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From left, Chang Kee Jung, Barry Barish and Carl Lejuez. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University

By Daniel Dunaief

Albert Einstein predicted gravitational waves existed, but figured interference on the Earth would make them impossible to observe. He was right on the first count. On the second, it took close to a century to create an instrument capable of detecting gravitational waves. The first confirmed detection, which was generated 1.3 billion light years away when two black holes collided, occurred in September of 2015.

For his pioneering work with gravitational waves, which now include numerous other such observations, Barry Barish shared the Nobel Prize in 2017 with physicists Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne.

In the fall of 2023, Barish is bringing his physics background and knowledge to Stony Brook University, where he will be the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics. Barish will teach graduate students and serve as an advisor to Chang Kee Jung, Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and Distinguished Professor.

From left, Barry Barish and Chang Kee Jung. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University

“I’m really happy,” said Jung in an interview. “Nobel Prize winning work is not all the same. This work [Barish] has done with LIGO [the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory] is incredible.”

Jung suggested the discovery of these two merging black holes “opened up a completely new field of astronomy using gravitational waves.” The finding is a “once-in-a-generation discovery.”

Gravitational waves disrupt the fabric of spacetime, a four-dimensional concept Einstein envisioned that combines the three dimensions of space with time. These waves are created when a neutron star with an imperfect spherical shape spins, and during the merger of two black holes, the merger of two neutron stars, or the merger of a neutron star and a black hole.

Jung suggested a way to picture a gravitational wave. “Imagine you have a bathtub with a little rubber ducky,” he said. In the corner of the bathtub, “you slam your hand into the water” which will create a ripple that will move the duck. In the case of the gravitational wave Barish helped detect, two black holes slamming into each other over 1.2 billion light years ago, when life on Earth was transitioning from single celled to multi celled organisms, started that ripple.

While Barish, 86, retired after a lengthy and distinguished career at CalTech in 2005, Stony Brook has no plans to create a team of physicists who specialize in this area. “The most important thing is that people together exchange ideas and figure out what to do next that’s interesting,” Barish said in an interview. “I’ll keep doing gravitational waves.”

Instead of encouraging graduate students and even undergraduates to follow in his footsteps, Barish hopes to “help stimulate the future here and help educate students,” he said.

An important call

Jung, who became chair of the department in the fall of 2021, has known Barish for over three decades. On a periodic informal zoom call, Jung reached out to Barish to tell him Stony Brook had offered Jung the opportunity to become chair. Barish suggested he turn it down. As Jung recalled, Barish said, “Why do you want to do that?”

On another informal call later on, Jung told Barish he decided to become chair, explaining that he wanted to serve the university and the department. Barish asked him what he would do as chair. Jung replied, “‘I would like guys like you to come to Stony Brook. It took [Barish] about 10 seconds to think about it and then he said, ‘That’s possible.’”

That, Jung said, is how a Nobel Prize winning scientist took the first steps towards joining Stony Brook.

Last week, Barish came to Stony Brook to deliver an inaugural lecture as a part of the newly created C.N. Yang Colloquium series in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Stony Brook officials were thrilled with Barish’s appointment and the opportunity to learn from his well-attended on-site lecture.

In remarks before Barish’s packed talk at the Simons Center Della Pietra Family Auditorium, Carl Lejuez, Executive Vice President and Provost, said he hears the name C.N. Yang “all the time,” which reflects Yang’s foundational contribution to Stony Brook University. “It’s fitting that we honor his legacy with a speaker of Dr. Barish’s character who, like Yang, is also a Nobel Prize winner. It’s a really nice synergy.”

Indeed, Yang, who won his Nobel Prize in 1957, coming to Stony Brook “instantaneously raised the university profile,” said Jung, whose department is the largest on campus with 75 faculty.

Surrounded by a dedicated team of scientists, and with the addition of another Nobel Prize winner to the fold, Jung believes the team will continue to thrive. 

“If you put together great minds, great things will happen,” he said.

Seeing the bigger picture

Barish is eager to encourage undergraduates and graduate students to consider the bigger picture in the realm of physics.

“[In general] we train graduate students to do something really important by making them narrower and narrower and narrower, so they can concentrate on doing something that’s worthy of getting a thesis and is as important as possible,” Barish said. “That works against creating a scientist who can look beyond something narrow. That’s bothered me for a long time.”

The problem, Barish continued, is that once researchers earn their degree, they continue on the same path. “Why should you happen to have had a supervisor in graduate school determine what you do for the rest of your life?” he asked.

Once students have the tools of physics, whether they are experimental or theoretical, they shouldn’t be so locked in, he urged. “It’s possible to use these same tools to do almost any problem in physics,” Barish added.

His goal in a course he plans to teach to advanced graduate students (that’s also open to undergraduates) is to provide exposure to the frontiers of science.

A few years ago, Barish recalled how the New York Times ran a picture of a black hole above the fold. He taught a class how scientists from around the world combined radio telescopes to make it act like one radio telescope the size of the Earth.

Helping students understand how that happened “pays off in the long run in making our physics students that we turn out be broader and more interesting and more interested in physics,” Barish said.

When Barish arrives next September, Jung said he plans to have some assignments for interactions with undergraduates. “Undergraduate research is critically important,” Jung said. Barish will also interact with various student groups, as well as the community outside the university.

“We will create those opportunities,” Jung said.

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Kristen Lubliner is our grand prize winner this year!
By Alice McAteer, Port Jefferson Station
By Annina Luck of Huntington
By Ann McKenna of Northport
By Ann Murphy of Stony Brook
By Augusta Malvagno or Port Jefferson Station
By Beverly Gross of St. James
By Beverly C. Tyler of Setauket
By Carol Bergano of Stony Brook
By Corrine Salbu of Rocky Point
By Donna Bartunek of Nesconset
By Erika Carley of Rocky Point
By Erin Fish of Setauket
By Ginger Tiberius of Stony Brook
Irene Shanahan or Sound Beach
By Irene Shanahan, Sound Beach
By Jacqueline Fern of Setauket
By Jean McGibbon of Huntington
By Karen Podesta of Port Jefferson Station
By Karin Gannets of East Setauket
By Kenneth Thuilot of Sound Beach
By Lilli Governale of Mount Sinai
By Linda Sardone of Sound Beach
By Lucille Robinson of Port Jefferson
By Madeleine LaFrano of East Setauket
By Millicent Gerber of Rocky Point
By Patricia Cardone of Rocky Point
By Paula Conway of East Setauket
By Rae Dalosis of Northport
By Sandra Fresh of Stony Brook
By Sheila Reilly of Mount Sinai
By Shirley Marrero of Port Jefferson Station
By Stephanie Pagliaro of Port Jefferson Station
By Susan Saviano of Selden

Kristen Lubliner of  Mount Sinai  is our grand prize winner!

Dear Readers, 

We recently held our seventh annual adult coloring contest and once again the response was overwhelming! We received many colorful entries from readers all along the North Shore who used many different types of medium including colored pencils, gel pens, glitter, acrylic paint, stick-on gems and markers to create their masterpieces. It was so interesting to see how each artist interpreted the design, with some coloring in the background, outlining the heart, and even cutting out the heart and added a different backing. 

This year’s entries were a sign of how popular adult coloring has become and for some, the heart design made them reflect on the past. Beverly C. Tyler of Setauket chose shades of purple in his design in honor of the 240th anniversary of the Purple Heart. Carol Bergano of Stony Brook dedicated her entry to her mother who passed away two years ago. The pink and black on her heart says “Love U Mom.” Linda Sardone of Sound Beach summed it up by saying “I feel that I’ve created a Valentine to our favorite newspaper!”

Although it was extremely difficult to choose a winner as every entry was beautiful and unique in its own way, our judges ultimately chose the coloring page by Kristen Lubliner of Mount Sinai who edged out the competition with clean lines and colors that popped. Kristen receives a three-year subscription to any one of our six papers, courtesy of Times Beacon Record News Media.

And surprise, all other participants will receive a one-year subscription as a thank you for entering our contest! Congratulations to all! Be safe and be well.

(Please note: Entries are listed in alphabetical order by first name)

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A sign in front of a rain garden at the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood. Facebook photo

By Lisa Scott

On 212 acres in western Suffolk, a small group of women continue to discern how to live authentically so their actions remain consistent with their mission. These are the Sisters of St. Joseph (CSJ), who in their second century in Brentwood embrace and model sustainable practices bringing them ”into deeper union with the Holy One and the whole community of life.” 

The League of Women Voters recently met with them and toured their campus, and came away inspired and convinced that the Sisters live in a way that seeks “union with God and with the sacred community of life that includes all of creation — air, soil, plants and animals.”

In 1903, the Sisters, relocated from Flushing, NY to Brentwood on land that was originally inhabited by the Secatogue tribe, and established a school on fertile land referred to as “St. Joseph in the Pines.” Old stands of pitch pines, white pines and oak are preserved to this day. Over the years, a boarding school, convent,  chapel and nursing home were built while the surrounding area was developed and densely populated. 

A little more than thirty years ago, the Sisters formed an Earth Matters committee to better respond to the cries of the poor, the cries of Earth. Their mission of unity called for a response to heal a wounded world and dispel the illusion of separation. Through contemplation and study they sought to live with a deeper sense that they are a part of creation and not apart from it. 

Aware of the responsibility we all have for the health of Earth and in particular for the Long Island Bioregion the Sisters worked with the Peconic Land Trust and Suffolk County to preserve parcels of the Brentwood campus and return it to agricultural production — 28 acres of land are leased to several farmers, enabling mowed grass lawn to be restored to farming fields. 

The farmers are only permitted to use organic practices, and there is a farm stand for purchase of produce raised on the campus. SNAP coupons are accepted to encourage access to nutritious options raised locally. Island Harvest Food Bank has worked the land and hopes to harvest 10,000 lbs. of produce in 2022 while the Long Island Native Plant Initiative, an all-volunteer cooperative effort of over 30 non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, nursery professionals, and citizens works to  protect the genetic integrity and heritage of Long Island native plant populations and thus biodiversity from a landscape to genetic level in a greenhouse on the Brentwood grounds. The Sisters also raise chickens for eggs and harvest honey from their beehives, and have established a community sharing table on the grounds.

Waste is a natural aspect of life, so there is a commitment to composting organic materials and thus creating quality soil for agricultural use. Two alternative waste treatment systems have been built: one is a constructed wetland system to reduce nitrogen affecting our bays and waterways, the other designed for the needs of the nursing home to deal with medical waste in an innovative way.

With a strong commitment to clean energy, a 1 megawatt ground mounted solar array with 3192 solar panels was constructed on a 4 acre plot, which provides 63% of the energy used on campus. The ground cover surrounding the solar panels is also environmentally friendly with native meadows and plants attracting bees, butterflies and pollinators, avoiding the degraded land all too common in a solar field.

Native meadows inviting to pollinator insects and birds were planted and bloom throughout most of the summer. Work has been done to create rain gardens near roads and parking areas, to direct water back into the soil where native plants with their extensive long root systems assist with flood control and purify the water before filtering down into the aquifers.

The Sisters also engage in social justice issues and other community needs consistent with the practices of their founders. Their assessment of today is of a world that is bruised and broken from a lack of remembering who we are, where we come from and to whom we belong. We have forgotten that we are a part of one sacred community that began with a small yet potent spark 13.8 billion years ago that continues to connect and evolve our relationships. If healing is to happen for people it needs to happen for the planet as well. For more information, visit www.brentwoodcsj.org

Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860. 

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Food Drive

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson hosts a food and personal care items drive at Infant Jesus Convent, 110 Hawkins Ave.(off Myrtle Ave.), Port Jefferson on Sunday, Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon to benefit the pantry at Infant Jesus Church. Items needed include juice, complete pancake mix, syrup, jelly, mac & cheese, cooking oil, cereal, oatmeal, canned fruit, black beans and healthy snacks as well as shampoo, conditioner and deoderant. Grocery store cards and cash also accepted. 

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Kramer
Jerry
George
Elaine

This week’s shelter pets are the Seinfeld kittens — Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer — available for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. 

These 6-month-old babies were abandoned in a tiny carrier and were infested with intestinal parasites, and fleas. They had a severe upper respiratory infection that caused two of them to lose an eye. Thanks to the staff at the shelter, today they are healthy, happy, affectionate, and playful kittens. These little fighters have been through the gamut and they are ready for  the purrfect home to spoil them and love them forever! The shelter is hoping to adopt them in pairs. 

The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.Shelter

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CINEMA FOR KIDS Catch a screening of 'Castle in the Sky' at the Cinema Arts Centre on Sept. 18. Image from CAC
PROGRAMS

Fall Crafternoons

Drop by the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor through the month of September to enjoy seasonal, self-serve crafts in their workshop. Free with admission of $6 adults, $5 kids

Owl Prowl Friday

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown hosts an Owl Prowl Friday event on Friday, Sept, 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Meet and learn about some of the Center’s resident owls and then embark on a walk into the darkness to enjoy the night.  Wear bug spray and bring a flashlight just in case. Open to families with children ages 5 and up. $15 per person. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. For more info, call 979-6344.

Pond Exploration

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, 581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown presents a family program, Pond Exploration, on Sept. 17 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. There’s more to Willow Pond than meets the eye! Below the surface of the water lives a vibrant ecosystem! Join us for a pond scoop, where you will get a close-up, hands-on look at some of the tiny creatures that make their home in the water. $4 per person. Advance reservations required by calling 265-1054.

Storytime Under the Stars

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport presents Storytime Under the Stars, the first in a series, on Sept. 18 from 6 to 7 p.m. Your favorite bedtime storybooks come to life in the planetarium theater! A live narrator will be at the front of the theater reading selected picture books, with pages projected onto the Planetarium dome for families to enjoy the illustrations and follow along. Between stories, an astronomy educator will explore seasonal constellations visible from here on Long Island. All children are invited to wear their comfiest pajamas and bring their favorite stuffed animals. Admission is $8 per person. To register, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org. For more info, call 854-5579.

FILM

‘Castle in the Sky’

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema For Kids series with a screening of Castle in the Sky on Sept. 18 at noon. The timeless story of courage and friendship, with stunning animation from acclaimed Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, the film includes the vocal talents of Anna Paquin, James Van Der Beek, Cloris Leachman, Mark Hamill and Mandy Patinkin. Rated PG. Tickets are $12 adults, $5 children. Call 423-7610 or visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

THEATER

‘Beauty and the Beast Jr.’

John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport continues its children’s theater season with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. from Sept. 24 to Oct. 30. This Disney love story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the hideous Beast, a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved the curse will end. If he does not learn his lesson before the last enchanted rose petal falls, he and his household of enchanted objects will be doomed for all eternity. Enjoy the songs we all love such as “Be Our Guest” and “Tale as Old as Time.” All seats are $20. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘A Kooky Spooky Halloween’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson kicks off its 2022-2023 children’s theater season with A Kooky Spooky Halloween, a merry musical about a ghost who’s afraid of the dark, from Oct. 8 to 22 with a sensory sensitive performance on Oct. 9 at 11 a.m. Recently graduated spirit Abner Perkins is assigned to the Aberdeen Boarding House — known for its spectral sightings and terrific toast. Here, Abner finds himself cast into a company of its wacky residents. When his secret is revealed, he is forced to leave his haunted home and set-off on a quest with his newly found friends. Hilarious hijinks and a message of cooperation highlight this delightful musical for the entire family. All tickets are $10. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

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Tom Hanks, right, stars in 'Pinocchio,' which uses both live action elements and animation. Pinocchio, left, is voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth. Photo courtesy of Disney +

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Disney continues to revisit its animated classics as source material for live-action films. These include 101 Dalmatians (along with a sequel and a prequel), Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty (Maleficent, with its shifted point-of-view), Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, Aladdin, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, and Mulan. Most have received mixed reactions, but this has not stemmed the flow. Added to this list is the newly released Pinocchio, now streaming on Disney+.

Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy in ‘Pinocchio’

Pinocchio finds its origins in the children’s novel The Adventures of Pinocchio. Italian writer Carlo Collodi wrote of a Tuscan woodcarver named Geppetto who creates a wooden puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy. The name “Pinocchio” is a combination of the Italian words pino (pine) and occhio (eye). The character’s iconography and adventures bridge three centuries: The puppet dreams of being, given spirit guides, and a nose that grows when he lies (occurring only once in the novel). 

Disney’s Pinocchio (1940) deservedly earns the accolade “masterpiece.” Pinocchio, the follow-up to the studio’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), is only equaled by its predecessor. Three years in the making, Pinocchio was a critical hit. Writing in The Hollywood Reporter, the unnamed staff writer described the film in glowing terms: “… the picture is a masterpiece which sets another milestone along the road of screen entertainment …. a new source of joy for which [the creators] deserve and will receive the gratitude of millions who will see it.”

A scene from Disney’s ‘Pinocchio.’

Pinocchio has been seen on both the big and small screens nearly two dozen times. Casts have included the Pinocchio’s of Sandy Duncan, Paul Reubens (a.k.a. Pee-Wee Herman), Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and Roberto Benigni. Geppettos include Burl Ives, Danny Kaye, Martin Landau, Carl Reiner, and Drew Carey. In addition, a host of famous actors appeared in supporting roles.

For the newest incarnation, director Robert Zemeckis has co-adapted the screenplay with Chris Weitz, but the entire film feels like a scene-for-scene remake of the original. Where it attempts to find something new, the substitution does nothing to enhance the storytelling. Instead, it is different for its own sake. 

A few new elements are introduced into the plot but add little to the overall effect, with even the best moments falling short. “Clever” touches receive acknowledgment—cuckoo-clocks with Disney images (Snow White, Roger Rabbit, Sleeping Beauty, etc.)—but seem slightly out-of-place. The mix of live actors and CGI results in the “real” people appearing as if traveling through a virtual reality app. 

Tom Hanks is Gepetto îs Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’

The story remains the same. Inventor Geppetto fashions Pinocchio and wishes upon a star. The puppet then finds himself duped into various dangerous scenarios: encountering the fox and the cat who sell him to Stromboli, the wicked puppeteer; the journey to Pleasure Island where the children are turned into donkeys and sold; being swallowed by a sea monster; etc. Pinocchio’s spiritual guides are, of course, Jiminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy. 

Tom Hanks makes a heartfelt Geppetto, a widower in mourning for his wife and son. He infuses the character with a deep kindness interwoven with a fragile and broken soul. He puts a smile on the puppet so he will “always be happy.” The image of his setting out to find Pinocchio, packing his beloved cat, Figaro, and cradling his adored fish, Cleo, is touching. One could wish Hanks’ make-up to be a little less extreme, with bushy hair, mustache, and eyebrows worthy of their own zip code. 

Cynthia Erivo makes a beautiful, fully present Blue Fairy. The voice work is good, with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth’s sweet and never saccharine Pinocchio. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives Jiminy Cricket a southern flavor but conveys his concern as the puppet’s conscience. Lorraine Bracco (a friendly seagull) and Keegan-Michael Key, as Honest John, the con-fox, are fine if a bit one note.

The story’s heart remains to be “real” is to be brave, honest, and unselfish. While spelled out clearly, the concept sometimes gets lost in the visual noise. The pacing is uneven and often slow. The comic violence (Stromboli locking Pinocchio in a case) feels jarringly vicious. Jokes referencing Chris Pine, agents, taxes, and educational curriculum do not land so much as thud. The original music is oddly utilized and snuck in, almost as spoken verse and Alan Silvestri’s new songs unfortunately fail to enhance the film. In the end, Pinocchio feels like light-beer-and-water: all the same but less.

Upcoming and in development are live-action versions of The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan (as Peter Pan and Wendy), Snow White, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood, Bambi, The Aristocats, and Lilo and Stitch along with sequels to The Lion King (Mufasa: The Lion King), Aladdin, The Jungle Book, and Cruella. With the track record of previous adaptations, one must wonder—other than money—what Disney hopes to gain. 

Rated PG, Pinocchio is now streaming on Disney +.

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The Center of Italian Studies at Stony Brook University presents its 16th annual Fall Italian Vehicle Concorso d’Eleganza on Sept. 18.
Ongoing

Stone Bridge Nighthawk Watch

Every evening through Oct. 6, from 5:30 p.m. until dusk, the Four Harbors Audubon Society will be tallying migrating Common Nighthawks to better understand nighthawk population trends. Join them at the stone bridge at Frank Melville Memorial Park, One Old Field Road, Setauket to witness nighthawks as they pass over during their migratory journey to their wintering grounds in Brazil and Argentina. Visit www.4has.org for further details.

Thursday September 15

Lunch & Learn

The Huntington Historical Society continues its Lunch & Learn series with a presentation titled Historic Sammis Houses of West Neck with Toby Kissam and Robert Hughes at Matteo’s Trattoria of Huntington, 300 W. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington from noon to 2 p.m. Fee is $55 per person, $50 members includes a gourmet three-course meal, house wine and dessert. To register, call 427-7045 or visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety .org.

Atelier lecture

Join the Atelier at Flowerfield for an online lecture titled “How To Select the Best View For Your Painting” at 7 p.m. When you are about to paint from a photo or when you are doing Plein Air painting, do you ask yourself “what is the best view”? Guest speaker and award-winning artist Antonio Masi will discuss and demonstrate a method he has used very successfully that helps answer this basic question. Free. To register, visit www.theatelieratflowerfield.org or call 250-9009.

Friday September 16

Greek Festival

Saint Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Shrine Church, 1 Shrine Place, Greenlawn will hold its annual Greek Festival today from 4 to 11 p.m., Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sept. 18 from noon to 8 p.m. Enjoy authentic Greek food and pastries, beer & wine, music and dancing, carnival rides and games, Yiayia’s Attic flea market, vendors and more. Call 261-7272 or visit  www.stparaskevi.org

Celebrating Tesla’s Birthday

In honor of Nikola Tesla’s birthday, the TeslaScience Center at Wardenclyffe, 5 Randall Road, Shoreham will celebrate with a Tesla Birthday Coil Show, featuring the world’s largest portable Tesla coil, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and a Tesla Birthday Expo and Coil Show on Sept. 17 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. with STEAM exhibits, robotics, Amateur Radio demos, drones, youth activity station, Tesla car showcase, a special appearance by a Dr. Who TARDIS, interactive STEM Bus from NYIT and much more. Tickets to each event are $25 adults, $22 seniors and students, $10 children, free for ages 4 and under. To purchase, visit www.teslasciencecenter.org. Call 886-2632.

Saturday September 17

Greek Festival

See Sept. 16 listing.

Celebrating Tesla’s Birthday

See Sept. 16 listing.

Dragon Boat Race Festival

Dragons will roar as the 8th annual Dragon Boat Race Festival heads to Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Presented by the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, the event will showcase dragon boat races throughout the day with Asian-themed food, cultural crafts, traditional lion dance, children activities and much more. Held rain or shine. Free admission. Call 473-1414 or visit www.portjeffdragonboatracefest.com.

Greenway Trail Clean-up

Join the Three Village Community Trust’s Friends of the Greenway for a trail clean-up at the Port Jefferson Station trailhead off Route 112 starting at 9 a.m. All necessary supplies will be provided. 

Fall Yard Sale

Join the Yaphank Historical Society for its annual Fall Yard sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of the Hawkins House at 4 Yaphank Avenue, Yaphank. Featuring a large variety of crafts, collectibles, and household items. Rain date is Sept. 18. Call-924-4803 or visit www.yaphankhistorical.org.

Friends of MCPL Garage Sale

The Friends of Middle Country Public Library’s will hold a Community Garage Sale will be held in the parking lot of the Centereach branch, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Over 30 families will be selling toys, furniture, gently used clothing, home/kitchen items and garden gear. The Teen Advisory Council will be hosting a Kids’ Zone for children visiting the sale. Rain date is Sept. 24. Call 585-9393.

St. Elizabeth Church Car Show

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton,800 Portion Road, Lake Ronkonkoma hosts its annual juried car show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Trophies awarded for People’s Choice, Best of Show, with food, vendors and 50/50 raffle. Free admission to spectators. Visit www.steas.org.

E-Waste & Metal Recycling

Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket will host an E-Waste and Metal Recycling event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the library parking lot. Bring your used computers, cell phones, laptops, servers, wire & cable, scrap metal, circuit boards, batteries, printers, hard drives & storage devices, power tools, small appliances, small electronics, keyboards/mice, stereos, flat screen TVs and computer monitors, cameras, and more. Open to all. Call 941-4080.

Gallery North Outdoor Art Show

Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket presents its 56th annual Outdoor Art Show & Music Festival today and Sept. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featuring over 100 of the finest art and craft from regional artists and artisans, the event will also include live musical performances, kids activities, as well as delicious food vendors. Awards are granted for best in show for each category, including crafts, fiber art, glass art, jewelry, painting, photography, pottery, printmaking, and more. Free admission. Call 751-2676, or visit www.gallerynorth.org

Hallockville Country Fair

Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead welcomes the community to its 41st annual Country Fair and Craft Show today and Sept. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The two-day event features over 50 craft and artisan vendors, craft demonstrations and displays, live music, exhibits in the historic Naugles Barn, children’s activities and games, guided tours of the farmhouse, farm animals, food and more. Admission is $10 per person, children 2 and under free. Held rain or shine. Call 298-5292 or visit www.hallockville.org

German Fall Festival

St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 30 Brooksite Drive, Smithtown presents its annual German Fall Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featuring brats & beer, German baked goods, pickles, pretzels, hair braiding, vendors, bracelet making, children’s games, bounce house and raffles. Rain date is Sept. 24. Call 265-2288 or visit  www.standrewsofsmithtown.org

Draw Out! Arts Festival

Join the Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington for its annual Draw Out! Community Arts Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Enjoy a day full of art and music in the Museum and Heckscher Park with watercolor painting by the pond; sketching from a live model; docents in galleries and live music on the terrace by Dead Ahead;  Create with guest artists; meet and create with the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum, The Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium and more and enjoy dance performances by renowned artist Wendi Weng. Free. No reservations required. Call 380-3230 or visit www.heckscher.org.

Old Burying Ground tour

Join the Huntington Historical Society for an Old Burying Ground  walking tour at 4 p.m. Established soon after the Town’s 1653 founding, Huntington’s earliest public burying ground features stunning folk art and beautiful epitaphs honoring Huntington’s residents and rich history. Tour begins at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, 228 Main St., Huntington .Tickets are $15 adults, $5 children. For reservations, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

Sunday September 18

Greek Festival

See Sept. 16 listing.

Hallockville Country Fair

See Sept. 17 listing.

Gallery North Outdoor Art Show

See Sept. 17 listing.

Pancake Breakfast fundraiser

Pass the maple syrup! Join the Setauket Fire Department Auxiliary Department for its annual Pancake Breakfast/Chinese Auction Fundraiser from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Setauket Fire Department’s Station #2, 9 Arrowhead Lane, East Setauket. Tickets: are $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 children under 10. Toddlers under age 2 are free. Email [email protected].

Theatre Three food drive

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson hosts a food and personal care items drive at Infant Jesus Convent, 110 Hawkins Ave.(off Myrtle Ave.), Port Jefferson from 9 a.m. to noon to benefit the pantry at Infant Jesus Church. Items needed include juice, complete pancake mix, syrup, jelly, mac & cheese, cooking oil, cereal, oatmeal, canned fruit, black beans and healthy snacks as well as shampoo, conditioner and deoderant. Grocery store cards and cash also accepted. 

Corvair Car Show

Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington will host the annual Long Island Corvair Car Show in Field #1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come and see the incredible Corvair in all models and styles. Free. [email protected]

Lions Club Car Show

The Port Jefferson Lions Club invites the community to its first annual judged Car Show at Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Rain date is Sept. 25) Presented by The Fabulous 50s & 60s Nostalgia Car Club, the event will feature food and music with over 14 trophy classes plus  a special people’s choice trophy decided by YOUR vote. Food, music and vendors. Proceeds will sponsor a guide dog for the blind. Call 680-7212.

Heritage Country Fair 

The Smithtown Historical Society, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown will hold its annual Heritage Country Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy blacksmithing, spinning and weaving demonstrations, live music, historical re-enactments, house tours and more. New this year, folks can grow their own produce and compete in an exhibition. Tickets are $5 each. Held rain or shine. Call 265-6768.

Italian Car Show

The Center of Italian Studies at Stony Brook University presents its 16th annual Fall Italian Vehicle Concorso d’Eleganza event, a display of “art forms on wheels” as a means of illustrating one form of Italian culture, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Display vehicles will rally at Stony Brook University campus on the lawn adjacent to the Graduate Physics Building and directly across from the Sports Complex off John S. Toll Drive. Call 632-7444 or visit www.stonybrook.edu/italianstudies

Classic Car Show

Step back in time with the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society as they present a Classic Car Show sponsored by the AACA Vanderbilt Cup Region and a tour of the Fitz-Greene Hallock Homestead, 2869 Pond Road, Lake Ronkonkoma, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a 50/50 raffle and basket auction. $5 donation. Call 588-7599.

Over 50 Fair

The Melville Marriot, 1350 Walt Whitman Road, Melville will hold its 13th annual Over 50 Fair from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The fair connects adults 50 and older with products and services and exhibitors including travel, health and wellness products, financial services, and education. $5 in advance at www.over50fair.com, $7 at the door. Call 516-621-1446.

Cow Harbor Day

Village of Northport hosts its annual Cow Harbor Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Main Street is closed to cars as visitors enjoy rides, games, food, music, arts and craft vendors, sidewalk sales and a parade at noon. Call 261-7502, or visit www.cowharborday.com.

Stan Wiest in concert

South Huntington Public Library, 145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station welcomes pianist Stan Wiest in concert in the auditorium at 2:30 p.m. Wiest will perform his personal piano arrangements of music from the Great American Songbook along with humorous stories of the celebrities he’s performed with and closing out with a sing-along. Open to all. Call 549-4411.

Monday September 19

Olivia Newton-John celebration

As part of its Rock Legends Live! series, the Cinema Arts Center, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will present an Olivia Newton-John celebration at 7:30 p.m. Join guest lecturer Bill Shelley for a music-filled celebration of the late, great Australian singer and actress Olivia Newton-John. with many clips from concerts, television and movies. Songs will include “Physical,” “Summer Nights,” “Have You Never Been Mellow?,” “Let Me Be There,” “You’re The One That I Want,” “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” and “Magic” – plus many more favorites! Tickets are $17, $12 members. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.s

Tuesday September 20

Travel Presentation Club meeting

Join the Travel Presentation Club for its meeting at 7:30 pm at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main St., Setauket. Ron and Claire Ondrovic will share their early summer road trip entitled “Nine States in 17 Days.” All are welcome. Please contact [email protected] for further information.

Wednesday September 21

Harbor Jazz Festival

Jazz lovers are invited to attend the Harbor Jazz Festival at The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook today through Sept. 24. Each day brings a line-up of jazz greats, including some of the top internationally and nationally recognized talents. All events on Sept. 24 are free and take place on the Stony Brook Village Green. Call 751-1895 or visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Thursday September 22

Harbor Jazz Festival

See Sept. 21 listing.

Film

‘Poltergeist’

The Smithtown Library’s Kings Park branch, 1 Church St., Kings Park hosts an outdoor screening of the 1982 classic Poltergeist on Sept. 16 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Free but registration is required. Call 360-2480.

‘Kaepernick & America’

The Port Jefferson Documentary Series kicks off its Fall season with a screening of Kaepernick & America at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. It was the summer of 2016, an election year with unrest rumbling through America. There were countless triggers—the murder videos of Philando Castille and Alton Sterling, the counterpunch of Alt- Right and Fake News, Black Lives Matter, Russian meddling—a discordant national cauldron ready to boil over. It was the birth of Trumpism, but nobody knew it yet. Then, Colin Kaepernick took a knee and America lost its mind. Kaepernick & America examines the man and his protest, exploring the remarkable conflict stirred by such a symbolic gesture. Followed by a Q&A with co-director Tommy Walker. Tickets are $10 at www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com or at the door. See more on page B15.

Theater

‘Henry V’

The Carriage House Players continues its annual Shakespeare Festival at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with Henry V from Aug. 26 to Sept. 18 on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Performances take place outdoors on stage in the courtyard, where the Spanish-Mediterranean architecture adds a touch of timeless charm and magic. Bring a picnic dinner to enjoy before the show and bring your own lawn chair. Inclement weather cancels. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors and children ages 12 and under. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘Guys and Dolls’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson kicks off its 52nd season with Guys and Dolls from Sept. 17 to Oct. 22. Considered the perfect musical of Broadway’s Golden Age, this delightful romp gambles in luck and love from Times Square to Havana. High rollers and low characters from Damon Runyon’s mythical New York are joyously presented in Frank Loesser’s bold and brassy score, featuring “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” An award-winning classic for the entire family! Tickets are $35 adults, $28 senior and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. Read review in next week’s paper.

‘Mystic Pizza’

Up next at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is the new musical comedy, Mystic Pizza, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 30. Based on the classic 1988 movie starring Julia Roberts, Mystic Pizza charts the lives and loves of three unforgettable waitresses in the harbor town of Mystic, CT. Add in some of the best pop songs of the ‘80s and ‘90s such as “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Addicted To Love,” “Small Town,” “Hold On,” and “Take My Breath Away,” and you have all the ingredients for a romantic comedy–with the works! Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

‘The Lightning Thief’

The Smithtown Performing Arts Center presents The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical  from Sept. 30 to Oct. 29. As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly-discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus’s master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and come to terms with the father who abandoned him. Adapted from the best-selling book by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score, The Lightning Thief is an action-packed mythical adventure “worthy of the gods” Tickets are $40, $35 seniors, $25 students. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.

Vendors Wanted

◆ Caroline Episcopal Church of Setauket is sponsoring a Fall Craft Fair & Barn Sale on the Setauket Village Green (Main St. and Caroline Ave.) on Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain date is Sept. 25 from noon to 5 p.m. Limited spaces still available on the Village Green (10’x10’) and covered Carriage Shed (9’x18’). Reserve your spot at www.depasmarket.com. Questions? Call 631-806-4845. 

◆ Stony Brook Community Church, 216 Christian Ave., Stony Brook is seeking vendors for its Apple Festival on Oct.1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rain date Oct. 2). Spots (10’ x 10’) are $40 each; vendors can call or text 631-252-0777 for an application.

◆ Parents of Troop 362 will hold a Craft Fair & Basket Raffle at Hope Lutheran Church, 46 Dare Road, Selden on Oct. 1. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (rain date Oct. 2). Vendors wanted -— 10’ by 10’ space for $40 donation. To reserve a space, email [email protected].

◆ St. Thomas of Canterbury Church, 29 Brooksite Drive, Smithtown seeks craft or new merchandise vendors for its Craft Fair and Car Show on Oct. 8 (rain date is Oct. 15 for craft fair only) $50/space. Visit www.stthomasofcanterbury.net or call 631-265-4520 to obtain an application.

◆ Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 716 Route 25a, Rocky Point seeks vendors to be a part of their annual October Festival on Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fee for vendor participation of new items, no raffles is $35 per  10’ x 10’ space. Must supply own table and chairs. Visit www.thefishchurch.com Festivals and Events page.

Class Reunion

✴Ward Melville High School Class of 1972’s  50th reunion is Oct 1. Please spread the word and visit Facebook page “Ward Melville High School Class 72 50th Reunion” for more information and purchasing tickets. For more information, email [email protected] or call 631-928-5684 and leave your name and contact information for any questions.

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The Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo’s First-Ever After Dark Haunted Experience

New for 2022, the Bronx Zoo is adding an after-hours event – Dinosaurs in Darkness: The Hatching. This is the zoo’s first-ever Halloween nighttime event for older audiences. Dinosaurs in Darkness transforms the fan favorite Dinosaur Safari into a thrilling nighttime experience each Friday and Saturday night from October 7-29 (including Monday Oct. 10). The Hatching is a scary Halloween walk-through experience that sends participants on an adventure that brings them up close with prehistoric creatures in a whole new way as they follow the story of a rare dinosaur egg, found intact after 66 million years, that is finally ready to hatch! What could possibly go wrong? This  is an after-hours event and is ticketed separately from Bronx Zoo admission. It is recommended for ages 13 and up. More information and tickets are available at https://bronxzoo.com/dinos-in-darkness.

See a video here: Dinosaurs in Darkness: The Hatching

The tradition of Boo at the Zoo will operate at the Bronx Zoo during normal open hours each Saturday and Sunday from October 1 to 30 (including the holiday, Monday October 10). Outdoor activities will include the popular professional pumpkin carving demonstrations and displays; magic and mind reading shows; trick or treating on the Candy Trail; and the spooky extinct animal graveyard. Animal-themed costumed stilt walkers and Halloween animal puppets will headline the costume parade, and everyone can meet live vultures, owls, ravens and other birds each day on the zoo’s historic Astor Court. Finally, October and Boo at the Zoo is the last chance to catch the Dinosaur Safari. The experience will go extinct on October 30.

See a video here: Boo at the Zoo

For more information, tickets and a full schedule of activities, visit the website at BronxZoo.com/Boo-at-the-Zoo.

About the Bronx Zoo: The Bronx Zoo, located on 265 acres of hardwood forest in Bronx, NY, opened on Nov. 8, 1899. It is world-renowned for its leadership in the areas of animal welfare, husbandry, veterinarian care, education, science and conservation. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is the flagship park of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) which manages the world’s largest network of urban wildlife parks including the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo and New York Aquarium. Our curators and animal care staff work to save, propagate, and sustain populations of threatened and endangered species. We have educated and inspired more than 400 million visitors at our zoos and aquarium since our opening and host approximately 4 million guests at our parks each year – including about a half-million students annually. The Bronx Zoo is the largest youth employer in the borough of the Bronx, providing opportunity and helping to transform lives in one of the most under-served communities in the nation. The Bronx Zoo is the subject of THE ZOO, a docu-series aired world-wide on Animal Planet. Members of the media should contact [email protected] for more information or with questions.

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Photo from SCPD

The Suffolk County Police Department will host a vehicle auction on September Saturday, Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. at the department’s impound yard, located at 100 Old Country Road in Westhampton.

The auction begins at 9 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. There will be a preview of vehicles on September 15 and 16 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the impound yard. Vehicles will also be available for preview for one hour prior to the start of the auction.

More than 100 lots will be auctioned with a minimum bid of $300 All vehicles are sold as is.

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