Trivia Night Thursdays
The Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor continues its virtual Trivia Night Thursdays for adults on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. The evening will have a love theme in honor of Valentine’s Day. Free to play. $10 suggested donation. Register at cshwhalingmuseum.org. Questions? Call 631-367-3418.
The Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team began their quest for a national championship in earnest on Thursday.
The Seawolves held their first official practice of the spring semester inside the Stony Brook Indoor Training Complex.
Lofty expectations already have been heaped on the program.
Stony Brook enters the 2021 season ranked fifth in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Preseason Top 20 poll. And standout midfielder Ally Kennedy — the subject of soon-to-be aired features on Fox and ABC — landed on the cover of the January issue of US Lacrosse Magazine as the publication’s national Preseason Player of the Year.
“This is probably the realest year that it’s been to accomplish the dream of winning a national championship and getting to the Final Four — being the first Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team to do that,” Kennedy said. “I think it’s right at our fingertips this season.”
Kennedy highlights the deepest midfield of coach Joe Spallina‘s 10-season tenure at Stony Brook. That midfield group also includes USC graduate transfer and former Pac-12 first-team all-conference selection Kaeli Huff, 2019 first-team All-America East pick Siobhan Rafferty (who missed last season rehabbing an ACL tear after tallying 50 goals the previous year), Kira Accettella, Sarah Pulis, Charlotte Verhulst and freshman phenom Ellie Masera, who happens to be Huff’s cousin.
“What’s really cool about it is that everyone is constantly working and giving 110 percent,” Huff said. “It’s not like there’s a drop-off. Every single person is pushing each other and wants to get better.”
During Spallina’s now 10 seasons at the helm, Stony Brook has produced a 143-27 overall record, seven straight America East titles, and currently rides a 44-game winning streak against conference opponents.
Kennedy enters the season ranked second in program history in draw controls (242), fourth in goals (193), fifth in points (248), fifth in ground balls (133) and 10th in assists (55).
Fellow grad student Taryn Ohlmiller, an attacker, was ranked the No. 47 college lacrosse player, man or woman, by Inside Lacrosse in December. She ranks second in program history in career assists (138), third in points (305) and fifth in goals (167).
“Everybody really believes in this. We can make it to the national championship,” Huff said. “It’s really cool to have this common goal. Everybody has bought into that.”
The Reboli Center for Art & History in Stony Brook has named Jessica Randall as its Artisan of the Month for February.
“Jessica’s innovative and intricate work is extraordinary and beautiful,” said Lois Reboli, founder of the Reboli Center and wife of the late renowned artist, Joseph Reboli, for whom the center is named.
A graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Randall is an artist, silversmith and jewelry designer whose studio is located in Setauket. She has been designing and making original jewelry for over 20 years, and is inspired by found objects and nature, particularly the sea. Her pieces are designed to be worn everyday as wearable artwork.
According to Randall, “My jewelry is actually made of “Argentium Sterling Silver,” “Sterling Silver” and/or “24K Gold Vermeil.” This is an important distinction because “24K gold” implies solid gold, which this jewelry is not. “Vermeil” is a French word; it is an industry- standard term that specifically means a layer of 24K gold plating 2.5 microns thick, over a base metal of Sterling Silver. These pieces are made in Sterling Silver and then plated in 24K gold.”
Several years ago, Randall won “Best in Show” for “Mandala Bra,” which was featured in the “Bodacious Bras for a Cure” exhibition at The Wang Center at Stony Brook University. “I was honored to receive this award; but what I felt best about was being able to donate the proceeds from the sale of this piece to Stony Brook University Cancer Center,” said Randall.
“I am proud to be featured as the Artisan of the Month at the Reboli Center as I am an avid fan of Joe’s work! I am especially drawn to the element of mystery that seems to permeate his paintings. There is an aspect of the surreal in many of his beautifully lit, incredibly detailed images of daily life,” she said.
Visitors, fans and those in need of a Valentine’s gift will have an opportunity to meet Randall at The Reboli Center on Saturday, February 6, and Saturday, February 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for two special Valentine’s Day Pop up events! She will be more than happy to help you pick out something special for you or a loved one!
Lois Reboli, president of the Reboli Center, noted that, “The Center is adhering to New York State and Suffolk County coronavirus guidelines, which limits the number of attendees at one time and requires all visitors to wear a mask and socially distance. Please be assured that staff and volunteers will wear masks, and do continuous cleaning and sanitizing.”
Randall’s jewelry is for sale in the Reboli Center’s Design Shop. Located at 64 Main St., Stony Brook, admission to the Center is free, and hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m Masks must be worn, and social distancing is required. For more information on the Artisan of the Month, please call the Reboli Center at 631-751-7707.
Six more weeks of winter or an early spring? On Tuesday, Feb. 2, Town of Brookhaven Superintendent Daniel P. Losquadro will announce Holtsville Hal’s famous forecast in a virtual ceremony to stream live on Facebook from the Holtsville Ecology Site.
According to tradition, if a groundhog sees its shadow after stirring from hibernation on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; if not, spring should arrive early. Hal’s forecast will be revealed at approximately 7:25 a.m.
“Our annual Groundhog Day celebration is an enjoyable tradition for many local families,” Superintendent Losquadro said. “While we are disheartened that we will not be able to open the ceremony to members of the public this year due to potential COVID risks, families will still be able to see Holtsville Hal and learn of his prognostication.”
The online ceremony, which will begin at 7:15 a.m., can be viewed at Facebook.com/brookhavenwildlifecenter and Facebook.com/danlosquadrohwysuperintendent. It will also be viewable on the Town of Brookhaven website, www.BrookhavenNY.gov/896/Groundhog-Day, throughout the day for those who miss the live stream.
Weichert Realtors® — Performance Homes in Farmingdale recently partnered with a Long Island-based charity to help collect clothing for the homeless.
The public was invited to come out and support the Weichert® affiliate’s clothing drive, which ran through late December. Donations collected from community members in Farmingdale, Massapequa, Bethpage and surrounding areas were then dropped off to the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.
Weichert, Realtors® — Performance Homes agents, pictured from left, Joseph Blesi, Jared Garcia, Mark Debrich, Oscar Turcios, Joseph Garcia, Albert Celeste and Lorraine Sorce (not shown) played a vital role in organizing and executing the clothing drive.
“Teaming up with this amazing organization has always been a great way for us to give back to the community and help the less fortunate,” said broker/owner Anthony Garcia. “This was our third year hosting a clothing drive, and we’re extremely proud of all our team members and those in the community who helped make this a great success.”
Preservation Long Island, a regional preservation advocacy group, was awarded a $2,000 reimbursement grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation. The announcement was made in a press release on Jan. 28. The grant has helped Preservation Long Island to preserve valuable operating funds and redirect a portion of funding towards improving online programming capacity.
“We are so grateful for the continued support from the Gardiner Foundation, especially during this challenging time”, said Alexandra Wolfe, Executive Director of Preservation Long Island. “In light of the pandemic, Preservation Long Island, like most of its institutional colleagues, has had to swiftly transition to online platforms to implement our educational and advocacy programs. Relief funds from the Gardiner Foundation have supported technology upgrades and the purchase of video production equipment to improve the quality of programs that have been reformatted for online engagement and feature prominently at our website and Vimeo channel”.
Preservation Long Island initiatives with expanded virtual offerings and enhanced online components include the Jupiter Hammon Project (which now incorporates a growing collection of virtual discussions about salient topics related to the study of enslavement in the north); “Historian’s Stories” where town historians present local history; virtual exhibitions and events with regional partner organizations; and tutorial presentations to help communities and individuals navigate our many preservation advocacy tools including the new Local Landmark Law Locator that provides an easy way to explore local landmark laws in our region.
“The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation hopes that these funds will alleviate at least a small part of Preservation Long Island’s financial burden during these extraordinary times,” said Kathryn M. Curran, Executive Director of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.
Preservation Long Island maintains and interprets historic sites and collections that embody various aspects of Long Island’s history including:
Joseph Lloyd Manor, Lloyd Harbor http://preservationlongisland.org/joseph-lloyd-manor/
Custom House, Sag Harbor http://preservationlongisland.org/custom-house/
Sherwood-Jayne Farm, Setauket http://preservationlongisland.org/sherwood-jayne-farm/
Old Methodist Church and Exhibition Gallery http://preservationlongisland.org/methodist-church/
For more information, visit www.preservationlongisland.org.
As Stony Brook University students resume classes on February 1, the University community will celebrate Black History Month (BHM), honoring the African-American experience and accomplishments. The month-long tribute will be conducted in a hybrid fashion: in-person and virtually via Zoom. It will begin with an opening ceremony featuring keynote speaker Dr. Julieanna Richardson, founder of The HistoryMakers collection on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 1pm. Stony Brook University has recently begun utilizing The HistoryMakers Digital Archives, the nation’s largest African American video oral history collection of scholarly materials which will be the main focus of this year’s celebration.
“In addition to celebrating this long-standing tradition at Stony Brook University, we recognize this pivotal time in America’s history,” said Dr. Judith Brown Clarke, Vice President for Equity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer. “We seek to create a learning experience that will look to end racism, create social change, and build a more humane and just society for African Americans and the entire nation.
The HistoryMakers collection features scholarly materials that provide insight into African-American history, culture and creativity. The HistoryMakers’ founder and BHM keynote speaker Julieanna Richardson will share her vision and desire to preserve the rich history of African Americans. Richardson’s diverse background is in law, television production and the cable television industries and she combined her various work experiences and her passion for American Studies to conceptualize, found and build The HistoryMakers.
This sustainable theme for this year’s BHM is “Sankofa! Black Creativity.” The concept of Sankofa has its origin in Ghana, West Africa. When translated, it means that “it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.” Sankofa is used throughout the pan-African world to promote the idea that African people must go back to their roots in order to move forward. The theme was created to re-ignite awareness, appreciation, passion, and commitment to BHM for all people, but especially those whose ancestors are from the African Diaspora. This year’s theme, “Sankofa! Black Creativity” pays tribute to those who have enriched American life with their invaluable contributions to science, education, economics, political movements and the arts and who have worked and continue to strive to rectify inequality and injustice in our society.
Events:
Throughout BHM, Stony Brook University will feature a number of educational, cultural and historical community events including:
Wednesday, February 3, 1pm: Black History Month Opening Ceremony. To register, visit stonybrook.edu/bhm
Monday, February 15, 1pm: Culinary Events for Students, Faculty and Staff: Teaching Kitchen
Tuesday, February 16, All Day: Culinary Events for Students, Faculty and Staff: Culinary Highlights Guest Chefs
Thursday, February 18, 8pm: Paint By Numbers: Black History Month Edition
Friday, February 19, 8pm: “Akeelah and The Bee” Movie and Craft Night
Saturday, February 20, 9pm: Black History Bingo
Monday, February 22: 7pm: Spoken Word/Open Mic Contest
Tuesday, February 23: 1pm: Culinary Events for Students, Faculty and Staff: Inclusive Eats
Tuesday, February 23: All Day: Culinary Events for Students, Faculty and Staff Guest Chef: Lindsey Romain
Closing Ceremony: TBD
Black History Month activities at Stony Brook University are coordinated by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of Africana Studies and the Black History Month Committee.
Pack the family into the car for a Birds of Prey Drive Thru at Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown on Thursday, March 4. You’ll be meeting and learning about five of their raptor animal ambassadors from the comfort of your own car. Choose a time slot between 3 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 per car. Register at www.sweetbriarnc.org. For more information, call 631-979-6344.
*This event was updated on Feb. 3 to reflect the new date.
Like many small not-for-profits, the Three Village Historical Society has struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas in the past — from our beginnings — we were fortunate to be able to rely primarily on memberships, private donations and revenue from major events like our Candlelight House Tour — our biggest annual fundraiser. That model is not sustainable during the current pandemic.
The board of trustees has worked hard over the past 10 months in an attempt to reorganize and economize. During this time, we have developed more efficient processes, secured small grants, held fundraising events, lobbied both the town and county for support, met with local sister organizations regarding collaborations and consulted with others about possible strategies. Despite these efforts, like many other local businesses, we have a challenging 12 to 18 months ahead of us.
As of Jan. 22, day-to-day operations have been temporarily restricted. Programs will be suspended, and staff has been trimmed down. We will maintain our phone, email and social media communications and will continue to provide monthly Zoom lectures. Our primary purpose at this point is to ensure the care, protection and integrity of our collections and continue our online programming.
Please check our website (tvhs.org) and social media for announcements. We will continue to share updates throughout this period. While there is limited response by phone, we remain available to answer questions by email and work with you. We can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by phone at 631-751-3730.
We are in this together and understand many local businesses and nonprofits are suffering. We thank you for your support and understanding. Buy local. Support local.
Stephen Healy, President
Three Village Historical Society
NEWARK, N.J. — A day after coach Geno Ford lamented the Stony Brook men’s basketball team’s defensive execution, the Seawolves clamped down on Jan. 24.
Stony Brook rebounded from a defeat the previous day to beat host NJIT, 56-44.
The Seawolves held the Highlanders to 13 first-half points. It was the fewest points scored by a Seawolves opponent in a half since UMBC mustered only 10 in the second half of an 83-39 loss to Stony Brook on Feb. 19, 2013.
Juan Felix Rodriguez (16 points) and Frankie Policelli (11) each scored in double-figures in Sunday’s victory, while Mouhamadou Gueye contributed a career-high 14 of the Seawolves’ eyepopping 55 rebounds.
Stony Brook trailed 36-35 after a three-pointer from NJIT’s Miles Coleman with 10:58 remaining in the game. The Seawolves then answered with a 10-0 run that included three field goals from Rodriguez.
The Seawolves (7-7, 5-3) maintained the lead the rest of the way despite shooting 1-for-19 from three-point range for the game.
Stony Brook snapped a three-game conference losing streak to stay in the upper echelon of the conference.
“It was a grind,” Rodriguez said. “Coming from the two losses from the last weekend and the loss yesterday, we needed this win. We came in with the mentality to get that W.”
Said Ford: “As a staff I felt like we were playing for our lives today. Losing stinks.”
Stony Brook held NJIT leading scorer Zach Cooks to four points on 1-for-13 shooting from the field. The 55 rebounds marked the most since producing that same number against Farmingdale State on Nov. 11, 2019.
“I was super-pleased with our defensive effort, obviously, today,” Ford said. “I know they missed some shots. But clearly we did, too. We missed almost all of them.
“It’s the first game since we’ve returned (from a two-week COVID pause) that we mentally and physically competed at a high level. That looked like our team from four weeks ago. And not because we won. We could have lost, and I would have just said, ‘Well, we didn’t shoot it good.’ But, man, we did a look of good things. Anytime you out-rebound people like we did, you know guys are playing super hard.”
With America East shuffling schedules due to COVID-related pauses, Stony Brook now will host Hartford Jan. 30 and 31 at Island Federal Arena. Start time for both games is 2 p.m.
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