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Public officials gathered before a room of vets at the Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University for a Memorial Day service Friday, May 27.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) gave the keynote address for the event. He continued the theme raised during his State of the County address a week earlier, invoking the example of the Greatest Generation as a model for Americans today.

“I can’t help but think that it’s just at the moment when we see our World War II veterans unfortunately slowly, but inevitably, fade into history, that 80 years later we now see war raging in Europe,” he said. “It’s so important that we never forget what they did.”

For Bellone, American veterans should be honored not only for their service abroad but for the work they perform for communities after they return from the battlefield. 

“It’s what veterans always do — they come home after fighting for our country and they build and they strengthen our community,” the county executive said, adding, “To all our veterans who have served, you all have picked up the baton of service. From the Revolutionary War right up to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, American veterans have served and have sacrificed.”

Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) was also in attendance. Saying that he was inspired by Bellone’s address, the councilmember commented on the need for policymakers to temper their power to wage war and monitor their decisions that threaten peace. 

Without memory of the great global conflicts of the 20th century, leaders today may be less cautious in their use of force.

“Maybe people now who are making decisions, who didn’t live through it, maybe they don’t have the same reluctance to engage in war and the same urgency to avoid it,” Kornreich said. “Especially right now, with all of the conflicts that are going on, that’s a very good lesson. I can’t think of a better way to honor the memory of those who have died in war than to try to fight for peace.”

— Photos courtesy of Long Island State Veterans Home

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Suffolk County Police today arrested a man for selling narcotics and possessing a firearm after police conducted a search warrant in Centereach on June 3.

Police began an investigation after what appears to be an overdose death at the end of May. Suffolk County Police Narcotics detectives, with the assistance of Suffolk County Police Emergency Service Section officers and Sixth Precinct officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Robert Williams of Centereach at approximately 4 p.m.

Police found more than 200 Oxycodone pills, a quantity of Codeine and a loaded revolver.

Williams, 21, was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Degree and Criminal Possession of a Firearm.  He will be held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on June 4.

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

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The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:

Commack

■ Pristine Mitsubishi on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported the theft of four wheels and tires off of a 2018 Mercedes on May 28. The stolen items were valued at $4,000.

■ Homegoods on Henry Street in Commack called the police on May 20 to report that a man and a woman allegedly stole assorted bedding items valued at $410.

Dix Hills

■ A resident on Ingold Drive in Dix Hills reported that his 2020 Land Rover was stolen from his driveway on May 25. The key fob had been left inside. Security footage showed three unknown men with hoodies entering the car and driving off.

East Setauket

■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket reported that two women entered the store on May 28 and allegedly stole miscellaneous clothing items valued at approximately $150.

■ BJ’s Wholesale Club on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket called the police on May 23 to report that a woman allegedly stole 5 packages of Canadian Snow Crabs and two packages of Bubba Burgers valued at $265.

Hauppauge 

■ United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island on Marcus Boulevard in Hauppauge called the police on May 20 to report that catalytic converters were stolen from five commercial vehicles parked in the parking lot. The parts were valued at $3,000.

Holtsville

■ A catalytic converter was stolen from a 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe parked at the Jesus is Lord Church on Long Island Avenue in Holtsville on May 26. The item was valued at $800.

Huntington Station

■ LensCrafters on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported that two women allegedly stole 17 eyeglass frames on May 27. The items were valued at $5700.

Lake Grove

■ Selected Hype at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported a shoplifter on May 26. A woman allegedly stole six designer t-shirts valued at $900.

■ Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove called the police on May 20 to report a petit larceny. Two people entered the store, chose assorted Nike clothing, removed the sensors and allegedly walked out without paying. The clothing was valued at $880.

■ T-Mobile on New Moriches Road in Lake Grove reported a grand larceny on May 26. A man entered the store, allegedly cut the security cord from an iPhone 13 Pro Max on display and fled. The cellphone was valued at valued at $1100.

Melville

■ A resident on Hemingway Drive in Melville reported that someone entered his vehicle on May 24 and stole a gold Cartier bracelet and Rolex Daytona watch from the glove compartment of his Rolls Royce.

■ A woman shopping at Marshall’s on Walt Whitman Road in Melville on May 28 reported that someone stole her cellphone case containing her iPhone 11, credit cards, debit cards, driver’s license, etc. One of the cards was later used multiple times at a local Kohl’s department store.

Miller Place

■ A woman hiking at Cordwood Landing County Park in Miller Place on May 27 returned to her car in the parking lot to find that someone had stolen a backpack containing her wallet from her unlocked car.

Mount Sinai

■ A woman called the police on May 28 to report that while visiting Heritage Park on Mount Sinai Coram Road, Mount Sinai someone entered her car and stole a diaper bag containing cash and credit cards. The credit cards were later used at a local Walmart.

■ A pocketbook containing cash and credit cards was stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked at Cedar Beach on Harbor Beach Road in Mount Sinai on May 27.

Selden

■ A resident on Pamela Lane in Selden reported that an unidentified man stole a large package valued at $250 from their porch on May 24. The porch pirate was captured on a Ring camera.

■ A resident on Galaxie Lane in Selden called the police on May 27 to report that she heard her car alarm go off at 5 a.m. and found that someone broke the passenger front side window of her vehicle and stole her purse and AirPods.

Setauket

■ Assorted tools were reported stolen from a residence on Strongs Lane in Setauket on May 27. The items, which included a nail gun and circular saw, were valued at $2,700.

Sound Beach

■ A 2013 Honda Accord was stolen from the driveway of a residence on Long Beach Drive in Sound Beach on May 27. The vehicle, which according to the owner was locked, was valued at $9,000.

South Setauket

■ Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket reported a shoplifter on May 28. A woman allegedly stole miscellaneous grocery items valued at $350.

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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This week marks the 78th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Pixabay photo

By Rich Acritelli

By early July 1940, after Germany quickly defeated France, Hitler and his military leaders were photographed gazing across the English Channel. 

Many feared Hitler would order an invasion against the last remaining nation in Western Europe: Britain. While his senior military leaders planned for Operation Sealion, Hitler had always feared the might of the British navy, and a full-scale assault was never carried out. 

Instead, Europe suffered through four years of brutal German occupation, which included the Nazi air blitz on London and a genocide across the continent which sought the annihilation of Jews in Europe. The liberator of Nazi tyranny came in the form of a farm boy from Abilene, Kansas. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower was an affable character among his fellow officers. He was a talented football and baseball player, a writer and later an aide to Gen. Douglas MacArthur. By 1941 it was now his turn to lead the effort to dismantle the German war machine and to bring the war to a successful conclusion.  

Gen. Eisenhower ran his headquarters with a team-first mentality. He considered the British, French, Canadians, Norwegians, Polish and even Soviets as comrades rather than foreigners. These nations that had suffered through Hitler’s subjugation would be key elements to achieve total victory.  

By the spring of 1944, the war plans were laid to invade Nazi-occupied Europe from England.  Major weaponry and reinforcements of soldiers, primarily from the United States, were sent to England to reinforce Eisenhower’s Operation Overlord. To cope with the stress of planning the invasion, Eisenhower smoked over five packets of cigarettes a day. 

Once living in poverty, the military commander had emerged as one of the most powerful men in the world, entrusted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill to change the tides of war in their favor. 

By 1941, Eisenhower had grown into a dependable officer who embodied the necessary skills to work well with the Allies. A talented strategist, he was the right man for the task. Although he was not as battle hardened as Gens. MacArthur or George S. Patton, Eisenhower possessed unique attributes that aided his planning. 

A graduate of U.S. Army Command and General Staff School, he was highly regarded for his writing skills and his clear understanding of fighting campaigns. Eisenhower was not only preparing an immense invasion, but a road map for the continued invasion after getting ashore. Having traveled extensively through France as a younger officer, his past experiences again proved invaluable. 

Always a likable figure, Eisenhower had the unique ability to resolve conflicts amongst his own senior command. His good friend Patton understood the value of this trait for he was a gifted commander but with an uncontrollable temper.

Perhaps Eisenhower’s greatest challenge was seen through his relations with Gen. Charles de Gaulle. This renowned French leader refused to endorse the earliest speeches that called for his people to revolt against the Germans in the name of the Allies. De Gaulle was supported by the Americans and British, but he believed he deserved greater authority over the major fighting in France. Dealing with this French leader was an obstacle only Eisenhower could surmount.

In the days leading up to the D-Day invasion, terrible weather conditions threatened to further delay Eisenhower’s plans. The delays could prove to be catastrophic as the Germans were bound to learn of the true intention of this invasion, where they originally viewed Calais as the key spot that would be assaulted by this cross-channel attack. 

With the weight of the invasion and outcome of the war upon his shoulders, Eisenhower ordered 1,213 naval combat ships to move across the channel. 132,000 soldiers, stocked with supplies and equipment of every kind, headed off the Normandy beaches into the interior. By the end of the day, on June 6, 1944, the final chapter of Hitler’s rule was being written as American, British and Canadian soldiers executed Eisenhower’s plans. 

Today, fighting rages on in Ukraine. But the resolve of the United States should never be doubted. On the 78th anniversary of D-Day, America remains a beacon for the world, always there in the darkest hour to oppose tyranny abroad and to prevent its expansion. We must remember the example of Eisenhower, who gave us the road map for a future of peace. 

Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School and adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College. Written in conjunction with members of the high school’s History Honor Society.

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Once upon a time, a girl named Fiona read the book “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”

She thought it was funny and charming that a child could see what no one else admitted. But then, something strange happened: she thought she could also see things that no one else could.

“That’s sweet, Fiona, but focus on your school work and let your imagination run wild at other times,” her father told her that night.

Fiona did as she was told because she wanted to please her parents and her teachers. It was her teachers that caused problems for her.

It started with Mrs. Butler in her third grade class. A tall, thin woman with white hair and glasses, Mrs. Butler always wore high-heeled shoes. She looked directly in the eyes of every student. One day, her friend Simona fell and hit her head. When Mrs. Butler bent down and checked on her friend, Fiona saw the kind of coat doctors and nurses wear appear around her shoulders. Fiona rubbed her eyes, but the coat was still there. Mrs. Butler calmly told the class to go to their seats, sent Bill to get the nurse and kneeled on the floor near Simona.

When the nurse left with Simona, Mrs. Butler’s white coat disappeared.

The next day, Jeff couldn’t understand a math problem. He wrote numbers all over the paper, but he didn’t have the answer.

Fiona noticed a change again in Mrs. Butler’s clothing. Instead of her powder blue blouse, she had an orange vest and white gloves. With numbers on the smartboard, she directed Jeff away from all the dead ends.

When he got closer to the answer, Jeff smiled. Fiona looked back at Mrs. Butler, whose orange vest and white gloves disappeared.

Later, Doug and Andrew got into an argument near the stack of books at the back of the room. When Doug swung his arm to make a point, he knocked over several books.

Fiona saw Mrs. Butler’s clothing change again, this time into the kind of black and white stripes that referees wear in football games. She could even see a whistle dangling from her teacher’s neck.

The next morning, Jill and Amanda couldn’t agree on how to do a class project. Jill marched to the front of the classroom to complain. Amanda followed closely.

While Fiona couldn’t hear everything, she saw a black robe form around Mrs. Butler.

When the conversation ended, Mrs. Butler said something that made both girls happy. They shook hands and walked back to their desks, where they returned to work on their project.

One day, Fiona arrived early to class. She and her teacher were alone and she felt like she had to say something.

“Mrs. Butler?” Fiona asked.

“Yes?” Her teacher replied.

“I see all the clothing you wear,” Fiona said. “I don’t think anyone else sees it.”

Mrs. Butler narrowed her eyes and looked carefully at her student.

“What do you see?” Mrs. Butler asked.

She described the medical jacket, the orange vest, the referee’s coat and the judge’s robe.

“What do you think of all that?” Mrs. Butler asked.

“Is it real?” Fiona asked.

“Thank you for seeing,” Mrs. Butler grinned. Other students walked into the room and class started.

Just then, Fiona heard an alarm. Mrs. Butler reacted immediately. She held up a shield and directed everyone to the back of the room.

While they waited, Mrs. Butler told everyone to remain quiet. The class waited for the all clear.

“It was a drill,” Mrs. Butler said. “You can return to your desks.”

Fiona was the last to leave the classroom that day.

“Fiona?” Mrs. Butler asked. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes,” she said. “Thanks for … everything.”

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'Undelivered'

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

“What if,” is always an intriguing question. This is true for our personal lives, as well as for history. And one way to consider many historic “what ifs” is through a newly published book by Jeffrey Nussbaum, one of President Biden’s speechwriters, called, “Undelivered.” This is a compilation of speeches, never given, by historical figures, whose words Nussbaum tracked down over 20 years.

These speeches include, among others, the draft of apology that was prepared for General Dwight Eisenhower, had D-Day ended in failure, and Hillary Clinton’s victory speech. 

Civil rights leader John Lewis’ original speech for the March on Washington, August 28, 1963, in which Martin Luther King Jr. spoke his iconic “I’ve got a dream” words, is also revealing of the tension among the civil rights leadership. PBS, the television news hour, interviewed Nussbaum this past Monday, and he said that Lewis had originally intended to declare, “We will march through the South, through the heart of Dixie, the way Sherman did. We shall pursue our own scorched-earth policy and burn Jim Crow to the ground — non-violently” but was dissuaded from those words. The sponsors of the March, who feared looking too extreme and harming the chances of passing the civil rights bill, begged him to withdraw that particular rhetoric Lewis, with his back to the wall, most reluctantly changed his words that night, writing and rewriting his draft at the base of the Lincoln Memorial until it was acceptable, but the earlier text is in the book.

One of the most fascinating speeches never given was the one awaiting the arrival of President John F. Kennedy on the lectern in Dallas on November 22, 1963.  In that text was Kennedy’s warning of the existence of “a rise in the far-right wing camp of voices preaching doctrines wholly unrelated to reality.” He would have said that “we are the watchmen on the wall of world freedom looking outside and INSIDE. [Capital letters are mine.]”

The subtitle of Nussbaum’s book reads, “The never-heard speeches that would have rewritten history,” suggests that had Kennedy’s words been heard, history might indeed have been altered. As it is, people who read it after the assassination just regarded that speech as generally one of foreign policy.

These speeches demonstrate how outcomes rest on the razor’s edge of history.  Fascinating are “those warnings made in their moment of time,” according to Nussbaum, “that resonate even more clearly today.”

Another historic instance mentioned by Nussbaum was of the three speeches written for Al Gore in the 2000 election. Gore was to give none of them that night. One was a victory speech, the second was a concession, and the third was in the event Gore won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote — prescient of the 2016 election. Nussbaum was one of those speechwriters, and that experience inspired him to write the book about other undelivered speeches. 

Not all the speeches included in the book are about politicians and policy. There is the one by Barry Jenkins, the director behind the 2017 award-winning movie, “Moonlight.” Some of you may remember the flub that night, in which the wrong picture was initially announced as the winner and the wrong cast mounted the stage at the Academy Awards before the correction was made. In the chaos, Jenkins never got to say what winning that award meant for him.  But here, in Nussbaum’s book, he does get to tell what he would have said.

“They were filming in Liberty City, Miami,” explained Nussbaum, “and as in many poorer neighborhoods, there wasn’t sufficient lighting. They had to bring in lights, which attracted children to the set. At one point during the filming, [Jenkins] looks over to Video Village, where all the monitors and editing equipment were, and he sees a young man wearing his [Jenkins’] headset who’s just planted himself in [Jenkins’] chair.” 

“And in that moment, I saw in this child the possibility which I hadn’t believed I could ever see for myself,” Jenkins, who is Black, would have read. How poignant. And missed. 

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During his State of the County address, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) presented an ambitious vision for a state-of-the-art north terminal at Long Island MacArthur Airport that would connect to both a newly erected convention center and to the main line of the Long Island Rail Road. 

“Every great region must have a great regional airport and no one can deny that Long Island is one of the great regions in the nation,” Bellone said.  

While Bellone is correct that Long Island is a great region and that it could benefit from a modernized airport terminal at MacArthur, the staff of TBR News Media would like to remind the county executive that there is still so much work to be done before this dream can ever materialize. 

In its present form, Long Island’s prehistoric mass transit network is vastly unprepared to support Bellone’s grand vision. Look no further than the Long Island Expressway to discover the backward state of transportation affairs on the Island. 

If one is lucky enough to be on the road at an hour when the expressway is not crammed with cars and trucks, there still remains the herculean task of dodging potholes. Out-of-state residents are horrified by the medieval conditions of this roadway — and the carnage inflicted upon their tires and front axles. 

The LIRR offers little alternative. While railways around the nation and globe have modernized and expedited their services, Suffolk County residents ride home at a sluggish pace aboard rickety train cars. Riding the LIRR today is uncomfortable, exhausting and, frankly, not worth the price of the ticket. 

Our airways do require a modern renovation, but so do our railways and roadways. Policymakers and regional planners need to consider these projects in tandem. Airports and train stations are not standalone facilities but part of a broader, integrated transportation ecosystem. It is that ecosystem that needs an overhaul.

It makes little sense for Suffolk County residents to dodge potholes en route to their state-of-the-art regional airport. It is equally nonsensical to bring 20th-century train cars into a modernized transportation hub. 

In Suffolk County, leaders offer us bold visions for change without a roadmap to get us there. Our various public transit systems are remnants of a bygone way of life, artifacts of a time when the county had far fewer residents. 

The challenges of immobility are real, likely a result of failed planning some decades ago. Our residents require relief right now as their freedom of movement and quality of life are both dangerously impeded. 

TBR News Media sees the benefits of a modernized terminal at MacArthur, and believes Bellone’s idea is a good one. But there is a whole lot of work to be done before we can get there.

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The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:

Commack

■ A man and a woman entered HomeGoods on Henry Street in Commack on May 20 and allegedly stole assorted bedding valued at $320.

■ Bunty’s Jewelry on Commack Road in Commack was burglarized on May 16 and over $3,000 worth of jewelry was stolen. Entry was gained by breaking in the rear door.

■ Target located on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported a shoplifter on May 15. A man allegedly stole five printers valued at $1265.

■ A 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Mega Cab was stolen from the parking lot of Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on May 15. The vehicle was valued at $15,000.

■ HomeSense on Henry Street in Commack reported a petit larceny on May 15. Two women allegedly stole nine sets of window curtains valued at $450.

■ ShopRite on Garet Place in Commack reported that two men loaded up three shopping carts with assorted food items and allegedly left the store without paying. The items were valued at $1500.

Dix Hills

■ A 2019 Mercedes Benz valued at $30,000 was stolen from a driveway of a residence on Grey Birch Court in Dix Hills on May 20. The car had been left unlocked with the keys inside.

East Setauket

■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway reported a petit larceny on May 20. Two women allegedly filled a shopping cart with miscellaneous items valued at approximately $500 and walked out of the store without paying.

Fort Salonga

■ A 2020 BMW X7 valued at $90,000 was stolen from the driveway of a residence on Milemore Drive on May 17. The key fob had been left inside the vehicle.

Huntington Station

■ Staples on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station called the police on May 20 to report that a man and a woman allegedly stole an Epson EcoTank printer worth $550 and a HP Smart Tank printer worth $460.

■ Louis Vuitton on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on May 20. A woman allegedly stole a handbag valued at $2370.

Kings Park

■ Flynn-Aire Heating and Air Conditioning on Indian Head Road in Kings Park called the police to report that four work vehicles were broken into on May 17. The rear windows were smashed to gain entry and tools valued at $20,000 were stolen.

Lake Grove

■ Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported that two women and a man allegedly stole assorted Nike clothing valued at $880.

■ A woman shopping at Trader Joe’s on Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove on May 19 reported that an unknown person stole her purse containing credit cards and cash from her shopping cart.

■ DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove called the police on May to 18 to report that a man and a woman allegedly stole miscellaneous sneakers and footwear valued at approximately $250.

■ Macy’s at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported a petit larceny on May 17. Two women and a man allegedly stole 15 miscellaneous clothing items valued at $985.

Mount Sinai

■ A resident on Apricot Lane in Mount Sinai reported that someone entered their unlocked vehicle on May 17 and stole sunglasses and various items valued at $250.

■ A woman visiting Heritage Park on Mount Sinai-Coram Road in Mount Sinai on May 18 reported that her purse containing credit cards and cash was stolen from her car. Someone attempted to use the credit cards at a local Walmart a short time later.

Port Jefferson Station

■ Family Dollar on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station reported a petit larceny on May 21. Three men and a woman allegedly stole assorted items valued at $50.

■ A resident on Kelsey Avenue in Port Jefferson Station reported that someone cut a lock on their backyard shed and stole power tools valued at approximately $600 on May 21.

■ Verizon Wireless on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station reported that a man allegedly stole an iPhone 13 Pro valued at approximately $1000 by cutting the security cable on May 19.

■ A resident on Homestead Avenue in Port Jefferson Station called the police to report that someone entered their unlocked vehicle on May 19 and stole property worth $120.

■ T.J. Maxx on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station reported a petit larceny on May 20. A man and a woman allegedly stole assorted bedding and men’s clothing valued at $400.

Rocky Point

■ Kohl’s on Route 25A in Rocky Point reported a shoplifter on May 14. A woman allegedly stole assorted clothing valued at approximately $430.

Selden

■ A resident on Elmwood Avenue in Selden called the police on May 21 to report that someone stole a Ring Home Security Camera from his front porch.

■ A lawnmower and tools valued at approximately $200 were stolen from the backyard of a residence on Mooney Pond Road in Selden on May 16.

South Setauket

■ Target on Pond Path in South Setauket reported a shoplifter on May 19. A man allegedly stole a Keurig coffee maker valued at $110 and eight assorted toys valued at $210.

■ Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket called the police on May 18 to report a shoplifter. A man allegedly placed 30 miscellaneous food items in his shopping cart and walked out of the store without paying. The merchandise was valued at $325.

■ A man allegedly stole copper wire worth $765 from Home Depot on Pond Path in South Setauket on May 16.

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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The first in a two-part series, this article highlights the ways COVID-19 exacerbated an already difficult mental health landscape on Long Island, particularly for adolescents. Amid isolation and uncertainty, residents had an increase in anxiety-related and mental health crises. Additionally, residents in acute distress who arrived at the emergency room sometimes had to wait hours or days for an inpatient psychiatric bed. In the second feature, which will appear in a future edition, mental health workers describe the challenges of their work during the pandemic.

COVID-19 has taken its toll on mental health throughout Suffolk County, as people in a range of ages confront challenges related to isolation, depression, anxiety and grief.

Area hospitals report that inpatient psychiatric beds are rarely empty. Indeed, patients have had to receive treatment in the emergency room at times for a day or more as they wait for an available inpatient psychiatric bed.

“Our emergency room has two behavioral health beds, but often, we have more patients waiting for admission to [the] inpatient psychiatry unit,” said Dr. Adnan Sarcevic, chairman of the Psychiatry Department at Huntington Hospital. 

While patients receive the same treatment in the emergency room that they would in an inpatient unit, some types of intervention, like group psychotherapy “cannot be provided in an emergency room setting,” Sarcevic said.

COVID also exacerbated the shortage of beds when some units had to close after an outbreak of the virus.

“We had periods when some psychiatric inpatient units were closed for a variety of different reasons including COVID outbreaks” which created a shortage of beds, Sarcevic added.

At St. Catherine of Siena in Smithtown, beds filled up as soon as one opened, said Dr. Michel Khlat, chief medical officer.

Adolescent strains

The pandemic exacerbated trends that already reflected the mental health strain among youth and adolescents.

For the previous decade, youth presentations for mental health crises in the emergency room had been increasing.

During the pandemic, those numbers climbed nationally and on Long Island. Estimates of anxiety among youth increased to 20%, which is dramatically higher than the 12% prior to the pandemic, said Dr. Vera Feuer, associate vice president in the School Mental Health program at Northwell Health. Depression has also reached about 20%, which was previously below 10%.

Additionally, the pandemic caused a three-fold increase in children with eating disorders, which is consistent with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, Feuer added.

“There’s a real big increase in presentation to the emergency room” with youth who are considering suicide, particularly for girls who are 10 to 13 years old.

Additionally, adolescents are showing an increase in tic disorders, which are involuntary movements of the neck, eye or facial movements, Feuer said. While some studies suggest a link between depression and these movements, other research has linked them to the increasing use of social media.

As for the availability of mental health services, adolescents are continuing to find it difficult to become outpatients for an overburdened mental health care system, which increases the need for emergency services.

Community services are often “saturated,” Feuer said. “There are not enough child psychiatrists” which means that children go without care for longer, she said.

On Long Island, the wait for inpatient beds is not as long as it reportedly has been in other areas of the country.

“We do have kids waiting at least a day or over the weekend,” said Feuer. She suggested that access to beds and to crisis programs in school have mitigated some of the adolescent demand.

Dr. Stacy Eagle, director of Psychiatry at St. Charles Hospital, cautioned that the potential for addiction and substance abuse is “concerning. Even marijuana is dangerous, because you don’t know what it’s laced with and it can become incredibly addicting.”

Broader challenges

The shortage of inpatient beds predated the arrival of COVID, with mask mandates, social distancing, remote learning and at-home work altering routines and creating stressors that often increased anxiety and triggered the kind of self-medication that led to substance abuse.

“I’ve seen it step up on a daily, weekly, monthly basis” in terms of generalized anxiety disorders and panic attacks, said Dr. Jeffrey Wheeler, director of the Emergency Department at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson.

Eagle said she has seen more anxiety, mood disorders and substance abuse, with more acute patients coming in from schools.

Doctors suggested that COVID itself can contribute to the worsening of a person’s emotional well-being.

“COVID certainly plays a role in mental health, both as a psychosocial stressor and due to the neurotropic nature” of the virus, said Sarcevic.

The types of treatment varies according to the severity of the symptoms, the underlying conditions, and any ongoing treatment plans.

“Some people come in who are in need of medication to be stabilized for depression,” said Khlat.

To accommodate the increasing need for non-acute psychiatric services, health care professionals have been offering telepsychiatry help.

In the last three months, St. Catherine of Siena expanded their telepsychiatry services, which had been offered primarily on the weekends, to seven days a week.

“Due to the influx of patients we’re having, with COVID depression we had to [expand that] to the rest of the week,” Khlat said. These services “helped us out a lot.”

Silver lining

Feuer suggested a few silver linings amidst the health care crisis.

“The attention to something we know has been a problem for a long time” will help the community, she said. “I’m hoping the right resources and interventions will come.”

Additionally, the increased vigilance of mental health challenges has enabled people to feel that asking for mental health resources is something they can, and should, do.

“It has normalized these conversations,” Dr. Feuer said.

Available resources

Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, urged people who think they need help to get it right away.

Those people seeking help for substance abuse or mental health can visit www.SuffolkStopAddiction.org to find a network of providers in the 2022 Suffolk County Directory of Behavioral Health Services guide.

The following are resources available to those in crisis:

— Family Services League’s Diagnostic, Assessment and Stability Hub (DASH) program. This is a 24-hour stabilization response program for children and adults in crisis due to substance abuse, mental illness and other life stressors. They are located at 90 Adams Avenue in Hauppauge. Their phone number is 631-952-3333.

— A free 24-hour hotline: 631-751-7500, or www.responsehotline.org.

— A Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) at Stony Brook Hospital at 101 Nicolls Rd in Stony Brook is available at 631-444-6050. CPEP has voluntary and involuntary emergency psychiatric services for children and adults every day.

“It is important for individuals to engage in self-care,” Pigott wrote in an email. “Listening to each other and recognizing the signs of mental illness and substance use can help mitigate a developing crisis.”

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