“Propaganda begins when dialogue ends.” — Jacques Ellul
Democracy cannot flourish without a well-informed, enlightened public.
Many miles away from Long Island, against a backdrop of a momentous war in Ukraine, there is another war for the public consciousness of people everywhere. It is a war against a free and independent press, against openness and transparency with the public, and against truth itself. In moments of greatest agitation, those who most fear the truth will do whatever it takes to bury it.
During a teach-in last week at Stony Brook University, Distinguished Professor Leonie Huddy of the Department of Political Science, said, “We are also in a propaganda war.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists is a nonprofit that promotes independent journalism and defends press freedom worldwide. According to the CPJ website, five journalists have already been killed since the start of the Russian invasion on Feb. 24. With abhorrent regularity, journalists are now being targeted and killed.
Aware of the risks, Louise Callaghan, a Middle East correspondent for The Sunday Times of London and virtual panelist at the SBU teach-in, told the audience that she will return to the warzone to report the situation in Ukraine on the ground.
From the bomb shelters of devastated Mariupol to the Long Island North Shore, journalists have incredible responsibility. The Founding Fathers wrote freedom of the press into the First Amendment of the Constitution because they understood journalism was a necessary deterrent to unchecked power. Journalists shine light upon those who hide behind the shadows of deception, whose greatest weapons are disinformation and fear, as not even their nukes can topple what is true.
Right now, dictators and their propagandists are waging a war of ideas, seeking the total annihilation of reason and free thought. Journalists, such as Callaghan, are among our last lines of defense. Whether one is a local reporter on Long Island or a foreign correspondent in Ukraine, the principle remains. So long as journalists are there to shine light on the powerful and the wicked, to distill fact-driven, unfiltered information to the public, then autocrats and their propagandists will never prevail.
This staff editorial is dedicated to the journalists who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of transparency and truth.
Stony Brook University students and members of the media took part in the March 23 teach-in. Photo from SBU
During a teach-in at Stony Brook University March 23, a panel of professors gave their take on the invasion of Ukraine, including perspectives on the war, propaganda efforts and the impact on American public opinion.
Alexander Orlov
Orlov is a professor of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering. He is an expert on the parliament of the European Union and the government of the United Kingdom. According to him, who has many relatives still in Ukraine, a dangerous propaganda campaign has been waged by the Kremlin.
“There is one very hurtful part of the propaganda,” Orlov said. “Russians call Ukrainians Nazis. This is so offensive to the memory of the 7 million Ukrainians who died during World War II.”
According to Orlov, this is not the first time in Ukrainian history that Russians have bombarded Ukrainian territory. He also said Ukrainians are a freedom-loving people.
We live in a highly partisan, polarized context.
— Leonie Huddy
“I talked to my mom yesterday and asked her about her biggest fear,” he said. “She told me that the biggest fear she has is to be forgotten by the West because, at some point, you might get tired of the images of human suffering and stop paying attention.” Orlov added, “Ukrainians are like you. They want freedom and free enterprise, and they want to dream. Many of the Ukrainians that are fighting right now are the age of Stony Brook students and they’ve never held a rifle before in their lives.”
Leonie Huddy
Huddy, distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Political Science, addressed the impact of the Ukrainian invasion on American public opinion.
“There’s a very common effect in foreign policy attitudes when the U.S. engages in war, when it sends troops to other countries, and it’s called the rally effect,” Huddy said. “There hasn’t been any rally effect by any stretch of the imagination.”
According to her, Americans are so divided and the political culture is so partisan that Americans cannot even agree on the proper foreign policy approach to the war in Ukraine.
“We live in a highly partisan, polarized context,” she said. “I don’t think you can get much worse than this. Things are looking pretty bad in terms of just how divided we are.”
Huddy believes that the looming midterm elections will have a pronounced impact on how Americans address the war in Ukraine.
“One of the reasons for this is that we have congressional elections approaching,” she said. “I think the Republican Party is thinking there’s a potential for success so it’s very important not to give an inch to the Democrats right now. We have the heels dug in.”
John Frederick Bailyn
Bailyn is professor in the Linguistics Department and co-director of Virtual NYI Global Institute. According to him, the invasion of Ukraine prompted a massive effort by the Russian government to repress domestic opposition.
“February 24, 2022, was a day that has changed the course of Ukraine and also Russia forever,” Bailyn said. “Anything ‘fake’ about the war, which is entirely up to [the Kremlin], is punishable by up to 15 years in jail.”
According to Bailyn, there are plenty of Russians who support the invasion of Ukraine, but there is also a large exodus of people leaving the country.
“People have been leaving in droves,” he said. “People are all having to decide if they should leave everything they know — their entire lives. Many people are deciding to do that because this is just far beyond anything that they have seen before.”
Vladimir Putin grew up in postwar Leningrad, a city that had survived almost 900 days of siege.
— Jonathan Sanders
Jonathan Sanders
Sanders is associate professor in the School of Communication and Journalism and a former Moscow correspondent for CBS News. He has met the Russian president personally and described in vivid detail the psychology of the man coordinating the invasion effort.
“Vladimir Putin grew up in postwar Leningrad, a city that had survived almost 900 days of siege, a city in which his baby brother had died, a city in which rats were eating corpses and people were eating corpses,” Sanders said. “He was an individualist, an alienated, bad kid. He played with rats,” adding, “The rat is probably the best metaphor for him — not the nice little white rats that we see in the psychology labs, but really mean, vicious little rats, whose predecessors survived the second world war by eating people.”
Sanders said that the rebellious streak in Putin dates back to early childhood. According to the professor, it was highly unusual for Putin to reject the politics of his father but he did so as an act of individualism and revolt.
“Mr. Putin was an individualist,” Sanders said. “His father was a true believing Communist and young Vladimir did not join the Young Communist League, something extremely unusual.” Sanders added, “He was a hooligan, a street kid.”
Dennis Whittam of Port Jefferson Station snapped this incredible photo of a pair of ospreys at West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook earlier this week. He writes, ‘The ospreys have returned to Long Island and are working on their nests as they prepare for future chicks.’
John Keating, manager of economic development for PSEGLI, announces initiative to invest in downtown areas during a press conference on Monday.
Photo from PSEGLI
On March 28, in honor of Tuesday’s National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day, representatives of PSEG Long Island met with public officials and business leaders at PJ Lobster House to announce an initiative to revitalize Long Island’s downtown areas.
Representing PSEGLI was John Keating, manager of economic development, and Michael Voltz, director of energy efficiency and renewables. According to Keating, small business districts are the engine behind Long Island’s regional economy.
“We’re celebrating this National Mom and Pop Business Day by announcing that we are adding $500,000 to our programs for small businesses for 2022,” Keating said. “To bring more people into your downtown, we offer a main street revitalization program which offers $25,000 grants for anyone who wants to renovate that property and make it more appealing for people.”
In addition to these beautification investments, PSEGLI will also offer a vacant space program. According to Keating, investments in vacant spaces are a way to remove blemishes from local business districts.
“We’ve all been to downtowns and when you see a lot of vacant spaces it really doesn’t make you want to spend a lot of time in that downtown,” he said. “We created this vacant space revitalization program to occupy a space that was vacant for at least a year and we can give you a discount on your first year’s energy.”
Voltz discussed the various improvements made through these grants by James Luciano, owner of PJ Lobster House. According to Voltz, due to this investment the restaurant now operates with greater energy efficiency.
“You see the beautiful lamps and chandeliers — all LED lighting,” he said. “LED lighting is very efficient. We provided a rebate of about $1,200 for all of the various LED lamps in this building and that’s going to save James about $500 each and every year.” He added, “It’s good for small business, it’s good for his expenses and it helps PSEG Long Island by reducing the strain on our electric grid.”
Small businesses are what give a community a sense of place and a sense of identity.
— Jonathan Kornreich
Luciano, whose business relocated in June 2021, said PSEGLI had offered him the vacant space grant, enabling him to save money on energy. According to him, this had provided much-needed relief to his small business at a time when it was most needed.
“We had PSEG come down to our chamber [of commerce] and they introduced the programs they had and we were able to take advantage of the vacant space grant, which actually helped us out tremendously,” Luciano said. “We saved over $10,000 the first year on the energy that we used. We were also given during COVID the outdoor grants as well,” adding, “Starting out at a new location, that money definitely goes a long way, so PSEG is definitely a great partner to have in the community.”
Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D) thanked PSEGLI for supporting local businesses during their time of need. He welcomed the partnership between PSEGLI, local government and small businesses.
“Small businesses are what give a community a sense of place and a sense of identity for a lot of the families that live in those areas,” Kornreich said. “PSEG Long Island gets that and we appreciate you helping carry a lot of those businesses during the dark times of the pandemic.” He added, “Now that the pandemic is coming to an end, you’re helping to keep the lights on and we appreciate that.”
Mary Joy Pipe, owner of The East End Shirt Co. and president of Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, discussed the cooperation between the chamber and PSEGLI. She suggested that investments such as these require foresight and ingenuity to be successful.
“A lot of foresight was given to how this could be an advantage for the small businesses in our community,” she said. “Thank you to PSEG for that foresight.”
To learn more about the grant programs offered by PSEGLI, visit the website www.psegliny.com/inthecommunity/revitalization.
This week’s featured shelter pets are a pair of bonded two year old siblings, Cali (calico) and Archie (tabby and white) available for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.
These two sweethearts come from a feral cat colony where their caretaker worked very hard to socialize them. Cali is very outgoing and affectionate with everyone. Archie loves his caretaker very much and will roll over for belly rubs and play with her. He is very shy of other people. With some time and patience, and Cali to lead the way, we know that Archie will learn to trust a family too. These two can be seen cuddling together all day long and would really like to stay together.
If you would like to meet Cali and Archie, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with them in a domestic setting.
The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.smithtownanimalshelter.com.
Private, Kowalski, Skipper and Rico return to the Engeman Theater this weekend in 'Madagascar: A Musical Adventure'
Programs
Egg Hunt at the Hatchery
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will host an Egg Hunt for children up to age 6 on April 2-3, 9-10 and 15-16 with 20-minute sessions scheduled between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.. $12 per child, $5 helper siblings ages 7 to 12, $7 adults, $6 seniors. Registration is required. Visit www.cshfishhatchery.org or call 516-692-6768.
Sweetbriar Open House
Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown will host a Summer Program Open House on April 2 from noon to 4 p.m. Children and parents will have the opportunity to tour the facility including a visit to the center’s rainforest room and woodland exhibits, learning more about their summer programs, and meeting some of the resident animals. The Senior Educator will be available to answer any questions. Free. Call 979-6344.
Children’s Birding Adventures
Children ages 4 to 10 with a caregiver are invited to join the Four Harbors Audubon Society for a children’s story time, bird walk, and a bird-inspired activity at Frank Melville Memorial Park, 101 Main St., Setauket on April 2 (rescheduled from March 26) from 1 to 2 p.m. Enjoy some family fun while you learn about our feathered friends.Meet at the entrance to the park behind the post office. Free but registration is required by emailing [email protected].
Nature Walk at Cedar Beach
The Town of Brookhaven continues its Spring Nature Programs at the Cedar Beach Nature Center, 200 Harbor Road, Mount Sinai with a Nature Walk on April 2 at 2 p.m. Explore the unique ecology of the beach and salt marsh and learn about the different and overlapping ecosystems of flora and fauna, and the habitats that comprise this beautiful place. Please wear closed, comfortable shoes and bring binoculars if you have them. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Free but registration is required by e-mailing Environmental Educator Nicole Pocchiare at [email protected].
Sunday Fun-day
Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown continues its Sunday Fun-day series with a program titled Discovering Nature on April 3 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Join them for a hike into the woods, a talk about our local wetlands and meet some local animals. Best suited for ages 6 to 9. $10 per child, $5 per adult. Advance registration required by visiting www.sweetbriarnc.org. For further information, call 979-6344.
Scrimshaw Detectives
Calling private investigators! For the month of April, the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor presents Scrimshaw Detectives! Spy around the museum and look for clues to uncover secret meanings hidden in scrimshaw art. When you complete your tasks, design and etch your own scrimshaw box to take home. For ages 5 and up. Admission plus $10 per participant. Call 367-3418 or visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Theater
‘Madagascar’
Up next at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is Dreamworks’ Madagascar: A Musical Adventure from April 2 to May 8. Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo and, of course, those hilarious, plotting penguins as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar. Filled with outlandish characters, adventure galore and an upbeat score, Madagascar will leave audiences with no choice but to “Move It, Move It!” All seats are $20. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Disney’s ‘High School Musical Jr.’
We’re all in this together! Disney Channel’s smash hit musical comes to life at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown in Disney’s High School Musical Jr. from April 15 to May 15. Troy, Gabriella and the students of East High must deal with issues of love, friends and family while balancing their classes and extra curricular activities. The show’s infectious, danceable songs will have you dancing in your seats! All seats are $25. To order, call 724-3700 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.
‘The Adventures of Peter Rabbit’
The Adventures of Peter Rabbit hops over toTheatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson from April 16 to May 7 (sensory sensitive performance on April 24). Peter, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-Tail, Benjamin Bunny, the McGregors and all their friends come to life in this delightful musical adaption suggested by the characters created by Beatrix Potter. Fun for the entire family and a Theatre Three tradition for spring break! $10 per person. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com
PIPE AND DRUM
Better late than never! The 38th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade marches down Lake Avenue on April 2 at 1 p.m., courtesy of the St. James Chamber of Commerce. File photo by Rita J. Egan/TBR News Media
Ongoing
TVHS expands hours
The Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket will be open for the spring season on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for exhibit tours of SPIES! and Chicken Hill and gift shop now through May 7. For more information, call 751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.
Thursday, March 31
Native American Drumming
All Souls Parish House, 10 Mill Pond Road, Stony Brook will host a Native American Drumming Meditation from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Led by elder drummer, Ric Statler, drumming meditation seeks to integrate the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of the human self, creating a state of well-being. Please call 655-7798 for more information.
Friday, April 1
First Friday at the Heckscher
The Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington continues its First Friday series tonight from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Explore the exhibitions during extended viewing hours and enjoy a concert featuring soulful standards with Steve Salerno and Mall Waldron at 7 pm. Free admission. For further information, call 380-3230 or visit www.heckscher.org.
Furnishing Hope fundraiser
Setauket Presbyterian Church, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket will culminate its Furnishing Hope online auction fundraising week for The Open Door Exchange with a special in-person celebration with auction items and raffle baskets at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event are $10 per person and can be purchased at www.opendoorexchange.org.
Wintertide concert
The Port Jefferson Village Center, 101-A E. Broadway, Part Jefferson continues its Wintertide concert series with a concert by Old Fid – the sea shanty trio of Alan Short and Deidre and Sean Murtha from 7:30 to 9 p.m. $5 donation at the door. Questions? Call 802-210.
Saturday, April 2
History at Hallockville workshop
Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead kicks of its 5-week spring workshop series, History at Hallockville, with Sustainability from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants will learn about the “green” practices of the Hallock family throughout the farm and over the decades and discuss how these historic self-sustaining ways are important in today’s world. The seriescontinues with Traditional Crafts on April 9, The Immigrant Experience on April 30, Farm to Table on May 7 and Culminating Session on May 14. $65 per workshop. To register, visit www.hallockville.org.
Stony Brook Preserve clean-up
In light of Earth Month, Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich will co-host a cleanup of the Lee Koppelman Preserve, at the intersection of Sage Lane and Sheppard Lane in Stony Brook from 10 a.m. to noon. T-shirts, bags, gloves, pickers and certificates will be handed out to those who participate. For additional details, call 451-6963.
Bunny brunch and vendor fair
Location-St. Louis de Montfort Church, 75 New York Ave., Sound Beach hosts a Brunch with the Bunny and Vendor Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy brunch, pictures with The Bunny, vendors, auction baskets, 50/50 raffle, kids craft table and more! Tickets at the door are $18 adults, $10 children ages 10 and under, age 2 and under free. For more information, call 849-3653.
Huntington Militia Drill Day
Join the Huntington Militia for a Drill Day at the Huntington Arsenal and Village Green on Park Avenue in Huntington from noon to 4:30 p.m. This is a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes of The Order of the Ancient and Honorable Huntington Militia and see what is involved reenacting Long Island history with manual of arms, cannon and marching/maneuvering drills. Free. Visit www.huntingtonmilitia.com.
St. James St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Join the St. James Chamber of Commerce for the 38th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicking off at 1 p.m. The parade will head down Lake Avenue from Woodlawn to Railroad avenues and will feature piper bands, marching bands, Scout troops, dance groups, floats, fire trucks, antique cars, and more. For more information, call 584-5200.
Viva Momix heads to SBU
Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook welcomes Viva Momix to the Main Stage at 8 p.m. Known internationally for presenting works of astounding inventiveness and physical beauty, MOMIX is a company of dancer-illusionists focusing not only on the beauty of the human form, but also the beauty of nature, music, scenography, and life itself.Each show takes you into a surreal and fantasy world, allowing you to dip your toes into the stream of unconsciousness. VIVA MOMIX boasts their greatest hits, and is perfect for all ages and all occasions. Ticket prices range from $52 to $80. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.
Sunday, April 3
Theatre Three Food Drive
Theatre Three will host a food and personal care items drive to benefit the Open Cupboard Pantry at Infant Jesus Church from 9 a.m. to noon. Items will be collected at the Infant Jesus convent building at 110 Hawkins St. (off Myrtle Ave) in Port Jefferson. Donations needed include juice, mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, flour, sugar, Maseca corn flour, cooking oil, coffee, pancake mix (complete), pancake syrup, canned fruit, healthy snacks as well as shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, toilet paper, baby shampoo, baby wash, baby wipes, baby powder, Desitin and lotion. Grocery store gift cards and cash also accepted. For more information, call 938-6464.
Port Jeff Winter Farmers Market
The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market will be held every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson through April 25. This year’s vendors include Brownies N’ Stuff, Joann’s Desserts, Farm Fresh Potions, Mello Munch Awesome Granola, O Honey Bee Farm, Sweet Melissa Dip, Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery, Spilt Milk Macarons and many more. For more information, call 802-2160.
Declutter & Organize seminar
St. James Community Cultural Arts Center, 176 2nd St., St. James will host a seminar titled Your Home – Your Life Declutter and Organize for Spring from 1 to 3 p.m. Interior designer Natalie Weinstein will offer spring cleaning tips and ways to to declutter and organize in a fun and interactive afternoon. Learn how to set realistic goals with tips, tools and free take home gifts. Donation $25, $20 seniors. To register, call 984-0201 or visit www.celebratestjames.org.
Monday, April 4
No events listed for this day.
Tuesday, April 5
No events listed for this day.
Wednesday, April 6
Book Talk
The Center for Italian Studies at Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Melville Librar,y Room E-4340 will welcome award-winning Italian author Claudia Durastanti who will discuss her novel, La straniera, a coming-of-age story set between Italy, New York and London at 6 p.m. All are welcome to attend this free event. Call 632-7444 for more information.
Thursday, April 7
Stony Brook Walking Tour
Join the Ward Melville Heritage Organization for a Secrets of Stony Brook Village walking tour at 11:50 a.m. and again at 3:50 p.m. Hear some newly uncovered stories while strolling through the historic village. $10 per person. Reservations required by call 751-2244.
HHS Lunch & Learn
Huntington Historical Society continues its Lunch & Learn series at Encore Luxury Living, 300 Jericho Turnpike, Jericho from noon to 2 p.m. Award-winning author and historian Kerriann Flanagan Brosky will discuss stories intertwined with ghost tales and local history from her latest book, Haunted Long Island Mysteries followed by a book signing. $50 per person includes a gourmet two-course meal. To RSVP, visit www.huntingthistoricalsociety.org.
Volunteer Fair
Northport Public Library, 151 Laurel Ave., Northport will host a Volunteer Fair from 4 to 7 p.m. Come and speak with representatives from local organizations including the Northport Historical Society, Huntington Historical Society, Island Harvest Food Bank, RSVP Suffolk, Northport Arts Coalition, East Northport Chamber of Commerce, Lewis Oliver Farm Sanctuary and more. To register, call 261-6930.
Art reception
Join Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket for an opening art reception for its latest exhibit, Prolonged Perception by Doug Reina, from 6 to 8 p.m. The solo exhibit highlights the artists’s exploration of obscure, ordinary spaces of contemporary life that are often shielded from view. For more information, call 751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org. Read more about Doug Reina on page B14.
Thankful Thursdays
The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will kick off the first of a series of Thankful Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Reichert Planetarium. The evening will feature a family-friendly planetarium show titled Stars: The Powerhouse of the Universe narrated by actor Mark Hamill. After the show, astronomy educators will invite visitors to look through telescopes at the night sky – weather permitting. The event is free but registration is required by visiting www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
An evening of jazz
Join The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook for an evening of jazz with the 17-member Jazz Loft Big Band at 7 p.m. Led by Jazz Loft founder and trumpeter Tom Manuel, the band will perform jazz standards, original compositions and arrangements written by band members. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children, children under 5 free. To order, call 751-1895 or visit www.thejazzloft.org.
Film
‘Earth: One Amazing Day’
To celebrate Earth Day and Earth Month, the Four Harbors Audubon Society for a Friday Movie Night screening of the BBC documentary “Earth: One Amazing Day” at the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown on April 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Earth is home to a vast array of environments and animals, but what is a single day in the life of these creatures like? Narrated by Robert Redford, this film takes us on an astonishing journey revealing the awesome power of the natural world. Free and open to all. Reservations required by calling 766-3075 or 360-2480, ext. 232.
Theater
CUTTING EDGE Above, Stephen T. Wangner and Tamralynn Dorsa star in Confessions of a Succesful Playwright as part of Theatre Three’s Festival of One-Act Plays. The show closes on April 2. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
Festival of One-Act Plays
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents the 23rd annual Festival of One-Act Plays, featuring the world premiere of six new works, at The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre, on the Second Stage from Feb. 27 to April. 2. Adult content and language. Parental discretion is advised. Tickets are $20. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘A Bronx Tale’
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents A Bronx Tale from March 24 to May 8. Based on Chazz Palminteri’s classic movie, this streetwise musical will take you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s—where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Featuring a doo-wop score, A Bronx Tale is a story about respect, loyalty, love, and above all else: family. Tickets range from $75 to $80 with free valet parking. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. Read the review on page B19.
‘Steel Magnolias’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Steel Magnolias from April 9 to May 7. Come on down to Truvy’s Louisiana beauty shop where six strong women share their hopes and dreams. Beginning on the day of debutante Shelby’s wedding, the play traces this eccentric and lovable cast of characters as they support each other through life’s many challenges. Stop by for some great laughs and unforgettable friendship. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and older. To order, call 928-9100 or visit theatrethree.com.
Shakespeare’s ‘Henry V’
Suffolk County Community College’s Ammerman Campus, 533 College Road, Selden presents Henry V by Shakespeare at the Shea Theatre, Islip Arts Building on April 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and April 24 at 2 p.m. Mature content. General admission is $14, students 16 years of age or younger $9.75, veterans and Suffolk students with current ID receive one free ticket. To order, call 451-4163.
‘Kinky Boots’
Up next at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is Kinky Boots from May 19 to July 3. With songs by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein, this ‘dazzling, sassy and uplifting musical celebrates a joyous story, inspired by true life events, taking you from the factory floor of a men’s shoe factory to the glamorous catwalks of Milan! Tickets range from $75 to $80 with free valet parking. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
‘Mamma Mia!’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson closes its 2021-2022 with Mamma Mia! from May 21 to June 25. ABBA’s timeless hits tell the enchanting story! On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the Greek island paradise they last visited twenty years ago. Featuring such chart toppers as “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Take a Chance on Me,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!,” and “Dancing Queen,” this is a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget. Contains adult themes and situations. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and older. To order, call 928-9100 or visit theatrethree.com.
Vendors Wanted
◆ Calling all makers, artisans and crafters! Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket welcomes vendors for its annual Easter Egg Hunts on April 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $50 per day or $80 both days for a 10’ by 10’ spot. Call 631-689-8172 or email [email protected] for further info.
◆ Huntington Historical Society will hold its annual “Antiques in April” sale on the grounds of the Daniel Kissam House, 434 Park Ave., Huntington on April 23 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $100 registration fee for vendors. Visit www.huntingthistoricalsociety.org for an application or call 631-427-7045, ext. 401.
◆ The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor seeks antique vendors for its outdoor Spring Antique Sale on May 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For an application, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. For more information, call 631-367-3418.
◆ Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, 178 Oxhead Road, Centereach seeks vendors for its Spring Craft Fair on May 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rain date May 22). $50 for a 10X10 spot. Food trucks also wanted. For more information, email Alex at [email protected].
◆ Harborfields Public Library, 31 Broadway, Greenlawn is looking for craft vendors for its annual outdoor Friends of the Library Craft & Flea Market on May 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 pm. The non-refundable fee for a 10X10 space is $35. To apply, visit www.harborfieldslibrary.org/friends.
◆ East End Arts, 133 E. Main St., Riverhead will host the 26th annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival in Downtown Riverhead on May 29 from noon to 5 p.m. Craft/artisan vendors and food/beverage vendors may visit www.eastendarts.org for an application or call 631-727-0900.
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
A scene from 'A Bronx Tale.' Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
Sonny and my father always said
that when I get older I would understand.
Well, I finally did.
I learned something from these two men.
I learned to give love and get love unconditionally.
And I learned the saddest thing in life is wasted talent
And the choices that you make will shape your life forever.
But you can ask anybody from my neighborhood
And they will tell you,
This is just another
Bronx Tale.
(Calogero’s quote)
By Barbara Anne Kirshner
The John W. Engeman Theater in Northport captivates once again and this time it’s with the gritty, heartfelt, edge of your seat excitement of A Bronx Tale: The Musical. The show opened on March 24.
From the moment you enter the theatre, you are immersed in the Italian flavor of the show from the red/white checkered cloths decorating tables, to the delectable cannoli, to the Sinatra style crooner in the lounge.
A Bronx Tale is a coming-of-age musical told from the perspective of an Italian American young man, Calogero, growing up on the mean streets of 1960s Bronx. The gangsters in the neighborhood fascinate him. As a nine-year-old boy, he witnesses Sonny, the mob boss, brutally shoot a man for assaulting his friend, but when the police question the child, he doesn’t snitch. Impressed, Sonny takes young Calogero under his wing, gives him the nickname “C,” introduces him to his gang and offers him odd jobs around his bar.
Fast forward eight years; all this time C has been working for Sonny and hiding it from his father. He has developed the reputation as Sonny’s sidekick thus gaining respect from all the other mobsters. At school, C meets a Black girl, Jane, and they are instantly attracted though they know it is forbidden by both their neighborhoods. They plan a date anyway amidst mounting racial tensions which culminate in a climactic clash.
Centered around respect, loyalty, love and family, A Bronx Tale took on many forms before it was adapted into the musical version. Chazz Palminteri wrote the one man play version in 1989 as an acting vehicle for himself. It is semi-autobiographical, based on his 1960’s childhood in the Bronx. The play premiered in Los Angeles (1989) before moving to Off-Broadway. Robert DeNiro saw the play in Los Angeles (1990) and resolved to turn it into a movie. DeNiro and Palminteri teamed up to make the 1993 film. This was DeNiro’s directorial debut and the two wrote the screenplay. DeNiro played Lorenzo, the father, with Palminteri taking on the role of Sonny, the mob boss.
From October 25, 2007, through February 24, 2008, Palminteri performed his one man show on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre under the direction of Jerry Zaks. Next came the musical with book by Palminteri, music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater and co-directed by DeNiro and Zaks. It opened on Broadway December 1, 2016, and closed on August 5, 2018. Of special note, the role of Jane was played by this year’s supporting actress Oscar winner, Ariana DeBose.
The Engeman production is breathtaking in every way. Kyle Dixon’s set impresses starting as Belmont Avenue with abstract tenements, fire escapes, a prominent stoop and streetlight where a chorus of doowop opens the show and then seamlessly transforms into various locations. Lighting by John Burkland washes the set in pale red tones, a metaphor for the crime-ridden streets, then brightens for lighter moments.
Calogero is played to perfection by Mike Cefalo whose soulful eyes, ready smile and rich vocals invites the audience into his world. His counterpart, the nine-year- old Calogero played by Michael Deaner, is adorable, but with a street wise edge, not an easy task for a kid to play. Deaner infuses so much joy into his songs it is infectious.
The voice of reason, Lorenzo (Charlie Marcus), exudes fervor fighting for his son’s soul with lines like, “If you get lost, look to me, I’m here for you.” Shaina Vencel (Rosina) makes us feel the motherly love and devotion she has for her son. Mike Keller’s mobster Sonny is charming and generous but dangerous if you cross him. He genuinely cares about Calogero and teaches him lessons he learned from the streets. “Make them fear you, not love you,” is his mantra. Mackenzie Meadows as Jane is radiant with a stunning voice. It is easy to see how C could fall for her. Sonny tells C that you only get Three Great Ones in your life and Meadows makes us believe she is one of them.
Director/choreographer Paul Stancato has assembled a stellar cast that hits all the emotional tones this show requires. His choreography is energetic with spectacular high kicks and passionate. Dustin Cross’ costumes are 60s nostalgia with tight fitting pedal pushers, midriff tops, black leather jackets and all those gangster suits. Music director Benjamin Stayner and his band glide through this tuneful score with its doowop, Motown and Broadway style ballads.
The Engeman delivers high powered professionalism on all cylinders with A Bronx Tale: The Musical. The show runs through May 8.
The John E. Engeman Theater is located at 250 Main Street in Northport. To order tickets, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Suffolk County Legislator Manuel Esteban (R-Commack) announced March 21 that Commack resident Maria Teresa Romero has been named the Suffolk County’s 2022 “Woman of Distinction” for her work in founding Latina Sisters Support, Inc., which provides outreach, education and support about breast cancer to non-English speaking women.
“Today we are making history,” said Esteban. “As Suffolk County’s first Hispanic Republican Legislator, having the honor of naming the very first Hispanic Woman of Distinction will forever be a highlight of my brand-new career in government.”
Ms. Romero is the first Hispanic woman to receive this distinguished honor since the first award was presented in 2003. She was chosen to represent the 16th Legislative District by Legislator Esteban, who is also the first Hispanic Republican representing this district.
Ms. Maria Teresa Romero is a Breast Cancer survivor of eleven (11) years. She turned her own experiences into a pillar of strength for all Latina and Hispanic women and founded Latina Sisters Support, Inc. to address and resolve the disparities in access to quality healthcare and breast cancer awareness amongst the Latino community. Unlike most nonprofit organizations who receive grants, Ms. Romero has personally funded this the organization with both personal funds and private donations.
“Ms. Romero saw a true need and continues to work day and night to provide services to Hispanic women who are fighting breast cancer,” said Legislator Esteban. “Her dedication is boundless, and she has helped hundreds of women and their families facing the sometimes-deadly diseases.
The very journey that women feel helpless, scared, hopeless, extremely ill during periods of chemo treatment, and the disparity of not having insurance at all to treat this life and death illness.
“It is an honor to recognize Maria Teresa Romero as the 2022 “Woman of Distinction” for Suffolk County. Professionally and personally, she is a leader among women and is deserving of this recognition due to her overwhelming compassion for others and life’s purpose. She is devoted to helping cancer patients not only survive, but provide them and their families hope for a better tomorrow,” said Legislator Esteban.
A humble, Ms. Romero said, “I am most proud and excited to be the recipient of the Woman of Distinction of Suffolk County, I assure you that this award will serve as a motivator for all my future endeavors. I will continue to strive on bringing kindness and awareness to the world and spread a message of love and unity allowing my moral compass to lead the way. My life changed drastically by being diagnosed with cancer and within seconds my purpose on earth also changed. I want to establish resources and services for women that are going through cancer. The Women are indeed the drivers of my motivation.”
On behalf of the Suffolk County Women’s Advisory Commission, Chair Tina Norton said, “I would like to congratulate Maria Teresa Romero, Winner of the 2022 Woman of Distinction Award. She rose to the top of our review of this year’s nominees. Her steadfast commitment to women facing cancer diagnosis and her tireless support along their journey speaks volumes to her role as a distinguished community leader. She represents the best of who we are and is a model for how we lift one another up throughout life‘s highs and lows!”
Office of Women’s Services, Grace Ioannidis, Director stated, “As we celebrate the Platinum Anniversary of this award, Maria Teresa Romero represents exactly what this is all about. She dedicates everyday of her life fighting for the dignity and survival of women with cancer.”
Legislator Esteban along with his colleagues will honor and present Ms. Romero with a proclamation before the full the Legislature at their scheduled General Meeting on Tuesday, March 29 around 10 am.
This is the second in a two-part series on Long Island’s water supply.
‘We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us’ — Pogo
Imagine, for a moment, you’re driving on a road that skirts one of New York City’s water supply reservoirs such as the Croton or Ashokan reservoir. You come around a bend and in a large gap in the forest, offering a clear and sweeping view of the reservoir, you see thousands of houseboats dotting the reservoir’s surface. An unease falls over you — after all this is a drinking water reservoir that supplies drinking water to millions of people — and letting people live on their water supply doesn’t seem like a very good idea to ensure the purity or even the drinkability of the water.
Pixabay photo
Shift your focus to Long Island and you can see these “houseboats.” They’re in the form of hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses sitting on the surface. The drinking water reservoir however is invisible beneath our feet, leading to a “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” mentality, which, in turn, has led to decades of mistreatment by the approximately 2.7 million Long Islanders who live, work, and play above a water supply they cannot see. Perhaps it is this visual disconnection which explains the checkered stewardship.
At the risk of understatement, Long Island’s drinking water system, and the coastal waters hydrologically connected to it, are facing significant, big-time challenges. By just about any measure (a few exceptions include detergents and several types of pesticides) there are more contaminants in greater concentrations in Long Island’s groundwater than any time in its history.
In a way this is not surprising as Long Island has built out with a land surface containing ever increasing numbers of actual and potential sources of contamination, and hundreds of poorly vetted chemicals coming on the market every year. Layer on this the quantity dimension: that in certain areas there’s simply not enough water to meet current or projected human demand and the needs of ecosystems (like wetlands) and it’s not surprising that Long Island’s drinking water system is under stress like never before.
To be clear, government agencies have not sat passively by in an effort to protect and manage the aquifer system. There are many examples over the past several decades where various government agencies, statutorily responsible for safeguarding our water resources, have delineated a problem and moved to address it. Let’s run through a few.
You’ve heard the expression: “oil and water don’t mix.” The same is true for gasoline, as evidenced by the many leak and spill incidents in the past caused by hundreds of gasoline stations scattered throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. As more and more contamination was discovered from gasoline plumes in the Upper Glacial aquifer half a century ago, gasoline storage tanks buried at every filling station were becoming known as “ticking time bombs”. This is because tanks installed many decades ago were single-wall, and made of corrodible cast iron — two undesirable traits for tanks containing thousands of gallons of gasoline buried in the ground.
The solution? Both counties mandated tank replacement; Suffolk County through the enactment of Article 12 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code. New requirements included double-walled fiberglass or specialized steel tanks with a leak detection system in between the two walls to detect a leak in the inner wall. Older readers may remember, years ago, the presence of excavators and backhoes in gas stations throughout the island as the industry moved to comply with this important new water quality safety measure. Because of these two county laws gasoline leaks — and subsequent plumes — from station tanks are almost entirely a thing of the past.
Another pollutant that is largely a thing of the past is salt. Before the adoption of legislation mandating the enclosed covering of salt piles managed by transportation and public works departments, stockpiled for winter road deicing applications, salt piles would sit outside exposed to the elements. Not surprisingly, plumes of salty water, well above drinking water standards, often formed under these piles. In some cases plumes beneath salt piles located near public water supply wells ended up contaminating these wells. Today, by law, all highway department salt stockpiles have to be covered or indoors to prevent saltwater plumes.
Nitrogen pollution has been a more intractable problem. Emanating from centralized sewage treatment plants, agricultural and lawn fertilizers, and many thousands of septic tanks and cesspools (there’s an estimated 360,000 of them in Suffolk County alone), nitrogen is ubiquitous. This excess nitrogen has fueled adverse ecological changes in our estuaries including loss of salt marshes and various types of toxic algae blooms, which in turn, have killed off scallops, clams, diamondback terrapins, and blue-claw crabs. Too much nitrogen in drinking water can have adverse health consequences for humans, especially babies, a concern since an increasing number of public wells have nitrogen levels exceeding the state health limit of 10 parts per million.
So how to get ahead of the nitrogen curve? Generally there are three ways, each relating to each of the major sources of contamination — 1) nitrogen laden water from home septic tanks/cesspools, 2) nitrogen laden water from sewage treatment plants, and 3) nitrogen pollution stemming from fertilizer use, most notably in farming but also by homeowners for lawn care.
Through the Septic Improvement Program, under its “Reclaim Our Water” Initiative, Suffolk County has thrown its eggs in the “septic tank/cesspool” basket by attacking the nitrogen generated by homeowners. How? By working with companies that have made vast improvements in the technology used to treat household sewage; basically these companies have developed mini-sewage treatment plants in place of septic tanks/cesspools, resulting in much lower nitrogen levels in the water recharged into the ground (from 70 to 80 parts per million ppm nitrogen to 10-20 ppm.
The County now provides financial subsidies to homeowners to replace aging systems with new Innovative/Advanced systems (known as I/A systems). The downside with this approach is that because of the huge number of homes that need to convert their cesspools/septic tanks to I/A systems (remember the 360,000 figure from above?) it will take many decades to bend the nitrogen-loading curve meaningfully downward, to the point we’ll begin to see a difference.
An additional complimentary approach to reduce nitrogen loadings, but likely able to do so more quickly, is through the tried and true strategy of “water reuse.” Here, highly treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants (STP’s) which contains low concentrations of nitrogen, is used in ways which “pulls out” the nitrogen. Water reuse is common practice in many places in the United States including Florida and California where the trademark purple-colored distribution piping is commonplace. Approximately 2.6 billion gallons of water is reused daily in the country, mostly for golf course irrigation but also for irrigating certain foods such as citrus trees.
The largest water reuse example on Long Island involves the Riverhead STP-Indian Island County Golf Course. With this project, from April to October, highly treated wastewater is directed to the adjacent Indian Island County Golf Course rather than being discharged into the Peconic River. According to engineering projections, the effort annually results in about 1.4 less tons of nitrogen entering the estuary, being taken up by the grass, and keeps about 63 million gallons of water in the ground since golf course wells no longer need to pump irrigation water from the aquifers.
With funding support the Seatuck Environmental Association has hired Cameron Engineering & Associates to develop an islandwide “Water Reuse Road Map” to guide future reuse projects. A potential local project, similar to the Riverhead example, tentatively identified in the roadmap involves redirecting wastewater from the SUNY Stony Brook STP which currently discharges into Port Jefferson Harbor and use it to irrigate the St. Georges Golf Course and Country Club, situated several hundreds away from the STP on the east side of Nicolls Road in East Setauket.
The third source of nitrogen contamination — fertilizers — has also received focus although progress here has been slower. A Suffolk County law, among other things, prohibits fertilizer applications from November 1st through April 1st when the ground is mostly frozen and little plant growth occurs. It also prohibits, with certain exemptions such as golf courses, fertilizer applications on county-owned properties. Several bills, both at the county and state level, have been introduced to limit the fraction of nitrogen in fertilizer formulations and to require “slow release” nitrogen so it can be taken up by plants and not leach into groundwater.
A basic concept that has emerged from a better understanding of how Long Island’s groundwater system works and the threats to it, is the value of the aforementioned “deep-flow recharge areas” serving as groundwater watersheds, these watersheds recharging voluminous amounts of water to the deepest portions of the underlying aquifers. And we’ve also learned “clean land means clean water.”
Where the land surface is dominated by pine and oak trees, chipmunks, native grasses, blueberries, etc., the groundwater beneath is pure, as there no sources of potential contamination on the surface. It has become clear that Long Island’s forested watersheds play an important role in protecting Long Island’s groundwater system.
In recognition of the direct relationship between the extent to which a land surface is developed and the quality of drinking water below it, a state law was passed establishing on Long Island SGPA’s — “Special Groundwater Protection Areas” — lightly developed to undeveloped landscapes within the deep-flow recharge zones that recharge clean water downward, replenishing the three aquifers; the 100,000 acre Pine Barrens forest being the largest and most significant SGPA.
There are seven other SGPA’s including the Oak Brush Plains SGPA just east of Commack Road and south of the Pilgrim State Hospital property; the South Setauket SGPA in northwestern Brookhaven Town, bisected by Belle Meade Road; one on the North Fork; two on the South Fork; and two in northern Nassau County. These areas collectively recharge tens of millions of gallons of high to pristine quality water to the groundwater system on a daily basis. The state law mandated the development of a comprehensive plan designed to safeguard the land surface and the water beneath it in all the SGPA’s. Landscape protection took a step further in the Pine Barrens, where state law has safeguarded nearly 100 square miles of land from development.
Protecting a community’s water supply has been a challenge throughout recorded history. Many past dynasties and civilizations (e.g. China, Bolivia, Cambodia, Egypt, Syria, southwest United States) have collapsed or been compromised by failing to ensure adequate supplies of clean water. In modern times maintaining the integrity of a water supply has become one of the fundamental responsibilities of government. It is clear that various levels of government, from Washington, DC, to Albany, to local governments, have advanced a host of laws, regulations, strategies, and programs all designed to safeguard our water supply.
The jury is still out, though, as to whether this collective governmental response will be adequate enough. While Pogo has been correct so far — we, the 2.7 million Long Islanders in the two counties have been the enemy — perhaps with the implementation of additional proactive responses we might prove the little opossum wrong.
A resident of Setauket, John Turner is conservation chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, author of “Exploring the Other Island: A Seasonal Nature Guide to Long Island” and president of Alula Birding & Natural History Tours.
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