A pair of teams with minimal rest will face off in Nassau, Bahamas, on Sunday when No. 22 St. John takes on Georgia. St. John's (5-1), which will play its third game in four days, began the stretch in the Bahamas Championship on Thursday, dropping a heartbreaker to No. 13 Baylor. The Red Storm led by 18 in the first half before Baylor forced overtime. From there, St. John's rallied from five down with 1:47 left to send the game to a second overtime, where it saw Baylor knock down a pair of 3-pointers in the final seven seconds -- including Jeremy Roach's buzzer-beater -- to knock off the Red Storm 99-98. In the third-place game on Friday, St. John's breezed past Virginia 80-55. RJ Luis Jr. led the way with 18 points and four steals, followed by Kadary Richmond's 12 points, as the Red Storm took a one-point lead with 15:21 left in the first half and didn't trail again. "I'm really impressed with our guys, coming off a double-overtime, extremely emotional loss," St. John's head coach Rick Pitino said. "To respond that way was extremely impressive, both offensively and defensively." Pitino, in his second year with the Red Storm, was moved by something off the court on Friday, involving captain Zuby Ejiofor, who chipped in eight points, nine boards, two steals and two blocks. Ejiofor was serenaded by St. John's fans during the win, following his two missed free throws at the end of double overtime against Baylor. "When you've only been in a job for a year, you search for things you love about a place," Pitino said. "Tonight I found out what I love about St. John's. Our fans chanted Zuby's name the whole game, which doesn't happen anywhere else in America. I was really impressed with our fans and I thank them for making Zuby feel good, because he gives you all the energy." Luis leads the Red Storm with 17.3 points per game, followed by Ejiofor (10.7), Aaron Scott (10.5), Deivon Smith (10.3) and Richmond (10.2). Georgia enters Sunday's matchup looking to rebound from its first loss after falling to No. 15 Marquette 80-69 on Saturday. Georgia (5-1) battled back from a 15-point, second-half deficit, but was held to just three points over the final 4:57 in Saturday's loss. Blue Cain led the Bulldogs with a season-high 17 points, including five 3-pointers. "It's a process. It's a journey with this team," Bulldogs head coach Mike White said. "It's about continuing to make strides, continuing to protect our culture. ... At the end of the day, wins and losses are going to take care of themselves. We just have to embrace the process and enjoy it." Five-star freshman recruit Asa Newell was held to a season-low nine points but leads the team with 15.5 points per game. Silas Demary Jr. is second with 13.8. --Field Level MediaClaim: Rating: About this rating Originated as Satire A rumor circulating online in November 2024 claimed that U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said if every member of Congress had to resign for what women accused Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., of doing, "Democrats would have a supermajority." However, the truth was this rumor originated in a post on X from The Halfway Post (archived) — a network of social media accounts and a website that describes its output as being satirical in nature. The About page on halfwaypost.com states the website's owner publishes "real comedy news and satire." Gaetz's Allegations, Nomination, Resignation and Withdrawal This rumor picked up steam as Gaetz's name dominated headlines in late November 2024. On Nov. 21, The New York Times reported breaking news about Gaetz withdrawing from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general. The article highlighted Gaetz's denials of allegations related to a Justice Department investigation into his... Jordan Liles
Silhouette of passenger in front of the JetBlue Airbus A321neo aircraft spotted on the apron tarmac docked at the passenger jet bridge from the terminal of Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport AMS EHAM in the Netherlands. Nicholas Economou | Nurphoto | Getty Images JetBlue Airways told staff Wednesday that it is axing more unprofitable flights, redeploying aircraft outfitted with its high-value business class and tweaking Europe service, the carrier's latest moves to return to consistent profitability and cut costs. It will also stop using planes with Mint business class on Seattle flights in April. JetBlue said it will cut flights from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Jacksonville, Florida; from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; Miami; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and from Westchester, N.Y. and Milwaukee. It will also end service to San Jose, California. JetBlue said ending service between JFK and Miami will make the carrier over-staffed in Miami and that it's working with crew members on options, like working in other cities it serves. Read more CNBC airline news American Airlines cracks down on boarding line cutters with new technology Budget travel icon Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy protection New Boeing CEO sets sights on ‘leaner’ future as quarterly loss tops $6 billion "Florida remains a strong geography for JetBlue, however post-COVID we haven't been profitable in Miami due to the dominance of legacy carriers like American and Delta there," wrote Dave Jehn, JetBlue's vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, in a staff note, which was seen by CNBC. It will continue serving Miami from Boston. JetBlue will announce some new Europe service next week, the memo said. But starting in the summer 2025 travel season, it will drop its second JFK-Paris flight and its summer-only service between New York and London's Gatwick Airport, said Jehn. The changes were announced after JetBlue said its revenue and bookings have come in better than expected for November and December, sending shares up more than 8% on Wednesday. CEO Joanna Geraghty and her team are focusing on reducing costs and culling unprofitable routes, such as those on the West Coast, as they grapple with a Pratt & Whitney engine grounding and post-pandemic shifts in demand. JetBlue said customers who are affected by the changes can select alternate flight options or receive a refund if other routes aren't available. "Recently, we made some network adjustments in certain markets, removing some underperforming flying from our schedule, allowing us to redeploy resources, including our popular Mint service, toward high-demand markets and new opportunities," JetBlue said in a statement.NEW YORK (AP) — Shortly before he was to be flogged and imprisoned for eight years, Mohammad Rasoulof fled Iran. His weekslong journey would take him from Tehran, through rural Iranian villages, on foot across a mountainous borderland and ultimately to Hamburg, Germany. As arduous and dangerous as the trip was, Rasoulof’s travels had an added wrinkle: He was trying to finish a movie at the same time. A week after arriving in Germany, Rasoulof would premiere his film, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” at the Cannes Film Festival in France. As he fled, Rasoulof was preoccupied with the movie’s edit, which was being carried out in Germany. “I remember when I was sitting in the car that was driving me to the border,” Rasoulof says. “I had my laptop and I was taking notes and sending them to my editor. The two friends who were taking me kept saying, ‘Put that thing away for a second.’” In Cannes, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” won a special jury prize and Rasoulof was celebrated with a 13-minute standing ovation. The movie has since been hailed as one of the best of the year, and arguably its most daring. Rasoulof made “Sacred Fig” clandestinely in Iran, directing scenes from a separate location to avoid raising suspicions. (The opening titles read: “When there is no way, a way must be made.”) Its story — a devastating family drama set during the 2022 protests that engulfed Iran — would surely only add to Rasoulof’s prison sentence. So after all of this, how is he feeling? When he recently met with The Associated Press for an interview, Rasoulof shrugged. “Ordinary,” he says. Rasoulof, 52, has a more gentle, bemused presence than some of his films would suggest. But how could Rasoulof, after what he’s lived through this year, feel anything like ordinary? “I still haven’t grasped the meaning of exile,” he explains. “I think it will take some time. The feeling of that void has not hit me yet, and I think it may never come.” Rasoulof has been busy traveling from film festival to film festival. In September, he and his 24-year-old daughter attended the Telluride festival in Colorado. Many more such stops were to come. Since fleeing Iran, Rasoulof has effectively been immersed in the world he’s long known: cinema. “Maybe I am living in the world of cinema, and maybe that’s why things are so familiar,” he agrees. “Maybe that’s why I don’t feel I’m in exile.” “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” currently playing in theaters, is the Oscar submission from Rasoulof’s adoptive home, Germany. He’s settled in with his family, grateful for how the country has welcomed him. Speaking through an interpreter, Rasoulof grants that he’ll probably always mentally have a bag packed, ready to return to Iran should the chance ever come. But what “home” constitutes has changed for him. “I might be able to change this concept of home for myself,” he says. “I walk on the streets here and I see people of different colors and forms from all over the place, and they all call this place home. So there’s always the chance that one can build something new.” How oppressive politics can infiltrate the home is central to “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” It concerns a family of four: Iman (Missagh Zareh), a lawyer newly appointed to the Revolutionary Court in Tehran; his wife, Najmeh (Soheila Golestani) and their two daughters, Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami) and Sana (Setareh Maleki). Iman is proud of his high position, but, when the government crackdown on protesters following the death of Mahsa Amini accelerates, his daughters are increasingly at odds with him. After Iman's gun goes missing, his wife and daughters turn into suspects. “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” populated with real cellphone videos from the protests, plays out as an excruciating microcosm of Iranian society. “It wasn’t like I put those videos in. They just came in,” says Rasoulof. “The reality is that it was through those videos I realized what happened. When the Woman, Life, Freedom movement occurred, I was in prison.” Rasoulof has spent several spells in Tehran’s Evin Prison. In 2010, he was arrested on set for filming without a permit. In 2022, he was jailed for seven months after pursuing the release of another of Iran’s most prominent filmmakers, Jafar Panahi. Panahi, who secretly made the film “No Bears,” was only released in 2023 after commencing a hunger strike. “My windows at home opened to the hills that have the Evin prison in them,” says Rasoulof. “I knew behind those walls many of my friends were sitting.” Rasoulof, inspired by the courage of the younger generation, resolved to pour the same spirit into “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” Although it wasn’t until Rasoulof’s appeal of his sentence failed that he resolved to flee, he grants that deciding to make “Sacred Fig” essentially sealed his fate. “Making this film was part of that decision,” he says. “Although I had made up my mind earlier, because it was such a bitter decision, I was denying it and delaying it, waiting for a miracle to allow me to stay.” “I would open the fridge to make sure there was nothing there that would go bad,” he adds. “It was a strange circumstance.” For the film's actors and crew members, signing up for the movie meant also becoming co-conspirators. Everyone knew the risks. And, like Rasoulof, many of them have since left Iran. Rostami and Maleki also now live in Germany. Asked if his collaborators are all currently safe, Rasoulof responds: “No one is safe from the Islamic Republic.” In his new life, Rasoulof is experiencing freedoms he never had in Iran. His films, for example, are widely available outside his native country but not in Iran. His prize-winning 2020 drama “There Is No Evil,” about capital punishment in Iran, is banned — though, ironically, Rasoulof’s prison guards enjoyed watching it with him from a flash drive. “I haven’t seen many of my films on a big screen, especially my last film,” he says. “I really want to see ‘There Is No Evil’ on a big screen. A festival in Portugal has promised to take me to see my own film.” The name of Rasoulof’s film comes from his memory of an ancient fig tree he once visited on an island in the south of Iran. It’s a tree that, with apparent metaphorical meaning for the Iranian government, spreads its seeds onto other trees, killing them and growing in their place. Rasoulof pulls out his phone to share a photo of his apartment in Tehran. Outside a large window, you can see the walls of Evin running along a craggy hillside. Inside are many houseplants. “This is my home,” he says. “I have a lot of plants. I really miss my plants. I have a neighbor who takes care of them for me. I actually have a fig tree at home.”General Christopher Gwabin Musa, OFR, has been a transformative figure in Nigeria’s military landscape since he was appointed the 18th Chief of Defence Staff in June 2023. With his dedication to duty, patriotism, and people-oriented leadership style, General Musa has successfully evolved and transformed the Nigerian Armed Forces into a world-class institution, earning recognition globally for its effectiveness in addressing national security challenges. General Musa’s leadership has been marked by several outstanding achievements, including the successful rescue of 330 Chibok schoolgirls from Boko Haram terrorists and the accelerated amnesty program for repentant terrorists, which led to the surrender of over 47,975 terrorists and their families. He is not just reshaping the narratives but rewriting them. His fight against insurgency is model, impactful and dynamic, ever-evolving against the strategies and tactics emanating from the series of escalating security threats all over the world. A very forward-thinking and adroit strategist, General Christopher has shown mastery, dexterity and strategic insight in eliminating internal and external security threats, by evolving strategic insightful policies and building formidable resilience in the officers and men with very high capacity military readiness and enhanced operation capability and capacity, inter-agency coordination, and enduringly sustainable international collaborations. These fundamental and strategic policies also include the timely briefing and evolution of counter-strategies against all forms of insurgencies, criminalities against the State, terrorism, separatist tendencies and a highly formidable and robust intelligence-gathering mechanism capable of outmanoeuvring the strategies of the enemies. His role as the overall head of the Armed Forces also bestows on him the onerous responsibility of ensuring robust, formidable and responsive joint operational and integrative efforts of the Armed Forces. This collaboration has led to improved inter and intra-agency operations and resource optimizations, elimination of duplication of efforts, confidence building and the fostering of a united front against insurgents even among sister security agencies. Undoubtedly, General Musa’s wisdom, clout and congruence have led to various outstanding breakthroughs and victories in the areas of building the physical and social infrastructural capacities of the military, in such areas as the procurement of tools, equipment and modern sophisticated armaments, fortified and efficient state-of-the-art aerial surveillance units, and enhancement of cyber warfare capabilities. In the area of social infrastructures, he has empowered the forces with advanced technologies and skillsets through training and strategic partnerships which is central to this objective and a very robust motivational package. All these including consistent up-to-date training of personnel have greatly enhanced the Armed Forces in discharging its roles and also addressing the evolving complexities and growing international trends in asymmetrical warfare. General Musa’s role involves partnerships with international allies to augment Nigeria’s defensive apparatus, address capability gaps, and bolster the counterinsurgency repertoire. An apt and experienced soldier, his engagement of the minds and hearts of the insurgents, miscreants and urchins, coupled with other criminal elements with psycho-social measures has greatly led to successes in the de-radicalization programs, enhanced community engagement, and fostered socio-economic growth and development, thereby technically addressing the root causes of insurgency and discouraging recruitment into the camps of the insurgents as well reducing the allure of criminalities. This has progressively led to efforts aimed at countering the ideologies that feed insurgencies and separatist elements, which is as critical as the physical battlefield operations. His deft diplomatic engagements and multi-sectorial and multi-national counterterrorism initiatives have led to successes in reinforcing international solidarity and showcasing Nigeria’s resolve against terrorism, effectively rallying global support for combating insurgency, participation in multi-national counterterrorism initiatives, and navigating the security implications of international relations. At the sub-regional level, the CDS CG has increased advocacy for regional partnerships in the Lake Chad Basin and the ECOWAS region thereby solidifying collective action against shared security threats. He has also in a very tangible measure orchestrated the reformation of the Armed forces by making the Force amenable to civil governance, and evolving challenges as well as building capacity and capability to be able to navigate the complex nature of insurgencies as it relates to the undulating topography of the country. Equally strategic is his ability to fashion out and fuse a robust strategic vision, operational oversight, and inter-agency coordination aimed at eradicating the scourge of militancy and insurgency all over the country. Through an unabated and decisive commitment to proficiency, modernization, joint task formulation, and psychological operations, he can fashion a strategic and dependably sustainable bulwark against the tide of terrorism and insurgency contending against the nation. General Musa’s leadership has led to the evolution, and successful implementation of such operations as ‘Operation Hadin Kai,’ which was launched to replace the previous ‘Operation Lafiya Dole.’ This operation represented a shift in tactics, focusing on a doctrine that moves away from purely defensive posturing to more offensive operations aimed at decisively defeating the insurgents. Furthermore, there is the advancement of the concept of “Super Camps,” which consolidates military presence in strategic locations, thereby giving the forces the flexibility to launch swift and precise counterinsurgency strikes and also the added value of timely re-enforcement. Such tactics have reportedly led to several successful raids on insurgent camps and the neutralization of key figures in the groups. He has also re-enforced community partnership, through robust community engagement and intelligence gathering. Through this, there have been stronger relationships with local communities and collaboration with community leaders, the military has improved its intelligence-gathering capacities and capabilities, leading to more targeted and effective operations against insurgents. Another strategic reform is the enhancement of inter-agencies relationship which brings together various branches of the Nigeria security apparatchik to form a formidable whole. This is in recognition of the fact that the fight against insurgency is very complex. This integrated approach ensures that military operations are supported and complemented by the efforts of the police, intelligence services, and other security agencies. Interagency collaboration has been instrumental in disrupting the logistics networks of insurgents and curbing the flow of arms and funding to their operations. He strongly believes that if the police can get it right the war against insurgency will be over. A strong advocate of a working police system, General Musa has advocated a stronger police force capable of addressing the needs of the citizenry. He strongly also believes that a well-equipped police is a sure panacea for getting the problem of insecurity right in Nigeria. A man of intrinsic humility, humour, and selflessness at all times, it is generally believed that the tenure of General Musa CG, OFR, will provide the needed peace, stability and security that has escaped the nation for several decades. **Prince is a media practitioner and writes from Abuja
March 21-April 19 ★★★ As you do your best to be who you are, you are confronted with parts of yourself that, lazily, want to hang right back. April 20-May 20 ★★★ In your quest for innovation, the Libran Moon is helping you find your sweet spot. Persistence leads to a beautiful functionality. May 21-June 20 ★★★ You may be happy enjoying the little things, but life, in the form of someone close to you, wants you to go further. June 21-July 22 ★★★ The Moon is in Libra. She is reminding you to relax and trust that the renewal you seek will soon unfold naturally. July 23-August 22 ★★★★ Your quest for truth is on steroids. The Sagittarian Sun is inspiring you to look far and wide. Keep on moving on. August 23-September 22 ★★★ Take your stand. Mercury in Sagittarius will help you know and articulate your point of view. It might stir up opposition. September 23-October 22 ★★★ The Moon is conjunct the South Node. The influence of the past is strong today. Take what you need. Leave the rest behind. October 23-November 21 ★★★ Take time for yourself. Connect with your heart’s desire — quietly. Take stock of your situation. Lick your wounds. November 22-December 21 ★★★ Chiron in Aries is insisting you stay on a healing path. You have energy to burn. Try not to let yourself get diverted. December 22-January 19 ★★★ Venus is slowly helping you open your mind to possibilities you have been keeping at arm’s length. Lighten your gaze. January 20-February 18 ★★★★ The Libran Moon is loosening your tongue and restoring your confidence. Articulate your feelings — lyrically. February 19-March 20 ★★★★ The Sagittarian Sun is making you feel adventurous. You are about to put your dreams into place. Neptune is stirring. Observe things quietly from a distance. There’s no need to show your hand, until you have one. Share your energy and your joy in your usual unconstrained way. Sweep everyone around you up in your slipstream. Key: ★★ Challenging ★★★ Encouraging ★★★★ ExcellentPRIME MINISTER Philip J Pierre is urging all Labour Parties in the region to remain united. Pierre, who spoke at the Dominica Labour Party’s [DLP] Delegates’ Conference recently, said the parties need to remain connected now more than ever. “We have a common enemy. This enemy is not only climate change, unemployment [or] the uneven playing field that we have to deal with in the international community. We do not need to look too far to understand... why we must work together,” the prime minister said. According to him, “If you follow the news in Dominica... Grenada, St Vincent and St Lucia, you will see the same forces that are fighting Skerrit are the same forces that are fighting Ralph.” “They hate our unity... this is the very reason we must stand stronger together,” he said. The DLP’s conference brought leaders from across the region together to discuss the way forward for the Party. The conference aimed to inspire and empower members to work together to realize the DLP’s vision for Dominica, the party said in a statement. Pierre noted that his visit was not just in the interest of Saint Lucians, “but because of the struggles of the... Dominican Labour Party, which like many others throughout the Caribbean fought for workers’ rights.” “I particularly want to thank.... Prime Minister Roosevelt Skeritt and all his men and women in government who have collectively and successfully effected the development and the modernization of Dominica,” he said. Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell was also in attendance. Pierre said he hopes that Prime Minister Mitchell, Skeritt and himself will be “like a beacon of hope for all generations of Caribbean people of our commitment to always work together and as a sign of our continuing efforts. Prime Minister Mitchell, for his part, also spoke about “strengthening our political institutions”. “Sometimes you need to hear it from an outsider. I hope you appreciate that next year Dominica Labour Party will be celebrating 75 years of existence,” he told supporters. “You cannot take your leadership for granted and you will not be able to create the hope, ambition [and] the aspiration for the next generations of Dominicans if you take it for granted,” he said. Meanwhile, earlier this week, Saint Lucia Times reported that two organisations (Civic Vibes and the Electoral Reform Coalition) criticised Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Dickon Mitchell for their remarks at the DLP’s Conference. “Both organisations expressed concerns over the Prime Ministers’ comments and their perceived disregard for ongoing calls for electoral reform in Dominica,” the website reported.
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Diary of disturbing disinformation and dangerous delusions This column : “Hunter Biden Isn’t the First Presidential Son Caught Up in Controversy. Anybody Remember Neil Bush?” — Esquire, Wednesday We say: Yikes. Esquire published a piece based on the premise that President George H.W. Bush pardoned his son, Neil. One problem: He didn’t. But Esquire was so eager to whitewash Joe Biden’s corrupt pardon for his son, it went on in the subhead: “Shut the f-ck up about Hunter Biden, please.” After blowback, the mag first corrected and then totally yanked the piece . Moral: Don’t let ChatGPT write your columns. This claim : “Joe Biden has played by all the rules that people told him you need to play by.” — MSBNC’s Symone Sanders-Townsend, Tuesday We say: What? Biden lied repeatedly to Americans, allowed his son and brother to influence-peddle off his name, bragged about getting the Ukrainian prosecutor who was reportedly investigating the firm employing Hunter fired, hid his cognitive decline as he ran for re-election and spent his entire presidency ignoring US immigration laws to disastrous results. That’s what Sanders-Townsend calls “playing by the rules”? This assertion : “I haven’t seen what the proof is that the FBI has been weaponized against a political party or the Department of Justice.” — Rep. Jamie Raskin, Sunday We say: Pure denialism. The raid on Mar-a-Lago , the botched and biased investigation into “collusion” with Russia, the FBI siccing Big Tech on right-wing accounts, the endless lawfare against Donald Trump as he campaigned — how much proof does Raskin need ? This statement : “[Hunter Biden is] one of the finest people I know.” — Sean Penn, Wednesday We say: Who is Penn hanging out with? If a crack-smoking , prostitute-hiring , tax-evading nepo baby who used his father’s position to clinch lucrative business deals and land high-paying jobs is the finest person you know, it doesn’t say much for the rest of your social circle. — Compiled by The Post Editorial BoardExiled Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof's definition of home is shiftingA polar plunge became a polar spray down. A few minutes before the start of Saturday’s 15th annual Town of Brookhaven Polar Plunge, the hundreds of daredevils at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai prepared for an audible. Officials determined the whipping wind, producing gusts of 32 mph out of the northwest, created choppy conditions in Long Island Sound too dangerous for swimming — even if some only planned to dip a toe. In place of the traditional plunge, participants huddled in groups on the beach as a Mount Sinai firefighter chilled them with water sprayed from a hose. Town of Brookhaven Polar Plunge participants get sprayed with water at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai on Saturday. Credit: Morgan Campbell “It wasn’t as cold, but it was still exciting,” said Abby Streek, a Sayville High School senior participating in her fourth plunge. “The hose would come around, you’d get splashed and pelted with water.” The biggest news, politics and crime stories in Suffolk County, in your inbox every Friday at noon. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Streek was one of about 20 students in the school’s Athletes Helping Others club who raised just under $4,000 for Special Olympics New York, the event’s host. Stella O’Shea, a Sayville junior, has raised more than $1,000 in each of the past three years. “This is just such an awesome day,” said O’Shea, who hopes to become a special-education teacher. Special Olympics New York hosts the plunge to raise funds and awareness for its athletes. The Cedar Beach event is held annually the weekend before Thanksgiving. Alexis Dawson, the organization’s director of development, said Saturday’s event, featuring more than 500 participants, raised about $135,000. "I think people enjoy the tailgating atmosphere, but more than anything I think people enjoy raising money and spreading awareness for our athletes," she said. Diane Colonna, the vice president of downstate operations, said the Cedar Beach plunge "has a community vibe to it." “The same people have come year after year," she said. "But they’re all here for our athletes.” On average it can cost $500 for a single athlete to compete in Special Olympics competitions each year, Dawson said. There are more than 4,000 Special Olympics athletes on Long Island. Most participants joined teams that raised money together. The top honor went to Team Sachem, a group of teachers, staff members, students and community members, who raised about $31,000. Three additional teams surpassed $10,000. Emily Frosina, a special-education teacher in the Sachem school district, started the team 10 years ago with just a handful of people and it has now grown to more than 50 participants. The wind chill Saturday made the "feel like" temperature 28 degrees and longtime participants said this year was the coldest in memory. Cassandra Scala, a special-education teacher assistant at Sachem, brought along a pair of dancers she coaches to plunge with her for the first time. “We’re doing the coldest one and it can only get better from here,” Scala said. Jocelynn Stone, who works with Frosina, said she had helped fundraise for the team in past years and decided to take the plunge for the first time. “I’m going to do it! I’m excited,” she said before plans shifted to the spray down. As the second group of plungers steadied themselves on the beach in front of the firefighter's hose, Trey’von Holland stood at the front of the pack alongside fellow Bellport High School football players who are part of the school's Athletes Helping Others club. Holland, a senior, embraced the chill as he stood shirtless with water raining down from above. He said he had looked forward to swimming in his first plunge, but the hose splashdown “was amazing, too.” Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.