The Long Island Sound has attracted many residents to the area. While walking across the beach and appreciating waters that change with the tides and weather, the beauty of a landscape we share with seagulls calling to each other and fiddler crabs racing in and out of the surf provides a comforting setting for our busy lives.
While the Long Island Sound seems resilient and constant, it faces an ongoing threat. After decades of existing adjacent to population-dense Long Island, its chemical makeup has suffered.
About 9 million people live in the Long Island Sound watershed, which extends almost to Canada, with 1.5 million of those people residing in Suffolk County. The large population puts pressure on the sewer systems, which if ineffective, affect water quality.
Ineffective wastewater management not only impacts drinking water, but also has profound and noticeable impacts on the Long Island Sound where the toxic runoff often ends up. Wastewater is adding nitrogen to the water, contributing to the growth of harmful algae blooms that overwhelm the surrounding ecosystem and cause beach closures.
Since we live on a watershed, how we use our water has the potential to erode the quality of the beaches we adore. To maintain the natural havens like Cedar Beach, Long Beach, and Sunken Meadow State Park we need a capable sewer system and modern septic tanks.
Our area poses a unique threat to the Sound: Long Island is highly developed, containing paved roads and concrete essentially leading straight to the beach. The lack of undeveloped land to absorb the excess water causes it to flow into the Sound, with all the contaminants it picks up on the way.
Our communities, too, will inevitably be impacted, unless we can make the proper preparations and implement mitigation techniques. Without improved sewage systems our community will not be able to cope with the escalating effects of climate change. Rising temperatures lead to more rainfall and more treacherous storm surges. We need to make sure our infrastructure can handle the strain to avoid flooding our towns.
Last year, the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act was a step in the right direction. Passed on Nov. 5, the bill will provide the county with $4 billion to upgrade our water infrastructure.
As the temperature rises, year by year, understanding how the qualities of Long Island interact with the changing climate can help us know what is at stake and how to protect it.
We need to keep the momentum going.We must learn how to protect what we have. This may mean reducing our use of fertilizer to minimize contaminated runoff from entering the water. Or it may mean doing the best we can to encourage others to protect the shared treasure that is the Long Island Sound .
Fortunately, the portion of the Long Island Sound in our coverage area is relatively healthy; but we must take steps now to become informed and protect a valuable resource we can appreciate and enjoy.
The Leo P. Ostebo Kings Park Heritage Museum, 101 Church St., Kings Park.invites the community to enjoy a night of American-style swing and jazz music on Friday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.
Come experience the upbeat Big Band-style jazz sound popularized in the decade following Prohibition, as interpreted by Long Island’s Gold Coast Jazz Band! The Gold Coast Jazz Band performs the popular music of America in early 20th century, from Ragtime to the dawn of the Swing era, a period of incredible musical creativity when the Golden Age of American Popular Song met the Jazz Age.
Robert Levey II
Then hear an awe-inspiring performance by up-and-coming young singer, musician and actor, Robert Levey II.Robert Levey II started his entertainment career at the age of five and has played many lead and supporting roles. He has a singing voice described as “angelic.” Mr. Levey has amassed a huge social media following, and continues to inspire others with his energy and passion.
The venue will be open at 6 p.m. if you’d like to explore the Kings Park Heritage Museum exhibits early. All ages are welcome!
Admission is free. Donations are gladly accepted.
The Leo P. Ostebo Kings Park Heritage Museum has been working to educate and enlighten students and the community about the long and storied history of Kings Park and its residents for over 25 years. It was founded by retired KPHS English/History teacher Leo P. Ostebo, along with dedicated members of the community, the school district and students, and it is the only school/community managed museum in the United States. The museum has received many awards that attest to its commitment to the community and is thankful to all the volunteers and donors who have kept it going. Visit KPHeritageMuseum.net for more information.
Welcoming 2025 can mean many different things to different people. Do people still believe in setting goals for the new year, or has this practice become outdated, with goal-setting becoming more or less infrequent?
TBR News Media took to the streets to ask Long Islanders about their New Year’s resolutions to understand this phenomenon across different groups.
Jake Schwarzbard
Jake Schwarzbard, East Setauket
The Ward Melville High School senior is looking forward to the warmer weather, which will help him stick to his New Year’s resolution of “being on my phone less. “I feel like it is taking up too much of my day. I would like to try doing more activities, like golfing.”
Cara Macedonio
Cara Macedonio, Stony Brook
The Emma Clark Library clerk discussed a few of her resolutions: “Go to the gym is basic, but that was one of them. My resolution is to find a fun job that I like.”
Claire Sloniewsky, Old Field
The senior at Ward Melville shared some of her “several” resolutions, which she wrote down on her phone to remember throughout the year: “One of my main resolutions was to spend more time outside, whether on a daily walk or something more high-impact, like going on a run or looking at nature. I feel more grounded when I do that, and it’s pretty isolating and tiring when I’m inside. Another was to read more. I’m already a pretty big reader, but I want to prioritize it this year.”
Angie Zang
Angie Zang, Coram
The elementary school student shared her goal for the year while roasting a marshmallow outside of The Frigate, “I would like to get better at ballet.”
Lindsay Day
Lindsay Day, Three Village
Another Emma Clark Library clerk shared her goal: “My New Year’s resolution is to make more meals at home instead of dining out.”
Spencer Edelbaum
Spencer Edelbaum, Three Village
A local Druther’s Coffee frequenter shared his New Year’s resolution, which he states is his permanent goal: “I have a nonprofit called The Spot. I do a lot of helping; I just love a lot of people. I would just continue loving into people’s lives.”
Suffolk County’s red-light camera program officially ceased on Dec. 1.
The program generated hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and fees since its inception 14 years ago.
“The intent for it was to make things safer for our roads,” Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) said.
However, despite the original intent, the program’s effectiveness has been a frequently contentious issue. Supporters emphasize a decline in severe accidents and fatalities as proof of its success. Conversely, detractors argue it has led to an uptick in rear-end collisions due to individuals stopping suddenly to avoid camera detection. Critics also label it a “cash grab” for the county, which reported earning approximately $13 million from the program in 2023.
In a recent CBS News report, county data showed an 11.3% drop in accidents with injuries and an 8.6% overall increase in crashes.
“The data showed that the rear-end accidents skyrocketed in those intersections [where the cameras were placed],” Trotta said.
According to Newsday, while Suffolk County had independently decided to terminate its red-light camera program, the decision swiftly followed a recent appellate court ruling invalidating Nassau County’s $100 surcharge on top of the standard $50 red-light camera ticket. The court found that Nassau County’s surcharge violates state law. It is worth noting that Suffolk County also previously collected a similar surcharge until 2023.
“If I saw road improvements or it went back to the school system, it would make me feel better about paying for these tickets,” said Nicholas Harding of East Patchogue in a CBS News interview.
Nassau County intends to challenge the recent court ruling that invalidated the county’s ability to levy surcharges on red-light camera tickets. Notably, the county’s red-light camera program remains operational during this appeal process.
However, according to a Fox News report, the recent appellate court ruling regarding the collection fees from these red-light cameras could potentially entitle drivers to “hundreds of millions of dollars,” although the exact amount remains uncertain.
“The purpose of the lawsuit is to get back every dime that was paid in excess of the statutory amount of $50 and $25 in Suffolk. In Nassau, it was even worse. It was an extra $100,” attorney David Raimondo said in a recent statement. “I’m hoping the residents of Nassau and Suffolk have some sense of justice … let’s hope they’re happy when they get their refunds.”
So, if the recent ruling is not directly related to the ending of the red-light camera program in Suffolk County, why else is the program ending?
According to Newsday, although former Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. (D-Sag Harbor) sponsored an extension bill in the state assembly, no member of Suffolk’s senate delegation, comprised of four Republicans and one Democrat, introduced a corresponding extension bill prior to the adjournment of the last legislative session in June.
Additionally, according to Newsday, extending the program in Suffolk County would have required approval from both the county and state legislatures, a process that would have occurred during an election year, potentially increasing complexity and political considerations.
An aerial view of the athletic fields at Charles P. Toner Park. Photo courtesy of Town of Smithtown, Planning Department
On Jan. 12 Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim joined families, coaches, and young athletes at the St. James Nesconset Youth Football (SJNYF) Banquet to deliver an exciting announcement that will transform the future of youth sports in Smithtown. For the first time in the program’s history, the Bulls will have an official home field at Toner Park (also known as the Armory) in Nesconset. The field improvements will serve approximately 220 football, 200 Cheerleading and over 200 lacrosse families, all local to the township.
“This is a momentous occasion for the young athletes and their families who have waited years for a place to call home… We’re proud to deliver a facility worthy of their hard work and dedication. These fields are a testament to our commitment to investing in our youth and creating opportunities for them to thrive,” said Supervisor Wehrheim.
Wehrheim, Councilman Tom Lohmann and members of the Parks Department unveiled the project announcement during the annual banquet, where approximately 200 SJNYF families gathered to celebrate the Youth Football league’s achievements. The new athletic fields project, approved for the 2025 capital budget, will serve as home to the St. James Nesconset Youth Football & Cheer and over 200 local families with Smithtown Youth Lacrosse.
“We are absolutely thrilled to finally give our football players and cheerleaders a home base. We are incredibly grateful to the Town of Smithtown, Supervisor Wehrheim, and his team for turning this dream into a reality. This project is a testament to the unique partnership between the town, our athletic leagues, and the families who make it all possible. It’s a shining example of the power of teamwork and the belief that anything is achievable with dedication—a value we proudly instill in our young athletes every day,” said Russell Pace, SJN President.
Construction of the new fields will begin in April 2025. The first fully turfed football field is scheduled for completion in time for the Bulls’ practice season in August 2025. A second field will be hydroseeded this year, with plans to complete its transformation into a turfed athletic field in the 2026 capital budget year.
“I’m beyond thrilled that our lacrosse teams will finally have a state-of-the-art facility to call home. This is truly a dream come true for our kids, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped make it happen. These fields will have a profound impact on our young athletes—not only by enhancing their physical fitness and teamwork but also by fostering lifelong friendships. This facility is more than just a playing field; it’s a stepping stone to their potential, where they’ll learn some of life’s most valuable lessons, both on and off the field,” said Tom Bruckbauer, President of Smithtown Youth Lacrosse.
Additional projects on the Horizon for 2025
The 2025 fiscal year is set to bring exciting developments to Smithtown’s park system, further enhancing recreational opportunities for residents of all ages. Among the upcoming projects are new athletic fields at Cy Donnelly Park, which will provide a home for Kings Park Youth Athletic Leagues for Football, Lacrosse and Soccer. The fields are designed to accommodate the growing needs of our community athletic leagues. Additionally, the expansion of pickleball facilities is on the horizon, with plans to add more courts throughout the parks system to meet the sport’s surging popularity. The town is also exploring the potential for hosting pickleball tournaments at Charles P. Toner Park in the upcoming year ahead, which would not only provide local enthusiasts with competitive opportunities but also foster community engagement. These initiatives reflect Smithtown’s commitment to quality of life, health & wellness, and a sense of community through its top-tier recreational spaces.
NOTE: St. James Nesconset Youth Football & Cheer is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing instructional football and cheerleading programming for children ages 5 through 13. The organization focuses on teaching the fundamentals and proper techniques of sports, while fostering physical fitness, teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership skills in a safe and positive environment. The program’s mission is to create lasting friendships, cherished memories, and a love for the game in every participant.
Small particles from the raging wildfires in Los Angeles that have killed residents, destroyed homes and businesses and have caused massive evacuations have crossed the country, reaching Long Island.
Arthur Sedlacek, III Aerosol Processes Group leader at Brookhaven National Laboratory
“Our instruments are picking up evidence detecting California wildfires already,” said Arthur Sedlacek, III, Aerosol Processes Group leader in the Environmental & Climate Sciences Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory. “What’s happening 3,000 miles away can impact us” just like the fires in Quebec did.
The amount and concentration of particles on Long Island from these particles doesn’t present a health risk to many people in the population.
“For those who are sensitive to inhalation irritation, it opens up the possibility” of developing breathing difficulties or adding particles that could irritate their lungs, Sedlacek continued.
To be sure, the majority of people on Long Island and the east coast may not react to levels of particulates that are considerably lower than for residents of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.
Local doctors suggested that these particles can trigger a range of health problems for those who are closer to the flames and smoke.
“The general rule is the larger the exposure, the greater the effect,” said Dr. Norman Edelman, apulmonologist at Stony Brook Medicine.
Researchers have shown that the exposure doesn’t have to be especially high to affect health.
‘We more we look, the more we see that lower and lower doses will have negative effects,” said Edelman.
If and when particulates build in the air where patients with lung challenges live, pulmonologists urge residents to take several steps to protect themselves.
First, they can adjust their medication to respond to a greater health threat.
In addition, they can wear a particle mask, which is not an ordinary surgical mask.
Over time, continued exposure to particulates through pollution, wildfires or other emissions may have a cumulative health effect.
Dr. Norman Edelman. Photo courtesy of SBU
In the South Bronx, about 40 percent of children have asthma, compared with closer to 10 percent for the rest of the country. While genetics may contribute to that level, “we believe it’s because they are exposed to intense, continuous air pollution from motor vehicle traffic,” said Edelman, as cars and trucks on the Cross Bronx Expressway pollute the air in nearby neighborhoods.
The cumulative effect on people with existing disease is more pronounced.
Even when exposure and a lung reaction end, people “don’t quite come back to where [they] started,” said Edelman. “They lose a little bit of lung function.”
Particulates not only can cause damage for people who have chronic lung issues, like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but can also cause problems for people who have other medical challenges.
“We do know that this kind of pollution generates heart attacks in people with heart disease,” said Edelman. “That’s relatively new knowledge.”
A heating cycle
The ongoing fires, which started on Jan. 7 and were exacerbated by the Santa Ana winds of 70 miles per hour, have been consuming everything in their path, throwing a range of particles into the air.
These can include organic particles, black particles, which is akin to something that comes out of the tailpipe of a school bus and all sorts of particles in between, Sedlacek said.
These particles can form condensation nuclei for clouds and water droplets and they can absorb solar radiation and light.
Heating the upper troposphere with particles that absorb radiation alters the typical convention dynamic, in which hot air usually rises and cool air sinks
These changes in convection, which can occur with each of these major wildfires, can affect local air currents and even, in the longer term, broader air circulation patterns.
Sedlacek suggested that some areas in California and in the west may have reduced the use of controlled burns, in part because of the potential for those fires to blaze out of control.
“With the absence of range management and controlled burns to clear out the understory, you don’t have those natural fire breaks that would otherwise exist,” said Sedlacek. “In my opinion, you have to do controlled burns.”
Wildfires, Sedlacek added, are a “natural part of the ecosystem,” returning nutrients that might otherwise be inaccessible to the soil.
Without wildfires or controlled burns, areas can have a build up of understory that grows over the course of decades and that are potentially more dangerous amid a warming planet caused by climate change.
Indeed, recent reports from the Copernicus Climate Change Service indicate that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with temperatures reaching 1.6 degrees Celsius above the average in pre-industrial revolution levels. The Paris Climate Accord aimed to keep the increase from the late 19th century to well below 2 degrees, with an emphasis on a 1.5 degree limit.
The fires themselves have become a part of the climate change cycle, contributing particulates and greenhouse gases to processes that have made each of these events that much worse.
“These fires generate greenhouse gases and aerosol particles in the atmosphere that can then further increase or contribute to a warming of the globe,” said Sedlacek. “We have this positive feedback loop.”
In the climate change community, researchers discuss feedback, which can be positive, pushing an event or trend further in the same direction, or negative, which alters a process.
Sedlacek likens this to driving in a car that’s heading to the right towards the shoulder. In negative feedback, a driver steers the car in the other direction while positive feedback pushes the car further from the road.
Wildfires, which contribute and exacerbate global warming, can push the car towards a ditch, Sedlacek said.
Some scientists have urged efforts to engage in geoengineering, in which researchers propose blocking the sun, which would cause negative feedback.
“That might be a great idea on paper, but I don’t know if you want to play chemistry on a global scale,” said Sedlacek. Considering efforts to reduce solar radiation has merit, he suggested, but requires a closer analysis under controlled circumstances to understand it.
“I sincerely hope that the powers that be will appreciate the importance of what we do to understand” these processes, Sedlacek said. Understanding the models researchers have created can inform decisions.
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Over 11,500 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2025. However, almost all of these cases are preventable. Through cervical cancer screening and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, we have the power to prevent cervical cancer.
Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA) program is here to help you and your loved ones reduce your risk of cervical cancer with these prevention tips:
Schedule your screening: Cervical cancer screening tests can find cells that lead to cancer so that they can be removed before cancer grows. In addition to the Pap test, testing for HPV cells within the cervix is now recommended as a primary screening method. The American Cancer Society recommends routine cervical cancer screening for people with a cervix starting at age 25 through 65.
Get vaccinated: Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. The HPV vaccine prevents cervical, and five other types of cancer, by preventing the virus that causes them. HPV vaccination is recommended for children of all genders beginning at age 9. It is also recommended for adults not vaccinated in childhood through age 26. With over 135 million doses administered in the United States in the last two decades, the HPV vaccine has proven to be extremely safe and effective in preventing HPV cancers.
Raise awareness: Cervical cancer is preventable. Raise awareness amongst your family, friends, and community that cervical cancer can be prevented through vaccination and screening. Consider organizing an awareness event or education session for your workplace, organization, PTA, or other community setting with Stony Brook Cancer Center’s CPiA program.
The CPiA program works to increase HPV vaccination and reduce cancer rates on Long Island. CPiA educates people of all ages in a variety of community settings about cancer prevention and healthy living.
To learn more about cervical cancer prevention or to get involved with CPiA at Stony Brook Cancer Center, go to www.takeactionagainstcancer.com or contact us at 631-444-4263 or at [email protected].
Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention in Action
The implications of the R-word
Dear anyone who uses the R-word,
As the father of a young man with Down syndrome and the leader of a business where more than half of our colleagues have differing abilities, I feel compelled to address leaders who have used the R-word.
There is no denying your place in the world. That power and influence comes with a greater sense of obligation. Your statements matter. Your words matter. There was a time when using that term was acceptable. Yet in those times that word dehumanized people with differing abilities, people like my son John. That term denied people a sense of dignity and a place in our society.
That word gained prominence during a period when people with intellectual development disabilities were often shunned, relegated to institutions, denied an education, barred from employment and rejected by society. They were treated as sub-human.
Thankfully, times have changed. People with differing abilities have become full members of our society, many playing a prominent role. My son John is an entrepreneur like you and has co-founded the world’s largest sock store. And John is only one of a growing number of entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists, actors, athletes, and political activists with a differing ability. At our business, more than half our colleagues have a differing ability, and we succeed because of the excellent work they do.
People with differing abilities have been patient waiting for the rest of us to catch up, to recognize their strengths and ability to contribute to our society. We need them. We need them in our schools, our businesses and our communities. Terms like the R-word have faded away as people learn how much it hurts, see the negative impact it has and, most importantly, how wrong-headed the description is.
I urge you to consider how your words and actions might advance this progress rather than hinder it. Language has the power to uplift or harm, to unite or divide. You have the opportunity to champion a vision of inclusion, where every person—regardless of their abilities—is treated with respect and celebrated for their unique gifts.
I invite you to visit our business, John’s Crazy Socks. Come meet John and our colleagues with differing abilities. Come see first-hand the potential and humanity that outdated stereotypes obscure. As someone who has defied expectations and pushed boundaries, you have the ability to model a future that leaves no one behind.
This moment can be a turning point. By choosing compassion, understanding, and inclusion, you can inspire others to do the same and help build a world where dignity and opportunity are extended to all.
Will you join us in this mission? Your voice could be a powerful catalyst for change.
Regards,
Mark X. Cronin
Father, Advocate, and Co-Founder of John’s Crazy Socks
More details needed about lithium-ion batteries
We have under consideration at least two large lithium-ion battery installations in our local neighborhoods. One, according to Ira Costell, the president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, will be an 8-10 MW system, to be provided by New Leaf Energy. The other, also according to Mr. Costell, will be a mammoth 350 MW facility from Savion, although the Renewables Now website lists this as having a rated power of only 110 MW.
In any case, if we are to understand the capabilities and limitations of these installations, a more complete definition of their energy storage capabilities is required.
This must include not only a power rating, e.g., 10 MW, but also the length of time for which the power can be delivered by the battery. For example, if a battery can provide 10 MW of power for 5 hours, its energy rating is 50 MWh (megawatt hours). Thus, if we know the energy rating of a battery, and we also know the load power, we can calculate the time for which the power will be supplied. For example, a 50 MWh battery can provide 1 MW for 50 hours, or 5 MW for 10 hours, and so forth. At the end of these periods, the battery becomes fully discharged, and must be recharged for further use.
The energy capacities of these batteries are important, because of the intermittent and unpredictable nature of the mandated future energy sources, which will be solar arrays and windmills. When these sources are generating their full rated power, they will be both powering the commercial customers and charging the batteries. As an example, let us assume we have 2,000 houses, each with a load of 1,000 W (1 kW), or 2 MW total. A 50 MWh battery can therefore provide the required power (2 MW) for 25 hours. When the solar/wind power is available, it powers the customer houses and also charges the battery. When the solar/wind input power stops, the load power is provided by the battery, for up to 25 hours. If the input power outage exceeds 25 hours, the 2,000 customers will be without power until the input power becomes available.
The key point is that the energy (MWh) capability of the battery must be sufficient to provide the required power for at least the longest possible down time of the primary power source. If this condition is not met, prolonged power outages and blackouts will be the inevitable result.
If we are to understand and evaluate the capabilities of these proposed battery facilities, it would be most helpful to have New Leaf Energy and Savion provide the energy specifications to us, rather than simply some undefined power numbers, which leave us in the dark with regard to the time for which the power will be available.
Juan Rodriguez, a US Army veteran who served his country with distinction during the Korean War while assigned to the “Borinqueneers” the 65th Infantry Regiment, was recognized for his distinguished service at a celebration at the VFW Post 5796 in Kings Park on January 11.
During the Korean War, often referred to as the “Forgotten War,” the men of the 65th Infantry Regiment earned 10 Distinguished Service Crosses, 256 Silver Stars, and 596 Bronze Stars. In addition, on June 10, 2014, the Regiment was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Then in 2021 Congress designated April 13 as “National Borinqueneers Day.”The 65th Regiment was the first segregated Hispanic military unit from Puerto Rico and the first unit of the Korean War to receive such distinction.
After the war, Mr. Rodriguez enrolled in the School of Commercial Arts and upon graduating he worked in advertising and then started his own Hot Press business in Manhattan. With the advent of computers, he closed his business and worked out his home for a couple of years and then secured a position as a custodian for the Kings Park School District.
During the program, Legislator Trotta related a story about his father who joined the marines during the Korean War as he did not want to go to college. In boot camp, his superiors gave him a test and he did so well that they sent him to college, and he was stationed in Puerto Rico during the Korean War. “I am extremely proud to be here today and thank you for your service to our country,” added Trotta.
Pictured at the celebration are from left to right Nick Cipolla, representing US Congressman Nick LaLota, NYS Senator Mario Mattera, Korean War Veteran Juan Rodriguez and Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta.
Gurwin resident Doreen Scott poses for a photo with Elvis impersonator Lamar Peters. Photo courtesy of Gurwin
Gurwin seniors celebrate Elvis Presley's 90th Birthday "Viva Las Vegas" style. Photo courtesy of Gurwin Healthcare System
Gurwin residents played casino-style games at the Elvis celebration. Photo from Gurwin Healthcare System
Gurwin residents played casino-style games at the Elvis celebration. Photo from Gurwin Healthcare System
Gurwin seniors celebrate Elvis Presley's 90th Birthday "Viva Las Vegas" style. Photo courtesy of Gurwin Healthcare System
Seniors from the Gurwin Jewish-Fay J. Lindner Residences assisted living community in Commack celebrated what would have been the 90th birthday of Elvis Presley with a “Viva Las Vegas” themed celebration and concert on January 8, featuring acclaimed Long Island-based Elvis impersonator Lamar Peters in the headlining role.
“This is a great day that our residents will be talking about for weeks,” said Joel Gali, Vice President and Administrator for Gurwin’s assisted living community. “Seeing them up and dancing with smiles on their faces is priceless.”
To complete the “Viva Las Vegas” theme, Gurwin residents played casino-style games at green felt-topped gaming tables, staffed by Gurwin team members dressed as dealers. They also dined on Elvis-inspired snacks, including peanut butter and banana sandwiches and ice cream floats, and sipped on sparkly “pink Cadillacs,” the event’s signature drink. Gurwin also offered special photo station for pictures with Elvis plus his classes sunglasses and scarves to complete the experience.
Residents remembered the days of Elvis at the peak of his popularity.
“I liked his music a lot,” said Hedda Pessin, a Gurwin assisted living resident. “When my husband and I used to drive in the car we would hear him on the radio. Usually I didn’t like rock and roll, but I liked Elvis.”
“He was very young, very sexy, and very alive,” said Gurwin resident Judy Gottesman.
“I remember him on the Ed Sullivan Show,” gushed Millie Frankel, another Gurwin resident who attended the concert. “And it was the first time I saw someone on television who wiggled and did his thing.”
President Joe Biden walks to the Oval Office with President-elect Donald Trump, Wednesday, November 13, 2024. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) Wikimedia Commons Public Domain
By Daniel Dunaief
Daniel Dunaief
Here we are, teetering on the precipice of the transition from Joseph Biden back to Donald Trump at the White House.
What better time than now to ponder some random facts, such as birth order, about the presidency? I used a Potus Presidential Facts website that included siblings and half-siblings for the first part of this column and a host of other websites, including Wikipedia for the second part.
For starters, none of the men (it’s a men’s only club so far) who were the commander in chief were only children. Three presidents, meanwhile, had only one sibling. That list includes Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.
Now, I figured that more presidents were first children than subsequent children, in part because first children often rule the roost, as primogeniture would suggest. But I was wrong.
Yes, first children are well represented, as 11 presidents were the oldest in their families.
First born children who would go on to become president started with John Adams and James Madison and included Lyndon Baines Johnson, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush (43) and the soon-to be ex-president Joseph Biden, among others.
Second children, however, constituted the greatest number of presidents. After a lifetime of being described as number two, I now realize what a compliment such a designation is, at least in terms of presidential history, where number two is number one.
Starting with James Monroe, that list includes such luminaries as Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and, well, Richard Nixon. Okay, so, Nixon didn’t exactly cover himself in glory, resigning in disgrace after the Watergate Scandal, but he doesn’t bring all second children down.
First and second children constitute 56 percent of the presidents.
Going to the presidents who had numerous older siblings, the three presidents who were born seventh all shared the same first name: William. The seventh born commanders in chief were William Henry Harrison, William McKinley and William Howard Taft. If history is any guide, that means a seventh born William, assuming somehow your parents didn’t choose the name for any of your older siblings, has a path to the presidency.
Four presidents were born sixth, starting with George Washington. Joining the first president in the number six club are Martin Van Buren, John Tyler and Franklin Pierce.
The fifth born list only has three entrants: James Garfield, Chester A. Arthur and Grover Cleveland, who shares the distinction of being the only president elected in two non-consecutive terms with Trump.
Fourth born presidents also have three members, starting with Zachary Taylor, continuing with Rutherford B. Hayes and going to Trump.
And, finally, seven presidents were born third in their families. The list started with Thomas Jefferson and included Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Now, seven presidents were the youngest child, including Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield and William Henry Harrison.
On average, presidents had a little over five siblings. Biden had three siblings and Trump had four, making him the penultimate child.
James Madison, who served as the fourth president, had the most siblings, at 11.
While similar lists for first ladies are harder to find (at least for me), I did find some interesting factoids about a few first ladies.
During the war of 1812, Dolley Madison, whose first name originally had an “e” then didn’t in historical records and then did again as of 1958, rescued artifacts from the White House before the British burned it down. Frances Cleveland, meanwhile, was the youngest first lady and the only one who got married in the White House. At 21, she wed 49-year old Grover Cleveland.
Helen Taft was the first to ride with her husband in the inaugural parade and the first to ensure staff were treated equally in the White House. She planted the first of 3,000 cherry trees Tokyo had sent as a gift, helping to establish cherry trees as a staple along the Potomac river.
As for pets, Trump, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson were the only White House occupants who didn’t have pets, according to Wikipedia. I’m guessing that some of the Secret Service members bitten by Biden’s dog Commander would have preferred that the incumbent didn’t own a canine.
Teddy Roosevelt had numerous pets when he was president, including snakes, dogs, cats, a badger, birds, and guinea pigs.
Numerous presidents received larger animals that they sent elsewhere. Eisenhower, for example, received a baby Forest Elephant from the French Community of African Republics that he shipped to the National Zoo.
Teddy Roosevelt had numerous pets when he was president, including snakes, dogs, cats, a badger, birds, and guinea pigs.
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