According to the National Weather Service, heavy snowfall is expected to begin around midnight tonight, through Tuesday morning. Total snow accumulations are expected to be between 6 and 16 inches with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Travel is expected to be hazardous. Heavy wind gusts could bring down trees and limbs. Blizzard like conditions are possible for Monday through the evening.
All domestic animals should remain indoors during the freezing temperatures, with the exception of allowing dogs to venture out briefly to go to the bathroom. Outdoor animals should be sheltered indoors for the duration of this storm.
Please check on your neighbors with disabilities, special needs or senior citizens. Make sure they have an emergency phone, plenty of water, food and blankets. Ask if they have someone to call in the event of an emergency.
Residents should attempt to remove any brush or leaf bags from the street prior to the storm. Residents should park vehicles in driveways so crews can plow roads more efficiently during and after snow accumulation.
Post Storm Safety: When plowing driveways please be cognizant not to block fire hydrants with snow mounds. Public Safety Fire Marshals urge residents using generators to take a moment to confirm that the exhaust is facing outwards and at least 20’ away from a building. This can protect loved ones from CO poisoning and can prevent fires caused by generators incorrectly positioned.
Power Outages – PSEG Information: View PSEG Long Island’s outage map Click Here
To report and receive status updates on an outage Text OUT to PSEGLI (773454) or to report an outage online visit www.psegliny.com
To register, have your account number available and text REG to PSEGLI (773454)
Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything contacting the wire. To report a downed wire, call PSEG Long Island’s 24-hour Electric Service number: 1-800-490-0075
Suffolk 311: Suffolk County 311 is a central call center available to residents who do not know which number to call for any non-emergency. Residents can reach the 311 line Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or leave messages after hours.
The Village of Port Jefferson has issued a snow emergency notice in preparation for this week's storm. Photo from the Village
The Village of Port Jefferson has issued a snow emergency that will be in effect from midnight, Jan. 31 until 6 p.m. on Feb. 2.
Heavy snow is expected, accumulating between six to 16 inches, with winds gusting as high as 50 mph.
The village said that parking on Main Street, East Main Street and Arden Street with be prohibited, with violators being towed. They note to use the Gap parking lot.
Travel could be very difficult to impossible, with the hazardous conditions impacting morning and evening commutes. Gusty winds could potentially bring down tree branches.
The notice advises for people to charge all devices and stay home.
The Board of Trustees meeting has been adjourned and postponed until Feb. 15 at 3:30 p.m.
All Village buildings and offices will be closed. Staff will be working virtually. In the event of an emergency please call 911 first and the Village’s Code Bureau at 631-7740-0066 for assistance.
Theatre Three in Port Jefferson hasn’t been open since March, but news of a vaccine is keeping them hopeful and more relieved than before. Photo by Julianne Mosher
By Leah Chiappino
Despite being among the first to shut down, and likely the last to open, local theaters have managed to sustain themselves throughout the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to community support.
Theatre Three, Port Jefferson
Theatre Three in Port Jefferson hasn’t been open since March, but news of a vaccine is keeping them hopeful and more relieved than before. Photo by Julianne Mosher
On March 15 last year, Theatre Three in Port Jefferson had to close production of its musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Hansel and Gretel” in the children’s theater.
At the time, the Port Jeff performing arts center was two weeks away from its touring season, a week away from technical rehearsals for the musical “Steel Magnolias,” and in the middle of the dramatic academy for winter/spring, all of which were shut down indefinitely, and have not yet reopened.
Since its closing, the theater has taken in little revenue, yet still manages to give back to the community through their virtual Off-Stage/On-Line series, which features short plays submitted by playwrights, performed over Zoom and posted to the theater’s website and social media every Sunday night.
Submissions receive a $25 stipend, and actors donate their time performing. Theatre Three also launched the “StoryTime at the Playhouse” series, which streams performances for children live into classrooms, directed by the theater’s artistic director, Jeffrey Sanzel.
Theatre Three also maintained its 35-year-old tradition of performing “A Christmas Carol” starring Sanzel as Scrooge, though this year it was filmed in advance and posted online.
The theater has relied on private grants, savings and donations, as well as a PPP loan, to remain afloat.
Vivian Koutrakos, managing director, said that the fact the theater was having a strong year before the pandemic helped its financial situation.
In celebrating its 50th anniversary, Theatre Three showcased productions such as “Jekyll and Hyde” and “Driving Miss Daisy,” both popular and lucrative shows.
In addition, they prepaid the royalties for upcoming shows such as “Grease” and because the building is not being used, other expenses have dropped.
“We’re not using our electric — we got that down to a really decent amount and we have a very small mortgage on the building,” Koutrakos said. “There’s not much else other than water and obviously, our insurances, but most of our insurances will come back to us because there is no workers’ comp. There is no liability. There’s nobody in the building, really. So, we’re OK.”
Koutrakos added the community has been generous in donations.
“We have an amazing executive board of directors,” she said. “They will never let this theater close, under any circumstance.”
The theater is waiting for the go-ahead from New York State so it can reopen.
“I don’t know how much longer we would have lasted without a vaccine. It really is a beacon of light and hope,” Koutrakos said. “It’ll probably be almost a year-and-a-half [from being closed] once we open.’’
Upon reopening, the theater will honor previously held tickets, recast actors if they are available and plans to continue to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
John W. Engeman Theater, Northport
File photo
According to one of the co-owners of the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, Richard Dolce, it is in a similar boat to Theatre Three.
On the day that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) issued an executive order mandating theatershutdowns, the cast of their upcoming show, “Sister Act,” was set to arrive to rehearse.
The Engeman was able to benefit from a PPP loan in April and has relied on reserve funds, allowing it to keep its full-time staff of 16, who Dolce said are mainly answering customer calls and doing mechanical maintenance.
The theater offers classes in professional theater, acting and musical theater. It resumed some individual lessons in person in the fall, but as COVID cases began to rise in the area, it has since shifted to a virtual format.
Even with the virtual course offerings, Dolce said the theater is making “well under 10%” of its normal revenue. He added that while he did not think the theater can sustain its current operations without additional relief for “much longer,” he expects that it will qualify for funding from the Save Our Stages Act, a provision in the recent COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress that provides $15 billion in funding for entertainment venues.
“We’ve been talking to Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) and other representatives to get something done for the live independent venues and they were able to come through,” Dolce said. “Hopefully that will enable us to weather this for a little bit longer, because we were the first ones to close and we will be the last ones to open.”
While the governor’s office did not respond to email requests for comment, Cuomo indicated during his State of the State address Jan. 12 that “we cannot wait until summer to turn the lights back on the arts and provide a living wage for artists.” He also announced New York Arts Revival, a public-private partnership series of pop-up performances across the state, hosted at state parks, other state properties and “flexible venues,” set to begin Feb. 4.
You would think a global pandemic that has lasted nearly a year would have gotten New York more organized, right?
In the beginning, none of us had any idea what was going on with COVID-19. Every day was a new battle, and we had to evolve everything in our lives constantly.
That was OK. It was fair. The virus was new and we, as Americans, never experienced anything like this before. There was a learning curve.
Back in March, April and even into June, it was a little more understandable knowing that getting tested for the coronavirus was hard. We didn’t have enough testing, supplies or even gloves for the nurses and doctors to wear as they administered the swab.
Fine. But why is it almost February 2021 and we still have practically no organizational skills?
Why is it that New Yorkers are told one thing about testing and now vaccines, but when they try to take advantage of it, they’re denied?
We have co-workers, family members and friends who should be getting their vaccines. They’re in the most at-risk age group, they’re workers in a medical office but aren’t first responders, they’re out in the public, working as cashiers at grocery stores and big-box retailers taking money from people they don’t know.
Why can’t they get the vaccine yet?
Reports say that there isn’t enough available yet — and supplies, once again, are low.
We understand that. We understand that there are more than 7 million people on Long Island alone.
But what we don’t understand is why there’s little transparency, and contradicting reports. Why can some people get it and others cannot?
We have heard stories of some elderly people who cannot get an appointment at all, and no one is there to help them. We hear other stories that people waited in line for nearly five hours. Other stories say that they drove up to the site and were finished in 10 minutes.
We just want answers. We want a plan. We want a serious plan that will give us a play-by-play on what to do, what to expect and a timeline.
Curveballs will happen. We saw that a lot in 2020.
But clearly the federal, state and local governments did not have “to stay organized with anything related to COVID” on their New Year’s resolutions list.
This is not the time to go with the flow. Lives are at stake.
William Shakespeare statue in Verona, Italy. Photo from DepositPhotos
By Daniel Dunaief
Daniel Dunaief
Many years ago, Madonna, and the rest of us, were “Living in a Material World.”
Well, it seems to me that we are now living in an allegorical world.
You see, we’re on a boat that’s in rough seas. We are in the middle of a Corona storm, with howling winds that threaten to rip the sails off the masts.
At the same time, the boat has numerous leaks, while the waves from the right and from the left crash into the ship.
The modern day Montagues are blaming the waves from the left for causing the danger to our ship. Without those waves, we would be able to head off in a glorious direction toward a better sunset.
At the same time, the Capulets are shouting at the waves on the right, suggesting that they have interrupted the magnificent journey, making the ship spin and rock out of control.
Never a dull moment on that ship of ours, the former captain of the ship, who reluctantly removed his steely grip from the wheel, is facing an imminent investigation from a team comprised mostly of the Capulets, who have recruited a few members of the Montagues to engage in an extensive trial.
The majority of the Montagues have a Greek chorus that laments the terrible state of affairs and encourages the new captain, whom they don’t particularly like or trust, to make sure their way of life continues and their voices continue to be important in the search for Truth, Justice and the American Way.
At the same time, the Capulets have lined up a group of people who are just as earnest and eager in their beliefs, urging the captain to ensure the future safety of the ship and all its inhabitants.
Passing people buffeted about in life rafts, some Montagues urge the captain to move on and to focus resources and efforts on the people aboard the ship. Some Capulets, on the other hand, believe the people who built the ship in the first place were, at one time or another, adrift in life rafts themselves and would like to provide refuge and safety to these wayward travelers.
All the while, the Corona winds, which started our violently, calmed down quite a bit during the summer, and have increased in intensity following Thanksgiving and the December holidays, have increased in their intensity, tearing holes in the sails and threatening to pull at the seams of the stars and stripes.
Somewhere in the middle of the ship, people who don’t define themselves as either ardent Montagues or Capulets are tending to the wounded, preparing food for others, ensuring law and order, and making the kind of shields that deflect the wind, protecting individuals and the group.
The howling wind has made it difficult for the Capulets and the Montagues to hear each other, but that hasn’t stopped either of them from pointing fingers or from blaming the other side for the condition of the waterlogged ship.
People on this American vessel have heard that ships from other nations have made it out of the storm and are enjoying calmer seas, with warm sunshine and gentle breezes.
Some day, hopefully before too long, people on both sides will figure out a way to work together, to patch the holes in the sails, to help each other and to help take the ship to calmer waters.
The Corona storm isn’t passing on its own and the residents of the ship need to pull in the same direction to maneuver to the familiar, calmer seas, where residents of the ship can, once again, enjoy peace, good health and prosperity.
As they say in literature, it is the best of times and the worst of times. You could almost say it is also a tale of two cities. Yes, the vaccine has now been developed and produced to counter the novel coronavirus. We will require two shots, whether we get the Moderna or the Pfizer-BioNTech brand, and there may even be a third possibility, one from Johnson & Johnson, that will only be a one shot deal. That’s the wonderful news.
Less than wonderful is the distribution thus far. Despite best intentions, it has been spotty and disorganized. Locations that are supposed to be vaccination sites have had to turn people away because they have run out of the vaccine or never received the shipment to begin with. Getting an appointment, as opposed to standing optimistically for hours in a line, has become an exercise of pounding the keyboard of the computer or dialing on the phone for hours on end, looking for a slot with availability.
Just about everyone I know is being helped by their children and grandchildren in this frustrating pursuit of inoculation. Those who have received the shot are living in a different city from those who have not.
To complicate the already complicated situation, the wily virus is doing what viruses do: mutating ahead of the vaccines. So far, the pharmaceutical companies are saying that their products are effective against the new strains, perhaps a little less so against the variant from South Africa than the one from the United Kingdom.
Brazil has a variant as well. And while non-American citizens originating in those countries are, for the moment, banned from entering the United States, scientists know those mutations are already here, having arrived before the ban, from Britain and Brazil so far and most probably South Africa as well.
Worse than potentially evading the vaccines is the increased degree of contagion those viruses already possess. The knowledge that scientists are already hard at work catching up to the newer strains is comforting. Such an adjustment could take six weeks, however, according to Moderna. Or perhaps a third shot of the existing vaccine might work against the variant.
So while the vaccine may be the best of times, we still have to get there, and the worst is now upon us. Sooner or later, we hope sooner, we will get the logistics of distribution worked out, but most of us will not reach that point of inoculation until mid-summer or fall at the earliest. Meanwhile more people will become ill, especially in the poorer nations unable to buy vaccines in large quantities. And with our global interactions, what pathogens exist elsewhere in the world will also come here with their new mutations.
So what can we do to help ourselves through these next few months?
Let’s remember that a simple handful of actions we already have taken can keep the viruses at bay. Washing our hands thoroughly, multiple times a day ( I practically bathe in hand lotion after all those washings); maintaining social distancing of at least 6 feet, preferably 15 feet, inside as well as outside; and wearing masks are effective defenses, if only we follow them. Working remotely and limiting travel have further contributed to containment.
On the subject of wearing masks, and at the risk of boring you with repetition because I wrote about this last week, I want to urge you to consider wearing two masks. Since the new strains are more contagious, meaning they can spread more readily, having a double barrier for them to pass through doubles our chances of escaping the disease.
The growing recommendation is to wear a surgical mask underneath and a cloth mask on top. I have tried it and find this no more uncomfortable than a single mask, and I am happier with the thought of being better protected. I throw away the surgical mask and wash the cloth one often to preserve its effectiveness, making for myself a sort of double-bagged wall.
The Port Jefferson Rotary Club is just one of many rotaries across Long Island with the goal to donate a million masks worldwide. Photo from Bob Huttemeyer
The Port Jefferson Rotary Club joined other Long Island-based rotaries to help people in need of masks earlier this month to gather and distribute masks to people who need them in their local communities.
In a campaign called The Million Mask Challenge — originally created by Rotary International — the Port Jeff Rotary joined 40 other rotaries from district 7255 to gather their share of masks. The goal is to distribute a million masks to those in need worldwide.
According to Bob Huttemeyer, program coordinator of the rotary, the district that includes Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens, gathered in Hicksville on Wednesday, Jan. 13 to pick up almost 4,000 masks. They also ordered 5,000 more.
Huttemeyer said that as of right now, they distributed the masks to 24 different local organizations and groups who could use extra masks.
“Everyone was excited to fill a need,” he added. “We were happy to bring this to the local community.”
The rotary, like the others across the island, devote their time and services to helping the community. Huttemeyer said that throughout the pandemic, they raised more than $12,500 to donate to Open Cupboard Food Pantry.
“If there’s more to be had,” he said, “We’re there to help.”
Huttemeyer said that the local rotary is an organization that brings so much to the community and will continue to gather and distribute masks to meet the one-million mark. He added that are always looking for new members or donations.
Right now, the Port Jefferson Rotary is holding small, in-person and hybrid meetings at Café Spiga in Mount Sinai on Tuesdays at 12:15 p.m.
To make a donation to the Port Jefferson Rotary, you can mail a check to PO Box 461, Port Jefferson, NY, 11777 or visit portjeffrotary.org.
Freshman state Sen. Mario Mattera is sworn into office by his wife, Terry, while his two daughters, Jessica and Jayme, look on in the Senate Chamber. Photo from Mattera’s office
St. James resident Mario Mattera (R) started off the new year as a freshman senator in Albany, and he’s looking forward to getting back to business as usual in the 2nd District, which includes Smithtown and parts of Brookhaven and Huntington.
Fresh on the job
The state senator was sworn into office Jan. 5 by his wife, Terry, who is a notary with his daughters, Jessica and Jayme, on hand. He said he is overwhelmed by the support of constituents who voted for him because he feels they trust he can get the job done.
“From Huntington to Smithtown to Brookhaven, I’m looking forward to doing whatever I need to do,” he said.
A former business agent with the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters with Plumbers Local #200 for more than four decades, the state senator will serve as the chief Republican on the Consumer Protection Committee, as well as the Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee. He has also been appointed as a member of the Labor and Transportation standing committees.
Mattera said he’s traveled to Albany and interacted with his fellow senators, which has been a little different than previous years where elected officials are practicing social distancing and wearing facial coverings. Some legislators are even working remotely due to the pandemic.
“I’ve been up every week,” he said. “I feel it’s important. I need to get the feel of the chamber and meet people.”
COVID-19 vaccinations
Mattera said the biggest obstacle right now is getting life back to normal. He is currently pushing for pharmacies to be able to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. He and other legislators held a press conference in Hauppauge Jan. 14 calling out Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on the state’s failed vaccine rollout.
Mattera said even if the proper inventory of vaccines isn’t available, there needs to be a better rollout plan, which would include residents being able to get the vaccine in their own neighborhood instead of traveling to larger sites, such as at colleges, where he said many may feel uncomfortable.
“Let’s have a facility that our residents can go to that is local, and they’ll feel comfortable, just like with the flu shot,” he said. “There’s no reason why we can’t go to Walgreens or CVS and our local pharmacies where people feel comfortable.”
Mattera said his office has been helping veterans get the information they need to get the vaccine. He said the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center has been helpful and applauded Fred Sganga, executive director of the Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University, for ensuring veterans associated with the home are vaccinated.
“There’s no reason why veterans have to be sitting and worrying,” Mattera said, adding having chain pharmacies going into nursing homes was a good plan.
“We’ve always put the blame game on the federal government that there are not enough of the vaccines, but let’s have a plan in place when we do get it that’s more convenient for our residents and especially our seniors,” he said.
“Let’s have a facility that our residents can go to that is local, and they’ll feel comfortable, just like with the flu shot.”
— Mario Mattera
Businesses
Mattera said he’s a big supporter of small businesses and believes they can operate like normal by following safety protocols closely. He believes business owners are capable of enforcing COVID-19 health guidelines. He added Cuomo should have reopened New York businesses deemed nonessential sooner than he did.
The state senator gave the example of New York City where many companies currently still have employees working from home which causes a ripple effect. He said restaurants suffer as fewer people are ordering lunch from them and even breakfast and dinner.
“Now we realize that the most vibrant city in the world is in dire straits,”
he said.
Schools
In addition to businesses reopening fully, Mattera said it’s also imperative for schools to once again offer five-day, in-person instruction. He said he feels students interacting with their teachers and coaches is important.
“Our children are suffering from this,” he said, noting that his youngest daughter is a high school senior.
He added that at the same time it’s important for districts to keep an eye on infection rates to see if they are spiking.
“Safety is always first,” he said.
Infrastructure
Mattera is looking for his district to have the best treatment plants.
“We need to make sure that we have the state-of-the-art treatment plants that are put in place to protect our precious water supply for our future,” he said.
While there have been talks during the last few years in Smithtown over a proposed sewage treatment plant on the Gyrodyne property in St. James, Mattera said it’s important to look at plants for businesses along the Jericho Turnpike corridor also. He added it’s imperative that treatment plans replenish local aquifers and not dump into the Long Island Sound or ocean.
“That’s a problem, and that’s been a problem for a lot of counties like Nassau County,” he said. “Nassau County did not plan for replenishing. It dumps into the Sound. It dumps out into the bay millions of gallons per day.”
He added improving the Route 110 corridor by replacing the main sewer line is another priority, and he is working with Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) to secure the funds.
“Our infrastructure is really important for proper growth in the future,” he said.
Constituents can reach Mattera’s office by email at [email protected] or by phone at 631-361-2154.
The annual Charles Dickens Festival in Port Jefferson was canceled in 2020 out of an abundance of caution. Photo by Glenn Tinnie
By Allan Varela
We are living in strange times with the political upheaval and the terrible, deadly pandemic hanging over our lives. Every day we are literally battered with controversy and bad news.
There is one place of comfort, however. We find it in the arts. We listen to music and watch music videos. We turn on movies old and new and stream over the top shows that offer constant variation. We might even look at a book of visual art or search for fine art online. The arts are present when we sing a song together, when a family member plays the piano or guitar or draws a picture. Yes indeed. The arts are alive in our lives. But there is so much more to this cultural picture than the obvious I just stated.
Every day, in every way we live, our lives are surrounded by the work of artists. Look down at the chair you are sitting in while reading this story. That’s right, it was designed in part by an artist and created by artisans. Look around the room you are in. If you see wallpaper, it was designed by an artist. The color palette of the paint scheme in your home was created by an artist. The ring on your finger and the jewelry you wear were all designed by artists.
Your clothes — designed by an artist; your home — designed by an artist; the car you drive — designed by an artist. You see, everything you live with and in was designed to some degree by an artist. Everything you use to express yourself to the world was designed… well, you get it!
I am writing this as a reminder that the arts and artists of all types are hurting right now. It is easy to say “So what?” but remembering the impact the arts have on our lives should lead to “How can I help?” There are numerous not-for-profit organizations that need our help. Those of us fortunate enough to financially weather our current storm need to reach out to support these groups as they support artists, the arts and the cultural life of our communities.
These organizations have found ways to present engaging concerts online, to show documentary films that include a Q&A with the director online or make reservations to see an exhibit whilst keeping to community health standards. But the revenue stream for ticket sales has dried up and I fear that some of the groups will begin to fall apart.
The arts organizations have wonderful financial impact on our communities. Property values remain stable or increase in communities that offer arts programming. Every dollar invested in an Arts Council program brings back some four dollars in revenue from simple things like an audience buying gas to get to a show, to visiting a local restaurant for a meal before or after a show.
Cultural engagement is needed to keep our communities enriched and interesting. Financial engagement is what is needed to keep our cultural organizations alive. Please make a difference and donate, as you are able, to a local not-for-profit arts organization or museum. Even a small amount can make a big difference.
Allan Varela serves as chair for the Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council which hosts the Port Jefferson Documentary Series, Charles Dickens Festival, WinterTide Concert Series, Sunset Concert Series and Fiddle & Folk Festival. To support or sponsor the Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council,please visit www.gpjac.org/sponsor.
SCPD crime scene vans outside Danford's Hotel and Marina in the village. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Suffolk County Police Homicide detectives are investigating a body that washed up near Danfords Hotel and Marina in Port Jefferson at approximately 3 p.m. on Jan. 28.
Detectives said a man in his 40s was discovered in the water. Sources say it was called in when spotted by Port Jefferson Ferry workers.
A police officer at the scene said it appears non-criminal at this time.
Fresh on the job
Prev
