CLOSE
Village Times Herald

by -
0 511
Photo from Steve Bellone's Flickr page

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) held a press conference in Hauppauge on Friday, June 17, in support of public campaign finance for county offices. 

Under a 2017 statute, a public campaign finance fund was created to use revenues generated by Jake’s 58 casino. The program, which is set to begin during the 2023 election cycle, is now meeting stiff opposition from the Republican majority in the county Legislature, which favors using those funds for public safety initiatives. 

Under pressure to repeal the law, Bellone explained the intent of this experimental program, saying its basis is to maintain “the people’s faith and trust in government.”

‘For too long, the power of the people has been drowned out by those other stakeholders, has been overwhelmed by them, and that has real consequences.’

— Steve Bellone

Bellone defended the public campaign finance law, claiming that it achieves two goals: Empowering ordinary citizens to run for public office and weakening the power of special interests and party leaders. He suggests the law preserves the integrity of the electoral process and strengthens democracy.

“For too long, the power of the people has been drowned out by those other stakeholders, has been overwhelmed by them, and that has real consequences,” he said. “It has consequences for taxpayers because you get a less efficient government, a government that is not necessarily focused on solving problems for the citizens it represents but focused more on those other stakeholders, those special interests.”

The county executive emphasized that the campaign finance program is not financed through tax dollars. Rather, it is supported through revenues collected from Jake’s 58 casino, which Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting purchased last year for $120 million. “I can’t think of a better way that we can utilize those dollars,” he said.

Compared to the multibillion dollar annual county budget, Bellone added that this fund is negligible. For this reason, he advocates using this small portion of public revenue to invest in the political process.

“We spend public monies every day with the intent of benefiting the public, whether it’s on housing or on water quality or a host of other issues,” he said. “We’re talking about a little relative to the county’s $3.5 billion budget — it’s virtually nothing. Let’s spend that small portion on our democracy.”

Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon), minority leader of the county Legislature, joined Bellone in defending the program. Richberg primarily objected to the repeal efforts on the grounds that the program has not even been tested, arguing Republicans in the Legislature should give it a chance before tearing it down.

“Time and time again, we hear in the Legislature that we’re putting good money after bad,’” he said. “There’s funding. We have a plan. Run it and let’s critique it after it runs.” He continued, “Let’s let it go through and if you don’t want to join, then don’t join.”

Mercy Smith, executive director of the Suffolk County Campaign Finance Board, reiterated these points. She highlighted the program’s voluntary nature, saying that individuals can opt out if they do not want to partake in it. She also said the program encourages grassroots campaigning, a departure from the current practice of soliciting large contributions from special interest groups.

“The program is really designed to optimize the potential of all Suffolk County residents who have the desire and the gumption and the ability to persevere and want to run for office,” she said.

Smith said that the program holds participants to a high standard, promoting transparency in the public disclosure of their campaign finances. Participants are asked to be fully fiscally responsible, to adhere to conservation and expenditure limits, to comply with the board’s oversight and audit procedures, and to commit to the program’s spending limits.

Additionally, the program does not discriminate on the basis of party, incumbency status or any other criteria. “This program is for teachers, it’s for first responders, police officers, it’s for business owners,” she said. “This program is for anyone who wants to participate and become a public servant and make our government in Suffolk County better.”

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, said the purpose of public campaign finance both in Suffolk and around the country is to place voters at the core of the political process.

“The whole purpose of the campaign finance program, a matching fund program, is to center the voters in our government process,” she said. “Not special interests, not people who can write outsized checks, but the everyday residents of Suffolk County.” She added, “This system is set up to do exactly that, using specially designated funds, not taxpayer money, to encourage candidates to invite the voters into the system.”

A vote to repeal the program is scheduled for Wednesday. Republicans control the county Legislature with an 11-7 majority. A two-thirds majority of the Legislature, or 12 votes, would be required to override a veto from the county Executive.

by -
0 3120
Nico VI, above, is being trained by volunteer Andrea Spencer, of Stony Brook, to one day assist people with disabilities. Photo from Canine Companions

By Amanda Olsen

There can be little doubt that Andrea Spencer is a dog person.

Nico with volunteer trainer Andrea Spencer. Photo from Canine Companions

The Stony Brook resident has rescued Labradors since 2011, fostering and training them while they were waiting for their forever homes. She also co-chairs the DogFest Long Island fundraiser at Marjorie R. Post Community Park in Massapequa and is currently raising a puppy, Nico VI, for Canine Companions.

This is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1975 that provides highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities free of charge. Puppy raisers provide specially bred puppies a safe home, take them to obedience classes, serve them a healthy diet, provide socialization opportunities and give them lots of love. Each hour spent caring for a Canine Companions puppy is vital to its development as a future service dog. 

Spencer’s puppy-raising journey began with a rescued yellow Lab named Ruby, who came from Louisiana to live with Spencer and her family. She remembers her fondly.

“She was really my heart dog,” Spencer said. “She was really the dog that brought me into all of my volunteer work.” 

Around 2017, a friend first mentioned Canine Companions as a possible service opportunity, and the organization kept entering Spencer’s life. She attended a couple of puppy matriculation ceremonies, a kind of graduation where the dogs move on from living with their raisers to formal training at the Canine Companions center. It was a turning point for Spencer.

“The graduation was an inspirational, beautiful, wonderful thing,” she said. “It was basically just life changing for me as far as working with Canine Companions.”

After a long, happy life, Ruby passed from lung cancer in August 2020. Spencer credits this loss as the catalyst for her puppy raising.

“And once we kind of settled from that storm, my husband said, ‘We’ve always thought in the back of our heads, you’d like to do something more for Canine Companions. Why don’t we raise a puppy in Ruby’s honor?’ I said, ‘You know what, that’s such a great idea.’”

The family began the process, first with the application in January 2021, then an extensive interview in March of that year. Once that part of the process was over, and they were approved, all that was left to do was wait. 

That September, Nico arrived in New York, and the Spencers were now raising a future service dog for Canine Companions. 

Nico is a Lab/golden retriever cross, which is a special mix Canine Companions breeds for its service dog program. This mix is both personable and very trainable. Spencer said that there are many things Nico picks up on without training, and when she does train him, he learns quickly. 

“With the Spencer family’s love and guidance, Nico is on his way to becoming a Canine Companions service dog, and will someday be matched with an adult, child or veteran with a disability free of charge,” said John Bentzinger, Canine Companions regional public relations and marketing coordinator, in an email. “Nico is being taught basic commands and socialization skills and, in another seven to 10 months, he’ll be returned to Canine Companions where he’ll work for six months with our professional instructors learning over 40 advanced commands that are useful to a person with disabilities. Nico will learn how to open and close doors, turn lights on and off, and pick up dropped items to name just a few.”

One of the biggest challenges is training the puppies to control their excitement. 

“They’re really bred to love people and be with people and be with everybody,” Spencer said. “So that actually provides a little bit of a challenge as a puppy raiser because they really want to go see everybody and they get excited. So, we work on having good manners in public.”

Being in public and being well socialized is critical to the service dog’s success. The dog has to be comfortable in multiple locations on a variety of surfaces. “We want him to be completely focused in these locations, not just in the home where he is the majority of the time,” Spencer said. 

Some commands are specific to his training as a service dog.

“They’re taught to bark a sequence of three, four or five times, and then quiet is paired with that because they don’t want the barking for 20 minutes,” she said. “They just want you barking to kind of alert someone.”

There is a huge network of support for people who decide to raise puppies for Canine Companions. Not only are there informal connections with other volunteers, but the national nonprofit provides each raiser with a mentor called a “puppy pal.”

“It’s a mentoring program with a raiser who’s raised at least three dogs,” Spencer said. “They hook you up with that person and throughout their puppyhood, you can call them or email them or text them.”

Of course, the No. 1 thing Spencer gets asked is how she will feel when Nico leaves her care and goes on to formal training.

“The Lab rescue was like my training or my internship,” she said. “I would have fosters in my house anywhere from one week to two months, and then they would go on to their adoptive homes. And believe me, it wasn’t easy, but you see that you’re helping. I think having a resident dog in the house helps. I look at this not like Nico’s my pet, but he’s my job. You have to have the right mindset for it.”

She also credits her son, Jared, who has Autism, for helping to forge a connection with Nico’s future recipient.

“I think having a child who is disabled and seeing that this organization serves that community has made that connection for me.” 

For Spencer, the decision to raise again is a given.

“I will definitely raise again, because it’s just such a wonderful experience,” she said. “I think as you subsequently raise, even though it’s different, you have all of the basic knowledge, the training tools, the understanding of what they need to learn. Of course, you’re going to have different obstacles with each puppy, because puppies are like humans, they’re all different. But yes, I definitely think we’ll raise again.”

Her advice for people considering raising is straightforward.

“I think if you’re considering raising you have to have a certain mindset, that you’re raising this puppy not for you but for to help somebody,” she said. “You definitely need to have the entire family on board, because it does become a family affair. You’re going to have challenges, but you’re going to also have great successes. There is a very strong network of support right here on Long Island. And really, we’ve become a family. We call it the Canine Companion family. And it’s something that is so rewarding on so many levels. And you know, hopefully more people will join in and take part in this because without the puppy raising there are no dogs.”

by -
0 490

The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:

Centereach

■ Walgreens on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported that a man and a woman allegedly stole laundry detergent worth $375.

Cold Spring Harbor

■ A 2020 Jeep Cherokee was reported stolen from the driveway of a resident on Ridge Road in Cold Spring Harbor on June 9. The key fob had been left in the vehicle. The car was worth approximately $35,000.

■ A resident on Fox Hunt Lane in Cold Spring Harbor reported that his vehicle, a 2015 Chevy Camaro, was stolen from his driveway on June 8. The key had been left in the center console and the car was left unlocked. The vehicle was valued at $18,000.

Commack

■ Walmart on 85 Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on June 6. A woman allegedly stole $193 worth of assorted household items.

■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack called the police on June 7 to report that a man allegedly stole a roll of landscaping wire, a Wyze doorbell, a coaxial cable and a Ring doorbell battery pack. The total value of the items was approximately $650.

■ A gang box was broken into at a building under construction on Hauppauge Road in Commack on June 8 and a Hydroguard brass mixing valve worth $3,000 was stolen.

■ A resident on Grace Park Drive in Commack reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle on June 11 and stole his wallet containing cash and credit cards.

East Setauket

■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket reported a shoplifter on June 7. A person allegedly stole an air conditioner worth $216.

Huntington

■ A 2013 Infiniti worth $10,000 was reported stolen from a driveway on Old Town Lane in Huntington on June 7.

Huntington Station

■ Macy’s on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington reported a petit larceny on June 9. Two women allegedly stole assorted clothing valued at $700.

Melville

■ A resident on Louis Drive in Melville reported on June 9 that he left his 2020 Land Rover Range Rover running in his driveway unattended. An unknown person walking by got into the car and drove away. The vehicle was valued at $40,000.

Miller Place

■ A resident on Jonah Road in Miller Place reported that a dirt bike, 1999 Honda CR50 was stolen from a backyard shed on June 7. The dirt bike, valued at $900, was later recovered from a nearby wooded area.

Mount Sinai

■ A resident on Maureen Drive in Mount Sinai reported that someone entered his vehicle on June 6 and stole assorted golf clubs and equipment.

■ A resident on Ross Lane in Mount Sinai called the police on June 7 to report that someone had entered his unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway and stole a laptop, backpack, wallet and cash. Items were also stolen from a vehicle parked on Quail Run the same day.

Selden

■ Hope Lutheran Church on Dare Road in Selden reported the theft of a bench worth $200 from the church garden on June 8. 

■ BP Gas Station on Middle Country Road in Selden was the victim of a burglary on June 8. An unknown man allegedly broke the front glass door to gain entry and stole 60 packs of Newport cigarettes valued at $750 and assorted lottery scratch-off tickets worth $250.

■ Home Depot on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on June 11. A man allegedly stole a DeWalt table saw worth $650.

Shoreham

■ Multiple residents on Michelle Drive, Woodville Road and Tagliabue Road reported that their unlocked vehicles were entered on June 6 and 7 and items and cash were stolen.

South Setauket

■ Target on Pond Path in South Setauket reporter a shoplifter on June 10. A man allegedly stole a Haier Air Conditioner valued at $180.

■ A shoplifter was reported at Home Depot on Pond Path in South Setauket on June 7. A man allegedly stole a LG Air Conditioner valued at $459.

Stony Brook

■ A resident on Midfield Street in Stony Brook reported the theft of a 120 gallon propane tank from his backyard on June 8. The tank was valued at $300.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

by -
0 2435
Three Village superintendent Cheryl Pedisich, above center holding plaque and below, was honored at a recent board of education meeting. Photo from Three Village Central School District

After a career that has spanned nearly four decades, Three Village Central School District’s superintendent is ready to retire.

Cheryl Pedisich has led the district for 10 years, and the position was the culmination of several she has held in Three Village since 1984. Current assistant superintendent for educational services Kevin Scanlon will officially assume the role of superintendent on July 6. 

Pedisich said she was fortunate to have wise people before her, and the advice she would give Scanlon is from what she learned from them.

“If I’ve learned anything in 38 years, it’s to listen well and to care — to genuinely care — about people and about their issues and about what you do,” she said. “I think that’s the best advice I can give.” 

After completing graduate work at C.W. Post — now LIU Post — she applied for positions with different districts and was offered a leave replacement position with Three Village.

“I decided, even though I had other opportunities, that this seemed like a great place to come to, and I did feel that after being here, even if it was just for a year, that it would set my career in motion moving forward and that I would learn a great deal from being part of the community.”

It was the summer of 1984 when she started as a guidance counselor at Ward Melville High School. She said two other counselors with more experience were hired at the same time, and she felt fortunate to be hired.

Her tenure in the district lasted more than the year she would have been grateful for as she continued as a permanent counselor. She went on to chair the guidance department before becoming the assistant director of pupil personnel services and then executive director of pupil personnel. In 2008, she was named assistant superintendent for educational services. 

When the search began for a new superintendent in 2011, she was chosen for the position and became deputy superintendent before she took over in July 2012.

Pedisich said that while obtaining her psychology degree in college, she wasn’t considering going into education. Initially, she thought she would seek a career in the field of industrial psychology. Her mother, who worked in the human resources department of Sachem school district, told her she thought she would be a wonderful counselor.

To become a counselor, Pedisich said she would have to enter a two-year program. She figured if she didn’t like the field, she could go back to pursue her other interests.

“It was because of [my mother] that I am probably here today,” she said.

Among the positions she has held in the district, Pedisich said she enjoyed being chair of the guidance department because it enabled her to take on an administrative role while still working with students.

She said she was also fortunate to work as the assistant director of pupil personnel services under executive director Tamara Russo, whom she called “an icon as far as special education.” Pedisich said she learned a lot from Russo. When the executive director retired, Pedisich stepped into the position. She worked with various staff members and said she felt well prepared for the job after working with Russo.

“It was a very inspiring role for me,” she said.

Pedisich, who moved to Long Island from New Jersey in first grade and graduated from Sachem High School, said major adult milestones all happened while she’s worked in the district. In 1989 she married her husband Luke, and she had their two children, Hope and Christopher. While the couple brought up their son and daughter in Miller Place, where they still live today, she said from 8th grade until Hope’s graduation in 2009, she and her husband paid tuition for her daughter to attend school in the Three Village district because Hope wanted to attend classes there. 

“I couldn’t say enough positive things about Three Village,” Pedisich said. “I’m so glad she had that experience.”

Pedisich has loved being part of the local school community.

“It feels like family to me, so leaving is so incredibly bittersweet,” she said. “I’m not walking away saying, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to put it all behind me.’ It’s really a struggle.”

The superintendent said it’s difficult to pinpoint favorite memories from the decades.

“All my interactions with the students have been so inspiring and so amazing,” she said.

The interactions with students and parents and providing some degree of support or making a difference was rewarding, she added.

She also has encountered difficult times during her career.

Among the hardest through the years, she said, were when students and staff members passed away, leaving many who mourned. The superintendent said it was important to help everyone in the school community “grieve in a way that was meaningful for them, and to help the recovery process.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic was also tricky waters to navigate.

“We have been through hurricanes, and we have been through tornadoes and even an earthquake during my tenure,” she said. “I’m thinking, ‘OK, what’s next?’ And then, it’s a pandemic. I think that was extraordinarily difficult because we were all feeling very blinded by it and trying to navigate all of those nuances and the ever-changing requirements and the new variants coming up. We had to keep shifting and pivoting.”

She added the administration realized there were different viewpoints in the community, and they needed to balance the varying opinions.

“The pandemic brought hopelessness to the surface for many,” she said.

As she looks toward the future, Pedisich said she’s not sure what it will hold, but she will take some time to decompress before figuring out her next move.

She leaves the Three Village district community with a message.

“Stay the course,” Pedisich said. “Be strong. Be resolute and believe in yourself. Never give up on whatever dreams you have.”

by -
0 1144
Flax Pond Boardwalk. Photo by John Turner

A bill currently awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) signature will help to protect a local tidal wetland.

Flax Pond Tidal Creek. Photo by John Turner

Bill A10187 will establish the Flax Pond tidal wetland in Old Field as a sanctuary and also amend the navigation laws to prohibit the use of motor boats within that sanctuary.

The bill was sponsored by state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) in the Assembly and state Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) in the Senate.

The bill states that “hunting, fishing, trapping and the use of motor boats are not compatible with the primary purposes and management goals of the sanctuary.” Once enacted, signs will be posted to warn boaters that they cannot enter. The law will not apply to emergency and rescue vessels.

Anyone found guilty violating the provisions will be fined up to $100 and/or imprisoned up to 10 days.

The Flax Pond tidal wetland area is about 150 acres and was acquired by the state in 1966. Is it under the joint jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Stony Brook University. SBU uses the wetland area as a field laboratory for research and education, while the DEC maintains it for habitat protection and for public use. 

In addition to the wetland, the property includes the SBU School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Flax Pond Marine Lab and the Childs Mansion. The home once belonged to Eversley Childs, who was president of the Bon Ami cleaning products company in the early 1900s.

Englebright said for about four decades he has been trying to get legislation passed to protect Flax Pond and said Mattera was a big help in getting it through the state Senate.

“We basically have joined together to put our shoulders to the wheel to get this bill through each of our respective legislative houses,” Englebright said. “And there it is, for the first time in all of these years.”

Mattera said he was happy to help to get the bill passed, and he’s optimistic that the governor will sign it.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any kind of an issue,” Mattera said, adding he feels its passing is crucial not only for the wetland but also for the surrounding area.

Mattera said securing state money to dredge the inlet at Flax Pond is next as there are concerns that the continuation of terrible storms hitting the area could close up the inlet.

Englebright said the Flax Pond tidal wetland area was created for the original purpose of academic research and education, and also for the public’s passive enjoyment. He said the bill makes permanent what the original premise was.

“The marsh has been degraded,” he said. “It has lost much of its usefulness due to unregulated activities there and extraction activities. It has undergone some considerable negative consequences.”

The assemblyman added that extraction activities include people taking oysters, blue mussels and crabs, especially in large quantities, and the shooting of birds makes it difficult for researchers to measure what’s left of the marine life. Motorboats and jet skiing in the wetland also complicate matters.

He said proper research depends on “having a pristine unspoiled place.”  

Environment

Englebright said it was important to protect tidal wetlands such as Flax Pond because they “are highly stressed due to climate change and sea level rise, as well as pollutants that are entering the estuaries and the pressure of extraction activities.”

He explained that a tidal wetland is a bio-geological phenomenon.

“The biological part is, of course, all of the organisms that grow in the marsh that contributed to the creation of the wetland itself,” he said. “The most prominent of that is a series of grasses. These are grasses that are able to tolerate salt.”

There are two dominant high marsh grasses that when the first settlers arrived here and there was no hay from a previous season, they were able to use them to feed their livestock. The high marsh grass — “salt hay” — continued to be harvested on Long Island until the 1920s.

Childs Mansion. Photo by John Turner

“The geological part of the marsh is why we don’t want the boats because the salt marsh is a sediment trap,” he said.

He added, sediment is important as it creates beaches such as those at West Meadow and Old Field. Tides carry into inlets silt and clay fractions which become the soil component of the wetlands.

Englebright said motorized boats or jet skis that generate “wave slap,” reenergize the movement of sediment or disturb the movement of the sediment, which in turn reelevates and suspends into the water the silt that can be up to 60% of the soil.

He added, “If it gets resuspended on the outgoing tide, the result is the loss of the marsh.”

History

Robert Cushman Murphy, who was an ornithologist, loved Flax Pond and was a close friend of philanthropists Ward and Dorothy Melville. For a while, he lived on the Melville estate in Old Field.

After the Childs estate went into probate in the early 1960s, according to Englebright, the executors almost sold Flax Pond to developers, who would have built condominiums along the periphery of the pond. Englebright said Murphy talked to Melville and then acting president of SBU, Karl Hartzell, to see what could be done to save the Flax Pond area. Cushman appealed to the Village of Old Field trustees, and when he realized they might side with the developers, Melville reached out to then New York State Gov. Nelson Rockefeller (R). The Stony Brook resident had just donated land to the State University of New York for the Long Island college to move to its current location.

“He had some clout and he used it on behalf of our community,” Englebright said. “It was political muscle that basically led to acquiring the property.” 

He said when the state university acquired half of the property they had to set up marine studies which justified their purchase.

“Of course, that has led to one of the great marine research centers of the hemisphere, if not all of Earth,” Englebright said. “It’s a globally significant research center. It’s an entire division now within the university.”

by -
0 1778
1 of 15
Port Jefferson EMS. Photos by Raymond Janis, captions courtesy Lisa Rodriguez
Princesses with Powertools: Learn to Hand Drill with Reinvented Inc.
Marine Ecosystem Monitoring and Environmental Restoration Research by the Gobler Lab at Stony Brook University
LumenPnP - Open Source Desktop Pick and Place Machine. Company: Opulo
HugMatch
Hamptons Yarn, photo shows Amanda Schaefer.
Engineering Art by Sejal Mehra with family member
Long Island Ghostbusters. Pictured: Cosplayer Dimitrios Haritos,Long Island Ghostbuster
RoboJango (robot) with Maker James Nason of LB Robotics
Representatives of the Dickens Festival
Padawan Lightsaber Training, with the Star Wars- Saber Guild- Endor Temple
Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe
Representatives of the Dickens Festival
Smithtown Robotics Team
William Floyd FRC Robotics Team

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Maker Faire Long Island returned to Port Jefferson village on Saturday, June 11, at the Village Center.

Maker Faire LI is an annual festival held by the Long Island Explorium, a science and engineering museum based in Port Jeff. Its purpose is to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education by way of innovations and crafts of people throughout the region and country. 

Angeline Judex, executive director of the Explorium, discussed the surprising success of the event after its two-year pause. “We’re really happy with this event,” she said. “It has turned out really well — much better than we actually expected.”

Proceeds from the event will support the Explorium’s various educational programs. The goal of these programs is to enliven STEM through activities that are engaging and fun. Judex said the Explorium hopes to inspire young people and nourish a lifelong pursuit of STEM. 

“It’s really important for children to be inspired and excited about STEM at an early age,” Judex said, adding, “We focus on enriching and inspiring children from K-6 so that they get excited about STEM because this is the future.” She added, “We want to support the next generation of leaders and scientists who are going to be inspired to solve some of the challenges in the environments we live in.”

Hundreds of makers gathered at Harborfront Park to showcase their own unique contributions to the field. Sejal Mehra, one of the presenters at the festival, displayed what she has coined “engineering art.” Her works integrate aspects of collage, engineering and sustainability studies under a common discipline.

“I create ‘engineering art,’ which is made from recycling old computer and electronic parts or plastic that would have otherwise ended up in the trash to show the beauty of STEM,” she said. “I’m on a mission to change the face of STEM through art.”

Makers such as Mehra offer the necessary guidance for young people to pursue STEM. Through their example of creativity and ingenuity, young people are challenged to change the world themselves.  

“I think it’s really important to have programs like this one to help inspire young minds into a lifelong pursuit of STEM because you never know when or how something is going to spark their love for STEM,” Mehra said. “It is also great for young minds to be inspired by young adults like myself because we were just in their shoes and can help motivate them to pursue STEM. Without programs like this, the amount of exposure to the field and its vast possibilities and intersections would not be possible.”

Mehra’s artwork is currently for sale and can be purchased through her website or by contacting her via email or Instagram.

Joining Judex was a group of public officials who offered their support for the museum in its mission to educate the next generation of scientists and engineers. New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), a geologist by profession, spoke of the importance of Maker Faire in encouraging young minds to tackle the impending challenges of environmental degradation.

“The purpose of bringing us all together is to enhance this community, to imagine possibilities for all of the people who live here and visit here, and to use our imagination just a little bit,” he said. “One of the things that’s very important is the narrative and theme that are interwoven around protecting the environment. We’re situated here in beautiful Port Jefferson on the edge of the harbor, and it is a beautiful place to remember the importance of sustainability.”

Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) was also present for the event. She thanked the Explorium for providing these services and enriching the community.

“I am pleased to be here to support Maker Faire Long Island once again, to support the Explorium, and encourage children and our residents to explore, to innovate, to use their imagination and encourage ingenuity,” she said. “Thank you for all you do to encourage that in children right here in our own backyard.”

Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) recognized Judex for the work she put into making this annual tradition successful once again and for championing STEM and motivating young people.

“I want to thank you not only for the work you did to bring this event together, but for the work you do all year long to create a fun place for kids to do science, to teach kids, to make it accessible to everybody, to bring science to places where maybe it isn’t, and to find new places to suddenly discover science,” the councilmember said.

Kathianne Snaden, Village of Port Jefferson deputy mayor, thanked the many entities that helped make this event possible once again.

“To all of the volunteers, to all of the makers, to the attendees, to our code department, our parks department and our highway department, without all of you coming together to make an event like this happen, we just couldn’t do it,” she said. “To the Explorium for providing cutting-edge technology, programming and hands-on learning for our children, it is just unmatched in this area.”

Village trustee Rebecca Kassay and her husband volunteered as traffic guards during the event. She called it “a pleasure directing parking.”

“As my husband and I stand and direct parking, we look at the children leaving this event and I asked them, ‘What have you made today?’” the trustee said. “Their faces light up and they show me something they’ve made, whether it’s a magnet, whether it’s a whirligig, whether it’s lip balm.” She continued, “It is so important to empower these young people with the gift of demystifying what is in the world around them.”

Englebright concluded the remarks with an anecdote. When the assemblyman was just 14 years old, his science teacher at the time recommended he attend a junior curator program at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. His decision to heed that advice would reshape the course of his life.

“I became a junior curator and it changed my life,” he said. “The Explorium, this children’s museum, I believe is going to change an awful lot of young people’s lives. Now here I am — with white hair — some years later, and I can tell you of the importance of your programs and the worthiness of everything that you do.”

by -
0 461

Student activists and community members took to the streets of Port Jefferson Station on Saturday, June 11, to protest the recent proliferation of gun violence in schools nationwide.

Demonstrators held signs and organizers delivered impassioned speeches calling upon public officials to enact comprehensive gun reform policies. Local photojournalist Daniel Palumbo was on the ground during the event, capturing images of the demonstrators as the event unfolded.

— Photos by Daniel Palumbo

by -
0 395
METRO photo

The warm weather is here and that means more people are walking outside while others are taking to the streets on their bikes.

In some recreational areas, including several in our own backyards, walkers and bicyclists share the same paths. Sometimes the mixture can be a recipe for disaster.

Unfortunately, many on bikes pedaling at high speeds seem to be more concerned about quickly getting somewhere than about taking proper precautions to ensure pedestrian safety. Electric bikes have only compounded these issues.

It’s not uncommon to hear of someone taking a leisurely stroll and then being hit by a bike, thrown to the ground and ending up needing medical assistance. One walker on Trustees Road at West Meadow Beach recently needed stitches after being hit by a bike.

When sharing the road with cars, bikers know to stay to the right, ride in the same direction of traffic, be no more than two abreast and transition to single file when a car is passing. However, many seem to forget there are rules to follow when on a path without cars.

A general rule of thumb is for bikers to keep to the right. When this isn’t possible, if a person on a bike sees people walking ahead, especially if their back is turned to them, it’s common courtesy to not only slow down but also to say “on your right” or “passing on your left.” A better solution is to have a bell on the bike so you can alert people when you are coming down the path. 

Bicyclists should also avoid riding on sidewalks. One reason is that drivers aren’t expecting a person on a bike to be on the sidewalk, and sometimes can be caught off guard when someone comes pedaling onto the road.

Taking care when on wheels doesn’t stop with bicycles, as skateboarders should also use caution when sharing space with pedestrians.

Most importantly, bikers should take advantage of the designated bike paths that are opening up throughout the county. These paths provide bikers the necessary space to pursue their pastime in peace and comfort, reducing the risk of a critical biking accident on our roads. 

No one should come home injured due to the carelessness of another. Elected officials should continue working to ensure shared recreational areas are safe by adding bicycle paths to keep bikers to the right or adding speed bumps to slow down those on wheels.

Warm weather may be perfect for getting outside and having some fun, but the fun ends when someone gets hurt. Just a little bit of care and remembering public paths are meant to share can make for a better and safer day for everyone just trying to enjoy some recreational time.

And bikers, before you head for the road, don’t forget to put on your helmet!

by -
0 1673
Dr. Jennifer Englebright, center, with her father Steve Englebright, left, and her husband, Charles Regulinski.

Working toward an English degree, most students would never expect to become a dentist.

Jennifer Englebright was the honored speaker during Stony Brook University’s English Department Convocation Ceremony in May. Photo from Stony Brook University

However, that’s exactly what happened to Dr. Jennifer Englebright, the speaker at the 2022 English Department Convocation at Stony Brook University. A dentist at Port Jefferson Dental Group, Englebright, who graduated from SBU in 2005, told attendees that she considered her “English degree to be of utmost importance in my career.”

“It prepared me in ways I could never have imagined, and its value has become an inherent part of my work,” she said.

The Setauket resident continued in her speech that her English degree helped with the human side of dentistry by giving her “the power and expression of language.”

“Communication is vital in helping to alleviate the stress and anxiety so many patients feel,” she said. “Uncertainty often drives fear, but by methodically explaining exactly what the procedure is, in such a way that the patient can really understand it, helps temper that fear.”

Andrew Newman, professor and chair of the English Department at Stony Brook University, said it was the first in-person convocation since 2019, and Englebright was well received by students and faculty.

“While some of our outstanding graduates go on to careers in education, law or business, Dr. Englebright demonstrates that English is also great preparation for health care providers,” Newman said. “I think she would agree that she’s a better dentist for having studied Virginia Woolf with Professor Celia Marshik.”

Englebright said in a phone interview that many people don’t realize how versatile an English degree is.

“I found my English classes to be more inspiring for my career in medicine than science classes,” she said.

She agreed that reading the works of Woolf was a major influence in her life. Her senior honors thesis was about the author.

“She was all for women’s rights and women in higher education, trying to push and drive women forward to make their own money in their own careers,” Englebright said.

She also has been inspired by the poet William Carlos Williams who was also a doctor.

“I found writers like that to be actually more inspiring to go into medicine than just pure science,” Englebright said.

In addition to majoring in English at SBU, Englebright took several science courses. She was considering different career paths while attending college and ultimately was drawn to health care, especially dentistry. She volunteered at the college’s dental school and then worked with a local dentist.

After Stony Brook, she attended The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and graduated in 2009. She went on to do her residency at St. Charles Hospital. For the last 10 years, she has practiced at Port Jefferson Dental Group.

Englebright said science runs in her blood. Her father is state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), a geologist by profession who still works at SBU occasionally. Her mother June is a retired earth science teacher.

Jennifer Englebright said both her parents encouraged her to follow her passions in life and never steered her toward any one career.

“I had complete autonomy to explore whatever I wanted to do in life, and both of my parents gave me that platform to be able to do that,” she said.

When in third grade, she, her mother and sister moved to Wading River after her parents divorced, she said. After returning from Pennsylvania and living out east and in Melville, she decided to move back to Setauket. In 2020, Englebright married Charles Regulinski, Setauket Fire Department assistant chief. 

“I really wanted to come back to my roots,” she said. “I wanted to be in the Three Village area. I just love this area.”

Recently, Englebright, like many health care professionals, had to navigate her career through the pandemic.

At the beginning, dentist offices could function only during emergencies. Once doors opened to all patients, she said it was tough because there was no vaccine or any treatment for COVID-19. However, she said they didn’t have to change procedures majorly because they are always prepared to fight infections.

“We’re a very strict discipline, medicine, especially dentistry,” she said. “We’re very strict with infection control.”

She said, at first, people were hesitant to go back to the dentist, but ultimately the office rebounded as many were overdue for routine care or bad situations worsened as some people didn’t immediately attend to dental problems such as a broken tooth.

During her speech at the convocation ceremony, Englebright said she hoped she inspired the graduates to feel that they didn’t need to be “typecast to a role,” because they have an English degree.

“You don’t have to go into this expected role as a teacher or a lawyer, this traditional route,” she said. “You can really go into whatever you want, because you have the foundation to succeed in any field.”

Prev1...256257258...721Next Page 257 of 721
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©