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Yearly Archives: 2024

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Father Gerald Fitzsimmons

By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Our community has been blessed with so many extraordinary people who by the power of their example have inspired many of us to stay the course and continue to build bridges and not walls.

One of those powerful bridge builders who touched so many of us died on July 19 of ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, at the age of 76. Father Gerald Fitzsimmons, known to most of us as Fr. Fitz was a powerful preacher and teacher. 

In 1974, Fr. Fitz came as an ordained deacon for the Montfort Missionaries and was assigned to Infant Jesus Catholic Church in Port Jefferson Village. In 1975, he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest. He was young and filled with tremendous energy with a powerful voice.

In 1979, another young Montfort Missionary came to Port Jefferson’s Infant Jesus Church to replace him. Yours truly was assigned as a parish priest. Fr. Fitz stayed an extra year. I learned so much from him about ministry, about priesthood and about basketball. We were both fierce competitors.

However, what impressed me most was his compassionate heart and his profound commitment to the most vulnerable and broken among us. After Infant Jesus, he served as the pastor of St. Mary Gate of Heaven church in Ozone Park, Queens. Also, during the years after he left Port Jefferson, he became known throughout the region as an extraordinary preacher and retreat master.

Father Gerald Fitzsimmons

His ministry extended around the world. He became a real agent of compassion and justice for those who were victims of clergy sexual abuse. He became internationally known for his compassionate heart and his wisdom.

Hope House Ministries was founded in 1980. In the 1990s, as we were experiencing a lot of growing pains, he was elected Provincial Superior of the Montfort Missionaries in the United StatesDuring his tenure, he was extremely supportive of my ministry in Port Jefferson and supportive of me personally. He always urged me to stay the course and I have.

Having accompanied a number of people who died from ALS, I have always been amazed with their courage, kindness and wisdom.

During the two years with ALS, Father Fitz never stopped working, preaching and healing. Quickly the disease caused him to be confined to a wheelchair; then he became unable to use only a few fingers. However, he continued to use his powerful voice of compassion through Zoom meetings with the international community and celebrating mass regularly for the Sisters of St. Joseph up until a week before he died. 

His voice and compassionate heart will always be remembered. I am grateful that I got to know him and was able to walk with him on part of his journey. I know I am richer for it.

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

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MOVIE UNDER THE STARS Catch a screening of 'Wish' at Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson on Aug. 13.

PROGRAMS

Harry Potter Scavenger Hunt

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor hosts a Harry Potter Scavenger Hunt and Craft now through Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In honor of Harry’s birthday, muggles & wizards alike can enjoy a magical scavenger hunt throughout the museum’s galleries. Then design and decorate your very own wand craft to take home. ​​Free with admission. No registration required. 631-367-3418

​Power of Poseidon

Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for a Power of Poseidon workshop on Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Can’t get enough of Greek myths and legends? Neither could mariners! Discover how sailors would dress up as Poseidon during a special festival when they crossed the Equator. Explore some famous maritime myths then decorate your own terracotta “amphora” pot with mythical designs. ​Admission + $10 participant. No registration required. 631-367-3418

Adventures in Painting

Time to paint outside the box! Families with children up to Grade 6 are invited to drop by Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket for an Adventures in Painting class on Aug. 8 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.  to But you won’t find any paintbrushes here — you’ll be painting using various tools you may have never thought of. Leave with as many masterpieces as you can make! No registration required. Open to all. 631-941-4080

First Steps in Nature

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown continues its First Steps in Nature series for ages 2 to 4 on  Aug. 9 at 9:30 a.m. with hands-on exciting activities, crafts, stories and much more. Children will gain a greater appreciation of nature and wildlife while having fun. $20 per child. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Build-A-Boat

Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor on Aug. 9 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for an open-ended workshop where adults and kids alike can let their creativity soar, crafting unique vessels using a range of wooden materials and plenty of imagination. Take your masterpiece home with you! ​Admission + $10 participant. No registration required. 631-367-3418

National Book Lovers Day

In honor of National Book Lovers Day, the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook will give a themed exploration of carriage galleries inspired by the book Wheels of Change on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Author Darlene Beck Jacobson will join the group live via Zoom to discuss her book, craft, and research process. For children in 3rd to 6th grade (must be accompanied by an adult).Free but registration is required by visiting www.longislandmuseum.org.

Art in the Barn

Walt Whitman Birthplace, 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station continues its Art in the Barn series on Aug. 10 at 11 a.m. Participants will paint their own birdhouse. Birdhouse and seed will be provided. $40 per child and parent. To register, call 631-427-5240 or visit www.waltwhitman.org/product/artinthebarn/.

Pop-Up Saturday

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) continues its Pop-Up Saturdays series at the Stony Brook Village Center’s Inner Court by Crazy Beans, 97 Main St., Stony Brook on Aug. 10 with caricature artist Marty Macaluso from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Drop by for a free caricature drawing! 631-751-2244

Crafternoon at the Library

Children ages 3 to 12 with a parent or caregiver are invited to stop by Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket on Aug. 10 anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. to get creative with recycled materials. No registration required. Open to all. Questions? Email [email protected]

Story & Craft with Nana Carol

The Next Chapter bookstore, 204 New York Ave., Huntington hosts a Story and Craft event with Nana Carol on Aug. 12 at 10:30 a.m. No registration required. Appropriate for ages 0-4. 631-482-5008

Meet the Farm Animals

(Rescheduled from July 12) Children in grades pre-K to 6 are invited to stop by Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket  on Aug. 12 between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to have fun with some hands-on interaction with animals. Presented by Cornell Cooperative Extension on the library’s front lawn. Open to all. No registration required. Questions? Email [email protected].

Backyard Wildlife

Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket continues its free summer programs with a Backyard Wildlife encounter on Aug. 13 at 11 a.m. Sweetbriar Nature Center will give a hands on experience with the many animals they rescue. Meet at Hap’s Red Barn. Bring seating. Free. No registration required. 631-689-6146

​Submarine Adventure

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor invites you to a Submarine Adventure on Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Go on the greatest adventure of all — to the bottom of the sea! Discover the other worldly organisms that dwell in the depths of the ocean and learn about these crazy creatures in an exciting black light activity. Create a glow-in-the-dark anglerfish to take home. ​​Admission + $10 participant; $5 Members. No registration required. 631-367-3418

Summer Thursday at the LIM

The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook continues its after hours Summer Thursdays series on Aug. 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with a family-friendly Performance from the School of Rock Band outside the Carriage Museum, playing family friendly tunes while Art Across Ages offers music-themed crafts. The Carriage Museum will be open for self-guided tours. Free. 631-751-0066

THEATER

‘Pinocchio’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Pinocchio, an original musical of the puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy, from Aug. 2 to 10. In a joyous and hilarious retelling of the famous tale, Pinocchio discovers the challenges and rewards of being truly human. Along the way, he befriends a sassy cricket and a bumbling fairy and is challenged by a sly fox, a wily cat, and a sneaky rat who tempt him off the path! Come follow Pinocchio as he journeys down the road of misadventure and learns the importance of telling the truth! All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘Finding Nemo Jr.’

Extended! Summer fun continues at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport with Finding Nemo Jr. from July 20 to Sept. 1. In this musical adaptation of the beloved 2003 Pixar movie, Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Marlin faces his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean. With the help of lovable characters such as Dory, Crush, and the Tank Gang, Marlin, and Nemo both overcome challenges on their journey to find each other and themselves. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

FILM

‘Cars’

Heritage Park, 633 Mount Sinai-Coram Road, Mount Sinai continues its Movies in the Moonlight series with a screening of Cars on Aug. 9 at dusk (8:30 p.m.) Bring seating. Presented by the North Shore Youth Council and Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon. 631-403-4846

‘Wish’

Village of Port Jefferson continues its Movies on the Harbor series at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson with a screening of Disney’s Wish on Aug. 13 at dusk. Rain date is the next evening. Bring seating. 631-473-4724

‘Elemental’

St. James Chamber of Commerce invites the community to Deepwells Farm County Park, 497 Route 25A, St. James for a screening of Disney/Pixar’s Elemental on Aug. 14 (rain date Aug. 21) at dusk. Bring seating. 631-584-851

‘The Wizard of Oz’

Rescheduled from Aug. 7. Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach invites the community to a screening of the classic The Wizard of Oz in the library’s parking lot on Aug. 14 at 8:30 p.m. After a tornado whisks her away to the magical land of Oz, Dorothy Gale teams up with a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodsman, and a Cowardly Lion to find the mighty Wizard of Oz, who can send her home. Rain date is Aug.14. Bring seating. 631-585-9393

Send your calendar events to [email protected]

 

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AHOY MATEYS! Pirates will take over Port Jefferson Village for the 4th annual Sea Shanty and Maritime Musical Festival this weekend. Photo by Aidan Johnson/TBR News Media
Ongoing

Huntington Summer Arts Festival

The 59th annual Huntington Summer Arts Festival returns to Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington from June 21 to Aug. 24, Wednesdays to Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 7 p.m. The 10-week festival will feature over 40 live performances including dance, theater and music. Bring seating. Held rain or shine. Free. For a list of scheduled performers, visit www.huntingtonarts.org. 631-271-8423

Thursday Aug. 8

Kings Park Rocks 

Kings Park Chamber of Commerce presents a Kings Park Rocks summer concert featuring Southbound at Russ Savatt Park, 14 Main Street,  Kings Park from 6 to 10 p.m. 631-269-7678

East Northport Fire Dept.  Fair

The East Northport Fire Department, 1 9th Ave., East Northport will host its annual Fair tonight through Aug. 10 from 7 to 11 p.m. with carnival rides, games of chance and skill, live music, large selection of food and more. Parade kicks off tonight on Larkfield Road at 7 p.m. Free admission. POP ride bracelets. 631-261-0360, ext. 110

Adventure Trivia

Join Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station for Adventure Trivia from 4 to 5 p.m. or from 7 to 8 p.m. Test your knowledge of music, movies, history and more with a chance to win prizes with Theresa Maritato. Adults only. To register, call 631-928-1212.

Harborside Concerts

Harborside concerts continue at the Show Mobile at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson tonight at 7 p.m. with Drive (Cars tribute band). Bring seating. 631-473-4724, www.portjeff.com

Music in the Park

The Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce presents Music in the Park at Veterans Park, Boyle Road, Selden with live music by Milagro (Santana tribute band) starting at 7 p.m. Rain date is Aug. 28. Bring seating. 631-681-8708

Dennis Cannataro Concert Series

The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series continues at the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown with Penny Lane (Beatles tribute) tonight at 7:30 p.m. No registration required. Bring seating. 631-360-2480 ext. 150

Friday Aug. 9

East Northport Fire Dept.  Fair

See Aug. 8 listing.

Happenings on Main Street

Northport Arts Coalition presents Happenings on Main Street, free concerts at the Northport Village Park Gazebo at the harbor Friday evenings at 7 p.m. through Aug. 30. Tonight’s performance will feature Izzy Potter. Bring seating. 631-261-1872

British Rock Legends Tribute

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its summer concert series with The British Legends of Rock Show at 8 p.m. Spend an evening with ALL of your favorite 60s & 70s British rock legends A-Z. The Animals to Led Zeppelin and everything in  between. Tickets are $55. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Peterson & Cowsill in Concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook presents Vicki Peterson (The Bangles) and John Cowsill (The Cowsills, The Beach Boys) in concert at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 at www.limehof.org.

Saturday Aug. 10

East Northport Fire Dept.  Fair

See Aug. 8 listing.

Run the Farm

Friends of Hobbs Farm and Town of Brookhaven Councilman Neil Manzella and Brookhaven Town Clerk Kevin LaValle invite you to take part in the 10th annual ShopRite Run the Farm 4-mile run/walk. Fun Run for children begins at 8:30 a.m., and the 4-mile challenge starts at 9 a.m. $30 in advance;  $35 the day of the race; $5 for  children under the age of 10. The challenge starts at Oxhead Elementary School, 144 Oxhead Road, Centereach, and ends at Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, 178 Oxhead Road, Centereach. Proceeds benefit Hobbs Farm’s mission of feeding the hungry. To register in advance, visit events.elitefeats.com/24runthefarm. 

LISEC Sikaflex Boat Build

LISEC and the Bayles Boat Shop will sponsor the 12th annual Sikaflex “Quick & Dirty” Boat Building Competition at Harborfront Park, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson today and Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Up to 12  two-person  teams will construct a boat in four hours on Saturday and return on Sunday to decorate their boats and prepare to race them at 3 p.m. Prizes are awarded after the races for design, decoration, first built and race winners. 631-689-8293, www.lisec.org

Tri-Spy Walking Tours

Hike your way through the history of the Revolutionary War’s Culper Spy Ring with local historian Margo Arceri of Tri-Spy Tours at 9 a.m. Participants follow in the actual footsteps of the Culper Spy Ring, and, along the way, historical places of interest are pointed out and discussed. Tours start at the entrance of Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket. $25 per person. 631-751-3730, www.tvhs.org

The I Love Bacon Fest

Walt Whitman Shops, 160 Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station hosts The I Love Bacon, Butter, Beer and Bourbon Fest, a two-day celebration of bacon prepared every way imaginable, today and Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The outdoor event will feature live music all day, food trucks, craft vendors and line dancing lessons by Long Island’s country band Audawind. Admission is $10 adults, $5 children ages 4 to 12, kids 3 and under are free. For tickets, visit lovebaconfest.com/tickets/

Saturdays Poetry Reading

All Souls Church in Stony Brook continues its Saturdays poetry series via Zoom from 11 a.m. to noon. Featured poet will be Hiram Larew. An open-reading will follow; all are welcome to read one of their own poems.  For more information, call 631-655-7798.  Participants can access the program through the All Souls website https://www.allsouls-stonybrook.org/

Sea Shanty/Maritime  Music Fest

In conjunction with the LISEC Sikaflex Boat Build, the annual Port Jefferson Sea Shanty and Maritime Musical Festival will be held at Harborfront Park, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson today and Aug. 11 from noon to dusk featuring authentic sea shanties, a pirate camp, street singers and more. Free. portjeffersonseamusicfestival.com

One Hit Wonderers Concert

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its summer concert series with One Hit Wonderers at 8 p.m. Each and every song you will hear was, you guessed it…a number 1 hit of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Tickets are $55. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Sunday Aug. 11

LISEC Sikaflex Boat Build

See Aug. 10 listing.

The I Love Bacon Fest

See Aug. 10 listing.

Sea Shanty/ Maritime Music Fest

See Aug. 10 listing.

Big Rig & Antique Truck Show 

The Long Island Chapter of the American Truck Historical Society will host the 6th annual Big Rig & Antique Truck Show at the LIAPA Show Grounds, 5951 Sound Ave., Riverhead from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring antique trucks and modern straight jobs to semis. Admission is $5. 631-339-3065

Car Show Fundraiser

Sawmill Intermediate School, 103 New Highway, Commack hosts a Commack Fire Department Engine 3 Car Show fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with food trucks, raffles and more. 

The Spirit of Summer Art Festival

The Spirit of Huntington, 2 Melville Road, Huntington Station presents a Spirit of Summer Art Festival, a day of fine art, community networking, games and activities, food trucks, raffles and music/dance performances, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain date is Aug. 18. 631-520-1147

Frank Latorre in concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook  presents a concert by Frank Latorre & the King Bees from 3 to 4 p.m. The event is free with general admission ticket purchase. 631-689-5888, www.limusichalloffame.org. 

Wind Down Sundays

The popular summer concert series returns to Hap’s historic Red Barn at Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket with a performance by The Toby Tobias Ensemble at 5:30 p.m. Bring seating. 631-689-6146, www.frankmelvillepark.org

Celebrate St. James Concert Series

Celebrate St. James continues its summer concert series at Celebrate Park, 369 Lake Ave., St. James with the Lisa Polizzi Band from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The series continues every Sunday through Aug. 18. Free. Bring seating. 631-984-0201

Village Green Summer Concert

Summer concerts return to the Stony Brook Village Center every Sunday at 7 p.m. in front of the Stony Brook Post Office, 111 Main Street, Stony Brook through Aug. 18. Tonight’s performance will feature The Precisions. Bring seating. 631-751-2244, www.wmho.org

Monday Aug. 12

Sound Beach Civic Meeting

Sound Beach Firehouse, 152 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach hosts a Sound Beach Civic Association meeting at 7:30  p.m. Guest Speaker will be Kevin LaValle, Town of Brookhaven Clerk. All are welcome. For more information call 631-744-6952.

Tuesday Aug. 13

Shibori Indigo workshop

Huntington Historical Society will host a Shibori Indigo workshop with Oksana Danziger at the Conklin Barn 2 High St., Huntington from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Experience the magic of indigo dye firsthand in a two and a half hour workshop using freshly harvested Japanese Indigo. You will be dyeing silk scarves with nothing but fresh leaves and a sprinkle of table salt. The dye is permanent without any further processing. After dyeing, you can add some pattern using indigo pigment and stencils. Fee is $55 per person, $50 members. To register, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

Concerts at The Gazebo 

Enjoy Tuesday night concerts at The Gazebo, 127 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset at 7 p.m. through Aug. 27. Tonight’s performance will feature Rusty Spur. Rain date is Aug. 14. 631-672-5197, www.nesconsetchamber.org

Music Under the Stars

Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach celebrates summer with its Music Under the Stars concert series in its parking lot featuring Men of Soul (Soul and R&B) at 7 p.m. Bring seating. 631-585-9393

A Night of Comedy

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport continues its Special Event Series with Comedy Night at 8 p.m. Come have some laughs, enjoy some cocktails, and listen to some very funny comedians. Tickets are $45. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Wednesday Aug. 14

St. James Summer Nights

St. James Elementary School, 580 Lake Ave., St. James hosts a St. James Summer Nights event from 5 to 9:30 p.m. featuring live music, crafts and vendors under the summer stars. Rain date is Aug. 21. 516-220-8217

Historic Walking Tour/Pub Crawl

The Huntington Historical Society offers a Historic Walking Tour and Pub Crawl tonight throughout Huntington Village from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Town of Huntington Historian, Robert C. Hughes, will guide you through the notable buildings and events in the history of Huntington. Along the way participants will stop at local establishments to enjoy some refreshment before continuing the tour. Tickets are $25, $20 members (drinks not included). Tours will begin at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Building, 228 Main Street,  Huntington. Reservations are required. 631-427-7045, www.huntingtonhistorical.org

Summer Sips Trivia Night

Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St. Cold Spring Harbor for a Summer Sips Trivia Night from 6:30 p.m to 8 p.m.  General trivia questions are tied to the fun-in-the-sun beach season and will have something for everyone, including film, music, logos, history, geography, art, and nature. Enjoy appetizers from Grasso’s Restaurant and a refreshing Dirty Dolphin cocktail or mocktail. Prizes and bragging rights for winners of trivia rounds. Adults 21+. $30 per person.  Advance registration required by visiting cshwhalingmuseum.org.

Port Jefferson Sunset Concert

Port Jefferson Arts Council continues its Sunset Concerts at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson with a performance by the Dave Christian Project from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Free. Bring seating. Held rain or shine. 631-473-5220, www.gpjac.org

An Evening of Summer Pops

Caroline Episcopal Church will host a free concert by the Sound Symphony Orchestra on the Setauket Village Green at 7 p.m. Directed by Maestro Dorothy Savitch with vocal soloist Christine Cornell, the program will include “Over the Rainbow,” “My Fair Lady,” a salute to the Big Bands, “The Magnifecent Seven,” and more. Bring seating. Free. www.carolinechurch.net/upcomingevents.

Summerfest Concert

The Northport Chamber of Commerce continues its Summerfest Concert series on Wednesday nights at the Robert Krueger Bandshell in Northport Village Park with the Little Wilson Band from 7:30 to 9 p.m.. Bring seating. 631-754-3905

Thursday Aug. 15

Summer Thursday at the LIM

The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook continues its after hours Summer Thursdays series from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with a family-friendly Performance from the School of Rock Band outside the Carriage Museum, playing family friendly tunes while Art Across Ages offers music-themed crafts. The Carriage Museum will be open for self-guided tours. Free. 631-751-0066

St. Joseph’s Family Festival

St. Joseph’s Church, 59 Church St., Kings Park hosts a Family Festival tonight from 6 to 10 p.m., Aug. 16 and 17 from 6 to 11 and Aug. 18 from 6 to 10 p.m. with carnival rides, games and food. Fireworks on Aug. 16. Free admission. Pay-one-price rides. 631-499-6824

Dennis Cannataro Concert Series

The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series continues at the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown with Don’t Stop (Journey tribute) tonight at 7:30 p.m. No registration required. Bring seating. 631-360-2480 ext. 150

Theater

‘Newsies’

Stop the presses! This Disney film turned Tony-winning Broadway hit Newsies heads to the Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown from July 13 to Aug. 18. Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right! Tickets are $35 adults, $32 seniors, $25 students. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org. 

‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’

The Carriage House Players at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in  Centerport continue their 35th annual Shakespeare in the Courtyard Festival with The Merry Wives of Windsor from July 12 to Aug. 9 followed by King Lear from Aug. 16 to Sept. 8. Performances are held on the Vanderbilt mansion courtyard stage on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors and children under age 12 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org. 

‘Legally Blonde The Musical’

Extended! The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Legally Blonde The Musical from July 11 to Sept 1. Elle Woods appears to have it all until her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend dumps her to attend Harvard. Determined to get him back, Elle charms her way into the prestigious law school. An award-winning musical based on the adored movie, the show follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Tickets range from $80 to  $95. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Guys and Dolls’

Celebrate St. James presents a production of the musical Guys and Dolls at St. James Episcopal Church (Mills Hall), 490 North Country Road, St. James on Aug. 23 and 24 at 8 p.m. The show takes us from the bustle of Times Square to the dance clubs of Havana to the sewers of New York City as it demonstrates the great lengths to which a guy will go when he truly falls in love with a “doll.” Tickets, which include refreshments and dessert, are $35 adults, $30 seniors. To order, call 516-272-6597 or visit www.celebratestjames.org.

‘King Lear’

The Carriage House Players at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in  Centerport closes their 35th annual Shakespeare in the Courtyard Festival with King Lear from Aug. 16 to Sept. 8. Performances are held on the Vanderbilt mansion courtyard stage on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors and children under age 12 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org. 

Class Reunion

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. Members of the Class of 1963 are invited to join them. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected]

CALENDAR DEADLINE  is Wednesday at noon, one week before publication. Items may be mailed to: Times Beacon Record News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733. Email your information about community events to [email protected]. Calendar listings are for not-for-profit organizations (nonsectarian, nonpartisan events) only, on a space-available basis. Please include a phone number that can be printed.

 

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Chester
Chester
Chester

MEET CHESTER

This week’s featured shelter pet is Chester, a sweet 15-year-old black cat up for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. 

This big boy is a loving lap cat that just wants attention. He lost his home when his human dad became too ill to care for himself. Chester is accustomed to being in/outdoor and will need a new home that can commit to keeping him inside. 

If you are interested in meeting Chester, please fill out an application online to schedule time to properly interact with your prospective soul mate in a domestic setting at www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.

The Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575.

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

I’m tired, crabby, angry, annoyed, frustrated, disappointed, appalled and short tempered. 

Sleep, as a feature in TBR News Media this week suggests, will cure some of that.

But I’m just so fed up with the nonstop negativity in the country. Half the country not only wants to win, but seems thrilled with the prospect that the other half will lose. The worse the losers feel, the happier they are.

We’ve become a society of stomping toddlers, eager to crush the careful creations and ideas of those we oppose under our feet. Cut it out! This isn’t helping.

Okay, let’s take a step back from politicians and discuss us, you know, John and Joan Q. Public.

We are generally sleep deprived, according to statistics and people who pinch themselves not out of sheer joy but out of the necessity of staying awake each day.

More than one out of two people in the cars next to us may not only be texting and/or talking on the phone, but is also likely struggling to stay awake. That’s not good for them or for us.

Think about it: when you go to a store for stuff, call a company to send someone to fix your air conditioners in overbearing heat, or need someone to provide a skill set that you don’t possess, you don’t ask a long list of questions to make sure they were on the winning political team or that they believe everything you believe or even that they got enough sleep the previous night.

But, wait, what if the help we need is part of the other political team or, even going outside the realm of politics, is a devoted fan of the Red Sox, believes in red herrings, or is a fan of the color red?

You might privately enjoy the victory of your team or your would-be political leader, but are you really eager for them — you know, the “others” who are a part of our lives — to be miserable?

Their misery could become your misery.

It might tickle you to watch them cry and to ponder the existential threat that the person you support won and the person they supported lost, but you still need them even if you have no use for their political leaders.

If they lose sleep and are worse at their jobs, you might have to wait longer in line, deal with an incorrect bill you have to keep fighting, or suffer through the consequences of getting a meal that contains an allergen you told the waitress you couldn’t eat.

Even if you feel a momentary satisfaction that people who are supporting the wrong candidates  lost, you shouldn’t be too eager to push their head in the mud or to throw tomatoes at them. You might need those people and your tomatoes.

What happened to agreeing to disagree, to the art of compromise or even just to listening?

If whichever side loses feels like they still have a seat at the table, an ability to affect policies, an opportunity to help our children learn — is anyone on this campaign talking about education, ever? — and confidence that someone will listen to their ideas, the political and cultural temperature wouldn’t be so high and we the people would sleep and work better.

Yes, the extremes on each side can be absurd and frustrating, but even those people with the most ridiculous signs can be agreeable and helpful outside the context of political ideology.

So, just to recap, we might want to consider this great experiment in democracy as a team effort. We don’t always say and do the right things and we don’t always back the right horses, but, together, we can be greater than any one election or one would-be leader.

Unless we’re ready to live on a farm and eat our own food, educate our children, provide our own energy and entertainment and perform necessary surgeries on ourselves, we need each other. Once we remember that, we might have a better chance of sleeping well at night, which will make us better at our many roles, from parenting, to working, to contributing to our communities.

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

If you like spy stories, read on. The riveting part about this one is that it is real. The account jumped off the front page of The New York Times to me on Tuesday and speaks to the state of the world today. The recent large East-West prisoner exchange unearthed this tale that could be a streaming series but is reality.

Slovenia, once part of Yugoslavia, is a small country in central Europe. It is bordered by Austria and Hungary on the north, Croatia on the east, the Italian port city of Trieste on the southwest and  it has coastline along the Gulf of Venice. Although controlled by the Soviet Union for most of post WWII, it is now a member of NATO and the European Union. 

It was there that Russian Anna Dultseva and her husband, Artem Dultsev, set up an online art gallery and passed themselves off as Argentines. He started a bogus high tech business. Using the name Maria Rosa Mayer Munos, she organized frequent trips to Britain and even arranged for art exhibitions in Edinburgh.

Tipped off by intelligence in Britain, the couple was arrested in December 2022 in their comfortable home near the capital, Ljubljana, as they were communicating with Moscow, using special equipment that bypassed phone and internet lines.

Their lives must have been constantly tense for the wife and husband. They had two children, a daughter, now12, a son, now 9, and a small dog. They kept to themselves, spoke to no one, and seldom had visitors, according to neighbors in the suburb. The children attended the nearby British International School, and the family spoke Spanish and English at home. 

Although people sometimes gossiped about them, wondering what they were doing there, they were mostly ignored because they did not cause trouble. Their financial filings might have sparked interest, since they showed little income, yet they lived in a three-story house with a small garden and a wooden fence and sent their children to a school that charged $10,000 per pupil. The art they sold was the kind bought in China for little money.

The authorities are still trying to figure out what the couple was up to since their arrival in 2017, although probably not fully activated until war with Ukraine five years later. Large sums of cash were found in the house, causing speculation that they were paying off a network of sleeper agents and other Russian operations throughout Europe. 

Apparently Russian intelligence has an elaborate network of deep-cover sleeper spies trained to impersonate citizens of other countries by Russia’s foreign intelligence agency, the SVR. This is, apparently, a real life version of a television series called “The Americans,” that was in turn inspired by the arrest in 2010 of a ring of sleeper spies in the United States.

According to NYT reporter, Andrew Higgins, Russia has a long history of fielding such undercover spies “who burrow deep into target countries over many years.” This is something that President Putin has supported since his days in the K.G.B. These “illegal” spies have no diplomatic cover, no obvious connection to Russia, and suffer the consequences on their own if caught.

Whatever the pair did is considered to have been extremely important because, when they were released, were rejoined by their children, and landed in Moscow, they were greeted by a smiling Putin, who addressed the children with the Spanish words, “Buenas noches.” 

They were also greeted by Sergey Naryshkin, the head of the SVR intelligence agency. If unaware of their parents’ real jobs, as the Kremlin asserted, those must have been two very confused children.

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Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Photo from Tierney's office

The Defendants Allegedly Used Others’ Identities to Open Accounts and Make Purchases

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the arrests of ANANDA GABRIEL, AAMEER WAIGHT, ABILIO SANCHEZ, ANTHONY COLON, RASHAD PROVOST and JONATHAN LYNCE, who are accused of grand larceny, identity theft, and other related charges, for their roles in an identity theft scheme at Lowe’s stores. The scheme allegedly involved multiple Lowe’s credit card accounts being opened in the names of multiple victims, which were used to make fraudulent purchases of gift cards totaling over $25,000 from various Lowe’s store locations throughout Suffolk County.

“These arrests allege a pattern of identity theft that represents a significant breach of personal security for victims across the United States,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Charges of identity theft often intersect with retail theft, as stolen identities are often used to make fraudulent purchases, potentially leading to substantial losses for merchants as well as headaches for consumers.”

According to the investigation, between October 2023 and February 2024, the defendants allegedly opened Lowe’s credit card accounts online using the names and identities of multiple individuals who reside all over the United States, without their knowledge or consent.

The defendants then allegedly used those accounts to purchase more than $25,000 worth of gift cards from various Lowe’s store locations throughout New York. At least five Suffolk County Lowe’s store locations were targeted, including Commack, Bay Shore, Farmingdale, Medford and Stony Brook.

Additionally, in November 2023, GABRIEL allegedly rented an apartment in Patchogue using the identity of another Suffolk County resident without their consent or awareness. To date, GABRIEL has allegedly not paid any rent for that apartment.

On August 6, 2024, all six defendants were arrested by members of the Suffolk County Police Department.

GABRIEL, 23, of Patchogue, was charged with:

  •   One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
  •   Five counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree, Class D felonies;
  •   One count of Identity Theft in the Second Degree, a Class E felony;
  •   Two counts of Identity Theft in the Third Degree, Class A misdemeanors;
  •   One count of Attempted Petit Larceny, a Class B misdemeanor; and
  •   One count of Attempted Identity Theft in the Third Degree, a Class B misdemeanor.WAIGHT, 22, of Central Islip, was charged with:
  •   One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony; and
  •   One count of Identity Theft in the First Degree, a Class D felony.SANCHEZ, 20, of Huntington Station, was charged with:
  •   One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony; and
  •   One count of Identity Theft in the First Degree, a Class D felony.COLON, 25, of Bay Shore, was charged with:
  •   One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
  •   One count of Identity Theft in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
  •   One count of Attempted Petit Larceny, a Class B misdemeanor; and
  •   One count of Attempted Identity Theft in the Third Degree, a Class B misdemeanor.PROVOST, 23, of Mastic Beach, was charged with:
  •   One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
  •   One count of Identity Theft in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
  •   One count of Identity Theft in the Second Degree, a Class E felony; and
  •   One count of Identity Theft in the Third Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.LYNCE, 22, of Central Islip, was charged with:
  •   One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony; and
  •   Two counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree, Class D felonies.On August 6, 2024, the defendants were arraigned on the charges before District Court Judge Steven Weissbard.

    Judge Weissbard ordered GABRIEL released from jail without bail because her charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail. She was placed on supervised release with GPS conditions. GABRIEL is due back in court on August 9, 2024, and she is being represented by Robert Macedonio, Esq.

    Judge Weissbard ordered WAIGHT released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail. WAIGHT is due back in court on August 27, 2024, and he is being represented by Del Atwell, Esq.

    Judge Weissbard ordered SANCHEZ released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail. SANCHEZ is due back in court on August 14, 2024, and he is being represented by Jonathan Manley, Esq.

Judge Weissbard ordered COLON released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail. He was placed on supervised release during the pendency of the case. COLON is due back in court on August 27, 2024, and he is being represented by Oscar Crisafio, Esq.

Judge Weissbard ordered PROVOST released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail. PROVOST is due back in court on August 19, 2024, and he is being represented by Harmon Lutzer, Esq.

Judge Weissbard ordered LYNCE released from jail without bail because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail. LYNCE is due back in court on August 19, 2024, and he is being represented by Toni Mari Angeli, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jessica Lightstone of the Financial Crimes Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Dan Pagano of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit, with investigative assistance from the District Attorney’s Gun Crime Reduction Unit and the Suffolk County Police Department’s Third Precinct Anti-Crime Unit and Warrants Squad.

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