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Holtsville Hal and his handler Greg Drossel greet the crowd of several hundred spectators at the 2020 Groundhog Day celebration at the Holtsville Ecology Site last Sunday.
Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil reads the famous prognostication.
Hundreds came out to celebrate Groundhog Day in Holtsville on Feb. 2.
Holtsville Hal and his handler Greg Drossel greet the crowd of several hundred spectators at the 2020 Groundhog Day celebration at the Holtsville Ecology Site last Sunday.

A crowd of several hundred spectators booed and groaned as Suffolk County’s most famous weatherman’s prognostication was read at the Holtsville Ecology Site on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day. At 7:25 a.m., Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil Foley announced Holtsville Hal, the groundhog, had seen his shadow when he awoke Sunday morning, meaning six more weeks of winter for residents in the Town of Brookhaven.

While Nassau County’s fellow woodchuck, Malverne Mel, agreed with Hal, neither Staten Island Chuck, upstate’s Dunkirk Dave or Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil, saw their shadows.

According to the peculiar Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, if a groundhog sees its shadow after emerging from his burrow on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; if not, spring should arrive early. 

Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro, who was not able to attend the event this year, issued a statement on Monday. “I’m always hopeful Holtsville Hal will not see his shadow and assist with my snow removal budget,” he said. “However, if Hal’s prediction proves to be correct, the Brookhaven Highway Department remains ready to handle whatever Mother Nature decides to send our way.”

After the event, festivalgoers were treated to bagels and hot chocolate and were able to visit the 100 animals that call the Ecology Site home including deer, horses, goats, llamas, hawks, a black bear and buffalo.

“I want to thank everyone who took the time to come out and take part in this fun, annual tradition, including Councilman Neil Foley, who was the honorary Mayor for the Day, as well as the Holtsville Fire Department, 7-Eleven, Bagel Lovers, WBLI and Max 103.1 FM,” said Losquadro.

All photos by Kristen D’Andrea/ Town of Brookhaven Highway Dept.

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Music and Art by Naomi Diracles

By Melissa Arnold

Looking at a beautiful painting, photo or sculpture can sometimes evoke strong memories or emotions. For many people, the same is true when listening to music. It’s even possible to have a piece of music conjure up an image in the mind’s eye, or for artwork to seem musical.

The Huntington Arts Council is exploring the intersection of visual arts and music in its newest exhibit, Sights and Sounds: Rhythms and Scales, on view at its Main Street Gallery from Feb. 7 through March 14.

The unique subject has been on business manager Kieran Johnson’s mind for some time.

“The overlap of music and visual art has always been a fascination of mine with my favorite visual artists, both contemporary and historical, having their background in music,” Johnson said. “I was reviewing video and listening to tracks from our monthly Singer-Songwriter Night and decided I wanted to do [an exhibit] about auditory and visual art.”

Artists were asked to consider a series of questions as inspiration for their submissions: Does your work exude rhythm, melody, lyrics, harmony or dissonance from a social, political or musical perspective? Does it elicit a reaction in sounds, words or movement? Does it dance or sway? Does it move or move the viewer? Does it sing? 

Johnson called on friend of the Huntington Arts Council Kevin McEvoy to jury the exhibit. McEvoy has worked with the council in a number of capacities, from a member and past juror to panelist and educator.

“Kevin has been a supportive partner in the work we do for over a decade. He is an incredibly skilled artist and arts educator, and his professional and personal background make him an interesting person to know and work with,” Johnson said.

A Long Island native, McEvoy studied fine arts at Stony Brook University and refined his painting skills while in Chile and Italy. He is also the founder of The Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James.

“I’ve always appreciated the relationship of mutual respect and support I’ve had with the Huntington Arts Council. They are so warm and encouraging not just with me, but with all of the artists who approach them,” McEvoy said. “I’ve painted a lot of musicians, musical instruments and music inspired pieces, and I’m excited to jury an exhibit on a subject I feel passionately about.”

In total, 60 artists from across the country submitted 156 pieces for consideration. McEvoy narrowed the field to 44 pieces by 40 artists. The final exhibit includes oil paintings, pastels, graphite drawings, photography and more.

Participating artists include Rose Ann Albanese, Sheri Berman, Zintis Buzermanis, Lisa L. Cangemi, Linda Ann Catucci, Kenneth Cerreta, Kaylynn Chenn, Jody Cukier, Doris Diamond, Naomi Diracles, Vicki Field, Jim Finlayson, Cori Forster, Andrea Fortunoff, Kathleen Gerlach, Roxana Gheorghe, Bill Grabowski, Jan Guarino, Margaret Henning, Nayyar Iqbal, David Jaycox Jr., Wendy June Jensen, Marc Josloff, Julianna Kirk, Beth Laxer-Limmer, Jacques LeBlanc, Stephanie L. Marcus, Kristen Memoli, Margaret Minardi, Mary Nagin, Thais Osorio, Luda Pahl, Eli Rabe, Andrea Rhude, Olivia Rodson, Saul Rosenstreich, Barbara Stein, Victor Vaccaro, Pamela Waldroup and Ella Yang.

“Long Island is a musical place. Our identity is rooted in music and it’s a big part of the culture here, so it’s a natural fit for artists to explore,” McEvoy said. “I tried not to bring any preconceptions of what a piece should look like. Whether it is a lilting line of a kinetic wire sculpture, an atmospheric photo of a violin that almost reads as a mountainscape, or the joyful pluck of an instrument in beautiful pastel colors, indeed, across Long Island, painters, sculptors and musicians are still singing.”

Andrea Fortunoff of Syosset created a digital collage entitled “Dance the Floor: Generations in Rhythm,” depicting dancing people of African heritage in various styles of dress.

“The Huntington Arts Council artist call for Sights and Sounds: Rhythm and Scales spurred me to reflect on the historical synergy between music and dance,” Fortunoff stated in an email. “As an ancient and ephemeral art, dance relies on passing cadence from body to body. My collage is a visual representation of how rhythm and pattern intertwine and are inscribed in a dancer’s memory; reverberating from dancer to dancer through time.”

The exhibit’s opening reception on Friday, Feb. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. will allow artists and visitors the chance to get to know each other while appreciating the variety of media on display. McEvoy will select a best in show and honorable mention before the reception begins.

“We are thrilled to feature this exhibit and have Kevin McEvoy as the juror. This show is a wonderful depiction of the intertwined nature of art. The work is beautiful and highlights a wide array of artists,” said HAC Executive Director Marc Courtade. “Kevin has been a longtime friend of HAC. His talent, knowledge and contribution to the arts have meant so much to us and the Long Island community. We are looking forward to seeing him at the reception.”

The Huntington Arts Council will present Sights and Sounds: Rhythms and Scales at its Main Street Gallery, 213 Main St., Huntington through March 14. For further information, call 631-271-8423 or visit www.huntingtonarts.org.

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Children, parents and grandparents helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces at Village Chabad Feb. 3. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Children, parents and grandparents helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces at Village Chabad Feb. 3. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Children, parents and grandparents helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces at Village Chabad Feb. 3. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Children, parents and grandparents helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces at Village Chabad Feb. 3. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Members of Village Chabad take in the final project. Dozens of children helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces. Photo from Village Chabad

Local children and their family members had some fun with plastic building blocks while learning about one of the oldest cities in the world.

Using 70,000 LEGO pieces on a 20-by-20-foot mat, members of Village Chabad in East Setauket created a replica of the Old City of Jerusalem Feb. 3. The LEGO model included many points of interest, such as the gate entrances to the city, the Tower of David, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and more.

Rabbi Shalom Ber Cohen, from Village Chabad, said the goal of the program was for those involved to leave the event with an admiration for the holy city.

Village Chabad brought in architect Stephen Schwartz of New Jersey-based Building Blocks Workshops to lead the children, parents and grandparents in constructing the model. On the mat were lines to help guide the building efforts. While some sat on the mat constructing walls and towers, others on the sidelines started putting together the buildings, grabbing LEGO pieces from bins.

During the program, Schwartz was constantly engaged with the children and adults, directing them to the proper location if they went astray.

Cohen said Village Chabad had heard about Schwartz’s work from different schools and institutions. The architect has also offered several programs that focus on the historical buildings in Stony Brook for The Ward Melville Heritage Organization.

Schwartz said he has been conducting the LEGO projects for 25 years. It began when his daughter, an elementary school teacher in the Bronx, asked him to show her second-graders how a city is designed.

“When I saw that with LEGO you could teach second-graders about zoning, and they understood it, I saw that this was an amazing teaching tool,” he said.

Schwartz said in the past he has worked with LEGO pieces for different Jewish history programs, including Jerusalem, Masada, the Warsaw Ghetto and the world’s tallest LEGO menorah.

The architect said the projects are usually completed in two hours due to working around a school’s schedule. The Village Chabad program ran from 4:30 to around 6:30. Schwartz said after every program he aims for a 15-minute educational tour.

“I am an architect, so everything is exactly to scale,” Schwartz said. “The program gives people a ‘visual image’ of the shape and location of all the important elements in and around Jerusalem. It is a much more dynamic way to teach than just looking in a book or on a screen.”

Smithtown resident Gail Declue said she had no idea what to expect when she arrived for the build.

“I think it’s great,” she said. “The kids are really involved, and they are going to learn a lot about what Jerusalem looks like without even going.”

Elina Rukhlin, also of Smithtown, said her 10-year-old son was among the children building with LEGO pieces, and the family had traveled to Israel last year.

“My son is actually saying I remember we went to the Tower of David light show,” she said. “So, it’s really cool to be able to look back on our experience and then to see this, because we were actually there.”

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Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly, pictured right, presents a county proclamation to Douglas E. Davidson, executive director of the Long Island Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Photo courtesy of Leg. Donnelly’s office

Suffolk Legislator Tom Donnelly recently joined Douglas E. Davidson, executive director of the Long Island Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and other dignitaries at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the organization’s new local headquarters, located at 300 Broad Hollow Road, Melville in his legislative district. The previous offices were further south on Broad Hollow Road, also in Melville.

Founded in 1980, and with chapters located throughout the country, the national Alzheimer’s Association is the “leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research with a mission to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.”

“As someone who has had a family member faced with this devastating disease, it was very moving for me to attend this ribbon-cutting dedication,” said Donnelly. “I welcome the LI Alzheimer’s Association to this new location and thank them for all they do to raise awareness, support research and provide assistance to families who are dealing with Alzheimer’s.”

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Jojo Feng sings at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Jojo Feng sings at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz

In the midst of Chinese New Year, which began Jan. 25, North Shore residents packed into the The Ward Melville Organization’s Education & Cultural Center Feb. 2 to commemorate the Year of the Rat.

WMHO’s annual event featured a lion dance, which is believed to bring good luck and fortune, and a martial arts demonstration by Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu.
Manhattan Taiko performed on ancient Japanese drums blended with modern movement, and the Long Island Chinese Dance Group was on hand to perform along with Jojo Feng who sang Chinese-language songs.

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Photo courtesy of Northwell Health

Huntington Hospital has achieved a prestigious four-star rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in its annual 2020 hospital rankings, its comprehensive quality measurement report released on Jan. 30.

CMS hospital rankings of more than 4,000 Medicare-certified facilities nationwide take into account over 50 performance measures that analyze health care outcomes such as readmission rates, patient experience, safety and quality of care. CMS’ hospital rankings are considered among the best hospital report cards to help inform where to receive medical care.

Huntington Hospital’s CMS rating follows its recognition as New York State’s highest-ranked community hospital by U.S. News & World Report in its 2019-20 Best Hospital list.

“From redesigning our Center for Mothers & Babies to include all private rooms for a better patient experience to consistently setting and meeting high benchmarks for health care quality, we at Huntington Hospital take our patients’ needs to heart as we thoughtfully provide them with world-class care,” said Dr. Nick Fitterman, executive director of Huntington Hospital. 

“We are always looking at ways to not only provide the necessary health care that our Suffolk County residents require, but to go above and beyond to give them the best medical care available,” he added.

Huntington Hospital nurses have received the highest nursing honor – Magnet designation – a Long Island record four times in a row.  The hospital’s orthopedics program has also been consistently been ranked by the Joint Commission with the gold seal of approval for its hip and knee replacements and was among the top 1 percent nationally in orthopedics, according to U.S. News. 

Huntington Hospital has also been designated as a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology and a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation.

For more information about Huntington Hospital, go to www.huntington.northwell.edu or call 631-351-2000.

 

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Stock photo

Did you know? Grace Church, 450 Edgewood Ave., Smithtown hosts an Anchored in Hope addiction support group every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Geared for families of addicted loved ones, the group of parents offers support, helps you recognize the signs of addiction and shares strategies. Call 631-265-4680 for more information.

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