Drug and Alcohol Addiction - Not Behind The Scene Any Longer

By Kieran McGovern

A quiet, friendly, suburban town on the North Shore of Suffolk County, Smithtown, like any community, is not without its issues and negative realities. A growing threat to the community exists. It is not the abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center or Smithtown’s tax rate, it is substance abuse.

Many people don’t consider drug and alcohol addiction a problem because it is behind the scenes; out of sight and out of mind. That ignorance is part of the problem and one of the main reasons why the heroin phenomenon has grown to very high proportions in Smithtown.  

Jeffrey Reynolds, Executive Director of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (LICADD), which has offices in Williston Park, Ronkonkoma and Riverhead stated that, ”Smithtown is one of the communities that has been hardest hit by opiate (heroin-derived substances) addiction,” Reynolds noted, “and that is partly because they weren’t prepared to effectively handle such issues. When you think heroin, you think of run-down parts of the lower east side, you don’t consider that it may be your neighbor selling it and your family member buying it. ”

Reynolds stated that other factors contributing to substance abuse across long Island are lack of educational programs and community services due to funding cuts at the local and state levels. Another reason is ease of access to prescription and over-the-counter drugs containing opiate-based substances. People do not generally dispose of such medications they may keep them “lying around the house,” where they are accessible to teenagers in particular.

This is not to suggest heroin addiction is exclusively a youth problem—it runs the gamut and affects folks of all ages. One person, a survivor of multiple addictions stated, “I’d buy heroin from a guy my dad’s age, and we all snorted in an old man’s shed. It’s only so bad for us (younger people) because we typically have nothing to do and nowhere to go for fun.” According to Suffolk County Police, drug-related arrests, accidents and fatalities have all skyrocketed in the last two or three years, and one local store discontinued its sale of Oxycontin and similar drugs after being held up more than once by people craving the substance. 

What is the prognosis? “Sadly we have lost some lives, and we are going to lose more before it runs its course,” said Reynolds. However, he added that collaborative efforts between school districts, families and authorities have increased awareness and prevented many deaths, addictions and incarceration. Reynolds explained that mass addictions come in waves, “the last big heroin outbreak was back in the late 70s, and that is once again the drug of choice.” He believes the next drug to watch out for is crystal methamphetamine.

Mr. Reynolds said approximately 20-25 Smithtown residents use LICADD’s services per month, which include inpatient detoxification, rehabilitation (inpatient or outpatient), transfer to crisis centers and halfway houses, information and referral. And self-help groups. All services are administered on family-help or individual levels. Other such organizations include Pederson-Krag, Town of Smithtown Horizons and Education Center, the Long Island Center for Recovery (LICR) and local Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotic’s Anonymous chapters

It is important to remember that the true victims of addiction are this suffering from their addiction. A person should not be looked upon as immoral, bad or non-respectable simply because they have an addiction(s). People experiencing drug or alcohol dependency are encouraged to pursue the services of the above-stated agencies. We must come together as a community to battle issues of substance abuse.

Long Island Center for Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (LICADD) – (516) 747-2606 http://www.licadd.com/ 

Pederson-Krag (Smithtown) – (631) 265-3311     http://pederson-krag.org/

Long Island Center Recovery (LICR) – (631) 728-3100       http://longislandcenterforrecovery.com/

Horizons – (631) 360-7578            http://www.smithtowninfo.com/

Seafield – (631) 288-1122              http://www.seafieldcenter.com/

Charlie Murphy’s Residence and Resort (out-of-pocket) – (631) 261-0057             http://www.cm-residence.com/

It's Show Time For Quixote - Westminster Competition Begins Today

In the dog world Westminster Dog Show is a very big deal.  If you are a dog who has been invited and are competing at Westminster you are already a champion since only champions are invited.  Such is the case with Commack’s entry at the Westminster Dog Show, chow - Quixote Fernandez.

Quixote is three and a half years old and according to his handler, Linda Albert, Quixote excels in all the standards by which chows are judged.  He is rated ninth in the All Breeds category and in the top twenty in Best of Breed (Chow).  He comes from champion lines and he loves competitions, “Quixote is a natural” said Linda.  This is not Quixote’s first trip to Westminster he was a very immature 19 months when he first participated in the Westminster Dog Show.  This time he is older, more experienced and very competitive. 

Victor Fernandez, one of Quixote’s owner’s wants people to know Quixote is a pet and family member.  Being a champion and a competitor is wonderful but at the end of the day Quixote goes home with Victor and Jeanne Fernandez where he is one of the three four legged members of the Fernandez family.

Victor and Jeanne got their first Chow 22 years ago at South Street Seaport and they have never looked back.  They have learned a lot since that first chow. They learned about pet shops and puppy mills and how unscrupulous breeders routinely over breed. They also learned the hard way, how “pedigree” dogs suffer the consequences of poor breeding practices.  They have been getting their dogs exclusively from E-lin breeders in Hauppauge for years.   

Linda Albert a co-owner of Quixote is also his handler and will be in the ring with him at Westminster.  Linda, along with her mother Elaine has been breeding Chows Chows in Hauppauge for twenty-six years. They operate under the name of E-lin and are involved in Chow Rescue and Pet Adoption League.  Responsible breeding is what they are all about.  They follow self-imposed rules to ensure that those who purchase their dogs are prepared to deal with the challenges of owning a chow. Linda is proud of the long-term relationships they have developed with the owners of their dogs.  Martha Stewart’s dogs PawPaw and Kublai Kahn were both E-lin dogs.   

Quixote will be competing Monday, February14 at around noon.  Both Victor and Linda are feeling good about the event.  After the event Victor will bring Quixote home where he will be able to play outside in the backyard and do Quixote’s second favorite thing roughhouse with Victor. Oh, and what is Quixote’s favorite activity? Driving around in a golf cart in South Carolina.

While many will be watching and hoping for Quixote to win, Victor Fernandez takes it all in stride, “no matter what the outcome is, I know my dogs are the best.” Good luck Quixote!  

Update on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 10:40AM by .

Quixote was not selected to participate in the Westminster final round. According to Elaine Albert co-owner of E-Lin where Quixote was bred, “that’s the way it goes with competitions.”  Quixote will be competing in the Rockland Dog Show and at the All Chow Chow National Club Inc. in Sacramento in April. 

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.