Stony Brook Athletics has announced that it will host the newly branded 2023 Stony Brook Athletics Golf Classic at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in East Setauket on Monday, July 24.
The day will feature an 18-hole round of golf, complimentary golfer gift, on course festivities, cigars, scotch tasting, live music, and much more!
All gifts from the outing will benefit Seawolves United, the Deputy Chief Raymond M. Downey Scholarship and Charles Gordon Heuser Scholarship. Your support in our annual golf classic enhances our programs and allows our student-athletes to excel athletically, academically, and in the community.
Questions? Please contact the Seawolves United Office at [email protected] or call (631) 632-7705.
#4 Chris Maidoh dunks the ball during Saturday's gameball.
Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics
The Stony Brook university men’s basketball team took down UNC Wilmington in overtime, 86-78, on Jan. 27 at Island Federal Arena. Tyler Stephenson-Moore (22 points) and Aaron Clarke (21 points) paced the offense in a statement victory for the Seawolves.
Four players scored in double figures in total for the Seawolves to end the Seahawks’ five-game winning streak. Keenan Fitzmorris contributed 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocks off the bench and Dean Noll scored 10 points, knocking down a key three down the stretch.
Stony Brook used a 10-0 run with midway through the first half, culminating in a deep three from Jared Frey to grab a 23-19 lead.
The Seawolves then lost some of that lead, but still entered halftime with a 39-37 advantage. Stony Brook got a great contribution from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted
UNC Wilmington proceeded to take the lead back, using a 19-2 run that stretched between the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. Stony Brook then scored six straight points, finished off by Stephenson-Moore’s three, to shrink the deficit to 54-53 with 8:43 to go in the contest.
The Seawolves rally continued as they outscored UNC Wilmington 13-12 the rest of the way to tie it at 66-66 and send the game to overtime. Noll connected on a game-tying trifecta, evening the score at 64-64, with 41 seconds to play, before Trazarien White scored on the other end. Stephenson-Moore was then fouled with one second and change, sinking a pair of free throws to send the contest to an extra period.
Stony Brook started overtime with a bang, going on an 8-0 run, finished off by Clarke’s three, to seize a 74-66 lead with 2:50 to go in the period. The lead moved to 79-71 after another Clarke trifecta, this time a stepback in front of the Stony Brook bench.
The triple all but sealed the win, as the Seawolves held onto that lead for the rest of the game to come away with the 86-78 win in overtime.
Up next, the team stays on Long Island, heading to Nassau County on Thursday, February 1 to face Hofstra. Tip-off between the Seawolves and Pride is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the second iteration of the Battle of Long Island. The contest will stream live on FloHoops and locally on MSG Sports Network.
Gigi Gonzalez scored a team high 20 points during Sunday's game. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics
The Stony Brook women’s basketball team kept Drexel to just 23.7% from the field and held the Dragons scoreless in the first quarter on the way to a 62-41 victory at Island Federal Arena on Jan. 28.
The Seawolves (16-2, 6-1 CAA) had two players score in double figures, led by Gigi Gonzalez, who had 20 points and five assists. Khari Clark added a double-double with 14 points and career-high 15 rebounds and Sherese Pittman added eight points and seven rebounds.
The squad utilized excellent ball movement in Sunday’s game, piling up 15 assists on 24 made field goals. Gonzalez’s five assists led the distribution list for the Seawolves. Defensively, Stony Brook forced 16 Drexel turnovers and turned those takeaways into 15 points on the other end of the floor. Clark’s six steals led the way for Stony Brook.
The Seawolves started out the game with 14-0 run that spanned the entire first quarter, culminating in a three from Victoria Keenan at the 1:06 mark. Stony Brook knocked down a pair of three-pointers for six of its 14 points in the quarter. It was the first time in program history that the Seawolves held a team to zero points in a regulation quarter.
The squad build on that first-quarter lead and held a 21-1 advantage 13 minutes into the game. The Seawolves proceeded to tack on one point to that lead and enjoyed a 32-11 advantage heading into halftime. Stony Brook dominated in the paint, scoring 12 of its 18 points close to the basket. Gonzalez led the Seawolves with seven points in the frame.
Stony Brook continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 9-0 run, punctuated by a three from Keenan, to expand its lead further to 51-21 with 1:34 to go in the third, and held a comfortable 51-25 advantage through 30 minutes. Stony Brook again scored 12 points in the paint in the quarter, and Gonzalez and Clark combined for 11 of SBU’s 19 points in the third.
The Seawolves cruised the rest of the way for the 62-41 win, with the lead never falling below 17 in the fourth. Stony Brook again scored the majority of its points in the paint in the final quarter.
The team will return to the court next week when they head to Hempstead to face Hofstra for the battle of Long Island on Feb. 2 at 7 pm. The Seawolves are 7-6 all-time against the Pride, as they’ve won their last six meetings against Hofstra.
Middle Country Public Library, 575 Middle Country Road, Selden will host a Venues for Volunteering Fair on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. Come find out what volunteer opportunities are available in our area and how you can help!
The following organizations are scheduled to be at the event: All American Assisted Living – Coram, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, EAC Chance to Advance, Family Service League Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, Federation of Organizations/Senior Companion Program, Fire Island Light House Preservation Society, Friends of the Middle Country Public Library, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, Great Strides LI, Kids Need More, Legal Hand, Literacy Suffolk, Inc., Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook, Mercy Haven Inc., Middle Country Public Library, NY Blood Center, Rebuilding Together Long Island, Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue, Selden Fire Department, Suffolk County Police Explorers, Town of Brookhaven Dept. of Environmental Education and the Three Village Historical Society.
No registration required. For more information, call 631-585-9393.
Mather Hospital, 75 North Country Road, Port Jefferson recently announced in a press release it is changing the name of its physician practices from Harbor View Medical Services, PC to Mather Medical Group.
“This name change better connects Mather’s medical practices with the hospital’s excellent community reputation. We look forward to having our physician practices continue to provide the same high-quality service to the communities we serve as Mather Medical Group,” read the press release.
Mather Hospital is rated a five-star hospital by CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), a top 250 hospital nationally by Healthgrades, and consistently receives top A ratings for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group, among many other recognitions and accolades.
As we begin the new year, you may be receiving various tax statements from your financial services provider — so it’s a good time to consider how your investments are taxed. This type of knowledge is useful when you’re doing your taxes, and, perhaps just as important, knowing the type of taxes you generate can help you evaluate your overall investment strategy.
To understand the tax issues associated with investing, it’s important to understand that investments typically generate either capital gains or ordinary income. This distinction is meaningful because different tax rates may apply, and taxes may be due at different times.
So, when do you pay either capital gains taxes or ordinary income taxes on your investments? You receive capital gains, and pay taxes on these gains, when you sell an investment that’s increased in value since you purchased it. Long-term capital gains (on investments held more than a year) are taxed at 0%, 15% and 20%, depending on your income.
Also, qualified dividends — which represent most of the dividends paid by American companies to investors — are taxed at the same rates as long-term capital gains. (Keep in mind that you’ll be taxed on dividends even if you automatically reinvest them.)
On the other hand, you pay ordinary income taxes on capital gains resulting from sales of appreciated assets you’ve held for one year or less. You also pay ordinary income taxes when you receive “ordinary” dividends, which are paid if you purchase shares of a company after the cutoff point for shareholders to be credited with a stock dividend (the ex-dividend date).
Because your ordinary income tax rate may be much higher than even the top long-term capital gains rate, you may be better off, from a tax standpoint, by focusing on investments that generate long-term capital gains. And the best strategy for doing just that is to buy quality investments and hold them for the long term. By doing so, you could also reduce the costs and fees associated with frequent buying and selling.
The investment tax situation has another twist, though, because not all ordinary income is taxable — and if it is, it may not be taxable immediately. The most common example of this is tax-deferred accounts, such as a traditional IRA and 401(k). When you take money from these accounts, typically at retirement, you’ll pay taxes at your personal tax rate, but for the years and decades before then, your taxes were deferred, which meant these accounts could grow faster than ones on which you paid taxes every year. Consequently, it’s generally a good idea to regularly contribute to your tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
Finally, some investments and investment accounts are tax free. Municipal bonds are free from federal income taxes, and often state income taxes, too. And when you invest in a Roth IRA, your earnings can grow tax free if you don’t start taking withdrawals until you’re at least 59½ and you’ve had your account at least five years.
Ultimately, tax considerations probably shouldn’t be the key driver of your investment choices. Nonetheless, knowing the tax implications of your investments — specifically, what type of taxes they may generate and when these taxes will be due — can help you evaluate which investment choices are appropriate for your needs.
Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook. Edward Jones, Member SIPC
The Van-Wyck Lefferts Tide Mill is a not-for-profit organization, established in 2013, with a mission to preserve and protect an 18th century tide mill, located in the Village of Lloyd Harbor, that is the best-preserved tidal grist mill in the United States.The mill design is based on U.S. Patent No. 3 for an “automatic mill” signed by President George Washington.
After making extensive repairs to the Mill and the dam at Puppy Cove on which it sits, the Board of Trustees is proud to announce the hiring of its first Executive Director, Claudia Fortunato-Napolitano.
“Claudia is a great addition to our team of volunteer Board members. Claudia brings a wealth of experience … and will play a pivotal role in fundraising initiatives, exploring new grant opportunities, expanding public awareness, and effectively managing day-to-day operations,” said Richard Hamburger, the President of the Board of Trustees.
“I am really excited to be a part of the team that is working to preserve and share this incredible historic resource, which is remarkably unchanged from the time when it was in operation and was such a vital part of the local farming community,” said Fortunato-Napolitano.
Fortunato-Napolitano has more than 20 years of experience working for non-profit organizations.She is the former Executive Director of the Huntington Historical Society and is currently the Executive Director of the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association. She has also worked at the Long Island Children’s Museum, the Seaman’s Church Institute, and the Museum of the City of New York.
Public tours of the Mill are available through the Huntington Historical Society, which operates ten to fifteen tours a year from May through October. Visitors travel to the Mill by boat from Gold Star Battalion Beach in Huntington.For more information, email [email protected].
'Frozen Jr.' continues at the Engeman through Photo courtesy of The John W. Engeman Theater
Catch a performance of 'Frozen Jr.' at the Engeman Theater this weekend. The show runs through March 3. Photo courtesy of The John W. Engeman Theater
Mia Ponticelli as Elsa in a scene from the show.
Photo courtesy of
The John W. Engeman Theater
By Julianne Mosher
The John W. Engeman Theater’s latest production of Frozen Jr. will give you chills.
Directed and choreographed by Keith Jones, costumes and wigs by Laura McGauley, and production/set design by Orion Forte, you’ll be taken into a winter wonderland as soon as you step into the Northport-based theater. With a solid cast of children doing Broadway-level work, the production showcases an extremely talented cast who clearly love what they do and are having a blast.
The story follows two inseparable sisters who are princesses in the kingdom of Arendelle. The eldest, Elsa (Mia Ponticelli), was born with magical powers that allow her to create ice and snow. But as a young child, she doesn’t know how to control her powers and while playing and building a snowman with her sister, Anna (Gabby Blum), she accidentally hurts her.
While Anna is healed by the mysterious Hidden Folk (spiritual forest people), their parents decide it would be best to protect Anna by keeping the two apart.
Anna has no memory of the accident and does not understand why her sister avoids her, locked away in her room wearing her silk gloves. A few years later, while the parents are lost at sea, Elsa continues to stay away, keeping her secret hidden from her sister and the outside world, afraid to harm another person again.
Ten years have passed and it is time for Elsa to become Queen, but on coronation day her magic unintentionally brings an eternal winter to the kingdom. Accused of sorcery by Anna’s fiancé, Hans (Liam Polani), she flees into the mountains to hide. Anna enlists the help of Kristoff (Quinn Oliver Lessing) the icemaker to help her find her sister and free Arendelle from the spell. This is a true story of love and acceptance that will thaw the coldest of hearts.
Blum and Ponticelli’s parts are not easy. Originally played in the movie by Kristen Bell and Broadway legend Idina Menzel, the songs require a lot of training and breathwork — both of which these young starlets have.
But we can’t forget two supporting characters who bring a lot of laughs — Sven, (Brady Goldman and Liam Von Schmidt, interchangeably), and the lovable Olaf (Michael Deaner and Luca Silva) who loves warm hugs.
In the sold-out audience during the Sunday, Jan. 28 performance, young ticket holders dressed head to toe in their favorite Frozen attire — many Elsa’s, Anna’s and even an Olaf. That being said, when Elsa does a quick change at the end of “Let It Go” into her signature sparkling blue gown, the audience gasped and applauded.
The set is minimal, but is welcomed by animated projections on a screen towards the back of the stage depicting different locations in the Kingdom of Arendelle including the inside and outside of the castle, the snowy mountains and Elsa’s ice castle. You might even see some real-life snow fall.
When the show is over, a great photo opportunity is available in the lobby with the entire cast of the show. The cast will even sign autographs.
Overall, this family-friendly production tells the tale of love, loss, friendship and family, with plenty of laughs in between. Don’t miss out.
Frozen Jr. will run until March 3. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling 631-261-2900, going online at www.engemantheater.com, or by visiting the Engeman Theater Box Office at 250 Main Street in Northport.
YEAR OF THE DRAGON
Celebrate Lunar New Year at the Heckscher Museum of Art on Feb. 3. Photo courtesy of Heckscher Museum
PROGRAMS
Groundhog Day celebration
The Town of Brookhaven will host its annual Groundhog Day Celebration at the Holtsville Ecology Center, 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville on Feb. 2 starting at 7 a.m. Come meet Holtsville Hal and find out what his shadow foretells. Then grab some hot chocolate and visit with more than 100 animals that call the Ecology Center home. Free. For more information, call 451-5330 for more information.
Night at the Museum
Explore, learn, and lay after hours at the Long Island Explorium, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson during its Night at the Museum event on Feb. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. Children in grades 2 to 5 will enjoy pizza, play at the museum after-hours and participate in a fun STEM-themed activity. $40 per child. To register, visit www.longislandexplorium.org. 631-331-3277
Science Pioneers
In honor of Black History Month, Nissequogue River State Park, 799 St. Johnland Road, Kings Park presents a family program, Science Pioneers, on Feb. 3 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Foundations of modern science are known thanks to the contributions of Black scientists. Come see exciting science experiments relating to their discoveries! For ages 6 and up. $4 per person. Reservations taken on eventbrite.com. 631-269-4927
Tracks and Traces
Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, 581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown presentsTracks and Traces on Feb. 3 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Children become nature detectives as they unravel clues left behind by park wildlife. Create a book of local animal tracks. $4 per child. Reservations taken on eventbrite.com.
Lunar New Year at the Heckscher
Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington presents a Lunar Year Celebration on Feb. 3 from noon to 5 p.m. Get creative and enjoy a variety of hands-on holiday activities from different Asian cultures. Meet artist Joan Kim Suzuki, see her artwork inspired by her Korean heritage, and create a Korean drum and fan! Enjoy beautiful traditional Chinese dances by Wendi Weng. Create origami with Hansen Lee and learn about Chinese culture with Patricia Shih. Free. No registration required. Questions? Call 631-380-3230.
Narwhal Ball
The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St. Cold Spring Harbor hosts its annual Narwhal Ball on Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The whole family is invited to a wintry celebration! Explore the world of polar sea creatures through special activities and presentations. Gather around for “Storytime with Elsa” as she shares tales from her icy domain and meet the icy queen herself to snap a photo. Indulge in an icy treat with ice cream sponsored by Kilwin’s of Huntington. Create frosty crafts to take home with you. Tickets online (through Feb. 2) are $20 age 2-17 (all access) $8 adults, $6 seniors at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org; Door tickets are $25 ages 2-17 (all access) $8 adults, $6 seniors. 631-367-3418.
A Groundhog Adventure
Join Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown for Sunday Funday: Searching for Sweetbriar Sam — A Groundhog Adventure on Feb. 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. Meet some of Sweetbriar’s resident animals and do some fun activities while learning all about groundhogs and their friends. Tickets are $15 per child, $5 adult at www.sweetbriarnc.org.
Black History Month Hike
Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park presents a self-guided hike for Black History Month on Feb. 4 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. 10 stations along this hike feature a Black environmentalist and their contributions to science. Stop by the Nature Center for a map of the self-guided trail. Free. Reservations taken on eventbrite.com. 631-269-4333.
Story & Craft with Nana Carol
The Next Chapter bookstore, 204 New York Avenue Huntington hosts a Story and Craft event with Nana Carol on Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m. No registration required. Appropriate for ages 0-4 (sometimes older siblings join as well). 631-482-5008
Super Bowl ‘Saturday’
Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket hosts a Super Bowl “Saturday” event on Feb. 10. Get excited for the big game! Elementary-aged kids and their families are welcome to stop by anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. to enjoy football-themed festivities. Includes a raffle to win a special prize. Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite team’s jersey or football-themed attire. There is no registration for this event, and it is geared towards children in kindergarten through 6th grade. 631-941-4080
Lunar New Year at the Vanderbilt
Join the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport in celebrating the Year of the Dragon on Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon. Make a paper lantern, learn Chinese calligraphy, create a traditional good luck decoration, and visit the collections to see one of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac. Tickets are $20 guests,$18 members at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Storytime Under Stars
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its Storytime Under the Stars series on Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. Your favorite bedtime storybooks come to life in the planetarium theater! Children ages 2 and older are invited to wear their most comfy pajamas and bring their favorite stuffed animal. Tickets are $8 for guests, $6 for members at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org
THEATER
‘Frozen Jr.’
Frozen Jr. returns to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport on weekends from Jan. 27 to March 3. When faced with danger, princesses Anna and Elsa discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. This enchanting musical features all of the memorable songs from the hit Disney film including “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?,” “For the First Time in Forever” and “Let It Go.” All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. See review on page B18.
‘Jack and the Beanstalk’
Children’s theater continues at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson with Jack and the Beanstalk — or The Boy Who Cried “Giant!” from Jan. 20 to Feb. 3. A handful of magic beans starts our hero and his best friend, Filpail the Cow, on one of the best-remembered adventures. Come explore the Castle in the Sky with Jack as he learns the importance of truth-telling in a hilarious original musical for the entire family. All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
A Royal Princess Party
Sing along with a princess during winter break as the Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown hosts A Royal Princess Party from Feb. 17 to 25 with a sensory sensitive performance on Feb. 18 at 10:30 a.m. Royal Historians will guide you through meeting each of the princesses, teaching the morals behind each of their stories and singing along to their favorite songs. Be sure to wear your best royal attire — this is going to be one party you don’t want to miss! You’ll love this heartwarming celebration filled with stories, songs and special guests. Tickets are $16 per person. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.
FILM
Catch a screening of ‘Wallace & Gromit: The Case of the Were-Rabbit at the Cinema Arts Centre on Feb. 4.
‘Wallace & Gromit’
Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of Wallace & Gromit: The Case of the Were-Rabbit on Feb. 4 at noon. Daffy, cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his faithful dog Gromit become heroes in stopping a crime spree. They learn that a giant, fuzzy creature is stealing the town’s produce and the not-completely-dynamic duo set out to capture the beast and save the day. Rated G. Tickets are $13 adults, $5 children 12 and under. www.cinemaartscentre.org.
DANCE
‘Swan Lake Act II’
Ballet Long Island, 1863 Pond Road, Ronkonkoma will present a performance of Swan Lake Act II on Feb 7 at 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. and Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. Dazzling white and beautiful best describe the second act of the most classical of all classical ballets: Swan Lake, choreographed to Tchaikovsky’s brilliant music. Tickets are $20 adult, $10 senior citizen, $10 children. To order, call 631-737-1984 or visit www.balletlongisland.com
Elisa Hendrey of Sound Beach captured this image of the Grand Republic Ferry engulfed in a thick fog at Port Jefferson Harbor on January 25, a result of the unusually warm air temperature of 57 degrees reacting to the colder water
Narwhal Ball
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