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'Sublime', Anne Frank Garden Memorial by Thea Lanzisero
Ceremony to Feature Second Generation Survivor, Holocaust Education Advocate Gail Sheryn Kastenholz 

Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth will host the Town of Huntington’s 11th Annual Anne Frank Memorial Garden Ceremony on Wednesday, June 22, at 4:30 p.m. in the Anne Frank Memorial Garden at Arboretum Park on Wilmington Drive (between Threepence Drive and Roundtree Drive) in Melville.

The Anne Frank Memorial Garden symbolically captures the journey of Anne Frank’s life.  It features a circular pathway that surrounds a garden, which leads to the sculpture of a young girl’s dress.  The Memorial Garden serves as tribute to Anne’s legacy of wisdom and genuine belief in the goodness of mankind and human nature, despite the ugliness of war and discrimination.   

 Program participants include Rabbi Beth Klafter of Temple Beth David in Commack, Rabbi Yakov Saacks of The Chai Center in Dix Hills, musical selections by Hazzan (Cantor) Steven Walvick of the East Northport Jewish Center; and remarks from guest speaker Gail Sheryn Kastenholz, a Huntington Station resident, Second Generation Survivor and Holocaust education advocate.  

Attendees of the Anne Frank Memorial Garden anniversary celebration may take a walk through the garden following the program and will be offered light refreshments, donated by Suffolk County Legislator Manuel Esteban.

For more information, 631-351-3000.

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Flag Day. METRO photo

On June 14, National Flag Day honors Old Glory and commemorates the adoption of the United States flag on June 14, 1777.

The American flag is a symbol of the country’s history, pride and success in overcoming political oppression. Through its many incarnations and variations, the Stars and Stripes has waved over government buildings, schools and private residences. 

According to History.com, in 1775, the Second Continental Army led to the creation of the first “American” flag. However, that flag was too similar to the British Union Jack flag, George Washington requested a revision. In 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution stating that the “flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white.” Furthermore, the “union” was represented by 13 stars of white in a blue field, “representing a new constellation.”

More than a century later, a small-town Wisconsin teacher named Bernard Cigrand came up with the idea for an annual flag day in 1885. Even though the Fourth of July, a holiday in which the flag is prominently and proudly displayed, had long been celebrated as the birthday of the United States, Cigrand wanted a holiday that would focus specifically on the flag in all its glory. June 14 was selected because it marked the anniversary of the official adoption of the first flag. Cigrand led his school in the first formal observance of the holiday, and throughout his life continued to advocate for respect of the flag.

Various other organizations liked the idea of a day to honor the flag, including the State Board of Education of New York, the Betsy Ross House and the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution. Yet, it wasn’t until May 30, 1916, that Flag Day was officially established by presidential proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson. Still, it would take another 33 years for President Truman to sign an Act of Congress designating June 14 as the official National Flag Day, which he did on August 3, 1949.

Americans can honor the flag by displaying it on Flag Day. Here’s how to display the flag properly, courtesy of Military.com:

• The flag should be free of any obstructions, such as power lines or tree limbs.

• Flags should only be displayed in public from sunrise to sunset, unless the flag can be properly illuminated during darkness. In this instance, it may be displayed at all times.

• When displayed with other flags, such as on a single staff or lanyard, the U.S. flag should be above all other flags. If flags are displayed in a row, the U.S. flag goes to the observer’s left.

• State and local flags are traditionally flown lower than the American flag.

• During marching ceremonies or parades with other flags, the U.S. flag should be to the observer’s left.

• The flag should be displayed at every public institution and at schools during school days.

• The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.

• The flag is often displayed at half-staff on days of mourning, including Memorial Day. The flag should first be hoisted to the peak for an instant, then lowered to half-staff position, which is half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff.

• On a vehicle, the U.S. flag should be displayed from a staff firmly fixed to the chassis. It should not be draped over the hood, top, sides, or back of a vehicle.

• The flag should never touch anything beneath it.

• When displayed vertically and not on a staff, the union should be on the left when observed. It should be suspended so its folds fall freely as though the flag were staffed.

• Flags can be repaired. However, a flag in poor condition should be destroyed with dignity, preferably by burning. Most American Legion posts and local Boy Scouts troops will have the resources to retire flags accordingly. Many will host annual flag retirement ceremonies on Flag Day. 

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Observing Dogwood Hollow documents at East Hampton Libarry, from left, Deborah Boudreau, WMHO Education Director; Mayra Scanlon, East Hampton Library Archivist Librarian; Andrea Meyer, East Hampton Library Archivist Librarian, Collection Chair; and Sean Brass, WMHO's Young Gardiner Scholar, funded by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation. Photo from WMHO

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) has announced the digitization of over 500 records of Dogwood Hollow and the development of Stony Brook Village Center in conjunction with the East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection. These records are available to the public free of charge on a “next generation” interactive platform. The archives can be found online on the East Hampton Library website, easthamptonlibrary.org.

In November of 2021, East Hampton Library announced a new virtual research platform for their Long Island Collection. The research platform was customized for the East Hampton Library, which is the first public library to use this next generation digital archives software, called TIND. 

Ward Melville at Stony Brook Village Center’s Harbor Crescent in the 1950s. Photo from WMHO

Unlike other archive platforms being used in New York State, this digital archive is entirely interactive—contributor accounts can be created, higher resolution images can be downloaded and links are embedded to enable viewers to comment and share archived items on social media platforms. To learn more about Digital Long Island, the East Hampton Library’s new digitization platform, visit their website at digitallongisland.org.

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) was created in 1939 by businessman and philanthropist Ward Melville. Ward Melville was President of the Melville Corporation—the third largest retailer in the country at that time. WMHO owns and manages historic and environmental properties deeded to the organization by Ward Melville. These properties include Stony Brook Village Center, Thompson House (c. 1709), the Brewster House (c. 1665), the Stony Brook Grist Mill (c. 1751), the Erwin Ernst Marine Conservation Center and the 88-acre wetlands preserve at West Meadow.

The WMHO archives on this platform include the creation of Stony Brook Village Center and Dogwood Hollow. Considered the first business community in the United States, Stony Brook Village Center was created in 1941 by Ward Melville. In addition, in honor of his mother, Jennie, who loved dogwood trees, Ward Melville created Dogwood Hollow, a 2,000 plus seat amphitheater in Stony Brook Village that hosted greats such as Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and over 100 other musicians. 

Other subjects that will be digitized are Mr. Melville’s history of bringing Stony Brook University to Stony Brook, the creation of the Long Island Museum campus, the restoration of historic properties, the housing developments built by Ward Melville, the creation of the West Meadow Preserve, and the creation of the Three Village School District and its buildings. To learn more about the WMHO, visit wmho.org.

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Bay House owner Brian Warasila will be featured in A World Within a World: Long Island's Bay Houses. Photo by Martha Cooper, 2015

By Tara Mae

We are all islanders here, whether by birth or by choice. Individual relationships with the water may vary, but for many it is a core component of cultural identity: a source of relaxation, recreation, sustenance, and survival. 

The Maritime Film Festival, presented by Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington in conjunction with Long Island Traditions in Port Washington and The Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center in Patchogue, explores the flow and ebb of people’s connections to the sea and the lifestyles it provides. 

The festival will feature three films that are anchored in an appreciation of welcoming and weathering the elements of island life. Each documentary will have its own screening and be followed by an audience Q&A session with the filmmakers and others involved in the projects. [See schedule below.]

The festival begins with The Bungalows of Rockaway on Tuesday, June 14 at 7:30 p.m. Narrated by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons, the film chronicles 100 years in the tragicomic tale of New York’s biggest summer bungalow colony. 

“The Bungalows of Rockaway illustrates, through the detailed, eloquent, diverse voices of historians, bungalow residents, and Rockawayans and the use of archival images, the long history, meaningful to residents past and present and the city as a whole,” said producer Elizabeth Logan Harris who will participate in the post-screening discussion.

A World Within a World: The Bay Houses of Long Island will be screened on Tuesday, June 21 at 7:30 p.m. This film explores from historical and contemporary perspectives the lives, histories, and experiences of bay house owners in the Town of North Hempstead. 

“The bay houses have a rich history going back to the 18th century and are a part of Long Island’s heritage that many, including myself, knew little about. Besides their aesthetic beauty — giving unparalleled access to the beauty of the marshlands on the south shore — they also offer a glimpse into a sub-culture of families who maintain and love the houses for many generations,” co-director Greg Blank said. 

Co-director Barbara Weber and folklorist Nancy Solomon, who helped put together the festival, will join Blank to talk about the documentary after the viewing.

The festival concludes with Maiden, on Tuesday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m. The documentary is the story of the first all female crew, assembled by British sailor Tracey Edwards, to compete in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race, a 32,000 mile global circumnavigation competition.  

“We were just people racing around the world and trying to win. The social impact was not apparent to us until later and it is incredible how the story resonates 30 years later,” crew member Dawn Riley, now Executive Director of Oakcliff Sailing Center, said. 

She and Edwards will reunite to answer questions and reflect on their experiences. 

While Maiden has previously been shown at Cinema Arts Centre, this is the first time The Bungalows of Rockaway and A World Within a World: The Bay Houses of Long Island are being presented there.

“We are thrilled to have such a great range of films,” said Dylan Skolnick, co-director of the Cinema Arts Center.

Nancy Solomon, a folklorist who specializes in maritime culture and Executive Director of Long Island Traditions, a nonprofit that focuses on recording local architecture, organized the film festival as a way to promote and ideally preserve the ethnography of Long Island.

“Long Island is becoming overdeveloped, especially along its coastlines. So the traditions of boat builders, boatyards, fishermen, baymen, bay houses, are in danger. If we don’t start learning about people carrying out these traditions, we are going to lose them,” Solomon said.  “The purpose of this festival is to introduce [audiences] to a very rich heritage of people and places that are part of our cultural identity.” 

She pitched the idea to Skolnick, who hopped on board. 

“It is a true collaboration,” Skolnick said. “At the Cinema, we try to bring great movies from around the world and bring great stories from the local community. These movies fit perfectly with the sort of stories we want to tell.” 

A continuation of a film series that began at Plaza Cinema and Media Arts Center in April, Solomon worked closely with both Plaza Cinema and Cinema Arts Centre to create a celebration of coastal culture through cinematic storytelling.

“I want the festival to help educate people about maritime culture of Long Island and how we can preserve it. The films we selected are all about different places in our region and topics relating to struggles of local people,” she said.

The festival was made possible through grants from the Suffolk County Office of Cultural Affairs, Robert L. Gardiner Foundation, and National Endowment of the Arts. 

The Cinema Arts Centre is located at 423 Park Avenue in Huntington. Tickets to the Maritime Film Festival are $17 for the general public and $12 for members of Cinema Arts Centre. For more information about the festival and films, please visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Film Schedule:

■ The festival kicks off with a screening of The Bungalows of Rockaway on June 14 at 7:30 p.m. Narrated by Academy-Award winner Estelle Parsons, The Bungalows of Rockaway tells 100 years of the tragicomic story of New York City’s largest summer bungalow colony, that of the Rockaways. With enticing vintage postcards, archival photography, Marx Brothers home movies, hilarious boardwalk tales, personal accounts recounted by bungalow residents and Rockawayans alike, all grounded by historians, the film brings viewers close to the highs and lows of a large, thriving, affordable, urban seaside resort. The film, directed by Jennifer Callahan and co-produced by Jennifer Callahan and Elizabeth Logan Harris, will be followed by a Q&A with Harris.

■ Up next is A World Within a World: Long Island’s Bay Houses on June 21 at 7:30 p.m. A World Within a World explores the lives, history, and experiences of bay house owners in the Town of Hempstead from both a historical and contemporary perspective. Based on fieldwork by folklorist and maritime ethnographer Nancy Solomon of Long Island Traditions, local filmmakers Barbara Weber and Greg Blank capture the essence of how bay house owners have persevered and endured through severe storms and hurricanes as well as eroding marshlands all while preserving traditions that began in the early 19th century. The film profiles Long Island families who have owned bay houses for over 100 years including the Muller, McNeece, Burchianti, Warasila, Jankoski families. The screening will be followed by a Q&A and discussion with directors Greg Blank and Barbara Weber and folklorist Nancy Solomon.

■ The festival closes with a screening of Maiden on July 12 at 7:30 p.m. In 1989, long dismissed and belittled as the only woman crewmember on the ships where she worked, British sailor Tracy Edwards set out to prove herself in the biggest way possible. She assembled the world’s first all-female international crew and entered the Whitbread Round the World Race, a 32,000 mile global circumnavigation competition that, until then, had been the exclusive domain of male seafarers. The screening will feature a Q&A with Maiden Captain Tracy Edwards and sailor Dawn Riley, Director of Oakcliff Sailing School.

 

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Flag Day is June 14. Pixabay Photo

This Flag Day, on Tuesday, June 14 at 5 p.m., the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS), 93 North Country Road, Setauket will lead its first annual US Flag Retirement Ceremony, a fun, family friendly, interactive presentation in accordance with the United States Flag Code, led by former Regent of the Anna Smith Strong Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and current Trustee of the TVHS Board Holly Brainard. This event is free is and open to all

Complimentary US Flag Code booklets will be available for guests and TVHS will raffle off a new flag kit for all guests that buy a $1 raffle ticket, in person, at the event. Children and adults will learn why the flag is important and how to properly handle and dispose of the flag.

The new flag drop box, that was donated by BSA Troop 2019 in September of 2021, has collected more than 200 worn and tattered flags. The retired flag drop box is available, year-round and accessible to all on the grounds of TVHS. For more information, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.

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This week marks the 78th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Pixabay photo

By Rich Acritelli

By early July 1940, after Germany quickly defeated France, Hitler and his military leaders were photographed gazing across the English Channel. 

Many feared Hitler would order an invasion against the last remaining nation in Western Europe: Britain. While his senior military leaders planned for Operation Sealion, Hitler had always feared the might of the British navy, and a full-scale assault was never carried out. 

Instead, Europe suffered through four years of brutal German occupation, which included the Nazi air blitz on London and a genocide across the continent which sought the annihilation of Jews in Europe. The liberator of Nazi tyranny came in the form of a farm boy from Abilene, Kansas. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower was an affable character among his fellow officers. He was a talented football and baseball player, a writer and later an aide to Gen. Douglas MacArthur. By 1941 it was now his turn to lead the effort to dismantle the German war machine and to bring the war to a successful conclusion.  

Gen. Eisenhower ran his headquarters with a team-first mentality. He considered the British, French, Canadians, Norwegians, Polish and even Soviets as comrades rather than foreigners. These nations that had suffered through Hitler’s subjugation would be key elements to achieve total victory.  

By the spring of 1944, the war plans were laid to invade Nazi-occupied Europe from England.  Major weaponry and reinforcements of soldiers, primarily from the United States, were sent to England to reinforce Eisenhower’s Operation Overlord. To cope with the stress of planning the invasion, Eisenhower smoked over five packets of cigarettes a day. 

Once living in poverty, the military commander had emerged as one of the most powerful men in the world, entrusted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill to change the tides of war in their favor. 

By 1941, Eisenhower had grown into a dependable officer who embodied the necessary skills to work well with the Allies. A talented strategist, he was the right man for the task. Although he was not as battle hardened as Gens. MacArthur or George S. Patton, Eisenhower possessed unique attributes that aided his planning. 

A graduate of U.S. Army Command and General Staff School, he was highly regarded for his writing skills and his clear understanding of fighting campaigns. Eisenhower was not only preparing an immense invasion, but a road map for the continued invasion after getting ashore. Having traveled extensively through France as a younger officer, his past experiences again proved invaluable. 

Always a likable figure, Eisenhower had the unique ability to resolve conflicts amongst his own senior command. His good friend Patton understood the value of this trait for he was a gifted commander but with an uncontrollable temper.

Perhaps Eisenhower’s greatest challenge was seen through his relations with Gen. Charles de Gaulle. This renowned French leader refused to endorse the earliest speeches that called for his people to revolt against the Germans in the name of the Allies. De Gaulle was supported by the Americans and British, but he believed he deserved greater authority over the major fighting in France. Dealing with this French leader was an obstacle only Eisenhower could surmount.

In the days leading up to the D-Day invasion, terrible weather conditions threatened to further delay Eisenhower’s plans. The delays could prove to be catastrophic as the Germans were bound to learn of the true intention of this invasion, where they originally viewed Calais as the key spot that would be assaulted by this cross-channel attack. 

With the weight of the invasion and outcome of the war upon his shoulders, Eisenhower ordered 1,213 naval combat ships to move across the channel. 132,000 soldiers, stocked with supplies and equipment of every kind, headed off the Normandy beaches into the interior. By the end of the day, on June 6, 1944, the final chapter of Hitler’s rule was being written as American, British and Canadian soldiers executed Eisenhower’s plans. 

Today, fighting rages on in Ukraine. But the resolve of the United States should never be doubted. On the 78th anniversary of D-Day, America remains a beacon for the world, always there in the darkest hour to oppose tyranny abroad and to prevent its expansion. We must remember the example of Eisenhower, who gave us the road map for a future of peace. 

Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School and adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College. Written in conjunction with members of the high school’s History Honor Society.

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This year's Wet Paint Festival will be held at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm in East Setauket. Photo courtesy of Preservation Long Island

By Melissa Arnold

Since 2004, Gallery North’s annual Wet Paint Festival has invited artists from far and wide to revel in nature’s beauty. For a week or a weekend, artists enjoy each other’s company and a healthy dose of plein air painting — the tricky, constantly changing art of working outdoors.

This year’s festival, scheduled for June 4 and 5, will be held at the historic and picturesque Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Old Post Road in East Setauket and seeks to build upon past events where visitors can watch the artists work and ask questions about their creative process. There will also be the opportunity to tour the Sherwood-Jayne House, go bird watching, enjoy live music and more.

An artist paints plein air at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm. Photo from Preservation Long Island

“The landscape of the show has changed in a variety of ways over the years, not just in location but in the way it’s structured,” said Ned Puchner, executive director of Gallery North. “During the pandemic, people could paint remotely for a two-week period. Last year, we had a few different locations to choose from. This year, we’re returning to the traditional style of having a specific site where everyone will come together and paint for a weekend, with some additional activities for the public to enjoy.”

The Sherwood-Jayne Farm was originally slated to host the Wet Paint Festival in 2020, and planning for the event was nearly complete when the pandemic shut things down.  

“Gallery North reached out to us a few years ago looking to change up the festival from the way it was done in the past,” said Elizabeth Abrams, Assistant Director of Operations and Programs for Preservation Long Island, which cares for the property. “We used to team up with the gallery for an apple festival, and considering we are just down the street from each other, it was natural for us to work together again.”

Preservation Long Island is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting Long Island’s history and culture. Founded in 1948, their focus is on education, advocacy, and the stewardship of historic buildings and artifacts.

Abrams explained that the Sherwood-Jayne House was built in 1730 as an early colonial, lean-to salt box dwelling. The house and surrounding farmland were cared for by the Jayne family for more than 150 years. In 1908, it was acquired by the founder of Preservation Long Island, Howard Sherwood, who lived in the home and displayed a variety of antiques there.

Throughout the weekend, the Sherwood-Jayne House will be open for tours with Preservation Long Island curator Lauren Brincat. Keep an eye out for the Tallmadge wall panels, and the incredibly beautiful wall mural in the parlor that’s meant to look like wallpaper — they are very rare to see, especially on Long Island, Abrams added.

“The house contains a large portion of Howard Sherwood’s personal antique collection and other bits of history from colonial Long Island. This area had a foundational role in American history — exploring the house and its collections are a unique way to learn more about that important time period,” she said.

There will be plenty of outdoor inspiration for the artists at the festival as well. The property is also home to a variety of outbuildings and trails, gorgeous old-growth walnut trees, an apple orchard, and all kinds of wildlife. 

The Four Harbors Audubon Society will lead tours exploring the wildlife and ecology of the area, with a particular focus on local birds. If the barn is open, you might be lucky enough to meet some goats, a few sheep, or an old, sweet white horse named Snowball.

Visitors are free to wander the grounds at their leisure, watch the artists work or ask questions, Puchner said. For those who are feeling shy or not sure what to ask, an artist will offer a guided tour and lead discussions once each day.

“The whole objective of the Wet Paint Festival is to help people understand what goes into the process of creating a painting, and to meet local artists. It’s a great way for someone who has no artistic experience to learn how it all works,” Puchner said.

Nancy Bueti-Randall, pictured in her studio, will join over 40 other artists at this year’s Gallery North Wet Paint Festival.
Photo by Heidi Sutton/TBR News Media

Over 40 artists will be participating this weekend including Nancy Bueti-Randall of Stony Brook who began to paint outdoors as a way to recharge while raising her three children. She’s spent more than 20 years creating and showing her work, which runs the gamut from pictorial to abstract, figures and landscapes. Most of the time, though, she’s painting in her garden or other familiar surroundings.

Sometimes, she’ll start a painting with the idea to focus on one thing, but something else in a landscape will catch her eye instead.

“There are a lot of challenges with plein air painting. It’s very fleeting — a landscape is always changing, even from day to day,” Bueti-Randall explained. “You have to be fast and responsive to what’s going on around you. It’s about becoming engaged with the thing you’re painting. I can get overwhelmed by beauty, and I try to capture the essence of what I’m seeing in a process of give and take.”

Marceil Kazickas of Sands Point considers herself an artistic late bloomer. She started drawing and painting to cope with a health crisis, and found that when she was being creative, she wasn’t in pain. Kazickas prefers to work in oil, which she loves for its luscious, sensual properties.

“When you go outside, there’s an overwhelming amount of information to take in — the views are always changing, the clock is running, and you want to get your design done quickly because the light and shadows are constantly evolving,” she explained. 

“I’m not as focused on painting exactly what I see … People can get caught up in producing a finished, frameable piece of art, but for me it’s exciting to be outside and come up with whatever I can in the short time I’m out there, even if it’s nothing. It’s about the painting process.”

Puchner hopes that the variety of activities, including a scavenger hunt for kids and live music from the Keenan Paul Zach Trio and Tom Killourhy, will appeal to all kinds of people.

“These new additions will give the public the opportunity to enjoy nature, the arts and history all in one place, and our artists will have a fun new location to experiment and be creative in,” he said.

The 18th Annual Wet Paint Festival will be held June 4 and 5 at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm, 55 Old Post Road, East Setauket from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain date is June 18 and 19. The event is free and open to the public. 

All participating artists will have their festival work on display in an exhibit at Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket, from July 7 through Aug 7. A free opening reception will be held at the gallery from on July 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. 

For more information about the festival or to register to paint, visit www.gallerynorth.org or call 631-751-2676. Learn more about Sherwood-Jayne Farm at www.preservationlongisland.org.

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The road leading to the Coindre Hall boathouse. Photo from Leg. Bontempi's office

Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R – 18th L.D.) recently  announced that restoration has begun at the historic Coindre Hall.

“Working with the Coindre Hall Advisory Board, the community, my colleagues in the legislature, and county officials, I am proud to say that we have begun to restore the property to its former glory,” said Bontempi.

“Despite the narrative the rumor mill has continued to push, this land will not – and cannot – be used for any development or commercialization.  Coindre Hall will be preserved for generations to come.”

Coindre Hall’s seawall. Photo from Leg. Bontempi’s office

“A major part of the CHAB’s mission is to restore the property without compromising the overall character of the complex and larger park,” said Bontempi.  “Before the recent restoration work began, Suffolk County secured the necessary DEC permits.  Notice of such permits has been prominently posted on the property for the public to view.  This has been a transparent and cooperative effort.”

Upon completion of the work, a replanting phase will begin to replace any vegetation that may be impacted during the project.  In addition, the wetlands are protected as per DEC guidelines.

“These are pristine wetlands, surrounded by native flora and fauna,” said Bontempi.  “It is of paramount importance that we protect the site’s natural state.”

Some proposed uses of the restored boathouse include establishing a law enforcement station, given the complex and unique location on the shoreline, providing easier access to various points on the waterfront.

“Restoring this Suffolk County park benefits every resident in Suffolk County,” said Bontempi.  “This is a tremendous victory for Suffolk County residents.”

To learn more about the great work done by the members of the community working on the Coindre Hall Advisory Board, please visithttps://www.scnylegislature.us/1187/Coindre-Hall-Advisory-Board. 

 

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Photo from TVHS

The Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket has announced it will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to currently-serving U.S. military personnel and their families this summer. The program will run now through Labor Day, Sept. 5. 

Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and museums across America.

“Museums educate and inspire, cause us to wonder and imagine, dream and remember,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “By participating in the Blue Star Museums program, the Three Village Historical Society is offering military personnel and their families an opportunity to feel connected to the Three Village community and to explore the world through the power of arts, culture and design, contributing to each person being able to live an artful life.”

For more information, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org. 

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File photo by Julianne Mosher

Among the shortages New Yorkers are facing is blood donations.

According to the New York Blood Center in a press release, two months ago, donations began to decline. The center has seen 6,000 fewer donations than earlier in the year.

“This is a disturbing trend after the chronic blood crisis during the pandemic and ran counter to our hope that our communities were returning to normal,” the press release read. “We had seen some promising signs with school blood drives returning and many organizations scheduling blood drives for the first time in two years, yet, our donor centers and community blood drives have seen a decrease of 30%. While there are more convenient blood drives happening, blood donors are just not turning out.”

The New York Blood Center is currently experiencing an inventory of less than
two to three days. Types 0+ and 0- are critically low.

Dr. Linda Mamone, director of Transfusion Services/Blood Bank at Stony Brook Medicine, answered a few questions for TBR News Media about the hospital’s experience.

Stony Brook University Hospital Blood Bank is a collection facility that serves the patients at the hospital with blood and blood products.

Has the Stony Brook University Hospital Blood Bank been experiencing a blood shortage?

We have been closely monitoring our blood inventory throughout the pandemic — and earlier, of course — but we have been fortunate enough to have had a sufficient blood supply for our patients. 

Is there a particular type of blood that there is less of? 

In terms of the four main — ABO — blood groups, O is the most common, followed by A, then B and then AB. Also, many more people are Rh positive than Rh negative. All blood types are critical for donation though.

Why do you think there is a shortage? Is there any way to solve the problem?  

Certain blood products — such as platelets — have a relatively short shelf life, which can lead to significant fluctuations. Historically the summer months and COVID-19 surges have been difficult overall.

It is important to have a diverse group of blood donors, with repeat donors being vital. Another important way to improve the blood supply is to increase awareness about blood donation. This is one option for people who may not be able to directly donate but still want to help.

Do you think people are hesitant to donate blood in a health care facility setting? If so, what is your advice to them?

Some people may be reluctant to donate in a health care facility. However, our donor center has ample space for social distancing and all prospective donors are health screened at the hospital entrance. Our staff maintains adherence to policies instituted to prevent the spread of infectious agents.

The Stony Brook University Hospital Blood Bank is located in the main lobby area of the hospital’s 5th floor in Suite 5000. To schedule an appointment to donate blood or platelets, call 631-444-3662.

New York Blood Center has donor centers at 1010 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station and 905 Walt Whitman Road in Melville. Call 1-800-933-2566 to make an appointment.

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