Guides Nikkeya Bell, Rick Melidosian and Pat Galaskas during the TVHS's Graveyard Walking Tour last Saturday.
Photo by Cayla Rosenhagen
The Setauket Presbyterian Church. Photo by Cayla Rosenhagen
The gravesite of Abraham Woodhull at the Setauket Presbyterian Church graveyard. Photo by Cayla Rosenhagen
A view of the Setauket Presbyterian Church. Photo by Cayla Rosenhagen
By Cayla Rosenhagen
Cayla Rosenhagen
After British General Charles Cornwallis famously surrounded during the Battle of Yorktown — the last battle of the American Revolution — he returned home to England. During a dinner party in London, he was questioned about the significant defeat.
“General Washington did not out-battle us,” he replied to the inquiry, “He out-spied us.”
The spies which he referred to were almost certainly the Culper Spy Ring, a network of daring Patriots, many of whom lived here in Setauket, who supplied the Continental Army with invaluable intelligence. Some of its members included Abraham Woodhull, Anna Smith Strong, Caleb Brewster, and Robert Townsend.
The Three Village Historical Society’s Graveyard Tour enveloped me in our community’s rich history as I listened to the heroic tales of these brave spirits and others. On the crisp, autumn evening of October 23, volunteers Rick Melidosian, Pat Galaskas, and Nikkeya Bell led our group of 20 through the cemeteries of the Presbyterian Church of Setauket and the Caroline Church to visit some of the historic figures buried there.
The lantern-lit tour began at dusk as a cool breeze swept through the village. Vibrant autumn foliage and a fleeting shower contributed to the alluring old-world ambiance of the darkening churchyard.
Our guides recounted the extraordinary stories of many Patriot heroes, including the tavern owner and spy, Austin Roe, Long Island’s Paul Revere. During the war, he was a courier who made the 110-mile journey from Setauket to New York City and back on horseback in order to deliver intelligence once a week. The journey was a dangerous one, as the roads he took were full of highwaymen and patrolling British redcoats who would stop and question him. Using the cover of buying supplies for his tavern to dismiss prying questions about his frequent travels, Roe successfully transmitted intelligence from Robert Townsend and passed it along to Abraham Woodhull.
Anecdotes of the courageous Anna Smith Strong captivated the audience as well. She utilized a secret code by hanging petticoats and handkerchiefs on a clothesline to relay vital information from Woodhull to their fellow spy and whaleboat captain Caleb Brewster. Brewster then made the treacherous journey across the Long Island Sound, at the time also known as the Devil’s Belt, to provide intel to General Washington himself.Anna lived in the family manor on Strong’s Neck, only minutes from where the tour was held that evening. In fact, centuries later, her descendants still reside there, guide Pat Galaskas explained.
As the fundraiser came to a close, I spoke with some of the individuals who volunteer with the Three Village Historical Society. Author and TVHS historian Bev Tyler shared what it was like working with the Society for over 45 years. He said the two things he most enjoys about being their historian are “…people who ask lots of questions and are very enthusiastic, and the research.” Tour guide and TVHS volunteer for over 15 years Rick Melidosian most enjoys getting to share his knowledge about history with others.
The Three Village Historical Society is currently looking for volunteer help for various positions, including docents, costumed actors, and guides. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact TVHS Creative Services Manager, Mari Irizarry, at [email protected]. See their Facebook or Instagram pages or visit tvhs.org to find out more about upcoming events and experiencing their museum which recently opened its doors to the public for tours during the week.
Cayla Rosenhagen is a local high school student who enjoys capturing the unique charm of the community through photography and journalism. She serves on the board of directors for the Four Harbors Audubon Society and Brookhaven’s Youth Board, and is the founder and coordinator of Beach Bucket Brigade, a community outreach program dedicated to environmental awareness, engagement, and education. She is also an avid birder, hiker, and artist who is concurrently enrolled in college, pursuing a degree in teaching.
Patricia Yantz, a Three Village resident, is known for her acrylic and pastel landscape paintings. A former secondary art teacher at Sachem School District, she is also involved in many community organizations such as the Three Village Historical Society where she was a former president.
Presently, she is a joint coordinator of the Candlelight House Tour, on the Steering Committee for the Long Island Museum, and member of the Three Village Garden Club. She belongs to art organizations such as the Setauket Artists, North Shore Art Guild, LIMarts, and Smithtown Township Art Council. She especially enjoys teaching acrylic and watercolor classes at Ward Melville High School’s Continuing Education Program.
W hen did you first become interested in art?
At an early age I used to watch my father draw wood boats and create his own designs of boats he wanted to build. As I sat next to him, he gave me some drawing paper and I started to draw boats too!
Who were your other role models?
Besides my father, Sister Lucy at Saint Mary’s High School in Manhasset inspired me to pursue art in college. Later in life, I was inspired by our local icon Joe Reboli. I watched as he took a common view, such as a road or mailbox, and transform it into a masterpiece! It was truly magical. Lastly, the person who helped me find my artistic niche was you! My involvement with the Setauket Artists along with your constant encouragement and faith in me has made all the difference.
It is kind of you to say that! Thank you. Why did you choose acrylics and pastels as your medium?
I switched from oil many years ago for health and safety reasons. Also, after my cat walked across my freshly painted oil painting and then walked all over my new rug, I decided it was time for a change!
What feelings do you want to evoke when people see your paintings?
The most important thing I want the people to come away with is a sense of peace. I think color changes the emotion and the feel of a painting, so I often work in warm colors to uplift the viewer.
Where do you like to paint and why?
Living in this beautiful area is a constant source of inspiration to me. Painting it is a natural outgrowth of my environment. I am truly in awe by the stunning sunsets, meandering waterways and lavish landscapes that invoke a sense of place as well as a sense of peace. I am especially drawn to the creek at West Meadow, Avalon Nature Preserve, and Stony Brook Harbor.
How would you describe your work?
I have learned so much about tonal aspects and value which I try to incorporate into my paintings. I try to harmonize or unify colors in terms of light and atmosphere. Yet, I do not use a limited palette, but instead look for atmosphere and temperature when creating.
You have won many awards. Tell us about an award that has meant a lot to you?
I was recently given the incredible award of the 2021 Honored Artist voted on by the Setauket Artists. The artists gave me encouragement, faith, and support over the years which has been a vital part in motivating me to continue this artistic journey.
Why is art important in the world?
I feel art is so important because imagination is the beginning of creating. This creativity engages the mind and enables alternative ways of thinking and seeing. With so much emphasis on critical thinking, creating art makes one think not only critically, but analytically which is often overlooked in today’s world. Art is a bridge where artists can, through their paintings, communicate universally to reach people around the world.
Where can we see your work?
I am currently showing my work at the 41st annual Setauket Artists Exhibition at the Setauket Neighborhood House until November 14th. I will be part of “Celebrate the Season” exhibit at the Reboli Center in Stony Brook, “Deck the Halls” at Gallery North in Setauket, and the “2021 Atelier Invitational” at The Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James. To get in touch with me, you may contact setauketartists.com.
Suffolk County Police, with assistance from Stony Brook State University Police, arrested a Stony Brook University student on more than a dozen drug charges following an extensive narcotics investigation.
Members of the Stony Brook University Police Department contacted Suffolk County Police Narcotics Section detectives last month regarding a student possibly selling drugs on campus.
Suffolk police said that following a joint investigation, it was determined Domingo Zaba, 41, who lived on campus, was allegedly selling drugs through social media. Detectives arrested Zaba on October 28 and then executed a search warrant at Zaba’s dorm room. Investigators seized drugs including fentanyl, cocaine, mushrooms, Xanax, ketamine and marijuana.
Zaba was charged with 15 felonies—three counts each of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 2nd Degree, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rdDegree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 5th Degree and one count each of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 4th Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 5thDegree. He was also charged with three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree, a misdemeanor.
Zaba is scheduled to be arraigned today at First District Court in Central Islip.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The Ward Melville Patriots steamrolled over visiting Bay Shore in a 41-0 rout at home Oct. 22. It started when wide receiver Nolan Fontana punched in from 6 yards out for the opening score. Senior quarterback Chris Prussen ripped a 42-yarder to find the endzone at the 3:38 mark of the 1st quarter and with Jackson Weber’s foot, led 14-0. Nick Gaffney answered the call in the 2nd quarter with a pair of short yardage touchdowns to lead 28-0 at the half. At the 8-minute mark in the 3rd Gaffney struck again with a short run for the score to put the Patriots out front 34-0. Running back Jack Woodworth sealed the deal with a late game 10-yard run for six and with Weber’s kick completed the 41-0 shutout.
Prussen led his team in yardage with 111 yards on 8 attempts and Gaffney covered 86 yards on 11 carries.
The win lifts the Patriots to 5-2. The teamwill play their regular season finale on the road against William Floyd.
Ward Melville High School junior, singer-songwriter and former Broadway actress Ava Della Pietra has been named a winner in the New York State School Music Association’s 2021 Calls for Creators Competition. Ava won with her two original songs, “Moon” and “Optimist” in the Songwriters Showcase category.
An introspective single about saying goodbye to her brother, a source of comfort and inspiration, “Moon” is a poignant ballad about impermanence and coming of age. “Optimist” is an uplifting and inspiring song about overcoming negativity and keeping a positive mindset.
For the first time, NYSSMA held three calls for student musicians in three categories — composers, electronic music and songwriters. Students received a written evaluation of their music and each submitted work was also considered for inclusion in one of three concerts at the All-State Winter Conference in Rochester. Student creators were also invited to participate in coaching workshops and a post-concert discussion.
Above, Ava is pictured with Ward Melville High School Principal William S. Bernhard (on left) and District Director of Music Anthony Pollera.
The Three Village Community Trust will hold a Thanksgiving Food Drive through Nov. 11. This is a wonderful opportunity for residents to help feed the needy by dropping off food goods at the Trust’s headquarters, which is conveniently located at 148 Main Street, Setauket (across the street from Assemblyman Englebright’s office.)
The Trust encourages community members to drop by its headquarters to leave items such as canned goods, rice, pasta, hot and cold cereal, and supermarket gift certificates. Simply place the items on the front porch where it will then be boxed and delivered to food pantries in time for the Holidays.
The Trust’s Food Drive is being held with the help and support of Three Village School District students.
It is a time of giving, and it is the hope of both the Trust, and the students running the drive, that your
donations will bring joy, and support many of our local families.
The newest hire in the Department of Geosciences at Stony Brook University, Li, who is an assistant professor, is a part of a team exploring carbon capture and storage.
“My work is expected to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere,” Li said. It will “help people find ways to promote carbon dioxide mineralization for safer carbon dioxide storage” below the ground. While her work will help promote carbon storage, it doesn’t include capturing and transporting the gas.
By selecting sites carefully, researchers can store carbon dioxide for geologically long periods of time.
While carbon sequestration occurs on the scale of kilometers, Li often works on a minuscule level, at the nanometer to centimeter scale. Smaller scale alterations affect properties such as the permeability of the rock formation.
Li is trying to predict nucleation of a certain mineral in her computer models. She has done that for carbonate minerals, which could be what carbon dioxide becomes after it is stored in geologic formations.
A similar process of nucleation occurs in clouds, when fine particles form the nuclei around which gases condense to form water or ice.
Li used a small angle x-ray scattering synchrotron to explore important details about each particle. This technique, which doesn’t look directly at the particles, reveals through data analysis the particle’s shape, size and surface morphology and, eventually, the rate at which nucleation occurs.
For carbon dioxide sequestration, the minerals that provide nucleation start at the nanoscale, which give them a high specific surface area.
“That matters for later reactions to generate carbonate minerals,” Li said. “That’s one reason we care about the nanoscale phenomenon. The bulk minerals are generated starting from the nanoscale.”
A larger surface area is necessary in the beginning to lead to the next steps.
Li’s work involves exploring how carbonate starts to form. Her earlier efforts looked at how calcium carbonate forms in the aqueous or water phase.
Carl Steefel, Head of the Geochemistry Department at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, worked with Li during her PhD research at Washington University in St. Louis. Steefel believes her research will prove productive.
“She has an approach to science that combines that one-of-its-kind capabilities for studying nucleation with a deep understanding of modeling and how these open systems involving flow and transport work,” Steefel said. “The combination of these unique capabilities, in nucleating and in understanding reactive transport modeling, will put her a very good position.”
As of now, Li plans to study carbon sequestration in natural gas formations in shale, which has nanometer sized pores. The particles can change the permeability of the rock.
Some companies, like British Petroleum and ExxonMobil, have started to explore this method as a way to reduce their carbon footprint.
While geologic carbon sequestration has shown promising potential, Li believes the process, which she said is still feasible, could be decades away. She said it may need more policy support and economic stimuli to come to fruition.
Part of the challenge is to incorporate such carbon sequestration in the established market.
Scientists working in this field are eager to ensure that the stored carbon dioxide doesn’t somehow return or escape back into the atmosphere.
“People are actively investigating possible leakage possibilities,” Li wrote in an email. “We try to design new materials to build wells that resist” carbon dioxide deterioration.
Controlling pressure and injection rates could prevent various types of leaks.
In her earlier studies, Li explored how cement deteriorates when contacted with carbon dioxide-saturated brine. She hoped to find cracks that had self-healing properties. Other studies investigated this property of concrete.
It’s possible that a mineral could form in a fracture and heal it. In natural shale, scientists sometimes see a fracture filled with a vein of carbonate. Such self healing properties could provide greater reassurance that the carbon dioxide would remain stored in rocks below the surface. Li hopes to manage that to inhibit carbon dioxide leakage.
The assistant professor grew up in Beijing, China, studied chemistry and physics in college. She majored in environmental sciences and is eager to apply what she learned to the real world.
For her PhD, Li conducted research in an engineering department where her advisor Young-Shin Jun at Washington University in St. Louis was working on a project on geologic carbon dioxide sequestration.
In her post doctoral research at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, which is operated by Stanford University, Li explored mineral reactions in shale, extending on the work she did on mineral reactions in concrete as a graduate student. She sought to understand what happens after hydraulic fracturing fluids are injected into shale. These reactions can potentially change how easily the mix of gas and oil flow through a formation.
With Stony Brook building a lab she hopes is finished by next spring, Li plans to hire one graduate student and one post doctoral researcher by next fall.
She is teaching a course related to carbon sequestration this semester and is looking for collaborators not only within geoscience but also within material science and environmental engineering.
Li is looking forward to working with other researchers at the National Synchrotron Lightsource 2 at Brookhaven National Laboratory, which provides beamlines that can allow her to build on her earlier research.
Li and her husband Xuecheng Chen, who are renting an apartment in South Setauket and are looking for a home close to campus, have a three-year old son and an 11-month old daughter.
Outside the lab, Li enjoys quality time with her family. A runner, Li also plays the guzheng, which she described as a wooden box with 21 strings.
Steefel, who wrote a letter to Stony Brook supporting Li’s candidacy to join the Geosciences Department, endorsed her approach to science.
“She’s very focused and directed,” Steefel said. “She’s not running the computer codes as black boxes. She’s trying to understand what’s going on and how that relates to her experiments and to reality.”
TBR News Media published its endorsements in the Oct. 28 editions of our papers, which run from Wading River in the Town of Brookhaven to Cold Spring Harbor in Huntington along the North Shore. As always, these are only our opinions, and we urge you to learn about the candidates and make your own decisions as to whom you will give your vote. We merely share our impressions with you, feeling it our duty since we have personally interviewed them.
Sini is leading DA’s office in the right direction
Photo by Rita J. Egan
We were impressed with the passion of both Tim Sini (D) and Ray Tierney (R), and they both brought good ideas to the table during the recent TBR News Media debate. They also were ready to back up what they said during the interview with documentation.
While Tierney has more experience in the courtroom, Sini made a good point during the debate that being DA is more than being a prosecutor, it’s also about managing the office. This is an important fact as the DA’s office, like many in Suffolk County, has a great deal of taxpayers money to manage. We felt that the current DA has more of a sense of the overall responsibilities.
The relationships Sini has forged through the years with fellow elected officials in the county are also important. Being voted into office after Tom Spota (D) was removed as DA, Sini was tasked with revamping the office. We think he has done a good job in doing so, and we would like to see him continue in the office.
We hope that Tierney, who said he never thought he would be involved in politics, will stay in the arena. He has a lot of good ideas and the passion behind them to fight for the public.
Toulon the only pick for county sheriff
File photo by Kevin Redding
With current Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr.’s (D) only opponent effectively just a name on a ballot box, as he is not actively campaigning, Suffolk voters only really have one choice come Nov. 2. However, we can still give our sincere endorsement to Toulon, who for the past four years has been a pillar of integrity in law enforcement and beyond.
Our interview with Toulon also revealed just how hard change can be regarding Suffolk’s jail system. Despite inroads with trying to help the county’s nonviolent jail population, especially with great ideas like the sheriff’s START Resource Center, a lack of adequate funds for more in-house psychologist staff means it remains tough to give people aid before they reenter society. We agree with Toulon that mental health remains a constant problem in society. The nonprofit advocacy group Prison Policy Initiative reports that more than 44% of locally run jail populations are diagnosed with a mental illness. It only makes sense to get them help when in jail before they have another encounter with law enforcement.
We hope that Toulon keeps pushing for such funds. It was also concerning to hear just how understaffed the sheriff’s department currently is, and it remains incumbent on Suffolk officials along with the Sheriff’s Office to recruit staff. Unfortunately, like much of the law enforcement community, too many of the Sheriff’s Office law enforcement remain unvaccinated. Combined with them interacting with a population of inmates with low vaccination rates, the spread of COVID-19 among officers and inmates remains a key concern.
While we appreciate the COVID precautions in Suffolk jails, and while we understand there is no requirement in Suffolk that law enforcement be vaccinated, we believe top brass of law enforcement need to do more to campaign for vaccinations among staff.
Still, Toulon remains a steadfast and effective sheriff who has found support from both sides of the political divide. We hope he continues with the good work and we look forward to the next four years.
Go with Cuthbertson’s experience in the 18th Legislative District
Photo from Cuthbertson
Both Mark Cuthbertson and Stephanie Bontempi bring a lot of good ideas to the table, and we appreciated their cordialness toward each other despite their campaigns getting off to a bad start with contentious mailers. Both also seemed apologetic about the literature. It shows that both are capable of reaching across party lines and working with others. The fact that they agreed on many issues also demonstrated this character.
In this race, we endorse Cuthbertson whose approach we felt was backed by more facts and data than his opponent. The town councilman also has experience working with elected officials on all levels which would help him to hit the ground running if chosen as county legislator in his district.
We hope that Bontempi will continue to be involved in the town and seek public office in the future if she’s not elected on Nov. 2 to the county legislator seat, as she has a fresh perspective that would be an asset during these divisive times. We were also impressed with her concerns for those in the social services system.
Trotta fights the good fight
Photo by Rita J. Egan
During this election campaign, we have found many candidates who are just placeholders on the ballot. We were disappointed to find that Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta’s (R-Fort Salonga) opponents in the 13th Legislative District were not available to debate him. His Democratic opponent is not actively campaigning, and while his Conservative opponent has plenty of signs around the district, he didn’t respond to our requests to debate Trotta. We understand that he has not debated Trotta at all this election season.
We respect that, as a former law enforcement officer, Trotta doesn’t just rubber stamp pay increases for county police officers. While he believes they should be properly compensated, as do we, he doesn’t believe that pay raises should be three times the cost of living. In other words, he understands that one of his jobs is to manage taxpayers money.
He also is a proponent of sewering in the district and is ready to work with towns on this matter.
Rob Trotta has our endorsement.
Leslie Kennedy steps up to the plate
File photo by Desirée Keegan
In the race for Suffolk County legislator in the 12th Legislative District, we endorse Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset).
While some have criticized Kennedy for having a laid-back attitude at times, the legislator has shown time and time again she cares about her constituents.
She can be seen regularly at community events talking with residents, trying to find out what’s on their minds. When she has to deal with an issue, she talks to all parties involved. Sometimes an elected official doesn’t have to grandstand to make a difference.
We were disappointed that her opponent Mike Siderakis (D), stopped actively campaigning a few months ago. Last year he ran for state senator against Mario Mattera (R-St. James) and had a lot of good ideas and solutions. We would have liked the opportunity to sit down with him and hear how he felt about county issues and how to solve them, especially since earlier in his campaign he organized a few press conferences to discuss local issues.
Kennedy has shown once again that she is there to represent her district.
A tough decision for District 4
Nick Caracappa. Photo by Julianne Mosher
While incumbent Nick Caracappa (R-Selden) and newcomer Dawn Sharrock of Selden both have their pros and cons, TBR News Media will leave the choice to you, our readers.
Caracappa, won a special election in 2020 to fill the vacant seat of former District 4 legislator, Tom Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma) and for the last year has done great things.
In the short amount of time in his position, he spearheaded the removal of Stagecoach Elementary School as a voting site, assisted senior veterans with receiving the COVID-19 vaccinations early on and composed a letter to then-governor Andrew Cuomo (D) addressing the dire conditions of our local roadways — which was signed by all 17 legislators and later resulted in the state allocating an addition $30 million to roadway repairs.
However, it is concerning that he led a “anti-mandate” rally, which encourages people to say “no” to the COVID-19 vaccine. While vaccinated himself, and his family, we feel that the role of government is to protect its citizens — especially during a worldwide pandemic that has taken hundreds of thousands of lives.
Dawn Sharrock. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Sharrock is sharp and has a bright future ahead of her. Her roles working on the Middle Country School Board have been impressive. She’s good at it, and we hope she will continue doing that for now. A mother within the district, and one who is involved and caring of our children’s well-beings, we encourage her to attend meetings and get more county experience.
We want her to continue doing the great work she does with our local school district and to keep growing while doing so. With more experience, she could be an excellent candidate down the road for higher office.
Kara Hahn will continue to lead in 2021
Kara Hahn. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Hahn has proven herself over the last several years in her position as county legislator. The current deputy presiding officer, she has done wonderful things for the local community and has always been there to help her constituents when asked.
As an elected official who cares for her environment, Hahn has sponsored legislation to reduce the use of single-use plastics, ban the sale of products containing microbeads, increased fines for illegal dumping and preserved open spaces in Setauket and Port Jefferson Station.
She has improved public access to county parkland by adding parking facilities where none previously existed at McAllister County Park in Belle Terre and new amenities at Forsythe Meadow County Park and Old Field Farm by West Meadow Beach.
But she has also been an advocate for victims of domestic violence and a supporter of small business.
Hahn’s opponent, Republican Salvatore Isabella, has not been actively campaigning and refused to talk to media throughout his run.
While he may be a placeholder, we are disappointed that the political party chose not to have someone serious on the ballot.
Hahn, however, should be applauded for her constant professionalism and dedication to her community — so much so that she has announced a bid for the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for U.S. Congress next year in New York’s 1st Congressional District.
Her advocacy for the environment, mental and public health, as well as the safety of everyone from children to first responders is admirable. We know that for her last legislative run, she will continue to represent her constituents well and be there as a helpful leader just as she has over the last six terms.
Incumbent Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) was the only one who responded to TBR News Media’s invitation for an in-person debate for the election of county legislator for District 5.
We’re looking forward to seeing what her next accomplishments for the county will be.
Anker again for the 6th District
Sarah Anker. Photo by Julianne Mosher
TBR News Media has chosen to endorse county Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) to represent the 6th District.
Anker, who would be in her seventh term if reelected Nov. 2, proved again that she should finish all the bills and policies she has worked on throughout her near-decade career in politics.
While opponent Brendan Sweeney was enthusiastic during our in-person debate Oct. 11, we believe that Anker should follow through with her final term this year.
Over the last 10 years, Anker has shown true leadership and empathy to her constituents. An elected official who cares about the environment, children and small business, she also cares about the people in the community who might not say thank you — and even her opponent.
Sweeney, at just 28, has a great career ahead of him and has already made milestones for a millennial.
Currently working for the Town of Brookhaven, he would be able to bring that experience to the county, if elected, but we feel he needs just a little more time to truly grow.
Knowledgeable about what the town has done during COVID-19 and with other policies, Sweeney should consider looking more into county data and learn more about the constituents he would like to represent.
Anker knows her area, she has raised her children and worked here for years.
She should finish up her time with the county and, once completed, she can let a new person take the reins — maybe Sweeney down the road.
Change is welcomed for Huntington Town Supervisor
Rebecca Sanin. Photo by Julianne Mosher
After a series of unfortunate controversies in the Town of Huntington over the last few years, change is welcomed, and Rebecca Sanin is a breath of fresh air.
While Deputy Supervisor Ed Smyth and town board member Eugene Cook are seasoned from their roles and have a wealth of knowledge devoted to the town, Sanin brings a new level of expertise to the table.
As president and chief executive of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, Sanin knows how to talk to people and listen. She said a leader needs to be empathetic and that is something she can do well.
A resident of Huntington Station, she can see all sides of the town from the safer areas to the neighborhoods that struggle with crime and could use a bit of TLC. The three runners each have their strengths; Cook is a strong individual who we admired during the debates. Smyth, an intellectual, has a wealth of knowledge and eagerness to serve. Sanin who at just 43 would be the second female supervisor in Huntington history, and for a community founded in 1653, that change is certainly welcomed.
We think that everyone on the ballot can bring something to Huntington, but Sanin can be a brand-new start for the town.
Go with Bennardo and Ferro’s depth of knowledge
Photo by Rita J. Egan
When the four candidates for Huntington Town Board walked into TBR News Media’s offices, the atmosphere did not grow strained, as it often does for political candidate debates. In fact, a sense of decorum and comradery settled over the room.
The candidates chatted, listened to each other and complimented each other, while us reporters and editors sat stunned on the other side of the table. It’s a shame that there are not four open councilperson seats up for grabs, as we would have liked to see what could be accomplished if that spirit of compromise we saw around our newspaper’s conference table was transferred to behind the dais in Huntington Town Hall.
However, of the two Republicans David Bennardo and Sal Ferro, and the two Democrats Joseph Schramm and Jennifer Hebert, we were most impressed by Bennardo and Ferro’s depth of knowledge, as well as the more concrete plans they had to bring business to Huntington while stabilizing the tax base.
Bennardo’s experience as superintendent of South Huntington will serve him well in town leadership, and we appreciated Ferro already having a grasp of the amount of money available for environmental grants.
We wholeheartedly ask that whichever two candidates do not secure enough votes Nov. 3 should continue in public life and use that spirit to the benefit of the community at large. Some would call it naive to believe politics could return to a sense of shared bipartisanship, especially once newcomers really start to feel the sting of modern politics, but it’s still something worth trying for.
Keep Wehrheim as Smithtown Town Supervisor for continuity
Photo by Rita J. Egan
The past four years has been a time of change for Smithtown, and with change inevitably comes controversy. Despite that, change, especially regarding aiding Smithtown’s aging infrastructure and struggling small business sector, is an imperative. We here at TBR News Media feel, with the two candidates running for Smithtown supervisor, that incumbent Ed Wehrheim (R) is the best fit for pushing that revitalization.
Wehrheim’s expertise from spending years in the town parks department has paid dividends for the town’s recreation assets. He has a pragmatic sense toward development that’s seen him gain respect of elected officials from across the aisle and in higher levels of government, which is why there are big hopes for the Kings Park Psychiatric Center property to be used partially for sewage treatment. In the four years he’s been in office, Wehrheim has paved the way for St. James and Kings Park revitalization. Part of that rejuvenation is in new apartments, but those new developments have not disrupted the character of Smithtown as some people feared.
In many ways, Democrat Maria Scheuring represents the past, of a suburban ideal being threatened by the changing times. It’s a case of having your cake and eating it, too. She wants small businesses on Main Street to thrive, but she is against new apartments that would bring foot traffic into these downtowns. She agrees with the necessity of protecting the environment but shares no specific alternatives. The Gyrodyne project does require scrutiny, but there is an absolute necessity for Long Island to move away from antiquated cesspools in order to protect both the groundwater and coastal bays.
Not presenting any real answers for how to deal with these problems will only lead to stagnation. We hope Scheuring continues being involved, and that she participates in more town meetings to let her voice be heard.
Wehrheim has the right attitude and work ethic, and we hope to see more of those attributes in the next four years.
Choose Nowick and McCarthy for Smithtown Town Council
Lynne Nowick
After hearing about the vast revitalizations these two candidates have worked on together for the town of Smithtown, TBR endorses both Lynne Nowick and Tom McCarthy council.
Actively setting up a plausible solution to the sewering of Smithtown, both Republican candidates have reached milestones for the town, helping to improve not only the environment but the quality of life for residents. They are well on their way to setting up a plant in Kings Park, which will benefit Smithtown.
Both Nowick and McCarthy have been insistent that New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) helps fund the sewering of Lake Avenue, Main Street, and Kings Park, and do not stop at any obstacle in their way.
Tom McCarthy
They have also revitalized 75% of the town by funding parks, beaches and golf courses, creating a small economic engine for the town, which is something that all residents can appreciate. If elected, they will continue to finish the 25% of the revitalization work left.
TBR likes to endorse candidates that have shown their capability and willingness to live up to their promises. We believe that Nowick and McCarthy truly love their town and will go above and beyond to make sure that the Smithtown residents are happy.
Keep Donna Lent as Brookhaven town clerk
In the race for Town of Brookhaven’s town clerk, TBR News Media endorses Donna Lent (R) for the position.
We believe Lent is the right choice as her experience as town clerk since 2013 has helped the Town of Brookhaven in many different ways.
Donna Lent
Not only is her experience and realistic view of the community something we can all respect, but she has shown us she has not halted in her work when it comes to helping the community such as getting the right permits and documentation they may need.
We were impressed by her detailed responses when posed with the issue of software difficulties and the FOIL process, and we appreciate her continuing efforts to help make information readily available to the public.
Although we are inspired by the passion, vigor and refreshing ideas her opponent Ira Costell (D) has for the position, we hope he continues to use his passion toward other public services. We were especially impressed by his desire to help with mental health problems. Perhaps he could be named “mental health czar” by the town supervisor?
Costell is knowledgeable about the Town of Brookhaven and will go out of his way to help the community.
Understanding there are restrictions to the position as town clerk, TBR sees the improvements made by Lent and we hope to see her make even more if reelected.
The race between Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini (D) and prosecutor Ray Tierney, who is running on the Republican and Conservative lines, has been a contentious one. At the forefront, Tierney has questioned whether Sini has been as tough on crime as the DA himself has said, especially regarding the MS-13 gang.
The two sat down with TBR News Media’s editorial staff Oct. 11 to discuss several issues including the biggest ones facing Suffolk County.
Meet the candidates
Sini was first elected to the DA’s office in 2017 and is running for his second term. His background includes being an assistant attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York where he ultimately specialized in violent crimes, which included prosecuting murder trials. He went on to serve as Suffolk’s assistant deputy county executive for public safety and was appointed to the county police commissioner position in January of 2016.
“I love my job,” Sini said. “I wanted to serve in my own backyard.”
Photo by Rita J. Egan
Tierney also grew up in Suffolk County. He began his law career in the Suffolk DA’s office under DA James Catterson (R).
The challenging candidate left the DA’s office in 1999 and went on to work for a private firm and returned to the DA’s office in 2002 and remained for another six years.
He then worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York as an assistant attorney for more than 11 years.
He left the office in 2019 to become an executive assistant district attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s office where he was in charge of the violent criminal enterprises bureau, crime strategies unit and body worn camera unit.
In order to run for Suffolk County DA, Tierney had to leave the Brooklyn office and is currently Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting Corp.’s chief counsel for compliance and enforcement.
Statistics
Sini said crime since he became police commissioner and even as DA has gone down each year. He said since he’s been in office violent crimes are down by about 30% and overall crimes more than 20%. He added year-to-date crime is down 7%.
“We’ve been very effective in keeping Suffolk safe, and also moving the criminal justice system in the right direction, but we knew that we had to reform the DA’s office and that’s why I ran initially,” he said.
Weeks before his election Sini’s predecessor, former DA Tom Spota (D), was arrested. Sini said the office has been reformed in various ways. There has also been the hiring of more than 100 people, an increase in diversity and an overhauling of the training program.
Tierney disputed Sini’s crime statistics saying shootings are up in Suffolk County, and he wants to use his experience in crime strategies to bring those numbers down.
“Statistics can be manipulated,” Tierney said. “What we’re going to do is we’re going to index the crimes.”
Tierney has criticized Sini’s approach during his campaign. He said the DA’s office will announce numerous indictments via press releases but he said the office doesn’t send out as many announcements about convictions.
“I don’t dispute for a fact that he has very splashy arrests,” Tierney said. “I’m talking about results.”
He also criticized Sini for the number of times his office has used plea bargaining, giving the example of a drug dealer that Sini charged with a top count in 2021. However, he said, a year earlier that same dealer was charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance and then allowed to plea.
“If he’s a kingpin in 2021, why do you give him a misdemeanor in 2020?” Tierney said.
Sini said pleading in certain cases is not unusual, and the DA’s office may not have the evidence needed in 2020.
MS-13 gang
Photo by Rita J. Egan
Tierney said Sini talks about the biggest MS-13 gang busts and asked for defendants’ names, pleas and sentences. He also asked why not one was charged with murder.
“If you have a crime strategies unit, if every two weeks you’re letting the statistics come out the stats will speak for themselves,” the prosecutor said.
Tierney said doing so is an example of being independent from the police and county executive.
Sini said his office has been part of one of the largest MS-13 takedowns, where 96 people were indicted in one county. The case involved three years of wiretapping investigations. The takedown netted a multitude of arrests, and Sini said his office is now prosecuting the cases and is having a lot of success.
The DA said the reason why many were charged with murder conspiracy instead of murder was because law enforcement was able to stop the killings from happening due to the wiretaps used in the investigation.
“Our detectives would go out and stop the violence, and then we charged the defendants in some cases with murder conspiracy,” he said. “We stopped 10 murders from happening that way.”
He said the office, in addition to murder conspiracy pleas, has received pleas to assault and criminal possession of weapons, which have significant sentences attached to them.
“We’re making a difference in terms of MS-13 on Long Island, there’s no denying that,” Sini said. “And it’s not just the DA’s office, and we’re not suggesting otherwise. It’s a collaborative effort from the local police department, all the way up to our federal government.”
Tierney said there were 46 gang members on the indictment, and each one was responsible for two murders, which Sini interrupted and said it was murder conspiracy.
“Now he said he thwarted 10 murders,” Tierney said. “Now how exactly did he thwart those 10 murders? By arresting them? Well, the manner in which he arrested them was, he had this big splashy takedown after two years and then he arrested all 96 at once. So, in order for that statement to be true, that would have meant that as he prepared his press release, as he called all the media, as he got everything all ready for the takedown, the night before 10 murders became apparent. And then he took those individuals down.”
Tierney said he has a problem with that style as “that’s not how it works when we do our MS-13 indictments.”
“We take them down as soon as possible,” he said. “We don’t care about the indictment. We care about the results, and you can’t thwart 10 murder conspiracies, all at once, it’s an impossibility. There’s no way that 10 murder conspiracies come to fruition at the exact date of the takedown.”
Tierney said Sini seals his cases because he doesn’t want the public to see the plea bargains that he has given.
Sini said that was false since indictments are public, except for certain cases that may need to be sealed due to cooperators or under certain circumstances, and it’s appropriate to do so.
Drug epidemic
Sini said the drug epidemic has been one of the most significant public safety problems for more than a decade. He said the approach is investing in prevention, treatment, recovery and law enforcement.
“Law enforcement even plays a role in treatment, too, because you can create and implement diversion programs, where you get low-level offenders who are suffering from addiction into treatment programs,” he said.
He added drug offenders also need to be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.
“We’ve done that,” he said. “I’ll give you two examples, both in terms of bringing operators and major trafficker charges the top felony counts, these are significant prosecutions, and we’re leading the state on doing that.”
He said the sentences can be 25 years to life.
Tierney said he feels the most significant public safety problem is the rise of crime in the county, whether gun violence or the opioid epidemic.
He added it’s important to keep an eye on the U.S. southern border as powder fentanyl is being brought into the country. The powder form is sprinkled into cocaine unbeknownst to the buyer.
Summing up
Sini said that Tierney has criticized him for not having as much trial experience as he, and said that’s just an issue of age, since he is younger than the challenger. The DA said that while prosecuting is part of the job there is more to it.
“We’re running to be a CEO of a major law firm,” he said. “I have significant managerial experience with a track record. He has zero.”
Sini said he believes his office has done “great work on a number of different fronts,” and he’s running on his record.
“We brought some of the most significant cases in the region on a variety of public safety fronts — the drug epidemic, gang violence, human trafficking, environmental crime.”
Tierney said he never thought he would get involved in the political process.
“I think what we’re seeing is our leadership is gaslighting us,” he said. “We’re being told everything’s great, everything’s wonderful. They are talking points.”
Tierney said the main function of the office is to prosecute.
“We are dismissing cases,” he said. “We’re not indicting cases. This is the management of the office, but to say you’re a CEO and a manager’s office, it is the prosecutor’s office. We need someone to prosecute those cases.”
The winner of the DA race will hold office for the next four years.
From left, 8 1/2-year-old Dan Barsi, Jennifer Barsi, Maggie Barsi (age 4), James Barsi, and Lily Barsi (age 7)
By Daniel Dunaief
Daniel Dunaief
If your children are under the age of 12 and the Food and Drug Administration soon approves a COVID-19 vaccine, you’ll have many people to thank for the opportunity to return them to a more normal, and safer, childhood, including four-year-old Maggie, seven-year-old Lily and eight-and-a-half-year-old Dan Barsi.
The three siblings, who live in East Setauket with their parents James and Jennifer Barsi, recently participated in a clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine at Stony Brook Hospital. While the children don’t know whether they received vaccinations for the virus or the placebo, they are three of numerous children who volunteered to test the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to make sure it was safe before health care providers administer it to the broader population.
Their children “knew what they were signing up for,” said Dr. James Barsi, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. “It’s something to help other people.”
Indeed, the community benefits from volunteers like the Barsis, who participate in clinical trials that evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment, help determine the correct doses, and reveal potential side effects before the rest of the population gets the COVID-19 vaccine or any other medicine or therapeutic intervention.
“We would never make advances in medicine without families — adults and children — volunteering to participate in clinical trials,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
Some treatments for a range of illnesses or conditions look promising in the earlier stages of clinical development, such as phase 1 or phase 2. When they reach phase 3, during which researchers provide medicine to a much larger volunteer population, they sometimes fall short of expectations.
“Companies will tout drugs as the next best thing,” Dr. Nachman said. “When they get into phase 3, they are not better than standard therapy.”
Clinical trials on even an ineffective drug or one that produces side effects, however, can help pharmaceutical companies and health care providers by signaling what these professionals should look for in future treatments, Dr. Nachman added.
While volunteers of any age take risks by participating in these studies, they also have considerable medical oversight.
“They are well protected,” Dr. Nachman said. “When you participate in a clinical trial, you don’t just have two sets of eyes on you; you have 100 sets of eyes.”
Volunteers for clinical trials not only take some risk before everyone else in the community, but they also experience regular testing and monitoring.
The Barsi children, for example, had to have blood work and nose swabs. “We call it a brain swab,” Jennifer Barsi said. “The kids are so excited about getting a treat afterwards, but they still have to do the hard thing.”
Health care professionals throughout Long Island shared their appreciation for clinical trial volunteers. Without them “none of these innovative therapies and drugs would exist,” said Stephanie Solito, Research Manager of the Oncology Service Line at Catholic Health, which includes Smithtown-based St. Catherine of Siena and Port Jefferson-based St. Charles Hospital.
When Daniel Loen, Catholic Health’s Vice President of Oncology Services, takes any medicine, he appreciates that patients were “willing to sacrifice something or take on some kind of increased risk to get on a trial for the good of humanity and medicine.”
As for the specific COVID-19 pediatric trials, Dr. Nachman said parents and children have to approve to participate. Doctors talk with children in an age-appropriate way about these clinical trials.
Dan Barsi was born at 25 weeks old. He stayed in the hospital for several months and is now a healthy child.
Jennifer and James felt that this was their opportunity to give back to the next generation. The children who participated in clinical research before Dan was born helped make it possible for him to get the best treatment, and now they feel they’re doing the same thing.
However, of the two Republicans David Bennardo and Sal Ferro, and the two Democrats Joseph Schramm and Jennifer Hebert, we were most impressed by Bennardo and Ferro’s depth of knowledge, as well as the more concrete plans they had to bring business to Huntington while stabilizing the tax base.
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