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Times of Huntington-Northport

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By Toni-Elena Gallo

With President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign, major players in the Democratic Party, including the president, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the 2024 Democratic presumptive presidential candidate.

As a result, TBR News Media had a question for locals: “How will this change impact the race to the presidency?”

— Photos by Toni-Elena Gallo

Kaylee and Emily, Ronkonkoma

Both girls expressed shock, but excitement, at the decision.

“I couldn’t believe it, I just found out,” Emily said.

Kaylee thinks that Harris’ presidential bid has given hesitant voters an “opportunity” to vote for a candidate possibly more competent than Biden, and more competent and likable than former President Donald Trump (R).

“Kamala running has made this election more competitive and serious than before,” she added.

Kaylee also voiced that she thinks Harris will “surprise people” during the upcoming debates with her intelligence.

Vic and Sheila Meneghini, Ronkonkoma

Grandparents to Smithtown school district students, Vic and Sheila Meneghini expressed the opinion that if “Kamala stays the nominee, there won’t be much of a difference [in voter choice] because of her alignment with Biden.”

They think that more women may vote, as Harris has the chance to be our first woman president.

The couple, additionally, shared that voting for Harris will probably be more enticing than voting for Biden, if you are a Democrat, which will affect some change, regarding voting turnout.

Vic, however, doesn’t think there’ll be much movement in voting, “as people have already made up their minds” if they are going to vote Democrat or Republican.

Vic and Sheila declined for their picture to be taken or other personal information to be included.

Eric and Cole, Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Eric, a Stony Brook University visitor, is “glad someone [who is of advancing years] isn’t going to be in office anymore. But, I don’t really have a big political view.”

As someone in his 20s, he would appreciate younger presidential options.

In addition, Eric feels people are likely to vote for the wrong or shallow reasons — because they view the election as a popularity contest, don’t like the candidates as people, and vice versa.

He wants to see people focus “on the issues,” as he is a “middle-class guy” who wants to live a decent and prosperous life.

Neither candidate “is doing anything to help me, right now,” he said.

Cole echoed his friend Eric’s sentiments, saying, “It is interesting to have a different face, who is not as old, and will stir the pot a little bit. But whatever these candidates do is not really going to affect my day-to-day life much at the end of the day.”

David, Long Island

David thinks that this change will encourage “more women and people of color to vote.”

Also, he expressed that making Harris the Democratic nominee “will give the [party] a better chance of beating Trump,” but he does not foresee any major developments coming in the wake of Biden’s decision.

David declined for his picture to be taken or other personal information to be included.

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Person utilizing coding software on a computer. Pixabay photo

By Aramis Khosronejad

With the rise of artificial intelligence and the seemingly ever-changing technological world, the main question coming from educators and parents is how the new generation is going to adapt and thrive in the dawn of this new era. Stony Brook University’s new summer camp aims to prepare them.

Located in the university’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology, the program is a collaboration between Stony Brook and Sunrise Technology.

The program has yielded extremely impressive results and received international attention, attracting students from as far as Hong Kong. This largely has to do with the outreach program managed by Rong Zhao, the director of Stony Brook’s CEWIT, which strives to engage students from local high schools on Long Island. Zhao said that the “demonstration” of the self-driving car models “is the biggest attraction.”

The camp is important, according to Zhao, because it shows students that such advanced technology such as self-driving cars and AI isn’t something to fear. “[It isn’t] this mystical, futuristic thing … it’s tangible … [the students] think, ‘Wow, I can code this.’ It is, in the end, the future generation that we’re helping.”

By teaching students to understand that advanced technologies such as AI aren’t something far off into the future but is our current reality, the camp aims to prepare the new generations to adapt to this inevitable future.

According to a report in Forbes by MIT and Boston University, AI will replace as many as 2 million manufacturing workers by 2025. With such rapidly approaching change, preparing the new generation to adapt to this future is paramount. This kind of preparation is exactly what this interactive AI summer camp aims to do, according to Zhao.

Yu Sun, founder and CEO of Sunrise Technology, explained in an interview with TBR News Media how the camp works. It consists of three main activities for students: Lectures where students will listen to a professor speak on the coding process; computer labs where students will be able to apply what they learned from the lectures; and lastly, a project where students will develop and deploy their own self-driving car models.

The program will “give the students an idea of how these self-driving programs work using their own unique design, which also keeps them engaged,” Sun said. She believes that, regardless of whether parents or students are interested in STEM, “AI is such an up-and-coming buzz and parents want students to be exposed to this field.”

“How can we turn this into an educational opportunity which will have a real impact?” Zhao asked. The future is here already, and teaching students how to thrive and adapt to it is essential.

The program spans over two sessions: The first consisted of two weeks from July 8 to 19, and the second session will consist of another two weeks from Aug. 5 to 16. Students from 9th to 12th grade are eligible for the summer camp.

There are very few prerequisites for this program. The second session of the program is still available for any interested high school students.

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Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
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Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli
Alex Kelly competes in the long jump for Princeton University. Photos courtesy Rich Acritelli

By Rich Acritelli

“The goal is always to work the hardest.” Track and  field standout – Jasmine Moore

Rocky Point resident Alexandra “Alex” Kelly, a gifted, 20-year-old athlete, had the opportunity to compete in the 2024 Olympic Trials June 21. There, she was placed 21st in the Women’s Long Jump Qualification – Group 1. She has gained valuable knowledge watching the preparation of other top athletes on the national stage.

Reuben Jones, assistant women’s track and field coach at Princeton University, said, “Alex is one of the all-time most physically-gifted athletes I have ever coached in my 14 years in the Ivy League and the last eight with Princeton. Alex can raise her game to meet the level of any competition. Before she graduates, she can surpass the 22-foot mark in the long jump and the 45-foot mark for the triple jump.”

In 2022, Kelly graduated from Rocky Point High School as an honor student, with a 101 GPA, who enjoyed singing in the chorus and working as lifeguard at her local beach.

As an eighth grader, she was still somewhat new to athletics but still broke the long and triple jump records at the high school.

During COVID-19, every athlete was stopped in their tracks. But, being the positive individual she is, Kelly took this period in stride, and realized that it could be an opportunity for growth. She prioritized her leg health, and never stopped training.

For a time, Kelly ran the 4×100 meter relay, and while she liked this event with her teammates, she stopped running this discipline to devote more time to jumping. To stay in shape, she ran sprints and had a strenuous lifting regimen. All of this training paid dividends as Kelly kept establishing new jumping records, and finished first in New York State championships in the triple jump during the 2021-22 winter and spring track seasons.

Right before high school graduation, Kelly was New Balance Nationals champion in the triple jump, held at the University of Pennsylvania.

As this remarkable athlete successfully competed at the highest levels of track and field in high school, Kelly was aggressively recruited by Columbia, Dartmouth, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford and both the Air Force and Naval academies.

For Kelly, Princeton University was the perfect distance away from home. She is majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology, and minoring in the history of science technology and medicine. Kelly is equally as dedicated to her academics.

During her freshman season, Kelly quickly cemented her presence on the Princeton team, as she helped the school earn three Ivy League titles.

This special athlete has some current time to see her family and friends, but she looks forward to her junior season when she will return to Princeton as a captain.

A goal-oriented student-athlete who has her eyes set on attaining her education and the pursuit of athletics brilliance, she will keep being a role model to other younger women and will surely continue to make the North Shore proud of her accomplishments.

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Keynote speaker Rosalie Simon at the podium. Photo courtesy of Town of Huntington
Over 70 guests attended the July 19th ceremony. Photo courtesy of Town of Huntington
Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth with keynote speaker Rosalie Simon. Photo from Town of Huntington
Toby Tobias sings to over 70 guests at the Anne Frank Memorial Garden in Melville on July 19. Photo courtesy of Town of Huntington
Keynote speaker Rosalie Simon at the podium. Photo courtesy of Town of Huntington
Harry Arlin shared his story at the ceremony. Photo courtesy of Town of Huntington
The Anne Frank Memorial Sculpture by Thea Lanzisero
Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth with keynote speaker Rosalie Simon. Photo from Town of Huntington

Keynote speaker was Holocaust survivor Rosalie Simon with music by Toby Tobias

Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth, in conjunction with the Suffolk YJCC, hosted the Town of Huntington’s 13th Annual Anne Frank Memorial Ceremony on July 19. The event took place at Arboretum Park in Melville, home of the Anne Frank Memorial Garden.

The ceremony was held mid-way between Anne Frank’s June 12th birthday and the August 4th date of her capture. Frank would have been 94 this year. Frank died in 1945 at the age of 15 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.

This year’s event featured Holocaust survivor Rosalie Simon, and students, Alexa Nissenbaum and Chloe Swartz, who participated in Suffolk Y JCC’s Names, Not Numbers program, a unique program where students learn to combine research, journalism, and video production to capture and share the stories of Holocaust survivors so that they are never forgotten. 

The ceremony also featured special musical guest, South African-born guitarist, and composer Toby Tobias. Tobias shared his stories of hope through music, during a time of war and upheaval across three continents, from Johannesburg to Jerusalem — then here in the United States.

Commander Harry Arlin and members of Jewish War Veterans Post #488 provided a color guard to present the colors for the ceremony while Rabbi Jeff Clopper of Temple Beth El in Huntington led the prayers.

“Every year, we strive to make this event memorable and thought provoking. This year is no different. What happened to Anne Frank, her family, and all victims and survivors of the Holocaust could have happened to anyone, at any point in time,” said Superviser Smyth. 

“Abroad today, in places like Ukraine. At home, with targeted attacks against different groups and the population at large. We must counter the voices that seek to divide us. We can teach love, acceptance, and unity. We can and should resolve ignorance with education,” Smyth added.

The Anne Frank Memorial Garden, was unveiled by the Town in June 2010 at Arboretum Park. The park 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.

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

When we don’t know how to reprogram our remote control for our garage, search engines like Google can not only offer a written explanation, but can also provide videos with step by step guides that make even the least mechanical people — okay, me —barely competent.

Yes, I can change most light bulbs. Let me rephrase that: I can change most conventional light bulbs. For whatever reason, the fluorescent ones that require turning them at exactly the right angle befuddle me.

Google can also help us find ways to improve our daughter’s softball swing, can explain the Pythagorean Theorem, and can give us quizzes to help us prepare for important exams in school.

When we don’t know the history of an important event, when we want to find some information about someone before we go to a job interview, or when we are curious about what other movies someone who looks vaguely familiar in a streaming show has also been in, we can type their names and find instant answers.

And yet, shockingly, Google and other search engines have their limitations.

Search engines connect the words we’re looking for to the information, or misinformation, available online. These engines don’t have a fact filter, a scientifically proven filter, or an incontrovertible truth filter. It’s up to us to decide whether what we see or read is valid.

In fact, I would advocate for a high school class on information vs. misinformation, giving students a chance to think for themselves to spot online fakes. Most teenagers and 20-somethings, for example, can spot an altered photograph based on the unusual shape of an arm, different shading patterns, or, perhaps, a turn in a shoulder that defies our normal biological range of motion.

When people are in panic mode about a rash, the sudden onset of vague symptoms — a high fever, fatigue and muscle aches, perhaps — they sometimes race to plug those symptoms in to a search engine in the hopes of self diagnosing.

While that might save them the trouble of going to an emergency room in the middle of the night, where they could have to wait hours to see a medical professional, the use of a search engine can also create unnecessary anxiety and frustration or provide a false sense of security.

A search engine diagnosis that indicates you or your loved one might have some horrific disease likely raises your blood pressure and may cause you to drive erratically to a hospital.

A friend of ours once received a horrific call that his daughter was injured at school. During a long and excruciatingly painful drive through the night, he set his cruise control to the speed limit, despite his urge to drive 100 miles per hour. He recognized that he wouldn’t do himself, his family or his daughter any good by getting into a car accident or endangering the lives of others on the road during that painful trip. Fortunately, his daughter made a complete recovery.

Such rational thinking on the part of someone in intense distress, however, may not apply when people make a search engine diagnosis.

Recently, I spoke with Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, about several different viruses. I suggested to her that the symptoms for different conditions seemed remarkably similar, with the kinds of general physical discomfort, fever, and aches dominating the list, making it difficult to come up with an accurate diagnosis. 

“That’s why Dr. Google is not the right answer,” Dr. Nachman said.

For illnesses or symptoms that rise to the level of genuine concern, people should consult physicians who can test for a range of potential problems, ruling out conditions until they come up with an informed diagnosis.

In some cases, time is of the essence, with drugs like Paxlovid providing effective relief for Covid-19 within a limited time window, or Ttaamiflu offering the most effective benefit for people with the flu within 48 hours of the beginning of symptoms.

And, while Google may help with your science homework, the search engine may prove especially useful in directing you to experts at hospitals or urgent care centers who can interpret your symptoms and offer an informed diagnosis.

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Photo from Staller Center Facebook

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

It may be summer, but the livin’ certainly hasn’t been easy. Events have been like rapid tidal waves breaking against the news shore. First came the fumbling performance by President Biden in his televised debate with ex-President Trump. Just as we were coming to some sort of terms with that, there was an assassination attempt on Trump’s life, with a bullet from a high powered rifle nicking his right earlobe as he began his speech at a rally in Pennsylvania. Millions of dollars then poured into his campaign chest. 

Next came Biden’s withdrawal, after his adamant refusal to do so, from running for re-election. That was quickly followed by Vice President Kamala Harris announcing her bid for the presidency a mere 105 days before the vote. She immediately garnered support from many other Dems and a rapid accumulation of millions of campaign dollars. Speculation about who her vice presidential choice might be now dominates the news. Somewhere in the midst of those events was the GOP National Convention and the announcement of JD Vance as Trump’s running mate.

It’s been a remarkable past month, and as the news has see-sawed between the parties, many have reacted with anxiety. I can suggest an antidote.

Go see the nightly selection of movies at the Stony Brook Film Festival at the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University. This year is the 29th such offering, and you can judge what Alan Inkles, the director, and his talented staff call “the best in new and independent films.” It is a contest, and we, the audience, decide the winners. There were initially over 2000 entries that the staffers pared down, and until it ends Saturday night, there is still time for enjoying the program. Tonight and tomorrow will feature two movies, each preceded by a short. Saturday, July 27, the closing night, there will be one short, one full length movie and then a presentation of awards to the winners.

To me, movies are magic carpets that take us away from our lives to other worlds. We meet new people in different situations, whose stories may make us laugh or tear up, and we go back home somehow aired out. One we saw was “The Strangers’ Case,” a moving story about the terrified society enduring the Syrian Civil War, as Assad’s forces want to squelch the rebels, and the desperate people who try to flee. We view their plight as they become refugees in another country, strangers in a strange land, risking their lives on rubber rafts over open ocean to get there.

The convenience of attending this festival is top notch. Parking in the adjoining garage is ample and free, and the drive to the Center and back home takes mere minutes and is usually without traffic. Admission is reasonable, and there is pleasure in experiencing the movie with neighbors as a community. And, as in all good movie theaters, snacks are sold in the lobby. I even enjoyed my favorite ice cream pop, an almond-crusted coffee toffee delight, one night during intermission.

Another way to escape the inevitable current events stress is with immersion in a family visit. That, of course, assumes we don’t start talking politics at the dinner table. It just so happens that two of my sons have birthdays two days apart and right around the time the Film Festival opens, and so we get a double distraction from the news. They come, with my daughters-in-law, and we celebrate together.

Each of us has our particular task. One of my daughters-in-law decorates the house with Happy Birthday banners. Another makes her fluffy chocolate-covered cupcakes to host the candles. My job is to provide the food — their favorite dishes, of course — and to fulfill any specific request for a birthday cake. This year’s star selection was a banana cream pie. We happily endured the annual sugar rush that ensued.

As you might guess, after the family leaves, we all go on diets.

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Pixabay photo

If you solemnly swear you are up to no good, six museums in the Town of Huntington invite wizards and muggles to celebrate Harry Potter’s summer birthday with exciting events from July 30 to August 11. Highlights include scavenger hunts, crafts, presentations, and Harry Potter-themed treats. Don’t miss out on the fun and magical experiences waiting for you!

Participating museums include the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium in Cold Spring Harbor, the Huntington Historical Society’s Conklin Barn in Huntington, the Northport Historical Society, the Walt Whitman Birthplace Museum in Huntington Station, The Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor, and the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport.

Schedule of Events

COLD SPRING HARBOR FISH HATCHERY & AQUARIUM, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor, www.cshfishhatchery.org

August 1 to 4 —  Scavenger Hunt and Craft

Go on a scavenger hunt to find magical creatures. Choose a Hogwarts pet and make a cat, rat or toad craft to take home. Free with admission.

 

HUNTINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S CONKLIN BARN, 2 High Street, Huntington, www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org

July 30 at 10 a.m. — Herbology Exploration

Herbology is the study of magical and mundane plants and fungi, and was a required class taught at Hogwarts by Professor Sprout. Come learn about how herbs similar to the ones in the wizarding world are used in our world, both in the past and the present! For ages 5 to 11. Free, registration required.

August 7 at 10 a.m. — Owl Presentation

We all know about the importance of owls as magical creatures delivering posts and parcels in the wizarding world. Harry’s owl Hedwig and Ron Weasley’s owl Pigwidgeon were great companions to our young wizards. Join us to learn some interesting facts about the owls in our own world! For ages 5 to 11. Free, registration required by visiting www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

 

NORTHPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 215 Main Street, Northport, www.northporthistorical.org

July 31 to August 4 — Harry Potter-Themed Scavenger Hunt:

Visit the Northport Historical Society Wednesdays to Sundays between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to pick up a special Main Street scavenger hunt and embark on a magical adventure. Free.

 

WALT WHITMAN BIRTHPLACE STATE HISTORIC SITE, 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station, www.waltwhitman.org

July 28 to August 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Interactive Tour of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”

Test your knowledge on the book that kicked off the Harry Potter series and earn a certificate and a bag of Walt Whitman’s Beans. $5 per participant.

 

THE WHALING MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER, 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, www.cshwhalingmuseum.org

July 30 to August 11 — Harry Potter Scavenger Hunt and Wand Craft 

Muggles & wizards alike can enjoy a magical scavenger hunt throughout the museum’s galleries with Huntington’s largest cauldron. Then design and decorate your very own wand craft to take home. Then create a wand to take home.  Free with admission fee to the museum.

August 1 at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. —  Fantastical Beasts & Where to Find Them workshop

Explore the myths and legends surrounding the many mythic creatures featured in the Harry Potter world and create your own dragon egg adorned with gilded seashells. Admission fee +$10 participant. $5 members. No registration required.

 

SUFFOLK COUNTY VANDERBILT MUSEUM, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport, www.vanderbiltmuseum.org

July 30 to August 4 — Explore Collections with Harry Potter-themed Map

Visit the museum and explore the collections with a Harry Potter-themed map. Free with admission.

July 30 —  Baby Giant Spider Craft

Visit the education center and create a Baby Giant Spider to take home. Free with admission.

August 4 — Magical Moth Craft 

Visit the education center and create a Magical Moth to take home. Free with admission.

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After or before the events, drop by Sweetie Pies on Main, 181 Main Street in Cold Spring Harbor and Bon Bons Chocolatier, 319 Main Street, Huntington for special Harry Potter-themed treats.

Sweetie Pies on Main will offer Harry Potter-themed drinks for purchase while Bon Bons Chocolatier will offer Chocolate Frogs, Owls and Castles, Bertie Botts and Jelly Slugs, and Golden Snitches. Guests can also enter a raffle to win a Harry Potter Birthday prize.

 

 

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Candelario Cordova

Candelario Cordova Pleaded Guilty in May to Fatally Stabbing Rogue Cisneros and to the Attempted Murder of the Victim’s Wife

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on July 24 that Candelario Cordova, 54, of Huntington Station, was sentenced to 30 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty in May to manslaughter and attempted murder for fatally stabbing 58-year-old Roque Cisneros and then stabbing the victim’s wife when she tried to intervene.

“Today’s sentencing of 30 years in prison for the defendant reflects the severity of his heinous actions. By fatally stabbing Mr. Cisneros and then attempting to take the life of the victim’s wife who bravely tried to intervene, he demonstrated a complete disregard for human life and the safety of our community,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This sentence sends our ongoing and clear message that such violent, reprehensible behavior will not be tolerated.”

According to the investigation and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on February 16, 2023, Cordova and Cisneros, who were friends and co-workers, were both sitting in the defendant’s SUV that was parked in front of Cisneros’ home.

Cisneros’ wife, who was looking out of her kitchen window, saw Cordova seated in the driver’s seat and trying to get Cisneros out of the vehicle. The defendant then suddenly drove away with Cisneros still in the SUV, so Cisneros’ wife jumped into her car and followed them. Cordova stopped his SUV around the corner on Oakwood Road, jumped out, opened the trunk, and retrieved a long knife. He then opened the passenger side of the SUV and began stabbing Cisneros repeatedly in the neck and body. Cisneros’ wife attempted to stop the attack by grabbing Cordova, who then began slashing and stabbing her. Several passing motorists stopped and intervened, ultimately subduing Cordova until members of the Suffolk County Police Department arrived. The knife used during the attack was recovered at the scene.

Cisneros was pronounced dead at the scene due to multiple stabs and incise knife wounds. Cisneros’ wife was transported to Huntington Hospital where she was treated for her stab wounds. On May 14, 2024, Cordova pleaded guilty before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins to Manslaughter in the First Degree, and Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, both Class B violent felonies.

On July 24, 2024, Justice Collins sentenced Cordova to 30 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. He is being represented by Matthew Tuohy, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Frank Schroeder of the Homicide Bureau and Patrick Fedun of the Major Crime Bureau and Raymond Coscia of Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Michael Ronca of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.

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Dr. Jennifer Scott Miceli conducts the Belle Voci Intergenerational Choral Society.

Two Decades of Hope and Healing Through Music

Belle Voci Intergenerational Choral Society, a Long Island-based organization dedicated to supporting wellness, cancer prevention, and cure through choral performances, is celebrating 20 years of Sisterhood in Song with the “You Do Not Walk Alone” series. Their Rose Remembrance concert will be held on August 4 at Christ Church in Oyster Bay, and the Candlelight Remembrance concert will take place on August 9 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Huntington.

The concerts will feature works by Carnelia, Evsenvalds, Hagenberg, Brahms, and Runestad, performed by professional and amateur singers, accompanied by pianist Alex Pryrodny, and also featuring strings, flute, brass, percussion, and harp.

Belle Voci was founded in 2004 by Dr. Jennifer Scott Miceli, Director of Long Island Sound Vocal Jazz (LISVJ) at LIU Post in Brookville, NY after losing her mother, Bonnie Scott, to cancer. Since its establishment, Belle Voci has provided a healing space for others through song. The ensemble has grown into a recognized philanthropic treble choir, offering a forum for prayer, reflection, grieving, meditation, inspiration, and celebration for both singers and audiences.

“We are thrilled to mark this milestone with performances that celebrate our musical achievements and honor those affected by cancer,” said Dr. Miceli. “Our Remembrance concerts are particularly moving, recognizing those who have passed, those living with cancer, and survivors. This year, we look forward to bringing our community together for these moments of deliverance and connection.”

In 2023, Belle Voci was named a finalist for the American Prize in Choral Performance – Community Division. The ensemble also extended its mission of cancer prevention and cure to the United Kingdom, where they performed several concerts in celebration of their 20th season promoting wellness.

Over the years, the organization has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to support wellness and cancer prevention through donations to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Northwell Hospice Care Network. 

“Our mission has always been to use the power of music to foster healing and hope,” Dr. Miceli added. “The continued support from our community has been invaluable in helping us reach more people and make a greater impact.”

Christ Church is located at 61 East Main Street in Oyster Bay.  St. John’s Episcopal Church is located at 12 Prospect St. in Huntington.

Tickets are available for $30, with a discounted rate of $20 for seniors and students with ID. They can be purchased through the Belle Voci website. 

About Belle Voci Intergenerational Choral Society

Belle Voci Intergenerational Choral Society (501(c)3) is a Long Island-based nonprofit philanthropic treble ensemble comprising professional singers, amateur singers, collegiate singers, school-aged singers, and music teachers with a common mission of supporting cancer prevention and cure through song. An interesting intersection of humanitarianism, musical expression, and academic rigor, Belle Voci is recognized both domestically and internationally having been the topic of local news, academic presentations, book chapters, and prestigious European performance invitations. Founded and directed by Dr. Jennifer Scott Miceli, the mission of the ensemble is to provide a forum for music teacher training, member leadership, and recognition of singers’ unique skill sets. Concert repertoire is carefully programmed for its capacity to elicit a wide range of emotions associated with the cancer journey; we aim to provide a forum where concert goers are free to experience hope, contemplation, prayer, healing, peace, and celebration through music and ritual.

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Nathan Hale Nature Preserve. Photo courtesy of Paul Thomson

By Sabrina Artusa

The Town of Huntington Planning Board rescinded preliminary approval for a development proposal in Halesite located at 78 Bay Ave. and 211 Vineyard Road. The developer, Vineyard Bay Estates LLC, proposed an eight-home subdivision to be built in on a 4-acre plot.

The board approved the application in February and has received ardent community pushback since its passing. The development sits on 10 acres of wooded, hilly land — an area the community says has immense environmental and cultural significance. The developers plan to preserve the remaining land.

Nathan Hale Nature Preserve filed a lawsuit against the Town of Huntington Planning Board and Vineyard Bay Estates in March, claiming that the Planning Board’s SEQRA declaration of significance is erroneous and lacking “a rational basis.” 

Paul Thomson, member of the Nathan Hale Nature Preserve, said that the Planning Board, instead of filing a pre populated environmental assessment form (EAF), the developer printed their own form which gave an “incomplete” analysis of the property and the impacts of development.

“We want this process restarted in good faith and we want to be able to publicly comment on this process going forward,” Thomson said. “And that they take a hard look under SEQRA to see if environmental impact statements are necessary.”

The formal EAF states that the area is sensitive for archaeological sites, but the developer’s form submitted that it was not a sensitive area.

At a June meeting the developer’s lawyer, Michael McCarthy, argued against an environmental review. The community, including Thomson, presented their concerns to the board, which included the fact that the area could hold significance to Native Americans. 

“​​If I need to supplement the EAF [Part 1], I’ll supplement the EAF,” McCarthy said at the meeting. “If I need to, you know, correct something that was a box that was checked wrong, we’ll will check the box correctly.” He went on to note that he does not believe a full environmental impact study is necessary.

In February, the Planning Board accepted the environmental review and the application simultaneously without allowing time for a public hearing. 

Lisa Perillo, attorney for Nathan Hale Nature Preserve, wrote in a letter to the board that the full effects of construction on such a steep slope have not been properly examined. 

“We don’t understand why the priority is to develop as opposed to protect, and we think the Town of Huntington has made it very clear in its voting process that we want environmental space and these sleeping slopes protected,” Thomson said.

He added, “Let the chips fall where they fall, we just want it done according to the law and according to the procedures.”

Thomson and the rest of the nonprofit’s members are also concerned the endangered northern long-eared bats would be put in danger by development. 

Last October, Thomson said he brought the issue to the attention of the town’s Environmental Open Space & Park Fund Advisory Committee, which advises the Town Board on buying and preserving open space. The committee reportedly agreed that the property should be preserved. 

According to Newsday, McCarthy and Planning Board attorney Ed Gathman have entered into a stipulation agreement to reset the approval process. 

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