The Selden campus of Suffolk County Community College. File photo
Suffolk County Community College was recently named a Hispanic-Serving Institution, also known as HSI, the first school in the county to receive this designation.
Christina Vargas, Suffolk County Community College’s chief diversity officer, discusses the school’s designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Photo from Suffolk County Community College
The U.S. Department of Education defines HSIs as institutions of higher learning that accommodate a student enrollment of at least 25% Hispanic full-time equivalent students. This distinction is a reflection of the evolving cultural makeup of the area.
“We’re fortunate that we now have a proportional number of students that are here and that we serve,” said Christina Vargas, chief diversity officer and Title IX coordinator of SCCC, in a phone interview. “It makes me very proud and it makes the college really proud that we serve the needs of the community.”
The most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the Hispanic population accounts for approximately 20% of all Suffolk County residents. That figure is up 2% since 2013.
“When you think about what the census has told us about the changing demographics of Long Island, we’ve kind of known this is coming,” Vargas said. “This is where we are. We have a diverse, rich set of cultures represented at our college.”
Vargas believes that higher education is the proper venue for Hispanic communities to strengthen their understanding of their own cultural background. She says that SCCC maintains close touch with these communities through its partnerships throughout the county.
“Our president recently met with leaders of the Brentwood community, including the school districts of Brentwood and Central Islip and the Brentwood library,” she said. “This will give us more energy and direction to make sure those partnerships continue to be strong and that we understand what our high schools need, what our community members need and that we are in tune with the issues of the community.”
Two-year colleges such as SCCC accommodate some of the largest student populations and offer a stepping-stone for academic and professional advancement. Additionally, the HSI designation reflects a modern approach to higher education, one which highlights foreign language skills and cultural awareness as critical for meeting the demands of the 21st-century job market.
“When it comes to the job market, for example, I can’t imagine that bilingual skills won’t be on the top of people’s lists,” Vargas said. “We want to be inclusive and respectful and helpful to all individuals that we serve.”
Vargas said this HSI designation marks the next chapter for SCCC in its mission to support those populations. According to her, students no longer have to
leave Suffolk County to receive a quality two-year education.
“To be able to say that right in your backyard, at the college that you choose to go to, we can be there for you to meet your educational goals and dreams, I think it means a lot to us,” she said. “That’s what we’re here for. We’re here to transform lives and provide real educational goals for anybody that comes to our doorstep. We’re here to help them grow in every way possible.”
SCCC also has been named one of the nation’s Top 10 2-Year Schools by Region 2019-2020 by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine. In addition, it is the top SUNY institution for Hispanic students in the rankings released by the magazine.
Donations collected on March 3 at the offices of county Legislator Stephanie Bontempi and Dr. David Buchin. Photo by Raymond Janis
The response of Long Islanders to help Ukrainians has been encouraging.
On March 3, Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport) and Dr. David Buchin headed up the Long Island Ukrainian Emergency Response Drive at their offices, located at 224 Wall St. in Huntington. Local elected officials and community members joined them to gather items such as blankets, medical supplies, sleeping bags and other essentials to send to the embattled country.
On Monday, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. (D) announced the addition of nearly 450 pieces of bulletproof body armor from his office to the items already collected in Huntington. The College Hunks moving company assisted in delivering the items to the New York City processing center and from there the items will be shipped to Ukraine.
Donation drives similar to those of Bontempi and Buchin along with rallies to support Ukrainians have taken place all over the TBR News Media coverage areas. The message sent across the globe is that we stand with the country in their fight against Russia.
TBR News Media readers have also reached out with letters to the editor condemning Russia’s actions, and another reader shared the struggles his Ukrainian family faced in the past. He hoped that history would not repeat itself, but he was ready to help any relative who needed his assistance.
The last few years have been divisive ones for the United States. Between the political divide and our battle against COVID-19, it seemed as if we couldn’t look past our own borders. Now we see Americans uniting once again for a cause.
It’s a shame it took such a tragedy to bring us all together. It may have taken a war, but Americans seem once again united behind a common theme: the cause of freedom, democracy and the right of a free people to self-determination.
As U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) said on March 3 in front of the offices of Bontempi and Buchin, “We have to follow the old idea that partisanship stops at the water’s edge. We have to all hold together like we are today.”
As we watch Long Islanders work together to help people struggling on the other side of the globe, let’s remember what it’s like to be united as Americans, not only past the water’s edge but on our own island.
The following incidents have been reported by the Suffolk County Police.
Commack
■ BJ’s Wholesale Club on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack called the police on March 3 to report that a woman allegedly stole strip steaks worth $380 and frozen crab legs worth $220.
■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on March 2. A man allegedly stole a Boombox speaker worth $200.
■ A resident on Peppermill Court in Commack called the police on March 1 to report that someone entered his unlocked car and stole credit cards and a driver’s license.
■ Home Depot on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on March 4. A man allegedly stole multiple firestick remotes for a total value of $440.
■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack called the police on March 2 to report that a man allegedly stole a car seat worth $180 from the store.
■ A resident on Chardonnay Road in Commack reported that a man allegedly entered this unlocked vehicle on March 1 and removed a pair of Persol prescription sunglasses valued at $900.
A man who allegedly threw a rock through a window at the Commack Smoke Shop in Commack on March 1 at approximately 1:20 a.m. and stole cash. He fled the scene on foot before getting in a white SUV.
Dix Hills
■ A resident on Princeton Drive in Dix Hills reported that a man allegedly entered his unlocked vehicle on March 2 and stole clothing and sunglasses.
Huntington Station
■ Target on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on March 3. A man allegedly stole a Polaroid camera worth $150.
■ Sno-Haus on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on March 2. A man allegedly stole men’s ski jackets valued at $2590.
■ A resident on Beverly Road in Huntington Station called the police on March 3 to report that someone had entered their unlocked vehicle and stole a wallet containing cash and credit cards from the center console.
Nesconset
■ A resident on Neslo Drive in Nesconset called the police on March 3 to report that someone had stolen a wooden carousel horse valued at $250 from a barn on his property the night before.
Port Jefferson
■ C & C Collision on Texaco Avenue in Port Jefferson called the police on March 1 to report that someone stole a customer’s 2020 Nissan Pathfinder from their parking lot after the keys were inadvertently left on the dashboard. The vehicle was valued at $25,000.
Port Jefferson Station
■ Aperson left their 2011 Toyota RAV4 running and unlocked while shopping at the 7-11 on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station on Feb. 28. When he came out of the store, the vehicle was gone.
St. James
■ Exxon on Middle Country Road in St. James reported a petit larceny on March 4. A customer allegedly stole $138 worth of printed lottery tickets.
Selden
■ Bob’s Store on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on March 2. A man allegedly took 4 pairs of Timberland Pro boots out of the store without paying for them. The total value of the merchandise was approximately $600.
■ Items were stolen from two cars parked at Panera Bread on Middle Country Road in Selden on March 3. The rear passenger windows were broken. A Dell laptop, backpack, various tools and notebook agenda were taken.
■ Aldis on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on March 3. A woman allegedly stole assorted items valued at approximately $300.
■ Famous Footwear on Middle Country Road in Selden called the police on Feb. 28 to report a shoplifter. A woman allegedly stole two pairs of Nike Court High Top sneakers valued at approximately $180.
■ Target on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a petit larceny on Feb. 28. A woman allegedly stole assorted bedding items, cosmetics and clothing valued at approximately $200.
Smithtown
■ A resident on Landing Meadow Road in Smithtown reported on March 2 that a man drove up to their house and stole their empty recycling bin. The item is valued at $30.
■ Costellos’s Ace Hardware on East Main Street in Smithtown called the police on March 2 to report that a man allegedly stole a DeWalt Combo Drill valued at $450.
■ A man walking home from work on Main Street in Smithtown was robbed by two men who pulled up in a vehicle on Feb. 27. The man handed over a silver chain, cell phone and his wallet.
South Setauket
■ Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket reported a shoplifter on March 2. A man allegedly stole assorted merchandise worth approximately $400.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
The Town of Brookhaven has announced that the 2022 Resident Virtual Parking Permit can be purchased on the Town website at www.BrookhavenNY.gov/Parking. The permit is also available to purchase in-person at the Town’s Parks and Recreation office located at 286 Hawkins Road in Centereach.
The 2022 Virtual Parking Pass eliminates the need for a parking sticker by using License Plate Recognition technology which allows operators to quickly and accurately read vehicle license plates.
The Town of Brookhaven Virtual Parking Permit allows free parking at all town beaches, pools, marinas and the Holtsville Ecology Site. The cost is $25 for Town residents. Resident Veteran, Handicapped and Senior Citizen permits are only $5.00. If you’re a veteran with a service-connected disability, the permit is free.
To purchase your 2022 Resident Virtual Parking Pass, or to get more information and proof of residency requirements, go to www.BrookhavenNY.gov/Parking.
After a two year hiatus brought on by COVID 19 restrictions and mandates, The Friends of St. Patrick will resume a springtime tradition by hosting the 70th annual Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 13 starting at 1 p.m. sharp. This year the committee has named all former Grand Marshals to be Grand Marshals at this year’s parade.
“North Shore residents have been cooped up and socially distanced for two long years now. It is time to break free and come out and celebrate with your community in this annual rite of spring. Pipe bands, fire trucks, dancers and marchers promise to lift all our spirits,” said a press release.
In lieu of naming a Queen and her Court, the Friends of St. Patrick have begun a scholarship fund for our local high schools. This year’s winner of a $1,000 scholarship is Alexa Zichinelli from Miller Place High School. Alexa wrote an essay on Irish history and lore inspired by her great-great Grandma, Mary Margaret McArdle from County Clare.
Alexa will be studying pre-med in college and is an active athlete, musician, tutor and volunteer. She aspires to become a surgeon and be a part of Doctor Without Borders.
For further information please visit their website at www.friendsofsaintpatrick.com or call 631-473-5100.
Michael Faughnan stands outside the AOH Div. 9 hall where he gives free bagpipe lessons. Photo by Jim Hastings
Come one, come all to the Ancient Order of Hibernians Div. 9 hall at 172 North Country Road in Mount Sinai. People from around the area are being treated each Sunday to free lessons in the centuries-old art of playing the bagpipes by prominent local piper Michael Faughnan.
It all began in the Fall of 2021 when the famed New York Metro pipe band founding member and instructor for the Nassau County Police Emerald Society Pipe Band contacted Div. 9’s Dan Sharkey and Brian Nealis to gauge their interest in an instructional program.
“I wanted to give back, so I reached out to the Hibernians in Mount Sinai where I live and told them that with COVID and all the activities I’m involved in being on pause, if there’s any interest in learning to play, then to let me know,” Faughnan said. “Dan Sharkey and Brian Nealis have their finger on the pulse there and the organization wants to give back to the community. That’s why I wanted to help.”
For many, a check off their bucket list
Whether they were first-timers, second-timers, or old-timers, attendees at this Sunday’s lesson all came for a common reason: To learn a bit about the instrument that’s been calling to them for years. As they gathered around the table with practice pipes known as chanters in hand, Faughnan began to teach them. He showed them how to properly hold the instrument, where to place their fingers and how to blow. First in unison, then solo, then in pairs.
Long-time Hibernians, Mike Lane from Miller Place and Mike Drennan of Selden always had an interest in bagpipes. “We’d been involved in going to the parades for years,” said Lane, who had been taking the class since the beginning. “It was kind of a bucket list thing to try. And then Mike Faughnan got in touch with us.”
Drennan said this was his first time holding the chanter. He laughed when relaying what his daughter had said to him: “Dad, I love you, but I don’t think you can do it.” Drennan’s reply? “Challenge accepted.”
Teacher and jazz musician Charlie Buonasera takes up his chanter. Photo by Jim Hastings
Charlie Buonasera, a jazz musician from Coram who teaches in the Bronx, had been given a chanter years earlier while bartending at an Irish pub during college but never actually attempted to play it until he saw the flyer. “I have this chanter sitting here so why not?” he said. “It’s been fun so far. It’s just something I wanted to pick up, to show off maybe.”
“It takes over a year working on the practice chanter to learn the finger work needed to play music before actually starting to work on the bagpipes,” said Tom Lamb, a piper who started coming to the meetings to strengthen his fundamentals. “It’s very encouraging to see the progress being made with people who are just starting to learn. We have a few people already starting on the bagpipe, which is not a cheap instrument to buy.”
Lamb said that bagpipes are an expensive hobby. Each instrument costs between $1,000 and $3,000. The rest of the uniform, including a kilt, can run up to $1,500.
The goal for many in the group is to get to a level where they can perform during next year’s St. Patrick’s Day season, but for others it’s a chance to experience something they’d always thought about.
Larry Fischer from Miller Place started a few weeks ago after noticing the ad at his firehouse. “I always thought I’d like to learn to play the bagpipes,” he said. “Everybody kind of laughed at me, but I saw the ad and I came down.”
Librarian Kerry Crovello gets fingers-on instruction from Michael Faughnan. Photo by Jim Hastings
“I love the bagpipes and always watched the parades,” said Toni Kaste, a fiddle player from Eastport. “It was on my bucket list of things to do.”
“I always wanted to play,” said Kerry Crovello, a librarian from Port Jefferson. “I’d been to Ireland — and can’t wait to go back. I had a friend from years ago who built his own bagpipes and it always stuck in my mind. And then I saw the flyer.”
Dan Cavanaugh from East Setauket came because of his grandson. “I wanted to keep up,” he said. “He decided to try and learn the bagpipes — something I’d thought about for years. So, it spurred me to go try and learn.”
Who are the AOH?
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is America’s oldest Irish Catholic fraternal organization. It was founded in 1836 to help Irish immigrants arriving in the U.S. It has divisions all over the country and continues to support and promote Irish culture through civic participation in charitable causes.
Div. 9’s Mike Lane, on right, shows his fellow Hibernian Mike Drennan where to place his fingers on the chanter. Photo by Jim Hastings
Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 9 Port Jefferson NY, its official name, is a smaller group than others by comparison, but according to Faughnan, their heart is just as big. He hopes that with programs like his and others, their outlet can grow and they can build on their mission to continue doing good while supporting Irish culture.
According to Faughnan, his Sunday sessions aren’t so much a class but more of a club. So, if you want to join the club, send an email to [email protected], or call Dan Sharkey at 631-922-0151.
Spotlight on Michael Faughnan
The 61-year-old father of 3 from Mount Sinai has spent his life playing the bagpipes — casually and competitively. He ran a program in Babylon at the Ancient Order of Hibernians for over 20 years with the Saffron Kilts Pipe Band, which had over 100 players in the organization and competed all over the world and performed at many high-profile events and venues, including at the White House.
Faughnan took a step back from performing after having his children. In 2010, his students started a band in New York City called New York Metro Pipe Band. He soon joined in as a founding member without the pressure of being the pipe major. They were joined by top tier bagpipers from all around the area and eventually traveled to Scotland where they won the world championship. They’ve been consistent winners at contests in the U.S., Canada and Scotland.
Michael Faughnan demonstrates the proper finger and blowing techniques on his bagpipe practice chanter. Photo by Jim Hastings
At 8 years old, Faughnan and his siblings were introduced to the bagpipes by world champion Scottish bagpiper Stewart Robertson, whom his parents knew, and their lives were changed forever.
“We were kids. We didn’t know any better,” he said in reference to playing the pipes during his childhood. “We went with the flow and enjoyed the journey and thought it was normal until you looked back and realized there weren’t a lot of other kids doing that. We traveled, competed, experienced success and got in front of people to entertain, building confidence at every step — all traits that help out in every aspect of life.”
“It’s gotten me everywhere — playing the bagpipe and being good at it,” said Faughnan. “It got me a scholarship to Iona College where I was pipe major from 1978-1982. I got my career as an investment banker through playing the bagpipes.”
It also gave him the chance to record music in the studio, both with his band on their own albums, and as a studio musician for such famed artists as Van Morrison, Sting, Clannad and The Chieftains. To challenge himself, Faughnan joined a high-end band in Ireland. Working remotely in investment banking allows him to travel back and forth regularly. “I’ve been practicing with the band 2 or 3 times a week every other month for the last year just to compete this summer in the tournaments in Ireland and Scotland.”
Faughnan is involved with many bands in the New York tri state area. “They’ll hire me as a coach to come in and work on different things to help them sound better, to play in unison and to grow as musicians,” he said. “While not every band has the same musical expertise, it’s great to see them out there. They’re doing it because of their passion.”
He’s also busy playing and rehearsing with New York Metro Pipe Band in preparation for competing in Montreal at the North American Championships; the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland; and the All-Irelands in Dublin. They will be performing on the Fox & Friends morning program on Saint Patrick’s Day. Faughnan himself can be found playing solo on March 19 at Peconic County Brewing in Riverhead at 3 p.m. and Port Bistro & Pub in Port Jefferson at 5 p.m.
When my daughter was young, one of her favorite songs was “Old MacDonald.” Maybe she loved it because it was a song about farm animals and we lived in Manhattan, where most of our non-human wildlife consisted of squirrels and pigeons.
When she was an infant, she could make an incredibly convincing pigeon coo, thanks to hearing them all day long outside her window.
Maybe she also liked the song because, unlike Bette Middler’s “The Rose” and “One” from “A Chorus Line,” my wife and I couldn’t butcher the relatively simple melody with our unimpressive singing skills.
Anyway, she liked to say “duck” when we got to the animal on the farm. She liked ducks, or maybe the “quack quack” sound so much that she’d protest when we told her the farm already had a duck. She would say, “another duck,” to keep us quacking. The song and the quacks made car rides more palatable.
The song popped into my head recently when a friend told me that his second daughter was pregnant with their fourth grandchild. My friend has three daughters. His fourth grandchild is a girl, which means he’ll also have four granddaughters.
He was extremely pleased to share the news by email about “another granddaughter,” and he has every right to be. He is preparing for the seventh consecutive girl in his immediate family.
Then again, I couldn’t help thinking how he or the rest of the world would have felt if he had a grandson. Would that be a greater cause for celebration because they had a boy in their midst? I suspect he doesn’t, and didn’t, care.
For so many people, the gender doesn’t matter as long as the baby and mother (and somewhere in there, hopefully, the father) are healthy.
When my daughter was born, the big surprise was that I, unlike my parents or my older brother, could have a girl. As I told my wife, as the second of three boys and an uncle to two nephews, I expected to continue the male tradition.
My daughter started out proving me wrong and, thankfully, continues to do so regularly.
Once I’d broken the ‘all boys’ pattern, I was convinced my son was a girl, so, he, too, defied our expectations.
So, what is it with gender reveal parties? Is it another way to celebrate a coming birth? Is it a way to unveil one of the few mysteries left before birth?
In an era that increasingly understands and supports the transgender population, gender reveal parties seem anachronistic, celebrating a birth gender that may conflict with a person’s developing identity.
Like so many other events, such as a first birthday party that a child will never remember, a gender reveal party may be a way to celebrate the parents, giving them a chance to anticipate the coming birth and to imagine life as the parent of a boy or girl.
Gender reveal parties have received bad press because of the injuries from pyrotechnics and other exploding blue or pink streamers or images. But maybe beyond the danger from these explosions, the gender reveal also pigeon holes children into specific color patterns.
Don’t we want our children to think for themselves, even about their favorite colors, instead of limiting them to blue for boys or pink for girls?
Maybe, instead of colors or gender, we can celebrate the sounds of their heartbeat, the Alien-like moments when we can see their feet in their mom’s abdomen, or the foods their mothers crave during pregnancy.
The idea was that if European nations were interdependent for their economic welfare, then they would not make war on each other, but would rather work together for their greater good. And for more than 70 years, the concept held. Where wars were the way for nations, and before there were nations, for regions to enrich themselves by raiding their neighbors, stealing their treasures and claiming their land, now that was eschewed. Finally, there was to be peace.
England and France, France and Germany, Spain and England among others, all put their guns and their history away and did business with each other. This was the vision articulated by the United Nations after World War II ended, and it came to pass. The economists and philosophers were right. No one would make war on neighbors who were making them money. And for the most part, nations realized unprecedented wealth and the security that peace brings.Economics was to be the field of battle, not the military. And with unrestricted trade, globalization took hold. War was a distant memory.
Until now. Incredible as it seemed to the rest of the world, Russia invaded the Ukraine less than two weeks ago with the aim of annexing that country. Such action, as Russian military surrounded Ukraine on three sides, would be an ill-conceived throwback to a more appalling and unwise time. Or so we thought.
As the Ukrainians defiantly rise to meet the invaders with military weapons, the rest of Europe and countries elsewhere in the world are responding with their weapon of choice: economics. It is a testament to the thinking and planning of those leaders seven decades ago. And so, with remarkable unity, the European Union is striving to blow up Russia’s economy rather than blowing up Russia’s cities. The pain for the Russian leaders and the Russian people is to be felt in their pocketbooks and not in their cemeteries. At least, that is the intent.
But of course, as in every war, it’s the civilians who most suffer and pay the price for their leaders’ actions. If they aren’t shot to death, they may be starved to death, as their money becomes worthless and their businesses are ruined. Still, the Russians will do better without Coca-Cola than the Ukrainians without water.
And that is another remarkable consequence of attempts to isolate Russia. Not only are governments withdrawing trade and financial dealings in this siege, but also international corporations are cutting ties with the invading country, even if the companies bear the price. McDonald’s, which employs some 62,000 workers in Russia, Starbucks and Apple have closed their stores, among numerous others. Americans have indicated overwhelmingly in a recent Quinnipiac University national poll (71%), that they will tolerate the increased price of gasoline if Russian imports of oil and gas are ended. The Biden administration has heard them and is closing off those imports. Of course, the prices at the pump were going up anyway due to considerable current inflation. Why not put the blame on the Russians!
So do shared economic interests prevent wars?
There should have been a corollary put into that concept: assuming all the governments are made up of reasonable persons. Much now is being made of President Vladimir Putin’s mental state because most of the rest of the world cannot understand why he is embracing this “special military operation.”
He did not even tell his lower rank soldiers that they were about to engage in a war. Who knows how the Russian leader thinks? Is he unreasonable or is this merely the opening salvo he, and perhaps his “friend,” Premier Xi Jinping of China, are plotting for a long game?
Of one thing the world can be certain. When autocrats are planning something that surely would be roundly condemned, one of the actions they take is to close down the media and crack down on free speech. Signing a new censorship law, Putin has now criminalized independent journalism for reporting “fake news.”
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory has awarded a $61.8 million contract to Plainview, NY-based E.W. Howell to build the Lab‘s new Science and User Support Center (SUSC). This new facility is part of a larger effort to redevelop an existing on-site apartment area near BrookhavenLab‘s entryway. General contractor E.W. Howell will oversee SUSC construction, planned to start in the first quarter of 2022.
With approximately 75,000 gross square feet, the SUSC will serve as a welcome center for guests, researchers, and facility users arriving at BrookhavenLab. It will offer modern, configurable conference space for scientists to collaborate and office areas for Lab employees.
The future Science and User Support Center
The SUSC is the first building planned for Discovery Park, a new vision for the gateway to BrookhavenLab. The concept for Discovery Park includes the potential for additional development on approximately 60 acres of previously used, publicly accessible land. The Lab is working, in coordination with DOE, on a process for developers, collaborators, and entrepreneurs to propose, build, and operate new facilities in Discovery Park. Future occupants will complement the DOE and BrookhavenLab missions, leveraging opportunities that result from close proximity to the Laboratory. Discovery Park will offer a flexible platform to advance science and technology-based economic development for Long Island, New York State, and beyond.
BrookhavenLab‘s 5,321-acre site is located north of the Long Island Expressway near Exit 68 and east of the William Floyd Parkway. The SUSC and Discovery Park will be built off William Floyd Parkway along the access road leading to BrookhavenLab‘s main entrance.
The selection of E.W. Howell as general contractor follows DOE’s decision on Sept. 13, 2021, approving a total project cost of $86.2 million and awarding the Lab‘s SUSC project team with “Critical Decision Three” (CD-3). CD-3 is the fourth major milestone in DOE’s five-step project management process. The SUSC project team—comprising staff from BrookhavenLab and the DOE’s local Brookhaven Site Office—and E.W. Howell are targeting summer 2024 for SUSC construction to be completed.
The SUSC was designed by Burns & McDonnell and Gensler, two U.S.-based international firms.
Significant investment supporting science and technology
The Science and User Support Center will serve as a welcome center for guests, researchers, and facility users arriving at Brookhaven Lab. It will offer modern, configurable conference space for scientists to collaborate and office areas for Lab employees.
“The Department of Energy’s investment in the Science and User Support Center reflects our commitment to science and technology for the nation. It represents a significant step towards moving Brookhaven National Laboratory’s outwardly facing organizations closer and more accessible to the public. DOE continues to support the SUSC to improve researchers’ access to the experts and capabilities offered at BrookhavenLab,” said Robert Gordon, manager of DOE’s local Brookhaven Site Office.
“Awarding this contract marks a major milestone in BrookhavenLab‘s efforts to improve experiences for staff, guests, and users, to modernize infrastructure, and increase the Laboratory’s overall impact,” said Jack Anderson, Deputy Director for Operations at the Lab. “We’re excited for the facility and for the scientific collaborations it will help facilitate.”
Future first destination for thousands of visiting scientists
More than 5,000 guests traveled to BrookhavenLab annually in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. The largest percentage came from institutions in New York State, but many came from across the country and around the world, attracted by the Lab‘s in-house experts and highly specialized research facilities for experiments. Those facilities include DOE Office of Science User Facilities such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, National Synchrotron Light Source II, and Center for Functional Nanomaterials. Guests also visited—sometimes hundreds at a time—for conferences, workshops, and other events to discuss scientific results and opportunities for future research.
Because of the ongoing pandemic, research collaborations are continuing with remote access and few guests traveling to BrookhavenLab. When it becomes safer for the Laboratory to return to more normal operations, many guests and facility users are expected to return to the Lab site. Upon completion, the SUSC will be their first destination on site upon arrival at the Laboratory.
The SUSC project is funded by the DOE Office of Science.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit science.energy.gov.
■ A resident on Park Ave. in Centereach reported that someone took a Wayfair package from their porch on Feb. 24. The package contained a Gwen 46” console table valued at approximately $200.
■ Walgreens on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a shoplifter on Feb. 24. A woman allegedly stole assorted skin care products and detergent worth approximately $300 and also walked off with a shopping cart valued at $125.
■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a shoplifter on Feb. 22. A person allegedly stole a 70” Samsung TV worth approximately $640.
Commack
■ Walmart on Crooked Hill in Commack reported a shoplifter on Feb. 21. A man allegedly stole a 55” flat screen TV and three jackets. The merchandise was valued at approximately $460.
■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack called the police on Feb. 20 to report that a man allegedly stole two iPhone 12 Pro Max valued at $2098.
■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported two shoplifters on Feb. 20. A man and woman allegedly took two suitcases from the floor, filled them with merchandise and walked out of the store without paying. The woman blew a kiss to security as she was leaving. The merchandise was valued at approximately $1000.
■ Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported a shoplifter on Feb. 18. A man allegedly stole 15 pairs of assorted women’s jeans. The merchandise was valued at approximately $350.
■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported a grand larceny on Feb. 21. Two men allegedly stole 37 Google products, 6 Honeywell thermostats and three DeWalt radios.
■ Ulta Beauty on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported a grand larceny on Feb. 23. Two men allegedly stole assorted perfumes valued at $2500.
■ CVS on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported a petit larceny on Feb. 24. Two men and a woman allegedly filled shopping carts with assorted Dove body wash and 3 packs of Heineken beers and left the store without paying. The merchandise was valued at $288.
■ Costco Wholesale on Garet Place in Commack called the police on Feb. 24 to report that a man allegedly took two Seagate 2TB hard drives from a display case, hid it on his person and left without paying. The items were valued at$160.
East Setauket
■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket reported a shoplifter on Feb. 21. A man allegedly stole an Acer gaming monitor valued at $569.
Elwood
■ A resident on Juanita Avenue in Elwood called the police on Feb. 20 to report that a catalytic converter had been stolen from his 2004 Toyota Prius. The item was valued at $250.
Farmingville
Burlington Store on North Ocean Avenue in Farmingville reported a petit larceny on Feb. 25. A women allegedly stole clothing worth approximately $150.
Hauppauge
■ Shoprite on Nesconset Highway in Hauppauge reported a petit larceny on Feb. 20. A woman allegedly stole assorted merchandise valued at approximately $480.
Huntington
■ A resident on Dunlop Road in Huntington reported that his 2015 Toyota Prius had been stolen from the driveway on Feb. 19. The key had been left in the center console with the door unlocked.
Huntington Station
■ A resident on E. 13th Street reported that a catalytic converter had been stolen from her 2004 Honda Suburban on Feb. 12. The item was valued at $200.
■ Macy’s on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported that a man allegedly stole 13 items of men’s clothing on Feb. 24. The merchandise was valued at $2077.
Kings Park
■ A resident on Twin Oaks Drive in Kings Park reported that a Fedex package was taken from their front porch by a man on Feb. 24. The incident was captured on their Ring camera.The package contained women’s clothing valued at approximately $500.
Lake Grove
■ A woman reported having her wallet with cash and credit cards stolen from her shopping cart at Whole Foods on New Moriches Road in Lake Grove on Feb. 23. Someone attempted to use the credit cards at Target and Best Buy in South Setauket later in the day but the cards were declined.
Mount Sinai
■ A resident on Coventry Court in Mount Sinai reported that someone entered their unlocked vehicle on Feb. 21 and stole a champion backpack worth $100 and cash.
■ A resident on North Country Road in Mount Sinai reported that someone entered their unlocked vehicle on Feb. 21 and stole an Uncle Giuseppe’s gift card valued at $100.
Port Jefferson Station
■ A woman shopping at HomeGoods on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station on Feb. 24 called the police to report that her iPhone and phone case valued at $525 had been stolen. The case contained credit cards which were later used at a Sunoco gas station and a Family Dollar in Port Jefferson Station in the amount of $340.
■ Shoprite on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station reported a shoplifter on Feb. 17. A man allegedly stole a floral arrangement worth approximately $100.
Rocky Point
■ A resident on Judith Court in Rocky Point reported that someone stole cash from their unlocked vehicle on Feb. 22.
St. James
■ Soul Brew on North Country Road in St. James reported a burglary on Feb. 21. Someone forced open the rear door and stole a black drop box containing cash.
Selden
■ The Town of Brookhaven reported the theft of a generator with 200 gallons worth of diesel fuel from a construction site at a park on South Street in Selden on Feb. 17 valued at approximately $600.
■ Bob’s Store on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on Feb. 20. A man allegedly stole assorted clothing valued at approximately $800.
South Setauket
■ Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket reported a petit larceny on Feb. 24. Two men allegedly stole 36 packages of shrimp valued at $874.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
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