It is unfortunate that we tend to label and stigmatize people because of unfortunate circumstances in their lives. If someone has gone to jail and served their time, they are labeled by many as useless lowlifes.
They try to get a job and live a normal productive life but the ex-con is marked and not oftentimes given the chance to redeem themselves. So, the ex-con who has been rehabilitated is going to fail because there are no resources to empower them to succeed and move beyond the destructive label we have created for them.
Illegal drug use is out of control within our country. Overdose deaths are at an epic high. Treatment resources are overburdened and unfortunately too often ineffective, if we look at the terrible relapse rates. The numbers are staggering!
There is most likely not a person reading this column who has not directly or indirectly been affected by out-of-control drug use. We are in the midst of a national health epidemic around the abuse of heroin and fentanyl. People of every age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and economic status are dying senselessly every day because of overdosing. Too many people stigmatize those battling addiction. We support people who are battling cancer, why don’t we support those afflicted with addiction?
Believe it or not there are a growing number of people with tremendous support who reclaim their lives and become productive members of our larger community. That road to wellness and freedom is not easy!
JB was born into a wonderful upper-middle-class family. He went to Catholic high school. He went on to college but failed out because of his drug use. His parents spent tens of thousands of dollars on various treatment programs that did nothing. He lived on the streets of Florida, underneath bridges and in shelters.
Finally, JB saw the light and went into a long-term residential treatment program for addictions. He went back to college, graduated at the top of his class and earned a scholarship to law school. A month ago, he graduated from law school as number one in his class. He was the valedictorian and gave his speech to a packed arena. His address was about his journey to recovery and wellness which led him to law school. Today he works for a big law firm in New York City, but also does pro bono work for those who are battling addiction and need law services.
The salutatorian at Five Towns College told his story of hope and transformation as a gay man in recovery. JM hopes to leave for Spain in September to teach children English in Madrid.
People do recover from addiction and do great things. These two men in the midst of all the darkness around us are clearly beacons of light and of hope among us!
Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.
Commack quarterback Jeremy Weiss holds trophy after winning 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge which took place at Kings Park High School this past Sunday. He is flanked by his receivers Sean Kassnove (left) and Dean Diaz. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Commack quarterback Jeremy Weiss wins 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Tommy Azzara of Smithtown East competes. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport quarterback Owen Johansen competes in 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Brayden Stahl of Smithtown West competes. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Quarterback Owen Johansen and Saint Anthony's Quarterback Dante Torres. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Saint Anthony's Quarterback Dante Torres competes in 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Saint Anthony's Quarterback Dante Torres competes in 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Commack quarterback Jeremy Weiss wins 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Quarterback Owen Johansen competes in 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge. By Steven Zaitz
Owen Johansen of Northport. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Devin Page of Kellenberg. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Saint Anthony's Quarterback Dante Torres competes in 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Brayden Stahl of Smithtown West. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Brayden Stahl of Smithtown West won the trophy for most accurate passer. Photo by Steven Zait
By Steven Zaitz
On most days, it is hard to wipe the smile off the face of Commack junior Jeremy Weiss.
After his dazzling performance against the best quarterbacks on Long Island this past Sunday, it now might well be pretty darn impossible.
Commack quarterback Jeremy Weiss wins the 2022 National Football Federation Long Island QB Challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Weiss bested 11 of the finest high school signal callers in both Nassau and Suffolk to win the inaugural National Football Foundation’s Long Island Quarterback Challenge — slinging and smiling his way to the top of the leaderboard in the first-ever event of its kind. As an added kicker, the straight A student also outsmarted the rest of the pack to take the award for highest Football IQ.
It was quite a haul for Weiss, who is just weeks away from taking his first snap as QB1 for the Cougars when they open the season at home against Sachem North on Sept. 10.
“When I’m out there, in any type of competition, I give it everything I have and leave everything on that field,” said the wispy gunslinger Weiss. “I prepared for this competition to the best of my ability, and I feel that I made the most of this unique opportunity.”
On a perfect summer morning with a few puffy, cumulus clouds occasionally floating past the sun, the event kicked off at 10 a.m. sharp at Kings Park High School. Former NFL QB Matt Simms was the only judge, and he was generous with advice to all the players throughout the day. Long Island University quarterback coach Jonathan Gill ran the players through their drills, and the whole thing was organized by Suffolk County National Football Foundation Chapter president Len Genova.
“We have great high school football here on Long Island,” Genova said. “Events like this go a long way in honoring scholar athletes and promoting these great players and this great game of football.”
Weiss was not the only quarterback from northwestern Suffolk to impress Judge Simms. Senior Dante Torres from St. Anthony’s High School, one of the highest rated players at any position on Long Island, won the award for Best QB Anticipation. Junior Brayden Stahl of Smithtown West was crowned the Most Accurate Passer.
“It’s all in the fundamentals,” Stahl said. “Consistent work with the same form for five years will make every throw the same and accuracy more attainable.”
Northport’s quarterback Owen Johansen compete in the challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport’s Owen Johansen threw the longest ball of the afternoon — a 64-yard missile, despite participating with an injured thumb on his throwing hand. Tommy Azzara of Smithtown East also acquitted himself well, showing good agility and a nice touch on many of his corner route throws. The other quarterbacks in the competition were Devin Page from Kellenberg Memorial in Uniondale, Michael Wheat from St. John’s the Baptist in West Islip, Matt Metzger of Carey High School in Franklin Square, Brady Clark of Bayport-Blue Point High School, Matt Cargiulo of Manhasset High School, Zion Woodhull Trippett of Holy Trinity in Hicksville, and Peter Liotta of North Shore High School in Glen Head.
But this day belonged to Weiss, who in a few short weeks, will be given the keys to the Commack offense, replacing graduated star QB Matthew McGurk, who led the Cougars to a 6-2 record in 2021.
Weiss performed well in the grueling battery of quarterback drills which included tests of accuracy, touch, agility, arm strength, x’s and o’s, mobility, and pocket presence. The boys were always on the move, sprinting from drill to drill, only breaking for water while receiving instructions from Gill on the rules of each exercise.
It was an exhausting day, but well worth it for Weiss, as he looks to use this performance as a springboard to success for not only himself, but for all his guys back in Commack.
Brayden Stahl of Smithtown West competes in the challenge. Photo by Steven Zaitz
“Winning this award and competing with these great players definitely gives me confidence going into the season,” Weiss said. “Not necessarily in the form of personal confidence, but rather in the way that having a great quarterback makes the team and everyone around him better. One of my main goals this year is to create a ‘community’ on our team in which we all help one another.”
In that spirit of helping, legendary Long Island Quarterback Coach James Brady has worked with Weiss and many of the other contestants who participated in Sunday’s event.He was not surprised by how well the Cougar quarterback performed.
“Jeremy embodies a beautiful recipe for the making of a great quarterback,” said Brady, who starred at St. Anthony’s a decade and a half ago and has coached hundreds of young quarterbacks at his Suffolk-based Elite QB Academy. “He has a load of natural talent, is incredibly smart and a sponge for knowledge. Every time we hit the field together, I can see that he is working to master his craft. That kid’s work ethic is off the charts and my heart is so full seeing him receive those trophies with that great smile on his face. I hope he remembers this day forever.”
Ah yes, that smile.On or off the field, running, throwing, or evading giant defenders, it never disappears.Is it simply because Mr. Weiss is such a happy guy?
“I call it my focus face,” he joked. “I’ve been smiling on the playing field ever since I can remember.”
Walking out of Kings Park stadium after a full day of focus face, Weiss, as well as his parents, were ear-to-ear as they struggled to cart out all the new additions to the Weiss family trophy case.
“It was an amazing experience to be here and to compete with this group of outstanding players,” he said. “I learned a ton from this competition, and I think it will help me become a better player and thus make us a better team.”
That would, for the next four months, certainly make him, and all of Cougar Nation, all smiles.
From left, Nada Sara and Dr. Gabriel Sara (Peaceful); writer/director Alessia Mandanici (Lentini); actor/producer Colin Froeber (Glob Lessons), writer/director Saskia Diesing (Lost Transport), and writer/director Dan Bronzite (All That Glitters) at the festival's closing night ceremony. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
Scene from the 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Photo from Staller Center
The 27th annual Stony Brook Film Festival, presented by Island Federal Credit Union, wrapped up with a Closing Night Awards Ceremony on July 30.The evening recognized the outstanding new independent films screened at the festival, which was held at Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University from July 21 to 30.
This year’s winners included Berenshtein — Jury Award forBest Feature; Contra — Audience Award for Best Feature; All That Glitters and Summer of Bees tied for the Jury Award for Best Short; Ousmane — Audience Award for Best Short; Peaceful —Opening Night Feature Award; Lost Transport — Closing Night Feature Award; Lentini — Opening Night Short Award; and Mila — Closing Night Short Award.
In addition, Glob Lessons, directed by Nicole Rodenburg and written by Rodenburg and Colin Froeber, received The Spirit of Independent Filmmaking Award which is given every year to a filmmaker whose work exemplifies the spirit and breadth of filmmaking where the focus is on the art and most often produced with an extremely limited budget.
This year’s Festival bestowed a special Humanitarian Award on Dr. Gabriel Sara, co-star of and consultant on the opening night feature, Peaceful. A cancer specialist at Manhattan’s Mount Sinai West, Dr. Sara helped launch The Helen Sawaya Fund, a philanthropy program whose mission is to enhance the experience of cancer patients through art and music.
“The dignity and empathy which Dr. Sara brings to his work became the impetus for Peaceful, a film that touched us all so deeply,” said Alan Inkles, Director of the Stony Brook Film Festival. “We are proud to confer [this award] on Dr. Sara for his vital and important work in improving the lives of cancer patients.”
Highlighting the live Awards Ceremony was a presentation by the filmmakers of Red River Road, winner of the 2021 Spirit of Independent Filmmaking Award. Writer/director Paul Schuyler proudly announced that Red River Road was acquired for distribution by Gravitas Films with the help and support of the Stony Brook Film Festival.
“For over 27 years, filmmakers have continually conveyed to us that we are the most hospitable festival they’ve been to,” said Inkles. “We are able to treat our filmmakers like royalty because we have two constituents in mind when we plan our festivals — our filmmakers and our audience. With the support of Island Federal and many of our other supporters, we are proud to provide a full experience to our audience, bringing together filmmakers and cast members from all over the world to give first- hand accounts of their process.”
During the Festival, the Staller Center announced its Fall 2022 Live Performing Arts season which kicks off on Sept. 23 and includes performances by Michael Feinstein, Katherine McPhee and David Foster, and Vic DiBitetto, among others. Visit www.stallercenter.com for the entire Fall season line-up.
The reported rate of positive tests for COVID-19 is likely well below the actual infection rate, particularly for the highly-transmissible BA.5 strain of Omicron, health care officials said.
“I expect that we’re at least double, and we’re probably significantly higher than double,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “I, like many others, am quite concerned for the fall and winter.”
Indeed, with positive results for PCR tests in the range of 10 to 12% during the summer, the percentage of people who might contract the most infectious variant of the virus yet could surge in the colder months, when students return to school and people spend more time indoors.
The good news so far is that the number of people who have been hospitalized with COVID has stayed relatively steady at Stony Brook University Hospital, at around 50.
Over the past few weeks, the number hasn’t dipped below 40 or gone above 75, which means that the current infections generally aren’t causing hospitalizations, Nachman said.
“While COVID-19 rates may be higher than reported, cases are less severe than they were at earlier stages of the pandemic and hospitalizations are fewer,” Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Service, explained in an email. “Vaccinations play a large role in the reduction of hospitalizations.”
The number of people hospitalized with COVID on Long Island averages about 450 per day, which is down from 4,000 in April of 2020 and 2,200 in January of 2022, according to the county Department of Health.
Suffolk County hosted a back to school test kit distribution event on Tuesday at the H. Lee Dennison Building for parents and residents.
Raising awareness of monkeypox
At the same time, government and health care officials are dedicating more resources to combat the threat from monkeypox, a virus with symptoms including fever, headaches, exhaustion and a rash that can last two to four weeks.
In Suffolk County, the number of confirmed cases has climbed to 22 as of the beginning of August, according to Department of Health officials.
Working with Northwell Health and Stony Brook University, the county has been providing monkeypox vaccinations. The county expects to get more vaccines later this month, although the demand continues to exceed the supply.
Governor Kathy Hochul (D) declared a state of emergency on July 29 over the outbreak, which will allow a faster response and enhance the distribution of vaccines in the state. The governors of California and Illinois have also declared states of emergency over a virus that is rarely fatal but is painful and can cause scarring. The more vulnerable populations include pregnant women, young children, people who are immunocompromised and individuals who have a history of eczema.
Nachman said the response from the governor was a “way of getting ahead” of the spread of the virus.
The state of emergency “raises everyone’s concern,” Nachman said. “When you go to a local physician, more people are thinking, looking and testing [for monkeypox]. Testing is critical” to confirm cases and to reduce the spread.
Vaccinations, which involve getting two shots that are four weeks apart, can accelerate the immune response, Nachman said.
Stony Brook hopes in the next few weeks to work on a National Institutes of Health-funded clinical trial with children, pregnant and postpartum women on a potential treatment for the virus.
Spread during physical contact, the large majority of monkeypox cases have occurred among men who have been intimate with other men.
Pigott has been working closely with the community to promote prevention efforts and vaccinations. He spoke on Monday at a forum hosted by the LGBT Network, where he said gay or bisexual men in their 20s and 30s were at the highest risk.
Other viruses
In addition to COVID concerns for the fall, Nachman explained that other seasonal respiratory viruses have become more prevalent and problematic through the summer.
Flu has historically been a winter virus, starting in late November or early December and ebbing in its infectiousness around March.
In 2022, the flu season stretched through June. At the same time, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, typically starts in November and lasts through February.
“We had RSV all summer long,” Nachman said. “We never had a break.”
Nachman is concerned that the overlap among the viruses with infection rates may increase at the same time.
“I worry about the juxtaposition with other respiratory pathogens” that have exceeded their usual seasonal limitations, Nachman added.
Those other viruses are highly contagious, but were limited in their spread when people were wearing masks. Once people stopped taking precautions for COVID, these other viruses also spread.
“No one had been exposed, and it was like a match to tinder,” Nachman said. “It spread through the population” after few people had contracted these illnesses.
Health care providers urged people to take several steps to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.
“If you’re sick, please don’t go to work,” Nachman said. ‘If your child is sick, please don’t send them to school.”
People also need to practice safe cough techniques. If they need to cough or sneeze, they should minimize the number of aerosolized particles by covering their nose and mouth or coughing into their clothing.
A plea for proper vaccinations
With a reluctance to return to the widespread use of masks or other restrictions that might limit the spread of COVID, health care officials continue to urge people to benefit from the protection vaccines provide.
Indeed, most of the people who have required more extensive medical care at Stony Brook University Hospital have not been fully vaccinated.
Some of those who have required medical attention received a single dose of a vaccine over two years ago, which is effectively not vaccinated, she said.
Nachman expects that COVID vaccinations may become required as they are for measles mumps and rubella and other diseases for students to attend class in person.
“I do see in the future that will happen,” Nachman said. “Not vaccinating hurts the child and the entire community.”
HECKSCHER AFTER HOURS
The Heckscher Museum welcomes the Kenn Morr Band to it First Friday event on Aug. 5.
Ongoing
Huntington Summer Arts Festival
The 57th annual Huntington Summer Arts Festival concludes at the Chapin Rainbow Stage at Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington this week with L.I. Dance Consortium on Aug. 4, American Patchwork Quartet on Aug. 5, Orchestra L.I. with David Stewart Wiley on Aug. 6 and Bumper Jacksons on Aug. 7.All shows start at 8 p.m. Bring seating. Free. For more information, visit www.huntingtonarts.org.
Thursday Aug. 4
East Northport Fire Dept.Fair
The East Northport Fire Department, 1 9th Ave., East Northport will host its annual Fair tonight and Aug. 5 from 7 to 11 p.m. and Aug. 8 from 5 to 11 p.m. with carnival rides, games of chance and skill, live music, large selection of food and more. Free admission. Pay One Price ride bracelets $35. For more information, call 261-0360.
Historic Harbor Tour
Join the Northport Historical Society for a relaxing evening on the water. Your tour guide will share the rich history of Northport Harbor as you cruise along the waterfront for a new perspective on the Village. Then stay on at the dock for drinks and a little bite after your cruise. Boats will leave from Seymour’s Boatyard at 5:30 and 6:30 pm. Tickets are $60. To register, call 757-9859 or visit www.northporthistorical.org.
Kings Park Rocks
The Kings Park Chamber of Commerce will host a free outdoor summer concert, Kings Park Rocks, featuring Mike Del Guidice in the municipal lot on Main Street at 7:30 p.m. Held rain or shine. Bring seating. Questions? Call 269-7678.
Smithtown Library concert
The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series returns to the Smithtown Main Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown tonight at 7:30 p.m. with Captain Jack (Billy Joel tribute). Bring a chair or blanket for seating. For more information, call 360-2480 ext.150 after 3 p.m.
Friday Aug. 5
East Northport Fire Dept. Fair
See Aug. 4 listing.
Time Capsule Ceremony
Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site, 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station will be burying a Time Capsule at 1 p.m. in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Walt Whitman’s birth to be opened in 2069. The ceremony will also commemorateWWBA’s William T. Walter (1931-2020) . All are welcome. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 427-5240.
First Friday at the Heckscher
Celebrate First Friday at the Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Explore the exhibitions during extended viewing hours and enjoy a special performance by the Kenn Morr Band (Folk, Rock, Americana) beginning at 7 p.m. Free. Timed tickets available at the door, first-come, first-served. Call 380-3230 for more info.
Happenings on Main Street
The Northport Arts Coalition presents a free concert by The Claudia Jacobs Band at the Northport Village Park Gazebo at the harbor at 7 p.m. as part of its Happenings on Main Street Series. Bring seating. Call 827-6827 or visit www.northportarts.org.
Motown concert
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its 2022 Summer Concert Series with Dr. K’s Motown Revue at 8 p.m. This outstanding band of musicians and singers take you on a realistic journey of the Motown sound, and make you want to sing along on every familiar song they play. They have kept the Motown sound true to its roots and each performance they do transports you back to another era … what a ride! Tickets are $49. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Saturday Aug. 6
East Northport Fire Dept. Fair
See Aug. 4 listing.
WMHO’s Pop Up Saturday
The Ward Melville Heritage Organization continues its Pop-Up Saturdays at the Stony Brook Village Center with a visit from Sweetbriar Nature Center from 2 to 4 p.m. and Silent Mind Tai Chi in the Inner Court from 3 to 4 p.m. Rain date is the following day. Free. Call 751-2244 or visit www.wmho.org.
Old Burying Ground tour
Join the Huntington Historical Society for an Old Burying Groundwalking tour at 4 p.m. Established soon after the Town’s 1653 founding, Huntington’s earliest public burying ground features stunning folk art and beautiful epitaphs honoring Huntington’s residents and rich history. Tour begins at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, 228 Main St., Huntington .Tickets are $15 adults, $5 children. For reservations, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.
Crosby, Stills & Nash tribute
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its 2022 Summer Concert Series with Wooden Ships: A Tribute to Crosby, Stills & Nash at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Sunday Aug. 7
Rock & Roll Car Show
The Fabulous 50s-60s Nostalgia Car Club will hold Judy’s Run For Stroke Awareness and Prevention annual judged rock and roll car show fundraiser at the Smithtown Historical Society, 239 East Main St., Smithtown from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain date is Aug. 14. Fee is $10 per carload for spectators. For further information, call 252-9997 or visit www.judysrun.com
Caumsett Hike
Join the staff at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington for a Traditional Nature Walk from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. During this three-mile hike, you will be exploring nature in the woods and tall grass meadows of the southeastern section of the park. Adults only. $4 per person. Advance reservations required by calling 423-1770.
Suffolk County Seaglass Festival
The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor hosts a Suffolk County Seaglass Festival on Aug. 7 from 11 to 4 p.m. Come explore and celebrate the world of Sea Glass in this first-time event in Suffolk County with activities for all ages. Bring a shard of sea glass for Best in Show contest, view antique glass bottle & sea glass collections, create a pendant in a sea glass jewelry workshop, enjoy live Sea Shanty music performed by The Royal Yard, food trucks, scavenger hunt for kids and tour museum exhibitions. Tickets are $10, free for children ages 3 and under. Call 367-3418, www.cshwhalingmuseum.org
Earth,Wind & Sea art reception
Join Celebrate St. James for an art reception for its latest exhibit, Earth, Wind & Sea, at the Calderone Gallery of Fine Art, 176 Second St. St. James from 1 to 2 p.m. with an open house and tours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The 3-D exhibit featuring artists Marni Butchkoski, Kenneth Bernardini, Rhoda Angelier, Karen Celella and Nicole Garguilo, will run through Aug. 31. For more information, call 984-0201.
Wind Down Sundays
The popular summer concert series continues at Hap’s historic Red Barn at Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket tonight with Tom Manuel and Gospel Road at 5:30 p.m. Bring seating. Call 689-6146 or visit www.frankmelvillepark.org.
Summer Concerts on the Green
Summer concerts are back in front of the Stony Brook Post Office at the Stony Brook Village Center, 111 Main Street, Stony Brook from 7 to 9 p.m. every Sunday through Aug. 21, courtesy of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization. Tonight’s performance will be by The Brooklyn Bards (Irish music). Free. Bring seating.Call 751-2244 or visit wmho.org.
Monday Aug. 8
Jersey Boys and Girls concert
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents a concert by Jersey Boys and Girls, a musical extravaganza honoring the iconic artists from the Garden State: Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Frankie Valli, Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Lesley Gore and more, tonight and Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. Expect such hits as “Fly Me To The Moon,” “My Eyes Adored You,”“That’s Life!,” “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “I Will Always Love You,” and more. Tickets are $45. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Tuesday Aug. 9
Jersey Boys and Girls concert
See Aug. 8 listing.
Garden Club Meeting
The Three Village Garden Club will hold its’ monthly membership meeting at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main Street, Setauket at 10 a.m. The program will be “Garden Bingo and Ice Cream Social.” Newprospective members are welcome. For more information call 751-2743.
Garden talk
As part of its summer program series, Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket will present a talk on the importance of native plants and pollinators at the Red Barn at 11 a.m. Bring the kids and friends down to enjoy a fun and educational morning. Free. No registration necessary. For more information, call 689-6146 or visit www.frankmelvillepark.org.
An evening of Goat Yoga
Join the Smithtown Historical Society, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown for a 45 minute session of yoga with friendly, interactive goats from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and again from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m courtesy ofby Steppin’ Out Ponies and Petting Zoo. Tickets are $28 per person and all levels of yoga are welcome. Please bring a mat & towel. The first session will be open to children aged 7 to 17, accompanied by a parent or guardian. Registration required via Eventbrite. For more information, call 265-6768.
20 Highview in concert
Join the Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach for a Music under the Stars concert by 20 Highview from 7 to 9 p.m. A nine-piece powerhouse band specializing in dance classics with funk grooves,They will cover classics from the 60’s up to the present day. As this concert will be held outside, patrons should bring their own chairs and blankets. Food trucks will be on hand beginning at 6 p.m. For more information, call 585-9393.
Concerts at The Gazebo
Enjoy Tuesday night concerts at The Gazebo, 127 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset through Aug. 30 at 7 p.m., courtesy of the Nesconset Chamber of Commerce. Tonight’s performance will by That 70s Band. Rain dates are the next day. Bring seating. Questions? Call 672-5197 or visit www.nesconsetchamber.org
Wednesday Aug. 10
Cruise Night at The Shoppes
Cruise Nights are back at The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River from 5 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday through Oct. 26. Visit the Shoppes, enjoy a bite to eat and then check out the fine array of classic and coveted automobiles from car enthusiasts from across Long Island in The Shoppes parking lot. Questions? Call 929-3500 or visit www.eastwindlongisland.com
Summerfest Concerts
The Northport Chamber of Commerce continues off its August Summerfest Concert series at the Northport Village Park Bandshell, Northport with a performance by the Chaser (smooth jazz with R&B overtones) from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Bring seating. For more info, call 754-3905.
Port Jefferson Sunset Concert
Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council presents Sunset Concerts at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. through Aug. 31. Tonight’s performance will be by Ken McGorry & The Achievements. Bring seating. Call 473-5220 or visit www.gpjac.org.
Thursday Aug. 11
Huntington Walking Tour
The Huntington Historical Society will host a Centers of Controversy guided walking tour from 6 to 9 p.m. Visits sites in central Huntington that gave rise over the centuries to scandals, lawsuits, and other controversies. Tour ends at Six Harbors Brewing Company. Tickets are $25, $20 members (drinks not included). Tours will begin at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Building, 228 Main Street,Huntington. Reservations are required. Call 427-7045 or visit www.huntingtonhistorical.org
Art of the Guitar Festival
The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook kicks off the second annual John Monteleone Art of the Guitar Festival tonight at 6 p.m. with a reception, exhibit viewing and two concerts. The three day event will feature more than 18 musicians over the days and nights and include performances by Monteleone, Russell Malone Quartet, Anthony Wilson Trio, John Pizzarelli Trio, Tal Yahalom Quartet and Ratko Zjaca Duo with James Commack and a screening of the documentary The Chisels Are Calling. Call 751-1895 or visit www.thejazzloft.org for festival schedule and ticket prices.
Vanderbilt Planetarium lecture
Join the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport for a lecture withEric K. Washington, a New York City-based independent historian, on the life of James H. Williams from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Washington’s lecture will draw heavily from his years of archival research and from his acclaimed 2019 book Boss of the Grips: The Life of James H. Williams and the Red Caps of Grand Central Terminal (Liveright Publishing). Tickets are $10 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Smithtown Library concert
The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series concludes at the Smithtown Main Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown tonight at 7:30 p.m. with a performance by The Gold Coast Orchestra (Motown). Bring a chair or blanket for seating. For more information, call 360-2480 ext.150 after 3 p.m.
Harborside Concerts
The Village of Port Jefferson continues its free Harborside Concert series at the Show Mobile at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson with Refugee at 8 p.m. Bring seating. For more information, call-473-4724 or visit www.portjeff.com.
Film
Jamie Lee Curtis stars in ‘Prom Night,’ one of five films screened during the Cinema Arts Centre’s All Night 80s Slash-A-Thon on Aug. 6.
All Night 80s Slash-A-Thon
Retro Picture Show is back at the Cinema Arts Center, 423 Park Ave., Huntington with an All Night 80s Slash-A-Thon on Aug. 6 at 9:30 p.m. with a special welcome back party in the Sky Room Cafe at 8 p.m., giveaways, merch table, raffle prizes and a free breakfast after the show for all who survive the entire night. Screenings include Child’s Play, Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI, The Slumber Party Massacre and Prom Night – all shown from vintage 35mm film prints. Tickets are $70, $60 members, Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
‘October Sky’
The Village of Port Jefferson closes out its Movies on the Harbor series at Harborfront Park, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson with a screening of .October Sky on Aug. 9 at dusk. Rain date is the next evening. Bring seating. Free. Call 473-4724 or visit www.portjeff.com.
‘The Thing’
Save the date! In celebration of its 40th anniversary, John Carpenter’s The Thing will be screened at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington with new 4K restoration on Aug. 13 at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 adults, $10 seniors and students, $5 children 12 and under. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Theater
‘Every Brilliant Thing’
Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, in association with Response Crisis Center, presents the Long Island premiere of Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man show starring Jeffrey Sanzel, on the Second Stage Sundays at 3 p.m. from July 10 to Aug. 28.You’re seven years old. Your mother is in the hospital. Your father said she’s “done something stupid.” So, you begin a list of everything that is truly wonderful about the world—everything worth living for. With audience members recruited to take on supporting roles, Every Brilliant Thing is a heart-wrenching, hilarious story of depression and the lengths we will go for those we love. All seats are $20. Fifty percent of the gross proceeds of this production will benefit Response Crisis Center. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘On Your Feet!’
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan from July 14 to Aug. 28. From their humble beginnings in Cuba, Emilio and Gloria Estefan came to America and broke through all barriers to become a crossover sensation at the very top of the pop music world. But just when they thought they had it all, they almost lost everything. On Your Feet! takes you behind the music and inside the real story of this record-making, and groundbreaking couple who, in the face of adversity, found a way to end up on their feet. Get ready to get on your feet, and dance to the smash hits “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “1-2-3,” “Live For Loving You,” “Conga,” and many more. Tickets range from $75 to $80 with free valet parking. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
‘The Comedy of Errors’
The Carriage House Players continues its annual Shakespeare Festival at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Comedy of Errors from July 29 to Aug. 24 on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Performances take place outdoors on stage in the courtyard, where the Spanish-Mediterranean architecture adds a touch of timeless charm and magic. Bring a picnic dinner to enjoy before the show and bring your own lawn chair. Inclement weather cancels. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors and children ages 12 and under. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
‘I Love You, You’re Perfect …’
The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown presents the hit musical I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change from Aug. 4 to Aug. 14. This hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, to those who have dared to ask, ‘Say, what are you doing Saturday night?’ Tickets are $45 adults, $40 seniors. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org. Read review in next week’s paper!
Superintendent Losquadro (left) and Councilman LaValle on Magnolia Drive in Selden. Photo from TOB
Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent Daniel P. Losquadro and Councilman Kevin LaValle have announced the completion of a 19-road, $2.1-million paving project in the vicinity of Magnolia Drive and Dare Road in Selden.
Prior to paving eight roadways, crews completed extensive concrete improvements, inspecting and installing new drains and repairing and replacing damaged concrete curbing and aprons. Roadways resurfaced include: 13th Street, 15th Street, Chuck Lane, Dare Road, David Drive, Edna Lane, Elizabeth Court, Gerta Court, Glen Way, Magnolia Drive, Martha Lane, Nancy Place, Oak Place, Old Selden Stage Road, Paul Drive, Richard Road, Samuels Lane, Sandy Lane, and Walter Court. The total cost for this paving project was approximately $2.1 million.
“As part of the prep work for the road resurfacing, crews spent several weeks in the area rebuilding nearly every drain within this paving project due to structural damage,” said Superintendent Losquadro. “In addition to enjoying smoother, safer roadways, residents will be relieved to find that any existing flooding issues were alleviated with the drainage work.”
Councilman LaValle said, “The Town’s investment in infrastructure improvements makes our roads safer for everyone. I thank Superintendent Losquadro and the men and women of the Highway Department for the important work they do all year round for the residents in Council District 3 and throughout the Town.”
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Second Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who allegedly stole a $500 gift card from Stop & Shop, located at 60 Wall Street in Huntington, on July 17. She fled in a blue minivan.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a woman who entered Bed, Bath & Beyond, located at 2045 Smith Haven in Lake Grove, at approximately 6:55 p.m. on July 22 and allegedly stole a Shark Vacuum valued at approximately $350.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
When times are tough, we can use nostalgia as a bittersweet salve.
Nostalgia serves as both a source of comfort, allowing us to step out of our current situations, while also providing a longing for something that may be impossible to find or rediscover.
To that end, I’d like to share a nostalgic and a not nostalgic list.
— Being out of touch. I know that may seem odd, particularly for someone whose job involves keeping people in touch with information, but I miss the days when people couldn’t find me. I remember getting a beeper for the first time and thinking this was a slippery slope to nonstop accountability.
— Snow days. In the most intense heat of the summer, it’s easy to become nostalgic for the unplanned gift of a day off from school and, way back when, for some time at home with my parents. The night before a snow day, I would go to a particular window in the backyard, turn on the light and assess the size of the snowflakes. If they were too big, the temperature was likely far too warm and the snow would likely turn into rain. Smaller and super numerous snowflakes, like a colony of termites building a home, could work their magic overnight, causing the trees to bend in front of my window.
— Cultural excitement. We are so divided on so many issues these days, but I miss the general excitement that comes from blockbuster movies. I remember the experience of seeing the movie “Star Wars” in a packed theater and the excited conversation from people as the John Williams music sent them home happy.
— The meaningful sitcom. “M*A*S*H” somehow combined humor and drama, blending comedy with intense situations in an army hospital in the Korean War. The sitcom “Mom,” which deals with addiction, friendship, familial issues and loss, brought the same impressive acting to difficult situations softened by humor.
— Eating less healthy food. I miss the ability to eat a burger, fries and onion rings at one of my favorite restaurants (RIP The Good Steer) without having that food interrupt my sleep, create unfortunate digestive experiences or contribute to an expanding girth.
— Letting our dog roam the neighborhood. Our current dog is rarely off his leash. Decades ago, we’d ask our dog if he wanted to go out, he’d run to the door and return to play when he heard us outside or to have his evening meal and play at night. He walked himself.
— My dad. My father had the uncanny ability to make me laugh, even and especially when I was frustrated. Seeing my sour face, he’d come toward me in a battle of wills he knew he’d win. He’d make a strange face or do something unpredictable, forcing me to smile despite myself.
Okay, so, how about a few things for which I am not nostalgic.
— The rear-facing seat of a station wagon. The seat often didn’t have much room, because we also packed bags and suitcases back there, and was facing the wrong way, which meant that nausea, particularly on tight turns, was a constant companion.
— The Yankees around 1990. With a respectful nod to Don Mattingly, those teams were pretty close to unwatchable.
— Marching band practice. I loved so many parts of my musical upbringing, but marching band doesn’t make the list. We sweat for hours on hot fields. During performances, our heavy, unflattering uniforms trapped heat and felt stiffer than denim that had dried too quickly.
— Going to the airport to change tickets. Awful as today’s airline experiences are, we drove to the airport and waited in line to change tickets. Today, we can go online, where systems are busy and the airlines tells us to try back later.
— Waiting for carpools. To borrow from J.D. Salinger and William Golding, waiting for exhausted parents to pick up a collection of teenagers dripping with Holden Caulfield angst was akin to living through a sociological “Lord of the Flies” experiment.
Driving along a residential street in what seemed from doorbell videos to be a white Prius, a man tossed a plastic bag on each lawn as he moved along. It might have been a newspaper delivery, but it wasn’t. It was a package of hateful flyers whose words were directed against Jews. The bags contained rice or pebbles to weigh them down and keep them from blowing away in the wind.
Police have been investigating the hate messages delivered to homes in Rockville Centre, Oceanside and Long Beach in Nassau County and have blamed an anti-Jewish group for the activity, which has also occurred in other cities in the country. Whether these groups are aligned through the internet has yet to be determined. But we do know that the internet has carried hateful messages throughout the world, a far cry from the original idea that digital connectivity could be only a positive platform for revealing despots’ brutality in far corners of the globe.
We now know the internet can be a powerful tool to radicalize otherwise ordinary people who might be susceptible to the hateful messages. But how do ordinary people become radicalized?
A book was just published that attempts to deal historically with that subject by focusing on Reinhard Heydrich, who became the head of the SD (the intelligence service) and the Gestapo as well as an architect of the Final Solution for the Third Reich. “The Hangman and His Wife,” by Nancy Dougherty, tells of a man without ideological roots, who was not a fervent believer and only joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years after his future wife, Lina. Yet he began what the senior New York Times book reviewer, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, who wrote the forward to the book, described this way.
“One searches in vain for a rational explanation of Heydrich’s descent into evil. No single biological fragment satisfies.”
According to the book’s author, Heydrich evolved from a musically gifted, intelligent and lonely little boy into a monstrous, hyper-rational technocrat with a photographic memory and unmatched organizational abilities. How he was perceived may have been a starting point. He had “striking Aryan looks,” and for Heinrich Himmler, who first interviewed him, and who “was weak-chinned and squinted from behind thick glasses … a physically unimposing” figure, Heydrich fit the Nazi ideal. “For all their focus on Nordic physical perfection, the Nazi leaders were a bunch of misfits … Goering was fat and jowly; Goebbels was clubfooted.” Hitler himself did not match the paragon. Here was this tall, blond candidate for head of the SS, who would be a poster child of Aryan perfection in his new uniform. He must have loved that.
Further, a close relative had a Semitic-sounding last name, and “he was shadowed by rumors that there was Jewish blood in his family and mocked during his nine years in the navy; one former roommate attested that ‘everyone more or less took Heinrich for a Jew,’” according to author Dougherty.
And this from another bunkmate: “there is no doubt that ambition was his characteristic peculiarity … On all occasions, he wanted to be outstanding — in the service, in front of his superiors, with the comrades, in sportsmanship and in bars.” Put that together with “his Luciferian coldness, amorality and insatiable greed for power,” according to Dougherty, and he became head of the Gestapo until he died in his Mercedes convertible from an assassin’s grenade on May 27, 1942. He received a full-dress state funeral from Hitler.
So do those personal qualities plus opportunity explain the emergence of a hate monger? Could any of these bag-tossers today become deeply evil and potentially homicidal? Or are they merely practicing freedom of speech? Do they just wish to stand out and be seen? Is capacity for malignant behavior what Freud called the “death instinct?” Or, as the book reviewer, Daphne Merkin, suggests, is there an inherent perverse glamour in evil?
It is unfortunate that we tend to label and stigmatize people because of unfortunate circumstances in their lives. If someone has gone to jail and served their time, they are labeled by many as useless lowlifes. 
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