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TBR Staff

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TBR News Media covers everything happening on the North Shore of Suffolk County from Cold Spring Harbor to Wading River.

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Brodie Centauro as Scrooge in a scene from ‘A Christmas Carol’ at CMPAC. Photo by Lisa Schindlar

By Charles J. Morgan

Madison Square Garden’s “A Christmas Carol-The Musical” opened on Saturday, Nov. 21, at Oakdale’s CMPAC. That massive venue unveiled an equally massive cast with electronically fed music, and came up with a tightly executed rendition of that theatrical classic.

Brodie Centauro as Scrooge in a scene from ‘A Christmas Carol’ at CMPAC. Photo by Lisa Schindlar
Brodie Centauro as Scrooge in a scene from ‘A Christmas Carol’ at CMPAC. Photo by Lisa Schindlar

Your scribe takes pleasure in discussing Ronald Green III’s costumes. It may appear odd that costume design would appear first in a review, but your scribe was so impressed with Green’s effort, producing as it did a totally authentic representation of Dickensian, mid-Victorian dress.

Green’s attention to detail was seen even in a short vignette of a properly bewigged judge and a uniformed London bobby in Act II. All the cast members were costumed in varying versions of mid-19th century attire; some painstaking research was done here. Authenticity was called for and Green delivered.

The leading role of the penurious, miserly, arrogant opinionated, skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge was played stingingly by Brodie Centuro, no stranger to CMPAC. He accurately depicted the penny-pinching, negative nature of Scrooge, and with skillful “range-ability” revealed the lurking charity in the old codger with notable skill. This is what the craft of acting is all about: to exhibit sincere, believable change.

The principal ghost is that of Scrooge’s old partner Jacob Marley, laden with chains, each link made of bills from his accounting desk, and had Don Dowdell torturing the soul of Scrooge very effectively.

He was followed by three ghosts: Christmas Past-Steve Cottonaro, Present-Kyle Petty and Yet-To-Be-Alison Carella. Cottonaro and Petty were outstanding with Cottonaro all over the boards and Petty in royal garb working with dancers. Carella had the somber, deadly part of pointing to gravestones with guess-who’s name on one of them. Carella did it forcefully and with impact.

Mark Slomowitz played Mr. Fezziwig, the contra-Scrooge. Along with his wife, played by Kaylyn Lewis, he held an annual ball full of merry music and dancing. Theirs was the life-affirming attitude. Slomowitz was his usual adaptable self, as when he played Luther Bilis in South Pacific. Lewis is possessed of a powerful singing voice that reached all the way to Sayille … at least.

The loyal, hard-working Cratchit family had its head, Bob, played by Bobby Peterson, Katie Hoffman as his wife and Skylar Greene, Daniel Belyansky and Jack Dowdell (the lovable Tiny Tim) as his children. This grouping was the very opposite of Scrooge. They even toast him at Christmas dinner.

Fred, Scrooge’s nephew, is handled neatly by Joseph Bebry. He was the link between Scrooge’s loneliness and the family. And he brought it off with palpable accuracy.

The ghosts parade Scrooge through his life. At 8, he’s played by Jack Dowdell; at 12 by Daniel Belyansky and at by 18 Matthew W. Surico. This trio managed to sort out just the right tempo to reveal the evolution of Scrooge from promising young businessman to scolding curmudgeon … not an easy acting-directing task. A lot of children and bit players, with many doubling, rounded out the cast.

Notable was Dana Abruzzo as “Blind Hag,” who delivered a Teresias-like prophecy to Scrooge, biting in its impact.

Choreography was done by Kristen Digilio. She moved the characters around the crowded boards with precision and grace. Set design was by the unstoppable Patrick Grossman, who brought out the 19th Century outdoor setting with the same accuracy that showed his talents with non-naturalistic interiors. Overall direction was by Terry Brennan. Her directorial challenge here was with the enormous size of the cast, yet Brennan surmounted it handily.

Outstanding musical numbers included “Link By Link” by Marly, Scrooge and Ghosts. It was a moral, cautionary tale delivered eerily by the two with ethereal accompaniment. Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim’s duo, “You Mean More to Me,” was a tender ballad with understated pathos. “A Place Called Home” by Scrooge at 18 and in old age with Emily, played by Ashley Beard, was a sort of hymn to unrequited love. The lively, merry Mr. Fezziwig’s Annual Ball was a welcome merry romp.

This production was far from an “annual” seasonal show. It represented the essence of technical and aesthetic prowess only to be expected from the folks at CMPAC.

CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Highway, Oakdale, will present Madison Square Garden’s “A Christmas Carol” through Dec. 29. Tickets range from $20 to $29. For more information, call 631-218-2810 or visit www.cmpac.com.

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By Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel

When I was growing up, Hanukkah was literally a “festival of many lights!” As the oldest of six children, my parents gave each one of us our own chanukiyah. (Note: A menorah is any multibranched candelabra. A chanukiyah is a menorah specifically designated for Hanukkah. It has nine candle holders: one for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, plus one for the “shammash” — the helper candle that is used to light the other candles.)

Every morning during Hanukkah, each of us would carefully choose which color candles we were going to light that night. My mother placed a table in front of one of our living room windows with all of the chanukiyot (plural form of chanukiyah) circled strategically around. The mitzvah — the commandment — of Hanukkah is to publicize the miracle. Hence the directive to light the candles in a window. My siblings and I loved watching all those candles burn and glow!

I have a collection of many beautiful and unique chanukiyot now. But the one I still use every year on Hanukkah is the one I used growing up, the one I inherited from my mother. It is not beautiful, but it takes me back to my childhood, it reminds me of my mother and helps make me feel as if she is part of my Hanukkah celebration, even though she is no longer alive. That feeling helps the flame of my candles glow even more brightly.

It is no accident that Hanukkah, our festival of lights, occurs during December. These are some of the darkest days/nights of the year: We are approaching the winter solstice. Once again, Hanukkah reminds us that during the darkest time of the year, we human beings have the power to kindle lights against the darkness. We have the power to brighten the lives of others.

For those who celebrate Hanukkah, let me suggest that we can make the flames of our own Hanukkah candles burn even more brightly by dedicating at least one of the nights of our own Hanukkah celebration to a family tzedakah (social justice/charity) project instead of giving gifts to each other. The word tzedakah comes from the root tzedek — which means “justice” and “righteousness.” We don’t simply give tzedakah because it makes us feel good, but rather out of our sense of responsibility to God and to taking care of others in the world around us.

There are a number of different provisions for tzedakah outlined in the Jewish tradition. They all center around one basic principle: No matter what form our tzedakah takes, we must make sure that we never compromise anyone’s dignity, honor or self-respect. In fact, the highest form of tzedakah is when we can help someone to help themselves, so that they will no longer be dependent upon the help of others.

This year, may the light of the Hanukkah candles ignite the spark of justice, passion for human rights and freedom for all.

Chag Urim Sameach! May you have a Happy Festival of Lights!

Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel is the Rabbi at Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook.

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Lisa Lally, above, hands out Miller Place sports T-shirts. Photo from Lally

By Clayton Collier

Before Lisa Lally retired last month, the longtime Miller Place athletic director had some parting words of advice for her successor.

“She said to remember to find time for family and make time for myself along the way,” said Ron Petrie, current Miller Place athletic director and head football coach. “It’s a very easy job to get lost in.”

Lisa Lally, above, hands out Miller Place sports T-shirts. Photo from Lally
Lisa Lally, above, hands out Miller Place sports T-shirts. Photo from Lally

The 2010 Section XI Athletic Director of the Year said it was for a similar reason that she decided to retire from the position she held for 13 years.

“You are problem solving constantly,” Lally said. “I enjoy that, but I think it requires a tremendous amount of focus and a tremendous amount of time away from other aspects of your life, and I think I was ready to focus in on other things.”

Deputy Superintendent Seth Lipshie, who has known Lally for more than 25 years, said his longtime co-worker’s efforts did not go unnoticed at Miller Place.

“In athletics, Lisa has incorporated a strong emphasis on sportsmanship while striving to be successful in competition,” he said. “The thing that drove Lisa the most was her priority she placed on what is in the best interest of the student-athlete. She derived as much pleasure in the success of her coaches and players as anyone in Miller Place.”

Nearly 150 people attended Lally’s retirement reception on October 27 at Willow Creek in Mount Sinai. Petrie said attendees included a wide variety of current and former colleagues from her more than 30 years with the district.

“It was a really nice event to celebrate not just her time here working, but also the life that she leads and the respect that she has gained over that period of time,” Petrie said.

Lally grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, playing basketball and softball in high school, after the passage of Title IX before her freshman year, and won the 1978 female athlete of the year at Greenwich High School.

Lally graduated from Southern Connecticut State College in May 1982, with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. That summer, Lally moved to Long Island and soon began working as a substitute teacher and the junior varsity girls’ basketball coach at Miller Place. By September 1983, Lally had earned a full-time physical education teaching position.

She also coached field hockey, softball and volleyball in her career with Miller Place, but she indisputably had the most success coaching basketball, being named coach of the year five times — three times with the JV team and twice with varsity, winning the league championship in each of her last two years as coach.

In July 2002, Lally was named an assistant principal at Miller Place High School, a position she said did not suit her well.

“I was out of my comfort area in a lot of respects,” she said. “I was being asked to oversee a lot of areas that I did not feel I had working knowledge about.”

So when the position of athletic director became available just two months later, Lally saw an opportunity to move to a field she felt more comfortable in. Still, Lally said she had her hesitations in making such a “big leap” to athletic director, or the “right leap” as she describes it looking back.

“I was afraid of the job itself, initially,” Lally said. “Like wow, this is big. But I also knew it was part of my bloodline; it was who I was; it was something I knew.”

Every job comes with its own challenges, and an athletic director certainly is no exception. Lally said the most difficult part of her job early on was having to cut costs.

“Athletics, while it’s a very vital part of our school community, it’s also one of those areas that can be cut, because it’s not mandated,” she said. “So learning how to cut lots and lots of money out of a program without annihilating an entire program; it was very, very difficult.”

Petrie, who had the opportunity to observe Lally’s work in his roles as both the football coach and the assistant athletic director, said she was balanced to all athletic programs, both large and small.

“If we couldn’t afford to go out and get a high-end piece of equipment or put off getting new jerseys for a year or so, it was understood because nobody else was getting it,” he said. “It was pretty flat across the board and she was fair with it. I never felt we were being overlooked or not prioritized.”

It was that approach that Petrie said earned Lally respect amongst her peers in the district.

“Fairness was something that was always associated with how Lisa handled things,” he said. “She made sure that all kids were considered in any decision she was making.”

Lally’s involvement in high school athletics has not just been limited to Miller Place school district. Lally served on the Section XI executive board from 2003 until this past fall, and was president from 2006 to 2008. Lipshie said Lally’s service on the Section XI board provided a great benefit to the advancement of the Miller Place athletic department.

“She has been deeply involved in athletics on both the county and the state level, serving as the section president and the section representative on the state level,” he said. “Through Lisa, Miller Place has had a voice on legislation and has provided Miller Place with the most current information that impacts our student-athletes.”

With several construction projects and new facilities being put in place at the time of her retirement, Miller Place school district had Lally and Petrie work alongside one another beginning in July. It was through this time, as well as Petrie’s tenure as the football coach, that Lally said makes her confident in Petrie as her successor.

“We’ve been together through some really high points and some real low points, and I think you learn about a person’s character during those low points,” she said. “Frankly, his stock has only gone up over these past four months. Watching him making decisions and dealing with staff and students, I think he is going to be terrific, and I think he is going to bring the program to a level I hadn’t even thought about.”

Though retired, Lally hasn’t completely separated herself from involvement in athletic administration, regularly teaching a required course on Section XI. In doing so, Lally says she can enjoy her time with family, while also still making an impact.

“I’m keeping my feet in the game, but not quite as actively as I had in the past,” she said. “I’m not looking to just wither on the vine. I can pick and choose what I’m involved with; we’ll see how this retirement thing works out.”

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Three’s company
A 40-year-old woman, a 38-year-old man and a 58-year-old man all from Huntington were arrested for multiple charges inside a 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo on High Street in Huntington at 10:15 a.m. on Nov. 28. Police said the woman had cocaine and 19 hypodermic needles with heroin residue on them. She was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Police said the 38-year-old man was driving with a suspended license, was in possession of prescription pills without a prescription and had five glass pipes in his possession with cocaine residue on them. He was charged with loitering, unlawful use of a controlled substance and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The 58-year-old man also has prescription pills in his possession without a prescription as well as needles and glass pipes with heroin residue, according to police. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a controlled substance and loitering.

Boxed out
An unknown person took cash from a cardboard box inside a resident’s home on Bayberry Drive in Huntington on Nov. 24 at 9 a.m.

Infinite crimes in an Infiniti
On Nov. 28, police said a 49-year-old from Huntington Station was speeding in a 2000 Infiniti and engaging in reckless driving on New York Avenue and West 22nd Street in Huntington. They also said he drove into oncoming traffic, through red lights and a railroad gate. He was arrested at 12:23 a.m. and charged with second-degree criminal mischief.

Knock out
Police said a 22-year-old man from Huntington Station punched another man several times, causing swelling and pain on the corner of Main Street and Wall Street in Huntington at 2:45 a.m. on Nov. 26. He was arrested and charged with third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury.

Doing time for the time
On Nov. 26, police said a 62-year-old man from Huntington stole a black Lifestyle watch from Rite Aid on Main Street in Huntington at 12:15 p.m. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

No brain on Brian Court
An unknown person stole a laptop, baseball bat and assorted baby items from an unlocked 2015 Nissan Altima parked on Brian Court in Northport on Nov. 23 at 9 a.m.

She knows the drill
A 30-year-old woman from East Northport was arrested at the 2nd Precinct on Nov. 24 after police said she stole on multiple occasions. According to police, she stole multiple drills and DeWalt combo kits from Home Depot on New York Avenue in Huntington on Oct. 4 and Oct. 18. She was charged with petit larceny.

You’ve got mail
Police said an unknown person damaged a letter in a resident’s mailbox on Sunken Meadow Road in Northport by tearing it in half on Nov. 25 at 8:30 a.m.

Crisis on the corner
On Nov. 24, police said a 29-year-old woman from East Northport was in possession of prescription pills without a prescription and heroin on the corner of Town Line Road and Pulaski Road in East Northport at 2:25 p.m. She was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

NoPro
An unknown person stole a GoPro Silver from a 2003 Saturn VUE parked on Larkfield Road in East Northport after they broke in through the passenger side window on Nov. 26 at 11 a.m.

Jewelry in jeopardy
Police said an unknown person stole jewelry that was left on a table at the Smithtown Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing Care at 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 29.

No license on the LIE
A 23-year-old woman from Calverton was arrested on the Long Island Expressway in Commack at 3 a.m. on Nov. 30 after police said she was driving without a license and had a hypodermic instrument and marijuana on her. She was charged with fifth degree criminal possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Woes at Walmart
On Nov. 24, a 34-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested after police said she took children’s clothing, health and beauty items and food from a Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack at 3 p.m. She was charged with petit larceny.

Mazda madness
An unknown person stole change from a 2007 Mazda parked on Tanglewood Drive in Smithtown and a 2015 Mazda parked on Crescent Place in Smithtown on Nov. 23 at 11 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.

Motor Parkway mistakes
A 30-year-old woman from Bay Shore was arrested after police said she was driving without a license on Motor Parkway in Smithtown in a 2015 Hyundai on Nov. 25 at 11:30 a.m. She was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

U-wrong on U-turn
On Nov. 24, a 37-year-old woman from Deer Park was arrested after police said she made an unsafe U-turn in a 2015 Ford and then drove straight in a right-turn-only lane at midnight on Jericho Turnpike in Commack and then discovered she was driving drunk. She was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Blurred Lines
A 27-year-old man from Port Jefferson was arrested on Nov. 26 at 12:50 a.m. after police said he failed to maintain his lane of traffic on Main Street in Smithtown while driving a 2006 Ford and then discovered he was driving drunk. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.

A man of substance
A 27-year-old man from Port Jefferson was arrested for criminal possession of a controlled substance on Nov. 28. Police said the man had two bags of heroin, as well as cocaine and a hypodermic needle. He was arrested on the corner of Gaymore Road and Ardmer Drive in Port Jefferson Station.

Passport to jail
Police arrested a Port Jefferson Station driver for criminal impersonation on Nov. 24, after the 39-year-old woman allegedly used another person’s passport when officials pulled her over and issued her a ticket. She used the identification to sign her permission for authorities to search the vehicle, according to police. She was arrested at the scene, on Route 25A in Rocky Point.

Swimming in a cell
Police arrested a 23-year-old man from Port Jefferson for petit larceny on Nov. 27, four months after he stole pool-cleaning supplies from Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supplies on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack. The crime happened on July 13, and officers arrested the suspect at his residence.

Jewelry heist
A 35-year-old woman from Miller Place was arrested for criminal possession of stolen property at her home on Nov. 25, about a month after she allegedly tried to sell more than $1,000-worth of stolen jewelry on Middle Country Road in Coram.

What a tool
On Nov. 23, a 38-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested for petit larceny after he stole assorted tools from a mechanic at the Double “N” Automotive shop on Mark Tree Road in Centereach.

Drunk munchies lead to crash
A 20-year-old man from St. James in a 1998 Subaru hit another car in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant along Route 347 in Stony Brook on Nov. 25, and police said while he was being interviewed about the crash, they discovered he was intoxicated. The man was arrested for driving while ability impaired.

Lax security
A 31-year-old woman from Northport was arrested for grand larceny on Nov. 27 after she disabled the security devices on several pieces of merchandise at the Kohl’s on Route 25A in Rocky Point and then left the store without paying. Officials arrested the woman at the scene.

Taking a bonus
Police arrested a 51-year-old man from Blue Point on Nov. 28 when he attempted to steal money from a cash register at the Walmart on Nesconset Highway in Setauket. A Walmart employee detained the man, who also worked at the store. He was charged with petit larceny.

Clothing kidnapper
A 27-year-old woman from Bay Shore was arrested on Nov. 28 for petit larceny after she entered a store on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook and walked out with an armful of clothes. Police arrested the woman at the scene.

Forgot a stamp
Police said someone broke a mailbox and its post on Jefferson Boulevard in Port Jefferson Station on Nov. 25. According to officials, the homeowners heard a crash outside their home when their mailbox was damaged.

Breaking bottles
An unidentified man hit another man with a bottle on Nov. 26, lacerating his cheek. The suspect fled the scene, on Route 25A in Port Jefferson.

Fishy excuse
On Nov. 29, an unknown man ordered $258 worth of sushi from a restaurant on Route 25A in Miller Place, but when the man went to pick up the food, he told restaurant employees that he left his wallet in his car. The man took the food and fled the scene without paying.

Dirty crime
Between 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 25 and 10 a.m. on Nov. 26, an unidentified person stole three dirt bikes from a residence on Lower Rocky Point Road in Sound Beach.

Hungry robber
According to police, someone kicked and broke the front glass door of the Centereach Deli on Middle Country Road, then pried the door open to enter the store and stole cash. The incident happened on Nov. 29.

Grinch
Someone stole a Santa Claus lawn decoration from a residence on Liberty Avenue in Selden, sometime between Nov. 28 and 29.

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Festival of Trees returns to the Village Center

A scene from a previous year’s Charles Dickens Festival. Photo by Bob Savage

The Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, in conjunction with the Village of Port Jefferson, will host the 20th Annual Charles Dickens Festival this weekend, Dec. 5 and 6, throughout the Village of Port Jefferson. The Village will magically transform into the Dickensian era, with streets filled with roaming characters such as Father Christmas, the Dickens Mayor, Scrooge, the Town Crier and the beloved chimney sweeps.

A scene from a previous year’s Charles Dickens Festival. Photo by Bob Savage
A scene from a previous year’s Charles Dickens Festival. Photo by Bob Savage

All events are open to the public and most attractions are free of charge. Begin your Dickens adventure with a Grand Opening Celebration Parade on East Main Street, Saturday morning at 11 a.m.

The festivities will feature many returning favorites, including ice skating at the Village Center, a cappella performances by choirs and harmony groups, Nutcracker performances, magic shows by The Great Wizard of the North, and many fine musical performances by area musicians. In addition, this year’s festival will feature Theatre Three’s 32nd annual production of “A Christmas Carol.”

Returning for its second year is the Festival of Trees, located on the second floor of the Port Jefferson Village Center. The festival was the brainchild of Jill Russell, who handles public relations for the Village. “I first saw it years ago in Oklahoma City, where I grew up. They [also] had something called Festival of Trees. It was almost like an international festival of trees. Different countries were represented,” said Russell in a recent phone interview.

Eighteen beautifully decorated trees will grace the second floor, decorated in various themes. New entries this year include the First United Methodist Church, Ace Hardware, the Fox and the Owl Inn, The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, Antique Costumes and Prop Rentals by Nan, Theatre Three and Olde Town Gardens, whose tree will feature a train.

Returning favorites include, among others, Jolie Powell Realty, Port Jefferson Rotary, Stony Brook Confucius Institute, Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Bridgehampton National Bank, Danfords Hotel and Marina, Friends of the Port Jefferson Free Library, the Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council and Red Sled. In addition, top sponsors Empire National Bank and Maia Salon Spa and Wellness will also showcase a tree in the festival.

The trees were set up last weekend and the designers came in on Sunday and Monday to decorate. The event has really taken off. “We still get people asking ‘How do you get a tree?’ It is wildly popular,” said Russell. “It goes through the month of December, and it is so beautiful and people enjoy it so much because they come to ice skate, they come to see the trees — both things feed off of one other; they go look at the gallery exhibit. It just breathes a whole new life to the Village Center. With the ice rink and the Festival of Trees, it has been really incredible.”

“Already, in year two, it has become competitive — with not what you do to your tree but how you embellish the tree and the surrounding area and how you create a theme,” she laughed. “It’s been fun.”

New to the Dickens Festival this year will be an event titled Let There Be Light, a dazzling light show projected on Village Hall. Animated characters will appear in the front windows surrounded by swirling Christmas decorations, giant snowflakes and sparkly stars. The presentation will be available for viewing during the weekend from 6 to 7:30 p.m., on the half hour, for 15 minutes of dazzling fun and will be shown each weekend leading up to Christmas — weather permitting. The Harbormaster building will be transformed into Cookieland, where children can decorate their own holiday-oriented cookies and houses.

As in past years, East Main Street will become Dickens Alley, and Fezziwig’s Ball, featuring live music on traditional instruments led by a dance caller, will take place at the Masonic Lodge. An impressive model train display will be featured on the corner of East Main and Main on Dec. 5, from noon to 5 p.m. and Dec. 6, from noon to 4 p.m., while the Port Jefferson Free Library will feature new programming and the fabulous Dickens Cottage next to the main building.

Horse and carriage rides will thrill the young and young-at-heart, and the trolley will help transport visitors to various venues throughout the Village for the entire weekend. The Port Jeff Jitney bus will transport visitors to and from downtown, from the free parking areas found outside the Village.

 This year’s honoree is Pat Darling Kiriluk, the creator of a holiday tradition and highlight of the festival — Santa’s Workshop, located at the corner of W. Broadway and Barnum Avenue. Join Santa and his elves and wind through three whimsically decorated rooms. Twinkling white lights, elaborate confection displays, and giant nutcrackers are just a few of the signature elements that bring the magic of Christmas to life. The workshop will be open weekends from 1 to 5 p.m. through Dec. 14.

The 20th Annual Dickens Festival will conclude with a Parade of Puppets and a ceremony at Village Hall on Sunday evening. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.pjdickens.com.

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Colorado Springs is not around the corner. But the effects of a tragic shooting there the day after Thanksgiving have trickled down and made a very real impact on Suffolk County.

We spent much of the fall season interviewing candidates running for various offices, and more than once we were reminded that our county police department was being stretched too thin.

Fast forward a few weeks to the aftermath of Friday’s shooting at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado that killed three and injured nine. Our county police department announced it would be increasing patrols near the five clinics in its jurisdiction as a result. The department also committed itself to training Planned Parenthood officials in crime prevention, which hopefully will provide a more lasting impact on preventing similar tragedies here.

Sometimes there is a disconnect between the national conversation and the small-town scuttlebutt, but this is an example of how one person’s actions can have a nationwide effect. In our case, it is strapping an already taxed police department.

The consequences are real, and there are things we could do on a local level that could perhaps trickle in the opposite direction — up to the national conversation.

We could strive to better care for our neighbors, both through publicly funded mental health programs that provide more access to treatment and more comprehensively deal with mental illness, and by speaking up when someone we know is behaving erratically or speaking in an alarming manner. We are seeing more and more irrationally thinking people commit acts like the shooting in Colorado Springs, in which the assailant targeted people unknown to him. And it seems impossible that none of these perpetrators displayed irrational behavior or thought beforehand.

A strongly connected community is an excellent safety net. We should work to weave ours tighter.

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Huntington’s 4x400 relay state championship team. Photo from Huntington athletics

Head coach Ron Wilson knows he has a good squad, but is it good enough to successfully defend the Suffolk Division II title that the Blue Devil boys’ winter track and field team captured last year?

The winter campaign is now underway and knowing that Huntington has one of the top indoor track teams on Long Island brings a smile to the face of the veteran coach.

The Blue Devils feature returning 4×400-meter relay state champions Infinite Tucker, Exzayvian Crowell, Kyree Johnson and Lawrence Leake. The Fantastic Four also won league, county, Long Island and LI Millrose Games titles.

Huntington boasts a roster that has talent and depth in just about every event this winter.

“Our strength in terms of quality and balance, however, lies in that of our sprinters and jumpers,” Wilson said. Juniors Johnson and Leake are two of Suffolk’s best sprinters.

Newcomer Kei Ron Byrams is expected to make an immediate splash with his speed and athleticism. “He should definitely help,” Wilson said of the junior.

“We graduated a great cast of throwers last year in Matteo McNeil and Jimmie Nelson,” Wilson said. “But we have a few throwers that will definitely draw some attention this year. Seniors Michael Lonergan, Amaru Jones, Vernon Alexander and Tasean Betts earned All-League honors during the spring season and should really be competitive this year.”

Sophomore strongmen Clay Jamison and Sam Bergman are two more throwers expected to be competitive this winter. Bergman was runner-up in the Suffolk freshmen shot put championship.

“Our distance program has shown a steady improvement,” Wilson said. Seniors Kyle O’Brien and Tom Kopstein earned All-League honors last spring and should be a factor this year. Joining the distance crew during the indoor season is junior Shane McGuire, who exploded on the scene last spring with a string of sensational performances, including All-League, All-County and All-State honors.

“He just finished an exciting cross country season and should do well this winter,” Wilson said.

Senior Mitch Rudish and junior Mark Rafuse were alternates on last winter’s 4×400 relay team and are set to take a big step forward this season.

The roster includes a bunch of newcomers to the sport and the school.

“With a bit of luck and good health, we should do well,” Wilson said. “We are a fairly balanced team this year, with a pretty solid lineup.”

Seniors Tucker and Crowell will contend in the 55 hurdles, among other events. Joining them will be sophomores Brian Pierre and Luke Eidle. Pierre won the freshman class of the 400 intermediate hurdles and took second place in the 110 high hurdles last spring. Sophomores Nick Sanin and Will Vollack were competitive last winter and should improve this year.

“We will look to advance several of our athletes to the state championship this year,” Wilson said.

Huntington has won two consecutive league titles, but this year’s competition is expected to be especially fierce.

“This year the pressure will be on,” Wilson said. “It’s always difficult to defend your championship title. There are a number of great teams in our league, including Smithtown East, North Babylon, West Islip, Half Hollow Hills West, West Babylon, Deer Park, Bellport, Eastport-South Manor and East Islip. These teams boast some outstanding athletes.”

The Blue Devil have carved out a national reputation during recent winter and spring seasons.

“Our top returning athletes are determined to compete at a high level and those who are joining us this season for the first time will look to make a name for themselves as well,” Wilson said.

Huntington is again set to travel to some of the most prestigious high school meets in the country this winter, including the Dartmouth Relays in New Hampshire, the Rhode Island Classic and to the new facility on Staten Island for a showdown with some of the best athletes from New York City and New Jersey.

“We know and understand that our road to a championship is going to be a difficult one,” Wilson said. “However, our boys have never backed down to a challenge.”

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Beryl Wood creates a centerpiece for the Sound View Garden Club’s Greens Sale. Photo by Ernestine Franco

By Ernestine Franco

Are you looking to add some natural elements to your holiday decorations? If your answer is yes, then the fourth annual Sound View Garden Club’s Greens Sale is the place to be. The Greens Sale will take place on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second floor of the Sound Beach Firehouse.

Centerpieces, wreaths, swags and many other items all made from fresh, live natural materials will be available to adorn your homes. In addition there will be raffle items and a door prize. Light refreshments will be served.

All the arrangements have been made by the 30 club members, who meet monthly at the Sound Beach Fire House. Watching some of the members as they put together the arrangements is like watching artists at work. They take pieces of branches and bits of plants and dried flowers and create beautiful holiday pieces. The love and creative energy that goes into every piece is evident.

And their work is not done once the sale is over. As Ann Moran, president of the club and resident of Sound Beach, said, “The money we raise from the sale allows us to fund our other gardening projects, although like plants we go into a dormancy period until next spring.” The club may be only five years old, but it is very active in the surrounding communities.

Members maintain the garden at the Good Shepherd Hospice at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, a special place where hospice clients can sit and enjoy a peaceful natural corner filled with beautiful flowers and plants. “The landscapers did a great job when the hospice garden was first installed. But it is the continuing maintenance that we [the club members] are proud to provide that keeps it the inviting place it is and allows us to create a soothing garden,” said Ginny Drews, resident of Sound Beach. The annual flowers they plant at the hospice are purchased with the money raised at the Greens Sale.

Members also plant and maintain the flowers at the 9/11 Memorial of the Sound Beach Fire Department as well as the plantings at the Sound Beach Civic Association Veterans Memorial.

Beryl Wood, of Ridge, sees the garden club as a “lovely way for the members to get together and do some good for the community, and this club is one of the most cohesive clubs I have ever belonged to.” Wood is not only a club member —she also holds the position of accredited master judge with the National Federated Garden Clubs of America.

With some minimal care, all the plants in the sale will last well into the new year. So come to the Greens Sale and not only decorate your homes but support ongoing club projects. Admission is free and all are welcome.

The Sound Beach Firehouse is located at 152 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach. If you have any questions, please call Ann Moran at 631-821-9650.

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By Dr. L. Reuven Pasternak

This holiday season, imagine giving a priceless gift that costs nothing. A gift that not only can change lives but can also save them.

That’s the gift of organ donation registration. A simple act of kindness and generosity that can let one live on in others. From heart donations that allow young children to reach adulthood, to kidney transplants that enable recipients to avoid the difficulty of dialysis, to skin grafts that save the lives of burn victims, organ donations have changed the future for many in the most important of ways.

On Oct. 6, Stony Brook Hospital’s Department of Transplantation partnered with LiveOnNY, enlisting a team of volunteers from Stony Brook Medicine and Stony Brook University for a regional organ registration drive event involving close to 100 participating organizations. Our goal that day was to enroll 250 new organ donors. I’m delighted to say we literally quadrupled that number with 1,000 new registrants and earned recognition as the leading transplant center and university for enrollees that day for our region — which includes Long Island, New York City, and towns as far north as Poughkeepsie.

But we’re not stopping there. Stony Brook is committed to continuing to spread the word throughout our community about the importance of organ donation registration. New York still ranks 50th out of 50 states in the percentage of residents enrolled as organ donors. That’s a number that must change. And I know we can change it together.

Just one organ donor can save up to eight lives. Yet, right now, there are more than 10,000 people in New York awaiting an organ donation. Not all of them will get one. In fact, every 15 hours, a New Yorker dies waiting for a lifesaving transplant. And one of the reasons for this is that only 25 percent of the residents of our state are registered organ donors. Nationwide, the average is 47 percent. I know we New Yorkers can do better than this.

Unfortunately, there are many beliefs about organ donation that are simply untrue but that may prevent people from registering. If you are a registered organ donor and end up in a hospital, doctors will do whatever they can to save you. There is no cost associated with being an organ donor. And if you’re concerned that donating organs is not allowed by your faith, you should know that most major religions support organ donation, considering it a profound act of kindness.

With the holidays upon us, why not consider giving the most important and meaningful gift there is? The gift of life. You can find instructions for registering and get answers to questions about organ donation at www.livelongny.org or download a registration form at www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/patientcare/organdonation.

Dr. L. Reuven Pasternak is the chief executive officer at Stony Brook University Hospital and the vice president for Health Systems at Stony Brook Medicine.

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Dick Solo photo from Naomi Solo

Richard Solo, known as Dick or Doc to those he loved, died on Nov. 27 at age 79, after a four-year struggle with cancer.

Solo was the beloved husband of Nomi for 56 years; father of David, Julie and Michael (Susan); and brother of Marge Seltzer.

Friends remember Solo walking around in nature, Stony Brook University, his beloved Port Jefferson or other parts of the world, camera in hand, ready to photograph, in his special way, the world around him. He loved his family, students, nature, the Red Sox and a good bowl of  chili.

Solo had a joyous and productive and giving life. From his early days in Brookline High in Massachusetts to his years earning a bachelor’s at MIT and his Ph.D in chemistry from Berkeley, he was involved with student life, sports, and music.

When he moved to Port Jefferson in 1970, he became involved in the village and was an integral part in the development and building of the Village Center.

Solo came to the SBU on its opening day in August 1962, after a research stint at Aerospace in Los Angeles. Since that time, he had dedicated his heart and soul to it, beginning as an assistant chemistry professor. He set up a first-rate lab, but his main love was the student body. For 10 years, he taught chemistry classes of 110 to 150 students, including an introductory seminar on science and ethics before it was fashionable. The blend of teaching and research was a source of excitement, fun and satisfaction, and he was a first-rate teacher and communicator.

He became an integral part of student affairs, getting involved in counseling and helping to create an orientation course for incoming freshmen, ultimately developing an orientation program that was lauded throughout the state. He affected the lives of thousands of students, leading to his role as director of new student orientation, one of the first contacts an incoming student had with the university after admission. To the end, students who went through the program visited and corresponded with Solo and have used it as an example of how it made them grow as individuals.

Any student or faculty member who worked with Solo’s orientation program would agree that the spirit of genuine empathy is what made all the difference in the effectiveness of the program. Solo, along with his carefully chosen administrative assistants, molded freshmen and transfer orientations each year to the changing needs of incoming students. The process went beyond just registering for classes — there were social activities and workshops that included food, films, sports and a family-like spirit. His goal was to reach the attendees, to make a difference in their lives by caring about and understanding them.

His service to the SBU community spans half a century, during which Solo served on and chaired numerous committees and boards, including the University Senate, the first Student Affairs Affirmative Action Committee, the presidential search that chose Jack Marburger, the president’s advisory board on the disabled, and the Faculty Student Association. He was the unofficial photographer of Stony Brook history in the making.

Solo cared about every facet of the campus and students, attending many athletic events each season. After he semi-retired, he went back to teaching chemistry and did student advising at both summer and winter orientation programs.

Rabbi Joseph Topek from the university described Solo as a pioneer. He introduced many new ideas that have become university tradition — it was Solo who first thought of the Roth Pond Regatta.

A memorial visitation will be held on Wednesday at Bryant Funeral Home in East Setauket, from 4 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice or to the Staller Center for the Arts via the Stony Brook Foundation.

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