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A RETURN ENGAGEMENT Sheléa returns to the Staller Center for the Arts in concert on April 22. Photo by Courtney Baron
Ongoing

Flip Circus heads to Lake Grove

The circus is coming to town! As part of its 2023 national tour, FL!P Circus will put down stakes at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove from April 14 to 24. Ringmaster Arthur Figueroa serves as host of this new circus adventure which will feature audience favorites Stiv and Roni Bello, Italy’s “siblings of silliness”; a trapeze act by Carolina Vazquez; and the Duo Vanegas on the rotating Wheel of Steel. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and  1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets start at $25 for children and $40 adults with senior/military/handicap discounts available. For tickets and additional information, visit www.FlipCircus.com. Tickets will also be available in person at the box office during each engagement. For more information, call 877-829-7839.

Thursday April 20

Gallery North reception

Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket hosts an opening reception for its latest exhibit,  Tell Me Something Back: Abstractions by Tom Brydelsky, a selection of recent works by Tom Brydelsky, from 6 to 8 p.m. The show is on view from April 13 to May 21 with an ArTalk on April 29 and a collage and painting workshop on May 7. Details can be found at www. gallerynorth.org. For more information, call 751-2676.

Tribute to Tina Turner

Cinema Art Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Rock Legends Live! series with a Tina Turner Celebration at 7:30 p.m. Join for an evening of rare and thrilling performance films of the musical legend who is often referred to as “The Queen of Rock and Roll.” Tickets are $15, $10 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Friday April 21

Vanderbilt Evening Birdwatch

Join the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport for an Evening Birdwatch and Architecture Tour with the Museum’s director of curatorial affairs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Participants will enjoy the unique opportunity to view the Vanderbilt estate at dusk, when the grounds are closed but the birds are active. Sturdy hiking footwear is strongly suggested, and participants are asked to bring their own binoculars. Walks will also be held on April 7 and 21, and May 5 and 19. Tickets are $12, free for members. To register, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Viking Auction

Sons of Norway, Loyal Lodge #25 hosts a Viking Auction at the St. James Lutheran Church Parish Hall, 230 Second Ave., St. James at 6:30 p.m. $10 admission includes 25 tickets, coffee, tea and cake. Second level, third level and 50/50 tickets available for purchase. Questions? Call 229-395-6390.

Saturday April 22

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Comsewogue HS Craft Fair

Comsewogue High School, 565 Bicycle Path, Port Jefferson Station hosts a Community Connections Craft Fair fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with over 50 vendors offering baked goods, hot food, candy, homemade crafts and more. Free admission. For more information, call 428-2530.

Health & Wellness Fest

The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce presents its 14th annual Health & Wellness Fest at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Get important information to meet your health and wellness needs. Over 50 health and wellness professionals will be participating including St. Charles, Mather Hospital–Northwell Health, and Stony Brook Medicine with a food court, music, rowing, electric bikes, painting and lots of free giveaways. Free admission. Call 473-1414 or visit www.portjeffhealth.com for more information.

Antiques in April

Huntington Historical Society presents its annual multi-vendor antiques & collectibles sale, Antiques in April, at the Kissam House, 434 Park Ave., Huntington today and April 23 from 10 am. to 4 p.m. Browse beautiful antiques from dealers all across Long Island along with furniture, books, and smalls from the Kissam barn. The Society’s Antiques and Collectibles Shop will also be open for fabulous finds. Free admission. Held rain or shine. Call 427-7045 for more information.

Spring Festival & Street Fair

Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber presents its 2nd annual Spring Festival & Street Fair at 175 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rain date April 23). This free family-friendly event will celebrate the arrival of spring and will feature vendors, fun games and activities, and lots of great food. For more information, visit www.rpsbchamber.org.

A visit from Chief Joseph

Port Jefferson Village Center, 101A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson welcomes back Maasai Chief Joseph Ole Tipanko and his delegation from Kenya from noon to 4 p.m. Learn about Maasai daily life, traditions, family responsibilities and enjoy a traditional dance and song performance. Handmade jewelry and other art items will be for sale. Free. Call 835-1520 for further info.

Wet Paints exhibit reception

The Wet Paints Studio hosts an artists’ reception for its group exhibit at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson from 1 to 4 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The exhibit is on view on the second floor of the Center through April 27. For more info, call 513-2675.

Premiere of ‘We Are Guardians’ 

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will premiere a new show, We Are Guardians: How Satellites Help Us To Save the Planet, at 3 p.m. Find out how, with the help of satellites and scientific study, we can understand the links between human activities and climate change, and what we can do to work together to improve the health of our shared home. Best suited for ages 8 and up. Tickets are $15 adults, $13 seniors and students, $13 children ages 12 and under. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Sheléa in concert

Back by popular demand! After bringing down the house in 2021, Sheléa returns to Stony Brook University’s Staller Center Recital Hall, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook at 8 p.m.  With a voice that stirs the soul and hands that glide effortlessly over the keys, Sheléa represents a return to true artistry that has garnered attention and adoration from legends throughout the music industry as she brings a contemporary edge to classics and a classic touch to contemporary pop standards. Tickets range from $42 to $58. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.

Sunday April 23

Antiques in April

See April 22 listing.

Car Show fundraiser

The Fabulous 50s & 60s Nostalgia Car Club presents its annual judged car show fundraiser at The Maples, 10 Ryerson Ave., Manorville from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with 50/50 raffles, vendors and more. Rain date April 30. Proceeds benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities and Judy’s Run Stroke Awareness. For more information, call 463-4983.

Cars & Guitars fundraiser

Miller’s Ale House, 88 Veterans Highway, Commack hosts the 7th annual Hope for Warriors Cars & Guitars classic car show fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. $15 car registration day of event, first 100 cars will receive gift bags. Free for spectators with live music. No rain date. Call 493-2370.

Open House brunch fundraiser

Celebrate St. James invites the community to a Sunday Brunch at the St. James Community and Cultural Center, 176 Second St., St. James hosted by NYS Senator Mario Mattera to save the historic Calderone Theatre from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Suggested minimum donation of $20 per person. For tickets, visit www.celebratestjames.org.

Jazz & Art at the LIM

The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook presents Cool Rhythms: Intersections of Jazz & Art at 2 p.m. The creative cross pollination between modern visual art and jazz music is a vital American story. Through artist talks and a jazz performance, the Museum will explore these crosscurrents between music and art with The National Jazz Museum in Harlem and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. This Smithsonian Affiliate program is inspired by two LIM exhibitions: Romare Bearden: Artist as Activist and Visionary and Creative Haven: Black Artists of Sag Harbor. Tickets are $10, free for members at www.longislandmuseum.org.

WLIR Radio Day at the LIMEHOF

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook will present WLIR Radio Day at 3 p.m. Scheduled to appear is LIMEHoF Inductee Denis McNamara, Larry “the Duck” Dunn, Donna Donna and Max “the Mighty Maxximizer” Leinwand. Free with admission to the museum. For more information, call 689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.

Fashion Show in Port Jeff

The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce & Fedora Lounge Boutique Hair Salon presents the Vogue in the Village Fashion show at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson from 6 to 9 p.m. Local vendors will be showing clothing, jewelry, and so much fashion. Come early at 6 p.m. to check out vendors at the Market Place before the show at 7 p.m. Admission is $20 at the door. Questions? Call 473-1414. 

Monday April 24

No events listed for this day.

Tuesday April 25

An evening of Swing Dance

Swing Dance Long Island, a non-profit social dance club, holds weekly dances every Tuesday evening at the  Huntington Moose Lodge, 631 Pulaski Rd. Greenlawn with beginner swing lessons at 7:30 p.m. and dancing from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Singles and beginners are welcome.  No partner necessary. Admission is $15 on DJ night,  $20 on band night on the third Tuesday of the month. Call 516-521-1410.

A Band Called Honalee in concert

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport continues its Special Events series with a concert featuring A Band Called Honalee at 8 p.m. The modern-day folk trio is inspired by the music and legacy of Peter, Paul & Mary. Musically accomplished, interactive, and energetic, their shows allow audiences to experience this timeless music live onstage once again. Satisfying diehard Peter, Paul & Mary lovers as well as newcomers to this wonderful era of music, the band’s shows feature all of PPM’s beloved hits, including “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Blowing in the Wind,” and of course “Puff The Magic Dragon.” Tickets are $45 per person. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Wednesday April 26

Long Island Guitar Festival

Setauket Presbyterian Church, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket kicks off the 31st annual Long Island Guitar Festival tonight at 7:30 p.m. and runs through April 30.  Scheduled performers include Berta Rojas, Laura Snowden, João Luiz & Friends Quartets, Boyd Meets Girl, Harris Becker, James Erickson, Laura Lessard, Octavio Deluchi, Gabriele Leite, Eduardo Gutterres, Penelope Shvarts, The Hofstra University Chamber Choir and many more. Master Classes will be given by Laura Snowden and João Luiz and luthier Brian Itzkin will lead a discussion/Q&A on Guitar Building in Granada, Spain. For a full schedule of events and tickets, visit www.ligfest.net.

Seed Saving Workshop

Huntington Historical Society presents a Seed Saving Workshop at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington from 6 to 8 p.m. This class will introduce basic seed saving concepts and techniques, identifies what seeds can be easily saved, and how to plan your garden for optimal results. A hands-on component of the class will provide you with the opportunity to clean seeds for to take home. $15 per person, $10 members. Visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org or call 427-7045 to register.

Thursday April 27

Long Island Guitar Festival 

See April 26 listing.

Bobby Collins

Comedy fundraiser at the LIM

Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook hosts a Laugh Till You Give! comedy fundraiser in the History Museum featuring comedy legend Bobby Collins at 6:30 p.m. $100 per ticket includes wine, beer, refreshments and appetizers. Proceeds support the LIM’s education programs and exhibitions. To order, visit www.longiwlandmuseum.org. For more info, call 751-0066, ext. 247.

Theater

‘Pride@Prejudice’

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, presents the Long Island premiere of Pride @ Prejudice from April 7 through May 6. Watch Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fall in love all over again — this time filtered through the world of the internet. Five actors play nearly two dozen roles in this hilarious and moving homage to Jane Austen’s most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’

The swashbuckling musical adventure The Scarlet Pimpernel heads to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport from March 16 to April 30. Percy Blakeney, a proper Englishman, takes on a sword fighting and dashing double identity as The Scarlet Pimpernel to save French citizens from the blood-hungry guillotine. His exploits soon become the talk of Paris, however, the fanatical Agent Chauvelin will stop at nothing to catch the Pimpernel and send him to the guillotine. For ticket info, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘The Comedy of Errors’

The Theatre at Suffolk County Community College, Ammerman campus, 533 College Road, Selden presents a production of The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare in the Shea Theatre in the Islip Arts Building on April 20, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. and April 23 at 2 p.m. Mature content. General admission is $15. For tickets, call 451-4163. See review on page B15.

Film

‘In the Heart of the Sea’

Join Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station for a screening of  In the Heart of the Sea starring Chris Hemsworth and Cillian Murphy on April 27 at 2 p.m. This film is part of the Long Island Reads Film Series. Open to all. Call 928-1212 to reserve your seat. 

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A scene from last year's Earth Day festivities at Manor Farm Park. Photo by Media Origin

Whether you choose to participate in a beach cleanup, bird walk or a fun festival, there are plenty of ways to show your love for the planet this weekend for Earth Day.. 

Huntington

Family Earth Day Celebration

Join the Town of Huntington for a family-friendly Earth Day celebration at Manor Farm Park, 210 Manor Road, Huntington on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with arts and crafts, a beekeeping demonstration, e-waste disposal, composting info, paper shredding, an electric vehicle display, food, music, and free activities. For more information, call 631-351-3173.

Kings Park

Earth Day Drop-In

Stop by the Sunken Meadow Nature Center, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park any time on April 23 between noon and 2 p.m. to celebrate Earth Day! Learn a bit about Earth Day and make a fun craft to take home! All are welcome. No reservations required. Free. Questions? Call 631-269-4333.

Port Jefferson

Earth Day at the Explorium

Join the Long Island Explorium, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson and the  Brookhaven Town NAACP for a special Earth Day presentation on April 22 from 10 a.m. to noon. The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society will be on hand to provide a talk about local marine life and conservation efforts and then lead a beach clean-up outside of the Explorium. This event is free and open to the public but pre-registration is strongly encouraged by visiting www.longislandexplorium.org. Call 631-331-3277 for more info.

Port Jefferson Station

Train Car Park Cleaup

The Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce hosts an Earth Day  Community & Train Car Park Cleanup at the corner of Route 112 and Nesconset Highway, Port Jefferson Station on Saturday, April 22 from 9 to 11 a.m. Grab a pair of gloves and a bag to pitch in. Community service hours given. Call 631-821-1313.

Greenway Trail Clean Up

Three Village Community Trust hosts a cleanup of the Setauket and Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail on Saturday, April 22 at 9 a.m. Meet up with Friends of the Greenway volunteers at trailhead at Hallock Ave. and Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station. For more info, email [email protected].

Shred Recycle Dispose event

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station hosts a Shred Recycle Dispose event on Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Town of Brookhaven residents may bring paper documents for secure shredding, electronic devices for recycling, and old prescription drugs for safe disposal in the library’s parking lot. Questions? Call 631-928-1212.

Northport

Beach Clean-up

New York Marine hosts a beach clean-up at Crab Meadow Beach, Waterview Street West, Fort Salonga on Sunday, April 23 from 10 a.m. to noon. Come join them in their effort to eradicate marine debris and save wildlife. To participate, register at www.nymarinerescue.org.

Riverhead

Earth Day Cleanup

Help make the Town of Riverhead a cleaner and more beautiful place. Join the Riverhead Litter Committee  for a cleanup on Saturday, April 22 from 9 to 11 a.m. in honor of Earth Day. Supplies can be picked up at Town Hall, and volunteers can register for a location to clean. Community service credits are available. Sign up online as an individual or a team by emailing [email protected].

Ronkonkoma

Bird Walk and Trash Cleanup

Join the Four Harbors Audubon Society for a Bird Walk and Trash Cleanup at Lily Pond County Park, Smithtown Blvd., Lake Ronkonkoma on Saturday, April 22 at 8 a.m.  in celebration of Earth Day and in memory of Diane Spitz, who spent many years as unofficial caretaker of the Park. Please bring gloves and bags. Email [email protected] to register.

Beach Cleanup at Lake Ronkonkoma

Join the Lake Ronkonkoma Improvement Group for a beach cleanup at Lake Ronkonkoma on Saturday, April 22 at 10 a.m. Meet at Larry’s Landing on Shore Road. Bring pruners,gloves and tools for fence installation. Will be doing some planting, pruning, installing a fence and cleaning shore line. Service hours available.

St. James

Earth Day at Celebrate Park

Join Celebrate St. James for a free Kids Community Earth Day Event at Celebrate Park on Lake Ave. in St. James on April 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  featuring a garden tour with Paul LI Landscaping, animals from Sweetbriar Nature Center, crafts, henna art, storytelling, plant sale, live music and more.  To register, visit www.celebratestjames.org.

Smithtown

Earth Day at Sweetbriar

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown invites the community to an Earth Day is Every Day celebration on April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. Celebrate the wonders of the natural world and living things that share the planet with us. Children will meet resident animals, enjoy the natural world through their senses, and go on a scavenger hunt to find out some of the things they can do to help the natural world. Come away with a green craft to help reduce your impact on the Earth. Best for families with children over 4 years old. $10 per child, $5 per adults. age of 4. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. For more info, call 631-979-6344.

Stony Brook

Lee Koppelman Preserve Cleanup

Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich and ‘S’ Section circle of friends invite the community to join them for the 2nd annual Lee Koppelman Preserve Cleanup on Friday, April 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the entrance to the Preserve at the end of Sage Lane intersecting with Sheppard Lane in Stony Brook. For more information, call 631-451-6963.

Earthstock Festival at SBU

The signature Earthstock Festival returns to Stony Brook University’s West campus, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook on Friday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with vendors, presenters and tables from various departments on the SAC Plaza, with the Green Pledge and other speakers taking the main stage at the Mall fountain at noon. Student performances will be held on a second stage by the SAC from 1 pm to 3 pm. The annual Duck Race will take place at 2 pm. Free and open to all. Visit www.stonybrook.edu/earthstock.

Wetlands Legacies

In honor of Earth Day, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization will host a family program, Wetlands Legacies, at the Dr. Erwin Ernst Marine Conservation Center at West Meadow Preserve in Stony Brook on April 22 at 10:30 a.m. Explore the legacy of world-renowned naturalist and ornithologist Dr. Robert Cushman Murphy with interactive hands-on exhibits led by the WMHO’s Youth Corps, a never-before-seen drone video of West Meadow Creek habitats, and guest speakers and experts in the fields of marine biology, ecology and the environment. Tickets are $10 adults, $8 children. To register, call 631-751-2244.

 

 

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Pixabay photo

Earth Day is an annual holiday that was started by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 to promote environmental policies on a national scale. Following the first Earth Day, Congress authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Earth Day also led to the passage of the Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.

In 1990, Earth Day went global and mobilized 141 countries to participate in protecting the environment. The date April 22nd was chosen for Earth Day to maximize the number of university (and K-12) students that could participate in celebrating the holiday. 

The theme for Earth Day 2023 is “Invest In Our Planet.” This year’s theme focuses on engaging governments, institutions, businesses, and the more than 1 billion citizens who participate annually in Earth Day to do their part — “everyone accounted for, everyone accountable.”

The following are some ways to celebrate the planet this April.

• Leave the car at home. Winter weather is a distant memory by late April in many places, making Earth Day an ideal time to travel by foot or by bicycle instead of by car. That’s not only fun, but also a great opportunity to learn about carbon emissions. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reports that a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Vehicles also emit a substantial amount of methane and nitrous oxide. This is why gas-powered vehicles are so often linked to climate change, much of which is driven by greenhouse gas emissions. A car-free Earth Day can be fun and serve as a catalyst for conversation about the effects of gas-powered vehicles on the health of the planet.

• Volunteer with a local environmental organization. Environmental organizations are committed to the ideals behind Earth Day all year long. However, each Earth Day many of these organizations sponsor eco-conscious efforts to help the planet and raise awareness about issues like climate change. Volunteering with a local beach or park cleanup or signing up to walk and raise money for a local environmental charity makes for a fun and educational way to spend your Earth Day.

• Get your hands dirty and plant. The National Forest Foundation notes that planting trees can have a profound and positive impact on the planet. According to the NFF, planting more trees helps forests to sequester carbon, which can have a significant effect on climate change. The NFF estimates that 100 mature trees can remove 50 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and 430 pounds of pollution from the atmosphere. Even if you can’t work with a local forestry organization to plant more trees in a nearby forest, planting native trees on your own property can help combat climate change.

• Involve children in your efforts to combat climate change. Today’s adults likely won’t be the ones forced to confront the more challenging consequences of climate change. Unfortunately, that cost is likely to be passed on to future generations. That makes this Earth Day a great time to involve kids more directly in efforts to combat climate change. Explain the significance of avoiding the car, volunteering or planting trees in terms that kids can understand, emphasizing that the future of the planet could very well be in their hands. Earth Day takes on greater significance each year as the effects of climate change become more noticeable. This year the holiday can be celebrated in various ways that are both enjoyable and educational.

Attend an Earth Day event. Being in community with other climate activists and Earth-lovers is the best way to spend Earth Day. There are many events in our area this weekend. See the list in this week’s Arts & Lifestyles.

 

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Invest in your future on Earth Day. METRO photo

By Michael Christodoulou

Michael Christodoulou

It’s almost Earth Day, when people around the world focus on ways of protecting and preserving the environment. And the lessons from this occasion can be applied to other areas of life — such as investing.

Here are some themes to consider:

Sustainability – From an environmental perspective, sustainability encompasses a range of issues, such as using natural resources wisely. As an investor, you, too, need to protect your resources.

So, for example, to sustain a long-term investment strategy, you won’t want to dip into your retirement accounts, such as your IRA and 401(k), to pay for major home or car repairs or other unexpected, costly bills before retirement.

You can help prevent this by building an emergency fund containing several months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. And once you’re retired, you need to sustain your portfolio so it can help provide income for many years. For that to happen, you’ll need to maintain a withdrawal rate that doesn’t deplete your investments too soon.

Growth potential – Many people plant trees to celebrate Earth Day, with the hope that, as the trees grow, they’ll contribute to cleaner air. When you invest, you also need growth potential if you’re going to achieve your goals, including a comfortable retirement.

So, your portfolio will need a reasonable percentage of growth-oriented vehicles, such as stocks and stock-based mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Yet, you do need to be aware that these investments can lose value, especially during downturns in the financial markets. You can help reduce the impact of market turbulence on your holdings by also owning other types of investments, such as bonds, government securities and certificates of deposit (CDs).

While these investments can also lose value, they are typically less volatile than stocks and stock-based mutual funds and ETFs. The appropriate percentage of growth and fixed-income investments in your portfolio depends on your risk tolerance, time horizon and long-term objectives.

Avoidance of “toxins” – At some Earth Day events, you can learn about positive behaviors such as disposing of toxic items safely. And in the investment world, you’ll also want to avoid toxic activities, such as chasing “hot” stocks that aren’t appropriate for your needs, or trading investments so frequently that you run up commissions and taxes or jumping out of the markets altogether when there’s a temporary decline.

Consolidation – Getting rid of clutter and unnecessary possessions is another lesson some people take away from Earth Day. All of us, when we look around our homes, could probably find many duplicate items — do we really need two blenders or three brooms or five staplers? When you invest, it’s also surprisingly easy to pick up “clutter” in the form of multiple accounts. You might have an IRA with one financial company and brokerage accounts with two or three others.

If you were to consolidate these accounts with one provider, you might reduce correspondence — even if it is online — and possibly even lower the fees you pay. But perhaps more important, by consolidating these accounts at one place, possibly with the guidance of a financial professional who knows your needs and goals, you may find it easier to follow a single, unified investment strategy.

Earth Day only happens once a year — but it may provide lessons for investors that can last a lifetime.

Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook. Member SIPC.

 

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Fanny M. Cornejo. Photo from SBU

Stony Brook University graduate student Fanny M. Cornejo has been named the winner of the newly-created “Emerging Conservationist Award” presented by the Indianapolis Prize. This award recognizes professional wildlife conservationists, biologists and scientists under 40-years of age who are working to make strides in saving animal species from extinction.

Cornejo, a Peruvian primatologist, anthropologist and the executive director of Yunkawasi, an organization that works with Amazonian and Andean communities for the conservation of threatened species through sustainable economic development and protected area management approach, was selected from among 10 finalists. She will receive $50,000 provided by the Kobe Foundation to continue the conservation work of Yunkawasi.

Cornejo is being recognized for her more than 15 years dedicated to the conservation and research of the yellow-tailed woolly monkey, a primate species that only inhabits the montane forests of Peru and is critically endangered due to human unsustainable activities that have generated the loss of over 80% of its population.

Cornejo is a member of the Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences (IDPAS) at Stony Brook University and works in the Pat Wright Lab, where she focuses on the study of primates and big mammals, focusing on diversity, ecological studies as well as conservation activities to protect forests and improve the livelihoods of local and indigenous communities. Cornejo has also conducted research on the black and white ruffed lemurs in Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar. Her graduate mentors are Professors Patricia C. Wright and Liliana Dávalos.

“Fanny lives and breathes conservation. Her energy, her motivation and her success are part of her very being. What a joy to hear that her talents and hard work have been recognized with this inaugural Emerging Conservationist Prize. What an honor for Stony Brook and an honor for Peru!” said Professor Patricia Wright, Distinguished Service Professor and Herrnstein Professor of Conservation Biology.

“Fanny was always a stand-out and it’s fantastic, but not surprising, that her talents and contributions continue to go above and beyond and to be recognized,” said Professor Carl Safina, Holder of the Endowed Chair for Nature and Humanity.

“Fanny is leading the next generation of conservationists to protect nature and inspire people to care for our world. The depth of accomplishments set her apart from the other nominees. I can’t wait to see the impact of her career in conservation,” added Indianapolis Zoological Society President and CEO Dr. Rob Shumaker.

Cornejo will be formally recognized as the 2023 Emerging Conservationist at the Indianapolis Prize Gala presented by Cummins Inc. in downtown Indianapolis on Sept. 30, 2023.

“I am very honored and grateful for this recognition that is not only for me, but also for my entire team, the people we work with, our partners in local communities, governments and our donors. Undoubtedly, being the first winner of the Emerging Conservationist Award and from an organization as important as the Indianapolis Prize is a great recognition for our work in Peru,” said Cornejo.

The Emerging Conservationist finalists were selected through a two-stage selection process, where a review committee evaluated and narrowed the application pool to 10 finalists. Those finalists were then evaluated by a selection committee who chose Cornejo the winner.

The Indianapolis Prize recognizes the world’s leading conservationists whose work provides future generations with replicable and actionable conservation practices. The finalists of the Emerging Conservationists represent the people we can rely on to save species worldwide. Stony Brook University Professors Patricia Wright (2014) and Russ Mittermeier (2018) have both been awarded the Indianapolis Prize.

# # #

About the Indianapolis Prize

The Indianapolis Prize recognizes and rewards conservationists who have achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species or group of species. Since 2006, the Indianapolis Prize has given more than $5.6 million in unrestricted cash awards. The Indianapolis Prize is administered by the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc.

About Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University — New York’s flagship university and No. 1 public university — is going far beyond the expectations of today’s public universities. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. With more than 24,000 students, more than 2,800 faculty members, more than 200,000 alumni, a premier academic healthcare system and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs, Stony Brook is a research-intensive distinguished center of innovation dedicated to addressing the world’s biggest challenges. The university embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality, and is ranked among the top 35 public universities by Forbes and one of the top 80 universities in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges listing. Fostering a commitment to academic research and intellectual endeavors, Stony Brook’s membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 65 research institutions in North America. The university’s distinguished faculty have earned esteemed awards such as the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize and the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics. Stony Brook has the responsibility of co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy — one of only eight universities with a role in running a national laboratory. Providing economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region, the university totals an impressive $7.23 billion in increased economic output on Long Island. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stonybrooku/) and Twitter(@stonybrooku).

About Yunkawasi

Yunkawasi is a Peruvian non-profit, dedicated to the sustainable development of the territory and the conservation of its biodiversity to achieve the well-being of different human groups. They have more than 16 years of experience working hand in hand with state, civil and private partners for the design and implementation of conservation projects in key ecosystems. Yunkawasi works in various ecosystems, from coastal to Amazonian landscapes, with a focus on conservation and management of protected natural areas, sustainable socioeconomic development, participatory research, and communication and environmental education. They promote an inclusive society that sustainably manages its natural resources, values the benefits they provide, and defend their natural and cultural heritage.

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Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will premiere a new show, We Are Guardians: How Satellites Help Us To Save the Planet, on Saturday, April 22, at 3 p.m. Other dates include April 29 and May 6. 

We are all connected. Come and find out how.

Join us on a journey into, under, and around the many ecosystems across our planet. Discover how each component fits together, and how the health of each part is vital to the health of Planet Earth. Find out how, with the help of satellites and scientific study, we can understand the links between human activities and climate change, and what we can do to work together to improve the health of our shared home.

This visually stunning show is an immersive science film that features beautiful animation and creative storytelling that viewers of all ages can enjoy together.

Best suited for ages 8 and up.

Tickets are $15 adults, $13 seniors and students, $13 children ages 12 and under.

To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

 

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Vegetables and fruits.
Dietary changes can help control or reverse chronic kidney disease

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Your kidneys are workhorses; they perform an array of critical functions for you. Primarily, they filter waste and fluid from your body and maintain your blood’s health. They also help control your blood pressure, make red blood cells and vitamin D, and control your body’s acid levels.

When your kidney function degrades, it can lead to hypertension or cardiovascular problems and it may require dialysis or a kidney transplant in later stages. For the best outcomes, it’s critical to identify chronic kidney disease (CKD) early and adopt techniques to stop its advance. However, of the estimated 37 million U.S. adults who have CKD, as many as 9 in 10 are not aware they have it (1).

One of the challenges with identifying early-stage CKD is that symptoms are not obvious and can be overlooked. Among them are high blood pressure, hand or feet swelling, urinary tract infections, and blood in your urine (2).

Fortunately, there are simple tests, such as a basic metabolic panel and a urinalysis, that will indicate whether you may have mild CKD. These indices for kidney function include an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), creatinine level and protein in the urine. eGFR is a calculation and, while the other two indices have varying ranges, depending on the laboratory used, a patient with an eGFR of 30 to 59 is considered to have mild disease. The eGFR and the kidney function are inversely related, meaning as eGFR declines, the severity of CKD increases.

What can be done to stem early-stage CKD, before complications occur? There are several studies that have looked at lifestyle modifications and their impacts on its prevention, treatment and reversal.

How do other medical issues affect your kidneys?

Among the greatest risks for your kidneys are uncontrolled diseases and medical disorders, such as diabetes and hypertension (1). If you have – or are at risk for – diabetes, be sure to control your blood sugar levels to limit kidney damage. Similarly, if you currently have hypertension, controlling it will put less stress on your kidneys. 

For these diseases, it’s crucial that you have your kidney function tested at least once a year.

In addition, obesity and smoking have been identified as risk factors and can be managed by making lifestyle changes to reduce your risk.

Can diet help protect your kidneys?

Fruits and vegetables may play a role in helping patients with CKD. In a one-year study with 77 patients, results showed that fruits and vegetables work as well as sodium bicarbonate in improving kidney function by reducing metabolic acidosis levels (3).

What is the significance of metabolic acidosis? It means that body fluids become acidic, and it is associated with CKD. The authors concluded that both sodium bicarbonate and a diet including fruits and vegetables were renoprotective, helping to protect the kidneys from further damage in patients with CKD. Alkali diets are primarily plant-based, although not necessarily vegetarian or vegan. Animal products tend to cause an acidic environment.

In the Nurses’ Health Study, results show that animal fat, red meat and sodium all negatively impact kidney function (4). The risk of protein in the urine, a potential indicator of CKD, increased by 72 percent in those participants who consumed the highest amounts of animal fat compared to the lowest, and by 51 percent in those who ate red meat at least twice a week. With higher amounts of sodium, there was a 52 percent increased risk of having lower levels of eGFR.

The most interesting part with sodium was that the difference between higher mean consumption and the lower mean consumption was not that large, 2.4 grams compared to 1.7 grams. In other words, a difference of approximately a quarter-teaspoon of sodium was responsible for the decrease in kidney function.

The National Kidney Foundation recommends diets that are higher in fruit and vegetable content and lower in animal protein, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and plant-based diets (5). 

In my practice, when CKD patients follow a vegetable-rich, nutrient-dense diet, there are substantial improvements in kidney functioning. For instance, for one patient, his baseline eGFR was 54. After one month of lifestyle modifications, his eGFR improved by 9 points to 63, which is a return to “normal” functioning of the kidney. Note that this is anecdotal, not a study.

What are our takeaways?

It is important to have your kidney function checked with mainstream tests. If the levels are low, you should address the issue through medications and lifestyle modifications to manage and reverse early-stage CKD. If you have common risk factors, such as diabetes, smoking, obesity or high blood pressure, or if you are over 60 years old, talk to your doctor about testing. 

Don’t wait until symptoms and complications occur. In my experience, it is much easier to treat and reverse a disease in its earlier stages, and CKD is no exception.

References:

(1) CDC.gov. (2) kidneyfund.org. (3) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013;8:371-381. (4) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010; 5:836-843. (5) kidney.org.

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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METRO photo

By Shannon L. Malone, Esq.

Shannon L. Malone, Esq.

Last month we explained in some detail what benefits New York automobile owners/drivers enjoy under its No-Fault Insurance Law. We also enumerated the instances where a motorist is not covered by the No-Fault Law. Today we explain how your No-Fault Insurance Application is processed by your insurance company and what rights you have under the New York No-Fault law.

The first crucial thing to remember is that you keep a copy of your No-Fault Application after you have filled it out, before you send it to your insurance carrier. If you have already consulted with or retained a lawyer, you should email your completed application to your attorney so he or she has the opportunity to make suggestions or approve the application.

After your application has been filed, you should receive a communication in writing from your insurance company acknowledging receipt. The insurance carrier should have already assigned what is known as a No-Fault claim number to your file, and the name and contact information of the representative who has been assigned your claim. 

If you do not receive such an acknowledgment within approximately 10 days of the date you filed your No-Fault Application, you should follow up by contacting the company. Anytime you speak to a representative, you should be sure to obtain their name and all their contact information.

What other obligations do I have in order to obtain or keep no-fault benefits?

Your automobile insurance policy requires you to cooperate with your insurance company at all times. This cooperation comes in several forms. Your claim representative may contact you with questions about the forms you have submitted. You must answer his or her questions, after you ascertain that they are actually a representative of your company. 

The insurance company representative often wants to ask you about your injuries and treatment, and you are obliged to respond. You should, however, be very careful in responding, as your insurance company has to the right to deny coverage for certain treatment it deems unnecessary.

Therefore, you should include all of the injuries you believe you have sustained and complained about to your physicians or other health care providers.

Your No-Fault Insurance representative will probably ask you exactly how the accident happened. Even though your own insurance company is obligated to pay your reasonable medical and out-of- pocket expenses regardless of fault, its representatives are permitted to ask about the accident. You should be careful describing the accident, as what you say may end up being discovered by the insurance company for the other driver and used against you.

Further, your insurance company is entitled to have you examined by a doctor of its own choosing after a certain period of time has elapsed. This is so it can have a doctor confirm your injuries and treatment plan. These doctors often recommend that the No-Fault carrier pay for a certain amount of visits to, for example, physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists and specialties of various kinds. This examination is known as an IME (independent medical examination), but we contend that there is nothing independent about it. The doctor who examines you gets paid by your insurance company to render an opinion, so he or she may have a bias against recommending further treatment, or any treatment at all. Nonetheless, you must cooperate by submitting to these exams. 

Your lawyer can often intervene to set the time and place of these examinations so they are convenient for you and may attend if it is warranted.

What can I do if the No-Fault carrier denies coverage for, or limits, my treatment? 

There are several remedies you and your lawyer have in that situation. These will be discussed in our next article concerning No-Fault Insurance.

Shannon L. Malone, Esq. is an Associate Attorney at Glynn Mercep Purcell and Morrison LLP in Setauket. She graduated from Touro Law, where she wrote and served as an editor of the Touro Law Review. Ms. Malone is a proud Stony Brook University alumna.

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Alexandria Le

Save the date! Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook, 380 Nicolls Road, E. Setauket will host a Le Petit Salon de Musique classical music concert featuring acclaimed pianist and Yamaha featured artist Alexandria Le on Sunday, April 30 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 students with valid I.D., $10 for children ages 12 and under at the door or at www.lepetitsalon.org. Please call 631-751-0297 for group pricing (10 or more). 

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Johanna Mitra was part of the rescue team to save the endangered greater bamboo lemur.

By Daniel Dunaief

Johanna Mitra traveled a long way from her childhood home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan to join an effort to save the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur.

A graduate of Stony Brook University, Mitra took a class led by Distinguished Professor Patricia Wright that set her on a memorable and extraordinary course.

Mitra “came up to me after class and asked if she could help” with her research and with conservation, Wright recalled.

Johanna Mitra was part of the rescue team to save the endangered greater bamboo lemur.

Mitra started by cataloging photos for about three months twice a week. Wright saw that Mitra had been writing blogs for an environmental nonprofit and had asked Mitra if she’d like to apply for the opening as the Communications Officer at Centre ValBio, a research station Wright created in Madagascar.

“The next thing I knew, a couple of months [and an undergraduate degree in Ecosystems and Human Impact] later, I was packing a bag to go to Madagascar!” Mitra explained in an email.

Mitra sent her parents, Nilo and Ursula Mitra, a group photo where it was “fairly evident that she was the youngest person and only woman,” Nilo Mitra said in an interview.

The Mitra parents felt reassured that the research station had been around for decades and that a large number of foreign researchers use the site, which gave her parents confidence that the team would be able to deal with any safety or health issues that arose during the translocation.

Still, that didn’t completely allay Nilo Mitra’s concerns when he learned about the crocodiles that lived in some of the rivers his daughter would cross.

After watching nature shows, Mitra’s father cautioned her not to stand too close to the shore. While she was away, he also wished he had told her not to go too close to the reeds, as crocodiles hide there before attacking.

Mitra’s trip didn’t involve any hair raising interactions with crocodiles. In fact, she felt disappointed because she “would have liked to see one – from a safe distance,” she said.

Mitra and the translocation team encountered individual zebus, which are a type of cow with a lump behind its head that makes it look like it’s wearing shoulder pads.

Mitra “could sense hesitation and tentativeness in the group when we were hiking” as the group gave the animal, which can be aggressive in defending its turf, a wide berth.

During the two-day trip to translocate the lemurs, Mitra rode in a car, truck, and canoe. When the roads, which were severely damaged by the raging waters and 80 mile per hour winds of Cyclone Freddy, were impossible to navigate, she and the team traversed difficult terrain on foot.

She hiked along rolling hills that “looked very beautiful but were degraded,” Mitra said. She walked up and down hills that had deep patches of mud.

The team also crossed streams, walked through rice paddies and fields and climbed steep, rocky slopes.

Johanna Mitra on a trip to NYC. Photo by Nilo Mitra

Fortunately for Mitra, the group hired porters to carry the equipment and her backpack. She only had responsibility for maneuvering herself and a camera bag. 

During the hike, she was concerned about getting a camera she had borrowed to document the journey wet, particularly when she was traveling in a canoe that sat low in the water.

When she waded through streams, she hoisted the camera on her shoulder or near her head.

Back home in Manhattan, her parents watched three videos about Madagascar, studied local roads and tried to track their daughter’s whereabouts.

When her journey started, they were able to track her phone for about 90 minutes, until the signal “vanished off the face of the Earth,” her father said.

After several days, her mother called Wright to ask if she’d heard anything. Wright assured her that the crew was fine and they had completed their mission of trying to bring back enough greater bamboo lemurs to increase the population from the current number of about 1,000.

“We are extraordinarily proud” of the work she did to get the job and to help in this conservation effort, her father said.

As for the experience, Mitra expressed awe at the opportunity.

“The whole thing felt unreal,” Mitra said. “I felt like I was a part of something incredibly meaningful.” The expedition “made it clear that a lot goes into saving species, but it’s worth it,” she concluded, despite the few rapid heart beats from her proud, concerned and supportive parents.

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