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Patriots girls lax cruises to victory in season opener

by Bill Landon - March 29, 2024

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By Bill Landon

Ward Melville girls lacrosse team opened their season at home against the Longwood Lions on Monday, March 25, under brilliant sunshine in a Division 1 matchup where both teams traded goals through two quarters of play. Longwood found the back of the cage in the final seconds to take a 5-4 lead into the halftime break.

The Patriots dispatched the offseason cobwebs in the second half as they dominated the time of possession, and with smart clock management rattled off six unanswered goals, shutting out the Lions in the second half to cruise to a 10-5 victory.

Senior attack Kate Spinks picked up where she left off last season topping the scoring charts for the Patriots with four goals and one assist.

Junior midfielder Ava Simonton had two goals to go along with an assist, and teammate M.J. Timpanaro found the back of the cage twice.

The Patriots looked to build on Monday’s momentum when they traveled to Sachem East Wednesday, March 27, but the result was not available at press time.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Ward Melville baseball preps for league play

by Steven Zaitz - March 29, 2024

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wm baseball-1 — Pitcher Andrew Poxon fires one in against Grand Street Campus. Photo by Steven Zaitz

By Steven Zaitz

The Ward Melville Patriots baseball team played a scrimmage against Brooklyn-based Grand Street Campus this past Sunday, March 24.

After the all-day and night downpour on Saturday, the skies were blue on Sunday, but that didn’t mean it was ideal baseball weather. With the early-morning start time, a whipping wind, and a temperature that barely crawled into the 40’s, it was a day more suited for ice fishing than baseball.

It looked like Ward Melville was playing with some frozen fingers early on as a botched bunt play and an outfield overthrow in the second inning led to four unearned runs for the Wolves, who would win 5-1.

Nick Carnovale, Andrew Poxon and Ben Ferraro pitched for the Patriots.

Ward Melville played again on Monday and had a big, late-inning rally to beat Brentwood 9-8. First baseman Joe Karpowicz and outfielder Danny Cornish had RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Patriots were down by 8-5 entering the inning.

Pitcher Jason Stiles threw three scoreless innings for the win in relief of starter Patrick Duryea. The Patriots played their final non league game on March 27 against East Islip and will start the regular season with a three-game set against Connetquot on April 2.

— Photos by Steven Zaitz

Obituary: Barbara Belle Zorn Winkler

by wpengine - March 29, 2024

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5F7406AC-0740-49AC-912B-EBD7E00E938E(1) — Barbara Belle Zorn Winkler. Photo courtesy Kathy Leon

Prepared by Kathy Leon

Barbara Belle Zorn Winkler passed away from endometrial cancer on Feb. 10 in Stony Brook at the age of 84. She was a loving mother, a devoted nurse and a cherished member of her community.

Barbara was born in Nutley, New Jersey, and moved to Long Island after graduating from Ave Maria St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Florida in 1960. She worked at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson from 1964 to 1973 and excelled there as obstetrics supervisor and later night supervisor of the hospital. She also worked at Regina Residence in Port Jefferson, a home for unwed mothers. She became the school nurse at R.C. Murphy Jr. High School in Stony Brook from 1977 to 1996.

She is survived by her daughters Kathryn “Kathy” Winkler Leon, Nancy Winkler Brogan and Elizabeth “Liz” Rios; sons Erik and Kurt Kirkman; brother Barry Zorn; sister-in-law Lydia Zorn; and grandchildren Andres Leon Miller, Malakai Leon, Sierra Leon, Audrey Brogan, Bradyn Brogan, Stella Rios and Ellie Rios. She was preceded in death by her mother Elizabeth “Betty” Brady Zorn, Frederick “Fred” Zorn and fiancé James “Jim” Kirkman.

A Mass will be celebrated at St. James R.C. Church in Setauket on Friday, April 5, at 10:45 a.m., followed by a celebration of life ceremony from 1 to 5 p.m. at The Setauket Neighborhood House at 95 Main St. Contributions can be made to The V Foundation for Cancer Research (www.v.org) in Barbara’s honor.

Opinion: Educators weigh in on AI

by TBR Staff - March 29, 2024

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artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280 — Pixabay photo

By Aidan Johnson

“Does AI belong in the classroom?,” the prompt read for ChatGPT, a chatbot that was developed by the company OpenAI.

“The question of whether AI belongs in the classroom is a complex one that depends on various factors, including the goals of education, the needs of students and the capabilities of AI technology,” it responded.

Artificial intelligence continues to make headlines, whether it’s due to concerns of replacing actors and writers, new advancements in the ability to make artificially generated videos or worries of misinformation spread by it. However, “the question of whether AI belongs in the classroom” is one that has been on the minds of educators and students.

Some teachers have embraced the use of AI. In an interview with PBS, a high school English teacher in New York City described how he uses AI to cut down on the amount of time it takes to provide feedback on written assignments from students, allowing them to learn from their mistakes much quicker than if he were to solely grade their longer assignments.

Thomas Grochowski, an English professor at St. Joseph’s University, New York, has incorporated AI into his classes, but to a rather minimal degree.

“I usually announce it into the space, where there are very small extra credit assignments where students are encouraged to give the same prompt they were given for a small one-point assignment into ChatGPT, and to write a small piece reflecting on what the robot wrote as opposed to what the student has written,” he explained.

Grochowski added that he makes the assignments optional so students do not have to give information to the site if they do not want to, since some students “are anxious about becoming too familiar with AI.”

“But, it also makes them aware that I’m paying attention,” he elaborated.

While the use of AI is prohibited outside of the optional assignments, that has not stopped students from trying. However, plagiarism-detecting software such as Turnitin has the ability to detect the use of AI, albeit with imperfect results, as it can also flag the use of more acceptable programs such as Grammarly, an AI-typing assistant that can review aspects in text such as spelling, grammar and clarity.

“I think if it’s going to have a place in the classroom, it’s going to be a result of figuring out where that tool will have utility for us,” said William Phillips, associate chair of the Journalism and New Media Studies Department at St. Joseph’s University.

Phillips described how he has seen students use AI in legitimate ways, such as creating test questions to help them study, or how teachers could use it to help construct lesson plans.

“One thing that has struck me as I’ve learned about AI is the concept of alignment, [which is] making sure that there is some human overseeing the automated process that the AI is involved in to make sure that it’s not going off the rails,” he said.

Phillips cited the hypothetical scenario of the paper clip problem, a theory hypothesized by philosopher Nick Bostrom, in which if an AI is told to make as many paper clips as possible, it would start taking metal from everything, including cars, houses and infrastructure, in order to maximize the number of paper clips.

While the idea of paper clips leading to a dystopian future may seem very unlikely, Phillips stressed the broader idea of needing human oversight “so that the values and objectives of the human societies are aligned with what this new serving technology is capable of.”

Renee Emin, a school psychologist, stressed the importance of finding a balance between AI and humans. While it can be good for children academically, she believes that it is important to pay attention to the impact it has on them socially.

“I think of my autistic students who I work with, who are constantly working to socialize and be able to make a friend and connect to others, and they so easily want their laptops, their iPads, their Chromebooks, because it’s more comfortable. And there’s nothing wrong with that — give them their time to have it,” Emin said.

“But if you start relying solely on AI and technology … there’s a whole connection component that gets completely lost for the children,” she added.

Artificial intelligence is continuing to advance. One way or another, it appears it will be a mainstay in human society and has the potential to impact many different sectors of everyday life.

ChatGPT has the final word: “In summary, while AI can offer significant benefits in terms of personalized learning, teacher support, accessibility and digital literacy, its integration into the classroom should be done thoughtfully, with careful consideration of ethical implications and a focus on enhancing, rather than replacing, human interaction and pedagogy.”

Letters to the Editor: March 28, 2024

by TBR Staff - March 28, 2024

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letters_page-scaled-1-700x467 — File photo by Raymond Janis

No to electric school buses

With Gov. Kathy Hochul’s [D] order that all school buses must be battery powered by 2035, New York State tries to walk the walk to cut accursed global warming, melting glaciers, extinction of species and rising sea levels eventually submerging Long Island. But really?

The defective initiative to wind and solar generation will leave the Island with seriously unreliable and costly power. If NYS were to have zero emissions tomorrow, it would be globally undetectable.

There is no climate crisis. This “crisis” is based on defective U.N. climate computer models. Thousands of scientists around the world concur. We experience cyclical weather in decadal, century and millennial cycles.

Europe and especially Germany, the former industrial powerhouse of Europe, tried wind and solar with massive problems in reliability and cost by reopening fossil generation plants, namely coal, natural gas and oil.

Wind turbines in the marine environment have drastically shorter lives and kill land and sea birds, also whales. Solar panels are negligibly recyclable and also require rare earth metals sourced from unfriendly foreign countries via child labor and create copious pollution in fabrication while being barely recyclable. There are mountains of scrapped wind turbine blades now that can’t be recycled.

When buses are recharged at night, there is no “clean” solar power, and the wind may not blow. They will be charged by fossil fuel power plants — batteries are too expensive and last just a few hours. Where is the pollution reduction?

An electric school bus can cost $300,000-$400,000. A diesel bus costs less than $60,000. The governor is offering to subsidize electric buses up to $30,000 each, plus thousands for charging stations. What will that do to our taxes? What happens when the taxpayer subsidies end?

Electric buses weigh thousands of pounds more than diesel buses. Tires and roads wear more. More rubber nanoparticles and brake dust pollute the air. The operating system of an electric vehicle can be maliciously hacked shutting it down. Then what?

Electric vehicles, including buses, lose significant range when it’s cold. Can we leave stranded kids in a dead electric bus in the winter?

Electric buses unexpectedly fail. With a load of kids? In the winter? Buses, like other EVs, catch on unexpected fires that are inextinguishable and emit toxic gasses. Do we want that risk?

Electric vehicles suffer from the lowest resale rates. That will increase our cost and taxes when the bus company tries to recover expenses. The public is smart — you can’t give away a used EV (with a replacement battery costing more than the price of the vehicle). Hertz took almost a $250 million hit dumping its EV fleet that no one wants to rent and is excessively expensive to maintain.

Hochul’s attempts at greenwashing with electric school buses have significantly more downsides than the few, if any, benefits. She has already allotted hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars for this fiasco. Let’s hope our kids aren’t endangered..

Mark Sertoff

Science/Technology Teacher

East Northport

Northville development proposals explained by town councilmember

The recently announced development proposals for the Northville site on Belle Mead Road in East Setauket have caused great alarm within the community about the impact they could have. The company has offered two proposals for residents to consider a 140-unit multifamily rental project built around the existing gas tanks, or a large warehouse and distribution center. It’s important for residents to understand the factors that must be considered as we search for a solution to this challenge, so I would like to share some facts and opinions about the matter:

• Some people have asked why the Town of Brookhaven would allow Northville to build any of this in the first place. A key point to keep in mind is that they are currently zoned industrial and have the legal right to develop the site. This property right is inviolable as long as they meet zoning — including clearing limits, site plan approval and an environmental review — and is the result of a court ordered stipulation.

• What the company really wants is the multifamily project, as that is going to be the most profitable option for them. However, many people think that placing a dense multifamily housing project among the tanks is a bad idea. Northville has come to the town and the Three Village Civic Association more than once asking for the required zoning change to allow for this and was told we would not support it.

• It seems to some people that what they are now doing with their public outreach campaign is to bypass the town’s planning process and the civic association. By taking their argument to the general public, perhaps the industrial proposal will be seen as so unappealing that the multifamily will seem like the better of the two options.

We have to keep in mind that except for the protected woodlands, the rest of Belle Mead Road is also zoned L-1 industrial and there are many businesses there that the community would not find objectionable, such as medical office, commercial space and all the other low intensity uses you find along that corridor.

Islandaire, for example, is a current industrial occupant in that area. Their company has grown into a national powerhouse and provides great jobs as well as a boost to our local economy. They are good neighbors and present a fine example of what good industrial development can look like. Responsible development is important for the overall health of our local economy, and there are very few places we can attract and host these types of businesses.

Northville is trying to move past their reputation and past association as a polluter that poisoned our land with nearly a million gallons of leaded gasoline. If they really want to be the good neighbor they claim to be, they should listen to the clear will of the community and develop the land in a way that will allow them to take advantage of their own rights without trampling on our quality of life.

Jonathan Kornreich

District 1 Town Councilmember

Selden Post Office celebrates Women’s History Month and more

Since the first Selden Post Office opened in 1852, the United States Postal Service has been committed to delivering top-notch service to Suffolk County residents.

In addition to celebrating our 172 years in Selden, we are entering our fourth year of the Delivering for America plan. It is a 10-year focus to transform the Postal Service that is self-sustaining and high performing. In the first three years since, the Postal Service has aggressively advanced core DFA strategies and initiatives. One of those initiatives is investing in our diverse workforce.

With March being Women’s History Month, I am proud to be serving as Selden’s postmaster for the last two years.

The Postal Service workforce is one of the most diverse in the nation. We look like America. That is our strength. Did you know women make up 46% of our workforce and we employ nearly 63,000 veterans? These are just two unique postal facts that can be found at www.usps.com/postalfacts.

I know our most valued assets are our employees and the goal of the DFA plan is to be an employer of choice. Born in

Selden Post Office celebrates Women’s History Month and more

Since the first Selden Post Office opened in 1852, the United States Postal Service has been committed to delivering top-notch service to Suffolk County residents.

With March being Women’s History Month, I am proud to be serving as Selden’s postmaster for the last two years.

I know our most valued assets are our employees and the goal of the DFA plan is to be an employer of choice. Born in Brooklyn and residing in Seldon, I can personally attest to the opportunities the Postal Service offers.

We are currently hiring city and rural carrier associates. I encourage anyone interested to stop in or visit and apply on our website, www.usps.com/careers. Who knows, you may become the future postmaster of Selden.

On behalf of the entire team, thanks for your continued support and we look forward to delivering for Selden and America in 2024 and beyond.

Valarie Faria

Selden Postmaste

Meals on Wheels thanks the community

The Three Village Meals on Wheels Organization is just completing its annual fund drive. The operating expenses and donations for this program come from individuals, civic, business, religious organizations, foundations, trusts and our local schools. This fund drive is necessary since the organization receives no recurring local, state or federal funding and is not government subsidized. Reaching out to the community for assistance has been ongoing for almost 40 years.

We are continually elated to see the overwhelming generosity shown during our annual fund drive and we are extremely grateful each year to receive such assistance.

We will be celebrating our 40th anniversary later this year. In the meantime, we continue to deliver two meals a day, five days a week to our clients. A huge “thank you” to all our donors and to all our volunteers. We could not exist without you all.

Diane Melidosian

Board Member, Three Village MOW

Hippity hop to an Easter egg hunt on the North Shore

by Heidi Sutton - March 28, 2024

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By Heidi Sutton

Looking for Easter Egg Hunts on the North Shore? Here is a list of events for this week so grab your baskets and camera and hippity hop over to these fun springtime celebrations.

Cold Spring Harbor

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will hold egg hunts on March 28, 29 and 30 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Children up to 6 years of age can hunt for eggs during 20 minute sessions scheduled throughout the day. $12 per child, $5 helper siblings ages 7 to 12, $7 adults, $6 seniors. Registration is required at www.cshfishhatchery.org. 516-692-6768

East Northport

Island Christian Church, 400 Elwood Road, East Northport will host a free Easter Egg Hunt on March 30 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Activities will include face painting, crafts, games, bounce houses, photo-ops, and of course, hunting for eggs! You may even see the Easter Bunny! Held rain or shine. Visit islandchristian.com/easter to register. 631-822-3000

East Setauket

— Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt weekend from March 29 to 31 with craft vendors, barnyard animals to see and hold, an egg hunt in the fields, (at your purchased time slot), pictures with the Spring Bunny and more! This is a ticketed event only. Tickets are sold online only for $12.50 per person. As of press time, there were a few openings left on March 31. To register, visit www.bennersfarm.com. 631-689-8172

— Three Village Church, 322 Main St., East Setauket invites children up to 5th grade to an Easter Egg Hunt on March 30 from 10 a.m. to noon. No tickets needed. The egg hunt will be at regularly scheduled intervals, with new eggs each time and a safe space for the littlest crawlers/walkers. Free. 631-941-3670

Farmingdale

Children ages 5 and older are invited to join Adventureland, 2245 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale for an Egg Scramble on March 30 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kids can collect spring surprises and giveaways and visit with the Easter Bunny and Adventureland’s mascot. Tickets in advance online are $39.50 for adults; $49.50 ages 2-24 includes all rides. Rain date April 6. Visit adventureland.us to register. 631-694-6868

Huntington

Children ages 1 to 8 can enjoy a spring celebration and egg hunt at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road Huntington on March 30 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Activities including a petting zoo, arts and crafts, a meet and greet with Mr. Bunny and a special concert with puppetry by Janice Buckner & The New Country Road Show. $16 per child. Register at www.caumsettfoundation.org/programs.

Kings Park

San Remo Civic Association will host a free Easter Egg Hunt with Peter Rabbit at Waterfront Park, Riviera Drive, Kings Park on March 30 from noon to 2:30 p.m. Rain date is March 31 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. www.sanremocivic.com

Melville

Take part in an Easter Egg Hunt at White Post Farms, 250 Old Country Road, Melville on March 28 to 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit with the Easter Bunny (take your own pictures) visit the bunny holding station, see a magic show and much more. Admission is $29.95. 631-351-9373

Northport

Northport Chamber of Commerce with the Northport Centerport Lions Club will host a traditional Easter Egg Hunt at Northport Village Park on March 31 at 1 p.m. Free. 631-754-3905

Port Jefferson

Children ages 2 to 8 are invited to join the Greater Chamber of Commerce for an Easter Egg Hunt following the annual Easter Parade at noon. Line up in front of the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson at 12:15 p.m. after the parade. Photo ops with the Easter Bunny will be from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Free. 631-473-1414

Setauket

Caroline Episcopal Church, 1 Dyke Rd., Setauket hosts a community Easter Egg Hunt on March 30 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Enjoy games, egg hunt prizes, snacks, a live magic show, face painting, an Easter hat contest & parade, and a special long-eared guest. Free. To register, visit carolinechurch.net/egghunt2024. 631-941-4245

TVHS celebrates 60th anniversary with relaunch of Historic House Marker program

by TBR Staff - March 28, 2024

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capt rhodes — Captain Edward R. Rhodes installs the first Three Village Historical Society historic house marker in 1964. Photo courtesy of TVHS

By Kimberly Phyfe

As you travel throughout the Three Village area, you might notice houses quietly boasting white signs with blue writing on them. These markers are adorned with Setauket-built sloop The Daisy and perhaps the names of original home owners. They are an indication that something special is happening here, and it’s about to get even better!

Sixty years ago, one of the first projects the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) took on was marking the homes of ship captains and ship builders in the Three Village area. To commemorate their 60th anniversary, they are embarking on a new leg of that journey with the re-imagined Historic House Marker program — and everyone is invited!

A historical marker was presented for the Nehemiah Hand House on Bayview Avenue in East Setauket. Photo from TVHS

“In honoring six decades of dedication, reflection, and growth, we commence an initiative close to our hearts: ’60 for 60.’ This updated version serves as a revival of our esteemed Historical House Markers program, a pioneering endeavor initiated by Captain Rhodes, a founding member of our Society,” says TVHS Director Mari Irizarry. “The Historical House Markers program pays tribute to the cherished residences, remarkable individuals, and pivotal events that have shaped the very fabric of our community over centuries. Each marker unveiled becomes a beacon of remembrance, a testament to the resilience and spirit of those who came before us.”

This is not only the first project undertaken by the Three Village Historical Society back in 1964, but it reflects what the Society considers one of its most important ideas, that “it regards the entire Three Village area as its museum; the homes, the people and the natural environment as its collection; and the homeowners as its curators.” (Three Village Guidebook, 1986)

Scott Ferrara, Exhibits & Collections Coordinator at TVHS, is leading the committee on the revamping of the Historic House Marker program. He noted that “if you drive around the Three Village area, you see a lot of historic homes. However, only some are marked with the iconic white historic house marker, but even those are sun-faded, have cracked paint, and are well worn. They need to be updated and replaced. It’s about time this program is revived. This committee has been formed to bring back this program and offer updated information and materials to the stewards of historical homes in the area.”

Ferrara says that the program will also include research packets about each of the homes, digital and printed copies of the findings, and photographs, deeds, or documents pertaining to the property found in the TVHS archives. The Society is also happy to teach willing home owners how to do research on their own, and what resources are available to them to find out more about the historic houses they live in.

Why empower home owners to do their own digging? TVHS Historian Beverly C. Tyler believes “many homeowners in the Three Village community are ready to embrace the idea that they are — together with many others — the curators of their homes, and that they wish to understand everything that gives their home its special significance.”

TVHS Education Coordinator Lindsey Steward-Goldberg “hopes this new version of the program will continue to inspire owners of historic houses to learn more about not only the history of their house but also how that history of the house fits into the historic narrative of Three Village as a whole.”

A house marker presented for 40 Main Street in Stony Brook in 1997. Photo from TVHS

Perhaps best known as the birthplace of the Culper Spy Ring and the heart of the Washington Spy Trail, the Three Villages are a popular destination both for tourists and local Long Islanders looking to connect to their roots. Margo Arceri of Tri-Spy Tours uses the homes with historic markers as a reference point on her walking, biking, and kayak tours throughout the area. Arceri loves the fact that “since our town was founded in 1655, there was at last count over 75 pre-Revolutionary homes still in existence in the Three Village area. That’s an incredibly special part of our story that not many other places can say. Our community is full of homes belonging to spies, ship builders, philanthropists, educators, and business owners — those are the true artifacts of our living museum!”

So why is the Society bringing back the Historic House Marker program now? Tyler is determined that “while celebrating the Society’s 60th anniversary, there is no better time to work within the community to emphasize the importance of maintaining and celebrating the homes in the Three Village area which make a significant contribution to the quality of life here.”

There are a few simple qualifications such as: the house must be at least 60 years old and be connected to an historic event or an individual, or have architectural significance. Starting April 1, home owners can see if their houses are eligible with a quick screening on the Society’s website: www.tvhs.org

Irizarry hopes to get at least 60 historic homes to qualify for the markers this year. “As we embark on this journey of reflection and celebration, we invite our community to join us in commemorating this significant milestone. Together, let us honor our past, celebrate our present, and pave the way for a future rich in history and heritage.”

Author Kimberly Phyfe is the Communications Engagement Manager at the Three Village Historical Society.

PSEG Long Island invites contractors and customers to its first-ever heat pump conference

by Press Release - March 28, 2024

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384270124_704527841721754_8231800030094073537_n — PSEG Facebook

PSEG Long Island is inviting anyone interested in heat pump systems to attend its inaugural heat pump technologies and solutions conference, “Electrify Long Island” on April 4. The event is free for PSEG Long Island customers. More than 400 people are expected to attend to learn how electric heat pumps, which function both as heaters and air conditioners, are a greener and more economical way to heat and cool homes.

With a goal of achieving 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040, New York State leads the nation in transitioning to a clean energy economy. Hosting this first-ever conference is one way PSEG Long Island is making heat pump technologies a major part of the future for electric customers on Long Island and in the Rockaways, supporting the state goal.

The conference will be held on Thursday, April 4, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hilton Long Island/Huntington located at 598 Broadhollow Road in Melville. The event will include breakfast with keynote speaker Rory Christian, chairperson and CEO of the NYS Public Service Commission, educational breakout sessions and hands-on workshops throughout the day, more than a dozen exhibitors, lunch, and networking opportunities.

Some of the topics to be presented are:

How heat pump technology is transforming the way Long Islanders heat and cool their homes and workplaces;
Heat pump systems: how they operate and why they are so energy efficient;
Design, sales, and installation of heat pumps – including setup pitfalls and protocols, and performance testing and verification;
And available rebates, tax credits, and incentives, and how PSEG Long Island can help customers qualify.

While anyone is welcome to attend this conference, it will be especially useful for people in the commercial and residential heating and cooling industry; school and multifamily dwelling property managers; pool companies; geothermal installers; building developers, designers, architects and engineers; and homeowners.

Pre-registration is required at electrifylongisland.com/.

Independent annual evaluations by Demand Side Analytics (DSA) have found PSEG Long Island’s energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to be cost-effective and energy-saving. DSA’s 2022 evaluation showed that PSEG Long Island Energy Efficiency Programs, including rebates, generated approximately $1.36 in benefits to society for every $1 in costs to operate the program.

SBU Hospital offers meal-ordering app for patients

by Daniel Dunaief - March 28, 2024

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sbufoodappscreen — Stony Brook University Hospital launches meal-ordering app. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine/Rob Tannenbaum

By Daniel Dunaief

From soup to nuts – along with pictures and descriptions – patients at Stony Brook University Hospital can use a new mobile app to order meals during their stays that are consistent with medical advice and that is sensitive to their diets.

With this app, patients can choose the times they want meals, within the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. schedule, and the specific foods that suit their interests and restrictions.

The response among patients at the hospital, which serves more than 1,500 patient meals a day, has been “very positive,” said Nicole Rossol, Chief Patient Experience Officer at Stony Brook University Hospital. “It’s giving patients more day-to-day control in a hospital setting.”

That empowers patients who can otherwise be confined to their rooms or to the hospital as medical staff monitors their health and brings them for a variety of tests.

The cbord patient app, which allows patients to order food for the same or the next day, provides choices that are consistent with the approach the hospital takes as a part of a patient’s care. Additionally, the app can adjust for a range of allergies and patient dietary needs.

Once patients create a dietary profile, the app can filter food options that include halal, kosher, gluten-restricted, vegetarian, cardiac, carbohydrate-controlled and more.

The app “is not replacing anything,” said Kathleen Logsdon Carrozza, Assistant Director of Food and Retail Services and Registered Dietitian at the Faculty Student Association of Stony Brook University Hospital. “It gives patients another option.” Patients who are tech savvy can use their own mobile devices to order food or, on some floors, they can use a shared mobile device.

Those who prefer can still order food through a call center or by speaking with a dining service worker.

At this point, the hospital has about 45 patients who are using the app, said Alexandra Bush, Nutrition Software Systems Administrator at the Faculty Student Association of Stony Brook University.

App origin

About a year ago, members of SBU attended a conference where they learned about this way of ordering food as an option.

“We wanted to do something that was user friendly,” said Logsdon. “The administration was on board.”

Each food and drink option includes a photograph, which gives patients a chance to consider their choices the way they might at a restaurant.

Last summer, two Stony Brook University students took pictures of each item.

At this point, the app is only available in English, although the hospital has interpreters who can help with patient needs and answer questions.

The app is evolving on almost a daily basis. Bush, who receives daily post it notes with suggestions, recently received a request from a pediatric nurse to add pasta with butter, which is now on the menu.

While the hospital doesn’t have the equivalent of a Yelp review for each dish, volunteers solicit feedback from patients from survey data.

In putting together the menu and developing the app, Stony Brook received considerable guidance from a patient and family advisory council, who teamed up with Logsdon and Bush. The app can be accessed on any app store compatible with Apple and Andriod products.

The council “helped with the education that would be going out to patients,” said Rossol. “It’s really important that we have patients that partner with us to make some of these changes and decisions. They gave us great input and feedback.”

The ability to order meals at a particular time allows patients to dine with their visitors.

“This enables us to offer things to patients in a way we haven’t been able to do in the past,” said Rossol.

By ordering food that better suit patient tastes and interests, the hospital can also reduce the amount of food it discards at waste.

When patients order food at a time when they are out of the room for medical testing, the hospital staff can update the dining crew and revise the schedule.

The person delivering the meal can speak with the nursing staff, who can advise them to hold the food or to repeat the order at a later time, depending on the length of any schedule change.

“We’re looking at ways to enhance the patient experience using technology,” said Rossol. “We are really trying to make the experience the best it can be.”

Warehouses or rental units? Northville wants to know

by Mallie Jane Kim - March 28, 2024

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Elected officials stayed to discuss concerns after residents meeting canceled due to overcapacity

By Mallie Jane Kim

Setauket residents showed up in force to a March 25 meeting about the proposed development of a Northville Industries property bordered by Belle Mead and Upper Sheep Pasture roads in East Setauket. In fact, so many showed up to the Holiday Inn Express in Centereach that the meeting had to be canceled and rescheduled due to fire hazard.

But that didn’t stop meaningful discussion about the issue, as Northville representatives and local elected officials stayed behind to dig into concerns and contentions.

At issue is a site plan Northville sent to neighbors proposing the addition of three giant warehouses to its property, which also houses a collection of gas storage tanks. The idea has already proved unpopular with residents, and though Northville has submitted the plan to the Town of Brookhaven, it has not been reviewed or approved. The Monday meeting was arranged by Northville, without town involvement.

Also on the table was a secondary plan Northville representatives touted: multifamily rental homes. Posters displayed in the meeting room depicted the two options, namely one concept-design poster of grey monolithic warehouses next to another filled with bright, landscaped townhome photos from Westfield Green in Selden. There were also two site plan maps indicating where the proposed warehouses would go, and where a potential 140 rental units could sit.

“No new multifamily residential units have been built in this particular zip code in 25 years,” said Northville CEO Steve Ripp after residents had left the hotel. “I think there is a benefit for folks who would like to remain within the community but no longer want to have their single family home for whatever reason.”

Northville representatives suggested such rentals could serve older residents who want more flexibility than maintaining a freestanding house allows, as well as university students or young adults who want to stay in the area but can’t afford a single family home.

Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) pushed back against the idea that the housing plan was a better option.

“If they have an as of right [to build within their industrial zoning], they should do it and do it right,” he said. “But to do a swap for high-density residential, such as you would find in central Queens or Brooklyn, is unacceptable.”

Englebright added that neither Northville proposal was “ready for prime time,” as the town has not come back with suggestions, and there hasn’t been an environmental review.

Allowing Northville to change zones to add multifamily homes, according to Englebright, could open the floodgates for other light industrial property owners around Brookhaven to do the same, leading to overdevelopment.

Englebright emphasized that Northville is important to the area’s infrastructure as a provider of fuel for automobiles and homes, though he said the number of people who showed up to the meeting reflects how controversial any development will be.

“The community is a suburban community,” Englebright said. “Proposing urban density here is the beginning of the end of our way of life. And that’s unacceptable.”

Ripp pushed back against the suggestion that multifamily rentals would change the character of the community, and said concerns over traffic were “alarmist” since warehouse trucks would travel at off-peak hours.

“We’re building something,” said Ripp, adding that the company hasn’t developed its property in over 25 years. He said the meeting presentation was intended to see what the community preferred.

Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), who also stayed after the meeting, said Long Island infrastructure is already at carrying capacity, and the company was not presenting a real choice.

“Not that I would equate this in a moral sense,” he said, “but if someone comes up to you on the street with a gun and says, ‘Your money or your life,’ you are being offered a choice, right?”

But Ripp said it was unreasonable to expect Northville to stick with the status quo.

“If [people] don’t want it developed, they should talk to the Town of Brookhaven to say, ‘Buy the land from Northville,’” Ripp said. “You can do what you’re permitted to do with your land.”

Meeting rescheduled, community reacts

Earlier in the evening, the meeting room, which hotel staff said had a capacity of 100 people, quickly filled beyond capacity, with residents crowding into standing room. More were waiting to ride up the elevators to the sixth floor, and more still were unsuccessfully circling the parking lot to find spots, with some reportedly attempting to park along Route 347.

“We got a great community turnout, more than we possibly could have anticipated,” said Northville lawyer Timothy Shea, who indicated they would find a larger place to host the meeting next time. “We want to hear what everybody has to say.”

Residents filing out of the room when the meeting was canceled primarily expressed frustration and suspicion.

“It’s a disaster,” said Kerry Menendez, who lives on Storyland Lane, close to the Northville site. Menendez suggested the company’s lack of preparation for a big turnout was indicative of how she thought they’d handle any development in the future. “And with their track record — how they’re showing their face in this community right now, I don’t even know.”

That track record includes a 1.2 million gallon gas leak, revealed in 1988, which some meeting attendees remembered first hand. Like Corinne Keane, who grew up on Robin Hood Lane and lives in the same neighborhood now. Her home was in the area affected by the spill, and she said she remembers a testing well dug at her family’s front curb, and men in gear frequently testing the level of contamination there. Her family was part of the settlement Northville paid out to homeowners.

“They paid our families, which didn’t change anything because the home values were significantly affected by it,” she said.

Keane is not a fan of any development on the Northville site, and not only because of the history. “It’s going to bring traffic,” she said, especially if the company is successful at getting a driveway put in on Upper Sheep Pasture Road, something the town has said is not allowed. “It’s a blind curve. It’s going to create a lot of accidents, and the traffic is going to be backed up,” Keane said.

According to Ripp, the plans are still in the early stages, and he said Northville didn’t rule out structural improvements like widening Belle Mead Road, for example.

He also addressed the company’s environmental background. “People are traumatized by what happened to them, and for good reason,” he said, pointing out how terrible it was that a plume penetrated the ground under homes — but also that it was an accident that happened due to a tiny hole in a pipe, and despite Northville following industry regulations.

“It was a terrible thing for Northville also,” he said, indicating loss of inventory as well as the money paid out in cleanup efforts, damages and settlements. In all of it, Ripp said, Northville stuck it out and didn’t declare bankruptcy to absolve themselves of making things right — and that the environmental fines went on to provide the seed money to preserve the Pine Barrens area of Brookhaven. “That turned a really horrible situation into something with long-lasting benefits,” he said.

Ripp also pointed out that cleanup was completed 20 years ago, and the company has faithfully provided fuel for the community in all that time. “I think we have been a good neighbor. We have supplied [gas] safely and consistently. Through all weather events and what have you, Northville has always been there,” he said. “It’s disappointing that we never get absolved of that [spill].”

Kornreich asked if Northville would apply that idea of being a good neighbor if the town continued to reject rezoning for multifamily residences and the community protested the idea of a major industrial build.

“Would you listen to the community and say, ‘OK, we’ll look for something that’s a little bit lower intensity?’” he asked.

Ripp said no. “That simply doesn’t have anything to do with integrity — we have land rights, we have property rights,” he said. “We are a business, you know, we’re trying to make money from this. We have rights, too.”

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