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Times of Middle Country

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Luxury retail stores, such as the one shown above, have been targeted by ORC rings. Photo from Pixabay.

Organized retail crime, a nationwide retail theft phenomenon, has reached Suffolk County.

Last week, four individuals from Newark, New Jersey, were arrested by the Suffolk County Police Department for their alleged involvement in an ORC ring that stole $94,000 worth of luxury handbags from a Balenciaga store in East Hampton on March 3. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) held a press conference shortly after the arrests were made, announcing that those responsible for the theft will be prosecuted.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R), above, addressed the recent spike of organized retail crime in the area. Photo from Tierney’s office.

“The individuals in East Hampton, they stole $94,000 worth of bags and they were going to sell that on the secondary market, and they were going to make tens of thousands of dollars in profit,” Tierney said. “The purpose of last week’s press conference was to let people know we are paying attention and we are going to address it because, ultimately, the people who bear the costs of that theft are the consumers, the citizens of Suffolk County who have to pay increased prices for everything.”

ORC refers to the coordinated shoplifting carried out by professional theft rings. According to Tierney, there are stark differences between ORC and ordinary shoplifting.

“We’re trying to separate retail theft from these organized retail theft rings,” he said. “While we’re taking all retail thefts seriously, we want to put special emphasis on the organized retail theft rings, where individuals come in and they’re en masse stealing large amounts of merchandise with the specific purpose of reselling it on the secondary market for profit.”

Gus Downing is publisher and editor of The D&D Daily, an online publication that follows retail trends and raises public awareness for these issues. According to him, ORC has proliferated in recent years due to the rise of the online resale marketplace.

“Organized retail crime has been around a long time, but the internet and third-party selling online is really what took this into the stratosphere,” he said in a phone interview. “When you look at the internet and third-party sellers, and then you tack on the opioid epidemic and the cartels flooding the United States with fentanyl, and then you tack on the surge in crime generically, you’ve got a heck of a problem that is spiraling out of control.”

Downing said that a considerable proportion of mainstream opioid users require a revenue stream to finance their habit. According to him, ORC and drugs are inextricably linked together.

“It’s really all about drugs,” he said. “That’s what drives a person into a store to steal. They have to get the money, and what’s the easiest place to get it when you have millions of people online that would love a deal?”

Tierney has not yet noticed a connection between ORC and drugs in the area. According to him, large returns appear to be motivating the spike in ORC-related incidents throughout the county.

“There’s the sector of the population that are addicted to drugs — they might have mental health issues, and in a sort of ad hoc, unorganized manner they steal things for subsistence and whatever meager money they make goes to drugs or they’re stealing for food,” he said, adding, “Those people from the organized rings, I don’t see drugs and drug addiction being a factor in that. I see it being a profit margin.”

“Those organized gangs, they prey on the most vulnerable people in our society.”

— Barbara Staib, director of development and communications at The National Association for Shoplifting Prevention

Shoplifting education

The National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, based in Huntington Station, is an organization that works to curb retail-related thefts through education. According to Barbara Staib, director of development and communications at NASP, shoplifters can be separated into two categories: professional and nonprofessional.

“While not all shoplifters are involved in ORC, anybody who is involved in ORC is a shoplifter,” she said in a phone interview. “People don’t just jump right into being involved in organized gangs. They started as a shoplifter.”

According to its website, NASP offers online courses for adults and juveniles who need to complete a theft class as required by a court or probation officer. Staib suggested that programs such as these help to reduce recidivism of retail theft crimes, which in turn can deter recruitment into ORC rings.

Staib said NASP works with nonprofessional shoplifters. According to her, these individuals are often the most vulnerable to the predatory recruitment tactics of ORC ringleaders.

“Those organized gangs, they prey on the most vulnerable people in our society,” she said. “They prey on people that are homeless, people who are drug addicted, people who are perhaps in a bad place in their lives and need money.” She added, “From a societal point of view, ORC is very damaging.”

Tierney acknowledged the need to treat retail theft incidents in a case-by-case manner. He said the county offers various programs, such as Stoplift, for first-time offenders. However, he added that those who follow a pattern of criminal behavior will be held responsible for their actions.

“The people who stole the $94,000 worth of bags were not first-time offenders,” he said. “Those repeat offenders who are enriching themselves are completely different from first-time shoplifters,” adding, “Of course, we’re going to treat the first-time shoplifter a lot different than we are with those organized theft rings.”

Staib finds a silver lining through programs such as NASP that educate shoplifters. While she considers ORC a dangerous crime trend that requires strict penalties, she views shoplifting education as a way to counter the spread of ORC.

“We need to approach [shoplifting] in two different ways,” Staib said. “We need to approach ORC as a felony crime that meets harsh punishment.” Discussing ways to address nonprofessional shoplifting, she added, “Our message is that education is valuable at any point for someone who shoplifts.”

To learn more about the shoplifting education programs offered by NASP, visit the website www.shopliftingprevention.org.

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Jason Lee

Update: Suffolk County Police today arrested a Wheatley Heights man for the murder of a Centereach man earlier this year. Homicide Squad detectives arrested Glenn Seejattan, 34, of 50 Colonial Springs Road, and charged him with Murder 2nd Degree for shooting Justin Lee, whose body was found in a wooded area in Rocky Point on January 28. Seejattan will be held overnight at the Sixth Precinct for arraignment on March 23 at First District Court in Central Islip.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Below is the second release:

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives located the body of Justin Lee in a wooded area, west of Brookhaven Drive, near the North Shore Rail Trail, in Rocky Point today at approximately 2:30 p.m. Lee, 34, of Centereach, was reported missing by an acquaintance on January 21.

The body will be transported to the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death. Detectives are asking with information to contact the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392.

Below is the original release:

Suffolk County Police are seeking the public’s help to locate a missing Centereach man who is schizophrenic and bipolar.

Justin Lee, 34, was last seen leaving his residence, located at 33 North Washington Ave., on January 18 at approximately 2:15 p.m. An acquaintance reported Lee missing on January 21.

Lee is Black, 5 feet 5 inches tall and 200 pounds with black hair, brown eyes, a scar on his nose and a gold front tooth. On his right arm, he has tattoos “Helen” and “RIP Helen 1957-2002” with praying hands. He also has a tattoo of “MOB” on his chest.

He was last seen wearing jeans, a black sweater with multi-colored triangles over a light blue long-sleeved thermal shirt, Timberland boots, and a black bandana with red roses.

Anyone with information on Lee’s whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

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

Centereach

■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a shoplifter on March 4. A man allegedly stole four car batteries with a total value of $325.

■ A resident on Chevy Drive in Centereach reported that someone entered their vehicle parked in the driveway on March 8 and stole an iPhone, Nintendo Switch games, gift cards, a pocketbook, and sunglasses. The items were valued over $500.

Commack

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported two shoplifters on March 10. A man and a woman allegedly stole 9 sets of LED lights worth about $170.

East Northport

■ A resident on Jameson Court in East Northport called the police on March 10 to report that cash had been removed from his unlocked vehicle which had been parked in the driveway.

■ A resident on Lilan Court in East Northport reported that his 2007 Lexus ES350 was stolen on March 10. The keys had been left in the unlocked vehicle which had a value of $7,000.

■ A resident on Honey Lane in East Northport reported that his rental car, a 2021 Nissan Sentra, was stolen from his driveway on March 10. A second set of keys may have been left inside the vehicle which was valued at $21,000.

■ A resident on Cori Lane in East Northport called the police to report that his unlocked car had been entered on March 10 and a wallet containing credit cards and gift cards had been removed.

Fort Salonga

■ A resident on Deauville Court in Fort Salonga called the police on March 7 to report that his 2011 BMW had been stolen the night before. The vehicle was valued at $10,000.

Hauppauge

■ A resident on Dewberry Place in Hauppauge reported that someone stole a pocketbook with cash, credit and debit cards from their vehicle on March 11.

■ A resident on Pine Hollow Road in Hauppauge called the police on March 9 to report that a man allegedly stole two Amazon packages from his doorstep. The incident was captured by the homeowner’s Ring security camera. The suspect fled in a waiting beige Toyota Camry. The merchandise was valued at $80.

■ A resident on Northfield Road in Hauppauge reported that a man allegedly stole an Amazon package from his doorstep on March 9. The incident was captured on video. The value of the merchandise was $60.

Huntington Station

■ Two men allegedly stole an electric bike, a Ninja Power Pitcher blender and four Old Spice from Target on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station on March 8. The merchandise was valued at approximately $640.

■ Victoria Secret at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on March 10. A man allegedly stole 48 pairs of women’s underwear valued at $960.

■ Target on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station called the police on March 8 to report a petit larceny. A man entered the store with a blue bag, allegedly filled it up with seven prepaid cell phones worth $725, and walked out without paying.

■ Macy’s at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station reported a grand larceny on March 9. A man allegedly stole 19 handbags from a storage room in the store. The merchandise was valued at $8,550.

■ Target on East Jericho Turnpike In Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on March 9. A man allegedly stole two vacuum cleaners worth $596 and a Nespresso machine worth $380.

Kings Park

■ A resident on Hawthorne Avenue in Kings Park reported that someone broke into his vehicle on March 10 and stole assorted tools and equipment. The items were valued at approximately $2,000.

Lake Grove

■ Victoria Secret’s PINK store at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported a petit larceny on March 10. A man and two women entered the store, allegedly filled up a shopping bag with 10 articles of miscellaneous clothing worth approximately $1,000, and walked out without paying.

Miller Place

■ Vincenzo’s Pizzeria and Restaurant on Route 25A in Miller Place called the police to report a burglary on March 7. Someone threw a rock through the front glass door, entered the restaurant and stole cash from the register in the middle of the night.

■ A resident on Harrison Avenue in Miller Place reported that someone stole mail from their mailbox on March 3.

Port Jefferson

■ A resident on Hillcrest Avenue in Port Jefferson called the police on March 3 to report that a 7.2 FX Trek Bike had been stolen from his open garage. The bicycle was valued at approximately $600.

Port Jefferson Station

■ Seven copper wire rolls and two nail guns were stolen from a construction site at Brightview Senior Living on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station on March 10. The items were valued at $3,200.

Rocky Point

■ A resident on Friendship Drive in Rocky Point reported that someone broke the passenger window of his vehicle parked in their driveway on March 7 and stole medical equipment and supplies worth approximately $500. The cost to fix the window was $200.

■ A resident on Dawn Road in Rocky Point called the police on March 7 to report that his vehicle had been broken into and assorted items were stolen. Entry was gained through the vehicle’s passenger window.

St. James

■ Sal’s Auto Body on Middle Country Road in St. James called the police on March 11 to report that 8 vehicles parked on the property were damaged, 5 windows were broken and 11 tires and rims were stolen. The damage was estimated at approximately $8,000. The stolen property was valued at $15,000.

Selden

■ Guitar Center on Middle Country Road in Selden reported that two men allegedly stole three Fender guitars from the store on March 4. The total value of the items was $3,430.

■ A resident on Farner Avenue in Selden called the police on March 10 to reported that a man stole packages containing men’s clothing from their doorstep. The incident was recorded on the homeowner’s Ring security camera. The merchandise was valued at $300.

■ Aldi on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on March 11. A woman allegedly stole six cases of Tide Pods and three bottles of Downy Unstopables. The merchandise was valued at $90.

Smithtown 

■ A resident on Flamingo Drive in Smithtown called the police on March 8 to report that someone had broken into his vehicle and removed two pairs of Ray-Ban sunglasses valued at $240 and cash.

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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Pixabay photo

In an increasingly modern, information-based economy, survival requires an ability to adapt to the changing environment.

On the other hand, those who shrink in the face of change will have the hardest time navigating this new normal. This week, TBR News Media was fortunate to speak with several leaders throughout our area. Their warning was the same: Long Island is still unprepared to meet the demands of the 21st century.

Martin Cantor, director of the Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy, shared with us the history of mass transit systems on Long Island.

Sometime during the suburbanization of Long Island, regional planners failed to account for population increase and the great many cars to accompany it. Today, we pay the cost of failed planning in the form of cluttered roads and endless traffic.

 So reliant are we on our cars, some well-intentioned reformers now suggest that we transition to electric cars here on Long Island — and throughout the country. This, too, has its drawbacks.

Kevin Beyer, vice president of government affairs at the Long Island Gasoline Retailers Association, said the push for electric vehicles is unrealistic and expensive. The grid simply cannot accommodate an overnight increase of millions of electric vehicles, and we shouldn’t expect it to.

The Long Island parkway system is nearly a century old, yet our commuters rely upon this infrastructure every day to get to work. Without a modernized mass transit network, Long Island commuters must choose between cramped train cars or congested highway traffic. We expect antiquated transit networks to support today’s mass of commuters.

Time and again, Long Islanders apply outdated methods to modern problems. This is like building a jet engine with stone tools.

Not all hope is lost, however. For example, look no further than Smithtown’s Office of Town Clerk, where you will find that the transition from old to new technologies is already underway. For the last 16 years, Town Clerk Vincent Puleo (C) has worked to digitize paper records for electronic filing. This has made the day-to-day operations of the office faster, simpler and more accessible to his constituents.

We need to apply Puleo’s approach elsewhere. We must update our transportation systems to account for the many more drivers on our roads today. We must invest in mass transit, such as buses and boats for commuter travel, so that we are no longer helplessly delayed.

 We must embrace the changes happening all around us, for change is the only constant in this life. And with all of that being said, we should remember and learn from the ways of the past. Let history be our guide as we move ahead into the world of the new.

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TBR News Media sat down with Vincent Puleo, town clerk of Smithtown. In our interview, he discussed his professional background, addressed his recent endorsements for Suffolk County clerk, and shared his expectations for the upcoming race.

Smithtown Town Clerk Vincent Puleo, right, during Supervisor Ed Wehrheim’s swearing-in ceremony earlier this year. Photo from Town of Smithtown

Q: Before we go into the details of your upcoming race, can you provide an overview of your own professional background? How did you get to this point in your career?

I was in the private sector, in the bar and restaurant business, for 26 years. I spent most of my career in the private sector. I did some insurance business up until around 2005, when the previous town clerk was retiring. I’m also a volunteer. This month, I’ve been in the Nesconset Fire Department for 50 years. 

I had community ties. An active Conservative since ’92, before that I was a Republican. I knew [Smithtown] Supervisor [Pat] Vecchio [R] very well. I knew the chairman of the Conservative Party fairly well, and they were looking for somebody with a little bit of a profile. I started my 17th year here in January. 

I’m married. I have three step-boys, eight grandchildren, and I’ve been the president of my chamber of commerce for the last three years. I’m active in my local community of Nesconset, born and raised on the same block. That’s just what I do. It helps me here because I know a lot of people. I do like to help wherever I can. In terms of people having nowhere else to turn, they call me. 

My duty is to help my community and help my town. I’m a lifelong resident here and that’s what we do.

Last year, Councilman Tom Lohmann, Puleo and Wehrheim presented a check to Pat Westlake of the Smithtown Food Pantry. Photo from Town of Smithtown

Q: For those who may not know, what are the responsibilities of a clerk?

Here in Smithtown, I’m first and foremost the secretary to the town board and to the supervisor [Ed Wehrheim (R)]. I maintain all the records of any vote that the town board makes, so I’m the secretary to the town board meetings. I’m also the records retention officer. I’m responsible for any records that are official. We continue to keep the records up to date here in Smithtown, so that’s
one facet. 

The other facet is that I’m a registrar. The registrar records birth and death. We have a record of every single birth and death in Smithtown. Certainly, we do permits. We maintain the marina list of all of the boat slips, and we keep a list of people who are on a waiting list to get a permit for their boat. We presently have a 26-year waiting list for boat slips, so people get a little antsy. We do garbage permits, dog licenses for our animal shelter and all the things of that nature.

The most important thing for me is to keep up with the times electronically. For the past 16 years, I have probably obtained $750,000 to $800,000 worth of grants in order to take paper and put it into an electronic format. My office is pretty much an electronic format. We very rarely have to go into our records retention room to retrieve any records because over the years, that’s been something that I thought could save time and it does. We are able to pick up records and get our constituents whatever they need much quicker than we ever have before.

Q: To move into your upcoming race for Suffolk County clerk, you have received the Republican and Conservative Party’s endorsements over incumbent Judy Pascale (R). From what I have read, you seemed a bit surprised about how this race has unfolded. Why?

I was asked in 2018 if I would be interested in running for that position. At that time, that was Judy’s spot and I said that as long as she’s going to retire, I would be amicable to run for that position. She, at that point, had a conference with the Republican and Conservative parties and she decided that she wanted to stay. From what I was told — and I wasn’t in the room, so I don’t know for sure — she said she wanted just four more years and then she would retire.

In early February of this year, the chairman of the Conservative Party called me and said he would like me to run for county clerk. I said I’m flattered that he asked me again and certainly would be honored to do that. A week later, I hear that she’s very upset and that she changed her mind and now there is a possible primary. That’s what surprised me. 

I’m surprised that she decided to not retire. Now, I already have both the Republican and Conservative endorsements and we will see what happens.

Q: Are you interested in a primary? 

I’m going to wait to answer that question until after the petitions are filed. 

Q: If elected, what is your vision for the Office of the Suffolk County Clerk?

Judy has done an outstanding job in making the office as transparent as possible. I’m going to continue that. I think that regardless of being two different worlds — where town stuff is town, and the county is a little bigger and has bigger roles — the thing that I want to continue is making sure our constituents get what they need as quickly as possible.

[Whether town or county clerk] it is still the same premise. I want to continue to go out there and get as many grants as I can to facilitate electronic filing. The scope of the work is different, not the intent of what you are looking to do. I really feel that constituent services are number one and that’s what I will continue doing. 

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

I just hope that everything moving forward goes smoothly. I would be happy to be in a race and compete. Hopefully, I won’t see a primary. That’s basically it.

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Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. File photo by Erika Karp

Fund reallocation would help up to 100 more households

In a letter to the Commissioner of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (NYS OTDA), Supervisor Ed Romaine advised that the Town of Brookhaven return and reallocate $1.5 million in administrative funds received from the United States Department of Treasury as part of a second round of Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA-2) funding to address the unmet needs of eligible Town of Brookhaven tenants and landlords. 

In the letter, the Supervisor requested to have the NYS OTDA return the money to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program application portal, which is controlled by NYS OTDA for the benefit of Brookhaven residents. It is estimated that the reallocated funds can help an additional 80 to 100 eligible households that need assistance to pay for rental arrears and prospective rent. 

“Although it appears that the pandemic is nearly behind us, there are still many Brookhaven Town residents who are experiencing economic hardship. The funds are available, and we should do whatever we can to provide assistance so they can stay in their homes,” said Supervisor Romaine. 

“Because the Town worked well with our partnering non-profits and community-based organizations to perform outreach and get the word out, the response from residents was overwhelming. Now, we want to help even more people,” he added.   

In his letter, Supervisor Romaine stressed the urgency of his request since the moratorium on evictions in New York State expired on January 15, 2022. To date, more than 3,700 applications have been submitted to the NYS OTDA and $21,837,851.00 in ERAP funding has been administered to 1,257 households through the Town of Brookhaven’s Department of Housing and Community Development. 

 

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Stock photo

Join the Middle Country Public Library for an exciting evening of career exploration! Long Island teens in grades 6 to 12 and first/second year college students are invited to register for this informative panel of professionals from specialized job fields who will give insights into their professions. Attendees will have an opportunity to chat with panelists one-on-one and learn about the library’s Career Counseling services.

Featured career panelists include:

Stephanie Knorzer: Owner/Operator, The Cookie Shop, Centereach

Dominika De Leon: Graphic Designer/Creative Director, Konwalia Design

Danielle Gruttaduario: Forensic Artist, Suffolk County Police Department

Karen Oswald: Senior Evidence Specialist, Suffolk County Police Department

Large Anthony: Tattoo Artist, Main Street Tattoo, Kings Park

Chris Kelly: Training Director, Long Island Electrical JATC with IBEW 25 & NECA LI Chapter

This event will take place on Wednesday, March 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Middle Country Public Library’s Selden location at 575 Middle Country Road. Registration required and open to district and non-district residents. Register in-person or call 631-585-9393 ext. 115.

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Prices at a North Shore gas station. Photo by Jim Hastings

Consumers are not the only ones feeling the pinch of ballooning gas prices here on Long Island.

Kevin Beyer is vice president of government affairs at the Long Island Gasoline Retailers Association, a nonprofit trade association which represents over 700 independent service stations throughout Suffolk, Nassau and Queens. According to Beyer, gas retailers are suffering as well.

“When it hurts you as a consumer, it hurts us,” Beyer said in a phone interview. “People think that when prices go up, these gas stations are making a killing. It’s quite the opposite because we’re constantly trying to keep the price down. When we start making money is usually when [the price of gas] levels out or it goes down.”

Beyer also notes that the cost of diesel fuel has increased exponentially. This affects a wide range of consumers, particularly commercial and pickup truck drivers.

“There are a lot of consumers that use diesel because a lot of people have bought pickup trucks in the last few years,” he said. 

Despite recent calls for electric vehicles, Beyer believes that the wholesale transition to electric cars is not feasible due to difficulties related to the technology and is counterintuitive due to already high utility rates in New York. 

“You have to deal with massive batteries that have to be produced,” Beyer said. “To produce the batteries, you’re buying products from other countries, number one. Number two, to discard these batteries, you’re talking about a hazard. Number three, there aren’t a lot of charging stations, and New York and California already have probably the highest utility rates in the country.”

Beyer believes that as gas prices continue to rise, governments that tax oil will have a windfall profit. This is why he said LIGRA is lobbying to remove gas taxes at the county and state levels.

“One thing that we are working on is to try to push for some tax relief, even on the county and state levels,” he said. “People don’t realize that they’re making a fortune — the county and the state — as the cost goes up because it’s a percentage per gallon.”

Other than the railroad which carries the commuters, Long Island is not a mass transit-friendly community.

— Martin Cantor

Soaring gas prices will also disrupt local businesses on Long Island, according to Martin Cantor, director of the Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy and author of “Long Island, the Global Economy and Race.” 

According to Cantor, Long Island was originally envisioned as a bedroom community for New York City residents. To continue their existing way of life, commuters who drive to work have no choice but to pay up.

“The reality is that Long Island has a workforce of about 1.4 million people with, at its peak, 300,000 Long Islanders commuting daily on the Long Island Rail Road,” he said. “With the LIRR operating at 48% of pre-pandemic capacity, some of the workforce has no option but to fill up at the high prices.”

According to Cantor, Long Island’s transportation networks were not designed to support the commuter economy of today. He said antiquated public transit systems have led to increased reliance on automobiles. 

“Other than the railroad which carries the commuters, Long Island is not a mass transit-friendly community,” he said. “We just don’t have enough public transportation to carry Long Islanders around. We are wedded to our cars and will continue to be.”

Cantor said that the exorbitant cost of gas will leave residents with less discretionary income, which in turn will harm local businesses.

“Just think, a year ago [gas] was pretty much half the price,” he said. “Right now, with gasoline prices so high, as people have to go to work and have to commute to work, more people are putting gasoline in their cars at higher prices and have less money to spend in the surrounding communities.”

Cantor believes that not only drivers will suffer due to the cost of gas, but that local business owners will take a major hit as well. 

“Some of the workforce has no option but to fill up at the high prices,” he said. “That will hurt the economy because the money we spend for gasoline really gets exported off the Island. Those additional dollars we spend for gasoline will take money out of Long Islanders’ pockets to spend. That’s going to hurt the small businesses that already are hurting from the pandemic.” 

To read about Cantor’s work, visit martincantor.com.

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Pixabay photo

To show solidarity with the citizens of Ukraine, the Town of Brookhaven will present the “Sunflowers for Ukraine” art exhibit at Brookhaven Town Hall starting on Monday, March 21. The exhibit is presented by the Town of Brookhaven’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Sports, and Cultural Resources and will be curated by Maureen Pouder, who runs art classes for the Town.

Ms. Pouder reached out to Councilwoman Jane Bonner with the idea to hold an art exhibit in response to the plight of the Ukrainian people. The Councilwoman embraced the idea and got the ball rolling.

“Maureen’s idea to have an art exhibit struck me as something that we needed to do. The resolve of the Ukrainians in the face of such a relentless attack from Russia is an inspiration to freedom-loving people all over the world. I encourage everyone to stop by to see the exhibit at Town Hall and show your support for the people of Ukraine,” said Councilwoman Bonner.

All the artwork on display is created by Brookhaven artists and features sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine and a symbol of solidarity and peace amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many of the artists are from the Town’s art classes, which are held at the Town’s recreation centers. As part of the “Sunflowers for Ukraine” project, the participating artists will combine their talents to create a 50” X 40” watercolor painting featuring sunflowers by “Sunflowers for Ukraine” participating artists.

The exhibit will be located on the second-floor mezzanine at Brookhaven Town Hall, One Independence Hill in Farmingville. Exhibit hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 pm. For more information about the exhibit or the Town of Brookhaven’s art classes program, call 631-451-8696.

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During the height of the pandemic, a COVID-19 drive-thru testing area was set up in the South P Lot of Stony Brook University. Photo by Stony Brook Medicine

This week marked two years after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, leading to the shutdown of schools, the closing of businesses, a surge in emergency room visits, and a desperate search for treatments to a new disease that was sickening and killing people around the world.

Pastor Doug Jansson, below, of Living Word Church in Hauppauge hugs his family while in SBU hospital for COVID-19. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

For health care providers, life two years after the pandemic has dramatically improved from those first few days when medical professionals had far more questions than answers.

“The cloud that was hanging over our heads seems to have disbursed,” said Dr. Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at Port Jefferson’s St. Charles Hospital. “I feel a lot more optimistic now.”

Indeed, Suffolk County officials tracked a host of numbers throughout the pandemic, which carried different meanings at different times. In 2020, state officials considered a 5% positive testing rate as a potential warning sign to consider closing schools. Entering another phase of reopening businesses required that hospitals have at least 30% of their hospital beds available.

Those numbers, fortunately, have declined dramatically, with the current positive seven day testing rate at 1.5% for Suffolk County as of March 15 and 35% of hospital beds available, according to the New York State Department of Health.

Lessons learned

Amid much more manageable levels of COVID-19, health care officials reflected on the last two years.

For Dr. Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/Northwell Health, the “most important lesson we have learned is that we can never lose hope,” he said in an email.

Despite an initial United States response to the pandemic that Popp described as disorganized and confusing, he said “communities got together fast, local leaders took charge and, I think, we did our best under the circumstances.”

Carol Gomes, chief executive officer for Stony Brook University Hospital, suggested that one of the biggest lessons was to remain flexible, with the “ability to pivot into paradigm shifts that were unimaginable,” she wrote in an email.

She described how most good business practices suggest a just-in-time inventory, which is efficient and cost effective.

“During the pandemic, when the national supply chain was considerably weakened, we shifted to an entirely different model and now focus on stockpiling key supplies to ensure continuity of services,” Gomes wrote in an email.

Stony Brook Hospital has dedicated more space to ensure the availability of supplies by securing additional warehouse facilities, Gomes said.

Dhuper said a high level of coordination and cooperation in health care created the ability to “work wonders. A classic example of that is the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. I think it has been a phenomenal accomplishment and a true game changer,” Dhuper said.

Signage outside of Stony Brook University Hospital. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

Low point

Amid a series of challenges over the last two years, health care professionals also described some of the low points.

Popp recalled April of 2020, when COVID hit one of the nursing homes in the community. Of the 50 elderly residents under his care, 24 died in the span of two weeks. During this time, the hospital couldn’t even test for COVID. Popp described the losses as “heartbreaking.”

Dhuper, meanwhile, pointed to the roller coaster created by variants that brought concerns about infections and sicknesses back even as vaccinations seemed to create a viral firewall.

The delta variant followed by omicron “eroded confidence” in the viral response, as millions of people contracted variants that were more infectious than the initial Wuhan strain.

Monoclonal antibodies were also not as effective against these strains, which was “another blow,” Dhuper said. “Everything seemed like there was no end in sight and we were not going to come out of it” any time soon.

Message from 2020

If he could go back in time and provide advice to health care providers and the public in the early stages of the pandemic, Dhuper said he would encourage more mask wearing, particularly before vaccines became available.

“The mask was the only guaranteed protection in the absence of any medications,” Dhuper said. “That message was not very well delivered. Hand washing was good, but masks definitely helped.”

Gomes would urge the 2020 version of herself to remain on the same path traveled, which is to focus on the “safety and well being of our community, including our staff, faculty, patients and community at large,” she explained in an email. “What has worked well in the past may not necessarily help with a new crisis. Flexibility is key.”

Next steps

Recognizing the burden COVID-19 placed on health care providers, area hospitals have focused resources on the mental health strain.

Stony Brook has “significantly expanded its resources to provide support and assistance for health care staff,” Gomes explained. Resilience at Stony Brook is a special location within the hospital dedicated for staff and faculty that includes pet therapy, aromatherapy, massage chairs, counseling services, mindfulness and meditation classes, among other options.

Stony Brook also has a crisis management intervention team to support staff and faculty.

Outside the clinical setting, Dr. Adam Gonzalez, director of the Mind-Body Clinical Research Center and assistant professor of Psychiatry at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, said several studies have shown a rise in anxiety and depression across the country and increases in suicide ideation for sub-groups.

Stony Brook Medicine launched depression screening throughout its practices to identify those in need of mental health care.

Positive signs

Health care providers appreciated the support they received from the community and the collaborative spirit that strengthened the medical community.

“We functioned as a team often working with health care providers that were not our usual team members,” Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, explained in an email. “It was not uncommon to see adult and pediatric physicians covering care of COVID-infected patients or working with residents across the spectrum of specialties making rounds together.”

For many health care workers, including Popp, the support from the community for health care workers was helpful and inspiring.

“I saw people and businesses alike help frontline workers in any way they could, making masks, bringing in food to the hospital, helping quarantined people with food shopping,” Dr. Popp wrote in an email.

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