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Sabrina Artusa

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Contractors will soon restore the decayed Winnie the Witch, seen above, into the longtime community staple beloved by generations of St. James residents. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Winnie the Witch, the 47-year-old, 30-foot community staple of St. James, may be fully repaired in late fall.

A local couple, Victoria Johnston and Kenneth Maher Jr., are leading the effort to revive this beloved figure. Johnston, a special education teacher, and Maher, funeral director at St. James Funeral Home, began the project in March 2021. 

After many months of fundraising and working with contractors, the repairs were started. The renovations will be done by Brian Capo of Capo Design Build of Nesconset. It is hoped the work will be finished by Halloween.

Maher was raised in St. James and said he remembers driving past Winnie throughout his life. “The older we got, and still the witch remained,” he said. Now, he and Johnston want to “beautify” her “for the future generations to admire.”

Winnie the Witch

Winnie was created in 1976 by David Wicks and subsequently propped in front of his business, Wicks Nursery & Greenhouses in St. James, where she attracted families searching for autumnal festivities.

Since then, Winnie has been a signature part of St. James and Long Island. Johnston said she often gets messages from people across the country expressing how much Winnie means to them.

Winnie is listed on RoadsideAmerica.com, a website for those seeking idiosyncrasies that contribute to the charm and distinctiveness of a locale. For St. James, Winnie has always been special.

When the couple began construction, it was for sentimental reasons. Johnston and Maher grew up with Winnie, and seeing her gradual decay motivated them to take action with the consent of Wicks.

Winnie was built primarily with wood and other materials that Wicks had on hand, according to Johnston. True to her nature, Winnie became hunched over time, her head angled to the ground.

Hurricane Sandy damaged the supportive metal rods holding her upright. In renovating, contractors will replace most of Winnie’s structural support with metal.

“It’s a [nearly] 50-year-old witch that has been sitting outside,” Maher said. “We can’t work on her too fast.”

Maher and Johnston spearheaded this effort with the help of their fellow residents and are still raising money to finalize Winnie’s repairs. They have raised $15,000 to date but need a few thousand more to satisfy the total costs.

Winnie’s head is currently being repaired. Next, contractors will add metal hoops to replace the failing metal rods and old wood supports. Soon, Winnie will be back, watching over 25A and reviving a St. James tradition.

“When we first started it, we just thought that we loved the witch,” Johnston said. “It’s crazy that she had that big of an impact more than just on our little family.”

Johnston added that she was surprised by the community’s enthusiastic response. She remembers one woman who told her she would fly back to Long Island once the project is finished.

As seen by the flurry of comments across social media platforms, people have indeed rallied around this effort, celebrating the return of a figure that carries so much nostalgia. Many write to the couple, thanking them for their effort. 

“Things like that make it all worth it,” Johnston said.

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Kumo

By Sabrina Artusa

On Saturday afternoon, Sept. 9, 28 people were made ill due to the mishandling of cooked rice served at Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse on Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook.

A group of 13-year-olds were at the restaurant celebrating a birthday when some girls started projectile vomiting. Sixteen others, celebrating a baby shower, got sick after leaving the restaurant.

“I’m extremely angry with the business,” the mother of one of the girls told News 12. “We all go out to eat all the time. We never think we’re going to eat somewhere, and the food is going to be contaminated.”

Employees at Kumo deferred comment to their lawyer, John Ruggiero of Garden City, who said that health officials thoroughly checked the kitchen. Ruggiero said the restaurant “immediately implemented” a new rice cooling procedure.

He added, “All steps have been taken to ensure that this never happens again and the restaurant is fully operational with the blessing of the health department.”

According to Suffolk County Department of Health guidelines, “If the food is not cooled in accordance with the sanitary code requirement, pathogens may grow to sufficient numbers to cause foodborne illness.”

Suffolk County spokesperson Marykate Guilfoyle told Newsday that 12 of the 28 people were hospitalized at Stony Brook University Hospital and released without staying overnight. She also said that the health department issued 15 violations. Eight of the violations were for foodborne illnesses, Guilfoyle said, while others were more minor.

“All of the corrective measures were taken and the restaurant is open,” she said.

“We are committed to learning from this incident, enhancing our practices and ensuring that every visit to Kumo is not just a meal but a memorable and safe experience,” owners Tony and Bobby Lam said in a statement to Fox News.

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Attendees and speakers gather in front of Northport Village Hall during a flag raising ceremony Aug. 31. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

To mark International Opioid Awareness Day, Northport-East Northport Drug and Alcohol Task Force held a conference on the day itself, Thursday, Aug. 31, recognizing and remembering those affected by the opioid epidemic.

Village of Northport Mayor Donna Koch, New York State Assemblyman Keith Brown (R-Northport), county Chief Assistant District Attorney Allen Bode, task force team members, law enforcement and community members were among those gathered in attendance. 

Brown has been personally affected by the epidemic, losing a family member to a heroin overdose. “We need to do more,” the state assemblyman said. “We are not doing enough.”

New York bail law doesn’t require cash bail from those accused of most nonviolent felonies and misdemeanors, so those people can be released while they await trial. Bode indicated that changes to state law are necessary for adequate enforcement and prosecution. 

“Before we can ask for bail, you would have to have enough fentanyl to kill 134,000 people,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to wait for someone to die before we can take them off the street,” adding, “That is unconscionable in the face of an epidemic.”

Beyond proposed policy changes, members of the task force suggested that prevention and education is the key to saving lives. Destigmatizing addiction and discussing resources helps create an “open conversation,” program coordinator Linda Oristano explained. 

The task force wants to ensure that the dialogue surrounding addiction is reformed into one that is productive and that those struggling feel comfortable asking for help. 

“It starts with fostering an environment where our youth can talk openly about their struggles without the fear of judgment,” Oristano said. 

It is “not a moral failing but a complex health issue,” she added.

Scott Norcott has been a member of the task force for over a decade. He joined to “facilitate change in the culture with how they deal with things.” Another member, Dawn Enright, said she joined to ensure that “there is a place to go.”

“If kids have a peer that they can talk to, maybe they don’t go down the path of addiction,” Brown added. 

The task force holds events targeting Northport’s youth, such as parenting workshops. However, the task force also consists of a separate, student-led faction called 1LIFE.

Senior Amaya Nieves is the co-president of 1LIFE. Before getting involved, she hadn’t heard of a support system in the community that “focused on tackling real-life issues.” But after being a part of the club for over a year, she said that 1LIFE inspired her to “pursue helping people and teaching people to help themselves.”

Nieves and Oristano raised a purple flag on the pole outside Northport Village Hall for the first time. Oristano said the flag reminds those struggling “that recovery is not just possible, but attainable.”

Koch honored the fire department and police department for the lifesaving work they have done on the front lines of this issue. 

Suffolk County is currently distributing $20 million of opioid settlement money, and is actively accepting grant applications for projects aimed at prevention, education and recovery. [See story, “Suffolk County opens application portal for second round of opioid settlement,” Aug. 31, TBR News Media.]

“We must acknowledge that the battle against addiction is not one that should be waged in silence,” Oristano said. Resources for help can be found on the task force website: www.ndatf.org/for-community-2.

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Debbie Moro and John Brown stand alongside their 2019 Polaris Slingshot. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Flowerfield Fairgrounds in St. James was transformed Sunday, Aug. 20, into a parking lot for some of the most unique cars on Long Island during the Long Island Cars Car Show and Swap Meet.

Visitors walked through lines of gleaming muscle cars, rusted antiques, military vehicles and cars of the rarest variety. Circling cars that piqued their interest, perhaps stopping to ask about a modified engine or to compliment the paint job, visitors learned about and admired vehicles from the past century. 

Tom Friday, the original owner of a 1974 Dodge Charger, has been bringing his car to shows for years. “Whenever you go, you see something different,” he said. “It’s a good day,” adding that his car is a special edition, with only eight others known to exist. 

Ted Broutzas with his 1987 Buick

Many owners became interested in cars early in their lives. Some were drawn to building up broken-down vehicles, while others preferred to “cruise and coast,” as veteran of the car industry John Stuaek put it. Others gravitate toward collecting and searching for rare cars to add to their store.

Bill Douglas is one of the former. Surrounded by pristine hot rods and muscle cars, Douglas showcased his “rat rod,” a custom car made from a motley of different parts. He bought the stripped-down 1929 Ford through Facebook Marketplace and worked on making it his own.

“I buy project cars, spend a year [and] a lot of money,” he said of the process of building a car. “I like building more than driving.”

Visitors weren’t the only ones examining the cars, however. Judges were also visiting each vehicle, analyzing its cleanliness and workmanship. The judges evaluated the wheels, engine, manuals and body exterior, among other factors. 

Douglas said he likes how “tight, helpful and nice” the community is. “Everyone’s got a story,” he said. Owners are often eager to share their car’s background.

Multitime competition winner Ted Broutzas, who owns a 1987 Buick, said the film “Star Wars” heavily inspired his all-black car. He underscored this by putting toys and mementos from the franchise in his trunk. 

The car was discontinued soon after its release, making it valuable to collectors. Broutzas said his car is like “the left side of his body,” and he doesn’t have plans to sell.

Several people complained about the negative image the community can have among those who are unfamiliar with it. “They think we are just a bunch of hot-rodders racing down the street,” said Frank Coppola, one of the show’s organizers. “But we get guys who have cars that are like part of their family.”

“Long Island Cars has done a lot” to “change the way people think about older cars,” he added.

The car community may be expensive and competitive, but the community is also a resource to its members. Coppola said he frequently connects people with others who may be selling what the other is buying. 

Parts can sometimes cost thousands of dollars. Coppola recalled an instance when a friend of his, having wrecked the fender of his 1927 Chevy convertible, bought a car just for the part necessary to fix his convertible.

“Sometimes the part is worth more than the car,” he noted.

As shown by the turnout at the show, the price is worth it for these hobbyists. “I don’t make a heck of a lot of money but have a heck of a lot of fun,” Stuaek said.

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Scenes from the annual Art in the Park fair on Sunday, Aug. 13. Photos by Sabrina Artusa
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Scenes from the annual Art in the Park fair on Sunday, Aug. 13. Photos by Sabrina Artusa
Scenes from the annual Art in the Park fair on Sunday, Aug. 13. Photos by Sabrina Artusa
Scenes from the annual Art in the Park fair on Sunday, Aug. 13. Photos by Sabrina Artusa
Scenes from the annual Art in the Park fair on Sunday, Aug. 13. Photos by Sabrina Artusa
Scenes from the annual Art in the Park fair on Sunday, Aug. 13. Photos by Sabrina Artusa
Scenes from the annual Art in the Park fair on Sunday, Aug. 13. Photos by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

At Village of Northport Park Sunday, Aug. 13, with a view of the water, art lovers from across Long Island gathered to enjoy everything from photography to poetry readings. 

The annual Art in the Park fair, organized by the nonprofit Northport Arts Coalition, started at 10 a.m. and ran until 5 p.m. As patrons walked through the lines of stalls — perhaps stopping to admire watercolor landscapes or handmade wooden spoons — poets, musicians and dancers performed in the center of the park in front of a gazebo. 

Patrice Golde, a Melville resident, wasn’t planning on going to the fair. But, she said, the experience is one of the reasons she loves her community. 

“It cannot be a more picture-perfect town,” she said as she left a poetry stall. “This is like hanging out.”

According to artists and patrons, Northport has established itself as a place that embraces the arts. Photographer Frank D’Agostino said he often drives to Northport to shoot in the mornings and that he appreciates the “artsy town.” In fact, one of the high-resolution photographs hanging in his stall was of Northport Park. 

Photographer John Lazzaro, who was exhibiting pictures of abandoned buildings across New York, noted how the festival provides a sense of place and belonging to local artists.

“Northport is a pretty vibrant community,” he said. “There’s a lot of people out and about.” Lazzaro has also been involved in NAC’s annual Northport ArtWalk, another event in which local businesses lend their shops to artists and musicians. 

Many artists honed their crafts during Sunday’s festivities. One poet read a poem she wrote only the night before. Others were sitting in front of their tables, working on new pieces while talking to intrigued customers and visitors.

Artistic conversation, or “creative chit chat,” as photographer Frank Murray put it, could be heard at almost every stall among patrons and artists alike. 

Poet and musician Bruce Pandolfo particularly relies on this chit chat in creating his art — poetry on any topic the customer chooses. He finds his particular process of creating “so collaborative” — “an experience together” with the customer — that he allows the customer to choose how much they pay for his poems.

Artists, too, help each other in creating. One writer and publisher, who goes by Mankh, was at the fair not only promoting his own work but also those of others. In fact, one performer’s book of poetry was published by Mankh, who said he loves that his art has “put him on a path toward helping other people.” 

For many artists, the fair was the perfect opportunity to bring their work more exposure. Owner of PM Jewelry by AM, Allison Mack, said her “mystical and magical jewelry” is a hobby she is trying to turn into a business. 

The executive director of NAC, Amy Connor, said she believes “in bringing art into the community.” Secretary and poetry coordinator, Linda Trott Dickman, said she got involved because she “wanted to promote good poetry and make it fun.”

NAC’s other programs include music performances every Friday until Sept. 1, poetry readings on the last Friday of every month and more, which can be found on the website www.northportarts.org/programs.

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