🌱 Want to present Billy Joel research right here in Stony Brook?

Good morning Stony Brook! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Want to present Billy Joel research right here in Stony Brook?
• Have you seen Stony Brook’s missing Mandarin duck?
• How a Stony Brook-born safety program is changing another campus

Also on today's calendar: Caroline Church's 3rd Annual Live Nativity & Tree Lighting and 6 more events.

And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Jan C.!

Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Periods of clouds and sun, with a high of 49 and low of 44 degrees.
• Friday: Windy; morning rain, temps: high: 56, low: 28.
• Saturday: Breezy and colder, with a high of 37 and low of 34 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Billy Joel Symposium heads to the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (tbrnewsmedia.com) — Stony Brook’s Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame will host a two-day Billy Joel Symposium on June 6–7, inviting fans, scholars, and musicians to present research at its Main Street venue. Locals interested in Joel’s music, Long Island identity, or popular culture can submit proposals and bios by January 15, 2026, with selected talks forming themed panels and possible published proceedings.
   

2. Suffolk SPCA Calling For Information On Rare Duck Sighting In Stony Brook Area (patch.com) — A rare Mandarin duck first spotted in a Stony Brook neighborhood pond has vanished from public view, and the Suffolk SPCA is asking locals to report any new sightings so it can be safely rescued before winter. Officials suspect the exotic bird was once a pet and may struggle to survive on its own, and they’re urging anyone with information or unable-to-keep exotics to seek help rather than release them.
   

3. Red Watch Band promotes bystander training for drug and alcohol safety (campustimes.org) — A nationally used alcohol- and drug-safety program now training students at the University of Rochester actually began at Stony Brook University, created after a campus health professional’s son died of alcohol poisoning. The Red Watch Band model, born in Stony Brook, teaches bystander intervention, role-playing emergency scenarios, and simple steps students can take to protect one another.
   

4. Group urges Hochul to start grant program for research (newsday.com) — Stony Brook University’s medical school and Stony Brook Medicine are part of a statewide coalition urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to create a $500 million Empire Biomedical Research Institute to offset federal NIH cuts. The proposed state-backed grant program would grow to $6 billion over a decade, helping New York retain scientists, fund research on major diseases and AI, and expand access to cutting-edge clinical trials.
   

📸 Around Stony Brook

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Stony Brook

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Thursday December 18

• Caroline Church's 3rd Annual Live Nativity & Tree Lighting
  Caroline Episcopal Church, 1 Dyke Rd, Setauket
  5:00 pm
• Simple Gifts Handbell Holiday Concert
  Trinity Evangelical Lutheran, 716 NY-25A, Rocky Point
  7:00 pm

Friday December 19

• The Nutcracker at Caroline Church
  Caroline Episcopal Church, 1 Dyke Rd, Setauket
  6:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday December 18

• SET Winter Concert
  Three Village Csd Stony Brook, NY 11790
  7:00 pm
• ARR Winter Concert
  Three Village Csd Stony Brook, NY 11790
  7:00 pm

Friday December 19

• Stitch and Chit-Ch(at) | FREE
  The Long Island Museum , 1200 NY-25A , Stony Brook
  2:00 pm

Saturday December 20

• Winter Walk in Stony Brook at Avalon Park & Preserve — ReWild Long Island
  Avalon Nature Preserve , Shep Jones Ln , St James
  10:00 am

Monday December 22

• WMHS Players - Charlie Brown 6
  Three Village Csd Stony Brook, NY 11790
  6:00 pm

Sunday December 28

• Krampus & Cocktails
  Katies of Smithtown , 145 W Main St , Smithtown
  7:00 pm

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 18

• SET Cherished Guest Concert
  Three Village Csd Stony Brook, NY 11790
  11:00 am
• Snowman Wood Craft
  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County , 423 N Griffing Ave # 100 , Riverhead
  12:30 pm
• Mystery Bingo
  Rose Caracappa Senior Center , 739 NY-25A , Mt Sinai
  1:00 pm
• Vascular Disease Screenings - Centereach Location
  Stony Brook Vascular Center , 23 South Howell Ave, Suite H , Centereach
  1:00 pm
• Town Board Meeting
  Smithtown, NY Calendar , 99 W. Main Street Victor T. Liss Board Room - 2nd Floor , Smithtown
  2:00 pm
• Stitch & Chit-Ch(at) After Dark | FREE
  The Long Island Museum , 1200 NY-25A , Stony Brook
  5:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Stony Brook PatchAM possible:

• Heritage Chemists Pharmacy & Boutique — (631) 509-4545
  Heritage Chemists, a Unique shopping experience!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Lost 3 year old mini long haired brown dachschund in M section of Stony Brook.
  Lost since around 6:30 pm. Her name is Penny. If anyone sees her, please call asap...631-921-4979 (Nextdoor Stony Brook)

• Burlington posted a job opening for Seasonal Retail Stocking Associate - Part Time in Stony Brook. Apply here.
• PSG Global Solutions posted a job opening for FT-Receiver/Stocker-Overnight in Stony Brook. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Stony Brook here.

Ok Stony Brook! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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