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Times of Huntington-Northport

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Northport Village Hall. File photo

In the Village of Northport, residents will vote for a new mayor on Tuesday, March 15.

In addition to choosing between mayoral candidates Dave Weber Jr. and Donna Koch, voters will select three trustees, two for a four-year term and another for a two-year period. Mary Biunno is also running unopposed for village justice.

Weber and Koch recently answered questions via email about the mayoral race.

Donna Koch

Koch is no stranger to Village Hall. Until October of 2020, she worked as a full-time clerk until she had a parting of ways with the mayor, she said.

The candidate had been with Village Hall for more than 25 years. After starting her career as a crossing guard in the village in 1993, she spent a few years working part time in Village Hall and in 1998 became full-time deputy village clerk. In 2000, she took on the job of village clerk. After taking some time off, she realized she “missed Northport village government and started to attend village board meetings regularly.”

“With a different perspective, I could see what the residents saw,” she said. “A board whose sole purpose was to hurry through the meeting, with department heads having nothing to report, a treasurer who had nothing to report. And, with a total disrespect for the residents who do attend the meetings. It was then I knew I wanted to run for mayor and bring this village board back to a position of respect, transparency, with open, honest, informative meetings. This is an unprecedented time for the village. With four new spots up for election, experience will be key. I have that experience.”

She said taxes are a constant issue in
the village.

“We need to get our spending in check,” Koch said. “I will work with a board who takes a hard look at spending and finds ways to cut back. Do more with less. I will strive to achieve a zero tax increase.”

She also is concerned about keeping the “harbor clean, by mitigating stormwater runoff.”

She said the village needs “to dust off” several studies that were done “to see how we can implement them today.”

“I love the idea of rain gardens and more aesthetically pleasing remedies,” Koch said. “We as a board will look into every option that’s available.”

She said she would also aim to keep cannabis out of the village, control speeding on the roads, and put in new sidewalks, trees and curbs in the downtown area. She also has street congestion, parking and living in the post-COVID world on her mind.

Dave Weber Jr.

Dave Weber Jr.

Current trustee Weber said his experiences as a volunteer with the fire department and a downtown business owner, both for 26 years, have given him a unique perspective of the village regarding what it needs for long-term growth and sustainability.

“Joining the board of trustees in 2020, I have given our residents that voice that has been missing over the past administrations,” he said.

Among his accomplishments while trustee, he listed, “Transparency, calling out and getting professional guidance and new eyes into our finances when wrongdoing was discovered; fiscal responsibility, building relationships with federal and state as well as local elected officials to obtain grant monies to improve recreational facilities for our youth; environmental initiatives, continuing stormwater mitigation along Main Street with state funding for continued improvement of our water quality; aquaculture programs to clean and strengthen the condition of our harbor for future generations.”

Weber said the village’s lingering issues would be compounded by new hurdles as it transitions into a post-pandemic era. He listed commerce and stormwater mitigation as priorities once the new board takes office. He also said that building relationships between public/private partnerships and community organizations, in turn, can create a stronger village.

Weber said one example of partnerships has been how as trustee he has already built a relationship with the local community organization Not in Our Town and the Town of Huntington Anti Bias Task Force to address hate and antisemitism after incidents in the village.

He also said he would work to connect local businesses with the community and has a plan for stormwater mitigation.

“Building relationships with business owners and bridging residents and customers to those businesses to help fill storefronts and keep our downtown thriving is an initiative that I have already begun and will continue to do,” he said. “Stormwater mitigation or the ‘flooding on Main Street’ has and probably will always be an issue due to our Main Street being in a valley. Using federal money for dry wells and filtration as well as installing rain gardens along these key areas will help to alleviate the increase of nitrogen in our harbor. Partnering with key environmental organizations within the village to educate and get our community involved in this extremely important issue is currently happening, and will continue
if elected.”

Two-year trustee

Meghan Dolan Saporita

Meghan Dolan Saporita

Trustee candidate Meghan Dolan Saporita, a litigator in both the public and private sectors, said in an email that running for village trustee wasn’t something she ever thought she would do. Throughout her career, she has been a trial attorney and an assistant district attorney for Nassau County. She is the mother of school-aged children and is a current member of the Ocean Avenue PTA and a youth soccer coach in the village. Dolan Saporita is also one of the co-founders of Not In Our Town Northport which works with the community, school administration and police department to stand up against hate and bigotry. NIOT also heads up donation drives for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays as well as school supplies.

“My decision to enter the race was really organic, growing out of my work the past few years in this village, the relationships I have formed here, and the real opportunity for new and needed leadership in this particular election,” Dolan said. “In attending and speaking at the village meetings, it became clear to me that new voices — voices of women, parents and young people — are essential to continuing to make Northport Village the best it can be. I decided to enter the race because I am dedicated to Northport and because I am qualified, experienced, and professional, all qualities that Northport Village deserves in its leaders.

Dolan said she feels the biggest problem facing Northport Village is environmental.

“We have suffered from flooding in the downtown, which produces significant pollutants which then run into our Harbor,” she said. “We need to make tackling these environmental concerns a priority: addressing the infrastructure (with Federal money) to prevent flooding every time it rains, by committing to native plantings, by following through on commitments to a native tree planting program, in partnership with our incredible local nonprofit Northport Native Garden Initiative, by continuing work on our aquaculture programs, and by starting new initiatives in the village geared towards sustainability.”

Jim Izzo

James Izzo

James Izzo, who owns Cow Harbor Realty, said this is the first time he is running for village trustee. He said when he was president of the Northport Chamber of Commerce, he was slightly frustrated with what he felt was a lack of response from the village during the COVID-19 response by the existing administration.

“We just got to a point where our members needed a lifeline,” he said. “The village did not respond, and as the chamber, we offered multiple things that were safe in nature that could have easily been done and benefited our members and our small businesses. Initially they said, “no,” and then after a while, they just stopped responding completely. So, that level of frustration was my initial looking at what’s wrong and then evolved.”

He said when he moved from Asharoken to the village a year and a half ago, he started “seeing shortcomings that went well beyond how they treated the chamber and its members, but how they treated the residents. So, it really evolved from a level of frustration to a level of, “Oh my goodness, I have to do something.”

Izzo said there may be a myriad of issues in the village but have been identified and are easy to resolve. He said he feels the residents should be more involved in decision-making too, and he doesn’t feel there needs to be so many meetings behind closed doors. He said the village needs accessibility, caring and transparency.

“I’ve been self-employed all my life; and I’ve run my own companies; and I’ve been involved with business improvement districts; I’ve been on a number of boards, where you have a mission statement,” he said. “It seems to me, although in an elected capacity, [village] boards don’t have a mission statement per se, but they still have a mission.”

He added, “a good manager doesn’t solve the problems, a good manager anticipates future problems.”

“It’s more like you anticipate what could come up and you try to anticipate it and resolving before it escalates. So, I think now, what we’re seeing is maybe the tip of the iceberg, and maybe there’s other underlying problems that haven’t surfaced yet, and that’s my real concern.”

Joseph Sabia

Joseph Sabia

Joseph Sabia, the owner of Sabia Car Care, has unsuccessfully run for trustee three times and mayor once in the past.

He said as not only is he a business owner, but as someone who has been a member of the Northport Police Department and on the Northport-East Northport school board from 2011 to 2014, he has seen a lot in the village. He also has been attending the village board meetings for 10 years.

“I’ve been living in the village of over 45 years,” he said. “I have a business here, and I live here, and I raised my family here, and after going to meetings, I realized how this place is run,” he said. “It’s very poor.”

Sabia said as someone who is financially conservative, he feels the village having a more than $8 million fund balance while having a nearly $17 million budget is “ridiculous.”

“Our village, they over budget, underspend and they bank a lot of money,” he said.

He said a $4 million reserve would be enough for a village the size of Northport, and he also feels that the village needs to stop raising taxes needlessly, especially with rising inflation.

“You look at every and each individual department, you see how much money has been spent the year before. The real numbers. And that’s when you go back to which is called the zero-based budget. So, if they spent 4 million less you go back to the 4 million less and then raised taxes on the 4 million less than what Curtis’s and if you have the reserve that you have, which is eight and a half million, you don’t raise taxes at all.”

Sabia said he would do his best not to raise taxes, but he understands there are situations where it may be necessary.

He said other issues on his mind are the deteriorating conditions of roads, sidewalks and curbs in the village. Sabia added he has seen overgrown trees where the roots are breaking up the sidewalks. He also said the village has to look at the stormwater runoff issue on Main Street, and he believes rain gardens and catch basins can help.

One-year trustee

Michael Bento

Michael Bento

A financial professional and as someone just starting a family, Michael Bento said he can bring a unique perspective to the village board.

He said one of the key issues is the fiscal challenges that will be brought on by the school tax hike due to the LIPA settlement, and he plans to keep village taxes low to offset the effects. He said his goal is to fight for federal infrastructure funds that New York State will allocate and search for intergovernmental grants.

“To me the biggest problem facing our village is the impact of the LIPA settlement,” he said. “The school tax hike after the glidepath has been exhausted will make Northport unaffordable for many families if we are not agile and proactive with offsetting the pain on other tax lines, such as village taxes or instance,” he said. “I am looking to leverage my experience as a financial professional to find as many offsets as I can to help keep village taxes low without sacrificing the quality of our services.”

Bento also listed other issues in the village such as repairing roads, sidewalks and storm drains. The flooding on Main Street is also on his mind.

“The health of the harbor is also of great concern,” he said. “Infrastructure grants would also go a long way toward mitigating runoff, but also partnerships with NGOs [non-governmental organizations] and non-profits dealing with marine and environmental issues are also essential to keeping our waters clean for the next generation.”

While Bento has been a full-time resident since he his wife, Victoria, settled in the village in 2017, he said he would visit his grandparents in the summer when they had a house in Northport.

“We chose Northport because drawing from my own childhood experiences we could not envision raising our future kids anywhere else,” he said.

Ernest Pucillo is also running for trustee but could not be reached.

March 15

Residents will be able to vote for the Village of Northport mayor and trustees on March 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Northport Village Hall, 224 Main St.

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The Selden campus of Suffolk County Community College. File photo

Suffolk County Community College was recently named a Hispanic-Serving Institution, also known as HSI, the first school in the county to receive this designation.

Christina Vargas, Suffolk County Community College’s chief
diversity officer, discusses the school’s designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Photo from Suffolk County Community College

The U.S. Department of Education defines HSIs as institutions of higher learning that accommodate a student enrollment of at least 25% Hispanic full-time equivalent students. This distinction is a reflection of the evolving cultural makeup of the area.

“We’re fortunate that we now have a proportional number of students that are here and that we serve,” said Christina Vargas, chief diversity officer and Title IX coordinator of SCCC, in a phone interview. “It makes me very proud and it makes the college really proud that we serve the needs of the community.” 

The most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the Hispanic population accounts for approximately 20% of all Suffolk County residents. That figure is up 2% since 2013.

“When you think about what the census has told us about the changing demographics of Long Island, we’ve kind of known this is coming,” Vargas said. “This is where we are. We have a diverse, rich set of cultures represented at our college.”

Vargas believes that higher education is the proper venue for Hispanic communities to strengthen their understanding of their own cultural background. She says that SCCC maintains close touch with these communities through its partnerships throughout the county.

“Our president recently met with leaders of the Brentwood community, including the school districts of Brentwood and Central Islip and the Brentwood library,” she said. “This will give us more energy and direction to make sure those partnerships continue to be strong and that we understand what our high schools need, what our community members need and that we are in tune with the issues of the community.”

Two-year colleges such as SCCC accommodate some of the largest student populations and offer a stepping-stone for academic and professional advancement. Additionally, the HSI designation reflects a modern approach to higher education, one which highlights foreign language skills and cultural awareness as critical for meeting the demands of the 21st-century job market.

“When it comes to the job market, for example, I can’t imagine that bilingual skills won’t be on the top of people’s lists,” Vargas said. “We want to be inclusive and respectful and helpful to all individuals that we serve.”

Vargas said this HSI designation marks the next chapter for SCCC in its mission to support those populations. According to her, students no longer have to
leave Suffolk County to receive a quality two-year education.

“To be able to say that right in your backyard, at the college that you choose to go to, we can be there for you to meet your educational goals and dreams, I think it means a lot to us,” she said. “That’s what we’re here for. We’re here to transform lives and provide real educational goals for anybody that comes to our doorstep. We’re here to help them grow in every way possible.”

SCCC also has been named one of the nation’s Top 10 2-Year Schools by Region 2019-2020 by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine. In addition, it is the top SUNY institution for Hispanic students in the rankings released by the magazine.

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Donations collected on March 3 at the offices of county Legislator Stephanie Bontempi and Dr. David Buchin. Photo by Raymond Janis

The response of Long Islanders to help Ukrainians has been encouraging.

On March 3, Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport) and Dr. David Buchin headed up the Long Island Ukrainian Emergency Response Drive at their offices, located at 224 Wall St. in Huntington. Local elected officials and community members joined them to gather items such as blankets, medical supplies, sleeping bags and other essentials to send to the embattled country.

On Monday, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. (D) announced the addition of nearly 450 pieces of bulletproof body armor from his office to the items already collected in Huntington. The College Hunks moving company assisted in delivering the items to the New York City processing center and from there the items will be shipped to Ukraine.

Donation drives similar to those of Bontempi and Buchin along with rallies to support Ukrainians have taken place all over the TBR News Media coverage areas. The message sent across the globe is that we stand with the country in their fight against Russia.

TBR News Media readers have also reached out with letters to the editor condemning Russia’s actions, and another reader shared the struggles his Ukrainian family faced in the past. He hoped that history would not repeat itself, but he was ready to help any relative who needed his assistance.

The last few years have been divisive ones for the United States. Between the political divide and our battle against COVID-19, it seemed as if we couldn’t look past our own borders. Now we see Americans uniting once again for a cause.

It’s a shame it took such a tragedy to bring us all together. It may have taken a war, but Americans seem once again united behind a common theme: the cause of freedom, democracy and the right of a free people to self-determination.

As U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) said on March 3 in front of the offices of Bontempi and Buchin, “We have to follow the old idea that partisanship stops at the water’s edge. We have to all hold together like we are today.”

As we watch Long Islanders work together to help people struggling on the other side of the globe, let’s remember what it’s like to be united as Americans, not only past the water’s edge but on our own island.

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The following incidents have been reported by the Suffolk County Police.

Commack

■ BJ’s Wholesale Club on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack called the police on March 3 to report that a woman allegedly stole strip steaks worth $380 and frozen crab legs worth $220.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on March 2. A man allegedly stole a Boombox speaker worth $200.

■ A resident on Peppermill Court in Commack called the police on March 1 to report that someone entered his unlocked car and stole credit cards and a driver’s license.

■ Home Depot on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on March 4. A man allegedly stole multiple firestick remotes for a total value of $440.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack called the police on March 2 to report that a man allegedly stole a car seat worth $180 from the store.

■ A resident on Chardonnay Road in Commack reported that a man allegedly entered this unlocked vehicle on March 1 and removed a pair of Persol prescription sunglasses valued at $900.

A  man who allegedly threw a rock through a window at the Commack Smoke Shop in Commack on March 1 at approximately 1:20 a.m. and stole cash. He fled the scene on foot before getting in a white SUV.

Dix Hills

■ A resident on Princeton Drive in Dix Hills reported that a man allegedly entered his unlocked vehicle on March 2 and stole clothing and sunglasses.

Huntington Station

■ Target on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on March 3. A man allegedly stole a Polaroid camera worth $150.

■ Sno-Haus on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on March 2. A man allegedly stole men’s ski jackets valued at $2590.

■ A resident on Beverly Road in Huntington Station called the police on March 3 to report that someone had entered their unlocked vehicle and stole a wallet containing cash and credit cards from the center console.

Nesconset

■ A resident on Neslo Drive in Nesconset called the police on March 3 to report that someone had stolen a wooden carousel horse valued at $250 from a barn on his property the night before.

Port Jefferson

■ C & C Collision on Texaco Avenue in Port Jefferson called the police on March 1 to report that someone stole a customer’s 2020 Nissan Pathfinder from their parking lot after the keys were inadvertently left on the dashboard. The vehicle was valued at $25,000.

Port Jefferson Station

■ A  person left their 2011 Toyota RAV4 running and unlocked while shopping at the 7-11 on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station on Feb. 28. When he came out of the store, the vehicle was gone.

St. James

■ Exxon on Middle Country Road in St. James reported a petit larceny on March 4. A customer allegedly stole $138 worth of printed lottery tickets.

Selden

■ Bob’s Store on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on March 2. A man allegedly took 4 pairs of Timberland Pro boots out of the store without paying for them. The total value of the merchandise was approximately $600.

■ Items were stolen from two cars parked at Panera Bread on Middle Country Road in Selden on March 3. The rear passenger windows were broken. A Dell laptop, backpack, various tools and notebook agenda were taken.

■ Aldis on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on March 3. A woman allegedly stole assorted items valued at approximately $300.

■ Famous Footwear on Middle Country Road in Selden called the police on Feb. 28 to report a shoplifter. A woman allegedly stole two pairs of Nike Court High Top sneakers valued at approximately $180.

■ Target on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a petit larceny on Feb. 28. A woman allegedly stole assorted bedding items, cosmetics and clothing valued at approximately $200.

Smithtown

■ A resident on Landing Meadow Road in Smithtown reported on March 2 that a man drove up to their house and stole their empty recycling bin. The item is valued at $30.

■ Costellos’s Ace Hardware on East Main Street in Smithtown called the police on March 2 to report that a man allegedly stole a DeWalt Combo Drill valued at $450.

■ A man walking home from work on Main Street in Smithtown was robbed by two men who pulled up in a vehicle on Feb. 27. The man handed over a silver chain, cell phone and his wallet.

South Setauket 

■ Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket reported a shoplifter on March 2. A man allegedly stole assorted merchandise worth approximately $400.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

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Steve Brill and his daughter Violet. Photo from Vanderbilt Museum

Vanderbilt wild food tour

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport presents a special program, Foraging with the Wildman on Sunday, March 13 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Environmental educator and author Steve “Wildman” Brill, who gives wild food and ecology tours, and his daughter, Violet Brill, will offer the program on the estate grounds.

“The Vanderbilt Museum grounds — with cultivated areas, fields, thickets, and woods — is a bonanza for wild foods in late winter,” Brill said, “and everything the group will be finding is renewable.”

Brill said wild greens will be thriving in sunny areas and along trail edges. These include chickweed (which tastes like corn on the cob), lemony sheep sorrel, garlicky garlic mustard, spicy hairy bittercress, pungent field garlic, and wild carrots. Other habitats will provide many more delicious species, he said.

“Participants should bring plastic bags for veggies and herbs, and a paper bag in case we find early-season mushrooms, which spoil in plastic,” he said. “Digging implements such as small hand shovels are recommended, as roots will be in season.” 

Everyone should also wear closed shoes, long pants, and long sleeves for protection from poison ivy and ticks, plus an extra layer of clothing in case it gets cold. Smoking and vaping are not allowed. Please note that this is the first day of Daylight Savings Time.

A 60-minute indoor presentation in the Vanderbilt Reichert Planetarium will precede a two-hour foraging tour, followed by a book signing. Brill’s books include Foraging in New York; Foraging with Kids; and The Wild Vegan Cookbook: A Guide to Preparing Wild (and Not-So-Wild) Foods.

Fee is $10 for adults and children 12 and older, free for children under 12. To register, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org. For more information, call 631-854-5579.

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Michael Dowling is the 2022 grand marshal for the Huntington St. Patrick's Day Parade. Photo from Northwell Health

Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health, recently spoke with The Times of Huntington & Northport about being named grand marshal of the 2022 Huntington St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will take place Sunday, March 13.

Michael Dowling is the 2022 grand marshal for the Huntington St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Photo from Northwell Health

Q: Before we get into the details of this year’s parade, could you discuss your own background? How did you get to where you are today?

I was born in Ireland, and I left when I was young. Then I went to England to work in the steel factories. My dream was always to go to college, but we didn’t have the means to pay for it, so I had to figure out how to get the resources. When I came to the United States, I was 18 years old. 

I came by myself, and I worked on the West Side of Manhattan on the docks for a number of years. The first three years I would spend half the year working in New York and in the second half of the year, I would go back to Ireland and go to college — I was fortunate enough to get into college in Ireland. Of course, I had no money, so that’s the reason I had to continue working. 

After I graduated from college in Ireland, I came back to New York and continued working on the boats for a period longer. Then I worked in construction and in plumbing and other manual labor jobs that I did not mind doing at all. Then I went to Fordham University to get my masters. 

I went, obviously, part-time because I was working all the time. I graduated from Fordham University and after I graduated, I was fortunate enough for them to ask me to come back and teach a course. I taught a number of courses at Fordham. Eventually they asked me to come on full-time as a faculty member at Fordham University, at the Graduate School of Social Service at Lincoln Center. I eventually became the assistant dean of the graduate school, having an administrative role and a faculty role.

I was at Fordham when Gov. Mario Cuomo got elected. His administration reached out to me to ask if I was interested in taking a job in government. I had not been involved in politics, I did not know the governor, but I am a risk-taker and I like new challenges, so I said yes.

I ended up taking on a job in Albany and relatively quickly moved up the ranks. I eventually became the Director of Health, [Education] and Human Services of the State of New York. I was also the deputy secretary to the governor and his chief adviser on health and human services. I did that for 12 years.

 I left Albany and then I was fortunate again. North Shore University Hospital reached out to me and asked if I was willing to join. North Shore, back at that point, was at the beginning stages of building a health care system. Subsequent to my arriving, we expanded through mergers with other hospitals. A couple of years later we merged with LIJ. Five years after I arrived at North Shore I became president and CEO. I’ve been president and CEO for 20 years.

I’ve done manual labor; I’ve been in academia; I’ve been in government; I’ve been in the insurance industry; and I’ve been on the provider side. That’s a very quick snapshot of my career.

Q: When did you first get involved with the Ancient Order of Hibernians? When were you selected as grand marshal of this year’s parade in Huntington?

I’ve been involved off and on over the years with the Hibernians in New York City. Three years ago, the Huntington Hibernians reached out to me asking if I wanted to participate in the St. Patty’s Day Parade. I agreed.

Then, of course, COVID hit and that changed everything, and it delayed everything. Fortunately, now with elements of COVID decreasing big time, hopefully we’ll have a good day this Sunday.

The Hibernians do great work — long history, great legacy, great humanitarian organization and good people. They do terrific work around the Huntington area, so I’m very, very proud to be a part of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and to be working with the Hibernians.

Q: Given that you were on the front lines of the COVID pandemic, what does this year’s event mean for you?

Well, we’re evolving into some normality now. You go through an issue like COVID and it’s a learning experience. Every so often, during various periods of time, you go through a difficulty like this. When you’re going through them, you just deal with it. Now it looks like it’s receding big time, but we’ve got to be vigilant. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean that there won’t be an uptick or some other kind of variant, but this is an opportunity for people to get back to normal. We can get together in-person and socialize and communicate together in-person, which is very important. 

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade next week in Huntington is their first parade since COVID began. The outbreak of COVID in the Long Island area happened right after the most recent parade held by the Hibernians in Huntington. We have had no in-person parades since 2020 and now, two years later, it’s a wonderful reawakening. 

Maybe it is a celebratory thing that we are on the exit ramps of COVID, and we can get together. It’s a positive sign. It shows that there is some optimism and positivity. I’m hoping that the weather is nice, but even if it isn’t we are still going to have a great time. It’s the beginning of a new chapter. 

Q:  Is there anything else that you would like to say to the local readers?

I would say that Huntington is a wonderful place. We should sit back and remind ourselves about how fortunate we all are. We live in the United States, we live in a beautiful place: Huntington and its surrounding areas. We are able to assemble freely and be together for some time. 

This is an opportunity to celebrate the United States, to celebrate how fortunate we all are, to celebrate the liberties and the freedoms that we hold, especially given what we see happening around the world right now. 

It’s a celebration of immigration, a celebration of immigrants, a celebration of our diversity and, of course, it’s a celebration of our Irish heritage, our history and the contributions that the Irish and so many others have made in the building of the United States. 

It’s an opportunity to be thankful. This is a celebratory, joyous occasion and I look forward to it.

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Famotidine molecule Image courtesy of Wikipedia

By Daniel Dunaief

An over-the-counter stomach-soothing medication may also relieve some of the symptoms of mild to moderate COVID-19.

Tobias Janowitz Photo courtesy of CSHL

In a study recently published in the journal Gut, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor Tobias Janowitz and a team of collaborators at CSHL and The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health demonstrated that Famotidine, the active ingredient in Pepcid, shortened the duration of symptoms for a diverse patient group of adults soon after developing COVID-19 symptoms.

In a placebo-controlled study, people taking 80 milligrams of Famotidine three times a day reported that symptoms such as headaches declined after 8.2 days, compared with 11.4 days for patients who were taking the placebo.

“We think that the results are preliminary, but encouraging,” Janowitz explained in an email. 

The research, which included 55 volunteers, may offer health care providers another tool to help treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. In the clinical study, the use of Famotidine helped reduce a potentially overactive inflammatory response without suppressing the immune system’s efforts to ward off the virus.

Participants in the study received Famotidine or placebo pills along with a host of instruments they could use at home to gather clinical data about themselves, including a cellular activated Apple iPad, a scale, thermometer, fitness tracker, spirometer to measure air flow in and out of the lungs and a pulse oximeter, which measured oxygen levels by taking a reading over a person’s fingernails.

The protocol for the study allowed volunteers to stay home, where they gathered results from the instruments and reported on their health and any symptoms they felt. Technicians came to the home of each volunteer on the first, seventh, 15th, and 28th days after entering the clinical trial.

Researchers and doctors involved in the analysis of the effectiveness of COVID believe this remote approach to participating in clinical trials could prove a safe and effective way to conduct research for other diseases.

“In today’s virtual world, our clinical trial strategy has significant implications for how to study new drugs in patients at home,” Dr. Kevin Tracey, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes, explained in a Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory news brief.

Janowitz added that other studies could also use testing protocols at home, including for other diseases. “We are looking forward to employing it to help develop better treatments for people with cancer,” which is the disease at the center of his research, he explained.

The CSHL Assistant Professor focuses on the whole body response to cancer, although many of the biological considerations are transferable to other diseases.

Pivot to COVID

According to Janowitz, “It was relatively easy for us to pivot to COVID research when it was a global area of unmet need.” 

The researchers chose Famotidine because of encouraging studies and from a case series, Janowitz explained. They also found a potential mechanism of action where Famotidine blocked the H2 receptor, which encouraged them to move to a phase 2 randomized clinical trial.

The researchers were pleased that the participants in this small trial included people from a range of ages and ethnic groups. Nearly two thirds of patients, who were 18 years and older, were from black, mixed-race or Hispanic communities.

“Patients with different ancestry may have different responses to this disease,” Janowitz explained. “It helps to learn about the generalizability of the results.”

In a CSHL news brief, Nicole Jordan-Martin, executive director for New York City Health + Hospitals, added that “accessible, safe and low-cost outpatient treatment options are a priority in our global efforts to combat COVID-19.” Northwell and New York City Health + Hospitals provided care for the communities most in need of support for New York City, she added.

The collaborators were also encouraged by their teamwork.

“Our institutions worked extremely well together to face challenges the pandemic posed, like offering digital solutions and reaching populations who struggled for access to care,” Dr. Christina Brennan, vice president of clinical research at the Feinstein Institute and co-investigator of the trial, said in the news brief. 

“From screening patients to organizing home delivery of the equipment and medication, this sets a new model for future trials and convenience for participants.”

Janowitz described the safety profile of Famotidine as “excellent” and said it “appears to have few interactions with other drugs and very few side effects in general.”

To be sure, Janowitz cautioned doctors and patients not to stock up on Famotidine before researchers conduct additional studies.

“Our trial is not conclusive and an early phase clinical trial (phase 1 or 2) is not sufficient to inform clinical practice,” he wrote.

Additionally without further study, researchers don’t know the best potential dose and dosing interval for this possible treatment. At this point, they know how long the drug stays in the blood and the strength of its binding to its receptor.

A dose of 20 milligrams per day or less may be too little to achieve an effect, but “we do not know this for certain,” Janowitz explained.

While researchers agreed that further studies were necessary to answer key questions, they believed that the results from this research could provide fodder for studies outside of the COVID world.

“It is possible that sustained inflammation contributes to illness in other contexts and changing this inflammation would be beneficial,” Janowitz wrote. “This will have to be explored separately. Importantly, the methods used in this trial are also transferrable, so we have learned a lot of important information” from this research.

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By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

When my daughter was young, one of her favorite songs was “Old MacDonald.” Maybe she loved it because it was a song about farm animals and we lived in Manhattan, where most of our non-human wildlife consisted of squirrels and pigeons.

When she was an infant, she could make an incredibly convincing pigeon coo, thanks to hearing them all day long outside her window.

Maybe she also liked the song because, unlike Bette Middler’s “The Rose” and “One” from “A Chorus Line,” my wife and I couldn’t butcher the relatively simple melody with our unimpressive singing skills.

Anyway, she liked to say “duck” when we got to the animal on the farm. She liked ducks, or maybe the “quack quack” sound so much that she’d protest when we told her the farm already had a duck. She would say, “another duck,” to keep us quacking. The song and the quacks made car rides more palatable.

The song popped into my head recently when a friend told me that his second daughter was pregnant with their fourth grandchild. My friend has three daughters. His fourth grandchild is a girl, which means he’ll also have four granddaughters.

He was extremely pleased to share the news by email about “another granddaughter,” and he has every right to be. He is preparing for the seventh consecutive girl in his immediate family.

Then again, I couldn’t help thinking how he or the rest of the world would have felt if he had a grandson. Would that be a greater cause for celebration because they had a boy in their midst? I suspect he doesn’t, and didn’t, care.

For so many people, the gender doesn’t matter as long as the baby and mother (and somewhere in there, hopefully, the father) are healthy.

When my daughter was born, the big surprise was that I, unlike my parents or my older brother, could have a girl. As I told my wife, as the second of three boys and an uncle to two nephews, I expected to continue the male tradition.

My daughter started out proving me wrong and, thankfully, continues to do so regularly.

Once I’d broken the ‘all boys’ pattern, I was convinced my son was a girl, so, he, too, defied our expectations.

So, what is it with gender reveal parties? Is it another way to celebrate a coming birth? Is it a way to unveil one of the few mysteries left before birth?

In an era that increasingly understands and supports the transgender population, gender reveal parties seem anachronistic, celebrating a birth gender that may conflict with a person’s developing identity.

Like so many other events, such as a first birthday party that a child will never remember, a gender reveal party may be a way to celebrate the parents, giving them a chance to anticipate the coming birth and to imagine life as the parent of a boy or girl.

Gender reveal parties have received bad press because of the injuries from pyrotechnics and other exploding blue or pink streamers or images. But maybe beyond the danger from these explosions, the gender reveal also pigeon holes children into specific color patterns.

Don’t we want our children to think for themselves, even about their favorite colors, instead of limiting them to blue for boys or pink for girls?

Maybe, instead of colors or gender, we can celebrate the sounds of their heartbeat, the Alien-like moments when we can see their feet in their mom’s abdomen, or the foods their mothers crave during pregnancy.

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

The idea was that if European nations were interdependent for their economic welfare, then they would not make war on each other, but would rather work together for their greater good. And for more than 70 years, the concept held. Where wars were the way for nations, and before there were nations, for regions to enrich themselves by raiding their neighbors, stealing their treasures and claiming their land, now that was eschewed. Finally, there was to be peace.

England and France, France and Germany, Spain and England among others, all put their guns and their history away and did business with each other. This was the vision articulated by the United Nations after World War II ended, and it came to pass. The economists and philosophers were right. No one would make war on neighbors who were making them money. And for the most part, nations realized unprecedented wealth and the security that peace brings.  Economics was to be the field of battle, not the military. And with unrestricted trade, globalization took hold. War was a distant memory.

Until now. Incredible as it seemed to the rest of the world, Russia invaded the Ukraine less than two weeks ago with the aim of annexing that country. Such action, as Russian military surrounded Ukraine on three sides, would be an ill-conceived throwback to a more appalling and unwise time. Or so we thought.

As the Ukrainians defiantly rise to meet the invaders with military weapons, the rest of Europe and countries elsewhere in the world are responding with their weapon of choice: economics. It is a testament to the thinking and planning of those leaders seven decades ago. And so, with remarkable unity, the European Union is striving to blow up Russia’s economy rather than blowing up Russia’s cities. The pain for the Russian leaders and the Russian people is to be felt in their pocketbooks and not in their cemeteries. At least, that is the intent.

But of course, as in every war, it’s the civilians who most suffer and pay the price for their leaders’ actions. If they aren’t shot to death, they may be starved to death, as their money becomes worthless and their businesses are ruined. Still, the Russians will do better without Coca-Cola than the Ukrainians without water.

And that is another remarkable consequence of attempts to isolate Russia. Not only are governments withdrawing trade and financial dealings in this siege, but also international corporations are cutting ties with the invading country, even if the companies bear the price. McDonald’s, which employs some 62,000 workers in Russia, Starbucks and Apple have closed their stores, among numerous others. Americans have indicated overwhelmingly in a recent Quinnipiac University national poll (71%), that they will tolerate the increased price of gasoline if Russian imports of oil and gas are ended. The Biden administration has heard them and is closing off those imports. Of course, the prices at the pump were going up anyway due to considerable current inflation. Why not put the blame on the Russians!

So do shared economic interests prevent wars?

There should have been a corollary put into that concept: assuming all the governments are made up of reasonable persons. Much now is being made of President Vladimir Putin’s mental state because most of the rest of the world cannot understand why he is embracing this “special military operation.”

He did not even tell his lower rank soldiers that they were about to engage in a war. Who knows how the Russian leader thinks? Is he unreasonable or is this merely the opening salvo he, and perhaps his “friend,” Premier Xi Jinping of China, are plotting for a long game?

Of one thing the world can be certain. When autocrats are planning something that surely would be roundly condemned, one of the actions they take is to close down the media and crack down on free speech. Signing a new censorship law, Putin has now criminalized independent journalism for reporting “fake news.” 

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Centereach

■ A resident on Park Ave. in Centereach reported that someone took a Wayfair package from their porch on Feb. 24. The package contained a Gwen 46” console table valued at approximately $200.

■ Walgreens on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a shoplifter on Feb. 24. A woman allegedly stole assorted skin care products and detergent worth approximately $300 and also walked off with a shopping cart valued at $125.

■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a shoplifter on Feb. 22. A person allegedly stole a 70” Samsung TV worth approximately $640.

Commack

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill in Commack reported a shoplifter on Feb. 21. A man allegedly stole a 55” flat screen TV and three jackets. The merchandise was valued at approximately $460.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack called the police on Feb. 20 to report that a man allegedly stole two iPhone 12 Pro Max valued at $2098.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported two shoplifters on Feb. 20. A man and woman allegedly took two suitcases from the floor, filled them with merchandise and walked out of the store without paying. The woman blew a kiss to security as she was leaving. The merchandise was valued at approximately $1000.

■ Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported a shoplifter on Feb. 18. A man allegedly stole 15 pairs of assorted women’s jeans. The merchandise was valued at approximately $350.

■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported a grand larceny on Feb. 21. Two men allegedly stole 37 Google products, 6 Honeywell thermostats and three DeWalt radios.

■ Ulta Beauty on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported a grand larceny on Feb. 23. Two men allegedly stole assorted perfumes valued at $2500.

■ CVS on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported a petit larceny on Feb. 24. Two men and a woman allegedly filled shopping carts with assorted Dove body wash and 3 packs of Heineken beers and left the store without paying. The merchandise was valued at $288.

■ Costco Wholesale on Garet Place in Commack called the police on Feb. 24 to report that a man allegedly took two Seagate 2TB hard drives from a display case, hid it on his person and left without paying. The items were valued at  $160.

East Setauket

■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket reported a shoplifter on Feb. 21. A man allegedly stole an Acer gaming monitor valued at $569.

Elwood

■ A resident on Juanita Avenue in Elwood called the police on Feb. 20 to report that a catalytic converter had been stolen from his 2004 Toyota Prius. The item was valued at $250.

Farmingville

Burlington Store on North Ocean Avenue in Farmingville reported a petit larceny on Feb. 25. A women allegedly stole clothing worth approximately $150.

Hauppauge

■ Shoprite on Nesconset Highway in Hauppauge reported a petit larceny on Feb. 20. A woman allegedly stole assorted merchandise valued at approximately $480.

Huntington

■ A resident on Dunlop Road in Huntington reported that his 2015 Toyota Prius had been stolen from the driveway on Feb. 19. The key had been left in the center console with the door unlocked.

Huntington Station

■ A resident on E. 13th Street reported that a catalytic converter had been stolen from her 2004 Honda Suburban on Feb. 12. The item was valued at $200.

■ Macy’s on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported that a man allegedly stole 13 items of men’s clothing on Feb. 24. The merchandise was valued at $2077.

Kings Park

■ A resident on Twin Oaks Drive in Kings Park reported that a Fedex package was taken from their front porch by a man on Feb. 24. The incident was captured on their Ring camera.  The package contained women’s clothing valued at approximately $500.

Lake Grove

■ A woman reported having her wallet with cash and credit cards stolen from her shopping cart at Whole Foods on New Moriches Road in Lake Grove on Feb. 23. Someone attempted to use the credit cards at Target and Best Buy in South Setauket later in the day but the cards were declined.

Mount Sinai

■ A resident on Coventry Court in Mount Sinai reported that someone entered their unlocked vehicle on Feb. 21 and stole a champion backpack worth $100 and cash.

■ A resident on North Country Road in Mount Sinai reported that someone entered their unlocked vehicle on Feb. 21 and stole an Uncle Giuseppe’s gift card valued at $100.

Port Jefferson Station

■ A woman shopping at HomeGoods on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station on Feb. 24 called the police to report that her iPhone and phone case valued at $525 had been stolen. The case contained credit cards which were later used at a Sunoco gas station and a Family Dollar in Port Jefferson Station in the amount of $340.

■ Shoprite on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station reported a shoplifter on Feb. 17. A man allegedly stole a floral arrangement worth approximately $100.

Rocky Point

■ A resident on Judith Court in Rocky Point reported that someone stole cash from their unlocked vehicle on Feb. 22.

St. James

■ Soul Brew on North Country Road in St. James reported a burglary on Feb. 21. Someone forced open the rear door and stole a black drop box containing cash.

Selden

■ The Town of Brookhaven reported the theft of a generator with 200 gallons worth of diesel fuel from a construction site at a park on South Street in Selden on Feb. 17 valued at approximately $600.

■ Bob’s Store on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on Feb. 20. A man allegedly stole assorted clothing valued at approximately $800.

South Setauket 

■ Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket reported a petit larceny on Feb. 24. Two men allegedly stole 36 packages of shrimp valued at $874.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

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