Every newspaper, every news channel, no matter what their politics are talking about the serious concerns around the mental health of the young people in our country.
The mental health of our youth is on the verge of becoming, if it has not already, a national health epidemic!
Social media is out of control. The pandemic has not helped this national crisis. Candidly, it has intensified it. So, what do we do? First, we need to destigmatize any kind of mental health and substance use disorders. We have to have the courage to act bravely to provide competent, cost-effective treatment services for mental health and addictive health.
Telehealth is a great resource but is already overbooked and is geared more to working with the middle/upper class. They have waiting lists that are endless. Private practice is overloaded as well. The clinics of yesteryear who are capable of reaching out to the underserved need to be resurrected and properly staffed.
Our local hospitals need additional funds to build on the excellent services that already exist but do not meet the epidemic need. Mental health must become a priority; too many young people are toying with suicide. Most don’t want to die they just want the pain and anguish to stop.
Too often that pain is intensified due to our social media platforms, which can be unbearable triggers for those who are already struggling with self-esteem and self-worth. We need to challenge our schools to be more effective in teaching better coping skills and also creating more safe places where students can go and talk without fear of judgment, shame, and guilt.
Most school districts should consider increasing their social work staff. If they don’t have any social workers on their staff, they should consider hiring competent social workers with plans to better serve our children who are at risk. We need more of a collaborative effort between mental health staff faculty, administrators and support staff. This kind of collaboration really does make a difference.
TJ was 16; he was shy to begin with. The pandemic made him even more self-conscious and shy. His only outlet was social media. When given the freedom to go out, he stayed in and spent his life on social media. He was a good student, a good young man at home. No one really knew how addicted he had become to social media. He had joined a growing number of invisible young people who are in so much pain and are so closed that they are falling between the cracks.
We need to stop talking and need to think outside the box. We need to demand funding that will allow us to create life-giving opportunities for all of our young people to build their self-worth, their self-confidence and their self-value so that they will know they really matter and can make a difference that counts!
Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.
If you suffer from osteoarthritis, you know it can affect your quality of life and make it difficult to perform daily activities. Osteoarthritis (OA) most often affects the knees, hips and hands and can affect your mood, mobility, and sleep quality.
Common first-line medications that treat arthritis pain are acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Unfortunately, these medications have side effects, especially with long-term use. Also, while they might relieve your immediate symptoms of pain and inflammation, they don’t slow osteoarthritis’ progression.
Fortunately, there are approaches you can use to ease your pain without reaching for medications. Some can even help slow the progression of your OA or even reverse your symptoms.
What role does weight play?
Weight management is a crucial component of any OA pain management strategy. In a study involving 112 obese patients, those who lost weight reported easing of knee symptoms (1). Even more exciting, the study authors observed disease modification, with a reduction in the loss of cartilage volume around the medial tibia. Those who gained weight saw the opposite effect.
The relationship was almost one-to-one; for every one percent of weight lost, there was a 1.2 mm3 preservation of medial tibial cartilage volume, while the opposite occurred when participants gained weight. A reduction of tibial cartilage is often associated with the need for a knee replacement.
Does vitamin D help?
In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), vitamin D provided no OA symptom relief, nor any disease-modifying effects (2). This two-year study of almost 150 men and women raised blood levels of vitamin D on average to 36 ng/ml, which is considered respectable. Researchers used MRI and X-rays to track their results.
In another study of 769 participants, ages 50-80, researchers found that low vitamin D levels – below 25 nmol/l led to increased OA knee pain over the five-year study period and hip pain over 2.4 years (3). The researchers postulate that supplementing vitamin D might reduce pain in those who are deficient, but that it will likely have no effect on others.
How does dairy factor into OA?
With dairy, specifically milk, there is conflicting information. Some studies show benefits, while others show that it may contribute to the inflammation that makes osteoarthritis pain feel worse.
In the Osteoarthritis Initiative study, researchers looked specifically at joint space narrowing that occurs in those with affected knee joints (4). Results showed that low-fat (1 percent) and nonfat milk may slow the progression of osteoarthritis in women. Compared to those who did not drink milk, patients who did saw significantly less narrowing of knee joint space over a 48-month period.
The result curve was interesting, however. For those who drank from fewer than three glasses a week up to 10 glasses a week, the progression of joint space narrowing was slowed. However, for those who drank more than 10 glasses per week, there was less beneficial effect. There was no benefit seen in men or with the consumption of higher fat products, such as cheese or yogurt.
However, the study was observational and had significant flaws. First, the 2100 patients were only asked about their milk intake at the study’s start. Second, patients were asked to recall their weekly milk consumption for the previous 12 months before the study began — a challenging task.
On the flip side, a study of almost 39,000 participants from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study found that increases in dairy consumption were associated with increased risk of total hip replacements for men with osteoarthritis (5).
Getting more specific, a published analysis of the Framingham Offspring Study found that those who consumed yogurt had statistically significant lower levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker for inflammation, than those who didn’t eat yogurt, but that this was not true with milk or cheese consumption (6).
Would I recommend consuming low-fat or nonfat milk or yogurt? Not necessarily, but I might not dissuade osteoarthritis patients from yogurt.
Does exercise help with OA pain?
Diet and exercise trumped the effects of diet or exercise alone in a well-designed study (7). In an 18-month study, patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who lost at least 10 percent of their body weight experienced significant improvements in function and a 50 percent reduction in pain, as well as reduction in inflammation. This was compared to those who lost a lower percent of their body weight.
Researchers used biomarker IL6 to measure inflammation. The diet and exercise group and the diet-only group lost significantly more weight than the exercise-only group, 23.3 pounds and 19.6 pounds versus 4 pounds. The diet portion consisted of a meal replacement shake for breakfast and lunch and then a vegetable-rich, low-fat dinner. Low-calorie meals replaced the shakes after six months. The exercise regimen included one hour of a combination of weight training and walking “with alacrity” three times a week.
To reduce pain and possibly improve your OA, focus on lifestyle modifications. The best effects shown are with weight loss and with a vegetable-rich diet. In terms of low-fat or nonfat milk, the results are controversial, at best. For yogurt, the results suggest it may be beneficial for osteoarthritis, but stay on the low end of consumption, since dairy can increase inflammation.
References:
(1) Ann Rheum Dis. 2015 Jun;74(6):1024-9. (2) JAMA. 2013;309:155-162. (3) Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2014;73:697–703. (4) Arthritis Care Res online. 2014 April 6. (5) J Rheumatol. 2017 Jul;44(7):1066-1070. (6) Nutrients. 2021 Feb 4;13(2):506. (7) JAMA. 2013;310:1263-1273.
Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.
The Jewish celebration of Passover (April 5 to 13) is one of the religion’s most sacred and widely observed holidays and commemorates the Biblical story of the Israelites’ escape from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. The holiday also includes all kinds of ceremonial foods but if there is one ingredient Passover celebrants may find challenging to work with during the holiday, it could be unleavened bread.
Typically matzoh/matzah is substituted for other yeasted breads this time of year. One place matzoh really shines is in matzoh balls for use in soups or side dishes. A dumpling of sorts, matzoh balls are tasty and filling, and ideal for meals throughout Passover. Try this recipe for “Perfect Matzah Balls (Kneidlach)” courtesy of Chabad.org’s Kosher Cooking.
Potato latkes, on the other hand, are delicious at any time of the year, but for Passover they are made with with matzo meal, the flour of a crisp unleavened bread that’s allowed during the holiday. The matzo meal provides a nice substitute for the flour and serves as the binding, along with the eggs, for the latkes in this recipe from AllRecipes.com.
Perfect Matzah Balls (Kneidlach)
Perfect Matzah Balls (Kneidlach)
YIELD:Makes 8 matzah balls (Meat, Pareve)
INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons oil or chicken fat
2 tablespoons soup stock or water
1⁄2 cup matzah meal
1 teaspoon salt
1 quart of salted water for cooking
DIRECTIONS:
Beat eggs slightly with fork. Add other ingredients, except matzah meal, and mix. Add matzah meal gradually until thick. Stir. Refrigerate for 20 minutes in covered bowl.
Wet hands and form into balls. Drop into bubbling chicken soup or into a large wide pot into which 1 quart of water seasoned with 1 tablespoon salt has been added and has come to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes.
Passover Potato Latkes
Passover Potato Latkes
YIELD:Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
6 medium Russet potatoes (peeled and shredded)
2 medium onions (shredded)
2 tablespoons matzo meal (or more as necessary)
2 large eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS:
Place the potatoes and onion into a bowl, and stir in matzo, eggs, salt and pepper as needed to make the mixture hold together. Add more matzo meal if the mixture is too runny. With wet hands, scoop up about 1/3 cup of the mixture per patty, and form into flat round or oval shapes.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, and gently place the patties into the hot oil. Fry until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes, then flip with a spatula and fry the other side until golden.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot with apple sauce.
From left, Northport Historical Society curator Terry Reid, co-owners of the Engeman Theater Kevin O'Neill and Richard Dolce, and Northport Historical Society Executive Director Caitlyn Shea last Thursday night. Photo from NHS
On March 23, Northport Historical Society board and staff members joined theatergoers at the John W. Engeman Theater as Curator Terry Reid and Executive Director Caitlyn Shea presented co-owners of the theater Kevin O’Neill and Richard Dolce with the Northport Icon Award which honors the people and businesses that helped shape the Village of Northport.
After a fire in April 1932 left Northport’s first movie house (located at 256 Main Street) in ashes, The Northport Theater opened its doors on the site at 248-250 Main Street on November 23, 1932. The new theater was outfitted with 754 seats and offered the “latest and most popular pictures on the cinema screen” at the time. Although it changed hands several times, the movie theater remained in operation until 1999.
On June 30, 2006, Huntington resident and entrepreneur Kevin O’Neill and his wife, Patti, purchased the Northport Theater. O’Neill then partnered with theater expert and attorney, Richard Dolce, who had been running the Broadhollow Theater Company, to convert the Northport Theater into a year-round professional live theater. In tribute to Patti’s brother, Chief Warrant Officer Four John William Engeman, who was killed in Iraq on May 14, 2006, they renamed the theater the John W. Engeman Theater at Northport.
The Northport Icon Award coincides with the Northport Historical Society’s current exhibit, Iconic Northport, which opened last summer.Other recipients include Tim Hess/The Shipwreck Diner, The Weber Family/Seymour’s Boatyard, The Great Cow Harbor 10K Race,The Northport Yacht Club and Vincent Terranova/Jones Drug Store.
SUNDAY STREET CONCERT The Kennedys return to the Long Island Museum for a concert on April 2. Photo by Michael Stahl
Thursday March 30
Avalon Astronomy Night
Avalon Nature Preserve hosts an Astronomy Night at its Skylab off Shep Jones Lane, Stony Brook from 8 to 10 p.m. Take part in a live observing session (weather permitting) focusing on Venus, Mars, the Moon and various deep sky objects. Free. Pre-registration is not required. For more information, call 631-689-0619.
Friday March 31
Wintertide concert
The Wintertide concert series concludes at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson with a concert by Coppers & Brass, Hallockville musicians performing springtime tunes, from 7 to 8 p.m in the Sail Loft Room on the third floor. $5 donation at the door. Questions? Call 631-473-4778.
Robert Hansen heads to T3
Psychic medium, author and lecturer Robert E. Hansen returns to Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson on Friday, March 31 at 7 p.m. Join Hansen as he takes you on a journey through the other side of the veil. Messages of love will be randomly demonstrated to the audience. Tickets are $35 per person. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Friday Night Face-Off
Friday Night Face Off, Long Island’s longest running Improv Comedy Show, returns to Theatre Three’s Second Stage, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson tonight at 10:30 p.m. Using audience suggestions, FNFO pits two teams of improvisers against each other in an all-out championship! Recommended for ages 16 and up, due to adult content. Tickets are $15 at the door – cash only. Call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Saturday April 1
Birdwatch-Architecture Tours
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will offer an early morning Birdwatch and Architecture Tour with the Vanderbilt’s director of curatorial affairs at 8 a.m. Participants will enjoy the unique opportunity to view the Vanderbilt estate in the early dawn hours, when the grounds are still closed but the birds are active. Sturdy hiking footwear is strongly suggested. Participants are asked to bring their own binoculars. Tickets are $12 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Spring Craft & Gift Fair
Spring shopping time is here! Newfield High School, 145 Marshall Drive Selden hosts a Spring Craft & Gift Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with 100 vendors! The indoor event will benefit the Newfield High School Leaders Club. Free admission. For more info, call 631-846-1459.
Historic North Fork Tales
Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead presents Historic North Fork Tales: Food Sovereignty, Food Sustainability, and Cultural Sustainability from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Josephine Smith, noted educator from the Shinnecock Nation, will discuss food sustainability and food sovereignty along with Native American arts, crafts, and historic food preparation. This class will include a food demonstration. Tickets are $30, $20 members at www.hallockvillemuseum.org.
Whaleboat Chats
The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor hosts a Whale Boat Chat surrounding the star of the museum’s permanent collection, the 19th century whaleboat Daisy, today at 11:30 a.m. and again at 12:30p.m. as well as April 5 at 12:30 pm. These educator-led gallery talks will share the story of whaling on Long Island and in Cold Spring Harbor specifically. Visitors will learn that people have been hunting whales here on Long Island for thousands of years. Free with admission to the museum of $6 adults, $5 children and seniors. Call 631-367-3418.
All Souls Concert
All Souls Church, 61 Main Street, Stony Brook, hosts a Saturdays at Six concert featuringThe Voyageur Reed Quintet, a group of music graduate students from Stony Brook and Rutgers University, at 6 p.m. Their repertoire includes 21st century works with a strong emphasis on rhythmic patterns and grooves as well as arrangements of classical pieces. Free. Call 631-655-7798 for more information.
An Evening of Comedy
Theatre Three, 412 Main St.. Port Jefferson presents Chris Roach Live!, a special Comedy Show and TV Pilot premiere featuring comedians Chris Road and Chris Monty at 8 p.m. Don’t miss a night of laughter and fun with two of the top comedians plus the premiere screening of Chris Roach’s new TV pilot, Jiggle the Handle! Tickets are $45. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Sunday April 2
Intro to Wilderness Survival
Join the staff at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington for an Introduction to Wilderness Survival program from 9:45 a.m. to noon. In this hands-on program geared for the average adult, learn how to find food, start a fire, and build a shelter. Approximately 1 mile. For reasons of safety, no children under 18 years old of age will be permitted to attend. $4 per person. Reservations are required by calling 631-423–1770.
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 631-473-4778.
Toby Tobias Ensemble in concert
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook will host a concert by the Toby Tobias Ensemble from 3 to 4 p.m. Free with admission to the museum. For more information, call 631-689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.
Sunday Street Concert
The Kennedys return to the Long Island Museum for a WUSB Sunday Street concert in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room at 5 p.m. You can expect the usual musical brilliance of an early evening with Pete and Maura as well as songs from a new studio album of original songs. Advance sale tickets are $25 at www.sundaystreet.org. Tickets at the door (if available) are $30 cash only.
Rock ‘N’ Roll at the Vanderbilt
The popular Long Island band “History of Rock n Roll” will be performing in the Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium theater, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport at 6 p.m. The band takes the audience on a 90-minute, multi-media musical journey from the inception of Rock ‘n’ Roll from Elvis Presley and The Beatles to the sounds of Disco and Billy Joel with planetarium special effects for an unforgettable evening. Tickets online at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org are $30 adults, $25 members, $25 children 15 and under; at the door $35 adults, $25 members, $30 children 15 and under.
A Night of Trivia
In honor of the 370th anniversary of Huntington’s founding on April 2, 1653, the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor will hosta special Trivia Night about All Things Huntington at 7 p.m. Questions will be about local history, nature, stores, beaches, celebrities, streets, and more within the Town, from Cold Spring Harbor to Northport to Dix Hills. Prizes for top winners! $10 per participant. Visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org to register.
Monday April 3
Movie Trivia Night at the CAC
Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a Movie Trivia Night at 8 p.m. Try to answer 50 questions based all around film, actors and actresses, awards, and everything else associated with the world of film. Challenge like-minded film fans in a battle of wits for cash and other prizes. You can form teams, so bring some friends and work together. Feel free to come alone and play solo as well! Hosted by Dan French. Tickets are $10 per person, $7 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Tuesday April 4
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. Call 516-521-1410.
The Great American Jazz Songbook
John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport continues its Special Events series with a concert celebrating the Great American Jazz Songbook at 8 p.m. Join Ken Kresge, Eric Haft and Marcus McLaurine with special guest artist Jerry Weldon as they take you on a musical journey through the history of America’s greatest jazz songs. Music from Gershwin and Porter, to Broadway and beyond. Tickets are $45 per person. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Wednesday April 5
Whaleboat Chat
See April 1 listing.
Job Fair – just added!
South Huntington Public Library, 145 Pidgeon Hill Road Huntington Station will host a Job Fair by the Suffolk County One-Stop Employment Center in its Community Room on Wednesday April 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. Meet representatives from Altice, NYS Solar, SightMD, Northwell Health, NY Community Bank, Cold Spring Harbor Labs, Maximum Security and many more. Bring multiple copies of your resume and dress for success! For more information, call 631-549-4411.
Lake Ronkonkoma Trivia Night – just added!
Back by popular demand, the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society, 328 Hawkins Ave., Lake Ronkonkoma hosts a Trivia Night at 7 p.m. How well do. you know the history of Lake Ronkonkoma? Coffee and cake will be served. Free. All are welcome. Call 631-467-3152.
Thursday April 6
An Evening of Jazz
The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents a concert by The Jazz Loft Big Band, a 26-piece Jazz Orchestra directed by Jazz Loft Director Tom Manuel, titled Stan Kenton’s Cuban Fire Suite tonight, April 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 adults, $35 seniors, $30 students, $25 children at www.thejazzloft.org. For more info call 631-751-1895.
Theater
Pride@Prejudice. Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three
‘Pride@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 631-928-9100 or visit 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 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.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 631-451-4163.
‘(Mostly) True Things’
The Performing Arts Studio, 224 E. Main St, Port Jefferson presents (Mostly) True Stories With A Twist “A Rough Start,” a game wrapped in a storytelling show that features true stories, with a twist, on April 15 at 7 p.m. This show features 4 true stories but 3 of them include subtle little lies. In the second act, the audience questions the storytellers, then votes for the person they think told it straight. Winners get a tote bag, and the whole truth about each story is shared before the end of the evening. It is a combination of comedy, heart and community that is truly a unique experience. Hosted by Jude Treder-Wolff, performers will include Nina Lesiga and David Lawson. Tickets are $15 online at Eventbrite or $20 at the door (cash only). Visit www.mostlytruethings.com.
Film
‘Concert for George’
The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington invites the community to celebrate the 80th birthday of George Harrison with a screening of Concert for George on April 3 at 7:30 p.m. featuring an exclusive introduction from Olivia and Dhani Harrison. On November 29, 2002, one year after the passing of George Harrison, Olivia Harrison and longtime friend Eric Clapton organized a performance tribute in his honor. Held at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the momentous evening featured George’s songs, and music he loved, performed by a lineup that included Clapton, Joe Brown, Dhani Harrison, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Monty Python, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Ringo Starr and many more. Tickets are $15, $10 members. To order, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
‘Autism Paints’
Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will screen the premiere of Autism Paints, a documentary by filmmaker David Stagnari about the formation of The Spirit of Huntington by Erich Preis.on April 2 at 2 p.m. Followed by a panel discussion and reception. Tickets are $12 adults, $10 seniors and students, $5 children 12 and under at www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Purple signs like this may become commonplace on Long Island in the near future. Photo by Grendelkhan/Wikimedia Commons
By John L. Turner
John Turner
Like all islands, Long Island is defined by water. Lapped on all sides — the Great South Bay on its southern flank, the thick finger of the Long Island Sound to the north, the bowl of the Peconic Bay filling between the forks, and one of the planet’s great oceans embracing all of this.
And beneath us, in the pore spaces between the sand that make up Long Island (Long Island is basically a million-acre leaky sandbox) is a prolific aquifer system made up of several trillion gallons of freshwater that we depend upon, made available by scores of public water supply wells, for drinking and making coffee, washing cars, showering and brushing teeth, and from which water oozes to fill our ponds and lakes and makes our rivers and streams run — a freshwater groundwater system made up of three aquifers like layers in a sandwich, all resting on a basement of bedrock.
It is OUR water supply — there are no other realistic possibilities to turn to: no ability to connect to New York City’s impressive surface water reservoirs and no river from New England that upwells into our sand under Long Island Sound (as one Long Island elected official once assured me, in explaining why we didn’t need to be concerned with the impacts of development). We are, hydrologically speaking, captains of our own fate.
We may be captains but we haven’t been such good stewards of our groundwater supply as it is under stress like never before. More than two and one-half million Long Islanders live, work, and play above the water supply, and with gravity always at work, water, and whatever contaminants are dissolved in it, is always carried downward.
The Upper Glacial Aquifer, the aquifer closest to the surface, has been rendered unusable in many places due to contamination.In some areas this pollution has moved down into the thicker Magothy Aquifer below, the main source for drinking water today. And below the Magothy lies the Lloyd Aquifer, resting on a basement of bedrock, which has begun to feel the stresses ofover pumping and fingers of contamination.
Some freshwater lakes and ponds are suffering quality issues too, the victims of “HAB’s” — harmful algal blooms.
And in parts of Long Island we have a quantity problem, illustrated by lowered water table levels causing streams and ponds to shrink or dry out and allowing saltwater intrusion from salty water pushing in from sides of the groundwater supply. Hundreds of acres of wetlands have disappeared or been diminished by lowered water table levels, adversely affecting wetland dependent wildlife species.
Nor have we been the stewards of the shallow coastal waters surrounding us that we should be. Driven by excessive nitrogen from sewage treatment plants (STP’s), home cesspools and septic tanks, and hundreds of thousands of fertilized lawns, the island’s coastal ecosystems areshowing significant stress. This stress is illustrated by numerous algae blooms or colored “tides,” perhaps made most visible by the green sheets of Ulva or sea lettuce which blankets the bottom of much of our tidal creek and bays.
Some of these blooms involve algae species that are toxic to wildlife or are species that shellfish cannot eat to sustain themselves. Moreover, coastal waters containing excess nitrogen can weaken tidal marshes, a dangerous trend given their wildlife habitat, pollution control, and storm buffering value.
Photo by John Turner
The good news is that we have the means to address these problems and one of them involves water recycling or reuse. As the name suggests, water recycling involves the use of highly treated wastewater discharged from sewage treatment plants for some other worthwhile purpose. And the Riverhead Sewage Treatment Plant water reuse project serves as an excellent example.Here, during the warmer months (April to October), highly treated wastewater is diverted from discharge into the Peconic River/Bay and, instead, is pumped next door to Suffolk County Parks’ Indian Island Golf Course. The water, containing low levels of nitrogen, is used to irrigate the golf course, the nitrogen being taken up by the turf grass. The water is subject to UV disinfection which kills 99.9% of the viruses and bacteria that might remain in the wastewater from initial treatment.
What’s the benefits you might ask of this water reuse project? The engineering consultants to the project estimate it will divert more than one ton of ecosystem-changing nitrogen annually from entering coastal waters with the nitrogen serving as fertilizer for the golf course grass. And it gets better — approximately 63 million gallons of water which used to be pumped out of the aquifer can stay in the ground, reducing stress on the groundwater system.An added benefit is that it may also save taxpayer dollars due to decreased energy and fertilizer costs.
Given these dual quality and quantity benefits it is not surprising water recycling is commonplace in some states and in many other countries.California, Florida, and Arizona are among the leaders as are countries like Israel in the Middle East. (You may have seen evidence of water reuse projects while traveling in these or other states since the pipes conveying the water are painted purple — the universal color for water recycling. I saw them a few years ago while traveling through Clearwater, Florida north of St. Petersburg).
Today, more than 2.6 billion gallons of water are reused daily in the United States. And the potential on Long Island is great with several dozen golf courses being within two miles of a sewage treatment plant.
There are other reuse applications besides irrigation of golf courses though… irrigation of agricultural crops and municipal ballfields, industrial cooling, wetland restoration, washdown water at sewage plants, even potable reuse which is now happening in California. Anyone want a beer brewed using highly treated wastewater? There are half a dozen brands now available, in Canada, Germany, and California, if you so desire!
To better understand and quantify this potential, and to provide a framework for prioritizing potential projects, the Seatuck Environmental Association, with funding kindly provided by the Greentree Foundation, hired Cameron Engineering to help develop a Long Island Water Reuse Road Map or Blueprint. This road map lists nearly 100 projects in which an STP is coupled with a target of the reclaimed wastewater — most typically a golf course or agricultural operation — situated within a two mile radius. They are listed in priority fashion based on the amount of water potentially saved, amount of nitrogen potentially reduced, and estimated cost for improvements needed to implement.
Closerto home, what might be some potential water recycling projects? One that jumps out (ranked #10 in the prioritized matrix) is using treated wastewater generated from the sewage treatment plant located on the SUNY Stony Brook campus to irrigate St. George’s Golf Course situated in close proximity on the east side of Nicolls Road. A successful project here would keep hundreds of pounds of nitrogen from entering Port Jefferson Harbor (the effluent from the SUNY SBU STP is piped to the Port Jefferson plant first before discharge into the harbor) and keep an estimated 34 million gallons of water in the aquifer.
It is clear that with political support and adequate public funding, water reuse can significantly contribute to intelligent management of the water upon which we depend for drinking and water that we enjoy swimming in. As the LI Water Reuse Road Map has shown, water recycling, implemented comprehensively, can prevent tons of nitrogen from entering Long Island’s groundwater supply and adjacent coastal waters while keeping billions of gallons of freshwater in the ground. To borrow from an often used phrase: “That there’s a win-win situation” for all Long Islanders.
A resident of Setauket, John Turner is conservation chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, author of “Exploring the Other Island: A Seasonal Nature Guide to Long Island” and president of Alula Birding & Natural History Tours.
By focusing on developing heart-healthy habits, we can improve the likelihood that we will be around for a long time. METRO photo
Modest dietary changes can have a big impact
By David Dunaief, M.D.
Dr. David Dunaief
With all of the attention on infectious disease prevention these past two years, many have lost sight of the risks of heart disease. Despite improvements in the numbers in recent years, heart disease in the U.S., making it the leading cause of death (1).
I have good news: heart disease is on the decline in the U.S. due to a number of factors, including better awareness, improved medicines, earlier treatment of risk factors and lifestyle modifications. We are headed in the right direction, but we can do better. It still underpins one in four deaths, and it is preventable.
Manage your baseline risks
Significant risk factors for heart disease include high cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking. In addition, diabetes, excess weight and excessive alcohol intake increase your risks. Unfortunately, both obesity and diabetes are on the rise. For patients with type 2 diabetes, 70 percent die of cardiovascular causes (2).
Inactivity and the standard American diet, rich in saturated fat and calories, also contribute to atherosclerosis, fatty streaks in the arteries, the underlying culprit in heart disease risk (3).
Another potential risk factor is a resting heart rate greater than 80 beats per minute (bpm). In one study, healthy men and women had 18 and 10 percent increased risks of dying from a heart attack, respectively, for every increase of 10 bpm over 80 (4). A normal resting heart rate is usually between 60 and 100 bpm. Thus, you don’t have to have a racing heart rate, just one that is high-normal. All of these risk factors can be overcome.
How does medication lower heart disease risk?
Cholesterol and blood pressure medications have been credited to some extent with reducing the risk of heart disease. Unfortunately, according to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, only 43.7 percent of those with hypertension have it controlled (5). While the projected reasons are complex, a significant issue among those who are aware they have hypertension is a failure to consistently take prescribed medications, or medication nonadherence.
Statins also have played a key role in primary prevention. They lower lipid levels, including total cholesterol and LDL (“bad” cholesterol) but they also lower inflammation levels that contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease. The JUPITER trial showed a 55 percent combined reduction in heart disease, stroke and mortality from cardiovascular disease in healthy patients — those with a slightly elevated level of inflammation and normal cholesterol profile — with statins.
The downside of statins is their side effects. Statins have been shown to increase the risk of diabetes in intensive dosing, when compared to moderate dosing (6).
Unfortunately, many on statins also suffer from myopathy (muscle pain). I have had a number of patients who have complained of muscle pain and cramps. Their goal is to reduce and ultimately discontinue their statins by following a lifestyle modification plan involving diet and exercise. Lifestyle modification is a powerful ally.
What lifestyle changes help minimize heart disease?
The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, a prospective (forward-looking) study, investigated 501 healthy men and their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The authors concluded that those who consumed five servings or more of fruits and vegetables daily with <12 percent saturated fat had a 76 percent reduction in their risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who did not (7).
The authors theorized that eating more fruits and vegetables helped to displace saturated fats from the diet. These results are impressive and, to achieve them, they only required a modest change in diet.
The Nurses’ Health Study shows that these results are also seen in women, with lifestyle modification reducing the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Many times, this is the first manifestation of heart disease in women. The authors looked at four parameters of lifestyle modification, including a Mediterranean-type diet, exercise, smoking and body mass index. The decrease in SCD that was dose-dependent, meaning the more factors incorporated, the greater the risk reduction. SCD risk was reduced up to 92 percent when all four parameters were followed (8). Thus, it is possible to almost eliminate the risk of SCD for women with lifestyle modifications.
How can you monitor your heart disease risk?
To monitor your progress, cardiac biomarkers are telling, including inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index.
In a cohort study of high-risk participants and those with heart disease, patients implemented extensive lifestyle modifications: a plant-based, whole foods diet accompanied by exercise and stress management (9). The results showed an improvement in biomarkers, as well as in cognitive function and overall quality of life. Most exciting is that results occurred over a very short period to time — three months from the start of the trial. Many of my patients have experienced similar results.
Ideally, if a patient needs medications to treat risk factors for heart disease, it should be for the short term. For some patients, it may be appropriate to use medication and lifestyle changes together; for others, lifestyle modifications may be sufficient, as long as patient takes an active role.
By focusing on developing heart-healthy habits, we can improve the likelihood that we will be around for a long time.
Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.
You can almost feel spring in the air, and with the warmer weather comes delicious, delectable foods. From casseroles, tarts and omelets to fresh fruits and wholesome vegetables, a change of season offers something to look forward to for nearly every foodie.
Two spring dishes that are sure to impress for brunch are a Cheesy Asparagus Tart and Herbed Spanish Omelet. The tart has melted cheese, cooked asparagus and an under layer of puff pastry baked to golden brown perfection while the omelet features potatoes, fresh spring herbs and red onions.
Cheesy Asparagus Tart
Cheesy Asparagus Tart
YIELD:Serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
5 cups water
1 pound asparagus
ice water
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional, to taste, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper, plus additional, to taste, divided
flour, for dusting
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 lemon, zest only
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400 F. In large skillet, add water and asparagus. Cook 5-8 minutes until asparagus is bright green. Drain asparagus and soak in ice water. In large bowl, mix drained asparagus, vegetable oil, salt and pepper until combined. Flour surface area. Using rolling pin, roll out pastry to 10-by-16-inch rectangle. Transfer pastry to parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick pastry with fork. Bake about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly on baking sheet.
In large bowl, mix fontina cheese, gruyere cheese, shallot, egg yolks, milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste, until combined. Spread cheese over pastry, leaving 1 inch around edges. Lay asparagus over cheese mixture. Bake 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Sprinkle lemon zest over tart and serve.
Herbed Spanish Omelet
Herbed Spanish Omelet
YIELD:Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large whole eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
salt, to taste (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Place potatoes in large pan. Cover with water. Bring to boil and cook, uncovered, 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain well. In deep, 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic. Cook about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and cook 5 minutes. Combine whole eggs and egg whites. Stir in parsley, basil and chives. Season with salt, to taste, if desired. Pour mixture over potatoes in hot skillet. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes, or until bottom of omelet is golden. If desired, brown top under toaster oven.
‘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.
This week’s featured shelter pets are, from left, Chrissy and Janet, a pair of six year-old sisters who grew up in the Smithtown Animal Shelter.
They were both adopted into a new home for a year and a half, but their new parents sadly had to return them after they fell on hard times.
Both of these loves are very sweet and enjoy snuggles and being petted. They are initially shy, timid, and low-key when first meeting someone, but will open up when given space and time to learn to trust.
Chrissy and Janet have lived with other cats before, and would do best in a quiet home without any children or loud dogs. We would love for these sisters to be adopted together, but they can be separated for the right home.
If you would like to meet Chrissy and Janet, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with them in a domestic setting.
The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only).
For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.
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