lab,” Hewett said in a statement. “And I’m very much looking forward to working with everyone at Brookhaven, Stony Brook and the DOE to usher the lab into its next successful chapter.”
The lab is also building a new welcome center, the Science and User Support Group, which is the first building planned for Discovery Park.
Maurie McInnis, president of SBU and co-chair of the BSA Board of Directors, which is a partnership between SBU and Battelle, welcomed Hewett, who will start this summer, to BNL.
Hewett’s “capable leadership, experience and future-forward vision complements Brookhaven National Laboratory’s continued focus on scientific innovation and discovery,” McInnis said in a statement. “The University is pleased to bring her expertise to the Physics and Astronomy Department and to the C.N. Yang Institute of Theoretical Physics, both of which have had “long-standing and critical connections to many major physics achievements at BNL.”
The next few months
Hewett takes over the top job at the lab from Doon Gibbs, who had been in that position from 2013. Gibbs is retiring on April 17.
“I am grateful to [Gibbs] for his outstanding leadership of Brookhaven and his long legacy of building and strengthening the lab for advancing scientific discovery,” Hewett said in a statement.
Jack Anderson, BNL’s deputy director for operations, will serve as the interim lab director until Hewett joins the lab.
Tom Daniels, the current ALD for Facilities and Operations will serve as interim deputy director.
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