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"THE WHEEL": The largest Ferris wheel on Long Island at an impressive 110 feet tall, The Wheel offers a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the midway and surrounding area. The ride features 24 spacious gondola cars, each with a 6-person capacity to accommodate the whole family.
Local family business focuses on family fun at carnivals as well as three major events featuring several fireworks shows and a stunning new Ferris wheel

Leading carnival midway and family entertainment provider Dreamland Amusements is bringing first-rate family fun back to Long Island this summer with exciting rides and games for all ages, favorite fair food, and a variety of special attractions including live entertainment, a series of spectacular fireworks shows, and “The Wheel,” the largest Ferris wheel on Long Island at a towering 110 feet tall.

This summer, Dreamland will also introduce a third signature event: the Bald Hill Fair at Catholic Health Amphitheater, which will kick off the 2024 Long Island Summer Tour May 9-19 in Farmingville.

The busy Long Island schedule includes the Long Island FunFest, June 13-23 at Suffolk County Community College’s Grant Campus, and the Empire State Fair, June 28 – July 16 at Nassau Live Center, the final stop before Dreamland continues on its northern route.

Among the signature event entertainment will be circus shows, live music, pirate thrill shows, petting zoos and much more. Be sure to visit the individual event websites for each one’s schedule of offerings.

In addition, a total of eight dazzling fireworks displays will illuminate the Long Island night sky this summer at Dreamland’s three major events. These crowd-pleasing shows will be produced by the renowned Fireworks by Grucci, a Long Island-based family business founded in 1850.

While Dreamland Amusements, another well-established family business, services the length of the East Coast from Florida to Maine, Long Island is particularly special to owners Kathy and Bob DeStefano, who make their home there when they’re not on the road with the two carnival units they operate with two of their daughters, two sons-in-law and a nephew.

Bob DeStefano said his family looks forward every year to seeing many familiar faces enjoying Dreamland’s Long Island events.

“These folks aren’t just patrons, they’re our neighbors and friends,” DeStefano said. “I can’t express how much it’s meant to have the support of the Long Island community all these years, and we’re very pleased to give them the best experience we can.”

The 2024 Long Island Summer Tour includes:

  • May 9-19: Bald Hill Fair at Catholic Health Amphitheater, 1 Ski Run Lane, LIE Exit 63 (North Ocean Avenue) in Farmingville (www.BaldHillFair.com)
  • May 9-19: Hicksville Carnival at Broadway Commons
  • May 23-27: Levittown Carnival sponsored by the Levittown Chamber of Commerce
  • May 23-27: Merrick Train Station Carnival at Merrick LIRR Station
  • May 30 – June 2: Herricks Community Fund Carnival at Herricks Community Center in New Hyde Park
  • May 30 – June 9: South Shore Mall Carnival in Bay Shore
  • June 12-16: Westbury Carnival at Samanea New York Mall
  • June 13-23: Long Island FunFest at Exit 53S off the LIE (www.LongIslandFunFest.com)
  • June 26-30: Hicksville Summer Carnival at Broadway Commons
  • June 28 – July 14: Empire State Fair at Nassau Live Center, Uniondale (www.EmpireStatefair.com)
  • July 4-7: Lynbrook Titans Carnival at Greis Park

“We’re really excited to be back on Long Island and provide a topnotch family-fun experience at all of our upcoming events,” DeStefano said. “And we believe our guests will be excited by the roster of rides at each event and the entertainment offerings at the Bald Hill Fair, FunFest and Empire State Fair.”

All Dreamland events feature mechanical rides for the whole family, from whimsical kiddie rides to state-of-the-art thrill rides, entertaining midway games, and deep-fried treats, sweets and other tantalizing carnival eats.

For more information, call 866-666-FAIR (3247) or visit www.DreamlandAmusements.com.

For details on the Long Island events, including online savings, visit www.DreamlandAmusements.com/upcoming-events-amusement-carnival/long-island-carnivals/.

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Dr. Susan Lane. Photo by Jeanne Neville/SBU

The title invokes her outstanding impact on the field of medicine as a clinician and educator

 Susan Lane, MD, MACP, Professor of Medicine at Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM), was recently inducted as a Master of the American College of Physicians (MACP), the world’s largest medical specialty society.

According to the American College of Physicians (ACP), MACPs, a title reserved for a limited number of physicians each year, are selected because of their “integrity, positions of honor, impact in practice or in medical research, or other attainments in science or in the art of medicine.” In addition to their contributions to medical research, Masters must be active ACP members and are expected to maintain active involvement after their convocation as MACPs.

Since 1991, only two other physicians from Stony Brook Medicine have received this unique distinction. This includes Drs. Jordan J. Cohen (1991) and Martin R. Liebowitz (1999), making Dr. Lane the third Stony Brook physician to become an MACP.

Dr. Lane joined Stony Brook University in 2000. She and 56 other recipients were formally inducted at the ACP’s annual Internal Medicine Meeting in Boston on April 18-20.

“I am honored to be named an ACP Master, joining a renowned group of physician leaders who are my role models, and who like the ACP are dedicated to quality patient care, advocacy, and education to improve the lives of our patients,” says Dr. Lane.

Within the RSOM, Dr. Lane is the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Medicine.

She has balanced a career as a physician with a passion for education and advocacy. Dr. Lane is currently Vice Chair of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Board of Directors and the former President of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (2021-2022). For her research and excellence in education and leadership, she has won numerous awards, including the RSOM Aesculapius Award for Excellence in Medical Education (2019), the  American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) Inspire Award (2022), and the RSOM Department of Medicine Outstanding Service Award (2021).

The East Setauket resident received her B.A. from Amherst College, her M.D. from the University of Connecticut, and completed her Internal Medicine Residency Training at Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and has practiced general internal medicine since 1996.

Caption:

Susan Lane, MD, MACP

Credit: Jeanne Neville, Stony Brook Medicine

Editor’s Note: Dr. Susan Lane resides in East Setauket, NY.

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There was a party going on recently at Jefferson’s Ferry Foundation’s 19th Annual Gala in support of its Resident Assistance Fund, which provides financial assistance to Jefferson’s Ferry residents who outlive their assets or experience a shortfall through no fault of their own. Reflective of this year’s “New York State of Mind” theme, partygoers posed with “NYC taxi cabs” to kick off the event. Pictured here: (L to R:) Jefferson’s Ferry residents Ruth Weinreb, Rose Modica, Josephine Pheffer, Jean Grunwald and Dolores Dellova. (Photo by resident Martin Cohen)

Popular Fundraiser Benefits the Foundation’s Resident Assistance Fund 

Every spring for nearly 20 years, Jefferson’s Ferry residents, donors, and vendors have joined Jefferson’s Ferry management, staff and board members to support the Jefferson’s Ferry Foundation at its annual gala fundraiser on April 18. This year was no exception. The party, held at Flowerfield in St. James, celebrated the vibrant community, active lifestyle, and peace of mind that can be found in abundance at Jefferson’s Ferry. 

All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Foundation’s Resident Assistance Fund, which was established in 2006 to provide financial assistance to Jefferson’s Ferry residents who outlive their assets or experience a shortfall through no fault of their own. Over the years, the Resident Assistance Fund has played a role in upholding the Life Plan Community Promise of peace of mind and health care for Jefferson’s Ferry residents by subsidizing the monthly fees of residents in need.

This year, the gala gave a nod to New York City nightlife with “A New York State of Mind” theme. Party-goers enjoyed live music by the Jazz Loft, dancing, New York-style hor d’oeuvres, casino-style gaming and hand-rolled cigars. 

With Jefferson’s Ferry’s “Journey Towards Renewal” renovation and expansion project a hair shy of completion–the new Memory Support Neighborhood is due to open in the coming weeks — the gala honored the two architectural and design firms critical to the project, KDA Architects and Merlino Design Partnership (MDP). Principal architect and KDA Partner David Fowles and principal designer and MDP President Bruce Hurowitz were on hand to accept their honors. 

“The outpouring of generosity in support of the Jefferson’s Ferry Foundation and the Resident Assistance Fund is deeply gratifying and demonstrative of the strong community bond we enjoy here at Jefferson’s Ferry,” said President and CEO Bob Caulfield. “We have neighbors helping neighbors through the Resident Assistant Fund and in so many other less tangible but no less important ways. It’s one of the many reasons Jefferson’s Ferry is such a singular community.”  

Photo Caption:  There was a party going on recently at Jefferson’s Ferry Foundation’s 19th Annual Gala in support of its Resident Assistance Fund, which provides financial assistance to Jefferson’s Ferry residents who outlive their assets or experience a shortfall through no fault of their own. Reflective of this year’s “New York State of Mind” theme, partygoers posed with “NYC taxi cabs” to kick off the event.  Pictured here: (L to R:) Jefferson’s Ferry residents Ruth Weinreb, Rose Modica, Josephine Pheffer, Jean Grunwald and Dolores Dellova.  (Photo by resident Martin Cohen)

About Jefferson’s Ferry   www.jeffersonsferry.org

Jefferson’s Ferry is a not-for-profit Life Plan Community for active adults aged 62 and above, with Independent Living cottages and apartments, assisted living apartments, and a quality health care center all on one site.  A multi-million-dollar expansion and renovation project, “The Journey Toward Renewal,” is part of a larger strategic initiative launched in 2018 to create a life-enriching environment for all new and current residents at every stage of their life. Journey to Renewal has added 60 one- and two-bedroom independent living apartments, provided six distinct dining venues, an expanded Healthy Living Center, Fitness Center, and its state-of-the-art Rehabilitation Therapy Center. A new Memory Support Neighborhood will provide a high quality of life and care for people diagnosed and living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Common areas in Assisted Living and the Health Care Center will be renovated.

Jefferson’s Ferry offers exceptional living and amenities, including indoor pool, computer center, library, recreational areas, gardens, and gazebos.  A mix of cultural excursions, civic activities, and a community of residents who help shape Jefferson’s Ferry’s future ensures a spirited and engaged lifestyle.  

The Vincent Bove Health Center at Jefferson’s Ferry enjoys a 5-star rating from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and was named a “Best Of” nursing home by U.S. News & World Report.  Jefferson’s Ferry has repeatedly earned the industrywide Community Choice Award for resident satisfaction and engagement and has been recognized with the Pinnacle Quality Insight’s Customer Experience Award for five years running. FitchRatings has assigned Jefferson’s Ferry a BBB bond rating.  Jefferson’s Ferry has consistently been voted Best Retirement Community, Best Nursing Home and Best Assisted Living on Long Island by The Long Island Press and has been recognized for Excellence by the Hauppauge Industrial Association’s Business Achievement Awards program.  

For more information visit www.jeffersonsferry.org

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Exercise and diet are keys to improving discomfort for osteoarthritis pain. METRO photo
Exercise and diet are keys to improving discomfort

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Osteoarthritis (OA) can make it difficult to perform daily activities and affect your quality of life. It affects the knees, hips and hands most often, and it can disturb your mobility, mood, and sleep quality.

First-line medications can help treat arthritis pain. Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen are common. Unfortunately, they do have side effects, especially with long-term use. Also, while they might relieve your immediate symptoms of pain and inflammation, they don’t slow osteoarthritis’ progression.

However, you can ease your pain without reaching for medications. Some approaches might even help slow you OA’s progression or reverse your symptoms.

Does losing weight really help with OA pain?

Weight management is a crucial component of any OA pain management strategy. In a study of 112 obese patients, those who lost weight reported that their knee symptoms improved (1). Even more exciting, the study authors observed disease modification, with a reduction in the loss of cartilage volume around the medial tibia. Those who gained weight saw the opposite effect.

The relationship was almost one-to-one; for every one percent of weight lost, there was a 1.2 mm3 preservation of medial tibial cartilage volume, while the opposite occurred when participants gained weight.

A reduction of tibial cartilage is often associated with the need for a knee replacement.

Does increasing vitamin D help reduce OA pain?

In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), vitamin D provided no OA symptom relief, nor any disease-modifying effects (2). This two-year study of almost 150 men and women raised blood levels of vitamin D on average to 36 ng/ml, which is considered respectable. Researchers used MRI and X-rays to track their results.

In another study of 769 participants, ages 50-80, researchers found that low vitamin D levels – below 25 nmol/l led to increased OA knee pain over the five-year study period and hip pain over 2.4 years (3). The researchers postulate that supplementing vitamin D might reduce pain in those who are deficient, but that it will likely have no effect on others.

Does consuming dairy help with OA?

With dairy, specifically milk, there is conflicting information. Some studies show benefits, while others show that it might actually contribute to the inflammation that makes osteoarthritis pain feel worse.

In the Osteoarthritis Initiative study, researchers looked specifically at joint space narrowing that occurs in those with affected knee joints (4). Results showed that low-fat (1 percent) and nonfat milk may slow the progression of osteoarthritis in women. Compared to those who did not drink milk, patients who did saw significantly less narrowing of knee joint space over a 48-month period.

The result curve was interesting, however. For those who drank fewer than three glasses a week up to 10 glasses a week, the progression of joint space narrowing was slowed. However, for those who drank more than 10 glasses per week, there was less benefit. There was no benefit seen in men or with the consumption of higher fat products, such as cheese or yogurt.

However, the study was observational and had significant flaws. First, the 2100 patients were only asked about their milk intake at the study’s start. Second, patients were asked to recall their weekly milk consumption for the previous 12 months before the study began – a challenging task.

On the flip side, a study of almost 39,000 participants from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study found that increases in dairy consumption were associated with increased risk of total hip replacements for men with osteoarthritis (5).

What about yogurt? A published Framingham Offspring Study analysis found that those who consumed yogurt had statistically significant lower levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker for inflammation, than those who didn’t eat yogurt, but that this was not true with milk or cheese consumption (6).

Would I recommend consuming low-fat or nonfat milk or yogurt? Not necessarily, but I might not dissuade osteoarthritis patients from yogurt.

Which is better, diet or exercise, for reducing OA pain?

Diet and exercise together actually trumped the effects of diet or exercise alone in a well-designed, 18-month study (7). Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who lost at least 10 percent of their body weight experienced significant functional improvements and a 50 percent pain reduction, as well as inflammation reduction. This was compared to those who lost a lower percent of their body weight.

Researchers used biomarker IL6 to measure inflammation. The diet and exercise group and the diet-only group lost significantly more weight than the exercise-only group, 23.3 pounds and 19.6 pounds versus 4 pounds. The diet portion consisted of a meal replacement shake for breakfast and lunch and then a vegetable-rich, low-fat dinner. Low-calorie meals replaced the shakes after six months. The exercise regimen included one hour of a combination of weight training and walking “with alacrity” three times a week.

To reduce pain and possibly improve your OA, focus on lifestyle modifications. The best effects shown are with weight loss – which is most easily achieved with a vegetable-rich diet and exercise. In terms of low-fat or nonfat milk, the results are controversial, at best. For yogurt, the results suggest it may be beneficial for osteoarthritis, but stay on the low end of consumption, since dairy can increase inflammation.

References:

(1) Ann Rheum Dis. 2015 Jun;74(6):1024-9. (2) JAMA. 2013;309:155-162. (3) Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2014;73:697–703. (4) Arthritis Care Res online. 2014 April 6. (5) J Rheumatol. 2017 Jul;44(7):1066-1070. (6) Nutrients. 2021 Feb 4;13(2):506. (7) JAMA. 2013;310:1263-1273.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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L-R LIMEHOF Educator of Note Recipients Alan Schwartz, Susan Weber, Frank Abel and Kim Löwenborg-Coyne.

Five music teachers from across Long Island were recently honored at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) in Stony Brook in a special ceremony honoring the organizations most recent Educator of Note Award winners.

The teachers honored  include Alan Schwartz (Great Neck, 2023), Frank Abel (Uniondale/Roosevelt, 2022), Kim Löwenborg-Coyne (North Babylon, 2021), Marc Greene (Middle Country School District, 2020), and Susan Weber (Uniondale, 2019).

“It was wonderful,” said Tom Needham, Tom Needham, Second Vice Chair and Educational Programs Director at LIMEHOF. “When you get all these people together in one room and you hear about the number of students they’ve influenced over the years and the impact they’ve had on music education on Long Island. It’s truly incredible. We’re so excited to have this opportunity to have them all here in the room and to celebrate the good things that they’ve accomplished.”

“We all had and have such meaningful careers that have impacted music education in so many different ways,” said Susan Weber. “Bottom line is that we all love seeing the reaction with our students and former students and as time goes on how music education impacts kids and it was just a very special day.”

“It’s a wonderful opportunity and I’m just so thrilled to be amongst these people here and to have my name with these people, these legends is just one of the biggest honors of my life,” said Alan Schwartz.

“What a wonderful ride… a wonderful journey after 42 years of teaching on this very special day to receive this very special award at the Hall of Fame. We don’t go in teaching for awards but this one right here I’m going to cherish,” said Frank Abel.

Supporting and highlighting musical education and upcoming talent through its education programs is a large part of LIMEHOF’s mission. Each year the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame presents an Educator of Note Award recognizing outstanding achievement in Long Island music education and normally they present the awards publicly during their galas. LIMEHOF has not held an awards Gala since 2019 in large part due to covid restrictions these award winners were unable to receive their awards in a public ceremony, so LIMEHOF organized this special ceremony for them at their Stony Brook Museum location.

LIMEHOF says it’s important to recognize the music teachers who are top in their field and making a difference by building strong educational programs for students to be able to perform and be evaluated.

“We celebrate music history here on Long Island and everybody knows we honor people like Billy Joel and John Coltraine and other artists but sometimes people forget that the people who have the biggest impact on Long Island in terms of music are music teachers,” said Needham. “Music teachers have the ability to reach thousands of kids throughout a career.”

The 2024 Educator of Note nomination process is currently open with a deadline of September 30th. For more information about LIMEHOF’s Educator of Note, scholarships and other music education programs, please visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/educator-of-note/

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, New York. To date, the organization has inducted more than 120 musicians and music industry executives, and offers education programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators.

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Dave Morrissey Jr. as Col. Benjamin Tallmadge in a scene from 'One Life to Give.' Michael Pawluk Photography

By Rita J. Egan

For nearly 15 years, Dave Morrissey Jr.’s career path has taken him from playing Revolutionary War hero Col. Benjamin Tallmadge in independent productions to taking on bad guy roles on television. In a recent phone interview, the actor said he credits his theatrical experiences on Long Island for helping him pursue his acting goals.

Currently living in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Morrissey was born in Port Jefferson and grew up in Selden and Miller Place. He said the seeds of his career were planted during his formative years studying at The Performing Arts Studio of New York in Port Jefferson, which his mother, Terri Morrissey, owns, along with Deborah and Michael Livering.

Playing a hero

A graduate of Suffolk County Community College and Fashion Institute of Technology, Morrissey first had the opportunity to play Tallmadge, who oversaw the Setauket spies during the Revolutionary War, in the independent film The Culper Spy Adventure. He became involved in the movie thanks to his connection with one of the directors, Michael Tessler, who had attended The Performing Arts Studio of New York. He would have the chance to play Tallmadge again for the TBR News Media-produced One Life to Give and its sequel, Traitor: A Culper Spy Story.

Morrissey said being part of the two films with local actors was a fun and “sweet experience.” One of his favorite memories includes the night when the actors decided to sleep over at Benner’s Farm in East Setauket, one of the film’s locations, to get the feel of sleeping in a fort, which was constructed by the crew.

“That was a real fun method-acting experience because it was July Fourth weekend, and it was camping out with a bunch of reenactors,” he said.

Regarding playing Tallmadge, Morrissey said he wished he could do it again. “I still get people reaching out to me, texting me or messaging me on social media saying, ‘Oh, I saw you in The Culper Spy Adventure,'” he said.

One of the things the actor appreciated most about appearing in the independent films was that they weren’t as dramatized as they were in Turn: Washington’s Spies, the AMC series about the Culper Spy Ring.

“The thing that I liked about One Life to Give was that it had a certain level of authenticity,” Morrissey said. “Everyone really loved that time period. Everyone really loved the experience. I don’t know if I’ve ever really had a set that magical.”

Taking on the bad guys

Since his time on the One Life to Give and Traitor: A Culper Spy Story sets, he has had roles on Law and Order: Organized Crime, American Horror Story and FBI, where he has been cast as bad guys.

“I quickly found that casting is going to like me if I play a bad guy, and I’m not a bad person,” he said, adding the roles are fun to play. “It’s a challenge, and it’s complex.”

Having varied experiences when starting a career in movies and television is essential as well as producing content, according to Morrissey. “When I got out of high school, it was right when content creation was kind of starting, and everyone was saying you have to make your own work,” he said. “I really leaned into that.”

It led to the creation of the former Bluebox Theatre Company with his friend Joe Rubino, where they produced what he called “dark” productions. Morrissey also produces, hosts and directs gaming technology and branded content. 

In addition to playing Tallmadge and bad guys, Morrissey said one of his favorite performances has been in the movie Our Lady of Queens, which he produced and acted in along with prolific character actor Austin Pendleton. He described the film as a family drama that delves into the subject of dementia. He recently submitted Our Lady of Queens to film festivals along with a short film he narrated titled Cowboy Killer.

Currently, the actor said he’s been busy completing a documentary series with the United States Space Force and Space.com and a short documentary, Chasing Electric, about the rise of electric motorcycles. Morrissey is also appearing in a play about artificial intelligence titled A Groundbreaking Achievement of Outrageous Importance at Theatrelab in New York City through May that is produced and directed by fellow Long Islander Andrew Beck. 

Sharing advice

His advice for people interested in acting is that they can start at any age, and he said living on Long Island is a good place to start as the “industry is right here.”

“When you really see what the industry is made of, you’ll be less intimidated by it,” he said. “So, you should just go for it 100 percent.”

Among advice such as actors must know what type they are before getting headshots and having the pictures taken before trying to find a manager, Morrissey said it’s important for aspiring actors to “spread yourself out and make your pond as big as possible.”

The actor added that he believes the local Long Island theaters provide different perspectives essential for actors entering the entertainment industry.

“You’ll see there are some people who come out of Long Island who are unbelievable and they succeed,” Morrissey said. “I think it’s because we have the opportunity to really have these different communities that are really so amazing — these theater communities on Long Island.”

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The Cinema Arts Centre will host a five-day celebration of Jewish Cinema and culture, with films that include thoughtful documentaries, captivating dramas, and historically significant films

This May, the Long Island Jewish Film Festival will return to Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre for the festival’s second year. The second season of the Long Island Jewish Film Festival will span five days, May 3rd – May 7th, and will include screenings of films at the forefront of Jewish cultural storytelling.

The festival will feature films that include innovative documentaries, riveting dramas, and rarely seen pieces of film history, all curated by David Schwartz, Curator at Large at the Museum of the Moving Image, who will also host and lead audience discussions after many of the festival’s screenings.

The Long Island Jewish Film Festival was organized to help celebrate the rich cultural traditions and history of the Jewish community in America and abroad. The films highlighted in the festival represent the apex of both historic and modern Jewish cinema, featuring films from over a 100 years ago, through today.

The Long Island Jewish Film Festival will begin on Friday, May 3rd with a screening of powerful historical drama “Kidnapped”. The second day of the festival will feature screenings of three films: the enthralling dramas “The Other Widow” & “The Goldman Case”, as well as the acclaimed new documentary “How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer”. Sunday, the third day of the festival, will include a screening of the historic 1923 silent film “The Ancient Law”, with a live score performed by pianist Donald Sosin & klezmer violinist Alicia Svigals, a screening of the 1980 documentary “Brighton Beach”, featuring a discussion with director Susan Wittenberg in-person, as well as an encore screening of the film “Kidnapped” for those that observe shabbat and couldn’t attend the Friday screening.

The remaining days of the festival will also feature encore screenings of the films “The Goldman Case”, and “The Other Widow”. The screenings of “The Other Widow” and “How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer” will feature pre-record Q&As with the film’s directors and our host and curator David Schwartz.

Public tickets are $16 per screening with the exception of the film “The Ancient Law”, for which public tickets will cost $18.

The Films:

A scene from ‘Kidnapped’

Kidnapped
Friday, May 3rd at 7 PM
& Sunday, May 5th at 7 PM
$16 Public | $10 Members
The great Italian filmmaker Marco Bellocchio, now 84, has made one of the most stylish and operatic films of his career. Kidnapped depicts the scandalous true story of Edgardo Mortara, a six-year-old Jewish boy who, in 1858, was baptized by his caretaker, and abducted from his family by order of the Pope, to be raised as a Catholic. Edgardo became the center of an international firestorm as his parents fought to retrieve their child from the clutches of a ruthless theocratic government; the case led to historical change. (2023, 134 mins)

Promotional Image from The Other Widow. 2022. Lama Films, Cup of Tea, Tobina Films.

The Other Widow
Saturday, May 4th at 2 PM
& Tuesday, May 7th at 7 PM
Featuring a pre-recorded Q&A with director Maayan Rypp
$16 Public | $10 Members
Nominated for 9 Ophir awards (the Israeli Oscars) including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actress, this wonderfully observed comedic drama follows Ella (Dana Ivgy) a costume designer who is in a long-term affair with Assaf, a married playwright. When Assaf dies unexpectedly, Ella decides to attend Shiva while keeping her identity under wraps, diving into a world once forbidden to her. Through intimate encounters with his family, she examines her place in his life and eventually demands her legitimate right to mourn. (2022, 83 mins)

A scene from ‘The Goldman Case’

The Goldman Case
Saturday, May 4th at 4 PM
& Monday, May 6th at 7 PM
$16 Public | $10 Members
This gripping courtroom drama delves into the sensational and widely followed 1976 trial of Pierre Goldman, a Jewish activist defending himself against multiple charges, including murder. Goldman steadfastly maintained his innocence, while the facts of his case became a flash point for a generation, raising questions of antisemitism and political ideology. Directed with vérité realism and pinpoint historical precision, The Goldman Case is both subdued and electrifying, communicating so much about the complexity of Jewish identity in recent European history. It was the opening night film in the Director’s Fortnight section at Cannes. (2023, 115 mins)

Portrait of Norman Mailer featured in How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer. 2023. Zeitgeist Films. Image provided courtesy of Zeitgeist Films & Kino Lorber.

How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer
Saturday, May 4th at 7 PM
Featuring a pre-recorded Q&A with director Jeff Zimbalist
$16 Public | $10 Members
Norman Mailer, a towering figure in American literature, had a life that was certainly stranger than fiction. From his formative years in Brooklyn, through his career as a preeminent cultural voice, we follow Mailer’s life through 6 marriages, 9 children, 11 bestselling books and 2 Pulitzer Prizes as he solidifies his place in the literary pantheon. With access to Mailer’s family and never before seen footage, this biography details the life and times of an American icon. (2023,100 mins)

Still from The Ancient Law. 1923. Comedia-Film. Public Domain.

The Ancient Law
Sunday, May 5th at 2 PM
With live score performed by Donald Sosin and Alicia Svigals
$18 Public | $12 Members
This rarely seen silent film from Weimar Era Germany tells the dramatic story of Baruch, a young shtetl Jew and the son of a Rabbi, who leaves his family and community, seeking a secular career as a stage actor. Featuring wonderful scenes depicting shtetl life, the film paints a complex portrait of the tension between tradition and modernity. Like so many other Jewish artists of the era, director E.A. Dupont and star Ernst Deutsch were both forced to flee their homelands as the Nazis rose to power.  (1923, 128 mins)

Still from Brighton Beach. 1980. Carol Stein and Susan Wittenberg. Courtesy of Indiecollect.

Brighton Beach
Sunday, May 5th at 5 PM
With director Susan Wittenberg in-person
$16 Public | $10 Members
Set against the iconic Coney Island boardwalk, Brighton Beach is a neighborhood in constant re-formation. This 1980 documentary offers a genuine portrait of the immigrant communities that changed the Brooklyn neighborhood—mostly Soviet Jews and Puerto Ricans—as they mingle on the boardwalk with long-time residents, eye one another, and coexist around a shared sense of uprootedness. From directors Susan Wittenberg and Carol Stein, Brighton Beach is an unposed, seductively shot, color film about life’s simple pleasures and the creating of a community. (2080, 55 mins)

Location:
Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave, Huntington, NY 11743

You can purchase tickets or find more information about these and other events on the Cinema Arts Centre website: www.cinemaartscentre.org

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SKYWALKER SAGA MAY THE 4th MARATHON HEADS TO HOLSTVILLE.

Fans are Invited to Watch All Nine “Star Wars” Movies on the Big Screen on “Star Wars Day” beginning at 8:00 p.m. on May 3 until 6:45 p.m. on May 4

Showcase Cinemas has announced that Island 16: Cinema de Lux in Holtsville, will be one of only 14 theaters nationwide, and the only location on Long Island, to host the exclusive “The Skywalker Saga May the 4thMarathon” taking place on May 3 and 4. Scheduled over “Star Wars Day” (May the 4th), Star Wars fans will have the opportunity to view all nine films from the Star Wars saga together on the big screen during a 23-hour time period, including a special look at the upcoming Disney+ series “The Acolyte.”

Tickets are on sale now, priced at $60 for the general public and $55 for Starpass loyalty program members. Tickets can be purchased via the Showcase Cinemas website at this link. Tickets include all nine movies and exclusive commemorative items including a limited-edition collectible print and a keepsake marathon badge. Marathon guests will also receive a 25 percent discount on food and beverage purchases (excluding alcohol), including on items featured on the special Star Wars-themed menu.

“The Skywalker Saga May the 4th Marathon” begins with “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” at 8 p.m. on May 3 and concludes with “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker,” ending at 6:45 p.m. on May 4. Short breaks will be offered in between films for guests to freshen up and purchase food.

“What better way to celebrate May the 4th this year than to watch all of the ‘Star Wars’ films on the big screen back-to-back?” said Mark Malinowski, Vice President of Global Marketing at Showcase Cinemas. “This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Star Wars fans to celebrate the day in a big way, and we couldn’t be more excited to help them create special memories. It’s going to be an incredible event!”

In addition to Island 16: Cinema de Lux, Showcase Cinemas is also hosting the marathon in two sold-out auditoriums at Showcase Cinema de Lux at Legacy Place in Dedham, Mass. on the same date.

For more information on the “The Skywalker Saga May the 4th Marathon” on Long Island, please visit this link.

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By Lisa Scott

Nancy Marr’s February 2, 2024 column in this newspaper, “Equal Rights Amendment…It’s Time” explains that the proposed New York State ERA (which will be on the back of the November 2024 ballot) is not “a women’s equality amendment” but seeks to protect women as a class and men as a class against discrimination under the law for any reason. The NYS ERA bill explicitly includes language to clarify that discrimination based on a person’s pregnancy or pregnancy outcomes would be sex discrimination, protecting pregnant people from punishment. These protections will help to guarantee that all people have the right to bodily autonomy. 

One organization that has continued to fight to ensure all people have access to the care and resources they need to make informed decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures is Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood started in 1916 in Brownsville (Brooklyn) New York. In 1933 and 1951, communities in Westchester and Suffolk counties, respectively, were providing health services, accurate information and education, and advocacy for reproductive rights and justice. Today, these counties (with a total population of close to 3 million residents) are now joined as Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic (PPHP). (All data in this article are as of full-year 2022.)

PPHP now serves as a major provider of sexual and reproductive health care for the region and a leading public advocate in the suburban metro area. There are 10 health centers and 2 mobile health centers, which offer a wide range of sexual and reproductive health care services regardless of the individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, or ability to pay. In 2022, PPHP provided 45,790 health care visits and served 27,017 patients throughout the 4 counties. Over half of PPHP’s patients are on Medicaid and fall at or below the federal poverty line. Fees for many services are based on a sliding scale tied to income and family size.

PPHP has recently launched initiatives to bring the majority of their health services directly into communities through their mobile health centers, as well as offering expanded telehealth services as an outgrowth of challenges during the COVID pandemic. Reproductive health care cannot wait, so patients can access services such as birth control, emergency contraception, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment, HIV testing and education, PrEP and PEP for HIV prevention, gender-affirming care, and more, and access these services with fewer visits or without needing to visit a health center at all. 

Every person’s personal decision about their pregnancy should be respected and valued. There is widespread disinformation on Planned Parenthood’s services, in particular abortion services. Contrary to popular belief, abortion is common, nearly one in four women, and more gender expansive people in America will have an abortion by age 45. 6 out of 10 people who get abortions already have kids. PPHP performed 1,993 procedure abortions and 6,238 medication abortions in 2022, but also vasectomies, colposcopies (cervical exams), HPV vaccinations, breast exams, and pap tests. STI tests (59,530) and contraception management visits (33,199) were by far the service most in demand/provided. 

PPHP is one of eight Planned Parenthood affiliates to offer prenatal care. The organization recently launched Centering Pregnancy in two of its health centers, an innovative style of group prenatal care that empowers pregnant people to be actively involved in their own care and equips them to make healthy choices throughout their pregnancy and beyond. Numerous published studies show that Centering patients have healthier babies and that Centering nearly eliminates racial disparities in preterm birth. PPHP is committed to improving maternal health outcomes and reducing maternal mortality, particularly among people of color.

We should be empowering people to make their own health and reproductive care decisions, and remind them that there is a team of health professionals at PPHP that can answer questions and address concerns with understanding and respect. And voting yes in November for the NYS ERA will take a big step to protecting a person’s right to make decisions about their own bodies. PPHP can be reached at 800-230-PLAN or visit pphp.org. 

Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https//my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county.

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METRO photo

By Michael Christodoulou

Michael Christodoulou

If you own a business and you offer a 401(k) or similar retirement plan to your employees, you’ll want to stay current on the various changes affecting these types of accounts. And in 2024, you may find some interesting new developments to consider.

These changes are part of the SECURE 2.0 Act, enacted at the end of 2022. And while some parts of the law went into effect in 2023 — such as the new tax credit for employer contributions to start-up retirement plans with 100 or fewer employees — others were only enacted this year. 

Here are some of these changes that may interest you: 

New “starter” 401(k)/403(b): If you haven’t already established a retirement plan, you can now offer a “starter” 401(k) or “safe harbor” 403(b) plan to employees who meet age and service requirements. These plans have lower contribution limits ($6,000 per year, or $7,000 for those 50 or older) than a typical 401(k) or 403(b) and employers can’t make matching or nonelective contributions. These plans are low-cost and easy to administer but the credit for employer contributions doesn’t apply, as these contributions aren’t allowed, and since start-up costs are low, the tax credit for these costs will be correspondingly lower than they’d be for a full-scale 401(k) plan. 

Matches for student loan payments: It’s not easy for young employees to save for retirement and pay back student loans. To help address this problem, Congress included a provision in Secure 2.0 that allows employers the option to provide matching contributions to employees’ retirement plans (401(k), 403(b), 457(b) and SIMPLE IRAs) when these employees make qualified student loan payments. Of course, if you offer this match for student loan payments, your costs will likely increase, although these matching contributions are tax deductible. In any case, you may want to balance any additional expense with the potential benefit of attracting and retaining employees, particularly those who have recently graduated from college. 

401(k) eligibility for part-time employees: Part-time employees who are at least 21 years old and have at least 500 hours of service in three consecutive years must now be eligible to contribute to an existing 401(k) plan. The inclusion of part-time employees could lead to higher business expenses for you, depending on the amount of contributions you may make to employees’ plans. Again, though, you’d be offering a benefit that could be attractive to quality part-time employees. 

Emergency savings account: Many people, especially those who don’t earn high incomes, have trouble building up emergency funds they can tap for unexpected costs, such as a major home or car repair or large medical expenses. Now, if you offer a 401(k), 403(b) or 457(b) plan, you can include a pension-linked emergency savings account (PLESA) that allows non-highly compensated employees to save up to $2,500, a figure that will be indexed for inflation in the future. PLESA allows for tax-free monthly withdrawals without incurring a 10% tax penalty. PLESA contributions are made on an after-tax (Roth) basis and must be matched at the same rate as other employee contributions.  

You may want to consult with your tax and financial professionals to determine how these changes may affect what you want to do with your retirement plan. The more you know, the better your decisions likely will be. 

Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

 

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