A winter storm watch has been issued for Long Island in effect from early Thursday morning through late Thursday night with total snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
“Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute,” said the announcement. It also warned of heavy snow which will also impact portions of northeast New Jersey, southern Connecticut and New York City.
For hourly updates, visit the National Weather Service Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NWSNewYorkNY
Northport Junior Sophia Bica slices through the defense on her way to the hoop vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Bica drives to hoop vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Bica is one of Newsday's Top 100 Players on Long Island. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Emma Blanco shoots over Lindenhurst's Rachel Healy in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Bica shoots over Lindenhurst's Cicely Meza and Taylor Santha in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Emma Blanco goes in for a layup vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Yearwood drives past Kelly Griffin of Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Yearwood is one of Newsday's Top 100 Players on Long Island. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Yearwood grabs a rebound vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Bica scores two of her 21 points vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Rachel Mincone drives to hoop vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Yearwood driving to the hoop vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Yearwood drives to the hoop vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Yearwood drives to the hoop vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Northport Junior Sophia Yearwood grabs a rebound vs. Lindenhurst in the Lady Tigers Opening Day 80-32 win on Friday, Feb 12. Photo by Steven Zaitz
By Steven Zaitz
The Power Triangle may be gone, but success roars on for the Lady Tigers.
The Northport girls basketball team picked up right where they left off pre-pandemic, as they opened the short season last Friday with an 80-32 dismantling of the Lindenhurst Bulldogs.
Daniella Pavinelli, Kelly McLaughlin and Kerry Dennin, highly decorated players that led the Lady Tigers to the Suffolk County championship in 2020, are now freshmen
in college.
However, Coach Richard Castellano has seen this movie. He has been putting together championship caliber teams for four decades and is fully aware that each player’s tenure with the team, no matter how talented they are, is so very finite.
“Yeah, we lost a few players,” said the affable Castellano in a fit of understatement. “But every team does. We try to put five girls on the floor who can score and five girls who can play defense. If we share the wealth and share the basketball, we are successful. And today we were.”
The players have obviously bought in to this style of ball as ten different Tigers registered points in this opening day rout that took place at Lindenhurst.
Juniors Sophia Bica and Sophia Yearwood led the way, combining for 40 points and 15 rebounds. As the first half lead ballooned to 20, it was Sophia and Sophia slicing and dicing through Lindenhurst’s defense, which seemed to be in no mood to guard anyone. Bica had 21 points to lead Northport with Yearwood booking 19. They both rested the entire 4th quarter.
Junior forward Allison Soule was a terror around the rim with 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, and team captain Emma Blanco had 10 points. Natalia Donofrio and Rachel Mincone added a thick layer of icing on the cake combining for 12 points in the 4th quarter, with Donofrio canning two 3-pointers, and Mincone injecting her signature brand of energy despite the lopsided score.
Lindenhurst forward Kelly Griffin, who led all scorers with 23, scored 18 of those in the first half, as the Tiger defense clamped down on her as the game wore on. The rest of Griffin’s teammates combined for only 9 points for the entire game and the Bulldogs failed to score even a single point in the 4th quarter.
“She (Griffin) was second in Suffolk County in 3-point goals last year, and we knew we had to key on her,” Castellano said. “We didn’t defend as well as I know we can in the first half.”
That might seem a little bit of a harsh critique for a team that pitched a shutout for an entire quarter of basketball, but Castellano has built both a reputation and a program that constantly strives for excellence. He and his Lady Tigers are never satisfied.
“I’m blessed to have girls who buy into the design of sharing the ball and finding the open person,” he said. “It’s something that we as a program always take pride in.”
To punctuate this resounding victory, the next day, Bica and Yearwood were listed in Newsday’s Top 100 girls basketball players on Long Island for 2021. Lindenhurst’s Griffin is also on the list.
“It is an honor to be mentioned along with these talented female athletes,” Bica said. “It is very encouraging to see that with hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything you put your mind to. I have been fortunate enough to work with great coaches and trainers who helped me develop into the player I am today.”
As has been the protocol, there were no fans in the stands as Section XI is doing everything in its power to allow high school athletics to continue uninterrupted. They have provided livestreams to many high school events that can be found on the Section XI website, www.sectionxi.org.
The Lady Tigers have a grueling schedule in the next 10 days, playing seven games.
“It doesn’t make for a lot of practice time,” Castellano said. “But these are crazy times for everyone, and we have to make the best of it.”
Amongst the Middle Country Public Library’s many historical artifacts are a few that explain just how far the area has come from its pastoral routes.
The pictures and story below comes courtesy of a collaborative effort among the librarian staff.
Maybelle Still (Walcott) sits at the wheel of this automobile along with three of her colleagues who are out promoting the Work Projects Administration in Selden.
The WPA was an ambitious employment and infrastructure program created by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935 during the Great Depression with the goal to put Americans back to work.
In Brookhaven Town, sidewalk projects were approved at the cost of $63,531 for Lake Ronkonkoma, Mastic Beach and Selden.
The Federal government contributed $38,512 to those projects.
The Selden project plans were drafted by Norton Brothers of Patchogue and called for the construction of sidewalks along a strip of land on the south side of Middle Country Road from Evergreen Avenue to Dare Road.
The materials for these projects were purchased through the Brookhaven Town projects office by purchasing agent and Centereach resident, Arthur W. Murray.
For many students on Long Island, after-school activities have been canceled until further notice due to the pandemic. However, R. C. Murphy Junior High School is one of the very few schools that were able to overcome all obstacles and revive its drama department, making their performance of the musical “Pippin,” which tells the story of a young prince in early Middle Ages searching for meaning and significance, possible again.
Together with the help of the Three Village Central School District Board of Education, director Anthony Pollera was able to allow himself to think outside the box and find a way to organize the show as well as adhere to COVID-19 guidelines. As a result, he came up with the idea to record the show and sell it as a DVD.
Despite the restrictions, Pollera made “Pippin” safe for the students. All singing parts were prerecorded and performed 12 feet apart, and dancing portions were performed 6 feet apart. Each actor wore masks that worked well with their costumes.
“Our board and superintendent are so supportive of music, theater and the arts.” Pollera said, “They are the reason why all these programs are still ongoing. This group of leaders in our district has rolled up their sleeves and found a way to make it work for us.”
“Pippin” was supposed to be showcased last March but was abruptly canceled once schools began to shut down. Many tickets had already been sold, and Pollera said the students made it all the way to dress rehearsal when two days before the first performance Murphy officially shut down.
“They were crushed, but we felt it was only fair to do the same musical [again],” Pollera said. “However, to be fair and honest, we still held auditions and cast the parts accordingly.”
The students and their parents were more than happy to be back in show business. Dylan Saavedra, who stars as Pippin, said he couldn’t wait to be back on stage, and his parents were equally as thrilled.
“My parents wanted me back in theater because they knew I was going crazy without it,” Dylan said. “They were pumped that we could do this safely. With masks it is harder to do acting, but they were still super pumped and excited to see it.”
Rachel Rose, who is a leading character in the musical, said while face masks made it harder for the students to act, they took a positive spin on this obstacle and saw it as a personal challenge. In the end, it would improve their acting skills.
“I think it’s so easy to get caught up in facial expressions that you don’t realize so much of acting is your movement and your voice,” Rachel said. “Wearing a mask has definitely forced me to focus on that, but I think it’s a challenge that is only going to make us better ultimately.”
Details about the “Pippin” DVD release date have not been announced yet.
Through a Zoom meeting Feb. 4, the Smithtown Town Board and residents gathered together virtually to elaborate on the efforts of the town and H2M Architects and Engineers, of Melville, to implement a comprehensive master plan within the next couple of years. The meeting followed other public outreach meetings that have been held since the middle of January to discuss specific plans for Commack, Hauppauge, Nesconset, Kings Park and St. James.
On December 15, 2020, the town released a draft comprehensive plan and initiated the State Environmental Quality Review process.
Directing participants through a slideshow of statistics and ambitions allowed Allyson Murray, principal planner of the Planning Department, to detail the progress of their collaborative efforts with H2M.
Murray said that the town’s former plan “is outdated,” considering the last time it had been adopted was 1957 — and once more before that in 1949. She especially elucidated that the plan’s proposals were only hypothetical and subject to alteration at any point in the next two years.
“There have been questions in some of the past presentations where people thought some of the made recommendations in the plan were 100 percent going to happen,” Murray said. “That’s not really the case — these are guiding policy recommendations that may be implemented.”
The town extended its public outreach to the community in advance in 2019. Murray emphasized that announcements had been made at each of the Town Board meetings, fliers distributed in the downtown areas and in schools, and mentioned the various articles featured in local newspapers.
The presentation made available to those on the call had been made possible from the result of public outreach that the Town Board extended. In addition to the 1,200 responses that the town had garnered in the spring of 2019, it also hosted 370 participants over the course of six community-planning workshops.
“This is the public input over the course of months we were taking it,” Murray said. “H2M took these comments, met with the town, and began preparing that draft plan.”
The plan’s formulation took one year following community feedback.
Smithtown residents felt there was an increased need for safety and renovations, also people needed high quality to be upheld and refurbishments made in several areas of the town.
Pedestrian safety was highlighted as a significant concern, which included enhancing walkability along Main Street as well as the general streetscape. The community also wanted to see the removal of fences that separate the town, county and state parks, and more buildings added to the National and State Registers of Historic Places.
Murray advised what the next steps of the plan would entail for the town and community. In March, a public hearing on the draft plan is set to occur with a date to be determined, which would allow for further public feedback and revision of the plan as necessary. Another hearing will occur in May when the final comprehensive plan will be formatted.
The Town Board recommends that the community continues to provide as much feedback as possible by utilizing its website and to see what the comprehensive plan holds in store for Smithtown’s future.
Valentine’s Day penny postcard circa 1909-1911. Image from Beverly C. Tyler's collection
By Beverly C. Tyler
The celebration of Feb. 14 began as an ancient Roman ceremony called the Feast of the Lupercalia. It was on the eve of the Feast of the Lupercalia in the year 270 that Valentinus, a Roman priest, was executed. According to an article in the Nuremberg Chronicle, published in December of 1493, “Valentinus was said to have performed valiant service in assisting Christian Martyrs during their persecution under Emperor Claudius II. Giving aid and comfort to Christians at that time was considered a crime, and for his actions Valentinus was clubbed, stoned and beheaded.” The Roman pagan festivals were spread over the world as the Romans conquered various lands.
Valentine’s Day penny postcard circa 1909-1911. Image from Beverly C. Tyler’s collection
In Britain during the middle ages, these customs were observed and Alban Butler describes that “to abolish the heathens’ lewd, superstitious custom of boys drawing the names of girls in honour of their goddess . . . several zealous pastors substituted the names of Saints on billets given on this day.” It is also thought that when the early Christian church reorganized the calendar of festival they substituted the names of Christian Saints for the pagan names and allocated Feb. 14 to St. Valentine.
The tradition of sending messages, gifts and expressions of love on Valentine’s Day goes back to at least the 15th century. In 1477, in Britain, John Paston wrote to his future wife, “Unto my ryght wele belovyd Voluntyn – John Paston Squyer.”
By the 17th century, Valentine’s Day was well established as an occasion for sending cards, notes or drawings to loved ones. An early British valentine dated 1684 was signed by Edward Sangon, Tower Hill, London. “Good morrow Vallentine, God send you ever to keep your promise and bee constant ever.”
In America the earliest valentines that are known date to the middle of the 18th century. These handmade greetings were often very artistically done and included a heart or a lover’s knot. They were folded, sealed and addressed without the use of an envelope. Until the 1840s, the postal rate was determined by the distance to be traveled and the number of sheets included, so an envelope would have doubled the cost.
In 1840 Nichols Smith Hawkins age 25 of Stony Brook sent a valentine to his paternal first cousin Mary Cordelia Bayles, age 18. The original does not exist, but her reply, written two days after Valentine’s Day, says a great deal. “Much Esteemed Friend – I now take this opportunity to write a few lines to you to let you know that I received your letter last evening. I was very happy to hear from you and to hear that you hadent forgot me and thought enough of me to send me a Valentine. I havent got anything now to present to you but I will not forget you as quick, as I can make it conveinant I will get something for you to remember me by.
“You wrote that you wanted me to make you happy by becoming yourn. I should like to comfort you but I must say that I cannot for particular reasons. It isn’t because I don’t respect you nor do I think that I ever shall find anyone that will do any better by me. I sincerely think that you will do as well by me as anyone. I am very sorry to hear that it would make you the most miserable wretch on earth if I refused you for I cannot give you any encouragement. I beg to be excused for keeping you in suspense so long and then deny you. Believe me my friend I wouldn’t if I thought of denying you of my heart and hand. I think just as much of you now as ever I did. I cannot forget a one that I do so highly respect. You will think it very strange then why I do refuse you. I will tell you although I am very sorry to say so it is on the account of the family. They do oppose me very much. They say so much that I half to refuse you. It is all on their account that I do refuse so good an offer. I sincerely hope that it will be for the best.”
We don’t know the members of Mary’s family who opposed her marriage to Nichols. Was it her parents who had died in 1836 and 1838 respectively, or the family members that Mary most likely went to live with when she became an orphan at age 16 or 17? Whatever the circumstances their love for each other continued to bloom.
Four days after replying to the Valentine letter, Mary again replied to a letter from Nichols. “Dear Cousin – I received your letter yesterday morning. I was very sorry to hear that you was so troubled in mind. I don’t doubt but what you do feel very bad for I think that I can judge you by my own feelings but we must get reconciled to our fate. . . Keep your mind from it as much as you can and be cheerful for I must tell you as I have told you before that I cannot relieve you by becoming your bride, therefore I beg and entreat on you not to think of me anymore as a companion through life for if you make yourself unhappy by it, you will make me the most miserable creature in the world to think that I made you so unhappy. . . I must now close my letter with my love to you. – This is from your most unhappy cousin M__________________ ”
At least two other letters, written the following year, were sent to Nichols from Mary. The letters continued to express the friendship that existed between them. The story does not end there. Mary’s letters are in the Three Village Historical Society archive collection.
On Feb. 11, 1849 (three days before Valentine’s Day), Nichols Smith Hawkins, age 34, married Mary Cordelia Bayles, age 27. Coincidentally, Nichols parents, William Hawkins and Mary Nichols were married on Valentine’s Day in 1813. Nichols and Mary raised three children who lived beyond childhood (two others died in 1865 within a month of each other). Nichols was a farmer and the family lived in Stony Brook. Mary died January 30, 1888 at the age of 66 and Nichols died February 10, 1903, at the age of 88. They are buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Stony Brook.
Valentines became fancier and more elaborate through the second half of the 19th century. After 1850 the valentine slowly became a more general greeting rather than a message sent to just one special person. The advent of the picture postal card in 1907, which allowed messages to be written on one half of the side reserved for the address, started a national craze that saw every holiday become a reason for sending a postcard and Valentine’s Day the occasion for a flood of one cent expressions of love.
Beverly C. Tyler is the Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Rd., Setauket. For more information, call 631-751-3730 or visit tvhs.org.
The month of February has a few important events to celebrate. One such event is Presidents’ Day, which this year will be observed on February 15. Presidents’ Day honors both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, two influential presidents who were born in February.
Some may recall a legend about George Washington and a cherry tree, as it’s one of the most popular tales tied to the nation’s first president. The original story has a young George receiving a hatchet as a gift when he is six years old. Young George ends up using it to cut into his father’s cherry tree. After discovering the damage, George’s father confronts him. Rather than lie, George admits to his wrongdoing. George’s father commends him for his honesty, indicating that honesty has more value than a cherry tree.
While no one is suggesting to cut down a cherry tree in February in honor of George Washington, the value of this tale and lesson can be celebrated symbolically with these two tasty recipes, a Cherry Coffee Cake and Martha Washington’s Cherry and Butter Bread Pudding.
Cherry Coffee Cake
Add some sweetness to your breakfast routine with this delicious and easy-to-make morning snack.
YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 can (12.4 ounces) refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
1 1/2 cups (21-ounce can) cherry pie filling
1/2 cup slivered almonds or pecans (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375 F. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Separate cinnamon roll dough into eight rolls; cut each roll into quarters. Place dough rounded-side down in pan. Spoon pie filling over rolls. Sprinkle almond slivers or pecans over cherry filling, if desired. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Invert onto plate or cutting board. Invert again onto serving plate. Remove lid from icing. Microwave 3 to 10 seconds. Stir icing and drizzle over warm coffee cake before serving.
This recipe is rumored to be our first First Lady’s favorite dessert to make. A firm bread like Pepperidge Farm or Arnold is recommended, and while cherry preserves are used for this recipe, any type of fruit preserve may be substituted.
YIELD: Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
12 slices white bread
Butter or margarine
Cinnamon
10-oz. cherry preserves
4 eggs
2 and 2/3 cups milk
2 tablespoons of sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8 inch baking dish. Cut crusts from 12 slices white bread. Spread butter on one side of each slice. Arrange 4 slices bread in bottom of dish and sprinkle each lightly with cinnamon. Spread a spoonful of cherry preserves on each slice. Repeat, making two more layers. Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk and sugar and stir until well mixed. Pour over bread and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until top is golden brown and the custard is set. Serve warm from the oven.
This article first appeared in TBR News Media’s Prime Times supplement on Jan. 28, 2021 under Recipe Corner.
Tom Caruso of Smithtown sent in this incredible photo just in time for Valentine’s Day. He writes, ‘I recently installed a bird feeder in my backyard and I’ve been able to photograph some very beautiful birds. None is as beautiful as this male Northern Cardinal. This regal bird was taking a break from dining at my feeder when I snapped this picture.My camera was able to capture an amazing amount of detail in his feathers.’
Being taught how to cross the street has apparently gone out the window. Young adults and even children are riding their bikes into oncoming traffic.
We’re sick of it.
Long Island has some of the most aggressive drivers in the country — why do we have to worry about high schoolers popping a wheelie in front of our cars on a major county road?
And they don’t care. They laugh it off, make faces or — worse — curse at us like it was our fault they chose to almost kill themselves.
The worst part is, though, someone is bound to eventually get hurt — something we truly do not want to see.
But we are grateful to the Suffolk County legislators who are trying their hardest to crack down on people taking advantage of our streets. Whether it’s a child or an adult riding their bike down the hill in a pack, bicyclists have become difficult to deal with.
And that’s sad, because we don’t want to banish or punish them for something so healthy, but there needs to be more communication.
While county Legislator Rudy Sunderman’s (R-Mastic) recent reckless bicycling bill is rather harsh by telling riders that they could face jail time for inappropriate biking, if everyone just listened to their mothers, grandmothers, fathers and teachers to not go near a fast-moving car, then this wouldn’t have been a problem.
And more adults can speak up. In the summer of 2019, officers with the Suffolk County Police Department’s 4th Precinct spoke with TBR News Media about their program to educate reckless bicycle riders. The officers compiled a video with clips of teens creating havoc on Smithtown. The purpose was to use the video to educate parents after officers stop a youth for reckless bicycling.
Even without watching such a video, adults know riding in the middle of a busy street is not safe. Before someone faces jail time, educate your children, speak up to the young people who harass you with their bikes.
Of course, the driver of a 3-ton vehicle will be blamed if someone gets hurt, but that shouldn’t be the case. Bike riders should not be taking advantage of our streets and should not be risking their lives by showing off unnecessary tricks.
We all know what wheelies look like. They’re not original, and we don’t care.
After over a year off due to COVID-19 —371 days to be exact — the Mount Sinai Mustangs varsity basketball team brushed the dust off their jerseys on Tuesday night, as they easily defeated the East Hampton Bonackers 66-41.
“Kids missed it, we missed it, we love being in the gym. We weren’t able to be in the gym during the offseason,” Mount Sinai head coach Ryan McNeely said postgame. “From the first day after tryouts where we were back in the gym, you could feel the energy and excitement of the kids. This was great for them.”
Photo by Andrew Zucker
For the first half, the Bonackers were one step behind the Mustangs, as Mount Sinai led 27-22 at the half.
In the third quarter, the Mustangs unleashed an offensive barrage that East Hampton could not contain as the deficit grew from five to 21 points.
“In the first half, you could see we were a little rusty to start off the game,” McNeely said. “All of the sudden, we started getting things clicking at once.”
Thomas Frycek and Mitchell Cumings led Mount Sinai’s high-powered offense.
Frycek scored 25 points while hitting seven shots from beyond the three-point line, and Cumings chipped in 13.
The Bonackers were led in scoring by Topher Cullen and Luke Reese, who scored 13 points apiece.
The Mustangs have a practice scheduled Wednesday before they head to Sayville for a game on Feb. 11, while East Hampton heads home for a bout with Miller Place the same day.
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