Photo courtesy of Councilman Neil Manzella's Facebok
By Heidi Sutton
2025 is starting out as a year of firsts. The first Wegmans on Long Island officially opened in Lake Grove on Feb. 26. Now the first Sprouts Farmers Market in New York Slate is heading to Centereach. The supermarket will occupy the former L.A. Fitness at 1934 Middle Country Road which closed its doors on Jan. 28. The shopping center also houses a Harbor Freight and an AutoZone.
Town of Brookhaven Councilman Neil Manzella made the announcement on Facebook on Feb. 22.
“Through many discussions with the property owner, and their representatives, I am excited to finally announce that a Sprouts Farmers Market will be joining our community. Though personally unfamiliar with Sprouts, those who are have described it as a blend between Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. As with any business, the community will ultimately decide if it is a success or failure, but I, for one, am thrilled to see a new business come to the area,” he said.
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, the supermarket chain operates more than 415 stores in 23 states and has been expanding at a rapid pace. “… We are eager to expand into more communities. We are dedicated to expanding our banner with over 110 approved new stores in the pipeline over the next few years,” said CEO Jack Sinclair in a recent statement.
Specializing in natural, organic and gluten-free foods, the grocer touts a farmers market experience with an open layout featuring fresh produce at the center of the store along with meat, seafood, dairy, vitamins and wellness items.
In addition to Amazon Fresh which opened in East Setauket last October and Wegmans which opened in Lake Grove on Feb. 26, Sprouts will be joining several other supermarkets planned for the area including an Aldi in the former King Kullen on Ronkonkoma Avenue in Ronkonkoma, an Aldi in the former Michael’s Crafts in Medford on Route 112, and a Trader Joe’s on Route 25A in Miller Place next to Walgreens.Plans for an Amazon Fresh in Farmingville have been scrapped.
While there is no official opening date, Councilman Manzella said that a representative from Sprouts told him they expect to open in the fall of this year. Comments on the councilman’s Facebook page were mostly positive, with many familiar with the supermarket stating that it will be “a fantastic addition to the community.”
Jean Prysock, who passed away on June 28, 2024 at the age of 97 in North Carolina, leaves behind an extraordinary legacy and The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook is a big part of that story. Prysock, who was married to jazz great Arthur Prysock, was never one to take a back seat and embodied the old adage that if “you want something done, give it to a busy person.”
Her life was full with volunteer work and helping others. In her later years she became a key spark in establishing The Jazz Loft (TJL). As a founding board member, Prysock worked with founder and president Tom Manuel, attending initial meetings with The Ward Melville Heritage Organization board and their President, Gloria Rocchio, as the idea of TJL became a reality.
Tom Manuel and Jean Prysock
“Jean tirelessly worked public relations for The Jazz Loft when we first opened in 2014,” Manuel said. “She donated her husband’s archives and that was a big addition to our collections. It opened the door for others that followed. She was an incredible mentor to me, and a real pioneer in so many shapes and forms, and more importantly, one of my dearest friends.”
Born and raised in the Bedford Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, Prysock graduated from Franklin K. Lane High School, receiving awards for her dedication to others and her athletic abilities.
Prysock was married to Arthur for 49 years. The couple met at the Savoy nightclub, where Arthur was performing with the Buddy Johnson Band.
“My dad thought my mom would be an easy pickup, but she wasn’t,” laughed daughter Jeanartta. But Prysock’s best friend Gloria was dating Arthur’s brother and that made for an introduction.
They were married on June 6, 1948.
They bought their first home in Jamaica, N.Y. Arthur and Prysock loved to entertain and their home was known for great parties, good food and the best BBQ around. Christmas Eve parties were Prysock’s specialty and people came from far and wide, which eventually required her to transform the party into a ticketed dinner-dance.
Following Arthur’s death in 1997, Prysock did not slow down, filling her days with a variety of volunteer opportunities and positions on advisory boards.
Prysock volunteered at the Veterans Hospital in St. Albans, Goldwater Hospital and Harlem Hospital. Prysock organized shows for the patients at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, featuring her talented husband. She was active in the PTA at P.S. 140 in Queens. She eventually received a position on the P.S. 140 Board of Education, and headed the Higher Horizons program.
In addition to her school and community work, the sport of bowling called. For 22 years Prysock volunteered at Cardinal Lanes, and had a league of young bowlers known as the Prysock Junior Bowlers. Bowling became a big part of her life. Through communication with Charlie Venable, a pro bowler, she got involved with the pro bowlers at Paramus Lanes, becoming a sponsor of the team The Prysock Five. Jean was the first female recipient of an award for dedication to the world of bowling.
“You couldn’t tell my mom ‘no’ to anything,” remembers Jeanartta. “That just made her more determined. She would find a way.”
When a local Portuguese family suffered a house fire resulting in the death of several children, Jean organized a fundraising effort to raise money so that the family could relocate to a new home.
Even though the community was divided by race, income and ethnicity, Jean brought everyone together and not only raised enough money for the family to buy a new home, but she also organized an interracial-interfaith group hoping to bring better understanding between all people.
The National Conference of Christians and Jews presented her the Ambassador of Good Will award and she was also recognized by local professional business groups and was named to the Nassau County Advisory Board of Volunteers Services.
Prysock leaves behind two daughters, Jeanartta and Jeanine; grandchildren Jara, Arthur, and Jeanisha; and great grandchildren Kiya, Kaily, and Hibiki..
Prysock’s motto was “Respect yourself and others will do the same. And remember no one owes you anything. Learn to love, learn to be better and the world will become a better place to live. When you help someone else up the hill, you help yourself.
With the end of President Donald Trump’s (R) 30-day pause for tariffs on Canada and Mexico fast approaching, TBR News Media spoke with local business owners regarding their thoughts on the tariffs. Explained simply, the tariffs would increase the cost of goods imported from each country by 25% (with energy imported from Canada taxed at 10%), a concern relevant to local businesses that rely on such goods to operate. These come in addition to other recent tariffs placed by the newest presidential administration, such as 10% levy on Chinese goods. When asked for their thoughts, both interviewees spoke first on the impact of past tariffs.
Claudia Dowling, owner of Claudia Dowling Interiors in Huntington, describes how the 2019 tariffs cost her “well over 30%” of her profit for that year. “Having written an order for a client, I felt it necessary to keep to the original pricing we agreed on. However, after the product arrived and [was] delivered, my final invoice … had one to sometimes three tariffs added.”
She elaborated how in the years since COVID–19 hit, freight costs became especially high, making it hard to turn a profit, and how this could be further inflated by new tariffs. And while larger companies can reduce these costs by relying on Amazon, she said this was not an option for smaller businesses like hers.
“I have to eliminate many vendors making it impossible to fill my store. It goes on and on. The small business community is in more trouble than ever.” While she has been in her business for 50 years, she is now concerned about staying afloat.
Howard Stern, owner of East Bay Mechanical Corp. in Yaphank, has already seen his business impacted by the separate proposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum set to start on March 12. He described how even though he relies on domestic steel, he has seen those prices already go up in response, resulting in an approximate 20% increase in his metal costs.
“It affects washing machines, it affects AC units, it doesn’t just affect the sheet metal … but everything that goes along with it, because everything requires metal and, unfortunately, it goes up but it never comes back down … even when the tariffs are lifted,” he said.
Stern also describes how tariffs affect costs at each step of the way “so by the time the end consumer gets on it, that 20% in raw material has been stepped on three to four times by four different people, so the end consumer is paying that tariff four times.”
According to both the January Navigator Research Poll and the February Harvard Caps/Harris poll, approximately three in five Americans expect new tariffs will increase costs for consumers. The Navigator polls indicate a slim majority believes tariffs will be worthwhile if they can protect American manufacturing and jobs, but also that a majority believes the tariffs will hurt American consumers more than foreign countries. Further costs to Americans could come from retaliatory tariffs too, as Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau previously promised to implement.
From left to right: Jerry Maxim, corresponding secretary; Ira Costell, president; Lee Brett, vice president; Sheila Granito, acting recording secretary; and, standing, Kevin LaValle, Brookhaven town clerk. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
At the Feb. 25 Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association meeting, the many services of the Town of Brookhaven Clerk’s Office were reviewed and various developments were discussed, including the Baylis Avenue site proposal and Jefferson Plaza.
The association established their position on the proposed annexation of the 5.6-acre site on Baylis Avenue by the Village of Port Jefferson. Northwind Group, after their rezoning proposal was shot down by Brookhaven, preventing their plans for an apartment complex on the parcel, moved to transfer ownership of the land to the Village of Port Jefferson.
“I would really like to reiterate that it is my objection…this is a thinly veiled backdoor move to get approval he otherwise wouldn’t have gotten,” Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic President Ira Costell said. The rest of the board, as well as civic members, seemed in agreement.
March 6, Northwind Group will appeal the ruling to the Town of Brookhaven council and a public hearing will be held. The annexation would set a “bad precedent,” said civic member Charlie McAteer.
Newly elected Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Vice President Lee Brett lamented how the annexation would complicate the execution of services by putting a burden on the Terryville Fire Department and the Comsewogue School District. “Just because it says Port Jefferson Village and they get to go to the beach for free, I can care less, I want my town safe,” he said.
Brookhaven Town Clerk Kevin LaValle reviewed his department’s services and processes, including administering marriage licenses, disability parking passes, death certificates and record digitalization.
He has also worked to use technology to his advantage, now sending people notices of renewals and allowing them to complete the form from home.
“The most valuable thing in business is time, from the minute your client asks you for a service from the minute you get it done…we want to be a township that makes it easier for people to come in and do business with our township,” he said, adding that developers can now submit land-use applications online. Further, project information is now advertised through signs that have QR codes leading to the town website.
“It makes it a lot easier to get information on a project out there,” LaValle said.
LaValle also discussed the prevalence of text message and phone call scams, sometimes under the guise of a bank or a police department saying a loved one is in jail.
LaValle got a scam himself in the form of a text. Presumably, it was his bank informing him of fraud. “I didn’t click the link they had there, I didn’t use the phone number they had on it. I went online…I called the number online that I know is the actual credit card company…they said absolutely that is not [us], can you send us the information,” LaValle said.
“Don’t rush making decisions,” said LaValle, who attended a presentation on the subject by the Suffolk County district attorney.
Next month, Staller Associates will meet with the civic to discuss architectural design for their development of Jefferson Plaza.
For more information on the services provided by the town clerk visit www.brookhavenny.gov.
Rolone “Lonie” Polhemus passed away peacefully in Huntington, New York on Feb. 16. She is survived by her sons, Sidney, Bradford and Tyler; nieces Stacey, Heather, Wendy and Bonnie; nephew Lindsey; grandchildren Jessica and Kyle; and great grandchildren James and Judah. She is predeceased by her husband, Sidney Polhemus; parents William and Opal DeRolf; and sisters Marvis Fast and Ardyn Hontz.
Growing up in Floral Park, New York, Polhemus was both of her time and ahead of her time. She loved music of the 40’s and adored watching and playing sports, so much so that she studied physical education at Beaver College (now Arcadia University) in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania. Later on, by working in her father’s book and greeting card store, she gained the experience of working in a retail establishment and a love of learning – both of which would ultimately play major roles in her life.
Upon marrying Sid Polhemus, Polhemus moved to Centerport, New York and became, in her words, “Martha Stewart before there was a Martha Stewart” with various creative projects that once a year included some rather memorable Halloween costumes for her sons.
Some years later, the family moved to Dayville, Connecticut and Polhemus’ family began a new chapter in their lives. Polhemus quickly became well-known to her sons’ teachers for her commitment to their education and her refreshing, outspoken nature.
While Polhemus possessed an often spicy sense of humor, she was also a shrewd, determined businesswoman. With her husband Sid, Polhemus started The Bargain Sleuth, a surprisingly sophisticated local boutique store business in Northeastern Connecticut’s Quiet Corner in 1974. Polhemus was not only able to continue the business after her husband’s untimely death in 1979, but successfully expanded it to multiple locations.
After closing the business in 1997, Polhemus pushed the envelope of what it meant to be retired and continued her interest in art, history and ancient cultures with many courses at Quinebaug Valley Community College as part of the Learning in Retirement (LIR) program. Via Books on Tape, Lonie also was an avid reader and belonged to a book club where she kept up with the latest in fiction.
Although she struggled with vision at times in life, she maintained an astonishing eye for color, clothing and jewelry and her creativity and worldly outlook inspired many.
Polhemus was an original – forward-thinking, forever curious, resourceful, unconventional, a savvy bridge player, and generous to a fault – but she will always be especially remembered fondly for her quick, colorful, irreverent wit.
A celebration of Polhemus and her life will be held later this year in the Huntington, New York area.
The Brutalist' has been nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Photo by Lol Crawley/A24
By Tim Haggerty & Jeffrey Sanzel
This year’s Oscar race is an unusual one. It is the first season since 1987 that three horror films received nominations. AI controversies entered the discussion, including use in fixing translations, autotuning songs, and script adjustments. Oscar nominations have become increasingly a tool to bring awareness to films rather than just acknowledge excellence. Films are giving limited releases and then hitting wide release months later. Over the last number of years, the Academy has often leaned towards honoring careers rather than the particular performance. Politics certainly affected, if not directly influenced, this year’s roster.
Here is a rundown of some of the major categories.
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan (A Complete Unknown) and Sebastian Stan’s Donald Trump (The Apprentice) are biographical portraits that do not resort to caricature or parody, exposing humanity in the former and the demon of winning in the latter. While a leak revealed that the director used AI to alter Adrien Brody’s Hungarian accent in The Brutalist, Brody still gives a passionate career best, holding the screen for 3 1/2 hours. TheBrutalist will most likely give Brody his second Best Actor statuette.
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
This category is a tight race. Karla Sofía Gascón is the first openly transgender actress nominated for this award. Cynthia Erivo received universal accolades for Wicked’s Elphaba. Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here) turned in a top-tier performance. But Demi Moore is most likely to win for The Substance. While performances in horror films rarely get a nod (previously passed-over actresses include Toni Collette, Florence Pugh, Mia Goth, and Lupita Nyong), Moore could win for her performance, her legacy, and the genre itself. While a longshot, Mikey Madison could be a dark horse surprise as she carried Anora.
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
While the actors in this category present a good range of performances, Kieran Culkin’s prodigal cousin in A Real Pain has dominated this award season’s category. His work is unique, raw, and unexpected, almost guaranteeing a win.
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Ariana Grande (Wicked) and Isabella Rosalini (Conclave) deserve an award in this category. But Zoe Saldaña has the strongest presence in the unusual Emilia Pérez and will win.
BEST DIRECTOR
Perhaps Bradley Corbet’s mammoth undertaking The Brutalist could have garnered him Best Director, but an erratic Oscar campaign might have damaged his path. Sean Baker is one of the era’s greatest independent directors, with an oeuvre comparable to the best of John Cassavetes and Elaine May. An artist who created Tangerine completely on his phone and who turns non-actors into stars, his win for Anora will celebrate great filmmaking.
BEST WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Peter Straughan’s Conclave is the frontrunner in this category. The fantastic drama following the election of a pope balances introspection with political commentary.
BEST WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
Sean Baker’s Anora and Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold’s The Brutalist have run neck-and-neck in awards. While both scripts are exceptional, Anora’s delightful mix of humor and shades of darkness might give it the edge. Its recent garnering of the Writers Guild Award almost secures its win.
BEST PICTURE
A scene from ‘Anora’. Photo courtesy of Neon
Since the expansion of the Best Picture category from five to ten nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards (2010), the race is glutted with unlikely winners. Certainly, Dune: Part Two falls into this category. Other films are deemed too small or niche to get the top prize. If not for the AI controversy, the epic The Brutalist would most likely win, harkening to films like Gone with the Wind and Lawrence of Arabia. But its length is not a point in its favor.
Anora is this year’s frontrunner, receiving the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or at Cannes, the Critics’ Choice, Directors Guild, and Producers Guild Awards. To date, Anora has received 193 nominations and 70 wins. Sean Baker might be the first person to win four Oscars for a single film: producer, writer, director, and editor.
And some parting Shout Outs …
Best Production Design: All five nominees deserve to share the award, though Wicked’s spectacular visuals will triumph.
Best Documentary Short:I Am Ready, Warden is a powerful portrait of a death row inmate in the week leading up to his execution.
Best Cinematograpy/Original Score: The Brutalist’s Cinematography (Lol Crawley) revived 70 mm VistaVision (the film stock of pictures like Vertigo — last used in 1961’s One-Eyed Jacks) and offered outstanding visuals. Its Original Score (Daniel Blumberg) is exceptional.
Best Animated Feature Film: The Wild Robot (probable winner), Flow (runner-up), and Memoir of a Snail are all first-rate Animated Features. That said, Inside Out 2 remains a strong possibility.
Best International Feature Film: The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany), secretly shot in Iran, tells the story of a family struggling with the country’s resistance to progression, specifically for women. A film that builds extraordinary tension, it is a must-watch for anyone wishing to see political protest and retaliation cinematically explored. However, the win will likely go to I’m Still Here (Brazil).
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Tune in to the 97th Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 2, to see who carries the film industry’s highest honors. Hosted by Conan O’Brien at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the show will be broadcast live by ABC starting at 7 p.m. For the first time, the Oscars will also be streamed live on Hulu. You can also watch via Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV.
If you’re looking to make cookies without eggs due to the current egg shortage/high egg prices, try the following recipes your family is sure to love.
The first recipe for “Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies” courtesy of Live Well, Bake Often by Danielle Rye, is full of peanut butter flavor, only requires a few simple ingredients, and is incredibly easy to make while Banana Bread Cookies are the latest rage on TikTok. Add chocolate chips and nuts if desired.
Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
YIELD: Makes 30 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup whole milk
3⁄4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1⁄4 cups quick-cooking oats
DIRECTIONS:
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
Place the unsalted butter, granulated sugar and milk in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, making sure to stir often until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well combined. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and allow to boil for 1 minute without stirring.
Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until fully combined. Stir in the quick oats and mix until all the oats are coated with the mixture.
Using a 11⁄2-tablespoon cookie scoop, drop scoops of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, and gently press them down to flatten them slightly. Allow to cool for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cookies have firmed up. The cookies will continue to firm up the longer they cool. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Banana Bread Cookies
YIELD: Makes 12 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1 ripe banana , mashed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the banana, sugar, and melted butter until smooth and well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cookies dense.
Using a tablespoon, portion the dough into evenly sized balls. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading. Gently flatten each ball slightly with the back of a spoon.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. Serve warm or at room temperature.
As we become more dependent on home screening services, the social element of going out and experiencing a film together becomes a special occasion. The award-winning Port Jefferson Documentary Series (PJDS) returns for the Spring 2025 season with accounts of individual feats and community achievements that are worth leaving home to see.
Presented by the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council (GPJAC), all screenings will be held at The First United Methodist Church, 603 Main Street in Port Jefferson, on select Thursdays between March 6 and April 24 with a start time of 7 p.m.
‘Dust to Dust,’ below, will be shown on April 10.
Stories traverse topics featuring the historical accomplishments of women in politics; environmental integrity and enterprise; socio-economic factors of fashion; celebration of self-expression; friendships forged from shared struggles; and moments of triumph amid tribulations. This season’s documentaries investigate the impact of individual acts of courage and compassion.
They acquaint audiences with persons and perspectives, situations and sensibilities that they may otherwise not encounter.
“PJDS looks for a high-level of craft as well as a depth of emotional connection. We are also attuned to the opportunities provided by a film to spark local collaborations or to showcase local voices as part of the overall screening experience,” said Kelly DeVine, Board Member and Chair of film programming at GPJAC.
After many of the screenings there will Q&As between the audience and guest speakers associated with the documentaries’ productions or subject matter, or an event with a local community outreach partner. Tom Needham, executive producer and host of “Sounds of Film” on WUSB, will moderate discussions for three of the films.
‘Man from Pretentia’ will be screened on April 3.
And there will be other interactive elements, such as an upcycled fashion show. Arranged and emceed by Marcela Pinzon, owner of The Fashionable Stylista, a fashion design school in Syosset, the show will model her students’ upcycled designs: clothing deconstructed and re-sewn into new articles; repairs incorporated into new patterns, etc.
“We have been trying to bring more community groups into the post-screening planning to increase our collaborations, reach new audiences and craft post screening activities that reflect the spirit or the topic of the film. PJDS is more than a movie night, it’s a community event,” DeVine explained.
Sponsored by Maggio Environmental Waste Collection, Dumpster Rentals & Recyclin, Metal Masters, Paumanok Veterinary Hospital, Covati & Janhsen CPAs PC, and Port Jeff Storage Inc. with a Suffolk County grant from the Suffolk County Office of Cultural Affairs & the Suffolk County Film Commission, the series is a symbiotic exercise in communal conversation.
“We strive to get people off their tiny smart phone screens and enjoy a much larger screen as a community gathering,” GPJAC chairman Allan Varela said in an email.
PJDS aims to foster interest not only in the arts, but in each other.
“Part of the benefit is that the PJDS has won Best Film Festival award in the Best of Long Island contest nine years in a row,” Varela continued. “We compete against Gold Coast, Huntington, Stony Brook and the Hamptons [film festivals], among others…Our stature brings in audience from all over the Island and therefore into the Village of Port Jefferson.”
Art in general, and PJDS specifically, is an avenue through which individuals may find common ground.
This season begins with Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter on March 6.
The film explores the story of the eponymous woman who was witness to and involved in some of the most historically significant moments of the 20th century, as among her many roles, she was the first female executive assistant to a vice president for Lyndon B. Johnson and then press secretary for Lady Bird Johnson. A conversation with director Abby Ginzberg will follow.
In Every Little Thing on March 13 filmmaker Sally Aiken profiles bird rehabilitator Terry Masear, who has devoted her life to saving and protecting hummingbirds in the Los Angeles area. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Terry Masear, Dr. Carl Safina, Patricia Paladines of the Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments, and Dr. Maria Bowling.
A Man with Sole: The Impact of Kenneth Cole on March 20 follows the career of fashion designer Kenneth Cole and how his professional success supports his philanthropy. Director Dori Berinstein will join a Q&A via Zoom.
Facing the Wind on March 27 examines the connection forged between two women as they care for their spouses stricken with Lewy Body dementia. Director Deirdre Fishel will join the post-film discussion in person with Cindy Morris of the Benson Agency.
Man from Pretentiaon April 3 is tender portrait of “quirky” art dealer, Paul Bridgewater, who became a fixture of the Downtown NYC art scene. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Director Chih Hsuan Liang and producer Steve Zehentner.
Dust to Dust on April 10 chronicles haute couture designer Yuima Nakazato’s realizations about the detrimental effect of “fast fashion” on the world and how he shifts his attentions to sustainable fashion. Resources on recycling and a upcycled fashion show led by the head of The Fashionable Stylista academy of Syosset, Marcela Pinzon will follow the screening.
The season closes withFront Row on April 24 which showcases the Ukrainian National Ballet’s poignant company tour as it performs far from the frontlines and invites a soldier who lost his legs to partake in a singular performance. The screening is followed by a discussion about the film and Ukraine with Professor Juliette Passer of Stony Brook University.
Selected by PJDS co-chairs DeVine and Wendy Feinberg, the films are sourced from number of different festivals: DocNYC, Tribeca, Sundance, etc. Personal industry connections, honed from years of working on this and other series, also helped shape the lineup.
Contenders were then voted on by a team of long-term PJDS board members and volunteers, including DeVine and Feinberg; community outreach coordinator Barbara Sverd; co-chair emeritus Lyn Boland; Denies Livieri; Yvonne Lieffrig; Ronnie Levy; and, Lise Poulos.
The group shares a commitment to seeking and sharing documentaries that enhance human understanding as they invoke personal insights.
“PJDS is always looking for films that offer distinct points of view, that open up new ways of looking at the world and that provide opportunities to reflect on the connections we may share however far-flung or different the story may appear initially,” DeVine said. “All of our films will offer great experiences and each brings its own emotional tone and opportunity for connection.”
Individual film tickets are $10 each while a season pass is $58. For more information about the PJDS or to reserve your seat, visit www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com.
New Leaf Energy presents a plan for a 8.75-megawatt project on Feb. 20, 2025. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
New Leaf Energy presents a plan for a 8.75-megawatt project on Feb. 20, 2025. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
New Leaf Energy presents a plan for a 8.75-megawatt project on Feb. 20, 2025. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
At the Sterling Woods Condominium annual meeting on Feb. 20, New Leaf Energy Senior Director of Business Development Michael Conway spoke to the residents, whose condominiums neighbor the proposed site at 1575 Route 25A in Port Jefferson Station.
This proposal comes after the Town of Brookhaven rejected a rezoning application by New Leaf Energy in June 2024.
Now, New Leaf Energy, a renewable energy developer, is planning an 8.75-megawatt battery energy storage system in an area with the appropriate light industrial zoning. The system would occupy 22,142 square feet and can power 8,500 single-family homes for 4 hours.
Conway, joined by Energy Safety Response Group co-founder Paul Rogers, reviewed the site plan, which neighbors a gas station. The property will be encompassed by a 10-foot-tall fence and vegetative screening and will include a 50-ft setback.
“Dense places are the most difficult places to get electricity to,” Conway said, addressing the location. “We need to have electricity whether it comes through a fossil plant, or it comes in through a solar plant, or it comes in through transmission lines. Energy storage systems are an efficient way to deliver more electricity to an area without building more poles and wires all over the place and more power plants.”
One resident said, “I don’t think we disagree with technology. I don’t think anyone does. We have to look forward. But where are you putting it? There is no benefit to be putting this here, absolutely none. Basically, you want us to be a test case for your business.”
New Leaf Energy will be working with manufacturers to develop the system and will then sell the BESS. Defined as a business that “establishes important partnerships with landowners, utilities and local communities to brainstorm, secure, design and permit community and utility-scale renewable energy,” New Leaf Energy essentially works to give the project momentum and get it approved before then selling to another company for around $3 million to $4 million.
“Our business model is to transfer ownership to a long-term asset owner just prior to construction,” Conway said. It usually takes 6-8 months to find a buyer. The buyer will then be responsible for the safety and operation of the system, including the battery monitoring system.
The oldest BESS New Leaf Energy has created was built in 2018. The largest is 200 megawatts.
This system will help manage the grid during peak hours and potentially save PSEG from having to purchase additional equipment. The BESS will be privately owned so will not, in theory, be the direct cause of rate increases from PSEG. Instead, the system will store energy in times of low demand and sell it back during high-demand times.
Rogers, who has been a prominent figure in the battery energy storage conversation throughout Brookhaven, says that manufacturers are required to permit large-scale controlled failures on their equipment. This could mean burning cells or, in some cases, modules.
Rogers said that thermal runaway is caused when the cells are interfered with or abused and are unable to regulate normally, thus causing the liquid within the cells to turn to gas. For instance, if a container is not sealed properly when it is raining, the water could cause electrical problems.
Rogers, who has helped implement and navigate the various safety codes, said that the BESS has to be listed under Underwriters Laboratories UL9540, which authorizes that the equipment is up to standard, and must adhere to precautions listed in the National Fire Protection Association codebook as well as New York State codes.
The Moss Landing fire, which burned for days and led to the evacuation of residents, was described by Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D, Stony Brook) as “sobering.” The old and outdated system consisted of nickel manganese cobalt batteries as opposed to lithium iron phosphate, which is less energy dense, and was situated in a designated-use building.
Rogers said of the 750-megawatt system, “we would never use that technology today.”
“This is fairly new technology,” said Kornreich. “It is almost as if the car had been invented and they said oh this is a great way to make deliveries and drive around town but they haven’t invented the brake pedal yet…we don’t know yet and that is why we have to go slow with these things.”
If we are to transition from our conventional fossil-fuel electrical power plants to units based on solar power, we must have at least a reasonable forecast of the number of solar panels that will be required, along with the land area that will be needed to locate them. At the present time, Suffolk County uses an average continuous power of approximately 1,233 MW. If we are to produce this power using solar panels, let us assume that each panel can provide 400 W of power, when bright sunshine is available.
If this sunshine were available continuously, the number of panels required would be approximately 3.1 million. However, at our best, this sunlight is available for only 8 hours of each 24-hour period, or 1/3 of the time. For this reason, we will require 3 times the number of panels, or 9.3 million, to provide the average power necessary. During each 8-hour active period, these panels will generate 3,720 MW, of which 1,240 MW will be used to power the grid, and the remaining 2,480 MW will be charging the battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities, which will power the grid during the next 16 hours, when sunlight is not present, and the solar panels are not active.
To estimate the area required for the installation of these panels, let us assume that the area of each panel is 10 square feet. Therefore, the required land area to support the 9.3 million panels will be 93 million square feet, or 3.3 square miles, which is slightly more than twice the area of the SUNY Stony Brook college campus.
On those occasions when we have one or more consecutive days with cloudy or overcast skies, an additional 9.3 million solar panels will be required for each day without sunlight, if we are to prevent power blackouts. Thus, for one day without sunlight, 18.5 million panels will be needed, on land space of 6.6 square miles. For two consecutive days, 27.7 million panels will require 9.9 square miles. And for three overcast days, 36.7 million panels will need 13.3 square miles. It should be noted that these are “ballpark estimates,” and a number of factors may serve to increase, or decrease, the number of panels required to avoid power blackouts.
To reduce this number, power may be contributed from other sources, possibly windmills or other venues, such as Nassau County or Connecticut. However, we will also need to consider likely significant increases in projected power requirements, including power for memory banks for artificial intelligence, increased use of EVs, expanded electrification of the Long Island Rail Road and numerous other applications, which will lead to a need for greater numbers of solar panels, and more land space on which to mount them.
George Altemose
Setauket
Congressman LaLota’s vote to cut Medicaid
Despite repeated reassurances on social media that he would “protect” Medicaid, Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1) joined his Republican colleagues in voting to advance the House Budget Resolution, which calls for $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next 10 years. Mr. LaLota claims that he does not support deep cuts to Medicaid, however, his support for this bill says otherwise. He has made multiple references to disenrolling undocumented immigrants from Medicaid despite undocumented immigrants already being ineligible for federal Medicaid funding with the exception of emergency care. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 all hospitals with an Emergency Room must provide emergency evaluation and care to anyone presenting to the ER, regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay. Emergency Medicaid is a lifeline for hospitals and allows them to defray the cost of providing necessary care.
LaLota’s support for work requirements likewise is projected to save approximately $110 billion over the next 10 years, while simultaneously cutting health care for thousands of CD 1 residents. Additionally LaLota levies accusations of waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid, but fails to support this claim with any data. Medicaid fraud by recipients is rare. Most fraud is perpetuated by unethical providers; however, there is no evidence to suggest that there is $770 billion worth of fraud. It is also worth noting that many times the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services deems payment to providers as inappropriate; however, upon receiving further clinical documentation the decision is reversed. As a Medicaid provider I am subject to routine audits of my work at the county, state and federal levels. Medicaid reimbursement rates are so poor that many providers do not participate. Medicaid recipients already face a limited network of providers.
Elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients disproportionately account for program expenditures. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation individuals with disabilities account for 21% of Medicaid enrollment but 52% of Medicaid expenditures. The only way for House Republicans to reach their stated goal of $880 billion dollars in cuts over the next decade is to target these expenditures, which include medications, rehabilitation, congregate care and medical devices.
Everyone deserves access to high-quality, affordable health care. LaLota just made it more difficult for his constituents to do so. Furthermore, he helped lay the groundwork for the most vulnerable among us to lose access to lifesaving care.
Kathryn Twomey
Port Jefferson Station
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Growing up in Floral Park, New York, Polhemus was both of her time and ahead of her time. She loved music of the 40’s and adored watching and playing sports, so much so that she studied physical education at Beaver College (now Arcadia University) in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania. Later on, by working in her father’s book and greeting card store, she gained the experience of working in a retail establishment and a love of learning – both of which would ultimately play major roles in her life.
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