Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the death of a Setauket man who was cutting a tree in Head of the Harbor Mondy, Nov. 28.
Erik Halvorsen, owner of Norse Tree Service in Setauket, was approximately 50 feet up in a tree when he attempted to cut parts of the tree down in Avalon Park and Preserve, located on Harbor Road, at about 11:15 a.m. Police said the trunk then splintered and trapped the business owner against the tree. Halvorsen, 45, who was wearing a safety harness, attempted to free himself and fell 20 feet. An employee was able to lower Halvorsen to the ground.
Director of the Avalon Park and Preserve Katharine Griffiths said Halvorsen was a friend to the entire staff.
“Erik was a friend to many of us at the park,” she said in a statement. “We are heartbroken over this tragic accident. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and his many friends.”
He was transported by St. James Fire Department Ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Local Boy Scout Troop 454 helps beautify the Greenway Trail as part of a community service project, led by James Nielsen. Photo by Alex Petroski
The popular walking trail that connects Setauket and Port Jefferson Station is getting much needed TLC from some of the community’s youngest leaders.
Fifteen-year-old James Nielsen of Terryville Boy Scout Troop 454 organized a clean-up effort on the Port Jefferson Station end of the Greenway Trail Oct. 29 and has future plans to create a sign post with a smartphone scannable QR code that will provide historical information alongside a bench in the trail. The plan would be part of James’ process to become an Eagle Scout.
At the other end of the 3.4-mile long nature trail, Eagle Scout candidate Jake Linkletter also organized a clean-up effort and fundraised for a new kiosk in the Gnarled Hollow Road parking lot in Setauket.
Local Boy Scout Troop 454 helps beautify the Greenway Trail as part of a community service project, led by James Nielsen. Photo by Alex Petroski
The cleanups were started to remove brush and litter from the trail as part of a beautification process.
Charles McAteer, chairman of the not-for-profit organization Friends of the Greenway Trail, is grateful for all of the work being done by local Scouts, which he called “invaluable.”
“This community spirit is what has and continues to make the Greenway the community gem we all hoped it would be,” McAteer said in an email. “Civic groups like Scouts have contributed via their fundraising thousands of dollars for improvements to the trail as well as hundreds of man hours in cleanups and creating the various improvements. As mentioned, all to help the community keep the Greenway clean — fulfilling the needs of our citizens.”
James said he feels the community service efforts are important because it shows how many people care about the area and its trail.
“I’ve [been] sending out emails to the people in my troop and the people I’ve been working with on the project — the fundraising people who have been working to get my project improved — It’s been a bit of work, but I’ve been glad for all the help that I’ve been getting,” he said. “I feel like it’s a good community.”
James attends JFK Middle School, and his parents Steven and Jean are both teachers in the Comsewogue School District.
From left Marc Difilippo, Jake Linkletter, AJ Colletta and David Linkletter install a new kiosk on the Setauket end of the trail. Photo by Nick Koridis
“It has been an unbelievable experience to watch him,” James’ father said of his son. “When he started he was kind of shy and introverted, and to watch him grow throughout the years in Scouts — taking a leadership role … I’m so proud of him.”
James’ mother stressed the importance of doing something positive to benefit the community.
“It’s really nice to see something positive in Port Jefferson Station,” she said. “I feel like living here forever, we need some things to be proud of, some things for our community. But to have some pride, and see all of these residents working together, it’s just very, very exciting. I’m proud of James and the Boy Scouts.”
Strathmore Bagels in Setauket donated bagels on the morning of the cleanup. James has also set up a crowd-funding website where community members can donate money to support his project. He has received almost $450 in donations, and his ultimate goal is to raise $800. To contribute to his efforts visit www.youcaring.com/james-nielsen-659986.
Remember the names of Columbus’ ships, anybody? Yes. Of course you do. Everyone in this overflowing audience knows the three names. Furthermore, you all know them in the same order. Good for you! Doesn’t matter where you went to school — from the Redwood forest, to the Gulf Stream waters, to the New York island, those names were taught to you and me — and in order!
Quite an achievement. Or, is it? Of what educational value are those three names? Virtually none, except maybe to a contestant on Jeopardy. But students are in real jeopardy if we continue to consume their limited school time with pointless facts, trivia, backward thinking, and low-level knowledge.
I dub it the “Nina Pinta and Santa Marianization” of our schools. Let’s sail back in time to Columbus. The big date — you know, it rhymes with “ocean blue. What was going on in the world during that era? Was there a printing press? Was there a global power? Were there wars going on? (Good guess. Seems there’s always a war going on somewhere.) Was his trip around the time of the Great Potato Famine or the Black Death? How long would the journey take and how was it estimated? What provisions did Columbus need to stock in order to survive the journey? How did the food not spoil? How much water could be used each day by each person and animal? How many men and animals should be boarded, realizing that each man and animal consumed food and water and made the living quarters tighter? What if winds were becalmed in the Horse Latitudes and the ships barely moved? Did they need weapons, and if so, why?
How many of us considered those questions in school? The teachers didn’t ask them, nor did they know the answers. Remember, teachers are a product of the schools themselves. They are primarily people who succeeded in school, liked it, and went on to do it — not change it. They are educational conservatives.
During the eight years I directed a class for teachers, I’d give them a test developed from fourth- and fifth-grade books. Not one teacher ever came close to passing. I’d tell them that they were either not very bright or that the material we’re teaching our kids is irrelevant to a functioning adult.
So, what if our educational system comes to its senses and realizes that constructive destruction of curriculum and teaching methods is necessary, and Common Core was not a common cure? What should we teach? Here’s a start:
Personal finances. Every school should create a bank where students have the option to invest by purchasing shares. The bank would issue loans to students and would require a student co-signer. Interest would be added to the loan reflecting the amount and length of loan. Credit rating would be developed. [Yes. I’ve done it and it works.]
What is fire, auto, and life insurance — and how do they work?
The art of being skeptical without being a skeptic. Time. What it is and how to manage it.
Relationships: What are they? How do they develop? And what is their value? Introductions: How to offer and receive.
Black boxes in airplanes and cars. What do they reveal? What are mortgages? Why do they exist?
Waste management. Where does garbage go? What are sewers and cesspools? [Water, water … not everywhere.]
Logic and reasoning with and without Venn diagrams. The art of questioning and the value of wrong answers.
The media. What it is, how it works, and the choices it makes. The illusions in movies and TV through editing, music, and more. PG-13: How and why things are rated. The goals and methods of advertising.
A school farm with irrigation. Students would have scheduled time working on the farm. A student and adult committee would handle the summer months. Kitchen duty with student assignments. Custodial duty with student chores.
The science of raising, preparing, and cooking food. The food we eat: Where does it come from? What is a hamburger bun?
Negotiating and compromising. Shipping and transportation. The evolution of things: the medicine bottle, the telephone, the sneaker, etc.
Dilemmas: how can Italy, the world’s biggest exporter of olive oil, also be the world’s biggest importer? Is there such a thing as too much?
Plumb lines, centers of gravity and sea level. Architecture, engineering, stacking blocks. Physics is everything. How technology affects our lives.
Language travels with us but never reaches a final destination.
Objects: magnifying glasses, prisms, levels, stethoscopes, magnets, ball bearings. The magic of perimeters. Zero-sum games.
The gift of failure, and the hardship of failure-deprived people. Thinking about what others are thinking by using game theory.
Your body: A user’s manual.
Bruce Stasiuk of Setauket continues to teach. He currently offers workshops as an instructor in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, located at Stony Brook University.
Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed a mother and her daughter in Selden Oct. 22.
Shuofang Yang was driving a 2013 Audi S4 on Adirondack Drive when he attempted to make a left turn, heading westbound onto Middle County Road, when his vehicle collided with a Nissan Altima traveling eastbound on Middle County Road at approximately 5 p.m.
The driver of the Nissan, Marie Sanacore, 73, of Coram, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. Her mother, Nellie Furino, 96, who lives with her, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where she died a short time later.
Yang, 22, of South Setauket, and his passenger were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Both vehicles were impounded for a safety check. The investigating is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652.
Winners of the Long Island Apple Festival’s apple pie contest, from left, Liana and Gabrielle Lofaso, Christopher McAndrews and Sabrina Sloan and Chris Muscarella. Not shown, Erin Lovett. Photo by Tara La Ware
The Long Island Apple Festival returned to the Sherwood-Jayne Farm in East Setauket on Sept. 25 for its 27th year. Presented by the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, Homestead Arts and the Greater Port Jefferson–Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, the event celebrated the humble apple. One of the highlights of the day was the apple pie contest. First place went to Sabrina Sloan and Chris Muscarella of East Setauket (see their recipe below), Erin Lovett of Lake Ronkonkoma took home second place and Christopher McAndrews of Belle Terre placed third. Liana and Gabrielle Lofaso of Belle Terre won for Best Looking Pie. Congratulations to all!
Apple Pie
Apple pie
YIELD: Makes one 9-inch pie, serves 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS:
Crust: 2½ cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup ice water
Filling:
8 cups cored, peeled, sliced apples (Granny Smith or Cortland)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for top of crust
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
Splash of water
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 F. In a food processor, using a metal blade, pulse your flour, sugar and salt together. Add in cold, cubed butter and pulse. Slowly drizzle in ice water, one tablespoon at a time. You should have a course, crumbly mixture. (If you don’t have a food processor, combine ingredients in a large bowl using a pastry blender or fork.) Before the dough has formed a ball, remove the blade and take dough out, bringing it together by hand. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. It is very important to work with cold dough. In a large bowl, toss apples in lemon juice, flour, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
Once dough is cold, take dough out of plastic wrap and divide in half. Return one half, in plastic wrap, to the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll your ½ of dough out into a circle, 12 to 14 inches round and about ¼ inch thick. Gently take the corners, lift the dough and transfer it to pie pan. Lightly press sides against the bottom and sides of pan. Trim overhanging dough so that you’re left with ½ inch and fold excess under the edge of the pan. Pour apple mixture into pie pan and cover the top of the apples with pats of butter. T
ake second half of dough from fridge and repeat process of rolling it out to a 12 to 14 inch circle, ¼ inch thick. Cover the entire pie with remaining rolled-out dough. Pierce holes in the top of dough to allow heat to escape (so there isn’t a steam buildup inside the pie.) Seal the edges of the pie by fluting the dough (stamping the dough with a fork) around the edge of the pie pan. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and add a splash of water. Brush the egg mixture all over the top of the crust and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Recipe courtesy of Sabrina Sloan and Chris Muscarella of East Setauket.
Ingrid Herland, second from left, sits surrounded by family: from left, son Warren, daughter Martha and son-in-law Don Richtberg. Photo by Donna Newman
By Desirée Keegan & Donna Newman
Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) joined with the Mount Sinai Senior Citizens Club to recognize centenarian Beatrice Caravella at her 100th birthday bash on Sept. 6.
Born Beatrice Mercatante on Sept. 9, 1916, in Brooklyn to parents who emigrated from Sicily, she met her husband Fred while attending church, and together they had two children, Marilyn and Richard.
Beatrice and Fred Caravella were instrumental in spearheading a Pentecostal Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They lived in Richmond Hill and Franklin Square before retiring to Miller Place. She was widowed in 1985, after 41 years of marriage.
Caravella is an avid reader and in retirement happily volunteered her time and service in hospitals, nursing homes and churches to help those less fortunate than herself.
Today she has four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She still lives in her own home and celebrated her milestone birthday with her family and friends.
Beatrice Caravella, center, celebrates her 100th birthday with Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, Councilwoman Jane Bonner and other family and friends. Photo from Town of Brookhaven
The Mount Sinai Senior Citizen Club celebrated Caravella’s centennial birthday with coffee and cake at the Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai. Romaine and Bonner presented her with a proclamation declaring Sept. 9, 2016, as Beatrice Caravella day in the Town of Brookhaven.
Out in Setauket, the Energizer bunny has got nothing on Ingrid Herland.
She celebrated her 106th birthday Sept. 18 with a whole weekend of partying. She shared birthday cake with her friends at Sunrise of East Setauket on Saturday and planned to spend Sunday with family at her daughter’s home.
Herland is an inspirational example of the power of positive thinking. A poetry lover, she recites verse from memory, some that she has written herself and some favorite poems — with a little Shakespeare thrown in for good measure.
Ingrid attended New York University, and said biology was her favorite subject. She left before graduation to marry and raise a family. She has three children: Warren and twins, born on Washington’s Birthday, George and Martha; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild she is looking forward to meeting at Christmastime.
Asked if she could share the secret for long life, she replied, “I never thought about it at all. I took it one year at a time. I went with the flow.” And that’s the secret. Son-in-law Don Richtberg said, “She is the most accepting person I have ever known. She seems to find the good in everyone — and everything.” And the best way to handle getting old? “You just have to be a good sport about it,” she said.
A steady stream of people enjoy the Gallery North Outdoor Art Show & Music Festival. Photo by Lloyd Newman
For more than half a century the Gallery North Outdoor Art Show & Music Festival has been drawing crowds to North Country Road in Setauket. Last weekend was no exception, with a steady stream of visitors on both days.
John Deng received the top honor in the Photography category and also the award for Best in Show.
Local artists Robin Clonts, Flo Kemp, Dawn Mohrmann and Mary Jane Van Zeijts won ribbons as awards or honorable mention in their respective categories.
Flo and Karen Kemp show their ribbons. Photo by Jeff Foster
Local craftsperson Dana Neger took the top award in the Jewelry Design category.
The more than 100 exhibitors this year included a broader variety of techniques and arts and crafts and painters, according to Gallery North Executive Director Judith Levy.
All in all, Levy said she was pleased with how the weekend went, despite a few glitches. “When we arrived before 6 a.m. on Saturday, strong winds and rain had upturned some of the booths. There was water everywhere,” she said. “But thanks to Keith Sanford (of Three Village Lawn & Garden) all was put right again.”
In addition to the art, there were live musical performances as well, with chairs available to relax while listening.
A 9/11 tribute and flag raising on Sunday at 1 p.m. was a joint venture with the Three Village Historical Society located across the street. President John Yantz offered remarks, Roberta Fabbiano sang “God Bless America,” local politicians spoke, and as the crowd sang the national anthem, the flag rose into a clear blue sky on the historical society flagpole. “It was really very moving. I’m glad we did it,” Levy said.
Lots of children visited the gallery’s community art center to create monoprints, andadults decorated wall tiles for the gallery’s ongoing Make Your Mark fundraiser. Visit the Gallery North website at www.gallerynorth.org for more information about this project.
Over 100 exhibiting artists and artisans will be at Gallery North's 51st annual Outdoor Art and Music Festival this weekend. Photo courtesy of Gallery North
Exhibiting artists and artisans will offer a variety of art and crafts at this weekend’s Outdoor Art and Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Gallery North
They say some things just get better with age. This can surely be attributed to Gallery North’s annual Outdoor Art and Music Festival, which celebrates its 51st anniversary this year. Over 100 exhibiting artists and artisans, offering a variety of art and crafts such as painting (acrylic and oil), ceramics, jewelry, photography, fiber art, sculpture and mixed media work, will congregate on North Country Road in Setauket this Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.
The two-day event provides members of the community an opportunity to interact with artists, purchase finely made crafts, and enjoy a weekend full of exciting activities while searching for the perfect handmade gift for family and friends and to get a jump-start on holiday shopping.
Roberta Fabiano and Tony Montalbo will perform live during Gallery North’s 51st annual Outdoor Art and Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Gallery North
Throughout the weekend visitors will enjoy musical performances by Sybil Lefferts & Friends, Claudia Jacobs Band, Roberta Fabiano and Tony Montalbo and The Bobby Sexton Trio. All musical entertainment is sponsored by Bridgehampton National Bank.
In addition to enjoying the outdoor festivities, all are invited to stop by the gallery to view the current Printmaking exhibition. The Community Art Center will also be open on both Saturday and Sunday welcoming visitors to participate in the gallery’s Make Your Mark Tile Fundraiser. Adults, children, families, as well as professional artists are invited to paint their own six-inch ceramic tile, which will be used in the garden wall of the terrace of the new Community Art Center.
In honor of excellence in Fine Art and Craft, Gallery North’s Board of Trustees and Friends will sponsor prizes for outstanding work in the areas of jewelry, painting, crafts and mixed media, work on paper including watercolor, pastel and graphics and drawing, wood craft, photography, glass as well as best in show. This year’s judges will be Larissa Grass, Stephanie Gress and Dean Goelz. Prize sponsors include Sharon Cowles, Judy Gibbons, Robin and Doug Dahlgard, Ronne Cosel, Stephanie Gress, Nancy Goroff and Dina and Bill Weisberger.
Event schedule
Saturday, Sept. 10
◆ 10 am to 5 pm: Make Your Mark — Tile Fundraiser in the Community Art Center (CAC)
◆ 11 am to 1 pm.: Kids Art Table
◆ 12 to 2 pm: Sybil Lefferts & Friends in concert
◆ 2:30 to 4:30 pm: Claudia Jacobs Band in concert
Sunday, Sept. 11
◆ 10 am to 5 pm: Make Your Mark — Tile Fundraiser in the CAC
◆ 11 am to 1 pm: Kids Art Table
◆ 12 to 2 pm: Roberta Fabiano and Tony Montalbo, 9/11 Tribute
◆ 2:30 to 4:30 pm: The Bobby Sexton Trio in concert
Gallery North is located at 90 North Country Road in Setauket. For additional information, please call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
Jay Gammill of East Setauket took this gorgeous photo of a female black swallowtail butterfly taking a sip of nectar from tall garden phlox in his backyard in August.
Stony Brook’s Center for Planetary Exploration opens
Renee Schofield explains the testbed for the PIXL she built. Photo by Kevin Redding
By Kevin Redding
Although some might not think of Suffolk County as an obvious hotbed of planetary exploration, it doesn’t take long to discover just how impactful the research and work conducted on Long Island has been on the growth of space science.
Going back to the Apollo program in the early 1960s, the Grumman corporation was vital in landing astronauts on the moon by designing, assembling and testing the lunar module at its facility in Bethpage.
Even closer to home, the founder of Stony Brook University’s Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Dr. Oliver Schaeffer, became the first person to date celestial objects. He confirmed that the moon rocks brought back by Apollo astronauts were more than four billion years old.
Donald Hendrix leads a research team to help future astronauts prevent long-term illnesses. Photo by Kevin Redding
Now half a century later, Stony Brook University has once again cemented Long Island’s place in innovative planetary research.
In 2014, Timothy Glotch, a professor in the department of geosciences, received a $5.5 million grant from NASA through their Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute program to support his research. The department eventually obtained a 6,500-square-foot, world-class facility consisting of three different labs.
On Aug. 26, the public was invited to the official opening of Stony Brook’s Center for Planetary Exploration, where faculty members and students in the department gave a tour of their labs and showcased the inspiring work that has taken place so far.
At the core of CPEX is the Stony Brook-led multi-institutional Remote, In Situ, and Synchrotron Studies for Science and Exploration Institute, one of the nine nodes of the NASA program.
“We’re trying to pave the way for future human exploration of the solar system,” Glotch said. “Right now we are doing basic science; we are doing exploration activities that are going to get humans to Mars, back to the moon, and to the moons of Mars. That work is going on right here. We’re kind of leading the way in space exploration and we’re very proud of that. ”
He stressed the importance of the overall goal: to train the next generation of solar system explorers and scientists. The students are going to be running missions in the next decade or two, he said.
“Just as Schaeffer put together a young and talented group of researchers, we now have an extraordinarily talented group of young researchers working in planetary science,” current Chair of the Department Dan Davis said.
“We’re trying to pave the way for future human exploration of the solar system.”
—Timothy Glotch
As for the three different labs, professor Joel Hurowitz runs the geochemistry lab, which includes a student-built test bed for the Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry, which will fly on the Mars 2020 rover.
The PIXL is an X-ray microscope that looks at rock samples and builds maps of the elemental distribution in those samples to make it easier to analyze.
“From there, we can start to dig in and try to understand whether the environment that those rocks were deposited in were habitable,” Hurowitz said. “PIXL can detect things that are chemical biosignatures. It can detect biosignature in a rock on the surface of Mars. So we’re trying to place some constraints on whether or not there was ever life on Mars.”
The lab is also conducting a series of experiments to determine the damaging effects of lunar dust inhalation by future astronauts.
“What I do is I try to find minerals here on Earth that are similar to what’s found on the moon,” Donald Hendrix, a graduate student leading the research, said. “I grind them up into powders and determine what chemicals are made when they are exposed to fluid, because whenever you breathe in a mineral powder, they can produce chemicals inside your lungs that can potentially cause a lot of damage and turn into lung cancer.
Since humans are going to go back to the moon in the next 20 or 30 years, for really long periods of time, I want to know what hazards astronauts might face while they’re up there.”
Through the research he’s conducting with his team, he’s trying to figure out where astronauts could go that won’t be quite as dangerous.
Professors Joel Hurowitz, Deanne Rogers and Timothy Glotch guide their students in planetary research. Photo by Kevin Redding
Deanne Rogers runs the remote sensing facility, where faculty, students and postdoctoral researchers analyze various images and infrared data that come from Mars and the moon. From there, they incorporate observation skills and geological training to learn about the planet or moon’s environmental and climatic history.
Glotch’s spectroscopy lab is where students acquire infrared spectra of minerals and rocks for comparison to data collected by Mars and Moon orbiters. Within this lab is the Planetary and Asteroid Regolith Spectroscopy Environmental Chamber, used to re-create the conditions on the lunar surface for accurate measurements.
“I can make the moon on Earth, basically, and that’s pretty exciting,” graduate student Katherine Shirley said. “This machine is special because we can make different environments in this. Eventually we’re going to get some attachments so we can simulate the Martian surface or asteroid surface.”
The lab includes a small piece from Mars, which visitors were encouraged to hold.
Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), who was once a student and employee at SBU, spoke about how much the department means to him.
“I’m practically retired, but my heart is still here,” he said. “I served in this department and am proud to have been among such extraordinary researchers and wonderful human beings for 43 years. It’s a privilege now to help send resources in the direction of these extraordinary individuals who are literally writing the next chapter of our understanding of the universe and solar system. I look forward to continuing to work with you as you go forward. They say I’m technically retired, but don’t believe it. I’m just one phone call away.”
Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) presented the faculty with a proclamation from the county legislature to celebrate what this research means for the community, the university and the overall future of science.
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