Arts & Entertainment

A Black Racer. Photo by John L. Turner

By John L. Turner

John Turner

I became excited at discovering the four large plywood boards laying in the woods at the edge of a Town of Brookhaven preserve in Coram. While the dumping of the material was a thoughtless and selfish act by some careless individual, I knew the four boards laying haphazardly on top of each other nevertheless provided an opportunity to see what was living beneath, as boards like this create habitat that a number of different animals like to use. I was not to be disappointed.

Lifting up the top board until it was vertical along its long side, I peered down to see a curled up Ring-necked snake. A little more than a foot long and the thickness of your pinky, the ring-necked lives up to its name with a bright yellow ring around its neck matched by a pretty yellow belly. The top of the snake is grey (in other individuals I’ve seen the dorsal or top side is more like a muted mauve color) making for an attractive if diminutive serpent. The snake moved off the board giving me the opportunity to lift the next one — which revealed a few crickets but no snakes. 

A milk snake. Photo by John Turner

I leaned the second board up against the first and slowly turned over the third board — success! Laying there in the middle of the damp board was a slightly curled milk snake.  The milk snake is highly attractive, possessing irregularly shaped burgundy colored splotches on its back and sides which are outlined in black on a base of white. The extent of the splotches makes the white in between look like rings or bands. Milk snakes get their name because they were once common around milking barns or cow sheds where they fed on the small mammals plentiful there. 

Of the seventeen snake species found in New York State, eleven are native to Long Island — besides the two aforementioned species, others are the Northern water snake, smooth green snake, Eastern hognose snake, the Northern brown or DeKay’s snake, Northern redbelly snake, Eastern worm snake, Northern Black Racer, common garter snake, and its cousin — the Eastern ribbon snake. We once had a twelfth snake, a venomous one — the timber rattlesnake but this species has been extirpated from Long Island due to a combination of direct persecution and habitat destruction. 

According to an article on rattlesnakes written by Richard Welch, published in the Long Island Forum: “Between 1869 and 1899, fifty timber rattlesnakes were killed on or near the grounds of the South Side Sportsmen’s Club.” The Club is now Connetquot River State Park. The last known individual was killed around 1912 apparently while sunning itself on the railroad tracks in Oakdale. 

Welch concludes his article: “On fish-shape Paumonauk, the buzz of crotalus’ rattle is only a ghost in the woods,” crotalus being the genus to which the timber rattlesnake belongs.       

Smooth green snake. Photo by John Turner

My holy grail of Long Island snakes long has been the smooth green snake. This beautiful tropical looking species, lime green with yellow tinges on the lower sides with white on the bottom, is a snake I’ve wanted to see on Long Island for at least 50 years and finally on May 20, 2025 I found one, tipped off to the spot by another  individual interested in snakes! I celebrated with a tasty beer that night. Green snakes were once relatively common on Long Island but has become increasingly rare due to the dual impacts of habitat destruction and pet collecting and is now reported from just a few locations on the island. 

Black Racers live up to their name, being able to move at remarkable rates of speed when pressed, an activity which I’ve seen twice with glossy black serpents looking  supercharged heading off through a thicket of blueberry thickets. They also are able climbers and I once watched a Black Racer climb a multi-flora rose bush in a field in Yaphank in just a few seconds, avoiding thorns as it went, honing in on a bird’s nest to look for eggs or hatchlings — it was out of luck as the nest turned out to be empty, one that was probably used the year before.    

The Eastern hognose snake is another species that has become increasingly rare here. So named because of its upturned snout like a hog, this species is an eater of toads and a dweller of sandy habitats, and often displays a behavior when disturbed that’s right out of a Disney movie. 

When agitated the snake at first may lunge at the object causing the disturbance; this is a bluff as the mouth stays closed. Then often but not always the hognose begins to writhe spasmodically going into its “death throes,” turning belly up and flaying its tongue out of its mouth. Sometimes there’s blood in the corner of its mouth because of capillaries in its mouth lining it can break to spill blood, adding a convincing element to its “death.” But give this “dead” snake a couple of minutes of playing ‘possum and if the coast is clear it will move away. 

I’ve seen this behavior twice — once while co-leading a hike in the Manorville Hills of the Long Island Pine Barrens where we encountered a hognose on the edge of the trail that quickly “died” and the second time while exploring the Albany Pine Bush. I had turned over a large board to find not one but two hognose snakes beneath. 

Displaying opposite behaviors, one quickly shot away while the other remained in place and began its death feign act. I moved a few steps away and watched for several minutes as the snake became active again, darting its tongue out repeatedly to gain sensory information to determine if the “coast was clear.” (This is how snakes “smell” — by pulling in scent molecules and processing them in their Jacobsen’s organ located in their nasal chamber).    

Northern water snakes live up to their name, frequenting wetland areas throughout the central and eastern parts of Suffolk County. The species is an attractive mix of tan, brown, and black, sometimes with patches of grey. They are fond of fish and frogs and can sometimes be seen swimming along the edges of a pond or stream in search of prey. The last one I saw was on the edge of a wetland on the south side of the east-west trail that crosses over Quantuck Creek at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge. 

The Brown, Redbelly and Eastern worm snakes are all small species rarely seen since they spend much of their time underground; the Redbelly is very rare on Long Island and the one native species I have not seen.  I remember a field in East Meadow that had an abundance of Brown snakes; it became developed to provide housing for students at Hofstra University.  

The closely related common garter snake and Eastern ribbon snake are quite similar in appearance and can be easily confused. While not absolute, they typically segregate by habitat with the garter found in dry uplands and the ribbon using wetter areas.  Also, ribbon snakes are the thinner of the two, possess a longer tail, and have a diagnostic little white dot in front of their eye that the garter lacks.   

Garter snakes are sometimes mistakenly called “garden snakes,” based on a mishearing of their name. The name garter comes from the longitudinal stripes once found on women’s garter belts, said long stripes being a conspicuous feature on this species. They are the most common snake species on Long Island. 

Many people don’t like snakes and some even fear them, perhaps since a few are venomous, although with the demise of the timber rattlesnake no venomous snakes remain on Long Island. Objectively, there is nothing to fear of snakes and in reality they are unique and fascinating life forms with interesting behaviors and strategies they employ in order to survive. And quite frankly they have much more reason to fear us than us to fear them given the sad, knee jerk reaction by some to kill any snake they see. For readers who like and appreciate snakes enough to have read to the end of this article, I hope you see one of our native species soon perhaps by also becoming a flipper of boards! 

A resident of Setauket, author John L. Turner is a naturalist, conservation co-chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, and Conservation Policy Advocate for the Seatuck Environmental Association.

Photo from Stony Brook University Hospital

For the estimated 1.6 million Americans diagnosed with symptomatic tricuspid valve regurgitation each year, a significant advancement in treatment is now available on Long Island. With the launch of the new Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement (TTVR) Program at the Stony Brook Heart Institute (SBHI), patients at Stony Brook Medicine have access to groundbreaking, minimally invasive therapies.

The heart has four valves — aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid — that control the direction of blood flow. In tricuspid regurgitation (TR), the tricuspid valve’s flaps do not close tightly, allowing blood to leak backward in the heart. Mild cases may cause no symptoms, but others suffer from fatigue, pulsing neck veins, fluid buildup in the abdomen and legs, and irregular, sometimes dangerous, heartbeats. If left untreated, individuals with severe TR can experience heart failure, blood clots, stroke and other organ damage.

In the hands of Stony Brook’s tricuspid valve specialists, the FDA-approved TriClip™ device offers a revolutionary treatment option. Performed under general anesthesia and guided by advanced imaging, the procedure involves placing a catheter through a vein to the heart, where the TriClip™ is precisely placed to bring valve flaps together, reducing backward blood flow. Because the procedure is minimally invasive and avoids open-heart surgery, most patients are up and walking within hours, discharged in one to two days, and back to their regular lives in about a week. Clinical trials published in The New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that TriClip ™ placement resulted in 87% of patients experiencing a significant reduction in tricuspid regurgitation, compared to less than 5% with medication use alone.

Ahmad Alkhalil, MD, MSc, Director of the Mitral and Tricuspid Interventions at Stony Brook Heart Institute, who performed SBHI’s first TTVR procedure noted, “The tricuspid valve was formerly known as ‘the forgotten valve’ because surgical approaches were too risky and no other treatments were effective for the majority of patients. With our full range of minimally invasive therapies, including tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) and tricuspid transcatheter valve replacement (TTVR), we are proud to be a leader in providing new options for patients on Long Island.”

“We are proud to be at the forefront of bringing new treatment options for symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation,” says Allison McLarty, MD, Interim Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stony Brook Heart Institute and Professor of Surgery, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. “Our skilled and dedicated physicians are continuously exploring new and innovative approaches to improve outcomes and the patient experience of people with valve disease.”

“Effective treatment begins with a precise diagnosis. Patients at Stony Brook Heart Institute benefit from a full suite of advanced imaging technologies, including 3D transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography (TTE and TEE), cardiac MRI, CT angiography, nuclear stress testing and carotid ultrasound. These tools allow SBHI’s specialists to map each patient’s unique valve anatomy and tailor treatment to their needs,” added Smadar Kort, MD, Co-Director of the Valve Program and the Director of Non-Invasive Imaging at Stony Brook Heart Institute. “With multiple advanced imaging and procedural locations across Suffolk County, including Stony Brook, Commack and Riverhead, the Heart Institute ensures patients receive top-tier care close to home.”

“At the core of Stony Brook Heart Institute’s TTVR program is a multidisciplinary team of interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists and advance practice practitioners who collaborate closely to ensure every patient receives seamless, compassionate care,” says Hal Skopicki, MD, PhD, Co-Director of Stony Brook Heart Institute and the Ambassador Charles A. Gargano Chair of Cardiology, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. “As an academic medical center actively participating in national and international clinical trials, we provide patients with access to emerging valve devices and interventions not yet widely available — offering many the opportunity to avoid open-heart surgery and benefit from the most cutting-edge, patient-centered cardiovascular care available today.”

To contact the Stony Brook Heart Institute, call 631-44HEART or visit heart.stonybrookmedicine.edu

About Stony Brook Heart Institute:  

Stony Brook Heart Institute is located within Stony Brook University Hospital as part of Long Island’s premier university-based medical center. The Heart Institute offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The staff includes full-time and community-based, board-certified cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons, as well as specially trained anesthesiologists, nurses, advanced practice practitioners, respiratory therapists, surgical technologists, perfusionists, and other support staff. Their combined expertise provides state-of-the-art interventional and surgical capabilities in 24-hour cardiac catheterization labs and surgical suites. And while the Heart Institute clinical staff offers the latest advances in medicine, its physician-scientists are also actively enhancing knowledge of the heart and blood vessels through basic biomedical studies and clinical research.

‘Superman’ is one of the most anticipated movies this summer. Photo courtesy of DC Studios/Warner Bros.

By Tim Haggerty & Jeffrey Sanzel

Summer means beaches and vacations. But diversions also include an entire roster of summer movie releases. Here is an overview of some of the more exciting films coming to the big screen.

Materialists 

Dakota Johnson is a professional matchmaker who, ironically, struggles with her own romantic woes. Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans co-star as her potential suitors. Celine Song, Oscar-nominated for Past Lives (2023), helms the film.

Rated R · Release date June 13

How to Train Your Dragon 

DreamWorks joins the live-action bandwagon with Mason Thomas (The Black Phone) playing Hiccup, the brainy teen who tames the titular beast. Credit goes to the digital FX team, who replicated the animated version of Toothless, the winged creature that bonds with the hero in a big way.

Rated PG · Release date June 13

Elio

Pixar’s newest animated adventure focuses on eleven-year-old Elio, whose belief in intelligent life forms in the galaxy proves true. The real twist comes when the aliens decide that Elio is Earth’s one true leader. Coco veteran Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi co-direct.

Rated PG · Release date June 20

28 Years Later

The third in the dystopian series (28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later) picks up nearly three decades later. The violent, virus-ridden zombies still live among us, making things difficult for dad Aaron Taylor-Johnson and his son Alfie Williams. Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes are among the non-infected fighting off the walking not-quite-dead. 

Rated R · Release date June 20

F1 The Movie

Brad Pitt is front and center as a former hotshot driver who left the circuit after an accident left him shaken. For this Formula One drama, Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) directs a cast that includes Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, and Javier Bardem.

Rated PG-13 · Release date June 27

Sorry Baby

The big discovery of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, writer-director-star Eva Victor’s film follows a woman returning to her former alma mater as a professor — the same university that was the site of a trauma with which she has never come to terms. Harrowing, hilarious, and not a little fractured, Victor’s debut makes her an exciting new multi-hyphenate.

Rated R · Release date June 27

M3GAN 2.0 

She’s back and more homicidal than ever! The sequel to the 2022 horror flick marks the return of the genre’s reigning killer doll (with apologies to Chucky). Amie Donald is back as the title character, and Allison Williams and Violet McGraw reprise their roles as the objects of both M3GAN’s love and wrath.

Rated PG-13 · Release date June 27

Jurassic World Rebirth

Because you can’t keep a lucrative franchise—or a carnivorous dinosaur—down! Scarlett Johansson leads an operation designed to track down the few remaining dinosaurs left after Jurassic World: Dominion.

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 2

40 Acres 

The mighty Danielle Deadwyler (Till, Woman in the Yard, The Piano Lesson) steers a community of postapocalyptic survivors who have managed to turn a patch of farmland into a sanctuary — the kind that one must vigilantly defend from various other parties trying to survive in a scorched-earth world. 

Rated R · Release date July 4

Superman

Clearly, Superman is the most anticipated movie of the summer. David Corenswet dons the red cape to play the Man of Steel and his alter ego, Clark Kent; Rachel Brosnahan is Lois Lane; Nicholas Hoult is arch enemy master villain Lex Luthor. James Gunn’s first big project in the DC Cinematic Universe 2.0 even includes Krypto the Dog.

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 11

I Know What You Did Last Summer

The popular fisherman-with-a-hook 1997 slasher gets a “requel”: meaning a “reboot” and “sequel.” Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. return along with a host of new faces (Sarah Pidgeon, Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Winters).

Rated R · Release date July 18

Eddington

The town is Eddington, New Mexico, and the battle is between the Southwestern hamlet’s “law-and-order” sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and its mayor (Pedro Pascal). The man behind the camera is writer-director Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid), so things are likely to get good and weird.

Rated R · Release date July 18

Fantastic Four: First Steps

Once again (or in this case third time’s a charm), Marvel is attempting to turn the popular comic into a top-tier superhero movie. Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are the famous and fabulous quartet.  

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 25

Oh, Hi 

A Sundance sleeper hit, this old-fashioned boy (Logan Lerman) meets girl (Molly Gordon), boy and girl go away for a weekend, and boy and girl fall apart, has built major rom-com buzz before Sony Picture Classics picked it up. 

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 25

Together

Michael Shanks directs real-life spouses Dave Franco and Alison Brie who become much closer in this body-horror film that takes lending a hand to a whole new level.

Rated R · Release date July 30

The Naked Gun 4: Rhythm of Evil

Lonely Island director Akiva Schaffer directs Liam Neeson (yes, Oskar Schindler) as Frank Drebin, the role indelibly created by Leslie Nielsen in this fourth entry to the ridiculous Police Squad world.

Not Yet Rated · Release date August 1

Freakier Friday

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reunite after twenty years for the sequel to the 2003 remake of Mary Rodgers’ Freaky Friday. The body-switching comedy promises comedy, if not nostalgia.

Not Yet Rated · Release date August 8

Honey Don’t!

Filmmaker Ethan Coen and co-writer/editor/life-partner-in-crime Tricia Cooke offer the second of their proposed “lesbian B-movie trilogy,” with Margaret Qualley (Drive-Away Dolls) playing hardboiled detective Honey O’Donoghue, a throwback gumshoe with both moxie and verve. 

Rated R · Release date August 22

Americana

A highly prized Native American artifact leads a host of intriguing characters down a dangerous path in this wildly entertaining present-day western. 

Rated R · Release date August 22

Lurker

Another standout from Sundance, writer-director Alex Russell’s debut takes a well-worn subject — the disparity of power between the famous and the famous-adjacent — and manifesting danger and cringeworthy comedy. 

Rated R · Release date August 22

Caught Stealing

Darren Aronofsky directs this NYC crime thriller, in which several Lower East Side characters —a former baseball star (Austin Butler), his EMT girlfriend (Zoë Kravitz), his punk-rocker neighbor (Matt Smith), and a variety of gangsters and thugs circa 1998 — find themselves involved in missing Mob money.

Rated R · Release date August 29

The Roses

Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star in a remake of the 1989 dark comedy, which starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. One of the most bitter battles of marital strife, the new outing promises to be as bleak and venomous as the original.

Rated R · Release date August 29

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement on June 19, 2025.

From left, Billy Baker, Elizabeth Reuter, David Gianopoulos, and Logan Canonico outside the Port Jefferson Cinemas after the screening. Photo by Christine Hanson

By Heidi Sutton

A private premiere screening of the short film I Often Dream of Trains was held at the Port Jefferson Cinemas on June 15. The screening was attended by the actors, film crew and friends. 

Written by Tony Dimurro and directed and produced by Billy Baker and Stony Brook native David Gianopoulos, the film is about two men on a train (Gianopoulos and Michael Dempsey) who cross paths as one is trying to find his way home. 

A seasoned actor on film, television and stage, Gianopoulos has appeared in over 50 television shows including 24, ER, CSI, Sisters, and The Rookie; in feature films Air Force One, Under Siege 2, and Candyman 2; and played General George Washington in TBR News Media’s feature-length film One Life To Give.

Michael Dempsey was recently seen in Barry, YOU, and the show Mayans.

The opening and closing of the film were filmed in the Three village area.

Gianopoulos and Baker were able to use local talent, Elizabeth Reuter and Logan Canonico, to play his wife and son.

“We are so proud and happy to be showing this film for the first time to the people from the Three Village area. From here we’ll go on to film festivals and hopefully present the film sometime next year on a streaming service,” said Gianopoulos.

METRO photo

St. Charles Hospital, 200 Belle Terre Rd. Port Jefferson presents Walk Safe with a Doc, a free community walk led by Dr. Brett Silverman, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Specialist, on Wednesday, June 25 at noon.

Dr. Silverman will discuss the importance of walking for overall health and injury prevention and pedestrian safety experts from NYCTS will provide tips for walking safely, before leading the group on a brief 1.5 mile walk.

Walkers are to meet at the hospital’s flagpole outside main entrance. To register, call 631-963-4167.

First tour of the season is June 22

The Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society (HLPS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year with new tours and ways for the public to enjoy the 113-year old historic lighthouse. Founded in 1985 as Save Huntington’s Lighthouse, the non-profit, volunteer effort is gearing up for a busy summer season. 

“Each year we see more and more boats on the water, which means that the Huntington Lighthouse’s primary job as a working navigational aid is more important than ever,” said Pam Setchell, HLPS President.  “Maintaining the lighthouse takes a massive volunteer effort.  Looking back over the past 40 years, we are incredibly proud of all we have accomplished to help Huntington’s lighthouse, including saving it from scheduled demolition. The team has been hard at work preparing for the season, and our first scheduled tour on June 22.”

A Renewed Focus on Renovation + New Windows!

The ongoing restoration of a historical structure is never easy, and the unique location of the Huntington Light amplifies the challenges.  Since the inception of the Save Huntington’s Lighthouse group in 1985, and then the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society, the preservation and restoration of the lighthouse has remained a top priority.

Photo courtesy of Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society

Through a combination of public and private grants, private donations, seasonal tours, special events, and merchandise sales, HLPS has raised approximately $3.5 million in its 40-year history for improvements and restoration projects. 

Already this spring, new, custom-fabricated windows have replaced the original windows, made possible by a generous grant from the Gardiner Foundation and a matching private donation.  The windows were brought out to the lighthouse via boat, and carefully hoisted into place.  

“The windows were meticulously designed to reflect the style of the original lighthouse windows and mark an important step in our continued efforts to maintain the Huntington Light for future generations,” said Setchell. 

Additional projects include roof repairs and protective matting,  wrought iron railings, repairing cracks in the building’s exterior masonry, and painting and repairing the cupola. A new custom watch deck door is also going to be installed. Each project requires careful planning to ensure that the building’s history and design are maintained. Everything that’s needed, including supplies, tools, and crew must be transported by water and can only be accomplished during a limited season.

New Website Launched 

Supporting the improved online reservation system is a newly launched Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society website.  The new website is easier to navigate, offers bookings for tours, and additional merchandise sales. 

New Partners 

HLPS is proud to partner with Discover Long Island, the region’s premiere destination marketing organization. Check out our new commercial, airing this spring and summer, and filmed at the Lighthouse! 

Resident Ospreys 

The Huntington Lighthouse welcomes the return of its resident ospreys to an upgraded, reinforced nesting platform.  The pair first settled in their summer waterfront property in 2021, and in 2023 welcomed their first viable hatchlings.  This year, two eggs have been spotted in the nest – stay tuned for updates

Lighthouse Tours

Offering access and sharing the story of the lighthouse are core to the HLPS’s mission. Due to an increase in demand, more tours have been added this summer season, including dinner tours. The first tour date is scheduled for Sunday, June 22, and additional dates can be found here.

New this year – guests can reserve tour dates and prepay online.  Tours last about 90 minutes and include a boat ride to and from Gold Star Battalion Beach, Browns Road, Huntington to the offshore lighthouse.

All tour dates are weather and wind permitting, please check the HLPS Facebook, and Instagram pages for the most updated information.

2025 Tour Dates *

June 22

July 13

July 27

August 10

August 24

September 14

September 28

HLPS continues to make the lighthouse available for group tours by school groups and others wanting to learn more about maritime history and visit a working lighthouse.

*Please note that tours are available for ages 5 and above, and the lighthouse is not handicapped accessible.

 

Lav Varshney and Nina Kshetry at their family's farm in Urbana, Illinois, which Varshney said has been inspirational for recent research on AI methods for predicting impacts of climate change on agriculture.

By Daniel Dunaief

Lav Varshney has made significant contributions to everything from public policy as a White House Fellow to generating  new recipes through the Chef Watson system he helped build at IBM to working at businesses he helped create.

Lav Varshney. Photo courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The inaugural director of the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Institute, or AI3, Varshney will arrive at Stony Brook University in August from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he has been a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Varshney “has an international profile” and is at the “center of what’s happening at a political and legislative level,” said SBU Provost Carl Lejuez in an interview.

Varshney’s mandate includes building research hubs, supporting mentorships and having an impact on the community as a part of Stony Brook’s downstate flagship status.

“There are a lot of ways where people at Stony Brook and in the community are going to be able to participate” in the use of artificial intelligence, said Lejuez. 

Among numerous other opportunities, Varshney, who will report to Lejuez, will work with Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Amy Cook to build on the ways the university is using AI in the curriculum.

“We’re supporting an infusion” of AI into classrooms, Lejuez continued.

At this point, AI3 is funded with $10 million over the first five years, with some additional financial support to build out his own research interests.

“Our funding is meant to be a seed over these five years,” said Lejuez. AI3 has a “real capacity to grow and bring in significant funding on its own.”

Stony Brook will also continue to benefit from its role in Empire AI, which is a combination of schools supported by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), with financial backing from the Simons Foundation. Empire AI involves a consortium of public and private institutions, including the University of Buffalo, Binghampton University and the University at Albany, among others. 

SBU appeal

Varshney believes Stony Brook’s growth and commitment to AI are on a “very upward trajectory,” he said. “There are a lot of interesting initiatives and the new institute will hopefully bring them together.”

He hopes to collaborate with members of the campus from medicine, the arts and sciences, engineering, business, and atmospheric sciences to develop AI-driven solutions that have a positive impact on society.

Lab Varshney with Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger in 2023.

Varshney explained that it’s clear AI is a general-purpose technology.

“We need to work to make sure it quickly diffuses to nearly all society/ industrial/ scholarly sectors to have appropriate impact,” he explained.

From his position on Long Island, where he will also continue to work with Brookhaven National Laboratory on projects including in quantum information science, Varshney plans to continue to work on AI policy and how to make it safe, secure, accessible and adaptable to people’s needs.

The new inaugural head of AI3 encourages members of the community to work with Stony Brook, engaging with the institute and faculty.

“One of the main goals of AI3 is to get AI out into the world where appropriate, so [I] would very much welcome the community and local industry to engage with AI3 so we can learn what could be helpful,” Varshney said.

He plans to listen to faculty, students and community members to learn what could be helpful.

Borrowing from ‘Ironman’

Varshney recognizes that most people struggle to wade through information overload.

“Rather than a scarcity of information, [people have] too much,” he said. “One of the things I’m hoping we can make progress on” is the use of an AI filter to find and share what’s relevant.

Generative AI, in which a computer system “learns” from patterns and combinations of information, can help. Borrowing from the computer helper in Marvel’s Ironman franchise, Varshney suggested a “Jarvis-like assistant that can give you the right information when you need it.”

Varshney recognizes that governments might use information filters to create surveillance or information manipulation.

Varied backgrounds

As an AI expert, Varshney has worked to support government efforts and initiatives, in a corporate setting and for academic institutions.

He contributed to the executive order on AI that President Joe Biden signed at the end of October 2023.

He also co-founded Kocree with former graduate student Haizi Yu. The company uses artificial intelligence to allow users to cut melodies, rhythms and arrangements from music to create novel pieces.

He used the platform to create music for his sister-in-law’s wedding that combined the backgrounds and interests of the two families.

Born in Syracuse, New York, Varshney traces his roots to India. His great, great grandfather on his mother’s side, Ishwar Varshnei left India in 1904 and studied for a year as a special student in Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Varshnei took a boat from Japan, a train from San Francisco, traveled through St. Louis where he saw the World’s Fair, and ended up in Boston, where he was the second Indian to attend MIT. 

After Varshnei returned to India, he became involved in early efforts in glassmaking, applying the science he learned to society.

Also eager to contribute science to society, Varshney is moving from Illinois with his wife Nina Kshetry, whom he describes as “professionally more accomplished than I am.” Kshetry is the founder and president of Ensaras Inc., which specializes in advanced analytics and artificial intelligence solutions for optimizing wastewater plant operations. She is also the co-founder and VP of Circle H20, which is a company that builds waste-to-value and wastewater treatment plants.

Kshetry plans to engage with Stony Brook through the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem as well as with the Department of Civil Engineering/ School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.

Impressed with all the ways Varshney has deployed AI, Lejuez hopes to provide ongoing support for the new director’s many interests.

“When someone has proven that they can juggle a lot of things at once, I’m going to help continue to make sure they have what they need,” Lejuez said.

METRO photo

AAA projects 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Independence Day holiday period from Saturday, June 28, to Sunday, July 6. This year’s domestic travel forecast is an increase of 1.7 million travelers compared to last year and 7 million more than in 2019.

“Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons, and July Fourth falling on a Friday creates a long weekend that many are taking advantage of,” said Robert Sinclair of AAA Northeast. “Following Memorial Day’s record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week.” 

By car: AAA projects a record 61.6 million people will travel by car, 1.3 million more road travelers and a 2.2% increase compared to last year.

Last July Fourth week, AAA responded to nearly 700,000 emergency roadside assistance calls for issues including dead batteries and flat tires. AAA recommends getting routine vehicle maintenance ahead of your trip and packing an emergency kit. Especially over the busy holiday weekend, AAA urges drivers to watch for stopped vehicles and Slow Down, Move Over for emergency responders.

For travelers renting cars, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Thursday, July 3, is expected to be the busiest day to pick up vehicles.

By air: The number of people traveling by air is also projected to set a record. AAA expects 5.84 million travelers will fly to their destinations, a 1.4% increase over the previous record set last year.

Round-trip domestic flights cost 4% more than last year, according to AAA data on what travelers paid when they booked their July Fourth trips. When booking last-minute flights for summer trips, consider flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday for the best deals.

By other modes: AAA projects 4.78 million people will travel by bus, train or cruise, a 7.4% increase from last year. Cruising is leading this category, particularly at this time of year, when Alaska cruise season is in full swing.

AAA’s Top Independence Day Destinations

The top holiday destinations listed below are based on AAA booking data for the Independence Day travel period. Cruises, beaches and fireworks are the main motivators for travelers heading to these cities. Alaska cruises are in peak season, Florida and Hawaii are in high demand for their resorts and attractions, and New York and Boston host two of the most popular fireworks shows in the nation.

 

DOMESTIC INTERNATIONAL
Orlando, Florida Vancouver, Canada
Seattle Rome
New York City Paris
Anchorage, Alaska London
Fort Lauderdale, Florida Barcelona, Spain
Honolulu Dublin
Denver Amsterdam
Miami Calgary, Canada
Boston Athens, Greece
Atlanta Lisbon, Portugal

 

Best & Worst Times to Drive

Wednesday, July 2, and Sunday, July 6, are expected to be the busiest days on the road, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights. With afternoon hours predicted to be the most congested, drivers are encouraged to hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst anticipated traffic.

Best and Worst Times to Travel by Car
Date Worst Travel Time Best Travel Time
Saturday, June 28 12-5 p.m. Before 10 a.m.
Sunday, June 29 2-4 p.m. Before 11 a.m.
Monday, June 30 2-6 p.m. Before 12 p.m.
Tuesday, July 1 3-6 p.m. Before 2 p.m.
Wednesday, July 2 12-9 p.m. Before 12 p.m.
Thursday, July 3 2-6 p.m. Before 12 p.m.
Friday, July 4 12-7 p.m. Before 12 p.m.
Saturday, July 5 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Before 11 a.m.
Sunday, July 6 12-6 p.m. Before 11 a.m.

SOURCE: INRIX

AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing nearly 6.8 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services.

 

 

Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal in a scene from 'Materialists.' Photo courtesy of A24

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Writer-director Celine Song’s feature debut, Past Lives (2024), was an exquisite and near-perfect exploration of the time and space that exist between people, even when they are inches apart. Spanning just over two decades, the film lived in its visceral silences and often awkward but wholly recognizable exchanges. It builds to a painful but tacit triangle, simultaneously satisfying and melancholy. 

Song crafted the film around issues of Korean versus Korean American (or Canadian) culture, discovering what is kept and what must be left behind. Past Lives garnered universal accolades and received over forty well-deserved awards. It received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

From left, Chris Evans, Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal star in ‘Materialists’. Photo courtesy of A24

In her sophomore offering, Materialists, Song tells the story of Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a former actor who now works for Adore, a New York City-based matchmaking service. At the outset, the plot appears simple, with Lucy deciding between her ex, the actor John (Chris Evans), and the wealthy financier, Harry (Pedro Pascal), whom she meets at the wedding of her ninth fruitful match. Harry, the brother of the groom, begins actively courting Lucy, taking her on expensive, high-end dates. Meanwhile, the chance encounter with John, who is a cater-waiter at the wedding, causes Lucy to reflect on her current choices.

The matchmaker-who-can’t-find-love is an old and well-worn trope seen in innumerable rom-coms and television shows. Along with Christmas movies, the clichéd setup ranks high as a Hallmark staple. The idea is generic, much like a painting of a bowl of fruit. But therein lies the difference. A million miles exist between a freshman art student’s first-time rendering and Picasso’s vision—whether realistic or cubist. And the same could be said of Song’s Materialists, a riveting delve into not just marriage but skewed expectations of a modern world.

The story remains basic, but the storytelling is rich, layered, and unflinching. The eloquent Lucy easily sells her work as a blend of fantasy and business. The several sequences in which she negotiates with clients reveal her insight, yet her personal absence from the feelings she keeps suppressed. She promotes the idea that these desperate people seek “a nursing home partner and a grave buddy”—that they want partners for the long run. Whether she believes this or not is a matter that comes in and out of focus. For her and agency, a “successful” marriage reduces to a deal. For herself, she admits that her priority is for a rich man. The fact that she states this almost tongue-in-cheek is even more powerful. (The source of this drive is shown in an ugly breakup scene with John on their fifth anniversary.)

The film is basically three-handed. It follows Lucy’s new romance with Harry and her conflicted feelings for John. What they offer is clearly contrasted with Harry’s twelve-million-dollar penthouse and John’s appalling eight-hundred and fifty-dollar rent-controlled apartment, shared with two roommates, one of whom would put a pig to shame. But the differences are not nearly as simple as that.

While Lucy struggles with her personal path, her client, Sophie, in whom she has invested many hours and setups, is assaulted on a first date. The horrific incident forces Lucy to confront her motivations, complicity, and responsibility. 

Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans in a scene from the film. Photo courtesy of A24

Song has constructed a highly literate script, witty and insightful, but allowing the characters to each speak in their own voices. She evokes exceptionally dimensional performances from her three leads. 

Dakota Johnson is flawless in creating someone who is both formidable and fragile, self-deluding and self-aware. She presents herself as a woman who puts on a strong, active front, but is plagued by issues regarding the true meaning of value. She is the heart of the film and never misses a beat. 

Chris Evans’ John is literally and figuratively a mess. Slightly rough around the edges, his John is earnest, genuine, and kind, but the manchild common to those chasing a dream that seems out of reach.

Pedro Pascal makes Harry more than just a foil for the central romance. He brings sweetness and a desire to make the best of his life, even if he is unaware of what he truly wants and needs. A late film revelation only serves to further his unspoken doubts.

Materialists is a more-than-worthy follow-up to Past Lives. Both films are shot in a desaturated world (almost as if light and joy are synonymous); they live in the painful pauses, unusual and erratic rhythms, and the ability to show truth with raw honesty and an occasional splash of humor. Materialists mines the situation, exposing the cynicism but eventually landing on a well-earned note of hope. While not a thriller, Song maintains a breathtaking and unflagging intensity. With Materialists, the filmmaker—the artist—this unique talent—has once again found a tale that will resonate with audiences long after the screen goes black.

Rated R, the film is now playing in local theaters. 

Joe-Pye weed
A Column Promoting a More Earth-Friendly Lifestyle

By John L. Turner

John Turner

An emerging and growing aspect at environmental sustainability has been the embrace by many homeowners to implement a number of positive practices in and around their homes to help wildlife. Perhaps foremost is the idea of landscaping with native plants to support pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies while also being attractive to the human eye. 

Responding to this growing trend of using native plants in residential landscapes,  a number of Long Island based nurseries and other sources have begun to offer a wide variety of native species.  One outstanding source for native plants is the Long Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI, www.linpi.org), located at the Sisters of Saint Joseph property at 1725 Brentwood Road in Brentwood; it offers a wide variety of attractive native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses for purchase, including more than forty species from which to select.

Joe-Pye weed

These are not only native species but plants which were grown from seeds collected from native species growing here on Long Island, known as our local ‘ecotype.’ These include numerous trees and shrubs such as eastern red cedar, northern bayberry, sumac, and beach plum; wildflowers like milkweeds, asters, Maryland golden-aster, Joe-pye weed, several bush clovers, common evening primrose, and prickly pear cactus, and grasses like little bluestem, purple top, and deer tongue.    

LINPI’s website also contains a helpful plant database that can guide you toward certain species depending on the homeowner’s sun and soil tolerance and other aspects like bloom season, attractiveness to butterflies and birds, or deer resistance.    

Planting native species that support wildlife has never been easier and is a great way to pay our debt to insects that help to sustain human society.

A resident of Setauket, author John L. Turner is a naturalist, conservation co-chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, and Conservation Policy Advocate for the Seatuck Environmental Association.