CLOSE

Yearly Archives: 2023

by -
0 261
STAYING AFLOAT Come cheer on the teams at Stony Brook University’s 34th annual Roth Regatta on April 28. File photo by David Luces/TBR News Media
Thursday April 27

Comedy fundraiser at the LIM

Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook hosts a Laugh Till You Give! comedy fundraiser in the History Museum featuring comedy legend Bobby Collins at 6:30 p.m. $100 per ticket includes wine, beer, refreshments and appetizers. Proceeds support the LIM’s education programs and exhibitions. To order, visit www.longiwlandmuseum.org. For more info, call 631-751-0066, ext. 247.

Long Island Guitar Festival

The Long Island Guitar Festival continues tonight at the Setauket Presbyterian Church, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket at 7:30 p.m. and runs through April 30.  Scheduled performers include Berta Rojas, Laura Snowden, João Luiz & Friends Quartets, Boyd Meets Girl, Harris Becker, James Erickson, Laura Lessard, Octavio Deluchi, Gabriele Leite, Eduardo Gutterres, Penelope Shvarts, The Hofstra University Chamber Choir and many more. Master Classes will be given by Laura Snowden and João Luiz and luthier Brian Itzkin will lead a discussion/Q&A on Guitar Building in Granada, Spain. For a full schedule of events and tickets, visit www.ligfest.net.

Friday April 28

Long Island Guitar Festival

See April 27 listing.

SBU Roth Regatta

Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook hosts its 34th annual Roth Regatta at Roth Pond at Roth Quad from 1 to 4:30 p.m. with a pregame opening at noon. A Stony Brook University tradition since 1989, the event showcases students in single, two and four-person homemade cardboard boats trying to sail across the campus’ 200-yard Roth Pond in a high-spirited and festive competition that marks the beginning of final exams.

An Evening of Jazz

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents jazz fusionist trombonist Ray Anderson in concert at 7 p.m. Anderson’s performance is part of the launching of the Jazz Loft’s new Institute for New Music, an affiliate of the Jazz Loft, which will serve as an “musical and artistic incubator” by providing time and space to new artists in a supportive setting. Anderson will be joined by Mark Helias on bass and Moshe Elmakias on piano. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students $15 children at www.thejazzloft.org.

Hawaiian/Polynesian Night

Join the Leo P. Ostebo Kings Park Heritage Museum for a Hawaiian/Polynesian Night at the RJO School auditorium, 99 Old Dock Road, Kings Park at 7 p.m. Featuring dance performances by Island Inspiration NY  and Ohana Mokuloa. Free admission/donations appreciated. Visit www.kpheritagemuseum.net or call 631-269-3305 for more information.

Symphony Orchestra concert

The Northport Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of guest conductor Eric Mahl, will present a concert of classical music concert at Northport High School, 154 Laurel Hill Road, Northport at 8 p.m. Program will include Symphony No. 5 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikowsky, as well as compositions by Samuel Taylor-Coleridge and Ernest Chausson. Tickets are $10 at the door. Visit www.northportsymphony.org.

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 631-928-9100 for further details.

Saturday April 29

Long Island Guitar Festival

See April 27 listing.

Outdoor Thrift Garage Sale – This event has been postponed to May 6.

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown hosts an Outdoor Thrift Garage Sale fundraiser from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. around the double garage in the Sweetbriar parking lot. Featuring household items, bric-a-brac, antiques, collectibles and other treasures! Money goes back into the wildlife center. Call 631-979-6344 for additional information.

Spring Festival at the Hatchery – This event has been postponed to May 6.

Join Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor for a Spring Festival fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rain date May 6) Enjoy music, games, kid’s fishing, food, environmental exhibitors and live animal encounters. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. Call 516-692-6768 for more information.

Arbor Day Walk

Town of Brookhaven hosts an Arbor Day Walk at West Meadow Beach, Trustees Road, Stony Brook at 10 a.m. and again at Cedar Beach 240 Harbor Beach Road, Mount Sinai at 2 p.m. Come take a closer look at the trees that shape the landscape and support the ecosystem on these beautiful north shore peninsulas. Bring binoculars to better see the birds and animals that live in or visit these trees. Free but registration is required by emailing [email protected].

Middle Country Community Festival – This event has been postponed indefinitely.

Join the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce for a Community & Music Festival at the Centereach Turf Field, Elks Club Lodge parking lot and surrounding areas along Horseblock Road in Centereach from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy musical entertainment featuring SouthBound and The Band Easy Street, craft and business vendor tables, food trucks, beer garden, children’s activities and much more. Held rain or shine. Admission for ages 12 and over is $5. For more information, call 631-681-8708.

Antiques and Garden Weekend 

Port Jefferson Historical Society presents the 15th annual Antiques and Garden Weekend at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson today and April 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring  estate and antique Jewelry, quilts, folk art, furniture, vintage linens, artwork, depression glass, memorabilia, retro items, vintage garden items and Suwassett Garden Club Plant Boutique.  Admission is $6. For more information, visit www.portjeff-antiques-garden.net or call 631-473-2665.

Astronomy Day at the Vanderbilt

The Vanderbilt Reichert Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will celebrate Astronomy Day 2023, an international celebration of educational programs designed to engage audiences in the awe-inspiring fields of Earth and space science, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with crafts, science demos, planetarium shows, solar observing and more. Astronomy Day continues in the evening from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Rose Garden adjacent to the planetarium where visitors will have a chance to see close up views of the Moon and other celestial highlights in the nighttime sky. Daytime activities are free to all visitors who pay general admission. Evening observing is free. Visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org for more info.

Tea with a Spot of History

Three Village Historical Society continues its Tea with a Spot of History series with a presentation titled The Bald Eagle Comeback on Long Island with Patricia Paladines, co-president of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, at noon. RSVP at [email protected] or call 631-751-3730.

Spring Carnival Fundraiser

Smithtown Nursery School, 490 North Country Road, St. James invites the community to a Spring Carnival Fundraiser from 1 to 4 p.m. with games, face painting, cotton candy, raffle baskets, and a special animal presentation by Sweetbriar Nature Center at 1 p.m. Tickets are $15 adults, $10 per child, children under 2 FREE. Call 631-584-6767 for further details.

Little Shelter Anniversary Celebration – This event has been postponed to May 6.

Join Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center, 33 Warner Road, Huntington in celebrating its 96t anniversary with a sweet-treat extravaganza and Garden Party at 3 p.m. Held rain or shine. Call 631-368-8770 for further info.

Night at the Races

Selden FD Dixon Engine Company 3, 44  Woodmere Place, Selden hosts a Night At The Races at 6 p.m. with the first race at 7 p.m. $10 donation gets you one free bet and chance to win a door prize. Complimentary beer, wine, soda and hot dogs. For more information, call 631-732-1234.

Chamber Choir Concert

The North Shore Chamber Choir presents a spring concert celebrating contemporary composers at the First Presbyterian Church, 107 South St., Port Jefferson at 7 p.m. Program will feature the world premiere of the choral work, “On Being Human,” by Brian Dozier Brown as well as original works by Chelsea Lowe, Ben Yee-Paulson and Voss. Selections from Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen and Gustav Holst. The concert will also feature the Long Island Brass Guild, accompanying the choir as it performs John Rutter’s “Gloria.” A reception will follow. Tickets are $20, available at the door. A second spring concert will be held at St. John the Baptist Church, 1488 North Country Road, Wading River on April 30 at 7 p.m. (free will donation). For more info, email [email protected]. 

Sunday April 30

Long Island Guitar Festival

See April 27 listing.

Antiques and Garden Weekend

See April 29 listing.

Chamber Choir Concert

See April 29 listing.

Caumsett Hike

Join the staff at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington for a 6-mile hike through the Eastern section of the park from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. to observe the parks beauty. Adults only. $4 per person. Registration is required by calling 631-423–1770.

Spring Village Craft Fair – This event has been postponed to May 7.

Smithtown Historical Society, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown hosts a Spring Village Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with over 100 vendors featuring crafts, home décor, jewelry and more with festival food and live music. Free admission. Rain date is May 7. For more information, call 631-846-1459.

Silver Chords concert

The Silver Chords presents a free concert, The Times They Are A-Changin’, A Journey Through the Changing World of Music and Culture, at the  Moose Lodge, 631 Pulaski Road, Greenlawn at 2 p.m.  with fabulous gift basket raffles. Call 631-816-5813 for more details.

Classical Music Concert

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook, 380 Nicolls Road, E. Setauket will host a Le Petit Salon de Musique classical music concert featuring acclaimed pianist and Yamaha featured artist Alexandria Le at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 students with valid I.D., $10 for children ages 12 and under at the door or at www.lepetitsalon.org. Please call 631-751-0297 for group pricing (10 or more). 

Monday May 1

No events listed for this day.

Tuesday May 2

University Orchestra Concert

Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook hosts a University Orchestra concert on the Main Stage at 7:30 p.m. Conducted by Susan Deaver, the program will include Turina Procession du Rocio, Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 and Brahms Violin Concerto with featured soloist Elvina Liu. Tickets are $10 , $5 seniors and students. Call 631-632-2787 to order.

Wednesday May 3

Cinco De Mayo Paint & Sip Nite

Join the Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport for a Cinco De Mayo Paint & Sip Nite at 6 p.m. Society Director and local artist Caitlyn Shea leads you on a painting adventure using margarita glasses as your canvas! $50 per person includes paint supplies, smocks and Cinco de Mayo-themed beverages. For ages 21+ only. To register, visit www.northporthistorical.org. For more information, call 631-757-9859.

Thursday May 4

SCCC Spring Concert

Suffolk County Community College’s Ammerman Department of Music, 533 College Road, Selden invites the community to a free spring concert in the Shea Theatre of the Islip Arts Building at 7 p.m. featuring a contemporary music ensemble, jazz ensemble and symphonic band. No tickets required.

Theater

‘Pride@Prejudice’

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, presents the Long Island premiere of Pride @ Prejudice from April 7 through May 6. Watch Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fall in love all over again — this time filtered through the world of the internet. Five actors play nearly two dozen roles in this hilarious and moving homage to Jane Austen’s most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’

The swashbuckling musical adventure The Scarlet Pimpernel heads to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport from March 16 to April 30. Percy Blakeney, a proper Englishman, takes on a sword fighting and dashing double identity as The Scarlet Pimpernel to save French citizens from the blood-hungry guillotine. His exploits soon become the talk of Paris, however, the fanatical Agent Chauvelin will stop at nothing to catch the Pimpernel and send him to the guillotine. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

Film

‘Radioactive …’

Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a special screening of a new local documentary, Radioactive: The Women of Three Mile Island, on April 29 at 7 p.m. Compelling and significant, the film explores the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history, and the grassroots movement to prevent the nuclear power industry from covering it up. A panel discussion, Q&A and reception with director Heidi Hutner, stars Beth Drazba, Paula Kinney, Linda Braasch, Joyce Corradi, Joanne Doroshow, and editor & producer Simeon Hutner will follow. Tickets are $19, $14 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

‘Singin’ in the Rain’

Celebrate St. James continues its Classic Movie Series at the Calderone Theatre, 176 Second St., St. James with a viewing of Singin’ in the Rain on April 30 at 1 p.m. followed by insights, commentary and discussion. Light refreshments will be served. Tickets are $25 per person, $20 seniors. To register, visit www.celebratestjames.org. Questions? Call 631-984-0201.

‘Kiss the Ground’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will screen the documentary Kiss the Ground on April 30 at 3 p.m. Presented as part of Huntington Interfaith Climate Week, Kiss the Ground is an inspiring and groundbreaking film that reveals the first viable solution to our climate crisis. Narrated by Woody Harrelson. Followed by a discussion with stewardship program advisor and teacher Don Smith via Zoom. Tickets are $8 at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

‘Names, Not Numbers’

Suffolk Y JCCC. 74 Hauppauge Road, Commack invites the community to the premiere screening of a student produced Holocaust documentary Names, Not Numbers at Stage 74 on April 30 at 4 p.m. Featuring inspiring stories of survival from Mrs. Pearl Friend Mrs. Irene Halegua and Mr. Meir Usherovitz. Tickets are $25 in advance at www.syjcc.org, $36 at the door, free for students under age 18. Questions? Call 631-462-9800.

by -
0 361
Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Police Financial Crimes Unit detectives are investigating a scam during which a Pennsylvania woman sent cash to an address in Suffolk County.

Detectives intercepted a package, wrapped as a present, at 11:40 a.m. on April 26 that contained $5,000 in cash. The package was sent by a 79-year-old Olyphant, Pennsylvania woman, who said she sent the money after receiving a call directing her to send the cash to a Coram address.

The victim did not disclose the nature of the conversation or why the caller said she needed to send the money. The money will be returned to the victim.

Detectives are asking anyone who believes they may be a victim of a scam or have information about a scam to call the Financial Crimes Unit at 631-852-6821.

by -
0 744
File photo

Suffolk County Police arrested four people on April 26 for allegedly selling cannabis products and vapes/e-cigarettes to minors in the Second Precinct.

In response to numerous community complaints, Second Precinct Crime Section officers conducted an investigation into the sale of cannabis products, vapes and e-cigarettes during which seven businesses were checked for compliance with the law. During the investigation, four businesses were found to be allegedly selling cannabis/marijuana products, vapes or e-cigarettes to minors.

One of the businesses, Nirvana Vape Shop, located at 1153A East Jericho Turnpike, Huntington, has been cited four times since January. A second business, Gotham Smoke, in Huntington, had a previous violation in 2022.

The following people were charged with alleged Unlawfully Dealing with a Child 2nd Degree and Criminal Sale of Cannabis 3rd Degree, both misdemeanor charges:

  •   Nader Ilyas, 27, of Dix Hills, an employee of Nirvana Vape Shop, located at 1153A East Jericho Turnpike, Huntington.
  •   Fazal Khan, 44, of Brooklyn, an employee of Huntington Smoke Shop, located at 517 East Jericho Turnpike, Huntington Station.
  •   Umar Majeed, 40, of Brooklyn, an employee of Venom Smoke Shop, located at 469A East Jericho Turnpike, Huntington Station.
  •   Gerard Turnier, 26, of Huntington Station, an employee of Gotham Smoke , located at 681 East Jericho Turnpike, Huntington.

    All arrestees are scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.

    Compliance checks were conducted at 3 other businesses in the Second Precinct with no violations found. The Town of Huntington and applicable State agencies will be notified for their follow up investigations.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

by -
0 380
Sound Beach Civic Association President Bea Ruberto, left, and Dorothy Cavalier, Democratic candidate for Suffolk County’s 6th Legislative District, celebrate during the hamlet’s 2nd annual Spring Festival. Photo by Raymond Janis

Along New York Avenue in Sound Beach, before rows of storefronts and restaurant spaces — some filled, others not — thousands gathered on Saturday, April 22, for the 2nd annual Sound Beach Spring Festival and Street Fair.

The event featured dozens of local businesses and merchants tabling outside, along with food stands, face painting, music and other festivities.

The annual festival is hosted by the Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce, an organization founded in 2018 to draw businesses and economic development into the neighboring hamlets.

Gary Pollakusky, president and executive director of RPSBCC, said there was a two-year gap in the first and second festivals due to COVID-19. With public health concerns abating, the chamber picked up where it had left off before the pandemic.

“We had, I’d say, over 65 vendors, and we had thousands of people come through, all seeing for the first time some of the new businesses in Sound Beach,” he said.

Bea Ruberto is president of the Sound Beach Civic Association, the leading advocacy group representing the hamlet’s roughly 7,000 residents. She has been a leader in raising awareness for this private beach community.

“One of the things that we as a civic have tried to do for years is make people aware that we exist, make our representatives aware that we exist,” she said. 

To do that, Ruberto has been forceful in distinguishing Sound Beach for its unique history and local identity. She authored “Sound Beach: Our Town, Our Story,” which was recently adapted into the documentary film, “The History Upon Our Shores: Sound Beach, NY.” 

Gary Pollakusky, above, president and executive director of the Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Raymond Janis

The historical uniqueness of Sound Beach established, Ruberto has her sights on the future. She said the annual spring festival represents a vital organ in drawing attention to the area. 

“I love it because it brings people outside of Sound Beach into Sound Beach,” she said. “We want people to get to know about our community.”

Though several restaurants and merchants are in business, the commercial strip is a ways away from a fully formed, traditional main street. That, Pollakusky said, will require additional advocacy work to keep occupants of the storefronts commercially viable.

“Seeing businesses come and go is heartbreaking sometimes because those are families that are local and that are losing their livelihoods,” he said. “To see a business that did everything that it could to survive and then fail, it’s heartbreaking.”

Pollakusky indicated that countering these trends will take time and effort from local organizations and government. He outlined his aspirations for the hamlet.

“I’d like to see that our storefronts are filled,” he said. “I’d like to see that people want to come to Sound Beach to live and to patronize our businesses.” The chamber president added, “I’d like to see that we have a robust business community that is self-sustaining.”

Putting this vision into action is not so cut and dry. Consistently, Sound Beach has competed for and lost out on limited grant funding against established downtown districts also debilitated by the pandemic. 

The commercial district’s small size is another limiting factor, cutting the hamlet off from certain types of grants.

“Sound Beach does not have a downtown,” Ruberto said. “We have two commercial nodes. Therefore, a lot of the downtown revitalization grant funding we can’t have.” The civic president added, “That has to be fixed.”

The Sound Beach commercial district is currently zoned J-2, a general business zoning classification typical for retail spaces. For Sound Beach to qualify for downtown revitalization funding, the Town of Brookhaven would have to rezone the hamlet to J-6, a Main Street Business classification.

Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) represents Sound Beach on the Town Board. Reached by phone, she commented on the difficulties of Sound Beach making use of those granting opportunities, stressing that Suffolk County should consider easing the criteria for qualification.

“Those funds are hard to come by,” she said. “I think the onus is on the county in being a little more flexible” in dispersing downtown revitalization funds.

 

Map of the Sound Beach commercial district, which is currently zoned J-2, a general business classification. Graphic from the Town of Brookhaven website

Currently, Sound Beach has much of the look and feel of a traditional downtown despite lacking the zoning classification of one. Bonner nonetheless remained open to the proposal to rezone the commercial district to J-6, potentially giving the hamlet a proper downtown and opening it to grants. 

“If any business owner wanted to come in to become J-6, it’s certainly something that we would obviously entertain,” the councilwoman said.

The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that Sound Beach’s population shrunk by more than 2.5% between 2010 and 2020. This population decline is comparable to those of neighboring hamlets in the area, including Rocky Point, Miller Place and Mount Sinai.

Dorothy Cavalier, legislative aide to Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), is running to fill the seat of her boss this November as Anker is term limited. 

The candidate remarked upon the need for a larger governmental initiative to return small businesses to the area and keep residents from leaving the county for the Sun Belt. 

“We’re losing a lot of people to Down South and other places, and we really need to figure out how to get them to stay here,” Cavalier said. “We need to get the small businesses back here because once we get the businesses to come back, the people will follow. They’ll stay.”

In the meantime, Bonner emphasized that the businesses in Sound Beach are still recovering from the aftermath of the pandemic. To support those businesses, she encouraged the community to continue patronizing local mom-and-pops in their hour of need.

“The pandemic really brought a lot of people to their knees financially, and our small businesses are the ones that suffered the most,” she said. “That’s why we have to invest with our dollars, to shop locally and support them.”

by -
0 567
1 of 7
Community members cleaned up at Stony Brook train station for Earth Day on April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Community members cleaned up at Stony Brook train station for Earth Day on April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Community members cleaned up at Stony Brook train station for Earth Day on April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Community members cleaned up at Stony Brook train station for Earth Day on April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Community members cleaned up at Stony Brook train station for Earth Day on April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Community members cleaned up at Stony Brook train station for Earth Day on April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Community members cleaned up at Stony Brook train station for Earth Day in 2023. Photo by Rita J. Egan

In celebration of Earth Day, community groups throughout the Three Village joined forces to clean up Stony Brook train station. Volunteers were armed with rakes, leaf blowers, pruning scissors and more on Saturday, April 22.

The North Suffolk Garden Club, along with Three Village Community Trust, Three Village Civic Association, Three Village Chamber of Commerce, The Stony Brook School, Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), Long Island Rail Road and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) have been working on cleaning up the station since last summer. 

 

by -
0 742
Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis, left, shakes hands with New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University

With a vision to turn parts of Governors Island into a world-class center that blends into the surrounding greenery, Stony Brook University won the highly competitive process to create a climate solutions center.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) and the Trust for Governors Island earlier this week named Stony Brook the lead in teaming up with other universities, nonprofits and businesses to create a $700 million facility that will start construction in 2025 and open in 2028.

Backed by a $100 million donation from the Simons Foundation, a $50 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies and $150 million from the City of New York, Stony Brook will create a unique 400,000 square-foot facility.

The center will house research laboratories and host community discussions, train 6,000 people to work in green energy jobs per year, provide educational opportunities and search for climate solutions, including those that affect low-income communities of color.

“Climate change is here and the danger is real,” Adams said at a press conference on Governors Island unveiling the winner of the competition. “I am proud to announce that we have selected a team led by Stony Brook University to deliver the New York Climate Exchange.”

Adams suggested the Stony Brook team, which includes local partners like Pace University, New York University and the City University of New York, will protect the city’s air and water.

The Trust for Governors Island also anticipates the site, which will include a “semester abroad” on-site, fellowships and internship programs, will host scientific symposiums that can bring together leaders in a range of fields.

In an email, Simons Foundation President David Spergel hopes the center will “nucleate new business that generates jobs in the region, invest in new technologies and advance solutions.”

The foundation is helping to recruit other benefactors to meet the financial needs for the site both by the example of its commitment and through personal interactions, Spergel said.

Stony Brook, meanwhile, which has a deep pool of researchers at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences investigating climate-related issues, doesn’t plan to wait until the buildings are refurbished and constructed to start the conceptual and educational work.

During phase zero, the university will “work with our partners immediately” on developing programs for kindergarten through grade 12 outreach, on scaling up green workforce development and on developing collaborative research projects across institutions, SBU President Maurie McInnis said in a town hall discussion with the campus community.

Left to right: Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Simons Foundation president David Spergel, SBU President Maurie McInnis, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Harbor School student Leanna Martin Peterson and Trust for Governors Island President Clare Newman. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University

Practice what it preaches

In addition to providing space that will generate and test out ideas for solutions to climate change, the New York Climate Exchange buildings will minimize the carbon footprint.

There will be 230,000 square feet of new space and 170,000 square feet of refurbished existing structures. The plans, which were created by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, involve creating the biggest mass-timber building in New York City. As an alternative to concrete and steel, mass timber has a lower carbon footprint and is lighter.

Mass timber uses “less material and in a more efficient way,” said Keith O’Connor, principal at SOM, who runs the city design practice in New York and Washington, D.C., in an interview.

SOM designed the tops of the buildings with 142,000 square feet of solar cells, which will generate more than enough power for the site, enabling the center to provide all of its electricity needs and to send some energy to the city.

“We wanted to work really hard to avoid having a field of solar panels sitting off to the side” or sticking solar panels on each roof, O’Connor said. Instead, the solar panels, which will be at slightly different angles from each other, track the topography of the structures without creating a glaring field of reflected light.

Guests who arrive at Governors Island will notice a solar canopy that is “front and center,” O’Connor said. “It’s about a message for everyone who is visiting — it says that energy generation is critical.”

SOM wanted to find a way to create a warm and welcoming aesthetic that provides energy, O’Connor added.

All of the nondrinking water will come from rainwater and treated wastewater.

The site anticipates diverting 95% of waste from landfills, making it one of the first in the country to achieve true zero-waste certification.

“The concept of the physical structure is astonishing,” David Manning, director of Stakeholder Relations at Brookhaven National Laboratory, which will serve as an adviser on the center, said in an interview. “You want to attract the best and the brightest. You do that with programming. It doesn’t hurt that [the design and the facilities] are also cool.”

An aerial rendering of the island after construction, which will also include 4.5 acres of new open space, looks more like a park than a typical research station.

Governors Island, which hosts about a million visitors each year who arrive on ferries that run every half hour, plans to double the ferry service, with trips traveling every 15 minutes during the day starting next year. Also in 2024, the city will start using a hybrid electric ferry to reduce emissions.

Considerable collaborative support

McInnis expressed her gratitude to the team at Stony Brook and to her partners for putting together the winning proposal.

McInnis suggested that the university’s commitment to studying, understanding and mitigating climate change, coupled with national and international collaborations, would unite numerous strengths in one place.

“We knew we had the right team to lead this effort,” said McInnis at the announcement on Governors Island. “We also knew we needed a diverse set of partners” in areas including environmental justice, in the business sector and in philanthropic communities.

Other partners include Georgia Tech, University of Washington, Duke University, Rochester Institute of Technology and University of Oxford, England.

BNL’s Manning appreciated the opportunity to attend the kickoff of the project on Governors Island. 

Near the tip of Manhattan amid a “stunning blue sky,” the gathering was the “perfect setting” to announce and create solutions that were “this future focused,” Manning said.

by -
0 415
1 of 7
A scene from the first Kids Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from the first Kids Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22, 2023. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from the first Kids Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from the first Kids Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from the first Kids Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from the first Kids Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan
A scene from the first Kids Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22. Photo by Rita J. Egan

Celebrate St. James hosted its first Kids Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22.

The event was held at the new Celebrate Park on Lake Avenue. Children had the opportunity to learn about nature and Earth Day with story time, plant sales and the opportunity to make their own terrariums. 

Attendees also enjoyed listening to live music, getting henna designs and visiting a rabbit and a miniature screech owl at the Sweetbriar Nature Center table.

by -
0 1452
Stock photo
A Column Promoting a More Earth-friendly Lifestyle

By John L. Turner

John Turner

You’ve just boiled some potatoes, eggs, or maybe rice. Or perhaps it was pasta. If you are like most people the leftover water quickly finds its way down the kitchen sink drain. 

Want a better use for that water? After cooling it (a nice bonus in the winter to let the heat from the water move into the kitchen), use it for making soup, thinning sauces or watering indoor or outdoor plants. Regarding this last use, boiling these and other foods (couscous anyone?) results in water containing minerals and carbohydrates; this enhanced water thus has become a form of liquid fertilizer that can benefit your plants. 

There is one caveat to keep in mind when using the previously used water for your plants — if you salt the water while cooking pasta or other foods do not use it on your plants as it can either damage or kill them; it is fine, though, to use it for making other foods.  

Reusing your cooking water not only captures these minerals and nutrients for the benefit of your plants, it means water used in a more efficient manner — a key element of sustainability.   

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.

by -
0 469
A scene from 'Radioactive'

Never-before-told revelations regarding The Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant accident on March 28, 1979 are the subjects of Stony Brook University Professor Heidi Hutner’s new feature-length documentary “Radioactive: The Women of Three Mile Island.”  The documentary will be shown at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Avenue in Huntington on Saturday, April 29 at 7 p.m. and will also include a Q & A moderated by Kelly McMasters with stars Beth Drazba, Paula Kinney, Linda Braasch, Joyce Corradi, Joanne Doroshow, and editor and producer Simeon Hutner followed by a reception.

In addition to actress Jane Fonda, whose fictional film about a nuclear reactor meltdown, “The China Syndrome,” opened twelve days before the meltdown at Three Mile Island, “Radioactive: The Women of Three Mile Island”features: 

  • four concerned mothers who worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of their families; 

  • a two-woman legal team who took their battle for the rights of area residents to the Supreme Court

  • a local doctor who maintains many of her patients may be sick because of the accident; 

  •  a scientist who has initiated a new study regarding the impact of the meltdown on the health of the community; 

  • a reporter who recounts the confusing information reporters received  

The film re-examines the official claim by government and company officials that the accident — the worst commercial nuclear reactor meltdown in U.S. history — caused no injuries or deaths. The documentary examines the implications that continue to this day for the community, its residents, and their descendants.

 Watch the trailer here.

Hutner, an associate professor of  ecofeminism and environmental justice in the Department of English,  produced, wrote and directed the documentary, which focuses on people directly affected by the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant meltdown-the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history.

“Radioactive: The Women of Three Mile Island features: Linda Braasch, Beth Drazba, Joyce Corradi, Paula Kinney, Jane Fonda, Heidi Hutner, Joanne Doroshow, Michelle  LeFever Quinn, Lynne Bernabei, Aaron Datesman, Mary Olson, Dan Steele Braasch, Lake Barrett, Dr. Renu Joshi, Aileen Mioko Smith.  Martijn  Hart serves as director of photography and co-director,  Simeon Hutner serves as producer, and executive producers include Richard Saperstein, Christopher Hormel and Heidi Hutner.

Tickets are $19, $14 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org. For more information, call 631-423-7610.

by -
0 757
Suffolk County police car. File photo
Photo from SCPD
Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly stole merchandise from a Commack store in March.

The man allegedly stole electronics from Target, located at 98 Veterans Memorial Highway, on March 4th, at approximately 3:30 p.m.

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.

Prev1...229230231...334Next Page 230 of 334
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©