Vaccine appointments will available Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rose Caracappa Senior Center located at 739 NY-25A in Mount Sinai for people aged 50 and over.
The office of Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) can help interested residents register for an appointment by calling 631-451-6963.
On April 14, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart announced she was stepping down from the position.
The announcement comes three years after she took over the role Tim Sini left vacant when he began his term as Suffolk County district attorney. Hart has accepted the position of Hofstra University’s director of Public Safety. According to Hofstra’s website, she will begin this summer.
Hart, who is a 21-year FBI veteran, was the 14th commissioner of SCPD and the first female police commissioner in Suffolk’s history.
According to the Suffolk County Police Department, Chief Stuart Cameron will serve as acting commissioner until Hart’s replacement is found.
By Kimberly Brown
A total of 54 new recruits were sworn in by Suffolk County officials in Brentwood police academy, Monday, April 12.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) and county Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart were responsible for swearing in the second portion of the class, one that had the highest percentage of minorities in the history of the county.
The first class, holding 50 recruits, was sworn in March 29. With a total of 104 recruits from all over Suffolk County, including eight women, 28% are minorities and 10 are fluent in Spanish.
“Being a law enforcement officer is a crucial role in our society,” Bellone said. “So first let me say thank you for your willingness to stand up and serve your community and being willing to take on the responsibilities of a law enforcement officer.”
Almost half the recruiting class had prior law enforcement experience and one-third of the class are military veterans.
Bellone expressed his anticipation for the recruits to begin their 30-day training.
Special recognition was given to the good Samaritans, a retired NYPD officer and a Marine, who did not hesitate to offer assistance to Officer Christopher Racioppo in his time of need after a traffic stop stabbing in Patchogue Saturday.
“Officers responded immediately and relied on their training, the quality training that they received here in this academy to make the critical, split-second decisions that needed to be made that very well may have saved his life,” Hart said.
Hart welcomed the new class in taking their next step into a life of service as they embark on their new careers in law enforcement.
By Melissa Arnold
Each year, 5,000 people in America lose their lives to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative neurological disease that ultimately leads to a loss of muscle control throughout the body. Beloved Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig and physicist Stephen Hawking were well-known for their public struggles with ALS, which often carries a hefty price tag because of the necessary medical care, home equipment and renovation.
The prognosis is unfortunately grim for all who are diagnosed with ALS, with most living less than five years after diagnosis. But some do achieve surprising longevity. Among them was Chris Pendergast, a Suffolk County educator and literal trailblazer who dedicated 27 years of his life to ALS awareness before his death last year.
In 1997, Pendergast founded ALS Ride for Life, a charitable organization known for its annual treks to raise awareness and funding for people with ALS, nicknamed “PALS.” The first Ride for Life in 1998 took more than two weeks as PALS in motorized wheelchairs journeyed from Manhattan to Washington, D.C.
These days, the organization has a more local focus and the ride itself is shorter, covering Long Island only. But regardless of the changes, it was always Pendergast leading the way.
Each year, Ride for Life hosts a benefit honoring those with ALS and others who have made major contributions in the search for a cure. This year’s benefit, held virtually on April 28, will honor Pendergast’s great legacy as the organization looks to the future.
“Chris would want us to have fun as we remember him and to keep on enjoying life,” said Ray Manzoni, chairman and president of Ride for Life. “We want to make sure that the arrow that Chris launched all those years ago continues to fly. He created so much hope, and we still have work to do.”
The event will feature appearances from an eclectic group of performers with a little something for everyone, Manzoni said. Emmy Award-winning anchor Elizabeth Hashagen of News 12 Long Island will emcee the evening. Performers will include musician Mike DelGuidice (on tour now with Billy Joel), comedian Bob Nelson and father-son Tik Tok duo Joe and Frank Mele.
Also appearing for interviews and audience questions are former MLB pitcher and Yankees commentator David Cone; executive producer Elise Doganieri of the CBS reality hit “The Amazing Race,” and TV personality Clinton Kelly.
Kelly, who is best known for his long-running tenures on “What Not to Wear” and “The Chew,” grew up in Port Jefferson Station and graduated from Comsewogue High School. Later in life, he became friends with Christine Pendergast, Chris’ wife of nearly 50 years and a former physical education teacher at Comsewogue.
“[Christine] is a really special person and her marriage to Chris was truly inspirational,” said Kelly, who now hosts “Self-Made Mansions” on HGTV. “Beyond that, a close friend of my family passed away from ALS a few years ago. And so I am happy to bring attention to this disease in any way that I can, as well as raise funds for patient care. I’m hopeful that scientists can find a cure for this debilitating disease sooner than later.”
Chris’ son, 36-year-old Buddy Pendergast, was in the third grade when his father was diagnosed with ALS.
“As a family unit we were definitely put on an entirely different life path,” he recalled. “When my dad came to see that his progression was remarkably slower than other people with ALS, he very naturally turned his energy toward advocacy, just as he had in the past for other causes he was passionate about, particularly education and the environment.”
To date, Ride for Life has raised more than $10 million in funding for research and support, and the organization’s efforts were instrumental to the creation of the Christopher Pendergast ALS Center of Excellence at Stony Brook University Hospital. But Buddy also admitted his dad would have mixed feelings about the benefit focusing on him this year.
“To be honest, he would have rather focused on other people instead … He was more compelled than anyone I’ve ever met to make a difference, even if it was just for a small community. Ride for Life became one of the most influential ALS organizations, and it’s very much like an extended family, not just one person,” he said. “It’s about remaining hopeful and optimistic in what the future holds. He envisioned a future where all of our hard work will pay off to make ALS a thing of the past.”
The 24th Annual Ride for Life Honoree Recognition Benefit will be held virtually beginning at 7 p.m. on April 28. The event is sponsored by TFCU, Symbio Research, Quontic Bank and The Rohlf Family. Individual tickets are $25, household watch party $100. To buy tickets, participate in raffles or donate to the cause, visit http://one.bidpal.net/alsrfl. To learn more about Chris and ALS Ride for Life, visit www.alsrideforlife.org. For further information, call 631-444-1292.
There’s a place for people of all abilities to play soccer, and it’s right in Centereach.
TOPSoccer is a new program within Middle Country Children’s Soccer devoted solely to children with physical, mental or behavioral disabilities.
Rob Draper, a financial advisor at Draper Asset Management in Smithtown and club president of SB Athletico Soccer Club, said he wanted to provide a place where all different types of people can run, play and score goals together without judgment or fear.
“Soccer helped me experience my kids’ childhoods,” he said. “With soccer, there were times where I would go, ‘Wow. That’s great,’ and our goal is to give those moments to these parents so they can experience it, too.”
Draper teamed up with Dave Phaff, also of SB Athletico, and James Malone, president of Middle Country Children’s Soccer to make this dream a reality.
“We’re all just good-hearted people that just really enjoy working with children and watching them grow into young women and men,” Phaff said.
Officially kicking off last weekend, the program is made up primarily of skills sessions that help teach the participants the game of soccer, while at the same time providing them with an environment that is fun and pressure-free.
Phaff said the whole process took less than three months to get off the ground, and everyone was immediately on board.
Joining the team is Tara Phaff, Dave’s wife — who is also a Doctor of Physical Therapy — who helped create the best plans for each individual participant’s needs.
According to Middle Country TOPSoccer, the team encourages any child or adult who is differently-abled to get involved — and its 100% free.
With no questions asked, Draper wanted to fund the program for the families who decide to join in.
“Rob said to me, ‘I really want to start a special needs soccer program and I’ll fully fund it. I don’t care what it costs, I’ll fund it,’” Phaff added. “He has a great heart.”
While other soccer clubs do encourage inclusivity, Phaff said there aren’t too many locations where kids of different abilities can play further out east. That’s why Centereach was a great, central spot to get the ball rolling.
On Saturday, April 10, the group held its opening day at Oxhead Road Elementary School where 25 individuals, ranging in ages five to 55, headed to the field to kick, run and enjoy the sunshine.
Some of the participants have Down syndrome, some on the autism spectrum and two children were able to play soccer from their wheelchairs. One thing they all had in common was the giant smiles on their faces.
Each player, Phaff said, gets a buddy that works with them every practice. These buddies are volunteers and soccer players, themselves, who help the individual and stand beside them the whole time — and they are anticipating even more players to come join them this season.
“The whole purpose of this is to give these kids an opportunity to be accepted and feel like they are part of something,” Phaff said. “So, we won’t turn anybody down.”
TOPSoccer has their practices every Saturday at 10 a.m. at Oxhead Elementary School in Centereach. Families who are interested in joining can register online at mccsoccer.org.
The Sound Beach Civic Association wanted to do something for local essential workers, and everyone knows that food brings people together.
Bea Ruberto, president of the civic, said early last year the group wanted to do a tribute to the frontline and essential workers at an adopted spot they take care of on New York Avenue.
Although still a concept, the plan is to plant a small tree with a memorial stone in front of it to honor all the people who risked their lives.
But due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the civic was unable to do typical fundraising to make the tribute happen. So, instead, they decided to create a cookbook, “Signature Dishes of Sound Beach and Beyond,” for donations.
“Because the civic is a not-for-profit, we are asking for a donation of $20 and then they get the book,” Ruberto said.
The cookbook, which came out officially earlier this month, is dedicated to all the people who kept everybody safe throughout the coronavirus crisis, and features a section devoted solely to the local heroes.
Ruberto and her group began reaching out to civic members and others in the Sound Beach community asking them to send in their favorite family dishes.
“Initially, we wanted it to be just people in Sound Beach, but we weren’t getting enough recipes,” she said. “So, then we reached out beyond that, which included friends of people who live in Sound Beach, families of people who live in Sound Beach, and this is how it came together.”
She added that by the end of production — which took about four months to put together — 64 people submitted 220 recipes for the 150-page book.
Sound Beach resident Mary McKeown submitted the most recipes — 15 of them — and would reach out to Ruberto often to ask what kind of recipe she needed.
“I just love all the people we’ve met here, and just to be a part of everybody doing it all together has just been great fun,” McKeown said.
Brianna Florio, also of Sound Beach, volunteered to create the cover and drew the concept drawing for what the tribute at the adopted spot will look like when completed.
“I think she did a beautiful job,” Ruberto said.
The black-and-white cover features a local beach with a picnic basket and birds flying in the background.
The 22-year-old said she took a photo of the Long Island Sound and then used her Photoshop skills to add the details.
As of right now, more than 100 books have been sold to people throughout the whole country.
“I actually I got an email from somebody who saw this on Facebook from North Carolina,” Ruberto said. “And he wanted to gift it to his mom who used to live in Sound Beach.”
Ruberto said that the cookbook will appease all different types of palates because there is so much variety, but the classics still remain.
On page 142, there is a recipe from two local boys for one of their favorites: pea-nut butter and jelly.
Ruberto said the first batch of books has all been taken, but the civic is currently ordering more. Those who are interested in making a $20 donation to receive the “Signature Dishes of Sound Beach and Beyond” can email [email protected] or call 631-744-6952.
By Daniel Dunaief
People around the world are lining up, and in some cases traveling great distances, to get vaccinations to COVID-19 that will provide them with immune protection from the virus.
An important step in the vaccinations from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, the two messenger RNA vaccinations, originated with basic research at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the 1980’s, close to 40 years before the pandemic infected millions and killed close to three million people.
At the national laboratory, scientists including F. William Studier, Alan Rosenberg, and the late John Dunn, among others, worked on another virus, called the T7 bacteriophage, which infects bacteria. T7 effectively corrupts a bacteria’s genetic machinery, turning it into a machine that makes copies of itself.
Back in the 1980’s, Studier and Dunn in BNL’s Biology Department were trying to do something no one else had accomplished: they wanted to clone the T7 RNA polymerase. The use of this genetic region, along with a promoter that starts the process of transcription, enabled scientists to mimic the effect of the virus, directing a cell to make copies of genetic sequences or proteins.
The BNL researchers perfected that process amid a time when numerous labs were trying to accomplish the same molecular biological feat.
“Although there were several labs that were trying to clone the T7 RNA polymerase, we understood what made its cloning difficult,” said Alan Rosenberg, who retired as a senior scientist at BNL in 1996. The patented technology “became the general tool that molecular biologists use to produce the RNA and proteins they want to study.”
The scientists who worked on the process, as well as researchers who currently work at BNL, are pleased that this type of effort, which involves a desire for general knowledge and understanding before policy makers and funders are aware of all the implications and benefits, led to such life-saving vaccinations.
“This is an excellent example of the value of basic science in that the practical applications were quite unanticipated,” John Shanklin, Chair of BNL’s Biology Department, wrote in an email.
“The goal of the work Studier and his team did was to understand fundamental biological principles using a virus that infects bacteria. Once discovered, those principles led to a transformation of how biochemists and biomedical researchers around the world produce and analyze proteins in addition to providing a foundational technology that allowed the rapid development of mRNA vaccines,” he wrote.
Shanklin described Studier, who recruited him to join BNL 30 years ago from Michigan, as a mentor to numerous researchers, including himself. Shanklin credits Studier for helping him develop his career and is pleased that Studier is getting credit for this seminal work.
“I am tremendously proud that the basic research done in the Biology Department has been instrumental in accelerating the production of a vaccine with the potential to save millions of lives worldwide,” Shanklin wrote. “I couldn’t be happier for [Studier] and his team being recognized for their tremendous basic science efforts.”
Steve Binkley, Acting Director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, acknowledged the importance of the earlier work.
“The fact that scientific knowledge and tools developed decades ago are now being used to produce today’s lifesaving mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 is a great example of how the Department of Energy’s long-term investments in fundamental research at our National Laboratories can improve American lives today and into the future,” Binkley said in a statement.
Studier explained that his interests were more modest when he started studying this particular virus, which infects the bacteria E. coli.
“T7 was not a well-studied bacteriophage when I came to Brookhaven in 1964,” Studier, who is a senior biophysicist Emeritus, said in a statement. “I was using it to study properties of DNA and decided also to study its molecular genetics and physiology. My goal, of course, was to understand as much as possible about T7 and how it works.”
In an email, Studier said he did not realize the connection between his work and the vaccinations until Venki Ramakrishnan, a Nobel-Prize winning structural biologists from the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, told him.
“I am pleased that our work with T7 is relevant for fighting this world-wide pandemic,” Studier wrote. “History shows that some of the most useful discoveries come from basic research that could not have been predicted.”
While BNL is one of 17 Department of Energy facilities, it has conducted scientific research in numerous fields.
Several translational achievements originated at BNL, Shanklin wrote, including the thalium stress test for evaluating heart function, the development of Fluoro Deoxy Glucose for Positron Emission Tomography and the first chemical synthesis for human insulin, which allowed human insulin to replace animal insulin.
As for the effort that led to the T7 discoveries, Studier worked with Parichehre Davanloo, who was a postdoctoral fellow, Rosenberg, Dunn and Barbara Moffatt, who was a graduate student.
Rosenberg appreciated the multi-national background of the researchers who came together to conduct this research, as Moffatt is Canadian and Davanloo is Iranian.
Rosenberg added that while the group had “an inkling” of the potential usefulness of the processes they were perfecting, they couldn’t anticipate its value over the next 40 years and, in particular, its current contribution.
“Nobody really understood or thought just how widely spread its use would be,” Rosenberg said. “We certainly had no idea it would be an important element in the technology” that would lead to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations.
By Heidi Sutton
From news articles and feature stories to photography, special supplements and classifieds, Times Beacon Record News Media raked in 10 awards, including three for first place, from the New York Press Association’s annual Better Newspaper Contest. The winners were announced during NYPA’s annual, and this year’s virtual Spring Conference on April 8 and 9. Over 150 newspapers competed for awards in 64 categories.
Editor Julianne Mosher won third place in the News Story category for her article titled “Local pharmacies concerned over Amazon Pharmacy.” The judge wrote, “Well done, with good interviews that give the reader the complete picture.” Mosher also won third place in the Feature Story category for “Local dance studios change shape in the age of COVID.”
“This story shows the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic,” commented the judge. “It may not be about health care workers, but it told a story of resilience on the part of businesses and young people looking to have some sense of normalcy.”
Former editor Kyle Barr also did well, winning first place in the Feature Story category with his article, “History of Pride: LI’s first LGBT march reveals history of fighting prejudice.” The judge commented, “This piece was extremely well done and not only covered the history of the event, but brought the emotions of it to the forefront.” Barr also received an honorable mention in the News Story category for his article “Bars/restaurants on north shore struggle to comply with restrictions.”
Reporter Daniel Dunaief won second place in the Feature Story category for his piece, “Health care workers become critical partners in viral battles,” which honored local health care workers who put themselves in harm’s way to offer comfort, cures and solutions for COVID-19. The judge wrote, “This story brought us the stories of health care heroes that have been so important in all of our communities this past year.”
Freelance photographer Steven Zaitz won first place in the Spot News Photo category for an emotional image captured at a Trump rally last October.“The moment that tells the whole story. Great shot to sum up all sides and be fair to all points,” commented the judge.
Zaitz also won third place in the Sports Feature Photo category. The image, which was featured in the article, “Let’s Play Two: Little League Holds Championship Games,” impressed the judge. “In our state (of Pennsylvania), it’s no longer allowed to tank the catcher. If the same is true in New York, at least this little guy got as much as he could out of his illegal action. The determined catcher’s expression completes the scene.” for an image that was featured in the article, “Let’s play two: little league holds championship games.”
TBR News Media won first place in the Best Public Service or Non-Profit Special Section for its 2020 Graduation supplement. “What a fantastic section to put together for Senior Class, their families, and the community during a pandemic. Outstanding work!” gushed the judge. The paper won second place in the Innovative Ad Project category for its TBR Artist Coloring Book which the judges said was a “great idea to get the readers to interact with newspapers and doing a contest.”
The paper also won second place in the Classified Advertising category. “This newspaper has created a classified section that does not feel overbearing or overcrowded. With judicial use of space and bolded type, the section is easy to read,” wrote the judge.
“We are, of course, thrilled to continue our winning ways in the annual New York Press Association Better Newspaper Contest,” said Publisher Leah Dunaief. “But some things must be said particularly for this year’s performance. First, as always, we feel so privileged for the chance to serve the community with our newspapers, website and social media. We are grateful for the support of both readers and advertisers in every season and especially now, during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic, as we have struggled to fulfill our mission of publishing relevant news and information.”
“The staff and I have drawn inspiration from the people who live and work in the community. They have tirelessly delivered food, provided health care and ensured that everyone endured through a health and economic challenge we have never before seen but are now confronting. We have been deeply moved by the willingness to help each other that we have witnessed in order to get to a safer tomorrow. And finally, blessings on all our clearly talented staff members, without whose Herculean efforts we could not prevail.”
NYPA holds the Better Newspaper Contest each year during their spring conference. For a full list of winners and more information, visit nynewspapers.com.
“Circumstances the way they were, the ball just didn’t bounce our way today. I hate to say it but that is the way life is, it isn’t always fair. And it takes a good man to lose and then to come back from it. You guys have your whole lives ahead of you, you have nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be proud of — even though we didn’t win everything, in my book we did. Because guys are everything. Not the trophy, not the wins, it’s you guys.”
On Dec. 6, 2019, Michael Bowler eulogized the special memory of his father Michael P. Bowler who was a noted teacher, coach, club adviser, and administrator at Rocky Point High School since 1973.
This powerful speech was given at Infant Jesus R.C. Church in Port Jefferson, in front of a packed crowd of family members, neighbors, teachers, friends, former lacrosse players, coaches and parents.
For decades, he spent countless hours in his classroom, administrative office, and on the practice and game fields.
This week, Rocky Point High School honored Bowler with a large picture frame with his trademark coaching jacket, hat, whistle and pictures that showed his more-than forty 40 years of service to this North Shore community.
Always armed with a big smile and a can-do attitude, Bowler was the epitome of commitment toward every type of student and athlete who crossed his path during his life in education.
Even up to his death, as he fought cancer, Bowler expected to coach his players, where they were never far from his mind. His life focused on the love of his family, service to his church, , and the devotion to the students and residents of Rocky Point.
Helene Bowler rarely missed a lacrosse game at Rocky Point and was the anchor of support toward the entire Bowler family. Like her husband, she can quickly describe the players, teams, and games that her husband coached, since he established this program.
“Mike loved everything about the game of lacrosse — the skill, the speed, the plays and strategies, the physicality,” she said. “He loved the challenge and excitement of being a coach and considered it an honor and a privilege to mentor these young men at Rocky Point.”
All the Bowler kids played lacrosse on the college level, they all coached their own teams and children, and three of the boys are teachers and administrators. Bowler’s third oldest son, Kevan, connected lacrosse to the makeup of his parents and said, “I know many schools or programs like to think of themselves as a family, but I know that my dad, with the help and patience of my mom, looked after his team as if they were part of the family. Whether that meant trying to keep them on the right path academically, asking my mom to help wash the uniforms so the team looked sharp or trying to find the best possible college fit for them, lacrosse was not just a spring sport to him.”
Since their earliest days of growing up in Hicksville, Bowler was a beloved brother to his siblings. His younger sister Meg Malangone, of Lake Grove, described her brother as being, “protective, caring and gentle. I could always talk to him and he always had time for me, even if I was being an annoying younger sister. When my husband died suddenly, Mike was there to share the load — helping with my kids, whether talking sports, watching movies and just laughing with them.”
Stephanie Bowler described her brother as being “an unsung hero who was always in the background, waiting to be of assistance to anyone in need, great or small. No one was beyond his notice or care. Others always came first, be it a family member, student, athlete, community member or even a stranger.”
A lasting impression was made on his fellow teachers who have long retired from Rocky Point. Vincent Basileo was an American history teacher who vividly remembered Bowler speaking to the students on a class trip to Quebec.
“We were in a historic church and Mike had the students mesmerized through his description of the religious artifacts that these young men and women were learning about,” Basileo said.
For 25 years, Bruce Mirabito taught and coached next to Bowler. He saw his friend as being a “goal-orientated man who always led by example within all of his endeavors.”
High school guidance facilitator, Matthew Poole, was a young counselor who worked closely with Bowler handling the administrative tasks for the junior high students within the mid-1990s. Poole watched as “Bowler disciplined and advised students to help them find better decision-making.
He was also a man who understood the college recruiting process to help his players enroll into the best possible schools.”
Athletic director, Charles Delargy, often spoke with Bowler, where these two “Irishmen” enjoyed each other’s company.
Delargy believed that “Bowler was a true professional and gentlemen. I was very lucky to have him as a good friend.”
Longtime athletic secretary, Rose Monz, had the routine of seeing Bowler and said, “Never has there been a kinder gentleman. A man with old-fashioned values with a faith strong enough for everyone. I think of Mike every day for many different reasons — for the kids who seem lost, for his kindness and generosity to all the secretaries. And most of all, I miss Mike for just being Mike.”
It is impossible to put a number on the players who participated on the lacrosse teams since Bowler’s first competitive year in 1978.
“As a player of his and then watching as a fan as he coached two of my sons, he never lost the passion or dedication that he had for not only his teams, but all of the kids coming up,” said Peter LaSalla, a 1982 Rocky Point graduate. “He is missed greatly.”
John Fernandez praised Bowler, too.
“He treated his players with respect and wanted to get the best out of them,” Fernandez said. “He loved the game and studied it to be the best possible coach.”
Michael Muller, a 2010 graduate, was a pallbearer for his beloved coach who helped him get him accepted to Dartmouth College. According to Muller, “The world needs more people like Mike Bowler. He changed the course of my life and countless others for the better. His legacy will live on forever.”
For years, entire neighborhoods have been tied to the Rocky Point lacrosse program. Nicky and Vin Loscalzo graduated in 2011 and 2012 and they grew up with several boys living next to their home. Nicky always laughed when Bowler jokingly yelled at the six boys who made up the “Dana Court Crew.”
Kevin Fitzpatrick was a “crew” member who wanted to thank Bowler “for always teaching me to hold myself accountable for my mistakes and to have pride in the things I work hard at.”
Nicky LoManto, a 2005 graduate, said, “Bowler provided an outstanding environment for student athletes that emphasized teamwork, respect for opponents and personal life skills for life.”
During the unveiling, Chris Nentwich spoke about the difficulties of leaving Rocky Point to coach his own son and being away from the presence of Bowler.
Dave Murphy touched on the loyalty of Bowler and thanked his family for allowing all of us to have special moments with him.
James Jordan addressed the sincere messages that people wrote when they learned Bowler was named a lacrosse national coach of the year.
Family friend and a lacrosse coach Brian Buckley spoke of Bowler’s knowledge and how he always loved to talk about his sport. Rocky Point lacrosse coach Tom Walsh cherished his moments with Bowler and would like to carry on many of his traditions within this school.
And Rocky Point lacrosse senior captain, Reilly Orlando, mentioned he is one of three brothers who all played for Coach Bowler.
It is not easy to speak about a loved one who has passed away but, when it is about Michael P. Bowler, his legacy is easy to address and will be difficult to duplicate.
Rich Acritelli is a social studies teacher at Rocky Point High School and an adjunct professor of American history at Suffolk County Community College.
The Suffolk County Department of Health Services has paused dispensing of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at its vaccination dispensing locations, following state and federal recommendations while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review data about an extremely rare type of blood clot that has been reported in six people who received that vaccine in the United States.
As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine have been administered in the U.S. CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving a rare and severe type of blood clot that was reported in six people after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred six to 13 days after vaccination.
Suffolk County officials are not aware of any cases occurring among the approximately 2,000 residents who have received this vaccine through the County Health Department thus far. Those residents who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care practitioners promptly.
“While this issue appears to be extremely rare, CDC and FDA are acting in a very cautious manner that underscores our commitment to vaccine safety,” said Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Commissioner of Health Services. “We will be closely monitoring the federal review process and use that information to help guide our efforts here in Suffolk County in the days ahead.”
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine represents about 2% of the total supply of vaccines the Suffolk County Department of Health has received to date, so the pause is not expected to dramatically slow the pace of vaccinations dispensed by Suffolk County. As Suffolk County Department of Health Services does not maintain data on all vaccine providers in Suffolk County, other dispensers may have received and dispensed varying percentages of Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the community.
Residents who currently have appointments to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should watch for a notification from their provider about canceling, postponing or rescheduling the appointment. If your appointment is cancelled, you can look for other vaccination appointments through the Vaccine Locator map, local pharmacies or your area.
CDC will convene a meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on April 14 to further review these cases and assess their potential significance. FDA will review that analysis as it also investigates the cases.
Meanwhile, until that process is complete, Suffolk County health officials will continue to dispense the allocations of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines that the county receives from New York State.
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