Visit participating restaurants throughout the Village of Port Jefferson for a taste of the green during the Luck of Irish Breakfast Crawl on Saturday, March 14 from 9 a.m. to noon.
This year’s theme is ‘Luck of the Irish’ and each local purveyors (17 participating locations) will provide food and/or drinks to a taste of Ireland! Come enjoy Bangers, Irish Tea, Rashers, and more and shop at the local retailers for special offers/discounts! Look out for the large shamrocks displayed on their window. *Provided by the Port Jefferson Retailers Association*
Rain date is March 21. Tickets are $30. TICKET PICK-UPS are at the Port Jefferson Chamber Office, 118 West Broadway, Port Jefferson.
Hours for pick-up: Monday – Friday 10:30am – 5pm
**Each ticket holder is allowed one tasting per participating purveyor and will need to get their ticket stamped at each stop they visit.**
Port Jefferson chamber president Mary Joy Pipe awards funds to Eric and Nanci Huner of Huners Fitness Advantage, right, and Amanda Eckart of Keller Williams Realty, left, for new signage in front of their shared space. Photos by Barbara Ransome
The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce recently awarded funds to two small businesses, neighbors, really, who unknowingly were both working toward the same goal.
The chamber released their small business award Jan. 28 to Amanda Eckart of Keller Williams Realty Homes & Estate, and Eric and Nanci Huner of Huners Fitness Advantage. Both are located in the same building at 111 North Country Road in Port Jeff, and each had moved into their businesses at around the same time.
Barbara Ransome, director of operations for the chamber, said while their small business awards are typically $1,000, this year it was increased to $1,200 and split evenly between the two businesses. Chamber president Mary Joy Pipe gave the joint award to the winning business owners at the Jan. 28 event.
“[It’s] a win-win for them and the chamber to help two members,” she said.
Nanci Huner said as a relatively new business to the area, the funds for new signage are especially important.
“By receiving this award our sign will be available very soon which will dramatically improve our new business traffic,” she said via email. “The Port Jefferson chamber, especially Barbara Ransome, has been a key support system for Huners Fitness Advantage. We are looking forward to many years in Port Jefferson.”
Information for Huners Fitness Advantage can be found here.
The former owners of Mario’s, above, plan to reopen the restaurant in late May. Photo by Julianne Mosher
By Julianne Mosher
It’s been six months since a fire broke out at Mario’s restaurant in East Setauket, and now its former owners are taking back the space with an opening date on the horizon.
Brothers Jack and Gary Tipley owned Mario’s for 28 years, after opening up in 1979, but sold the restaurant to the family behind Branchinelli’s in 2007 when Jack Tipley sought out retirement.
“Mario’s was a big part of our lives,” Gary Tipley said. “That was really the mother ship.”
The Tipleys eventually became involved with several other business endeavors around town, including ownership of the center where Mario’s is located and as part owners of Billie’s 1890 Saloon in Port Jefferson.
But Mario’s was where it all began, and Gary Tipley said that they’re excited to bring the restaurant back to what it was almost 30 years ago.
“We’re excited to be back in the community,” he added. “We’re really looking forward to it.”
While the Branchinelli family owns its two namesake restaurants in Miller Place and Hauppauge, they also run dozens of Italian eateries across Long Island, including Colosseo in Port Jefferson Station.
After the fire in July took out most of the western part of Mario’s kitchen, they decided to give it back to its original owners and focus on the other establishments nearby.
Gary Tipley said that they are currently doing construction on the space to clean it up and are working on acquiring a liquor license. He is also planning on bringing pizza back to the spot, which locals loved nearly three decades ago.
“It’s going to be really family friendly,” he said.
As of right now, Tipley is anticipating a late-May reopening.
When asked, Anthony Branchinelli, one of the previous owners, declined to comment.
From left, chamber members Jane Taylor, Carmine Inserra and John Tsunis; owners Kevin Ma and Tim Cheung; Councilwoman Valerie Cartright; and chamber members Jamie Ladone and Rob Taylor. Photo from TV Chamber of Commerce
Grand opening
Members of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce and Councilwoman Valerie Cartright welcomed owners Tim Cheung and Kevin Ma of Sei Ramen to the community during a grand-opening celebration on Feb. 12. Located in the Wild by Nature Plaza at 244 Route 25A in Setauket, the Japanese restaurant is known for its traditional Ramen authentic recipes. For more information, call 631-675-0808 or visit www.seiramen.com.
From left, Stuart Almer; Chairman of the Board Bert Brodsky; and Option Care Chief Commercial Officer Chris Hartman cut the ribbon.
Andrew Raia and Stuart B. Almer at the ribbon cutting.
Supervisor Chad Lupinacci and Stuart B. Almer
COMMACK: A ribbon cutting celebration was recently held at the Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center marking the grand opening of the new Option Care Infusion Therapy Suite. Option Care Enterprises, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of home and alternate site infusion therapy services, has partnered with Gurwin to provide infusion therapy in a dedicated suite within the Center’s Weinberg Pavilion.
The grand opening celebration was well attended by local legislators, Long Island hospitals representatives and other local health care providers, as well as Gurwin and Option Care staff members. “We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Option Care Enterprises,” said Stuart B. Almer, President and CEO of the Gurwin Healthcare System, of which the Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is a part. “The addition of the new Infusion Suite to Gurwin’s campus enables us to fulfill our mission of providing the best care to our residents while also meeting the needs of those living in the local community who require infusion medicines for complex and chronic conditions.”
Located adjacent to the Center’s dialysis center, the Infusion Suite specializes in IV-based therapies for anti-infectives, clinical nutrition support, immunoglobulin therapy and conditions such as chronic inflammatory disorders and bleeding disorders. The Infusion Suite will provide residents at Gurwin and in the surrounding communities convenient access to care and exceptional clinical support that includes:
A full-service infusion pharmacy that compounds and dispenses medications
Clinical management of patients
Monitoring and 24/7 phone support by clinicians
Four private infusion stations administered by highly skilled infusion therapy nurses
Comfortable, specialized recliners and flat panel TVs for patient relaxation
Other amenities include assistance with patient registration, free on-site parking and easy access to facilities. For more information, visit the Option Care website at www.optioncare.com.
A sign inside Wild by Nature in East Setauket warns customers they will no longer supply plastic bags starting March 1. The store will also collect 5 cents for paper bags used. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Beginning March 1, Long Islander shoppers will have one less option when packing their groceries, as a New York State ban on single-use plastic bags goes into effect.
The ban would prohibit retailers from giving out plastic carryout bags to customers. State lawmakers hope that this will lead to more residents deciding to bring their own reusable bags and a decrease of plastic waste.
The legislation is a step toward reducing the 23 billion plastic bags used by New Yorkers every year, reducing litter and helping the fight against climate change.
According to a Siena College Research Institute poll conducted after the bill was passed, 62 percent of New Yorkers support the ban compared to 33 percent who don’t.
“We are expecting a successful implementation.”
-Adrienne Esposito
While plastic bags will no longer be handed out at retailers, paper bags will still be available. In Suffolk County, consumers will be charged 5 cents for each paper carryout bag provided at a checkout. In areas that have the opted into the 5 cent charge, the fee does not apply for SNAP and WIC food benefit recipients.
Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said the ban will have a positive impact in curbing plastic pollution.
“This is a significant accomplishment — Suffolk County needs to be commended for implementing the 5 cent bag fee,” she said. “The state noticed the success of it and it led to this ban.”
Some environmentalists are concerned about some final tweaks in the legislation by the DEC that would allow usage of bags which are thicker and heavier. Esposito said they aren’t concerned about it as it won’t be widely distributed as regular bags and will only be used for packaging of certain foods.
“If for some reason it needs to be tweaked further, we will be a part of those discussions,” she said.
State lawmakers are hoping the ban will increase usage in reusable bags. Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced a campaign, dubbed BYOBagNY, which has been spearheaded by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
The agency has been running ads on the ban on TV, radio and social media. In addition, the DEC provided educational materials to its nine regional offices to use for outreach events and will be distributing more than 270,000 reusable bags to low- and moderate-income communities.
Stop & Shop branches throughout the county began offering free reusable bags to customers who bring in one or more carryout plastic bags for recycling.
Similarly, in the county, a plastic straw ban took effect this January, which required businesses to switch biodegradable alternatives. A Styrofoam ban was also implemented, prohibiting businesses from using items such as cups, trays and containers that are made from polystyrene.
“We are expecting a successful implementation — we as a society can learn to bring a reusable bag when we go out shopping,” Esposito said. “Most people have already made the change, some have lagged behind, but this is one thing they can do to reduce plastic waste.”
After 50 years in business, the Sears storeat the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove will close on May 6 for “economic reasons” according to a Feb. 6 notice its parent company Transform Holdco LLC filed with the state’s Department of Labor under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice Act. The decision, which includes the Sears Auto Center, will affect 77 workers. The closing will leave only two Sears on Long Island: at Westfield Sunrise Mall in Massapequa and Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream.
A Hampton Inn will turn the old Huntington Town Hall into a boutique hotel. Rendering by Huntington Village Hotel Partners LLC
Developers will look to turn the old Huntington Town Hall into a Hampton Inn hotel. The $24 million proposed project by Holtsville-based Huntington Village Hotel Partners LLC would turn the more than 100-year-old former Town Hall, located at 227 Main St., into an 80-room hotel.
The Town Hall building would be converted to the hotel’s lobby, breakfast room and gym. A 53,636-square-foot addition will be used for the guest rooms.
Rosario Cassata and George Tsunis, developers for the project, also intend to buy the property adjacent and across the street of the old government building for parking.
In addition, the project secured $2.8 million in tax breaks from the Suffolk Industrial Development Agency.
The tax breaks were awarded at a Feb. 13 Suffolk IDA meeting and include $1.8 million off property tax over a 15-year period. According to IDA documents, about 128 workers will be employed during the construction phase of the hotel. Once completed, the hotel will have 14 employees who will earn just over $39,700 per year.
Tony Catapano, executive director of the Suffolk County IDA, said he believes the hotel will bring in visitors from outside and around Long Island.
“The historic nature [of the building] will draw people to it, there will definitely be interest from residents in Suffolk and Nassau County,” he said.
The proximity of the hotel to the downtown area is another plus, the executive director of the agency said.
“The hotel from downtown Huntington village is really walkable, and they’ll be able to take advantage of the local amenities,” he said. “The old Town Hall building is the eastern entrance to downtown and I think retrofitting it into a hotel will make [the entrance] beautiful.”
The IDA granted the tax incentives using a tourism exception to the state law that prohibits helping retailers. As part of the IDA’s Long Island First policy, the developers are required to buy materials from local companies and employ local construction workers.
This is not the first time a hotel has been proposed for the old Town Hall, back in 2014, the IDA backed a different project that would have cost upward of $10 million. It would have received $3 million in tax breaks over 15 years. The project ultimately failed to get off the ground.
According to IDA documents, the hotel is anticipated to open in the second quarter of 2021.
Employees who began at Stony Brook Medicine 40 years ago, wearing red flowers, were honored at the hospital’s celebration. Photos from Stony Brook Medicine
Stony Brook University Hospital has come a long way in its four-decade history. On Feb.14, past and current employees of SBUH gathered at the Medical and Research Translation building to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the opening of the facility.
The idea of the region’s academic medical center was an ambitious undertaking, beginning in 1973 when construction began. Five years later, the two iconic hexagonal structures were completed. From there, a yearlong mass recruitment process began in which about 800 people were hired.
Many of the hospital’s first employees didn’t know what to expect or in some cases how to get there.
“They said you take the Long Island Expressway then go north on Nicolls Road and when you get to the Star Wars set you’ll know you’re there,” said Lawrence Hurst, professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at the Renaissance School of Medicine.
Hurst came to SBU in 1979 with the intent of being the hospital’s firsthand surgeon.
An attendee looks at a time line display. Photos from Stony Brook Medicine
“It was an exciting adventure, the opportunity to become the first in a specialty was something I couldn’t pass up,” he said. “I was lucky enough to take full advantage of it.”
Extensive logistical planning began before the hospital opened the following year.
“When we came here, there were no patients, no equipment, we had a very small group of physicians in the beginning, now we have over 500,” Hurst said.
As part of the celebration, hospital officials showcased a video presentation highlighting the facility’s accomplishments throughout the years and included interviews with employees who shared their favorite memories.
Some notable accomplishments included: doctors performing the first kidney transplant surgery on Long Island in 1981; the first Suffolk County police helicopter touching down on the hospital’s helipad in 1989; and in 1990, New York State designating the hospital a Level I Trauma Center. This past year, SBU opened the Children’s Hospital and MART Building.
In addition to the presentation, a time line and exhibit were on display throughout the building showcasing the hospital’s history.
Kenneth Kaushansky, senior vice president for health sciences and dean at the Renaissance School of Medicine, spoke about the reason he left San Diego to come to Stony Brook
“I saw incredible potential when I decided to come here 10 years ago,” he said. “It had a good medical school and good health care facilities.”
“We have become one of the best hospitals in the country, a premier health center.”
– Kenneth Kaushansky
Kaushansky said the further development of the medical school and the hospital over the years has been a “powerhouse.”
“We have become one of the best hospitals in the country, a premier health center,” he said.
Going forward, the senior vice president of health sciences said that SBU will continue to strengthen the hospital network throughout the Island and continue to advance the Renaissance School of Medicine.
“As technology improves, I believe the future of health care will be more geared toward tele-help, tele-EMS and wearable devices,” he said.
Carol Gomes, CEO of Stony Brook University Hospital, said she met many lifelong friends and colleagues when she began to work in the laboratory in 1985.
“I’ve been very fortunate to meet people along the way that have become great mentors to me,” she said. “I’ve been able to connect with them on a daily basis.”
Gomes said as she has progressed in her own career the hospital has done the same.
“We have continued to flourish as a health care organization,” Gomes said. “This celebration was a very special moment for me. I just think about the connections I’ve made over the years.”
The CEO of the hospital credited the facility’s staff.
“The employees are the lifeblood of the organization, they come to work every day,” Gomes said. “Our greatest strength is our staff.”
Gomes said if it weren’t for the staff, the hospital wouldn’t have had the clinical outcomes or the reputation for which it is known.
“Everyone has the same goal … The dedication of the staff to our patients will always remain the same, it has been our one constant,” she said. “Stony Brook has been my home away from home.”
Bob Rodriguez and Wesam Hassanin, front left and right, the owners of Po'Boy Brewery in Port Jeff Station, started a drive to deliver bags of goods to Pax Christi. Photo by David Luces
Wesam Hassanin, bar manager at Po’Boy Brewery in Port Jefferson Station, had an idea to bring community members together for a good cause.
“I wanted people to come out for something positive,” she said.
Volunteers at the Po’Boy Brewery in Port Jeff Station pack boxes of food and other supplies for Pax Christi Hospitality Center in Port Jefferson, which has numerous services for the homeless. Photo by David Luces
The process began at the end of 2019, when Hassanin began spreading the word of what she had planned on social media and to local business owners. Her project was to create 100 blessing bags for the homeless. Over the past two months, Hassanin and others purchased a number of essential items to pack in the bags.
“I didn’t expect this, I think I posted once or twice about it on social media and we literally had everything we needed for the bags probably within three weeks,” she said. “I can’t believe the amount of responses we got.”
On Feb. 16, close to 30 people came out to assemble and pack bags at the brewery and send them to Pax Christi Hospitality Center in Port Jefferson. Among those who came out to help were customers, family members, friends and fellow business owners.
“I wanted to help local men and women in need, I reached out to [Pax Christi] and they said they could ‘definitely’ use the blessing bags,” she said.
Rebecca Kassay, who runs the Fox and Owl Inn in Port Jefferson, praised Hassanin for her efforts to bring people together and help make a difference in the community.
“It’s pretty incredible to see so many people in the community come together — it makes you want to do more of this,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect, if two or three people tried to do the same effort, it would have taken all day. With the amount of people we had, it took 45 minutes.”
Kassay stressed the importance of extending a helping hand to others.
“I want to be someone as a resident, a business owner, who says what can I do to help these problems,” she said. “If I make these causes [in the community], I want to be a part of it.”
The owner of the inn said this event motivated her to do more.
Volunteers at Po’Boy Brewery helped donate 100 “Blessing Bags” to Pax Christi. Photo by David Luces
“I volunteer at Hope House, so this inspires me to reach out to them more often,”
Kassay said.
Bob Rodriquez, owner of the brewery and Hassanin’s husband, was proud of her efforts to help the less fortunate.
“All the kudos goes to her,” he said. “She approached me with the idea and I said, ‘Let’s do it’ … We really have her to thank for setting this up and the homeless people [at Pax Christi] will have her to thank for the bags.”
Hassanin said she is already considering what she can do next to give back.
“I wanted to do more [bags] but I didn’t want to get over my head, we thought 100 bags was a good number,” she said. “Maybe the next time we do this we’ll do more.”
The bar manager of the brewery said she hopes this will encourage others to pay it forward and give back.
“It means so much that they all came out to help out, we couldn’t have done it without them, Hassanin said. “I want this to motivate other people to do something similar and wanted to show its possible to do something like this.”
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