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MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Huntington Summer Arts Festival returns to Heckscher Park June 25

by TBR Staff - June 24, 2021

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It’s back! The Huntington Arts Council has announced the return of the Huntington Summer Arts Festival from June 25 to Aug. 8. While most events will be held on the Rainbow Chapin Stage in Heckscher Park in Huntington this year, all performances will be streamed via facebook.com/HuntingtonArts/live/ and at www.huntingtonarts.org except where noted.

“We are thrilled to bring a full schedule of both live in person, and streamed performances back to the Huntington Summer Arts Festival!” said Marc Courtade, Executive Director Huntington Arts Council.

“There is a diverse mix of music, theatre and dance, making up this year’s program. Included are new and exciting acts like the Urban Bush Women, as well as mainstays such as the Huntington Community Band.”

The Festival is always a celebratory event for the community, but even more so this year. The Huntington Arts Council is partnering with the Heckscher Museum and featuring a new visual arts component with an event called Art Happenings.

“Each Thursday in July a different artist will join us in the park to create,” explained Courtade. Artists will include Kevin McEvoy, on July 1; Diego Garcia on July 8; Patty Eljaiek on July 15; Marie Saint-Cyr on July 22; and Jan Guarino on July 29. “We are welcoming everyone to this event to create with the artist or simply enjoy viewing the process. There will also be a great display of some of our artist member’s work on banners surrounding the stage grounds.”

“The Huntington Arts Council is so fortunate to be able to provide these cultural experiences to the community. They are at the heart of our mission. We are grateful to the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York Council on the Arts for their ongoing support as well as all of our sponsors including presenting sponsor Canon. We are looking forward to seeing old friends and new!” said Courtade.

The performance schedule from June 25 to July 4 is as follows:

Friday, June 25 — Chapin Family (Tom Chapin, Jen Chapin & Band, The Chapin Sisters) at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 26 — “Forever Plaid” musical by Plaza Theatrical Productions at 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 27 — North Shore Pops Concert Band at 8 p.m.

Tuesday, June 29 — Family Show: Mil’s Trills & Uncle Jumbo’s Extravaganza streamed only at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, June 30 — Huntington Community Band at 8 p.m.

Thursday, July 1

Art Happenings — featuring artist Kevin McEvoy from 4 to 7 p.m.

Huntington Choral Society at 8 p.m.

Friday, July 2 — LADAMA at 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 3 — Andrea McArdle &Donna McKechnie live only at 8 p.m.

Sunday, July 4 — Family Show: Gumbo, Grits & Gravy at 7 p.m.

The Huntington Summer Arts Festival will be held at Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington. Bring seating. For performances through Aug. 8, visit www.huntingtonarts.org.

Both Northport Lacrosse teams win Long Island title on the same day

by TBR Staff - June 23, 2021

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By Steven Zaitz

The Tiger Title Train rolls on — and it is making stops all over Long Island.

On a day that would be considered incredible even by Northport Athletic standards, both the boys and girls lacrosse teams captured Long Island Class A Championships June 19 and together sit atop the Long Island lacrosse universe.

The boys beat Syosset, 11-10, at East Islip, in a match that was as hotly contested as the scorching artificial turf beneath the players’ feet. The raucous crowd, half dressed in red and the other half blue, was deafening from the opening whistle, reacting boisterously to every save, turnover and goal.

The Lady Tigers traveled to Bethpage to take on Massapequa and won in rather casual yet dominating fashion by a 10-6 score. It wasn’t even that close.

The win capped a perfect 19-0 season for the #1 seeded Lady Tigers, who now have two straight Long Island crowns in their trophy case, to go with a New York State title the last time that tournament was played in 2019.

The boys, who floundered around in the beginning of the 2021 season, earned it the hard way with a third seed. They beat perennial top teams Smithtown West and Ward Melville, the latter of which had won the past four county titles. The win against Syosset on Saturday was the Tigers 13th straight.

Tyler Kuprianchick, whose primary function is to take faceoffs, won the James C. Metzger Most Valuable Player Award for the Syosset L.I. title game. He won 65% of his faceoffs during the bracket and over 80% for the year. He also chipped in offensively with a goal on Saturday.

“It’s a blessing to get the M.V.P. of this game, especially because it was for the championship of all of Long Island. It’s so special,” said the fresh-faced Kuprianchick. “My teammates and my coaches have pushed me to be the player I am today.”

He was also pushed by Syosset midfielder Luca Cutolo, but in not such a nurturing manner. In fact, Kuprianchick had to go to the hospital after receiving his M.V.P trophy with a split tongue due to Cutolo’s hit.

“I had to get three stitches in my tongue but winning the Long Island Championship today made it all worth it,” Kuprianchick said. “One hundred percent!”

“Tyler works so hard at his craft and I’m so happy for him,” said Northport Head Coach Larry Cerasi. “He does all those things when nobody is watching, to be the best at what he does – and he is.”

Cerasi, who is in his first year as varsity head coach and took over for longtime coach George Searing, is not looking ahead to what he and his Tigers might do for an encore. Not yet.

“I’m just going to enjoy this moment,” Cerasi said. “I’m really, really proud of this team because we didn’t start the season off too well, but we obviously turned it up as the year progressed to play at this high level.”

Goaltender Andrew Tittmann, who is considered the vocal leader of the team, was spectacular in net for the entire playoffs. He made many difficult, point-blank saves and was aggressive around the crease by shooing away pesky attackers, smartly cutting off angles and making pinpoint outlet passes.

“As a goalie, I see the field in front of me and have the chance to focus on all the matchups,” Tittmann said. “It’s one of my jobs to keep everybody involved, make sure everybody is talking and know what they need to do. Communication is so important in this game, and it brings everyone, offense and defense, closer as a team.”

The Tigers built a 7-4 lead in the first quarter with a dizzying display of offense by both teams.

Midfielder Tristan Triolo opened the scoring for the Tigers four minutes in. Michael Meyer had his customary multiple goal game and Ryan McCarthy, Tim Kirchner and Casey Fortunato helped to build this lead with goals of their own.

But Syosset would not go away. In fact, they would score five of the next six goals, bridging the second and third quarter, to take a one goal lead at 9-8 — the final one in that stretch by Syosset Brave Danny Garone, who had a hat trick on the day.

Despite the heat and fatigue from playing three games in five days, the Tigers had an answer to this.

Jack Helrigel tied the score almost immediately after Garone’s goal. Triolo and Emerson Payne, a defensive midfielder, each scored in the fourth giving Northport a two-goal lead. Payne’s goal was far from pain-free as he lay on the baking turf for close to three minutes after a vicious stick check, again by Cutolo.

“I was running at full speed and so was their defender and he hit me a little high,” Payne said. “I took my shot on goal and didn’t even know the ball went in. When my guys came over to celebrate, I thought they were coming to help me up. But I saw the goalie getting the ball out of the net and I realized that I had scored.”

It was only Payne’s second goal of the year, but what a big one it was. It would be the final goal of a long and ultra-successful season for the Northport Tigers, following up another team that knows a lot about ultra-success — their Lady Tiger counterparts.

Earlier that morning, in a somewhat sleepier setting across county lines in Bethpage, the 18-0 Lady Tigers took on the happy-to be-here Massapequa Chiefs and their less than shiny 6-10 regular season record. It showed, as Northport breezed to a 5-1 lead midway through the second quarter.

“I felt like we controlled the whole game,” head coach Carol Rainson-Rose said. “We went out and got a good lead which helped our confidence.”

Confidence was not in short supply for superstar attackers Kaylie Mackiweicz and Shannon Smith, both juniors. Mackiweicz had four goals and Smith had two, along with a gorgeous assist when she hit Mackiweicz with a perfect lead pass from behind the net.

“We were working well together out there today as an entire unit,” Smith said. “We really practice finding the open person and Kaylie was able to finish on that play, which she usually does.”

Smith is not kidding. Mackiweicz finished with a ridiculous 66 goals for the year, including playoffs, averaging three and a half a game. She credits Rose for putting herself, and the team, in the best position to win.

“Coach Rose is a master of making the right adjustments,” Mackiweicz said. “She pushes you to be the best you can be, and nobody knows this game as well as she does.”

The proof is in the numbers — as well as the trophies. This is Rainson-Rose’s second Long Island Class A title in a row. She won her 13th Suffolk County crown when the Lady Tigers beat Smithtown East last Wednesday, and she is the runaway favorite to win her fourth Long Island Coach of the Year when that is announced — and oh yeah, her team has won 35 games in a row, dating back to 2019.

Isabella Germani had a pair of goals, and Emma Demarco and Emma McLam each had one. Tara Walsh had three assists and Midfielder Ella Cabrera patrolled the field from end to end, which maintained the Lady Tigers territorial advantage for most of the contest.

Massapequa showed signs of mustering an uprising with a goal midway through the second half to cut Northport’s lead to 8-5. But Lady Tiger Goaltender Megan Morris made some key stops and got a little help when the Chiefs had a goal wiped off the board, as there was a player illegally in Morris’s crease.

That would have cut the lead to two with about ten minutes to go. But it stayed at three and became four when Smith scored minutes later. At that point, the rest of the game was a countdown to Rose’s Gatorade shower — which her players were only too happy to administer. It is Rainson-Rose’s ninth Long Island Championship at Northport.

After the win, the newly-crowned Lady Tigers raced over to East Islip to cheer on the boys team. Northport athletes from all different sports have been cheering for each other during this playoff-packed month of June, and Coach Cerasi feels very strongly that the support from the other teams, especially the Lady Tigers, helped push his squad to victory.

“Northport Lacrosse is like a family,” Cerasi said. “After they won, Coach Rose took her team straight to our game to support us. When our boys saw the girls team walk into the bleachers with their uniforms still on, and with their trophy, they got so motivated to follow suit — follow what the girls had done. It was a very special moment and it’s great that both teams are so genuinely proud of what the other was able to accomplish.”

Many other Northport athletes were there to support their classmates in other sports throughout this playoff run and it seems to be part of the D.N.A. of what makes Northport’s athletic achievements so noteworthy.

During this new era of COVID-driven alterations and concessions, the boys basketball team won Suffolk County, the football team won League III, the field hockey team won the Long Island championship, and the boys badminton team won the Suffolk County Championship. All of this winning in a four-month span.

The list goes on with the 2021 successes of both cross-country teams, baseball, softball, wrestling, soccer, volleyball and girls basketball all having successful post-season runs for the White, Blue and Gold.

But it was the Northport Lacrosse program, on a memorable Saturday in June, that put the two final cherries on the Tigers’ championship sundae.

Miller Place street renamed in honor of Chris Pendergast

by Julianne Mosher - June 23, 2021

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pendergast street 2, julianne mosher — The Pendergast family admires the new sign. Photo by Julianne Mosher

The corner of Grandview Boulevard and Lower Rocky Point Road in Miller Place will now have a sign saying Pendergast Path in honor of the street’s former resident and founder of ALS Ride For Life.

Local officials, friends and family joined together on Monday, June 21, next to the street sign to remember Pendergast’s legacy and honor his efforts in the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — a degenerative neurological disease that ultimately leads to a loss of muscle control throughout the body, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Monday was Global ALS Awareness Day.

“What a beautiful day to have this event,” said Ray Manzoni, president of ALS Ride For Life. “We’ve got somebody up there keeping an eye on us.”

Chris Pendergast’s grandson had the honor of unveiling the new sign. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Pendergast died on Oct. 14, 2020, after a 28-year battle with the disease. His nonprofit has helped raise more than $10 million in research for ALS.

During the annual Ride For Life, Pendergast was known to ride his motorized wheelchair hundreds of miles to raise funds and awareness of the disease. His longest ride was 350 miles in two weeks.

“He defied the odds in so many ways, his endurance was remarkable,” Manzoni said. “He was extraordinary.”

Pendergast, a former teacher in the Northport school district, was told he only would have a few years to live after his diagnosis. He beat the odds and spent over two decades educating people on the disease and devoting his life to helping others.

His daughter, Melissa Scriven, told the crowd of people that the ALS Ride For Life board started in their house on Grandview Boulevard. Team meetings were held in the kitchen, and the dining room became an office. In 1991, the family moved to the street and two short years later he was diagnosed.

“Our lives were forever changed — dreams for this new house and our new life were shot,” she said. “But only briefly … his positive attitude and optimism shaped how we would handle this ALS diagnosis. We were a team and we’re going to live with this disease — and live we did.”

Scriven said her father adored this house.

“It’s quite fitting that he lived on Grandview Boulevard,” she said. “My dad would for sure say that he was blessed with a grand view of the goodness of humanity, of the loyalty of friends, of the generosity of strangers and the grandest view of all, the love of his family.”

As part of a street renaming, the Town of Brookhaven requires an individual to have provided the town with an outstanding service.

And that he did.

Councilwoman Jane Bonner embraces Christine Pendergast. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) presented the Pendergast family with a proclamation from the town shortly before the curtain unveiled Pendergast Path. Bonner said she had a special connection to the day’s event.

“My grandfather died from ALS in the early 1980s, long before anybody really knew what ALS was,” she said. “I have learned so much about ALS because of Chris, because of this organization and because of the people with ALS that really don’t ever let you forget that this disease should not be forgotten, that we need a tremendous amount of research dollars.”

She added there is a lot of time to make up due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People need to be as generous as possible because there are many more people suffering and so we must find a cure,” she said. “And I can think of no person that deserves this honor more than Chris.”

Pendergast’s wife, Christine, was honored to have her husband’s name across the green sign.

“I think he would be grinning ear to ear,” she told TBR News Media. “He took his ALS bike to the streets, literally, and we now have a street named after him. I think it’s a very fitting way to honor him and his work.”

Boulevard Avenue renamed after the Greenlawn’s Pickle King

by Kimberly Brown - June 21, 2021

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Elected officials and ancestors of Pickle King Samuel Bollton, above, were on hand for a street sign unveiling June 16. Photo by Kimberly Brown

To honor Greenlawn’s famous historical resident, Samuel Ballton, also known as the Pickle King, the Town of Huntington renamed Boulevard Avenue after the former slave on Wednesday, June 16, ahead of the Juneteenth holiday.

Members of the town’s African-American Historic Designation Council and ancestors of Ballton gathered with town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) and others to commemorate the contributions made by Ballton that aided in the development of the hamlet in the 19th century.

“He was a self-made man,” said Councilwoman Joan Cergol (D). “He represented entrepreneurship, skill and goodness, all during a time when the odds were stacked against him.”

As the crowd counted down from 19 to pay tribute to Juneteenth, Carl Ballton — Samuel Ballton’s great-great-grandchild — pulled off a cover to reveal the new street sign for the road that will now be known as Samuel Ballton Way.

Despite being born into slavery on a Virginia plantation in 1838, Ballton was able to flee from his confinement and rescue his wife, Rebecca, making his way up to Greenlawn in 1873.

“The first thing that impressed me about Sam was the love he had for his wife Rebecca,” Carl Ballton said. “It was a love that caused him to risk his life to free her from slavery. He was a great family man.”

After he arrived in the Huntington area, Samuel Ballton worked as a tenant farmer for Alexander Gardiner, a wealthy landowner who farmed cucumbers.

With Gardiner’s help, Ballton was able to save up enough money to purchase his own farmland, where he would eventually become one of Huntington’s most influential cucumber farmers.

Growing over a million and a half cucumbers for pickling in one year, Ballton rightfully earned his unofficial title as the Pickle King.

“We often get asked, why pickles?” said Town Clerk Andrew Raia (R). “Well, back in the day, the largest farmers market was in Queens and thin-skinned vegetables could not survive the two-to-three-day carriage ride in the hot sun. So, Sam and others came up with the idea of pickling their produce.”

Pickled cucumbers were the main reason why Ballton’s produce stood out when brought to market. His produce had the capability to last months, instead of going bad in just a few days.

Sadly, a blight soon attacked Huntington’s farms, ruining the town’s crops, but Ballton was able to find a variety that was resistant to it and shared it with his community.

“In today’s day and age, I’m sure that scientists would make you pay a lot of money to get that strain, but not Sam,” Raia said. “Sam gladly showed other farmers how to plant their crops. For Sam, it was always about community.”

Even today, Huntington is still known for its pickles and cabbages. Every September, Greenlawn hosts a pickle festival to educate residents about the history of farming in Huntington.

Editorial: Never forget

by TBR Staff - June 20, 2021

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Transit-workers-covid-memorial-Bridget-Fleming_061221_ritajegan5 — On June 12, Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming led a memorial event for public transit workers who lost their lives to COVID-19. Photo by Rita J. Egan

This past Saturday at a memorial honoring the Suffolk and Nassau transportation workers who lost their lives to COVID-19, speakers touched on the idea that our definition of what makes a worker essential has evolved over the past 15 months.

We have always recognized the heroic acts of people such as firefighters and police officers who save and protect us when we are in danger. We respect the work that health professionals and EMT workers and volunteers provide when we or loved ones are sick or injured. However, the pandemic brought to the forefront many we have overlooked previously in our everyday lives.

To think, for more than a year, truckers and grocery store employees have gone out every workday, taking the chance that they may be exposed to a virus that could hospitalize or even kill them or their loved ones, just to make sure we had food on our tables.

Then there were the home health care professionals, who continued to care for their patients inside their homes, despite the risks, and our utility workers who kept the lights on and the water flowing.

Journalists continued to be there to keep everybody abreast of what was going on in the world, whether about the virus, restrictions, politics and so much more, some even standing in the middle of protests.

And of course, the public transportation workers were there to make sure that those professionals and so many others who were unable to work from home were able to get to their offices and stores every day. When one doesn’t have a car, a train or bus can make the difference between getting a paycheck or not.

How many people in their everyday lives can remember on occasion rushing around and maybe not showing such workers the respect they deserve. Maybe it was being short tempered with a cashier because the line was long or an item was missing a price tag or driving too fast as workers were repairing a road thereby putting them in danger.

Adversity can bring with it many lessons, appreciating those who make our day a bit easier is one we hope all will remember as our country continues on the road to normalcy. It’s essential for everyone to have some sort of income to afford the necessities of life, but there are some whose work is essential in keeping us alive and healthy beyond the roles we once recognized.

We salute them all.

Brookhaven National Lab celebrates top science fair students

by Press Release - June 19, 2021

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Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton hosted a virtual Elementary Science Fair awards ceremony on June 4. Suffolk County students from kindergarten through sixth grade who garnered first place and honorable mentions in the 2021 Elementary Science Fair Competition were honored.

Volunteer judges considered a total 184 science projects by students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Seven students earned first place in their grade level for stand-out experiments Fifteen students received honorable mentions for their experiments. Students qualify for Brookhaven Lab’s competition by winning science fairs held by their schools.

Students who earned first place in their grade level received medals and ribbons, along with banners to hang at their school to recognize the achievement. Here are the winners and their projects:

Kindergartener Violet Radonis of Pines Elementary, Hauppauge Public Schools, “Which Mask You Ask? I Am on the Task.”

First grader Ashleigh Bruno, Ocean Avenue Elementary, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Rain, Rain Go Away”

Second grader Celia Gaeta, Miller Avenue School, Shoreham-Wading River Central School District, “How the Moon Phases Affect Our Feelings”

Third grader Emerson Gaeta, Fort Salonga Elementary, Kings Park Central School District, “Can You Hear Me Through My Mask?”

Fourth grader Matthew Mercorella, Sunrise Drive Elementary, Sayville Public Schools, “Shh…I Can’t Hear”

Fifth grader Grace Rozell, Ocean Avenue School, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Edible Experiments”

Sixth grader Patrick Terzella, Hauppauge Middle School, Hauppauge Public Schools, “Too Loud or Not Too Loud?”

View all science fair projects: https://flic.kr/p/2kZPtqY

Finding fun in the scientific process

This is the second year that the Office of Educational Programming (OEP) at Brookhaven Lab organized a virtual science fair to ensure that local students had the opportunity to participate safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each year, the competition offers thousands of students a chance to gain experience — and have fun — applying the scientific method. The Brookhaven Lab event recognizes the achievement of the students in winning their school fair and acknowledges the best of these projects.

“The Brookhaven Lab Elementary School Science Fair encourages students to utilize the scientific method and answer a question that they have independently developed,” said Amanda Horn, a Brookhaven Lab educator who coordinated the virtual science fair.

Students tackled a wide range of questions with their experiments, including exploring how the moon phases affect our feelings to testing different materials, investigating how to improve their at-home internet connection, and finding safe masks for their friends and families.

First grader Ashleigh Bruno, who garnered a top spot for an experiment on acid rain, evaluated the pH levels in local water sources to learn if animals could live safely within them.

“I was really happy because I learned how to test the water and it was really fun to do with my family,” Bruno said.

Third grader Emerson Gaeta explored whether wearing a frame with different kinds of face masks could improve how we hear people who are speaking while wearing a mask. She used a foam head equipped with a speaker to measure how loud sounds came through the masks.

“I was here once before and I didn’t win,” Gaeta said. “Now I won first place so I’m really happy about that.”

Fourth grader Matthew Mercorella said he was excited to learn of his first-place win for his experiment seeking to find the best sound-proofing material. He found the best part of his project to be the process of testing materials by playing music through a speaker placed inside of them to see which put out the lowest and highest decibels.

“It encourages the students to think like a scientist and share their results with others,” said Horn. “Our goal is to provide students with an opportunity to show off their skills and share what they have learned.”

Honorable Mentions:

Kindergarten
Carmen Pirolo, Bellerose Avenue Elementary, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Egg Shells and Toothpaste Experiment”
Filomena Saporita, Ocean Avenue Elementary, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Rainbow Celery”

First Grade
Evelyn Van Winckel, Fort Salonga Elementary, Kings Park Central School District, “Is Your Mouth Cleaner Than A Dog’s?”
Taran Sathish Kumar, Bretton Woods Elementary, Hauppauge Public School District, “Scratch and Slide”

Second Grade
Luke Dinsman, Dickinson Avenue School, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “What Makes a Car Go Fast?”
Adam Dvorkin, Pulaski Road School, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Salty Sourdough”
Lorenzo Favuzzi, Ivy League School, “Prime Time”

Third Grade
Ethan Behrens, Tangier Smith Elementary, William Floyd School District, “Deadliest Catch”
Anna Conrad, Dayton Avenue School, Eastport-South Manor Central School District, “Hello Paper Straws”

Fourth Grade
Michael Boyd, Cherry Avenue Elementary, Sayville Public Schools, “Utility Baby”
Michaela Bruno, Ocean Avenue Elementary, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, “Weak Wi-Fi, Booster Benefit”

Fifth Grade
Hailey Conrad, Dayton Avenue School, Eastport-South Manor Central School District, “Breathing Plants”
Rebecca Bartha, Raynor Country Day School, “Natural Beauty Makes a Better Buffer”
Colin Pfeiffer, Tamarac Elementary, Sachem Central School District, “Turn Up the Heat”

Sixth Grade
Akhil Grandhi, Hauppauge Middle School, Hauppauge Public School District, “Which Fruit or Vegetable Oxidizes the Most in Varied Temperature?”

For more information, visit www.bnl.gov.

Fun ways to celebrate Father’s Day this year

by TBR Staff - June 19, 2021

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Father’s Day presents an opportunity for people to honor the special men in their lives. These include not only dads, but father figures and other influential men who offer care and guidance to the people they love. Many celebrations continue to look different than they were prior to the pandemic, and Father’s Day festivities may still require some modifications this year, even if celebrations are not governed by the same restrictions as in 2020. The following are some ways to show dads they are appreciated.

Backyard bash

Restrictions on outdoor gatherings have eased up considerably in many areas. Outdoor parties are some of the safer ways to bring people together, particularly if attendees maintain their distance. Weather permitting, families can host barbecues and enlist someone other than Dad to man the grill. Serve foods buffet-style and space out tables so people can safely celebrate.

Plan a sports outing

Professional sports teams are once again welcoming fans to stadiums and other venues, albeit with reduced capacities to maintain safety. It may be possible to purchase tickets to an upcoming game and surprise Dad or Grandpa with tickets on Father’s Day. Make Father’s Day festivities sports-centric, with coordinated decorations and themed foods to set the scene.

Plan a game day

Whether your father likes board games, video games or crossword puzzles, gear Father’s Day around fun and games. Let Dad lead the way and choose the activity, and then everyone can step away from their screens and come together at the table over jigsaw puzzles or trivia questions.

Host a beer tasting

If Dad is a beer lover, organize a trip to a local craft brewery to sample their offerings. If establishments are closed or still restricting indoor seating, pick up beers from a few different breweries and create a flight at home.

Set up an outdoor movie night

Perfect for a father who is a movie buff, borrow or purchase a projector and show a movie on an outdoor screen or against a blank outdoor wall. Select one of Dad’s favorite movies to watch and invite friends and family to join in on the fun. Make sure there are refreshments at the ready and plenty of hot popcorn. Celebrating Father’s Day this year may require some ingenuity, but there is still fun to be had.

Happy Father’s Day from Times Beacon Record News Media!

Huntington Blue Devils hunt down Northport Tigers

by TBR Staff - June 19, 2021

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Number 1 seed advances to conference finals against Bay Shore

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By Steven Zaitz

The Huntington High School Baseball team rode a nine run first inning and cruise to a 13-6 victory over Northport on Wednesday. They will face Bay Shore in the finals Friday for the Conference II championship.

Dylan Schnitzer, who was four for five on the day, hit an opposite field, two run homer in that first inning and lefty starting pitcher Palmer O’Beirne was rock solid going 4 1/3 innings striking out seven.

Tiger third basement Owen Johansen hit a grand slam homer late in the game, but it was not enough as the Blue Devils improved their record to 17-2.

Engeman Theater celebrates reopening with summer concert series

by Melissa Arnold - June 18, 2021

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Shades of Buble — Shades of Bublé, a three-man tribute to Michael Bublé, heads to the Engeman on July 25.

By Melissa Arnold

It’s been an agonizingly long year for lovers of the arts as the COVID-19 pandemic canceled concerts, closed galleries and darkened theaters everywhere.

At the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, owners Richard T. Dolce and Kevin O’Neill have shouldered the burden of keeping the venue afloat and adapting to ever-changing safety guidelines.

“A part of running a business like this is being aware of risks where people wouldn’t be able to come to the theater,” said O’Neill, the theater’s managing director. “I’d been watching COVID spread since January of 2020, and I knew it was going to get ugly here. The last thing we wanted was to find out after the fact that one of our Saturday matinees ended up being one of those super-spreader events.”

Artistic director Richard T. Dolce recalled his last meeting with actors and the uncertainty they struggled with at the time.

Adam Pascal heads to the Engeman on Aug. 14

“We were in rehearsals for [a Main Stage production] in the city, and I went in on the 13th of March. The day before, Governor Cuomo had shut down Broadway. The show was ready to go on, and I said goodbye to the cast, saying we would take it day by day and see how it went. Not long after, we realized we weren’t going to reopen. It was difficult, because we had no idea what was going on.”

Of course, weeks turned into months of waiting. Fortunately, the theater was able to receive some financial support through federal small business relief loans. The community was eager to help as well.

“Everyone has been so incredibly kind and understanding, and we didn’t have a lot of refund requests — people wanted to continue to support us,” O’Neill said. “We’ve worked hard to build strong relationships with our patrons over the last 14 years, and it really felt like we were in it together.”

With the building unoccupied for the foreseeable future, it was also a good time to do some sprucing up. The Engeman now has a high-tech ventilation system that ionizes and purifies the air, a new stage deck, fresh carpets, new bar equipment and renovated bathrooms.

While the Main Stage productions have been postponed until September, the theater is ready to open again at full capacity for fully-vaccinated patrons on July 9 with a Summer Concert Series featuring a variety of musicians and other performing artists for one or two performances apiece. The series has a little something for everyone, from show tunes to crooners, folk rock and even comedy.

A few highlights include cabaret/jazz artist Carole J. Bufford honoring revolutionary women artists including Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, Carole King and Cher in “You Don’t Own Me: Fearless Females of the ‘60s and ‘70s” on July 10; Comedy Nights on July 15, July 24 and Aug. 26; “Shades of Bublé” will make you swoon with a three-man tribute to classic swing icon Michael Bublé on July 25; “Jersey Boys and Girls” will celebrate the best of the Garden State: Frank Sinatra, the Four Seasons, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston and more on Aug. 5 and 6; “Adam Pascal: So Far” welcomes the Broadway veteran for songs and stories from more than 25 years onstage on Aug. 14; and “Rock ‘n’ Radio” will feature more than 80 years of chart-topping pop hits on Aug. 19.

The theater’s reopening is also a time for families with young children to rejoice, as children’s theater returns on July 24 to Aug. 29 with Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. and teenagers can enjoy Heathers the Musical on July 31 and Aug. 1. Two sessions of Musical Theater Camp are also returning (July 5 to 30 and Aug. 2 to 27).

From the box office to the stage, the Engeman staff is beyond ready for the busy weekend crowds and the energetic crackle of a great performance.

“It feels wonderful to be back at the theater! Although as management we were working from home during the height of the pandemic and we all saw each other on our weekly Zoom meeting, there is something so special about being back together again. It feels like a kind of rebirth,” said box office manager Phyllis Molloy.

“The phone hasn’t stopped ringing since we opened the doors. Our patrons are excited that we are back and they are really looking forward to the [summer lineup]. They have wanted to chat and catch up,” said Molloy. “For me, it’s nice to be able to book them into upcoming performances and say ‘See you soon.’ I’m looking forward to the opening evening and seeing all their familiar faces back in the theater.”

The John W. Engeman Theater is located at 250 Main Street, Northport. For the full summer schedule and to purchase tickets, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. Please note: As of press time, proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required for all patrons 16 and older to enter.

Northport lacrosse doubles its pleasure

by TBR Staff - June 17, 2021

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Northport boys, girls win Suffolk County Titles at home on same day

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By Steven Zaitz

The Northport Tigers boys lacrosse team joined their female counterparts by winning the Suffolk County championship on Wednesday, June 16. They beat Ward Melville by a score of 8-6

Casey Fortunato, Mike Meyer and Dylan McNaughton all scored two goals apiece as the Tigers overcame an early three goal deficit. They will play Syosset on Saturday, July 19, in Bethpage for the Long Island High School Championship.

Earlier that same afternoon, the Northport Lady Tigers beat Smithtown East in a 9-8 thriller. Emma Demarco scored the winning goal with less than three minutes to go in the game. They will face the Nassau County champion Massapequa on Saturday as well.

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Huntington Summer Arts Festival returns to Heckscher Park June 25

Both Northport Lacrosse teams win Long Island title on the same day

Miller Place street renamed in honor of Chris Pendergast

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Editorial: Never forget

Brookhaven National Lab celebrates top science fair students

Finding fun in the scientific process

Fun ways to celebrate Father’s Day this year

Huntington Blue Devils hunt down Northport Tigers

Engeman Theater celebrates reopening with summer concert series

Northport lacrosse doubles its pleasure

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