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A CELEBRATION OF DANCE The L.I. Dance Consortium heads to the Chapin Rainbow Stage at Heckscher Park in Huntington on July 1. Photo from HAC
Ongoing

Huntington Summer Arts Festival

The 57th annual Huntington Summer Arts Festival continues at the Chapin Rainbow Stage at Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington this week with the Huntington Men’s Chorus on June 30, the L.I. Dance Consortium “A Celebration of Dance I” on July 1, Cabaret Night with Anthony Nunziata on July 2, The Mikado; A Long Island Fantasy on July 3, and Huntington Community Band on July 6 and Alsarah & The Nubatones on July 7. All shows start at 8 p.m. Bring seating. Free. For more information, visit www.huntingtonarts.org.

Thursday June 30

St. Anthony’s Feast and Festival

Fr. Thomas Judge Knights of Columbus celebrates its 29th annual St. Anthony’s Family Feast and Festival  at Trinity Regional School, 1025 Fifth Ave., East Northport tonight, July 1 from 6 to 11 p.m. and July 2 from 3 to 11 p.m. Featuring rides, games, food, craft beer, live music, circus shows and Saturday fireworks. Special attractions include the Royal Legacy Circus, Scotto’s Carnival Stage, a Zeppole eating contest on June 30  and  a St. Anthony statue procession on July 2. Free admission, pay-one-price rides or individual rides. Call 262-1891 or visit www.newtonshows.com.

Vanderbilt lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport presents an evening lecture titled Gentleman Bankers from 7  to 8:30 p.m. Guest speaker Dr. Susie J. Pak will discuss J.P. Morgan and the world of investment banking in the early the 20th century. Tickets are $10 per person at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Music Made in America concert

The Northport Community Band kicks off its summer concert series at the Robert W. Krueger Bandstand in Northport Village Park tonight with a concert titled  Music Made in America at 8:30 p.m. featuring scores by Hamilton, Sousa, Armed Forces Salute and more. Pre-concert by Island Winds Chamber Ensemble. Bring seating. Rain location is Northport High School. Call 261-6972 or visit www.ncb59.org

Friday July 1

St. Anthony’s Feast and Festival

See June 30 listing.

Happenings on Main Street

The Northport Arts Coalition presents a free concert by The Dead Ahead Band featuring the music of the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers and more at the Northport Village Park Gazebo at the harbor at 7 p.m. as part of its Happenings on Main Street Series. Bring seating. Call 827-6827 or visit www.northportarts.org.

Musical Moments in Kings Park

The Kings Park Civic Association kicks off its 2022 Musical Moments series tonight at Russ Savatt Park, 14 Main St., Kings Park at 7:30 p.m. with the Hoodoo Loungers (New Orleans Mardi Gras). Bring seating. Call 516-319-0672.

Saturday July 2

St. Anthony’s Feast and Festival

See June 30 listing.

Nature Walks

The Town of Brookhaven will host a nature walk at West Meadow Beach, Trustees Road, Stony Brook at 10 am. and at Cedar Beach, 200 Harbor Road, Mount Sinai at 2 p.m. Explore the unique ecology of the beach and salt marsh and learn about the different and overlapping ecosystems of flora and fauna, and the habitats that comprise these beautiful places. Please wear closed, comfortable shoes. Free but registration is required by emailing [email protected].

Independence Day concert

Join the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport for an concert titled Independence Day on the Gold Coast by members of the Long Island Chamber Music in the Vanderbilt Mansion courtyard from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature a musical celebration of American composers spanning the Gilded Age of the late 1800s to the Jazz Age of the early 1900s. BYO chairs and picnic. $30 per person, $25 members. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

An evening of jazz

As part of the 2022 Douglas Elliman Summer Music Series, the Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook welcomes Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks in concert at 7 p.m for an evening of classic jazz. Tickets are $35 adults, $30 seniors, $25 students, $20 children, children 5 and under free. To order, call 751-1895 or visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Sunday July 3

Holbrook Car Show

Holbrook Commons, 480 Patchogue Holbrook Rd, Holbrook will host the 2nd annual Holbrook Commons Car Show by Native Ceuticals from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry fee will be $5 with all proceeds going to charity. 

Hoyt Farm concert

Hoyt Farm, 200 New Highway, Commack continues its free Sunday concerts with X-Session at 7 p.m. Bring seating. NOTE: Smithtown resident stickers required to park on property. Call 543-7804 for further information.

Fireworks in Port Jefferson

The Village of Port Jefferson will hold a fireworks display tonight at 9 p.m. from West Beach (residents only). Also viewable from Cedar Beach, 244 Harbor Beach Road, Mount Sinai. Call 473-4724 or visit www.portjeff.com.

Monday July 4

Fourth of July Parade  

Grab yourself a lawn chair and head down to Main Street so you don’t miss a moment of the Port Jefferson Fourth of July Parade on July 4 at 10 a.m. Fire trucks, dancers, bagpipe players, classic cars and more. The event is sponsored by Port Jefferson Fire
Department. Rain date is July 8. Call 473-1414 for further info.

Celebration of Hometown Heroes

VFW Post 6249, 109 King Road, Rocky Point and the Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce present A Celebration of Hometown Heroes at 11 a.m. Followed by a live reading of the Declaration of Independence. Refreshments will be served. Call 729-0699 or visit www.rpsbchamber.org

Fireworks at Bald Hill

Celebrate Independence Day at the Long Island Community Hospital Amphitheater at Bald Hill, 1 Ski Run Lane, Farmingville with live music from Solid 70s and The Chiclettes starting at 5:30 p.m. followed by fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Questions? Call 648-2500

Tuesday July 5

Concerts in the Courtyard

Northport Public Library, 151 Laurel Road, Northport will host an outdoor concert in the courtyard featuring the Just Sixties band at 7 p.m. Come enjoy the biggest rock, pop, and folk hits from one of the most important periods in music history. Rain date is July 6. No registration required. Call 261-6930.

Community Band concert

The Smithtown Community Band kicks off its 36th annual summer concert season at the Smithtown Historical Society’s Brush Barn, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown at 8 p.m. This year’s theme is American Pop Culture: A Journey Through Time featuring music attributed to popular books, movies, video games, television, advertising and Broadway shows of the 20th and 21st century. Free. Bring seating. Call 265-6768 for more info.

Wednesday July 6

Estate Walk & Talk Tour

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport offers Estate Walk & Talk tours at 11 a.m. and again 12:30 p.m. Come for an intriguing walking tour of the Vanderbilt Estate with knowledgeable Museum educators. Learn about the history of the Eagle’s Nest estate; Warren & Wetmore’s design and exterior architectural details of the 24-room Spanish Revival mansion; and the striking ironwork of Samuel Yellin, considered the greatest iron artisan of the early 20th century. Tickets, which include general admission, are available for purchase only at the door: Adults $16, seniors/students $15, children under 12 $13, and members free. Visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org for more information.

‘Young at Heart’ concert

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook will be highlighting Big Band Jazz in July as the popular Young at Heart daytime concert series continues this afternoon at 1 p.m. The concert is co-sponsored by the Ward Melville Heritage Organization. The band will feature the Young at Heart Trio, with Jazz Loft Founder Tom Manuel on cornet, Steve Salerno on guitar, and Keenan Zach on bass. Tickets are $10. To order, call 631-751-1895 or visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Summer Concert Wednesdays

The Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce kicks off its Summer Concert Wednesdays at the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber Train Car Park, Nesconset Highway and Route 112, Port Jefferson Station from 6 to 8 p.m. with SouthBound (Veterans Night). Call 821-1313 or visit www.pjstchamber.com. 

Terryville Carnival

Terryville Fire Department, 19 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station invites the community to its annual family carnival tonight, July 7 and 8 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., July 9 from 5 p.m. to midnight, and July 10 from 5 to 10 p.m. Enjoy rides, games and carnival food. $25 entry fee includes all rides. Call 473-1224.

Port Jefferson Sunset Concert

Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council presents Sunset Concerts at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. through Aug. 31. Tonight’s performance will be by the The Famous Dr. Scanlon Band. Call 473-5220 or visit www.gpjac.org.

Thursday July 7

Terryville Carnival

See July 6 listing.

Inside/Out art reception

Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket invites the community to an opening reception of its Inside/Out group exhibit featuring the works of over 50 local and regional artists from 6 to 8 p.m. Call 751-2676.

Smithtown Library concert

The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series returns to the Smithtown Main Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown tonight at 7:30 p.m. with the Just Sixties Band. Bring a chair or blanket for seating. For more information, call 360-2480 ext.150 after 3 p.m.

Harborside Concerts

The Village of Port Jefferson kicks off its free Harborside Concert series at the Show Mobile at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson with Beach Boys tribute band Endless Summer at 8 p.m. Bring seating. For more information, call-473-4724 or visit www.portjeff.com.

Community Band concert

The Northport Community Band continues its summer concert series at the Robert W. Krueger Bandstand in Northport Village Park tonight with a concert titled  Holiday Make-up Celebration at 8:30 p.m. Pre-concert  by the NCJO Big Band. Bring seating. Rain location is Northport High School. Call 261-6972 or visit www.ncb59.org

Film

‘Leave it to Beavers!’ 

The Four Harbors Audubon Society continues its First Friday Movie Night series with Nature’s documentary Leave it to Beavers at the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown on July 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Discover why this curious animal is so important to our landscapes and ecosystems.Unfortunately, it hasn’t received much recognition for that accomplishment until now. A growing number of scientists, conservationists and grass-roots environmentalists have come to  regard beavers as overlooked tools in reversing the effects of global warming and world-wide water shortages. A discussion will follow. Free but registration is required by calling 766-3075. 

Theater

‘Kinky Boots’

John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Kinky Boots from May 19 to July 3. With songs by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein, this dazzling, sassy and uplifting musical celebrates a joyous story, inspired by true life events, taking you from the factory floor of a men’s shoe factory to the glamorous catwalks of Milan! Tickets range from $75 to $80 with free valet parking. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Every Brilliant Thing’

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, in association with Response Crisis Center, presents the Long Island premiere of Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man show starring Jeffrey Sanzel, on the Second Stage Sundays at 3 p.m. from July 10 to Aug. 28.  You’re seven years old. Your mother is in the hospital. Your father said she’s “done something stupid.” So, you begin a list of everything that is truly wonderful about the world—everything worth living for. With audience members recruited to take on supporting roles, Every Brilliant Thing is a heart-wrenching, hilarious story of depression and the lengths we will go for those we love. Presented with unflinching honesty, the play perfectly balances the struggles of life while celebrating all that is “truly brilliant” in living each day. All seats are $20. Fifty percent of the gross proceeds of this production will benefit Response Crisis Center. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘On Your Feet!’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan from July 14 to Aug. 28. From their humble beginnings in Cuba, Emilio and Gloria Estefan came to America and broke through all barriers to become a crossover sensation at the very top of the pop music world. But just when they thought they had it all, they almost lost everything. On Your Feet! takes you behind the music and inside the real story of this record-making, and groundbreaking couple who, in the face of adversity, found a way to end up on their feet. Get ready to get on your feet, and dance to the smash hits “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “1-2-3,” “Live For Loving You,” “Conga,” and many more. Tickets range from $75 to $80 with free valet parking. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Troilus and Cressida’

The Carriage House Players continues its annual Shakespeare Festival at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with Troilus and Cressida from July 1 to 24 (excluding July 15 and 22) 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.

‘Spring Awakening’

Up next for Star Playhouse at Suffolk Y-JCC’s Stage 74, 74 Hauppauge Road, Commack is Spring Awakening, the Tony Award-winning rock musical adaptation of the seminal play about the trials and tribulations of growing up, on July 30 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and on July 31 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are $20, $15 seniors and students. To order, call 462-9800 x-136 or visit www.starplayhouse.com.

‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’

The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown presents the hit musical I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change from Aug. 4 to Aug. 14. This hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, to those who have dared to ask, ‘Say, what are you doing Saturday night?’ Tickets are $45 adults, $40 seniors. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.

Vendors Wanted

◆ The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River has vendor opportunities available for its upcoming outdoor Farmer’s Markets on July 16, Aug. 20 and Sept.17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 631-929-3500 x708 for an application.

◆ The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor seeks glass enthusiasts (both sea glass and historic glass) and vendors to be a part of it Suffolk County Seaglass Festival on Aug. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fee for vendor participation is $50 and entitles you to a 72” banquet table for displaying your items. Visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org for an application or call 631-367-3418.

◆ Nesconset Chamber of Commerce seeks vendors for its Nesconset Day street fair along Smithtown Blvd. in Nesconset on Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 631-672-5197 or email [email protected]

◆ St. Thomas of Canterbury, 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). Visit www.stthomasofcanterbury.net or call 631-265-4520 to obtain an application or get more info. 

◆ 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 Oc. 2)). Spots (10’ x 10’) are $40 each; vendors can call or text 631-252-0777 for an application to reserve a space.

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Above, Tom Hanks as Colonel Parker and Austin Butler as Elvis. Photo courtesy ofWarner Bros.
Austin Butler in a scene from the film. Photo from Warner Bros.
Austin Butler in a scene from the film. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
Austin Butler in a scene from the film. Photo from Warner Bros

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Australian auteur Baz Luhrmann has left his kinetic imprint on a range of cinematic works. Known for his bold visual style and thumping soundtracks, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001), and The Great Gatsby (2013) are among his most prominent projects. With Elvis, he has turned his sights on one of the most iconic performers of the twentieth century. Working from a screenplay co-written with Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, and Jeremy Doner, Luhrmann presents an almost hagiographic portrait, smoothing out many of the rougher edges.

Elvis begins with Luhrmann’s usual frenetic assault. Slow-motion, quick cuts, aggressive music, and even a dissolve into a comic book set the tone for an original, if over-the-top, approach. However, within thirty minutes, the film settles into a traditional biography with only occasionally departing from a straight narrative. It becomes surprisingly pedestrian, given Luhrmann’s signature style. Predictable montages with cities superimposed on a map indicating travel seem a throwback to films of a previous century. Perhaps this is to put the action in its time, but it leans more towards creaky than homage.

The film tells the story from the perspective of Elvis’s agent, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). He serves as narrator and villain, tracing the singer from his poverty-ridden childhood through Parker’s elevation of the singer and Elvis’s meteoric rise. Much is made of Elvis’s fascination with African-American music of Memphis’s Beale Street. The huckster Parker becomes guide and gatekeeper to the naive young man, with something Faustian about the story: Parker as a corpulent Mephistopheles making dreams come true.

The film covers little new ground. In two and a half hours of playing time, Elvis reveals bits and pieces but never creates a full portrait of any of its characters. Luhrmann pulls his punches, making Elvis an almost benevolent figure, eschewing many darker elements. The drugs and sex are touched upon but then relegated to the background. While Parker states that Elvis was “the taste of forbidden fruit,” these are seen only in sanitized glimpses.

The greatest star of many generations was the victim of bad choices and insidious management. There are harrowing moments—particularly when his father decides to get him on stage when he should be in a hospital. But these moments are too few and far between. Instead, the movie focuses on performances and the push-pull relationship between the manager and the managed. Nods are made to Elvis’s devastation over the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy and his desire to make bigger statements. But they are skimmed over. 

His career is played in fast-forward, his army service and movies receiving only perfunctory glances, segueing to television, and finally to Vegas. The Steve Allen debacle, with Elvis in tails singing to a hound dog, makes for a decisive moment, and the entire residency at the International Hotel receives more than a cursory treatment. 

Tom Hanks gets points for giving the least “Tom Hanks” performance of his career. His almost freakish Parker is an obese fat suit and distorting prosthetics, calling to mind Jiminy Glick or Danny DeVito as the Penguin. The shadowy “Colonel” was a fraud and a charlatan, not southern but Dutch. For some strange reason, Hanks opted for an untraceable European accent (and sounding nothing like any of the available clips of the real Parker). One expects lines like “He’s the greatest carnival attraction I’d ever seen; he was my destiny” to be followed by a maniacal laugh. He creeps around the film’s periphery, wandering in his purgatory casino.

In theory, the reason for biographical films is to explore historical figures, acknowledge their accomplishments, explore them in the context of their times, or gain insight into what made them unusual, exceptional, and memorable. However, more often, the films become a celebration of the actors’ work: Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln; Jennifer Hudson in Respect; Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line; Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody, etc. Somewhere along the way, the portrayal subsumes the persona.

Austin Butler delivers as Elvis. He captures the King in every look, shift, and shrug. He embodies the roiling doubts and the desire for more. Whether struggling with career choices or trying to care for his dysfunctional parents, he infuses each moment with integrity and star power. His vocals are excellent, and he has found the required nuances. (Butler sings all the earlier songs and then is blended with actual Elvis recordings for the later years.)

By the film’s end, little has been revealed about the man or the myth. There are events and interactions and a bit of trivia but not much depth. Unlike Dexter Fletcher’s Rocketman, the gloriously messy look at Elton John, Elvis chooses not to reflect its subject in style or approach. There is nothing “Elvis” about Elvis. Instead, Baz Luhrmann offers a by-the-numbers biopic with a mesmerizing central performance. It is something, but perhaps not enough.

Rated PG-13, the film is now playing in local theaters.

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Members of the CanCan team, from left,Oliver Maddocks, David Lewis, Johan Vande Voorde, Bette Caan, Marcus Goncalves, Eileen White, Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, Tobias Janowitz, Karen Mustian, Janelle Ayres andToni Hui

By Daniel Dunaief

If a team Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor Tobias Janowitz co-leads succeeds, researchers will know more about the end stage of numerous types of cancer that involves the loss of tissue and muscle mass.

Tobias Janowitz

Recently, lead scientists Janowitz; Eileen White, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Deputy Director and Chief Scientific Officer; and Dr. Marcus DaSilva Goncalves, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine received $25 million in funding as a part of a Cancer Grand Challenge, which is a combined trans-Atlantic funding effort between Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute in the United States.

The cachexia group was one of four teams to receive funding among 11 finalists.

Bruce Stillman, president of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, described cachexia as “one of the most difficult clinical problems with late stage cancer.”

Stillman added that the collaboration is promising because it brings together a group of “remarkable” scientists, including White, who was a postdoctoral fellow in Stillman’s lab. “It has great potential for making a difference in the lives of patients.”

Stillman believes Janowitz is an ideal co leader for this challenging project because he has an MD and a PhD and is clinically certified as an oncologist.

CanCan team

For his part, Janowitz is looking forward to the opportunity to team up with other ambitious research efforts to create a virtual institute.

Eileen White

“It’s incredibly exciting to get the chance to do something you think is higher risk with a large group of people who have come together around this problem,” said Janowitz. “We often talked about how it would be nice to bring team members from other disciplines into this area.”

Indeed, the cachexia team, which White named CanCan for Cancer Cachexia Action Network believes cachexia is a tumor-driven metabolic imbalance. The group is pursuing different areas of research, including metabolism, neuroendocrinology, clinical research, and immunology, among others, to define clinical subtypes with the hopes of creating individualized therapies.

While the effort brings together a range of scientists with different expertise and technological skills, researchers don’t expect an immediate therapeutic solution within that time frame. Rather, they anticipate that their experiments and clinical data will help inform future approaches that could enhance efforts to prevent and treat a wasting disease that causes severe declines in a patient’s quality of life.

“What we would deem as a success is, if in five years time, we have maybe one to three strong lead hypotheses that comes out of our shared work on how we can either prevent or treat cachexia as it emerges,” Janowitz said.

The complexity of cachexia

Dr. Marcus DaSilva Goncalves

As a complex process that involves an understanding of numerous interconnected dynamics, cachexia has been a challenging field for researchers and a difficult one for funding agencies looking for discrete problems with definable results and solutions.

Cachexia research had “never reached this critical mass that people were seeing where we can say, ‘Okay, there’s enough work going on to really unravel this,’” Janowitz said.

The CanCan team has several scientific themes. Janowitz will be involved with metabolic dysregulation. He would like to understand the behavioral changes around appetite and food intake.

Additionally, the group will explore the interaction of normal cells and cancer cells by looking at the tumor micro environment. This research will explore how cancer cells can reprogram healthy host cells.

“We’ve got a really exciting axis of research” within the network, Janowitz said.

Searching for signaling molecules

Janowitz said Norbert Perrimon, James Stillman Professor of Developmental Biology at Harvard Medical School is one of the leading experts in fly genetics and fly biology. Perrimon has created a model of cachexia in the fruit fly. While that sounds far from patients, Perrimon can use single molecule resolution of the entire organism to get an insight and understanding of candidate molecules.

“We are hoping to search for new signaling molecules that might get involved” in cachexia, Janowitz said. Once the research finds new candidates, he and others can validate whether they also work in mouse models of cancer and cancer cachexia.

With numerous clinical groups, Janowitz hopes to contribute to the design and execution of experimental medicine studies.

The Cancer Grand Challenge will distribute the funds based on what members need. Janowitz described the allocation of funds as “roughly equitable.” He will use that funding to support a postdoctoral researcher, a PhD student and a technician, who can help with specific projects he’s merging in his lab to combine with the team effort.

The funds will also support his salary so he can supervise the work in his lab and help with the coordination of this effort.

The funding agencies have an additional budget to organize conferences and meetings, where researchers can discuss ideas in person and can ensure that any clinical and laboratory work is standardized and reproducible in different facilities.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory will host the first full gathering of the cachexia team in November.

Challenging beginnings

When he was a doctor in the United Kingdom, Janowitz was fascinated and confounded by cachexia. In the early years of his training, he saw patients who had a small tumor burden, but were so sick that they died. Those experiences made “such a strong imprint” that he wanted to help unravel this process as a junior oncologist, he said.

Getting funding was challenging because cachexia was complex and didn’t involve a finely defined project that linked a receptor protein to a cell type that led to a diseased condition.

Janowitz, among others in this field, felt passionate enough about this area to continue to search for information about cachexia. After he restructured his research into a narrower focus, he secured more funding.

An unsolved mystery

With enough researchers continuing along this path, Janowitz said the group developed an awareness that this is “one of the big, unsolved mysteries of cancer progression.”

Janowitz appreciates the opportunity to work with a team that has accomplished researchers who work in fields that are related or synergistic, but aren’t necessarily considered part of the cachexia field.

The significant funding comes with expectations.

“The grant is both a great joy, but also, essentially, a mandate of duty,” he said. “Now, you have to utilize this grant to make significant contributions to understand and hopefully treat this debilitating condition.”

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One of the most anticipated movies this summer is 'Where the Crawdads Sing.'

By Jeffrey Sanzel

A year ago, studios wondered whether there would be a “return to normal.” The summer of 2021 straddled a mix of theatre attendance and residual streaming. Delays in various releases continued through the fall and into the winter and spring. This summer, the options seem to reflect the pre-pandemic era. 

Elvis

Elvis is one of the most anticipated films. Directed by Baz Luhrman (from a screenplay by Luhrman and others), the biopic focuses on Presley (Austin Butler), from his early career to his iconic rise. Much of the story chronicles his complex relationship with Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). Lurhman is noted for his non-traditional approaches (as evidenced in his Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet, and The Great Gatsby), so his take will most likely reflect his unique style. Rated PG-13 · Release date June 24

Minions: The Rise of Gru

Minions: The Rise of Gru offers a sequel to a spinoff. Minions (2015) followed Despicable Me (2010) and Despicable Me 2 (2013). The second film is in the wake of Despicable Me 3 (2017). For the franchise fans, the story picks up after the events in Minions, with twelve-year-old Gru (voiced by Steve Carrell) striving to join the supervillains known as the Vicious 6. Rated PG · Release date July 1

Thor: Love and Thunder

For those craving the most traditional summer fare, there is Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8), the sequel to Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct. Taika Waititi directs Chris Hemsworth in the title role. The film also stars Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman and Christian Bale. Rated PG-13 · Release date July  8

Where the Crawdads Sing

Delia Owens’ bestseller 2018 Where the Crawdads Sing reaches the big screen with Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kya, a self-raised girl from the marshlands of North Carolina who becomes the prime suspect in a murky murder case. One of the most popular novels in the last ten years, this tale of secrets hidden and revealed is one of the more serious offerings. Not Yet Rated  · Release date July 15

The Gray Man

For those looking for action thrillers, The Gray Man offers the CIA’s most skilled mercenary (Ryan Gosling), uncovering dark, incriminating secrets about the organization. Chris Evans plays a psychopathic former colleague assigned to hunt him down. Produced and directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, The Gray Man hopes to be the first of a franchise based on Mark Greaney’s Gray Man novels. Rated PG-13 · Release date July 15 

Nope

One of the more intriguing releases is Nope (July 22). Residents of an isolated town in California, including ranch owners James and Jill Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer), witness a mysterious and abnormal event. This science-fiction horror film is written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele, whose brilliant and distinctive style always informs his work, including the highly effective Get Out and Us. Rated R · Release date July 22

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Equally as interesting is Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, a live-action/stop motion-animated mockumentary that trails the titular character (voiced by Jenny Slate) who embarks on a journey to locate his family. Rated PG · Release date July 24

The Black Phone

No summer is complete without the usual dose of horror. The Black Phone (June 24) reunites Ethan Hawke with Scott Derrickson, his director from Sinister (2012). Here, a kidnapped boy trapped in a basement realizes he can communicate with this captor’s previous victims. Rated R · Release date July 24

Bullet Train

Bullet Train is a hybrid action comedy/thriller based on the Japanese novel Maria Beetle. Brad Pitt heads an ensemble cast as trained killer Ladybug (Pitt), who wants to give up the life but is pulled back in by his handler (Sandra Bullock). On a train from Tokyo to Kyoto, competing assassins discover they are after the same briefcase. (There has been some backlash on the film’s casting, with two of the novel’s main characters becoming non-Asian.) Rated R · Release date July 29

DC League of Super-Pets

The family-friendly DC League of Super-Pets is an animated adventure with Superman’s dog, Krypto (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), organizing shelter pets who have special powers to free the Justice League, which mastermind Lex Luthor has captured. Rated PG · Release date July 29

Bodies Bodies Bodies

The satirical slasher Bodies Bodies Bodies (August 5) sees a group of friends gathering for a house party to play a murder mystery game, only to discover an actual murder has taken place, and they must now play the game for real. Rated R · Release date August 5

Samaritan

In Samaritan, a young boy (Javon Walton) realizes that a famed superhero, who was thought to have gone missing, may still be around. The film also stars Sylvester Stallone. Rated  PG-13 · Release date August 26

3000 Years of Longing

There is a surprising dearth of fantasy, with Three Thousand Years of Longing being one of the few. Adapting and directing A.S. Byatt’s short story The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye, George Miller returns after a seven-year hiatus. The epic romantic fantasy chronicles a woman (Tilda Swinton) who encounters a djinn (Idris Elba) who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. Rated R · Release date August 31

Clearly, this summer hosts a variety of choices for all filmgoers. 

*This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement.

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Kenneth Roberts. Photo from Mather Hospital

Recently retired Mather Hospital President Kenneth Roberts was recognized by the Healthcare Association of New York State for his contributions to healthcare in New York State.

Mr. Roberts was one of two individuals to receive the HANYS 2022 Distinguished Service Award. Long-serving Assembly member Richard Gottfried, chair of the Assembly Health Committee since 1987, also received the honor. 

Mr. Roberts retired in May after 40 years with Mather Hospital, 36 as its President. During that time, he oversaw multiple hospital expansions, quality and patient safety initiatives, and the hospital’s 2018 affiliation with Northwell Health. He served on the HANYS board of trustees for 10 years. 

“His political acumen and deep knowledge of public policy have made him invaluable in our advocacy efforts,” the association said in announcing the award, noting that Mr. Roberts also twice served as chairman of the Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council and served as a state delegate on the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board.

HANYS’ Distinguished Service Award was established by the Association’s board of trustees in 1979 to recognize individuals who have demonstrated outstanding personal service in the healthcare field in one or more of the following areas: patient welfare, hospital administration, residential healthcare administration, local and state healthcare organizations, public service, and promotion of legislation relating to better healthcare.

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Krupski Farm has been acquired by Del Vino Vineyards.

Northport-based Del Vino Vineyards provides an expanded estate growing footprint in Riverhead, and opportunity for more grape growing and a new tasting room location.

Del Vino Vineyards announced today that they have closed on the purchase of the Krupski Farm, a 30-acre property of pastureland land which is agriculturally preserved that will be converted to vineyards in Riverhead.

The property, nestled between Sound Avenue and Northville Turnpike in Riverhead, has been owned by prominent local farmers since 1966.

Krupski Farm has been acquired by Del Vino Vineyards.

This purchase adds valuable acres to Del Vino Vineyards winegrowing footprint in the Long Island region, which aligns with one of the company’s long-term strategies of becoming more vertically integrated by farming more fruit from their own vineyards. Del Vino Vineyards in Northport, located on 12 acres, is currently home to 7 varieties of grapes. In addition to the farming land, Del Vino Vineyards plans to operate as a new tasting room destination, likely opening sometime in 2024.

“We believe in building a wine company that invests back into the community and the industry that it’s a part of. Bringing the Krupski Family Farm into our portfolio shifts us towards having the majority of our production coming from our own vineyards, which is a huge part of our long-term vision,” said Fred Giachetti, Owner of Del Vino Vineyards. “The vineyard management team at Del Vino Vineyards has done an exceptional job of maintaining an eye on quality, and we’re incredibly excited about our expansion.”

Lisa Giachetti, Del Vino Vineyards owner commented further, “the Krupski Farm presents an opportunity for us to serve our existing fans in a new location, but it will also allow us to attract and engage new customers in the Long Island Wine Country region, which is an exciting proposition. We’re thrilled to be growing our Del Vino vineyard acreage and our staff with this acquisition.”

To learn more about Del Vino Vineyards, please visit www.delvinovineyards.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delvinovineyards

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METRO photo

By Father Frank Pizzarelli

Father Frank Pizzarelli

June is the time of year when school ends and summer begins. It’s a time of year when our high school seniors graduate and prepare to transition into young adults. Some will go away to college; others will prepare to enter the workforce. All of our graduates will hopefully deal with all of the challenges of change and transition in a positive way.

The hard question to answer is are these graduates ready and prepared for the new challenges before them? The pandemic has definitely impaired many of these extraordinary young men and women.

However, despite the challenges and the lack of holistic services in the area of mental health and addiction services, many of these graduates have begun to navigate the difficult road before them with extraordinary character and integrity.

Despite the polarizing landscape they must navigate, the class of 2022 are genuinely beacons of hope. So many of them have courageously challenged the hypocrisy of our present age. They have reached out to the most vulnerable and marginalized among us.

A growing number of high school students who have graduated and have been victimized by the mass school shootings that have ripped at the soul of America have become prophetic voices in our midst. They have worked tirelessly to raise people’s awareness that sensible gun laws don’t infringe on our Second Amendment rights, but rather remind us that all life is sacred and we need to protect all!

Graduates of 2022, thank you for reminding all of us that hope lives in our midst and that your class is going to make a profound difference in our world! Thank you for reminding us that all people matter, no matter what their race, religion, sexual orientation, or economic status.

Class of 2022, may you always have the courage despite our social climate of divisiveness to build bridges instead of walls, to create a world where love, forgiveness and inclusiveness are foundational.

One of your classmates this graduation season did not walk with his fellow seniors because he was killed due to gun violence. His high school career was marked by compassion and service to others. He constantly talked to his mom about wanting to go into public service after college and trying to make a difference in the world. He won’t have that opportunity but many of you could choose that career path. We desperately need you; our democracy is moving towards autocracy; we need your help to reclaim the soul of our nation and protect our freedoms.

May you always remember hope does not abandon us, we abandon hope! Class of 2022 —  always be men and women of hope!

Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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High blood pressure can be lowered in part by exercise. METRO photo
Collaborate with your physician on lifestyle changes that improve risks

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is commanding a lot of attention in the U.S, where it’s pervasive, affecting approximately 45 percent of adults over 18 (1). Over the last decade, new and extended studies have given us better clarity about treatments, stratifying approaches to ensure the best outcomes for patients.

Since 2017, hypertension severity has been categorized into three stages, each with its recommended treatment regimen. One of the most interesting shifts with this recategorization was the recategorization of what we used to call “prehypertension” into what we now call “elevated” blood pressure and “hypertension stage 1.” 

Elevated blood pressure is defined as systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 120-129 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of less than 80 mmHg, while Stage 1 includes systolic blood pressure of 130-139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of 80-89 mmHg (2). A simple chart of all levels can be found on The American Heart Association’s website at www.heart.org.

The consequences of both prehypertension and hypertension are significant, even though there are often no symptoms. For example, they increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack dramatically.

In an analysis of the Framingham Heart Study, researchers found a 3.5-fold increase in the risk of heart attack and a 1.7-fold increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease among those with prehypertension (3). This is why it’s crucial to treat it in these early stages, even before it reaches the more severe levels of hypertension.

Another study, the Women’s Health Initiative, which followed more than 60,000 postmenopausal women for an average of 7.7 years, showed an increase in heart attack deaths, heart attacks and strokes compared to those with normal blood pressure (less than 120/80 mmHg). In the Strong Heart Study, prehypertension independently increased the risk for cardiovascular events at 12 years significantly (4).

This can have a dramatic impact on quality of life.

Treating elevated blood pressure

In my view, it would be foolish not to treat elevated blood pressure. Updated recommendations for treatment, according to the Joint National Commission (JNC) 8, the association responsible for guidelines on the treatment of hypertension, are lifestyle modifications (5).

Lifestyle changes include a Mediterranean-type diet or the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. It’s important to focus on fruits, vegetables, reduction in sodium to a maximum of 1500 mg (2/3 of a teaspoon on a daily basis), exercise, weight loss and no more than moderate amounts of alcohol (1 or fewer drinks for women and 2 or fewer drinks for men on a daily basis) (6). Some studies have also shown that a diet rich in potassium helps to reduce blood pressure (7). Fortunately, foods like fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes have significant amounts of potassium. However, do not take potassium supplements unless instructed for other reasons by a physician; high potassium can be very dangerous and may precipitate a heart attack.

The danger in treating elevated blood pressure comes only when medication is used, due to side effects. For example, the Trial of Preventing Hypertension (TROPHY), suggests the use of a hypotensive agent, the blood pressure drug Atacand (candesartan) to treat prehypertensive patients (8)(9). The drug reduced the incidence of hypertension significantly compared to placebo over two years. However, after stopping therapy, the following two years showed only a small benefit over placebo. Still, the authors implied that this may be a plausible treatment. The study was funded by Astra-Zeneca, the makers of the drug. 

In an editorial, Jay I. Meltze, M.D., a clinical specialist in hypertension at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, noted that the results were interpreted in an unusually favorable way (10). 

Elevated blood pressure is an asymptomatic disorder that has been shown to respond well to lifestyle changes — why create symptoms with medication? Therefore, I don’t recommend treating elevated blood pressure patients with medication. Thankfully, the JNC8 agrees.

Treating Stage 1 hypertension

For those with Stage 1 hypertension, but with a low 10-year risk of cardiovascular events, these same lifestyle modifications should be implemented for three-to-six months. At this point, a reassessment of risk and blood pressure should determine whether the patient should continue with lifestyle changes or needs to be treated with medications (11). It’s important to note that risk should be assessed by your physician. I am encouraged that the role of lifestyle modifications in controlling hypertension has been recognized. When patients and physicians collaborate on a lifestyle approach that drives improvements, the side effects are only better overall health.

References: 

 (1) cdc.gov. (2) heart.org. (3) Stroke 2005; 36: 1859–1863. (4) Hypertension 2006;47:410-414. (5) Am Fam Physician. 2014 Oct 1;90(7):503-504. (6) J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018 May, 71 (19) 2176–2198. (7) Archives of Internal Medicine 2001;161:589-593. (8) N Engl J Med. 2006;354:1685-1697. (9) J Am Soc Hypertens. Jan-Feb 2008;2(1):39-43. (10) Am J Hypertens. 2006;19:1098-1100. (11) Hypertension. 2021 Jun;77(6):e58-e67.

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

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Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket. Photo by Elyse Sutton

By Nancy Marr

I have heard many people remark that libraries have become irrelevant. E-books, Google, and the internet can answer all our questions, saving taxpayers money and freeing up buildings for other uses. But is that true?

In the eighteenth century, the first step toward sharing books came with subscription libraries, which were owned and managed by members who paid an annual subscription fee. The first of these in the United States, still extant and called the Library Company of Philadelphia, was established in 1790 by Benjamin Franklin and his friends, who created the Company by pooling their books to make them available to all the members of the Company. Other subscription libraries continued through the mid-nineteenth century for men who could afford to pay for them, and many are still in existence today.  

Circulating libraries, often started by publishers of books that were more “popular” than those selected by the subscription libraries, made books available to people who could not afford to join a subscription library. The success of the subscription and circulating libraries probably retarded the growth of public libraries as we know them.

The social atmosphere of the subscription libraries satisfied many and others, women, in particular, could obtain the books about romance that they liked that they expected  would not be available in public libraries.  Community libraries grew in number, often starting as collections by wealthy readers. By 1935, libraries served 35 percent of the American people depending on local taxes or donations to maintain them. 

Andrew Carnegie was the spark that spread libraries across the United States with his donations. In 1899 he granted 5.2 million dollars to the New York Public Library to build a network of 67 branch libraries in the five boroughs. The city provided sites for the libraries and enough money to provide staff. Small towns received $10,000 for each library and had to provide $1,000 a year for maintenance. 

Although in principle libraries saw themselves as providing works of history, geography, and technical and scientific books, in the 1890’s libraries reported that 65 to 90 percent of books that were borrowed were works of fiction. The American Library Association (ALA), formed in 1876, offered a series of guides for small libraries.

The ALA, in response to demands to purge books that were anti-American in the Chicago library in 1939, issued a statement affirming the librarians’ right to choose what books should be in their collection. With the onset of Cold War anxieties, demands that librarians sign loyalty oaths split the ALA until the Supreme Court decided that Congress could ban only material “utterly without redeeming social importance.”  

To support the public libraries and help them provide the best in library service, organizations like the Suffolk Cooperative Library System in New York were formed. It expands the services of the 51 member libraries in Suffolk, runs the inter-library loan system, digitizes newspapers and other documents, helps with resource sharing and technical proficiency, and supports services to special client groups. 

Many local libraries have stepped into the role of community centers — providing meeting places for organizations, offering technical assistance to patrons with reference and computer questions, sponsoring book groups and classes in English, gardening, and cooking. Some libraries have hired part-time social workers and financial counselors, providing help to those who request it. Many have assembled useful tools for patrons to borrow, as well as seed collections for home gardens, kits and equipment for bird viewing and sports activities. 

Recently, some taxpayers have asserted that they, and others who agree with them, should have more of a say about what books are available, and what subjects are taught in public schools. They support library and school board members who have the same opinion, and are likely to oppose passing the library and school budgets. Although early librarians, thinking they were protecting readers, chose only those books that they approved of, they now follow the position of the ALA against censorship and line their shelves with books chosen because of their literary value or value to patrons.     

Libraries must rely on funding from taxpayers at an annual vote each spring.  If you haven’t been to your library recently, make a visit and see how much it offers, if not to you, then to job seekers using the computers, to families who cannot afford to buy books or DVD’s, to elderly people relying on the book-delivery service, or to anyone looking for a book to read that will open a new road. Vote to support the budget and the library. 

Nancy Marr is Vice-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 www.lwv-suffolkcounty.org or call 631-862-6860.

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Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

The Stony Brook Medicine Mobile Mammography Van will provide screenings for breast cancer for women 40 and older from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, July 8, at St. Anthony of Padua Church in East Northport. The van will be parked at 1025 Fifth Ave. in East Northport, outside the church’s Parish Outreach office.

Screenings are provided by state-registered radiologic technologists trained in mammography. The van has a comfortable waiting area, private dressing room and a complete exam room. Individuals without insurance are processed through the Cancer Services Program of New York, if eligible. 

Call 631-638-4135 for eligibility details and to register.

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