Monthly Archives: September 2016

From left, Steven Uihlein, Jessica Contino, Melanie Acampora and Emily Gates star in 'Pumpkin Patch Magic'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

By Melissa Arnold

Twenty years ago, Theatre Three’s Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel wrote a Halloween play for children with sweet, goofy characters and an encouraging moral lesson. This October, the Port Jefferson theater will present an updated version of Sanzel’s original show, “Pumpkin Patch Magic,” featuring all-new music and lyrics by Jules Cohen. I sat down with Sanzel and Cohen to learn more about bringing the show to life again.

Jeffrey Sanzel has written or adapted more than 100 plays in his 28 years at Theatre Three.

What inspired you to write this play?

Jeff Sanzel: This goes back many years. We’ve actually done “Pumpkin Patch Magic” twice, with the original performances happening 20 years ago. (My writing partner and I) were looking for a new Halloween show and decided we wanted the theme to be based around the saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” We always want to have a moral underpinning for our stories. So we created this world of Halloween with all the characters you’d expect — witches, ghosts, gnomes — and their different skills and limitations. For example, there’s a witch who can fly and a witch who can’t. It’s very funny.

How do you go about developing a show like this?

We talk about a theme, and then work on characters. I usually sit down and think about the sort of direction I want the story to go in, and from there I’ll start writing … there are usually 15 to 20 pages that never make it into the show — it’s just about getting the ideas going. If we’re doing an adaptation, I’ll read as many different versions of the story as I can to help flesh out how I want to tell it and what kind of message we want to convey.

From left, Princess Pumpkin (Melanie Acampora) Ermengarde Broomwellsweepalot the Witch (Emily Gates) and Norman the Nervous Gnome (Steve Uihlein) star in ‘Pumpkin Patch Magic. Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theater Three Productions, Inc.
From left, Princess Pumpkin (Melanie Acampora) Ermengarde Broomwellsweepalot the Witch (Emily Gates) and Norman the Nervous Gnome (Steve Uihlein) star in ‘Pumpkin Patch Magic. Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theater Three Productions, Inc.

Can you summarize the story?

These characters are the ones who are responsible for getting pumpkins into the pumpkin patches all over the world. There are two groups involved: the overachievers and the underachievers. Some of the characters are limited in what they can do, and they’re always being reminded of how they can’t do as much as others. The story is told by a fairy, Loquacious Chattalot, who tries to encourage them, but it backfires and they give up. But in the end, it’s the limited ones who end up making it all happen successfully.

How did you come up with the name Fairy Loquacious Chattalot?

I’m a big fan of Charles Dickens — we do “A Christmas Carol” here at Theatre Three every year — and Dickens-style names always tend to stick in my head. The characters’ names really reflect who they are, and that is definitely true for this fairy. She’s a very nonstop talker, and that’s where I got Loquacious Chattalot.

For what age group is this play recommended? I would say it’s best for ages 3 and up.

It’s very entertaining, fast and colorful. It’s not scary at all — in fact, it’s very silly. The humor is very goofy, and the show is extremely family-friendly. All of our children’s shows are meant for the whole family to be entertained.

Are children encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween costumes?

Absolutely! We love when the kids show up in costume; it’s so much fun. And if you stay after the show, the characters will come out [in the lobby] to meet the kids and have their picture taken.

Why should parents bring their kids to see the show?

Children’s theater is the greatest way to introduce kids to theater, and the earlier on they’re exposed to it, the more they can develop an appreciation for it. Seasonal shows like this one are a lot of fun and the message for this show is so important — keep trying. You can learn, you can make a difference and there’s nothing you can’t do.

Jules Cohen has written music for dozens of shows all over the country, but now he fights breast cancer as an oncologist at Stony Brook University Hospital.

Are you a native Long Islander?

Jules Cohen: I grew up in Poughkeepsie, and after college I lived in Manhattan for 20 years. I moved to Suffolk County six years ago to work at Stony Brook.

Composer Jules Cohen, center, with the cast of 'Pumpkin Patch Magic' at Theatre Three. Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
Composer Jules Cohen, center, with the cast of ‘Pumpkin Patch Magic’ at Theatre Three. Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

You studied music in college, but now you’re an oncologist. What led to that change?

I have a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s in music composition. I hoped to make my career as a musical director in theatre and a songwriter, and I did that for several years working with several reasonably high-profile directors. But it’s difficult to make a living in those fields, as you never know where your next job will come from. I had to move all over the country — I’ve worked in Vermont; San Francisco; Louisville, Kentucky; and in New York City. I knew that if I wanted a more stable life, I needed a more structured day job. Music and theater could always remain a hobby while I did other work. My initial thought was to become a psychologist, so I went to medical school, and once I got there I found I really gravitated more toward medical oncology.

Was the transition difficult for you?

Once I decided to go to med school, I pursued it wholeheartedly and didn’t find leaving the music and theater career difficult. I’ve always played the piano and am working on jazz piano now. That satisfies the musical part of my brain.

What inspired you to get involved with composing for ‘Pumpkin Patch Magic’?

I have two young children — a 5-year-old and a 10-year-old. I’ve always taken them to basically every show at Theatre Three, and it got to the point where the actors all knew Emma and Oscar. They really watched them grow. I decided to see if I could get involved, and I met Jeff in the lobby one day. He suggested I collaborate with him on one of his kids’ shows, and a few weeks later he emailed me the script for a Halloween show he had written years ago. From there I worked on updating the score, one song at a time. My kids love Halloween, so they’re very excited, and my daughter is very into musical theater — she loves to give her input.

What’s involved with writing a song? What is the process like?

Writing lyrics was relatively new for me, but I really enjoyed spending time working on the rhyme and wordplay. That process develops a sense of rhythm, and from there I start thinking about pitches. You flesh it out a bit at a time, eventually developing chords and a melody line, then adding little embellishments and intricacies. It’s really not magic or anything — as they say, it’s 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration.

How would you describe the music for the show?

It’s definitely heavily influenced by jazz, and the whole score is written for keyboard. Who are your musical influences? I really enjoy musicians in both jazz and theater, and the intersection between them — George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Frank Lesser, Thelonious Monk, and Charlie Parker are some of my favorites.

What are you most looking forward to about the show?

I’m very excited to hear my songs performed by real actors and singers, to see them come to life onstage. I’m hoping that people will appreciate it and that they leave tapping their feet. I know that I’m pleased with the songs — they are fun and clever.

“Pumpkin Patch Magic” or “If At First You Don’t Succeed” will run from Oct. 1 through Oct. 29 on Saturdays and Sundays at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson. All seats are $10. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (631) 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Supporters for both candidates are out early on debate day at Hofstra. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

By Victoria Espinoza

A historic political event, which carried what felt like an unprecedented level of uncertainty, took place close to home Sept. 26.

Hofstra University was the place to be, as thousands of reporters, protestors, students and politicians flocked to the Hempstead campus to witness a debate featuring the first female presidential nominee of a major political party in United States history and one of the most powerful businessmen in the world. Hillary Clinton (D) and Donald Trump (R) were the main attraction, but there was so much more to be seen and heard on campus in the hours leading up to show time.

Major news outlets from all over the world covered the event.

The scene was already buzzing around 10 a.m. Businesses set up booths to hand out free debate gear, and MSNBC, Fox News and CNN were already warming up their outdoor stages for a full day of coverage.

Some students carried signs with Clinton and Trump’s name, while others raised humorous, homemade signs with messages like “Mom, please come pick me up, I’m scared.” Freshmen to seniors visited the photo booths and interview stands set up, and seemed enthused and excited to be a part of the historic day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y4EhseIuAE&feature=youtu.be

One of the more popular activities of the day was an inflatable, replica White House for students to jump around in. In the early morning it lit up the parking lot and seemed like a spot students would enjoy a carefree few minutes after the stations focused on national issues were seen.

But soon enough, the inflatable White House became a backdrop for a serious scene.

Dozens of #BlackLivesMatter supporters stood silently arm in arm, in front of the White House. Observers around the area were silent as well.

It was a reminder early on that this debate was not just an exciting event, but also would spur a serious conversation about the state of America, and how it we will be led into the future.

Bernard Coles, a senior at Hofstra, said he wasn’t confident the issues important to #BlackLivesMatter supporters would come up at the debate.

“We’ve been talking nonstop about Brangelina for the past week so I’m not very optimistic about it coming up but I hope so,” he said in an interview. He also said he feels Clinton best represents the #BlackLivesMatter cause.

Black Lives Matter protestors make their presence felt at Hofstra University on debate day. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
Black Lives Matter protestors make their presence felt at Hofstra University on debate day. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

“I feel a thousand times more confident in the direction Hillary Clinton would take the country. She’s been trying to listen to us and support us and represent us for decades and I don’t understand why people are forgetting that.”

Although #BlackLivesMatter was not directly referenced Monday night, moderator Lester Holt asked a question entirely focused on race relations. Both candidates talked about solutions they have proposed to help improve the criminal justice system, while also touching on their personal relationships with ethnic communities.

About a half-mile from the center point of campus was the free speech tent, an area heavily guarded by police where supporters of lesser-known presidential candidates Jill Stein (G) and Gary Jonhson (L) protested their exclusion from the event.

Entrance to the free speech tent required passage through a metal detector and a search of belongings. Officers on horseback lined the street, and at the tent, a man dressed in a polar bear costume spoke out on global warming, and an “election frog” croaked “Rig it, rig it.”

Chris Roy, a Stein supporter, said it was a disgrace that she was not allowed into the debate arena.

“I’m thoroughly disgusted and disturbed and furious,” Roy said in an interview. He questioned why two parties are allowed to make the rules for other minor parties, and said Trump and Clinton should be speaking up to allow the other candidates in.

“She [Stein] is the only one that is in the trenches fighting with the people,” he said. “They’re [Clinton and Trump] both just totally corrupt. They don’t speak out for open debates, which is awful. When you turn on the television all you see is Hillary and Trump.”

Stein has been the presidential nominee for the Green Party for the last two debates, and was escorted off the premises Monday after reportedly failing to present the necessary credentials.

Costumes are used to emphasize political talking points. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
Costumes are used to emphasize political talking points. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

Like Stein, Johnson is not new to the presidential campaign circuit. He has been the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate for the last two elections.

Both candidates have been vocal about being denied the opportunity to debate.

Neither reached the 15-percent polling threshold on national surveys needed by the Commission on Presidential Debates to qualify.

Hofstra students throughout campus donned “Make America Great Again” hats and “I’m With Her” pins, and at the end of the night everyone argued over which candidate had the most success.

After leaving the scene of the debate, and walking out of what felt like a bunker, it seemed like all issues discussed during the day had been forgotten and all that mattered was Clinton and Trump’s performances.

Hofstra’s campus gave a voice to more than just the typical election season rhetoric, and helped remind a reporter like me that this election season is about so much more than just the two candidates who stood on the stage for 90 minutes.

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File photo

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating an incident in which a man and woman were found dead inside a hotel room at Commack Motor Inn, located at 2231 Jericho Turnpike in Commack at approximately 12:33 p.m.

An employee entered a room after the occupants, Omar Torres and Yesenia Abreu, failed to check out at their scheduled time, and discovered them dead inside. The investigation revealed the Torres, 31, of Glendale, killed Abreu, 29, of Glendale, and then shot himself. Abreu’s cause of death remains undetermined. Detectives are awaiting autopsy results from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.

The investigation is ongoing.

This version was updated to include the names, now released from the SCPD, of the two people found dead at the Commack Motor Inn. 

From left, Andrew Hendrick, James D. Schultz, Christopher Wynne Duffy, Peter Saide, Benjamin Howes, Jake Mills, Kevin Robert Kelly, and Stephen Valenti in a scene from ‘1776’. Photo by Michael DeCristofaro

By Rita J. Egan

With talented actors, period-appropriate costumes and a detailed set, a theatrical production can make audience members feel as if they have traveled back in time. This is certainly the case with the John W. Engeman Theater’s production of “1776,” which opened last week.

Before there was “Hamilton,” there was “1776.” The classic musical, with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone, debuted on Broadway in 1969 and was turned into a movie in 1972. Dramatizing the efforts of John Adams to persuade his fellow delegates of the Second Continental Congress to vote for American independence, “1776” focuses on the last weeks leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The first lines by Adams, played by James LaVerdiere, help to set the tone for the musical: “I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace — that two are called a law firm — and that three or more become a Congress.” With this quote as well as the opening number “For God’s Sake, John, Sit Down,” the audience discovers that while the musical discusses a serious matter, it is delivered with a sense of familiarity and a good dose of humor.

Jennifer Hope Wills (as Abigail Adams) and Jamie LaVerdiere (as John Adams). Photo by Michael DeCristofaro
Jennifer Hope Wills (as Abigail Adams) and Jamie LaVerdiere (as John Adams) in a scene from ‘1776’. Photo by Michael DeCristofaro

LaVerdiere perfectly captures the frustrations and persuasiveness of Adams, who his fellow delegates describe as obnoxious and disliked. The scenes between him and Jennifer Hope Wills, who plays Abigail Adams, where the Massachusetts delegate imagines conversations with his wife, allow the audience to learn of the struggles of the women who were left at home dealing with sick children and failing farms and business. During Act 1, the two deliver a sweet and touching version of “Yours, Yours, Yours,” and we discover a softer side of Adams.

When Thomas Jefferson, played by Michael Glavan, yearns to go home to see his wife, we meet the second of only two female characters, when Adams sends for Martha to come to Philadelphia while Jefferson works on the Declaration of Independence. Portrayed by Adriana Milbrath, the actress delivers a delightful “He Plays the Violin” with LaVerdiere and David Studwell, perfectly cast as the charming and witty Benjamin Franklin. Glavan is a strong vocalist, too, who audience members have the pleasure of hearing during “But, Mr. Adams” and “The Egg.”

A surprise standout performance comes from Matthew Rafanelli, playing the disheveled courier delivering messages from George Washington. In the beginning of the play, it’s understandable if one thinks he has a small part, but by the end of Act 1, Rafanelli delivers a perfectly executed “Momma Look Sharp.” His heart-wrenching vocals on the song, which details the loss of young boys on the battlefield, left many with tears in their eyes during the press opening last Saturday night.

It should also be noted that Robert Budnick playfully portrays a cheerful Stephen Hopkins, and Tom Lucca perfectly captures the authoritative nature of John Hancock. Special mentions should be made of Jon Reinhold (Richard Henry Lee) who plays the cocky Virginian with a great deal of humor, Benjamin Howes (John Dickinson) who provides strong lead vocals on “Cool, Cool Considerate Men,” and Peter Saide (Edward Rutledge) who delivers a powerful “Molasses to Rum.”

Igor Goldin has expertly directed the cast of 25 actors, who should all be commended for their strong vocals and mastering of a great amount of dialogue. Due to the craftsmanship of all of those involved in Engeman’s “1776,” the dreams of our country’s forefathers come to life once again.

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, presents “1776” through Nov. 6. Tickets range from $71 to $76. For more information, call 631-261-2900, or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Huntington residents wearing “Pierce the Cap” shirts cheer after the town board votes to pierce the tax levy cap for the 2017 budget. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

By Victoria Espinoza

Huntington residents were unanimous at the town board meeting Tuesday night: Pierce the tax levy cap for the 2017 budget and keep our programs. And the town board agreed.

The proposed 2017 budget comes in at $190 million, with a tax levy increase of 2.85 percent, which would cost residents approximately $18 to $30 more per household, town spokesperson A.J. Carter said in a phone interview.

Town hall was packed with union, youth program and nonprofit members asking the board to support them in this year’s budget proposal.

Supervisor Frank Petrone (D) said at the town board meeting if Huntington is to stay within the state set tax levy cap of 0.68 percent for this year, the town’s workforce would decline; arts and youth programs would have to be cut; and parks and beaches would see a reduction in services and programs they offer.

“It’s not just a couple of bucks less for culture and arts. If we cut [funding] down, Huntington suffers. It’s millions of dollars out of the pockets of local residents.” —Ken Katz

“We committed ourselves to these programs because people are not traveling like they did — the economy is such that they are staying home and we felt it is our responsibility to … provide programs that would be cultural and recreational in nature, and social programs that help catch people in a safety net,” he said.

Jolena Smith, a Huntington High School student and member of the Tri Community Youth Agency, a not-for-profit organization that offers educational, recreational, social, cultural, athletics, counseling and advocacy programs for the town’s youth, became emotional when speaking about why it’s so important to her that the board pierce the cap this year and maintain Tri CYA funding.

“The Tri CYA provides all types of programs, services and activities to the youth that don’t have other choices or places to go,” she said at the meeting. “I’ve been coming to the Tri CYA for as long as I can remember, and it means a lot to me. The staff is an extended family. The Tri CYA helps kids stay off the streets. It helped me be the person I am today.”

Alicia Lawrence, president of the Tri CYA, talked about all the opportunities the not-for-profit offers to kids in town.

“Our staff is compassionate and professional,” Lawrence said. “They know the kids, they know the families and they know the community. They resolve problems before they escalate.”

Tri CYA offers numerous classes including cooking, reading and homework help, as well as provide students with school supplies, winter jackets and meals. The president said many of the children they work with are “at or below the poverty level.”

Ken Katz, a Huntington resident and member of the board of directors at the Cinema Arts Centre, also talked about how crucial funding from the town is for the survival of the CAC, a nonprofit organization that helps provide programs for students and seniors, as well as support many other local businesses.

“It’s not just a couple of bucks less for culture and arts,” he said. “If we cut [funding] down, Huntington suffers, not the Cinema Arts Centre. It’s not just going to a museum and seeing one less painting. It’s millions of dollars out of the pockets of local residents.”

Nonprofits were not the only voices heard. William Hennessey, president of Local 342 Long Island Public Service Employees, a union for workers in retail and wholesale food service, distribution, delivery and health care, spoke about the dangers of reducing the town workforce.

“[Local 342] represents many of the town employees residing in the town of Huntington,” he said. “If the staffing levels were to be substantially reduced due to budget cuts, the level of service that the residents of this town have become accustomed to would be severely reduced.” Hennessey used Hurricane Sandy as an example of when town employees worked “around the clock in 12-hour shifts” to help residents stay safe.

The board unanimously voted to approve the resolution to pierce the tax cap, to a round of applause from the audience, and the 2017 preliminary budget was passed out to the town board members.

According to Carter, Petrone said when he began the 2017 budget process this summer, he realized how much the town would have to cut to stay within the 0.68 percent state-mandated cap for this year. So instead, he drafted a second budget, which would pierce the cap. The budget holds social, youth and art programs at 2016 funding levels; there are no freezes on salaries for elected and appointed officials and union workers; and there are no layoffs, Carter said.

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Mount Sinai’s Caiya Schuster makes a save against Shoreham-Wading River’s Nicky Constant. Photo by Desirée Keegan

By Desirée Keegan

All Lydia Kessel was thinking in the final seconds of overtime is that she couldn’t let Mount Sinai score.

The Shoreham-Wading River junior goalkeeper wanted action, but received almost more than she could handle. A cluster of frenzied girls squeezed between the six and 18-yard line, and that made it difficult to get a hand on the ball.

Mount Sinai's Victoria Johnson and Shoreham-Wading River's Haley Rose battle for the ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Mount Sinai’s Victoria Johnson and Shoreham-Wading River’s Haley Rose battle for the ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan

“It was like a game of Pong,” she said of the final frantic moments of the Sept. 27 match. “It was just touches — the ball was going back and forth and the only thing going through my head is that I had to get the ball. If I could get the ball, I could get it out and we can get through the last 10 seconds. I did not want to lose in the last 10 seconds.”

Kessel eventually muscled her way to the ball, although she missed it on the first grab and left a Mount Sinai player with an open net. She threw herself on top of the loose ball, scooped it up and tossed it away to escape with the 0-0 draw for her Wildcats and the Mustangs after two 10-minute overtime sessions.

“They’re a much more physical team,” Shoreham-Wading River head coach Adrian Gilmore said of Mount Sinai. “But we played a hard game. [Mount Sinai] plays a lot in the air, which is different from the way we play, since we play more to feet. I feel like any time we play them, anything could happen, because they’re so physical.”

Mount Sinai controlled the game for the first few minutes and showed that toughness, but Shoreham-Wading River pushed right back, and came up with back-to-back chances at a goal, the first of which went off the right post.

After the two teams tied 2-2 Sept. 8, Mount Sinai head coach Courtney Leonard expected much of the same the second time around.

“I thought something like this would occur,” she said. “Shoreham — their personnel, our personnel are very evenly matched. They had chances and we had them. They had an unfortunate post in the beginning of the game that could’ve gone in and we had some opportunities in the middle of the net with nobody there that we should’ve gotten. But I thought we did a great job.”

Lydia Kessel sends the ball into play after making a stop. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Lydia Kessel sends the ball into play after making a stop. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Shoreham-Wading River senior outside midfielder Alex Kuhnle had several opportunities to help her team put one away in the second half. First, she attempted a fake from 25 yards out, but Mount Sinai’s junior goalkeeper Caiya Schuster saved her shot. Later, sophomore striker Nicky Constant, took a pass from senior midfielder Sarah Stietzle, but the touch was too soft. Kuhnle also tried to set up Constant twice, but Schuster saved the first, and although the second attempt went in, an offside call waved off the goal. Another shot went in within a five-minute span, but offside was called again. Schuster made 10 big saves on the evening to keep her team in the game.

“Mount Sinai is always a tough team to go up against,” Kuhnle said. “They always come out strong, and I think that we reacted well. We were just unlucky with our shots. We had a lot of opportunities, so that’s a good thing, but moving on, we need to work on finishing.”

Despite junior sweeper Samantha Higgins being forced to leave the game with a foot injury, Shoreham-Wading River’s defense held its own. Kessel made a save with 5:54 left in regulation, one of her five for the game.

“It was a tough battle, but we all helped,” Mount Sinai sophomore midfielder and forward Brooke Cergol said. “We focused on covering their top players, attacking and looking outside; we just really wanted to score and win this game.”

Mount Sinai’s Brooke Cergol and Shoreham-Wading River’s Alex Kuhnle race for the ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Mount Sinai’s Brooke Cergol and Shoreham-Wading River’s Alex Kuhnle race for the ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Gilmore said having Kessel, a three-year varsity starter, in goal helped her feel more comfortable about the matchup.

“I think having her in the back is such a dangerous weapon,” she said. “My assistant coach [Brian Ferguson] thinks it was one of the best games he’s seen her play. I expect her to do what she does, and it’s a nice feeling.”

With the draw, both teams move to 4-1-2 in League VI. It is the last time the two rivals — that are just miles from each other down Route 25A — are scheduled to battle this season, but it certainly may not be the last time they face off.

Kuhnle said if they see each other again in the postseason, her team will be ready.

“There’s a ton of talent on this team and we can go as far as we want to go if everyone comes together and plays hard,” she said. “This will help fuel a fire for playoffs and show us what we have to work on, so maybe we’ll focus a little more in practice to improve. I’m not disappointed with our performance though; we just got unlucky.”

Dave Jackson. Photo courtesy of CSHL

By Daniel Dunaief

If we get a text message that our son just gained admission to his first choice for college, we might throw our arms in the air, pick up the phone and call him, or stand on the top of our desk and shout our joy to the room. We might feel, in that instant, as if he can achieve anything and, as a result, so can we.

While plants don’t send and receive text messages, they process and react to a range of signals, some of which can determine how and when they grow, which can be key parts of determining how much food they produce.

Recently, David Jackson, a professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, explored a mutation that causes corn, or maize, to experience growth that is so out-of-control that the corn becomes a disorganized mess. Jackson wondered what caused this growth and disrupted the creation of succulent rows of juicy, yellow bits ready to explode off the cob.

Stem cells can grow to become any type of cell. In this pathway, which was disrupted in the mutant and caused the uncontrolled growth, Jackson showed that the signal came from the leaves, which is likely responding to its surroundings. He discovered that fine tuning that mutation — or weakening the “grow-out-of-control” signal — was enough to cause a regular ear of corn to include as much as 50 percent more food. “What was surprising about our work is that we found this new stem cell pathway that had not been discovered in Arabidopsis,” which is, as Jackson described, considered the equivalent of the well-studied fruit fly in the plant world. “We had gone on to show that it was also present in Arabidopsis.”

At this point, he’s hoping to introduce these mutations or alleles into breeding lines to try to generate a similar increase in yields that he’s seen in the lab. He’s collaborating with DuPont Pioneer on that testing. “As in all areas of science, we make a basic discovery and hope it’ll be applicable,” he said. “We can’t guarantee it’ll work until” it’s checked in the field. “People cure cancer in mice, but find it’s more complicated in people. We’re hoping cumulative knowledge will lead to breakthroughs,” he added.

Sarah Hake, the director of the USDA Plant Gene Expression Center at the University of California at Berkeley, described the work as “important.” In an email, she suggested that “translation to more corn yield can take time, but this information will be crucial for thinking about breeding.”

Jackson received the mutated maize from a breeder in Russia. He then altered a wild type, or normal plant, to cause a similar mutation that produced more food. Jackson is excited about the potential to use the gene-altering technique called CRISPR, in which researchers can edit a genome, changing one or multiple base pairs at a time.

Above left, normal corn and, right, corn with a weakened Fea3 mutation. The mutated corn has up to 50 percent more yield. Photo by Byoung Il Je
Above left, normal corn and, right, corn with a weakened Fea3 mutation. The mutated corn has up to 50 percent more yield. Photo by Byoung Il Je

Jackson is not adding new genes but, rather, is “tweaking” the ones that are already there. He said agricultural companies can use CRISPR instead of dumping in a foreign DNA. In past experiments, Jackson has worked to produce a greater number of seeds in his experimental plants. In that work, however, he increased the number of seeds, although the size of the seeds was smaller, so the overall yield didn’t increase. In this study, however, he and his postdoctoral student Byoung Il Je produced more seeds that generated greater yield. The gene involved in this signaling pathway is called Fea3. It is part of the signaling network that tells the plant to pump more into the ear of the corn to produce more yield. Jackson named the gene Fea because of the way the corn looked. Fea stands for fasciated ear. He and the members of his lab had already characterized another gene, called Fea2.

Jackson has been working on this gene for 20 years, although the intensive work occurred more in the last four or five years. He said he’s benefited from the ability to take a mutant and identify the gene. When he started out 25 years ago, a graduate student could take five years to characterize a mutation and find a gene. “It was like looking for a needle in a haystack,” he said. Now, genome sequencing and fast mapping enables researchers to find a gene in as little as a few months. When he first produced the weaker mutation, Jackson wasn’t anticipating a higher yield but, rather, was hoping to prove that this gene was the one responsible for this uncontrolled growth that created a pulpy mess of corn. Jackson said he is “excited about the stem cell pathway” his lab discovered. He hopes this finding can lead to a better understanding of the signals that determine how a plant uses its resources.

A resident of Brooklyn, Jackson lives with his wife Kiyomi Tanigawa, an interior designer, and their eight-year-old son Toma.

Jackson, whose lab has seven postdoctoral researchers and one lab manager, plans to start experiments on tomatoes and rice to see how this gene is involved in similar signals in other food crops. He is also working on similar mutations to other genes like Fea3, which also might affect a plant’s decision to produce more food.

The tree of heaven, a.k.a. the stink weed tree, has a bad odor. It’s also on the Do Not Sell list. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Many people think of gardening as outdoor work: mowing a lawn, fertilizing, watering, planting, pruning, etc. And while this is true, doing your homework, i.e., research, before you select plants will make life a whole lot easier for you.

Fall is an ideal planting time. For one thing, it’s cooler so you’ll use less supplemental water. For another, you are getting a jump start on next year’s gardening. It generally takes three growing seasons for a new plant to settle in and flourish. If you plant in fall, that counts as the first year, a year where it will be accustomed to its new home. Next spring it will grow a more extensive root structure; and the third season you’ll have a gorgeous, healthy plant.

But, remember, no plant is perfect. So, you need to know each plant’s pros and cons before you plant. Here are some examples:

Trees

Maple trees have an extensive root system near to the surface that can play havoc with your lawn. Norway maple also puts out a tremendous amount of seeds, meaning seedlings are everywhere. That means doing a lot of weeding. Yes, they’re on Suffolk’s Do Not Sell List, but friends or neighbors may offer you some. “No thank you” is the perfect reply.

Ginkgo trees (the female ones) produce a lot of foul smelling fruit. Most nurseries will sell only male trees, but, you really need to make sure. Unless you plan to use the fruit, as some Oriental cooks do, you really don’t want a female tree.

Sweet gum trees produce spiky seed pods that seem to land everywhere. While this is a lovely shade tree and the seed pods are really interesting to look at, do you want to spend time cleaning them up from lawns, walkways and anything else that is near them? If you want the sweet gum and have a large enough piece of property, plant it near the back of your garden, away from walkways, etc.

Black walnut trees have the reputation of killing many plants near them by putting out toxic (to the plants) chemicals. This is known as allelopathy. They’re beautiful shade trees, which produce great nuts for eating, but are you ready to deal with this problem?

The Bradford Pear is a beautiful tree with burgundy leaves in autumn but has a habit of splitting as a mature tree. Photo by Ellen Barcel
The Bradford Pear is a beautiful tree with burgundy leaves in autumn but has a habit of splitting as a mature tree. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Ornamental pear trees have the nasty habit of splitting or having large chunks of the tree break off as the tree matures and grows older. They’re fast growing trees, with lovely white flowers in spring and burgundy leaves in late fall. Yes, they’re beautiful trees, but you need to be aware of this potential problem.

Native dogwood (Cornus florida) can develop the fungal disease anthracnose, which can actually kill the tree while it only makes maples look ugly. So, if this is a concern, grow another variety of dogwood, such as Kousa dogwood (which blooms about a month or two later than C. florida).

Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is considered a weed. It seeds itself everywhere and has a foul smell — hence its nickname “stink weed tree.” This is also on the Do Not Sell List because of its invasive nature but easily found growing wild.

Weeping willow trees have a shallow root system and can easily be blown over in storms. I lost two that way and decided to replace them with other trees. Also note that willow wood doesn’t have a nice aroma used in a fireplace. So, if you lose the tree in a storm, you can’t even use the wood. The roots also have the reputation of heading for water sources, potentially damaging structures, so shouldn’t be planted by pools, etc.

The dawn redwood, once considered extinct, is a lovely coniferous tree. However, it has one quality that you may not like — it is deciduous. Yes, this is a unique specimen which loses its needles in the fall. If you are looking for coniferous trees to create a year round hedge or screen, then the dawn redwood is not for you. Next week: researching perennials and shrubs.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

Renée, Glen and Zachary Cote at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Rockt Point Post 6249 ninth annual gold outing on Sept. 26. Photo by Desirée Keegan

By Desirée Keegan

The Cote family is overwhelmed.

After Glen, a Gulf War veteran, and Renée found out that they would be receiving a new home for veterans in Miller Place, they got a phone call that some of the proceeds from Joe Cognitore’s VFW Fischer/Hewins Post 6249 ninth annual Veterans of Foreign Wars Rocky Point Post 6249 annual golf outing at Willow Creek Golf & Country Club in Mount Sinai, on Sept. 26, will go toward their new home.

“People keep asking us about the process with the house,” Renée Cote said. “I’m still trying to absorb everything — and then we get a call about this — there’s so much love here and to be on the receiving end of that, it’s a blessing.”

The Cote family will be receiving a home built for returning veterans and their families, on Helme Avenue in Miller Place. Photo by Glen Cote
The Cote family will be receiving a home built for returning veterans and their families, on Helme Avenue in Miller Place. Photo by Glen Cote

The Cotes have been through several hardships, from Renée Cote being diagnosed with a rare and painful metabolic disorder called acute intermittent porphyria, which requires expensive biweekly treatments that she has undergone for 14 years at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, to her 7-year-old son Zachary being diagnosed with Grade 4 medulloblastoma, brain cancer, in 2014.

Most recently, the family was told they were being kicked out of their home because the landlord had let the rental fall into foreclosure.

“It’s awesome to see this much love for somebody from out of town like myself, that they don’t know, it’s incredible,” Glen Cote, who’s from Texas, said. “Everyone is so supportive and friendly.”

The family recently met with Cognitore, Rocky Point’s post commander, for the first time when Landmark Property owner and developer Mark Baisch chose the family to receive the 11th home for returning veterans. The two are still looking for a family for the 12th home.

“It’s a good feeling, especially given their circumstances,” Cognitore said of helping the family. “We’ve been doing things over the phone, and it helped me in the hospital. I felt very good. It was a big relief to know that we’re helping this family out.”

The Cotes said they’ve begun meeting their new neighbors and community members and they’re excited to make the move. Their previous rental home was in Sound Beach,

“They are the nicest people,” Renée Cote said. “I like the fact that — because, we kind of stalked the house — they came out and they were saying hello to us, they’ve been in the community for 30 to 40 years, they were very welcoming and we’re excited. I’m excited to have little BBQs with them and stuff like that.”

“When Mark [Baisch] heard about Zachary Cote’s situation, he came to the rescue, and talk about superheroes, [Mark Baisch and Joe Cognitore] are our local superheroes.”

— Sarah Anker

At the golf outing, where more than 160 golfers hit the course to help support veterans, Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) and Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) came out to meet the family and commend Cognitore and Baisch for all of their work helping local veterans.

“They are literally warriors to those that need help,” Anker said. “They get out there, they understand the struggles and they’re there to help, and that’s what’s so important. When Mark heard about Zachary Cote’s situation, he came to the rescue, and talk about superheroes, they are our local superheroes.”

LaValle was glad to seewho have helped him remain in the Miller Place school district, which was most important to his family.

“It all comes together very, very nicely,” he said. “We can’t do enough for our veterans to say thank you, and this is one of many ways that we can appreciate their service that they have made to our country.”

Renée Cote said she is also teaching her son to give back, and said she feels thank you will never be enough.

“I could sit there and write a million thank you cards, and to me, it would not be enough for what they’re doing,” she said. “And I don’t even think they realize what they’re doing. To first serve our country, and then to give back — and I mean give back in a huge way — it’s good to be surrounded by people like that. They’re angels walking the Earth.”

Some of the scarier masks at Ronjo Magic & Costumes in Port Jefferson Station. Photo by Dave Paone

By Dave Paone

Port Jefferson Station is able to make a claim no other place on Long Island can: It’s home to the last brick-and-mortar magic store in all of Nassau and Suffolk County. Ronjo Magic & Costumes on Route 112 is the last of its breed, yet doesn’t look as if it’ll be performing a disappearing act anytime soon.

The 2,000 square-foot store is stocked with magic trick pieces, novelty items, costumes and a room for performances. The costume articles include wigs, masks and an extensive line of hats that hang from the ceiling. The novelty section is small, but contains the usual gags, like exploding cigarettes, hand buzzers, itching powder and the obligatory rubber chickens.

Last month, Hope Galasso, of Bellport, discovered Ronjo through a Google search and brought her 15-year-old nephew Zack Galasso to the store to purchase a Chinese coin trick for $7.

While Halloween is the bread-and-butter season for costume sales, it’s not the only time they’re in demand. Last year, 19-year-old Suffolk County Community College student Christine Day came into the store with her brother and a friend. The trio was preparing to attend Comic Con, a convention for comics, graphic novels, anime, video games, toys and movies, in New York City. Her brother was dressing as Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, and her friend was dressing as Beetlejuice. The three of them needed makeup.

Ron Diamond of Ronjo Magic & Costumes, Long Island’s last-surviving magic store. Photo by Dave Paone
Ron Diamond of Ronjo Magic & Costumes, Long Island’s last-surviving magic store. Photo by Dave Paone

Owner Ron Diamond provided them with just what they needed. “We looked great,” Day said.

She also said Diamond was “really helpful” and “inviting,” so when he offered her a part-time job at the store, she took it. Currently she handles data entry, shipment of online orders, and works the counter for costumes and makeup.

Diamond’s lifelong interest in magic began in 1966 when his mother bought him a magic kit called Box-o-Magic for $3 at Billy Blake’s department store in Setauket. Then 8 years old, Diamond said the box contained just a handful of tricks, but enough to get him started.

Diamond continued to learn tricks, but with no magic store nearby, he resorted to learning new illusions from library books, and by age 12, even started to handcraft his own tricks with the help of a classmate.

Diamond got the itch to perform.

So at 13, he recruited a girl named Joanne from down the block to play the part of his onstage assistant. He wanted to give Joanne top billing, and name the act Joron, but his sister, Deborah, said he should call it Ronjo, so he did.

Ronjo’s first public performances were free for local charities in Suffolk. Since the two performers were only in eighth grade, his mother had to drive them to wherever they were performing.

Eventually, the charity work led to paying gigs. Their first was at a birthday party for a 6-year-old, where they made $6. Diamond kept $4, and paid Joanne $2.

A year later, Diamond became more polished and added new tricks to the act, and with it, the price of a show jumped to $35. The clients from the first job called to book him again, but when he told them the new rate, they hung up.

At 15, he thought he could make additional money by giving lessons and selling magic tricks in a retail setting. He talked one of the merchants at the Old Town Village indoor flea market in Setauket into letting him rent space in his booth, where he set up a 2 feet by 4 feet showcase with 12 tricks for sale.

Some of the “sexy” Halloween costumes available at Ronjo Magic & Costume shop in Port Jefferson Station. Photo by Dave Paone
Some of the “sexy” Halloween costumes available at Ronjo Magic & Costume shop in Port Jefferson Station. Photo by Dave Paone

The retail locations kept changing, and with each move, got bigger. Diamond added more showcases with more tricks for sale, and eventually landed his own 13 feet by 100 feet store at the Arcade Shopping Center in Port Jefferson Station at 16 years old. He stayed there for 14 years.

As the years went on, Diamond became a professional magician, but Joanne was no longer in the act, because her father wanted her to get a “real job.” By 1982, he had a crew working for him, including, at times, a driver, a stagehand and other performers including a sword swallower, belly dancer and disc jockey.

On occasion, customers in his store would ask for wigs, makeup and costumes. Since he never says no to a customer, he’d get whatever items they were looking for.

In 1991, Diamond hired Pete Albertson, who was one of his students, to manage the store. He’s been there for 25 years. Diamond purchased his current location in 2000. When Magic Shop in Hicksville closed three years ago, Ronjo became the last surviving magic store on Long Island.

The storefront acquired a little slice of cyberspace and joined the internet in 2003. The website saw tremendous growth over a five-year period, which peaked in 2008, almost to the point where physical store was no longer needed. But all that changed when more and more retailers began selling online, and cyber sales dropped considerably. Now, there are “more websites than customers,” he said.

On the magic side, Ronjo’s customers range from the loyal to the new. Mike Maimone of Port Jefferson Station has been purchasing tricks from Ronjo since he was 12. He’s now 48. He owns nearly 350 decks of cards — each for a different illusion — plus 250 other items for tricks. More than half of them were purchased at Ronjo.

The uncertainty of operating a shop that sells exclusively what amount to non-essential items looms over Diamond and his business, but for now, Long Island’s only magic store is still here.

“Everything here is a luxury,” he said.