Winners of 11th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book contest honored

Arts & Culture, Books

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From left, Yen Lo, Joyce Lee, Elizabeth Wright and Athie Kim. Photo courtesy of Emma Clark Library

From left, Suzanne Shane, Ted Gutmann, Joyce Lee, Yen Lo, Athie Kim, Elizabeth Wright, Linda Josephs, Angeline Yeo-Judex, David Douglas. Photo from Emma Clark Library

Pictured from left, Kevin Scanlon, Susan Megroz Rosenzweig, Brian Biscari, John Holownia, Tina Costanza, Joyce Lee, Yen Lo, Athie Kim, Elizabeth Wright, Deirdre Murphy, and Michael Jantzen. Photo from Emma Clark Library

Ed Taylor, Sherry Cleary, Joyce Lee, Yen Lo, Athie Kim, Elizabeth Wright, Karen Shack Reid, Niva Taylor, and Matt Schwimmer. Photo from Emma Clark Library

From left, Steven Englebright, Joyce Lee, Yen Lo, Elizabeth Wright, Athie Kim, and Dan Panico. Photo from Emma Clark Library

From left, Ed Taylor, Library Director Ted Gutmann and Joyce Lee. Photo from Emma Clark Library

From left, Ed Taylor, Library Director Ted Gutmann and Yen Lo. Photo from Emma Clark Library

On April 7, board members and staff of Emma Clark Library in Setauket, along with the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, local elected officials, and representatives from the Three Village Central School district, honored teens at the 11th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award.
The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest calls for teens in grades 7 through 12 who live in the Three Village Central School District to create a children’s picture book.  Each entry could be the work of a single author/illustrator or a collaborative effort between an author and an illustrator.  The contest was divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one First Prize Winner and one Second Prize Winner selected from each group. 
Yen Lo, an 8th grader at Murphy Junior High School, won first prize in the Grades 7-9 category for her children’s book “Benny and the Lost Balloon” while  Joyce Lee, a 10th grader at Ward Melville High School, won first prize in the Grades 10-12 category for “What’s a Friend?”
Second Prize in the Grades 7–9 category  went to Athie Kim, an 8th grader at Murphy Junior High School, for “Dinky” while Elizabeth Wright, a 10th grader at Ward Melville High School, captured second prize for her book, “Kitty and Fish” in the Grades 10-12 category.
Library Director Ted Gutmann, along with the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, presented the winners’ books — bound and added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection — along with $400 checks to first prize winners Yen Lo and Joyce Lee and $100 checks for second prize winners Athie Kim and Elizabeth Wright. “The artwork in all of them and the stories are just great,” he remarked.
Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico, and a staff member from Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay’s office were in attendance to present certificates to the winners. The winners also received certificates from New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich.
The award is named in honor of Helen Stein Shack, whose family approached the Library with the idea of establishing an endowment as a tribute to their mother, a teacher and lover of libraries, especially Emma Clark Library. Their gift covers the cost of the awards and passes along Ms. Shack’s joy of reading and lifelong learning to future generations.
Ed Taylor, Ms. Stein Shack’s son, told the guests that when he reflected on the contest, he thought of what he called the 3 C’s:
The first being creativity, of course. If you go look at the books, the first thing that strikes you is the artistic talent of these kids…they’re also very creative at storytelling. It’s not easy to invent your own story and even more difficult to invent a story and tell it in language of kids that are 10 to 12 years younger than you are…The second “C” is courage. Even though you have all that talent, it’s still not easy to put your stuff out there and have it judged by others…I didn’t have a third “C” so I thought and I thought, and then it hit me – cash!
Mr. Taylor’s gesture to the large checks beside him, which were given out to the winners later in the ceremony, received a chuckle from the audience.
Three Village Central School District Board President Susan Megroz Rosenzweig proudly addressed the winners, “You came up with a wonderful story, you created beautiful art, and then you gave us the gift of joyful reading.”
Library Board President David Douglas, Treasurer Suzanne Shane, Secretary Angeline Yeo-Judex, and Trustee Linda Josephs were also on hand to congratulate the winners. In addition to Susan Megroz Rosenzweig, Superintendent Kevin Scanlon, Assistant Superintendent Brian Biscari, Ward Melville High School Principal John Holownia, Murphy Junior High School Principal Michael Jantzen, Ward Melville High School English Department Chairperson Joanna Cadolino, and Murphy English Teachers Tina Costanza and Deidre Murphy were all in attendance.
Guests enjoyed sweets by The Bite Size Bake Shop, a local Three Village-owned business that has been donating desserts to the ceremony since the contest began.
When Supervisor Dan Panico spoke, he emphasized the importance of libraries and reading and commented, “To think that these books may be read by children themselves or perhaps by parents to their children and may end up being the books that children who go into adolescence and adulthood will remember, to me is something that is remarkable.”
To sum up the value of libraries and seeing our extraordinary youth through this annual contest, Legislator Steve Englebright stated, “You gave us a chance to preview the future.
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and on the web at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.

Experts: It’s time for public health to reconnect with communities, science

Science and Health

The past 30 years have seen major public health achievements, such as the passage of the Affordable Care Act and smoking cessation initiatives, but the field is facing a pivotal moment in which it must address past failures and current challenges.  And it can’t let previous failures dictate the future, panelists said at a National Public Health Week event hosted by the American Public Health Association. 
National Public Health Week, in its 30th year, comes amid a backdrop of major change to public health in the US. HHS offices have been shuttered, and many public health employees have been let go. Anti-vaccine sentiments are growing as measles continues to spread, and the use of fluoride in public water systems, long heralded as one of greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, is now under review by the federal government, while some states and municipalities consider or pass legislation to end the practice. 
Issues like these are an opportunity for public health officials to reach across the aisle, meet people where they are and better share what public health workers do to make sure Americans are safe, said epidemiologist Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation. “It’s time to reengage. It’s time to talk to people, not to judge. … We have to get better at knowing what to say to people,” he added. “We have to be more like politicians than scientists, but politicians who have trust, who have evidence, who have facts.” 
Rebuilding trust
It doesn’t matter whether public health leaders know how to talk to people, however, if people don’t have trust in the system. Panelists agreed that the field needs to rebuild trust, as it “is gained by drops and lost by gallons,” Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, noted.  
One way to do so is to acknowledge previous mistakes and share changes that have been made as a result, said Dr. Joel Bervell, who hosts The Dose podcast with The Commonwealth Fund. Communities of color have historically felt that they haven’t been included correctly, and building trust within those communities should be based on an understanding of  “a legacy of mistrust and where that comes from,” Bervell added, highlighting issues around eugenics and the Tuskegee experiments. That means public health initiatives at the community level can be influential, with local people such as barbers talking with community members about diabetes or other topics they normally wouldn’t discuss. 
Working with mayors and other local officials also can move the needle on trust. It’s difficult work, Castrucci said, but explaining the importance of promoting public health initiatives, showing up and collaborating with these allies in local communities over and over will help overcome distrust over time.
Telling the story of public health
The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, highlights how important it is for people to understand what public health workers do, as they often are seen as faceless bureaucrats that no one knows, Benjamin said. Those faceless bureaucrats were giving health advice, which changed over time and subsequently contributed to issues around trust, and disrupted people’s lives.  
“The truth of the matter is that we had not built that trusted relationship, and in most cases  … people did not come to us seeking our help,” Benjamin said, and added that public health has to do “a better job of telling our own story.”
That goes back to engaging with people at the community level, particularly before there is a specific reason or need. Benjamin reflected on public health leaders’ successes in gaining trust during the AIDS/HIV epidemic by going into communities and talking to people affected by it. “That’s one of the things we absolutely, certainly have to do and it starts now,” he said. 
Reconnecting to science and communities
Amid massive change and challenges in public health, Castrucci underscored the importance of understanding where the field has failed, reflecting on how it can communicate public health’s ability to keep Americans safe from disease and other threats, and reengaging with the public. 
“This Public Health Week is about reconnecting to what we are, reconnecting to our science, separating our science from our policy, allowing the policymakers to use our evidence, but we have to learn how to talk to everyone and we have to learn it fast because the next game’s going to be up and we need to be ready,” Castrucci said.

Friendly Alien Books landing soon in downtown Scranton

Arts & Culture, Books

Brigid Lawrence had the same thought rolling around in her head for years.“Someone really needs to open another bookstore in Scranton,” she said.That thought has followed her since Anthology, the downtown bookstore of her middle and high school days, closed. The idea popped up throughout college and on trips with her husband, creeping back when they would check out bookstores on their travels.“Every single time, we always say to each other, man, someone really needs to open one in Scranton,” she said. “We need that back again.”In a few weeks, she’ll be the someone to bring an independent bookstore back to downtown Scranton when Friendly Alien Books opens its doors.The storefront on Wyoming Avenue isn’t ready yet, but Lawrence held an open house during First Friday this month. She said a “steady stream” of people came by to see what she’s been working on.“It’s been beyond magical to see how many people want to support this, want to help support me and just kind of want to celebrate this new business coming to downtown,” she said.

Submitted photo

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Submitted photo Brigid Lawrence, owner of Friendly Alien Books, at an open house during April’s First Friday in Scranton.

There’s a counter and empty shelves that still carry a fresh wood scent. When contractors aren’t working in the bookstore, they’re on the next level working on apartments.Lawrence plans to stock the shelves with books of all genres for children and adults. She’ll also carry some used books, which people have already started donating.“I feel so incredibly luckly in that regard, that so many people have just been like ‘I love the idea, I want to help,’” Lawrence said.Opening a bookstore can be a costly investment. Lawrence has worked at this for two years, but she says the timing is right. While Scranton lacks an independent store, The Little Book Place opened in Tunkhannock last year, and Known Grove Books & More is planning an expansion.Lawrence, a lifelong reader, has seen social media exploding with bookish content – from “Booktok” to “Bookstagram,” – and hopes that excitement will bring in customers.“There seems to be a growing market for it,” she said.Most of all, Lawrence is excited to join a “long line of small businesses in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”“The community is also so supportive. They all want to support local too,” she said. “I just feel so lucky to be a part of that now from a different angle…to be on the other side of it, it’s just like ‘oh my God, this is so fun.”

Tributes to murdered British scientist as dismembered body parts found in suitcase

Science and Health

Alessandro Coatti, who worked at the Royal Society of Biology for eight years, was killed and his body parts were found in a suitcase in Santa Marta, ColombiaNewsZasha Whiteway-Wilkinson and Sam Hall PA23:01, 10 Apr 2025Alessandro Coatti’s body was tragically found dismembered in ColombiaWarm tributes have been pouring in for a former Royal Society of Biology scientist, whose dismembered body parts were tragically discovered in Colombia. Authorities in Santa Marta, located on Colombia’s Caribbean coastline, disclosed that Alessandro Coatti’s remains were dismembered post-mortem, with some found inside a black suitcase by the police.Santa Marta’s mayor, Carlos Pinedo Cuello, announced a reward nearing £9,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those involved in the heinous act.In a public statement, Mr Pinedo Cuello declared: “This crime will not go unpunished. The criminals must know that crime has no place in Santa Marta.”He pledged, “We will pursue them until they are brought to justice.”READ MORE: Guests stayed next to woman’s dead body without knowing before tour guide arrestedMr Coatti, a UCL graduate with a master’s degree, dedicated eight years to the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) as a science policy officer before his promotion to senior science policy officer.After concluding his tenure with RSB at the end of 2024, he embarked on a volunteer stint in Ecuador and further adventures across South America.The RSB released a heart-felt statement, saying: “He was a passionate and dedicated scientist, leading RSB animal science work, writing numerous submissions, organising events and giving evidence in the House of Commons. Ale was funny, warm, intelligent, loved by everyone he worked with and will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him.”Article continues belowConveying their condolences, they added, “Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his friends and family at this truly awful time.”Santa Marta serves as the entry point to some of Colombia’s most sought-after tourist spots, including Tayrona National Park, Minca, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains.

Tributes to murdered British scientist as dismembered body parts found in suitcase

Science and Health

Alessandro Coatti, who worked at the Royal Society of Biology for eight years, was killed and his body parts were found in a suitcase in Santa Marta, ColombiaNewsZasha Whiteway-Wilkinson and Sam Hall PA23:01, 10 Apr 2025Alessandro Coatti’s body was tragically found dismembered in ColombiaWarm tributes have been pouring in for a former Royal Society of Biology scientist, whose dismembered body parts were tragically discovered in Colombia. Authorities in Santa Marta, located on Colombia’s Caribbean coastline, disclosed that Alessandro Coatti’s remains were dismembered post-mortem, with some found inside a black suitcase by the police.Santa Marta’s mayor, Carlos Pinedo Cuello, announced a reward nearing £9,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those involved in the heinous act.In a public statement, Mr Pinedo Cuello declared: “This crime will not go unpunished. The criminals must know that crime has no place in Santa Marta.”He pledged, “We will pursue them until they are brought to justice.”READ MORE: Guests stayed next to woman’s dead body without knowing before tour guide arrestedMr Coatti, a UCL graduate with a master’s degree, dedicated eight years to the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) as a science policy officer before his promotion to senior science policy officer.After concluding his tenure with RSB at the end of 2024, he embarked on a volunteer stint in Ecuador and further adventures across South America.The RSB released a heart-felt statement, saying: “He was a passionate and dedicated scientist, leading RSB animal science work, writing numerous submissions, organising events and giving evidence in the House of Commons. Ale was funny, warm, intelligent, loved by everyone he worked with and will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him.”Article continues belowConveying their condolences, they added, “Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his friends and family at this truly awful time.”Santa Marta serves as the entry point to some of Colombia’s most sought-after tourist spots, including Tayrona National Park, Minca, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains.

From blockbuster to bestseller: Malcolm D Lee announces ‘The Best Man’ book trilogy

Arts & Culture, Books

From a blockbuster classic to a binge-worthy mini-series, “The Best Man” crew has and remains a key piece of Black culture. Now, they’re turning the page (literally) with a brand-new novel series that dives even deeper into the lives of the beloved friend group.

Series creator Malcolm D. Lee is teaming up with bestselling author Jayne Allen, who penned “Black Girls Must Die Exhausted,” to bring “The Best Man: Unfinished Business” to bookshelves this summer, courtesy of Storehouse Voices.