Jim Malatras at Stony Brook University last year. File photo by Rita J. Egan
Jim Malatras, chancellor of the State University of New York, submitted his resignation last week following political pressure for him to step down after text messages showed him belittling one of the women who accused former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) of sexual harassment.
Malatras faced bipartisan backlash over the last few weeks after new evidence was released by state Attorney General Letitia James’ (D) investigation surrounding the allegations against Cuomo.
Part of the evidence included text messages from May 2019 between Malatras and other Cuomo officials disparaging Lindsey Boylan, a former economic development official who accused the former governor 18 months after the SUNY chancellor sent the text, The New York Times reported.
Boylan and Malatras then argued over Twitter.
Since the documents were released, the chancellor decided to resign, stating in a letter to the SUNY board of trustees that the controversies were taking him away from his work.
“The recent events surrounding me over the past week have become a distraction over the important work that needs to be accomplished as SUNY emerges from COVID-19,” he said. “I believe deeply in an individual’s ability to evolve, change and grow, but I also believe deeply in SUNY and would never want to be an impediment to its success.”
As chancellor, Malatras was tasked with overseeing the State University of New York comprehensive system of higher education.
Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory.
In total, SUNY serves about 1.3 million students in credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs.
Two of those schools locally are Stony Brook University and Suffolk County Community College.
“I am aware that the chancellor has tendered his resignation and respect that decision,” said SBU President Maurie McInnis. “I look forward to working with the next leader of SUNY as we continue our important research and teaching mission.”
A representative from SCCC added that nothing will change at the college amid the scandal, and it “will continue to work with our partners at SUNY to ensure that high quality higher education remains accessible and affordable to students.”
Malatras’ resignation goes into effect on Jan. 14.
“The past two years have been among the most trying in SUNY’s history — and Jim’s leadership and collaboration with our faculty and staff have allowed our institution to continue to thrive and serve our nearly 400,000 students at 64 campuses across our state safely and in person,” said a statement from the SUNY board of trustees. “He has been a champion for our students, for access, for equity, and for deeper public investment in this great institution. The entire board expresses our gratitude for his dedication and leadership.”
County Executive Steve Bellone during a press conference in Hauppauge. Photo from Suffolk County
Last week, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) announced the county’s comprehensive police reform and reinvention plan, which was approved by the Legislature back in March.
According to Bellone, the reform plan seeks cultural change in the Suffolk County Police Department, with enhanced civilian oversight, increased accountability and transparency through the use of body cameras, and an expanded mental health crisis response among many other initiatives and policy changes.
The plan focuses on seven major points for reform: training and continuing education, recruitment and staffing, community policing, traffic stops, arrests and warrants, mental health response and police systems, accountability and body cameras.
The body camera program has been a topic of debate not just locally, but nationally. While some believe that officers should not have to wear them, many think that it would be beneficial to not only those in uniform, but also to the county — it could save us money in terms of potential lawsuits or settlements.
Right now, the county has a pilot program where a limited number of SCPD officers wear body cameras. In an effort to increase transparency and accountability, the police reform and reinvention plan proposed that body worn cameras be deployed as standard police worn equipment for all county police officers who engage with the public in the course of their professional duties.
According to Bellone, starting in 2022, body-worn cameras will be deployed for approximately 1,600 SCPD officers with an incentive of $3,000 additional pay over the course of two years to wear them. Suffolk County has included, in its capital budget, $24 million over a five-year period for the purchase of the cameras, implementation of the program and maintenance of the body-worn cameras and data systems.
Nassau County has implemented a similar program while other jurisdictions in the U.S. have already begun giving officers bonus pay, negotiated by the police unions, for wearing cameras.
While the financial incentive might seem unfair to some, it’s not the worst thing.
If an officer gets a boost for wearing something that could help accountability and trust within the local police departments, then so be it. It would then create a domino effect, resulting in other officers jumping on board until each one is armed with a camera.
If all SCPD officers eventually sport a body cam, the bad apples will be weeded out and trust could come back to those who risk their lives on the job.
Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent Daniel P. Losquadro, Supervisor Ed Romaine and Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich joined with residents and community members for the ribbon-cutting of a new sidewalk installed along West Meadow Road and Trustees Road from Mt Grey Road to the entrance of West Meadow Beach. Funding for this project, which cost approximately $283,000, was fully covered by a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
“This half-mile stretch of roadway is heavily traversed with traffic to and from the beach,” said Superintendent Losquadro. “Pedestrians, bicyclists, lifeguards, and residents can now feel safer accessing West Meadow Beach along the new sidewalk.”
Supervisor Romaine said, “West Meadow Beach is a popular destination for pedestrians all year round and now a walk down Trustees Road is much safer than before. I thank Superintendent Losquadro and the men and women of the Highway Department for making the improvements to our infrastructure that will have a lasting impact for years to come.”
Councilmember Kornreich said, “It was truly an honor to be able to take part in making our community a safer place for our residents. I am so thankful to those who were able to contribute their time and effort to this project. My team and I will continue to work hard to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents. I would like to encourage everyone to take a walk down Trustees Road toward West Meadow Beach to have an opportunity to relax and appreciate the value in our community.”
Annemarie Waugh of Sidewalks for Safety said, “A huge thanks to Edward Romaine, Daniel Losquadro, and Jonathan Kornreich for taking a critical step in making Setauket a safer place for pedestrian safety and healthy lifestyles. As a result of their efforts, this highly-trafficked section of West Meadow Road now allows walkers and runners to safely access West Meadow Beach and Trustees Road.”
Over its 20 years in existence, Jefferson’s Ferry has been home to a significant number of accomplished and creative older adults who have been groundbreakers, innovators, educators and artists. All were original thinkers with a desire to do something that hadn’t been done before, and many of these residents wrote books about their work, which can be found in the Jefferson’s Ferry library collection.
Lee Koppelman: visionary of open space preservation
Lee Koppelman
The Suffolk County landscape would look markedly different if not for Lee Koppelman. He was the first regional planning board director for Suffolk County. An early advocate for the preservation of open space, Koppelman drew up Suffolk’s first comprehensive master plan in 1970 and dominated planning on Long Island from the 1960s until he stepped aside in 2006. A leading professor emeritus at Stony Brook University who still teaches, Koppelman was appointed the director of the Center for Regional Policy Studies there. He is also chairman emeritus of the Town of Brookhaven Open Space and Farmland Acquisition Advisory Committee. The Lee Koppelman Preserve, a parcel of land on the Stony Brook campus, commemorates his stewardship of open space in the county.
The Town of East Hampton has also commemorated his contributions to Long Island’s open space, designating about 800 acres contiguous to and adjacent to Hither Hills State Park as the Lee Koppelman Nature Preserve. Koppelman is the author of 22 books, which include “The Fire Island National Seashore” and “The Urban Sea: Long Island Sound.” He and his wife, Constance, reside in an independent living apartment at Jefferson’s Ferry.
Carol Fenter holding her husband’s book ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n Roll: The Legacy of the Counter-Cultural Revolution.’ Photo from Jefferson’s Ferry
Fred and Carol Fenter; author and wife
As a high school social studies teacher, Fred Fenter had a front-row-center season ticket on the cultural revolution that marked the 1960s and ’70s. From that perspective, in 2008, he penned “Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n Roll: The Legacy of the Counter-Cultural Revolution.” What made his experience particularly radical was the transformation of the ultraconservative Bay Shore High School, a place of separate faculty rooms for men and women, strict dress codes, zero tolerance for even a muttered “hell” or “damn.”
Quite suddenly, to Fenter’s eye, the school swerved to embrace the anti-establishment fervor of the ’60s. Faculty rooms were converted to student space, the dress code disintegrated to rags and teachers had to find new ways to engage the more willful students.
All of this was anathema to Fenter, who had to drop out of high school and join the U.S. Navy at age 17 to support his family. Upon his return, he finished high school at night while holding a variety of day jobs that included bank teller, shelf stocker at the supermarket and elevator operator. He earned his master’s degree while teaching at Delehanty High School in Queens and Division Avenue High School in Levittown, where he met his future wife Carol. Fred Fenter ultimately taught advanced history honors for 20 years at Bay Shore High School.
“Fred always wanted to write,” Carol Fenter said. “But with a family of four children to support, he had to put that dream on hold. He worked two jobs, which left little time for writing.”
After his retirement from teaching, Fred and Carol became among the first residents at Jefferson’s Ferry. They moved in during fall 2001 seeking a lifestyle that suited Carol’s active social life and Fred’s desire to write. “Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n Roll” was written in its entirety at Jefferson’s Ferry.
“He came from nothing,” his wife said. “His father died when he was 14 and life became all work and no play. That made the cultural revolution of the ’60s and ’70s into a particular challenge. During World War II, the U.S. Navy took over control of cargo ships from various importers and shippers to augment its supply fleet. Assigned as a signalman on one of the so-called ‘banana boats,’ Fred never could understand how he survived the war. He didn’t have the youth that his future students would have.”
“He didn’t put himself into the book at all,” she added. “It’s all philosophical. He hits the movements of the times — anti-war, free love, civil rights, feminism — from all different aspects. He had it in his head and wanted to get it out.”
Fred Fenter passed in 2008, but Carol finds plenty to do at Jefferson’s Ferry. She is chair of the residents council, former chair of the Jefferson’s Ferry Foundation, has taught countless residents in her popular computer classes and has installed more than 100 modems in residents’ apartments. While she’s not a writer like her late husband, she is a voracious reader, consuming multiple books each week.
Joan Watson: ‘My Turning Points’
Joan Watson holding her book ‘My Turning Points.’
Dec. 1, 1952, was the last day 12-year-old Joan Watson was tucked into bed feeling safe and secure. Today, as clearly as the day in which it happened, Watson remembers waking up the morning of Dec. 2 to her mother’s suicide. This tragedy was the first “turning point” in Watson’s young life, the day her life changed forever. Gone was the affection of her mother, the family memories and the sense of stability. Unlike her mother, her father wasn’t affectionate. He was very strict and determined that his three children would learn responsibility. Frightened about what her life would be without that special love of her mother, she prayed for God to send someone to love her.
Her challenges didn’t end when years later, she left the family home to marry her high school sweetheart. After three years of marriage, her husband left and moved out of state, leaving her and their two daughters. Watson’s next turning point occurred when she lost her youngest daughter to illness at barely 2 years of age. Watson and her surviving daughter lived with the help of public assistance and Joan’s jobs as a school bus driver and waitress.
But her story doesn’t end there — it begins anew. Through therapy and her faith in God, she tapped the inner strength and talents that allowed her to begin to take control of her life and start initiating her own turning points. She furthered her education with secretarial school and got a job typing medical records at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Smithtown. Watson began to achieve a modicum of stability and happiness.
A second marriage was full of love and support, giving her the freedom to be her best self. She achieved positions of increased responsibility and reward at work.
Then came another turning point, totally unexpected and serendipitous. While attending a party, Watson learned of a 60-minute program — a company, Mary Kay, was giving away diamonds and minks to reward its salespeople. While still working at the hospital, she started selling Mary Kay products and quickly reached the director level, making real money. Watson excelled at bringing successful consultants into the company by adhering to Mary Kay’s wisdom, “Help enough people get what they want, and you’ll get what you want,” Watson said. What determined her success was the ability to lift her consultants and teach them to do what she did. Mary Kay also taught her about investing. The recognition she received surpassed money as Watson’s motivator. In her eyes, God had sent her the love of many.
Watson wrote “My Turning Points” to make a difference in other peoples’ lives, to help them find their own turning point and make a difference in their lives. “My Turning Points” is among the most popular books in the Jefferson’s Ferry library. Reading the book has also spurred people to open up to her about challenges in their own lives.
A Jefferson’s Ferry resident for six years, Watson values the community and the ease of her days. When she was widowed after 40 years of marriage 14 years ago, she knew that she’d have to find a continued sense of place and security. She reviewed her expenses and investments, sold her house and found a new home and friends while remaining close to her family. She is retired from Mary Kay, but still mentors and coaches women who have followed in her footsteps at the company. Watson’s pink Cadillac, parked outside her apartment, continues to be a conversation piece.
Linda Kolakowski is vice president of Residential Life at Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community in South Setauket.
For one young North Shore resident, the last few months have been like a dream.On Thursday, Dec. 2, one of the actresses playing an orphan in NBC’s Annie Live! was Lily Tamburo of East Setauket. The 11-year-old has been acting for years and has graced the stage at The John W. Engeman Theater in Northport as the young orphan Molly in Annie in 2017, Ivanka in Once in 2018and Amanda Thripp in Matilda in 2019.
She was watching her favorite movie Mamma Mia! when she found out she got the role in Annie Live!
“I was literally crying when I heard that I got the part, because I really didn’t think that I would even get that far,” Lily said.
The role is her first in a television production. Lily was ready to return to Broadway in the musical Mrs. Doubtfire. Before COVID-19 restrictions shut Broadway down, Lily had appeared in the ensemble in the three previews of the show and was also the understudy for the role of Natalie Hillard.
With the lights of Broadway shining once again, Mrs. Doubtfire was ready to open, and Lily was set to rejoin the cast. However, to take on the role in Annie, she wouldn’t be able to be in the Broadway play at the same time. She said while in one way choosing one over the other was a difficult decision to make, in another way it was an easy decision to go for Annie.
“I thought it would be a really good opportunity to make new friends and to get that TV experience, and it really was,” she said. “I made the right choice.”
As for the auditions, which were virtual, Lily said everyone tried out for the Annie role first, which eventually went to 12-year-old Celina Smith, and then were called back to audition for a specific character. Her first callback was for Molly/Kate. In the end, she gained the role of Orphan One in the ensemble.
“It didn’t really make a difference to me because I was still in everything that all the other orphans were in [and] still on the screen a lot,” she said.
Besides singing, dancing played a huge part in the role, something Lily said she didn’t have much experience in. “That’s why I was also really surprised when I got the role,” the actress said, adding that being part of the production improved her dancing skills.
The Annie Live! cast rehearsed for seven weeks at various locations in the city until the first run-through of the entire show at Gold Coast Studios in Bethpage, where it was broadcast from on Dec. 2. Despite Lily’s excitement about being part of the show, the cast couldn’t announce their participation until closer to the air date.
Lily shared the TV experience with big names including Harry Connick, Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell and Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan. She said she wasn’t nervous to be around the actors and singers at all. “All of them are so down to earth,” she said.
Lily added all of them interacted with the young actors through rehearsals. Connick even stopped by one day while the young actors were being tutored and talked to them about music and Mardi Gras, the celebration that takes place in his home state of Louisiana.
Family and friends were on hand the day of the show; some were able to watch the dress rehearsal, while others watched the live show. Lily’s mother, Lauren Zummo, was one of them. The mother said she’s glad that her daughter has had the experiences she has had at Long Island regional theaters, where she added there are many talented child actors.
“They work so hard,” Zummo said. “Sometimes they think, because some people tell them, ‘Oh it’s a waste of time.’ It’s never a waste of time because you just never know.”
She added one of the people who gave Lily a chance was Antoinette DiPietropolo, the director and choreographer of Annie when Lily played the role of Molly at the Engeman Theater. DiPietropolo texted her after the 11-year-old was on TV. Everything came full circle for the mother when she heard from the person who gave her daughter her first chance, Zummo said. The Annie role at the Engeman led to Lily appearing in the national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! in the role of Cindy Lou. The production was also directed and choreographed by DiPietropolo.
“You just need one person to believe in you to keep going to the other positions,” said Zummo.
Lily returned to classes at Setauket Elementary School earlier this week. However, she has been auditioning for various parts including Sarah Silverman’s The Bedwetter.
In the meantime, she is left with the wonderful memories of Annie Live! and the experience that she described as the “time of her life.”
The team celebrates with head coach Mark Anderson after weekend victory. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics
Salmon, Liew and Conway set new meet records
The Stony Brook swimming and diving team put forth a strong team effort over the course of the weekend to win the Blue Devil Invite. The Seawolves swam their way to five first-place finishes and three more meet records on Sunday to help them secure a first-place finish at the Blue Devil Invite with a final score of 626 points.
Stony Brook had multiple athletes earn first-place finishes and set a meet record in their individual events.
Senior Jessica Salmon started the final day off strong for the Seawolves winning the 50 breast and setting a new meet record with her time of 30.18. Salmon surpassed CCSU’s Mariana Espino’s record of 30.54 set in 2019. Sophomore Briana Liew kept points rolling for Stony Brook as she took first in the 50 fly and also set a new meet record clocking in at 25.60, beating Wagner’s Dorian McMenemy’s previous record of 25.82.
Sophomore Mary Kate Conway had another record-breaking day at the Invite. Conway took first in the 100 free touching the wall in 51.88, setting a new meet record by crushing Vermont’s Christa Weaver’s previous time of 52.18. Conway also earned a first-place finish in the 200 fly and anchored the victorious 400 free relay squad.
DAY ONE HIGHLIGHTS
Sophomore Mary Kate Conway swam a new personal best in the 500 free with a time of 5:00.48, beating her previous best of 5:00.50 from 2018. Conway didn’t stop there, she also set a new meet record for the 500 free surpassing CCSU’s Taylor Friedmann’s previous record of 5:00.92 set in 2012. Conway ended the night anchoring the 400 medley relay squad to a first-place finish.
The victorious 400 medley relay team comprised of junior Reagan MacDonald, senior Jessica Salmon, sophomore Briana Liew, and Conway finished the night off with a bang. The squad’s 3:52.61 finish earned them a first-place win and set a new meet record, beating the previous record from 2012 set by the University of Vermont (3:53.34).
Junior Amanda Heinz placed second in the 200 IM with a time of 2:09.47, beating her previous personal best of 2:12.03.
MacDonald placed right behind Heinz in the 200 IM touching the wall in 2:10.44, which earned her a third-place finish.
Liew set a new season best in the 50 yard free with her final time of 24.58, surpassing her previous season best of 24.82. She earned a seventh-place finish.
DAY TWO HIGHLIGHTS
Conway claimed first-place in the 200 free, touching the wall in 1:51.93, setting a new meet record.
The 200 medley relay team comprised of sophomore Briana Liew, senior Jessica Salmon, sophomore Lara Youssef, and Conway earned a first-place finish (1:46.26).
Salmon took second in the 100 breast with a time of 1:05.57. Her prelim time of 1:04.77 tied the Stony Brook program record, which was set by Jessica Peters in 2011.
Youssef took first in the 100 fly touching the wall in 56.90.
Liew earned an individual first-place finish in the 100 IM clocking in at 59.05.
Salmon earned first-place and set a new meet record in the 50 breast with her time of 30.18. Salmon also finished fourth in the 200 breast (2:25.74).
Liew touched the wall in 25.60 in the 50 fly to earn herself a victory and set a new meet record.
Sophomore Lara Youssef finished right behind Liew in second with a time of 25.87 in the 50 fly.
Conway claimed first-place in the 100 free and set a new meet record, touching the wall in 51.88. She also earned a victory in the 200 fly (2:04.84).
Freshman Emma Hawkins followed behind Conway earning a fourth-place finish in the 200 fly with her time of 2:11.27.
Senior Haille Bogumil clocked in at 54.65 in the 100 free which was good for eighth overall in the finals.
Senior Yurika Tomita claimed a first-place finish in the B final (seventh overall) in the 200 breast touching the wall in 2:29.24. Tomita set a new personal best, beating her previous time of 2:35.65.
Junior Amanda Heinz placed third overall in the 200 breast with a time of 2:23.83.
Freshman Zoe Rebol clocked in at 17:53.03 in the 1650 free earning a second-place finish and a new personal best, her previous best was 18:11.50.
Sophomore Sara DiStefano represented Stony Brook in the 1-meter dive finals earning a fifth-place finish (200.05).
The 400 free relay squad comprised of junior Reagan MacDonald, Liew, Bogumil, and Conway finished the Invite with a bang earning a victory with a time of 3:32.59
Next up, the swimming and diving team is back in action on Jan. 22 when they hit the road to compete against Rider in Newark, N.J.
The final tour of 'Rent' stops by the Staller Center on March 3, 2022.
The final tour of 'Rent' stops by the Staller Center on March 3, 2022.
Viva MOMIX will wow audiences on April 2, 2022.
Viva MOMIX will wow audiences on April 2, 2022.
The family show, The Queen's Cartoonists, performs on April 5, 2022.
Viva MOMIX will wow audiences on April 2, 2022.
Complexions Ballet Company heads to the Staller Center on Feb. 5, 2022. Photo by Steven Trumon Gray
The Doo Wop Project heads to the Staller Center on May 7.
By Melissa Arnold
There’s nothing quite like the energy of a live performance, especially if it’s been almost two years since your last show.
The Staller Center for the Arts on the campus of Stony Brook University is as eager to welcome audiences back as showgoers are to be there. Following an abbreviated but otherwise successful fall season, their upcoming spring lineup will feature a wide mix of dancing, theatrical performances and comedy.
“I had a lot of theatrical events planned for the fall, but when we scheduled them earlier this year, we had no idea what the rules were going to be for health and safety,” said Alan Inkles, the Staller Center’s director. “So we decided to focus more on bands for the fall and concentrate on theatrical performances in the spring. It’s been smooth, and everyone is just glad to be out and enjoying the theater.”
It’s a special year for the center’s quartet-in-residence. The Emerson String Quartet recently announced they will retire in 2023 after more than 40 years of performing as one of the world’s premier chamber music ensembles. They’ll be presenting two concerts this spring on Jan. 26 and April 18.
For a quarter of a century, the Broadway rock opera Rent has broken down taboos as it chronicles a group of friends fighting poverty, discrimination and addiction in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. This fall the cast kicked off their 25th Anniversary “Farewell Season of Love” tour which will include a performance at the Staller Center on March 3.
“You never know when you’re going to be seeing a show for the last time, and with something as iconic and well-known as Rent, we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to see a wonderful, high-quality touring production,” Inkles said.
Grace, skill and beauty are all on display this season with two unique dance companies. Complexions Ballet Company pushes the boundaries of traditional and contemporary styles while tackling a variety of topics, from current events to diverse cultures and renowned musicians. Look out for “Love Rocks” during the Feb. 5 show, which celebrates the music of Lenny Kravitz.
Dance-illusionists MOMIX return to the Staller Center on April 2 for “Viva MOMIX,” a two-act collection of dance vignettes using light, shadow and props to create stunning effects. The vignettes will take the audience on a magical journey that showcases the greatest moments in the company’s 40-year history.
If you’re looking for something interesting for kids, consider The Queen’s Cartoonists on April 5. These jazz and classical musicians will take you on a crazy romp, playing live music to accompany cartoons projected onscreen above them. The cartoons are from a variety of time periods and countries, allowing audience members of any age to enjoy old classics and new discoveries.
“The Queen’s Cartoonists is a 7 p.m. show, which gives families a chance to enjoy it without staying out too late — it’s always great to introduce kids to live and orchestral music by letting them see it up close,” said Daria Carioscia, Staller’s director of development. “They’ll be performing in our recital hall, which provides a great perspective from wherever you’re sitting, and the cartoons playing behind them will be entertaining and fun for everyone.”
Carioscia also recommends the high-energy, New Orleans jazz sounds of The Hot Sardines on March 19, as well as the May 7 appearance by The Doo Wop Project. If you’ve ever wondered what the music of Jason Mraz and Maroon 5 would sound like if the Jersey Boys sang it, look no further. Both shows are heavy on audience participation, so get ready to sing and dance along. It’s a great time to introduce kids to different genres and eras of music they may have never heard before, she said.
A few more events round out the season:
■ March 12: 2022 Gala, including performances by Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, and Yo-Yo Ma. Regular tickets are sold out. Become a Gala Supporter to receive VIP tickets.
■ March 30: “Starry Nights,” an evening of music featuring cellist Colin Carr and Stony Brook University musicians
■ April 21: “Queen of the Flute” Carol Wincenc
■ April 22: Comedian, satirist and Grammy nominee David Sedaris
Of course, the Staller Center staff and performers all love to see their shows sold out. But when that’s not possible, they get creative and offer a seat to those who might have never seen a live performance before.
“We’ve been working really hard to fill the theater, and on the nights where we have unsold tickets, we give them away to local school districts, Stony Brook students, and other populations who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to attend,” Carioscia explained. “Ultimately, we want to make the arts accessible to as many people as we can. It’s good for the community, and a full house also changes the energy in an exciting way for our performers.”
The staff knows that there is still some understandable concern in the community about crowds and public events, and they are dedicated to helping audiences feel safe. Masks are required in the center, as well as either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. No time frame is required on testing. Additionally, concessions are not being sold at this time to limit the need to remove your mask.
“We recognize that everyone is in their own place regarding what they feel comfortable doing right now. People will come back when they’re ready, and we’re going to be fair with what we’re asking from our audiences as far as safety,” Inkles said.
“It’s been smooth, and everyone is just glad to be out and enjoying the theater. We’ve spent the last 2 years stuck inside at home, watching movies on big screen TVs. We want to give people the energy of live performance, the opportunity to have a night out and spend time together and connect again. You can’t duplicate that experience with Netflix or HBO. There’s nothing else like it.”
Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts is located at 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook. Tickets for the Staller Center’s Spring 2022 season are on sale now. A 10 percent discount is offered on all shows through Dec. 12. For more information, visit www.stallercenter.com or call 631-632-ARTS (2787) or email [email protected].
Coach Ashley Langford during the game against Rutgers on Dec. 16. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics
Coach Ashley Langford with Leighah-Amori Wool during the game against Rutgers on Dec. 16. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics
Coach Ashley Langford with team members during the game against Rutgers on Dec. 16. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics
By Daniel Dunaief
Daniel Dunaief
Before each game, the Stony Brook University women’s basketball team meditates.
The pre-game ritual, among other changes and additions first-year Coach Ashley Langford instituted, has worked, as the team has a 7-1 record and sits first in the America East division.
Meditating “calms us and helps us visualize what we want to see in a game,” said India Pagan, a starter for Stony Brook and a graduate student with an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID pandemic.
A standout guard for Tulane University who finished her college career first in assists, Langford appreciates how hard the team has worked and how well they’ve come together.
“Our chemistry has been really good early on, to the point where, sometimes, [I wonder] is it November or is it March?” she said.
With five players averaging double digits in scoring, Stony Brook becomes harder to guard.
“On any given night, we’re moving and sharing the ball,” Langford said. “They are selfless. They don’t care who has the most points.”
While earning a spot in March Madness this year for just the second time in the program’s history would be rewarding, Langford focuses on each game.
“I’m a person that stays in the moment,” Langford said. “As long as we’re getting better, that puts us in a position to win the next game.
To that end, Langford would like the team to continue to improve in its transition defense.
She would like to see the team, which includes starters Earlette Scott, Gigi Gonzalez, Leighah-Amori Wool, Anastasia Warren and Pagan, continue to collect more offensive rebounds.
Langford’s assistant coaches, which includes recruiting coordinator Shireyll Moore, have been searching for players who might join the program as student-athletes.
“We’re in the position we are today because we have pretty good players,” Langford said. “My staff does a lot of this. They are more actively involved in the recruiting” each day.
Stony Brook has signed three current high school seniors and is focusing on juniors.
Before each game, Langford’s assistant coaches watch film of their opponents. They give her a cheat sheet before she watches film as well.
While Langford plans to stick to the team’s strengths, she will add a few wrinkles depending on the insights she gains about her opponents.
In the team’s first loss, Pagan and Warren were unavailable to play for medical reasons.
The team could have gone to Fordham feeling defeated, but the players fought to the end in a game they lost, 71-59.
“They don’t like losing, we don’t like losing,” Langford said. “They have responded well this week.”
The start of a season as head coach has taught Langford several lessons, including pacing herself and, in particular, protecting her voice. She drinks tea all day long and tells her staff to remind her not to yell in practice, because she shouts over the band at games.
In practice, Langford grabs a ball periodically to demonstrate what she’d like to see from her players.
As for her activity during the game, Langford sits only for about the first 30 seconds and then works the sidelines.
Pagan appreciates the work Langford puts in and the way her new coach has improved her game. While she used to get three or four rebounds a game, she’s often snagging 10 or more.
Pagan also sees herself hustling more, particularly after Langford created a drill where the players dive for loose balls.
“Before, I wouldn’t think of diving for a ball. Now, it’s ingrained into my head,” Pagan said. “The hustle doesn’t stop until the whistle blows. You play until you can’t play any more.”
Among the many preparations we made for our family Thanksgiving gathering this year, was carefully considering how to prevent any intrusion by COVID-19, a most unwelcome guest. The children and grandchildren were coming from six different states, so the potential exposure was widespread.
We agreed that everyone would have the appropriate vaccinations, two and a booster if possible. Each member also bought an Abbott BinaxNOW antigen self test result that they took before starting out on their trips. Everyone tested negative, so we were full steam ahead.
Thanksgiving Day was filled with hugs, laughter and love. We had not been all together in almost two years, and much conversation resulted, including how the youngest one had grown. After the traditional sumptuous dinner, we went around the table and spoke about what we were most grateful for in the past year. This is of special value to me, in addition to the lovely feelings of gratitude evoked, because it gives me a chance to catch up on their various activities.
The next day, Friday, we talked, walked, played games and ate some more. I almost didn’t register when one of my grandsons came to the dinner table a little late because he was feeling “achy.” But when he asked for an Advil the next morning, I got out the At-Home rapid test, and in 15 minutes we knew he was positive. Thinking it might be a false positive, we drove him to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was given a PCR test, the gold standard, and in four hours we had the result.
Somehow, in spite of our careful efforts, the pathogen had found us. We then went to the next step and self-quarantined, but we are still trying to figure out where the hole in our defenses lies. As nearly as we can conclude, a negative test does not check for viruses in low numbers that are just beginning their infection in the nose, for example, and are still too few to register. With no symptoms, there is no way to detect their presence. It typically takes at least three days before the alarm goes off. So even weekly testing, which is so often done by institutions and employers, is not foolproof, especially if the patient is asymptomatic.
Fortunately, because my grandson was doubly vaccinated, the illness was of short duration, although he did lose his sense of taste and smell for a bit. The rest of the family members are fine. But what does that mean for all of us? The potential for infection is there, still with us despite how much we would like to leave it behind and despite all precautions. Gatherings of almost any size carry some risk, especially when we remove our masks to eat together, and we cannot be mindless of the threat.
There may be some good news, however. Omicron, the latest variant to be identified, seems to cause a milder version of the disease, at least so the early evidence indicates. And there are now two different pills that appear to hold back the most harmful effects of the virus if taken within five days of onset. One is from Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, called molnupiravir, that reduces the risk of hospitalization and death by 30%. It should be receiving FDA approval soon, even though it can cause serious side effects. The other is Paxlovid from Pfizer and so far appears to be 85% effective, perhaps to be authorized by year’s end. Made of a different formulation, it probably would not cause the same side effects as Merck’s but could cause others. Both pills could turn out to be a stop gap if the vaccines prove ineffective against new variants. And both may be more powerful if given together, as research against the virus that caused AIDS proved at that time. According to Dr. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, who oversaw combination therapy for HIV years ago, such a clinical trial could be quickly done.
It’s back!!! The Three Village Holiday Electric Parade returns to Setauket on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. Celebrating its 25th year, the parade will take place along Main Street/ Route 25A and feature festive holiday floats to kick off the season. Presented by the Stony Brook Rotary Club, this year’s Grand Marshal will be David Prestia. The Setauket Firehouse will host pre-parade festivities at 4 p.m. with music and performances by Ward Melville High School Students and Shine Dance Studio with complementary cookies, hot chocolate, candy canes and glow sticks. Visit 3Vholidayparade.com for further information.
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