Village Times Herald

Stephanie Baez will be one of the guest speakers at the event. Photo from SBU

Stony Brook University recognizes Women’s History Month with its annual celebration that highlights the achievements of women, raises awareness against bias, and promotes social action for equality. This year’s theme #BreakTheBias was adopted from International Women’s Day which is held annually on the first Tuesday in March.  Events will take place through Monday, March 28.

The university’s “Hybrid Opening Program in Celebration of International Women’s Day” will take place on Monday, March 7 at 1 p.m., ET in the Student Activities Center Ballroom A with limited seating, and will also be accessible on Zoom.  This year’s program will feature a discussion about issues facing women with three accomplished SBU alumni — Maureen Ahmed ’11, Stephanie Baez ’08 and Brooke Ellison ’12.

The program will be hosted by senior Cassandra Skolnick, a student member of the Women’s History Month Committee who is majoring in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. In addition, student moderators will be Amber Lewis, a Junior, Journalism major; Minors in Music and Women’s Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Sanjana Thahura, a  Senior, Biology major with Interdisciplinary Biology Specialization, Undergraduate College Academy Minor in Health and Wellness.  Attendees can register online to attend the opening ceremony on Zoom.

Meet the panelists:

  • Stephanie Baez

    Maureen Ahmed (‘11) is a foreign-affairs officer with the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL), where she provides policy guidance on how to advance human rights, democracy, and governance across South and Central Asia. Ahmed is also an international human rights activist and policy leader with expertise in diplomacy, foreign policy, human rights, gender, global health, HIV epidemiology, and civil society integration. Prior to DRL, she worked at the Department’s Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (O/GAC), where she managed the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) South Africa program, the United States’ largest global health assistance program  Ahmed was named a 2020 National Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project and a 2019-2020 Penn Kemble Fellow with the National Endowment of Democracy.

  • Maureen Ahmed

    Stephanie Baez (‘08) is vice president for Communications and Public Affairs at Global Strategy Group in New York, a public relations and research firm. She leads strategic communications planning initiatives that incorporate traditional and digital communications channels and platforms, as well as grassroots/grasstops components. Baez served as the communications director for Congressmen Hakeem Jeffries and John Conyers, was senior vice president of public affairs for the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and was director of communications and public affairs for the Central Park Conservancy. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a concentration in Journalism.

  • Brooke Ellison

    Brooke Ellison (‘12) is an associate professor in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and Behavioral and Community Health in the Stony Brook School of Health Professions. She is also director of the PhD program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and director of the Center for Community Engagement and Leadership Development. Ellison’s work as a researcher and scholar focuses on the ethics and policy of science and health care, particularly the intersection of disability and bioethics, and strategies to make healthcare and technology accessible to those most in need. Ellison was paralyzed from the neck down after being hit by a car while walking home from her first day of junior high school; 10 years later, she graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University. She received her PhD in sociology from Stony Brook in 2012, was chosen to be a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2014, and in 2017, was chosen to serve on the board of directors and executive committee of the New York Civil Liberties Union. In 2018, Brooke was named a Truman National Security Project Political Partner and was appointed to serve as a commissioner on the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission in 2020.

On Monday, March 21 (2pm, ET)  as part of the speaker series is “In Defense of All Women’s Spaces,” at Melville Library, Special Collections Seminar Room, E-2340.

Stony Brook University graduate instructor Stephanie Bonvissuto will host this discussion:

How does accessing social spaces relate to the social construction of gender and sexual identities? How can site-specific signage taken as signifiers offer a view into societal ethics and cultural ethos? What are the institutional investments in policing bodies and enforcing cis-heteronormativity? And what can queering space (and spatiality) offer in terms of the future design of ‘something else’? This talk takes as its point of departure debates around public gendered restrooms to consider the biopolitics of space, the designs of power and knowledge, and the generative connections between spatial equity and social justice.

On Monday, March 28 (between 3-5pm, ET), “Closing Program in Celebration of International Women’s Day” in the Student Activities Center Ballroom A with limited seating.

Former National Public Radio host of “The Takeaway” as well as New York Times/CNN reporter Tanzina Vega (‘96) will host.

Meet the host: 

For more than a decade, Tanzina Vega’s (‘96) journalism career  has centered on inequality in the United States through the lens of race and gender.  She’s been a reporter and producer for the New York Times and CNN where her work spanned text, digital and broadcast television.  She most recently spent three years as the first Latina weekday host of “The Takeaway” on WNYC, New York Public Radio.  Tanzina has covered many of the most consequential news events of the past decade, including multiple presidential elections, the COVID 19 pandemic, the rise of #BlackLivesMatter, Puerto Rico’s political crisis and the January 6 Capitol insurrection. In 2019 she was awarded the Robert G. McGruder Distinguished Lecture and Award from Kent State University.  Prior to that she was a fellow at the Nation Institute and a Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University.  She is a distinguished graduate of the Craig Newmark School of Journalism at City University of New York where she earned Masters in Digital journalism.  She lives with her son in New York City.

For more information visit https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/womens-history-month/ 

Director of the Heart Rhythm Center at Stony Brook Heart Institute Dr. Eric Rashba is holding the new Watchman FLX device, which provides protection from strokes for people with atrial fibrillation. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

The butterflies that color backyards are welcome companions for spring and summer. The ones that flutter towards the upper part of people’s chests can be discomforting and disconcerting.

In an effort to spread the word about the most common form of heart arrhythmia amid American Heart Month, the Stony Brook Heart Institute recently held a public discussion of Atrial fibrillation, or A-fib.

Caused by a host of factors, including diabetes, chronic high blood pressure, and advanced age, among others, A-fib can increase the risk of significant long-term health problems, including strokes.

In atrial fibrillation, the heart struggles with mechanical squeezing in the top chamber, or the atrium. Blood doesn’t leave the top part of the heart completely and it can pool and cause clots that break off and cause strokes.

Dr. Eric Rashba, who led the call and is the director of the Heart Rhythm Center at Stony Brook Heart Institute, said in an interview that A-fib is becoming increasingly prevalent.

A-fib “continues to go up rapidly as the population ages,” Rashba said. It occurs in about 10% of the population over 65. “As the population ages, we’ll see more of it.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 12.1 million people in the United States will have A-fib over the next decade.

As with many health-related issues, doctors advised residents to try to catch any signs of A-fib early, which improves the likely success of remedies like drugs and surgery.

“We prefer to intervene as early as possible in the course of A-fib,” Dr. Ibraham Almasry, cardiac electrophysiologist at the Stony Brook Heart Institute, said during a call with three other doctors. “The triggers tend to be more discreet and localized and we can target them more effectively.”

Different patients have different levels of awareness of A-fib as it’s occurring.

“Every single patient is different,” said Dr. Roger Ran, cardiac electrophysiologist at the Stony Brook Heart Institute. Some people feel an extra beat and could be “incredibly symptomatic,” while others have fatigue, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and dizziness.

Still other patients “don’t know they are in it and could be in A-fib all the time.”

Doctors on the call described several monitoring options to test for A-fib.

Dr. Abhijeet Singh, who is also a cardiac electrophysiologist at the Stony Brook Heart Institute, described how the technology to evaluate arrhythmias has improved over the last 20 years.

“People used to wear big devices around their necks,” Singh said on the call, which included about 150 people. “Now, the technology has advanced” and patients can wear comfortable patches for up to 14 days, which record every single heartbeat and allow people to signal when they have symptoms.

Patients can also use an extended holter monitor, which allows doctors to track their heartbeat for up to 30 days, while some patients receive implantable recorders, which doctors insert under the skin during a five-minute procedure. The battery life for those is 4.5 years.

Additionally, some phones have apps that record heartbeats that patients can send by email, Singh said. “We have come a long way in a few years.”

Dr. Roger Fan, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the Stony Brook Heart Institute, added that all these technologies mean that “we are virtually guaranteed to get to the bottom” of any symptoms.

Drugs vs. surgery

Doctors offer patients with confirmed cases of A-fib two primary treatment options: drugs or surgery.

The surgical procedure is called an ablation and involves entering the body through veins in the groin and freezing or burning small areas that are interfering with the heart’s normal rhythm. The procedure breaks up the electrical signals in irregular heartbeats.

Performed under general anesthetic, the procedure generally takes two to three hours. Patients can return home the same day as the operation, Rashba said.

As with any surgery, an ablation has some risks, such as stroke or heart attack, which Rashba said are “very rare” and occur in fewer than one percent of the cases. Additionally, patients may have groin complications, although that, too, has declined as doctors have used ultrasound to visualize the blood vessels.

In extremely rare occasions, some patients also have damage to the esophagus behind the heart, said Rashba, who is also a professor of medicine.

For patients experiencing symptoms like A-fib, doctors recommended a trip to the emergency room, at least the first time.

“If it’s not going away, one, you can reassure yourself, two, you can get treatment, and three, you can get a diagnosis quickly,” said Almasry.

The Stony Brook doctors said choosing the best treatment option depends on the patient.

“Everybody has different manifestations of their A-fib,” said Fan.

Among other questions, doctors consider how dangerous the A-fib is for the patients, how severe the symptoms are, and how much they affect the quality of life.

Doctors urged residents to make the kind of healthy lifestyle choices that keep other systems functioning effectively. Almasry cited a direct correlation between obesity and A-fib.

Reducing body weight by 10%, while keeping the weight off, can reduce the likelihood of A-fib recurrence, he said.

Photo courtesy of SBU Athletics

Defend the Island is a motto that the Stony Brook University men’s lacrosse team preaches, and the Seawolves lived up to that mantra last weekend as they successfully captured the first-ever Long Island Cup with a 10-6 victory over LIU. Stony Brook used a gritty defensive effort to limit the Sharks to just six goals en route to picking up its fourth-straight win on Feb. 27.

The Seawolves improved to 4-0 on the young season and are off to their best start since they began the 2017 season with the same 4-0 record. The six goals allowed are the fewest in a game since they held Hartford to six goals on April 3, 2021.

Stony Brook took a commanding 4-0 lead in the first quarter and was fueled by early goals from senior midfielder Matt Anderson, sophomore attack Dylan Pallonetti, and sophomore attack Noah Armitage. Pallonetti scored a pair of goals in the opening frame as the Seawolves took the four-goal advantage into the second quarter. 

The teams traded goals in the third quarter and Stony Brook took a 5-1 lead into the halftime break. The Seawolves’ early advantage was too much for the Sharks to overcome as Stony Brook held on to win by the final score of 10-6.

 Stony Brook’s defense held the Sharks’ top two goal scorers in check. LIU’s leading scorer Blake Behlen was limited to two goals and its second-leading scorer entering the game Jake Gillis was held scoreless. Seawolves’ senior goalie Anthony Palma stood on his head as he made 11 saves and only allowed the six goals.

 The Seawolves’ offense was led by Pallonetti who recorded a game-high five points (two goals, three assists). Armitage recorded his second hat trick of the season, while Anderson and graduate midfield Mike McCannell each scored a pair of goals.

“It’s exciting. The guys came out and competed in a great event against a good team. I am really excited about our effort – that’s the best defense that we played in probably three years that we have been here at Stony Brook. I couldn’t be prouder of those guys flying around out there,” said head coach Anthony Gilardi.

Next up, the team returns to LaValle Stadium to host Rutgers on March 5 at noon.

A butter dish by Hannah Niswonger

For the month of March, the Reboli Center for Art & History in Stony Brook’s featured artisan is potter Hannah Niswonger.

Artist Hannah Niswonger

“Hannah Niswonger’s whimsical work is so striking, colorful, cheerful and unique, we’re thrilled to welcome her as the Reboli Center’s March Artisan. We’re sure everyone will be delighted by her creative mix of vibrant designs and realistic animal portraits in her pottery. They are so adorable and colorful that they make you feel so happy,” said Lois Reboli, president and a founder of The Reboli Center.

Niswonger fell in love with clay while in college at Wesleyan in Middletown, Connecticut, where she earned a BA in studio art.  Hannah received a MFA in ceramic sculpture from Alfred University in Alfred, New York. She is currently teaching at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and has taught courses in ceramics at Harvard University, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, Hannah frequently teaches sculpture classes.  She gives workshops nationally, as well as exhibiting in galleries throughout the United States. Hannah also participates in juried craft shows, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art Show, the Smithsonian Craft Show and CraftBoston. A resident of Melrose, Massachusetts, she lives there with her husband, three children, one dog and two rabbits.

Plates designed by Hannah Niswonger

According to Hannah, “I build functional pots out of white stoneware. My tools are simple: a knife, a serrated metal rib, a sponge, a brush. All of my work is hand-built from slabs of clay. I love working with slabs like fabric; the pots are sewn together, scored along the edges, nipped and tucked together to make rounded forms from sheets of clay. Using a Chinese calligraphy brush, I paint bone dry pots with under-glaze stains, which act like an ink wash or watercolors on the absorbent surface of the clay. I scratch and carve into the drawings, adding and removing details. The pin tool is both pencil and eraser, adding white to the drawing. I use wax to create motifs that are reminiscent of printed patterns.”

In addition to creating functional pottery of plates, cups, bowls, teapots, serving pieces with images of animals, birds, and fish, Hannah also makes prints, drawings, sculpture and tile pieces. “I love developing new patterns and strategies for adding layers of image and color to clay. This has allowed me to bring printmaking into the ceramic studio. Pattern and color anchor my animals to the pots. They serve as frames, and backgrounds, so that the animals exist in their own narrow space around the pots,” added Hannah.

The Reboli Center is located at 64 Main Street in Stony Brook, and is open Tuesday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call 631-751-7707.

Photo courtesy of SBU Athletics

Starting the day with the first six goals, the Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team quickly made its presence felt on Feb. 27 against Ivy League foe Dartmouth.

Siobhan Rafferty had a first-quarter hat trick as part of her five-goal day, and the No. 4 Seawolves were off and running en route to their 20-3 victory in front of 1,040 fans at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.

Rafferty and Kailyn Hart went back to back inside of 20 seconds to get the offense up and running, and then three goals in a 90 second span, two from Rafferty, made it 6-0 in the first quarter. After Dartmouth got one back a woman up, the Seawolves rattled off five in a row, three of which coming from Hart, to go up 11-1 at the 10:48 mark of the second quarter. Hart also finished the day with a five-spot in the goal column.

Stony Brook pitched a second-half shutout, scoring all eight in the final 30 minutes of action. Molly LaForge and Alexandra Fusco each recorded their first collegiate tallies, with Fusco scoring both in the final frame for the Seawolves. With the win, the Seawolves find a groove ahead of a pair of Top 10 matchups ahead in the next two weeks.

Nick LaLota, shown with his wife, is ready to run for congress. Photo from Nick LaLota’s campaign site

By Raymond Janis

Last week, members of the Suffolk County Republican Committee unanimously endorsed Nick LaLota, chief of staff to the county Legislature’s Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), in the race for New York’s 1st Congressional District.

Nick LaLota, shown with his family, is ready to run for congress. Photo from Nick LaLota’s campaign site

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY1) is vacating the seat to run for governor, triggering a primary election for the Republican nomination in that race. With the county committee’s endorsement, LaLota appears to be a frontrunner as congressional nominee.

“I’m proud that I have been unanimously nominated by more than 500 committeemen from the Suffolk County committee and from all of Suffolk County’s 10 towns,” LaLota said in a phone interview. “I intend to represent them well on the ballot.”

LaLota, of Amityville, hails from a line of servicemen, who include several police officers and combat veterans. He sees this race as an opportunity to continue the family tradition.

“I was a military officer for seven years, deployed overseas three times and visited 20 countries with the Navy,” he said. “My family has a strong sense of service. We love this country and we’re willing to fight for it and to sacrifice for it. If elected a member of Congress, I intend to do just that.”

LaLota was not alone in the field when he received the endorsement. Anthony Figliola, of East Setauket, and Robert Cornicelli, of St. James, both pursued the endorsement as well. In the wake of the announcement, Cornicelli is suspending his campaign for NY-1 and redirecting his energies to unseat Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY2). 

“It was definitely not an easy decision, but this is more about the people than what had happened over the last few weeks,” said Lawrence Bialek, Cornicelli’s campaign manager in a phone interview. “For right now, we’re really focused on getting into the second [congressional district].”

Figliola remains in the primary for NY-1. He criticized the county GOP’s endorsement of LaLota, arguing that Republican leaders are in danger of forfeiting the race to the Democrats.

“Obviously some deals were made and they chose an individual who doesn’t even live in the district,” he said in a phone interview. “I can’t help but think they’re just looking to throw this race away. For me, I believe it’s winnable for a Republican. I love my country and I want to be in a position to represent the people of the first congressional district.”

Figliola said he intends to use his private-sector background to alleviate the economic hardships Americans are facing. He cites rising inflation, gas prices and health insurance costs as motivating his candidacy.

“The reason I am in this race is because I see the way our country is going,” he said. “I see working class men and women of this district are being forgotten and are being ignored by this administration. I want the people to know that there’s someone in this looking out for them, someone who pays bills just like them, pays their own health insurance just like them and is feeling this pinch just like them.”

Both remaining NY-1 Republican primary candidates believe their party is operating at a competitive disadvantage come November. Each has said the new redistricting scheme will inevitably favor the Democratic candidate, also subject to a primary, in the general election.

“Albany Democrats did Long Island a tremendous disservice when they gerrymandered this district, stretching it from west of Amityville to east of Amagansett,” LaLota said. “They have separated a lot of like communities and have made it extremely difficult on constituents who will have to travel many miles just to see their congressman.”

The primary election is scheduled for June 28. 

Long Islanders gathered at Babylon Town Hall, above, to show support for Ukrainians. Photo by Carolyn Sackstein

Ukrainian and Russian émigrés, Ukrainian-Americans, local elected officials and Long Islanders of various political stripes demonstrated their support for the defense of Ukrainian sovereignty and against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s illegal war initiated in the wee hours of Feb. 24 against Ukraine. 

Suffolk County Legislator Kevin McCaffrey, below right, was on hand for the rally. Photo by Carolyn Sackstein

While some people rally together in their support for Ukraine, others find their way to church sanctuaries to offer prayers for the safety of Ukrainian soldiers and citizens, who are also taking up arms in defense of their homeland.

Anna Konny, from Vinnytsia, Ukraine, a dental hygienist and U. S. citizen, who lives in Woodmere, attended a rally in Lindenhurst at Babylon Town Hall with her aunt, Nataliya Soliternik, who lives now in Hewlett. 

Konny, draped in the Ukrainian flag, was a vocal advocate for those defending Vinnytsia, a city in west-central Ukraine. She has been able to stay in touch with family and friends who are still in Ukraine by using free calling cards provided by Verizon, T-Mobile and other major communication carriers. 

The dental hygienist showed photos of families using subway stations and basements of municipal buildings as bomb shelters. She claimed these shelters are also being used at night by saboteurs and Russian infiltrators as they hide among the patriots they seek to destroy. By day, these infiltrators use luminous paint to paint the roofs of buildings, barricades and other locations to be targeted during nighttime bombings and artillery shelling. 

Konny advocates for weapons and ammunition to be sent to those fighting from World War I-style trenches surrounding the cities and towns. Someone in the crowd asked if she feared reprisals. Konny’s answer was a firm, “No. If these photos get back to Ukraine, I want my friends and family to know that I stand with them.”

Suffolk County Legislator Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), presiding officer of the Legislature, saw Konny and came over to hear her pleas for aid, both military and medical first aid materials. After speaking with Konny, McCaffrey addressed the crowd to resounding applause. “It is appalling what Vladimir Putin is doing, how he is attacking a sovereign nation like Ukraine,” he said. “It makes us wonder who is next. The Ukrainian people have done nothing to incur the wrath of Vladimir Putin. All of us are encouraged by the fight of the Ukrainian people, who are standing against this aggression. I believe the U.S. should do more to stand up for the Ukrainian people.”

Janet Byler, from Huntington, has children serving in the U. S. Army based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She felt compelled to attend the rally to support those serving with NATO forces in Europe. Mark Czachor, of West Babylon, said, “Every American should be supporting Ukraine’s fight. As long as we don’t give up, Putin can’t win.”

On Friday, Feb. 25, the Rev. Bohdan Hedz of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Riverhead opened the sanctuary to a resident of Texas, who was born and raised in the Riverhead area. He had returned recently to care for his very elderly parents. He had missed the service which had been celebrated earlier that day but was welcomed by Bohdan to pray in the quiet and intimate sanctuary. Unafraid of reprisals, the gentleman, who wished anonymity for personal privacy reasons, spoke of marrying his Ukrainian wife in Kyiv.

“My wife would leave today to take up arms,” he said. “The world is called to speak and to act. Ukraine will fight!”

During this conversation, a woman from the congregation of St. John the Baptist R.C. Church in Wading River came in with an offering of a bouquet of red roses and a prayer. It was her way of giving support to the local Ukrainian community.

Hedz and his congregation have been raising funds and material support for Ukrainian defense since the Russian invasion of the country in 2014 that resulted in the annexation of Crimea. Hedz expressed the belief that “Putin will not stop at Ukraine.”

With this greater invasion into the whole of Ukraine, Hedz said the defenders of Ukraine need warm winter clothing, personal hygiene medications such as pain relievers, cold and flu treatments, and first aid supplies for treating wounds.

Donations can be dropped off any time at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church located at 820 Pond View Road, Riverhead. If the sanctuary doors are locked, one may call the reverend at 631-727-2766.

Photo from Pixabay

By Jim Hastings

The recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia sent shockwaves around the world. The images of troops, tanks and bombed-out buildings have left many feeling enraged, frustrated and helpless. TBR News Media took to the streets of Port Jefferson and Stony Brook Village to get local residents’ perspectives on the situation. 

 

Photo by Jim Hastings

Debra Saparito, Mount Sinai

“It’s going to affect us as a country, because we can’t have someone just bow to another. We allow that to happen in one portion of the world, then everybody’s going to think, ‘Well, we can do that too.’ We have to step up as a world, whether they’re part of NATO or not. We have to do what’s right for the people. After what we’ve been through in the world in the last two or three years, we have to humble ourselves and look at each other as people.”

 

 

Brian Israel, Setauket

Photo by Jim Hastings

“It’s unbelievable that a sovereign country can be attacked, really, with no real consequences. Understanding that, you know, any military action could cause a larger conflict, but it’s just unbelievable that it was allowed to get this far.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Jim Hastings

Kathryn Schoemmel, Setauket

“It’s scary. I have a family member over there. She’s still in Ukraine. She’s hoping she has a home to go back to.”

Pictured with husband Leon.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Jim Hastings

Ernesto Cruz, Coram

“It’s pretty senseless. It just seems like there’s no real reason to be doing this. We’re getting to a stage where, through social networking and all that, the world’s becoming that much more interconnected and it’s like, we can feel each other’s pain. It’s no longer what the government tells us or what the news tells us. We can see what each person is feeling, truly, through their words and their actions.”

 

 

 

Photo by Jim Hastings

Clara Rosenzweig, Poquott

“I definitely feel horrible for the people going through it. I think it’s completely unnecessary what’s happening over there and I hope that everything gets resolved.”

Pictured from left are Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich; Victoria (Chef Filomena’s family); chamber members Colette Frey-Bitzas and Michael Ardolino; owner/chef Filomena Lombardi; Scott (Chef Filomena’s Family); Farm to Table Catering and Café staff members; chamber members Martha Stansbury, Kenneth Kroncke and Carmine Inserra; and Jenna Alberti from Assemblyman Steve Englebright’s office. 
Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich with owner Filomena Lombardi

On February 17, Farm to Table Catering and Café by Filomena, located at 2460 Nesconset Highway, Suite #1 in Stony Brook, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony.  The new business is a full-service catering company founded by head chef, Filomena Lombardi. 

The event was attended by Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, the Three Village Chamber of Commerce and Jenna Alberti from NYS Assemblyman Steve Englebright’s office.

“It was a pleasure welcoming Farm to Table Catering & Café by Filomena at their new location in Stony Brook. The food and service brought by Filomena is like no other, offering a homemade variety of avocado toasts, sandwiches, wraps, salads, cookies and baked goods that provide a healthy alternative for those who are looking for a clean diet. I love seeing our local businesses thrive and encourage everyone to try an avocado toast from this new eatery,” said Councilmember Kornreich.  

For more information, call 631-675-9066.

Photos courtesy of Johathan Kornreich’s office.

Island Sports Physical Therapy, located at 6 South Jersey Avenue, Unit 6B in East Setauket, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 16. The new office is the second to open in Brookhaven Town. Services include spinal rehabilitation, sports specific therapy, fitness programming and more.

The event was attended by Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Jenna Alberti from NYS Assemblyman Steve Englebright’s office, members of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce and Michael Murphy of Douglas Elliman.

“Our community is so lucky to have a facility like this where patients looking for physical therapy can heal in a supportive environment,” said Councilmember Kornreich. “Island Sports Physical Therapy works together with local businesses, hospitals and schools to provide care for anyone and everyone who need rehabilitative services. I encourage those who are recovering from injuries and those who want to prevent future re-injuries to stop by this location to learn more about their services.” 

Pictured seated from left are Executive Director, Keith A. May; Director Brendan McCann; and Office Manager, Kayla O’Brien. Pictured standing from left are Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich; Three Village Chamber member Martha Stansbury; Brendan McCann’s wife Kelli McCann; chamber members Carmine Inserra and Eliel Pimentel; Jenna Alberti from NYS Assemblyman Steve Englebright’s office; and Michael Murphy of Douglas Elliman Commercial Real Estate.

For more information, call 631-675-1706 or visit www.islandsportspt.com.