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St. Andrew’s Church hosts a little taste of Germany in Smithtown

by TBR Staff - September 27, 2024

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By Craig Brown

On Sept. 21, the spirit of Oktoberfest was alive and well at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church’s annual German Festival in Smithtown.

Over 1,000 attendees from Smithtown and across Long Island gathered to celebrate German culture, food, drink and music. The atmosphere buzzed with joy and laughter as the community came together to support a church dedicated to making a positive impact.

Pastor Jean Dougherty shared the event’s mission, saying, “We are an inclusive church, and we want everyone in this community to feel welcome here.” With a passion for the youth of Long Island, Pastor Dougherty worked alongside the Smithtown West German Honor Society to set up various tents selling merchandise, including German desserts, shirts, hats and a popular hair-braiding station for children. Festival-goers strolled the grounds, enjoying the sounds of Troubadours dressed in Lederhosen and Alpine hats, playing the accordion and singing festive songs.

Barbara English, the festival organizer, donned a bright blue, German Dirndl.

“This is the seventh year we have done this. It is a wonderful way to reach the community,” she beamed. Despite a recent storm that flooded the church’s basement, causing thousands in damages, the volunteers were determined to help the church recover. A 50/50 raffle was held to raise funds for restoration.

The sunny, warm weather created the perfect backdrop for families to enjoy a hearty meal featuring bratwursts, Bavarian pretzels, pickles and plenty of German beer. Many attendees sipped from crafted steins adorned with mountains, lakes and goats, evoking the charm of The Sound of Music.

Jon Leicht, a Smithtown resident and German culture enthusiast, praised the event, saying it offered families a wonderful way to enjoy a Saturday afternoon together. Wayne Mennecke, a Bay Shore poet, added insight, noting that while food lines were long, they allowed people to relish the music, converse with friends and soak up the beautiful day.

‘The Body Politic: Long Island Biennial’ opens at The Heckscher Museum

by Press Release - September 27, 2024

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From now through Jan. 19, 2025, The Heckscher Museum of Art will present the The Body Politic: Long Island Biennial, a prestigious juried exhibition featuring works by contemporary artists from across Long Island. The Museum received 762 artwork submissions from 313 artists. For this year’s edition, the applicants were tasked with submitting work that engaged with contemporary social, cultural, or political issues. The result is a compelling museum-wide exhibition that features seventy-nine works of art accepted by 60 artists. The artists chosen represents the breadth of communities across Suffolk and Nassau counties stretching from Floral Park to Montauk.

The exhibition encompasses a remarkable variety of media, with styles spanning abstraction to hyperrealism, including sculpture, painting, photography and more. “We remain committed to sharing inspiring and thought-provoking new art with our visitors.” said Heather Arnet, Executive Director & CEO. “The Body Politic will resonate with the entire community given the diversity in artists and the universality of the important themes in their work.”

Now in its eighth edition, the 2024 Long Island Biennial is curated by Meredith A. Brown, consulting curator of Contemporary Art at the Museum. The art was selected by jurors Ian Alteveer, Beal Family Chair of the Department of Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Patricia Cronin, sculptor, Artistic Director of the LGBTQ+ VR Museum and Distinguished Professor of Art, Brooklyn College; and Grace Hong, Assistant Director, Galerie Lelong & Co.

“There was artwork submitted addressing every theme you could think of: homelessness, addiction, immigration, global warming, voting rights, civil rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and different on-going war,” said Cronin. “It was impressive and inspiring to learn how deeply Long Island artists really care about the world right now and express it in their art.”

“I was very impressed with quality of submissions, the artistic formal quality and passionate commitment to various social issues. I always love being a juror. You get to take the real pulse of an artistic community. What is important to the artists at any given time is usually the bellwether for society at large. Artists tend to focus on issues sooner than the general population,” said Cronin.

“I was impressed by the breadth of subjects and media presented in the submissions and had an enjoyable time reviewing them. Politics and systems of power on both an international and domestic level stood out to me, as did personal and often humorous takes on American politics. The Heckscher Museum of Art’s commitment to its community celebrates the people it serves while allowing a rare glimpse for art lovers everywhere into the practice and perspective of a living artist based in the region,” said Hong.

“It is so important to have a Long Island Biennial so the general population can come to the museum and be inspired about the world they live in. Art has the capacity to inspire reflection, thought, feeling, and dreams about the human condition, ones we are already living or the potential for the future,” added Cronin.

Visitors will also be treated to a diverse program of events to coincide with the exhibition. Several Long Island Biennial artists will be in the galleries on select Sundays throughout the exhibition, as well as participating in the Huntington Art Walk, Lunar New Year, and other cultural and community events. Visit Heckscher.org for the full schedule.

91-year-old proves age is just a number: veteran volunteer leads bus shelter restoration

by Dylan Friedman - September 27, 2024

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By Dylan Friedman

A Port Jefferson bus shelter in front of the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce building on West Broadway has been given a new life thanks to the generosity of a team of philanthropic local Rotary Club individuals, including 91-year-old Al Kopcienski of Miller Place.

Kopcienski, who worked on the original structure in 2006 and the recent restoration of the structure’s roof and windows on Sept. 17, said that the motivation for the project came simply from seeing how many people used that bus stop.

“If you think about it, that was a bus stop for a year and a half since Suffolk County started the bus route, and at the beginning there was nothing there. Anybody waiting for a bus [in the rain] would have to stand out … with umbrellas, if they had them — if not, they got wet,” he said.

“And then, with the original shelter they built, if you had a slight rain, you couldn’t stay there because you got wet. But with our design, people could stay in there and wait for the bus. It’s amazing how many people use the bus stop there. That was our motivation to accommodate the people that use mass transit,” Kopcienski added.

He graduated from Port Jefferson High School in 1950 and worked with his brother in farming before running a plumbing, heating and fuel business for 33 years. Kopcienski formally retired in 1989.

Among his many voluntary posts, he has served as president of Mount Sinai School District Board of Education, more than 60 years with Port Jefferson Rotary Club, and with Miller Place Fire Department where he served as chief from 1967-68.

Dr. Patrick Sabo, a fellow Port Jeff Rotary Club member with Kopcienski who worked on both the original shelter and its recent restoration, was quick to commend his colleague for his contributions.

“I have to give kudos to Al Kopcienski. He is in his 90s, he is still a Rotarian, and he still volunteers to drive an ambulance during the week. He’s the one who built the bus shelter in 2006, and he was down there with us putting the roof on it. I got to give him a lot of credit,” Sabo said.

At the remarkable age of 91, Kopcienski’s passion for community service continues to burn brightly. While he jokes about not replacing the shingles on the Port Jefferson bus shelter again, his ongoing involvement in projects at Chandler Estate in Mount Sinai and Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck in Center Moriches continuously demonstrate his unwavering dedication to making a difference, regardless of the endeavor.

The Chandler Estate “laid fallow for a long time, and Dr. Sabo, he and I … we opened up paths, and now we have people that go for walks, bird watching and [enjoying] animals and stuff like that, and sits right on Mount Sinai Harbor,” Kopcienski said.

“Another big project we have is a hands-on project, Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, which is a camp for disabled children out in Center Moriches. Probably 40 years ago, we started going out there and giving it a day’s labor, cleaning up the place, painting, raking leaves, this, that, and everything just to get the camp ready for the summer kids,” he added.

As Kopcienski continues to inspire others with his tireless volunteer work, the Port Jefferson bus shelter stands as a testament to his commitment to improving the lives of his fellow citizens. Even at the age of 91, his unwavering and consistent dedication to service remains an extraordinary example for all.

Theater Review: Whodunit mystery ‘Clue’ opens at the John W. Engeman Theater

by Julianne Mosher - September 27, 2024

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A hilarious comedy based on the movie and board game comes to life in Northport

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By Julianne Mosher

Not sure what to do next weekend? Well, here’s a clue.

The John W. Engeman Theater’s latest production of CLUE is a witty murder mystery filled with twists and turns all based on the 1985 film starring Tim Curry that was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game.

It begins in 1954 at the Boddy Manor, an eerie, isolated mansion where six random guests are invited under unusual circumstances to a dinner party. Welcomed by the butler, Wadsworth (Michael Keyloun) and Yvette, the maid (Arianne Davidow), each guest comes to the door unsure as to why they were invited by the mansion’s owner, Mr. Boddy (Cody Gerszewski).

Each guest is called by a pseudonym for confidentiality: Colonel Mustard (Danny Rothman), Mrs. White (Christina DeCicco), Mrs. Peacock (Thursday Farrar), Mr. Green (Patrick Harvey), Professor Plum (Ken King) and Miss Scarlet (Lauren Weinberg). All from different backgrounds (for example, Mrs. Peacock is wife to a high-profile senator, Mrs. White’s three husbands mysteriously died and Miss Scarlet is a popular Washington D.C. madam), they share one thing — a secret.

At the start of the evening, the cook of the mansion (Suzanne Mason) brings out dinner and the guests discover they all hold government influence in one form or another. When Mr. Boddy finally arrives, he explains that he is blackmailing the group. Wadsworth is told to call the police and Boddy hands the guests six weapons as “gifts” to kill the butler in order to protect their secrets; a candlestick, rope, lead pipe, wrench, revolver and dagger.

The theater’s lights go out and a there’s a loud gunshot. Mr. Boddy is dead on the floor. But who did it?

To figure out who the killer of the group is, they split up and while walking through the mansion are met with all different shenanigans. They’re met with visits from outsiders who are somehow related to people in the house — like the motorist (Gerszewski), a telegram girl (Mason) and a cop (Jeremy McClelland). They end up dead, too.

In just 90 minutes, the board game comes to life on stage with colorful characters leaving the audience wondering who, where and with what.

With a small cast, each actor embodies the characters of the game and movie with perfection. Keyloun’s portrayal of the butler (made famous by Tim Curry in the film) has the audience belly laugh with his wit and expressive skill as he moves across the stage. Other standout performances include Davidow, Rothman, DeCicco, Farrar, Harvey, King, Weinberg, Gerszewski, Mason and McClelland who are hysterical in their own ways; whether it’s Miss Scarlet’s seductive humor or Mr. Green’s silly clumsiness, there was always a smile in the crowd.

Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn and written by Sandy Rustin, the Engeman’s production is directed by Marc Tumminelli. The costume design from Dustin Cross is representative of the characters we’ve seen on the board games’ cards with a 1950s fashionable flair that colors the eerie stage set (designed by Kyle Dixon).

The stage set as the manor is an impressive one. Not only does one feel like they’re in the foyer of the house, but when they need to be in the parlor, the dining room or the den, the stage has doors that open and pull out to the room where the characters are inside. The doors are used often and usually in a campy way.

So, was it Professor Plum with the revolver in the parlor? Or maybe it was Colonel Mustard with the wrench in the hall? One thing is for sure … it should be you with a ticket in hand parked in a seat to watch this fantastic show.

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents CLUE through Oct. 27. The season continues with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from Nov. 14 to Dec. 29. Tickets range from $80 to $100 with free valet parking. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Port Jefferson Royals volleyball dominates the Center Moriches Red Devils

by Bill Landon - September 27, 2024

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By Bill Landon

It was a battle of the unbeatens Thursday afternoon, Sept. 19, between defending Long Island champions Port Jefferson Royals and Center Moriches Red Devils.

Although losing several key seniors to graduation from their 2023 Long Island championship season, it didn’t seem to matter when the Royals attacked with vicious serves and several monster digs. There were 34 kills at the net to sweep the match, 25-19, 25-18, 25-14.

Sophomore Ava Reilly was the cornerstone of the offense with 28 assists, nine digs a kill and an ace. McKayla Pollard notched 15 kills to go with six digs, along with sophomores Thea Mangels who killed six, had a dig and a service ace and Lina DeLeo who had seven digs, two aces and five kills at the net. The quartet was a potent combination throughout in dominating the play at the net.

The win lifted the Royals to the top of the League VII leaderboard.

The team continued its impressive form with 3-0 victories over Greenport/Southold, Sept. 21, and Shelter Island, Sept. 23, for a 7-0 record to date.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Vanderbilt Museum plants tree grown from seed that circled the moon

by Press Release - September 26, 2024

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Vanderbilt tree — Erin Bennett, Planetarium Education Coordinator, and Charles Eder, Planetarium Outreach Coordinator, with the Vanderbilt's 'Moon Tree.' Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Museum

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum is one of the first institutions on Long Island to receive a “Moon Tree” grown from seedlings that flew around the moon on NASA’s Artemis I mission in 2022, to plant in its community.

The Vanderbilt’s Moon Tree, a sweetgum, is planted in a special fenced plot near the entrance to the Vanderbilt Reichert Planetarium.

Dave Bush, Director of the Reichert Planetarium, said, “We are thrilled to share with our visitors a piece of life that has visited our nearest celestial neighbor, the Moon. We live in exciting times for human space exploration and this tree will serve as a symbol of our growth into the cosmos and as inspiration for a new generation of explorers — The Artemis Generation.”

The unmanned Artemis I rocket traveled around the Moon and back to test new life support systems designed for future astronauts. Passengers also included nearly 2,000 seeds of five tree species — sycamore, sweetgum, Douglas fir, loblolly pine, and giant sequoia.

When the rocket returned, NASA and the U.S. Forest Service collaborated, grew the seedlings into Moon tree saplings, and offered them to schools, museums, planetariums, and other educational organizations across the country. The first batch of seedlings was shipped to nearly 50 institutions across the 48 contiguous states.

NASA evaluated institutions based on their suitability to care for the various tree species and their ability to maximize educational opportunities around the life and growth of the trees in their communities.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, “A new era of Moon trees will one day stand tall in communities across America. NASA is bringing the spirit of exploration back down to Earth because space belongs to everyone. The Artemis Generation will carry forth these seedlings that will be fertile ground for creativity, inspiration, and discovery for years to come.”

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum is located at 180 Little Neck Road in Centerport. Operating hours for the fall are Fridays from noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Port Jefferson hosts the 34th annual Cedar Beach Blues Festival

by Katherine Kelton - September 26, 2024

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By Katherine Kelton

Doc Blues, the stage name of Mount Sinai doctor, Mark Gresser, along with The Port Jefferson Arts Council, the Long Island Blues Society, and WUSB 90.1 FM presented the 34th annual Cedar Beach Blues on the Harbor festival in Port Jefferson on Sept. 21 and 22.

The two-day event at Harborfront Park showcased 18 blues artists across two stages, drawing in crowds eager to enjoy the soulful sounds. Sunday saw an increase in foot traffic thanks to the nearby Port Jeff Farmers Market, where attendees swayed to the music while holding bags of fresh produce.

Despite being mid-September, the weather was unexpectedly warm, with families gathering in folding chairs, enjoying food, and soaking in one of the last hot days before autumn officially arrives.

While the festival primarily catered to older residents of Port Jefferson and the surrounding areas, many young children accompanied their parents. Admission was free, and attendees could purchase food and drinks from local restaurants just minutes from the venue.

The event was sponsored by The Long Island Blues Society. Ronnie Shapiro, vice president of the society, told TBR, “I love blues because it’s one of the few truly American music styles. It was born in America. It encompasses everything from dance music to sad tunes.

“Even the Rolling Stones played the blues. It’s a truly American art form,” he continued.

When asked about community turnout, Shapiro added, “Unfortunately, we don’t get as big of one as we would like. We’d like to see more. I don’t think people know what to expect when they come to a blues show. They might think of an old man with a corn cob pipe and banjo sitting on the porch.”

“But it’s so much more—there’s a little country mixed in. Rock and country both came out of the blues, [and there is really something for everyone to enjoy.]”

Cow Harbor Day returns to Northport’s streets

by Aidan Johnson - September 26, 2024

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By Aidan Johnson

Sunny skies greeted the residents of Northport and elsewhere as they celebrated the annual Cow Harbor Day Sunday, Sept. 22.

The event, which has been running for more than 50 years, celebrates the history of Northport whose original name, Cow Harbor, stems from the cows who “used to graze on the fields along the harbor which are now two lovely parks,” according to the village website.

Sunday’s festivities began at noon, with community members participating in a parade down Main Street which saw community members participating, including Grand Marshal Mikey Brannigan, a Northport High School alumni who recently won a bronze medal in the men’s 1500-meter T20 race at the Paris Paralympics.

Other activities included live music performances, carnival rides and games, and a boat race.

Northport Mayor Donna Koch discussed how the festival was started in 1973 as a way to boost local businesses and morale, and has successfully continued ever since.

“I’m amazed at the turnout today,” Koch said in an interview. “I don’t think I’ve seen a crowd this big in a long time.”

Also in attendance was the East Northport Civic Association, which was recently formed in response to the potential selling of three Northport-East Northport school district buildings, which ended up not coming into fruition, instead being leased.

John Scherer, president of the civic association, was happy to be a part of an event that was very meaningful to Northport, with whom East Northport shares the aforementioned school district.

“It’s a neighboring community, but we’re for all purposes one greater community … but it’s very important to us to be part of a very big celebration with the greater Northport community,” he said.

The Great Cow Harbor Weekend started Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with a 10K race followed in the evening by a lighted boat display at the Village Dock and a concert at Northport Village Park.

Rookie police officer honored for his valor after saving a colleague’s life

by TBR Staff - September 26, 2024

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459204115_10224829079180673_6350684596744249870_n — Officer Lucas Blom

By Mariam Guirgis

Back in August of 2023, Officer Lucas Blom was dismissed from routine police briefing in Orlando, Florida, when he heard the sound of gunfire.

“We all looked at each other like, ‘I think that was gunfire,’” Blom said. Then, a second round of shots occurred and, “that’s when we knew for sure.”

Blom, 30, and formerly of Mount Sinai, was only a few months out of the Police Academy but he instinctively knew what to do. “My adrenaline kicked in,” he said. “It was everything that the academy trained us for, so maybe it was a good thing that I was just a couple months out of the academy.”

What started as a traffic stop investigating a car believed to be connected to a homicide escalated quickly, resulting in two officers being shot. The suspect who had an extensive criminal history, Daton Viel, was found by a SWAT team the next morning at a Holiday Inn, where he was killed in a shootout.

When the gunfire started, Blom and the other officers from the briefing rushed toward the source of the shots. As Blom took a corner and looked to the side, he saw another officer coming towards him but he knew that something was wrong. After asking if the officer was OK, the injured officer said, “No, I’m hit.”

Moments after that, the injured officer collapsed to the ground. Blom pulled him to safety between two patrol cars, removed the officer’s bulletproof vest, and realized how bad the situation was. “He was in very critical condition,” Blom said. “He lost a lot of blood.”

Blom and another officer drove the injured officer to the hospital and with the wounded officer in the back seat of a patrol car, Blom held onto the wounds to help seal the bleeding and kept talking to him, trying to keep him awake.

“I was just doing my job,” Blom said. “A lot of the guys could have done what I did. It just happened that I was the one there.” The officer made it to surgery, where doctors were able to save his life.

For Blom’s parents, Arthur and Laurie Blom, the night was one of terror. Laurie Blom recalled how her son’s career path shifted from his initial desire to become a doctor to firefighter to policing. Blom was a volunteer at Mount Sinai Fire Department and then went on to become an emergency medical technician for New York Fire Department and was hoping to become a firefighter for the department before becoming an officer.

“He was waiting to be a fireman with FDNY, but he was kind of aging out, and then COVID hit,” Laurie Blom said. “A friend in Orlando suggested he come down and apply to be a police officer, and that was it. He applied, they hired him and he went into the Police Academy.”

As Blom’s shift started that night, his parents had no idea what was unfolding until they received a text from him at around 2 or 3 in the morning.

“My biggest fear is having my parents see that something happened to me on the news,” Blom said. “So I just needed to make sure that they knew I was OK.”

Laurie Blom remembered receiving the news as well before seeing it on the news the next day. “I was terrified,” she said. “It’s like the worst fear that I have is that I’m going to get a call that it was my son who was shot.”

Officer Blom received recognition and was honored in Florida on Sept. 11, for his bravery. Despite his son’s heroic actions, Arthur Blom said Officer Blom remains humble.

“At the last award, he said he wishes the rest of the group that was there was also honored,” Arthur Blom said.

Indeed, when Officer Blom was asked about the recognition he said, “I love the recognition but hearing [the officer] tell me that it was because of me that he is alive just made it really hit.”

The officer whose life Blom saved later met his parents and shared a heartfelt message.

“He walked right up to me and said, ‘Thank you so much,’” Laurie Blom recalled. “I said, ‘I didn’t do anything.’ And he said, ‘If Luke hadn’t been born and decided to move to Florida, without him, I would not be alive today. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t get to see my baby grow up.’ ”

Laurie Blom also recalled hearing the injured officer tell her son, “It was your face that kept me calm and kept me alive … it was because of you that I knew I was going be OK.”

Mariam Guirgis is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

Luke jukes his way to a Northport football win, Tigers are 2-0

by Steven Zaitz - September 26, 2024

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By Steve Zaitz

Northport running back Luke Loiacono rushed for all four Tiger touchdowns — one in each quarter — Northport’s 28-14 win at West Islip, on Friday Night.

The junior Loiacono, who is also a prolific scorer for the Tiger lacrosse team, finished with 168 yards on only 13 carries, as Northport improved to 2-0. West Islip falls to 0-2.

On the Tigers’ second offensive possession, Loiacono ran around left end for a 20-yard score that gave Northport a 7-0 lead. Loiacono and the Tiger rushing attack continued to exploit left-side runs for the entire game, amassing 314 yards on the ground. Senior Asher Levine had 92 yards on 8 carries, as Northport averaged 8.3 yards per rushing attempt.

Loiacono’s second touchdown was a 12-yarder in which he broke a tackle at the five-yard line, ran to the right sideline, and waltzed into the end zone with just under two minutes to go in the first half.

Northport’s defense also had a strong game as they limited the Lions to 194 yards of total offense. Eighty-one of those yards came in semi-garbage time when West Islip wide receiver Nils Haugen caught a short pass from quarterback T.J. Sonnenberg in the right flat, spun out of a tackle and raced 82 yards to make the score 28-14 with ten minutes remaining in the game.

The Lions recovered a Loiacono fumble with six minutes left, but the Tiger defense got a turnover on downs when Sonnenberg threw an incompletion on 4th down and 5 with four minutes remaining. The Lions never possessed the ball again.

Northport meets their old friend, Bellport, next Saturday, September 28. The Clippers are 1-1 after their 20-15 loss to highly-ranked North Babylon. Northport and Bellport met at Stony Brook in the 2022 Suffolk County Championship, with Bellport winning 35-14.

— Photos by Steve Zaitz

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