It was time to get away, even for a day, and when better than on foliage weekend! So Saturday, we took the ferry to Connecticut and started up Route 8 to get to the Berkshires and the seasonal colors. Were we too late in the fall? Shortly after we left Bridgeport, our choice of time and place were confirmed. It was a perfect autumn day, sunny, bright, soft breeze, balmy even, and the colors burst upon us, the reds, oranges, yellows mixed with a still significant amount of green as we began to drive through the hills. No, we were not too late.
We had been concerned, too, about the effects of the summer’s drought on the leaves. We needn’t have worried. Perhaps, it wasn’t the most dramatic foliage we had ever witnessed, some trees were already bare, but it was brilliant enough to excite our eyes. We whooped around every bend in the road that presented us with a new palette of hills and color.
The timing of foliage season has altered somewhat over the past few years. Climate change has impacted peak leaf peeping by extending the warmer weather that keeps trees green. Hence the optimal viewing time has also been delayed. This year, according to records, seems like it will clock in as the fifth warmest. So it turned out that our urge for an outing was right on.
Where to go?
The Store
While it was possible just to drive slowly, drinking in the scenery, it was also fun to have a destination in mind. We left the highway, or rather it left us as it ended in Winsted, incidentally, my dad’s birthplace, and we started on a local road that eventually led us to Southfield, the home of a long-ago college roommate with whom we had lost contact. She, and her family, as we discovered, no longer lived there, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the tiny town. Yes, it was one of those “blink and you will miss it” villages, but we didn’t blink. We parked and had lunch at The Store, a delightful coffee, pastry and sandwich shop with tables inside as well as out front. Happily installed in one corner of the patio with a turkey and avocado sandwich and a generous slice of chocolate-banana bread, to be washed down with ambrosial coffee, we chatted up the couple at the adjoining table, who were smiling at us.
In fact, it was the kind of day that prompted everyone to smile. There we were, amid glorious leafage, basking in ideal temperature and bright sunlight in the peaceful countryside. They told us their names, Paul and Julia, and that they were from Westchester County and celebrating their anniversary. For the first time, they were at leisure to do that because their two children, a son and a daughter, were at college. She was a psychologist, he worked in finance, and they had left their responsibilities behind to stay at the historic inn in the next village for the weekend.
They were fun to talk to, as was every other person who went by, walking their dogs. We asked each one if they knew the roommate’s family, but just about each one apologized and explained that they had only moved there 20 years ago. What a coincidence, we thought. They had all come more or less at the same time. It wasn’t until the next day that we realized what had happened those two decades ago: 9/11 happened. If one wanted to escape from a city to a safe and bucolic place, here was one such location. Perhaps that was what brought them there.
We stayed in the area, driving around, enjoying the typical New England white clapboard church with its distinctive steeple, the inn and the village common along with glorious Nature. Then, as night fell, we had dinner at the inn before returning home.
Halloween is such a fun time of year and celebrations have come early, with many fun and spooky events happening this weekend in addition to next weekend. Here are 31 Halloween events on the North Shore to enjoy.
Centerport
Storytime Under the Stars
See your favorite Halloween storybooks come to life during Storytime Under the Stars at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport on Oct. 30 from 6 to 7 p.m. Children are invited to wear their Halloween costumes and bring their favorite stuffed animal. $8 per person. www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Spooky Science Lab
The Vanderbilt Museum Education Department, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will offer Mr. Vanderbilt’s Spooky Science Lab, a program for children in grades 2 to 5 on Oct. 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. Take part in a scavenger hunt in the collections galleries and then create jars that can be used in any spooky Halloween display. Cost is $20 per child. Register at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org. 631-854-5552.
Cold Spring Harbor
Harbor Haunts Walking Tour
Explore Cold Spring Harbor’s ghostly side with fascinating tales of mishaps and historic hauntings on Main Street, courtesy of the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor, on Oct. 21 and 28 at 6 p.m., Oct. 22 and 29 at 4:30 and 6 p.m. and Oct. 23 at 4:30 p.m. Recommended for ages 8 and older. Held rain or shine. Tickets are $12 adults, $8 children. 631-367-3418, www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Haunted Hatchery
Calling all ghosts and goblins, spiders and bones … Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will host a Halloween event on Oct. 29 from 2 to 5 p.m. Families are welcome to join them for a not-so-scary Haunted Hatchery. Trick-or-Treat your way through their outdoor grounds. Admission fee is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. 516-692-6768, www.cshfishhatchery.org
Haunted Boo-Museum Festival
Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for its spookiest event of the year, with fun activities for all ages, on Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go on a spooky-not-scary walk through as museum exhibit coming to life; have your fortune read; listen to ghost stories; and visit Dr. Gellerman’s Spooktacular Zoo with live native spooky wildlife found on Long Island. Enjoy tons of Halloween crafts and activities in the workshop including mixing up your own potion, creating a spider hat, wrapping a mummy whale, designing a mask, and candle-dipping to create a homemade candle and see what’s sticky and gooey at a Spooky Touch Table. Tickets in advance are $10 children, $5 adults; $15 children, $10 adults at the door. 631-367-3418, www.cshwhalingmuseum.org
Farmingville
Trick or Treat Trail
Join the Farmingville Historical Society on Oct. 29 for a Trick or Treat Trail at Farmingville Hills County Park, 503 Horseblock Road, Farmingville from noon to 3 p.m. Come in costume and trick or treat along a trail while learning about the history of candy. Fill your bag with real, full-size candy treats. The entry fee is $12 per trick or treater. Parents are welcome to escort their children without paying. Please note this is not a haunted trail. Rain date is Oct. 30. All Trick or Treaters must pre-register at www.farmingvillehistoricalsociety.org.
Dark Night Halloween World
Long Island Community Hospital Amphitheater, 1 Ski Run Lane, Farmingville hosts the 2nd annual Dark Night Halloween World, an outdoor extravaganza combining moderate scares with comedy that at the same time celebrates the nostalgia of vintage haunted trails through a post-modern twist on inspired characters from pop culture and horror movies of the 1990s, on Oct. 21, 22, 23, 27 to 31 from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person, $10 children 12 and under, $35 VIP front of the line. www.DarkNightLI.com
Huntington
All Hallows Tour
Huntington Town Hall, 100 Main St., Huntington hosts an All Hallows tour at the Town Clerk’s archives October 24 to 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Halloween event will featurea guided tour exploring Huntington’s haunted history with live interpretations of stories taken out of the archives vault. Free. 631-351-3035.
Trick or Treat at the Heckscher
Families are invited to celebrate Halloween at the Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington on Oct. 27 to Oct. 30 from noon to 5 p.m. Create a spooktacular art activity, make a haunted Digital Action painting, and take home a festive treat! 631-380-3230, www.heckscher.org
Halloween Costume Parade
The annual Downtown “Hauntington” Village Halloween Costume Parade returns to the Town of Huntington on Oct. 31 at 4 p.m. Sponsored by Town of Huntington, Councilwoman Joan Cergol, Dr. Dave Bennardo, and the Huntington Village BID. Line-up at the Huntington Post Office, 55 Gerard St., Huntington for a parade through Huntington followed by trick or treating at designated village merchants. Call 631-351-3173 or 631-351-3085.
Lake Grove
Halloween at Smith Haven Mall
Join the Smith Haven Mall, Moriches Road, Lake Grove for a spooktacular, fun trick-or-treating for all the little ghouls and goblins on Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (while supplies last*) If you want to know what retailers and restaurants may have tricks or treats for the little ones on Halloween, keep and eye out for the pumpkin in their windows. 631-724-1433
Miller Place
Spooky Lantern Walking Tour
The Miller Place Mount Sinai Historical Society presents its annual Spooky Lantern Tour, a not-too-scary walking tour of the haunted history of Miller Place, onOct. 21, 22, 28 & 29 at 5:30 p.m., 6:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. Walk the Miller Place Historic District with a guide from the MPMS Historical Society who will regale you with all the spooky stories surrounding this pre-Revolutionary War town. Bring a lantern or flashlight and wear comfortable shoes. For ages 10 and up. Tickets are $15 per person. www.mpmshistoricalsociety.eventbrite.com.
Mount Sinai
Heritage Halloween Fest
The North Shore Youth Council presents a Halloween Fest at the Heritage Center, 633 Mount Sinai Coram Road, Mt. Sinai on Oct. 29 from noon to 3 p.m. Enjoy pumpkin picking and decorating, a spooky walk scavenger hunt, costume parade, a goodie bag, dance party and more! Registration is $15 per child 12 and under. Parents and guardians are not required to register. Advance registration only at www.eventbrite.com.
Nesconset
Halloween Pet Parade
The Nesconset Chamber of Commerce and Jennifer O’Brien of State Farm hosts a Halloween Pet Parade fundraiser for the Smithtown Children’s Foundation at the Nesconset Gazebo, across from Nesconset Plaza, 127 Smithtown Boulevard, Nesconset on Oct.29 at 11 a.m. Come in costume and trick-or-treat, enjoy ice cream, raffles, music, pet costume contest, vendors and more. 631-724-2543, www.nesconsetchamber.com.
Northport
Halloween Hayride
The Village of Northport will host its annual Halloween Hayride in Northport Village Park on Oct. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. with hayrides, pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, live music, petting zoo, costume contest & refreshments. Fun for the whole family! $5 per person. Call 631-754-3905.
Halloween Magic Show
Join the Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport for a dazzling Halloween Magic Show for all ages with magician Todd Harris on Oct. 30 from 5 to 6 p.m. Cost is $5 per person. Register at www.northporthistorical.org.
Port Jefferson
FADE TO BLACK Catch the final performance of Theatre Three’s ‘A Kooky Spooky Halloween’ on Oct. 22. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
‘A Kooky Spooky Halloween’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents A Kooky Spooky Halloween, a merry musical about a ghost who’s afraid of the dark, on Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. Recently graduated spirit Abner Perkins is assigned to the Aberdeen Boarding House — known for its spectral sightings and terrific toast. Here, Abner finds himself cast into a company of its wacky residents. When his secret is revealed, he is forced to leave his haunted home and set-off on a quest with his newly found friends. All tickets are $10. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Harvest Fest
The Village of Port Jefferson hosts its annual Harvest Fest throughout the village on Oct. 22 from noon to 5 p.m. with live music, children’s activities, costumed dog parade, pumpkin carving, chowder crawl (fee) and much more. Rain date is Oct. 23. 631-473-4724, portjeff.com
Port Jefferson Station
Halloween Spooktacular
In coordination with The School of Rock, the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce hosts a Halloween Spooktacular event at the chamber train car, corner of Nesconset Highway and Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. (Enter on Rose Ave off Canal Road). Enjoy live music, trick or treating, pumpkin painting, vendors and a game of cornhole. Free. 631-821-1313
St. James
Deepwells Haunted Mansion
Just in time for Halloween, the Deepwells Farm Historical Society transforms the historic Deepwells Mansion, 2 Taylor Lane, St. James into Deepwells Sanitarium, Home for the Criminally Insane on Oct. 21, 22, 28 and 29 from 7 to 10 p.m. Featuring 16 rooms of horror, wooded trail of terror, food vendors, photo-ops and more. Advance tickets are $20 per person, $30 at the door. 631-862-2808, www.deepwellshauntedmansion.com
Setauket
Spirits Cemetery Tour
Join the Three Village Historical Society for its annual Spirits Cemetery Tour at the Setauket Presbyterian and Caroline of Brookhaven churches on Oct. 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. Tours, which last 1 1/2 hours, leave from the Setauket Presbyterian Church, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket every 15 minutes. Guests will visit 10 locations to walk-in on conversations between Spies of the American Revolution, Known and Unknown. Rain date is Oct. 29. Call for prices. 631-751-3730, www.tvhs.org
Smithtown
Tails, Trails and Treats – This event has been postponed to Oct. 30.
Celebrate Halloween at Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown withTales, Trails, and Treats on Oct. 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m. Kids can enjoy close encounters with animals, a ghostly garden, games, and a special puppet enchanted trail. For families wtih children ages 2 to 7 years old. $15 per child,$5 adults. www.sweetbriarnc.org, 631-974-6344
Ghosts and Goblins event
Ghosts and goblins will invade Smithtown all in the name of good fun when the Smithtown Recreation Department hosts its annual Ghosts and Goblins event on Oct. 22 at Browns Road Park, 72 Browns Road, Nesconset from 10 a.m. to noon. Enjoy games and prizes, pony rides, a balloon artist, and more. Free. Call 631-360-7644.
Stony Brook
Halloween Family Fun Day
Family Fun Day is back at the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook just in time for Halloween! Join them on Oct. 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. forpumpkin painting, trick-or-treating, crafts and more. Wear your Halloween costume if you wish. Free admission. 631-751-0066, www.longislandmuseum.org
Secrets and Spirits Walking Tour
Ward Melville Heritage Organization hosts a Secrets and Spirits of Stony Brook Village walking tours on Oct. 30 at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Participants of the tour will hear new stories of local hauntings along Stony Brook’s coastal community including the story of the Long Island witch trials, the apparitions of Annette Williamson at the Country House Restaurant (c.1710), the mysterious woman in white seen at the Stony Brook Grist Mill, William Sidney Mount and Spirit Photography; the ghost ships of shipbuilder Jonas Smith, and the role women mediums played in the Suffrage Movement.$12 per person. To reserve your spot, call 631-751-2244.
Halloween Festival
The Ward Melville Heritage Organization hosts its 32nd annual Halloween Festival at the Stony Brook Village Center, 111 Main St., Stony Brook on Oct. 31 from 2 to 5 p.m. with music from WALK 97.5, trick-or-treating throughout Stony Brook Village Center, dancing and games for children, Scarecrow Competition announcements at 4 p.m. and a Halloween parade, led by Monster Merlin! Free. 631-751-2244, www.wmho.org
Yaphank
Haunted History
The Suffolk County Farm, 350 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank presents Haunted History: Night at the Farm on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. What’s the farm like after dark? Learn all about the haunted history of the farm’s 150+ year old barn. Hear a spooky story and then take a wagon ride to the corn maze. Hopefully, you can find your way out before the headless horseman finds you! Bring a flashlight. $15 per person. Recommended for ages 8+. Call 631-852-4600 or visit www.ccesuffolk.org for further information
Commack
Commack United Methodist Church, 486 Townline Road, Commack presents its 5th annualTrunk-N-Treat event on Oct. 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. Children can trick or treat for candy at festively decorated car trunks and truck beds and enjoy games, crafts and activities. Free. 631-499-7310, www.commack-umc.org
Hauppauge
Hauppauge Public Library, 1373 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge invites the community to trick or treat in their parking lot on Oct. 28 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Community members will be decorating their trunks in fun and spooky themes and will pass out candy to trick or treaters. The library will also have snacks, games, crafts, and other activities. This event is free and open to all. 631-979-1600.
Riverhead
Join Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead dressed in costume for a festive Trunk or Treat on Oct. 29 from 3 to 6 p.m. The event will feature Mike the Silly Magician, a fabulous silent auction and raffle, pumpkin decorating and other Halloween crafts, games on the lawn, a costume parade and contest, all culminating in an amazing Trunk or Treat! Admission is $15 per person, $50 family of 4. 631-298-5292, www.hallockville.org
Rocky Point
The North Shore Youth Council and the Rocky Point PTA present a Trunk Or Treat! event at the Joseph A. Edgar School, 525 Route 25A, Rocky Point on Oct. 30 from 2 to 5 p.m. with decorated cars and trunks, candy and non-edible treats, face painting, crafts and photo prop. Costumes encouraged. Join them for a scary good time! Register for this free event at www.eventbrite.com.
Yaphank
Suffolk County Farm, 350 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank hosts a Truck or Treat event on Oct. 29from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy truck or treating, trick or treating around the farm, crafts, wagon rides, games, farm animal visits, corn maze and more. Costumes encouraged. $15 children ages 1 to 17, $5 adults. Register at www.eventbrite.com. 631-852-4600.
WTC responders at Ground Zero, working on the pile in the aftermath of 911. Photo by John Bombace
As the medical challenges to first responders at the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 attacks increase, Stony Brook University’s treatment program has increased the number of people it helps and, recently, also the federal funds to support efforts to treat people.
Dr. Benjamin Luft at the Stony Brook WTC Wellness Program, where he serves as director. File photo
Recently, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, awarded the Stony Brook World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program $147 million over an eight-year period to expand patient care and support infrastructure needs.
The SB World Trade Center Health and Wellness program now sees up to 13,000 patients, which is more than double the 6,000 patients it used to see.
“Patients are getting sicker and their diseases are much more complex with a variety of different systems being involved, both psychologically as well as physically,” said Dr. Benjamin Luft, director of the WTC Wellness Program.
Through the work the SB WTC group has conducted, doctors and researchers have demonstrated that diseases and physical and cognitive challenges associated with aging have occurred more rapidly in the WTC population.
At the same time, COVID-19 has also exacerbated conditions related to exposure to the site, with over 20% of this population experiencing lingering symptoms due to the pandemic.
The WTC first responders have developed chronic sinusitis and a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD).
While these diseases occur in the general population, “the chronicity is unique,” Luft added.
The SB WTC Wellness program will use the funds to hire additional staff with specialties in pulmonology and psychiatry, among other areas, Luft said.
The majority of the work occurs at the Wellness Center’s main facility and clinic in Commack. SB also runs a site in Mineola. The funds will help revamp the Mineola site as well.
The two sites will use updated technologies and will deploy emerging capabilities in telehealth and artificial intelligence to communicate, diagnose and monitor cases.
Federal funds have supported the effort for 18 years, as NIOSH has funded clinical services for WTC patients treated at Stony Brook.
Medical conditions for this population have included post-traumatic stress disorder and respiratory illnesses.
The funding more than doubles the $60 million, five-year award the WTC Wellness Program received in 2017 from NIOSH that had provided support until the end of March of this year. NIOSH had extended the grant for six months until the current funding started at the end of September, Luft said.
Patients have developed a range of cancers, as well as lung issues such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
Additionally, patients are struggling with a variety of mental processing challenges.
“We see a lot of patients who have a variety of cognitive and memory problems,” Luft said.
Luft emphasized that many of the thousands of patients he treats have several health issues simultaneously. By using new technologies, these efforts will enhance the quality of life for people who were on site after the attack.
Luft added that the connection and support from NIOSH have helped support health care for this population.
“The various people at NIOSH are really involved in the program,” he said. “It’s been very satisfying.”
Stony Brook University faculty in public health, psychiatry, pulmonary care, cardiovascular care and neuroscience all take part in ongoing research related to the health issues of WTC responders.
Luft emphasized that the care first responders at the WTC receive tries to be “proactive” with an extensive effort to screen for various diseases, including cancer.
The research and treatment efforts for the WTC population extends to other health care initiatives for people exposed to carcinogens in wars or from other unintentional exposures.
The exposure from 911 is similar to those from burn pits, Camp Lejuene and other hazards.
Community members enjoyed a blast to the past during the annual Country Fair hosted by the Miller Place-Mount Sinai Historical Society Oct. 15-16.
The program was held at the historical society’s c. 1720 headquarters, located within the area’s historic district on North Country Road. Outside, live music played as the society’s volunteers educated the crowds of spectators.
In a vivid recreation of an era without running water or electricity, some prepared baked goods and stews over an open flame, offering spectators a taste of history. Others brought out toy sets, reliving the pastimes of their local forebears.
Antoinette Donato, vice president of MPMSHS, was overjoyed by the number of community members who turned out throughout the day. She described the event’s purpose and its place in honoring the region’s history.
“We share a step back in time with the community,” she said. “We have demonstrators who demonstrate old crafts from years and years ago that no longer exist. We have our barn open, which is full of historical artifacts.” She added, “We feel it’s really important to share this experience with the community. It’s an opportunity to share what early America was like.”
Mark Sternberg, a local historian who specializes in the American Revolution, was among those who joined the festivities. In an interview, Sternberg shared the unique place Miller Place occupied during the Revolutionary War.
“There were patriots here, loyalists here, but there is definitely a huge amount of Revolutionary War history here,” he said.
At this historic site in Miller Place, Sternberg described the experience of being transported through time. He emphasized the need to preserve historical artifacts and structures, and celebrate local customs — all a function of the historical society.
“It’s tough when you don’t have a touch point,” Sternberg said. “The saving of these historic structures is one key way of connecting to history, giving people an idea of imagining the event happening there.”
He added, “What’s great about this area is a lot of these houses are exactly where they were initially, so you can also position the whole landscape as tying into how you would imagine that place being throughout history.”
Donato believes that events such as these keep local history alive, making it engaging and entertaining for the next generation. She also stated that there is no substitute for the immersive experience offered through the fair.
“You can read about it in a book, look it up on Facebook and Google it, but there is nothing like coming here and seeing it in person,” she said.
Portraits of Mrs. Nancy Williamson Smith and her husband Captain Jonas Smith by William Sidney Mount,1836
By Tara Mae
An opportunity to own priceless art is a chance to be part of living history. It does not come without a cost, but it can be worth the expenditure. On Saturday, Oct. 22, starting at noon, South Bay Auctions of East Moriches will offer such a possibility when it auctions off portraits of Captain Jonas Smith and his wife Nancy Williamson Smith of Stony Brook by local 19th century artist William Sidney Mount.
Portrait of Captain Jonas Smith
“Mount is significant to both art and local history. It is not often that his paintings come up for auction,” said Joshua Ruff, Co-Executive Director of the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook which has the largest collection of Mount’s paintings, drawings, correspondence, and archives.
Primarily known for his genre paintings, Mount was born in Setauket in 1807 and spent many years living in Stony Brook in between and after brief periods in New York City. He painted the places and people he knew, frequently of the Three Villages. Initially drawn to history painting, which he greatly admired, Mount’s portraiture was not born of his inherent interest in the material but rather a timeless dilemma for so many artists: his other work was not selling and Mount needed to earn a living.
Mount’s first portrait subjects were easily acquired; he initially painted himself and close relatives before offering his services to a better paying public. Among his early patrons were members of the Weeks, Mills, Strong, and Smith families, all of whom have prominent ties to the Three Villages.
Captain Jonas Smith and his wife Nancy Williamson Smith were particularly lucrative commissions. Captain Smith, who owned and operated a fleet of merchant ships that sailed internationally, is considered to be Long Island’s first self-made millionaire.
Their oil portraits were most likely done in Mount’s studio, according to Jean-Paul Napoli, Co-Owner and President of South Bay Auctions. Mount apparently charged Captain Smith $70 for the pair in 1836, the equivalent of about $2000 today, when adjusted for inflation.
Portrait of Mrs. Nancy Williamson Smith
Privately owned, the portraits were obtained by the auction house from a collector who had moved from Long Island to Boston. “The owner felt they should be offered on Long Island where they originated,” said Napoli.
Also up for auction is two portraits by Mount’s brother Shepard Alonzo Mount; a painting of Port Jefferson Harbor by William Moore Davis; two lithographs by Stow Wengenroth; a recently uncovered oil painting by Robert Motherwell; and works by Whitney M. Hubbard, Caroline Bell, Julia Wickham, William Steeple Davis and Joseph Hartranft.
The artwork is available for viewing at no charge from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Oct. 21 and by appointment. “I think this auction has a nice collection of fine art from Long Island and New York artists. Even if you are not interested in acquiring anything, it is an opportunity to see works that will in most cases not be in the public eye after the sale,” Napoli added.
South Bay Auctions is located at 485 Montauk Highway, East Moriches. Participants in the auction may bid in person or live online at www.Invaluable.com and www.LiveAuctioneers.com. Telephone and absentee bidding is also available. For more information, call 631-878-2909.
Fish kills in Long Island have increased from about five per year to 50 this summer. Photo by Laurie Vetere
Fish kills in waterways around Long Island climbed to over 50 this summer from about five per year in earlier years, driven by increasing water temperatures, algal blooms and increased nitrogen in local waters.
With temperatures climbing more than 2 degrees Celsius over the last two decades, waters around Long Island don’t have as much oxygen, particularly at night when photosynthetic plants are no longer able to catch sunlight and turn it into oxygen.
The fish kills represent a “pretty big number,” said Christopher Gobler, endowed chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.
Members of Gobler’s lab sample Long Island waters routinely as a part of their research. While his team was out gathering data, Gobler asked them to report any fish kills that included 10 or more fish. The area between Hempstead Harbor and Northport Harbor routinely included observations of fish kills.
Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen than colder water, because oxygen can escape more easily from water in higher heat.
With temperature as the primary driver, a combination of factors robs the water of oxygen.
“The warmer the water gets, the quicker the bacteria take oxygen out, the faster the fish are respiring” Gobler said.
He added the fish kills often included menhaden, or bunker, fish. These fish have returned in larger numbers in recent years to the waters around Long Island amid other conservation efforts. More menhaden this summer also brought sharks to the area, as these apex predators hunt bunker fish.
While global warming likely had a significant impact on the number of fish kills, Gobler said, an increase in nitrogen in local waterways also contributed to anoxic conditions and is something residents can control locally.
With more nitrogen, typically from onsite wastewater, algae have more nutrients to grow.
At the same time, when more abundant algae dies, the bacteria that break down the algae consume oxygen.
An additional emerging perspective suggests that the more abundant algae at night are respiring, removing oxygen from the water.
Gobler said people can reduce the release of nitrogen into local waterways, which can also affect groundwater, by upgrading their sewage treatment systems. Suffolk County has created rules, including a Reclaim our Water Septic Improvement Program, which protects the environment by reducing nitrogen emissions.
Gobler remains concerned not only for the fish that wash up in numbers along the shore, but for the marine organisms that aren’t as mobile, such as the invertebrates at the bottom of the waterways.
The fish kills are a flag that “these water bodies are impaired and are not capable of sustaining marine life in a way we’d like them to,” Gobler said.
As for the future, Gobler said it’s difficult to predict how the combination of factors, from global warming to nitrogen runoff, will affect marine life.
“Maybe next year, we go back to five [fish kills] in the summer,” he said. This year was “unlike anything we’ve seen” with a combination of high temperatures and numerous fish kills.
Above: Mark Murray, chief of the narcotics bureau for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Photo by Raymond Janis
Despite the pouring rain outside, dozens of locals gathered at Mount Sinai High School on Thursday, Oct. 13, for an educational forum on substance misuse prevention.
Hosted by Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), who chairs the county’s addiction prevention and support advisory panel, the event brought together various entities. In her presentation, Anker emphasized the outsized rate of drug-related fatalities in the area.
“Right now, the town of Brookhaven has the highest number of opioid deaths in Suffolk County — one of the highest in the state — and we have to do more,” she said. The legislator added, referring to the county government, “We’re trying, but it’s really up to the community. It’s up to the parents, kids and peers to do more and get us in a better place.”
Anker highlighted the need for drug addiction and prevention workshops, stating that these provide an outlet for community members to better prepare themselves in case of an emergency. She also noted that drug education has evolved in recent years, addressing victims’ needs rather than creating stigma.
The county’s DASH [diagnostic, assessment and stabilization hub] program was cited by her as a model for responsible drug intervention. “When people overdose, they go to an emergency [room] at Stony Brook or Mather or St. Charles or one of the hospitals here in Suffolk County, but what do you do after?” Anker said. “Before, they would just go home or go somewhere. There would be no support, no direction. Now there is.” She added, “New York State is taking that example and making more throughout the state.”
Also present at this community forum was Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), chair of the town’s Drug Prevention Coalition. He considered the coalition a valuable public resource for Brookhaven residents.
“That’s a model of getting the school districts involved, of all kinds of community organizations from a grassroots level, so that we can really get down to that family level,” he said. For Kornreich, the goal of the coalition is to “be accessible and get people connected to the services they need and bring prevention programs to schools … so that we can break that cycle of use and abuse before it starts.”
Another essential component of the forum was its presentations on drug awareness. Among the speakers throughout the night was Mark Murray, chief of the narcotics bureau for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Murray delivered a detailed presentation on the dangers of fentanyl, which he said has become increasingly problematic for county communities.
“Since 2016 here in Suffolk, fentanyl has viciously made its mark,” he said. “We have easily averaged over 300 fatal overdoses a year here in Suffolk, due primarily to the presence of fentanyl.”
Murray characterized fentanyl as a highly potent substance, requiring just “a grain or two” to deliver a lethal dose. According to the narcotics chief, fentanyl is found in nearly every drug on the black market.
“Fentanyl is popular, it’s addictive — and there’s no such thing as a scrupulous drug dealer,” he said.
Given the frequency of fentanyl-related overdoses in Suffolk, Murray stressed the importance of the Good Samaritan Law. This New York State statute protects victims and witnesses of overdose events.
“It covers a witness or a victim of any medical episode — but more specifically a drug or alcohol overdose — who decides to call 911 either for themselves or that third person,” he said. “It’s not a trick. It’s statutory. It was codified by the state because they wanted to encourage people to realize the importance of the situation and to pick up the phone, call and get help.”
Following the presentations from Murray and other speakers, attendees were given training instructions in naloxone.
To learn more about the addiction resources, including emergency hotline numbers, visit the Long Island Addiction Resource Center website: longislandaddictionresourcecenter.org.
Kings Park wide receiver Sam Myung bolts through an opening in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River wide receiver Liam Kershis jets down the sideline for the score in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River wide receiver Liam Kershis with an acrobatic one-handed catch in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Kings Park coach. Bill Landon photo
Touchdown Kings Park. Photo by Bill Landon
Touchdown Kyle Weeks. Bill Landon photo
Touchdown Kings Park. Bill Landon
Kings Park wide receiver Declan O’Melia saunters into the endzone untouched in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Kings Park wide receiver Declan O’Melia hauls in a 23-yarder from Kyle Weeks in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Kings Park quarterback Kyle Weeks throws over the middle in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Kings Park quarterback Kyle Weeks stiff arms a Wildcat defender in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River Wide receiver Will Hart comes down with the TD catch for the Wildcats in their homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River sophomore Michael Casey powers his way up-field in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River sophomore Michael Casey looks upfield in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River wide receiver Michael Casey looks for an opening in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Kings Park quarterback Kyle Weeks throws a screen pass in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Just off the fingertips. Bill Landon photo
Kings Park quarterback Kyle Weeks looks for an open receiver in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcats cheer. Bill Landon photo
Sam Palmer splits the uprights for the Wildcats in their homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River quarterback Dylan Zahn rifles one over the middle in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River wide receiver Kiernan Clifford drags a defender in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River wide receiver Kiernan Clifford drags a defender in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Wildcats. Bill Landon
Wildcats timeout. Credit: Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River quarterback Dylan Zahn throws over the middle in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Kings Park quarterback Kyle Weeks throws deep in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Kings Park senior tail-back Mark Griffin powers his way up-field in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Liam Kershis fields the kickoff in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Kings Park quarterback Kyle Weeks saunters into the endzone for the touchdown in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Kings Park quarterback Kyle Weeks breaks free in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Kings Park senior tail-back Mark Griffin follows lead blocking in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River head coach Aden Smith. Bill Landon photo
Kings Park corner back John Flynn with the kickoff catch against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Bill Landon photo
Wildcats. Landon photo
Wildcats. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River junior Daniel Greene turns upfield in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Timeout. Landon photo
Timeout Wildcats. Bill Landon photo
Kings Park senior Scott McConville scores on a 69-yard pass play from Kyle Weeks in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Kings Park corner back John Flynn splits a pair of Wildcat defenders in a Div IV road game Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Kings Park corner back John Flynn with the kickoff return against Shoreham-Wading River Oct. 15. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River running back Liam Kershis turns upfield in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River wide receiver Michael Casey turns upfield in the Wildcats homecoming game against Kings Park. Bill Landon photo
Wildcats take the field in their homecoming game against Kings Park Oct 15. Bill Landon photo
Wildcats take the field in their homecoming game against Kings Park Oct 15. Bill Landon photo
Leading 27-15 after three quarters of play, the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats looked for a win in their homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 15, against Kings Park, but the Kingsmen had other ideas.
Kings Park quarterback Kyles Weeks was the offensive spark in the final 12 minutes of play, orchestrating a 29-point fourth quarter explosion that rained on the Wildcats homecoming parade to win it, 44-33.
Weeks hit wide receiver Declan O’Melia on an 89-yard pass play for the score with 7:22 left in regulation. Then, Weeks, on a keeper, punched his way in for the score to retake the lead with four minutes left.
Shoreham Wading River quarterback Dylan Zahn answered with a touchdown strike to Liam Kershis. With Sam Palmer’s foot, the Wildcats retook the lead, 33-30, with two minutes left.
From there it was all Weeks, who aired one out for a 40-yard pass completion, then found the endzone on a keeper where the Kingsmen edged ahead, 37-33.
A Kings Park cornerback then intercepted a Wildcat pass and ran it back 56 yards for the score, and Alex Squillacioti’s successful point after attempt put the Kingsmen out front 44-33 for the final score of the game.
Zahn threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another, and sophomore cornerback Michael Casey had two interceptions for the Wildcats.
The win lifts Kings Park to 5-1 in the division, and the loss drops the Wildcats to 3-3 with one game remaining before postseason play begins.
Shoreham-Wading River retakes the field Friday, Oct. 21, in their final game of the regular season where they’ll host Mount Sinai in a must-win game. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
Kings Park will also be back in action Friday, Oct. 21, solidly positioned in the playoff picture, and will host Babylon. Game time is slated for 6:30 p.m.
Baby boomers likely remember duck and cover drills in schools, backyard bomb shelters and the crippling anxiety of the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962. While many thought those fears were long behind us, the ghosts of our past haunt us today.
Today the specter of nuclear disaster seems real with intensifying conflict between Russia and Ukraine, also North Korea’s continual missile tests. This week we took to the streets to ask locals their thoughts on nuclear weapons, nuclear war and their favored response to elevated aggression abroad.
— Photos by Carolyn Sackstein
Wally Tomaszewski, Port Jefferson
“As far as Ukraine is concerned, of course, they were unjustly attacked by President Putin and Russia. The president of Ukraine has to support his people. The lives that are lost are unfathomable. Ukraine has been in existence a long, long time. They have gotten along with Russia. However, Mr. Putin has got something in his head that he wants to expand his territory and have the people of Ukraine commit to Russia. The killing and maiming of the Ukrainian people is just incredible. The Ukrainian people are fighting back. The Ukrainian military is gaining territory and beating Russians, which is incredible. The reason they are beating the Russians is that the Russian military really doesn’t have the heart to do this to a neighboring country. It is all subject to what Mr. Putin wants and they have to do what he wants. I think it is inhumane. They should stop this war immediately. The United States is supporting Ukraine with weapons. There are other countries that are supporting the Ukrainian people and rightly so.”
Andrew Drake,Stony Brook
“I think [a nuclear weapon is] the worst thing invented by mankind. We now have the ability to destroy ourselves at any time. It is a horrible thing that exists. I wish it is something we could put back in the box, but we can’t. The sad reality is as long as they exist, we need to have them. There are going to be people that are bad actors. That’s why the United States tries to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. North Korea launching a missile over Japan was obviously scary. I wish there were something else we could do about it, other than what we are doing. I don’t think there is a military solution, as much as there is a diplomatic solution. We need to incentivize people not to develop these [weapons], or give them the ability to defend themselves in a way that is not going to require mutually assured destruction.”
Paul Adago Jr., Ridge
“It’s going to affect us as a country, because we can’t have someone just bow to another. We allow that to happen in one portion of the world, then everybody’s going to think, ‘Well, we can do that too.’ We have to step up as a world, whether they’re part of NATO or not. We have to do what’s right for the people. After what we’ve been through in the world in the last two or three years, we have to humble ourselves and look at each other as people.”
Jorel Alvarez, Middle Island
“Putin using tactical nuclear weapons is not good for anyone’s sake. Once you use nukes the other person is going to use whatever weapons they have and then it is going to keep going on and the cycle is not going to stop. It is not right that he has this power. It is not right what he is doing in Ukraine.”
Wet Yang, Brooklyn
“I don’t think we can afford nuclear war. I don’t think we should be using nuclear weapons. I don’t believe in the use of nuclear weapons.”
Michael Osgood,San Francisco
“North Korea is obviously [launching missile tests] to be provocative and to remind the world that it has the technology to cause a lot of trouble. They think that is the way they can stay in power.” Regarding Mr. Putin’s threats, Osgood replied, “I can feel fear in my stomach when I think about that. I mean, could he possibly be insane enough to pull the trigger on such a thing? I hope to God he isn’t.”
October began on a somber note with several days of rain, cloudy weather and blustery winds. For many people, short-term inclement weather can lead to lethargy and depressed moods.
Dr. Veronique Deutsch-Anzalone, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, is a clinical psychologist who has researched the weather’s effect on people. The doctor said the first thing many think of regarding lousy weather and mental health is seasonal affective disorder, more commonly known as SAD. Deutsch-Anzalone said SAD is not technically considered a disorder anymore in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” but now what patients are diagnosed with is depression with a seasonal pattern. She added seasonal pattern is considered a specifier.
“Why not just throw on some raincoats and galoshes, go out and just jump around in the puddles and make those mud pies with them. They’re going to remember that and enjoy it.”
— Dr. Veronique Deutsch-Anzalone
“There are actually a lot of conflicting views on whether or not the lack of sun and the increase in cold and darkness causes us to have a depressed mood,” she said, adding that a 2016 study showed no objective data to support that depression is related to either latitude or season or sunlight. The doctor added that some people get depressed only in the summer.
However, due to many having depression that tends to follow a seasonal pattern, the disorder of depression with a seasonal pattern remains in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.”
She said similar symptoms that people feel in the winter could be experienced even during short-term weather patterns, such as the recent period of rain, as lack of sunlight has been a factor in psychiatric problems and depression, with females and the elderly being particularly susceptible.
There are a few reasons, the doctor said, that support cloudy, rainy days being accompanied by depressed moods which involves serotonin, a body chemical that has to do with body functions; and melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep.
“We have our circadian rhythms where we’re programmed to be alert when the sun is up and be drowsy when it’s gone, and that is because when the sun goes down our bodies produce melatonin,” she said.
On darker days, the body produces less serotonin. On sunnier days, more serotonin is made, and it’s a neurotransmitter, Deutsch-Anzalone said. She added, on a cloudy day, people tend to keep the lights low in their homes and cuddle up on the couch to watch TV, which increases sleepiness. In turn, she said, a person may crave carbohydrates, sugar and salt.
“Unfortunately, when we turn to that kind of food that actually kind of makes us go into more of a slump, and can also cause some people to feel guilty and not very happy with themselves,” the doctor said.
Comfort foods raise serotonin but only briefly, Deutsch-Anzalone said. The best approach is eating healthy and drinking water. The doctor also advised against excess alcohol and caffeine intake, which can cause inflammation and dehydration.
She added an increase in aches and pains during stormy weather also doesn’t help matters. The drop in atmospheric pressure causes body fluids to move from the blood vessels to the tissues, creating more pressure on nerves and joints.
“That can lead to more increased pain or stiffness or reduced mobility, which then of course, makes us a little bit less likely to want to move,” she said.
She said on gloomy days, it can help to turn the lights on inside to increase serotonin and have more energy. Deutsch-Anzalone added some people might need a light therapy lamp or doctors may prescribe vitamin D.
She said it also helps to engage in enjoyable activities to lift one’s spirits. When a person is feeling down and can’t even think of pleasant activities, she suggests googling to find a list of things to do. Some, the doctor added, might be ones a patient hasn’t thought of, such as picking up an instrument, writing poetry or decorating a room. Exercise is also recommended as well as socializing or calling a friend.
Even in the rain, she suggested embracing nature, especially for people who have young children.
“Why not just throw on some raincoats and galoshes, go out and just jump around in the puddles and make those mud pies with them,” she said. “They’re going to remember that and enjoy it.”
Getting a good night’s sleep is also imperative, she said, since human’s circadian rhythms are thrown off when it’s dark outside for long periods of time. Napping and lying around the house most of the day also throws off a person’s sleep schedule.
“If you’re able to keep that good sleep hygiene and get a good night’s sleep, that will continue to give you a good amount of energy throughout the day, and it’ll ward off any sort of irritability.”
Deutsch-Anzalone advises anyone who is struggling with their mental health to seek professional help.
Commack
Wally Tomaszewski, Port Jefferson
Andrew Drake,
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