Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station will host a Job Fair by the Suffolk County One-Stop Employment Center on Tuesday, Aug. 23, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“The Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing & Consumer Affairs continues to offer a variety of services and programs, such as the One-Stop Employment Center, that provide valuable guidance to those who are looking for employment,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D). “We hope that our residents in the Port Jefferson area and along the North Shore will take advantage of this opportunity to explore potential career paths or job opportunities.”
The following employers are scheduled to attend: ACLD, Access Home Care, American Pool, Association for Mental Health and Wellness, Attentive Care, Comfort Keepers, DDI, East End Disability, East West Industries, EPIC LI, FREE, HEAP, Home Depot, LI Cares, Maxim Homecare, NBTY, New York Life Insurance, Teachers Federal Credit Union, The Odyssey Group, UCP of Suffolk, United Healthcare, Urban League Mature Workers Program, US Postal Service, Utopia, Verizon Wireless and more. All residents in need of a job are encouraged to attend and no registration is required.
Job candidates in need of proper attire for an interview should contact Career Couture at 631-853-6769.
For further information, please call the library at 631-928-1212.
'Prepping for the Race' by Holly Gordon. Image from Holly Gordon
By Rita J. Egan
When two talented artists work together, the result can be picture perfect. Such is the case with watercolor artist Ward Hooper and photographer Holly Gordon, who shortly after meeting almost three years ago formed The Brush/Lens Project.
Currently, art lovers and travelers alike can enjoy the result of this artistic duo’s immense talents as well as inspiring friendship. Eight pairings of the artists’ paintings and photographs are on display at the Atrium Gallery at Long Island MacArthur Airport in an exhibit presented by the Islip Arts Council.
In addition to the art show, the two will host a slide show and talk at the Bay Shore-Brightwaters Library Aug. 23. The event will allow art aficionados the chance to ask Hooper and Gordon about their collaboration as well as their process for perfectly pairing their works of art.
The alliance began on social media after a mutual friend introduced the two. Gordon said she looked at Hooper’s work online and found he had painted similar sites and themes that she had photographed. She realized the two not only shared an interest in creating art but also an appreciation of the landscapes of Long Island.
‘Dove-Torr House’ by Holly Gordon. Image from Holly Gordon‘Dove-Torr House’ by Ward Hooper. Image from Holly Gordon
“For the past 50 years we have been destined to connect, because we have so been living parallel lives independently, and so three years ago they converged,” Gordon said.
A painting of Hooper’s that he created of Long Island City during his commuter days from Northport to Manhattan especially stood out to the photographer. The image reminded her of a photo she had taken along the New Jersey Turnpike, and she posted it to Hooper’s Facebook page.
When Gordon was preparing for a tulip photography exhibit, while Hooper was teaching how to paint the flower at an art class in his home, the artists experienced a bit of synchronicity once again. Noticing a number of similarities in their lives and work, the two decided it was time to meet in person.
The pair said they began meeting every Tuesday, and Hooper would have an itinerary of places to visit as well as a route planned out. They started in Northport at a Victorian house off Woodbine Avenue and then branched out east, according to the painter. “So every Tuesday, it was an adventure,” Gordon said.
At first Hooper would stay by the car or sit on a bench while sketching. Gordon said he would instruct her as to where to go to capture interesting images based on his memories from past excursions with fellow artists, some of the trips made as long as 20 years ago.
“It was very nostalgic to me, remembering fond memories of those outings with friends who are no longer around, so it was very special. And being there with Holly, she was looking at it with fresh eyes, so I was so anxious to see what Holly came up with every week,” Hooper said.
When they began presenting their work under The Brush/Lens Project name, Gordon would photograph spots based on existing paintings of Hooper’s if she didn’t already have an image. Hooper said he hadn’t painted for years when he met the photographer due to the passing of his wife, Dolly, and being her primary caregiver.
“When this lady dropped into my life, it was very special and wonderful at exactly the time it was truly meaningful to me. And here we are,” the painter said. Gordon said she understood his pain but also knew the healing power of creativity. After suddenly losing her husband of 20 years in 1996, the photographer said she had held onto her camera like a life preserver to come to grips with her loss.
Hooper quickly became inspired to paint again and recently has created new work to pair with Gordon’s. “Creativity is a blessing. I can’t imagine a life without creativity,” the painter said. Gordon has noticed the difference the collaboration and friendship has made in both of their lives. “He really in many respects has given me a crash course on the earlier part of his life, and he has taken me into his world, and it’s really expanded what I am doing today creatively, but it also has given Ward an enormous verve and enthusiasm to move on and do new things,” she said.
When it comes to Hooper’s paintings, Gordon said, “His paint brush is jumping and dancing all over the place. It is ageless. It is just filled with so much vitality and verve.” The admiration is mutual as Hooper describes Gordon as “an amazing photographic artist” whose work is easily recognizable due to her unique, “imaginative stamp” she puts on each of her photographs. He said of her work, “It jumps off the wall and dances.”
‘Race Day’ by Ward Hooper. Image from Holly Gordon‘Prepping for the Race’ by Holly Gordon. Image from Holly Gordon
Immediately after their exhibit at the airport, The Brush/Lens Project paintings and photographs will be on display at the Islip Town Hall Rotunda Gallery, 655 Main St., until Oct. 5. The painter and photographer hope local residents will take the opportunity to view their different interpretations of local areas and maybe see Long Island landscapes in a different way.
“We put ourselves out there for all to see and hopefully they’ll come away with an interesting visual experience,” Hooper said. Gordon added, “I hope that they will see more clearly themselves. Take more time to see and appreciate what’s out and in front of them, because so often people are just so scattered that they don’t focus. And, also to see how wonderful creativity is, because here are two people who can look at the same subject but be affected to respond to it differently.”
The Brush/Lens Project exhibit will be on display at the Atrium Gallery at Long Island MacArthur Airport, 100 Arrival Ave., Ronkonkoma, until Aug. 30. Hooper and Gordon’s talk and slide show takes place Aug. 23 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bay Shore-Brightwaters Library, 1 South Country Road, Brightwaters. To reserve a spot for the free event, call 631-665-4350.
For more information on The Brush/Lens Project, visit www.brushlensproject.com.
Registered microchips give lost pets the best chance of returning home. Stock photo
By Matthew Kearns, DVM
The bond between pet owner and pet is almost always immediate and lasts a lifetime. Conversely, the thought of losing a pet is terrible. Having one dog and three cats, I sometimes imagine how it would be if any of them were missing for days (or longer) and cringe. I then let out a sigh of relief realizing that since the advent of pet microchip identification, many a lost pet has been returned to their owner safe and sound.
As a matter of fact, microchips have become so common that two major veterinary associations (the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association) have teamed up to celebrate Check the Chip Day annually on Aug. 15.
A microchip is an identification chip and does not contain a power source. Once inserted, the chip will not give off any energy that could be harmful to your pet. The chip is passive, or inert. What that means is, when the microchip scanner is waved over it, the chip receives energy similar to a radio antenna. The chip then gives the scanner back the energy in the way of data, or information.
Pet microchips are very small (about the size of a grain of rice) and can be injected under the skin without any anesthetic. I do not wish to imply that the pets that receive this injection do not feel the needle, but it is far from major surgery. At our hospital we offer to implant the chip at the time of spay or neuter (when the patient is already anesthetized) to reduce the anxiety and discomfort of the patient. These chips do not tend to migrate after implantation and rarely cause any discomfort.
Evidence that microchips cause cancer is not completely true and has been greatly exaggerated in the media and on the internet. It is true that these chips have been documented to cause a type of cancer called “injection site sarcoma” in lab mice and rats. However, these animals are very prone to this type of cancer when any material is injected under the skin. To this date there is only ONE documented case of cancer in a dog that was directly linked to the implantation of a microchip.
Concerns that microchips and microchip scanners are not as successful at identifying pets is outdated information. Currently, almost all microchip manufacturers follow the ISO (International Standards Organization) guidelines. The ISO has recommended a global microchip frequency standard that is consistent worldwide. Also, newer microchip scanners can scan at multiple frequencies to identify both ISO and non-ISO microchips.
A 2009 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association noted 75 percent of dogs and 65 percent of cats that were turned over to shelters were able to be reunited with their owners via the microchip. Of those owners that were not reunited, 35 percent had disconnected phones and another 25 percent never returned phone calls from the shelter.
So let’s celebrate Check the Chip Day and not be afraid to microchip our pets. Also don’t forget to register the chip to your contact information after placement. Enjoy the end of the summer!
Dr. Kearns practices veterinary medicine from his Port Jefferson office.
Come meet Tank at Homeless Animals Day this Saturday. Photo by Colm Ashe
Sammi is looking for his forever home. Photo by Colm Ashe
Sweet Dinah will be up for adoption at Homeless Animals Day. Photo by Colm Ashe
Meet Percy at Homeless Animals Day. Photo by Colm Ashe
Come meet Chopstick at Homeless Animals Day. Photo by Colm Ashe
Come meet Katie at Homeless Animals Day. Photo by Colm Ashe
Lynn, a young tabby, is up for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. Photo by Colm Ashe
Star is one of 11 dogs that you can meet at the Smithtown Animal Shelter's event this Saturday. Photo by Colm Ashe
By Colm Ashe
This Saturday, Aug. 20, the Smithtown Animal Shelter will host an event to commemorate Homeless Animals Day, an international day dedicated to raising awareness about the millions of domestic animals that suffer from neglect and abuse every year. The day of awareness was introduced by the International Society of Animal Rights in 1992 and, according to Smithtown Animal Shelter volunteer Michele DeSanti, was officially recognized in Smithtown “over 10 years ago.” This is the first year that Smithtown Animal Shelter has organized an event centered around the day. DeSanti and the dedicated team at the shelter plan to celebrate this day in a “big way from this year on forward.”
The goal of the event is simple: find loving homes for the pets who were rescued from the darkest corners of Smithtown and given a second chance at life. Considering the conditions some of these animals were put through, the shelter might even be considered their first chance at life.
For animals like Sammi, the nervous Cane Corso, Smithtown’s homey facility is paradise compared to the cage she was locked in for the first 5 years of her tortured life. Sammi was saved from a hoarding situation where 46 other dogs suffered under the ownership of neglectful breeders. When the volunteers rescued her last February, she was skin and bones and frightened even by a garbage can. Though her fur has regained its luster and her body has gained some healthy weight, the trauma lingers on inside her heavy eyes.
Beside Sammi, the shelter is home to 10 more dogs such as Dinah, the energetic bull terrier blend who would be perfect for an athletic family, and the lovable Tank, a beautiful, stocky pit bull whose playful personality would be a great fit for a family with kids. There is also a cat sanctuary, full of approximately 30 rescued cats, and about 30 kittens roaming free and playing all day. The list of wonderful animals is extensive, and the shelter hopes to shorten that list at its event on Saturday.
The festivities kick off at 11 a.m., when Pastor Kathleen Kufs, a modern interfaith minister, will open the ceremony with a blessing for the animals in the shelter, as well as other companion animals in the community.
“We encourage all Smithtown residents and beyond to bring your companion animals to the shelter to be blessed. We think it is a fitting way to kick off Homeless Animals Day,” DeSanti said.
At 1:30 p.m. Peter Borchelt, a certified applies animal behavior consultant based in Brooklyn, will give a talk about dog aggression, teaching pet owners how to predict and prevent it. Borchelt will also present an interactive learning experience by answering questions and engaging the audience. From 3 to 4 p.m., Charlene Sorrentino, dog trainer, canine behaviorist and founder of The Dog Chick, will provide the audience with some essential knowledge regarding how to give a shelter dog the life it needs. Sorrentino works with several other rescues on Long Island and has built a reputation as a mentor for trainers in the area.
Finally, from 4 to 6 p.m., renowned psychic Jim Fargiano will offer group readings for up to 20 pet owners. Fargiano is a medium and a healer famous for his ability to communicate with both dogs and humans that have passed. In addition, the day will feature live music, kids activities, vendors, food and a visit by a wildlife rescue organization, the STAR Foundation.
Though the event is jam-packed with exciting features, International Homeless Animals Day is not successful if it doesn’t end with adopted animals. People like Jim McCourt, the proud guardian of a rescue dog, are urging others to answer the call for compassion. McCourt said people will “never know the gratitude of a rescued animal until [they] rescue [one themselves].”
The Smithtown Animal Shelter is located at 410 East Main St. in Smithtown. For more information, please call 631-360-7575.
Bohack’s Grocery Store, headquartered in Maspeth, Queens, was in business for 90 years before filing for bankruptcy in 1977. The chain opened many supermarkets across Long Island during that time. Do you know where and when this ribbon cutting photo was taken? Do you recognize anyone? Email your answers to [email protected]. To see more wonderful vintage photographs like these, visit The Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s ongoing exhibit, It Takes a Team to Build a Village, at The WMHO’s Educational & Cultural Center, 97P Main Street, Stony Brook. For more information, call 631-751-2244.
A previous performance of 'Rapunzel: A Tangled Fairytale' at the Engeman Theater. Photo by Jessie Eppelheimer
By Heidi Sutton
The temperature on the dashboard read a muggy 101 degrees as I parked the car on Main Street in Northport last Saturday morning on my way to review the John W. Engeman Theater’s latest children’s presentation, “Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale.” Stepping into the theater, the air was cool and inviting as Disney princess music drifted through the speakers and little girls in blue dresses and blonde wigs hurried to their seats. The beautiful theater, with its elegant chandelier and giant tapestries on the walls depicting different fairy tales, is the perfect venue for this timeless love story.
The tale of “Rapunzel” can be traced back to the 11th century in some form or another but was made famous by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. With book and lyrics by ”Friends” creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman with music by Michael Skloff, the Engeman’s version combines the traditional tale with Disney’s “Tangled” and makes for great entertainment.
Jennifer Collester Tully skillfully directs a talented cast of four who all play multiple roles in this hilarious musical.
It’s Rapunzel’s 16th birthday and her only birthday wish is to be able to leave the tower for one day and see the world. Her “mother” the witch at first promises to grant her wish but then changes her mind. Meanwhile, Prince Brian, who in his quest to do a heroic deed, is searching the countryside for a damsel in distress and comes upon the tower. “A maiden in a tower and a wicked witch? This is great!” he exclaims and, along with his loyal valet Simon, hatches a plan to save the girl with the longest hair in the world.
Stephanie Krasner as Rapunzel. Photo by Jessie Eppelheimer
Stephanie Krasner gives a fine performance as the beautiful and very naive Rapunzel and the tall and handsome Andrew McCluskey is the perfect prince.
Keith Weiss tackles the role of narrator, Simon the Valet, the witch’s boyfriend, the king and even a cow with boundless energy and enthusiasm and at times seems to be having way too much fun! Weiss draws the most laughs and does a superb job.
TracyLynn Connor is perfectly cast in the role of Gretta the witch. Not too scary, not too sweet and sporting a magic ring that “can do absolutely anything” Connor commands the stage and steals the show.
A nice touch is the occasional interaction with the young audience. At one point the witch misplaces her magic ring and frantically asks the children to help her find it (it’s on her other hand). When Rapunzel and the Prince wander through the forest to the castle, they stroll through the theater’s aisles asking the children what they should have for breakfast once they get there. (Pancakes was the most popular answer.)
Accompanied by electronic feed, the musical numbers are fun and upbeat. Krasner and McCluskey’s duet, “The First Step Is the Hardest” is terrific and Krasner’s solo “Me, My Hair and I” is very sweet. Weiss’ solo,“Wooing a Witch” is delightful and Connor and Weiss’ duet, “Growing Up,” is pure fun.
The costumes, designed by Jess Costagliola, are on point, from Rapunzel’s 10-foot wig to the witch’s black dress, and the play utilizes the amazing set from the evening’s show, “Mamma Mia!” which conveniently features a tower.
Meet the entire cast in the lobby after the show for pictures and autographs. An autograph page is conveniently located toward the back of the program.
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, will present “Rapunzel: A Tangled Fairytale” on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. through Sept. 11. Running time is 90 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.
Up next will be the beloved musical, “The Wizard of Oz” from Oct. 1 to Nov. 6 followed by the theater’s annual production of “Frosty” from Nov. 26 to Dec. 31. The season continues in the new year with Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen” from Jan. 28 to March 5, 2017, and ends with “Madagascar — A Musical Adventure!” from March 25 to April 30. Tickets are $15 per person. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Did you know?
The Rapunzel plant was once widely grown in Europe for its leaves, which were used like spinach, and its parsnip-like root, which was used like a radish. In the Brothers Grimm tale, the witch chose to name the child Rapunzel after this plant, which was stolen from her garden by Rapunzel’s parents.
Donald Gennarelli was charged with 14 counts of larceny, once at a McDonald's on Route 25A in Miller Place. Photo from SCPD
Suffolk County Police today arrested Donald Gennarelli for committing multiple larcenies from 14 Suffolk County stores over the past two months.
Officers from the 3rd Precinct Crime Section initiated an investigation to multiple larcenies occurring within the area, and discovered that similar larcenies had occurred in other precincts.
The suspect would engage the teller and appear to purchase a product, and when the teller opened the register he would jump over the counter and take money.
Detectives from the Major Case United were assigned to the investigation, and the joint investigation resulted in 3rd Precinct Crime Section Officers Joseph Passantino, and Matthew Fernandez arresting Gennarelli in Islip on Aug. 17.
Gennarelli was charged with larcenies from the following businesses:
Dunkin Donuts, located at 411 Furrows Road, Holbrook, June 16.
Dunkin Donuts, located at 19 Bay Shore Road, Bay Shore on June 18.
Dunkin Donuts located at 280 Sunrise Highway, North Lindenhurst on July 1.
Dunkin Donuts located at 155 Sunrise Highway Lindenhurst on July 4.
Dunkin Donuts located at 529 East Main Street, Bay Shore on July 5.
CVS located at 15 West Main Street, East Islip on July 6.
7-11 located at 500 Islip Avenue, Islip, on July 9.
Dunkin Donuts located at 13 West Main Street, East Islip, on July 11.
McDonald’s, located at 4498 Sunrise Highway, Oakdale on July 12.
Dunkin Donuts, located at 13 West Main Street, East Islip on July 18.
7-11 located at 4506 Sunrise Highway, Oakdale on July 25.
CVS located at 1944 Deer Park Avenue, Deer Park, on July 27.
Subway located at 1105 Horseblock Road, Medford on August 1.
McDonald’s, located at 340 Route 25A Miller Place on August 2.
The suspect was charged with 14 counts of petit larceny and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle. He was held overnight at the 3rd Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned today at First District Court in Central Islip.
Dennis Cullen is charged with drowning his mother. Photo from SCPD
A 63-year-old woman was found dead in the back yard of her Lloyd Harbor home on Wednesday, Aug. 17.
Lloyd Harbor Police officers found Elizabeth Cullen’s body after they received a request to check on her welfare at her residence on White Hill Road. Once she was found dead, Lloyd Harbor Police contacted Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives to conduct an investigation.
While police forces were at the house, Denis D. Cullen Jr., the victim’s son, came home and police arrested him and charged him with second-degree murder.
No attorney information on the 23-year-old was immediately available.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine and Councilwoman Jane Bonner were on-site in Rocky Point for the knocking down of a zombie home on Monroe Street earlier this year. Photo from Town of Brookhaven
By Wenhao Ma
Brookhaven Town is doing everything it can to clean up neighborhoods in their area.
The town board unanimously passed a resolution to submit a grant application to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services to request funding for the Town Fire Marshals’ Anti-Blight Housing Code Enforcement Project July 21.
The town hopes to receive $25,000 from the state government to help with the cost of assessing neglected homes.
The Anti-Blight Housing Code Enforcement Project, according to town spokesman Kevin Molloy, has been going on for three-and-a-half years. It was designed to assess the abandoned properties that have harmful conditions and come up with resolutions to either repair or remove them. All the grant money, if approved, will be spent on the assessments of the homes. A mobile app is being developed for residents to report blighted buildings.
Molloy said the town’s law department and the fire marshal are responsible for the assessments. If the town attorney or fire marshal determines a house to be a threat to the neighborhood, the town may contact the owner, or when necessary, demolish the house, according to Brookhaven Town Code. The owner will be charged with the cost of tearing down the building.
“With every demolition, every property cleanup and every court case we pursue, we are turning communities around and giving people the quality of life that they deserve.”
— Dan Panico
Molloy said blighted properties can be a real danger to residents. People who enter a house that is unsafe may hurt themselves and, if the condition of the property constitutes a fire hazard, it could endanger the surrounding buildings and residents.
Safety is not the only reason for the town to establish such a project. Property values of homes suffer when an unkempt house is nearby.
One abandoned house in the neighborhood, Molloy said, could decrease the value of all the houses in the vicinity. By demolishing it, the project helps boost the value of other properties.
Eliminating “zombie homes” has long been a battle taken up by current board members.
“With every demolition, every property cleanup and every court case we pursue,” said Councilman Dan Panico (R-Manorville) July 15 in a statement after the demolition of an abandoned house in Mastic, “we are turning communities around and giving people the quality of life that they deserve.”
Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) was on site for a demolition on Monroe Street in Rocky Point in June.
“Nearly every community in Brookhaven Town has been hit by the increase of vacant, neglected houses,” Romaine said. “Unfortunately, many of them are run-down and not secure from animals and squatters. We will continue to clean up properties.”
Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) also attended the Rocky Point demolition.
“I am very happy for the residents that live on the street,” she said following the demolition. “Some stopped by during the demolition just to say how very thankful they were that it was coming down.”
With the help of the grant money, more homes could be demolished in an effort to clean up the neighborhoods of the North Shore.
Suffolk County Police arrested Patel Sanjaykumar for selling alcohol to a minor in Centereach on Aug. 17.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers received tips of alcohol being sold to minors at the Mobil gas station, located at 2033 Middle Country Road. Sixth Precinct Crime Control, working with an underage agent, conducted a check of the business in accordance with the New York State Liquor Authority. The employee, Sanjaykumar, sold an alcoholic beverage to the underage agent and was arrested.
Sanjaykumar, 28, of Babylon was charged with sale to a minor and issued a field appearance ticket for arraignment at a later date.
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