PEACE AND QUIET
This healthy flock of wild turkeys was spotted at a local cemetery this week enjoying solitude among the gravestones. Photo by Heidi Sutton
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Photo of the Week
Home Photography
Last call for Gurwin Photo Contest entries
Calling all photographers! Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, 50 Hauppauge Road in Commack is accepting applications for its 2025 Photo Contest through April 15.
Amateur photographers and students are invited to submit their best photos for a chance to win a recognition award and cash prizes and the opportunity to have their work permanently displayed in the Center’s renowned Tiffen Gallery for the enjoyment of residents, staff and visitors.
Basket Full of Love
by Jennifer Carpentieri
The Contest garners nearly 1000 submissions each year from across the globe which are judged by a panel of professional photographers for clarity, composition, subject matter and suitability for display at the nursing and rehabilitation center.
Grand Prize, Honorable Mentions, as well as a Best-in-Show winner will be awarded in 12 categories: Landscapes, Travel, People, Pets, Children, Wildlife, Nature, Still Life, Student, Altered/Enhanced, Long Island/ New York and Action/ Sports. Gurwin residents and staff also weigh-in on their favorites for a “Resident/ Staff Selection” winner.
Photos chosen by the judges are enlarged to 20×28 prints, beautifully framed and displayed in Gurwin’s 460-bed nursing and rehabilitation center.
“Each year we are so very impressed by the incredible work submitted and grateful for the support shown to our Center, and in turn, the residents in our care,” said Stuart B. Almer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gurwin Healthcare System.
Entry forms are available for download here or via email at [email protected]. Up to seven 8×10 printed photos per photographer at a $5 donation per entry will be accepted. Deadline for submissions is April 15. Winners are revealed at an awards presentation ceremony at Gurwin.
For more information, call the Gurwin Corporate Communications office at 631- 715-2562 or 631-715-2569.
TBR News Media wins 6 NYPA newspaper contest awards
By Heidi Sutton
The New York Press Association announced the winners of its 2024 Better Newspaper Contest during NYPA’s annual Spring Conference at The Saratoga Hilton in Saratoga Springs on March 20 and 21.
Over 130 newspapers in New York State took part in the annual event celebrating newspaper excellence and community journalism with 2,082 entries competing for 280 awards in 71 categories covering the editorial, advertising and circulation efforts of the state’s dailies and weeklies. Members of the Missouri Press Association were tasked with judging this year’s contest.
TBR News Media, which has 6 newspapers along the North Shore of Suffolk County, was honored with a fitting 6 awards for excellence this year including two first place awards.
Reporter Lynn Hallarman captured first place in the Best Spot News Coverage category for her November 2024 article titled “FEMA denies aid to Stony Brook, state and local officials fight back” on the after effects of the North Shore storm that caused widespread flooding, leading to road closures and extensive property damage to homes and businesses and breached the dams at Stump Pond in Smithtown and Mill Pond in Stony Brook back in August The judge wrote,”Wow! What a phenomenal piece with huge impact to the community. Great writing, in-depth reporting and photography.”
Former news editor Toni-Elena Gallo snagged second place in the same category for her article titled “Storm ravages the North Shore” in August 2024 which addressed each town on the North Shore severely impacted by the flooding. “Great reporting and photos showing storm damage, officials and impact to local wildlife. I really liked the way you broke down and explained each area of impact. It was a well-written report that kept my interested throughout,” commented the judge.
Sports reporter and photographer Steven Zaitz won first place for Best Sports Feature Photo for the photograph on the right titled “Oh-Kay!” which accompanied Zaitz’s article “Evan Kay’s stellar pitching propels Commack to second consecutive Long Island championship” in June 2024.
“The lead photo is full of peak emotion,” wrote the judge. “The player leaping makes the image come alive, creating a focal point that helps organize the image. The flying ball glove is a bonus. The other two photos in the package are also full of emotion with clean backgrounds.”
Art/Production Director Beth Heller Mason won second place for Best Small Space Ad for the design of a 1/4 page ad for the Port Jefferson Lions Club Car Show in September 2024. “Ad full of stuff but you made it feel less crowded and very clean. Way to work it! Great job,” wrote the judge.
The production department also won second place in the Best Multi-Advertiser Pages category for “Shop Local!” box page ads in TBR’s Time for Giving holiday supplement with the judge commenting, “Nice, clean, easy-to read layout.”
Rounding out the awards, Classifieds Director Sheila Murray won third place for Best Classified Advertising with the judge commenting how he liked the clean layout and how it was well organized.
“As with every year, I am proud of the accolades and recognition of our staff members,” said TBR News Media publisher Leah Dunaief.
“We are honored to be among the winners recognized by our peers in the New York Press Association but that is not our main purpose, which is to serve our readers and advertisers in the best way possible. Congratulations to the talented and hard working staff of Times Beacon Record News Media!” she said.
For a full list of winners, visit nynewspapers.com/nypa/better-newspaper-contest/
Birds of prey take center stage at Sweetbriar Nature Center’s Superheroes of the Sky
By Bill Landon
It was another edition of Superheroes of the Sky Saturday morning, Feb. 15, at the Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown where a cacophony of wild birds of prey made their presence known and tour guide Jim MacDougall conducted the daily ritual of feeding the hawks, barred owls, turkey vultures and bald eagle among others at the end of Eckernkamp Drive in Smithtown.
Sweetbriar Nature Center is situated on 54 acres of varied garden, woodland, field and wetland habitats on the Nissequogue River. Hundreds of species of plants and animals make their homes there.
Many of the feathered friends were injured raptors lucky enough to find safe refuge at the center where onlookers learned about their incredible adaptations that help them survive in the wild.
Through education and examples, the center encourages responsible decision making, appreciation and respect for the unique wildlife and ecosystems found on Long Island.
The next Superheroes of the Sky program will be held on Saturday, March 8 from 11 a.m. to noon. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 children. Preregistration is required by clicking here.
For more information about the Sweetbriar Nature Center visit www.sweetbriarnc.org.
— Photos by Bill Landon
Photo of the Week
EGG-FLATION
While eggs were back on the shelves at some local supermarkets on Presidents Day, including Aldi in Selden, the prices remain higher than normal with a limit of two per customer. Photo by Heidi Sutton
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Fashion trends in the news — ‘a-dressing’ the issues
By Sabrina Artusa
A dress made of TBR News Media newspapers is displayed in the window of Chocology in Stony Brook. Customers and Stony Brook University students played a role in creating the dress. This dress is part of Chocology’s Valentine’s collection.
“We want to capture the essence of each holiday through a unique chocolate-inspired creation,” said Linda Johnson, founder of Chocology. “I was especially inspired by the TBR 2024 People of the Year, which stands out as a celebration of creativity and community.”
Photo of the Week
ICE FISHING
Dawn Coursen snapped this incredible photo of two bald eagles trying to figure out how to get their next meal on a frozen Lake Ronkonkoma on Jan. 10.
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Photo of the Week
BRAVING THE COLD
John Dielman of Setauket snapped this photo of the Hercules figurehead in Stony Brook Village as he stood guard at Stony Brook Harbor on a cold and windy January 9.
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Photo of the Week
John Dielman of East Setauket snapped this photo of the Stony Brook Post Office and its famous eagle all dressed up for the holidays on the evening of December 23.
Send your Photo of the Week to [email protected]
Gurwin Jewish announces winners of 31st annual photo contest
Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center announced the winners of the 2024 Annual Gurwin Photo Contest, revealing the photos at a wine and cheese reception in Gurwin’s Simon Rainbow Room at the 460-bed skilled nursing facility in Commack on Dec. 9.
Nearly 1,000 submissions are received each year from across the globe by amateur photographers and students, and are judged by a panel of professional photographers for clarity, composition, subject matter and suitability for display at the Center.
This year’s judges, Iris Zaverdas De Vita of Golden Iris, Tony Lopez of Tony Lopez Photography, and Josh Schmidt of The Tiffen Company, chose 34 winning photos.
Grand Prize, Honorable Mentions, as well as a Best-in-Show winners were awarded in 12 categories: Action/ Sports, Altered/Enhanced, Children, Landscapes, Long Island/ New York, Nature, People, Pets, Still Life, Student, Travel, and Wildlife. Gurwin residents and staff also weighed-in on their favorites for “Resident/ Staff Selection” winners.
Best-in-Show went to Regina Matarazzo (Tobyhanna, PA) for her photo “Seagull Under the Pier” and Best-In-Show Runner-Up to Alan Sloyer (Roslyn) for “Millie’s Diner.”
“We are thrilled to celebrate not only the incredible talent of our photo contest winners but also the joyous return of our in-person reception at the Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, marking the first time since the pandemic,” said Stuart B. Almer, President and CEO of Gurwin Healthcare System.
“Each year we are so very impressed by the incredible artistry of the participants, many of them perennial supporters of our unique contest. We are pleased to showcase their work, and a grateful for the beauty and inspiration the photos bring to our residents.”
Winning photos are permanently displayed in the Center’s renowned Tiffen Gallery, named in memory of Helen and Nat Tiffen of The Tiffen Company, long-time sponsors of the contest. More than 1,000 photos are showcased throughout the Center for the enjoyment of the community’s 460 long- and short-term residents, staff and visitors.
Photos not selected for a prize award are repurposed as reminiscence aids, for visual stimulation and art therapy, providing a source of comfort and inspiration, for residents throughout the Center, including Gurwin’s Memory Care Unit and Adult Day Care Programs.
“It’s hard for me to fathom that we’ve been hosting this contest for 31 years…at first, it was a way to decorate our newly opened nursing home; today, it’s so much more than that,” said Dennine Cook, Chief Corporate Communications Officer for Gurwin Healthcare System.
“All the selections, whether they be honorable mentions, grand prizes or resident/staff selections, will be judged, discussed and enjoyed by so many appreciative eyes for years to come. That is the real honor – that your photos will hang for decades in our residents’ home,” Cook added.
