Community

Photo from Smithtown Animal Shelter

MEET WABBIT!

This week’s shelter pet is Wabbit, a 5-year-old tabby cat currently up for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. Poor Wabbit found himself abandoned in a feral colony and being beat up by more dominant cats. He has a crinkled ear from chronic ear issues and/or an ear injury and may need a home that can clean his ears on occasion. 

Wabbit is very timid and needs a quiet home that will give him time and patience. We know that he will reward you with love.

If you are interested in meeting Wabbit, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with him in a domestic setting, which includes a Meet and Greet Room.  

The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Shelter operating hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575. or visit www.smithtownanimalshelter.com.

Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport has opened the Under the Stars Café in the lobby of the Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium.

Visitors to the museum are invited to purchase an assortment of sandwiches, salads, snacks, and treats made by the popular Copenhagen Bakery in Northport and then enjoy a picnic on the grounds. 

“The Vanderbilt Estate is a very popular picnic destination,” said Elizabeth Wayland-Morgan, executive director of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum. “Come for a stroll, a picnic, salt air, blooming gardens, sea birds, and spectacular views of Northport Bay. It’s a lovely spot to relax on a summer day.”

The Under the Stars Café is open on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hours for the museum are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-854-5579.

By Heidi Sutton

It is said that the past is always an important part of the present. It is also said that a picture is worth a thousand words. The Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Mills Pond Gallery in St. James has taken those two adages and melded them into an exciting new summer exhibit, Visualizing the Past. The juried show opens Aug. 7 and runs through Sept. 5.

Juror Carol Strickland, who selected 52 works for the exhibit, was intrigued by Emily Dickinson’s lines — Memory is a strange bell, both jubilee and knell. She asked artists to respond to that in visual terms—both the celebratory memories and sad ones. The call was very open-ended, leaving a lot of room for varying interpretations. 

“Selecting artworks to include in the exhibition was very difficult because we received so many entries that were both technically proficient and evocative. I was especially moved in deciding what to accept by those artists who took risks and showed me new perspectives,” said Strickland. “Art conveys what can’t be communicated in words, and my response to so many entries was non-verbal, like an inner vibration that brought a shock of recognition.”

Allison Cruz, Executive Director of the Mills Pond Gallery, is pleased with the beautiful show which incorporates many types of mediums including acrylic, charcoal, colored pencil, collage, fused glass, ink, mixed media, oil, pastel, watercolor and welding. 

“The artists have shared memories or recalled stories and events and assembled them in a variety of media to be seen and experienced by others. Their works offer narratives open to a wide range of interpretation and expression. For me, that is the strength in this exhibit. I hope it encourages the viewers to reflect on their own memories and hopefully learn that art is a wonderful tool to explore different points of view, gain understanding and experience the world in different ways,” she said.

Participating artists include Amal, Tina Anthony, Victoria Beckert, Sheri Berman, Jean Marie Bucich, Frank Casucci, Eric Chimon, Donna Corvi, Caryn Coville, Brigham Dimick, Paul Edelson, Elizabeth Fusco, Kathleen Gerlach, Ashley Rose Gillin, Maureen Ginipro, Jan Guarino, Heidi Hogden, Elizabeth Kelly, Julianna Kirk, Sueim Koo, Cara London, Dorothy Lorenze, Margaret Marzullo, Briana McGinley-Downey, Georgia Rittenhouse McKenna, Avrel Susan Menkes, Cliff Miller, Gail Neuman, Lily Newland, Catherine Rezin, Alan Richards, Roberta Rogers, Oscar Santiago, Alaina Scheffer, Stacey Schuman, Alisa Shea, Faith Skelos, Erica Perjatel Stolba, Angela Stratton, Hui Su-Kennedy, Daniel Van Benthuysen, and Taylor West.

The Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James will present Visualizing the Past from Aug. 7 to Sept. 5. The public is invited to an opening reception on Aug. 7 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker attended three local Stop & Shop’s Employee Appreciation Day celebrations located in her legislative district, to thank the employees and present them each with certificates of appreciation for being frontline workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grocery stores across Long Island remained open to the public following the Center for Disease Control’s COVID-19 guidance and recommendations. In an effort to keep customers safe during the pandemic, Stop & Shop made alterations to their store locations such as requiring masks, creating one-way shopping lanes and adding additional self-checkout stations. Stop & Shop also established accommodations for customers at higher risk of infection, such as seniors, through daily early morning shopping hours and curb side pick-up.

“Thank you to the 464 employees and managers of the Stop & Shops in Miller Place, Coram and Rocky Point for ensuring that your store was clean, safe and open for the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Legislator Anker. “We know it was a difficult job, but you continued to show dedication to our community and provide essential services that were so much needed during the pandemic.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic presented a host of challenges that Stop & Shop has never before faced, but the Coram, Rocky Point and Miller Place stores remained committed to serving their communities,” said James McGinn, the District Director for Stop & Shop. “ I am so proud of these stores and their teams –  Coram, led by store manager Katherine Pastore; Rocky Point, led by store manager Bob Evans; and Miller Place, led by store manager Mike Donegan, and grateful for the recognition for all they have done throughout the pandemic.”

Three Village Historical Society’s Director of Education Donna Smith and historian Beverly C. Tyler. Photo from TVHS

Join the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket for a special event – Spy Stories on the Porch – with TVHS Historian Bev Tyler and TVHS Education Director Donna Smith on Thursday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. (rescheduled from Aug. 4 due to weather). Stories include Benjamin Tallmadge and Nathan Hale at Yale at 6 p.m.; Selah Strong and Caleb Brewster on Strong’s Neck cliff at 6:30 p.m.; Benjamin Floyd, Loyalist and friend of Abraham Woodhull at 7 p.m.; and Austin Roe Rides to meet President George Washington at 7:30 p.m. Free. Bring seating. This event will be live streamed on the TVHS Facebook page as well.  For more information, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.

*This post was updated Aug. 4.

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Pentimento in Stony Brook Village Center File photo by Rita J. Egan

A 27-year-old staple in Stony Brook Village Center will not be around once the autumn weather arrives.

On July 29, the owners of Pentimento Restaurant posted to their Facebook page that they are unable to extend the term of their lease. The business, which added a small market to its restaurant during the pandemic, is set to close its doors Sept. 30.

“We thank our loyal patrons and our wonderful staff for all the support they have given us over the past 27 years,” the Facebook post stated.

Owner Dennis Young and restaurant manager Lisa Cusumano said in a phone interview they were saddened by the decision made by Eagle Realty Holdings and said despite suggestions to relocate and even considering it at first in their Facebook post, overall, it doesn’t make sense.

“A lot of people have called us and said you could move here, or we could have this spot or that spot but Pentimento belongs in the village,” Cusumano said, adding that Young invested a good amount of money into the business nine years ago when he renovated the place.

Young echoed the sentiment.

“We thought about relocating and looked at some places, but I think Pentimento belongs where it is,” the owner said. “It’s not going to be Pentimento otherwise.”

Young said he was supposed to request an extension of the lease, which expires at the end of September, last year. He said while trying to keep the restaurant afloat during the pandemic, renewing slipped his mind. Both Young and Cusumano said they didn’t receive any reminder from the landlord to notify them about their intent to extend the lease.

“We weren’t thinking about [the lease] because we were just trying to survive, to stay safe and  out of the hospital and to help the community,” Cusumano said. “We didn’t even know there would be a restaurant. Restaurants were closing left and right.”

According to Gloria Rocchio, president of Eagle Realty Holdings, tenants “must notify the landlord in writing of their intention to exercise the option to extend the lease term 365 days before the expiration of the existing lease.”

While Young is thinking about retiring in the near future, he said friends were interested in buying the business and keeping Pentimento as it is. They also planned to keep Young and Cusumano employed with them. However, their offer was denied by the landlord, according to Young.

Rocchio said that nothing is final yet due to a holding process and all other interested candidates needing to be interviewed to find the best tenant.

“The whole thing of other people buying it would be to keep the legacy and to keep Pentimento for the community, because we love the community and we know that the community depends on us,” Cusumano said.

Rocchio said in a statement on behalf of the realty company’s board of trustees that in addition to not receiving notice about Young’s intention to renew the lease, the tenant failed “to comply with the requirement to maintain the septic system” which is described in the lease.

Young said he couldn’t comment much on the septic system.

“There is a problem,” he said. “We have had extremely high costs to maintain the cesspool system, and it’s been a problem that’s not been resolved.”

Cusumano said they have maintained the property properly the whole time they have occupied the building.

“Over two years ago the tenant advised the landlord of their intention to sell the business and retire,” Rocchio said in the statement. “Recently the tenant informed the landlord they had a potential buyer and wanted an extension of the lease. The tenant asked for a much longer lease extension than is indicated in the present option to renew. The septic system issue must be resolved before a lease extension can even be discussed. The existing tenant to our knowledge has no intention to stay. So, we told the existing tenant we would interview their buyer and other candidates. That’s what was done. This is the present status.”

In response to Pentimento’s announcement that the restaurant is closing, restaurant patrons took to social media to express their dismay and showed support for the business.

Young and Cusumano said they have been overwhelmed by the response. While critics have posted on the restaurant’s Facebook accounts criticism of the landlord, the owners have only used their social media postings to inform the community of the closing and encourage customers to use gift cards previously purchased.

“Dennis and I are completely overwhelmed by the community support,” Cusumano said. “We had no idea that that many people would reach out and try to save this restaurant. It’s just unbelievable.”

Kyle Marshall. Photo by Matt Smoak

Pack a picnic, bring a blanket or chair and settle in on the grounds of the Reboli Center for Art & History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook to welcome Kyle Marshall, a Long Island native, and author of the recently published book, Americana: Farmhouses and Manors of Long Island, on Sunday Aug. 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. Kyle Marshall is creative director at Bunny Williams Home, known for distinctive furniture, lighting and decorative accessories. Previously he was a furniture designer at Ralph Lauren Home. 

The cover of Kyle Marshall’s new book.

Marshall will talk about the homes featured in his book and explore some of these architectural treasures during his presentation. Mr. Marshall’s book features 15 historic private and public homes on Long Island, including Lloyd Manor in Lloyd Harbor; Thatch Meadow Farm in Head of the Harbor; Point Place in Miller Place; Sagtikos Manor in Islip; Sylvester Manor in Shelter Island and more.

One home of particular interest is The Homestead in Nissequogue. The house was originally owned by Ebenezer Smith, the grandson of Richard “Bull” Smith, the founder of Smithtown. It was built along Long Island Sound. The house has been in the family for centuries, and various family members have added rooms, extensions and a wraparound porch. In the early 1900s it was sold to someone outside of the family. Owned once again by the Smith family, the home is currently being sold.

In an interview with Architectural Digest, Mr. Marshall explained that his research process entailed visits by foot, bike and car or, in one case, subway, to the houses to photograph and meet with the owners or caretakers. Collections at libraries, historical societies and universities aided his research. According to Mr. Marshall, “I selected properties that illuminate the range of the subject, so it’s a banquet of examples, not an exhaustive survey. So everything was shot with daylight, so readers could have a sense of what it feels like to walk, or sit and drink and eat and gossip, in the rooms.”

“We are excited to have Kyle Marshall at The Reboli Center, and for him to share his experience visiting these homes with a designer’s perspective. The book and his photographs are just exquisite,” said Lois Reboli, the co-founder of The Reboli Center and wife of the late artist Joseph Reboli. Admission is free and guests may purchase the book at The Center for him to sign.

For more information,  call 631-751-7707 or visit www.rebolicenter.org.

By Kimberly Brown

Come celebrate local history with music, food, art and antiques at the Three Village Community Trust’s 7th annual Chicken Hill Country Picnic and Benefit Auction on the lawn of the Factory Worker Houses, 148 Main Street in Setauket on Aug. 7.

“This will be one of the greatest experiences that the Three Village community will ever have,” said Herb Mones, President of the Three Village Community Trust. “We really want to focus on thanking our members for giving the Trust their support over the years, bringing people together in a safe way, and celebrating the history of these factory houses.”

Saved from demolition by the Trust, the three homes were a part of a group of company houses in the “Chicken Hill” area of Setauket that provided boarding for the hundreds of Eastern European and Russian immigrants who worked at the Setauket Rubber Factory, which was once Long Islands’ leading producer of domestic rubber goods in the 18th century. Each small building was essentially two rooms — one room on the first floor and one on the second floor and also housed the workers’ families. Tours of the historic buildings will be given throughout the afternoon by volunteers.

According to a press release, “these small, rustic houses are a visual reminder of the hopes, dreams, and resiliency of so many of our nation’s immigrants.” The Three Village Community Trust’s vision is to use these structures to educate future generations about the American experience.

In addition to the tasty, slow-cooked “chicken dogs” that will be available for purchase, visitors can set up their lawn chairs and picnic baskets while enjoying a bluegrass concert by Buddy Merriam and Back Roads at 4 p.m. 

The event will also include an Art and Antiques auction featuring a number of paintings, photographs, illustrations, prints, and a collection of antiques, some of which will be from the factory houses. All of the items will be displayed throughout the grounds to give visitors a preview of what is available. 

“I’m really excited by the new idea of the auction and I expect it to be a great success,” said Cynthia Barnes, Corresponding Secretary of the Three Village Community Trust.

All proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward the revitalization of the factory houses. “We’re excited because some of the revenue that we’ve been able to raise so far is going to enable us in the next couple of weeks to bring electricity to the factory houses,” Mones said. 

If enough money is raised, the Trust also plans to install appropriate copper gutters and replace the siding on the factory houses. “We’ve had some issues with rainwater in the back of the houses that is coming up against the siding, and we can’t use standard aluminum white gutters; we need to get the decorative copper gutters that are more period-appropriate, but they are more expensive,” added Mones. 

The Chicken Hill Country Picnic and Benefit Auction will be held on Aug. 7 from 2 to 6 p.m. Admission is free. Bring your family, friends, lawn chairs, and a picnic basket to enjoy this fun event for an important cause. For more information, call 631-689-0225 or visit www.threevillagecommunitytrust.org. 

'Genessee' – William K. Vanderbilt II’s 100-foot schooner,1910. Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum Archives

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport  will offer a series of three lectures on Long Island maritime history beginning in August. Following the lectures, which will be given in the Reichert Planetarium, the Museum will hold book signings and offer refreshments. Tickets are $6 per person. Members are free. JOIN NOW!

“Little Known Aspects of Long Island’s Maritime History”
Bill Bleyer, Author and Journalist
Wednesday, August 11, 2021, 7:00 pm

This PowerPoint lecture covers the development of submarines and torpedoes, the landing of Pan Am Clippers in Port Washington, the world’s most innovative whaling captain, and more. Mr. Bleyer, a former Newsday staff writer, has written four books on Long Island history, including Long Island and the Sea: A Maritime History and Long Island and the Civil War. He is a freelance contributor to Newsday and magazines.

Willie K. and Harold S. (Mike) Vanderbilt: Gilded Age Yachtsmen
Dr. Robert B. MacKay, Historian and Author
Wednesday, September 22, 2021, 7:00 pm
This lecture will focus on how the Vanderbilts used their yachts for racing, cruising, and epic voyages. An avid sailor, noted author, and preservationist, Dr. MacKay is director emeritus of Preservation Long Island. Among his books are Great Yachts of Long Island’s North Shore, The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars, Long Island Country Houses and Their Architects 1860-1940.
REGISTER

“Fire and Ice: The Loss of the Steamship Lexington”
Brian E. O’Connor, Retired Attorney and Author
Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 7:00 pm

For 40 years, Mr. O’Connor handled complex commercial litigation as a partner with a Wall Street law firm. He will tell the story of the Steamship Lexington – built by Commodore Vanderbilt in 1835, for service on Long Island Sound – and its tragic fire, sinking, and loss of life on January 13, 1840. The tragedy had profound legal significance, prompting Congress to enact the Shipowners’ Limitation of Liability Act in 1851, which overruled an earlier Supreme Court decision and held the Lexington’s new owner liable for the loss of cargo on board when she sank. The Lexington’s loss was also a catalyst for Congressional legislation to regulate steamboat safety.

Greenley Modica

Over the summer, Huntington resident Rachel Master and Setauket based teen Greenley Modica joined forces with Hewlett based Hindi’s Libraries to run book drives in their communities.

Rachel Master

Master and her family dropped off more than 700 books at the Hindi’s Libraries Lemonade 4 Literacy event this Tuesday (which raised more than $200 to help subsidize the organization’s book shipments).

Modica, whose neighborhood collection took place from March through May collected more than 2,000 children’s and young adult reads.
Books will now be reviewed, sorted and labeled by Hindi’s Libraries volunteers and shipped to nonprofits across the globe serving families and children in need.
“The best emails and  calls to get are those from local teens and families looking to support us in unique and creative ways. It allows our team the chance to give members of our community the opportunity to form a meaningful connection to our nonprofit,” explained Leslie Gang, Hindi’s Libraries cofounders.
To run a book drive in your community or learn how you can support the nonprofit, visit www.hindislibraries.com

Hindi’s Libraries is an international non-profit organization founded in 2018 in memory of Dr. Hindi Krinsky, beloved educator and mother who passed away due to a complication of Crohn’s Disease. Our organization was formed by Dovid Kanarfogel, Hindi’s husband, and Leslie Gang, a former colleague, in order to honor Hindi’s legacy by donating children’s books to families in need or with special needs who can benefit greatly from free reading material. Since our founding, we have donated over 200,000 books to more than 500 organizations spanning across the United States and international communities in Puerto Rico, Africa, India, and Israel. By continuing our work, we hope to spread literacy to children around the world and provide those less fortunate with access to books, at no cost.