On June 19, the Town of Brookhaven Black History Commission (BHC) held its annual “Juneteenth” celebration in recognition of the 156th anniversary of the end of slavery in 1865. The event was held at the historic Longwood Estate in Ridge and included a BBQ picnic, games, music, dancing and activities for children. Pictured from left, Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn; BHC member Leah Jefferson; BHC member Dr. Georgette Grier-Key; Supervisor Ed Romaine; BHC Chairwoman Dr. Corrinne Graham; Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich; BHC member Myles Green; BHC member Charlotte Pressley; Councilman Michael Loguercio; and BHC member Clayton Hudson.
About the Town of Brookhaven Black History Commission: In 1991, a Black History Month Committee was formed in observance of Black History Month. Two years later, the Town Board established a permanent Black History Commission to provide continuity in planning and organizing a Black History Night celebration every February. The purpose of these celebrations is to acknowledge and honor the contributions of national and local African Americans, nationally and locally, while fostering an appreciation for their culture and heritage. In 2014, the Town board recognized that celebrating African American culture should not be limited to one specific month, so they unanimously passed a resolution expanding and broadening the scope of the Black History Commission. The commission now works on year-round programming to promote black history and culture in the Town of Brookhaven through events and community outreach.
The Town of Smithtown Administration and the Recreation Department kicked off its annual Summer Concert Season at Long Beach and Hoyt Farm over the weekend. On Friday nights, residents can enjoy live music at Long Beach in Nissequogue beginning at 7 p.m. On Sundays, residents can head over to Hoyt Farm in Commack for another fantastic evening of music starting at 7 Pp.m. The Summer concert series features a vast selection of musical genres from doo wop and classic rock, to billboard hits from some of the best tribute bands on the Island.
“We’re so grateful and thrilled to present this year’s Summer concert series at Hoyt Farm and Long Beach. These concerts are so much more than just a fun night out. They are a celebration; representing all that is unique within our great community and all we have to be thankful for. So mark your calendars, load up the car with beach chairs, and a blanket, bring the whole family down and enjoy the festivities this Summer.” – Supervisor Ed Wehrheim
The Town sponsored concerts are free for Smithtown Residents. A Town parking sticker or proof of residency is required upon entering Long Beach and Hoyt Farm.
Concert schedules are as follows:
Long Beach: Fridays at 7 p.m.
Friday, June 25th- Cold Spring Harbor Band (Billy Joel Tribute)
Friday, July 2nd- Ed Travers Band (Jimmy Buffet Tribute)
Friday, July 9th- Guilty Pleasures (80’s Band)
Friday, July 16th- Endless Summer (Beach Boys Tribute)
Friday, July 23rd- The Dedications (50’s, 60’s)
Friday, August 6th- Let It Bleed (Rolling Stones Tribute)
Friday, August 13th- Drop the 4 (Funk, R & B)
Friday, August 20th- Naked Truth
Friday, September 3rd- Allmost Brothers (Allman Brothers Tribute)
RAIN DATE (Long Beach): Friday, July 30th
Hoyt Farm: Sundays at 7 p.m. (Kids Day: July 18 from 3 to 7 p.m.)
Sunday, June 27th- Southbound (Country Night)
Sunday, July 11th- Brothers & Friends (Marshall Tucker Tribute)
Sunday, July 18th- Kids Day (3:00-7:00PM) *Raindate- Sunday, August 29th
Sunday, July 25th- The Dedications (50’s/60’s)
Sunday, August 1st- Radio Flashback (70’s/80’s)
Sunday, August 8th- Kerry Kearney Band (Blues)
Sunday, August 15th- Foreign Journey (featuring C. Maroulis)
Sunday, August 22nd- That 70’s Band (70’s)
Hoyt Concert Raindates: September 5th & 12th
*Concerts are open to Smithtown residents on a first-come, first-served basis. If either venue reaches capacity, an alert will go out on the official Town of Smithtown Mobile App. (Residents are encouraged to download the app which is free on Google Play and the Apple App Store.) Smithtown residency is verified upon admission to the townparks.
A Gentle Reminder:
As we return to a sense of normalcy, residents are reminded to please remain vigilant and stay home if you are feeling sick. Always remember to follow appropriate respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Valedictorian Chana Lyubich speaks during the commencement ceremony. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Salutatorian Allen Hu speaks during the commencement ceremony. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Connor Huges with his perfect attendance award. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo from Three Village Central School District
Ward Melville High School Principal William Bernhard is pictured with special award recipient John Woram. Photo from Three Village Central School District
A scene from Ward Melville High School's 2021 graduation June 27. Photo from Three Village Central School District
Hundreds of smiling faces filled the front lawn of Ward Melville High School as the Class of 2021 received their diplomas Sunday, June 27.
Valedictorian Chana Lyubich and salutatorian Allen Hu were among the speakers at the commencement event. Both said they were grateful that there was only one graduation ceremony this year. Last year, the high school held 11 separate socially distanced graduation ceremonies in July to comply with New York State COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines.
Lyubich and Hu thanked their teachers and administrators for helping students navigate the various challenges during the last two academic years. Lyubich said during the pandemic the graduates learned that plans can change in an instant, and “it’s OK to not know where the future will lead us.”
“Now it’s a good time for us to learn and explore because as we mature we not only learn more about the world, but also about ourselves,” she said. “And in the past year, a lot of national issues have been brought to the forefront of discussion, and we might be under the misconception that if you don’t follow a specific path, you won’t contribute to the solution. It can be seen in order to make an impact you need to make grand gestures and bring immediate change. In actuality, lasting change is often more gradual and is brought about through the actions of everyday people. All of us — regardless of our future careers and trajectories — can make the difference in the world through the small choices that we make.”
During the ceremony, Principal William Bernhard gave out two awards. John Woram was recognized for his bravery and courage in fighting cancer. Connor Hughes received a perfect attendance award for all 13 years of school.
After the graduates received their degrees, as the bells rang from the school’s tower, they threw their caps in the air.
From left, Sari Feldman, Jeffrey Hoffman, Meg Bush, Steve McCoy during rehearsal for 'The Fantasticks'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
Summer lineup includes a mainstage production, comedy festival and children’s theater
By Tara Mae
In theaters all over Long Island, the house lights are dimming and seats are waiting to be filled.
In Port Jefferson, Theatre Three is officially reopening with its children’s theater musical The Adventures of Peter Rabbit on Saturdaysfrom July 10 to Aug. 14; the annual, albeit abbreviated, Long Island Comedy Festival on July 9 and 10, and a special production of The Fantasticks from July 16 to Aug. 15.
When the pandemic closed the theater’s doors last March, all programming moved online and plans for reopening began. “We spent pretty much every day for a year, talking about what we would do when we reopen: if this happens, we’ll do this, if that happens, we’ll do that. We were trying to wrap our heads around the guidelines,” said Jeffrey Sanzel, Executive Artistic Director. “The vaccine was the big first step, then the shifting capacity. It’s an ongoing process, still in progress.”
A perennial favorite, ‘The Adventures of Peter Rabbit’ returns July 10.
Through its virtual program “Off-Stage/On-Line,” Theatre Three produced theater throughout the lockdown with audiences attending via Zoom. After putting out a call for original short works to be produced as online plays, Sanzel received approximately 1600 submissions. The last play debuted on June 20. Still available through the theater’s YouTube page, the plays range from 5 to 22 minutes and feature 85 works, 76 playwrights, and 156 actors.
As it invites the public back in, Theatre Three is invoking popular productions to engage its audiences. The Adventures of Peter Rabbit was chosen to relaunch the children’s theater because of its familiarity.
“We do it every year,” said Sanzel. “We thought it would be a great show to reopen the children’s theater, it’s very popular and great for all ages.” All of the theater’s children’s plays are written in-house, according to Sanzel. “I write the book and frequently the lyrics. I also work with other composers.”
Theatre Three’s first in-person special event will be the Long Island Comedy Festival, now in its 15th year. Comedian Paul Anthony, founder and director of the festival, started it at Theatre Three. It has since expanded across Long Island.
“Theatre Three is one of the most iconic theaters on Long Island. We perform at pretty much every theater on Long Island, but Theatre Three, which was originally built as a vaudeville house, has an incredible history and all the elements you could ever want from the theater. Comedians always compliment the acoustics; there is something about the acoustics and feel of the theater, you feel like you’re in Manhattan. On top of that, I have never worked with a more supportive group of people,” said Anthony.
Comedian Paul Anthony hosts the 15th annual Long Island Comedy Festival on July 9 and 10
This year, the theater is having a condensed version of the festival. “We normally present two weekends of the Festival —one at the beginning of the summer and one at the end,” said Sanzel. “We thought it would be a fun, upbeat way of welcoming people back to the theatre.”
For the theater’s first live mainstage production in approximately 16 months, Sanzel chose to present The Fantasticks. The longest running musical, it played for 42 years off-Broadway and is an allegorical tale about two fathers who trick their children into falling in love by pretending to feud.
“We wanted to open with something that has name recognition and strong artistic value, but is incredibly entertaining. It has a beautiful message, it has a small cast, and it’s not tech-heavy. We selected it at a time when we did not know that we could open to full capacity,” Sanzel said. “We’re coming out of the pandemic, strong but bruised by the world. I thought that was part of the message of the show. It also has a glorious score … I knew that I could put together a very strong cast. I knew it was the right time. It’s manageable as we’re reopening.”
Sanzel sought out actors with whom he had previously worked, reaching out to individuals with existing connections to Theatre Three. Meg Bush, of Stony Brook, found that returning to the theater was like coming home. While she was growing up, her mother acted in children’s theater and she took acting classes at before making her official stage debut in Theatre Three’s annual production of A Christmas Carol.
“I’ve been an actor since I was 18, when I did all the touring productions, some mainstage productions, and all of the children’s theater. Jeff breathes life and beauty and humor into each show he directs and moments in between too. He is the life and soul of theater; it’s impossible not to be drawn back. It’s a family,” she said.
Steve McCcoy and Meg Bush star in The Fantasticks. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
While Sanzel had artistic and practical reasons for choosing The Fantasticks, Bush,who plays Luisa/The Girl, views this particular play as both an example and emblem of what makes live theater culturally and emotionally important. “Theater is such a beautifully organic way of producing compassion in everyone who is willing to experience it. We can step into another’s shoes, and open our eyes to the experiences of everyone around us,” she said. “It can be so enlightening and such a gift to see the world outside of our own minds and understand people at their core, without reading it on a page or seeing statistics.”
Steve McCoy, who plays El Gallo/The Narrator, also has a long history with Theatre Three. Already working as a professional actor, he first appeared onstage in Kiss Me, Kate. Later, when he was exploring the production and administrative elements of creating theater, McCoy took a job as associate artistic director, a position he held for seven years before he returned to acting full-time. “I still consider Theatre Three to be my home away from home. I can’t think of a more appropriate and amazing place to get back on stage. It has literally saved my life at times,” he said.
The reopening of Theatre Three is a chance for audiences and performers to reconnect with each other in a way the pandemic prevented. “Theater offers great adventure, which we have been lacking for at least the past year,” said Bush. “It’s such a gift.”
Theatre Three is located at 412 Main Street in Port Jefferson. All seats for The Adventures of Peter Rabbit are $10; Long Island Comedy Festival tickets are $35; and tickets to The Fantasticks are $35 adults, $28 seniors, and $20 students. To order, please call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Independence Day is almost here. And as we make progress in moving past the COVID-19 pandemic, more of us will be able to enjoy Fourth of July activities. However you observe the holiday, it’s important to recognize all the liberties we enjoy in this country. But you may still need to work at one particular type of freedom – and that’s financial freedom. How can you achieve it?
There’s no one instant solution. But you can work toward financial independence by addressing these areas:
Retirement savings – Approximately 45% of Americans think the ideal retirement involves “enjoying my well-earned freedom,” according to the March 2021 Edward Jones/Age Wave Four Pillars of the New Retirement study. But when you’re retired, the risk to this freedom is obvious – the paychecks have stopped but the bills haven’t. Furthermore, you could spend two or three decades in retirement. That’s why it’s so important to contribute as much as you can afford to your tax-advantaged retirement accounts, such as your IRA and your 401(k) or another employer-sponsored plan. At a minimum, put in enough to earn your employer’s matching contribution, if one is offered. Whenever your salary goes up, try to increase the annual amount you put in your 401(k) or similar plan. And if appropriate, make sure you have a reasonable percentage of growth-oriented investments within your 401(k) and IRA. Most people don’t “max out” on their IRA and 401(k) each year, but, if you can consistently afford to do so, and you still have money you could invest, you may want to explore other retirement savings vehicles.
Illness or injury – If you were to become seriously ill or sustain a significant injury and you couldn’t work for an extended period, the loss of income could jeopardize your ability to achieve financial independence. Your employer may offer disability insurance as an employee benefit, but this coverage is typically quite limited, both in duration and in the amount of income being replaced. Consequently, you may want to consider purchasing private disability insurance. Keep in mind that this coverage, also, will have an end date and it probably won’t replace all the income lost while you’re out of work, but it will likely be more expansive and generous than the plan provided by your employer.
Long-term care – Individuals turning 65 have about a 70% chance of eventually needing some type of long-term care, such as a nursing home stay or the assistance of a home health aide, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And these services are quite expensive – the average annual cost for a private room in a nursing home is more than $100,000, according to Genworth, an insurance company. Medicare typically covers only a small part of these expenses, so, to avoid depleting your savings and investments (and possibly subjecting your grown children to a financial burden), you may want to consider long-term care insurance or life insurance with a long-term care component. A financial advisor can help you choose a plan that’s appropriate for your needs.
By addressing these areas, you can go a long way toward attaining your financial independence. It will be a long-term pursuit, but the end goal is worth it.
Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook. Member SIPC.
The Port Jefferson School District announced that Peggy Yin and Massimo Cipriano as the class of 2021 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.
Valedictorian Peggy Yin has had numerous academic accomplishments throughout her high school career. She was captain of the Science Olympiad team and has been a top medalist in both state and regional competitions. As a junior, she helped initiate a partnership to mentor elementary students in science fair projects.
Photo from PJSD
Peggy served as the editor-in-chief of the Mast literary magazine, president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, president of the Latin Club, captain of the Academic Team, an officer of the National Honor Society and an officer and treasurer of the Drama Club. This year, she helped to spearhead a food drive that raised more than $3,000 and food donations for those in need. Peggy is a founder and editor-in-chief of the news media platform, The Current, and is collaborating with Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) on several initiatives.
She has served as a summer intern at both Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, where she worked on cutting-edge projects.
Peggy is a National Merit Scholarship finalist, Battelle Scholarship recipient and a Coca-Cola Scholar semifinalist. Music plays an important role in her life and her musical achievements are plenty with All-County, All-State and All-Eastern honors as a vocalist and flutist among them. She has performed twice onstage as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, has been on the Manhattan School of Music Dean’s List for three years and has been a recipient of five international vocal competitions.
She is active in community and volunteer initiatives, including serving as a youth ambassador for Concerts in Motion and a live radio show host and broadcast engineer for China Blue on WUSB 90.1 FM.
Salutatorian Massimo Cipriano has excelled in many of his classes in Port Jefferson.
He was a member of the Student Organization as a freshman and sophomore and served as secretary for the class of 2021. He served as a student representative for the district’s PTSA and three years as president of the Varsity Club. This year, he was co-president.
Photo from PJSD
Massimo has also been a Royal, a three- sport athlete in his high school career, as a member of the soccer, basketball, and baseball teams. He was also part of the founding team members of The Current, the independent online newspaper, where he is the head of the sports column.
He participates in numerous volunteer and community service actions and recently helped spearhead a pen pal program with veterans at the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook.
Citing English as a favorite subject, Massimo would like to study journalism when he begins college in the fall.
Massimo used his four years in high school to tap into many of the school’s offerings, helping him to become a well-rounded scholar. He commends several high school teachers with encouraging him to continue to embrace the world with kindness, empathy and a positive mindset, and values the mentors and role models they are to him. He is also pleased to have been a student in the district since childhood, citing his gratefulness to a school community that has encouraged lifelong relationships and inspired him to keep his best foot forward.
Both students were honored at a virtual celebration hosted by New York State Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk), recognizing the accomplishments of Long Island’s most accomplished students.
“It was a great pleasure speaking with these remarkable students and hearing about their future plans, accomplishments and favorite memories from high school,” Palumbo said. “We wish them all the best in their future endeavors and congratulate them and their parents on their significant accomplishments.”
Farmingville Hills County Park. Photo by Heidi Sutton
At the General Meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature on June 24, Legislator Nick Caracappa’s bill, IR 1408-2021 was adopted with a unanimous vote.
The intent of the resolution is to honor a former colleague of the Legislature, Tom Muratore, who passed away suddenly on September 8, 2020. Pursuant to Section 215(1) of New York County Law, Farmingville Hills County Park will hereby be renamed “Thomas Muratore County Park.” As the introductory resolution states,
Legislator Nick Caracappa (right), with his predecessor in office, the late Legislator Tom Muratore.
“it would be fitting to name Farmingville Hills County Park in honor of Thomas Muratore to acknowledge his contributions to Suffolk County as someone who dedicated his entire life to public service and reached across the aisle to better the lives of County residents, especially when it came to working together to protect families, our veterans and our quality of life.”
Legislator Caracappa, who serves the Fourth Legislative District where Muratore served previously, is very pleased with the outcome.
“It was a great day at the Suffolk County Legislature, where my bill to rename Farmingville Hills County Park in honor of my friend and a true public servant, Tom Muratore passed unanimously! Tom’s entire career revolved around serving and helping the people of Suffolk County; first as an officer in the SCPD, then as a County Legislator. Thank you to my colleagues for their support, Chairman Jesse Garcia, Chairman Rich Schaefer, the entire Board of Supervisors, and all residents/organizations within the 4th Legislative District for their support and encouragement in seeing this wonderful bill through the process. Congratulations to Linda Muratore and Tom’s entire family on this well-deserved recognition!”
An electroencephalogram (EEG) study of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identified a neural signal that may help explain the variation of how those with ASD perceive or understand the mental states of others (called “Theory of Mind”). Led by Matthew Lerner, PhD, of Stony Brook University, the study is published in Clinical Psychological Science.
While challenges with Theory of Mind have long been associated with ASD, it is now known that many people with ASD do not struggle with his sort of perspective-taking. For example, those with increased autism symptoms do not necessarily exhibit increased deficits in the understanding others socially, and vice versa. However, this variability in Theory of Mind is not well understood.
A total of 78 adolescents ages 11 to 17 participated in the study, most with ASD. With the EEG in place, the participants viewed Theory of Mind vignettes of social scenes and made mental state inferences on the characters’ behavior as their brain activity was recorded.
“We know the brains of those with ASD process social experiences differently, yet little work has linked these differences directly to Theory of Mind,” says Lerner, Associate Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry & Pediatrics in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook. “In our study, we first identified an electrical brain-based marker that relates to Theory of Mind ability in typically-developing teens, and found that it does so in ASD, too. This marker, called the Late Positive Complex (LPC), seems to reflect one’s ability to hold and reflect an idea or situation in one’s mind.”
Lerner and his team found that LPC scores in ASD adolescents related to better Theory of Mind accuracy and fewer ASD symptoms. More importantly, The LPC statistically explained the relationship between ASD symptoms and Theory of Mind accuracy, suggesting that this EEG signal may explain why some individuals with ASD struggle with Theory of Mind.
“Essentially, if this marker is present in someone with ASD, they do not seem to have trouble with Theory of Mind, but if it is absent they do.”
The authors point out that evidence from the EEG study suggests that deficits in Theory of Mind reasoning in those with ASD occur relatively early in the brain process of perception, and stem from difficulties holding an idea or image in mind when it is no longer visible.
They conclude that “the current findings increase understanding of the neural mechanisms implicated in social-cognitive functioning in ASD and further inform clinical practice, research and theory involving social cognition in ASD.”
Shannon Harrington, a senior at Comsewogue High School is the recipient of the 2021 Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce $500 Scholarship.
Shannon impressed the chamber as a volunteer at its 2019 Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce Summer Concerts.
She excelled in the Comsewogue School District’s virtual enterprise course this year, which is taught by Anthony Ketterer.
Shannon is accepted into the honors program in the Haub School of Business of St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia, which she will attend in the fall.
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