The Father Seyfried Council, Knights of Columbus will hold its annual clothing drive to help local families on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days. Members will be accepting adult and children’s clothing, shoes, sneakers and boots at the Knights of Columbus Hall 44 Church Street, Kings Park. Call Bob at 631-724-1410 for more info.
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! This is an official Bah Humbug notice that the 25th annual Village of Port Jefferson Charles Dickens Festival is canceled this year. As the festival attracts over 25,000 people on the first weekend after Thanksgiving weekend in December, the COVID-19 pandemic makes safety first the rule for this family favorite event.
“The Village is so disappointed to postpone the 25th Silver Anniversary of our beloved festival founded by former Mayor Jeanne Garant,” said Mayor Margot Garant.
“But we honor and respect the need to protect our public, our cherished volunteer base and the establishments and houses of worship that traditionally open their doors to host the festivities. It is our primary objective to protect the health and wellness of our community and maintain the ability to keep our businesses open and operating safely under the current NY State guidelines.”
“The 25th Anniversary Dickens Festival was in the works right after the close of 2019’s presentation,” said Allan Varela, Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council Chair and Executive Producer of the Festival since 2005.
“While we were planning bigger, better, happier and more magical, Covid-19 hit the international stage forcing our hand to cancel this year. Too many people descend on the Village to enjoy the festivities making social distancing impossible. As sad as this is, we simply cannot risk anyone catching COVID. So, the Bah Humbug award will be taken away from Mr. Scrooge and given to Mr. Virus!” he said.
Stay tuned for Dickens plans in the future.
The percentage of positive tests for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has increased in the last week, particularly among younger residents.
Positive tests over the last seven days increased to 2.17%, which is up from 1.41% in the prior week, according to County Executive Steve Bellone (D).
“COVID cases are surging in Suffolk County,” Bellone said on a conference call with reporters Nov. 10. “We are seeing what other places in other communities have been experiencing for some time now.”
Indeed, the increase in cases is likely occurring even at gatherings that are following the state-mandated limit of 50 people at any gathering.
On Monday, the positivity rate was 3.8%, which is the first time since May 25 that the rate was above 3%.
Given when these positive tests occurred, Bellone said they are “exactly when we would expect to see cases spiking” from Halloween gatherings.
The majority of the positive tests are among people who are under 65, said Dr. Gregson Pigott, Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, with 27% of the cases among people 25 to 40 and 31% for people who are 41 to 65.
“If we continue to see this surge in positive cases throughout Suffolk County, how long before it gets into that more vulnerable population?” Bellone said.
Bellone urged families to take precautions at gatherings during Thanksgiving by limiting the number of people coming together for the holiday, opening windows when possible, and, if necessary in smaller spaces, wearing masks.
“The current spike we are seeing is clearly related to gatherings,” Bellone said. These gatherings do not violate limits, which is a warning sign. “We have to take precautions to prevent these surges.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) also expressed alarm in a press conference Monday about the spike in COVID cases nationwide, saying we’re likely to have “a long two months.”
Bellone said the county is planning to increase its contact tracers over the next week in response to the increase in positive tests. The county currently has 50 contact tracers and plans to double that to 100 over the next few days, at which point it will double that again.
The number of hospitalizations which, like the testing percentage is not close to where it was during the worst of the pandemic, current stands at 60, which is also a rise from recent weeks, when the number of people hospitalized with the virus hovered between the 20s and 40s.
In recent months, hospitals haven’t seen the “real, real sick COVID patients they were seeing in March,” Pigott said. Residents are typically coming in for a day or two and then are continuing their recovery at home.
In addition to the public health threat an increase in cases poses for a county that had been the epicenter for the pandemic in the U.S. in the spring, the rise in positive tests presents a potential threat to the fragile economy, which is still recovering after an extended lockdown and slow, phased reopening.
“If these trends continue, that could result in certain rollbacks of the economic recovery,” Bellone said.
Bellone urged people in the county to pay close attention to their own symptoms. He recommended that residents stay home when they are not feeling well and get tested.
Testing has become much more widely available in Suffolk County and throughout the state. Information on the location of testing sites is available at suffolkcountyny.gov/Covid19. A list of testing sites is located half way down the screen, in a blue box on the left hand side.
“If you don’t have insurance, the test is free throughout the county,” Bellone said. “Get tested. That will help us get a handle on the surge that is happening right now. Those numbers are concerning, they are disturbing.”
The Town of Huntington held its Veterans Day Ceremony Sunday, Nov. 8, in Veterans Plaza at Huntington Town Hall. The event was limited to 50 people due to the pandemic and included Broadway star Makayla Connolly, upper left photo, singing “God Bless America” and the national anthem. Joining elected Huntington officials including town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) were members of the Veterans Advisory Board and U.S. Coast Guard Station Eaton’s Neck, and veterans organizations from the Huntington area. Chief Brian Keane of the Huntington Fire Department, Chief Jon Hoffmann of the Huntington Manor Fire Department and volunteer firefighters displayed the American flag for the ceremony from fire trucks on Main Street.
As part of the Lake Avenue revitalization project in St. James, Celebrate Park is well under way to bring an inviting space to local residents.
On Wednesday, Nov. 4, Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) joined other elected officials and members of the community to break ground at the soon-to-be Celebrate Park. The new park will sit on the lot formerly occupied by the Irish Viking bar located at 369 Lake Ave. and is part of an $8 million rebuild of St. James’ downtown.
During the press conference, Wehrheim said the project is seven months ahead of schedule.
“We are seeing the rebirth of this beautiful community,” he said. “Vacancies are down, assessed values are up and people are beginning to walk up and down Main Street again.”
The property where the bar sits was put up on a tax lien, and the town and Suffolk County worked together to acquire it through an intergovernmental contract. The space will eventually house a small park and municipal parking lot. The Lake Avenue entrance into the park will be through an arched ceremonial gateway flanked with informational brick piers. A clock will be centered at the top of the arch.
“The park is designed to provide a flexible inviting public space that is defined by classical elements that reflect the rich history of buildings and places in our Historic St. James Cultural and Arts District, and that will be a centerpiece of the downtown revitalization,” said Bob Retnauer, architect with RDA Landscape Architecture of St. James.
Celebrate Park is planned to be arranged around a classical ellipse walkway with the outer edge bordered by brick seat walls. The bricks can be engraved within the walkways and are available for purchase to commemorate families and residents. Festival lights will be hung across the park to create a welcoming atmosphere for anyone who visits.
Natalie Weinstein, president of Celebrate St. James, said the collaboration of local government and volunteers may seem unusual but, by working together, the vision of economic revitalization is getting close.
“It has been a bumpy road, as progress usually is, but when all the bumps are gone — as they soon will be — we can look back at this time and know we have done the right thing for our town, today and for its future,” she said.
Demolition of the Irish Viking bar began after the groundbreaking. According to Weinstein, the project should be completed by next spring.
Suffolk County Police detectives are investigating a shooting that seriously injured a man in Selden Sunday night.
Police said a 22-year-old man was shot outside Fairfield at Selden, an apartment complex located at 111 College Road, at around 8:50 p.m. The victim, a resident of the apartment complex, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Police did not release the name of the man or which hospital he was being sent to.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call 6th Squad detectives at 631-854-8652 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS (8477). All calls are kept confidential.
*UPDATE* Police said Grady Whidbee, of Terryville, has been located unharmed.
Suffolk County Police have issued a Silver Alert for a missing Terryville man who has dementia.
Police said Grady Whidbee left Woodhaven Adult Home, located at 1350 Route 112, Nov. 6 at around 3:30 p.m. Whidbee is a resident of the facility.
Whidbee, 67, is Black, 5 feet 8 inches tall, approximately 220 pounds with grey hair. He was last seen wearing a blue and red coat and sneakers. He uses a walker.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on Whidbee’s location to call 911 or the 6th Squad at 631-854-8652.
Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel
It is the fall of 2000. It is a world of chunky cellphones, dial-up modems, AOL Instant Messaging, and VHS tapes. Alice (a mesmerizingly authentic Natalia Dyer) is a high school junior in a strict mid-western Catholic school. Written and directed with insight and an incredibly skilled hand, Karen Maine has created an engaging coming-of-age story, Yes, God, Yes. It is both laugh-out-loud funny and brutally honest.
The film opens with a teacher (the wonderfully dour Donna Lynne Champlin) passing out detentions and monitoring the hall like an avenging meter maid. This sets the tone for the emotionally claustrophobic atmosphere in the school, where abstinence is taught and (seemingly) embraced by the student body.
What comes to light very quickly is that Alice is the subject of an unsavory rumor about an occurrence at a recent party. The scandal spreads as Alice tries to quell the accusation that she doesn’t fully understand. She is both buoyed up and beaten down by her BFF, Laura (Francesca Reale, bringing just the right amount of acid to this borderline mean girl). Alice is also struggling with her burgeoning awareness of her own sexuality and desires, which further complicate the already challenging situation.
The majority of the film takes place on a four-day Kirkos retreat, where the students go to connect with themselves and with their connection to God and their religion. It is here that Alice comes face-to-face with both the caring and sensitivity of some of the students as well as the hypocrisy that often comes with repression.
Guilt and gossip flower along with misinformation. There are some extreme moments and some jaw-dropping revelations. There is also terrific humor. After Alice is punished for holding onto her cellphone, one of the girls gives her a s’more from the campfire she missed: “We pretended each marshmallow was a mortal sin before burning it.”
Maine pulls no punches. She presents these people in all of their flaws. And that is the heart of the film. She creates people and therefore legitimate tension. These are not the cyphers and stereotypes found in many teen movies. Instead, there is an inherent truth in her reflection of this particular corner of the universe.
Not all is played as satirical attack; there are instances of genuine compassion. One of the students leading the retreat, Nina (a warmly present Alisha Boe), tells how she has always felt absent in her large family. It is a touching moment and her sharing is met with sympathy and understanding. Letters from their parents are read out loud. Again, they are not greeted with smirks and eye rolls but appreciated with less embarrassment than would be expected. These are sweet and kind flashes of welcomed contrast.
But even in the midst of this idyllic retreat of finding self, the vicious buzz continues to haunt and chase Alice, leading her to several less than generous choices. Ultimately, she takes some if not all the responsibility one would hope.
Timothy Simons (Veep), as Father Murphy, the spiritual leader of both school and retreat, dodges complete caricature. He has some very questionable actions but there is a sense that, more often than not, he is attempting to do the right thing for these children in his care. He is eventually confronted with his own contradictions but it is not presented as a revenge opportunity but more a look at his personal fallibility.
Alice receives the best and most honest answers when she escapes into a lesbian bar. It is owner Gina (Susan Blackwell, grounded and kind) who gives Alice the best advice she gets the entire film — before bringing her back safely to the retreat.
The entire cast is excellent and the young actors manage to come across as “kids,” even in some of the more excessive sections. But it is Natalia Dyer’s Alice who is the heart and heartbeat of the film. In her life, she is both heroine and her own worst enemy. And Dyer makes every moment work.
Yes, God, Yes is not for everyone. It is crass in the way that young people are not always careful. It tells some unsavory truths. It is boundary-pushing and often cringe-inducing. But it is a beautiful, dimensional portrait of a genuine young person struggling in a real world.
Rated R, Yes, God, Yes is currently streaming on Netflix.
By Barbara Beltrami
The way things look, it’s going to be a long, isolated winter indoors. So, determined to extend our outdoor life even as the weather gets chilly and the garden goes brown, we’ve treated ourselves to a fire pit for the patio and are hoping we can bundle up, hunker down and keep warm long into the season as we fortify ourselves with lots of hearty stews and soups. Here are three unusual and delicious stews to try.
Chicken and Chickpea Stew
YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 celery ribs, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
One 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes w/ juice
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
4 chicken breast halves, bone in
One 15 ounce can chick peas, rinsed/drained
DIRECTIONS:
In an approximately 6-quart saucepan or pot, warm oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrots and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is opaque, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add tomatoes, broth, parsley, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and chicken breasts; be sure the chicken is submerged in the liquid. Bring liquid to a simmer, stir occasionally, and turn breasts once until they are almost cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. With tongs, remove chicken and set on work surface till cool enough to handle, 5 to 10 minutes; discard bay leaf. Meanwhile add chick peas to mixture and simmer until liquid is reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove skin and bones from chicken, cut meat into bite-size pieces and return to pot; bring stew to a simmer, then serve piping hot with crusty bread and a Caesar salad.
Pork and Sweet Potato Stew with Prunes
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
2 large onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup dry white wine
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped pitted prunes, soaked in hot water
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Season pork with salt and pepper. In Dutch oven or large enameled cast iron pot, heat half the oil over medium-high heat, add the pork and stirring occasionally, brown it on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. remove and set aside to keep warm. Meanwhile in small saucepan, over high heat, boil chicken broth until reduced by half, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add remaining oil to Dutch oven, then onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are opaque, about 5 minutes; stir in garlic, cumin, pepper and bay leaf and cook over medium heat about one minute, until ingredients release their aroma; add wine and boil until reduced by half, then stir in tomatoes, broth and pork; bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to oven; cook for one hour. Return pot to stove top, add sweet potatoes; cook over medium heat until they are tender, about 20 minutes; drain prunes and add to pot; cook 5 more minutes; discard bay leaf. Serve hot with a side of cauliflower.
Sausage, Cannellini Bean and Broccoli Rabe Stew
YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Three 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained,
1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems removed, then washed drained and sliced into 1” pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until opaque, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add broth, bay leaf, beans, broccoli rabe, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then cook, covered, over medium-low heat about 10 to 15 minutes, until broccoli rabe is tender. Discard bay leaf. Place in soup tureen and drizzle with oil and grated cheese. Serve hot with orzo.
The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport is looking once again for a local family that can donate one of its own trees for this year’s Tree Lighting celebration. It must be local, from family property, and from 30 to 35 feet tall. Last year, a Centereach family donated a 40-foot tree that 30 years earlier had been a live spruce purchased as the family’s first Christmas tree.
Since 1987, the Vanderbilt has placed a very large tree in the Mansion Courtyard and decorated it for the holidays. Every year, the Museum has invited the community to join the staff on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, to light the tree and inaugurate the holiday season. This very popular community event draws several hundred people every year. (This year, to allow for social distancing, the tree will be set up on the Great Lawn of the Vanderbilt Mansion.)
The donor will be acknowledged on a sign next to the tree, and the donation will be publicized to the media, along with other Museum holiday events and programs. Anyone who is interested may contact Jim Munson, the Vanderbilt Museum’s operations supervisor: [email protected].
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