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Yearly Archives: 2024

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Adele
Adele
Adele

MEET ADELE!

This week’s featured shelter pet is Adele, a sweet and petite, all black, domestic, short-haired girl up for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. 

Adele, who is approximately one year old, was found as a stray and brought to the shelter with her litter of newborn kittens. She was a wonderful mother who took excellent care of her babies. Now that they are completely weaned, Adele is ready to become a cherished family member where she can find endless joy, love and happiness. 

In addition to her bewitching beauty, Adele is incredibly charming, playful and a bit of a flirt if we’re being honest. She is famous around the shelter for serenading those who make her acquaintance, as she is extraordinarily vocal, and it’s absolutely adorable! This little lady is very comfortable in the spotlight and enjoys interacting with her audience. However, the most endearing quality this superstar possesses is her ability to make those around her feel loved, special, and appreciated. This girl has an unlimited supply of love and affection to give one very lucky family.

Adele is healthy and will likely do well in a home with children and pets. 

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

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Satellite image of the phytoplankton bloom. Photo courtesy NOAA

By Aidan Johnson

From a young age, children are taught that the ocean isn’t actually blue but is simply reflecting the color of the sky. However, the ocean recently took on a turquoise color not caused by the sky but by organisms called phytoplankton in the water.

Phytoplankton are tiny, commonly single-celled photosynthetic organisms in bodies of water that are carried by tides and currents and are too weak to swim against them.

Along the South Shore, all the way from Montauk to Brooklyn and spanning about 100 miles into the Atlantic Ocean, there is an algal bloom full of a specific type of phytoplankton called coccolithophores, explained Christopher Gobler, a professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.

According to Gobler, this particular type of phytoplankton has a shell that’s made of calcium carbonate, which is the same substance that clam shells are made of, albeit to a much larger degree.

“What can happen is that after [the coccolithophores have] grown for a while, the shell begins to dissolve and then they might start dying off,” he said in an interview. “And so the coloration seems to be from the dissolution of that shell. It looks green, but it’s really just the interaction of the calcium carbonate with the seawater and the sunlight that collectively leads to that color.”

Gobler also clarified that the coccolithophores do not pose a direct health risk to sea life, but instead “fuel the food chain.”

“And so for the present time at least … we can call it a neutral deposit,” he said.

The bloom already seems to be dissipating, according to Gobler, which means that the sky will once again take credit for the water’s blue appearance.

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Museum Palette Café

The Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington invites the community to a ribbon cutting and grand opening of its Museum Palette Café on Friday, Aug. 2 at noon. 

The event, which will be attended by Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi, Assemblyman Keith P. Brown,  TOH Cultural Affairs Greg Wagner, and Marc Perez, president of Bank of America Long Island, will be followed by live music and free art activities for families through 2 p.m.

Enjoy tasty bites and a beautiful view of Heckscher Park in this new outdoor space on the Museum’s terrace from Off the Bone, the first of in a rotating roster of local food trucks. The café includes seating for up to thirty-six people. Food trucks will provide delicacies for guests each Friday between noon and 5 p.m. through Sept. 27. A diverse range of cuisines curated by Black, Indigenous, and female chef owners of color will be featured. Seating on the terrace will be accessible year-round and includes wheelchair accessible/ADA approved tables.

The café has been made possible thanks to a $100,000 grant through the Suffolk County JumpStart program and the support of Former County Executive Steve Bellone, Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi, and Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth.

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Anthony Santiesteban

Anthony Santiesteban was Convicted in June of the Fatal Shooting of Martina Thompson

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Aug. 1 that Anthony Santiesteban, 32, of Centereach, was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison, after a jury found him guilty in June of Murder in the Second Degree and other related charges, for fatally shooting Martina Thompson, 33, of East Patchogue, in October 2022.

“This defendant deliberately took the life of Martina Thompson, whose children will now have to live without their mother,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Murder does not just end one life, it devastates families, friends, and entire communities. While no punishment can ever truly compensate for the loss of a loved one, this sentence ensures the defendant will face severe consequences for this grievous act and will no longer pose a danger to the public.”

The evidence at trial established that in the early morning hours of October 29, 2022, surveillance video captured Santiesteban and the victim engaging in a conversation next to Santiesteban’s Jeep Cherokee in a parking lot in Coram. Santiesteban was then seen on video following the victim into a fenced area at the rear of the parking lot. Immediately afterwards, at approximately 1:03 a.m., a gunshot is heard on the video recording, and Santiesteban was captured walking out of the fenced area with a semi-automatic handgun in his hand. Santiesteban then entered his Jeep and left the scene.

At 1:25 a.m., the police found the victim with a gunshot wound to her face, lying in a pool of blood. She was transported to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue where she was pronounced dead.

On November 2, 2022, police searched Santiesteban’s bedroom pursuant to a search warrant and recovered a loaded and defaced 9 mm handgun. Ballistics testing confirmed the bullet casing found next to the victim’s body came from the gun found in the bedroom.

On June 24, 2024, Santiesteban was convicted of the following charges after a jury trial heard before Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony S. Senft Jr.:

  •   One count of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A felony;
  •   Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Class C violent

    felonies; and

  •   One count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a Class D violent

    felony.

    On August 1, 2024, Justice Senft sentenced Santiesteban to 40 years to life in prison. He was represented by Jonathan Manley, Esq. and Peter Mayer, Esq.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elena Tomaro of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Joseph Mallek of the Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detectives Luis Cabrera and Thomas Henry of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.

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TAKE A BOW: Above, the winners of this year's Stony Brook Film Festival, from left, Daniel Rashid and Reilly Anspaugh (Chauncey), Tathagata Ghosh (If), Zach Finger (Mimesis), Axel Dahan (On the Paths Awakened), Ryan Ward and Mackenzie Leigh (Daughter of the Sun), Bradley Gallo (Audrey’s Children), Mediha Alhamad (Mediha), and Barnabas Toth (Mastergame). Photo from Staller Center

The 29th annual Stony Brook Film Festival, presented by Island Federal Credit Union, wrapped up with its closing night awards ceremony on July 27.  The evening recognized the outstanding new independent films screened at the festival, which was held at Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University from July 18 to 27.

This year’s festival brought together hundreds of directors and filmmakers and featured 36 films from 19 countries of which 13 standouts received awards. 

GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Mediha Alhamad, the subject and co-writer of the Grand Prize Award-winning ‘Mediha,’ with festival director Alan Inkles. Photo from Staller Center

Mediha took home the Grand Prize Award. Directed by Hasan Oswald, this masterful documentary chronicles the journey of a young Yazidi girl returning from ISIS captivity. Using her camera to process her trauma, she documents her experience while rescuers continue to search for her missing family members. The Grand Prize is given to films that have ‘wowed’ both the audience and the jury beyond what could be contained in the simple phrase ‘best film’ in this or that category. Mediha is the 11th film in the festival’s 29-year history that has received a Grand Prize and only the second time awarded to a Documentary Film. 

Two short films won the audience’s hearts, resulting in a tie for this year’s Audience Choice Award for Best Short. The winners for this category included two of the youngest filmmakers to win an award in the 29-year festival history. Mimesis, a drama about a struggling alcoholic actor who finds solace in an audition for the role of therapist, and On the Paths Awakened, a WWII-era story of two French teens facing intimate conflicts as the resistance recruits them. The festival’s youngest filmmakers directed the two winning short films: 20-year-old Zach Finger from Long Island and 19-year-old Axel Dahan from France.

One feature that truly captivated the audience was Running on Sand, which took home the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature. Adar Shafran directed this heartfelt crowd-pleaser about a refugee from Israel who, facing imminent deportation, is mistakenly identified as a Nigerian soccer star at the airport. The film highlights the precariousness of refugees’ lives, the power of second chances, and the complex intersections of identity and survival. 

The Spirit of Independent Filmmaking Award is for filmmakers who use a distinct indie perspective to bring their stories to life vividly. It is reserved for filmmakers who have created a standout film with very few resources, financial or otherwise. “When it looks and sounds great, plays great, creates its own world, and you would never suspect how hard the filmmakers worked to bring it to life on screen, then you’re watching the kind of film we give these awards to,” said Festival Programmer, Kent Marks. 

Daughter of the Sun secured the honor of this year’s award. This vintage-feeling, breathtaking fantasy tells the story of a man with Tourette’s Syndrome and supernatural powers and his 12-year-old daughter navigating life on the run.

The festival also announced that one of the films received an especially rare award in the 2024 Dr. Gabriel Sara Humanitarian Award. In 2022, the Stony Brook Film Festival created an inaugural prize in honor of Dr. Gabriel Sara, who worked wonders in cancer at Mount Sinai in New York by treating patients with dignity through song, dance, and teaming up with some of the most caring individuals in healthcare. He went on to play a role not unlike himself in the film opposite Catherine Deneuve. 

This year, the festival hosted a non-competing sneak preview of the film. Titled Audrey’s Children, it tells the story of Dr. Audrey Evans, who brought new treatments to pediatric cancer patients in the U.S. and went on to co-found The Ronald McDonald House. 

The Jury Award for Best Short went to Where We Belong, the Jury Award for Directing given to Mastergame, and the Jury Award for Best Feature went to The Strangers’ Case. (To listen to a podcast interview with The Strangers’ Case writer and director Brandt Andersen with TBR News Media reporter Daniel Dunaief, visit www.tbrnewsmedia.com.)

Mastergame director Barnabás Toth, who attended the awards ceremony, said, “Being here as a filmmaker is special. Coming here is like a therapy, a cure for any kind of artist because people who create are appreciated here. So please continue to keep it that way.”

The Festival’s Opening and Closing Night Feature and Short films were also recognized, including Director Aexandre Arcady of The Blond Boy From the Casbah (Opening Night Feature), Christopher Doll, Director/Producer and Karoline Herfurth, actress of One Million Minutes (Closing Night Feature), Daniel Rashid, Director of Chauncey (Opening Night Short), and Tathagata Gosh, Director of If (Closing Night Short). 

In addition to Island Federal’s generous support as presenting sponsor, additional sponsors for the Stony Brook Film Festival included News 12 Long Island; Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP; Suffolk Arts and Film; Strata Alliance; and WLIW/PBS.

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Photo by Raymond Janis

Unjustified dismantlement of West Meadow Beach cottages

I am writing in response to last week’s article concerning the new West Meadow Beach sign which memorializes the cottages that once stood there [“New West Meadow Beach sign evokes old controversy,” The Village Times Herald, July 25]. Like the sign, the article fails to reflect the more nuanced story of the West Meadow Beach cottages and their significance to our community. As someone deeply connected to this community, I must address the misrepresentations and the devastating loss we have suffered.

Steve Englebright [D-Setauket], the former state assemblyman [and current county legislator], has shown himself to be a disgrace. Even if his story from his 20s about landing on the beach and being chased away were true, his relentless pursuit to remove the beach cottages was an abuse of his office. Englebright’s personal crusade and the narrative he and his associates crafted used circumstantial evidence to paint a false picture of a community that I knew intimately.

The beach cottages were not the domain of a privileged few but a bucolic community of families who created memories and contributed to the fabric of Stony Brook. Englebright’s claim that “most of the people of Brookhaven Town were denied access to their own public land” is simply untrue. Instead of addressing a genuine community concern, he pursued a personal agenda with the help of a few local activists who exploited his political influence to achieve an extreme outcome.

Herb Mones, of the West Meadow Beach Advisory Committee and one of the privileged homeowners behind West Meadow Creek, pursued a hateful agenda rather than working with the community on solutions. His group started the first legal challenges against the cottages in 1991, resulting in rulings that public parkland didn’t belong to private interests. This act has torn a hole in our marvelous town and demonstrated a cruel use of legislation to destroy a special place for so many. Rather than seeking an alternative zoning plan to balance access and preservation, Englebright and his cohorts chose destruction.

Today, the strip of land where the cottages once stood is a barren wasteland, neglected and unprotected. The community that once thrived there is gone, and the town is poorer for it.

Englebright’s defeat from his Assembly seat is a small consolation, but he should be further removed from any position of power. His version of events starkly contrasts with the experiences of many other town residents. My stepfather, for instance, was welcomed and rescued by the cottage community when his boat ran ashore. Similarly, I witnessed my late father coming to the aid of a pilot who crashed his lightweight aircraft on the beach. We welcomed the pilot into our home, shared stories, and my father helped him repair his aircraft.

Englebright’s defensive claims and narrative paints a very different picture than The New York Times story from 2004 [www.nytimes.com/2004/06/27/nyregion/long-island-journal-cottages-at-west-meadow-beach-face-end.html] reflecting a community of caring residents who became legislative victims. Nancy Solomon, a folklorist and executive director of Long Island Traditions, rightly pointed out that the bungalows reflected local architectural tradition and that tearing them down was a loss of history. George Barber, president of the Brookhaven Bathing Association, feared that the removal of the cottages would lead to the beach becoming a garbage dump, which we now see happening.

If there is to be a second sign, it should inform the community of Englebright’s abuse of office and the destruction of a cherished treasure of the Three Villages. He and his cronies should be ashamed of themselves, and their actions will not be forgotten.

Jen Schaedel, Stony Brook

Editor’s note: Our front-page story covered the erection of a new sign at the beach and was not a detailed history of the cottages controversy, which was still discussed.

An alternative view of the West Meadow cottages controversy

Last week’s Village Times Herald article, “New West Meadow Beach sign evokes old controversy,” reminded me that it’s been 19 years since the beach liberation. 

Back then, our local newspaper was besieged with letters, including those from owners who promised dire consequences if the cottages were razed — arson, crimes, drugs, pollution and increased traffic. I was one of the people who wrote letters arguing that they must come down, and that the beach be returned to the public.

I thought back to a Brazilian trip where all the beaches were accessible to the public. No hotels or houses were built along the waterfront. A local explained to me that such building was illegal because beaches belong to the public, not the wealthy, would-be homeowners.

Here on Long Island we have a system where, generally, people of means reside on the waterfront and the rest of us share the places that remain public. The West Meadow Beach cottages were one of the worst examples of beachfront land abuse, because it was rented at a discount to those who “voted correctly.” And, yes, I was approached by more than one cottage owner who menacingly advised, “We know where you live.”

A champion of the beach reclamation was Herb Mones who first brought the issue to the taxpayers. And Steve Englebright will always be considered a heroic figure to me because he risked his career against overpowering odds and personal threats in order to do the right thing.

The dire predictions never materialized. No arson, crime, crack houses or increased traffic — just less sewage. It’s a joy seeing people taking that beautiful, serene walk on our peninsula, which is slowly evolving back to its natural state. 

Bruce Stasiuk, East Setauket

Horseshoe crabs need our help!

To readers of this newspaper there is good news about horseshoe crabs but your help is needed.

Legislation to prohibit the harvest of horseshoe crabs has passed the New York State Assembly and Senate (A10140/S3185-A) and awaits action by Gov. Kathy Hochul [D].

Please take a moment to urge her to sign the bill into law. You can do this by either:

1.  Calling her office at 518-474-8390.

2.  Sending a letter of support to:

The Honorable Kathy Hochul

Governor of New York State

New York State Capitol Building

Albany, NY 12224

3.  Going to this website: www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form and type in a comment in the message box.

We have never been closer to stopping the killing of tens of thousands of horseshoe crabs —NYS regulations allow baymen to kill 150,000 annually for bait — and your voice is needed.

Horseshoe crabs have declined significantly over the past several decades and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission earlier in 2024 determined that New York’s horseshoe crab fishery is in “poor condition” — the only state along the East Coast with this troubling designation. 

This poor condition is borne out by our personal experience: Who over the age of 50 doesn’t remember our bay and harbor bottoms once being filled with these iconic animals? This species, known as a living fossil, plays a vital role in the coastal ecosystem with their eggs being eaten by a number of migratory shorebird species, including the red knot which is protected by the federal Endangered Species Act. Their eggs are eaten by many fish species too and the adults are consumed by sea turtles, also listed and protected in the Endangered Species Act. 

There are bait alternatives baymen can use that have proven effective. Over the past 25 years about 3.6 million horseshoe crabs have been killed for bait. It’s time that New York joins our neighboring state Connecticut, which recently enacted a statewide ban on the taking of these living fossils and stops the slaughter. These fascinating animals deserve better. We call on Gov. Hochul to sign the ban into law. It is vital the governor hears from the public by expressing your support for the ban. Please contact Gov. Hochul today!

John Turner

Four Harbors Audubon Society

St. James

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Students are asked to craft a story inspired by the above sea glass fragment.

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Once a piece of glass falls in the ocean, the magic begins.

Given an opportunity to enter the Whaling Museum & Educational Center of Cold Spring Harbor’s sea glass fiction writing contest, students from around Long Island accepted the challenge, offering a dynamic, exciting and inspiring range of stories.

Students from third grade through high school looked at the same piece of glass and developed stories filled with literary devices like onomatopoeia (where a word, like “whack” comes from a sound), personification and more.

The narratives ran the gamut from tales of mermaids to creations of new mythology to a search for meaning and identity. 

Along the way, the writers seized on the opportunity to share the journey sea glass takes as it transitions from a sharp piece of glass into a smoother, colorful object.

Some of the stories offered vivid descriptions of the world beneath the waves, taking readers into a magnificent aquatic seascape.

Amid narratives about pirates and mermaids, some writers chose to address dramatic and challenging themes, weaving emotionally resonant stories that tackled broken families, alcoholism and infidelity.

As a judge for the contest, I was not only surprised by the directions these stories took, but was also appreciative of the combination of realism and fantasy that suffused the writing, the willingness to take chances, and the pieces of the writers I could hear through their imaginations.

The writers imagined the glass either as the centerpiece of an important story or as a passenger, observing the dynamics that define the way people interact.

Judging writing and fiction is a subjective process, with each judge bringing his or her own ideas to the process.

I’m glad I wasn’t the only judge and enjoyed the opportunity to consider why the readers at the Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor chose to rank the submissions in a particular order.

I invite TBR readers to immerse themselves in these entries and to enjoy the worlds these writers have created or, in some cases, reflected. You can see some of the entries in the Arts & Lifestyles section of this week’s papers.

As for the writers, I want to thank them for finding time in their lives to share their ideas and to create their own stories.

In a contest in which third through fifth graders could write up to 500 words, sixth through eighth graders, 750 words, and high schoolers, 1,000 words, they developed stories, backdrops and themes that offered complete narratives and that carried readers off the page.

I particularly appreciate how these writers found the time to prepare and submit an entry. Student lives are filled with activities and assignments. Homework, required reading, chores, and sports and theater practices, to name a few, fill busy schedules that rarely leave them time to add an extra assignment or challenge to their calendars.

And, of course, social media and virtual communication often require regular check-ins and updates. The modern-day student, after all, can’t take too long to answer an urgent text from a friend at the risk of becoming less of a confidant or of sliding down the social hierarchy.

And yet, somehow, even with the importance of staying plugged in, none of the sea glass stories included references to social media and none was told through the prism of a social media world.

I hope the students enjoyed the opportunity to write something outside the context of a graded assignment and that they reveled in the freedom to go in any direction, imagine any characters, and create excitement or drama that appealed to them.

As for what’s next, the museum plans to run the competition next year, giving new entrants the opportunity to unleash their imaginations.

Many of the stories shared similarities with the sea glass itself: they shined in the distance, becoming increasingly interesting on closer inspection.

See pages B13 to B16 for the winning entries.

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Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

Here are a couple of tidbits from the news that I think are worth sharing with you. 

First, good news for those who dislike having to endure colonoscopies, which I guess is all of us. A relatively recent diagnostic, this test has proven highly effective against colorectal cancers, but it essentially takes away two days from our lives: the day to prep by cleaning out the colon with a mighty laxative, an unpleasant procedure on its own, and then the afternoon to recover from the anesthesia at the end.

The FDA has now approved a simple blood test for detecting colon cancer when it is in the early stages and most likely can be cured. This is even easier than the fecal sample test, which is in turn easier than a colonoscopy but is not the most aesthetically pleasing.

The blood test, however, also leaves something to be desired. It has a poor record of finding precancerous growths, which a colonoscopy detects. These can be removed before they become malignant, but they have to be discovered.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States, with 53,000 deaths expected this year. My father was among those felled by this disease many years ago, and had he lived long enough to have the benefit of the various diagnostic tests, his life might not have ended as it did. 

The idea is to have as many people over 45 tested as possible, and the blood test, called Shield by Guardant, can discover 87 percent of cancers that are at an early stage. But it only found 13 percent of large polyps. There is a false positive rate of 10 percent. Nonetheless, this is an advance in detection and perhaps an encouragement to be checked. As many as 50 percent of those who should be are not. For more information on this, look up the New York Times story published on Tuesday, July 30 or the New England Journal of Medicine on March 13 of this year.

Another interesting bit of news is the popularity of portable solar panels that cost some $217 each and work by plugging in to an electrical socket to give the home energy. They can be hung over the railing of a balcony or installed in yards and they are taking over the landscape in some towns in Germany. Each panel only produces enough electricity to power a small refrigerator, a laptop or even a portable air-conditioner in a bedroom. More than 500,000 of the systems have been set up, adding 10 percent more solar energy capacity to the country. Two-thirds of those were installed on buildings,“like hanging wet laundry in Italy,” commented one owner.

Part of the incentive for Germany is to move away from their dependence on Russian natural gas. It is also a great satisfaction for the people employing these systems to be taking steps toward providing a better environment. Most of the solar panels are made in China, although some, of lesser grade, are manufactured in Europe. These plug-in systems send the direct current (DC) produced by the panels from the sun to an inverter, which changes it to an alternating current (AC). Then they can be plugged into a conventional wall socket and feed power to the home. There are videos online explaining how these panels work and how to use them. Complete sets, which can be bought in big box stores, include mountings, an inverter, and cables, double the price.

A helpful concurrent development has been the small scale batteries that allow the panel users to store some electricity that can then be used in the evenings or when the sun is not shining. My guess is that before long, we will see those panels appear here.

The last item that caught my eye was about corn. Now, I love corn, especially on the cob. I enjoyed a lot of it fresh from the fields when my family visited relatives in the Catskills in my early years. Turns out, it’s a pretty healthy vegetable, if starchy, that is loaded with fiber. And fiber is good for us. It can even lower colon cancer risk.

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Catch an outdoor screening of 'The Wizard of Oz' at the Middle Country Public Library on Aug. 7.
PROGRAMS

Drop-In Art Workshops

Children ages five through ten are invited to the Heckscher Museum, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington to create fun works of art in a variety of materials inspired by artwork in the Museum’s exhibitions on Aug. 1 and Aug. 8 from 10 to 11 a.m. Each week’s project will be exciting and different! Programs will be held both in the Museum and in Heckscher Park, weather-permitting. $10 per child includes all art supplies and admission to the museum. No advance registration required. www.heckscher.org

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. 2 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

Hatchery Olympics

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will host their very own Hatchery Olympics on Aug. 3 and 4! Open ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. with frog hops, insect catches, animal track stars, bird balance beam and a snake shedding race. Athletes will compete against others in their age group. Free with admission fee. Register by emailing [email protected].

THE ART OF ILLUSION
Enjoy a free magic show with Magic of Amore at the Stony Brook Village Center on Aug. 3.

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. 3 with a captivating magic show with Magic of Amore from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. 631-751-2244

BNL Open House

Join Brookhaven National Laboratory, 2 Center St., Upton for an Open House on Aug. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, where researchers probe tiny structures for big discoveries! See electron microscopes and a clean room, where research teams work with advanced materials at the nanoscale. Enjoy a Magic of Energy show, science talks and tour Center for Functional Nanomaterials the National Weather Service. Free. No reservations required. www.bnl.org.

Kids for Kids Concert

Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket continues its free summer programs with a Kids for Kids Interactive Concert on Aug. 6 at 11 a.m. Ward Melville High School students will share their knowledge about the many intruments they play. Children will be offered a hands-on experience too. Meet at Hap’s Red Barn. Bring seating. Free. No registration required. 631-689-6146

Giant Game & Big Voice Day

Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket invites families with children up to Grade 6 to its Giant Game & Big Voice Day on Aug. 6 from 6:30 to 8 p.m Try your hand at Giant Connect 4, sing karaoke, and spin the prize wheel. No registration required. Open to all. Questions? Email [email protected].

Busy Bees

Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park presents a Tiny Tots program, Busy Bees, on Aug. 8 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Enjoy short walks, story time, animal visitors, and crafts. For children ages 3 to 5. $4 per child. Reservations taken on eventbrite.com.

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. Questions? Email [email protected]

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.’

Summer fun continues at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport with Finding Nemo Jr. from July 20 to Aug. 25. 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

‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on Aug. 4 at noon. Hailed as a hero at first, inventer Flint Lockwood must scramble to avert disaster with the weather girl Sam Sparks and Steve, Flint’s talking monkey assistant, as food of gargantuan proportions rains down. Tickets are $13 adults, $5 children 12 and under. www.cinemaartscentre.org.

‘The Wizard of Oz’

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. 7 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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A scene from a previous East Northport Fire Department Fair. Photo by Amanda Perelli
Ongoing

Circus heads to Lake Grove

Paranormal Cirque III arrives at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove from Aug. 1 to Aug. 4 featuring a brand new show for mature audiences under the big tent in the mall’s parking lot. Featuring acrobats, illusionists, mysterious creatures and the Wheel of Death all under a black and red Clown Castle tent, the shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets range from $20 to $60. No one under age 13 will be admitted to the show. Guests aged 13 – 17 must be accompanied by an adult. This show has adult language and material. To order, visit www.paranormalcirque.com. 

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. 1

Art of the Guitar Festival

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents the 4th annual Monteleone: Art of the Guitar Festival tonight to Aug. 3 with performances by Laurence Juber, Anthony Wilson Organ Trio, Frank Vignolo & Pasquale Grasso and Martin Taylor & Allison Burns; opening reception tonight at 6 p.m.; and a workshop with John Monteleone and Steve Salerno on Aug. 3 at noon. Visit www.thejazzloft.org/monteleone for full schedule. 631-751-1895

Dennis Cannataro Concert Series

The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series continues at the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown with New York’s Finest (Police/Sting tribute) tonight at 7:30 p.m. No registration

required. 631-360-2480 ext. 150

Community Band Concert

The Northport Community Band will host concerts at the Robert W. Krueger Bandshell in Northport Village Park tonight starting at 8:30 p.m. Free. Bring seating. Rain location is Northport High School. www.ncb59.org

Friday Aug. 2

Art of the Guitar Festival

See Aug. 1 listing.

Musical Moments

Musical Moments in Kings Park return to Russ Savatt Park, 14 Main St., Kings Park from 7:30 to 9 p.m. with Mystery Play, courtesy of the Kings Park Civic Association. Weather permitting. Bring seating. 516-509-7231

Alex Torres in Concert

For the 17th summer, the internationally renowned Alex Torres and His Latin Orchestrat return to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport for a concert tonight and Aug. 3 from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Vanderbilt mansion courtyeard. Pack a cooler and a picnic dinner and enjoy the show! Gates open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $65 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

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 Christine Sweeney & The Dirty Stayouts. Bring seating. 631-261-1872

Adele Tribute Concert

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its summer concert series with an Absolute Adele Tribute Concert with Jennifer Cela at 8 p.m. Enjoy Adele’s top hits including  “Rolling In The Deep’, “Set Fire To The Rain,” “Someone Like You,”  “Rumor Has It,”  “Hello,” “Send My Love,” and “Water Under the Bridge,” “When We Were Young,” “Easy On Me,” and many more. Tickets are $55. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Saturday Aug. 3

Art of the Guitar Festival

See Aug. 1 listing.

Alex Torres in Concert

See Aug. 2 listing.

Sweet SummerFest

Lenny Bruno Farms, 740 Wading River Road, Manorville will host its 2024 Sweet SummerFest, a celebration of all things sweet, including melons, sunflowers, and sweet corn, today and Aug. 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees can enjoy live music, tastings, and a range of fun activities including a watermelon eating contest and a foam party. Attendees can also pick their own sunflowers for just $1 per stem and take a hayride around the farm (fee). Admission is $10 per person (children ages 2 and under are free). www.lennybrunofarms.com/events.

Nature Walks

Town of Brookhaven hosts a Nature Walk at West Meadow Beach, Trustees Road, Stony Brook at 10 a.m. and at Cedar Beach, 244 Harbor Beach Road, Mount Sinai at 2 p.m. Come explore the unique ecology of the beach and salt marsh. Learn about the different and overlapping ecosystems of flora and fauna, and the habitats that comprise these beautiful places. Please wear closed, comfortable shoes. Free but registration required by emailing [email protected].

Port Palooza

The 4th annual Port Palooza music festival heads to the Port Jeff Brewing Company, 22 Mill Creek Road, Port Jefferson today from noon to 10 p.m. and Aug. 4 from noon to 8 p.m. Enjoy live music both days with a Save-A-Pet puppy adoption event on Saturday and family dance party with games and kid friendly activities on Sunday. Featured artists include local favorites The Cole Fortier Band and The Como Brothers, along with new act Big Rick Energy and many more TBA. Event will benefit Jaegar’s Run animal rescue. Free. Text 516-939-8960 or visit www.portpalooza.com for more info.

Eastbound Freight in Concert

All Souls Church, 61 Main St., Stony Brook continues its Saturdays at Six concert series with a performance by Eastbound Freight, a 5-piece traditional bluegrass band, at 6 p.m. The group will perform instrumentals and songs reflecting the rich history of this uniquely American genre. Their music includes fast-paced fiddle tunes as well as ballads and gospel music from the early years of bluegrass to the present day.  Free.  631-655-7798

Walking the Line Concert

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson welcomes Walking the Line: A Tribute to Johnny Cash and June Carter at 8 p.m., the most authentic sounding and visual performance of the music of Johnny Cash, playing the singer’s most loved hits and rare gems while recreating the look, feel, and flow of his concerts. Tickets are $65. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Sunday Aug. 4

Sweet SummerFest

See Aug. 3 listing.

Port Palooza

See Aug. 3 listing.

Rock & Roll Car Show

The 13th annual Rock-N-Roll Car Show will be held at the Smithtown Historical Society, 239 East Main St., Smithtown from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. View cars from the Fabulous 50s-60s Nostalgia Car Club, enjoy music, food vendors, craft tables, blood pressure screenings and more for Judy’s Run For Stroke Awareness and Prevention annual judged rock show fundraiser. Rain date is Aug. 11. Fee is $10 per car for spectators. 631-255-2516

Linda Sussman in concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook  presents a concert by Linda Sussman (folk, alternative-folk and blues) 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 Carlos Jimenez Mambo Dulcet at 5:30 p.m. Bring seating. 631-689-6146, www.frankmelvillepark.org

Celebrate St. James Concert Series – The event has been canceled due to the threat of rain.

Line-up change: Celebrate St. James continues its summer concert series at Celebrate Park, 369 Lake Ave., St. James with Hooch and the Bluesicians from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The series continues every Sunday through Aug. 18. Free. Bring seating. 631-984-0201, www.celebratestjames.org

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 One Step Ahead. Bring seating. In the case of rain, the concerts will be cancelled. 631-751-2244, www.wmho.org

Monday Aug. 5

Movie Trivia Night

Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a Movie Trivia Night at 8 p.m. Try to answer 50 questions based all around film, actors and actresses, awards, and everything else associated with the world of film. Challenge like-minded film fans in a battle of wits for cash and other prizes. You can form teams, so bring some friends and work together. Feel free to come alone and play solo as well! Hosted by Dan French. Tickets are $11 per person, $7 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org. 631-423-7610.

Tuesday Aug. 6

National Night Out events

See page B20.

NSJC Social Club event

(Rescheduled from July 30) North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a performance by the amazing Mulvihill Lynch Irish Dancers  with a demonstration of classic Irish dancing in the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee will be served. $5 per person, $4 members. 631-928-3737

Goat & Alpaca Yoga

The Smithtown Historical Society, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown hosts a 45 minute session of yoga with friendly, interactive goats and alpacas from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and again from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m courtesy of  by Steppin’ Out Ponies and Petting Zoo. Tickets are $35 per person. Please bring a mat & towel. Registration required via Eventbrite. For more information, call 631-265-6768.

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 Panic! (Dance Rock Tribute) on Aug. 6. Rain date is Aug. 7. 631-672-5197, www.nesconsetchamber.org

Wednesday Aug. 7

Cruise Night Car Show

The Shoppes at East Wind, 5720 Route 25A, Wading River hosts a Cruise Night Car Show every Wednesday through October from 5 to 9 p.m. Visit the Shoppes, enjoy a bite to eat and then check out the fine array of classic cars in the parking lot. 631-929-3500

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 Danny Kean from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Free. Bring seating. Held rain or shine. 631-473-5220, www.gpjac.org

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

Summerfest Concert

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

Summer Concert Wednesdays

(Rescheduled from July 17) Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce continues its Summer Concert Wednesdays at the Train Car Park, 1 Rose Ave. (corner of Route 112 and Nesconset Highway), Port Jefferson Station with a performance by Drive and a car show from 7 to 9 p.m. Bring seating. 631-821-1313

Thursday Aug. 8

East Northport Fire Dept.  Fair

See Aug. 8 listing.

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 or visit www.cplib.org

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 on Aug. 8 from 6 to 10 p.m. 631-269-7678

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

Film

‘A Million Miles Away’

Village of Port Jefferson continues its Movies on the Harbor series at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson with a screening of A Million Miles Away on Aug. 6 at dusk. Rain date is the next evening. Bring seating. 631-473-4724

‘The Boys in the Boat’

Join Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson for a screening of  The Boys in the Boat starring Joel Edgerton, Callum Turner, and Hadley Robinson on Aug. 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. Open to all. To reserve your seat, call 631-928-1212 or visit www.cplib.org. 

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. 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’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Legally Blonde The Musical from July 11 to Aug. 25. 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. 

‘Be Chill’

The Engeman Select Players at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport present Be More Chill on Aug. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m. A hit on Broadway and in the West End, Be More Chill is based on the novel by Ned Vizzini. Tickets are $25. 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.

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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