Comsewogue senior Vincent Herbstman passes inside in a Div II matchup at home against Hauppauge May 14. Photo by Bill Landon
Timeout Comsewogue
Comsewogue head coach Pete Mitchell with some encouragement! Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue attack Michael Katz fires on goal at home against Hauppauge May 14. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue attack Michael Katz fights for a loose ball at home against Hauppauge May 14. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue attack Michael Katz scores on Hauppauge at home May 14. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue attack Michael Katz scores on Hauppauge at home May 14. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue attack Michael Katz drives on a Hauppauge defender at home May 14. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue attack Michael Katz drives towards the crease at home against Hauppauge May 14. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue keeper Mason Oak with the save in a Div II matchup at home against Hauppauge. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue junior Kevin Radmann wins at “X” in a Div II matchup at home against Hauppauge May 14. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue sophomore Justin Bonacci looks for a cutter in a Div II matchup at home against Hauppauge May 14. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue senior James Mantione looks for a cutter in a Div II matchup at home against Hauppauge May 14. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue senior Jake Deacy looks for a lane against visiting Hauppauge May 14. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue attack Corey Watson scores with a shot between the defenders legs at home against Hauppauge. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue senior Corey Watson from behind the net at home against Hauppauge. Bill Landon photo
Comsewogue midfielder Brett Deagan gets head checked by a Hauppauge defender in a Div II matchup at home May 14. Bill Landon photo
It was Corey Watson’s stick that led the way for the Comsewogue Warriors with five goals in the Division II matchup at home against Hauppauge May 14.
Comsewogue’s offense struggled early in the game having to overcome three unanswered goals by the Eagles. Overcame they did when senior attackman Corey Watson scored two goals back-to-back, Vincent Herbstman answered the call with a goal then Watson followed scoring two more. Michael Katz got on the scoreboard for a 7-4 lead late in the third quarter. The Warriors controlled the game the rest of the way, allowing Hauppauge only one last score, to win it 12-5
Watson topped the scoring chart for the Warriors with five. Katz finished with three goals, and teammates Jake Deacy, James Mantione and Justin Bonacci each scored. Senior goalkeeper Mason Oak saved six.
The win lifts Comsewogue to 4-1 for a share of third place in the division behind Mount Sinai and Shoreham Wading River.
Shoreham-Wading River junior Carlie Cutinella looks for a cutter for the Wildcats in a home game against Bayport May 15. Photo by Bill Landon
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Timeout Shoreham-Wading River
Freshman attack Natalie Wilson looks for a cutter for the Wildcats in a home game against Bayport. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River sophomore Graceann Leonard shot on goal for the Wildcats in a home game against Bayport May 15. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River sophomore Graceann Leonard midfield for the Wildcats in a home game against Bayport May 15. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River junior Catherine Erb sets the play for the Wildcats in a home game against Bayport May 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Catherine Erb re-directs for the Wildcats in a home game against Bayport May 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Carlie Cutinella looks for a cutter for the Wildcats in a home game against Bayport May 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Sophomore defender Brooke Meltcher clears the ball for the Wildcats in a home game against Bayport May 15. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River senior Brooke Langella breaks down field for the Wildcats in a Div II matchup against Bayport May 15. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River sophomores Abigail Beran passes to Graceann Leonard for the Wildcats in a Div II matchup against Bayport May 15. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham Wading River looked to break a 3-game losing streak but had their hands full when the Bayport-Blue Point came knocking where the Phantom’s tamed the Wildcats 15-4 in a Div-II match-up May 15. Carlie Cutinella scored on a cut to even the score at one all at the 17-minute mark, but the Phantoms edged away scoring two unanswered goals and then four more before Graceann Leonard scored on a penalty shot ten minutes into the 2nd half.
Shoreham-Wading River junior Catherine Erb’s shot found the net 2-minutes later for the Wildcats but Bayport would score five more in the final 11-minutes of play.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 2-4 while Bayport remains atop the Div II leaderboard at 6-0.
Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York (Little Flower) hosted their first-ever FOSTERING HOPE virtual fundraiser on Thursday, April 29 via Zoom.
Together with their guests, Little Flower raised over $70,000 to support their programs and services for children in foster care and people with developmental disabilities.
Little Flower recognized inaugural Youth Ambassadors of Hope, Kailey Perkins and Laura Lee, of the Young Entrepreneurs Scholars. Kailey and Laura were recognized for their work with the youth in the residential treatment center on Little Flower’s Wading River campus. Kailey and Laura conducted virtual entrepreneur workshops with the children, teaching them the basics of launching and running a business using a bakeshop theme.
The event, sponsored in part by DIME Bank and Fluent, Inc., and in collaboration with Together We Rise, included a design activity in which guests used design kits that were delivered to them before the event, to create images of hope and inspiration on panels that will be attached to duffle bags. The bags, filled with comfort items and necessities, will be distributed to Little Flower’s foster children and residents.
Guests also heard from Little Flower alumni, staff, and youth currently in care. A Little Flower youth in foster care shared that focusing on her future gives her hope, “hope for channeling my inner strength and achieving success.”
“It is because of this caring and inspiring community that we can continue to offer innovative programs and services to our children, families, and residents and instill hope for a brighter tomorrow. I am touched by the support they’ve shown us tonight. I look forward to seeing the joy on the faces of our kids and residents when they receive the inspirational bags,” said Corinne Hammons, Little Flower’s President & CEO.
The Suffolk County Legislature has approved the purchase of 17.29 acres of open space within the Terryville Greenbelt — its vote providing county officials with authorization to complete the remaining steps of the acquisition process for these properties.
Through a partnership, the cost of purchasing these parcels will be divided between Suffolk County and the Town of Brookhaven at a 75% and 25% split, respectively. Additionally, the County and Town are expected to enter into an agreement for management and oversight of this open space by Brookhaven.
As part of the Central Suffolk Special Groundwater Protection Area and located within the heavily developed Port Jefferson Station community, the Terryville Greenbelt is situated south of Route 112, adjacent to the rear of Comsewogue High School, and is approximately 75 total acres.
The Town of Brookhaven has already preserved approximately 40 of the greenbelt’s acres through open space acquisitions and these 60 individual parcels will add to those existing municipal open space holdings to form continuous greenery.
“Preserving the Terryville Greenbelt parcels, located within a Special Groundwater Protection Area, in perpetuity highlights the continued commitment of Suffolk County to being a strong community partner to ensure protection of the local environment and our quality of life,” said Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket).
Suffolk’s efforts to preserve the greenbelt began in 2017, when Hahn gained approval for the appraisals of the parcels, the first step in a multi-phased county acquisition process.
That initial step commenced a complex process of contacting the 60 parcels’ owners, gauging the owners’ interest in selling to the county and appraising the sites.
According to a letter of support provided to legislators from the Port Jefferson Station Terryville Civic Association, “Given the past and present development in this hamlet this proposed acquisition is needed for both quality of life and of our drinking water. The community supports the need for this type of quality and amount of open space in our Suffolk hamlet.”
Councilman Jonathan Kornreich was also grateful for Hahn’s help.
“This is a monumental achievement for our community and I’m grateful for your passionate dedication to getting it done,” he said. “This latest addition to the 40 acres preserved by the Town of Brookhaven will further strengthen our shared efforts to protect our groundwater and provide more public access to precious green spaces.”
Ward Melville midfielder Tyler Flynn rips a shot on goal in a Div-I home game against Smithtown East. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville scores. Photo by Bill Landon
Patriots score. Bill Landon photo
Smithtown East senior Ryan Feigenbaum gets a shot off up close in a Div-I matchup against Ward Melville May 13. Photo by Bill Landon
Smithtown East defenseman Michael Desano wards off a Patriot challenge May 13. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville senior midfielder Matt Kaires fires a shot on goal against visiting Smithtown East May 13. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior midfielder Matt Kaires fires a shot on goal against visiting Smithtown East May 13. Photo by Bill Landon
Sophomore midfielder Joe Hobot sprints up-field for Smithtown East in a Div-I road game against Ward Melville May 13. Photo by Bill Landon
Smithtown East senior Jake Gallery in a Div-I matchup May 13. Bill Landon photo
Smithtown East senior Jake Gallery battles defenseman Deven Rauss in a Div-I matchup May 13. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville senior attack Giovanni Serratore looks for a cutter against Smithtown East May 13. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville junior Francis Carroll drives on a Smithtown defender in a Div-I matchup at home May 13. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville senior Christopher Simonton scores for the Patriots at home May 13. Bill Landon photo
Ward Melville senior Christopher Simonton drives on two Smithtown defenders at home May 13. Bill Landon photo
Smithtown East defenseman Chris Trebing charges up the sideline with Trevor Dunn in pursuit. Bill Landon photo
Smithtown East senior attack Chris Cappelman rips a shot on goal in a Div-I home game against Ward Melville. Bill Landon photo
The Bulls of Smithtown East came to Ward Melville May 13 looking to keep their 4-0 undefeated season alive. They had after all outscored their opponents, 63-44, through four games, but the Patriots also at 4-0 scored 55 goals allowing only 14.
Ward Melville had the upper hand through three quarters of play when the Bulls rallied scoring four unanswered goals in the fourth quarter, but the Patriots prevailed to win the Division I matchup 12-7.
The win lifts the Patriots into second place in their division behind Huntington through five games.
On January 31, 2011, due to a reduced demand for sheetrock, US Gypsum shut down its plant in Empire, Nevada, after 88 years.
By July, the Empire zip code, 89405, was discontinued.
— Epigraph to Nomadland
It is a cold, bleak landscape that confronts the viewer at the beginning of Nomadland, director Chloé Zhao’s powerful adaptation of journalist Jessica Bruder’s book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century. The theme of empty expanse returns throughout the careful but compelling hundred-plus minutes. The methodical, introspective film is sparse on dialogue but rich in breadth and breath. The film appropriately takes its time traveling down a specific road.
Fern (a brilliantly understated Frances McDormand) is a widow who, in 2011, lost her job at the US Gypsum plant in Empire, Nevada, when the factory shut down. The factory’s closing resulted in Empire becoming a ghost town. Fern has sold most of her belongings and lives in a van that she has retrofitted herself. She travels the country looking for work. The film opens with her at the Amazon fulfillment center, working a seasonal job.
Invited by a coworker and friend, Linda May (touchingly playing a version of herself, as many in the film do), she visits a group in the Arizona desert, run by Bob Wells (also a version of himself). Wells hosts gatherings for “van-dwellers,” offering advice, support, and above all, community. Here, Fern connects with others who share similar plights — who, by fortune, luck, or choice — live on the road. Fern gains both insights into her own life along with practical survival skills. The rest of the film follows her learning curve as she goes from place to place but returning to this loose tribe who don’t want “to die with a sailboat in their driveway that they never used.” She wants nothing more than to coexist in communal friendship with the like-hearted.
There are glimpses into Fern’s earlier life, most notably a trip later in the film to borrow money from her sister, but, for the most part, the film focuses on the ever-present, day-to-day existence. This is a challenging undertaking for a filmmaker, but Zhao’s deliberate pacing and laser focus create both a pastoral arc and one of great tension. Fern drives, makes dinner on a hotplate, sleeps, then drives some more. She takes a job; she works; she leaves. She drives, humming to herself. She walks in nature, taking in its vastness but also completely at peace. And then she drives.
There are no villains in this film; the conflicts are rooted in the struggles of simple living. The people are kind, hard-working, and open. The impact of the challenges is not small. A blown tire or sub-zero temperatures are truly a matter of survival. But there is a complete absence of self-pity, equaled only in their frankness in discussing any topic — from dealing with waste to the contemplation of suicide.
Throughout, what becomes most pronounced is their cumulative dignity. When questioned by a girl she had once tutored in Empire, Fern responds that she is “not homeless. I’m houseless. There’s a difference.” She says this with a smile and without apology. Her friend Swankie (another in a version of herself), from whom she learns a great deal, shares that she is dying of cancer but choosing to go on her own terms. Swankie gives away many of her possessions and heads back out to visit places she wants to see once more.
Eventually, Nomadland shows these travelers do not dwell in emptiness, but instead in lives of peace, away from the trappings and limitations of self-imposed restrictions. Fern meets Dave (kind and open as played by David Strathairn) at the gathering and then again later. There are the slightest of romantic sparks. Eventually, Dave settles at his son’s house, where Fern visits him. He asks her to stay, but she realizes that it is not the life she wants. Fern reveals she has found herself in this wandering existence. The revelation is presented in the simplest of ways, but it is epiphanous in its weight and import.
Nomadland’s strength is an absence of pretension. Its documentary feel is intimate and spontaneous; Zhao creates the illusion of the characters speaking for themselves. (She is responsible for the taught screenplay and crisp editing.) And yet, there is a lyrical — almost poetic — quality to the deeper message. These nomads never say, “Goodbye.” Instead, it is always, “I’ll see you down the road.”
McDormand provides a performance of such reality that it is almost impossible to see her as an actor. In the fewest words, she presents stillness, sadness, humor, loss, hope … it is the subtlest rainbow of human emotions. While he has less screen time, Strathairn does not miss a beat. The supporting cast of predominantly “real” people playing some facet of themselves (characters bearing their first names) match these two gifted professionals. There is nothing of reality television or exploitation in this choice. Instead, their presence gives just another subtle shade in the spectrum that Zhao has created.
Composer Ludovico Einaudi has provided an exquisite score. Beautiful and melancholy, the music evokes the spirit and style of George Winston. It is both haunting and life-affirming, perfectly reflecting the film’s tone.
Nomadland has garnered dozens of awards, all of them deserved. The accolades set a high bar of expectation, but it is easily vaulted in the deceptively simple and truly honest storytelling. In some ways, the tale offers a shattering look at the crushing results of failed capitalism. But simultaneously, it celebrates the inspiring resilience of the human spirit. Nomadland is an exceptional journey “down the road.”
Rated R, Nomadland is playing in local theaters and streaming on demand.
I’d like to start this article with a moment of silence for the Class of 2021…
Proms, senior spirit days and even the very foundation of their senior years were all stripped away from them and replaced with some warped placeholder that did its job only because it had to.
Though it’s true that missing out on these rites of passages is immensely difficult for seniors, no experience, in my opinion, was more challenging than the college application process for students planning to attend their fall semesters.
Combining the aspects that we were all enduring virtual school work, the emotional plights of the pandemic (among other feats), and our inability to visit our potential schools, the college admission process proved itself to be a battlefield, and us inexperienced soldiers, untrained in the art of practicing “business as usual” in a time of chaos.
During the admission process, not all students are created equal.
In a normal year, young artists, or students who are applying to go to art school, (music, acting, art, etc.) are oftentimes overlooked.
Guidance counselors are typically never equipped with the proper knowledge to guide these creative students through their applications smoothly, as there is an abundance of supplemental, or additional information, needed to apply or audition for these kinds of programs (on top of regular application information).
So, it’s safe to imagine that these seniors in particular had a myriad of extra strain placed on their rounded, poorly postured shoulders this year.
In my personal experience as an acting major, I had to audition for about 10 schools. I was not allowed to visit any of my potential campuses, and all of my auditions happened online, in 15-minute increments, accompanied by interestingly assembled Zoom waiting rooms.
I found myself musing “To load, or not to load — that is the question” before each of my virtual auditions, hoping that in some way the benevolent spirit of Shakespeare would get me through my audition without my internet dropping.
Melissa Levine
Zoom became the new go-to way to explore all of my campuses and meet the faculty — as much as anyone can ever meet anyone in the “Zoomsphere”.
In a particular instance, I was waiting to be let into the virtual audition room for one of my top choice programs. My wrinkled, homemade backdrop hung rather unimpressively behind me, providing my auditors with a, “non-distracting, unbusy background to maximize their ability to focus.”
I nervously fiddled with my new ring light, unsure if I looked too washed out by the bright circular ray against my fair complexion. I heard my cats scratching outside my door, crying to disrupt my audition, because they love meeting new people as much as I do.
I was let into the audition room early, as even over Zoom, any young actor will learn that to be early, is to be on time, and to be late is inexcusable.
Thankfully, my audition ran without a hiccup. I performed a piece I had prepared, answered one or two questions they had and was sent on my way. The moment after I had finished my audition, I tried to contact a good friend of mine via Zoom to tell her how it went.
I never had the chance to call her.
Faster than a young child promises their parents they did in fact brush their teeth, my wifi dropped in its entirety. My computer was unusable; it was at the mercy of whatever wifi deity had decided to unleash its wrath upon it.
To this day, I still don’t know how I was so lucky — but I’ve learned that sometimes, things are left better in the dark.
Needless to say, the admissions process was an exhausting experience. Nevertheless, I’m grateful that I can consider this weird period of time a moment of communion between other class of 2021 actors and myself.
We will always be known as the virtual generation — a group of confused teens who were forced to become more tech savvy than they ever needed to be. But we will also be known for our resilience, and our passion for what we do.
We endured dropped wifi, the “hey friend, your muted”-es, and the gargantuan amount of butterflies in our stomachs when we saw that white screen that said, “The meeting host will let you in soon,” because of our love for our art, and our determination to not let anything stop us from creating — because doing that would be like telling us to stop breathing.
And I think we all know — we must breathe to survive.
Melissa Levine is a senior at Comsewogue High School. She committed to Ohio University for her BFA in Acting, with a minor in screenwriting.
For the 10th straight year, the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District budget is under the tax levy.
According to the district’s newsletter, the 2021-22 budget will increase by 1.13 percent and has a tax levy increase of 0.75%. The savings is due to school reorganizations, which includes the Aug. 31 closings of Bellerose Avenue and Dickinson Avenue elementary schools.
Residents will also vote on two propositions. Proposition 2 is to establish a capital reserve fund not to exceed $20 million over a 10-year period. If the proposition is approved, there will be no tax implications. Proposition 3 will be to vote on altering the transportation boundaries. If approved, students in grades 6-8 will be able to take the bus if they live within a 0.75-mile limit as opposed to the current 1-mile limit. The boundary limits for grades 9-12 will change from the current 1.5-mile limit to a new 1.0-mile limit.
In the race for two open trustee seats on the board of ed, four candidates are running. The candidates shared information in biographies in the district newsletter that is also found on its website.
Victoria Buscareno
Victoria Buscareno
Incumbent and Syosset school district special education teacher, Buscareno has lived in the district for 46 years and has four children, three in college who graduated from the high school and one child in Northport Middle School.
In addition to attending board meetings regularly, she also attends PTA evening meetings and the Drug and Alcohol Task Force meetings. She also is a member of the Ocean Avenue, NMS, NHS PTA and SEPTA and sat on the NMS subcommittee and is currently the co-chair of the Audit Committee.
Buscareno said being a board member for the past three years and being an educator is an asset.
“The greatest asset an individual can bring as a board member is compassion, kindness and the ability to work with others to come to a consensus on the best possible decision,” she said. “Listening to different perspectives and allowing movement and growth is what allows a board to work together to make important decisions for all of our community.”
Regarding school closings, she lists them among the most pertinent issues facing the Northport-East Northport School District. She also wants to maintain strong dialogue with the community.
“We are looking to maximize our buildings’ usage while providing enhancements for our students in a cost-effective way,” she said. “Maintaining our buildings and making sure every space is well taken care of and safe for all children will always be a priority. School safety is essential. We must be prepared and well trained for any emergency situation.”
Buscareno said the district like many others is revisiting policies to ensure they are inclusive to all students.
Warner Frey
Warner Frey
A 50-year resident, Frey has three children in district schools. He was a coach with the Northport Youth Center Soccer from 2013-17 and a den leader with BSA Pack 400 East Northport from 2015-22. He’s also a team manager for Northport Cow Harbor United and from 2011-21 has served as a member of Dickinson Avenue PTA.
The retired NYPD captain believes his work experience will be an asset to the board.
“I served 23 years in the NYPD which taught me the value of critical thinking, diversity and problem-solving unforeseen challenges,” he said. “As a captain, I led people and formed relationships with community leaders and elected officials to achieve goals.”
If elected, Frey said he aims to create “policy that strives to maximize the talents of all students through inclusion.” He also aims to work on budgets that will enhance current district programs while being affordable to taxpayers.
The candidate said it may not be necessary to have as many brick-and-mortar assets currently and it’s important to reinvent building usage.
“The current review of building usage is an important undertaking,” he said. “As this community evolves, we must assess ways to achieve cost savings while continuing to enhance our student programs. We must be open to new ideas and solutions to achieve cost savings while growing our curriculum.”
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
A resident in the district for approximately 20 years, Taylor is planning to retire as a Northport-East Northport teacher next month. Her two daughters are graduates. She was a volunteer for the district’s Steering Committee and has served on several instructional committees. In addition, she has been in leadership with the United Teachers of Northport, a New York State United Teachers delegate and a New York State Teachers Retirement System delegate.
“I’m a problem-solver with an open mind,” she said. “I take little at face value. Rather, I listen and then research. I’m candid and put the needs of my students and their families first. I am unafraid of discourse and will continue to work tirelessly for our families as I have done for the 20 years I’ve worked for our wonderful district.”
In addition to the two elementary schools closing, Taylor said another issue the district faces is “the reality of the LIPA lawsuit with a settlement.” She would also like to see the district hold “councils” instead of having committees. Taylor said she feels that while committees have selfless volunteers, in the end, the decisions still rely on administration.
“Perhaps a policy could be crafted to return to the prior practice to promote earnest collaboration,” Taylor said. “It is becoming increasingly challenging to provide the quality of education that the Northport community expects, given increasing costs and the 2% tax cap limiting the ability to raise local revenue.”
She also said there should be a pause in excess spending with homeowners struggling to make ends meet, and with the LIPA and COVID-19 economic fallout.
Tammie Topel
Tammie Topel
A nearly 30-year resident of the Northport-East Northport area, Topel is a special education advocate and founder/director of K.I.D.S. Plus, which provides sports programs and therapeutic recreation programs for children and young adults with developmental disabilities. Both of her children have attended schools in the district, even though her son with autism did receive a high school education outside of the district.
Topel has been outspoken about the closing of the two elementary schools and she said she’s not afraid to speak up.
“My beliefs are my own which I develop after listening to all sides, especially the community that placed me on the board,” she said. “I do not waiver in the face of bullying, smearing and grandstanding.”
Topel has also been a Northport Rotary Club member and in 2010 was honored in the Times of Northport and East Northport as Women of the Year. She is involved in various community organizations including Drug and Alcohol Task Force member, founder/administrator of Just For Kicks Soccer Club, chairperson for the Northport Youth Soccer League, past PTA president of Norwood Avenue Elementary School, past special education chairperson for Suffolk Region PTA and past SEPTA president.
Topel lists the closings of the elementary schools and the raising of the budget among the top of her concerns as well as transparency from the superintendent and BOE. She also seeks for community communications to be made part of the public record.
“The board and the superintendent could be more transparent and should effectively communicate with the community, before, during and after meetings,” she said. “During public participation at a board meeting, board members should answer questions asked of them by the community.”
Voting information
The budget vote and board of education trustees election will take place Tuesday, May 18, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. There are three voting locations in the Northport school district. Those living south of the centerline of Pulaski Road vote at Fifth Avenue Elementary School; residents living north of the centerline of Pulaski Road and south of the centerline of Route 25A vote at Dickinson Avenue Elementary School; and voters who live north of the center of Route 25A vote at William J. Brosnan School.
Miller Place High School. File photo by Kevin Redding
Residents are able to vote between two local residents for the upcoming board of education and budget vote on May 18.
One seat is up for election this year, and up to the plate are candidates Desiree O’Neil and Bryan Makarius.
When elected, the position will count as a three-year term, beginning July 1 of this year through June 30, 2024.
Both are first-time runners.
Bryan Makarius
Photo from Bryan Makarius
Bryan Makarius brings his experience in education to the table when it comes to running for the Miller Place Board of Ed, but being a father of two in the district, he said he also wanted to give back.
“I wanted to make a difference and I know I have that skill set in order to help make those decisions,” he said. “I really understand what’s going on in the community.”
Makarius has volunteered with the Port Jefferson Fire Department since he was a teenager — serving more than 24 years. He said the experience he gained there, and while holding elected positions in the department, provided him with “invaluable growth as a community leader.”
He and his wife, Leah, decided to pack up and move to Miller Place in 2012 to raise his family.
By day working in the Longwood School District, Makarius said he chose to run not out of anger towards the district — he wants to give back.
“I think the district has done a good job. I think the people there have done a good job,” he said. “But I just want to be able to get back to my community more.”
He said he wants to keep continuing the quality education that Miller Place is known for. One task he wants to tackle is making class sizes smaller.
But he said he’ll be there to listen to any and all concerns.
“If there is something that the community really wants, in which they have said over and over again, we have to find out a way to make that work within the budget,” he said.
Desiree O’Neil
Photo from Desiree O’Neil
Born and raised in Miller Place, and a graduate of Miller Place High School class of ’96, Desiree O’Neil decided to run for board of ed because she believes the district needs more transparency.
“The biggest concern right now in the Miller play school district is the lack of communication from administration and the board of education,” she said. “This past year was obviously very difficult for many school districts, and our district was not very willing to work with the community to offer choices for their children.”
O’Neil said the district did a poor job navigating the pandemic — elementary schools were back in school all year, while secondary students weren’t back full-time until March 1.
“We weren’t given an option for families for a virtual platform until quite a few months into the school year,” she said.
If elected, O’Neil said she wants to address the different limitations the district has, including a better curriculum for gifted and talented students in the elementary level.
O’Neil graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor’s in English and works as a senior benefits consultant profession with more than 20 years of industry experience.
The mom of two is active in the Miller Place School District athletic programs, helping put together the Section XII rally with other local school districts last year.
Light years ago when I was a young homemaker whose weekly culinary adventure was dreaming up creative nibbles for Tuesday’s night bridge club, I would spend afternoons while the babies napped experimenting with concoctions from the magazine clippings I hoarded. Our card game was, in retrospect, not so much a game of bridge as one of our flaunting our newly acquired culinary talents, and any one of the young marrieds who belonged to that elite sorority of four would rather have died than be caught serving the same snack twice, much less a Tupperware bowl of potato chips.
How many dips I dreamed up for oven-warmed frozen potato puffs, how many combinations of sour cream and something I invented, how many slices of sandwich bread I trimmed and rolled and stuffed and sliced. Actually, I think I burned out early for I haven’t had as many good ideas, even given the food revolution that began in the 80’s or the advent of the internet since.
But now after a year of COVID isolation and quarantine and a few months of post-COVID immunization, our social life is getting back into gear and we’re inviting people over for drinks or dinner to get re-acquainted. In a burst of retro creativity and nostalgia, I find myself foraging through those yellowed files and pulling out the oldies but goodies (although I must confess I’ve tinkered with a few here and there).These many years hence, the thing that has really changed is that I’m the one who needs the nap.
Creamy Curry Dip
YIELD: Makes 8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Few dashes hot pepper sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients; cover and chill. Serve surrounded by cooked shrimp, bite size raw cauliflower florets, raw carrot sticks, raw celery sticks and any other crunchy veggie suitable for dipping.
Nutty Cheese Log
YIELD: Makes one large log or two small
INGREDIENTS:
6 ounces goat cheese
10 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
12 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup snipped chives
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
DIRECTIONS:
Soften cheeses to room temperature.In a medium bowl combine cheeses, onion and wine. Blend in half the parsley, chives and nuts; shape into a log, enclose in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Combine remaining herbs and nuts in a small container, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. One hour before serving spread reserved herbs and nuts on a sheet of waxed paper or cutting board and roll cheese log in them until it is well coated. Serve with crackers.
Hot Cheese Puffs
YIELD: Makes 12 pieces
INGREDIENTS:
3 slices sandwich bread
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
DIRECTIONS:
Remove crusts from bread; toast and cut into quarters. Preheat broiler. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold in baking powder, salt, cayenne, paprika and cheese. Spread mixture 1/4″ thick on each toast square; broil until browned, about 5 minutes. Serve with cocktails or wine
Fern (a brilliantly understated Frances McDormand) is a widow who, in 2011, lost her job at the US Gypsum plant in Empire, Nevada, when the factory shut down. The factory’s closing resulted in Empire becoming a ghost town. Fern has sold most of her belongings and lives in a van that she has retrofitted herself. She travels the country looking for work. The film opens with her at the Amazon fulfillment center, working a seasonal job.
There are glimpses into Fern’s earlier life, most notably a trip later in the film to borrow money from her sister, but, for the most part, the film focuses on the ever-present, day-to-day existence. This is a challenging undertaking for a filmmaker, but Zhao’s deliberate pacing and laser focus create both a pastoral arc and one of great tension. Fern drives, makes dinner on a hotplate, sleeps, then drives some more. She takes a job; she works; she leaves. She drives, humming to herself. She walks in nature, taking in its vastness but also completely at peace. And then she drives.
Eventually, Nomadland shows these travelers do not dwell in emptiness, but instead in lives of peace, away from the trappings and limitations of self-imposed restrictions. Fern meets Dave (kind and open as played by David Strathairn) at the gathering and then again later. There are the slightest of romantic sparks. Eventually, Dave settles at his son’s house, where Fern visits him. He asks her to stay, but she realizes that it is not the life she wants. Fern reveals she has found herself in this wandering existence. The revelation is presented in the simplest of ways, but it is epiphanous in its weight and import.
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