Sweetbriar Nature Center heads to Stony Brook Village for a Pop-Up Saturday event on Aug. 16. File photo by Serena Carpino
The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) has announced the return of Pop-Up Saturdays in Stony Brook Village this summer. This six-part series of family-friendly events will take place every Saturday from July 12 to August 16. Filled with animals, music, art, and magic, these events promise fun for all ages and will be held rain or shine. Pop-Up Saturdays are free to the public and will be located in Stony Brook Village’s Inner Court, near Crazy Beans and the Waterfall Garden. Events are weather permitting.
2025 Pop-Up Saturdays Lineup:
JULY 12 — Magic of Amore from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15pm. Come be dazzled by a magic show from one of New York’s top- rated magicians!; Marty Macaluso Caricature Artist from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Get your caricature drawn by this talented artist.
JULY 19 — Uncle Tony’s Reptile Shack from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m to 3:15 p.m. Come meet snakes, lizards, tortoises, and more at this interactive show; ARF Animal Rescue from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. The ARF Animal rescue will be here with their mobile adoption van along with some furry friends!
JULY 26 — Pixie Dust Storytellers from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Pixie Dust Storytellers brings magical, family-friendly character experiences to events across Long Island.
AUGUST 2 — School of Rock Port Jefferson from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. At School of Rock students learn to rock out on guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, and vocals. They will be here to perform an exciting set; Hope for Cleo Animal Rescue from noon to 3:30 p.m. Hope for Cleo is a nonprofit animal rescue organization hosting a puppy adoption event. Stop by to pet some cute puppies!
AUGUST 9 — Johnny Cuomofrom 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.to 3:15 p.m. Johnny Cuomo is a musician, storyteller, naturalist, teacher and author who has been sharing folk tales with people of all ages for many years.
AUGUST 16 — Sweetbriar Nature Center from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Sweetbriar Nature Center provides natural science education services for Long Island residents of all ages and engaging in native wildlife rehabilitation services.
The 2025 Pop-Up Saturdays are generously sponsored by Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright and the office of Economic Development and Planning and Apple Bank. For more information, visit wmho.org.
A scene from last year’s vendor tent at the Sea Glass Festival. Photo from Whaling Museum
The Whaling Museum and Education Center in Cold Spring Harbor has announced the return of its Sea Glass Festival, which features an array of new activities and enriched experiences for the 2025 season. Set to take place on Sunday, July 20, 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., this popular family-friendly event will celebrate the history, artistry, and allure of sea glass, now with an expanded presence on historic Main Street in Cold Spring Harbor.
The event is the only one of its kind in the region and is the museum’s largest community event which welcomes 1,000 attendees. It is supported in part with funds awarded through a grant from Suffolk County Economic Development and Planning.
The day will feature all new presentations from Mary McCarthy, former Education Chair and Vice President of the North American Sea Glass Association and George WM Fisher, author of multiple books on Long Island’s bottles and medicines companies.
Winners of last year’s Sea Glass Fiction Contest. Photo from Whaling Museum
The Museum’s second annual Sea Glass Fiction Contest winners will be announced and winners will be presented with their awards by Nomi Dayan, Executive Director at The Whaling Museum and reporter Daniel Dunaief of TBR News Media. All three presentations will take place at Preservation Long Island, a 5-minute walk from themuseum.
The Sea Glass Festival will also offer an exciting array of over 20 sea glass vendors, sea glass crafts provided by OneRiver Woodbury and a fascinating look at glass blowing by Ro’s Glass Works.
The Cold Spring Harbor Firehouse Museum will offer free entry to Sea Glass participants and Sweetie Pies on Main created a special Sea Glass drink for purchase. There will also be a town wide Sea Glass Scavenger Hunt along Cold Spring Harbor’s business district. Tumbled by the Sea will have their very own “Buoy the Bus” in front of the museum. The bus remains stationary while participants enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience through self-guided tours and interactive activities.
Other great activities include live music by Rory Kelly, author talk by Roxie Zwicker, food trucks and more. Also, visitors are encouraged to bring their antique bottles to be appraised by Long Island Antique Bottle Association (LIABA).
General admission is $20 for adults and children ages 3 and up. For more information, call 631-369-3418 or visit cshwhalingmuseum.org/seaglass.
This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement on June 19, 2025.
Connor Biddle: Largest Panfish Award pictured with judge Ed Koehler
From left, judge Veronica Belanger, volunteer Mary Belanger, and volunteer Laura Van Tassell
Mikayla Blersch. 1st Fish ever caught
Grady McHugh reeling in a fish
Easton Hodge fishing.
Press release submitted by the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve
Despite the rain, 45 junior anglers participated in the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve Junior Angler Tournament on Saturday, June 7.
The Friends group hosted two catch-and-release fishing competitions at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve in Smithtown. The first session included 5- to 8-year-olds in the morning, and the second in the afternoon, 9- to 12-year-olds.
Throughout the day, the junior anglers caught a total of 35 fish, according to Tom and Carol Tokosh, who run the Junior Angler Tournament every year. The variety of fish included pumpkinseed sunfish, which is a pan fish, and bass.
Morning winners included Evie Filandro for most fish caught, Asher Rogienski for largest panfish, and Vincent Suarino for largest other fish. In the afternoon, Oliver Aravena received the trophy for most fish caught; Connor Biddle won largest panfish; and Dillian Dubeau won largest other fish.
Despite the weather, Tom Tokosh said, “Planning ahead made an enjoyable time for the Junior Anglers and their families.”
Participants in the tournament borrowed rods from the Friends group or brought their own. Tom Tokosh spent time making sure that the rods and reels were ready for the children to use. Carol Tokosh added fishing is a way to spend quality time together, and many families told her they had a fun day of fishing. At one point in the tournament, she asked a child if they caught a fish, and who said “no.”
“I asked if they were having fun, and the response was ‘yes’ with a smile,” Carol Tokosh said. “Many of the children were participants from previous years. There were many children fishing for the first time, and for others, it was the first fish they ever caught. It was wonderful to see the excitement on a child’s face when they caught a fish, and their families were also excited.”
A fishing rod/reel was raffled after each session, which was donated by Campsite Sports Store. In the morning session, a rod/reel and fishing backpack was donated in memory of Mike D’Agostino, who was one of the co-founders of the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve as well as one of the founders of the Junior Angler Tournament and photographer for the tournament. In the afternoon session, the Friends group raffled off a fishing backpack, which was donated in memory of Peter Paquette, the past treasurer of the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, who was also a judge for the Junior Angler Tournament.
Catherine Hart, founder of Long Island Junior Anglers, brought a few of the new club’s members to the event: Mason (12), Arden (11), Katie (11), Charlie (10) and Henley (5). She described the tournament as “an unforgettable experience for kids and families across Long Island.
“From start to finish, the event was incredibly well-organized and welcoming — thanks to the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, who truly go above and beyond to create a fun, educational, and supportive environment for young anglers,” she said, adding that such an event was “about more than just catching fish. They’re about getting kids outside, helping them connect with nature, and building confidence through hands-on learning. For many of our junior anglers,this was a highlight of their summer.”
All participants received goodie bags containing information about fishing and the preserve as well as word search puzzles, a park activity book and other fishing items.
Carol and Tom Tokosh said they were grateful for the Caleb Smith State Park Preserve staff for getting the park ready for the tournament and providing the worms for fishing. “We would also like to thank the volunteers from the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, judges, volunteers, Campsite Sports Shop and Bob from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.” The couple added they are already planning for next year’s event. “Until next year, have fun fishing.”
Children under the age of 15 are welcomed to fish at Willow Pond at Caleb Smith Preserve Park from April through October. For more information, call 631-265-1054.
Harbor road, Stony Brook, blocked off. A collapsed dam stood just beneath the road, to the immediate left of Stony Brook Harbor. Photo by Denis Lynch
By Emily Mandracchia
Nearly one year after Harbor Road in Stony Brook collapsed, the unrepaired road is raising serious public safety concerns for residents and first responders. The delay has led to increased emergency response times and growing fears that the situation could result in avoidable loss of life or property.
At a June 17 Fire, Rescue and Emergency Medical Services & Preparedness Committee (FRES) meeting in Hauppauge, residents and officials voiced frustration over the inaction and jurisdictional confusion surrounding the collapsed roadway. They warned that the current detours and narrow, curving side roads are not appropriate for emergency access and are already contributing to slower response times for fire and EMS services.
Beth Zweig, a resident of Head of the Harbor, said the risk is not theoretical. “This is not speculation. Five and seven minutes could be the difference between a person found DOA or a house burned down,” she told attendees, describing the main thoroughfare as “nearly impassible.”
In response to public pressure following a community rally earlier this year, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) promised to provide a list of provisions that would render them comfortable signing the FEMA application. Instead, according to a June 10 letter from WMHO’s attorney, the organization presented a list of stipulations that the town and federal government would need to meet in order to access the site for repairs — without accepting ownership or signing off on the application.
The lack of a signed agreement is preventing FEMA funding, which is tied to a 30-month deadline for project completion. Nearly 10 months have already passed. If the parties fail to act soon, the funding could be rescinded. Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta estimates repairs could cost $8 to $10 million.
Dominick Thorne, a Suffolk County legislator and member of the Public Safety Committee, warned at the June 17 meeting that continued delays not only jeopardize FEMA funding, but could expose all involved parties to greater legal risk if emergency response is compromised.
“There will be more lawsuits if someone calls the fire department and they don’t make it,” Thorne said.
The Village of Head of the Harbor officials have expressed concern that the current situation has created unsafe conditions for residents and placed emergency responders in a difficult position.
Public safety officials have not confirmed whether any formal emergency response assessments or contingency plans have been issued regarding Harbor Road, and no agency has stepped forward to assume full responsibility for leading the recovery.
Community members have called on Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine to take a leadership role in coordinating a resolution, citing his prior involvement with infrastructure issues and relationships with local stakeholders. As of this writing, no direct action has been announced by the county executive’s office.
For residents and first responders alike, the concern is that the longer the road remains closed, the higher the chance of a preventable tragedy.
Citizens Commission on Erosion members and Port Jeff Mayor Lauren Sheprow (front left, leaning) examine a blueprint of the PJ Country Club on Feb. 20. Photo by Lynn Hallarman
By Lynn Hallarman
A newly-released interim report from the Port Jefferson Citizens Commission on Erosion offers a candid appraisal of mounting risks and financial pressures surrounding the East Beach Bluff Stabilization.
The report cites worsening erosion, persistent drainage challenges and the likelihood of rising construction costs as factors that could drive up the long-term expenses of Phase 2. In light of these concerns, the commission urges officials to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis of alternative strategies before moving forward.
The planned wall of Phase 2 will be constructed seaward of the club building, which sits near the edge of East Beach Bluff on the municipally-owned Port Jefferson Country Club property. According to officials, Phase 2 construction is tentatively scheduled for the fall of this year.
Any strategy moving forward, the commission argues, should recognize that the club building — perched dangerously close to the bluff’s crest — will ultimately need to be moved in the wake of rising sea levels, increasing storms and accelerated global erosion of Long Island’s shoreline.
“The report outlines multiple pathways forward,” Village Trustee Kyle Hill said on his Facebook page. “But each underscores a shared reality — we must begin planning for a strategic retreat [of the club building].”
Overview of the project
In 2017, the village hired GEI Consultants, an engineering firm based in Huntington Station, to develop a plan designed at curbing the rapid erosion of the East Beach Bluff. In recent years, wind, surf and storms have scoured the bluff of vegetation and steadily eaten away at its edge, ultimately leading to the collapse of the club’s gazebo and a section of the tennis courts that once were set perilously close to the brink.
Phase 1, completed in June of 2023, included the construction of a reinforced steel and cement wall at the base of the East Beach Bluff, along with a series of terraces and native vegetation planted along its slope.
Destruction of costly Phase 1 work of the bluff face vegetation in the wake of a series of severe storms late in 2023 and early 2024 complicated the overall cost and timelines of the project. [For further information about Phase 1 see TBR News Media website, “Report finds no maintenance or repairs carried out on Port Jeff East Beach Project,” Feb. 6.]
Phase 2, includes the installation of a second wall landward of the bluff crest with the intention of preventing the building from collapsing onto the shoreline below.
The design of Phase 2 is currently being revised to address drainage issues complicating the wall build, according to GEI Consultants’ 2024 Annual Bluff Monitoring Report, submitted to the village this May.
As of yet, the village has not received the updated engineering plans, trustee Bob Juliano confirmed during a recent commission meeting.
Port Jefferson Country Club prior to collapse of gazebo and edge of tennis courts, undated photograph. Courtesy of PJ Village website
Financial questions linger
In 2021, village trustees projected the initial cost at around $10 million for the Phase 1 and 2 wall build and bluff restoration. This figure assumes at least three decades of structural stability to justify the investment. However, these cost estimates now appear to be outdated with recent inflation spikes and unaccounted expenditure, including a large drainage project, bluff repair and long-term maintenance costs.
The commission report calls for an updated cost analysis factoring these additional projects as well as costs related to potential supply chain uncertainty and tariffs on critical construction materials such as steel.
Phase 2 is supported in part by FEMA money. The commission expressed concern that this funding may be rescinded in the current political climate, leaving local taxpayers to make up the difference.
“The commission is concerned over the reliability of FEMA funding and whether those funds could be withdrawn,” the report states.
Despite calls for a cost analysis of all options, village officials have not yet initiated a publicly vetted fiscal plan for relocating the facility or other options — something that the commission deems a critical omission in its findings.
GEI report warns of new damage
The recently-released 2024 Bluff Monitoring Report in May, paints a mixed picture. Conducted by GEI, the monitoring period covers from February 2024 to this March.
While the lower bluff wall — reinforced with a steel bulkhead, stone armor and vegetative plantings — has held up, the upper slope is showing new signs of distress, according to the report.
Three storm events in 2024 exacerbated erosion along the western slope. Further displacement of coir logs and terracing, expansion of gully formation, vegetation destruction and signs of internal sediment movement were all documented in the report’s inspections. GEI notes that drainage remains a major vulnerability.
Recommendations include temporary seeding and erosion control matting over denuded areas of the bluff face, sand backfill in certain sections of the lower wall, repairing cracks in the lower wall, inspection and maintenance of the lower wall, replacement of the displaced coir logs and a soil boring analysis at the bluff crest to help define drainage issues.
The report emphasizes the need for permanent drainage landward of the club building and reconfiguration of the current building drainage system southward.
A drainage plan and long-term maintenance plan were not part of the initial design or cost analysis for the entire project — Phase 1 and 2 — according to the commission research on the history of the project.
CCE’s concerns
The commission reviewed the recent GEI report in detail at the June 19 meeting held at the club building. Members appreciated the comprehensive summary and visual timeline of project work but had many concerns about the recommendations.
“What is this [GEI] report trying to accomplish besides complying with the state?” one member asked. “The report should help the village identify problems but also guide the corrective action.”
Members point to vague directives without clear implementation plans, missing details in technical specifications for reconstituting bluff damage, and unexplained rationales for root causes of problems such as why the gullies formed in the first place and are now expanding. One member wants to see a priority ranking of potentially costly recommendations made in the report.
“Does it even make sense to do all these recommendations? Or are we just shoveling against the tide?” another member said.
Bluff base west of the concrete Phase 1 lower wall showing destroyed coir logs, as at March this year. Photograph from the commission’s report
The commission plans to submit questions to GEI and the village board of trustees about the report recommendations, requesting a priority list, cost estimates and a clear funding plan.
Long-term outlook
Trustee Juliano, at a recent Meet the Candidates night, said: “We don’t even know how much the next phase [Phase 2] will cost, and the loss of long-term revenue from the catering facility [that runs private events at the clubhouse] should be taken into account when weighing the monetary pros and cons.”
However, some longtime residents express frustration over the use of millions in taxpayer dollars to subsidize a building that is underutilized by the broader community, with little evidence that it generates sufficient revenue to justify the expense of the stabilization project.
Over the years, many residents say they have seen the club building evolve from a vibrant municipal community center hosting local activities to a catering hall primarily serving private events. There is currently no restaurant at the clubhouse.
“Sadly, this valuable piece of public parkland continues to be underused by our village residents,” resident Myrna Gordon said. She has repeatedly called for a reimagining of the site where the clubhouse sits, including rebuilding inland to protect the bluff and the long-term viability of a club facility as a community asset.
The village board, under newly reelected Mayor Lauren Sheprow, appears to be moving forward with plans for Phase 2 construction to install an upper wall.
“Protecting public assets and ensuring our approach is sustainable — not just structurally, but economically and environmentally,” Sheprow said at a recent public meeting.
Residents are encouraged to review the interim commission report and the GEI Bluff Monitoring Report, which are publicly available on the village website, and to share their input with the board of trustees. To view the CCE report, visit the village website and search for “Citizens Commission on Erosion.” To view the GEI 2024 Annual Monitoring Report search for “East Beach Bluff.”
“This is a moment for long-term thinking,” Hill said. “It’s a chance not just to respond to erosion — but to reimagine how this space can better serve the entire community.”
This image combines 678 separate images taken by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Combining many images in this way clearly reveals otherwise faint or invisible details, such as the clouds of gas and dust that comprise the Trifid nebula (top) and the Lagoon nebula, which are several thousand light-years away from Earth. Credit: NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile Photo credit: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/A. Pizarro D
Rubin Observatory sits prominently atop Cerro Pachón against the backdrop of the full moon in this photo from March 24, 2024. The photo was taken around 7:55pm in the vicinity of Andacollo, Chile (about 25km from Rubin) after months of planning and patience. Photo credit: M.Hernández/H.Stockebrand
Ten areas in the sky were selected as “deep fields” that the Dark Energy Camera imaged several times during the survey, providing a glimpse of distant galaxies and helping determine their 3D distribution in the cosmos. The image is teeming with galaxies — in fact, nearly every single object in this image is a galaxy. Some exceptions include a couple of dozen asteroids as well as a few handfuls of foreground stars in our own Milky Way. Photo credit: Dark Energy Survey/DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
By Daniel Dunaief
Monday, June 23, marked the beginning of a new and exciting frontier. Using the largest digital camera ever built for astronomy, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory shared its first images after a journey from conception to reality that lasted over two decades.
Located in the Cerro Pachón mountaintop in Chile because the area is dry, high and dark, the telescope and camera started its 10-year mission to share images of the sky.
Viewers at over 350 watch parties in the United States and around the world awaited these pictures, including with gatherings at Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory.
The state-of-the-art camera did not disappoint.
The Rubin Observatory, which can take images with a field of view of the sky that are the equivalent of 40 moons, discovered 2,400 asteroids that no one has ever seen before. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. By the time the Observatory has collected all the data the public can view, the camera is expected to find over five million asteroids.
“Most of the asteroids are too faint to have been found” with previous technology, said Paul O’Connor, senior physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory who has been working on the camera since 2002.
Simon Birrer, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook University, attended a watch event at the university with some 50 to 60 other excited members of the college community.
“Knowing that the instrument is capable and what it was promised to do and seeing it all coming together, sharing the excitement with so many other people is very exciting,” said Birrer.
By looking at the night sky over the course of just a few days, the observatory was able to offer a time lapse view of the movement of these asteroids.
“You can look and see the trail of thousands of things that are completely new,” said Birrer.
Indeed, in addition to seeing asteroids and other objects both near and far, the Rubin Observatory can study dark matter and dark energy, map the Milky Way, and observe transient events.
“We’re entering a golden age of American science,” Harriet Kung, acting director of the DOE’s Office of Science, said in a statement. “NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory reflects what’s possible when the federal government backs world-class engineers and scientists with the tools to lead.”
The first images generated considerable excitement in the scientific community and on campuses around the world.
“It’s a new frontier for sure,” said O’Connor. “We’ve been working on this project for all these years. It was easy to get students interested.”
Anja von der Linden, Associate Professor in Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook and a member of the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration since its inception in 2012, viewed the images from Germany, where she is visiting her parents on vacation with her young daughter.
She works on clusters of galaxies and was delighted to see the Virgo cluster online.
“The image is so large and [viewers] can also see much more distant galaxies,” said von der Linden. Viewers are able to scroll around and zoom in and out to see details in these “beautiful images.”
Von der Linden echoed the sentiment from one of the officials who shared the first images, suggesting that the data and information from the observatory are available for astronomers and scientists, but also for the public, helping them explore the night sky.
“It’s quite remarkable,” she said. “I look forward to seeing how the public engages.”
The Rubin Observatory will see “everything that changes, explodes, and moves,” said von der Linden.
A little bit of pride
In addition to scientists like O’Connor and Anže Slosar, group leader of the Cosmology & Astrophysics Group, BNL recruited close to two dozen interns to help with the work.
“There’s a lot of inherent curiosity about the cosmos,” O’Connor said. “When people hear that they could participate in doing research that could lead to lead to a better understanding of it, we had to turn interns away.”
O’Connor worked with the charge-coupled device modules, which are the digital film of the camera. The Rubin Observatory, with its 3.2 gigapixel focal plane, relies on 189 custom-designed CCD sensors to achieve its resolution.
“I feel a little bit of pride,” said O’Connor, who didn’t expect to be working on astronomical instruments when he came to BNL. “I was a tiny, little part of a giant team that’s worked so long. When you see the final project, it’s a good feeling.”
Seeing the invisible
At the same time that the Rubin Observatory can find asteroids that had previously gone undetected, it can also help detect dark energy and dark matter.
Only five percent of the universe comes from visible matter, with about 70 percent coming from dark energy and 25 percent coming from dark matter.
Dark energy describes why the universe continues to expand after the Big Bang, rather than slowing down, the way a ball thrown into the air does before it falls, von der Linden explained. Researchers study dark matter, meanwhile, by observing the way light from distant galaxies bends when it travels towards Earth, as the gravitational force of the matter affects it on its path.
Von der Linden said she has already started using some of the commissioning data to test Rubin’s capabilities to do weak gravitational lensing. Weak gravitational lensing involves slight shifts in images caused by the gravitational influence of other matter that require many galaxies to detect.
“The work we’re doing now is very much a test case, which we will then take and apply to a much larger data set,” she said.
Inspiring future scientists
The images and the data, which the US, the UK and France will process, has the potential not only to answer scientific questions, but also to encourage and inspire future researchers.
The Rubin Observatory has a “very comprehensive education and public outreach component,” von der Linden said. “From the beginning, it has been built with the intention that the public is suppose to interact with the data and be part of the scientific story.”
If teachers use this in the classroom to show students the beautiful and intriguing night sky, “I would think this will lead some students to consider pursuing” careers in these sciences. “I hope that we’re going to get more junior scientists who will be part of Rubin.”
To see images from the observatory, visit https://rubinobservatory.org.
'Herbalism', pyrography on wood, by Lauren Prochera
'Standing Alone', pen ink,zentangle, by Maureen Ginipro
'Flowering Echinacea & Other Herbs', watercolor, by Ellen Ferrigno
'Flowers in Front of the Fountain', oil, by Hayley Brennan
'Number 51', photography, by James Kelson
'White Roses', oil, by Patricia Lind
'Roadside Bouquet', colored pencil and pastel, by Patricia Luppino
'Bouquet 2', gouache on wood panel, by Jessica Rybak
Whether gifted, grown in a garden, or admired in nature, flowers delight us with their natural beauty. In a floral tribute, the Smithtown Township Arts Council will present The Language of Flowers, a juried exhibitat Mills Pond Gallery in St. James from June 28 to July 25.
The prospectus called for artists to “unleash their creativity and share their artistic interpretations of flowers … art that captures the spirit of blossoms or conveys personal emotions or narratives, or simply captures the captivating beauty of flowers.” The response was overwhelming.
“Using oil, acrylic, alcohol ink, colored pencil, dye-sublimation photographic print, fused glass, gouache, graphite, ink, mixed media, oil, pastel, pen & ink, photography, pyrography and watercolor, 84 artistshave found astonishing ways to portray the delicacy of flowers whether represented in realism, impressionism or abstraction,” said Allison Cruz, Executive Director of the Smithtown Township Arts Council and Mills Pond Gallery.
“No matter the style, we are sure gallery visitors will enjoy this bouquet of original works,” she added.
Exhibiting artists include Ross Barbera, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, Mireille Belajonas, Kusuma Bheemineni, Matt Bodkin, Hayley Brennan, Joyce Bressler, Kevin Casey, Carol Ceraso, Tobi Cohen, Bernice Corbin, Jane Corrarino, Denise Cousins, JoAnn Dumas, Paul Edelson, Ellen Ferrigno, Elizabeth Fusco, Arlene Gernon, Maureen Ginipro, Theresa Graff, Alexandra Guma, Linda Hartman, Scott Hartman, Karen Jakubowski, Sally Anne Keller, James Kelson, Kathee Shaff Kelson, Angelica Kempa, Samantha Kenny, Megan Kenny, Lynn Kinsella, Julianna Kirk, Elizabeth Kisseleff, Lynn Larrison, Peter Leeds, Syndee Levy, Patricia Lind-Gonzalez, Patricia Luppino, Jackie Mallon, Diane Maniscalco, Adriena Masi, Liz Jorg Masi, Kathleen McArdle, Bonnie McLoughlin Stiegler, Frederic Mendelsohn, Avrel Menkes, Felecia Montfort, Gail Neuman, Loretta Oberheim, Josephine Parlagreco, Sharon Pearsall, Eva Pere, Sean Pollock, Lauren Prochera, Bernice Rausch, Catherine Rezin, Sandra Riddle, Khrystyne Robillard-Smith, Robert Roehrig, Jessica Rybak, Lori Scarlatos, Lisa Scrima-Castelli, Hillary Serota Needle, Stephen Shannon, Mike Stanko, Maddy Stare, Judy Stone, Betty Ann Tedeschi, Ashley Thorbjornsen, Susan Toplitz, Robert Tuska, Diane Van Velsor, Joseph Weinreb, Patty Yantz, Steven Zaluski, Theodora Zavala and Tianzhou Zhao.
The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, June 28 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to meet the exhibiting artists and enjoy the beautiful art.
The Mills Pond Gallery is located at 660 Route 25A in St. James. Regular gallery hours are Wednesdays toFridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission to the gallery is always free. For more information or directions, call 631-862-6575, or visit www.millspondgallery.org.
The location of the proposed dog park in Nesconset. Photo courtesy of Change.org
By Caroline O’Callaghan
During the May 29 Lake Ronkonkoma Advisory Board Meeting, board representatives introduced a proposal for a dog park of about 5-10 acres to be built in Walter S. Commerdingers Jr. County Park forest located off of Browns Road in Nesconset.
Residents chose to express their profound concerns over the threat of deforestation to not only the last untouched forest in Nesconset but all of Long Island’s forests. One of those residents was Mary-Anne Smith, who subsequently started a petition on change.org to spotlight the issue.
In her petition titled Save the Last Forest of Nesconset, Smith asks “the Lake Ronkonkoma Advisory Board and Suffolk County Parks Department to please reconsider the location [of the dog park] and prioritize preserving natural spaces and forest, and utilize other alternative open space options in the area.”
Smith went on to list the potential impacts of building the dog park, including its harm to both wildlife and humans.
Some wildlife in the proposed area are at a higher risk of being harmed than others. They include eastern box turtles, northern long-eared bats and common nighthawks. Other less affected animals listed were resident and migratory songbirds, a pair of great horned owls, deer, turkeys and foxes.
For the human residents of the Browns Road and Edgewood Avenue area, Smith brought to light the risks of developing the space, such as increases in road flooding, pollution run-off, property taxes, air-conditioning and electricity costs of nearby homes and urban heat island effect. Smith also said that the proposed dog park would create a decline in property values.
One of the chief complaints listed on the petition was the legality of the dog park proposal. This is due to the forest being a county park, which requires the approval of the county or park authority for any further development to be done. In order for the proposal to be legal, a
core group of residents or public supporters must first form a demonstration, choose the site of the potential park, create a budget and finally present their own proposal for the dog park to the designated authorities.
Based on Smith’s petition, it is unclear if this process was followed accordingly, which suggests that the proposal may not have been supported by the public in the first place. Smith expressed that she was “not against the idea of [more] dog parks” but rather opposed the unnecessary expulsion of the ecosystem in which the forest plays host to given the limited forests left on Long Island. She also mentioned how the Gibbs Pond Dog Park is less than a mile away from the site. This was to suggest that building a second park in close proximity to Gibbs would be redundant.
Ultimately, the petition amassed over 700 signatures, resulting in the decision of policymakers to no longer develop the Nesconset forest into a dog park. Smith thanked the signers, stating, “because of your support, our voices were heard!”
For more information visit the website Save the Last Forest of Nesconset: www.change.org
Governor Hochul declared a state of emergency in 32 counties, including Suffolk County on June 22. Local temperatures on Tuesday, June 24, are forecast to reach a high of 95 degrees with a heat index—how the heat feels—as high as 105. Hochul urged New Yorkers to “stay vigilant and safe” as extreme heat blankets the area.
When temperature and humidity soar, the result is not just discomfort— it can be life-threatening, especially for older adults and those with chronic health conditions.
What is extreme heat?
Extreme heat causes more deaths than all other weather-related hazards, including hurricanes, major floods and winter storms, according to the National Weather Service.
The heat index measures how the body perceives extreme heat. Rising humidity combined with temperature makes it feel far hotter than a thermometer alone suggests. Heat Islands—or environments with a high concentration of cement—trap heat and intensify the danger.
Signs of Heat Stress
Heat cramps are often the first sign of heat-related illness and can be accompanied by weakness, fatigue, headache, nausea and fainting.
Heatstroke or hyperthermia is a life-threatening complication of heat stress that occurs when your body temperature rises to 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, along with symptoms such as confusion, hot, dry skin, hallucinations, headache or nausea. At this point, the body’s ability to regulate temperature breaks down, resulting in deadly spikes in core temperature.
Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Call 911 immediately. Move the person to a cool environment and apply cool cloths. Do not give fluids, according to medical advice from the National Weather Service.
Who is most at risk?
Older adults are among the most impacted by extreme heat, as their ability to adapt to sudden heat declines. Additionally, symptoms of heatstroke can be subtle and easily missed in frail older adults; in fact, some older adults may not recognize they’re overheating. In this population, symptoms can be vague, sometimes appearing only as confusion or slurred speech. Untreated heatstroke can lead to death, especially in the older adult population, even in times when there isn’t an official heat wave declaration.
Adults over the age of 65 make up the largest group of emergency room visits related to extreme heat events. People with chronic health conditions are also at greater risk of death during an extreme heat. Certain medications, like some antidepressants, can worsen the effects of high temperatures. In extreme heat, deaths may also occur from heart attacks or worsened respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma.
Dangerous misconceptions
Never rely on a fan as your main cooling source when it is very hot and humid for extended periods. Do not wait until extreme signs of heat appear, especially in older adults. Once the body’s core temperature regulation fails during heatstroke, it can be difficult or impossible to reverse.
How to prepare
Always have a plan in place for dealing with a heatwave. Most importantly, stay indoors as much as possible and drink plenty of water—do not wait until you are thirsty.
Older adults should identify a nearby cooling center or ensure at least one room in the home has an air conditioning unit. A fan is not enough. Never leave a child or pet in a hot car– even for five minutes.
To learn more about how extreme heat affects older adults, go to https://www.cdc.gov/heat-health/risk-factors/heat-and-older-adults-aged-65.html
Lynn Hallarman is a physician and the former director of palliative care at Stony Brook medicine.
Local Officials & Solid Waste Experts to address the environmental and economic challenges & their current impact on Long Island
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Stony Brook University’s Waste Reduction and Management Institute and the Evan R. Liblit Scholarship Fund have announced the 2025 Larry Swanson Long Island Environmental Symposium will be held on Wednesday, June 25 at Suffolk County Community College’s Brentwood Campus from 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
County Executive Romaine will be joined by local and solid waste experts and service providers to discuss the various challenges the industry is currently facing, including the need for a regional solid waste management plan.
“There are many obstacles related to solid waste on Long Island that impact our regional economy and environment,” said Romaine. “We must continue to discuss the challenges that are in front of us and lay ahead to preserve our future while ensuring we take a coordinated approach to dispose solid waste and recycle glass and ash responsibly.”
Topics to be addressed at the third annual event include regional solid waste management planning, the critical role of waste to energy facilities in managing solid waste, development of a glass recycling master plan and regional glass recycling and removing food from the waste stream.
Long Island elected officials and solid waste experts will gather to address the future of how Long Island will manage its ever-increasing waste including:
Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine speaking regarding Suffolk County’s efforts to facilitate environmentally sound and cost-effective waste management;
The work of the WRMI in developing a regional solid waste management plan;
The critical role of waste to energy facilities in managing Long Island solid waste and waste to energy ash processing and recycling;
Separation of recyclables from mixed solid waste and construction and demolition debris;
Regional glass recycling;
Removing organics/food scraps from the waste stream
The WRMI was created by the New York State Legislature to confront the increasingly complex waste issues arising on Long Island, where per capita waste generation exceeds that in the rest of the U.S. Long Island is also a place where future landfills have been prohibited to protect the Island’s drinking water, which is solely derived from an underground aquifer. Michael E. White serves as the WRMI’s Interim Director at Stony Brook University.
“This year’s Larry Swanson Environmental Symposium comes at a critical time for determining the future of solid waste management on Long Island,” said Interim Director of the WRMI Michael E. White. “WRMI is proud to be a partner in bringing forth the Symposium and to have the opportunity to present the need for regional solid waste planning on Long Island along with the work of WRMI to develop such a plan connecting with local government, the solid waste industry and stakeholders.”
The Evan R. Liblit Memorial Scholarship Committee provides scholarships at Stony Brook and hosts events and webinars aimed at improving recycling and solid waste management.
The event will take place at the Suffolk Federal Credit Union Arena (Lecture Hall D105) at Suffolk Community College’s Grant Campus, 1001 Crooked Hill Road in Brentwood.
Attendance is free, however guests must register by clicking here or by contacting [email protected].
