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Yearly Archives: 2023

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A scene from a previous Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Race Festival. Photo by Kyle Barr
A scene from a previous festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC
A scene from last year’s Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Race Festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC
A scene from a previous festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC
A scene from a previous festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC
A scene from last year’s Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Race Festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC
A scene from last year’s Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Race Festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC
A scene from a previous festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC
A scene from a previous festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC
A scene from a previous festival. Photo courtesy of PJCC

By Julianne Mosher

These dragons won’t need any slaying and will not be spitting fire. In fact, this might actually bring some good luck.

The 9th annual Dragon Boat Race Festival is heading back to Port Jefferson on Saturday, Sept. 16 and it will have something for everyone. 

Sponsored by The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, this event is a way to foster community togetherness. It also serves to promote Asian and Asian American culture and customs while connecting with students at Stony Brook University.

Kicking off with a race in the Long Island Sound, it coincides with a full festival filled with fun, food and friends.

Barbara Ransome, the chamber’s director of operations, said that every year this particular festival brings in hundreds of people from across Long Island and even New York City.

“There’s nothing else like this around,” she said, “And we’re the only festival doing this in Suffolk County.”

Just a few miles away from Stony Brook University, which has a large Asian and Pan-Asian community, Ransome said the festival not only brings new people to the village every year, but also parts of these cultures that local residents might have not seen before.

“Not only is this festival entertaining,” Ransome said, “But it’s also educational and that’s a wonderful thing.”

This year, 21 teams are signed up — including two from the university and a group from Flushing, Queens. Each boat has about 22 people in it as they race for the win.

But it isn’t just a race for visitors to watch and cheer on. There are dance troupes, Japanese percussionists, singers and martial artists, plus retailers, cultural vendors and food trucks.

And you can’t forget the Bearded Dragon who will dance for the crowd — but don’t worry… it isn’t scary.

For centuries, the bearded dragon has had a significant impact on different cultures around the world. Specifically in Eastern cultures, including Chinese mythology, the dragon symbolizes power, strength and good luck. Similarly, in Japan, bearded dragons are associated with longevity and wisdom, as they are said to possess secret knowledge. 

Other fun activities for kids will include face painting, origami, crafts and reptile visitors from the Center for Environmental and Educational Discovery.

“This is a way to embrace diversity within our own backyard,” Ransome said. “It offers different things that you might have never seen before.”

The Port Jefferson Dragon Boat Race Festival will kick off its opening ceremonies on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 8:30 a.m. with a performance by the Asian Veterans Color Guard, singing of the national anthem by Samantha Reichers, a Blessing of the Dragon and the traditional “Eye Dotting” ceremony to awaken the dragon at Port Jefferson Harbor and Harborfront Park, located at 101A East Broadway. The race will begin at 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and will run alongside the entertainment schedule (see left hand page).

The event will be held rain or shine. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and come enjoy the festivities! For more information, call 631-473-1414 or visit www.portjeffdragonracefest.com

Schedule of Events:

7:45 a.m.  

Team Captains Meeting at Harborfront Park

8:30 a.m.  

Opening Ceremonies with Master of Ceremonies Suzanne Velazquez, Asian Veterans Color Guard, singing of the National Anthem by Samantha Reichers, and Blessing of the Dragon and  ‘Eye Dotting’ ceremony with Theravada Monks from the Vajiradhammapadip Buddhist Temple in Centereach

8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  

Food Vendors, Cultural Crafts, Children Activities, Retail/Educational/Nonprofit Vendor Tables

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Continual Dragon Boat Races in Port Jefferson’s Inner Harbor

9:45 a.m. 

Rebel Thaiboxing demonstration

10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m

The Sound of Long Island Chorus, Americana program and traditional Chinese songs

10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Yixin Dance Center

11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Long Island Chinese Dance Group performance

12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.  

Lunch Break (no racing)

12;30 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Taiko Tides Drumming and Oroshi Drumming contest

1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Parade of the Team T-shirts Contest, Best Drummer Costume Contest

1:30 p.m.

Races resume

1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.  

Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu Lion Dance , Kung Fu  & Tai Chi demonstrations

2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.  

Port Jefferson High School Music Group, Harbor Country Day School

2:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. 

Rebel Thaiboxing Demonstration

3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Stony Brook Youth Chorus

3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Yana Dance Group – Chinese Traditional Dance

4 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. 

Galante Martial Arts demonstrating Tai Chi, Arnis (Filipino Martial Arts) and Jiu Jitsu

4:15 to 4:45 p.m.

Long Island Modeling

4:30 p.m.

Last Dragon Boat Race

5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Closing Ceremonies and Awards

 

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Ronald Bernardini

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Sept. 12 that Ronald Bernardini, 65, of Smithtown, a chiropractor at a Lake Ronkonkoma medical office, pleaded guilty to Endangering the Welfare of a Child, after inappropriately touching a 16-year-old female patient during a chiropractic examination.

“This defendant abused his position as a licensed chiropractor when he took advantage of an innocent patient to satisfy his own sexual interests,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Instead of upholding his duty to provide medical care, the defendant violated his duty and the victim’s trust by conducting his examination extremely inappropriately. Predatory behavior, especially against minors, will not be tolerated in Suffolk County.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution on October 24, 2022, the victim was seen by Bernardini for a routine chiropractor examination. The victim was brought into an examination room while her father was being seen in another room.

During the examination, Bernadini unnecessarily brushed his hands against the breasts of the then- 16-year-old female patient. After the examination concluded, the victim immediately texted a friend as well as her father.

The victim and her father then left the chiropractic office. While driving home from the office, the victim called her mother, who in turn called the police. Bernardini was arrested the next day, on October 25, 2022.

On September 12, 2023, Bernardini pleaded guilty before Acting County Court Judge, the Honorable James Saladino, for Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor. As part of his plea, Bernardini was required to surrender his license to practice as a chiropractor. Judge Saladino also issued an order of protection against Bernardini, in favor of the minor female victim. Bernardini was represented by Anthony La Pinta, Esq.

If you believe that you or someone you know have been victimized by Ronald Bernardini, or any medical professional, please contact the Suffolk County Police Department or the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sean Murphy and Syl-Don O’Gilvie of the District Court Bureau, with investigative assistance from Detective Christopher Tine of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Fourth Squad.

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Photo by Katja Fuhlert from Pixabay

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new COVID-19 booster, which will protect against the virus’s circulating strain.

With hospitalizations and cases rising in Suffolk County and nationwide, single booster shots from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna should be available soon.

Local doctors recommended that people at the highest risk consider getting the shot.

That includes those with other medical issues, such as a 45-year-old smoker or a 65-year-old with diabetes.

Health care providers generally believe people who recently had COVID have at least three months of protection, although no definitive rule exists.

“If you had it in August, you probably don’t need to get a booster now,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “If you had it in January and you’re high risk, you should get it now.”

Nachman added that no study has indicated the age at which patients should get a booster shot.

People should consult their physicians to determine how their underlying health can affect the decision to get an updated vaccine.

“That gets back to the doctor-patient relationship,” Nachman said.

People who are 70 years old and planning a cruise that stops in several ports might want to get a shot at least two weeks before they travel because “the last thing you want happening is to be hospitalized in a foreign country,” Nachman said.

Nachman suggested that this vaccine, like the others that people have taken, won’t prevent illnesses but will keep people from shedding the virus and can reduce the symptoms and duration of an infection.

The FDA approval of the current vaccine is welcome news because it is a “good match” for the current strain, Nachman indicated.

It’s difficult to predict how much protection the current vaccine will provide for whatever strain might be circulating in February.

When a higher percentage of the population receives the vaccine, the likelihood of new variants declines, she added.

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Pictured at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, housed at St. Joseph’s Church in Kings Park, are the pantry’s coordinator Annette DeFino and Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta.

Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta is currently collecting non-perishable food items, including snacks for school and after school, as well as personal care products for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. The pantry is located at St. Joseph’s Church, 59 Church Street, Kings Park, and is open on Monday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 pm. To speak with someone at the pantry, please call 631-269-6635.

Specific items that they are seeking include snack size cookies, chips, pretzels, juice boxes, small bottled water, and salsa and chips. They also need such staples as cereal, bottles of cooking oil, sugar, flour, mustard, mayonnaise, pasta, sauce, breadcrumbs, Hamburger Helper, pickles, canned fish, meat and fruit, boxed milk, Pop Tarts, honey, napkins, paper towels, sandwich bags, and cleaning supplies.  Personal care items requested are body wash, toothpaste, shaving cream, razors, shampoo, tissues, small hand sanitizers, and laundry detergent.

“It is important to help our fellow neighbors so donations of these needed items may be dropped off at my office at 59 Landing Avenue, Suite 1 A, (blue door), Smithtown, throughout the year, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or brought to the food pantry,” said Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta. For more information, please call Legislator Trotta’s office at 631-854-3900.

 

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Vanderbilt Museum Stoll Wing Diorama. Vanderbilt Museum photo

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road Centerport has announced the upcoming revitalization of its Stoll Wing, a natural-history exhibit space dedicated to the spirit of exploration and learning.

The Stoll Wing project is made possible by generous support from the Roy M. Speer Foundation, which donated funds to honor the legacy of Charles H. Stoll.

The Museum has closed the Stoll Wing and Habitat Hall through mid-October. The renewal of the natural history exhibits represents the deepening of the Museum’s commitment to excellence in public education and stewardship.

This project will include updated signage, improved lighting, and elevated finishings. As part of the architect Ecodepot’s design, the renovation will also create additional vitrines to display ethnographic materials collected on the American Museum of Natural History’s (AMNH) famous 1928 Stoll-McCracken Expedition to the Siberian Arctic.

The eight Stoll Wing dioramas display fifteen animals brought home by Charles H. Stoll (1887-1988) and his wife, Merle, between 1922 and 1969. Charles H. Stoll was a noted explorer, big-game hunter, and jurist who joined the Vanderbilt Museum Board of Trustees in 1969. He funded the Stoll-McCracken Expedition under the auspices of the AMNH, and the donation of his personal collection to the VanderbiltMuseum reflected his belief in the organization’s mission of informal education and enjoyment for the people of Long Island.

“We thank you for your understanding while this project is underway. We look forward to sharing the revitalized Stoll Wing with you soon,” said Elizabeth Wayland-Morgan, Executive Director at the Vanderbilt Museum in a press release.

The renovation of the Stoll Wing is made possible by the generosity of the Roy M. Speer Foundation. Additional support for the conservation projects at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum comes from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the Gerry Charitable Trust, the Pritchard Charitable Trust, and committed members of the Long Island community.

For more information on how to support the Suffolk County VanderbiltMuseum and its programs, please visit: www.vanderbiltmuseum.org/joinsupport/

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Photo courtesy of LI Game Farm

The Long Island Game Farm in Manorville has announced that it will continue its new social club for seniors through September. Every Thursday morning through September 26, senior citizens (65 years+) can visit the animals, walk the grounds (get your steps in!), attend a presentation in the newly renovated Woodland Hall, and enjoy a beverage and snacks with fellow seniors. The special rate is $10 per person. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made by calling 631-878-6644.

Photo courtesy of LI Game Farm

“Inspiring a love of nature through educational programming is important to our mission,” shares Long Island Game Farm president Melinda Novak. “Being able to launch a special social club for seniors and utilize the newly renovated Woodland Hall for this purpose is pretty exciting for us. I’m also excited to give the first presentation about life on the game farm, including my family’s 50+ year history.”

Each week guests will begin a walk on the grounds at 10 a.m., visiting animals and learning more about the various species at the game farm. At 11 a.m., seniors will gather in Woodland Hall for talks that will vary weekly. Topics include rescued animals, birding, nature photography, and more.

Tickets are $10 per person and for seniors only. Please do not bring grandchildren. Pets are not allowed.

For more information about the game farm and upcoming programming, visit longislandgamefarm.com.

ABOUT LONG ISLAND GAME FARM

Long Island Game Farm Wildlife Park and Children’s Zoo was founded in 1970 by Stanley and Diane Novak. As the largest combined children’s zoo and wildlife park on Long Island, they offer families a natural environment where they can learn about wildlife and animals through education and entertainment. A member of American Association of Zookeepers and Zoological Association of America, the farm is located at 489 Chapman Boulevard, Manorville, New York.

 

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'Lost on an Island' by Edward Acosta. Image courtesy of LIM

The Long Island Museum (LIM) has announced its latest exhibit, SOMOS/WE ARE: Latinx Artists of Long Island, a groundbreaking show celebrating the rich cultural heritage and artistic contributions of the Latinx community of Long Island. 

The exhibition, which opens on Sept. 14, includes works by over 80 participating artists—historic, established, and contemporary—and offers a unique opportunity to explore their diverse styles, media, compelling personal stories, and familial national origins.

‘Ride on a Flushing Train’ by Esteban Najarro

From Brooklyn to Montauk, SOMOS showcases the works of creators who have grappled with questions of identity, history, and the many meanings of community. Guest-curated by Mexican-American artist Kelynn Alder, SOMOS situates Latinx artists within the historic fabric and the actively changing shape of the Long Island neighborhoods in which they live.

“When I first moved to Long Island thirty years ago and attempted to exhibit my paintings celebrating my Mexican ancestry, there was very little understanding or appreciation for Latinx art,” says Alder. “I felt very alone. For too long contemporary Latinx art has been marginalized, undervalued, and almost invisible. SOMOS/WE ARE is an overdue opportunity to exhibit a vibrant, diverse array of artwork that shows we not alone. Our cultures can no longer be ignored or thought of as irrelevant as these works bring light to the abundant talents of Latinx communities thriving across this very long island.” 

The exhibition, which will be entirely bilingual in English and Spanish, is a testament to the vibrancy and diversity of Long Island’s Latinx community, which according to the 2020 US Census, comprises approximately 1.75 million people residing in Kings, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties. In addition to works on loan from private collectors and the artists themselves, artworks are also on loan to SOMOS from the Brooklyn Museum and the Parrish Art Museum. 

Some participating artists are Lidya Buzio, Darlene Charneco, Eugenio Cuttica, Hector deCordova, Esly Escobar, Marisol (Marisol Escobar), Virginia Jaramillo, Miguel Luciano, Esteban Najarro, Juan Carlos Pinto, Adrián Román, Freddy Rodríguez, Cinthya Santos-Briones, and Juan Sánchez.

“Under the vast umbrella of Latinx artists, there is so much diversity and talent,” said Nina Sangimino, Curator at the Long Island Museum. “We are excited for the public to see the beautiful, poignant, and at times challenging artwork being created within our local Long Island communities.” 

SOMOS/WE ARE: Latinx Artists of Long Island will be on view at the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook from Sept. 14 to Dec. 17, filling the entire 4,000 square feet of the Art Museum.

A full slate of programming and events will accompany this exhibition throughout its run at the LIM. These events are mentioned below:

1) Thursday, September 21st (5:30-7:30 pm) – Summer Thursday Concert – Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer

2) Sunday, September 24th (2:00 pm) – National Museum of American History Curator Margaret

Salazar-Porzio talks about ¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las

grandes ligas

3) ¡ESTAMOS! Symposium

Saturday, September 30th, 2023 (10 am – 3:00 pm)

The LIM hosts a one day symposium featuring a varied group of artists and scholars with

discussion revolving around the exhibition SOMOS/WE ARE: Latinx Artists of Long Island. This

symposium will consist of performances, a panel discussion, gallery tour and much more for a

robust day of art and culture.

4) Tuesday, October 3rd (all day) – East End Bus Trip to artist studios and gallery space.

5) Sunday, October 15th (12 pm – 3:00 pm) – SOMOS tour/Gallery North collaboration featuring

printmaking demonstrations by master printmakers.

6) Sunday, October 29th (1:00 – 4:00 pm) – Halloween Family Fun and Día de los Muertos – crafts (including Ofrenda decoration), music, and much more!

The SOMOS exhibition and associated programming is being supported by the Suffolk County Office of Cultural Affairs (SCOCA). Latino Arts of Long Island (LALI) is a community partner for the project. For more information, visit www.longislandmuseum.org.

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Elwood-John H. Glenn High School has been recently named one of the 1,000 top high schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Photo courtesy ESD

Elwood-John H. Glenn High School was recently named one of the 1,000 top high schools in the nation, as noted in the recently released 2023-24 U.S. News & World Report annual “Best High Schools” list. John Glenn ranked 867th nationally — out of approximately 18,000 schools — and 94th in New York State; the previous year Elwood was ranked 944th nationally.

This year’s “Best High Schools” edition evaluated and ranked nearly 18,000 public high schools at the national, state and local level, using a methodology based on college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rates.

“This recognition is a collective effort of the entire Elwood community and organization,” Principal Corey McNamara said. “We commend our students for continuously striving to reach their fullest potential while challenging themselves throughout their educational journey.”

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Do you recognize this man? Photo from SCPD
Do you recognize this man? Photo from SCPD
Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly stole merchandise from a Medford store this month. 

A man allegedly stole two chainsaws and a floor mat from Lowe’s, located at 2796 Route 112, on September 5 at approximately 2:30 p.m. The man fled in a black Dodge Dakota. The merchandise was valued at $470. 

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, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.

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