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Yearly Archives: 2023

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Taylor Mileti. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Tyler Mileti (top), Bryana Sulinsky (left) and Stephanie Braun (bottom) stop Hills QB Sami Heyman. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Melissa O'Connor avoids the flag pull attempt of Hills DB Olivia Hamilton. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Jahniya McCreary scores the game's first touchdown from two yards out as Julianna Mooney (right) cannot get the flag in time. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Half Hollow Hills quarterback Sami Heyman splits Stephanie Braun (left) and Melissa O'Connor. Photo by Steven Zatiz

In leading the Hauppauge Eagles flag football team to a perfect regular season, freshman quarterback, middle linebacker and punter Taylor Mileti virtually never stepped off the field.  She will now have to wait 10 long months to step back on it.

After beating Longwood in the opening round of the playoffs last Thursday, Half Hollow Hills rolled into town and shut out the Eagles 13-0 on Monday in the Section XI semi-final game. Hauppauge’s inaugural season ended after 12 straight wins and a League I regular season title. They were the number one seed coming into this playoff tournament and Hills was seeded fourth.

Mileti’s father Steve is the Eagles head coach. 

“They have a very good team over there and they earned that victory,” said Coach Mileti. “They played a good man coverage, and the ball just didn’t bounce our way today.”

Half Hollow Hills has a two-way superstar of their own in Jahniya McCreary. Aside from scoring both Hills touchdowns, McCreary had seven flag pulls, an interception, and a sack from her middle linebacker position. The Lady Thunderbirds defense gave Mileti and her offense no room to breathe for most of the afternoon.

“We came in hungry and had a mission to win,” said the senior McCreary. “We remembered what happened the last time we played them and did not want that to happen again.”

Hauppauge beat Half Hollow Hills 6-0 on April 14 when Mileti scored a late touchdown on a 50-yard run.

“Jahniya is one of the best players on Long Island,” said Hills head coach Michael Lupa. “She flies to the ball on defense and is a threat to score from anywhere on the field on offense. She was the most valuable player of the game tonight.”

After a scoreless first half, McCreary scored on the T’Birds opening possession of the second half when she took a wildcat snap and sliced up the middle for a two-yard touchdown run. McCreary had six catches for 140 yards on the day, including a bomb of a touchdown from 48 yards from quarterback Sami Heyman to seal the game with under six minutes remaining. Heyman, who like Mileti is also a freshman, was 7 for 12 for 185 yards on the day. 

But it was the Thunderbird defense that set the tone in this tilt.

“They had a fast pass rush which made it difficult to complete passes,” said Taylor Mileti. “We had such an amazing season and we all worked so hard to get to this point. Losing this game definitely hurt but it’s just one game and we will come back and work hard next season to get to the next level.”

As Half Hollow Hills (13-2) prepares to take on Patchogue-Medford for the Suffolk County Championship on Thursday, Mileti, along with her disappointed teammates, will need to step away from the field — finally.

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METRO photo

By Nancy Burner, Esq.

Nancy Burner, Esq.

When a couple gets divorced, the court attempts to divide the marital property as fairly and equally as possible. 

This doctrine of Equitable Distribution considers factors such as the length of the marriage, age and health of each party, and the earning power of each spouse. Under New York State law, “marital property” is broadly defined as property acquired by one or both spouses during the marriage. “Separate property” is defined as property acquired by an individual prior to marriage. Separate property is not subject to Equitable Distribution.

However, certain types of assets acquired during marriage are not subject to Equitable Distribution. Inheritance, gifts received from individuals other than one’s spouse, and personal injury compensation are considered separate property.

At first glance, it may appear that your child’s inheritance does not need protecting, but this is not the end of the story. Separate property can become marital property if “commingled” with marital property. 

For example, if your child were to deposit their inheritance into a joint account with their spouse, use inherited assets to purchase a home titled jointly, or your child’s spouse contributes to the maintenance and capital improvements of inherited property, the assets would become commingled and thus subject to Equitable Distribution upon divorce.

The best action you can take to prevent this from occurring is to leave your child’s inheritance in a trust. You could name your child as trustee or appoint someone else, and you would be able to limit distributions from the trust as you see fit. Importantly, the trust adds a layer of separation, better protecting the inheritance from a divorcing spouse and creditors by maintaining its status as separate property.

Moreover, with a trust you can control the remainder beneficiaries of the property you leave your child after his death. If you were to leave them their inheritance outright, your child’s own will would dictate how their estate were to pass. But with a trust you could stipulate that upon your child’s death any remaining assets pass to whomever you wish. This could be your grandchildren, your other children, or your favorite charity.

Nancy Burner, Esq. is the founder and managing partner at Burner Law Group, P.C with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, New York City and East Hampton.

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A grilled lamb burger pairs nicely with an El Capitán cocktail

By Heidi Sutton

Memorial Day is the official start of grilling season. The weather is finally warm, making it the perfect occasion for a large celebratory gathering. 

This holiday, step it up a notch by making juicy, flavorful grilled lamb burgers served with traditional bbq sides including potato salad and corn. The meal pairs well with an El Capitán, a signature spring cocktail often served at Mirabelle Restaurant in Stony Brook.

Grilled Lamb Burgers

YIELD: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2    pounds ground lamb

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Spread:

2/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt

1 clove raw garlic, grated

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salad:

1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1/4  cup microgreens

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 brioche buns

1 medium tomato, sliced into rounds

DIRECTIONS:

Divide lamb into four parts, 6 ounces each, and shape into rounds slightly larger than buns. Place covered in refrigerator, 1 hour.

To make yogurt sauce: In small bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard; refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.

To make salad: In medium bowl, mix cucumber, onions, parsley, mint leaves, dill, microgreens, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil; refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat with direct and indirect zones. Salt patties then add to grill, cooking about 6 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 150 F. As patties near this temperature, or start to brown, move to indirect zone to regulate doneness. Transfer to plate and let rest about 5 minutes.

To build the burgers, add a dollop of yogurt spread to bottom buns. Top each with tomato slice, lamb burger, herb salad and top bun.

El Capitán

Recipe courtesy of Mirabelle Restaurant

El Capitán cocktail

YIELD: Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ oz Casamigos tequila

1 oz fresh grapefruit juice

½ oz fresh lime juice

½ oz rosemary simple syrup

Salt rim

Garnish with a torched grapefruit twist & rosemary sprig

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to an ice filled mixing glass. shake thoroughly and strain over a large ice cube in salt rimmed rocks glass, torch grapefruit peel and garnish with rosemary sprig. 

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Photo from TOB Dan Panico Facebook

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on May 24 that Fabio Monasterolo, 51, and his wife, Judith Monasterolo, 55, of Holbrook, are accused of unlawfully disposing of broken cinderblocks and concrete in the Town of Brookhaven near tidal wetlands.

“Using our precious wetlands as a personal junkyard is as selfish as it is destructive,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This flagrant abuse of our delicate ecosystem is a crime against our wildlife and every law-abiding taxpayer who supports these public lands.”

“Illegal dumping in our wetlands is a crime in the Town of Brookhaven that we take very seriously. Those who commit these crimes will be caught, charged and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Edward Romaine. “I commend the brave actions of the resident who took it upon themselves to photograph and report this activity to the Suffolk County Police. Together, we are committed to protecting our environment and we will not tolerate illegal dumping happening anywhere in the Town.”

“DEC does not tolerate illegal dumping of any kind particularly in Long Island’s ecologically important wetland areas,” said New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos. “This joint effort by DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Investigators, the town of Brookhaven, and detectives from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team is a prime example of how joint cooperation between state and local law enforcement agencies can hold polluters accountable.”

According to the investigation, on April 23, 2023, at approximately 2:03 p.m., the Monasterolos were observed allegedly illegally dumping solid waste, which included broken chunks of concrete and cinderblocks, from their black Dodge Ram pick-up truck, into the wetlands adjacent to the intersection of Jefferson Drive and Grove Road in Mastic Beach. That intersection and the surrounding areas are owned by the Town of Brookhaven and abut a tidal wetland. When a witness saw what the defendants were doing, she began taking several photographs of the couple and the waste that they had dumped. Defendant Judith Monasterolo, who was in the passenger seat of the Dodge Ram, allegedly then gave this witness two middle fingers as Fabio Monasterolo drove them away from the scene.

Pursuant to the District Attorney’s Quality-of-Life Town Coalition initiative, Brookhaven Town Officials contacted the District Attorney’s Office and provided the photographic evidence and information regarding the dumping crime. Detectives from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team (BEAST) immediately began an investigation. The defendants were subsequently arrested on May 1, 2023. The Town of Brookhaven initiated the remediation of the protected site.

On May 23, 2023, both defendants were arraigned on the charges by the Honorable Mary Mullen for the crimes of Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree, a Class E felony, and multiple related Environmental Conservation violations. Under current New York State law, the offenses charged are not considered bail eligible, so the defendants were released on their own recognizance. The defendants are due back in court on June 13, 2023. Fabio Monasterolo and Judith Monasterolo are being represented by Jorge Macias, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney John Sciandra of the Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team (BEAST), with investigative assistance from Suffolk County BEAST Detective Walter Justinic, DEC Environmental Conservation Officer Timothy Day, and DEC Environmental Conservation Investigator Jeremy Eastwood.

 

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A time honored tradition for Memorial Day, Long Island National Cemetery, 2040 Wellwood Ave., Farmingdale seeks volunteers to place American flags on veteran’s graves on May 27 at 8 a.m. and to return to the cemetery on June 1 at 8 a.m. to remove the flags. No registration required. For more info, call 631-454-4949. 

Volunteers are also needed to place flags at Calverton National Cemetery, 210 Princeton BLvd., Calverton on May 27 at 9:30 a.m. and to pick up the flags on June 3 and roll them up in bundles of 20 so they can be put into storage for the following year. To register, visit calvertonsupport.com or call 631-727-5410.

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TIME TO GET CREATIVE The annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival returns to downtown Riverhead this Sunday.
Thursday May 25

Native American drumming

All Souls Church Parish House, 10 Mill Pond Road, Stony Brook hosts an evening of Native American Drumming 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. Call 655-7798.

Friday May 26

Goat and Alpaca Yoga

Smithtown Historical Society 239 E. Main St, Smithtown invites the community for an evening of Goat and Alpaca Yoga at 5:30 p.m. and again at 6:45 p.m. Your yoga instructor will lead you through a 45 minute practice of yoga with friendly, interactive goats. Goats generously provided by Steppin’ Out Ponies and Petting Zoo. Tickets are $30 per person and all levels of yoga are welcome. Please bring a mat & towel. Registration is required. Sessions are open to child participants ages 7-17 accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets available at Eventbrite. Call 265-6768 for more info.

Huntington YMCA Carnival

The Huntington YMCA, 60 Main St., Huntington will host its annual Memorial Day Weekend Carnival tonight from 6 to 10:30 p.m., May 27 and May 28 from 1 to 10:30 p.m., and May 29 from 1 to 6 p.m. featuring carnival rides, entertainment, food, games, and much more. Visit ymcali.org/carnival for more information.

Friday Night Face-Off

Friday Night Face Off, Long Island’s longest running Improv Comedy Show, returns to Theatre Three’s Second Stage, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson tonight at 10:30 p.m. Using audience suggestions, FNFO pits two teams of improvisers against each other in an all-out championship! Recommended for ages 16 and up, due to adult content. Tickets are $15 at the door – cash only. Call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Saturday May 27

Huntington YMCA Carnival

See May 26 listing.

Community Quilt Show

Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, 233 North Country Road, Mount Sinai hosts a Community Quilt Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come view beautiful quilts and take a chance on a raffle to win a quilt. Free admission. Quilts will be for sale next door at the Red Barn. Call 473-1582.

Civil War Encampment

Smithtown Historical Society, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown hosts a Civil War Encampment from noon to 4 p.m. Join them on the open fields for Civil War-era military camps, historical reenactors, musket demonstrations, battlefield doctor, music and vendors. $5 per person. Parking is at 222 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Call 265-6768.

Steeple Showcase Concert

Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, 233 North Country Road, Mount Sinai invites the community to a Steeple Showcase concert from 4 to 6 p.m. The outdoor event will feature pop/rock and roll/ country music by Ed Melendez and Bob Sinclair with raffles and a hot dog truck. Bring seating. Questions? Call 331-2535.

Sunday May 28

Huntington YMCA Carnival

See May 26 listing.

Street Painting Festival

East End Arts, 133 E. Main St., Riverhead will host the 26th annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival in Downtown Riverhead and in front of East End Arts from noon to 5 p.m. Featuring street painting for all ages and skill levels, live music, interactive art, a kids zone, craft and artisan Vendors, food trucks , fine arts sale, drum circle and dance and theatre performances. Free admission. Call 727-0900.

Ronkonkoma Street Fair

The Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce will host the 2023 Ronkonkoma Street Fair along Hawkins Avenue in Ronkonkoma on from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring over 200 vendors with live entertainment, merchandise, food, children’s rides, arts and crafts and lots of fun for fall. Call 963-2796 for more info.

Monday May 29

Huntington YMCA Carnival

See May 26 listing.

Tuesday May 30

NSJC Social Club event

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a presentation titled “The Older, Wiser Driver,” practical information we all can comprehend, presented by AAA in the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee among other refreshments will be served. $5 per person, $3 members. Call 928-3737 for more information.

An evening of Swing Dance

Swing Dance Long Island, a non-profit social dance club, holds weekly dances every Tuesday evening at the  Huntington Moose Lodge, 631 Pulaski Rd. Greenlawn with beginner swing lessons at 7:30 p.m. and dancing from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Singles and beginners are welcome.  No partner necessary. Admission is $15 on DJ night,  $20 on band night on the third Tuesday of the month. Call 516-521-1410.

Wednesday May 31

Community Job Fair

Sachem Public Library, 150 Holbrook Road, Holbrook hosts a Community Job Fair from 10 a.m. to noon. Sponsored by the Suffolk County One Stop Employment Center. Bring your resume and dress to impress. No registration necessary. Call 588-5024 for further information.

Thursday June 1

Vanderbilt lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will host Scott Chaskey, poet-farmer and pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for a presentation of his latest memoir, Soil and Spirit: Cultivation and Kinship in the Web of Life at 7 p.m. Chaskey will share a life in verse, agriculture, and ecology. Tickets are $10, free for members at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.                                                       

Film

‘Moonstruck’

Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a screening of Moonstruck on May 26 at 9:30 p.m. One of the most enchanting romantic comedies of all time assembles a flawless ensemble cast for a ferociously funny look at a multigenerational Italian American family in Brooklyn. Starring Cher as Loretta, a widow in her thirties whose feelings about her engagement to her casual beau Johnny (Danny Aiello) are thrown into question after she meets his hot-blooded brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage) — and one night at the opera changes everything. Rated PG. Tickets are $15, $10 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Theater

‘Complete Works of William Shakespeare’

The Carriage House Players kick off the 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) on May 26 at 8 p.m. Three Shakespeare enthusiasts attempt to do the impossible: Act their way through all of The Bard’s 37 plays in one night. Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘The Sound of Music’

Up next for the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is The Sound of Music from May 18 to July 2. The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. See review on page B23.

‘Something Rotten!’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage productions with Something Rotten! from May 20 to June 24.  Living in the shadow of Renaissance rock star The Bard, two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being to thine own self be true—and all that jazz! Contains adult humor and situations. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. See review on page B17.

‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’

The Carriage House Players continue their 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Two Gentlemen of Verona from June 4 to 30. Young Valentine travels to Milan to find his fortune, but instead falls for the fair Silvia, daughter of the Duke. His world is turned upside down when his best friend, Proteus, abandons his love, Julia, in Verona to woo Silvia for himself. With a pair of bumbling servants and a dog, it’s a lively Shakespearean comedy about the complexities of love, lust, and friendship. Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘(Mostly) True Things’

The Performing Arts Studio, 224 E. Main St., Port Jefferson presents (Mostly) True Things, a game wrapped in a storytelling show that features true stories with a twist on the theme Out Loud in honor of Pride month, on June 10 at 7 p.m. This show features 4 true stories but 3 of them include subtle little lies. In the second act, the audience questions the storytellers, then votes for the person they think told it straight. Winners get a tote bag, and the whole truth about each story is shared before the end of the evening. Storytellers will include Jude Treder-Wolff, Calvin Cato, Jamie Brickhouse, Rosemary Flanagan and Rev. Yunus Coldman. Tickets are $20 online at Eventbrite or $25 at the door (cash only). Visit www.mostlytruethings.com for more info.

Class Reunions

•Hauppauge High School Class of 1978 will hold its 45th reunion on July 22, 2023 with a prunion party on July 21 and a reunion picnic on July 23. For details, email [email protected].

•Ward Melville High School Class of 1973 will hold its 50th reunion at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket on Sept. 9, 2023 from 6 to 11 p.m. For ticket information, contact Tibo Dioguardi at [email protected].

•Save the date! Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17, 2024. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

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Stitch the Red-Tailed Hawk is just one of many raptors living at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown. Photo by John Davis

PROGRAMS

Crafternoon at the Library

Children ages 3 to 12 are invited to drop by Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket  on May 27 between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. to make a patriotic owl ornament. Free and open to all. No registration required. Questions? Call 631-941-4080.

Superheroes of the Sky

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown presents Superheroes of the Sky on May 27 from 11 a.m. to noon. Take a walking tour with Jim while he feeds the Center’s Birds of Prey and tells you about their incredible adaptations that help them survive in the wild. You’ll be seeing and learning about bald eagles, turkey vultures, owls, hawks and many more. Fee is $10 per adult,  $5 per child age 11 and under. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 

Open Play at the Explorium

Join the Long Island Explorium, 101 East Broadway, Port Jefferson for Open Play on May 27, 28 and 29 from 1 to 5 p.m. with hands-on activities, crafts, and more. Admission is $5 per person, Long Island Explorium members and children under 1 are free. Call 631-331-3277 for further details.

Code Breakers 

Head over to the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor this week for a game of Code Breakers during gallery hours Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m, to 4 p.m. Uncover the secrets of maritime communication in this self-guided adventure. Hunt for hidden messages around the museum and decode clues left by mariners, using Morse Code, semaphore, and signal flags. Complete your trail by decorating your own personal flag to take home. For ages 6 and up. Admission fee plus $10. Call 631-367-3418.

THEATER

‘Cinderella’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson closes its children’s theatre season with its original retelling of the poor waif Cinderella from May 27 to June 17 with a sensory sensitive performance on June 4 at 11 a.m. The classic love story finds its power in a pumpkin, a palace, a prince and a young girl whose belief in herself can overcome any obstacle. When her Fairy Godmother adds a dash of excitement, the magical possibilities are endless. Don’t miss this musical enchantment for the entire family. All seats are $10. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.com.

‘Flat Stanley’

John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley from May 28 to July 2 with a sensory friendly performance on June 10 at 11 a.m. Stanley Lambchop is an ordinary ten-year-old who longs to travel the world and do something amazing! Careful what you wish for, Stanley! One morning, Stanley wakes up really, REALLY flat! In a whirlwind musical travelogue, Stanley scours the globe for a solution to his unusual problem. He’s stamped, posted and mailed from Hollywood to Honolulu and beyond hoping to once again become three dimensional. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

FILM

‘The Muppets Take Manhattan’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of The Muppets Take Manhattan on May 28 at noon. When Kermit the Frog and friends start a stage act, they decide to take the show from their college town to Broadway. Rated G. Tickets are $12, $5 children 12 and under. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

‘We Are Guardians’

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport has just premiered a new show, We Are Guardians. Audiences take a journey into, under, and around the many ecosystems across our planet and discover how each component fits together, and how the health of each part is vital to the health of Planet Earth. Find out how, with the help of satellites and scientific study, we can understand the links between human activities and climate change, and what we can do to work together to improve the health of our shared home. For ages 8 and up. For tickets and more information, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

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Tom Manuel Photo by Adam Hurewitz

By Thomas Manuel

From the ancient Greeks to Ben Franklin, Andrew Carnegie, George Clooney, Bill Gates, and countless individuals in between, philanthropy, a love for humanity and a desire to see it thrive, has been a common thread. It has been said that effective philanthropy requires a lot of time and creativity; the same kind of focus and skills that building a business requires. Miriam Beard once pointed out, “The results of philanthropy are always beyond calculation.”

Philanthropic giving is not just a phenomenon found in certain parts of the world, rather it is a spirit of giving back which is global. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain in speaking about philanthropy expanded that the best philanthropy is not just about giving money but giving leadership. The best philanthropists bring the gifts that made them successful — the drive, the determination, the refusal to accept that something can’t be done. These are the characteristics they invest  into their philanthropy.

There are many reasons that drive and motivate philanthropy and not all are fueled by great passion for causes or humility. For every person that seeks anonymity there is another who desires their name be etched in stone. Regardless the motivation, our society at large has been beneficiary to philanthropic giving since the dawn of time.

Those of us in the arts tend to be especially in tune with the concept of patronage. Our forefathers such as Beethoven and Bach thrived upon such support and although terminology has evolved since their time, most artists would agree that it is a healthy combination of donors, grants, sponsors, and our regular concert going patrons who collectively produce our living.

Finding the correct way to properly thank a donor is about as easy as sneaking an elephant out of a circus tent! I recall inquiring once with a very special person, one who without his support so much of what both The Jazz Loft and my career has become would not have been possible, why he didn’t come to more events. He responded, “Do you really want to know why I don’t come to anything?” To which I replied, “Yes, I do!” To this he quickly quipped, “Because every time I show up you thank me!”

Over the years I’ve found joy in getting to know every individual that supports The Jazz Loft. I’ve truly enjoyed figuring out and discovering who finds appreciation in a letter, who welcomes a phone call, or who enjoys an annual summer lunch get together for a lobster sandwich and a beer. It’s actually one of my favorite parts of running a not-for-profit — getting to know amazing people, building real and genuine relationships, and forging what I know will be some lifetime friendships.

I was inspired to write this op-ed out of the desire to find a way to capture in words the gratitude I feel towards the philanthropists among us. Our community was literally designed and built by a philanthropist, Ward Melville. When I think of the names of those who have continued that bold tradition of giving and support, I resist sharing specific names, but suffice it to say you all know who they are even if you don’t know them personally. 

Chances are you bought your house from them, or perhaps they’ve managed your retirement through the years. You might get your morning coffee from them or chat with them when you’re picking up your kid from school. They might volunteer or help run one of our many outstanding museums, art galleries, community institutions or preservation organizations. Maybe they fixed your car recently or you’ve bumped into them about town, at an outdoor concert, or in your favorite park. They’re quite often invisible, or as we say in Jazz, “tippin’ on the QT.”

What I do know is that no matter how little or how much in the spotlight or foreground they choose to be, these individuals are an incredible part of the fabric of who we are as a community. They are an invaluable resource, beyond definition, and without question an incredible gift to us all. 

I consider it an honor and a privilege to serve our community in the positions and places I’ve been blessed to be and I’m inspired by those who are the philanthropists among us. To all of you out there, and you know who you are, THANK YOU!

Author Thomas Manuel, DMA is a Jazz historian, Artist in Residence at Stony Brook University, trumpet player and President and Founder of The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook. For more information, visit www.thejazzloft.org.

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Matt LoNigro

By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Father Frank Pizzarelli

On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, in the early afternoon, a local icon died of a massive heart attack at the age of 51; his wife found him sitting in his office chair. A local EMS worker who lives down the street came running and tried to revive him. He had already passed; I arrived just after he was pronounced.

Matthew “Matt” LoNigro left his lovely wife Julia, a local tenured schoolteacher and two extraordinary children: Matthew Jr., 20, and Abigail, a 16-year-old student at Miller Place High School. Matt was very actively involved in the Miller Place school district as the dynamic director of the Miller Place Boys Lacrosse.

Lacrosse was one of his many passions. For many years, he was actively involved on the Board of Directors for Suffolk County PAL Lacrosse. During his early career, he was actively involved with Port Jefferson Sporting Goods, a family business. He was a salesman for school districts seeking sports equipment and sports uniforms. He was such a dynamic salesman; he probably could’ve sold the Pope the Brooklyn Bridge.

Matt spent most of his adult life doing for others. He was actively involved with Christmas Magic, Backpack Pirates and countless other activities that reached out to the disadvantaged in our larger community. If somebody was in trouble and needed good advice and/or a helping hand, Matthew was the go-to guy. He was a tremendous mentor for young athletes who wanted to be lacrosse players.

We have lost a powerful example of what community and reaching out to others is really supposed to be about. These are crazy times. We need more people with Matt’s passion and commitment to helping others, with the purpose of giving back. His heart and random acts of kindness were the hallmark of his life.

I first met Matt when he was in middle school. As most know, he was part of a very large loving family. It was his family that taught him how to love and to be of service to others. Like many young men in their 20s, Matt struggled. He spent time living with me at Hope House. Even during those struggling days battling conflict, he was a power of example for the men he lived with.

When Matt completed our program, he started giving back and has not stopped for more than 20 years. Before he passed, he would come by every week to encourage the men in our community; especially those who were struggling to stay the course. His power of example that life can be better and one can change inspired so many over the years to take the risk to embrace change and transformation. 

There was not a week since Matt lived with our community that I have not received a text or visit always making sure he ended both with “thank you for saving my life!” The world is a better place because Matt LoNigro walked among us. His power of example and his profound gratitude will live on to inspire so many others to embrace the process of change and transformation and to realize that they too can make the world a better place. 

Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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Immigration advocates during a May 23 press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge. Photo by Raymond Janis

A nationwide debate over immigration, coupled with the end of Title 42, is sending shockwaves through Suffolk County.

Title 42, a COVID-19 pandemic-era federal immigration policy that expired earlier this month, enabled U.S. Border Control agents to swiftly expel asylum seekers on public health grounds. The end of the procedure has led to a spike in new migrants entering the country, with many directed toward New York City and, possibly, Long Island.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has identified three SUNY campuses, including Stony Brook University, for migrant housing, Spectrum News NY1 reported on Tuesday.

NYC received more than 900 migrants daily over several days, Mayor Eric Adams (D) told CBS News “Face the Nation,” Sunday, May 21. It is an influx, the mayor suggested, that has overburdened the city’s budget and facilities. Adams called upon Hochul and counties throughout the state to assist his city, referring to the requested relief as a statewide “decompression strategy.”

“New York City is the economic engine of the state and the country,” he said. “We believe the entire state should participate in a decompression strategy, and it’s unfortunate that there have been some lawmakers and counties that are not carrying on their role of ensuring that this is a decompression strategy throughout the state.”

Tensions swelled on the same Sunday morning during a press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building where immigration advocates clashed with Republican lawmakers.

Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey, at podium, with Republican officials during a press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building on Sunday, May 21. Photo by Raymond Janis

Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), standing alongside U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) and Republicans from across levels of government, criticized the city’s policies, affirming that Suffolk County is not open to new asylum seekers.

“New York City made a conscious decision to call itself a sanctuary city. Suffolk County did not,” McCaffrey said.

U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota during the May 21 press conference. Photo by Raymond Janis

He added, “The residents of Suffolk County have already dealt with the financial costs of the pandemic and the historic inflation because of the failed policies of the state and federal government. We cannot stand by and allow the residents of Suffolk County to further burden the failed policies of the Biden, Hochul and Adams [Democratic] administrations in dealing with this crisis.”

McCaffrey stated the federal government’s vetting process is inadequate, so “we do not know who’s being sent into this county,” noting the potential strain upon law enforcement is still undetermined.

He described the expected cost of food, shelter and related medical and school expenses as “daunting,” saying that financial assistance from the federal and state governments would be “a mere drop in the bucket compared to what it would actually cost” to accommodate these requests.

“We cannot allow the federal [government] and state to pass on these costs to the residents of Suffolk County,” McCaffrey added.

LaLota criticized New York City’s sanctuary city designation, tying the influx of asylum seekers to unresolved issues at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We here in Suffolk County are 2,000 miles from the southern border, but we are to become a border county because of the Biden administration’s failed border policies and the sanctuary city policies of New York City,” the congressman said.

Protesters storm a press conference at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge on Sunday, May 21. Photo by Raymond Janis

Throughout the Sunday morning press conference, the speakers heard steady chants from the gallery opposing their efforts. “No hate. No fear. Immigrants are welcome here,” the protesters cried in unison.

Two days later, at the same county complex in Hauppauge, the immigration advocates held their own press conference Tuesday morning.

“For far too long, Suffolk Republicans have denied Long Island families — particularly those seeking asylum — the freedom to thrive,” said Elmer Flores, advisory board member of the Long Island Immigration Clinic. “People seeking asylum are individuals, children and families that deserve to live in peace and live free from danger, which is why exercising their human and legal right to seek safety in the U.S. should be protected.”

Minerva Perez, executive director at OLA [Organización Latino Americana] of Eastern Long Island, during a May 23 press conference in Hauppauge. Photo by Raymond Janis
Minerva Perez, executive director at OLA [Organización Latino Americana] of Eastern Long Island, suggested the vetting process for asylum seekers is adequate, noting the possible regional economic benefits of expanding the workforce.

“Asylum seekers can work — they are given work permits,” Perez said. “If anyone’s noticed, there’s also a labor shortage in Suffolk County. Do the math.”

Ivan Larios, manager of organizing and strategy for the Long Island branch of the New York Immigration Coalition, appealed for the acceptance of new asylum requests on humanitarian grounds, noting the harsh conditions from which many are fleeing.

“Immigrants are already a part of our community and make Long Island richer and better because of their economic, social and cultural contributions,” he said. “People seeking asylum are individuals, children and families fleeing danger and persecution in exercising their human right, a legal right to seek safety in the United States.”

Despite these appeals, the county Legislature introduced a procedural motion on May 23 to appoint a special counsel “to pursue any and all legal options available to protect the unfunded location of any asylum seekers in Suffolk County,” McCaffrey said. 

A vote on the motion is expected during the Legislature’s June 6 meeting.

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