MRSA At Hauppauge High School

Superintendent of Hauppauge Public Schools, Patricia Sullivan-Kriss, released a letter warning district parents of a case of MRSA in the district.  In the letter Ms. Sullivan-Kriss confirms that the school district had been notified of a case of MRSA at Hauppauge High School. 

Newsday has identified the student as Nick Mauriello a sixteen-year-old wrestler for the Hauppauge wrestling team.  At this time the student is reported to be recuperating well and may be able to leave Stony Brook Hospital in the near future. 

MRSA is a bacterial infection resistant to certain antibiotics.  The bacteria can enter the body through a cut or sore.  According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Community-associated MRSA infections occur in otherwise healthy people who have not recently been in the hospital.  The infections have occurred among athletes who share equipment or personal items…”.  Nick Mauriello is an accomplished wrestler who, prior to his hospitalization, wrestled in more than 18 matches throughout Long Island since the beginning of the 2011 wrestling season. 

According to Suffolk County Health Services web page MRSA is not a new disease.  It has been in the population since 1961.  Additionally, MRSA is not an imminent threat to the general population.   “33% of the population has staphylococcus aureous (MRSA) on their skin and will never get sick from it. 1% of the population has MRSA and they will never get sick from it.  The most vulnerable populations are actually those age 65 yeas and above and those with compromised immune systems. 

Ms. Sullivan- Kriss offered this advice to parents:  If you suspect your child may have MRSA contact your physician and take the child for a test.  Speak to your children about good hygienic habits.  The Centers for Disease Control offers these four points to help prevent the spread of MRSA:

1.  Keep hands clean by washing frequently and thoroughly with soap and hot water or hand sanitizer.

2.  Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.

3.  Avoid contact with other people’s wounds and bandages.

4.  Do not share personal items such as towels, razors, clothes and athletic equipment.

Prevention, treatment and vigilance (PTV) will help in the fight against MRSA. 

Marion Carll Farm - The History of Commack

Is Marion Carll Farm worth preserving?  How many times have you heard the statement Commack has no sense of community nor does it have an identity.  You may have also heard that Commack is just a place on a map part of Huntington and part of Smithtown, no individuality, no downtown, it has nothing worth fighting for. 

The preservation of Marion Carll Farm is about saving Commack’s history and it is about fighting for community.   

The Commack School District owns and maintains Marion Carll Farm and the nine acres on which it sits. If it sells the property the district stands to gain tax revenue when the proposed purchaser builds luxury condominiums on the property.  Sounds reasonable except, how much building does Commack need to make school taxes affordable?  There is intense development throughout Commack and especially the Townline corridor.  Throughout Commack there is a Target shopping center, A Macy’s Shopping center, Costco, Shop Rite, Kohl’s, Home Depot, Home Goods… all paying taxes to the school district.  Both Smithtown and Huntington have maximized development in Commack.

The Marion Carll Farm is costing the Commack School District money.  For some forty years the residents of Commack have been providing a limited amount of upkeep on the property.  The district has recently provided to the public information regarding the costs to maintain the property.  Some people working for the preservation of the farm have questioned the validity of the stated costs.  It makes sense for the district to look for a way to eliminate the maintenance costs.  What doesn’t make sense is for the district to refuse to explore options such as the Peconic Land Trust, which has preserved over 10,000 acres of farmland on Long Island. Reaching out to the Land Trust could help preserve the farm possibly through a public - private partnership and rid the school district of the maintenance expense. 

Tom Lyon, co-director of Hobbs Community Farm in Centereach said it best, “It would be an irony of tragic proportions if a 300 year old farmstead, intact and preserved for so long already, should be dismembered now when there is such a resurgence of interest nationwide in all things agrarian.  Extinction, of animals and historic farms, is forever.”

The residents of Commack voted to oppose the sale of Marion Carll Farm. The Commack School Board needs to explain to residents what options, other than selling the property for development, they have explored to reduce the tax burden created by ownership of Marion Carll Farm. 

The Marion Carll Farm is part of the history of Commack. What is the price of Commack’s history?

Pat

Snow Everywhere And Now Ice Everywhere

Hooray! January is over. The cold, the snow, the wind the snow, the school cancellations the snow, thank goodness January with its record 34.4 inches of snow is behind us.  Right?

Maybe, but as February 2, 2011 proved, there’s more to winter than snow.  Today, many are rethinking their position that winter couldn’t get worse. Today we saw worse and it came in the form of ice.  And it is not going to be better tonight.

The National Weather Service has issued a Special Weather Statement for our area warning that Black ice is expected.

“Black Ice will develop tonight as temperatures drop to below freezing… especially on untreated roads and walkways with refreezing of both standing water and melted snow.  Motorists should exercise extreme caution and allow for extra distance while driving since roads will be slippery.”

The New York State Department of Transportation has these suggestions for travelers:

Adjust speed for road conditions and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.  Increase following distance when roads are slippery.  Schedule extra time.

Stay alert!  Distracted driving and walking cause accidents.

Watch for down power lines and signal outages.  Signalized intersections where power outages occur should be regarded as a four-way stop.

Bridge surfaces are slippery; they freeze more quickly than road surfaces.

Equip your car with emergency supplies including sand, shovel, flares, booster cables, rope, ice scraper, portable radio, flashlight, extra warm clothes and a cell phone.

Let people know your destination, route and estimated time of arrival

If you breakdown or become snowbound, do not panic and never venture from your vehicle if you are snowbound

Property owners and snowplow operators – help keep roadways clear of snow and ice by not depositing or stockpiling snow on or along highways.  Dumping snow on roadways violates New York State Motor Vehicle and Traffic Law. 

There are almost seven weeks of winter left. If the second half of winter is anything like the first you need to be prepared and remember to check up on those who may not be able to fend for themselves during this very harsh winter. 

Winter - A Time To Enjoy Smithtown Outdoors!

With forty-nine days left until the first day of spring and snow piled up everywhere it might be tempting to stay indoors until the big melt starts.  It might have been tempting for some this weekend but not for everyone.  With temperatures reaching into the thirties this weekend it was not difficult to find people enjoying the wonders of winter right here in Smithtown.

Hoyt Farm Hoyt Farm in Commack was the place to be if you wanted to do some sledding in a very safe environment.  Kids and parents seemed to be having a ball enjoying the hilly terrain.   The hills were perfect for sleds, discs and for the adventuresome rolling down the hill without anything.  Ok, I’m not sure if that was intentional but it did seem to be fun.  Other places where kids were sledding were off 25A in Kings Park and Hauppauge High School.

 There were some not interested in sledding preferring cross-country skiing and snow shoeing at Caleb Smith State Park and on the Hike and Bike Trail in Kings Park.  Jim Dipelessi, a Kings Park resident, took advantage of the pristine conditions on the Hike a Bike trail and went cross-country skiing.  “ There was a lot of snow and no one had been on it so I made my own path.”  

 There were lots of people walking on the boardwalk at Sunken Meadow Beach.  Even though the boardwalk was not completely clear of snow people were jogging, walking, pushing baby carriages, taking photos and believe it or not even traversing the boardwalk with cross country skis.Cross Country Skier at Sunken Meadow Beach

Congratulations to those who made the most of the snow and had fun!

Ode To Worm Permit

80 years ago, before all Vecchio’s terms,
This town began to regulate worms.

The digging of worms requires a permit,
The clerk’s office decided the law didn’t fit.

We should forego the money we collect
because the work it entails is a pain in the neck.

The Board will deliberate and make a decision,
They will work hard said a resident with a little derision.

The decision will be made with thought and insight,
And because this is Smithtown it won’t be overnight.

This thought comes to mind and needs to be spoken,
This Town Board is best at fixing that which is not broken.

Anonymous