The Lion King. 1994. Walt Disney Pictures. Courtesy of Disney Entertainment & The Walt Disney Company.
A hit since its reopening in 2022, the Cinema Arts Centre’s Cinema for Kids series has continued to draw crowds for its weekly screenings of beloved family films. These affordable showings have been a hit, with recent screenings of family classics such as The Goonies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The NeverEnding Story, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory drawing crowds exceeding 100 people.
With its Cinema for Kids series, the Cinema Arts Centre hopes to expose a new generation of movie-goers to some of the great animated and family films that were beloved by previous generations and to provide parents with the opportunity to see some of their favorite films back in theaters with their kids. Attendees are encouraged to share suggestions of films they want to see screened. Upcoming Screenings:
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Sunday, April 9th at 12PM
An American Tail (1986)
Sunday, April 16th at 12PM
Shrek (2001)
Sunday, April 23rd at 12PM
The Princess Bride (1987)
Sunday, April 30th at 12PM
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Sunday, May 7th at 12PM
Brave (2012)
Mother’s Day Screening!
Sunday, May 14th at 12PM
Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Sunday, May 21st at 12PM
The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
Sunday, May 28th at 12PM
The Dark Crystal (1982)
Sunday, June 4th at 12PM
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Sunday, June 11th at 12PM
The Lion King (1994)
Sunday, June 18th at 12PM
The Mighty Ducks (1992)
Sunday, June 25th at 12PM
Location:
Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave, Huntington, NY 11743
Fees:
$12 Public | $7 Cinema Arts Centre Members | $5 for Kids 12 and Under
The Cinema Arts Centre is located at 423 Park Avenue in Huntington. To purchase tickets, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org
We have had a “clean water” sales tax for years. When last I looked both Suffolk County and New York State took that “clean water” sales tax money and put it into their general budgets. Suffolk County was taken to court where it lost and was ordered to replace the improperly taken money. Suffolk then claimed this money was needed to offset the costs of COVID-19, won a referendum and never truly repaid this money. I call this legalized “stealing.”
Now we are being asked to increase and extend this legalized “stealing” [through a 1/8-cent county sales tax increase to fund water quality improvement projects, subject to a mandatory referendum]. Additionally, we are being asked to provide politically well-connected persons with positions as “a 17-member wastewater management district board of trustees” to administer this money.
We are told there will be one, countywide, sewer district with “zones of assessment.” Taxes collected within an established zone of assessment would be required to be kept segregated from taxes collected in other zones of assessment, except upon approval by the county Legislature on the recommendation of the district board of trustees.
Can we trust the Suffolk County Legislature? What do you think?
Francis G. Gibbons Sr.
Terryville
Dog owners should respect a neighborhood park
Frank Melville Memorial Park in Setauket is a glorious place for all community members to enjoy year-round. It is particularly lovely in the spring when the trees are budding, the swans are nesting, the turtles are hanging out on the logs, the flowers are blooming, and people are emerging from their winter hibernation to walk the paths available for our enjoyment. I am one of those people, a community member who loves to bring her friendly chocolate Lab out for a walk on a regular basis.
As a responsible dog owner, and more so, a considerate person, I take it upon myself to clean up after my large dog when he decides to do his business on park grounds. Sadly, and disgustingly, there are several individuals who have decided that they are above this inconvenient task and feel it is proper protocol to leave their piles wherever they may land so that others are subjected to not only the sight, but the aroma of their pets’ feces. Despite the fact that the park has not one, not two, but three receptacles and poop bag dispensaries, these individuals cannot be bothered to do what a respectful, unselfish person should do. Today was actually my favorite display as one person had taken it upon themself to pick up the poop, and then left the full bag in the middle of the grass adjacent to the pond. Perhaps this was meant to enhance the view? Seriously, what is wrong with you?
The park has several signs stating that if your dog is unleashed you will be banned from the park. The same standard needs to be upheld for those who choose to befoul these grounds with dog excrement. Besides being unsanitary, it is unfair to those who use the park responsibly and have the decency to leash and clean up after their pets. If you refuse to abide by common courtesy, stay home.
Stefanie Werner
East Setauket
Putting the park into parking in Port Jeff Village
The parking problem has persisted since the noted Long Island planner, Lee Koppelman, made Port Jefferson’s first village plan in 1965. Multiple updates continued to note this problem, including the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update.
As the village has increased parking capacity with more area and asphalt devoted to off-street parking, the less it has felt like an intimate village. Finding a spot, and the walk from your car — through other cars — to Main Street is not a pleasant start to a visit. In the planning to accommodate the car, the harbor front was converted from shipbuilding to parking, absurdly giving the car the best view of the harbor.
In 2006, sponsored by the BID, supported by the Village of Port Jefferson, we presented to the village community the concept of “Putting the Park into Parking” — as seen on the front page of this paper in 2006. The concept was to make a park on the harbor front and move the parking to a parking structure behind Main Street, replacing the asphalt wasteland with scaled-back street mews walks.
With rising tide predictions, the cars should be replaced — before they go under — with a sponge sustainable functioning education park. Parking is just one concern for quality of life in our village.
Michael Schwarting
Campani and Schwarting Architects
Port Jefferson
Uphold democracy by attending the April 3 village board meeting
When we think of dying democracies, we think of faraway lands, where democracies are overthrown by a military coup — like Myanmar in 2021 — or by rampant corruption and fraud, as in Haiti today. But there is a slower blight democracies die from: a gradual loss of trust in the electoral system. We can see that in our own backyard when local officials ignore and thus thwart the will of the majority. People still have the right to vote, but they no longer bother to do so.
This fate threatens the Village of Port Jefferson today. We have some 6,000 registered voters in the village. Yet only about 1,200 vote in the mayoral election and even fewer for trustees. The current officers were elected with fewer than a thousand votes each in 2021 and 2022.
Why is this? The residents have seen issue after issue decided by the Board of Trustees without considering the input of voters. The residents no longer even hope for a voice in village decisions.
Such recent decisions include building of apartment complexes in Upper and Lower Port despite strong opposition from residents; the $10 million bond that was floated to fund the “shield” solution to East Beach bluff erosion; and the parking lot built on the newly cleared forest at Mather Hospital.
But just last week, the Port Jefferson Board of Trustees added the keystone to the arch of despair that has developed over the years. The board and mayor unilaterally extended their terms of office from two years to four with no public debate whatsoever. Whether that extension would be bad or good for the village is not the issue. The issue is that, once again, the village residents’ rightful expectation that their will would be considered in their village government’s decisions was quashed.
Village residents voted to incorporate as a village because we wanted to have self-governance, to make our own decisions about things that affect us the most. But this is now not the case.
As representatives of the Civic Association of Port Jefferson, we strongly urge the Board of Trustees, in their April 3 meeting, to rescind the undemocratic resolution to extend their terms they made at their last meeting.
We also urge the residents of Port Jefferson to show up at 6 p.m. at the April 3 board meeting at the Village Hall to express their disapproval. Don’t let democracy in our village die the death of apathy.
Ana Hozyainova, President
Holly Fils-Aime, Vice President
Port Jefferson Civic Association
WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL
We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation.
‘THE STANDARD OF THE WORLD’
Kick off spring with a Car Show and Swap Meet at Bald Hill in Farmingville on March 26 featuring custom cars like this 1950’s Cadillac to classic muscle cars. Photo by Phyllis Aquino/Long Island Cars
Thursday 23
Swing Into Spring Jazz Festival
Presented by Leg. Kara Hahn and The Jazz Loft founder Tom Manual, the Swing Into Spring Jazz Festival continues tonight, March 24 and 25 at The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook and in local shops and restaurants, including Stony Brook Chocolate and The Country House. For the full schedule, visit www.thejazzloft.org.
Native American Drumming
Alls Souls Parish House, 10 Mill Pond Road, Stony Brook will host a Native American Drumming Meditation workshop from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Led by elder drummer, Ric Statler, drumming meditation seeks to integrate the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of the human self, creating a state of well-being. Call 655-7798 for more information.
Celebrating David Crosby
The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Rock Legends Live! series with David Crosby: A Celebration at 7:30 p.m. Come celebrate the life of legendary singer-songwriter David Crosby, featuring numerous rare performance clips. Tickets are $15, $10 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Friday 24
Swing Into Spring Jazz Festival
See March 23 listing.
Vanderbilt Evening Birdwatch
Join the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport for an Evening Birdwatch and Architecture Tour with the Museum’s director of curatorial affairs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Participants will enjoy the unique opportunity to view the Vanderbilt estate at dusk, when the grounds are closed but the birds are active. Sturdy hiking footwear is strongly suggested, and participants are asked to bring their own binoculars. Walks will also be held on April 7 and 21, and May 5 and 19. Tickets are $12, free for members. To register, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Wintertide concert
The Port Jefferson Village Center, 101A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson continuesitsWintertide concert series from 7 to 8 p.m with songwriter and guitarist Rupert Wates in the Sail Loft Room on the third floor. $5 donation at the door. Questions? Call 473-4778.
Battle of the Bands
Northport Centerport Lions Club presents the Battle of the Bands at the Huntington Moose Lodge, 631 Pulaski Rd, Greenlawn from 7 to 11 p.m. Raffles and snacks. Tickets are $30 per person. Proceeds to go to local charities including Smithtown Guide Dog Foundation. Questions? Call 516-380-6444.
Saturday 25
Swing Into Spring Jazz Festival
See March 23 listing.
Go for the Green Run
The Rotary Club of Smithtown presents the 28th annual St. Patrick’s ‘Go for the Green’ 5K run at 9:30 a.m. (1 mile family fun run at 9 a.m.) The race kicks off at Smithtown Elementary School, 51 Lawrence Ave., Smithtown. Register online at events.elitefeats.com/23gogreen. For additional information, call 516-458-5159.
Guided Beach Walks
Town of Brookhaven hosts a guided beach walk, See By the Sound, at West Meadow Beach, Trustees Road, Stony Brook at 10 a.m. and a guided beach walk at Cedar Beach Nature Center, Harbor Beach Road, Mount Sinai at 2 p.m. Look for shells, gulls and other shore birds. Bring binoculars if you have them. Free but registration is required by emailing [email protected].
Veterans Food Drive
Miller Place-Mount Sinai Historical Society hosts a Give Back to Our Veterans Food Drive at the William Miller House, 75 North Country Road, Miller Place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.Canned and paper products appreciated. Any person that donates can dedicate a rock to the Society’s Veteran’s Memorial Rock Garden. Stay and write a letter to a veteran to thank them for their service. For more information, visit www.mpmshistoricalsociety.org.
Model Train Show
The Smithtown Historical Society presents its annual Model Train Show in the Frank Brush Barn, 211 E. Main St. Smithtown from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Operating layouts on display include Long Island HOTracks — HO Scale and Frank Kabylarz — N Scale. Admission is $5 adults, $3 children under age 12. Proceeds from the event go towards maintenance of farm buildings and animal care on the property. For more information, call 265-6768.
Acoustic Afternoons at Mills Pond
Join local musicians for an afternoon open mic at the Mills Pond Gallery, 199 Mills Pond Road, St. James from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Enjoy the fine art exhibit, share your musical talents, sing along or just listen in a beautiful gallery space. Signup in person beginning at 1 p.m. Free to listen, $5 donation for performers. Call 862-6575 for more information.
Dreamcatcher Workshop
Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for a Dreamcatcher Workshop at 2 p.m. Discover the history behind the most enduring and widespread symbol of Native American culture, the dreamcatcher. Special guest and member of the Shinnecock and Hassanamisco Nations Denise Silva-Dennis “WeeTahMoe” willpresent this art and culture workshop on the iconic Lakota tradition. Create a traditional dreamcatcher of your own to take home. Admission fee + $10 participant.For adults and kids. To register, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Silverpoint Art Workshop
The Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite #15, St. James presents a workshop titled The Magic of Drawing in Silverpoint from 2 to 5 p.m. Join artist Randall DiGiuseppe for a fun-filled and informative drawing workshop that explores the history, mechanism, and methods that make silverpoint such a special drawing medium. You get to try your hand at creating your own silverpoint drawing. Open to all skill levels. Light refreshments will be served. $65 per person includes all materials. To register, visit www.theatelieratflowerfield.org or call 250-9009.
Comedy Night Dinner Show
Yaphank Fire Department Truck Company #1, 31 Main St., Yaphank hosts a Comedy Night Dinner Show with doors opening at 6 p.m. Comedic line-up includes David Weiss, Dennis Rooney, “Banjo” Les Bayer and Eric Tartaglione. Tickets are $40 per person and includes a roast beef dinner, dessert, beer, wine and soda. To order tickets, call 905-2134.
Sunday 26
Car Show and Swap Meet
“Long Island Cars” kicks off its 2023 season with a “Super Swap Sunday” Car Show & Swap Meet at Bald Hill, 1 Ski Run Lane, Farmingville from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hundreds of classic and collectible automobiles including street rods, muscle cars, antiques, exotics and imports will be on display along with a swap meet, live music, food and refreshments. Admission is $10, children under age 12 are free. Call 567-5898 or visit www.LongIslandCars.com.
Port Jefferson Food Drive
The Port Jefferson Rotary Club and “Call Brian” Senior Services will sponsor a Friends of the Pantry Food and Personal Care Items Drive at the Open Cupboard Pantry at Infant Jesus Church, 110 Hawkins St., Port Jefferson today from 9 a.m. to noon. Currently the pantry is in extreme need of boxed milk, Ramen soup, juice, pancake mix (complete), pancake syrup, peanut butter, jelly, mac & cheese, pasta sauce, condiments, Maseca flour, cooking oil, cereal oatmeal, canned fruit, black beans, canned mixed vegetables, coffee and healthy snacks. They are also in need of personal care items such as shampoo, conditioner, deoderant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, toilet paper, baby shampoo, baby wash, baby wipes, Enfamil formula, Desitin and lotion. Grocery store gift cards and cash also accepted. Please help them help those in need during these difficult times. For more information, call 938-6464.
Huntington Farmers Market
The John J. Flanagan Center, 423 Park Ave., Huntington hosts the Huntington Winter Farmers Market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March with over 40 vendors plus guest vendors. Visit www.longislandfarmersmarkets.com.
Port Jefferson Farmers Market
The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market will be held at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 30. Featuring over 20 vendors. Call 473-4778.
Dedication Ceremony at Caroline Church
Caroline Church of Brookhaven, 1 Dyke Road, Setauket will host a dedication ceremony for its newly restored historic 1887 seven-bay carriage shed at 11 a.m. The shed will be dedicated to the men and women who joined together to fund and build an enclosure designed to provide shelter for their horses and carriages. The name plaques will be unveiled and a few short stories will be told about the owners of the stalls. All are welcome. For more information, call 941-4245.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The 33rd annual Ronkonkoma St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held at 2 p.m. Grand Marshal John McNamara will lead the parade from Hawkins Avenue at School Street, south down Hawkins Ave ending at Thorne Street. Call 304-6303 or visit www.ronkonkomaparade.org.
Flax Pond Lecture
Friends of Flax Pond invite the community to join them at the Childs Mansion, 19 Shore Drive, Old Field at 3 p.m. for a lecture titled “Diamondback Terrapin: the Turtle with the Clown Lips” presented by John Turner. These amazing turtles inhabit our local coastal areas. Late each spring and early summer the females come ashore to nest on our local beaches. Conservation is key to their continued survival. John will present information about these fascinating creatures as well as some of the local conservation efforts. As always light refreshments will be served. Please bring a reusable coffee mug to reduce waste. The lecture is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. Parking is at the Flax Pond Lab, adjacent to the Childs Mansion. If you need other arrangements for parking and have a “handicap parking pass,” please e-mail or text 631-767-6287 to make arrangements.
Eagle River Band in concert
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook will host a concert by the Eagle River Band from 3 to 4 p.m. Free with admission to the museum. For more information, call 689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.
Ridotto Concert
Huntington Jewish Center, 510 Park Ave., Huntington hosts a Ridotto concert titled Abbandonata at 4 p.m. Program will include Haydn: Cantata ‘Arianna auf Naxos; string Quartets by Haydn and Boccherini, Monteverdi for lute and voice, Gluck arias ‘oh del mio’ and ‘Che faro Eurydice’ with Kate Lerner, mezzo; Christopher Morrongiello, lute; and Poetica Quartet with Song-A Cho, violin.Tickets are $35, $30 seniors, $25 members and $12 students. For reservations, call 385-0373 or email [email protected].
Comedy Show fundraiser
Port Jefferson Moose Lodge, 37 Crystal Brook Hollow Road, Mt. Sinai hosts a Comedy Show fundraiser by the Terryville Road PTA for Port Jefferson Station 8-year-old Tenzin Tanaka who is battling leukemia at 4 p.m. (Doors open at 2:30 p.m.) with comedians John Butera, Chris Roach, Dan LaRocco, Rich Walker and Fat Jay.With 50/50 raffle auction. Mature audiences only. $30 per person, $50 per couple. For tickets, please call 516-662-0931.
Monday 27
SHS Lecture
Smithtown Historical Society concludes its Spring Lecture Series at the Frank Brush Barn, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown with a presentation titled “Looking Back: 1965 Smithtown’s Tricentennial” with SHS Vice President Maureen Smilow. Take a look back at the celebration where a time capsule was buried at Town Hall and a grand parade, complete with a real bull, took place on Main Street. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, call 265-6768.
Tuesday 28
NSJC Social Club event
North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station will screen the film Jewish Broadway about the contributions of Jewish talent to the entertainment industry in the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee among other refreshments will be served. $5 per person, $3 members. Call 928-3737 for more information.
Healthy Libraries event
Drop by Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station between 2 and 4:30 p.m. to meet with Stony Brook Medicine healthcare professionals and graduate student interns from the fields of social work, public health, nursing, and nutrition for assistance with access to in-person and virtual healthcare resources. Questions? Call 631-928-1212.
An Evening of Sound Healing
Port Talks presents Desmond O’Sullivan live at The Space in Port Jefferson, 234 Traders Cove, Port Jefferson from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. As the captain of the Celtic Quest fishing boat, learn why Desi is passionate about the healing power of sound. He will demonstrate how to use sound and frequency to optimize health and well being and how they can be of great benefit to the human spirit. This event will include pre-networking, an interview and demonstration. $20 per person. Register at www.portjefftalks.com. For more information, text 516-939-8960.
CAC Sky Room Talk
Join film historian Glenn Andreiev for a Sky Room Talk, Made Men and Mobsters — The Mafia in the Movies, at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington at 7:30 p.m. See familiar Mafia movie moments, which range from frightening to funny, and discover seldom seen mobster classics. See clips from silent era mob movies, the eye-popping 1932 Scarface, newsreel footage of some real wise-guys, along with some 1970’s mob movies that slipped under the radar. There will also be some trivia questions with mobster-like prizes. Tickets are $17, $12 members. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org to register.
An evening of Swing Dance
Swing Dance Long Island, a non-profit social dance club, holds weekly dances every Tuesday evening at theHuntington Moose Lodge, 631 Pulaski Rd. Greenlawn with beginner swing lessons at 7:30 p.m. and dancing from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Singles and beginners are welcome.No partner necessary. Admission is $15-DJ night,$20-band night on the third Tuesday of the month. For more information, call 516-521-1410.
Comedy Night at the Engeman
Join the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport for a Comedy Night at 8 p.m. Come have some laughs, enjoy some cocktails, and listen to some very funny comedians! Tickets are $45 per person. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Wednesday 29
Staller’s Starry Nights
Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook presents Starry Nights in the Recital Hall at 7 p.m. With the combined talent of Stony Brook’s established artists and its rising stars, Artist-in-Residence Colin Carr and company continue to enchant audiences with their musical wizardry. Program will include Shostakovich Piano Quintet in G minor featuring renowned violinist Hagai Shaham, as well as the beloved Schubert String Quintet featuring Mr. Carr and the Pelia String Quartet. Tickets range from $43 to $48. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.
Thursday 30
No events listed for this day.
Theater
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Only two more chances to catch a performance of the 24th annual Festival of One-Act Plays on Theatre Three’s Second Stage. The show closes on March 25. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
Festival of One-Act Plays
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents the 24th annual Festival of One-Act Plays through March 25 at The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre, on the Second Stage. Selected from over 750 submissions world-wide, these seven cutting-edge premieres are guaranteed to entertain and engage. Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, the plays will feature Steve Ayle, Tamralynn Dorsa, Antoine Jones, Brittany Lacey, Phyllis March, Evan Teich, Steven Uihlein, Sean Amato, Ava Andrejko, Angelo DiBiase, Samantha Fierro, Jason Furnari, Melissa Norman, Danielle Pafundi, and Tristan Prin. Adult content and language. Tickets are $20. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’
The swashbuckling musical adventure The Scarlet Pimpernel heads to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport from March 16 to April 30. Percy Blakeney, a proper Englishman, takes on a sword fighting and dashing double identity as The Scarlet Pimpernel to save French citizens from the blood-hungry guillotine. His exploits soon become the talk of Paris, however, the fanatical Agent Chauvelin will stop at nothing to catch the Pimpernel and send him to the guillotine. With a rousing and passionate score by Frank Wildhorn,The Scarlet Pimpernel is a thrilling musical! For ticket info, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
‘Seussical’
Mount Sinai High School, 110 North Country Road, Mt. Sinai presents the musical Seussical on March 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. and March 25 at 2 p.m. This special Theater for Young Audiences version of the Broadway hit has been rewritten and streamlined to engage audience members from age 4 to 94. Tickets are $15, $12 seniors and students at www.Ludus.com/MountSinaiPerformingArts. Questions? call 870-2882.
‘Prde@Prejudice’
Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, presents Pride @ Prejudice from April 7 through May 6. Watch Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fall in love all over again – this time filtered through the world of the internet. Modern voices interject and build on this classic love story in the form of blog posts, chat room discussions, quotes from film adaptations, and even letters from Ms. Austen herself to create a delightfully postmodern view of 19th century England. Five actors play nearly two dozen roles in this hilarious and moving homage to Jane Austen’s most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 928-9100 or visit theatrethree.com.
‘The Comedy of Errors’
The Theatre at Suffolk County Community College, Ammerman campus, 533 College Road, Selden presents a production of The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare in the Shea Theatre in the Islip Arts Building on April 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. and April 16 and 23 at 2 p.m. Mature content. General admission is $15. For tickets, call 451-4163.
Film
‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’
Celebrate St. James continues its classic movie series with a screening of Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington starring Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur at the St. James Cultural Arts Center, 176 Second St., St. James on March 26 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $25, $20 seniors and members. To register, visit www.celebratestjames.org or call 984-0201.
‘I Am Not’
Port Jefferson Documentary Series continues its spring season with a viewing of I Am Not at JFK Middle School on March 27 at 7 p.m. The film follows the journey of Oren Levy, a young adopted Israeli man who travels back to Guatemala in search of his identity. Followed by a Q&A with guest speaker Ehud Levy, Oren’s father and subject in film, via live Zoom. Tickets are $10 at www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com or at the door.
* All numbers are in (631) area code unless otherwise noted.
A stranded humpback whale. Photo courtesy the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society
Since 2016, various agencies along the Eastern Seaboard have been investigating unusual mortality events among whales, including humpback, minke and North Atlantic right whales.
In recent months, a growing chorus of politicians, pundits and some environmental groups have suggested that efforts to build wind farms in the water and, specifically, to use sonar to develop a contour of the ocean floor, may be confusing whales, injuring their ears or causing these marine mammals to lose their way.
Research groups such as the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society have raced to the scenes of these beachings, hoping to gather enough information to learn about the lives of these whales and conduct necropsies to determine a cause of death. [See story, “Humpback whale deaths increase along Eastern Seaboard,” TBR News Media website, Feb. 11.]
For many of these whales, however, the decaying condition of the carcass makes it difficult to draw a conclusive explanation. Additionally, some whales that weigh as much as 30,000 pounds have washed up in remote and protected places, making it difficult to analyze and remove them.
“We don’t have any evidence to suggest” a connection between wind farms and whale deaths.
— Robert DiGiovanni Jr.
Robert DiGiovanni Jr., chief scientist at AMCS has responded to over 4,600 strandings of marine mammals and sea turtles and has tagged over 120 animals, according to the society’s website. Currently, he is serving as the principal investigator on aerial surveys in the mid-Atlantic region.
Pointing to data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, DiGiovanni suggested that many of the whale strandings relate to vessel strikes.
According to NOAA data, 181 humpback whale mortalities occurred between 2016 and early February of this year. Researchers were able to conduct necropsies on about half of those whales. Of those examined, about 40 percent had evidence of a ship strike or entanglement.
“We don’t have any evidence to suggest” a connection between wind farms and whale deaths, DiGiovanni said. “What we’re seeing is what we’ve been previously seeing.”
He urged a close examination of all the changes and factors that could affect the location and health of whales, “not just one source.”
The chief scientist advocates consistent and ongoing investment in research on a larger scale, which could aid in responding to ongoing concerns about whale mortality events.
Understanding where whales are located is critical to protecting them.
DiGiovanni pointed to street signs around schools and neighborhoods that urge drivers to slow down because there might be children running into the street or playing on lawns.
Similarly, research about the location and movement of marine mammals can enable policies that protect them while they’re around the shores of Long Island and, more broadly, the Eastern Seaboard.
Researchers need to get a “better understanding of where these animals are and how that changes from day to day, week to week and month to month,” DiGiovanni said.
In aerial surveys a few years ago in the first week of February, he saw one or two whales. Two weeks later, he saw 13 right whales.
“We need to get a better understanding of those changes to help manage that,” the chief scientist said.
Against the backdrop of ongoing unusual mortality events, DiGiovanni noted that whale deaths occurred consistently before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We saw a difference in what was going on in the world, but we still had large whale occurrences,” he said. “Pulling all these pieces together is really important.”
The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society is working to develop incident command systems for marine mammal strandings with towns, fire departments, police and other authorities.
When DiGiovanni gets a call about a stranded whale, he can reach out to local partners, particularly in areas where these events have occurred in the past. Such rapid responses can ensure the safety of the crew and any bystanders on-site and can help bring needed equipment.
“What we do is very specialized,” DiGiovanni said. “Getting people to understand that and getting what’s needed is usually the first challenge.”
Members of the conservation society team sometimes work 12 or 14 days straight without a break, depending on the complexity of a stranding and the number of whales washing up on beaches.
“The people doing this work are extremely dedicated to what they’re trying to answer” about the life and death of marine mammals, he added. Some of them drive six hours to a site to bring their expertise to bear.
“The discovery part is why we do this — to answer questions that would otherwise go unnoticed,” DiGiovanni said.
Head of the Harbor resident Lisa Davidson is in the process of gathering signatures to run for village trustee. Photo from Lisa Davidson
Rallying against a proposed private dock has given one Head of the Harbor resident inspiration to run for village trustee.
Head of the Harbor resident Lisa Davidson is in the process of gathering signatures to run for village trustee. Photo from Lisa Davidson
Last year, Lisa Davidson and her neighbors were busy fighting the proposed construction of an 186-foot private dock on Swan Place in Nissequogue, which, if approved, would have been right next to Cordwood Park and Head of the Harbor.
Now, Davidson aims to collect 51 signatures by Feb. 14 to run for trustee in March. Two trustee seats will be open during the March 21 election as Daniel White and Jeff Fischer are up for reelection.
Not one to sit on the sidelines, Davidson said, “Just complaining accomplishes nothing.”
A village resident for more than two years, she immediately fell in love with Head of the Harbor. During her short time living on Long Island, Davidson said she has been a representative on the village’s Joint Village Coastal Management Commission, a Suffolk County polling inspector and a volunteer with Island Harvest food bank.
The wife and mother, who recently became a grandmother, was born in Los Angeles, and raised her two sons in New York City. An alum of UCLA, her professional career includes working as a business reporter with the Los Angeles Times and a field producer with Fox News. She has also worked for the National Geographic Society. Currently she is a consultant for those looking to produce their own television projects.
She said in addition to living in places such as California and New York City, her work as a print journalist, news and television producer took her around the world, which Davidson said has given her even more appreciation for her current hometown. She added Stony Brook Harbor, the village’s “tree-lined streets, and the views from Cordwood Park rival them all.”
The trustee-hopeful explained her run all comes down to preserving the rustic charm of Head of the Harbor.
“It’s human nature when you’re exposed to something of beauty, you take it for granted instead of realizing, ‘Wow, this is so special,’” she said.
Last year her love for the village inspired her to help gather signatures for a petition, organize a rally at Cordwood Park and attend Nissequogue Village Planning Board meetings multiple times to speak out when the private dock on Swan Place was proposed. The board denied the owner’s request at the beginning of this year.
She and others collected 787 signatures on the petition to oppose the structure.
“It was really clear that the community did not want that dock,” she said.
An Aug. 27 rally at Cordwood Park, organized by Davidson, drew environmentalists such as former state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket); Kevin McAllister, founder and president of Defend H2O; and John Turner, conservation chair of Four Harbors Audubon Society.
Ralliers listed issues with private docks in the area, such as the shallowness of the water in the area. The Department of Environmental Conservation requires docks stand in 3 1/2 feet of water even at low tide. The length of the proposed Swan Place dock would have obstructed residents’ view of Stony Brook Harbor and restrict access to those walking along the beach or using their kayaks and canoes in the water. A dock would also adversely affect birds, turtles, flora and fauna as well as the water quality.
Another concern of Davidson and others was that if the village allowed one to be built, others would follow.
“If that one dock would have been allowed, he’d be representing every single person on this harbor, who wanted a dock demanding that, ‘Well, you let that one in, you have to let this other one,’” she said.
According to Davidson, another issue is that while an owner may own their land, they do not own the water. If a dock were allowed, she said, it would be the private taking of public land.
“If it was somewhere else on the harbor, it wouldn’t have been so catastrophic to the community,” she said. “That dock was going to take public land that was used all the time and make it private.”
“Let’s figure out how this can work for everybody, and that’s what I would like to do in general.”
— Lisa Davidson
Davidson said it’s vital for the villages to follow the Local Water Revitalization Program when making decisions regarding coastal management, something she said some seem to have forgotten.
She added that another one of her concerns is the budget as the village has started to spend its reserve, and she would like to see more transparency in the village, as she believes many residents don’t know the trustees’ decisions before they finalize them. Davidson said updating the village’s website and the return of the newsletter would help the trustees communicate better.
Many residents have also asked for the Hitherbrook Road extension, where kayaks were once launched, to be restored for use. Currently there are boulders there, because in the past a few drivers were known to have driven down the dirt road and wind upin the harbor at low tide and thenbe stuck. She said there has to be a solution to allow people to use their kayaks there once again but also be safe.
“There’s no listening,” she said. “Let’s figure out how this can work for everybody, and that’s what I would like to do in general.”
Like many in the village, Davidson has also been keeping an eye on the Gyrodyne property on Route 25A, right outside of the village, and its possible development in the future. In the past, the owners have talked about the possibility of developers constructing a hotel and assisted living facility. She said, “The village and its residents have made it really clear — they want to preserve our historic corridor and open spaces because once we allow development we’ve lost those assets forever.”
Davidson added she supports Head of the Harbor Mayor Douglas Dahlgard’s plea to preserve the entire property as a park.
“Short of that, the compromise plan, whereby half remains as open space and half is developed, is acceptable to the community,” she said. “Unfortunately, we now have another threat to that area as Albany is seeking land on which to build affordable housing. Whether it’s housing or a hotel, the streets cannot handle the additional traffic those would bring so we have a real challenge ahead of us.”
Catch a screening of 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' at the CAC on Jan. 8.
PROGRAMS
Crafternoons at the library
Stop by Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main St., Setauket on Jan. 7 anytime between 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. to make a fun craft.Children ages 3 to 12 welcome (younger kids may need supervision). No registration required. Questions? Call 941-4080.
Trout Birthday Celebration
Head over to the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor for a Trout Birthday Celebration on Jan. 8 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Meet the hatchery’s baby trout and don’t forget to bring a birthday card for the fish! Hatchery admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors and $5 children ages 3 to 12. Call 516-692-6768 for more information.
Fossil Finds
Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park presents a Tiny Tots program, Fossil Finds, on Jan. 12 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. This program will connect children and their parents with nature through short walks, animal visitors, and crafts. For ages 3 to 5. $4 per child. Register at www.eventbrite.com or call 269-5351.
THEATER
‘The House That Jack Built’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St. Port Jefferson welcomes the New Year with The House That Jack Built, a delightful collection of stories, specially adapted for the youngest audiences from Jan. 21 to Feb. 4 with a sensory sensitive performance on Jan. 22. Inspired by the Brothers Grimm and Aesop’s Fables, the seven stories include The Fisherman and His Wife, Henny Penny, The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, The Bremen Town Musicians, Stubborn as a Mule, The Lion and the Mouse That Returned a Favor, and The Tortoise and the Hare. This original musical features bold storytelling and a tuneful new score! Tickets are $10. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘Beauty and the Beast Jr.’
The Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main St., Smithtown kicks off the holiday season with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. from Nov. 19 to Jan. 22 including Dec. 26 to Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. All seats are $25. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.
Disney’s ‘Frozen Jr.’
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport continues its children’s theater with Disney’s Frozen Jr. on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. from Feb. 4 to March 5. When faced with danger, princesses Anna and Elsa discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. This enchanting musical features all of the memorable songs from the hit Disney film and will thaw even the coldest heart! All seats are $20. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
FILM
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’
The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Jan. 8 at noon. In New York, mysterious radioactive ooze has mutated four sewer turtles into talking, upright-walking, crime-fighting ninjas. The intrepid heroes – Michelangelo (Robbie Rist), Donatello (Corey Feldman), Raphael (Josh Pais) and Leonardo (Brian Tochi) – are trained in the Ninjutsu arts by their rat sensei, Splinter. When a villainous rogue ninja, who is a former pupil of Splinter, arrives and spreads lawlessness throughout the city, it’s up to the plucky turtles to stop him. Rated PG. Tickets are $12 adults, $5 children at www.cinemaartscentre.org.
To kick off the new year, Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre will begin screening an assortment of hit films from the 1980s and 90s. This selection of films will include something for everyone, including beloved family friendly classics, offbeat comedies, action adventures, and obscure cult classics.
At a time when cinema attendance is down across the country, the Cinema Arts Centre wants to remind people why coming to the movies is so special — by playing audience favorites that are rarely seen in theaters.
The Cinema will host screenings of films that include The Addams Family (1991), The Mummy (1999) starring Brendan Fraser, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), The Goonies (1985) Happy Gilmore (1996), the Coen Brothers’ Raising Arizona (1987) Slumber Party Massacre II (1987), Darren Aronofsky’s Pi (1998), Little Giants (1994) starring Rick Moranis, The NeverEnding Story (1984), and Roald Dahl’s Matilda (1996), The Witches (1990), & James and the Giant Peach (1996).
This selection of films represents some of the favorite guilty pleasures of staff and supporters of the Cinema Arts Centre, and films that audiences feel a great sense of nostalgia for. Many of these films were programed after being suggested by local film lovers. The Cinema encourages the Huntington community to reach out to share films that they want to see. Suggestions should be sent to [email protected].
Upcoming Programs:
The Addams Family (1991)
Sunday, January 1st at 12:00 PM
$12 Public | $7 Members | $5 Kids
Tickets: https://bit.ly/AddamsFamilyCAC
When a man (Christopher Lloyd) claiming to be Fester, the missing brother of Gomez Addams (Raul Julia), arrives at the Addams’ home, the family is thrilled. However, Morticia (Anjelica Huston) begins to suspect the man is a fraud, since he cannot recall details of Fester’s life. With the help of lawyer Tully Alford (Dan Hedaya), Fester manages to get the Addams clan evicted from their home. Gomez realizes the two men are conspiring to swindle the Addams fortune and that he must challenge Fester. (US, 1991, 99min., English, PG-13 | Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld)
The Mummy (1999)
Friday, January 6th at 9:30 PM
$15 Public | $10 Members
Tickets: https://bit.ly/TheMummyCAC
Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz star in the cult classic that set the standard for the action-adventure genre, 1999’s The Mummy. Adapted from Karl Freund’s 1932 film of the same name, the story follows adventurer Rick O’Connell (Fraser), who discovers the hidden ruins of Hamunaptra. Returning with an archaeological expedition, the mummy of High Priest Imhotep wakes after 3,000 years and begins to wreak havoc as he searches for the reincarnation of his long-lost love. (US, 1999, 125min., English, PG-13 | Dir. Stephen Sommers)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Sunday, January 8th at 12:00 PM
$12 Public | $7 Members | $5 Kids
Tickets: https://bit.ly/TMNTcac
In New York, mysterious radioactive ooze has mutated four sewer turtles into talking, upright-walking, crime-fighting ninjas. The intrepid heroes – Michelangelo (Robbie Rist), Donatello (Corey Feldman), Raphael (Josh Pais) and Leonardo (Brian Tochi) – are trained in the Ninjutsu arts by their rat sensei, Splinter. When a villainous rogue ninja, who is a former pupil of Splinter, arrives and spreads lawlessness throughout the city, it’s up to the plucky turtles to stop him. (Hong Kong/US, 1990, 93min., English, PG | Dir. Steve Barron)
Happy Gilmore (1996)
Cult Café
Saturday, January 14th at 10:00 PM
$7 Public | $5 Members
Tickets: https://bit.ly/HappyGilmoreCAC
All Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) has ever wanted is to be a professional hockey player. But he soon discovers he may actually have a talent for playing an entirely different sport: golf. When his grandmother (Frances Bay) learns she is about to lose her home, Happy joins a golf tournament to try and win enough money to buy it for her. With his powerful driving skills and foulmouthed attitude, Happy becomes an unlikely golf hero – much to the chagrin of the well-mannered golf professionals. (USA, 1996, 92 min, PG-13| Dir. Dennis Dugan)
Slumber Party Massacre 2 (1987)
With post-Film discussion with Costume Designer Jolene Marie Richardson and Fashion Historian Marcus Slabine
Thursday, January 19th at 7:30 PM
$17 Public | $12 Members
Tickets: https://bit.ly/SlumberParty2CAC An all-female hard rock band rents a condo for a much-needed vacation. Their tranquility is cut short by a heavy metal dream-demon and his murder weapon of choice: the drill-tar.Written and directed by Deborah Brock (Rock ’N’ Roll High School Forever), Slumber Party Massacre II combines the most successful elements of Satisfaction, A Nightmare On Elm Street 3 and Beverly Hills, 90210 to create one of the most outrageous trash-slashers. Although the sequel contains none of Slumber Party Massacre’s subversiveness, it does have a wise-cracking killer who materializes from a dream and takes time out for breakdancing. This is how life should be. (US, 1987, 77min., English, R | Dir. Deborah Brock)
Pi (1998)
Friday, January 20th at 9:30 PM
$15 Public | $10 Members
Tickets: https://bit.ly/PIcac Numbers whiz Max Cohen (Sean Gullette) is stunted by psychological delusions of paranoia and debilitating headaches. He lives in a messy Chinatown apartment, where he tinkers with equations and his homemade, super-advanced computer. One day, however, Cohen encounters a mysterious number. Soon after reporting his discovery to his mentor (Mark Margolis) and to a religious friend (Ben Shenkman), he finds himself the target of ill-intentioned Wall Street agents bent on using the number for profit. (US, 1998, 84min., English, R | Dir. Darren Aronofsky)
Raising Arizona (1987)
Friday, January 27th at 9:30 PM
$15 Public | $10 Members
Tickets: https://bit.ly/RaisingArizonaCAC An ex-con (Nicolas Cage) and an ex-cop (Holly Hunter) meet, marry and long for a child of their own. When it is discovered that Hi is unable to have children they decide to snatch a baby. They try to keep their crime a secret, while friends, co-workers and a bounty hunter look to use the child for their own purposes. (US, 1987, 94min., English, PG-13 | Dir. Joel Coen)
Spike Lee’s Malcolm X (1992)
Cult Café
Saturday, February 11th at 10:00 PM
$7 Public | $5 Members
Tickets: https://bit.ly/MalcolmXcac
A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the ’50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride. (USA, 1992, 201 min, PG-13| Dir. Spike Lee)
The Goonies (1985)
Sunday, February 12th at 12:00 PM
$12 Public | $7 Members | $5 Kids
Tickets: https://bit.ly/GooniesCAC
From the imagination of Steven Spielberg, The Goonies plunges a band of small heroes into a swashbuckling, surprise-around-every-corner quest beyond their wildest dreams! Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden doubloons, the kids race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys… and a mild-mannered monster with a face only a mother could love. A family adventure classic from start to buccaneering finish, The Goonies is a cinematic treasure trove of breathtaking action, dazzling effects and shiver-yer-timbers thrills! (US, 1985, 114min., English, PG | Dir. Richard Donner)
Boyz N The Hood (1991)
Cult Café
Saturday, February 18th at 10:00 PM
$7 Public | $5 Members
Tickets: https://bit.ly/BoyzntheHoodCAC
Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is sent to live with his father, Furious Styles (Larry Fishburne), in tough South Central Los Angeles. Although his hard-nosed father instills proper values and respect in him, and his devout girlfriend Brandi (Nia Long) teaches him about faith, Tre’s friends Doughboy (Ice Cube) and Ricky (Morris Chestnut) don’t have the same kind of support and are drawn into the neighborhood’s booming drug and gang culture, with increasingly tragic results. (USA, 1991, 112 min, R | Dir. John Singleton)
Little Giants (1994)
Sunday, February 19th at 12:00 PM
$12 Public | $7 Members | $5 Kids
Tickets: https://bit.ly/LittleGiantsCAC
Ever since childhood, nerdy Danny O’Shea (Rick Moranis) has felt inferior to his brother, Kevin (Ed O’Neill), a former college football star. Danny runs a gas station, while Kevin coaches the local youth football team. When Kevin’s team rejects Danny’s daughter, Becky (Shawna Waldron), because she’s a girl, Becky convinces her dad to start a rival team, though the city can support only one. To prove himself against his brother, Danny begins coaching his team of misfits for a playoff game. (US, 1994, 107min., English, PG | Dir. Duwayne Dunham)
The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Sunday, February 26th at 12:00 PM
$12 Public | $7 Members | $5 Kids
Tickets: https://bit.ly/NeverEndingStoryCAC
On his way to school, Bastian (Barret Oliver) ducks into a bookstore to avoid bullies. Sneaking away with a book called “The Neverending Story,” Bastian begins reading it in the school attic. The novel is about Fantasia, a fantasy land threatened by “The Nothing,” a darkness that destroys everything it touches. The kingdom needs the help of a human child to survive. When Bastian reads a description of himself in the book, he begins to wonder if Fantasia is real and needs him to survive. (West Germany/US, 1984, 102min., English, PG | Dir. Wolfgang Petersen)
Matilda (1996)
Sunday, March 5th at 12:00 PM
$12 Public | $7 Members | $5 Kids
Tickets: https://bit.ly/MatildaCAC
This film adaptation of a Roald Dahl work tells the story of Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson), a gifted girl forced to put up with a crude, distant father (Danny DeVito) and mother (Rhea Perlman). Worse, Agatha Trunchbull (Pam Ferris), the evil principal at Matilda’s school, is a terrifyingly strict bully. However, when Matilda realizes she has the power of telekinesis, she begins to defend her friends from Trunchbull’s wrath and fight back against her unkind parents. (US, 1996, 102min., English, PG | Dir. Danny DeVito)
The Witches (1990)
Sunday, March 12th at 12:00 PM
$12 Public | $7 Members | $5 Kids
Tickets: https://bit.ly/TheWitchesCAC
While staying at a hotel in England with his grandmother, Helga (Mai Zetterling), young Luke (Jasen Fisher) inadvertently spies on a convention of witches. The Grand High Witch (Anjelica Huston) reveals a plan to turn all children into mice through a magical formula. When they find that Luke has overheard, the witches test the formula on him. Now, with the help of Helga and the hotel manager, Mr. Stringer (Rowan Atkinson), Luke the mouse must fight back against the witches. Based on the book by Roald Dahl. (UK/US, 1990, 91min., English, PG | Nicolas Roeg)
James And the Giant Peach (1996)
Sunday, March 26th at 12:00 PM
$12 Public | $7 Members | $5 Kids
Tickets: https://bit.ly/GiantPeachCAC
Featuring stop-motion animation and live action, this inventive adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s tale follows the adventures of James (Paul Terry), an orphaned young British boy. Forced to live with his cruel aunts (Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes), James finds a way out of his bleak existence when he discovers an enormous enchanted peach. After rolling into the sea inside the buoyant fruit, James, accompanied by a crew of friendly talking insects, sets sail for New York City. (UK/US, 1996, 79min., English, PG | Dir. Henry Selick)
The Cinema Arts Centre, is located at 423 Park Ave, Huntington. For more information, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org
Teen volunteers in kayaks tackle invasive aquatic plants at Frank Melville Memorial Park. Photo by Robert Reuter
Teen volunteers in kayaks tackle invasive aquatic plants at Frank Melville Memorial Park. Photo by Robert Reuter
John Turner was on hand to help volunteers on Oct. 16. Photo by Robert Reuter
Volunteers were on hand to pull invasive plants out of the pond at Frank Melville Memorial Park Oct. 16. Photo by Robert Reuter
Teen volunteers in kayaks tackle invasive aquatic plants at Frank Melville Memorial Park. Photo by Robert Reuter
Teen volunteers in kayaks tackle invasive aquatic plants at Frank Melville Memorial Park. Photo by Robert Reuter
Local volunteers recently took on invaders of the natural kind at Frank Melville Memorial Park.
Park volunteers and staff members joined forces with Four Harbors Audubon Society members and teen volunteers from Avalon Park’s Nature Initiative on Oct. 16. Their goal was to rid the FMMP pond of non-native and invasive aquatic plants.
Setauket-based environmentalist John Turner informed the FMMP board that water hyacinth and water lettuce in the pond were dangerous plants. It was the first time someone spotted them in the pond. Turner was leading the Nighthawk Watch at the park with members of the local Audubon society when the plants were observed.
The volunteers first went out on the pond via kayaks to pull, gather and bag the plants. FMMP trustee Luci Betti-Nash, who also is on the board of Four Harbors Audubon Society, was on hand for the cleanup. She said the team cleaned out the northern section of the pond and part of the southern portion. Betti-Nash said there are still more plants in the most southern portion of the pond. These, she said, will be taken care of at a later date. She added there is a possibility they may die off in the winter. If the winter is a mild one, the floating plants can potentially take root and survive.
“It’s important to nip it in the bud, get them out as soon as you can,” she said.
Within a month of the plants being discovered, Betti-Nash said, “they multiplied enormously.”
She said the teen volunteers have helped with cleanups in the park in the past to pull out invasive species, including vines such as porcelain berry and mile-a-minute, that take over trees.
Generally, the kayaks used by the teens this time around are not allowed on the pond, which Betti-Nash said made it more fun than past volunteer jobs.
“They really enjoyed it, and they did a great job,” she said. “They worked really hard.”
Turner said if the plants weren’t pulled out of the water, they could cause issues over a few years.
“If they’re not controlled and then eradicated within a fairly short period of time — probably within a year or two or three — the entire pond surface will be covered with these plants and create a whole series of adverse environmental conditions,” he said.
Among the detrimental ecological effects would be wading birds, such as egrets, green herons and belted kingfishers, which depend on visually seeing fish, not being able to find food to survive and feed their young.
“People just aren’t aware of the problem that these plants pose,” Turner said.
He added the plants, that are native in South America, have caused problems in the southern United States. The decomposition process pulls oxygen out of the water and leads to an excess of nitrogen, which happens often in Long Island and coastal waters.
“It’s of great concern, because it could adversely impact both turtles and, certainly, fish that would suffocate,” Turner said.
Betti-Nash and Turner said they only have theories as to how the plants wound up in the pond and no definitive answers. Many people use them for decorative purposes in their personal koi ponds. However, the naturalists are not aware of anyone dumping the plants in the park’s pond as sometimes happens when people get rid of aquarium products into freshwater ponds, which is not recommended. Seeds can also get stuck on birds and, when the animal lands, the grains can be introduced to an area, which is also a possibility.
Spending time amidst the splendor of nature with family and friends at various local parks is a great way to spend a day, especially with the cooler weather of autumn. And because many parks situated throughout Long Island allow dogs, including several specifically established for dogs, you don’t have to leave your four-legged friend at home, eyeing you longingly through the screen door as you head to your car. Grab the leash and bring Fido along — you’ll both benefit from the exercise.
You already know the benefits to your health from regular exercise — weight control, cardiovascular fitness, strengthening bones and muscles, and boosting your immune system. Well, the same holds true for your dog — regular walking provides a suite of physical health benefits, an important fact considering that 50% of the dogs in America are overweight, according to a national veterinary group.Walking also provides emotional and mental health benefits to your dog — in fact, there is nothing your dog would rather do (except eating) than join their best buddy on a walk!
Dog friendly parks can be conveniently broken into two categories depending on your and your pet’s desired experience and interest: Leashed dog parks — those allowing dogs but require them to be leashed, typically larger parks open for other uses such as Blydenburgh County Park, and fenced-in dog parks — parks created exclusively for dogs where they can run and play off-leash and unrestrained within a fenced-in area with other dogs.
Given all these parks where dogs can roam and romp, there are plenty of places to explore and enjoy the outdoors with your fur-covered friend. Enjoy the time with your pet but don’t forget the leash, poop bags, water and, of course, some dog cookies.
Leashed Dog Parks
Leashed dogs are permitted in a number of state, county, and town-owned parks as well as several privately-owned parks. Here are some really special ones you and your dog are sure to enjoy.
Arthur Kunz County Park
Landing Avenue, Smithtown
631-854-4949
This is an undeveloped county park on the west side of the Nissequogue River, named in honor of a past Suffolk County Planning Director. The park offers numerous sweeping views of the Nissequogue River. Heavily forested with a few small streams that run through it to the river, it contains an abundance of tulip trees, a straight and tall tree that can grow to majestic proportions. Access is from a small parking area along the road where Landing Avenue performs a sharp turn to the right approximately 1,500 feet from its intersection with St. Johnland Road. Instead of making the sharp right, stay straight and you’ll see a small wooden sign on your left identifying the park.
Avalon Park & Preserve
200 Harbor Road, Stony Brook
631-689-0619
Privately run, this well-attended preserve straddles Shep Jones Lane. Popular features include a labyrinth and the Cartas Al Cielo (Letters to God) stainless ball sculpture by artist Alicia Framis. Ecologically it is quite diverse with numerous fields, well developed forests of beech, hickory, oak, and black birch, and frontage on Stony Brook Mill Pond, where you can see the nests of Double-crested Cormorants adorning the trees. A series of hiking trails meander through both the eastern and western sections of the preserve, rising and falling as the paths traverse the rolling terrain. Parking is either along Harbor Road near the Stony Brook Grist Mill or in the parking lots along Shep Jones Lane. Please note the park is closed on Mondays.
Blydenburgh County Park
Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown
631-854-3712
This large county park surrounds and includes Stump Pond (also known as Blydenburgh Lake). If you are adventurous, you can walk around the pond and in so doing will pass through some beautiful extensive forests and low lying swampy areas. The Blydenburgh National Historic District, encompassing eight structures, including a grist mill, is situated in the northwestern section of the park. It also has a fenced-in dog park. The northern entrance can be accessed from New Mill Road which intersects with Brooksite Drive. The southern access point is through an entrance road from State Route 347 across from the Hauppauge County Center.
Chandler Estate Park
233 N. Country Road, Mt. Sinai
631-854-4949
This 40-acre Suffolk County-owned preserve is situated on the southern edge of Mount Sinai Harbor. The park is laced with trails but given its small size you can’t really get lost. Pass through a metal gate and within a short distance will have the choice to at a fork in the trail. If you stay straight it will take you more quickly to the edge of the harbor. The trail to the right leads east and a smaller trail to your left will take you north toward the harbor too. This park is a small gem that is definitely worth getting to know better. Access to the park is gained through the parking lot of the Mt. Sinai Congregational Church situated near the corner of the cemetery.
Cordwood Landing County Park
Landing Avenue, Miller Place
631-854-4949
This 70-acre nature preserve located in Miller Place was formerly Camp Barstow, a Girl Scout camp. It was named to reflect the cordwood industry which was an important economic driver in the mid-to-late nineteenth century in Suffolk County. The main path leads to the more than 1000 feet of beach front. If you want a more circuitous walk through this heavily forested preserve dominated by oaks, hickories, birch and beech, there is a trail that meanders through the preserve’s eastern portion before following the top of the bluff that fronts on Long Island Sound. This section of the trail provides breathtaking views of the Sound and shoreline.
Forsythe Meadow County Park
52 Hollow Road, Stony Brook
631-854-4949
A 34-acre preserve that sits above the Stony Brook Village Center, the County’s Forsythe Meadow/Nora Bredes Preserve has a 1.2 mile circular trail that loops through the meadows and woodlands of the preserve. The diversity of habitats makes it a good place to see birds, butterflies, deer and other wildlife. A few breaks in the forest canopy provide views of Stony Brook Harbor in the winter. Access is via a stone lined road, next to the county park sign, off of Hollow Road.
Frank Melville Memorial Park
1 Old Field Road, Setauket
631-689-6146
The “Central Park” of Setauket, the privately-run 24-acre park was dedicated in 1937 to the memory of Frank Melville Jr., father of local philanthropist Ward Melville. This community treasure consists of forested land adjacent to the southern end of Conscience Bay. The scenic pond, bracketed by two stone bridges, is the central attraction of the park and countless visitors like to walk around the pond on the paved trail that circles it. A simulated grist mill is adjacent to the northern bridge and the vantage point from this bridge offers a panoramic view of the Bay. This park is easily reached either by accessing Bates Road off of Main Street near the village green in Setauket, or park in one of the designated parking spaces on Main Street adjacent to the Setauket Post Office.
Heckscher Park
2 Prime Ave., Huntington
631-351-3089
Heckscher Park, the Town of Huntington’s “Central Park”, of which it appears to represent a small-scale version, is pretty! A small lake, situated in the northwestern portion of the park, provides habitat for turtles and a variety of waterbirds including ducks, swans and geese. A number of paved trails, including one around the lake, are laid out through the park. When tired, you and your pet can rest in the large grassy sections and enjoy manicured gardens. Parking is provided along the south side of Madison Avenue.
Makamah Nature Preserve
Fort Salonga Road, Fort Salonga
631- 854-4949
Another undeveloped, yet beautiful, preserve laced with hiking trails, Makamah Nature Preserve is part of the Crab Meadow watershed and, adjoining the Town of Huntington-owned Crab Meadow Golf Course and marshland area, forms more than 500 acres of contiguous preserved open space. The property, which was acquired by Suffolk County in 1973, is heavily forested, dominated by oaks, several hickory species, black birch,with spicebush growing in the understory. IThe main loop trail that runs around the edge of the preserve (there are quite a few interior trails that can complicate your walk so it’s best to bring a trail map) provides great views of the stream valley to the east which flows into the marsh and at one vantage point offers a panoramic view of the Crab Meadow Marsh. Access to the property is from a parking lot that fronts on State Route 25A, a little bit west of its intersection with Makamah Road.
Port Jefferson Public Beach
East Broadway, Port Jefferson
631-473-4724
Located on the west side of Port Jefferson Harbor, this well-known dog park and beach is a great place for your pet to get some exercise while providing pretty views of the harbor for the enjoyment of the dog’s two-legged companions. It is a bit tricky to get to. It is located north of the main section of Harborfront Park, so drive in the main access road to the park, driving past the Village Center and Bayles Boat Shop and, finally, past the numerous parking spaces on your right. When you reach a fork bear left and go straight and you’ll see the elongated parking lot for the beach.
Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail
631-689-0225
This 5.1 mile long Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway trail provides a scenic path connecting these two communities together. Along the way, on this slightly undulating paved path, you’ll pass by occasional open areas and fields, as well as dense forests dominated by various oak, hickory and other trees. The trail crosses over numerous roads including Gnarled Hollow Road, Old Town Road, and Sheep Pasture Road, and along your journey you can contemplate how and why they got their names. Access to the Greenway is available from both its ends. The western terminus is accessed through the parking lot situated on Limroy Lane, off of Route 25A while the eastern end at Clifton Place is gained through the elongated parking lot on the west side of State Route 112 across from its intersection with Hallock Lane.
Thomas Muratore Park at Farmingville Hills
501 Horseblock Road, Farmingville
631-854-4949
This heavily wooded undeveloped 105-acre park was purchased by the county in the 1980s as a part of the Open Space Preservation Act. The 105-acre park officially opened to the public in May of 2010 and was renamed in memory of Leg. Tom Muratore in April of this year. Approximately 1.2 miles of hiking trails, consisting of two loops, weave among the forest that is rolling in nature, containing elevations that reach as high as 270 feet above sea level. Two historic structures managed by the Farmingville Historical Society — the 1850 Greek Revival School House and the Terry House, built in 1823 — are found in the southeastern section of the park. There is parking for about a dozen vehicles.
West Hills County Park
181 Sweet Hollow Road, Huntington
631-854-4423
This is a large park situated on the highest section of the Ronkonkoma Moraine, the row of hills formed by the third of four glaciers that advanced during the Ice Age which shaped and created Long Island. In fact, Jayne’s Hill, the highest point on Long Island, topping out at the nose-bleed elevation of 401 feet (actually the height has never been precisely determined with heights as low as 383 feet and high as 414 feet being stated), is situated in the northeastern corner of the park. On top there is a boulder containing a plaque in which Walt Whitman’s well-known piece “Paumanok” is inscribed, a poem which in such a distilled way captures the essence of Long Island. The Walt Whitman Trail, a loop which connects Whitman’s birthplace with the county park and Jayne’s Hill, is about 3.6 miles long — a nice hike for a morning or afternoon. Jayne’s Hill is reached off of Reservoir Road while additional access is off of Sweet Hollow Road and High Hold Drive.
Fenced-in Parks
There are several smaller, fenced-in parks where your dog can romp off-leash, socializing and playing with other dogs. The Town of Brookhaven, for example, has established several dog parks, the two closest fenced-in parks being the Middle Island Dog Park, 1075 Middle Country Road, Middle Island and the Selden Dog Park, 100 Boyle Road, Selden. A Pooch Passfrom the town is required. Likewise, the Town of Smithtown has a fenced-in dog park at Charles P. Toner Park, 148 Smithtown Blvd. in Nesconset.
Suffolk County maintains several established, fenced-in dog parks too, situated within larger county parks located in the northern half of Suffolk County. Two popular ones are the dog parks at West Hills and Blydenburgh County Parks
A resident of Setauket, author John Turner is conservation chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, author of “Exploring the Other Island: A Seasonal Nature Guide to Long Island,” president of Alula Birding & Natural History Tours and pens a monthly column for TBR News Media titled Nature Matters.
This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s 2022 Harvest Times supplement.
In John Hanc’s forward to John P. Cardone’s Chronicles of a Nature Photographer (Waterview Arts), he states the book “reminds us that, just on the other side of the highway, deep in the recesses of, say, one of our magnificent Long Island State Parks, are the streams and brooks, the marshlands and estuaries that still provide a home to birds, animals, plants, flowers.” This beautifully explains Cardone’s celebration of nature in a book that offers his passion in prose and imagery.
Author John P. Cardone
Cardone is a vibrant storyteller with a pastoral bent. He defines “chronicles” as “documenting personal experiences over time in a historical fashion.” But he offers more than just an account, infusing the fifteen chapters with wry observations, wit, and honesty. As a result, his revealing narrative is wholly personal. “Let me start by saying that everything you read here is true and with no exaggeration or embellishment.”
In the first chapter, Cardone begins with his fascination with the hummingbird. He juxtaposes his struggle with cancer and his journey with stem cell transplant with his desire to photograph these elusive birds. Eventually, with his wife’s help, Cardone builds a hummingbird garden during his recovery (which also coincided with the pandemic). He draws a subtle connection between the opportunity to capture images of these rare creatures and his eventual healing.
From the very start, Cardone offers a thorough background on his subjects. His knowledge is impressive and seems vast, but he articulates with an accessible and almost conversational tone. He gives enough explanation of his photographic process without overwhelming the reader with technical details. He has ventured out in all weather, in all conditions, capturing a host of animals and settings, fascinated by the range of species, markings, and habitats.
He makes a strong case for flowers as subjects. “… I can tell you that what photographers generally agree upon is what affects a photograph—and most will say light, color, and composition. With flowers as your subject, you have all of these and more.” Whether the focus or used as a framing border, this chapter contains incredible photographs — all vivid, rich, and colorful.
Of course, the greatest joys of the book are the color photographs, 175 in all, which are elegantly reproduced. A glorious study of an osprey landing on its nest, its wings slightly expanded, sits across from a regal American bald eagle, almost posing for its portrait.
From photographing insects with interesting angles and unusual compositions to vast landscapes and waterscapes, Cardone attains remarkable results. In Chapter 12, “A Bird in the Hand,” he shares personal pictures of his family on a visit to the Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Noyac. The final chapter has nearly two dozen glorious photos of wild horses.
‘Chronicles of a Nature Photographer’
The author’s sense of humor permeates the entire text. Whether introducing the white-tailed deer (“Love Them or Leave Them”) or expounding on his love of photographing turtles (an exchange with his four-year-old grandson, Noah, who references Raphael and Leonardo), Cardone finds whimsy and delight in his art and his life. The quests — such as his search for the snowy owl — present both small and big joys, along with surprises. (The day he photographed this particular owl as well as a harbor seal.)
While the book focuses predominantly on his Long Island experiences, Cardone ventures as far as the Rocky Mountains. He first visited the Rocky Mountain National Park during his military service (1969-70) when stationed at Fort Carson, eight miles from Colorado Springs. He then purchased his first camera and learned how to develop black-and-white film and print with an enlarger. Fifty years later, in April 2017, he returned to the Rocky Mountain National Park, photographing elk, moose, bighorn sheep, screech owls, and a range of scenic views.
There is a certain Zen to Cardone’s approach: “Sometimes, as a nature photographer, I will take a long pause and just soak up the beauty of what I’m seeing. Being in the moment is a mindfulness practice that can help calm you.” This crosses over into his pleasure in the planning of excursions. (Currently, he offers two kayaking tours of Carman’s River: one is a photography tour and the other a naturalist tour.)
Cardone is an artist, a fan, but above all, a teacher. The book reflects someone who stands in awe of nature but embraces its possibilities. He seeks deeper understanding and communicates both the encounters and the underlying zeal. His ultimate goal is to inspire the reader to “put [his] hiking boots on and get out in nature. It’s all there, just waiting for you to visit. And if you are a parent or grandparent, to nudge the children in your life toward loving nature as well.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A resident of Ronkonkoma, author John P. Cardone is the founder of the Long Island Authors Group, a nature photographer, a wildlife photography instructor, and a lecturer on nature topics. Chronicles of a Nature Photographer is his sixth book and is available online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. To learn more about John, his books, and his nature work, visit his website at www.WaterviewsBook.com.
As the village has increased parking capacity with more area and asphalt devoted to off-street parking, the less it has felt like an intimate village. Finding a spot, and the walk from your car — through other cars — to Main Street is not a pleasant start to a visit. In the planning to accommodate the car, the harbor front was converted from shipbuilding to parking, absurdly giving the car the best view of the harbor.
You already know the benefits to your health from regular exercise — weight control, cardiovascular fitness, strengthening bones and muscles, and boosting your immune system. Well, the same holds true for your dog — regular walking provides a suite of physical health benefits, an important fact considering that 50% of the dogs in America are overweight, according to a national veterinary group.
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