The Greenway Trail runs between Port Jefferson Station and Setauket. File photo
The 3.5-mile Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail will be spruced up on Sunday, May 21, during the Town of Brookhaven’s annual Great Brookhaven Cleanup.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, in shine or slightly damp weather, and will include a focus on the trail’s eastern end, at the public parking lot near the 7-Eleven on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station. According to Friends of the Greenway, the task on that end will be to cut down underbrush and vines by trees and fencing. On the rest of the trail, volunteers will clean up as well as trim branches and vines in the way of the path.
Participants are asked to bring gloves, rakes and garden cutting tools.
To sign up or for more information, visit www.brookhaven.org or call 631-451-TOWN.
John Koebel cuts to the crease. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
The Comsewogue boys’ lacrosse team led by three goals to open the third quarter, but undefeated Bayport-Blue Point came back to win, 9-8, on Friday night with a shot with 11 seconds left on the clock.
Trevor Kennedy scores to the top right corner past a reaching goalkeeper. Photo by Bill Landon
“Tonight’s atmosphere was awesome and that’s what lacrosse is supposed to be and I thought we played well,” Comsewogue head coach Pete Mitchell said, adding that he was proud of his team for hanging with an opponent of Bayport’s caliber. “I thought we played well enough to win, but the kids played hard and I’m proud of their efforts tonight.”
The Warriors wasted no time getting the game going when midfielder Matthew Spahr, a University at Albany-bound senior, found the back of the cage just eight seconds into the contest, for the early lead.
Bayport-Blue Point answered back three minutes later to tie the game, but Comsewogue senior midfielder Trevor Kennedy’s shot found the cage to help his team edge ahead 2-1 at the 8:46 mark. The Phantoms scored next with four minutes left in the opening quarter, as Comsewogue drew a penalty and went a man down. Tied 2-2, Bayport-Blue Point looked to capitalize with the extra player, but Comsewogue’s defense stood its ground.
With seven seconds left, Kennedy, who will play for Assumption College next spring, struck again to put his team out front 3-2 to open the second stanza. Bayport barked back by firing two quick goals to edge ahead 4-3 and take the lead for the first time, but the Warriors were quick to respond when midfielder John Koebel, an Endicott College-bound senior, split the pipes to make it a new game, 4-4.
Richie Lacalandra snaps a shot between two Bayport-Blue Point defenders for the score. Photo by Bill Landon
“I thought we started out hot, but I knew they were going to come back — they’re a second half team,” Kennedy said. “I knew that they would come out to play in the second half.”
Comsewogue rattled off the next three goals, with sophomore attack Richie Lacalandra, junior midfielder and attack Ryan Dorney and junior attack Will Snelders aiding the team in going up 7-4 to open the third quarter, but the Phantoms found a way to come back.
Comsewogue played keep away until the team turned the ball over, and Bayport made them pay for it. Despite being a man down themselves now, the team made four quick passes for a score that cut the deficit. With 34 seconds left in the third, Comsewogue’s opponent struck again as the Warriors struggled to stop the onslaught.
With 10 minutes left, Comsewogue received a penalty, and committed another soon after, to go down two men. And the Phantoms cashed in. Bayport, at 12-0 on the season, proved why it’s gone undefeated for a reason, and rattled off two more goals for an 8-7 lead with seven minutes left in regulation.
Kevin Tiedemann dives for a loose ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Kennedy’s stick spoke once more when his shot found the net for his hat trick goal to deadlock the game with little time remaining. Overtime seemed likely, but on the ensuing faceoff, the Phantoms made three quick flips and fired at the Comsewogue cage. The shot found its mark and Bayport edged ahead to retake the lead, 9-8, with 11 showing on the scoreboard clock. Comsewogue won the final faceoff and with precious seconds left, failed to find a clear lane to the cage.
“We did some things that are uncharacteristic of what we do,” Mitchell said. “We lacked discipline by not taking a last shot in the final seconds.”
The loss drops the Warriors to 9-3 in Division II with two games remaining before the playoffs.
“They played a good game,” Mitchell said of Bayport. “And I hope to see them again.”
Alan Ruck, Mia Sara and Matthew Broderick star in ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.’ Image from Fathom Events
It’s time to save Ferris … again! Still as hilariously irresistible as the day it was released in 1986, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” returns to cinemas for two days only this May, just in time for its 30th anniversary.
The iconic ’80s film will return to select theaters across the country on May 15 and 18 in honor of the anniversary.
Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) present John Hughes’ venerated comedy as part of the TCM Big Screen Classics series. Audiences can take the day off to join Ferris, Sloane and Cameron in more than 650 theaters nationwide for two screenings each day: at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time.
In our neck of the woods, screenings will be held at Farmingdale Multiplex Cinemas, AMC Stony Brook 17 and Island 16 Cinema de Lux in Holtsville. Tickets may be purchased online at www.fathomevents.com or at the box office.
Patrick Ambrosio stands with his cheeses inside The Crushed Olive in Huntington. Photo from Patrick Ambrosio
The Crushed Olive in Huntington has long been a destination for residents with an adventurous palate — now it is a haven for cheese lovers as well.
Huntington’s Patrick Ambrosio, 59, opened Le Bon Fromage in April. Located inside specialty olive oil shop The Crushed Olive, Le Bon Fromage features local and international fresh, cut-to-order, artisan cheeses. Ambrosio is the resident professional cheesemonger, a title he has held for about 20 years.
“I always wanted to do something like this here,” he said in an interview last week. “I’m excited to bring some good cheese to the Huntington community.”
Ambrosio grew up in East Northport. By the time he was 30, he attended culinary school and spent time living in California, working as a chef at a winery and a cheesemonger at a restaurant.
Some of the many cheeses for sale. Photo by Alex Petroski
All the while, Ambrosio said opening a business like Le Bon Fromage was in the back of his mind. He decided to give it a shot for a number of reasons, most important of which was to be able to spend more time with his wife, Gale, and his 7-year-old son, Ethan.
Ambrosio said he understands cheese, especially those with foreign names and unusual smells or textures that can be intimidating for eaters. He said his goal is to be approachable and informative.
“That’s the fun part of cheese, you take people on a little journey with it,” the cheesemonger said. “I very much believe in the products I represent. I’ve been doing this for close to 20 years now. I live in Huntington and I kind of want to bring that to Huntington.”
Ambrosio acknowledged apprehension from shoppers who are becoming more and more concerned with what they are feeding their families.
“There’s a whole growing market of people who don’t care if it’s a little bit more [money]; they want to know how it’s produced,” he said. “I do have some organic cheeses but while most of them may not be organic, they’re produced to a standard that is better, almost.”
That’s not to say Le Bon Fromage’s prices are hard to swallow.
Ambrosio’s goal is to offer styles and flavors that are not necessarily the norm for the American consumer. His favorite, though he said it’s difficult to choose just one, is the French Comté Marcel Petite.
“I’ve tried to put a good cross section of cheeses together,” Ambrosio said. Le Bon Fromage also offers various salamis from American producers.
The response to Le Bon Fromage during its short run has been positive, if reviews on the shop’s Facebook page are to be believed. One shopper called it “an amazing gem in the heart of Huntington village.” Another complimented Ambrosio, saying, “You won’t find a more knowledgeable purveyor of cheese.”
The cheese expert said he takes care to make sure customers enjoy every part of shopping at Le Bon Fromage.
“I think a big part of it is you have to provide an interesting and good shopping experience for people, and that’s intangible. You don’t take [that] home and you don’t eat it, but that’s part of the experience too.”
Le Bon Fromage and The Crushed Olive are located at 278 Main St. in Huntington.
Ellen Michelmore was the musical director at Theatre Three. File photo
Ellen Michelmore, who served as the Theatre Three musical director for more than 25 years, died early Friday morning, the theater said on its Facebook page. She was 63.
Since her start with a production of “Evita” in 1986, Michelmore worked with hundreds of actors and musicians at the theater in her hometown of Port Jefferson. Even through a few battles with leiomyosarcoma, a cancer that infects muscle tissue, Michelmore was known for her energy and for giving her all, and was named a Port Times Record Person of the Year in 2014.
Ellen Michelmore was the musical director at Theatre Three. File photo
“She is a craftsperson, an artist, a teacher and a mentor,” Theatre Three Executive Director Jeffrey Sanzel said at that time. He quoted composer Jerry Herman to describe her style: “‘Someone puts themselves last, so that you can come first.’ That is Ellen.”
People who knew her have called her generous, patient, kind, strong and remarkable. And she made a mean Bolognese sauce.
“I don’t think there was a single person who ever came across her who didn’t love her,” Sanzel said in a phone interview on Friday. “And I’m not one to use superlatives [but] she was an extraordinary human being, she was an artist, but just the depth of her love and compassion and sensitivity were unlike anyone we’ve ever had in this theater family, and her loss will be felt forever.”
As the lead of Theatre Three’s music department, Michelmore touched both audiences and staff.
Musician Michael Chiusano said people who worked with her respected and appreciated her honesty: “If your part is not prepared, she will tell you where you stand,” he said previously.
Ellen Michelmore as a young child. File photo
And Broadway actress and singer Amy Justman, who began working with Michelmore as a 10-year-old in 1989, said the music director was “kind and giving but tough.”
“I had never seen a woman like Ellen,” she said when Michelmore was named a Person of the Year. “She sent me on a path. … I have a lifelong connection to her and am so grateful for her.”
Michelmore played such a big role in the Theatre Three community that the theater honored her with a musical tribute in 2014, called “Ellen Michelmore: Notes From The Heart,” that featured singers, actors and musicians who had worked with her.
Michelmore is survived by her husband, Jeff Lange, who is also a musician. He has previously noted, “Ellen’s passion has been her job ever since she arrived at Theatre Three.”
Her presence is not something that will soon be forgotten at the theater. Sanzel said Friday, “In all that she’s been through in these last five years, her bravery was extraordinary and she never stopped loving all the people around her.”
Funeral arrangements had not yet been made early Friday afternoon.
Senior midfielder Justin Eck fires at the cage. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
Middle Country countered Half Hollow Hills West’s four unanswered goals with four of their own to close within one in the second quarter of Division I boys’ lacrosse action Thursday afternoon, but the Mad Dogs couldn’t maintain the same level as the Colts and fell 15-9 in their second to last game of the season.
Trailing by two, Middle Country finally got on the scoreboard when junior Ryan Wheeler dished the ball to classmate and midfielder Michael Benasutti, who drove his shot home to cut the lead in half, to 2-1, at the 4:30 mark of the opening quarter.
The Colts countered by rattling off four unanswered goals in the next two minutes for a 6-1 advantage in the opening minute of the second quarter, but the Mad Dogs found a rhythm and scored four of their own, beginning with senior midfielder Kyle Stemke, to pull within one goal. Next to score was senior attack Ty Tracey, who connected for the score on a pass from senior attack David Garcia, the cutter, and Stemke struck again with a blast just outside the crease with six minutes left in the half to help his team close within two, 6-4.
Senior attack David Garcia gets checked. Photo by Bill Landon
“They’re a strong team — it just comes down to heart and that plays a major role in the game,” Stemke said.
Garcia’s stick spoke next when his shot stretched the net to shave the deficit to 6-5 at the 2:33 mark.
Garcia said knowing his teammates since childhood has helped the team developed a bond both on and off the field.
“We knew that they were a very good team, we worked hard and we’ve played our whole lives together,” Garcia said, adding that his team was able to come back because “we kept each other up and we stayed positive the whole way.”
The Mad Dogs came no closer though, as the Colts rattled the cage with five more goals in less than two minutes, to surge ahead 11-5 at the halftime break.
Middle Country opened the third quarter able to hold the Colts in check, and junior attack Matthew Gensinger’s drilled one past the goalie to stop the onslaught. Unlike the final minutes of the second quarter, the Middle Country defense was able to hold its opponent, limiting the Colts to just two goals in the third, but the Mad Dogs failed to score again until the final quarter.
With less than five minutes left in the game, junior midfielder Jessie McKeever fed senior midfielder Justin Eck on a cut, and he drilled his shot just inside the pipes to trail 13-7.
Middle Country kept pace the rest of the way, with junior Nicholas Belmonte and sophomore Daniel Hogan countering two Half Hollow Hills goals, but the team’s efforts were not enough to catch the Colts.
Middle Country head coach Christopher Siragusa said he thought his team would have been able to keep up with its opponent if it weren’t for the last two minutes of the second quarter.
Senior midfielder Kyle Stemke sprints to the crease. Photo by Bill Landon
“I thought that we could handle them,” he said. “It depended on what team we had on the field — we’re a strong character team, we fought with every team we faced this season, even the top dogs. We thought we had a good shot at it.”
Senior goalkeeper Christian Brody said he wasn’t surprised by Half Hollow Hills West, and knew he would have a busy day between the pipes.
“They’re what we expected — they’re heavy shooters and they swing the ball very well,” said Brody, who finished with 11 saves. “But it’s all about how our defense sets up, and we had great stops on defense. They did a good job.”
Stemke said he’s felt honored to play on the same field as his goalkeeper, who has worked hard to keep the team in games this season.
“Our goalie played great,” he said. “He’s having a great year and I can’t thank him enough for getting in that cage every game.”
With the loss, Middle Country drops to 4-9, and will finish out the season hosting Lindenhurst on Thursday at 7 p.m.
This version corrects the Half Hollow Hills West mascot.
Soledad O’Brien is a recipient this year of an honorary degree at the Stony Brook University commencement ceremony. Photo from SBU
Two all stars from New York will receive honorary degrees this month at Stony Brook University’s 56th annual commencement ceremony.
Eric H. Holder Jr. and Soledad O’Brien were named this year’s honorary recipients for their contributions in their respective fields, the university said in a statement. Holder, the 82nd attorney general of the United States, will receive a doctor of law degree, while O’Brien, a Long Island native and award-winning journalist, will receive a doctor of letters.
Both recipients will address the Seawolves class of 2016 and sport academic regalia right alongside the nearly 6,000 other graduates at LaValle Stadium on May 20.
Eric Holder is a recipient this year of an honorary degree at the Stony Brook University commencement ceremony. Photo from SBU
“This is a remarkable distinction for the class of 2016, to be joined by individuals who personify what Stony Brook embraces — the relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to make a real difference,” said Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. “Eric Holder embodies the progress and values of our country through his strong leadership and legacy of justice and fortitude. Soledad O’Brien exemplifies the vision of our University as she is actively engaged in the critical issues of our time — initiating and exploring important national conversations. I am looking forward to officially welcoming Eric Holder and Soledad O’Brien as fellow Seawolves.”
Holder served as the attorney general of the United States under the leadership of U.S. President Barack Obama between 2009 and 2015. During his tenure, the president praised him for his “toughness and independence,” the university said in a statement.
Originally from the Bronx, Holder is the first African American to be the attorney general. While serving in that role, Holder announced and oversaw $1 billion in federal grants to law enforcement agencies in every state to support the hiring of police officers.
He also actively aided the war against terrorism, providing the names of the conspirators for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Holder previously served as a United States attorney for the District of Columbia for U.S. President Bill Clinton, a judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia appointed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and the deputy attorney general under Janet Reno. Holder earned a Bachelor of Arts in American history from Columbia University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.
O’Brien is an American broadcast journalist, executive producer and philanthropist who has become a fixture in global news on major platforms, the university said. A former co-anchor of CNN’s “American Morning,” O’Brien is now chairman of the Starfish Media Group, reporting and producing stories that have appeared on CNN, HBO and Al Jazeera America. Before joining CNN, O’Brien anchored NBC’s “Weekend Today” and contributed reports for weekend editions of the “NBC Nightly News.”
O’Brien’s recent noteworthy documentaries include “Black in America: The New Promised Land-Silicon Valley.”
O’Brien has been recognized for numerous awards and honors, including two Emmy Awards, George Foster Peabody awards, an Alfred I. DuPont Award, an NAACP President’s Award, the CINE Golden Eagle Award and “Journalist of the Year” from the National Association of Black Journalists. She is a Harvard University graduate and the daughter of Edward O’Brien, a founding professor at Stony Brook.
Firefighters stand around the house on Dawson Street after the fire was stopped last night. Photo by Steve Silverman
A 76-year-old man died last night after being trapped in his burning Dawson Street home.
The Huntington Manor Fire Department and Suffolk County Police Department responded just after 9 p.m. on Thursday to a report of a residential fire in Huntington Station with an occupant trapped inside. During a search of the house, firefighters located Henry Lindemann and removed him from the blazing home.
Police officer Angela Ferrara, a member of the SCPD’s Medical Crisis Action Team, began advanced life support measures, placing an advanced airway for patient ventilation and administering intravenous fluids. Huntington Community First Aid Squad transported Lindemann to Huntington Hospital, and Ferrara and EMTs continued advanced life support on the way, but he died at the hospital a short time later.
The victim’s sister, 68-year-old Diane Lindemann, had been able to escape the burning house. She was treated for smoke inhalation at Huntington Hospital.
Firefighters stand around the house on Dawson Street after the fire was stopped last night. Photo by Steve Silverman
About 65 firefighters using eight trucks from the Huntington Manor, Melville and Huntington fire departments battled the blaze, which was controlled within 45 minutes, under the command of Huntington Manor Chief Frank McQuade and supported by Assistant Chiefs Mike DePasquale, Jon Hoffmann and Chuck Brady. Ambulance crews from the Melville, Dix Hills and Halesite fire departments, as well as paramedics from the Town of Huntington Cyanide Response Team, assisted at the scene. The Greenlawn Fire Department handled standby coverage.
The fire is under investigation by the SCPD Arson and Homicide Squads and the Town of Huntington fire marshal, but police said the fire did not appear suspicious.
New jobs in new industries are constantly coming up. There is no college major that fits to these yet-to-exist jobs, so students can take comfort that their success is not bound by their decision to study art history or physics. Photo from Ryan DeVito
By Ryan DeVito
You are not defined by your college major. High school students often struggle under the pressure of not only choosing a college but also pre-selecting a major that will lead to a certain career. Fortunately, there is no definite pathway to most jobs.
A college major is simply a medium for greater exploration of something. With few exceptions, college curricula are designed to expose students to a wide variety of coursework. The major itself can constitute as little as one quarter of a student’s credits over the course of their college career. Those credit hours are focused on one particular field of interest that may or may not have any bearing on a student’s future career goals.
I majored in political science in college. Instead of viewing my college experience as a means for securing a job after graduation, I approached college as an opportunity to learn widely. Political science was, and still is, interesting to me, so I chose to focus my studies in that field. However, I never had any intention of pursuing any of the assumed paths of a political science major: law school, political campaigning or lobbying.
Political science formed the foundation of my college education, but it in no way defines who I am or where I hope to take my career. My story isn’t uncommon, either. College graduates nationwide are increasingly departing from their college majors to pursue jobs that are sometimes completely unrelated. After all, the modern economy is constantly changing and the opportunity to discover new passions and interests is ever expanding.
High school students may be surprised to learn how little bearing a college major has on a lifetime trajectory. Medical doctors are often examples of how your college major can be unrelated to your endgame. An increasing number of medical students have undergraduate degrees that are outside of the sciences, and many medical schools look for candidates with nonscience backgrounds. Why? Because medical schools want to produce well-rounded doctors who can better connect with their patients.
This is an age when people need to be adaptable. Essentially gone are the days when you could graduate from college and assume that a lifetime job would be waiting for you. Instead, today’s college students need to be versatile and innovative.
Not only is the job landscape constantly changing, but so are your personal interests. In a widely referenced statistic, the average young person today changes careers more than three times in their lifetime. That’s careers, not jobs.
A college major should allow you to feed a passion. Selecting a major based on career prospects is a losing proposition. And what really matters is not your major but your drive. The research of economists Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger suggests that college major is much less important than the student’s inherent ability, motivation and ambition. Studying art history or horticulture are not death sentences for your future. Just the opposite is true if you are motivated to search out the opportunities you want. Also, every experience can be translated into a desirable job skill. From interpersonal communication to organization to management, any major can be effectively pitched to be a desirable package for potential employers.
High school and college students shouldn’t feel as though their future is at stake when they choose a major. Rather, they should think about how they can use their academic interests to reach their goals. There is no set path. With some inventiveness and innovation, today’s students can create opportunity regardless of what they study in college.
Ryan DeVito is a Miller Place native and a graduate of SUNY Geneseo. DeVito is a counselor at High Point University and also started his own college advising company, ScholarScope, to help Long Island students and their families.
The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program’s future at Mount Sinai may be nonexistent if the school can’t get the necessary funding. File photo by Barbara Donlon
By Kevin Redding
In 2013, the Mount Sinai School District and Port Jefferson School District partnered up for a new college-level program that would give their high school students an opportunity to study a wide range of science-oriented subjects and utilize the available resources at Stony Brook University.
The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program was set up largely due to the efforts of the districts’ superintendents, Gordon Brosdal of Mount Sinai and Kenneth Bossert of Port Jefferson, and New York State Senator Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) — who helped fund the program through grants since its inception. Now entering its third year, the STEM program — which consists of about 20 bright students in total from both high schools and lasts a few weeks each semester — includes four workshops, covering a wide range of topics that include botany, physics, computer modeling, electrical engineering and penguin research. Students get early on-campus experience at Stony Brook University, working under professors and advisers, and learning to apply their skill sets through research and hard work to make an impact on the world.
“Beyond just the cool things and getting us passionate about science, it’s taught us [amazing] life skills,” says Ben May, a junior at Mount Sinai who’s been in the program for two and a half years. “When I came to high school, I wanted to [pursue] politics. What these courses have taught me is that not only could I help the world by passing legislation, but that I could pass laws based on my knowledge of science, and the environmental issues I’ve learned, to help the general population.”
Even though the program itself is extremely beneficial, its future is not quite secured.
After New York State passed the Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014, which allocated $2 billion for school districts in the state to help provide students with the most up-to-date educational technology like Apple computers and tablets in the classroom, mostly in anticipation for online testing, LaValle’s grant for STEM per school district took a drop: $25,000 became $12,500. Since the program is not funded by the district’s budget, the two school districts pay for it themselves from the money LaValle supplies them. Without LaValle’s additional funding, the school districts must put it up to a budget vote, leaving the decision of whether to keep the program going or not to people who may not fully appreciate what the program does.
According to Brosdal, the trimmed funding might get them through the year, but it’s still worrisome. There’s also added uncertainty when it comes to the continued partnership between Mount Sinai and Port Jefferson — their transportation splits are making the program very costly. Bossert is leaving Port Jefferson to become superintendent at Elwood school district, and there’s no guarantee that his replacement will share his views on the importance of the STEM program.
“We rely on [Port Jefferson] and we’ve enjoyed this relationship with them, but the new superintendent might have different priorities,” Brosdal said. “You never know, and we don’t know if LaValle is going to continue the funding. That was a warning sign last year when our funds were cut in half.”
Brodsal said he hopes the funding does not end, because if it was unsuccessful from the start, he believes Stony Brook would have cancelled it instead.
“They wouldn’t let us back on the campus if they didn’t see that the money went to good use, but they do, and it’s a good experience, so I’m hoping it continues,” he said. “I would love to continue the STEM program, but if that’s not possible, I’d like to give money to form a science research club first, before we make a science research class. … to see if we have student interest. That’s my plan at present.”
Brosdale will meet with LaValle at the end of the week for an update on the funding situation, as well as find out who will be the new superintendent at Port Jefferson.
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