Get ready to lose an hour of sleep, but gain an extra hour of daylight! Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8. That’s when you’ll move your clocks forward by one hour.
The event is also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Daylight Saving Time ends Nov. 1 when we’ll move our clocks back an hour and lose an hour of daylight
Did you know?
Most parts of North America will begin Daylight Saving Time on March 8, 2020, at 2:00 a.m., respective to their time zones. In the European Union, “Summer Time” begins at 1:00 a.m. on the last Sunday in March, which this year will be March 29. The change is made at the same absolute time across all time zones respective to Greenwich Mean Time, which also is known as Universal Time.
One reason DST is still practiced in many areas of the world is to push an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening and make better use of this daylight. There are various origin stories linked to DST, including one that involves Benjamin Franklin. DST also has been touted as a way to save resources during times of war or as a means to helping farmers be more prosperous.
However, despite the many proclaimed benefits of DST, there are many detractors who insist that there are no perceived benefits. Some of these DST naysayers say switching the clocks twice a year can negatively affect the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Various efforts both domestically and abroad have been instituted to abolish DST, but as of 2020, it remains on the calendar.
Interim President Michael A. Bernstein with podcast guest Thomas Manuel, founder of The Jazz Loft. Photo from SBU
Stony Brook University recently launched its first-ever official podcast, “Beyond the Expected,” to highlight the expertise and contributions from outstanding members of the SBU community.
SBU leaders and personalities host guests whose stories exemplify the diversity of the SBU community and thought and the global impact of their scholarship. “Beyond the Expected” offers compelling interviews and insightful perspectives from members of the Stony Brook University community and beyond who are deeply committed to contributing their time, talent and solutions to the most pressing issues in the communities where they live, work or play.
The 30-minute show features rotating podcast hosts, beginning with inaugural host Interim President Michael A. Bernstein who kicked off the podcast series by delving into compelling discussions with members of the campus community who are making a great impact on the lives of others.
Through teaching, research and discovery, scholarship, engineered solutions, diversity, public-private partnerships and philanthropic relationships, these new episodes of “Beyond the Expected” podcast interviews will bring this to life. “Stony Brook University faculty, staff and students put their heart and soul into their work, which elevates our regional economy and contributes more broadly to areas such as environmental sustainability, health care, and social and cultural identity,” said Bernstein.
“This podcast will showcase their drive and diversity as we learn about what inspired them when young, and what they’re doing now that helps make Stony Brook the great community partner that it is today,” he added.
Some of the inaugural featured guests and topics of discussion on the “Beyond the Expected” podcast include:
▪ Professor Abhay Deshpande on the evolution of nuclear science and his involvement in planning for the Brookhaven National Lab-awarded development of the Electron-Ion Collider.
▪ Dr. David Fiorella on cutting-edge approaches to interventional brain surgery and new services he has brought to Long Island, helping save lives of stroke victims.
▪ Jazz Artist-in-Residence Thomas Manuel on the origins and historic relevance of The Jazz Loft, the song that got him hooked him on jazz and a memory of his best performance.
▪ Dr. Sharon Nachman on the safety of immunizations and vaccines and insights on the 2019 novel coronavirus.
▪ Dr. Carolyn Peabody and second-year MSW student, Meesha Johnson, on the 2020 Census and getting the Native American population in Suffolk County counted.
▪ Actor, director, screenwriter and author Alan Alda, visiting professor and founder of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science in conversation with Alan Inkles, director of the Staller Center for the Arts.
“Beyond the Expected” podcast is now live and can be downloaded and subscribed to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Radio Public and Google Podcasts. One can also check out the vodcast on YouTube.
The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will host its third annual Gardeners Showcase during spring and summer 2020. The museum invites local nurseries and garden designers to show off their skills and creativity in one of the gardens that grace the 43-acre waterfront estate, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Spots are still available for this year’s showcase, and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants, in return for their effort and contribution, will receive:
• Signage that identifies their business, at each garden showcase site. This signage will be viewed by the more than 100,000 anticipated Vanderbilt visitors during the spring, summer and fall.
•Recognition on the Vanderbilt website and publicity on its social-media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).
• Publicity through news releases sent to regional media.
• A one-year Associate Membership to the Vanderbilt Museum.
To secure a spot in this year’s Gardeners Showcase, or to obtain more information, please contact Jim Munson, the Vanderbilt Museum’s operations supervisor, at 631-379-2237 or at [email protected].
This week’s shelter pet is Oliver, a 2- year-old domestic short haired cat waiting patiently at Kent Animal Shelter for his furever home. Oliver is good with everything and everyone. He loves kids and other cats, but can be a little shy when he’s first getting to know you. Come on down to the shelter and spend some time with this sweet boy.You won’t be disappointed!
Oliver comes neutered, microchipped and is up to date on all his vaccines.
Kent Animal Shelter is located at 2259 River Road in Calverton. The adoption center is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on Oliver and other adoptable pets at Kent, call 631-727-5731 or visit www.kentanimalshelter.com.
When the Brothers Grimm published their Children’s and Household Tales in 1812, they probably had no idea that stories such as the cautionary Hansel and Gretel, would have such staying power. While Disney hasn’t gotten its hold on it yet, the folk tale has held its own over the years, most famously through opera (by composer Engelbert Humperdinck), and with recent revivals on the big screen (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and the even darker Gretel & Hansel).
Now Theatre Three takes us back into the forest for a light-hearted and funny original retelling of Hansel and Gretel with a big surprise at the end that’s sure to satisfy every child’s sweet tooth.
Written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Douglas Quattrock, with a brand new score by Quattrock, it follows Hansel and Gretel who are living with their father, a woodcutter, and detached stepmother. The family is starving and the stepmother blames the children. She gives her husband an ultimatum: “Either dump them in the forest or dump them in the forest!” The children overhear and gather white rocks to guide them back home. When her plan fails, the stepmother takes the reins and leads them back into the forest. This time Hansel leaves a trail of breadcrumbs (he eats the rocks by mistake) and the children become lost.
As Gretel goes to find a path home, Hansel is kidnapped by Scrimshaw and Harvis, henchmen working for a child-eating witch who lives in a candy house. The witch promptly gets to work fattening Hansel up with cake, cookies and donuts. When Gretel trys to rescue him, the witch puts her to work cooking and cleaning. When the witch gets too close to the oven, Gretel has a decision to make. Will she push her in or find another way to get out of this mess?
Jeffrey Sanzel directs a brilliant adult cast of six in this delightful retelling of the beloved story. While the story of Hansel and Gretel isn’t all lollipops and gumdrops — after all, there is a wicked witch who preys on children — there are no scary moments in the show and everyone learns a lesson about the importance of family.Nicole Bianco is perfectly cast in the dual role of stepmother and witch and delivers her lines softly, albeit sarcastically (“These kids are monsters!”), and never raises her voice. Her opening solo, “Stepmother’s Lament,” is hilarious.
Michelle LaBozzetta as Gretel and Eric J. Hughes as Hansel give standout performances. LaBozzetta’s character is strong-willed, confident and brave while Hughes plays acarefree, clueless and sweet little brother. Their duets, “Stones Along the Way” and “Hansel’s Dinner” are perfectly executed. Steven Uihlein in the unpopular role of the father who goes along with his wife’s plans, does a fine job, as always. His character’s guilt in his solo “Lost” and at the end of the show is palpable.
Although not part of the original story, Darren Bruce Clayton and Ryan Worrell, in the role of Scrimshaw and Harvis, entertain the audience by incorporating the Charleston, ballet and hip hop in their dance numbers, “Out of Step” and “Harvis and Scrimshaw.” What a treat!
The end result is a charming and imaginative production of Hansel and Gretel that should be added on your family’s to do list. Stay for a meet and greet with the cast in the lobby after the show.
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Hansel and Gretel on March 7, 14 and 21 at 11 a.m. and March 15 at 3 p.m. with a sensory-sensitive performance on March 8 at 11 a.m. Children’s Theater continues with TheAdventures of Peter Rabbit from April 8 to 25 and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves from May 23 to June 6. All seats are $10. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Photos by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
Jim Girvan, this year’s grand marshal, in his Kings Park home Photo by Rita J. Egan
Kings Park resident Jim Girvan was thrilled when he heard he would be this year’s grand marshal in the hamlet’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.
A scene from the 2019 Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Photo by Rita J. Egan
“As a Scout in parades, I never thought I would be a grand marshal,” he said, adding that when he was a kid, he would march in fire department parades.
Kevin Johnston, chair of the parade committee, said Girvan was the perfect choice for grand marshal. He remembered Girvan saying that when he was younger, he wanted a place where he had friends, a job and a town, and he found that in Kings Park.
“He epitomizes what we consider Kings Parkers,” Johnston said.
The committee chair described this year’s grand marshal as a delight to be around.
“It’s that Irish smile of his that is just beaming,” Johnston said. “He has a very welcoming and endearing smile and that’s what kind of brings people in.”
The 88-year-old Girvan has a deep connection with Ireland. His father, John Girvan, was raised there, and while his mother Mary McGuckin was born in Scotland, she was of Irish descent.
It’s Kings Park though where Girvan has established deep roots.
His father worked in a naval yard in Staten Island, and as a semiprofessional soccer player, would travel out to Kings Park to entertain patients at the psychiatric hospital. Girvan said when his father broke his leg and lost his job at the naval yard, he was offered a position as a kitchen helper at the hospital and worked his way up to head cook.
That move was a fateful one for Girvan, who has lived in Kings Park most of his life except for two years when he was a nurse in Philadelphia. He and his wife have also raised six children in the hamlet.
After graduating from St. Joseph’s R.C. Church’s grammar school, he said he received a scholastic scholarship to Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn. Girvan said he attended the school for two years until he asked his father if he could go to Kings Park High School. The grand marshal said he loved playing basketball, but couldn’t participate while commuting to the city to attend school, sometimes not returning home until 8 p.m.
He would go on to not only graduate from Kings Park High School but to also be part of the basketball team that won the 1950 Suffolk County Championship, the first time the school won a county title in the sport.
“He epitomizes what we consider Kings Parkers.”
— Kevin Johnston
Girvan went into nursing and worked at the Kings Park Psychiatric Center and then Northport Veterans Hospital. He said he was drafted by the army in 1966 but then was commissioned by the navy to work as a nurse in Philadelphia Naval Hospital, where he supervised the Acute PTSD Admissions Unit.
After two years living in New Jersey with his wife and children, and commuting to the Pennsylvania hospital, Girvanand family returned to Kings Park. Through the decades the grand marshal has been involved in the Knights of Columbus, Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Kings Park Fire Department and Ambulance Committee and more. To this day, he is an usher at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church.
When it comes to Kings Park, Girvan realizes there has been a lot of development through the years, but he said when it comes to charm, it’s stayed the same.
“We didn’t change that much, believe it or not,” he said. “The town is pretty much the same.”
He and wife Irene, known by her nickname Rene, said they remember when the Northern Parkway ended in Nassau County and Smithtown was filled with farms. They also still call Commack “Comac” as many longtime residents do, the original spelling and pronunciation of the neighboring hamlet.
Girvan has marched in the Kings Park parade before with the Ancient Order of Hibernians, but this year will be special, he said. He and his wife said friends and family are coming from all over to see him lead the parade, including Texas, Maryland and Florida, and many will also walk with him. A good friend from San Antonio recently came up to surprise him for the Grand Marshal Ball that was held back in January.
“The Girvan family feels very good about it, and it will be in our hearts forever this day,” Girvan said.
Johnston said this year the parade will feature more than 20 bands, 15 of which will be bagpipes, as well as more than 10 fire departments and several local businesses.
The Kings Park 10th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicks off at noon Saturday, March 7, rain or shine. It begins at the corner of Lou Avenue and Pulaski Road, continues down Main Street and turns onto Church Street and ends down Old Dock Road at William T. Rogers Middle School.
James Bouklas, president of We Are Smithtown, leads a protest against Gyrodyne March 2. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Civic groups from two neighboring townships joined forces March 2 to advocate for additional studies of a development along Route 25A.
George Hoffman, 1st vice president of the Three Village Civic Association, and others call for an independent environmental study of the property. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Members of the civic group We Are Smithtown organized a rally on the corner of Mills Pond Road and Route 25A in St. James to protest the proposed Gyrodyne property development at the site. The group was joined by representatives from the Greater Stony Brook Action Coalition, Three Village Civic Association, Town of Brookhaven Citizens Advisory Committee for Route 25A, Setauket Harbor Task Force and Smithtown activist Amy Fortunato.
The company is hoping to build an assisted living home, hotel, medical offices and sewage treatment plant on the property.
James Bouklas, president of We Are Smithtown, said all in attendance opposed the development and were concerned about possible toxins in the soil of the former helicopter manufacturer’s land, along with a list of other concerns.
He and other protesters called on the Town of Smithtown and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to take action and conduct an independent and rigorous forensic environmental study.
He described the potential development as “akin to building a new Smith Haven Mall on this rural, country stretch of Route 25A.”
The civic group president gave examples of former aviation manufacturers such as Lawrence Aviation and Grumman that he said, “operated behind a huge wall, often in secrecy, and in the end, they all left a legacy of pollution and toxic plumes.”
“Here is what we do know,” he added. “Gyrodyne was a defense manufacturer in those pre-Earth Day years of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s when America wasn’t exactly careful about what went in the ground.”
The civic president also expressed concern that through the decades auto repair and photography businesses have operated on the Gyrodyne grounds as well as above-ground vehicle storage among others that may have released chemicals into the soil. The property is a short distance from Stony Brook Harbor.
“What goes into our groundwater quickly winds up as our drinking water,” he said. “There is no margin for error.”
In addition to environmental concerns, Bouklas cited traffic congestion on both 25A and Stony Brook Road.
Justin Bryant, who grew up in Smithtown and now lives in Stony Brook, said he too is concerned about chemicals in the ground at Gyrodyne, saying it’s been too long since a forensic environmental analysis was done.
“It’s important to remember where about 2,000 feet behind you a Superfund site, regulated by the [Environmental Protection Agency],” he said. “This site is on the national priorities list, which means it’s a site most at risk to the people who live in the area.”
“What goes into our groundwater quickly winds up as our drinking water. There is no margin for error.”
— James Bouklas
According to the EPA, there is a groundwater contamination site in the villages of Nissequogue and Head of the Harbor. Since the pollution was discovered in 1997, the agency has been monitoring the area’s ground and surface water.
Herb Mones, chair of the Three Village Civic Association land use committee and a 30-year resident of Stony Brook, said the historic corridor should be protected and preserved and any development should be done in a reasonable and sensible way to protect the surrounding communities.
George Hoffman, 1st vice president of the Three Village Civic Association, was co-chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee for Route 25A, where the Town of Brookhaven met with residents to gather their thoughts about what needed improvement on the corridor.
“You can’t save one part of the highway without saving the entire highway,” he said. “This is a really historic corridor.”
He pointed to an environmental study done more than 10 years ago, when the State University of New York bought 250 acres of Gyrodyne property, that found several chemicals in the soil. However, both Hoffman and others at the rally said the chemicals did not show up in the recent environmental study Gyrodyne paid for in the location of the potential subdivision.
“We’re really suspicious of how one part of the property could have had a lot of chemicals in it, where this part of the property now has apparently been given a clean bill of health,” he said.
Cindy Smith, chair of the Greater Stony Brook Action Coalition/United Communities Against Gyrodyne, held the first protest against the Gyrodyne development on the steps of Smithtown’s Town Hall Nov. 2017. After the March 2 press conference, she said she is pleased with the bond that has been formed with “like-minded civic groups in Smithtown and Brookhaven.”
As a member of Friends of Stony Brook Road, she has helped addressed the impact of the overcapacity street.
“We knew that the additional traffic from the proposed Gyrodyne development would cause even more quality-of-life and safety issues on our road, not to mention the increased financial burden to Brookhaven residents,” she said, adding she is also concerned about water quality, historical impact, increased taxes and more.
Smith said the organizations have given both town residents voice, and Greater Stony Brook Action Coalition/United Communities Against Gyrodyne has worked with environmentalists, including Carl Safina, Dick Amper of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society and John Turner conservation chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society.
Smithtown spokesperson Nicole Garguilo said in a statement that the Town has been vigilant in following New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act requirement and law,
“It would be negligent, not to mention a dangerous, unethical precedent to ask the hard-working taxpayers of our community to foot a $500,000 (minimum) bill for a private property owners’ Environmental Impact Statement. Especially, when the EIS process requires the Town’s planning, engineering and environmental professionals to thoroughly review and verify the analysis,” Gargulio said.
A representative from Gyrodyne could not be reached for a comment about the protest or environmental study.
At the Suffolk County Legislature’s March 3 general meeting, a vote for a comprehensive planning study for the corridor was tabled until March 17.
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.**
Dave Wolmetz, second from left, and Keith Handler, second from right, owners of Urban Air, have pledged to raise $100,000 for research at Stony Brook Medicine. Dr. Huda Salman, left, and Dr. Theodore Gabig, right, join the business owners at a press conference Feb. 27. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine
While receiving treatment for leukemia, Dave Wolmetz distracted himself with plans to open an indoor adventure park, and now that business is allowing him to give back to the center that enabled him to carry on with his dream.
Wolmetz, of Commack, and his business partner and childhood friend, Keith Handler, have pledged to raise $100,000 for the Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplant team at Stony Brook University Cancer Center over the course of five years. On Feb. 27, they presented doctors and nurses with the first installment of $20,000 at their Urban Air Lake Grove adventure park. The business opened in November 2019 and includes an indoor coaster, ropes course, indoor playground and more.
Dr. Huda Salman, director of both the Hematologic Malignancies Service and the CAR T Cellular Therapy Program, said Urban Air’s pledge will be a big help to the research program, which recently received approval for its first trial by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
At the Feb. 27 press conference, Wolmetz called the members of the medical team at Stony Brook “heroes.” The date of the installment presentation had a special meaning for him.
“My motivation was to recognize that I have a second opportunity around — second birthday today, Feb. 27, it’s the date of my stem cell transplant,” he said. “And this serves my purpose on the Earth at this point, to give back and create lives for cancer survivors.”
Wolmetz underwent total body irradiation and chemotherapy at the hospital after being diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in 2018. His treatment at Stony Brook inspired him to start the nonprofit Why Not Us Foundation, with the hopes of raising funds for the chimeric antigen receptor T-cell research program at the cancer center. The program supports Stony Brook scientists who work on developing personalized cell therapy to treat blood cancers.
Wolmetz said patients spend a lot of time alone and planning Urban Air with Handler helped him get through some difficult times.
The business partners, who both graduated from Ward Melville High School in 1988, said they were tired of seeing so many people engaged in a digital world. It inspired them to create a place where children could get out and be physical, which plays into healthy habits.
“We talked about things over the years, but we never got serious until two years ago, and one thing led to another,” Handler said, adding the best reviews they get are when parents say they got their best night’s sleep because their children slept in after running around the indoor park.
Wolmetz and Handler said the decision to donate locally was an easy one for them. Wolmetz said it was excellent medical care, a positive attitude and faith that got him to a place where you could think of other things, including giving back to those going through the same experience that he had.
“We both agreed it was an important initiative that when we serve the community with our business to give a percentage and proceeds back to a meaningful campaign,” he said.
For an appointment with Stony Brook University Cancer Center, call 631-722-2623. For information about the CD4 CAR T-cell clinical trial, call 631-728-7425.
Councilman Neil Foley, far left, and Councilman Kevin LaValle, far right, with volunteers.
A volunteer removes spray paint from the mural.
Mural artist Patti Vesque-Cottone, Maryann Hoffman and Councilman Neil Foley
LRIG member Matthew Balkam and Councilman Kevin LaValle lend a hand
Town of Brookhaven Councilmen Neil Foley (R-Blue Point) and Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) joined the Lake Ronkonkoma Improvement Group and members of the community at Lake Ronkonkoma on Feb. 21 to cover graffiti and restore a popular mural painted on an old concrete retaining wall along the beach. The wall is one of the last remnants of a bygone era when grand pavilions lined the once-popular tourist destination.
The mural, which depicts scenes that tell the story of the lake’s history, was originally painted by the LRIG in 2017.
Between Jan. 31 and Feb. 2 vandals spray-painted obscenities and profane images on the mural, which is located along Lake Shore Road. Evelyn Vollgraff of the LRIG put out a rally cry and organized the cleanup.
“It’s always amazing to work with the LRIG. The group is very proactive in addressing issues around the lake but when something like this happens they always react quickly and turn a negative situation into a positive one. I guess that’s what happens when you work with a group whose catchphrase is ‘Just get it done!’” LaValle said.
“It was great to see so many people come out to help restore the Lake Ronkonkoma mural. These people take pride in the community and are determined to keep it looking beautiful. Vandalism isn’t just mischief, it’s a crime that will not be tolerated anywhere in Brookhaven Town,” Foley said.
“I want to thank everyone who answered the call and helped to turn a bad situation into a group effort to make it better. That’s what this community is all about and I was proud to join in the cleanup of this beloved piece of Lake Ronkonkoma’s legacy,” LaValle added.
The police urge anyone who knows who committed this crime to call 800-220-TIPS (8477). All calls will be kept confidential.
This week’s shelter pet is Oliver, a 2- year-old domestic short haired cat waiting patiently at Kent Animal Shelter for his furever home. Oliver is good with everything and everyone. He loves kids and other cats, but can be a little shy when he’s first getting to know you. Come on down to the shelter and spend some time with this sweet boy.
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