The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office held a swearing in ceremony for 20 new Deputy Sheriff Recruits on Thursday, April 1, 2020, at the Maxine S. Postal Auditorium in the Riverhead County Center. These new Deputy Sheriff Recruits will begin a rigorous six-month training program that includes instruction in firearms, emergency vehicle operations (EVOC), EMT training, and individualized field training. The recruits will graduate in the early fall, joining a force consisting of 230 Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs.
Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. welcomed these new deputies to the Sheriff’s Office, reminding them that they “now hold a position of authority in Suffolk County, and with that authority comes great responsibility.”
For more information on the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Policing Division, please visit www.suffolksheriff.com.
Photos courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office
Each year in March,Women’s History Month is celebrated in Suffolk County. In 2002, the Legislature passed a Resolution (No. 786-2002) stating that each Suffolk County Legislator shall select a “Woman of Distinction” who resides in his/her respective Legislative District to be honored as such. For 2021,Legislator Nick Caracappa named Marisa Pizza of Farmingville as the Woman of Distinction in the Fourth Legislative District. Caracappa presented Ms. Pizza with a Proclamation and bouquet of flowers to commemorate the event.
For well over a decade, Marisa Pizza has been actively involved with the Farmingville Residents Association and the Farmingville Hills Chamber of Commerce, working diligently to improve the quality of life in her district.
Since 2011, she has been the Recording Secretary on the Executive Board of the Brookhaven Chambers of Commerce Coalition, being awarded the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year award for 2020. Marisa joined Move to Amend Brookhaven in 2012, and currently serves as the Public Relations Coordinator. She also serves as Town of Brookhaven’s Women and Youth Advisory Board, as well as Vice Chair of the Green Party of Suffolk County.Ms. Pizza states, “I enjoy working with everyone across Suffolk County, no matter their affiliations or lack thereof.”
When she is not engaged in community volunteering, Marisa also works at the Long Island Feline Adoption Center in Smithtown as the Event Coordinator.Additionally, she is the News Director for the Graveyard Blues Radio Program, which airs on 94.3 ‘The Shark’ locally, as well as stations in Kansas City and the UK.
“The list of Marisa’s accomplishments stated here are not exhaustive,” stated Legislator Caracappa. “I’ve never met a person who does so much for her community, and so willing to work with everybody. I consider it an honor and privilege to recognize her as the Woman of Distinction in the Fourth District, and thank her for all of her selfless efforts.”
The Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook is inviting entries from now until April 21 for a unique fundraising exhibition, Miniatures to Make a Maximum Impact! All participating artists will have their artwork exhibited in the Reboli Design Shop throughout the month of May. “Miniature art has been venerated throughout history, and today there are Miniature Art Societies around the world. The delicate beauty and refinement of these works can be truly amazing. Now we’re asking contemporary artists of all styles to “paint small” to help support our center and programs in a major way,” said Lois Reboli, a founder of the Reboli Center and the wife of the late artist Joseph Reboli.
“One free canvas will be given to each participant to create for our cause. All entries will be considered as a donation to the Reboli Center, a 501 (c) (3) organization, and all proceeds raised from the sale of each submitted artwork for this event will be used for our free programming and exhibitions,” added Reboli.
Contributing artists may also use their own stretched canvas, linen or panel, which must not exceed 36 square inches (6 inches x 6 inches). Any painting medium is acceptable, and framing is optional. Artists are welcome to submit up to five entries. The artwork must be your own original concept and not a copy of anyone else’s copyrighted material.
To request a free canvas and application, please contact the Reboli Center at 631-751-7707 or email [email protected]. An application may also be downloaded under Events at www.rebolicenter.org
"Isiah" by Anthony Colley, Harborfields High School
"Grandpa John" by Olivia DeFeo, Northport High School
"Primary Tribal" by Kendal Eggert, Kings Park
"Conceptual Portrait 1" by Samantha Drouin, Commack High School
The Huntington Arts Council recently announced the winners of its High Arts Showcase XVII art exhibit.
HighArtsShowcase XVII is a component of the JOURNEY Arts in Education Program providing partner school 11th and 12th grade students with the opportunity to present their talents in a gallery setting through this exclusive visual art exhibition. Participating school districts include Cold Spring Harbor Jr/Sr High School, Commack High School, Harborfields High School, Huntington High School, King’s Park High School, Northport High School, Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, and Walt Whitman High School. For more information on the artists and their work click here.
Congratulations to the following students awarded Best in Show and Honorable Mentions for their work:
Best in Show
“Isiah” by Anthony Colley, Harborfields High School
Honorable Mentions
“Conceptual Portrait 1” by Samantha Drouin, Commack High School
“Grandpa John” by Olivia DeFeo, Northport High School
“Primary Tribal” by Kendal Eggert, Kings Park
“The Son of Man” (video) by Lauren Gooding, Huntington High School
The exhibit is on view at the Huntington Arts Council’s website, www.huntingtonarts.org, through April 10.
A “Stay Awake! Stay Alive!” message is being promoted on message signs on the New York State Thruway, other state roads, and on social media before and after the recent Daylight Saving Time change. In addition, there is targeted outreach to college students who are among the most at risk of driving drowsy.
As part of the education effort, college students were invited to create a public service announcement (PSA) highlighting the dangers of drowsy driving. Two of the three winning PSAs being aired on social media and at Department of Motor Vehicle offices throughout the state were created by Suffolk County Community College students who took home prizes for first and third place. The first-place winner received a $2,000 cash prize, the second-place received a $1,500 and third-place $500.
Suffolk liberal arts major Jenna Capozzi, 21, from Lake Grove teamed up with friends she graduated with from Centereach High School, Vincent Meyers and Matt Kopsachilis to produce the winning 25-second PSA.
Radio and Television Production major Samantha Fowler, 19, from Medford captured third place.
“I was inspired by a story one of the organizers told us about losing a sister due to drowsy driving,” Fowler said. “I have a sister as well, and really wanted to focus on that emotional aspect of it.”
Samantha Fowler
“I personally thought it was a good idea to produce the video,” Capozzi said, “even if we did not win the contest, the message was an important one to spread.”
“Drowsy driving is something we can all relate to. That struck me as something that I wanted to be a part of,” said Meyers.
“The chance to create something that’s really special and very, very unique was a great opportunity,” cameraman and editor Kopsachilis said.
The team collaborated on writing and pulling together on creation of the video, with Meyers doing the acting and Kopsachilis handling the camera and editing the piece that ultimately won the competition.
“Hopefully this message reaches a wide audience and it helps open up people’s eyes to what we don’t want to admit that they drive drowsy. At the end of the day I don’t think any of us really thought we were going to win. But it was very nostalgic, in the sense that we kind of came back to our old roots, where we like first met each other through theater,” said Capozzi.
Capozzi said she expects to graduate in May, and pursue a degree in aerospace engineering. Fowler said she will graduate in December.
“I definitely want to get some experience underneath my belt,” Fowler said, “I might take a gap year just to see what jobs are available for me in my field.”
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 24 hours without sleep has similar effects on driving ability as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 percent. GHSA also estimates that drowsy driving is a contributing factor in 328,000 crashes nationwide, annually, and more than half of them involve drivers age 25 and younger.
From left, Legislator Nick Caracappa with John Rose, owner of Slice’s Pizza, Diane Caudullo, of the Centereach Civic Association, Doreen Newman and Lenore Paprocky of the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce.
Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa invited the community to his “Meet and Greet” event at Slice’s Pizza Boutique in Selden on March 26. Also in attendance were members of the local civic and chamber groups, as well as members of the Farmingville Fire Department and VFW Post 4927. Each participant received a free slice of pizza.
Legislator Nick Caracappa (center) with(left to right) Farmingville Fire Department members Sue Russo, Sal Russo, Commissioner, Laurie Wallace, Dominic Russo, Chief, Bob Wallace, Commissioner and pizzeria owner John Rose.
The purpose of the event was to encourage residents to meet their County Legislator and discuss local issues of importance. “Being recently elected in this district, I want to make it clear to my constituents that my door is always open to hear their concerns,” stated Caracappa. “And if we can enjoy delicious pizza in the process, it’s a win-win! I also wanted to remind residents that we have many great small businesses in our community, and we should continue to show them our support. I thank John Rose, owner of Slice’s, for hosting this successful event.”
If you own a small business in the Fourth Legislative District and wish to be highlighted or interested in hosting a legislative “Meet and Greet,” please contact Legislator Caracappa’s office by email at [email protected], or by calling 631-854-9292.
Spring is here. It is a time for renewed hope. Flowers are blooming; people are out walking. There is light at the end of the tunnel regarding the pandemic that has senselessly stolen more than 1/2 million American lives and left countless families with so much sadness and pain.
As this new spring is unfolding, once again we are a nation with tremendous grief and sadness for the senseless loss of life in Georgia and Colorado; innocent people gunned down senselessly by two disturbed gunmen with histories of mental illness.
We are painfully reminded once again that racism and hate still lives and is infectious across our country. The national divide takes a few steps toward healing and then it splits again. Children at the border and our broken immigration policy continues to polarize our nation and any kind of productive conversation that might move us closer to a humane resolution of a very complicated and delicate life issue.
We continue to struggle with nationalism and globalism, with human rights and the respect for the dignity of all human beings. It is a sad state of affairs when people of opposing viewpoints, different philosophies and ideologies, can no longer sit at the same table, break bread together and talk heart-to-heart about the issues that matter.
The beauty of our nation is that we have always been a beautiful tapestry of diverse color, thinking and believing — but woven together as one!
Unfortunately, there is a serious tear in this tapestry that is getting worse. The people we have elected need to lead by example, not by being revisionists or obstructionists. They must be agents of healing and unity, leading the way to building new bridges of opportunity and strength. The America we love was founded on diversity and difference; it must be stronger and more unified than ever before.
The hateful rhetoric must stop. We must reclaim our language of respect, compassion and tolerance which is the soul of our nation.
While I was driving home from the college that I teach at on a recent sunny Wednesday afternoon, I passed St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station. In their parking lot were a large group of parishioners and volunteers feeding an endless line of fellow Americans and giving them bags of food to take with them. It was refreshing to see so many people reaching out to others smiling and laughing.
Now that’s the America that I know and love!
Fr. Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.
Qingzhi Zhu, PhD, Associate Professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University, has received a SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund (TAF) award for his research to develop a low-cost, high-accuracy nitrogen detecting system for wastewater systems that has the potential to greatly improve testing processes and quality of water.
The TAF award provides seed funding for SUNY campuses to support potentially groundbreaking research on technologies. TAF helps faculty inventors and scientists turn their research into market-ready technologies by developing feasibility studies, prototyping and testing, which demonstrate that an idea or innovation has commercial potential.
A new technology to accurately and cost effectively detect nitrogen from wastewater, such as at a sewage plant as the one depicted, is being developed by Stony Brook researchers. Photo from Pixabay
Nitrogen pollution from septic tanks has been identified as the single largest contributor to deteriorating groundwater quality on Long Island. Advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems are needed to remove high levels of nitrogen. Regulators need nitrogen sensor for long term assurance of system performance, however, none of the existing nitrogen sensors are suitable for the advanced septic systems due to their frequent maintenance, high-cost and low accuracy.
With support by Stony Brook’s Center for Clean Water Technology, Zhu and colleagues have created a low-maintenance sensor that has the potential to help manufacturers, homeowners, and governments know that the systems are performing as intended to protect water sources.
His method involves using very small qualities of inexpensive and innocuous chemical reagents to selectively separate and detect nitrate/nitrite and ammonium from wastewater in a compact sensor unit. The sensor is designed for long-term deployments in wastewater systems with low maintenance and remote data transmission. It can be used to measure nitrate/nitrite and ammonium/ammonia in wastewater, water treatment plants, advanced septic systems and in surface and groundwater with minor modifications. The sensor won the phase II of EPA’s Advanced Septic System Nitrogen Sensor Challenge, and it is now undergoing a 6-month ISO ETV 14034 field verification test sponsored by the US EPA. For more information about the technology and it’s stage of development, see this webpage.
“Our nitrogen sensor is the only sensor that is engineered to meet residential and municipal wastewater market requirements with high accuracy and low cost,” says Zhu. “The sensor can operate remotely and unattended in wastewater for several months and has great potential to be commercialized. The TAF fund will enable us to improve our current sensor prototype to a commercial readiness level, advancing our nitrogen sensor from laboratory to marketplace. We are extremely grateful for this support.”
Zhu receives a $50,000 grant with the TAF award. SUNY announced that he and three other SUNY professors are TAF awardees. For more information about the latest TAF awards, see this press release.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine will take part in Long Island Cares 10th Annual Legislative Pet Food Drive Challenge. This drive is focused on collecting and providing food for the family members most vulnerable to hunger: our pets. This drive will take place at from March 22 through April 23 at the following drop off locations:
Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville
Coram Fire Department, 303 Middle Country Road, Coram
College 101 Resource Center, 290 Main Street, East Setauket
Brookhaven Town Highway Department, 1140 Old Town Road, Coram
Brookhaven Town Parks and Recreation Administration, 286 Hawkins Road, Centereach
Brookhaven Town Vehicle Control, 550 North Ocean Avenue, Patchogue
Suggested donation items include canned dog and cat food, five to ten-pound bags of dry food and treats.
“Many families are struggling to put food on the table, and this means it is also a struggle to feed their beloved pets,” Supervisor Romaine said. “I want to thank Long Island Cares for holding its Annual Legislative Pet Food Drive Challenge and I look forward to seeing how much food is collected.”
The spring series kicks off with End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock.
By Heidi Sutton
The arrival of spring signals the return of a community treasure — the award-winning Port Jefferson Documentary Series. The season kicks off on Monday, April 5 and runs through May 24.
It’s been a rough road for the PJDS film committee since COVID-19 hit in March 2020, but the end result is a true testament to the resilience and staying power of this popular event.
“We started small,” said co-director Lyn Boland in a recent phone interview. Because of the pandemic, the team, which also includes co-directors Barbara Sverd and Wendy Feinberg, Honey Katz, Lorie Rothstein and Lynn Rein, hosted mostly virtual screenings last year as their usual venues went on lockdown. In the fall they presented two drive-in screenings on Perry Street in Port Jefferson and two socially distanced screenings at Harborfront Park.
The success from those events was encouraging and persuaded the committee to continue their mission.
“Those went really well and we really expected that we would be back at Theatre Three for the spring series, but that didn’t happen,” said Boland.
The film festival grants the committee normally relies on were canceled as well but luckily Port Jefferson Village agreed to co-sponsor part of the spring series. “Mayor Margot Garant really went out of her way to help us. Between that and funds from the Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, we managed to put together a series that consists of three films online and five socially distant films in Harborfront Park,” she explained.
The selection process for choosing the eight films was also different this year, with most chosen from the South by Southwest Festival in mid-March.
This season’s exciting lineup will explore topics such as the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, Parkinson’s disease, seeking asylum, friendships, jazz, helicopter parenting, and self-imposed quarantine. Moderated by Tom Needham, host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio, each documentary will be supplemented by a prerecorded Q&A with a guest speaker which can be accessed at home on YouTube.
A highlight of the series will be the fourth film, a special screening of “Howie Mandel: But Enough About Me,” which kicks off the Harborfront Park part of the series. “We wanted to have a party to celebrate the outdoor portion of the season and this film is so delightful we decided to make it our showpiece,” said Boland.
“What we are really hoping is that people want the experience of seeing a film together again; people have watched a lot of films online during the pandemic and we are really hoping to get people to gather again outside in a lovely setting,” she added.
Since the film board’s formation back in 2005, Boland and her fellow board members have never lost their love of documentaries.
“There is something about an amazing story, with the footage from the actual event, with the real people, that brings vibrant real information to me. I think in this day and age, where everything is so fraught with “is this real?” “is that real?”, that there is something very important about seeing the actual people, the actual places; where for an hour and half, it’s the real thing. There are things we need to know, and I think that’s where we get it,” said Boland.
The first three documentaries will be screened virtually on Mondays at 7 p.m. with 48 hours to view. (See dates in sidebar) Tickets are $8. Register at www.portjeffdocumentary.com.
A special screening of “Howie Mandel: But Enough About Me” will be held at Harborfront Park, 101 East Broadway, Port Jefferson on Monday, April 26 at sundown. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 online or in person. Rain date is the next day.
The last four documentaries will be screened at Harborfront Park at sundown. (See dates in sidebar) Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 online or in person. Rain date is the next day.
Purchase a $50 Spring series pass good for 7 films. For more information, call 631-473-5220.
Spring schedule
End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock.
End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock
Monday, April 5 online at 7 p.m.
End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock is the incredible story of a small group of indigenous women who risk their lives to stop the $3.8 billion Dakota Access oil pipeline construction that desecrated their ancient burial and prayer sites and threatens their land, water, and very existence. When the population of their peaceful protest camp exceeds 10,000, the women unwittingly find themselves the leaders of a global movement. Guest speaker will be Shannon Kring, Director.
‘Me to Play’
Me to Play
Monday, April 12 online at 7 p.m.
The film follows two veteran actors as they pursue a one-night-only performance of a lifetime. Dan Moran and Chris Jones, who first met while performing in A Month in the Country with Helen Mirren in 1995, are united by a mission to present Samuel Beckett’s absurdist tragicomedy Endgame if it’s the last performance they do. Coincidentally diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the same time, the actors find purpose in illuminating Beckett’s prose. Guest speaker will be Director Jim Bernfield.
‘The Jump’
The Jump
Monday, April 19 online at 7 p.m.
In 1970, off the coast of Cape Cod, Lithuanian sailor Simas Kudirka jumped from his Soviet ship onto a US Coast Guard vessel seeking asylum. Denied refuge by the American crew, Simas was sentenced to a Soviet labor camp for treason, sparking an international cause célèbre. As his dramatic case played out in the media and up through the highest levels of the US government, this ordinary man became a symbol for freedom-seeking refugees everywhere. Guest speaker will be Giedre Žickyte, Director.
‘Howie Mandel: But Enough About Me’
Howie Mandel:But Enough About Me
Monday, April 26 at Harborfront Park
An intimate and provocative documentary, the film explores the life and career of Howie Mandel, a veteran comedian, actor and producer, arguably most known for his battle with OCD and for being a judge on America’s Got Talent rather than for his considerable comedic genius. The film delves into his early years in the comedy industry and how he became a star on one of the most beloved television series ever, St. Elsewhere. Guest speaker will be Barry Avrich, Director.
‘Truman and Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation’
Truman and Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation
Tuesday, May 4 at Harborfront Park
The documentary is a story of two of the greatest writers of the past century examined in a dialogue that stretches from their early days of friendship to their final, unsparing critiques of each other. Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams lived parallel lives and struggled with a lifelong pursuit of creativity, self-doubt, addiction, and success. Giving life to the dialogue and a physicality to their relationship, Jim Parsons is the voice of Capote and Zachary Quinto is the voice of Williams. Guest speaker is Lisa Immordino Vreeland, Director.
‘Ronnie’s’
Ronnie’s
Monday, May 10 at Harborfront Park
Ronnie’s is a chronicle of the life of saxophonist Ronnie Scott, from poor, Jewish kid growing up in 1940s East End, London to the owner of the legendary night club, Ronnie’s. Glorious clips from performances by jazz greats spanning decades — Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, Nina Simone, Van Morrison, Chet Baker, and more — bring to life this story of a charming, talented man who secretly wrestled with his own inner demons. Guest speaker is Oliver Murray, Director.
‘Chasing Childhood’
Chasing Childhood
Monday, May 17 at Harborfront Park
Overprotected and over directed, American children are wilting under the weight of well-meaning parents. This thoughtful film follows education professionals and reformed helicopter parents who seek and offer solutions for developing more confident, independent young people while restoring some joy and freedom to childhood. Guest speaker will be Co-Director Eden Wurmfeld.
‘Red Heaven’
Red Heaven
Monday, May 24 at Harborfront Park
A very timely film, Red Heaven explores what humans need to be happy, healthy, and sane. A crew of six non-astronauts from all over the world, chosen for their ability to survive isolation, embark on a one year mission in the Mars simulation station in a 1000 square foot dome on the red, rocky slope of a Hawaiian volcano in order to provide much-needed research for the future of space exploration. How does their mood and mental health change over time in this prescient exploration of self-imposed quarantine? Guest speakers will be Lauren DeFilippo & Katherine Gorringe, Co-Directors.
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