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Times of Middle Country

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Photo by Raymond Janis

Thanking community for solidarity around farm animals

Dear Community,

I want to thank you, the community, for coming together to keep the animals at the historic Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Old Post Road in East Setauket.

A special thank you to those who stopped by on Nov, 8, while Preservation Long Island [the farm owner] was trying to take away the animals. There was no notice that they were coming that day. Your presence was deeply appreciated.

Even though the farm animals — the four sheep and Snowball the pony — will be removed at some time soon, your commitment to try to keep them at the farm brought our community together in a beautiful way. It was a deep disappointment that the director of Preservation Long Island hardened her heart to not let the animals live out their lives at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm.

No one knows when the director is planning to remove the animals. You may want to take some “Grandma Moses”-style photos before the animals are taken away.

Again, my sincere thanks.

Bonnie Dunbar

Setauket

Three Village school board’s regressive decision on Regents exams

At the Nov. 29 meeting of the Three Village Central School District Board of Education, a decision was made to regress to the pre-COVID era in terms of how Regents exams will figure into our students’ grade point averages.

Instead of permanently instating the “do no harm” policy that has been in place since the pandemic, a slim majority voted to do away with it altogether. The “grading committee” apparently felt it was far more important to simply lower the percentage that the exams will count in a final course GPA from 12% to 10% rather than take into consideration the considerable damage these flawed exams can do to one’s final course grade.

The simple truth is that most students who will be taking Regents exams this year are either first timers or those who have not been tainted by the tests because of the policy that has been in place. I applaud the one board member, Karen Roughley, who delivered an extremely comprehensive argument for why the “do no harm” policy was the most advantageous opportunity for our students to be successful.

Students who excel all year and achieve mastery in their quarter grades should not have the average destroyed by one test. There are innumerable factors that can alter how students perform on their Regents, including test anxiety and/or other mental health issues, illness, outside distractions and so forth. Yet the board ignored the opportunity to ensure that our students do not suffer if they are unable to regurgitate information during a three-hour state exam.

New York State neither requires nor recommends that Regents exams be counted in a student’s final course grade. Several districts, including Jericho — that Three Village chooses to compare themselves to — do not count Regents exams in their final GPA.

Why then, with this information, does this district insist on continuing down this archaic rabbit hole? Is it not enough that the Chemistry Regents includes a downward curve or that the ELA and United States history exams have formats now that even the strongest students struggle with?

The grading committee’s claim that our students wouldn’t put forth the same effort if they knew the scores wouldn’t count was completely disproven by the data presentation at the meeting. The mere suggestion is insulting to our kids and those responsible for preparing them for the exams.

The board’s decision was one of cowardice and a disregard for our children’s success. To say I am disappointed, as a great many parents are, would be a huge understatement.

Stefanie Werner

East Setauket

Miller Place fire commissioner bid

Dear Residents of the Miller Place Fire District,

My name is Kyle Markott and I’m writing to ask for your support as I run for Miller Place Fire District commissioner. I believe my skills, knowledge and experience of fire district operations make me an ideal candidate for the position of fire commissioner.

I joined the Miller Place Fire Department as a .junior member in 1994 at the age of 14. After serving four years in the juniors, I was honored to be sworn in as an active member. As years went by, I rose through the ranks serving as chief driver, lieutenant and then captain of the Engine Company. In 2007 I was elected as 3rd assistant chief. I went on to serve eight years in the chief’s office attaining the rank of chief of department in 2013-14.

I believe what sets me apart is my experience with fire district operations. For the past four years I have served as a fire district manager. I handle all aspects of the fire district on a day-to-day basis including the management of a 20-person staff, creation of the annual budget, truck and building maintenance, overseeing a 24/7 dispatch and EMS operation, and daily interaction with all our vendors.

Having knowledge of what is happening in other fire districts and the county is also an important trait of an effective commissioner. For the past nine years I have served on the Suffolk County Fire Rescue & Emergency Services Commission, and I currently serve as chairman. This commission makes recommendations to the county executive and Legislature regarding fire and EMS services in the county.

I hope my over-26 years of experience in the fire and EMS service makes me the best candidate for the commissioner position.

The commissioner election is on Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 4-9 p.m. at the Miller Place Fire Department headquarters located at 12 Miller Place Road.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kyle Markott

Miller Place

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The USS Shaw explodes during the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. Public domain photo

By Rich Acritelli

“We thought they were U.S. planes until we saw the big red sun on the wings, and they began to bomb and strafe, and there was that big red sun on their wings, and it was war.”

 — William Harvey, USS Sacramento, 1941

Eighty-two years ago on Dec. 7, the Empire of Japan struck the United States Armed Forces stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In the early morning hours, a massive Japanese naval and air presence was just 200 miles off the coast of these islands as military personnel and civilians awaited a leisurely Sunday. In an attack that lasted a little over two hours, an American population was thrust into a global conflict.

The surprise attack stunned government and military officials alike. Many Americans were shocked by this news, deluded by the inaccurate perception that the Japanese were not capable of hitting Hawaii with any robust force.

Instead, airmen, army forces and naval ships were reeling from continual aerial assaults by the Japanese Zero fighter aircraft that openly strafed American targets. From Japanese aircraft carriers, 40 torpedo planes, 103 level bombers, 131 dive bombers and 79 fighters opened up the war against American targets.

Once the smoke cleared, 2,403 American service members were killed, more than 1,000 injured and 19 American ships were crippled or destroyed.

The United States was fortunate that its three aircraft carriers were at sea. Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto initially stressed caution against this attack. He openly believed that if the American carriers were not hit, he could “run wild” for a year before the “sleeping giant awoke.”

Yamamoto, who traveled extensively around the United States, fully understood America’s economic and military potential, worrying that Japan would lose any long war against this country. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) rallied a shaken nation, announcing that a “state of war” existed between the U.S. and Japan.

Americans from all walks of life entered the U.S. Armed Forces to avenge this national tragedy and oppose the rise of fascism. The Japanese and Germans faced limited military achievements, but they underestimated the American resolve to mobilize every facet of its government, economy and population. 

By 1945, America and its allies had achieved “complete” and “utter” victory first against Germany and then Japan.

A way to remember

Dec. 7, 1941, is a national day of remembrance of service for many past, present and future veterans. Recently, Thomas Semkow, a lifetime member of Rocky Point VFW Post 6249, died of cancer on Nov. 13, at 78. A soft-spoken man who was born in Manhattan and enjoyed every aspect of the Rocky Point VFW, Thomas was a Vietnam veteran. He was sent to Vietnam during the height of the fighting. Thomas had the unique experience of being a member of the Green Berets as a medic who worked closely with American and South Vietnamese forces who directly fought the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese Army.

Never one to speak about his experiences during the war, Thomas’ military achievements are on display at the VFW 6249 Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum, opening Thursday, Dec. 7.

His death is a continual reminder of the older World War II, Korean and Vietnam war veterans who are dying on a daily basis. They sacrificed greatly to defend this nation. Let us remember now their valor during the Japanese attack.

Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School, adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College and curator of the VFW 6249 Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum.

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Shoreham-Wading River senior Alex Makarewicz battles his way to the rim in a road game against Centereach. Photo by Bill Landon

The Cougars of Centereach opened their season when they hosted the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats (0-2) where both teams looked to put a “W” in the win column in a nonleague matchup Tuesday night Dec. 5.

Shoreham-Wading River had lost to Smithtown Christian and Hampton Bays to begin their season. Although the Wildcats had a 10-point advantage in the final minute of play, the Cougars closed the gap in the timeout-riddled final 20 seconds, where Shoreham escaped with a 42-38 victory.

Centereach retakes the court Dec. 9 when they host their crosstown rival Newfield before league play begins Dec. 12.

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Alex Makarewicz dribbles between his legs for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Alex Makarewicz battles his way to the rim in a road game against Centereach. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Alex Makarewicz shoots in a road game against Centereach. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Max Julian battles his way to the rim in a road game against Centereach. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Alex Makarewicz battles down low for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior Michael Cosmo shoots in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach junior Haniel Merejo flies to the rim in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach sophomore AJ Vanore battles his way to the rim in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior Logan Norman drives the baseline in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Max Julian rebounds in a road game against Centereach. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach junior Haniel Merejo shoots in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach junior Noah Giambrone with the rebound in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Max Julian drives the lane in a road game against Centereach. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior Logan Norman blocks a shot in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach junior Michael Edmond goes to the basket in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach junior Noah Giambrone shoots from the top of the key in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior Logan Norman lets a three pointer fly in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River sophomore Andrew Cimino blocks a shot in a road game against Centereach. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior Logan Norman lays up for two in a home game against Shoreham-Wading River. Photo by Bill Landon

The win lifts the Wildcats to 1-2 with two more nonleague matchups before they hit the road to take on Port Jefferson to begin league play Dec. 21.

— Photos by Bill Landon

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Suffolk Cyber Team: TOP, L to R: Wilson Pineda (Copiague), Dylan Zagal (Islip), Enoch Gomez (Brentwood); BOTTOM L to R: Justin Trieu (Central Islip), Ryan Riazi (Medford). Photo from SCCC

Suffolk County Community College students Ryan Riazi, Jose Miguel Mancero, Wilson Pineda, Justin Trieu, Enoch Gomez, Manuel Gomez and Dylan Zagal recently competed in the Fall 2023 National Cyber League Competition, finished 50th overall in the nation, were the fourth highest ranked community college team in the nation and the top SUNY school in the national cyber security competition.

The competition featured participation from 8,583 students from 802 high schools, colleges, and universities nationwide, representing all 50 states.

Overall, Suffolk placed:

  • 50th in the Nation
  • Top 10% of all competitors
  • 33rd amongst CAE-CD designated schools
  • 21st overall in the East Region
  • 4th Highest Ranked Community College in the Nation
  • Top School in the SUNY System 

“The outstanding results these students achieved comes from transforming the knowledge gained from the high caliber curriculum at Suffolk and executing those skills in a real-world scenario.  Being amongst the dedication and enthusiasm of this group of students is amazing,” said Cybersecurity Club Advisor Jon Sadowski.

The NCL Competition is a biannual event that enables students to prepare and test themselves against practical cybersecurity challenges that they will likely face in the workforce, such as identifying hackers from forensic data, pen testing and auditing vulnerable websites, recovering from ransomware attacks and additional cyber skill sets.

Students that participate in the NCL receive valuable performance data through individualized Scouting Reports, which aligns their experience to industry certifications and government standards. The reports enable students to showcase tangible evidence of their technical skills to employers.

About the National Cyber League
Established in 2011 by an alliance of public agencies dedicated to developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, the National Cyber League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization aiming to help students develop, practice and validate their cybersecurity knowledge and skills. To learn more, visit nationalcyberleague.org.

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In an exclusive conversation, Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich discusses the futures of Jefferson Plaza in Port Jeff Station and Cablevision townwide. Then, the Three Village Central School District keeps Regents exam scores in students’ grades. Plus, a light-hearted chat about a recent afternoon filled with talk of love.

Dive into this week’s news on The Pressroom Afterhour: Keeping it Local with TBR. Visit tbrnewsmedia.com to read these stories and more. Follow us on:

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

We have friends who live close to us who are pregnant. Okay, that sounds weird, right? She’s pregnant, and he looks sheepish, like he’s not sure what’s coming.

That’s not entirely fair. He was socially awkward before he brought his small package of genetic material to the pregnancy party. Why would anyone imagine he would be any different in the months before he makes a head first dive down the rabbit hole into the wonders and challenges of parenthood?

Now, if their families are anything like others I’ve known, they are bound to have a wide range of pre and post delivery discussions.

“Are you going to name the baby after my side of the family?”

“Make sure you put sugar, spice and everything nice in the crib or the baby will become colicky like your Aunt Michelle. She was one of the most miserable babies we’ve ever seen and that’s because her mother forgot about the sugar and spice under the crib.”

One of the most fascinating and sometimes confounding parts of the baby discussion, which can extend well into the years that follow, is the family credit for various traits.

To wit, “He’s incredibly serious and focused just like his Uncle Oswald. That Oswald was a man with a purpose from the time he was born, just like your little baby Joey.”

Or maybe, “Morgan has the same broad smile, laugh or sense of humor as her Aunt Carol.”

Each family can dig in, sharing ways that the developing child has characteristics they are convinced come from one side of the family, often from the speaker who has a proprietary interest in propagating the enduring myth of a family heritage.

Such talk suggests somehow that heredity is much more important than environment. The credit can go beyond physical characteristics such as long eyelashes, rounded shoulders, or sparkling eyes: they can include artistic talent, an ability to relate to other people, or a proficiency for languages.

That somehow seems un-American. After all, we the people generally believe that hard work can help people become proficient in any area, developing the kind of talent that differentiates them in their field and allowing them to control their destiny.

Such strong genetic links, while providing an appealing way to connect to ancestors and to those who aren’t around to smile and play with their descendants, is akin, if you’ll pardon the pun, to linking someone’s last name to their profession.

“Oh, the Jones family? Sure, they all became teachers. The Berringtons went into the clothing business, while the Shimmers all became dentists. They all have such gifted dental hands.”

Such blanket statements about where someone’s exceptionalism originated also throws the other sides of the family into the shadows, as if their only role were to ensure the ongoing survival of the dominant and more important family tree.

Family trees, however, like the trees that people decorate around this time of year, have bilateral symmetry, with people decorating each side in popcorn, cranberries and/or holiday lights.

Rarely does anyone do a deep dive into the other side of a family, learning whether the Jones family had faster legs, a quicker wit, better grades or a stronger work ethic.

Then again, the point of these claims isn’t to be scientific, thorough or even fair. It’s a way to connect the children of today with those who came before. Even if people don’t believe in reincarnation, focus on genes, or contemplate the enduring qualities of any family culture, they might feel tremendous joy and comfort hoping that this person’s unwritten life includes future chapters that reflect a familial past that need not be exclusive to one branch, one side or one person.

Story weaving may help give a developing life context and meaning. Ideally, those attributes and connections may remind the family and this new person about the kind of strong and accomplished roots that can help him or her develop into the kind of person he or she chooses to be, which would be a win for everyone.

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Bridal Shower, Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

This past weekend we traveled to Boston for a remarkable bridal shower. While I have been to many bridal showers before, this one was in honor of my first grandchild’s fiancee. Life is made up of firsts, of course, and we enjoy each of them in a special way. So up to Massachusetts we went for a new adventure.

I thought about my oldest grandson on the drive north. I still keenly remember the thrill of becoming a grandmother, of witnessing the beginning of the next generation. How lucky we grandparents are to reach that moment. I cherish a particular memory of having this adorable toddler running toward me as he entered the room, arms out for a hug, yelling “Grandma! Grandma!” on his arrival with his parents for a visit. Yes, I really was a grandma, I marveled then to myself, before scooping him up in my arms for a proper welcome. 

After all, it’s a rarefied club one can aspire to but one is powerless to join on one’s own.

And that little person, grown up now to a handsome man who gives bear hugs, is extending the family with a new chapter, and I was going to celebrate with his soon-to-be wife.

It’s a phenomenon, this marriage bit, when you think about it. Two people meet, they fall in love, decide they want to spend the rest of their lives together, and the next thing you know, a small army of strangers rush to hug you and welcome you to the family. That’s what happens at a bridal shower, even as the avowed purpose is to help the newly weds set up their home with small gifts. 

In addition, though, the two sides of the family get a chance to meet before the wedding, check each other out under joyful circumstances, then, no longer strangers, look forward to seeing each other at the nuptials. Maybe it’s not an accident that the shower is a women’s only affair. We have been known as the more critical of the sexes. If we have met and enjoyed the prospective extension of the family, the wedding will most likely go smoothly. Or so history might suggest.

Speaking of history, where did the idea of a bridal shower come from? 

Here are two stories. The first dates back to 16th century Holland, where gifts were given to the bride to prepare her for her new life as a married woman if either she was too poor to buy them herself or her father didn’t approve of the marriage and wouldn’t provide a dowry. One such instance involved a father who wanted his daughter to marry a wealthy pig farmer, but she insisted on marrying a miller, who was from a lower class. The girl’s friends then supplied gifts to help her start a home.

The second story is from the Victorian Era. Ladies in those days would gather to wish the bride well, bringing small gifts like notes and home goods. These would be put in an open parasol, and they would “shower” them over her.

Today the bride’s friends and female relatives gather to wish the new bride well and help prepare the home, and that is exactly what happened in the lovely club setting on the water that we attended. My grand daughter-in-law’s shower was organized by her friend since early childhood. The day was bright and sunny on the outside, and so was the mood inside. We met some of her friends, her immediate family, her aunts and cousins, and enjoyed a delicious brunch together. We traded stories of how some of the women had found their husbands, where they now lived, how many children they had, what sort of work they did, in short the usual conversations when strangers first meet. The hit of the day was the clever 1 1/2 year-old son of the hostess who roamed among us and tried to put his sneaker on my foot. Gifts were opened by the bride, pictures were taken, and then slowly we dispersed, promising to see each other at the wedding, now an extended family.

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Veterinarian Steven Templeton, of Animal Health & Wellness in Setauket, pets his two rescue dogs Penny and Emmy. Penny, the black dog, recently passed away. Photo by Stephanie Templeton

Long Island veterinarians are scratching their heads, unsure of whether reports of a new and as yet poorly-defined respiratory illness in dogs is a new threat or whether the ongoing talk is something of a shaggy dog tale.

“No one knows what it is,” said Steven Templeton, a veterinarian at Animal Health & Wellness in Setauket. “Nobody seems to have a clue. Some suggested it was a weird new bacteria, while others suggested it was viral.”

As of now, a potential respiratory infection, which hasn’t been well-defined and differs in its origin depending on whom you ask, could be contributing to making some dogs in other parts of the country sicker than they might otherwise be from the usual assortment of canine maladies that strike at this time of year.

Templeton has seen an increase in respiratory cases in his practice, although none of the cases has become severe.

Some of the illnesses he’s treated are coming from dogs that have no known exposure to other dogs, which “makes you wonder if they’re not catching it from dogs, and if they’re catching it from people,” Templeton added. “It could be a variant of the flu or COVID.”

When Templeton graduated from veterinary school in 1989, he said the conventional wisdom was that dogs didn’t give people viruses and vice versa. Now, he said, that’s turned around, and humans and their best friends can and do share illnesses.

With conflicting reports that this illness could be viral or bacterial, the infection could be a grab bag description for more than one health threat, Templeton said.

As of now, this mysterious dog illness has reportedly affected dogs in 14 states.

At Animal Emergency Services in Middle Country Road in Selden, veterinarian Melody Ribeiro has had one pneumonia case in a dog, which was straightforward in its treatment. 

The dog recovered.

Advice for dog owners

Dog owners have been asking about reports of this infection.

Ribeiro suggested people who are planning to travel check out the facility where they are bringing their pet to make sure they know how the dogs are handled.

Vets also recommended asking kennels or other boarding facilities if they isolate dogs who are coughing or might be contagious.

Templeton, who finds someone who can care for his dogs at home when he travels, added that minimizing group dog contact at this point might also help.

Similar to the advice health care providers who work with people offered during COVID, veterinarians suggested that dog owners should take special precautions with beloved pets who might be in vulnerable categories or who have underlying medical conditions.

Dogs who are particularly young or old, have conditions that weaken their immune system, have poor organ function or are not fully immunocompetent should stay away from gatherings where they might contract viral or bacterial infections.

“We say the same thing for animals that we say for humans for COVID,” said Templeton. “If they have underlying issues, stay away from public [gatherings]. They could be asking for trouble.”

Other dog challenges

Apart from the threat of one or a combination of infections, veterinarians also suggested that dogs continue to struggle with the carry-over from a pandemic that kept many of their human friends home for extended periods of time.

Dogs “feed off the emotions of their owners,” said Templeton. Owners who are stressed or who are angrier than normal can bring tension into their homes that can make their dogs act out.

Dog owners are increasingly asking veterinarians for drugs to help their dogs cope with anxiety or emotional problems.

“The drug approach is minimally effective,” Templeton said. He urged people to get their dogs training and to work with their pets to minimize their distress.

“Anxious owners have anxious dogs,” added Ribeiro.

Holiday risks

During the holidays, dogs can also get into foods they shouldn’t eat, which can lead to pancreatitis, Ribeiro said.

With the legalization of pot, dogs are also consuming products that have tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

The accidental consumption of THC has occurred over the last few years, with dogs coming in who need medical attention, Ribeiro said. Veterinarians urged people to be cautious about where they store their gummies or other products that might prove an irresistible attraction to their dogs.

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File photo

Suffolk County Police Seventh Squad detectives are investigating a single-vehicle crash that killed a Coram woman in Rocky Point on Dec. 3.

Christina Yannotti was driving a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee southbound on Rocky Point Yaphank Road, between Route 25A and Whiskey Road, when the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a wooded area at approximately 10:20 p.m. Yannotti, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact the Seventh Squad at 631-852-8752.

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