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Yearly Archives: 2017

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A boy wears protective glasses during a partial solar eclipse in 2014. Photo from nasa.gov

By Jill Webb

It won’t be an average Monday, Aug. 21, this year as the moon will completely block the sun for two-and-a-half minutes.

The day marks the first total solar eclipse to happen in North America since 1979, and it’s the first one to stretch from coast to coast in 99 years. In a total solar eclipse the disk of the moon seems to entirely cover the disk of the sun. This will happen Monday on a path about 70 miles wide.

A solar eclipse. Stock photo

Unfortunately, Long Island isn’t on the eclipse’s path of totality, but you still will be able to see a partial eclipse. New York will have about 71 percent of the sun covered during the eclipse. At 1:24 p.m. the eclipse begins on Long Island, and will last till 4:01 p.m. The peak eclipse time is 2:46 p.m.

“I think it’s wonderful for families to experience this with their children,” NASA expert Laurie Cantillo said. “It could be an experience like this that will get a child to stop looking at a phone or tablet and look up to the sky and perhaps motivate them to want to learn more.”

Fredrick Walters, an astronomy professor at Stony Brook University, has put together a list of ways to maximize your viewing experience of the eclipse. Walters said to focus on looking at the stars emerging during the daytime, the shadow bands that will appear across the land and the changing colors as the light fades.

Most importantly, you need to have the proper viewing tool: eclipse glasses. Regular sunglasses won’t cut it, and it’s very dangerous to directly expose your eyes to the sun.

“We’ve all been taught ever since we were kids don’t ever look directly at the sun and that advice applies,” Cantillo said. “The only time it’s safe to remove eclipse glasses is if you’re in the path of totality, during those couple minutes of totality.”

Unprotected viewing may not cause immediate pain, but Walters said he has heard of cases of people waking up the next morning with blurry vision or blindness. Some people can recover in months to years, but it’s not worth the risk.

North Shore solar eclipse events

Middle Country Public Library

2017 Solar Eclipse: Celestial Event of the Century

At its Centereach building, the library will be hosting a solar eclipse viewing between 1:15 and 3:45 p.m. Along with the viewing, activities and eclipse glasses will be provided for all ages. Register for the event by calling 631-585-9393.

Huntington Public Library

Astronomy Crafts

From noon to 2:00 p.m. Huntington Public Library will be offering an astronomy craft session at its main building as well as the Huntington Station branch. One of the space-themed crafts is an eclipse on a stick. There will also be a viewing event in the afternoon at both buildings where you will receive a free pair of eclipse glasses; no registration is required. For more information, visit www.thehuntingtonlibrary.org.

Long Island Science Center

Solar Eclipse Event

From 1 to 4 p.m. the Long Island Science Center will be hosting solar activities, live streaming and more. Planetarium presentations will happen at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Admission is $10 and free for children 2 and under. For more information, visit www.lisciencecenter.org.

North Shore Public Library

Catch the Eclipse!

At 1:30 p.m. Tom Madigan of Suffolk County Community College, who is a part of Astronomy for Change, will give a brief presentation on solar eclipses before leading the event outside to view the solar eclipse. Eclipse glasses will be provided. Register for the event by calling 631-929-4488.

South Huntington Public Library

See the Solar Eclipse

Bring some snacks and a blanket to lay out on the lawn behind the library from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. to witness the eclipse. The library will provide glasses (four per family) while supplies last. Inside, the eclipse will be live streamed from NASA in the library’s theater. Visit www.shpl.info for more information.

Maritime Explorium

Totality 2017 Solar Eclipse

Become a citizen scientist at the Maritime Explorium in Port Jefferson by attending a viewing from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and helping to crowd source data for researchers at NASA and EclipseMob. Eclipse glasses will be available while supplies last; no registration required. For more information, visit www.maritimeexplorium.org.

The professor said that these special glasses are basically pieces of Mylar foil shielding your eyes. The glasses should be from proper sources that are certified by testing organizations.

“If you have a pair of eclipse glasses and want to test them, put them on and look —not at the sun — but just look at bright lights and things.” Walters said. “If you can see anything, throw them away. You shouldn’t be able to see [anything] except the sun.”

If you can’t get a pair of eclipse glasses in time, you can DIY them by putting a small round hole in an index card and project the image of the sun onto a flat surface.

“One thing you will notice if you don’t look at the sun through your glasses is if you look at the shadows on the ground, you’ll see the shadows are crescent-shaped,” Walters said.

Leaves in the trees could act as projection tools too, casting multiple tiny crescent-shaped shadows on the ground.

During the partial phase, according to Walters, you won’t notice anything besides the sun getting dimmer.

“Unless, you look at the sun through your eclipse glasses, and you can see the sun is no longer circular — there’s a chunk taken out of it,” Walters said. “But, nothing much changes until you have the total phase of the eclipse because the sun just fades.”

Viewers along the path of totality will have a different viewing experience than Long Islanders.

“Inside the path of totality is completely different, it will be night for two and a half minutes.,” Walters said. “The sun gets completely blocked out, the corona of the sun is about as bright as the full moon, that will provide illumination.”

Walters also pointed out that in the path of totality, regular colors might appear different. Where sunrises and sunsets usually appear to have reddish tints, during the eclipse the tone will have a blue tinge. Another thing to notice is temperature; during the peak eclipse things will get colder.

Eclipses have provided researchers with data to uncover scientific discoveries. This time, the scientists are letting the public partake in their findings.

“One of the things that is being planned for next Monday is the National Solar Observatory and the National Science Foundation have handed out a number of telescopes [and] cameras to people along the eclipse line,” Walters said. “The idea is to have them take pictures and movies and stitch it all together to a 90-minute-long movie of how the sun’s corona is changing. This has never been done.”

If you miss this eclipse, don’t fret because another one is coming April 8, 2024, that will run from Texas through Maine — and upstate New York will be in the path of totality.

“It’s almost a mystical experience — you really have to experience this,” Walters said. “It’s good scientifically, but it’s really a great thing to observe on a human level.”

News 12 meteorologist Rich Hoffman said in an email that the weather forecast for Aug. 21 is good, even though things could change between press time and the eclipse. Hoffman said mostly sunny skies are expected for the day with temperature highs near 84.

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MEET YARMOUTH!

Say hello to Yarmouth, a handsome 8-month-old Shepherd mix who hails from the Bahamas. Sure the weather was nice, but he would much rather have a loving home of his own. Yarmouth is sweet, playful and very affectionate. So hurry down and meet him today! Yarmouth comes neutered, microchipped and up to date on all his vaccines. Kent Animal Shelter is located at 2259 River Road in Calverton. For more information on Yarmouth and other adoptable pets at Kent, please call 631-727-5731 or visit www.kentanimalshelter.com.

Update: Yarmouth has been adopted!

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Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather will go head to head on Aug. 26. Photo courtesy of Fathom Events

Boxing fans will be given the opportunity to watch the most anticipated sporting event of the year live on the big screen in select cinemas on Aug. 26 at 9 p.m., courtesy of Fathom Events. Witness the superfight that no one believed was possible when legendary undefeated world champion Floyd Mayweather battles UFC superstar Conor McGregor in the most anticipated sporting event of the year. Participating theaters in our neck of the woods include Farmingdale Multiplex Cinemas, 1001 Broadhollow Road, Melville and Island 16 Cinema De Lux, 185 Morris Ave., Holtsville. Tickets are $40 at the box office or by visiting www.fathomevents.com.

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'NSP Docks' by Christian White

By Irene Ruddock

If you only attend one gallery exhibit this summer, make it the stunning collection of new paintings by Christian White showing at The Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James this month. White is a multitalented artist creating works in stone, watercolor, graphite, gouache, trompe l’oeil, egg tempera and, of course, his ever popular luscious color-saturated oils paintings.

Your exhibit of new paintings has been described as ‘breathtaking.’ Do you have a favorite piece?

These paintings are an attempt to find something new in subjects that I have painted often over my career. I never really have a favorite piece, I am more interested in how the paintings look together, and I am very happy with how these look as a group.

You refer to yourself as a colorist. What is your secret to creating such pure, clean color that exudes light and atmosphere so well? How do you prepare for painting large pieces?

I believe that if one uses color, it should have a purpose, that is, a decorative, thematic and expressive function in the picture. I have no real secrets to my color ideas, except that I have studied the subject a great deal. I do have certain ways of preparing colors in advance when working on large pieces, which are partly influenced by certain modernist and abstract painters.

You have such a remarkable heritage with five generations of famous painters, architects, poets, sculptors, etc. Who do you admire and learn from most in your family line?

I learned a great deal from everyone in my family who I knew personally. It is hard to say which part of one’s education is most important; I believe everything one learns contributes to who you are. I admired my father, Robert White, a great deal and spent much of my youth learning from him by example. I also admired my maternal grandfather, Joep Nicolas, a lot. I studied with him briefly in Holland, as well as with my aunt, Sylvia Nicolas, and a Japanese sculptor named Shinkichi Tajiri. Joep had a facility and imagination that I never felt I would attain, so yes, I admired that very much, but all of them had important lessons to give.

Is there a present-day artist who you hold in esteem and would like to meet?

I think I would say the South African artist, William Kentridge. He has an originality which I find engrossing and magical, and although he uses some modern technology, most of his work is just charcoal on paper, I love that he creates such original work with such a simple medium.

‘Japanese Maple #2’ by Christian White

Which is your favorite art museum? Is there an art museum that you would like to visit but haven’t yet?

For most of my life I would have said: The Frick. But now I probably spend more of my time at MoMA. I would love to see the Prado some day.

Japanese Maple #2 appears to be a joyfully abstract painting that exudes the wonder and brilliance of autumn. Can you explain a bit about your abstract paintings vs. your more traditional approach?

That is one of several paintings where I have tried to bring exterior space and structure forward into the room, like a window moved forward perhaps. I do not exactly consider these paintings abstract, although I have borrowed some ideas from abstract painters, and I suppose there is a certain feeling akin to “action painting” in its execution.

‘Harbor, March’ by Christian White

The painting ‘Harbor, March’ created quite a stir. What do you think makes it so universally inviting?

That painting was based on a smaller study that I did on a very warm, still day in March last year. I was trying to describe the unusual color of the air that day. I am often trying to capture a familiar subject in a new light. I think the scale of this one gives it a more specific mood, perhaps.

It’s hard to surpass your superb draftsmanship. Would you consider an exhibit with just your graphite drawings? Do you draw with your brush while painting in oils?

I consider drawing to be the basic skill and language that artists use to communicate. In recent years I have become more interested in producing drawings as objects of art, so yes, someday I may have an exhibit of just drawings. Am I drawing with the brush when I paint? Absolutely.

‘A Clutch of Daffodils’ by Christian White

You are presently teaching at The Atelier. Can you tell us why you were drawn to teach and exhibit there?

I was intrigued by the idea of a school that would give students solid foundational skills, in an organized studio setting. I think an emphasis on teaching drawing skills (not just copying from two dimensions) is crucial, though difficult, toward making better artists.

You’ve said that you were influenced by the Southampton artist, Fairfield Porter, a friend of your father. What did you learn from him?

He was also very close to my mother (they were both art critics). Mostly I was influenced by his work, his ability to make realism look so much like modernism, his insistence on making every color a design decision and the way he simplified the subject, without making it any less immediate. Those were things I wanted to do as well.

The Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite 15, St. James will present the exhibition Christian White: Recent Works through Aug. 31. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Sundays. For more information, please call 631-250-9009 or visit www.atelierflowerfield.org.

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Above, Beverly C. Tyler, Lindsey Steward and Donna Smith stand next to the Samuel H. West Blacksmith Shop on the grounds of The Long Island Museum, which will be open for blacksmith demonstrations on Culper Spy Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Organizations team up for island-wide event

On Saturday, Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Long Island Museum and the Ward Melville Heritage Organization in Stony Brook and the Three Village Historical Society and Tri-Spy Tours in Setauket will host a day of spy-related tours and activities for the third annual Culper Spy Day, named for the Culper Spy Ring founded by Benjamin Tallmadge, George Washington’s chief intelligence officer during the Revolutionary War.

The Three Village area, which includes Stony Brook, Setauket and Old Field, is full of hidden intrigue and stories of how America’s first spy ring came together secretly to provide General George Washington the information he needed to turn the tide of the American Revolution.

The 3rd New York Regiment demonstrates musket firing on the Village Green in Setauket at last year’s event.

This year’s event has expanded to include other areas that played key roles in the Culper Spy Ring. Fans of the AMC hit series “Turn,” which has completed its final season, are familiar with Hollywood’s version of the Long Island-based spy group. On Sept. 16 visitors can learn what really happened while enjoying tours, Colonial cooking demonstrations, reenactments and many more family-friendly activities in the Three Villages and across Long Island.

The Long Island Museum will host a lecture at 2 p.m. with John Staudt, adjunct assistant professor of history at Hofstra University. Staudt will present “The Terrible Force of War: Eastern Long Island in the American Revolution.” In addition, blacksmith demonstrations will be ongoing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a special display of Revolutionary War artifacts will be on display.

Among other Culper Spy Day activities, the Three Village Historical Society hosts an interactive Culper SPIES! exhibit and a book signing with award-winning novelist and nonfiction author Selene Castrovilla. Visitors will also enjoy invisible ink demonstrations and Anna Strong’s famed clothesline, used for sending signals to Culper spies working off Long Island’s shores.

Above, living historian Diane Fish will give a Colonial cooking demonstration at the Brewster House during the event. Photo by Heidi Sutton

Ward Melville Heritage Organization will host Colonial cooking demonstrations and tours of historic structures that served as home bases for several spy ring members. Stony Brook University’s Special Collections department will display original letters written to Benjamin Tallmadge from George Washington, and the 3rd New York Regiment will demonstrate musket firing and marching drills on Setauket’s Village Green. The Country House Restaurant will offer a spy-themed lunch and the Ketcham Inn of the Moriches will host a guided tour and dinner at the home of noted spy Benjamin Havens.

Organizations participating in the Culper Spy Day event include The Long Island Museum, the Three Village Historical Society, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, Tri-Spy Tours, Stony Brook University Special Collections, Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, Frank Melville Memorial Park, Three Village Community Trust, Caroline Church of Brookhaven, Setauket Presbyterian Church, Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson (Drowned Meadow Cottage), History Close at Hand, the Country House Restaurant, Times Beacon Record News Media, Raynham Hall, the Smithtown Historical Society, Discover Long Island, Ketcham Inn of the Moriches, and Sagtikos Manor in Bay Shore.

Tickets, which are available at www.tvhs.org, are $25 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 to 12. Children under the age of 6 and veterans will receive free admission. Tickets may be picked up at the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket from Sept. 11 to 15. At that time, visitors will receive a bracelet and a copy of the Culper Spy Day map with all event listings. Tickets are good for admission to participating organizations for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 16 and 17. Additional fees may apply for meals. For a full list of Culper Spy Day activities please visit www.culperspyday.com.

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‘Child’s Play 2’ starring Chucky will kick off the annual Horror Movie Marathon at the CAC.

By Kevin Redding

As summer winds down, the Halloween season sets in and nobody kicks off the spookiest time of the year better than the folks over at the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington. In collaboration with Retro Picture Show for the second year in a row, the theater unleashes its 13th annual “Pay To Get Out” Horror Movie Marathon to the masses on Saturday, Aug. 26, starting at 10 p.m.

For 12 hours, moviegoers will be treated to a blood-splattered serving of six horror films, ranging from the popular to the forgotten and spanning the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, all shown in glorious 35mm.

Stephen King makes a cameo appearance in ‘Pet Sematary

The night’s lineup includes everybody’s favorite killer doll in “Child’s Play 2” (1990); Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary” (1989); horror legend John Carpenter’s overlooked “Prince of Darkness” (1987), celebrating its 30th anniversary; “Blackenstein” (1973), the blaxploitation sendup of Mary Shelley’s classic tale; the once-X-rated “I Drink Your Blood” (1971); and Grindhouse Releasing’s “Trailer Apocalypse,” a feature-length compilation of creepy and nauseating trailers sure to thrill each and every horror lover in the crowd.

Plus, as is tradition, there will be a bonus mystery film that won’t be revealed to the audience until it starts.

The idea is that each film will get increasingly more and more deranged as the marathon goes on — an endurance test of which Jigsaw would surely approve — until those in the audience who have “survived” the experience emerge from the theater the next morning. Anyone who does will receive $10 back on their ticket and a free breakfast of bagels and coffee in the Sky Room Cafe after the final feature.

John Carpenter’s ‘Prince of Darkness’ wages war on mankind.

In typical Retro Picture Show fashion, five raffle winners will be announced at the top of the evening, with prizes including an official “I Drink Your Blood” collectible toy to coincide with its Blu-ray release, a brand new “Blackenstein” Blu-ray, the vinyl soundtrack of “Pet Sematary” and a CD soundtrack of “Prince of Darkness.”

“It’s a special year for us because 13, in horror movie terms, is a moment to celebrate,” said Raj Tawney, director of publicity and promotions for Cinema Arts Centre. “I always encourage everybody to give it a shot but I think you have to be a horror movie fan to sit through these kinds of films. Anybody else wouldn’t really appreciate the artistry these films have to offer.”

Tawney said the horror movie loyalists who come to the marathon year after year are among the most passionate audience members ever.

“Those that come out are such big fans, we always get a packed house,” he said. “They bring pillows and blankets from home to get themselves comfortable all night and many do make it through the entire event. People have a great time.”

Returning as curator of the marathon is Retro Picture Show, a Long Island-based revival screening series focused primarily on horror, sci-fi and exploitation films. Run by husband and wife team Michael and Nina Ciani, the company hosts monthly series at the theater, most recently a special “Sleepaway Camp” triple feature last month that included a special guest appearance by actress Felissa Rose. Back in May, Retro Picture Show launched its online store and will be selling event T-shirts and posters during the marathon.

“I’m excited for the entire lineup [this year],” Michael Ciani, who curates all the company’s programs, said. “Curating the lineup is probably my favorite part, then announcing it and seeing everyone’s reaction. It takes hours of dedication over the course of a few months, many factors are taken into consideration … it’s definitely not a simple process.”

‘Child’s Play 2’ starring Chucky will kick off the annual Horror Movie Marathon at the CAC.

Among the movies Ciani’s most looking forward to screening with the crowd are “Blackenstein” and “I Drink Your Blood,” by far the least known and strangest entries of the night. “[They’ll] give the evening a nice exploitation and grindhouse feel,” he said. “These movies are crazy and perfect for an all-night marathon. Dozing off in your seat and waking up to the insane sights and sounds of ‘Blackenstein.’ That’s what it’s all about.”

Although the marathon has had a handful of different curators since it began, Tawney said Ciani brings a special touch to the event.

“He puts so much passion and thought into the movies that he’s showing and kind of takes you on this roller coaster ride throughout the evening,” Tawney said. “So much effort is put into his design and artwork and into the culture he’s cultivating through these screenings. He’s really developing a brand here and we’re really happy to be part of that experience. We’re kind of giving Retro Picture Show the forum to experiment and develop their film exhibition.”

And to also scare the living daylights out of people.

The Cinema Arts Centre is located at 423 Park Ave. in Huntington. Tickets for the 13th annual Pay to Get Out Horror Movie Marathon are $45 per person, $40 for Cinema Arts Centre members. To order call 631-423-7610 or visit www.cinemaartscentre.org. For more information on upcoming Retro Picture Show events, including its 2017 Halloween Horrorthon, visit www.retropictureshow.com.

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By Elof Axel Carlson

Elof Axel Carlson

We tend to generalize in making judgments about ourselves and others. Some claim they are self-made and promote their work ethic as the reason for their success. Some claim they are victims of circumstances over which they had limited control. Examples exist of people who have moved from rags to riches, and no one would blame victims of racial prejudice or the Holocaust for the misery they or their family members experienced.

In my own life I can think of many such events that have either made my life possible or significantly influenced it. My father told my brother and me that when his father was on a business trip from Stockholm, Sweden, to Hamburg, Germany, he was walking down a street when a German officer was walking directly toward him.

It was the custom there to step in the gutter to let a military officer have the right of way. My grandfather felt no such sense of obligation and felt his side of the road was appropriate for continuing his walk. The officer pulled out his sword and slapped my father’s face with it. The insult made him a pacifist, and that outlook was passed on to my father and to me. It also made him shorten his trip, and he went to Normandy to visit friends and relatives who had a summer house near the Baltic Sea.

There he met the young woman he eventually married, my grandmother, Amanda, who lived near Göteborg. I can say that I owe my existence to a slap in the face. My parents, too, met in a strange circumstance.

My mother was selling key rings on Broadway in Manhattan on a cold winter day. She entered a hotel entrance on 75th street to warm up, and the doorman told her to go downstairs to warm up in the employee’s room. There she met a Swedish elevator operator who was changing out of his uniform to go home. He took her to dinner and that began the courtship of my parents. I could say I owe my existence to a sympathetic doorman who felt compassion on a woman down on her luck.

When I was a graduate student at Indiana University, I met my wife Nedra, also by a curious circumstance. I had written letters to my parents and friends and lacked 3-cent stamps to mail them. I asked around and was told there was a girl who may have stamps who was usually working in a laboratory the floor above me. I knocked on the door and met a nervous undergraduate who did have stamps and I invited her to tea. When she did not come, I brought the tea to her. That was our first day of courtship. I could say that I owe my marriage to Nedra to a 3-cent stamp.

I do not doubt that such chance events play major roles in our lives. But most of our lives are under our control and shaped by habits and circumstances. We do not choose our partners randomly. Assortative mating is influenced by religion, race, ethnicity, social class, education, looks, personality and many other features that steer us toward or away from possible partners. Before the 20th century most marriages were arranged or required parental approval.

But it is not just social factors that determine how we come into this world. Each act of intercourse involves tens of millions of sperm. The odds of the one that made you on a particular day were not predictable when that sperm was in a testis or when it made its initial way to the cervix of the uterus and eventually to the oviduct where it would meet the egg that formed you.

That is quite a contrast to the injection of single sperm into an egg during a form of in vitro fertilization (IVF) used by infertile couples where the sperm has problems wiggling its tail or having the right surface proteins to recognize it is encountering an egg. In that case we get the paradoxical conclusion that the child born by the IVF procedure owes its existence to the father being sterile!

Life is filled with rare events, the overwhelming number of them not even being recognized as significant in our lives. At the same time society is so organized that much of what we do is planned and anticipated and goes essentially as we hoped it would.

Elof Axel Carlson is a distinguished teaching professor emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Stony Brook University.

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Billie Phillips, the original owner of Billie's 1890 Saloon, will retake control of the Port Jefferson property on Main Street. File photo by Elana Glowatz

By Alex Petroski

A decades-old Port Jefferson institution that has remained closed since a June 2016 fire could be moving toward reopening, thanks in large part to an agreement between Port Jefferson Village and the building owner.

Billie’s 1890 Saloon had to close its Main Street doors June 27 last year after a fire in the kitchen caused severe damage, and exposed several building code violations that required remedy before the business could be reopened. During an Aug. 7 village board meeting, Mayor Margot Garant and the board of trustees approved a resolution that should expedite the process.

Among the code violations — of which there were about 20 — from the village’s building department was a requirement for the installation of a bathroom that meets requirements laid out by the Americans with Disabilities Act. An ADA compliant bathroom would not fit on the main level of the building, which houses the bar, according to Garant, so instead, the building owner planned to move the kitchen to the basement and turn the former kitchen on the main floor into the new restrooms.

Because of the change of use of the building, an aspect of the village code was triggered requiring additional parking spaces be added. Being that no space was available on the property for the additional parking, the building owner could instead submit a payment in lieu of parking to the village, which is allowed under the code.

Instead of squaring the requirement with actual dollars, the village and building owner Joey Zangrillo entered into an agreement for Zangrillo to deed over land in the rear of the property, which is currently used for parking, over to the village. As a result, Zangrillo will essentially own the property that houses the building, and the remainder of the parcel will be deeded to the village.

“In talking with parking committee and Larry [LaPointe, deputy mayor], we find the land to be extremely valuable,” Garant said during the meeting. “You can’t really put a price point or tag on the size of the lot.”

The deal would be subject to approval by Suffolk County prior to finalization to ensure moving the kitchen to the basement is adherent to county regulations. As a result of the deal, Billie Phillips — the original business owner for more than 35 years who was not at the helm at the time of the fire but has since entered a lease agreement with Zangrillo to reopen Billie’s 1890 Saloon — said he is hoping to be ready to reopen in early 2018.

“This is a more than fair bargain from the village’s point of view,” said LaPointe, who is also a trustee, during the meeting. According to Garant, the area being acquired by the village is used as an informal parking area, though it will now have actual spaces painted and associated with municipal meters.

Brian Egan, the village attorney, explained that the difference in owning municipal parking spaces and leasing them to property owners from the village’s perspective is that it prevents disputes, confusion and potential lawsuits when property changes hands.

“Unlike every other municipality you would assume owns the municipal parking fields, we are a patchwork in that back parking lot,” he said.

Zangrillo praised Garant and the village for their hard work in helping to facilitate the deal and get the establishment back on track for reopening.

“The village has been nothing but extremely helpful to me as a landlord,” he said in a phone interview. “I’m looking forward to many, many years of a great relationship with my tenant. I’m looking to get Billie’s up and running for my concerned friends and villagers who have been asking.”

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The Word Play Masters Invitational is based on the Washington Post’s Style Invitational column, in which readers are invited to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.

Past winners include:

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus: A person who’s both stupid and an a–hole.

3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

5. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

6. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

7. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it.

8. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

9. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

10. Karmageddon: It’s like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it’s, like, a serious bummer.

11. Decafalon (n): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

12. Glibido: All talk and no action.

13. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

14. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you’ve accidentally walked through a spider web.

15. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at 3 a.m. and cannot be cast out.

16. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you’re eating.

The winners of another competition seeking alternative meanings for common words are:

1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.

6. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

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