Yearly Archives: 2025

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) in Stony Brook hosted LIMHOF inductee Albert Bouchard on Feb. 22. The former Blue Öyster Cult member who played the cowbell on the recording “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” reflected on the impact this Long Island band had on pop culture. 

Bouchard spoke about the writing of the song, the famous Saturday Night Live skit “More Cowbell” which aired on April 8th, 2000 starring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell, and how the expression “I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell” remains iconic!

“I love being a part of this organization (LIMEHOF),” Bouchard said. “Everyone’s like “How come you’re not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? I don’t really care about that. To me, you look at what’s going on there it’s not all Rock and Roll and that’s a subjective classification anyway. This, you’re talking about music and entertainment. It’s exactly what it is. It’s properly named, and you have the real people. It’s not just a popularity cult contest. It’s people who really made a difference from Long Island so I think this is a fantastic organization to belong to and I’m really delighted to be part of it.”

Norm Prusslin, co-founder LIMEHOF and current board member organized and hosted the event. He said it’s an important part of the organization’s mission to host inductees and local artists to share insights and stories most people might not know about historical events they lived through and the ups, downs and pressures of the music industry.

“Albert has been a good partner of LIMEHOF since we started,” said Prusslin. “Clearly all the hoopla about the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary year and the fact that the ‘More Cowbell’ skit has been one of the top skits ever in their 50-year history I thought it might be fun to see if Albert was available to come out and talk about the recording of the song and about the skit and the impact that the skit has had to the band and to him and to pop culture itself. I knew that since Albert was a former member of Blue Öyster Cult, and that band was formed in Stony Brook, there’d be a lot of interest for people to come out and to share some stories that people may not know.”

Bouchard said he didn’t know SNL was planning on running a skit about the recording of the song at the time it aired, so it came as a surprise to him when he heard about it. He originally thought it was going to be terrible but after seeing it his reaction was one of delight.

“Oh my God this is so funny!” Bouchard recounted. “This is like just what happened… then I thought, how did he even hear the cowbell? To this day I cannot watch it without smiling. There’s always some little bit that makes me go ‘oh my God’ that was it.”

One major error that the skit made that Bouchard corrected was the producer. The SNL skit had Christopher Walken playing the famous music producer Bruce Dickinson. The original credits list three producers of the song — David Lucas, Murray Krugman and LIMEHOF inductee Sandy Pearlman. Of the three it was David Lucas who had the idea to add in the cowbell.

The back story about the producer mix up is that the writers of the skit saw a credit for Bruce Dickinson from a compilation album, not the original record of the song, which lead to the confusion.

Bouchard went on to explain how it happened in real life and that there were similar debates about including the cowbell at the time. At one point Bouchard wanted to play a triangle instead, but that was changed to a cowbell.

“David wanted to hear the cowbell in it,” Bouchard explained. “I never quite understood why he wanted it and then a couple of years ago he said … ‘I wanted some pulse, some quarter note pulse like a metronome but not a metronome to balance off all those eighth notes. Everything was eighth notes the whole song if you listen to it’… The cowbell balances that with a quarter note pulse. A brilliant idea when you think about it.”

“If it was up to me, it wouldn’t be on the song,” Bouchard continued. “I never would have thought to put a cowbell on it. It was David Lucas’s idea, and I just happened to be his tool to make that happen since I happened to be in the studio at the time…. It worked, that’s the bottom line. The cowbell riff worked, the cowbell skit worked, the song worked. It’s all about making people feel good.”

About LIMEHOF

Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all its forms. In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook. To date, the organization has inducted more than 130 musicians and music industry executives, and offers education programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators.

To find out more about upcoming LIMEHOF events, check out https://www.limusichalloffame.org/events/

 

Eastport-South Manor High School

Over 500 students from 32 Suffolk County public and private high schools are currently participating in the 2025 New York State High School Mock Trial Program, the largest the Suffolk County program has ever seen. The Suffolk County Coordinators, Glenn P. Warmuth, Esq. & Leonard Badia, Esq., head up this annual educational program co-sponsored by The Suffolk County Bar Association and The Suffolk Academy of Law.

Northport High School

The New York State High School Mock Trial Program is a joint venture of The New York Bar Foundation, the New York State Bar Association, and the Law, Youth and Citizenship Program. In this educational program, high school students gain first-hand knowledge of civil/criminal law and courtroom procedures. Thousands of students participate each year.  Objectives of the tournament are to: Teach students ethics, civility, and professionalism; further students’ understanding of the law, court procedures and the legal system; improve proficiency in basic life skills, such as listening, speaking, reading and reasoning; promote better communication and cooperation among the school community, teachers and students and members of the legal profession, and heighten appreciation for academic studies and stimulate interest in law-related careers.

The 2025 Mock Trial case is a civil case entitled Leyton Manns vs. Sandy Townes. In this hands-on competition, the teams argue both sides of the case and assume the roles of attorneys and witnesses. Each team competes to earn points based on their presentation and legal skills. “Judges”, usually local judges and attorneys who volunteer their time, score the teams based on ratings on preparation, performance, and professionalism.

While the Mock Trial program is set up as a “competition,” emphasis is placed on the educational aspect of the experience which focuses on the preparation and presentation of a hypothetical courtroom trial that involves critical issues that are important and interesting to young people.

The first round of the competition began on February 5, 2025 with four weeks of random team matchups. The top 16 teams will then head to Round 2 at the John P. Cohalan, Jr. Courthouse in Central Islip, New York, for three weeks of “Sweet 16” style competition leading to the Finals on April 2, 2025 at Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court in Riverhead with the Honorable Vincent J. Messina, Jr., Surrogate, presiding. The Suffolk County champion will then compete in the New York State Finals in Albany on May 18-20, 2025.

The Suffolk County High Schools involved in the 2025 High School Mock Trial competition are: Bay Shore High School, Babylon High School, Brentwood High School, Central Islip High School, Commack High School, Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School, Comsewogue High School, Connetquot High School, Deer Park High School, East Hampton High School, East Islip High School, Eastport-South Manor High School, John H. Glenn High School, Greenport High School, Half Hollow Hills High School East, Half Hollow Hills High School West, Hampton Bays High School, Harborfields High School, Huntington High School, Kings Park High School, Lindenhurst High School, Mattituck High School, Miller Place High School, Newfield High School, Northport High School, Shoreham-Wading River High School, St. Anthony’s High School, St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School, Southampton High School, The Stony Brook School, Ward Melville High School, and West Islip High School.

For interest in joining the High School Mock Trial program for 2026, please contact Suffolk County Coordinator, Glenn P. Warmuth, Esq., at (631) 732-2000 or [email protected]. Mock Trial can be an after-school club, an elective class, or part of your school’s curriculum. An attorney will be provided to you to help coach the students in the matters of the legal profession.

The Suffolk County Bar Association, a professional association comprised of more than 2,600 lawyers and judges, was founded in 1908 to serve the needs of the local legal community and the public. For more information about these or other Suffolk County Bar Association programs or services, call 631-234-5511 x 221 or visit www.scba.org

By Bill Landon

It was another edition of Superheroes of the Sky Saturday morning, Feb. 15, at the Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown where a cacophony of wild birds of prey made their presence known and tour guide Jim MacDougall conducted the daily ritual of feeding the hawks, barred owls, turkey vultures and bald eagle among others at the end of Eckernkamp Drive in Smithtown. 

Sweetbriar Nature Center is situated on 54 acres of varied garden, woodland, field and wetland habitats on the Nissequogue River. Hundreds of species of plants and animals make their homes there.

Many of the feathered friends were injured raptors lucky enough to find safe refuge at the center where onlookers learned about their incredible adaptations that help them survive in the wild.

Through education and examples, the center encourages responsible decision making, appreciation and respect for the unique wildlife and ecosystems found on Long Island.

The next Superheroes of the Sky program will be held on Saturday, March 8 from 11 a.m. to noon. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 children. Preregistration is required by clicking here.

For more information about the Sweetbriar Nature Center visit  www.sweetbriarnc.org.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Smithtown High School East seniors Sophia Trivigno and Gabe Finger traveled to Albany on Feb. 11 to advocate for passing the Students for Solar Act (S1986). The students met with Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay. Photo courtesy of Smithtown Central School District
Smithtown High School East seniors Gabe Finger and Sophia Trivigno. Photo courtesy of Smithtown Central School District

Smithtown High School East seniors, Gabe Finger and Sophia Trivigno, traveled to Albany on Feb. 11 and joined the Long Island Lobby Coalition to speak one-on-one with members of the New York State Senate, Assembly and governor’s staff to advocate for passing the Students for Solar Act (S1986). They highlighted the success of Smithtown High School West’s solar array for its environmental benefits and for the cost savings that go directly back into the schools.

Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassey (D-Port Jefferson), a Smithtown High School East alumna, praised the student’s involvement. “What a joy to speak with two students from my very own high school on Long Island Advocacy Day,” Kassey said. “Along with fellow community members, Gabe and Sophia traveled to New York’s capital to let us policymakers know the kind of future they want — a sustainable one! Their visit and voices reinforce my commitment to passing laws that not only address the near future but also build towards meeting long-term goals as we work towards both environmental and fiscal sustainability for every New Yorker.”

The students were met with applause and admiration for their passion to make a difference. “It is imperative these students are given the opportunity and voice to advocate for their future,” says Melissa Parrott, executive director, Renewable Energy Long Island. “Gabe and Sophia expressed themselves with such confidence and commitment, it was impressive.”

Tami Nelson

United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island (UCP-LI) in Hauppauge has announced the appointment of Tami Nelson, Senior Director at Techstars, to the UCP-LI Board of Directors.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tami Nelson to our Board of Directors. Ms. Nelson’s expertise, vision and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow and achieve our mission. We look forward to the positive impact she will have on our organization,” said Thomas Pfundstein, Board Chair, in a press release.

Nelson has held multiple leadership positions in globally recognized organizations such as A&E Television Networks, Paramount, and HBO and most recently served as the Senior Director of Strategic Projects at Techstars. Her expertise in creating transformative strategies, fostering partnerships, and delivering measurable results will be a tremendous asset to UCP-LI as the organization continues to provide innovative programs and services.

Nelson has made a profound impact throughout her career, supporting underrepresented communities and spearheading initiatives to rebuild generational wealth. Her addition to the UCP-LI Board signifies her continued commitment to advocacy, excellence, and innovation.

“I am honored to join the Board of Directors at UCP of LI, an organization with a profound legacy of empowering individuals and advocating for inclusivity. I am excited to contribute my expertise and collaborate with such a passionate and dedicated team as we work to create opportunities and improve the quality of life for those we serve. Together, we can continue to make a lasting impact on our community,” said Ms. Nelson.

For more information about UCP of Long Island and its programs, visit www.ucp-li.org

Mary Maguire. Photo courtesy of Little Flower

Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York (Little Flower), a social services organization based in Wading River supporting children, youth, families and individuals with developmental disabilities across New York and Long Island, welcomed Mary J. Maguire, SPHR, CDE, to the senior executive team as the organization’s new Vice President of Human Resources and Culture, effective February 18, 2025.

With more than 20 years of experience in human resources and operations leadership, Maguire brings strategic expertise in workforce transformation, talent optimization, and culture development to support Little Flower’s mission of empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and transforming care into action.

As a key member of the Senior Executive Council, Maguire will lead the human resources strategy across the organization, ensuring that talent development, employee engagement, workforce planning, benefits, and equity and inclusion work align with Little Flower’s long-term vision. She will also advance leadership development, enhance employee relations, and cultivate a workplace culture that promotes service excellence.

Mary’s outstanding leadership in human capital strategy, organizational development, and culture transformation makes her an invaluable addition to our team,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Corinne Hammons in a press release. “Her ability to drive impactful talent initiatives, develop inclusive and high-performing teams, and implement HR innovations will strengthen our organization and enhance the employee experience.”

Maguire’s career includes senior leadership roles in human resources and operations, such as Chief Operating Officer (and Global CHRO) at SAPRO, Chief Human Resources Officer at PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP, Regional Director of Human Resources at Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP, and Director of Human Resources at RSM. She has led transformational HR strategies, initiated award-winning DEIB programs, optimized talent management, and driven operational efficiency, positioning organizations for sustainable growth and success.

As a recognized HR strategist and workforce development leader, Maguire holds certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE). She has played a pivotal role in designing and implementing innovative talent initiatives, promoting compensation equity, and fostering a learning, inclusion, and professional growth culture.

“I am honored to join Little Flower, an organization that is genuinely committed to transforming care into action,” said Maguire. “By building a dynamic, engaged workforce and advancing strategic people initiatives, we will strengthen our mission, empower our employees, and drive sustainable impact for the children, families, and communities we serve.” 

About Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York

Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York is a nonprofit organization serving individuals and families across New York City and Long Island. Since 1929, Little Flower has been committed to improving the well-being of children, youth, adults with developmental disabilities, and families by building on their strengths and supporting their success.

Today, Little Flower’s staff provide community-based services, foster care and adoption programs, services for people with developmental disabilities, medical and behavioral health services and coordination, and residential treatment care.

To learn more about Little Flower, please visit www.littleflowerny.org

Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook baseball team jumped out to an early five-run advantage in the first career start for right-hander Hunter Colagrande, but the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (FGCU) rallied to secure a 10-6 victory on Feb. 23 in Fort Myers, Fla.

Stony Brook started strong, scoring three runs in the first inning on four hits. Erik Paulsen led off with a double to left-center, followed by a single from Evan Goforth. Johnny Pilla then drove in Paulsen with a single to right field. Later in the inning, Cam Santerre brought home Goforth and Pilla, giving the Seawolves an early 3-0 lead.

Making his first career start, Colagrande retired the first three batters he faced in the opening inning, striking out two.

After a scoreless second inning, the Seawolves added two more runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Goforth reached on a hit-by-pitch, and Nico Azpilcueta walked before Santerre doubled to left-center, driving both runners home.

FGCU responded with two runs in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to 5-2. The Eagles added another run in the fourth to make it 5-3, but Stony Brook answered in the fifth when Pilla led off with a base hit and later scored on a ground-ball error off the bat of Santerre, extending the lead to 6-3.

Matthew Canizares entered the game in the fifth, but FGCU pushed across two runs in the frame, narrowing the gap to 6-5.

The Eagles’ offense continued to gain momentum, scoring two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, followed by another run in the eighth, to take a 10-6 lead and secure the victory.

The team returns to action on March 7 as they travel to Chapel Hill for the first time since 2023 to take on No. 6 North Carolina in a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is set for 4 p.m.

Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

Despite a 30-point career-high performance from Breauna Ware, the Stony Brook women’s basketball team was defeated by Campbell, 76-51, on Feb. 23 at Gore Arena in Buies Creek, N.C.

Ware added seven rebounds to her 30-point game to lead the Seawolves (11-14, 6-8). Shamarla King helped out with nine points and nine rebounds and Lauren Filien chipped in with five points.

Stony Brook out-rebounded Campbell 37-25 in Sunday’s game, led by King’s nine boards. The Seawolvesalso grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and scored 13 second chance points.

Campbell got off to a hot start shooting 85 percent from the field through the first quarter as Stony Brook struggled out of the gate. The Seawolves trailed by as many as 15 through the opening frame as Ware tallied five points to lead the squad, 23-12.

Campbell kept adding to that lead, building a 33-17 advantage before Stony Brook went on a 7-0 run, to narrow its deficit. The Camels responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Seawolves trailing 37-27 heading into halftime. Ware recorded 15 points total through the first half.

Stony Brook’s deficit continued to grow after halftime, and the Seawolves faced a 55-38 disadvantage heading to the fourth quarter. The Seawolves could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 76-51.

Next up, the team returns home to Long Island to take on Delaware on February 28. This will be the sixth overall meeting between the Seawolves and Blue Hens in program history. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. with coverage available on SNY and FloCollege.

The lower level of the Smithtown Library's main branch has been restored after Aug. 19 storm. Photo by Robert Lusak

By Sabrina Artusa

After the Aug. 19 storm, the lower level of the Smithtown Library’s main branch at 1 North Country Road had to be cleaned and gutted. The stairwell has been repainted and all electriclal equipment has been removed. Now, the floor is a blank slate. Smithtown Library Director Robert Lusak views this as an opportunity to re-situate the floor to make it a better, nicer area.  

–Photos by Robert Lusak

Visitors are cautioned not to enter Harbor Road in Stony Brook Village. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Six months after the Aug. 19 storm that damaged infrastructure, washed away the dams at Stony Brook Mill Pond and Blydenburgh County Park’s Stump Pond and upturned Harbor Road in Stony Brook, community pillars such as the Smithtown Library and Stony Brook University are on the mend. 

The storm, which unleashed 9.4 inches of rain in only 24 hours, flooded the lower level of the Smithtown Library, bursting one of the windows and completely filling the area with water. Since the library sits at a lower grade, the water from higher grades flowed to the building and down the staircases on either side, overwhelming the sump pump and clogging it with leaves; therefore, it was not only 9 inches of water that flooded the library, but 8 feet. 

However, walking through the Smithtown Library today, it would be difficult to discern evidence of the storm on the first floor or the mezzanine. The bookshelves and tables look relatively untouched; it seems that at any moment a library page might round the corner with a cart of books or a high school student will settle down at one of the tables. In a few months — April, possibly, according to Library Director Robert Lusak — the library could open again. 

“In order to bring people back into the building, first we need power obviously, we need HVAC, we need heat and air-conditioning functioning, we need to have the elevator working, we need to have fire sprinklers operational … so there are a lot of factors that need to come into play before we can open the building,” Lusak said. The library’s architect, in collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, has put together “a two- to three-inch book” detailing the steps to reopening. 

Temporary power has been restored. “Everything is moving along pretty well,” Lusak said.

Lusak and the rest of the library staff have been working with FEMA to account for damages to potentially get up to 75% of eligible costs reimbursed. The staff listed every item that was destroyed. One of the main obstacles, however, is the time-consuming process of ordering the necessary materials and the months it takes to ship. 

“It is really the equipment that we need to reinstall that is keeping us from moving forward,” Lusak said. “When we have to wait for materials we have to wait 6 to 8 weeks in some cases. That is what we need in order to open the building up.”

Next month, Lusak and other staff members are flying to Michigan to evaluate the archive renovation progress done by Prism Specialties. The Richard H. Handley Collection, which features centuries-old documents and maps, was situated on the lower level. On the day of the storm, however, the water detection system failed and water infiltrated the room. 

Lusak will have to determine which archives should be restored, such as precious original copies, and which would not be worth the expense, perhaps second copies. The cost of archival restoration already amounts to over $700,000. The archives will be considered by FEMA for reimbursement. 

Lusak said that the designers will begin to redesign the lower floor this week. Since the first floor and mezzanine are nearly ready to be opened to the public — after the elevator, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system and electricity are restored — Lusak plans to open the upper levels and have construction on the lower floor occur simultaneously. 

In addition, the storm has exposed issues in the grading and stairwells. “We are looking at ways of safeguarding the building to make sure a situation like that never happens again … we are going to change the grading there [and] we are going to address the stairwells.” 

At Stony Brook University, the rainfall affected 61 buildings, according to university officials; the Ammann and Gray residence halls were hit the hardest, and students residing there had to be reassigned to other buildings. 

Vice President for Facilities and Services Bill Hermann wrote in an email, “In response to the flooding of our residence halls, we advocated for and will be relocating core facilities infrastructure (boilers, electrical equipment, IT and fire alarms) to upper floors.”

The university paid for a comprehensive storm infrastructure study which, according to Hermann, “revealed that our campus growth over the years had not been matched by adequate increases in storm infrastructure capacity.”

The university already addressed some of the weak spots dictated by the study, such as collapsed sections, but still has stormwater maintenance plans in the horizon, one being a plan to implement a stormwater detention and retention system under the athletic stadium surface lot to manage runoff. 

“This mitigation is needed to upgrade and modernize the campus storm infrastructure to meet the current demands,” Hermann wrote. 

At this time, Gloria Rocchio, president of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, was unable to comment on the damage to Harbor Road, the ownership of which is debated as it crosses into Head of the Harbor. 

Head of the Harbor Mayor Michael Utevsky said that discussions are progressing.