As a former senior investigator for the New York State Attorney General’s Office who spent twenty years investigating health fraud, I was truly annoyed when I discovered how hospitals are paid, and not paid, by insurers and individuals.
Keep in mind that hospitals are required by federal law to provide emergency care and stabilize all patients regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. As a result, hospitals provide more than $40 billion a year in unpaid care for patients who can’t afford to pay their hospital bill.When patients don’t pay for their hospital care, those costs are shifted to health insurers who are charged higher rates by hospitals to make up for the losses from non-paying patients.
However, uncompensated hospital care is not shared equally by private and government health insurers. According to a study by the Rand Corporation, private plans pay hospitals 241% more than Medicare for the same service. This amounts to a sneaky tax on the 216 million Americans covered by private insurance plans.
American taxpayers fund all or part of government health insurers such as Medicare and Medicaid. Yet, the American Hospital Association reports that hospitals received payments of only 82 cents for every dollar that was spent on Medicare patients in 2022. I get it. Medicare negotiates rates for more than 60 million people, and they squeeze every drop of leverage out of hospital administrators.
But wait, why are American workers being forced to pay higher premiums for their private health insurance when they are also funding the government plans? Whoa, wait a minute! That would be like selling a car for $50,000, but if you were a stockholder in the company the same car would cost more than $100,000. It sounds ridiculous, because it is. Especially, when a commonsense solution is within reach.
Simplify hospital reimbursement rates by having Medicare negotiate the same rate for all private and government insurers as a volume purchaser for 330 million Americans. By negotiating fair and reasonable reimbursement rates with just one insurer, hospitals would save money by reducing the number of administrators and consultants that are needed to negotiate with numerous private and government health insurers year after year.
Hospitals throughout the United States are in dire economic straits due to workforce shortages, inflation, cyber-attacks, unfunded government mandates and oppressive bureaucratic regulations. For example, the American Hospital Association reported in September 2024, “Recent data from Strata Decision Technology show that administrative costs now account for more than 40% of total expenses hospitals incur in delivering care to patients.”
A Medicare, “one-size-fits-all,” hospital reimbursement program would streamline administrative costs, save taxpayer money, reduce health insurance premiums and ensure that America’s hospitals remain best in class.
Thomas M. Cassidy, an economist, is the author and creator of the independent feature film, Manhattan South, which is in development. (ktpgproductions.com)
Ms. Pamila Pahuja, a dedicated middle school science teacher, is now at the center of a firestorm. A personal social media post expressing frustration over immigration policies and the broader state of the country has led to her suspension. Critics claim she wished harm upon Trump supporters,suggesting she would treat students differently based on their beliefs. That accusation is completely unfounded.
Having known Ms. Pahuja at R.C.MurphyJr. High School, I can say with certainty that her commitment to students has never wavered, regardless of their background or ideology. Let’s be clear: her suspension isn’t about protecting students or maintaining neutrality in education. It’s about something much bigger—and much more dangerous.
This is about reinforcing the idea that opposing the present administration, even in one’s personal life, comes with professional and personal consequences.
Education has become one of the key battlegrounds. Whether at the college level or in school boards, middle schools, and high schools, the message is clear: speak out against the present administration, and there will be a price to pay. Ms. Pahuja’s suspension is just the latest example.
So, who will stand up for our teachers’ free speech? In our quaint district of Three Village, groups like the Setauket Patriots freely exercise their own speech. They have labeled Ms. Pahuja “unhinged,” calling her the “first casualty of the migrant crisis on Long Island.” In one post, a commenter referred to her as a “DEI hire”—a phrase casually tossed around as an insult, revealing the underlying biases behind these attacks. They claim to defend students while attacking a teacher’s character with unfounded accusations. If they can openly condemn her, why can’t she express her own views without risking her career?
Nationally and internationally, Ms. Pahuja has made headlines in The New York Post and the Daily Mail, where she has been subjected to further harassment and ridicule, particularly in their online comment sections.
Despite the manufactured outrage, Ms. Pahuja’s record speaks for itself. She comes from a family of educators and has spent over a decade inspiring students, running the Science Olympiad team, and dedicating herself to teaching. She isn’t being targeted because of her abilities as an educator—she’s being targeted because she refuses to conform.
And yet, here we are, throwing her under the bus. Why? Because she won’t pledge fealty to a political movement that stands against everything she believes in. Are we really expecting someone who has passionately taught science, advocated for immigrants, and supported unions to suddenly submit to a different ideology? Ms. Pahuja has spent years educating with care—there is nothing to suggest she would ever do anything less.
The truth is, she isn’t being punished for failing as a teacher. She’s being punished for speaking her mind. And that should give all of us pause.
I stand against the campaign of hate targeting Ms. Pahuja because of the values I was taught, in part, at Three Village schools. In these classrooms, we learned not only to think critically but also to stand up to bullies, no matter their power or influence. I urge others in the community to support her as well and hope to see her reinstated in the classroom as soon as possible.
Ms. Pahuja embodies the values of free thought, moral conviction, and standing against injustice—principles that should be protected, not silenced.
In times of tragedy, our words matter. We witnessed sixty-seven people lose their lives, suddenly tossing mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, coworkers, and teammates into the darkest grief. In moments like these we must resist the urge to jump to conclusions.
President Trump, I heard what you said about the plane crash in Washington DC when you suggested that the hiring of people with intellectual developmental disabilities contributed to the tragedy. As the father of a young man with Down syndrome and an employer of people with differing abilities, I feel compelled to respond—not in anger, but to open a dialogue. I am not calling you out, instead I would like to invite you in, to learn more about what people with intellectual developmental disabilities can do and the contributions they are already making to our society and economy.
Let’s not blame people with differing abilities. Let’s not return to a time when they were shunned and ostracized. I want you to see how people with differing abilities contribute to our schools, workplaces, and communities. Across our nation and industries, people with differing abilities prove every day that they are valuable, skilled, and reliable employees. Companies like Microsoft, Walgreens, and EY have built successful programs hiring neurodiverse employees because they see their talent, not their limitations.
As an employer, I can assure you that no organization, least of all the FAA, knowingly places individuals in roles for which they are unqualified. Every air traffic controller undergoes intensive training and testing to ensure they meet the highest standards. The same applies to every pilot, engineer, and safety inspector. The inclusion of people with differing abilities does not mean lowering the bar; it means assessing skills fairly and placing people where they can succeed. That is not to say that no one made a mistake, but if mistakes were made, it is not because they had an intellectual developmental disability.
Mr. President, I invite you to see firsthand what inclusion looks like. Visit John’s Crazy Socks, meet my son John. He is an entrepreneur like you and a leader – EY named him Entrepreneur of the Year. More than half of our colleagues have a differing ability, meet them, see their dedication, talent, and hard work—not limitations. I believe that if you see this in action, you’ll understand why so many businesses, large and small, are embracing inclusive hiring as a competitive advantage.
America’s strength comes from the contributions of all its people. Never be blinded by a person’s limitations, be awed by their possibilities. When we focus on what individuals can do—rather than what they cannot—we build a stronger, more inclusive society. That’s the future and I hope you will lead us there.
Mark X. Cronin is co-founder and Presidentof John’s Crazy Socks in Farmingdale.
A scene of destruction in Western North Carolina after Tropical Storm Helene. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/NCDOTcommunications
By Kurt Johnsen
On August 19, 2024, a “thousand-year” rain event breached Harbor Road and drained the Stony Brook Mill Pond.TBR News Media published my memoir of my personal relationship with the pond and my deep sorrow of its loss on Aug. 29.
I live in Asheville, North Carolina and on September 28, I awoke to a Natural Disaster that was beyond my comprehension. Tropical storm Helene had scourged our beloved Western North Carolina.I’ll first note that my wife and I were fine, and our home only suffered minor damage. I stepped outside and began to witness what was soon to be apparent destruction of “biblical” proportion.
Overnight, 40 to 100 miles-per-hour winds had ravaged our region. Asheville received 14 inches of rain, much of Western North Carolina received two feet of rain and even up to 30 inches, all in the previous two days. Trees were downed everywhere and with them thousands of power lines cutting off electricity and making even simple travel down the road impossible. Soon, the magnitude of the destruction started to become evident.
Close to 900,000 acres of forest were downed or damaged, thousands of homes were destroyed and 150,000 people were displaced. If you haven’t yet, you can go on YouTube and watch the hundreds of videos showing events that, before this, we only witnessed from afar often in third world countries. Two miles from our houseBiltmore Village was flooded and EVERY business was gutted or ripped down. Eighty percent of our beloved River Arts District was destroyed. The torrents caused massive mudslides. Across the region, houses were torn apart and floatedlike balsa wood along powerful rivers that, two days prior, were small streams and brooks.
There are 104 verified storm-related deaths. It is Incredulous this number isn’t higher. Vehicles, homes, businesses were piled like matchsticks. People’s lives were upended and, for many, will never be the same. Even now, as you drive out to smaller towns that were virtually destroyed,you proceed through a “tunnel” of the hulks of demolished cars, trucks, houses and other flotsam.
The main Pipeline from the reservoir that supplies most of Asheville with water was shattered and under 28 feet of thick muck! Water immediately ceased flowing out of the tap for, in most cases, months and even longer to become potable. Asheville’s unemployment rate jumped from three to 9 percent overnight. The lack of affordable housing, already a crisis for service industry employees in our tourist-based economy, was extraordinarily exacerbated overnight.
Stop reading for a minute and imagine the all-too-real picture I have painted above. Now, let me put this in perspective. The Mill Pond is approximately 11 acres in size. That is 0.001 percent of the area that was impacted in WNC from Helene. And now, much of Los Angeles looks like Dresden after the firebombing. I will not go far out on a limb to say we have reached the “tipping point”; climate change is now ravaging our planet. James Taylor sang “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain.” He had no idea how prophetic his prose would become.
Author Kurt Johnsen, who grew up in idyllic Stony Brook,now resides inAsheville, North Carolina.
Former Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sharon R. Soderstrom, his former chief of staff. Photo courtesy of Sen. McConnell’s website
By D. Bruce Lockerbie
Just before its Christmas recess, the U.S. Senate met for an unusual ceremony, the retirement of an employee who, after 43 years on the job, had become known as one of “the most powerful” women in Washington (The Atlantic, May 20, 2015) and, according to former Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), even the 101st Senator. Her name is Sharon R. Soderstrom, former chief of staff forMcConnell.
Few ordinary citizens understand the inner workings of our national government; in particular, the “sausage-making process” of passing bills into law to fulfill the policy expectations of voters who sent politicians to high offices.
Sharon R. Soderstrom
The U.S. Senate describes how a senator’s hired staff functions: “Senators depend on the assistance of staff on Senate committees and in their individual offices, both in Washington, D.C., and in their home states. Senate committee staff include clerks, staff directors, staff assistants, legal counsel, researchers, policy analysts, press assistants, and archivists. Most senators’ offices include a chief of staff to manage the office, legislative correspondents to communicate with constituents, and legislative directors and assistants to help develop legislation, as well as schedulers, communications and press staff, and other administrative assistants.”
Sharon Soderstrom filled the role of senior adviser for three Republican majority leaders: Trent Lott (R-MS), William Frist (R-TN) and McConnell.
Soderstrom’s father Karl E. Soderstrom was the head of The Stony Brook School; her brother Mark Soderstrom is a senior captain on the Port Jefferson/Bridgeport Ferry. With their younger sister Cheryl, they all attended North Country Elementary School through sixth grade, then enrolled at The Stony Brook School.
She was valedictorian of the class of 1978 before going on to the University of Virginia, where she majored in English; her intended graduate studies were interrupted by an opportunity to work in the Washington, D.C., office of then Senator Paul Trible (R-VA).
“I thought I’d work there for a year or two before I found my real job,” Soderstrom said. “I started answering phones but soon moved into a role that I found stimulating — learning about policy issues and thinking about how to strategically advance causes through the legislative process.”
The Hill, a widely-circulated insider publication, acclaims her as “an expert on Senate rules and procedure” and “well regarded for the counsel she provides to McConnell and members on Senate strategy. . . . Former aides in the office say that she constantly has her finger on the pulse of the [Republican] conference and the full trust of the longest-serving leader in Senate history.” (Sept. 12, 2023)
McConnell’s spoken tribute began, “For several months now, I’ve been calling the Senate’s attention to the extraordinary people who have me, this institution, and our nation so well — and for so long — in the Republican Leader’s office. Today, I’ve reached the end of the list. My one remaining task is to prepare our colleagues for a Senate without Sharon Soderstrom.”
McConnell ended his tribute by stating, “Come January, the Senate will convene again. The 119th Congress will bring us a new slate of weighty business, new moments of minor crisis, and new opportunities to better serve the nation we all love. But in the most trying moments — and the most triumphant ones — a great many of us will feel like something is missing. We will miss Sharon — the 101st Senator. Sharon, you have served the Senate with honor. You are the greatest at what you do.”
As for her own retrospective, Soderstrom says, “One of the joys of my work through the years has been the opportunities to mentor public-spirited young people. The role placed me at the intersection of operating between the White House, the House leadership and Senate Republican leaders. Among the many things I’m proud of is despite the stresses on our institutions, in moments of crisis I have been part of national leaders who led during 9/11 and 1/6/24 — two different evacuations of the Capitol, two different Republican leaders, and one imperative: Return to the Capitol the same day and demonstrate national resolve for the country and for the world.”
When asked to cite both high and low points in her career, she replied, “I have also been grateful at different moments in time to drive agendas that have been consequential in the moment. After Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, I was with Leader McConnell in Finland, then Sweden, the day they voted to join NATO. We then were part of the legislative team to drive early U.S. ratification of the treaty, and met again with the Prime Minister the day he presented the accession papers to the State Department to make it official.”
“I did ask on behalf of my Norwegian grandparents what took them so long,” she added.
“I credit my upbringing at The Stony Brook School for modeling lessons that helped me in this role. At the end of his life, my Dad told me of his deep satisfaction in doing purposeful work with talented colleagues, many of whom became lifelong friends. I too was able to work with the best and brightest, and as a team we were each better than our individual parts. Building and managing a team that maintained our reputation for excellence and high morale through the tenure of the longest serving leader in Senate history was a great good gift.”
“But I think my greatest disappointment through the years has been watching politics become more performative among each party’s base, making progress more difficult. Mark Shields once said, ‘There are two types of political parties like there are two kinds of churches: those who seek converts and those who root out heretics.’ I hope that we can return to a moment when we try to persuade through the weight of a winsome argument rather than shutting down dissent and vilifying fellow citizens.”
For the first time in more than four decades, Sharon Soderstrom’s daily routine is no longer at the behest of 100 men and women who live their lives in six-year cycles and count to 51 (or 60), depending on the nature of the case before them. She plans to take a well-earned break from Senate arithmetic.
D. Bruce Lockerbie is a longtime resident of the Three Villages.
Danny Cappiello's Eagle Scout Project. Photo from Robert DeStefano
Massimo Olson's Eagle Scout Project. Photo from Robert DeStefano
João Ferreira's Eagle Scout project. Photo from Robert DeStefano
Ethan Matz's Eagle Scout Project. Photo from Robert DeStefano
Spencer Aron in front of his Big Adirondack Chair Eagle Scout Project with Port Jefferson-Terryville Chamber President Jennifer Dzvonar at the Train Car Park. Photo from Facebook
By Robert DeStefano
You don’t have to walk too far along the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail before you notice an Eagle Scout project. Maybe it’s a bench, or perhaps some bat houses. Look closely and you might see the modest plaque that names the Eagle who led each project.
In fact, all around us, local Scouts deliver valuable service projects benefiting various local organizations and our residents at-large. In recent months, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing several of these wonderful implementations of community service in Port Jefferson Station.
Outside Boyle Road Elementary School, João Ferreira’s Eagle Scout project created an outdoor workspace for students and local organizations that use the facility. The concrete work table is roughly 14’ x 6’, offering space large enough for an elementary class to spend time learning in an outdoor classroom. His project complements existing benches in the same space, an earlier Eagle Scout project led by Jordan Roche.
Over at Comsewogue High School, Ethan Matz organized a renovation to room 123, the Courtroom classroom. His Eagle Scout project returned the space to a style reminiscent of its décor a generation ago. Comsewogue alumni may recall the courtroom that served as the classroom for now-retired educator Mr. William Bodkin. The return to that style looks fantastic, and echoes the uniquely American history taught over the years.
At the Comsewogue Community Garden, many volunteers, including several local scouting organizations, have invested time to resurrect the garden. Their efforts have been bearing fruit for a couple of seasons now. With community volunteers regularly working the vegetation, the need for more storage space was addressed through another local Eagle Scout project. Danny Cappiello project-managed the development of a new storage shed at the back of the site. At roughly 100 sq. ft., the additional storage space invites plenty of helping hands who are growing vegetables that help feed others in our community. Volunteers helping volunteers; how wonderful is that?!
Not all Eagle projects are visible in the public, but the value they provide matters to the organizations they support. Within the courtyard at John F. Kennedy Middle School, Massimo Olson has led the charge to build composting bins. The compost from these bins will help feed Jackie’s Garden (in memory of Mrs. Jacqueline Rella, wife of late Superintendent Dr. Joseph Rella), and will provide nutrients for the work of the middle school’s Greenagers club, which recently planted several young trees near the bleachers to share the athletic fields.
Most recently, Spencer Aron unveiled his Eagle Scout Project, a big Adirondack chair painted in red, white and blue for all to enjoy, at the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce’s tree lighting event at the Train Car Park.
Failure to mention how these projects are funded would be an oversight. Scouts working on their Eagle rank are required to project-manage a community service project. That includes not only planning and building, but also fundraising. This is where our wonderful community comes in. When you make a donation or attend an Eagle Scout fundraising event such as hosted by generous local restaurants, this is where your contribution goes. It enables our local youth to execute projects that give back in our local community. It lets them know that our neighbors care and support the service they do as they grow.
So, in thanking them for their work, we also thank you for supporting them on their Trail to Eagle: a rank only about 6% of Scouts earn, nationwide. An investment in them is an investment in a future that will undoubtedly inspire future leaders in our community!
If you’re interested in signing your child up for Scouting, please feel welcome to contact me at [email protected] and I’ll help you get connected with information and the Pack or Troop in your area.
Author Robert DeStefano is an Assistant Scoutmaster with Scouting America (BSA) Troop 354 and serves as trustee for the Comsewgoue School District Board of Education.
After 12 years as the Brookhaven Town Supervisor, in 2023 I decided to run for Suffolk County Executive to make our county safer and more affordable and to restore professionalism to every county department.
Good governance is about doing what’s right for taxpayers and employees, and that’s exactly what we’ve focused on since I have taken office.
Fiscally, we are on the right road, and our efforts have been recognized. The county’s 2024 budgeting has earned Suffolk two bond ratings and three credit rating upgrades as of early December.
As promised, we’ve brought new leadership to the Suffolk County Police Department, hired 200 new officers, and added 50 new detectives to tackle crime across the county. New leadership has put the department on track for continued success, and my administration will provide what our law enforcement agencies need to protect our communities.
The Department of Social Services was in crisis when I took office. Poor management, low staffing, and tragic incidents resulted in Suffolk County being among the worst-performing DSS operations in New York State. For example, Suffolk was last among counties processing SNAP applications, which provide people in need with food. Due to new leadership and a complete overhaul of DSS operations, Suffolk is now the best in New York State.
New call center policies have reduced SNAP wait times by more than 95%, boosted employee morale, and decreased caseloads. While there is still work to be done, especially in filling the over 1,000 open positions, we’re making real progress.
To address these vacancies, we launched the “Suffolk is Hiring” campaign, meeting job seekers where they are—on social media, at college campuses, and at job fairs. This proactive approach shifts from reactive to addressing problems before they become crises.
When I took office, many county buildings were in terrible shape—leaky roofs, broken systems, and general neglect. These buildings belong to the taxpayers and house our dedicated workforce. We’ve made it a priority to bring these spaces up to standard, both for the employees and the public who rely on these services.
Here are just a few of the results our taxpayers are already seeing:
246 acres of land preserved—a significant increase from previous years, thanks to reforms in the Department of Economic Planning that streamlined the process.
Sewer projects funded in Smithtown, Wyandanch, Wheatley Heights, Deer Park, the Forge River, and Southwest Sewer Districts. These projects are critical for protecting our environment and revitalizing downtown areas.
$56 million invested in public safety equipment, ensuring our police and first responders are better equipped to keep our communities safe.
Major improvements to county parks planned for 2025, offering enhanced recreational spaces for families.
Micro transit zones to improve connectivity on the East End, making it easier for residents to access essential services and work opportunities.
None of this would be possible without the incredible team I have by my side. Together, we are committed to making Suffolk County safer, more affordable, and a place where every resident can thrive.
I look forward to continuing this important work next year and wish all of you a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
On Election Day, voters will cast their votes for president, U.S. Senate, Congress and state legislators. In Suffolk County, voters also have a once-in-a-generation chance to safeguard the future of Suffolk County’s surface and groundwater in Proposition 2.
The proposition allows Suffolk County to begin the process of updating our wastewater infrastructure for the 21st century. Whether it is sewering our downtowns or supporting neighbors installing I/A systems to combat nitrogen pollution, the successful passage of Proposition 2 gives us the tools we need.
Passage of Prop 2 establishes Suffolk’s eligibility for state and federal funding. Recouping as many tax dollars from New York state is important to operate Suffolk County.
Proposition 2 also continues the highly successful Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Program (SCDWPP), which has preserved thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive land, stabilized sewer rates and supported clean water efforts.
We don’t have to look far to see the need for improved wastewater infrastructure. Harmful algal blooms, brown tides, rust tides, mahogany tides and hypoxia fill our summer headlines and cause many beach closures each season.
We know, though, that with sewers, smart zoning and open space preservation, the damage is reversible. The obstacles we face are steep but not insurmountable.
Building sewage infrastructure creates jobs and helps small businesses and downtowns flourish. Advancing our downtowns creates permanent jobs in our communities and expands housing options for young people starting out and older folks looking to downsize. Our legacy fishing industry and emerging aquaculture industry will be able to expand employment and production as the environment improves.
It’s no exaggeration to say that passage of Proposition 2 is the most important measure voters have had on the ballot in generations. Its passage will strengthen our environment and protect the way of life that is a cornerstone of Suffolk County. This is not a political issue; it affects every present—and future—resident of Suffolk County and beyond.
Remember to vote on Nov. 5 or take advantage of early voting. For more information on voting, please visit: https://suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/BOE.
AND THEY'RE OFF!
Over 200 runners took part in this year's race through picturesque Stony Brook Village. Photo from Dan Kerr
Runners register in front of the Reboli Center. Photo from Dan Kerr
The crowd assembling in front of All Souls Church. Photo from Dan Kerr
The race was preceded by the National Anthem. Photo from Dan Kerr
Many runners came in costume. Photo from Dan Kerr
The Mario Brothers made an appearance at the race. Photo from Dan Kerr
Many runners came in costume and brought their dogs. Photo from Dan Kerr
Many runners came in costume and brought their dogs. Photo from Dan Kerr
Many runners came in costume. Photo from Dan Kerr
Mark McNulty and Dan Kerr
Felipe Garcia at the finish line. Photo from Dan Kerr
Margaret Kennedy with her award. Photo from Dan Kerr
Felipe Garcia and Margaret Kennedy with their awards
Hope Orcel with her medal. Photo from Dan Kerr
By Daniel Kerr
The sun shined brightly on the 200+ folks (not including the marching dogs) that gathered in front of Stanford White-designed All Souls Church in Stony Brook for the 16th Annual SOLES for All Souls 5K Race/2K Walk on Sunday, Oct. 6.
The large crowd included runners dressed as the Mario Brothers, Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head, “One and ½” bulldogs, butterflies, silver ballerinas, and three generations of skeletons.Retired Suffolk County Police Sargeant Mark McNulty played the bagpipes to inspire the runners as they began their trek up Hollow Road, and the North Shore Rockers played throughout Registration at the Reboli Center.Former Suffolk County Poet Laureate Richard Bronson led the annual march of the Live Poets Society, as Barbara Branca read the poems of Barbara Southard.
Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich joined All Souls’ own Brave Trio to sing the National Anthem, and our elected representatives thanked the runners and walkers for participating in this very special annual event to celebrate the role of All Souls in the community and to raise funds to make the church and accessible to all.The large amount of food collected as part of the All Souls “Lend a Hand, bring a Can” food outreach, was transported to St Gerard Majella’s food pantry in Terryville.
For the second consecutive year, Felipe Garcia from Brooklyn was the overall race winner with a time of 17:14 and Margaret Kennedy from Port Jefferson Station was the overall female winner with a time of 21:07. Race co-founder Mary Ellen Doris awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Olympic-style ceremony to various age groups from 13 and under to 80 years and older. Six-year-old Hope Orcel from Stony Brook won the bronze for the female 13 and under group and eighty-five-year-old Rolf Sternglanz from Davie, Florida won the silver for the over 80 group of runners.
All of the volunteers and sponsors thank the community of runners, walkers, residents and students for their outpouring of love and support.
Ellen Mason, a volunteer at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport, has reported that Max,the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum cat who greeted visitors at the gatehouse for years, has passed away. Below is a poem she wrote in his honor.
