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Person utilizing coding software on a computer. Pixabay photo

By Aramis Khosronejad

With the rise of artificial intelligence and the seemingly ever-changing technological world, the main question coming from educators and parents is how the new generation is going to adapt and thrive in the dawn of this new era. Stony Brook University’s new summer camp aims to prepare them.

Located in the university’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology, the program is a collaboration between Stony Brook and Sunrise Technology.

The program has yielded extremely impressive results and received international attention, attracting students from as far as Hong Kong. This largely has to do with the outreach program managed by Rong Zhao, the director of Stony Brook’s CEWIT, which strives to engage students from local high schools on Long Island. Zhao said that the “demonstration” of the self-driving car models “is the biggest attraction.”

The camp is important, according to Zhao, because it shows students that such advanced technology such as self-driving cars and AI isn’t something to fear. “[It isn’t] this mystical, futuristic thing … it’s tangible … [the students] think, ‘Wow, I can code this.’ It is, in the end, the future generation that we’re helping.”

By teaching students to understand that advanced technologies such as AI aren’t something far off into the future but is our current reality, the camp aims to prepare the new generations to adapt to this inevitable future.

According to a report in Forbes by MIT and Boston University, AI will replace as many as 2 million manufacturing workers by 2025. With such rapidly approaching change, preparing the new generation to adapt to this future is paramount. This kind of preparation is exactly what this interactive AI summer camp aims to do, according to Zhao.

Yu Sun, founder and CEO of Sunrise Technology, explained in an interview with TBR News Media how the camp works. It consists of three main activities for students: Lectures where students will listen to a professor speak on the coding process; computer labs where students will be able to apply what they learned from the lectures; and lastly, a project where students will develop and deploy their own self-driving car models.

The program will “give the students an idea of how these self-driving programs work using their own unique design, which also keeps them engaged,” Sun said. She believes that, regardless of whether parents or students are interested in STEM, “AI is such an up-and-coming buzz and parents want students to be exposed to this field.”

“How can we turn this into an educational opportunity which will have a real impact?” Zhao asked. The future is here already, and teaching students how to thrive and adapt to it is essential.

The program spans over two sessions: The first consisted of two weeks from July 8 to 19, and the second session will consist of another two weeks from Aug. 5 to 16. Students from 9th to 12th grade are eligible for the summer camp.

There are very few prerequisites for this program. The second session of the program is still available for any interested high school students.

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Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
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Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli

By Rich Acritelli

“The goal is always to work the hardest.” Track and  field standout – Jasmine Moore

Rocky Point resident Alexandra “Alex” Kelly, a gifted, 20-year-old athlete, had the opportunity to compete in the 2024 Olympic Trials June 21. There, she was placed 21st in the Women’s Long Jump Qualification – Group 1. She has gained valuable knowledge watching the preparation of other top athletes on the national stage.

Reuben Jones, assistant women’s track and field coach at Princeton University, said, “Alex is one of the all-time most physically-gifted athletes I have ever coached in my 14 years in the Ivy League and the last eight with Princeton. Alex can raise her game to meet the level of any competition. Before she graduates, she can surpass the 22-foot mark in the long jump and the 45-foot mark for the triple jump.”

In 2022, Kelly graduated from Rocky Point High School as an honor student, with a 101 GPA, who enjoyed singing in the chorus and working as lifeguard at her local beach.

As an eighth grader, she was still somewhat new to athletics but still broke the long and triple jump records at the high school.

During COVID-19, every athlete was stopped in their tracks. But, being the positive individual she is, Kelly took this period in stride, and realized that it could be an opportunity for growth. She prioritized her leg health, and never stopped training.

For a time, Kelly ran the 4×100 meter relay, and while she liked this event with her teammates, she stopped running this discipline to devote more time to jumping. To stay in shape, she ran sprints and had a strenuous lifting regimen. All of this training paid dividends as Kelly kept establishing new jumping records, and finished first in New York State championships in the triple jump during the 2021-22 winter and spring track seasons.

Right before high school graduation, Kelly was New Balance Nationals champion in the triple jump, held at the University of Pennsylvania.

As this remarkable athlete successfully competed at the highest levels of track and field in high school, Kelly was aggressively recruited by Columbia, Dartmouth, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford and both the Air Force and Naval academies.

For Kelly, Princeton University was the perfect distance away from home. She is majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology, and minoring in the history of science technology and medicine. Kelly is equally as dedicated to her academics.

During her freshman season, Kelly quickly cemented her presence on the Princeton team, as she helped the school earn three Ivy League titles.

This special athlete has some current time to see her family and friends, but she looks forward to her junior season when she will return to Princeton as a captain.

A goal-oriented student-athlete who has her eyes set on attaining her education and the pursuit of athletics brilliance, she will keep being a role model to other younger women and will surely continue to make the North Shore proud of her accomplishments.

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

When we don’t know how to reprogram our remote control for our garage, search engines like Google can not only offer a written explanation, but can also provide videos with step by step guides that make even the least mechanical people — okay, me —barely competent.

Yes, I can change most light bulbs. Let me rephrase that: I can change most conventional light bulbs. For whatever reason, the fluorescent ones that require turning them at exactly the right angle befuddle me.

Google can also help us find ways to improve our daughter’s softball swing, can explain the Pythagorean Theorem, and can give us quizzes to help us prepare for important exams in school.

When we don’t know the history of an important event, when we want to find some information about someone before we go to a job interview, or when we are curious about what other movies someone who looks vaguely familiar in a streaming show has also been in, we can type their names and find instant answers.

And yet, shockingly, Google and other search engines have their limitations.

Search engines connect the words we’re looking for to the information, or misinformation, available online. These engines don’t have a fact filter, a scientifically proven filter, or an incontrovertible truth filter. It’s up to us to decide whether what we see or read is valid.

In fact, I would advocate for a high school class on information vs. misinformation, giving students a chance to think for themselves to spot online fakes. Most teenagers and 20-somethings, for example, can spot an altered photograph based on the unusual shape of an arm, different shading patterns, or, perhaps, a turn in a shoulder that defies our normal biological range of motion.

When people are in panic mode about a rash, the sudden onset of vague symptoms — a high fever, fatigue and muscle aches, perhaps — they sometimes race to plug those symptoms in to a search engine in the hopes of self diagnosing.

While that might save them the trouble of going to an emergency room in the middle of the night, where they could have to wait hours to see a medical professional, the use of a search engine can also create unnecessary anxiety and frustration or provide a false sense of security.

A search engine diagnosis that indicates you or your loved one might have some horrific disease likely raises your blood pressure and may cause you to drive erratically to a hospital.

A friend of ours once received a horrific call that his daughter was injured at school. During a long and excruciatingly painful drive through the night, he set his cruise control to the speed limit, despite his urge to drive 100 miles per hour. He recognized that he wouldn’t do himself, his family or his daughter any good by getting into a car accident or endangering the lives of others on the road during that painful trip. Fortunately, his daughter made a complete recovery.

Such rational thinking on the part of someone in intense distress, however, may not apply when people make a search engine diagnosis.

Recently, I spoke with Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, about several different viruses. I suggested to her that the symptoms for different conditions seemed remarkably similar, with the kinds of general physical discomfort, fever, and aches dominating the list, making it difficult to come up with an accurate diagnosis. 

“That’s why Dr. Google is not the right answer,” Dr. Nachman said.

For illnesses or symptoms that rise to the level of genuine concern, people should consult physicians who can test for a range of potential problems, ruling out conditions until they come up with an informed diagnosis.

In some cases, time is of the essence, with drugs like Paxlovid providing effective relief for Covid-19 within a limited time window, or Ttaamiflu offering the most effective benefit for people with the flu within 48 hours of the beginning of symptoms.

And, while Google may help with your science homework, the search engine may prove especially useful in directing you to experts at hospitals or urgent care centers who can interpret your symptoms and offer an informed diagnosis.

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Photo from Staller Center Facebook

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

It may be summer, but the livin’ certainly hasn’t been easy. Events have been like rapid tidal waves breaking against the news shore. First came the fumbling performance by President Biden in his televised debate with ex-President Trump. Just as we were coming to some sort of terms with that, there was an assassination attempt on Trump’s life, with a bullet from a high powered rifle nicking his right earlobe as he began his speech at a rally in Pennsylvania. Millions of dollars then poured into his campaign chest. 

Next came Biden’s withdrawal, after his adamant refusal to do so, from running for re-election. That was quickly followed by Vice President Kamala Harris announcing her bid for the presidency a mere 105 days before the vote. She immediately garnered support from many other Dems and a rapid accumulation of millions of campaign dollars. Speculation about who her vice presidential choice might be now dominates the news. Somewhere in the midst of those events was the GOP National Convention and the announcement of JD Vance as Trump’s running mate.

It’s been a remarkable past month, and as the news has see-sawed between the parties, many have reacted with anxiety. I can suggest an antidote.

Go see the nightly selection of movies at the Stony Brook Film Festival at the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University. This year is the 29th such offering, and you can judge what Alan Inkles, the director, and his talented staff call “the best in new and independent films.” It is a contest, and we, the audience, decide the winners. There were initially over 2000 entries that the staffers pared down, and until it ends Saturday night, there is still time for enjoying the program. Tonight and tomorrow will feature two movies, each preceded by a short. Saturday, July 27, the closing night, there will be one short, one full length movie and then a presentation of awards to the winners.

To me, movies are magic carpets that take us away from our lives to other worlds. We meet new people in different situations, whose stories may make us laugh or tear up, and we go back home somehow aired out. One we saw was “The Strangers’ Case,” a moving story about the terrified society enduring the Syrian Civil War, as Assad’s forces want to squelch the rebels, and the desperate people who try to flee. We view their plight as they become refugees in another country, strangers in a strange land, risking their lives on rubber rafts over open ocean to get there.

The convenience of attending this festival is top notch. Parking in the adjoining garage is ample and free, and the drive to the Center and back home takes mere minutes and is usually without traffic. Admission is reasonable, and there is pleasure in experiencing the movie with neighbors as a community. And, as in all good movie theaters, snacks are sold in the lobby. I even enjoyed my favorite ice cream pop, an almond-crusted coffee toffee delight, one night during intermission.

Another way to escape the inevitable current events stress is with immersion in a family visit. That, of course, assumes we don’t start talking politics at the dinner table. It just so happens that two of my sons have birthdays two days apart and right around the time the Film Festival opens, and so we get a double distraction from the news. They come, with my daughters-in-law, and we celebrate together.

Each of us has our particular task. One of my daughters-in-law decorates the house with Happy Birthday banners. Another makes her fluffy chocolate-covered cupcakes to host the candles. My job is to provide the food — their favorite dishes, of course — and to fulfill any specific request for a birthday cake. This year’s star selection was a banana cream pie. We happily endured the annual sugar rush that ensued.

As you might guess, after the family leaves, we all go on diets.

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Social media applications. Pixabay photo

By Toni-Elena Gallo

According to News12 Long Island, thirteen Long Island school districts are suing social media companies Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook, citing increased mental health concerns among students.

South Huntington, Kings Park and Port Jefferson are just three of the school districts taking part in the class-action lawsuit.

South Huntington Union Free School District superintendent, Vito D’Elia, commented on his school district’s decision to join the lawsuit in a notice on the district’s website, saying, “We know the damage it’s doing to our students. We see it. We’re dealing with it. We see students that are more focused on their interactions on social media as opposed to their education. And, the ramifications are extremely dangerous.”

This stance was, recently, corroborated by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, when he said that “it is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms,” citing found evidence that more than three hours per day on social media can double the risk of poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Social media use is a major component of the vast majority of adolescents’ lives. According to data obtained by Pew Research Center in 2022, up to 95% of youth, ages 13 to 17, use at least one social media platform, and more than a third use social media “almost constantly.”

A prime motive for joining the lawsuit is hiked mental health service costs, as students have been showing symptoms of internet overexposure.

South Huntington school district is seeking increased funding to employ more mental health professionals, as well as implement “social emotional learning lessons more,” including assemblies and workshops, on safe digital use.

Social media harm to students’ psyches has forced the school district to revamp their curriculum in recent years, with teachers having to focus on things “other than their actual lesson plans,” explained South Huntington Board of Education president, Nicholas Ciappetta, who added that the board’s decision to join the lawsuit was unanimous.

“There are costs associated with [our plans],” he said.

The lawsuit is also asking for the social media companies to implement appropriate and stricter safeguards including improved age verification, parental notification upon sign-up, improved management of age appropriate content and the design of their algorithms.

Ciappetta did add that the purpose of social media is not completely negative, or in vain.

“We’re not trashing social media,” he said. “[The school district] certainly uses it as a way of getting our message out. But if you look at any of the platforms, there’s a lot of negativity on there. And I think the negative always gets amplified. So you need a little more positivity and you need a little more kindness. And that’s something that the social media companies can invest in too. They can partner with us to promote that message.”

Joining the lawsuit comes at no cost to the school districts. Lawyers taking on this case will get a percentage of a monetary recovery, if any, that comes out of this legal challenge.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

America’s ‘war on opioids’

Fifteen years ago, a local 13-year-old boy died on his couch after overdosing from opioids. It was a shock to our community, and it set the ominous precedent for the opioid epidemic that has ravaged our country. As I often ask, why is it taking so long to stop the ever-increasing overdose deaths? Americans are dying inside our borders thanks to our adversaries who are funneling deadly drugs that have killed more Americans than multiple U.S. wars. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than 1 million Americans have died from opioid overdoses. In 2023, over 100,000 Americans died of overdoses, including an estimated 366 from the powerful opioid fentanyl in Suffolk County. 

As the former Suffolk County Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel chair, I can tell you firsthand that the “war on opioids” is not even close to being over, even as we see a slight decline in death rates. We need to see this epidemic as a real war that our adversaries are waging against us and use military force to stop the needless deaths of so many of our fellow Americans. Those actions include sanctions on China, a hard crackdown on drug cartels and the border, and a united front throughout this country to address the carnage of the drug epidemic. 

That means putting some of the proposed $850 billion in military spending toward our own internal “war on opioids.” The Supreme Court recently ruled that the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue Pharma that produces OxyContin, cannot be shielded from liability. This decision holds the Sacklers accountable, however it also puts $6 billion in settlement funding, targeted to address the opioid epidemic, in jeopardy.

Let’s stop wasting time over political bashing and focus on what we need to do to make our country stronger and safer. We can end this war by uniting and finding effective strategies to identify drug dealers through law enforcement, providing services for those who need addiction and mental health support, and educating our kids on the dangers of opioids.

So much money has been made in legal and illegal opioid drug sales, yet no money can replace the loved ones we’ve lost who battled addiction and did not know they were casualties of America’s “war on opioids.” It’s time to end this war!

Sarah Anker

Former Suffolk County legislator and chair of Suffolk County’s Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel. Current NYS Senate District 1 Democratic candidate.

A statement by Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey 

Violence has no place in our political process, whether in our capitols or on the campaign trail. We are thankful that former President Trump was not seriously harmed and we send our prayers to the loved ones of the rally spectators who were apparent victims of this callous assassination attempt. Kudos for the bravery and quick response of the Secret Service and members of law enforcement.

Kevin McCaffrey

Suffolk County Legislature

A statement from Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine

Hatred and acts of violence toward an elected official or candidate for office regardless of political affiliation have no place in this country. As Americans, we stand united on the principles that make our country strong. While there are no reported threats in Suffolk County at this time, my office will continue to monitor the situation.

Ed Romaine

Suffolk County Executive

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Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai. Wikimedia Commons photo

By Peter Sloniewsky

On Thursday, June 11, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) was joined by Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R) and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) to promote a new I/A water filtration system, soon to be installed at Cedar Beach.

Innovative and Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems use advanced treatment methods to remove nitrogen and other pollutants from wastewater before it is released into the environment.

As of July 2021, Suffolk County requires installment of I/A systems for most new residential construction projects. However, much of Long Island, especially Suffolk, uses septic systems instead of sewers due to the area’s historic low population density. While septic systems are cost-effective and efficient, increases in population have led to nitrogen pollution in both surface-level and underground bodies of water. This nitrogen pollution causes harmful algal blooms, which can destroy ecosystems by consuming excess oxygen in water and cause a variety of conditions in exposed humans.

The more-than 1.5 million people of Suffolk County rely on more than 380,000 cesspools and wastewater systems, including over 209,000 systems located in areas that already have environmental risks. Bonner, who represents the town’s District 2, told TBR News Media that “we have a water problem, with a direct correspondence to cesspools.”

Additionally, the sewer systems already in place on Long Island have a tendency to contribute to road runoff, with a similar effect of nitrogen pollution. When there is more water than sewer pipe systems can handle, partially treated wastewater can flow directly into nearby bodies of water, which can include waste, pesticides, oil and litter. Bonner clarified that “the topography [of the North Shore] lends itself to road runoff … I/A systems and sewers will certainly help that.”

In Suffolk County, there are two types of I/A systems which have been approved by the Department of Health Services — FujiClean and HydroAction. Both technologies have been proven to reduce total nitrogen levels far below the county standard, and to reduce those levels more than 80% from conventional septic systems (which do not typically meet the standard).

The Cedar Beach filtration system will be paid for by a $100,000 grant funded by the Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program. This program was revised and extended in late June, and was sponsored by Romaine.

Revisions to the program include the establishment of a referendum for this November’s general election ballot, which, if approved, would establish an additional sales tax of one-eighth of 1 percent to fund a new Water Quality Restoration Fund. Romaine claimed he “cannot emphasize enough the importance of this referendum” to address water contaminants, and the language of the referendum itself claims that its passage will ensure “county funding to 2060 for clean water projects, improvements in drinking water, bays and harbors” — such as the I/A system to be installed at Cedar Beach.

Bonner told TBR News Media that this new fund would be “split between I/A systems and sewers,” and Romaine described the fund as vital to fund sewer construction especially in less developed areas of the county.

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An aedes albopictus mosquito, better known as the Asian tiger mosquito. Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Mosquitoes can be much more than a nuisance as they search for their next blood meal: they can also pass along potentially dangerous viruses.

Long considered a tropical and subtropical health threat, dengue fever has reached record levels in the Americas this year. The illness has been traveling with Aedes mosquitoes that have been moving further north amid global climate change.

As of early July, mosquitoes in Texas, Florida and California have had one of the four viruses associated with the disease. Through early July, Florida reported 10 cases from local spread, according to an American Medical Association update.

Suffolk County residents who have traveled into areas that have dengue have contracted the illness, which has symptoms that are similar to the flu, such as high fever, headaches, body aches, nausea, vomiting and a rash.

Suffolk County has reported 12 cases of travel-related dengue so far through early July, which is more than all of last year and is the highest level since 2013, when 13 cases were reported for the entire year.

“We do have a fair amount of concern with global warming,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “Even if people do not believe in it, mosquitoes have changed where they’re located. There is concern that the mosquitoes” will continue their trek farther north.

Suffolk County is one of many places throughout the country and the Americas that have reported an increase in cases for a disease for which residents have generally had no exposure and, as a result, no natural immunity.

New York State Department of Health alerted medial professionals to consider dengue as a diagnosis if people who are sick have a travel history and related symptoms, Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Health Commissioner, explained in an email.

Symptoms of dengue typically begin within two weeks of being bitten by an infected mosquito.

From January 1 through June 24, countries in the Americas reported more than 9.7 million dengue cases, twice as many as in all of 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Indeed, in Puerto Rico, infection levels climbed so high in early April that the Puerto Rico Health Department declared a public health emergency.

While a majority of dengue infections are asymptomatic or produce mild illnesses, the virus can cause severe cases and can be fatal, according to the World Health Organization.

“Anyone who lives in or travels to an area with risk of dengue is at risk for infection,” Pigott explained. “Children and those who are elderly are at higher risk for serious illness.”

People with dengue typically receive supportive care, which includes rest, pain medications and fluids.

Protection

Health professionals urged people traveling to areas with dengue to take a number of steps to protect themselves.

EPA-registered insect repellents, coupled with loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants can keep mosquitoes away.

Additionally, people can treat their clothing and gear, including hats, shoes and socks, with permethrin.

“Don’t be around standing water, which is a wonderful place for mosquitoes to breed,” advised Nachman.

In Suffolk County, the arthropod-borne disease lab collects mosquitoes and sends them to the New York State Department of Health lab in Wadsworth, New York. Asian tiger mosquitoes, which have carried dengue, zika and chikungunya viruses, have been found in Suffolk County, Pigott added.

“No samples of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that have been sent to the lab have tested positive for those viruses,” Pigott wrote.

While health professionals are on the lookout for potential cases of dengue among residents who have traveled, they are more concerned currently with West Nile virus, which people can contract locally.

Other local illnesses

As for illnesses in the county, Nachman has seen patients who have been battling a collection of viruses, including enteroviruses and Covid.

Residents who are staying around Long Island should continue to be careful about ticks that can carry Lyme disease. Anyone who is going hiking should consider long pants and long sleeves, as well as dirt on their clothing.

“If you take your kids out to hike, check them and you for ticks,” said Nachman.

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Photo from Unsplash/David Close

One of the many attractions of Long Island is access to our beautiful beaches. As we take full advantage of our island’s coasts in this hot weather, it is important to stay informed on the risks of the ocean. 

While deaths from shark attacks are uncommon — there were only two recorded fatalities nationally caused by a shark in 2023 — Long Island has seen an uptick in shark bites in recent years. Here, at least five people were bitten by sharks in 2023 and eight bites were recorded in 2022. 

Robert Moses State Park was a popular spot for sharks last summer with several bites and multiple sightings. Several of the bites occurred during the Fourth of July weekend, so while it’s possible more sharks may be visiting our coast, there was likely an uncommonly large number of people at the beach for the holiday, and therefore more people who were ignorant of shark safety. 

This summer, it is important to prepare for what the increased number of bites in the last two years have shown us: that we share the water with sharks. 

Experts trace the increase to the stabilization of endangered shark species, such as the sandbar shark, as well as warming water temperatures that are attracting prey closer to the shores. 

Luckily, there are many ways to prepare ourselves before plunging into potentially dangerous environments. 

An attack can be prevented by staying up to date on sightings and checking the state of the water. Last year, Robert Moses State Park prohibited swimming after a shark sighting. However, you don’t always have to wait for officials to take action in order to stay safe. 

Before swimming, it is helpful to observe the water yourself, making note of any schools of fish, dolphins and seabirds — signs that a shark could be nearby. Often, being alert to your surroundings is the primary way you can protect yourself. 

If the coast is clear and you choose to swim, stay with other swimmers and in the line of sight of a lifeguard. Avoid swimming when sharks are most active, at dawn or after dusk. To further protect yourself, don’t wear shiny jewelry — the sheen resembles the shimmer of fish scales — or bright colors.

Lifeguards and other officials have taken steps to diminish the danger, such as monitoring beaches with drones, patrolling the area and carrying bite-specific first-aid materials. 

The sharks visiting Long Island are primarily nonaggressive and on the smaller side. If you are in the water and see a shark, try to maintain eye contact. 

Remember, attacks occur when sharks mistake a person or surfboard for prey. They aren’t vengeful, malicious creatures as movies like “Jaws” might suggest, but an essential part of the ecosystem of the ocean. In fact, biologists and experts see an increase in sharks as a good sign that the ecosystem is stabilizing after years of overfishing.

 Swim safely this summer, keeping in mind that sharks, too, love our Long Island beaches. 

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Photo courtesy of Long Island Game Farm

The Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability continues the second season of its Senior Social Club at the Long Island Game Farm, 489 Chapman Blvd., Manorville on Fridays, July 26, August 9 and August 23 at 10:30 a.m. 

“We’re excited to bring back our Senior Social Club for another season,” shares Long Island Game Farm president Melinda Novak. “We introduced this program last year and it was a hit! Now working with our new nonprofit arm, the Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability, we can expand our educational programming across the game farm. It’s very special to have a social club for our senior community and offer ways for them to connect with nature, animals, and each other.”

Senior citizens (65 years+) will begin the morning exploring the grounds, visiting animals, and learning more about the various species at the game farm. A presentation in Woodland Hall will follow, with topics varying each week from rescued animals to wonders of wool, birding to nature photography, and more.

Seniors will enjoy a discounted admission of $10 to Long Island Game Farm on Senior Social Club days. For reservations, call 631-878-6644. 

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