On a brighter note: Welcome to Friday, intrepid innovators, and – as an extra-special reward for surviving this drenching week on Long Island – a lovely string of sunny days, straight through Monday’s exciting solar eclipse (more on that below).
You deserve it! Here’s a glowing end-of-week innovation review to set the proper mood and kick off your well-earned springtime weekend.
Wouldn’t it be nice: Alien arrivals in the movies are often scary … but not in “Star Trek: First Contact,” with friendly Vulcans showing up (on April 5, 2063, for the record).
Morality play: Today is April 5 and we begin with the International Day of Conscience, the United Nations’ annual reminder that there’s got to be a better way than invading a kibbutz to massacre innocent civilians and blowing up humanitarian-aid volunteers.
Other nightmare scenarios invoked today include an alien invasion that takes out human satellites, zapping GPS and other digital-navigation programs and putting a special emphasis on National Read a Road Map Day, which can give you a post-apocalyptic leg up.
Live long and pizza: Friendlier alien arrivals are envisaged by First Contact Day, a “Star Trek” holiday that anticipates the Vulcans’ Earthly arrival on April 5, 2063.
And whatever planet you’re from, you’ve got to appreciate National Deep Dish Pizza Day, an annual celebration piling on the layers of meat and cheese, Chicago style.
Merchant maneuver: We’ll stick with New York style – thin crust, wide slices – thank you very much. And let’s order one with pepperoni to honor the 20 merchants who founded the New York Chamber of Commerce (America’s first chamber of commerce) on this date in 1768 inside Manhattan’s Bolton and Sigel’s Tavern (now landmark Fraunces Tavern).
Get back to work: Washington broke out his veto quill for the first time 232 years ago today.
Presidential pause: Meanwhile, in then-U.S. Capitol Philadelphia, George Washington issued the first-ever presidential veto of a Congressional bill on April 5, 1792, ordering the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to try again with the Apportionment Act of 1792. (For those keeping score, the veto held and the amended bill was signed into law 19 days later.)
Metric schmetric: Less successful was the infamous Mendenhall Order of April 5, 1893, in which the federal government decried that the international metre and kilogram would be the fundamental standards for U.S. weights and lengths. (This obviously didn’t stick, thanks largely to American Exceptionalism.)
Primed pump: Rolling along nicely are “balloon tires,” which eschewed solid-rubber circles for outer rubber shells with inflated inner tubes and were first produced by Ohio’s Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. 101 years ago today.
Plucky probe: And it was April 5, 1973, when NASA launched its most ambitious space probe to date – Pioneer 11, the first Earth spaceship to get up close and personal with two planets (Jupiter and Saturn, along with several of their moons).
While scientists terminated routine communications with the probe in 1995, Pioneer 11 – carrying a gold record sharing details about humans and directions to Earth – is still hurtling toward the center of the Milky Way, and is expected to arrive at the star Lambda Aquila in about 4 million years.
Seed fund: American poultry breeder, entrepreneur and seed kingpin Washington Atlee Burpee (1858-1915) – who bred chickens, geese and turkeys, launched a livestock-feed store featuring corn seed and branched into cabbage, carrot, cauliflower and cucumber seeds at the request of his customers – would be 166 years old today.
Powell doctrine: A man of war and champion of peace.
Also born on April 5 were British surgeon, medical scientist and experimental pathologist Lord Joseph Lister (1827-1912), the preventive-medicine pioneer who founded antiseptic medicine; American educator, author and orator Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), the first African American depicted on a U.S. postage stamp; American aircraft designer and manufacturer Lawrence Bell (1894-1956), who founded the influential Bell Aircraft Corp.; American pediatrician and microbiologist Hattie Alexander (1901-1968), known best for developing a serum to counter influenza meningitis; and American politician, statesman, diplomat and U.S. Army officer Colin Powell (1937-2021), the first African American U.S. Secretary of State.
Centre stage: And take a bow, Dean Lawrence Kamen! The Long Island-born American engineer, inventor and entrepreneur – who’s earned more than 1,000 U.S. patents, but is known best for inventing the Segway scooter – turns 73 today.
Give Rockville Centre’s favorite son your best at editor@innovateli.com, where this biweekly birthday note always segues nicely into calls for news tips and calendar events.
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BUT FIRST, THIS
Warm fuzzies: United Way of Long Island is commending a chunky National Grid Foundation grant that helped more than 1,900 energy-insecure Island homes stay warm this winter.
The $500,000 gift to United Way’s Project Warmth Emergency Fuel Fund, billed as “the only Island-wide non-governmental emergency heating fund,” was distributed in partnership with 20 local agencies and 300-plus parish outreach centers, according to UWLI. And with the agency’s latest Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed Report citing more than 285,000 Long Islanders fighting to cover basic needs – including one out of three LI families struggling to heat their homes during the winter – the grant was a godsend, according to United Way of Long Island President and CEO Theresa Regnante, who applauded the National Grid Foundation’s “extraordinary generosity.”
The foundation has now provided more than $13 million to assist 32,000-plus Project Warmth families since 1994. “We take immense pride in being a key supporter of the Project Warmth fuel-neutral relief program,” noted Aaron Choo, National Grid’s vice president of Gas Field Operations and vice-chairman of the UWLI Board of Directors. “This initiative plays a crucial role in assisting Long Islanders during their most vulnerable moments.”
Phone home: Syracuse-born astronaut Jeanette Epps chatted up Gov. Hochul from the ISS.
Long-distance call: From our Innovate Low Earth Orbit Bureau comes a spaced-out conversation between Gov. Kathy Hochul and American astronaut Jeanette Epps, currently flying high aboard the International Space Station.
Thursday’s virtual conversation connected the governor and the Syracuse-born aerospace engineer, who rocketed to the ISS March 4 as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. Relaying questions from statewide students, Hochul queried the astronaut on a number of topics, including the space station’s unique vantage point for the April 8 total solar eclipse (crew members will be in perfect position to see the Moon’s shadow creep across North America).
The governor – who commended Epps for her hard work and for being an inspiration “particularly (to) young girls” – also asked about the engineer’s career path, space-travel inspirations and ongoing experiments, what astronauts do for fun aboard the ISS and how it feels to be in space. “I can tell you that it’s amazing being here now,” Epps noted. “Looking at the Earth from this perspective has been a pure joy and it’s a mind-blowing experience that you can only get coming to the Space Station or flying to space… it’s a great adventure.”
TOP OF THE SITE
Cell mates: A $6.1 million National Institutes of Health grant will bolster the Feinstein Institutes’ investigations of dangerous, often deadly red blood cell disorders.
Wise move: Thank you in advance for sharing this insightful newsletter with your entire innovation team. Now share your wisdom – their own subscriptions are always easy, always free and just a click away.
ICYMI
A relatively small warehouse will pay big dividends for the Long Island economy – and serves as a prime example of the importance of PILOT incentives packages, according to the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency.
BEST OF THE WEST (AND SOMETIMES NORTH/SOUTH)
Innovate LI’s inbox overrunneth with inspirational innovations from all North American corners. This week’s brightest out-of-towners:
From California: The San Francisco-based Academy of Art University partners with luxury automaker Lucid to design the car of the future.
From Texas: Austin-based medical-device maker Alafair Biosciences inks long-term contract to promote tendon- and ligament-protecting bioresorbable hydrogel implant.
From Maine: Thorndike-based educational publisher Thorndike Press assists English language learners with large-print Spanish language children’s books.
ON THE MOVE
Jesse Hiney
+ Jesse Hiney has joined Uniondale-based Forchelli Deegan Terrana LLP as a partner and chairman of the Environmental Practice Group. He was of counsel at Farrell Fritz in Hauppauge.
+ Luigi Belcastro has been promoted to partner at Central Islip-based McGuire, Peláez & Bennett P.C., which will change its name to McGuire, Peláez, Bennett & Belcastro P.C. He was a prosecutor in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
+ Marina Martielli has joined Riverhead-based Twomey, Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo as special counsel. She was a self-employed appellate and trial attorney.
+ Garden City-based ShelterPoint Life Insurance Co. has announced two executive personnel moves:
- Richard White has been named executive chairman of the Board of Directors, effective immediately. He had served as chief executive officer since 2009.
- Leston Welsh has been named chief executive officer, effective immediately. He had served as president since 2023.
+ Claudia DeNovellis has been hired as controller at Bohemia-based King Quality Construction. She held the same position at Hauppauge-based Rochem International.
+ East Setauket-based TRITEC Real Estate Co. has announced four promotions:
- Jimmy Coughlan, formerly vice president of development, is now executive vice president.
- Kaylie Keane, formerly an accounting intern, is now a staff accountant.
- Jessica Nelson, formerly marketing coordinator, is now senior marketing coordinator.
- Marianne Alvarado, formerly senior estimator, is now chief estimator.
+ Michele Zervakos has been promoted to chief of operations at Bohemia- based King Quality Construction. She was general manager.
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BELOW THE FOLD (Total Eclipse Of The Sun Edition)
BOGO blotter: Burger King Whoppers will be buy-one-get-one-free during the big astronomical event.
Greatest show on Earth: Everything you need to know about Monday’s big show.
See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You: New tech helps the blind hear and feel the eclipse.
Shadow economy: From Moon Pies (of course) to the “Perfect Eclipse Margarita,” unique food-and-drink deals abound.
Solar “flair”: Please continue supporting the amazing agencies that support Innovate Long Island, including Brandtelling, where unparalleled storytelling talents shine bright. Check them out.
