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Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Bonner swears in Mount Sinai Civic Association Board

by Press Release - June 3, 2025

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0-5 — From left, Civic President Brad Arrington, Councilwoman Jane Bonner, Membership Secretary Jennifer Roth, and Treasurer and Corresponding Secretary Monica Stone. Photo from Councilwoman Bonner's office

On Monday, June 2, Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner had the honor of swearing in the returning Board of Directors of the Mount Sinai Civic Association during the Civic Association’s monthly meeting.

The board, led by President Brad Arrington, includes Vice President and Recording Secretary Steve Koepper,
Membership Secretary Jennifer Roth, and Treasurer and Corresponding Secretary Monica Stone. Their
reappointment reflects the community’s strong support and appreciation for their ongoing commitment and
effective leadership.

“I’m honored to join the Mount Sinai Civic Association in celebrating this outstanding team,” said
Councilwoman Bonner. “Their hard work and dedication have made a meaningful impact in the community,
and I look forward to continuing our partnership as they build on their successes.”

Established in 1916, the Mount Sinai Civic Association has been a pillar of advocacy and action in the
community for over a century. The Association plays a vital role in working with officials to address zoning
issues, land preservation, traffic calming, public safety, and community education. From engaging residents in
local political, educational, and social matters to preserving the character of the area, the Civic has remained a consistent and effective voice for the people of Mount Sinai.

For more information about the Mount Sinai Civic Association, please visit https://mountsinaicivic.org/

Talking Tech: Alexa, are you listening to me?

by TBR Staff - June 3, 2025

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By Frank Artusa

Try asking your Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant or any smart home device a similar question and you will get some variation of response assuring you that your privacy is important and the queried device is most certainly not spying on you. But how do these supposedly omniscient household oracles know to respond to their respective “wake” words if they’re not indeed listening to every sound wave to grace their diabolically helpful little speakers?

One thing is clear, these devices are indeed monitoring their local environments for all ambient and discrete vocal communications. Manufacturers of these devices, however, have repeatedly stated that no information is collected aside from the user instructions after activation with a wake word or phrase. This is when the device enters an active listening state of operation. Even if only post-wake word data is captured, the question is; what exactly happens to that data on backend servers?

In 2019, Amazon admitted to employing personnel to listen to customer’s voice commands, albeit to help train and improve the Echo device and algorithm. Amazon in particular has recently changed the way data is handled. Previously, users were given the option to process requests on the local device, but as of March 28, all collected data will be sent to Amazon’s cloud environment for processing. This represents a significant potential opportunity for abuse of private data.

Trusting personal data to these tech behemoths can be a challenge, especially when data collection and selling is so lucrative since the information can be used for targeted advertising and other uses. Data brokers, organizations that buy and sell personal data about individuals, are estimated to earn over 200 billion per year worldwide and the industry continues to grow markedly year after year. They not only leverage personal data to assist advertisers, but this data is also used by retailers, credit agencies, employers and political groups. A big part of the problem is the erosion of consent when agreeing to use these devices. Buyers are faced with a barrage of privacy policies and end user agreements that are usually agreed to with a quick mouse click or touch of a phone screen.

Now with the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) and Large Language Model technologies like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s LLaMA and Apple’s expected enhancement to Siri, these devices will become even more robust and likely increasingly involved in day to day lives. One example is the significant growth in how GAI based tools are augmenting mental health services, particularly when individuals don’t have access to resources, funding, or health care coverage needed to visit an actual therapist. The adoption of this service and technology is a boon to individuals needing access to therapeutic services even if on a rudimentary level, but the privacy concerns associated with the capture of deeply personal and intimate information are significant.

Governments recognize the problem and have begun taking steps to mitigate the issue surrounding the exposure of personal digital information. Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation and California’s Consumer Privacy Act are two such examples of efforts being made to give control back to individuals. Ultimately, as society increasingly embraces smart technology and more sophisticated devices become available, individuals must weigh the benefits to quality of life against the potential exposure and misuse of sensitive information.

Until privacy is the default and not the fine print, we’d all be wise to treat our smart assistants like strangers in the room.

Frank Artusa, a resident of Smithtown, is a current cybersecurity professional and retired FBI Special Agent.

Suffolk County D.A.: Off-duty police detective from Manorville indicted for hate crimes

by Press Release - June 3, 2025

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Ray Tierney photo — Suffolk County D.A. Raymond Tierney

John Murphy Allegedly Attacked a Cellphone Company Employee While Using a Racial Slur

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on June 3 that John Murphy, 41, of Manorville, was indicted on hate crime-related charges, for allegedly attacking a cellphone company employee while using a racial slur and damaging his work vehicle. The defendant is employed as a Detective with the Village of Rockville Centre Police Department.

“The victim in this case was just doing his job, working to improve cellphone service for Suffolk County residents, when the defendant allegedly attacked him and damaged his vehicle,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Even more troubling is that the defendant is a sworn police officer, responsible for protecting the rights of all citizens. The conduct alleged in this indictment will not be tolerated, regardless of what position a defendant holds.”

According to the investigation, on November 3, 2024, the cellphone company employee was driving around the Manorville area inspecting the nearby cellphone towers to ensure the networks were properly transmitting service. At approximately 7:00p.m., while still working, the cellphone company employee drove through the defendant’s neighborhood in his work-issued vehicle, which had a blinking amber light on the roof.

The employee drove around the neighborhood to test the cellphone tower located behind the residential cul-de-sac, and when finished, parked his vehicle at the corner of the street to complete paperwork.

The defendant was alerted by a neighbor of the cellphone company employee’s vehicle and, in response, left his home and approached the employee who was seated in his vehicle. The defendant allegedly questioned the cellphone company employee about his presence on the block, and when the employee tried to show the defendant his identification, the defendant began to yell at the employee. The defendant allegedly put his arm inside the employee’s vehicle through the open window, opened the vehicle door and grabbed the employee’s laptop.

The employee then grabbed the laptop back and the defendant allegedly slammed the vehicle door shut while telling the employee, in sum and substance, “get out of here, we don’t want you or your like in the neighborhood,” and used a racial slur towards the employee. The defendant then allegedly ripped the amber light off of the top of the vehicle and threw it at the employee’s vehicle, breaking the light into pieces. The defendant then allegedly kicked the driver-side door of the vehicle, causing damage. The employee was finally able to drive to safety, and the defendant allegedly picked up the broken amber light and threw it at the vehicle again. The employee drove around the corner and called 9-1-1.

Following the investigation led by the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crime Unit, Murphy was arrested on November 13, 2024.

On June 3, 2025, Murphy was arraigned on an indictment before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins for the following charges:

 One count of Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree, as a Hate Crime, a Class D felony;
 One count of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, as a Hate Crime, a Class E felony;and
 One count of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.If convicted of the top count, the defendant faces up to 2 & 1/3 to 7 years in prison.

These offenses are considered non-bail eligible under New York State law, and therefore the defendant was released on his own recognizance. He is being represented by William Petrillo, Esq. and is due back in court on July 23, 2025.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Alyssa Costantino and Tara O’Donnell of the Public Corruption Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Delfina Rivera of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crime Unit.

Editorial: More than a degree

by TBR Staff - June 3, 2025

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Commencement - Isabel Epstein — SBU Graduation 2025. Photo by Isabel Epstein

On May 23, Stony Brook University celebrated the graduation of over 7,600 students, including those from bachelors, masters and doctoral programs at the 65th annual commencement ceremony. This year and every year we recognize and appreciate the effort and commitment required to finish degrees at one of the nation’s leading research institutions, with distinguished programs ranging from the biological sciences and engineering to creative writing and the fine arts.

The way we define “success” in attending and finishing college is more than the common metric of leaving with straight A’s, awards, or the lucky problem of struggling to pose for a photo that captures each and every cord draped proudly about graduate necks: it is also characterized by the new beginnings inspired by inspirations mined from hard work, passion and encouragement from our mentors and peers. Success is also defined by the barriers which students overcame including for those international, exchange or otherwise underrepresented student populations who have defied the odds. Their failures, shortcomings and mistakes are equally as important in the road to success as those colorful, exuberant representations of mastery are.

Stony Brook University’s reputation may appear intimidating, with a rigorous curriculum, a robust research enterprise and a productive doctoral degree program. Graduates from Stony Brook University in these trying and complex times require an exceptional level of determination and passion, as well as a curiosity undeterred by hostility towards academic institutions and the societal pressure to fit “in-the-box.” Whether this pressure comes from the media, family, peers or even themselves, students can and should rely on their curiosity and passion; it is just a matter of finding what greases the gears of each of their unique minds.

Graduates this year overcame a pandemic, may have struggled financially, and may have honored fallen family members this past Memorial Day. Some may have immigrated or were the first members of their family to attend college, while others may have faced discrimination. Fueled by curiosity and grit, these graduates can tackle any problem. We thank Stony Brook’s 2025 graduates for their contributions to the school and to the community. We wish them well and hope they can reflect fondly on their time in our community as they prepare for the challenges of the future.

Rocky Point High School’s dual strength in athletics and hospitality

by Rich Acritelli - June 3, 2025

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The Rocky Point Unified Basketball team. Photo courtesy Richard V. Acritelli

By Richard V. Acritelli

Smiles, hustling and hard work are the best ways to describe what Rocky Point High School teacher Jessica Gentile has experienced and how she is motivated in her classes. In the transitional support skills course, Gentile and her devoted aides and students carry out an incredibly busy schedule.

Many of these students are almost finished with their second Unified Basketball season that began in late spring. The Unified Basketball team includes athletes with and without disabilities. With an eight-game schedule that features four games at home and four away, the eight-player team and eighteen partners, who assist the players, work together dribbling up the court, shooting and playing defense. Last game alone, Nick Argentieri acted as the “secret weapon” for this squad, as he shot four 3-pointers against the most recent opponent. Bryanna Estevez is legally blind, and she is moved up and down the court by her partner and placed in front of the net, where she has scored many points to help her team during the heat of these games.

Every game, fans intently observe the drive of these players to represent their school through the new seasons for unified athletics. Only within their second season, there is much jubilation on and off the court. Compared to last year’s slow start, they have already won three games, and they will complete their season this week. There are many moving parts in the coordination of the team, uniforms, transportation, student partners and aides who contribute to the course. Gentile appreciates all the care that is provided to her athletes, and they enjoy hearing English teacher James Parker announce this unique competition. She is also thankful to athletic director Jonathan Rufa’s unyielding efforts toward her team and players, calling him “absolutely awesome.”

Gentile stresses the need for comradery between the unified student-athletes and their partners. I Brennan Protosow, Kougar Buehler and Jackson Marte are partners in the program, and frequently visit their disabled teammates in the classroom as they are working on different tasks. Much of their conversation focuses on their upcoming games, basketball strategies and being together as a team. Rufa is excited about the future of unified athletics, and he observed, “Now in its second year under the dedicated leadership of coach Gentile, the Unified Basketball team stands as a testament to the profound impact of inclusion, teamwork and the continuous support of our town and school.” Gentile has had measurable help from teachers Danielle Sohngen and Andy Cooper and aides Deidre Carroll, Deanine DeRosa and Marlo Frascella-Iacona.

Graduating from Rocky Point High School in 1979, Bob Szymanski held various management positions at Cablevision and is currently a permanent substitute teacher. He has watched every game this season with a big smile. He said, “It warms the heart to see the joy in the faces of the players when they make a basket. It is equally heartwarming to see the athletic students assisting the players, demonstrating wonderful patience in helping carry out this outstanding game.”

Not only playing hard during basketball games and bowling in the winter, outside of the athletic lines, this wonderful group serves the high school and middle school community through Rocky Perk. Over the last couple of years, Gentile and her helpers deliver cups of coffee, tea, lemonade, iced tea and Arnold Palmers. They most recently added gourmet tacos to their menu that are prepared by Gentile and students in the classroom. Gentile stresses the need to create these meals from scratch and has established a growing cookbook. At their last taco lunch, over 50 meals were served in the high school and middle school. There were chicken and veggie tacos, chips, salsa, buffalo chicken and red pepper and mozzarella pennies. On June 5 there will be a celebration for the supporters of the Unified Basketball team that will start off with raspberry crumb cake and chocolate chip muffins for breakfast and a taco lunch with all the trimmings.

Next year, Gentile will be working with the gym teachers for unified physical education, with the hopeful future sports of top golf and volleyball. Some of the students will be attending the Chief Executive Officer Program, which offers real-life job experiences/skills in places like Walgreens, Ace Hardware and Outback Steakhouse. Through all these endeavors, Gentile and her future classes, helping staff and student partners are all looking to the future of all these amazing educational and athletic activities. Summing up the strength of these programs, which are guided by Gentile and her support staff, Rufa said, “In just two years under coach Jessica Gentile’s guidance, our Unified Basketball team has grown into a family — where every basket, every cheer and every high five and fist-pound is a reminder of the power of necessary educational and athletic programs that make our school shine.”

For more information visit the school website: www.rockypointufsd.org

New York State Police warn public of phone number spoofing scam

by Press Release - June 2, 2025

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The New York State Police are warning the public about an ongoing phone spoofing scam in which scammers impersonate members of law enforcement or government agencies in an attempt to solicit sensitive personal information from individuals across New York State and beyond.

According to a press release on May 30, in recent days individuals have reported receiving phone calls from numbers that appear to be legitimate New York State Police phone lines,Callers falsely claiming to be law enforcement officials have demanded personal information such as Social Security numbers and have threatened punitive action against recipients who refuse to comply.

These calls are fraudulent. The New York State Police and other legitimate government agencies will never call individuals and demand sensitive information or threaten arrest or legal action over the phone.

Phone number spoofing is a tactic commonly used by scammers nationwide to make it appear as if calls are coming from trusted agencies. These scams are designed to create confusion and fear, often leading victims to comply with demands or share information that can be used to commit further fraud.

What You Should Do If You Receive a Suspicious Call:

Do not provide any personal information.
Do not send money or make payments under threat.
Hang up immediately—even if the caller ID appears legitimate.
Save any voicemails and record the phone number if possible.
Verify the call by contacting the agency directly using a trusted number.

The New York State Police urge all residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity involving impersonation of law enforcement or government agencies.

Researcher Heather Lynch speaks on impact of federal grant cuts

by Sabrina Artusa - June 1, 2025

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Heather Lunch, professor in SBU’s Department of Ecology and Evolution, speaking at the May meeting of the League of Women Voters at Comsewogue Library. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

For a research-focused doctoral university like Stony Brook University, federal cuts to grant funding creates uncertainty for research faculty relying on the money either for potential projects or current ones.

As one of only 187 universities in the nation designated as having a very high research spending and doctorate production, according to Carnegie Classification, the university is highly active in academic research.

Funding is commonly sponsored by federal departments like the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and NASA. Federal sponsors account for the majority of funding for research awards – over 50% of research and development in higher education fields was financed by the federal government according to 2021 NSF data.

Salaries and staff

This money not only supports the faculty at R1 schools whose priority is research and are classified as having Very High Research Activity, but also the various other components of the project such as materials, postdoctorate students, graduate students and overhead. Stony Brook University Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution Heather Lynch likens research to “running a small business.” Indeed, principal investigators (PI) are usually responsible for the salaries of the research scientists and postdocs working below them.

In a 2022 letter, Stony Brook University leadership revised the salary ranges for postdoc researchers. They write, “We understand that many postdoc and research scientist positions are supported by externally sponsored awards, which are typically fixed in their total amount, and therefore salary increases are subject to the availability of funds.”

Some faculty are paid by the university in 9- or 6-month appointments. These researchers are then responsible for supplementing their salary for the rest of the year through grant funding. Since research is the primary function of their position at R1 universities – teaching is secondary – Lynch said that she and other faculty are responsible for supplementing their salary through grants. “The PI is not out there necessarily wanting to take on more research, but you have a lot of employees working for you and you want to keep them employed, so you are constantly hustling,” Lynch said.

Researchers that are part of university faculty receive a base salary; however, it is typical that “soft money” staff, usually medical researchers who don’t do much teaching, do not receive any salary from the university they work for and have to pay themselves through grants.

Due to the loss of funding, many researchers, postdocs and graduate students are considering leaving the U.S. to pursue their studies. According to a Nature poll, around three-quarters of over the 1,500 postgraduates, grad students and scientists that answered were exploring international opportunities, as of March.

Some grant programs were specifically intended for young researchers. Now, universities are limiting their acceptance of graduate students as they reorient resources to support current students amid the diminished indirect cost funding.

Impact of research

Grants usually take months to create; in addition to detailing the project plan, research strategy and the equipment needed, the document can have broader impact sections, which usually includes the opportunities for engagement for underrepresented groups. With the expiring of DEI, “they changed the way broader impacts are defined,” Lynch said. Key DEI words relating to gender or words leading to blocks, even for research already in progress.

The scrupulous application process includes eliminating any potential conflicts of interest, which includes anyone the principal investigator has worked with the previous 48 months. Then, a panel of experts meet to study and analyze the proposal. For a proposal Lynch created, she assembled a list amounting to over 180 conflicts of interest. The process is designed to prevent bias or corruption.

Lynch believes cuts were enabled by a societal misunderstanding of the value that lies in the research. Obscure to the less scientifically-versed, these projects aren’t often recognized for their discoveries, at least not in wide public spheres.

Having been a PI herself, Lynch has done environmental research on Antarctic penguins that won her a Golden Goose Award for federally funded and underrecognized research that had tremendous impact in scientific communities, potentially paving the way for further discoveries and innovations. Other Golden Goose winners include a team whose research led to artificial intelligence advancements.

“These grants are not a gift, they are payments for services,“ Lynch said.

Indirect costs

Funding dedicated to operating the university and thereby enabling this research are factored into the proposal under facilities and administrative rates, otherwise known as indirect costs. Direct costs include salaries and equipment – costs that are necessary for the specific project. Indirect costs are specific to the university; therefore, each project that is associated with the school and is benefiting from its services must include an additional amount that goes back to the school.

The rate was capped at 15% by the NIH, DOE and NSF. The NIH and DOE caps are enacted retroactively. The cap is universal across the country. Previously, indirect cost rates varied depending on the university. R1 universities, which typically have larger research facilities, had higher rates. Stony Brook had a rate of 56%, and previously applied for rate renewals with the Department of Health and Human Services.

IDC limited the amount researchers can use while raising the overall grant request. Previously, researchers complained about this, but now, Lynch said “these IDC rates mean you are not going to have money to maintain equipment, you are going to have to reduce staff to core faculties, you will not be able to build new research faculties, you will have to fire people who do permits and lab safety.”

“These cuts can make it very hard for these PIs like myself to keep postdocs and graduate students paid, and these layoffs in the talent pipeline will create long-term damage to our scientific competitiveness,” Lynch said. She said she does not speak on behalf of the university.

Commack girl’s lacrosse holds off Longwood 11-8

by Steven Zaitz - May 31, 2025

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Number one Cougars use big Q2 for ’W’

By Steven Zaitz

The top-seeded Commack Cougars girls lacrosse team held off Longwood in the Suffolk County Division I Conference quarter finals, 11-8 on May 23.

The Cougars were given all they could handle by the Lady Lions, who despite their rather pedestrian record of 9-7 coming into the playoff tournament, had won six out of their last seven contests. Longwood, led by superstar attacker Ava Franco, held a 3-2 lead over the Cougars late into the first quarter of this game.

But Commack’s freshman Ashley Arizonas scored barely a minute into the second quarter, tying the score and setting the stage for a dominant period for the number-one seed. Senior Emily Parisi scored from a sharp angle and senior Liliana Pettit quickly followed midway through the period to give Commack a two-goal lead. Fellow senior Amelia Brite tacked one on to close the half, and the Lady Cougars would enjoy an 8-5 lead at the break. Pettit and Brite would each score three goals.

As the intermittent rain that fell throughout the game became more intense, Commack led 10-6 midway through the fourth quarter. But Franco, who was seventh in Suffolk County in goals with 51, scored two quick ones, and with about four minutes remaining — an eternity in high school lacrosse — the Lions were within two at 10-8.

That’s as close as they would come.

After a stick-to-the-head penalty by Longwood defender Brooke Morris, Arizonas scored from 10 yards away when Petit gave her a perfect centering feed with Lions goalkeeper Hailey Greene way out of her net, trying to help force a desperation turnover. Arizonas’ goal made the score 11-8 and Commack possessed the ball for the final two minutes for the win.

Cougar goalie Olivia Bezmalinovic made three saves for the win. Franco scored 5 of the 8 goals for Longwood.

Commack hosts number 5 seed and defending Suffolk County champion Ward Melville on Wednesday May 28 in Commack in the sem-final game.

– Photos by Steven Zaitz

Update: Police issue Silver Alert for missing Miller Place man

by Press Release - May 31, 2025

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UPDATE: Jose Garcia has been located, unharmed.

Below is the original release:

Suffolk County Police have issued a Silver Alert for a missing Miller Place man who suffers from dementia.

Jose Garcia, 82, left his home, located on Henearly Drive, on May 30 at approximately 8 p.m. Garcia was driving a red 2018 Toyota Corolla with New York State license plate BRK8237. His vehicle was seen at southbound Route 110 in Farmingdale. He may have been heading to an apartment complex, located on 53rd Street in Woodside, Queens.

His vehicle was seen crossing into the Bronx from the Henry Hudson Bridge at approximately 2 a.m.

Garcia is white, 5 feet 10 inches tall with gray hair and brown eyes, and uses hearing aids.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on Garcia’s location to call 911 or Sixth Squad detectives at 631-854-8652.

Silver Alert is a program implemented in Suffolk County that allows local law enforcement to share information with media outlets about individuals with special needs who have been reported missing.

Miller Place softball shuts out Islip 10-0

by Bill Landon - May 31, 2025

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By Bill Landon

The Miller Place Panthers softball team lost no one to graduation from last years’ squad and entered post season play with a 18-2 record. The sit atop the Class A bracket as the number one seed.

Five-year varsity pitching ace Ava Zicchinelli did what she’s done for years: keep opposing batters off balance and struggling in the batter’s box. Whether it was Delaney Schleider’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third to put the Panthers out front by three or Breya Kesler taking a pitch with bases loaded to walk in a run in the bottom of the fourth or Evelyn Paul’s sacrifice fly to make it a six-run lead, the Panthers kept Islip the number five seed at bay.

Schleider’s bat did the talking with a two-run RBI in the bottom of the fifth inning who followed it with a two-run home run shot over the centerfield fence and Emily Lopez answered the call with a home run of her own to make it a 10-run lead in the bottom of the sixth.

The 2024 New York State semi-final winners were too much for Islip slamming the door with a 10-0 shutout win on May 23.

Zicchinelli allowed one hit, she walked three and struck out 12.

The win advanced the Panthers to the semi-final round on Tuesday where they made short work of Bayport-Blue Point with a 7-1 victory behind another stellar performance from Zicchinelli who pitched a no hitter and fanned 13 batters. The win propels the Panthers to the Suffolk Class A championship game on May 31 where they will face either Kings Park or a Bayport-Blue Point. First pitch is slated for 10 a.m.

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