Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station presents a First-Time Home Buyer seminar on Thursday, Feb. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. Come and learn important information on planning, counseling and down-payment assistance programs. Open to all. Please register, as seating is limited. Call 631-928-1212.
On Jan. 13 the Passport Acceptance Facility at the Smithtown Library celebrated the execution of its 500th passport application. David Lawreniak of Smithtown was the lucky patron who made this appointment to apply for a new passport. Lawreniak received a travel gift basket as a token of appreciation for utilizing the service.
The Passport Acceptance Facility opened its doors at the Main Building of the Smithtown Library at 1 North Country Road in November of 2018. It is open to all patrons, regardless of library district by appointment only. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 631-360-2480, ext. 192 or email [email protected].
Pictured from left, Smithtown Library Assistant Director Patricia Thomson, Smithtown building head and passport acceptance agent Eileen Caulfield, passport acceptance agent William Salas, David Lawreniak, passport acceptance agent Christine Baum, passport acceptance agent Andrew Salomon and Smithtown Library Director Robert Lusak.
SONGS SAY SO MUCH
It was bittersweet as the Book Revue in Huntington said goodbye to Jeff Sorg on Jan. 23. The singer/songwriter hosted his last Toddler Time at the bookstore, after performing there for 16 years. While he will continue to write music, Sorg said he plans to spend some time traveling with his wife, who recently retired. Parents and children joined Sorg for songs, some dancing and a puppet show and then met his replacement, Noah Packard (pictured on the right with Sorg) who’s first day is on Feb. 20. Thank you Jeff for the joy you have brought to so many children over the years. You will be missed.
Photos by Heidi Sutton
By Lisa Scott
The new year brought the optimism of lengthening days, even as the undeniable effects of climate change frighten and yet drive the desire to “do something.”
Nationally, January brought the commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. stopping us to think about his legacy, inspiring yet so unfulfilled more than 50 years after his death. The legions of civil rights workers, volunteers, freedom riders, protesters and women and men of all faiths, colors and origins knew that past and present wrongs could be exposed through demonstrations and civil disobedience, and then made right by law.
And 100 years ago, after many decades of struggle, women finally won the right to vote in the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Yet the United States was born out of compromise and states’ rights, leading to today’s patterns, in many states, of voter suppression eroding the democracy we had strengthened for nearly 250 years.
Yes, all women and men 18 and over have the constitutional right to vote. But in practice many eligible individuals don’t register, or don’t exercise their right to vote, or have that right taken away if they’ve been convicted of felonies, or are arbitrarily removed for the voting rolls, or they are gerrymandered to limit the value of their vote, etc.
Yet voting this year, 2020, is critical; for president, for all members of the House of Representatives, and for one-third of senators. In a polarized and cacophonous political climate, what can be done to ensure a fully participatory democracy?
Meet Lisa M. La Corte, a resident of Riverhead township, who wanted to honor King as an icon for civil rights and voter engagement, and honor the suffragists and all people who risked and gave all for the right to vote in a free election. The League of Women Voters learned about someone who was riding the Patchogue-Riverhead Suffolk bus in the afternoons in January, getting passengers to register to vote. We invited her to a recent board meeting, and heard her story.
La Corte boarded the bus at the beginning of its weekday route, introduced herself to the driver, and when everyone had boarded she stood at the front and made a public announcement, introducing herself. She said she was there to help register voters and hear riders’ concerns of poor transportation for underserved communities as well as other issues. She stressed the importance of the passengers’ having their voices heard through the vote. She then walked from the front to the back asking each person individually if they were registered and if not (but eligible) she would register them then and there.
Most passengers are shy or skeptical but La Corte perseveres. When speaking with riders who do not want to register, she reminds them that “what they want for you to not do is vote” and reminds them by staying out of the democratic process elected officials can ignore or minimize their needs and concerns. Their voices are not heard and their community exerts no pressure for change.
The challenge for someone working with communities of color, in her view, is that black and brown people have no trust in any level of government or the process in general because they have been left behind so many times. Poor people feel that they don’t count no matter what they do, resulting in a sense of hopelessness. Our fractured communities are separated by a chasm of real-life experiences; why should they participate in a system that ignores or mistreats them? Why is authority not being held accountable? Why are black and brown people incarcerated on a hugely disproportionate basis, breaking up families and communities?
La Corte engages with all riders, whether or not they register to vote. She listens to their stories and challenges and hopes to build trust and commitment to the vote. As she said to the league, “I would love a movement that would transcend what I could ever imagine. I am but one person with ideas that hopes to inspire others. Like James Baldwin said, ‘Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until its faced’.”
What are you doing to ensure access to the vote for all our fellow citizens, educate them on the issues, and reestablish trust in our civic institutions and government?
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 www.lwv-suffolkcounty.org or call 631-862-6860.
By David Dunaief, M.D.
By now, most of us have been hit over the head with the fact that too much salt in our diets is unhealthy. Still, we respond with “I don’t use salt,” “I use very little,” or “I don’t have high blood pressure, so I don’t have to worry.” Unfortunately, these are myths. All of us should be concerned about salt or, more specifically, our sodium intake.
Excessive sodium in the diet does increase the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension); the consequences are stroke or heart disease. Approximately 90 percent of Americans consume too much sodium (1).
Now comes the interesting part. Sodium has a nefarious effect on the kidneys. In the Nurses’ Health Study, approximately 3,200 women were evaluated in terms of kidney function, looking at the estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as related to sodium intake (2). Over 14 years, those with a sodium intake of 2,300 mg had a much greater chance of an at least 30 percent reduction in kidney function, compared to those who consumed 1,700 mg per day.
Why is this study important? Kidneys are one of our main systems for removing toxins and waste. The kidneys are where many initial high blood pressure medications work, including ACE inhibitors, such as lisinopril; ARBs, such as Diovan or Cozaar; and diuretics (water pills). If the kidney loses function, it may be harder to treat high blood pressure. Worse, it could lead to chronic kidney disease and dialysis. Once someone has reached dialysis, most blood pressure medications are not very effective.
Ironically, the current recommended maximum sodium intake is 2,300 mg per day, or one teaspoon, the same level that led to negative effects in the study. However, Americans’ mean intake is twice that level.
If we reduced our consumption by even a modest 20 percent, we could reduce the incidence of heart disease dramatically. Current recommendations from the American Heart Association indicate an upper limit of 2,300 mg per day, with an “ideal” limit of no more than 1,500 mg per day (3).
If the salt shaker is not the problem, what is?
Most of our sodium comes from processed foods, packaged foods and restaurants. There is nothing wrong with eating out on occasion, but you can’t control how much salt goes into your food. My wife is a great barometer of restaurant salt use. If food from the night before was salty, she complains of not being able to get her rings off.
Do you want to lose 5 to 10 pounds quickly? Decreasing your salt intake will allow you to achieve this goal. Excess sodium causes the body to retain fluids.
One approach is to choose products that have 200 mg or fewer per serving indicated on the label. Foods labeled “low sodium” have fewer than 140 mg of sodium, but foods labeled “reduced sodium” have 25 percent less than the full-sodium version, which doesn’t necessarily mean much.
Soy sauce has 1,000 mg of sodium per tablespoon, but low-sodium soy sauce still has about 600 mg per tablespoon. Salad dressings and other condiments, where serving sizes are small, add up very quickly. Mustard has 120 mg per teaspoon. Most of us use far more than one teaspoon of mustard. Caveat emptor: Make sure to read labels on all packaged foods very carefully.
Is sea salt better than table salt?
High amounts of salt are harmful, and the type is not as important. The only difference between them is slight taste and texture variation. I recommend not buying either. In addition to the health issues, salt tends to dampen your taste buds, masking the flavors of food.
If you are working to decrease your sodium intake, become an avid label reader. Sodium hides in all kinds of foods that don’t necessarily taste salty, such as breads, soups, cheeses and salad dressings. I also recommend getting all sauces on the side, so you can control how much — if any — you choose to use.
As you reduce your sodium intake, you might be surprised at how quickly your taste buds adjust. In just a few weeks, foods you previously thought didn’t taste salty will seem overwhelmingly salty, and you will notice new flavors in unsalted foods.
If you have a salt shaker and don’t know what to do with all the excess salt, don’t despair. There are several uses for salt that are actually beneficial. According to the Mayo Clinic, gargling with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water significantly reduces symptoms of a sore throat from infectious disease, such as mononucleosis, strep throat and the common cold. Having had mono, I can attest that this works.
Remember, if you want to season your food at a meal, you are much better off asking for the pepper than the salt.
References:
(1) cdc.gov. (2) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010;5:836-843. (3) heart.org.
Dr. 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.
By Barbara Beltrami
Think about it. There’s hardly a Super Bowl menu that doesn’t have at least one snack made from ground meat. Everything from chili to sliders, from meatballs to lasagna and beyond calls upon ground meat as a main ingredient. I have some of my own ideas for such recipes for the big day. There are buffalo chicken meatballs, beef sliders and football meatloaf, for instance. Fans will love these dishes and you’ll score big time! Just be sure to have similarly flavored veggie burgers on hand for the vegetarians and vegans and lots of chips and dips and crudités to accompany the ground meat dish.
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
Nonstick cooking spray
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2/3 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1 carrot
1 celery rib with leaves
½ pound ground chicken breast
½ pound ground chicken thighs
4 scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, finely minced
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup Buffalo hot sauce
½ cup ketchup
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl combine yogurt, breadcrumbs and egg. Let sit 5 minutes. Grate one carrot and one celery rib, chop celery leaves and add all three plus the chicken, half the scallions, the parsley, garlic, cayenne and salt and pepper to the yogurt mixture. Mix thoroughly and shape into tiny meatballs about the size of an olive or a grape.
Place on baking sheet and bake, turning once, until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. In a large pot over medium to high heat, melt butter, add remaining scallions, chicken broth, hot sauce and ketchup; stir, bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer until sauce thickens a little, about 8 minutes; add meatballs and simmer another 8 minutes. Serve hot or warm with celery and carrot sticks and blue cheese dip.
Beef Sliders with Blue Cheese and Celery
YIELD: Makes 12 sliders.
INGREDIENTS:
Nonstick cooking spray
1½ pounds ground chuck or sirloin
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 oz blue cheese, divided into 12 equal portions
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon minced onion
12 slider buns
1 celery rib , minced
12 pickle slices
DIRECTIONS:
Spray grill with nonstick cooking spray, then preheat to hot. Divide ground meat into 12 equal portions; season with salt and pepper and press into ½-inch-thick patties. Grill on one side 2 to 2½ minutes, flip, place blue cheese on top and cook another 2 to 2½ minutes, until cheese is melted. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, mustard and onion. Spread 12 bun halves on platter, spread with ketchup mixture, then add slider, celery and a pickle slice. Top with remaining bun halves and serve immediately with cole slaw and french fries.
Football Meatloaf
YIELD: Makes 8 to 12 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
3 onions, finely chopped and sauteed until transparent
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 pounds ground chuck
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup tomato sauce
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch strips
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl combine onions, parsley, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, broth, tomato paste, meat and eggs and mix well. Place mixture in a mound in shallow roasting pan and pat into a football shape. Bake until top is brown, about 20 to 30 minutes, then pour tomato sauce over it and bake till sauce is bubbly, about 20 to 30 minutes more. Remove from oven, smear any extra sauce over meatloaf and let sit 10 minutes. Arrange carrot pieces on top with one long piece vertically down the middle and 6 or 8 short pieces going horizontally to resemble lacing on a football. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with mustard, ketchup and potato rolls.
By Melissa Arnold
Now that the holidays are over and the excitement of the new year is beginning to fade, it can seem like the dull gray of winter will last forever. But there’s still plenty to enjoy in the colder months on Long Island, and Port Jefferson is pulling out all the stops to celebrate wintertime at its first Ice Festival next weekend.
Sponsored by the village’s Business Improvement District, the Ice Festival was inspired by a similar event held about nine years ago, said Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant.
“We’ve been looking at new ways to advertise the village beyond the holiday season, and one of our members, Marianna Ketcham, approached the board with the suggestion that we revisit the ice festival idea,” Garant said. “People come to Port Jeff because of its close proximity to the water — they want to visit the harbor and take a stroll. We wanted to create an upbeat, active event that would encourage people to come out in the winter as well.”
The village’s merchants were eager to jump on board, Garant said, with special event sales. The highly anticipated Mac and Cheese Crawl sold out weeks ago, but those lucky enough to get tickets will enjoy hot and cheesy pasta samples from 18 different eateries. Some will also offer mac and cheese for purchase throughout the weekend.
“I hope all those who come to visit and shop, realize how much we appreciate their support toward small businesses on Main Street USA,” said Port Jeff BID interim president, Roger Rutherford. “Make sure you find time to come down Port for the Ice Festival to take part in the many different festivities.”
Hop on a horse-drawn carriage and enjoy the village’s icy blue lights. Take part in some marshmallow toasting at the corner of Main and E. Broadway and meet costumed characters including your favorite ice princesses and snow friends. Then warm up with some ice skating at the RINX at Harborfront Park. Periodically throughout each day, professional skaters will entertain and share their expertise with live demonstrations.
Of course, no ice festival would be complete without an ice sculpture or two, but Port Jefferson isn’t stopping there. They’ve invited New York’s only certified master ice carver, Richard Daly of Ice Memories Inc., to create dozens of brilliant, backlit works of art for the festival.
Each participating business will have an ice sculpture on their property with a theme they’ve chosen themselves. Keep an eye out for Baby Yoda, ice skates, a giant slice of toast and more.
Visitors will also have the chance to watch Daly work. He’ll do multiple live carvings throughout the weekend, including a four-person sleigh and a 3,000-pound throne that you can actually climb on (carefully!) for pictures. Don’t be surprised if he makes it look easy — the Mastic Beach resident earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2013 as the world’s fastest ice carver. To break the record, he created 60 sculptures in just two hours, 52 minutes and 12 seconds using 18,000 pounds of ice.
“The work that Rich does is just beautiful, and the sculptures will be incredible all lit up,” said Port Jefferson trustee Kathianne Snaden. “It’s unbelievable how he can create these complex works of art from a block of ice.”
Daly carved his first ice sculpture while in culinary school at Johnson and Wales University. He developed an immediate passion for the craft and was competing on a national level just six months later. “What’s not to like about getting to play with a chainsaw and a blowtorch?” joked Daly. “I can’t even tell you how many sculptures I’ve done in a year. I’ve lost count.”
Each sculpture for the Ice Festival will begin with a sketch. They’ll be carved from 300-pound blocks of crystal clear ice that are fused together by adding a little water. Daly is bringing 25,000 pounds of ice with him for the weekend, he said.
“I’m looking forward to doing the live carving demonstrations,” he added. “It’s fun to be able to talk with people and answer questions while I work.”
Ideally, the village is hoping for seasonally chilly weather and even some snow for the festival. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be postponed until the weekend of Feb. 22.
“It can be challenging to be innovative with our events, especially in colder weather, but the Ice Festival really captures the season,” said Barbara Ransome, director of operations for the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a great opportunity to increase foot traffic in the area and show everyone that Port Jeff is a great place to be regardless of the time of year.”
Port Jefferson’s Ice Festival will be held throughout the village on Saturday, Feb. 8 and Sunday, Feb. 9 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join them for a weekend of winter fun! For further information, call 631-476-2363 or visit www.portjeffbid.com/ice-festival.
By Heidi Sutton
Excitement was in the air last Sunday as the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport presented the premiere of Disney’s Frozen Jr. The audience at the sold-out show was dotted with little Elsas dressed in blue-green gowns complete with crowns, necklaces and dolls all eagerly waiting for a glimpse of the snow queen. And believe me they were not disappointed.
With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez with book by Jennifer Lee, the show is based on the 2018 Broadway musical version of Disney’s Frozen complete with all the same popular songs from the 2013 animated movie including “Do You Want to Build A Snowman?,” “For the First Time in Forever,” “Love Is an Open Door” and “Let It Go.” The result is a lovely morning of live theater.
The story follows Elsa and Anna, two sisters who are princesses in the kingdom of Arendelle. The elder of the two, Elsa, was born with magical powers that allow her to control and create ice and snow. When she doesn’t know how to control her powers and accidentally hurts Anna, she becomes afraid and withdraws from the world, shutting out her sister in the process. Fast forward 10 years and it is time for Elsa to inherit the throne, but on coronation day her magic unintentionally causes Arendelle to be frozen in an eternal winter. When she is accused of sorcery, she flees into the mountains to hide. Can Anna help her sister and free Arendelle from this spell?
Directed and choreographed by Steven Dean Moore, the professional young cast, ranging in age from 10 to 17, do a fantastic job portraying this tale of true love. Along with Anna and Elsa, Kristoff the ice harvester, Sven the reindeer, Olaf the snowman, Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton and Oaken who runs Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post also make an appearance.
A magical touch is the animated projections on a screen in the background depicting different locations in the Kingdom of Arendelle including the inside and outside of the castle, the snowy mountains and Elsa’s ice castle. Costumes, designed by Laura McGauley are perfect, from Princess Anna and Elsa’s pretty gowns to the furry vest and antlers for Sven.
Catch this performance if you can – your little prince or princess will love you for it. Meet the cast in the lobby on your way out.
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Frozen Jr. through March 1. All seats are $15. Children’s theater continues with Pinkalicious the Musical from March 28 to May 3. For more information or to order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
The cast: AnnaBelle Deaner, Raquel Sciacca, Ava Cahn, James Tully, Shannon Dugan, Mia Campisi, Rachel Zulawski, Katie Dolce, Olivia Freiberger, Lizzie Dolce, Amelia Freiberger, Caprice McGuckin, Shane McGlone, Justin Frank, Ryan McInnes, Max Lamberg, Meaghan M. McInnes, Casey Beltrani and Emma Sordi
All photos by Corinne Wight
MEET MOMOA!
This week’s shelter pet is Momoa, a 2½-year-old male domestic shorthair, currently at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. He originally came to the shelter as a stray in April of last year. He was quickly adopted due to his beautiful coat and sweet temperament.
Unfortunately, he was brought back when he couldn’t get along with the owner’s dog. He would be best as the only pet in the household and a great fit for a family that has older children.
The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Walk-in hours are currently Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Sundays by appointment only. For more information, call 631-360-7575.
By Jeffrey Sanzel
Parasite is a portrait of the unexpected. In both the film and its worldwide reception, it is an undefinable work that both crosses and defies genre. It is also extraordinary cinema. Like JoJo Rabbit, it defies expectation and Parasite joins this film as one of the two best of the year. This South Korean hit lingers long after the fadeout.
The story seems deceptively simple. The Kim family lives in a squalid basement apartment, barely scraping by on menial jobs. Even in this they don’t succeed: witness an excruciating scene when they are called to task for their inability to properly fold pizza boxes. It is clear that they have gone from job-to-job with little success and diminishing prospects. Cramped into narrow, filthy rooms, they literally crawl the walls like insects, trying to steal a Wi-Fi signal.
The son (affable Choi Woo Shik) is given the opportunity to tutor an affluent high school student (innocent Jung Ji-so). His sister (wily Park So-dam) forges his degree. When he enters the Park home, his wide-eyed awe is palpable. The house was constructed by a renowned architect and is more museum than home. Bright, modern and spacious, it whispers untold wealth — a stark contrast with the infested living conditions faced by the Kims.
In taking in this wholly foreign world, it dawns on the son that this is an opportunity: He will bring his family in to work for the wealthy Park family. This turning point sets the Kims on a moral downward spiral. From down-and-outers to grifters, they sacrifice what few principles they could afford.
One-by-one, the Kims integrate themselves into the Park household. First, the sister is engaged as the son’s art therapist; she then manipulates the firing of the chauffeur (Park Geun-rok) so that her father (Song Kang-ho, effectively soulful) can take that position.
The final piece is the removal of the faithful housekeeper (earnest Lee Jung-eun) in a particularly nasty scheme involving an allergy to peaches. (Prior to this, we are treated to a delightfully cheeky scene in which they rehearse the possible dialogue that would arise during the ousting of the loyal servant.) The mother (blowsy Chang Hyae-jin) becomes the housekeeper, completing the quartet’s presence in the house.
Part of the con is that the Parks are unaware that all of these new employees are related.
From here, the action twists and turns, rises and sinks (like the films labyrinth of staircases) as the Kim family makes themselves indispensable. However, one of the film’s tenures is that making plans is a dangerous thing. What ensues is a host of situations involving a secret bunker, Morse code, a garden party from hell, a rainstorm that becomes a vile deluge and a range of other complications that are both darkly comic and horrifying. From fanciful swindle to shocking violence, the wake of destruction is both surprising and inevitable.
Much of the film is a dissection of class and socioeconomic status where “money is the iron that smooths the wrinkles.” The smell of poverty clings to the Kim family, brought into focus against the almost sterile cleanliness of the Park house. Whether it is greed, frustration, privation or a combination of all of them, the Kims’ actions lead to their own dissolution. However, underneath there is a fierce love that connects them and, through all of their reprehensible behavior, it is clear that they care for each other. Yes, these are awful people doing terrible things, but — unlike in the disappointing Uncut Gems — there is a genuine and oddly believable core to this disturbing adventure.
The film is flawlessly directed by Bong Jon-ho, with a constantly shifting pace that never loses its relentless tension. The screenplay (by Jon-ho, along with Han Jin-won) is articulate, smart and outrageously wicked; Hong Kyung-pyo’s desaturated cinematography is the perfect compliment.
In a film of exceptional performances, there are several standouts. Park So-dam as the Kim daughter shows a vulnerability under her insidiousness. Cho Yeo-jeong, as the beautiful Park matriarch, is in turn simply welcoming and willfully callous; her planning of her son’s impromptu birthday party is a study in selfishness. Lee Jung-eun as the fired housekeeper manages to find a range from subservient to almost borderline insane.
A brutal dark comedy? A dysfunctional family drama played out as a heart-pounding thriller? A violent depiction of economic inequality? Parasite is all of these and more. And most of all, Parasite is a modern masterpiece.
Rated R for language, some violence and sexual content, Parasite is now playing in local theaters.
Photos courtesy of Neon
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