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Stony Brook

Alleged suspects were seen driving what appears to be a light-colored sedan. Photos from SCPD

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the people responsible for stealing wallets and cash from unlocked cars in the Sixth Precinct in June.

Two individuals allegedly have been involved in multiple grand larcenies in the Setauket, Terryville, Stony Brook and Port Jefferson areas. The unknown persons allegedly entered the cars and stole wallets containing cash, credit and debit cards, and licenses. They were seen driving what appears to be a light-colored sedan.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.

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A familiar runner jogging along Stony Brook roads stands out from the others.

“My claim to fame is that I’m still running at 85,” Steven Fuchs said.

The Stony Brook resident said he has been running for more than 40 years, and earlier this year he traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, for the USATF 2022 Masters 5 Km Championships, where he placed first in the men’s 85-and-over category, finishing the race in 45 minutes, 31 seconds.

He was modest about the win.

“I was very excited about it,” he said. “It was great fun, but there’s not many people running anymore at my age.”

His daughter Dorothy O’Brien on the other hand was impressed.

“It’s pretty amazing,” she said. “I think it’s inspiring.” 

Fuchs said runners who register trace their running history to find out what times they have achieved in past races. The grandfather of five said he believes this deters some from the national race because they aren’t inspired to travel when they see others signed up who have run faster in other races. However, he said it’s always fun to travel, get together with fellow runners and talk about their love of the sport.

Fuchs said when he was younger he was always competitive, and he recommended the sport as well as the races to others. 

“It’s great exercise, and I enjoy it,” he said. “People who are runners are wonderful people.”

Not one to slow down, Fuchs is still involved in real estate investment, which has been his decades-long career.

To keep moving, he said, “is a great lesson in life.” And his advice is to “pick an activity that you can continue with.”

In the past, he played tennis but had problems with one of his shoulders, and he said he’s been lucky that his knees have held up so he can continue to run, which he attributes to finding the right pair of running shoes. 

“What I like particularly about running is that I don’t have to get a foursome together to play golf, or I don’t have to get a partner to play doubles in tennis,” he said. “I just put on my sneakers at 2 or 3 in the afternoon and run all by myself.”

He tries to do so daily to West Meadow Beach and back home, and is no stranger to the local races. His first race was one in the 1970s that started at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library. Through the decades, he has participated in local races, including Soles for All Souls organized by All Souls Episcopal Church in Stony Brook, the Smithtown Running of the Bull, Lt. Michael P. Murphy Run Around the Lake in Ronkonkoma as well as several in Sayville.

While he sticks now to 5K races, when he was younger he said he ran longer ones, including the 10K, which is approximately 6.2 miles, and half marathons.

“As I get older, the distances tend to get shorter,” the runner said.

He’s learned with training that a runner has to take it easy at times.

“You can’t knock your brains out every time you go out to train,” Fuchs said. “I just jog around very slowly, and where I put my effort is the day of the race. That’s my real work day.”

His secrets to keeping fit through the years include running and eating right. He also doesn’t smoke or drink alcohol.

“For me it has worked,” he said. “I’m lucky.” 

He recommends running for those looking to stay in shape and his advice is to get the right shoes.

“You’re not necessarily in competition all the time,” he said. “You can go at your own pace. You can do it when you want to do it.”

Fuchs recommends the races as a good opportunity to get together with those who share the same interest, and he plans to travel to the national championships in 2023.

“I fully expect to be back again next year,” he said.

Nico VI, above, is being trained by volunteer Andrea Spencer, of Stony Brook, to one day assist people with disabilities. Photo from Canine Companions

By Amanda Olsen

There can be little doubt that Andrea Spencer is a dog person.

Nico with volunteer trainer Andrea Spencer. Photo from Canine Companions

The Stony Brook resident has rescued Labradors since 2011, fostering and training them while they were waiting for their forever homes. She also co-chairs the DogFest Long Island fundraiser at Marjorie R. Post Community Park in Massapequa and is currently raising a puppy, Nico VI, for Canine Companions.

This is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1975 that provides highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities free of charge. Puppy raisers provide specially bred puppies a safe home, take them to obedience classes, serve them a healthy diet, provide socialization opportunities and give them lots of love. Each hour spent caring for a Canine Companions puppy is vital to its development as a future service dog. 

Spencer’s puppy-raising journey began with a rescued yellow Lab named Ruby, who came from Louisiana to live with Spencer and her family. She remembers her fondly.

“She was really my heart dog,” Spencer said. “She was really the dog that brought me into all of my volunteer work.” 

Around 2017, a friend first mentioned Canine Companions as a possible service opportunity, and the organization kept entering Spencer’s life. She attended a couple of puppy matriculation ceremonies, a kind of graduation where the dogs move on from living with their raisers to formal training at the Canine Companions center. It was a turning point for Spencer.

“The graduation was an inspirational, beautiful, wonderful thing,” she said. “It was basically just life changing for me as far as working with Canine Companions.”

After a long, happy life, Ruby passed from lung cancer in August 2020. Spencer credits this loss as the catalyst for her puppy raising.

“And once we kind of settled from that storm, my husband said, ‘We’ve always thought in the back of our heads, you’d like to do something more for Canine Companions. Why don’t we raise a puppy in Ruby’s honor?’ I said, ‘You know what, that’s such a great idea.’”

The family began the process, first with the application in January 2021, then an extensive interview in March of that year. Once that part of the process was over, and they were approved, all that was left to do was wait. 

That September, Nico arrived in New York, and the Spencers were now raising a future service dog for Canine Companions. 

Nico is a Lab/golden retriever cross, which is a special mix Canine Companions breeds for its service dog program. This mix is both personable and very trainable. Spencer said that there are many things Nico picks up on without training, and when she does train him, he learns quickly. 

“With the Spencer family’s love and guidance, Nico is on his way to becoming a Canine Companions service dog, and will someday be matched with an adult, child or veteran with a disability free of charge,” said John Bentzinger, Canine Companions regional public relations and marketing coordinator, in an email. “Nico is being taught basic commands and socialization skills and, in another seven to 10 months, he’ll be returned to Canine Companions where he’ll work for six months with our professional instructors learning over 40 advanced commands that are useful to a person with disabilities. Nico will learn how to open and close doors, turn lights on and off, and pick up dropped items to name just a few.”

One of the biggest challenges is training the puppies to control their excitement. 

“They’re really bred to love people and be with people and be with everybody,” Spencer said. “So that actually provides a little bit of a challenge as a puppy raiser because they really want to go see everybody and they get excited. So, we work on having good manners in public.”

Being in public and being well socialized is critical to the service dog’s success. The dog has to be comfortable in multiple locations on a variety of surfaces. “We want him to be completely focused in these locations, not just in the home where he is the majority of the time,” Spencer said. 

Some commands are specific to his training as a service dog.

“They’re taught to bark a sequence of three, four or five times, and then quiet is paired with that because they don’t want the barking for 20 minutes,” she said. “They just want you barking to kind of alert someone.”

There is a huge network of support for people who decide to raise puppies for Canine Companions. Not only are there informal connections with other volunteers, but the national nonprofit provides each raiser with a mentor called a “puppy pal.”

“It’s a mentoring program with a raiser who’s raised at least three dogs,” Spencer said. “They hook you up with that person and throughout their puppyhood, you can call them or email them or text them.”

Of course, the No. 1 thing Spencer gets asked is how she will feel when Nico leaves her care and goes on to formal training.

“The Lab rescue was like my training or my internship,” she said. “I would have fosters in my house anywhere from one week to two months, and then they would go on to their adoptive homes. And believe me, it wasn’t easy, but you see that you’re helping. I think having a resident dog in the house helps. I look at this not like Nico’s my pet, but he’s my job. You have to have the right mindset for it.”

She also credits her son, Jared, who has Autism, for helping to forge a connection with Nico’s future recipient.

“I think having a child who is disabled and seeing that this organization serves that community has made that connection for me.” 

For Spencer, the decision to raise again is a given.

“I will definitely raise again, because it’s just such a wonderful experience,” she said. “I think as you subsequently raise, even though it’s different, you have all of the basic knowledge, the training tools, the understanding of what they need to learn. Of course, you’re going to have different obstacles with each puppy, because puppies are like humans, they’re all different. But yes, I definitely think we’ll raise again.”

Her advice for people considering raising is straightforward.

“I think if you’re considering raising you have to have a certain mindset, that you’re raising this puppy not for you but for to help somebody,” she said. “You definitely need to have the entire family on board, because it does become a family affair. You’re going to have challenges, but you’re going to also have great successes. There is a very strong network of support right here on Long Island. And really, we’ve become a family. We call it the Canine Companion family. And it’s something that is so rewarding on so many levels. And you know, hopefully more people will join in and take part in this because without the puppy raising there are no dogs.”

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With gas prices continuing to surge, another roadblock for the hard-hit tourism industry as well as eager, pent-up travelers, Discover Long Island, the region’s official destination marketing organization has announced a new campaign to highlight the many unique car-free, walkable destinations across Long Island – easily accessible by the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and other mass-transit.  To launch the campaign, the tourism organization has unveiled 10 top picks for tire-less travel experiences that should be on everyone’s 2022 bucket list – from the famous car-free beach haven Fire Island to a fairy-tale colonial village and more. Long Island’s car-free destinations are featured on www.DiscoverLongIsland.com/LIRR – a one-stop-shop for tire-less travel information.

With New York currently the most booked U.S. destination for Summer 2022 travel, the campaign aims at inspiring the region’s expected tidal wave of visitors to explore the wide range of attractions across Long Island– Manhattan’s easily accessible beachfront backyard.  Additionally, the campaign encourages locals and all visitors alike to take advantage of these affordable travel opportunities without the worry of car-rental shortages or skyrocketing gas prices and discover hidden gems, open space oases, and iconic landmarks, right off an LIRR stop.

“The LIRR serves as a crucial transportation artery for Long Island and remains key to our economy and recovering tourism industry – underscored by our nation’s growing gas crisis.  Thanks to the LIRR and a network of ferries filled with nostalgia, no car is needed to have a bucket-list Long Island getaway featuring an award-winning wine country, historic waterfront downtowns and much more,” said Kristen Jarnagin Reynolds, President & CEO of DiscoverLong Island. “With a 600% increase in domestic travel bookings since January, we’re seeing a hunger for new experiences and no hassle travel and LongIsland provides ideal opportunities for both.  Visitors and locals alike can seamlessly explore the many wonders and hidden gems right outside New York City that will make you feel a world away.”

“With spring around the corner, and summer not too far behind, why not plan to ditch the car and the traffic and ride the LIRR,” said Catherine Rinaldi, LIRR Interim President. “The LIRR is safe, reliable, and ready to take you to all the many great outdoor activities, beaches, parks and wineries that LongIsland has to offer.”

The campaign will include robust promotion of attractions and destinations accessible by mass transit across Discover Long Island’s 10 prolific social media accounts, consumer newsletters, Insider’s BlogThe Long Island Tea podcast and more.  As part of their longstanding partnership, the MTA will cross promote Discover Long Island’s car-free experiences and continue to work closely with the tourism organization to develop and promote Long Islandgetaway packages. See the MTA’s current deals on daytrip destinations, outdoor activities and events, HERE.

Additionally, the campaign will highlight Long Island hoteliers that offer their guests free shuttle services to ensure a seamless transportation experience, recently featured in the MTA Away article 8 Carefree (and Car-Free) Overnight Escapes on Long Island.

For access to exclusive deals at the small businesses and attractions throughout the downtown communities highlighted, including Fire Island, Long Beach, Huntington, Port Washington, Greenport, and Riverhead, visitors and residents can download the Discover Long Island’s free Downtown Deals Travel Pass.

  • Fire Island: A World-Famous Car-Free Haven

The barrier island of Fire Island sits just off the coast of Long Island’s southern shoreline and is accessible only by ferry, which visitors can catch with a quick shuttle from the Sayville or Patchogue LIRR stop.  Locals and visitors travel around by foot, bike, wagon, and golf cart at this car-free beach haven. The 32-mile long island is known for its pristine beaches, a relaxing ambiance, vibrant restaurants and nightlife and for being one of the world’s most popular LGBTQ+ destinations. Fire Island consists of 17 unique resort communities including private homes and overnight accommodations. Climb 182 steps to the top of the historic Fire Island Lighthouse, take a guided canoe tour through the Salt Marsh, enjoy public marinas for boating and fishing, camp at Watch Hill, or spend the day at one of the lifeguarded beaches. Find unique gifts and keepsakes at Hanalei and Kula’s boutique in Ocean Beach.  Be sure to stop by CJ’s, home of the rocket fuel for a sip of Fire Island’s famed specialty drink.

  • Gold Coast: Bring a Bike for a Gilded Age Excursion

Long Island’s historic Gold Coast is home to stunning grand estates set against pristine gardens and shimmering coastlines. Tour the mansions of the Roaring Twenties where industry tycoons (including the Vanderbilts and Guggenheims) reigned supreme and served as the inspiration behind The Great Gatsby.  Stay overnight at the luxurious Oheka Castle, often serving as a set for major Hollywood productions.  Take the LIRR to Port Washington, Oyster Bay, and Port Jefferson to easily access eight Long Island estates for a Gilded Age experience, some of which include Sands Point Preserve, Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium, Planting Fields, Old Westbury Gardens and more.  Note that some locations require a short walk, bike ride (bring yours on the train), or rideshare from the station.  More details are available HERE.

  • Experience the Seaside Charm of Port Jefferson

Throughout this walkable village right off the LIRR, the salty sea breeze fills boutiques, wine glasses chime from open-air bistros and the marina sunset greets families as they stroll by Ralph’s Famous Italian ices. Stay overnight at Danford’s Hotel & Marina – the nautical New England style retreat has waterfront views of the Long Island Sound and dockside dinning. There is much to explore in this coastal gem. Take a photo with Long Island’s angel wings and take a serene outdoor instagrammable walk at the McAllister Park Pirate’s Cove. Dinner options are as diverse as Long Island’s landscape and include traditional East Coast eats at PJ’s Lobster House, SaGhar for Indian cuisine with a Western twist, Prohibition Kitchen for a New American menu in a trendy atmosphere and more. Don’t miss Roots Kava Bar for a custom tea blend and ancient rituals.

  • Discover the New England Style Stony Brook Village – The Epicenter of the Culper Spy Ring

Visitors will be transported back in time as they take a ride share from the LIRR station to Stony Brook Village, a waterfront shopping district in a Colonial New England setting complete with white clapboard buildings. Fun fact: Stony Brook was the epicenter of The Culper Spy Ring during the American Revolution, made famous by AMC’s hit drama TURN. President George Washington traveled to the area in 1790 by horse-drawn carriage to thank Long Island supporters and the spy ring for their help in winning the war. Stay overnight at the historic Three Village Inn built in 1907 which has six cottages named after Revolutionary War spies that overlook the harbor. While here, visitors can tour the Stony Brook Grist Mill used by farmers throughout the 18th – 20th centuries.  Grab a kayak from Stony Brook Harbor Kayak and Paddle Board rentals for a unique water tour of the historic mills. For a hands-on activity, Stony Brook Chocolate offers workshops for customers to make seasonal artisanal chocolate creations. Check out the The Jazz Loft for some after dinner entertainment. To explore what’s beyond the village car-free, Stony Brookside Bed & Bike Inn offers complimentary bikes to all their guests.

  • Explore the ‘City by the Sea’: Long Beach

With mile after mile of inviting sands, Long Beach certainly lives up to its name. This barrier island community is just 45-minutes from midtown Manhattan. Long Beach is an upbeat coastal retreat with LGBTQ+ pride, a vibrant surfing community, regular beach volleyball, free summer concerts, food trucks, fishing piers and more. This bustling beach town is best known for its iconic 4.5-mile boardwalk rebuilt after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, which is once again teeming with quirky shops, unique and classic eateries, cyclists, runners, and more. Head to Skudin’ Surf School & Shop for surf lessons, board rentals, and other cool gear or snap a picture in front of the Instagrammable Long Beach Osprey Wings. Don’t worry about toting heavy beach gear either, Beach Comfort will deliver rental equipment right on the beach.  Stay overnight at the Allegria Hotel, a chic boutique delivering a dose of Miami style that boasts a rooftop pool with breathtaking views of the Atlantic as well as the NYC skyline.|

  • Port Washington: Easily Accessible by Train or Boat

Step off the LIRR platform into a restaurant-ladden, historic, waterfront destination where history, luxury and serenity intertwine.  Reserve a party yacht with Long Island Boat Rentals and take a private tour of Long Island’s North Shore and iconic Manhattan landmarks like the Statue of Liberty. Stop by the Port Salt Cave for a little R&R before heading to a live performance at Landmark on Main Street Theatre. The intimate six-room boutique hotel, Fathoms Hotel & Marina, is conveniently located at the end of the Main Street strip.

  • Experience the Nautical Mile then Head to the World-famous Jones Beach

Take the train to Freeport and hop on the N.I.C.E Bus to the Nautical Mile.  The combination of restaurants and workboats, open-air bars and fish markets, live music and foghorns on the Nautical Mile provides a unique blend of nautical charm and street fair revelry.  Visitors can also take the N.I.C.E Bus to the Jones Beach Boardwalk from the Freeport LIRR stop – one of NY State’s greatest escapes.  In addition to swimming, surfing, sunbathing, mini golf, fishing piers and more, the boardwalk provides access to WildPlay Adventure Park where visitors can test their limits.  Be sure to catch a live a-list performance in the region’s only outdoor amphitheater, Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater.

  • Explore Huntington Village, a little microcosm of Manhattan

The area where British troops camped following the Battle of Long Island during the American Revolutionary War is today one of the most popular cultural meccas on Long Island. Named by USA Today as one of the best places to view fall foliage, Huntington also boasts a chic downtown with harbor front dining at Prime, local brews from Six Harbor Brewing Co., live entertainment at the nationally acclaimed venue The Paramount, and cultural exhibitions inside the Heckscher Museum of Art which showcases more than 2,500 pieces of American and European artwork dating back to 1534. Revive Health Studio is the place to go for boutique skincare and holistic services like TuneBed sessions or Red-Light Therapy. The Hilton Inn & Suites Downtown Huntington opening this spring is located directly on Main St. and walking distance from beloved attractions.

  • Head to Riverhead for Family Fun & Local Brews

This bustling downtown not far from the North Fork wine region, is walking distance from the Riverhead LIRR station.  Visitors will find an array of amenities inclusive of family-friendly activities, watersports, craft brewery experiences, and even something fascinating for history buffs. Stop by the Long Island Aquarium for hands-on learning about local and world marine life.  The fully operational distillery Montauk Distilling Co. is just one of nearly a dozen breweries located on the Riverhead Ale Trail where visitors can take tours, enjoy tasting rooms, and shop for locally made products. The Hotel Indigo East End provides guests with free shuttle services, on-site dinner & drinks, as well as posh rooms and décor.

  • Greenport: Named by Forbes as One of the 11 Prettiest Towns in America

Located at the tip of Long Island’s North Fork and right off the last stop of the LIRR’s Greenport Branch, is the walkable harbor front village of Greenport, an adorable historic district and marina filled with live music, charming, vintage boutiques, and restaurants with outdoor terraces.  Its close proximity to Long Island Wine Country and farmland makes Greenport a visitor favorite. Grab a lobster roll at Claudio’s, a staple of Long Islandsummers and relax with a fresh brew at Greenport Harbor Brewing housed in the town’s original firehouse before a walk around Mitchell Park, where kids can take a spin on a 100-year-old carousel (there’s also ice skating in the park in winter) or learn about the rich maritime heritage of Long Island’s East End at the East End Seaport Museum. Chic boutique hotel, The Menhaden, offers complimentary bicycles and shuttle services for its guests with its exclusive Moke. Guests must arrange for rides in the Moke and can do so by speaking with the hotel’s concierge.

ABOUT DISCOVER LONG ISLAND:

Discover Long Island is the region’s official destination marketing and leadership organization charged with furthering the region’s tourism economy, which saw record-breaking highs in 2019 generating $6.3 billion in visitor spending. The organization ensures Long Island’s coveted quality of life, thriving industries, and dynamic destination offerings are promoted on a global level, furthering economic development, and benefiting residents and businesses throughout the region.  Awarded “Best Social Media” in the nation by the U.S. Travel Association, the organization produces engaging content featuring local businesses and attractions for their 10 social media channels which garnered upwards of 10 million views in 2021.  Additionally, Discover Long Island hosts a popular YouTube series, Long Island TV, as well as the Long Island Tea podcast.  To learn more, please call 631-951-3900 or visit www.DiscoverLongIsland.com.

Cindy Smith, left, at a press conference in 2021 helped organize efforts against Gyrodyne’s development in St. James. In the above photo she is flanked by allies in the Stop Gyrodyne movement, Judy Ogden of Save Flowerfield and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn. Photo from Warren Strugatch

Cindy M. Smith, a Stony Brook resident who helped organize community efforts against Gyrodyne’s development efforts in St. James, died Tuesday, Feb.15, in Manhattan. She was 61 and had leukemia.

Cindy Smith at the New York Botanical Garden. Photo from Warren Strugatch

A steadfast supporter of the arts, a dedicated environmentalist, and a proud advocate of the North Fork’s cultural heritage, Smith became a civic activist in order to protect the community’s quality of life, said her husband and business partner, Warren Strugatch.

“Cindy linked the Flowerfield project with increased traffic congestion,” Strugatch said. “The more she looked into the planning, the more she believed there was no planning. She hated politicians building a sewage treatment plant over Stony Brook Harbor and no one stopping them.”

To help civic leaders speak in a unified voice, Smith organized the Greater Stony Brook Action coalition in 2017. “The coalition came out of our conversations about Jane Jacobs and how she confronted Robert Moses in the 1960s,” said Strugatch. “Cindy enrolled eight civic organizations in the new coalition. Eight isn’t a huge number, but 30,000 is. That’s how many residents were enrolled in the civics, collectively. Now, politicians had to listen.”

Smith spoke exhaustively about how the planned development would snarl traffic up and down the North Shore. “Cindy understood that medical facilities are the worst traffic generators you can imagine,” said Strugatch. “Thousands of people come in and out at all hours. Cindy pressed the fact that traffic would be at perpetual standstill.”

Smith also researched sewage runoff, toxic sewage effluent, emergency vehicle access, and damage to historical continuity and quality of life.

“Cindy didn’t think the project was good for either Brookhaven or Smithtown,” said Strugatch. “She felt public opinion would turn when people learned the truth. That’s exactly what happened.”

James Bouklas, president of We Are Smithtown, said: “Stony Brook and Smithtown residents have lost a tough fighter and a true friend. She worked tirelessly to sound the alarm about how our water, traffic, and quality of life are in danger.” 

Friends and allies describe Smith as a big supporter of the arts, which she often called an economic driver. While confronting Gyrodyne over its development plans, she applauded the company’s support for onsite arts programs such as the Atelier studio and the Brick ceramics studio. She was a regular at studio openings, often leaving with spur-of-the-moment purchases.

“Cindy and I became friends after running into each other at community art exhibitions, concerts and gallery openings,” said Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn. “Cindy was passionate about the arts and recognized the positive impact local artists have on enriching our community, our cultural experience and unique sense of place.”

Born in Smithtown in 1960, Smith was the daughter of Lawrence Smith Sr, who owned auto restoration shops, and Patricia (Slattery) Smith, a homemaker who eventually worked in the home mortgage industry. She and her younger brother Larry distributed Pennysavers after school in various neighborhoods, earning money their parents put toward college tuition. 

Cindy Smith on her wedding day. Photo from Warren Strugatch

As a girl, Cindy attended Sweetbriar Elementary School and  Avenue Junior High School. She graduated from newly constructed Smithtown West in 1979. Throughout high school she volunteered at the Smithtown Public Library and other community programs.

As an undergrad, Smith attended Hofstra University where she studied marketing and communications. She interned at the Smithtown News under editor Vicky Katz, who later taught at Stony Brook University. “Everything she knew about communications, she attributed to Vicky,” Strugatch said.

After graduating Hofstra, she took the first of a series of small company marketing jobs. Blockbuster Entertainment hired her in 1985 as Northeast marketing director. Her experience promoting the 50th anniversary videocassette release of “The Wizard of Oz” provided her favorite career story.

Responsible for getting major media coverage of the anniversary release, Smith led a tour of midtown Manhattan for several actors who’d played Munchkins in the film. At nearly six feet tall, Smith towered over her charges. The appearance at Carnegie Deli produced major media coverage.

When Blockbuster’s growth slowed down, Smith was hired by the EGC Group, a marketing and advertising firm. As a vice president she handled accounts of Brother International, Häagen-Dazs, the International Flower Bulb Center, the Long Island Aquarium, and the Oyster Festival. “Everything I do is about customer experience,” she once said.

After EGC, Smith partnered with her husband, Warren Strugatch, creating a consulting organization called Inflection Point Associates. The company helped clients improve efficiency, increase sales and profitability, and create scalable growth solutions. The company also provided event management and marketing services to clients across the Northeast. 

In recent years, Smith served as vice president of Select Long Island, a pro bono effort to raise Long Island’s stature among corporate location advisors. She helped organize a groundbreaking economic development meeting bringing together Long Island’s top economic development officials in April 2019.

Smith purchased a rambling home in Stony Brook 20 years ago and, with her father’s assistance, converted the purchased house into a residential showplace photographed by décor magazines. She and her husband hosted many small gatherings of local artists, musicians, and arts administrators. Many featured Smith’s extensive collection of Christopher Radko holiday ornaments and 11-foot Christmas trees.

Ned Puchner, executive director of Gallery North in Setauket, recalled how Smith “helped welcome me and my family into this community. She made me feel supported as both the new director and as a person trying to find his place” here.

In addition to Strugatch, Smith is survived by her brother Larry, an industrial executive; his wife, Dawn Smith, and their daughters, Lauryn and Kathryn.

Another cultural leader, Neil Watson, executive director of the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook, described Smith as a familiar face at openings and educational programs. “Cindy was a person full of grace and deep humanity,” he said. “She had a sense of caring and knowing that shined through.  She was also whip-smart. We have lost a wonderful part of this arts community.”

Hospitalized in late September, Smith received treatment for leukemia at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine’s oncology program. Her husband said he held her hand just before she died, unquestionably seeing the grace of God in her forgiving face — three times. Hours later, she died as her husband retold her Munchkins-in-Manhattan story to a trio of visiting doctors.

“I got to the end, and she breathed her last,” Strugatch said. “She finally went over the rainbow. Cindy always had exquisite timing.”

Cindy M. Smith was buried Saturday, Feb. 19, and services were held at Branch Funeral Home in Smithtown. In addition to friends and family members, speakers included state Assemblyman Steve Englebright and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn.

Cindy will be remembered for dedicated service preserving our community’s quality of life,” said Englebright. “She was a great civic leader. The work she did to hold the line on overdevelopment means a lot.”

Strugatch said: “Cindy was a very gentle soul and an extraordinarily kind person. But she was a firebrand when it came to defending her community.”

Thomas Manuel inside The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook. Photo by Julianne Mosher

The Long Island Arts Alliance is asking artists, performers and creators to share their stories amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lauren Wagner, executive director of LIAA, said that over the last two years, the group has been asking creatives to share the experiences pre-pandemic and onward in hopes that new legislation will be created to further help the art and culture sector locally.

“The percentage of job losses in the arts is three times worse than other nonprofit organizations,” she said. 

LIAA serves as an alliance of and for the region’s not-for-profit arts, cultural and arts education organizations.  LIAA promotes awareness of and participation in Long Island’s world-class arts and cultural institutions in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. 

Formed in 2003, LIAA offers leadership and diverse support services to arts organizations, serves as an advocate for arts education in our schools and collaborates on strategies for economic development and community revitalization.

An advocate for artists, painters, sculptors, dancers, performers and musicians, Wagner added that when things were shut down two years ago, LIAA decided it wanted to reach out to its community to find out how people were handling the stressful changes.

That’s when LIAA came up with surveys to give a platform for creators to explain what’s going on in their lives.

“The surveys are to poll everyone’s status,” Wagner said. “Then, we use those numbers to go back to our new legislators and say, ‘Hey, this is what’s going on and we need help.’”

Most recently, a 2022 update has been posted to the LIAA website. This is the third survey to make its way around the arts community.

The survey states, “As COVID-19 extends into 2022, it is important to secure updated information about the continuing impact of the pandemic on the creative sector and creative workers. The information you provide is critical to advocacy efforts for the arts and culture sector across Long Island.”

Wagner said the more creatives who participate, the better.

“Artists/creatives were — and remain — among the most severely affected segment of the nation’s workforce,” she said. “The arts are a formidable industry in the U.S. — $919.7 billion (pre-COVID) that supported 5.2 million jobs and represented 4.3% of the nation’s economy.”

She added that they have not seen significant relief funding earmarked for the arts from the local government despite the impact the sector has on the local economy.

“The American Rescue Plan provided $385,003,440 to Nassau County, $286,812,434 to Suffolk County, and an additional $170 million to our local townships,” she said.

But when it comes to the higher levels of government, Wagner said that things often get “skewed” because of the Island’s proximity to New York City.

“I hate to say compete with the city, but we do,” she said. “We’re a great economic driver on Long Island and we get forgotten about.”

She said the surveys could “paint a real picture of what it’s like to be an artist on Long Island.”

The artists

Patty Eljaiek. Photo from Patty Eljaiek

Patty Eljaiek, a visual artist from Huntington Station, said that many people might not realize the impact art has on the community — especially financially.

“I think it’s part of the perception that art is not a business,” she said. “Art is a business.”

Elijaiek added that if an artist is looking to share their expertise with the world, they are, in fact, a business. 

“Art has been something that people appreciate but they don’t know how to put value to it,” she said.

Wagner agreed. She said that early on during the pandemic, people looked to the arts for solace.

“Artists are second responders,” she said. “First responders save lives, but artists put everything back together.”

Alex Alexander, a musician in Rocky Point, said that people who work in the arts — such as being a working musician — don’t have the typical 9-to-5 routine.

“You can plan with a 9-to-5,” he said. “I can’t plan my life as other people would.”

And Tom Manuel, executive director of The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook and a musician himself, said that his venue was shut down for 15 months throughout the pandemic, but still continued to serve its community with outdoor shows despite the lack of revenue coming in. 

Manuel said that while big industries were being saved by the federal government, the nonprofit sector was “left out” and they had to look to their sponsors to help save them. 

“We were really blessed in that we had a lot of our donors and sponsors step up and say, ‘Hey, we know that you’re closed, but we’re going to still give our sponsorship and don’t worry about programming, just stay open,’” he said.

Board members at The Jazz Loft began raising money themselves for other artists who were struggling, raising nearly $20,000 worth of assistance.

But the pain and struggle were still there as they helped their peers. 

“The statistics show of all the things that could close and not reopen, the most unlikely place to reopen after being shuttered is a performing arts venue,” he said. “That’s the data.”

Manuel said that jazz is all about improvisation — which is what musicians did — and to work through the blues.

“I think that one of the beautiful things that did come out of the pandemic is people realized how important the arts were to them,” he said. “I think there was a reconnection that was established, which is a beautiful thing.”

Artists can participate in LIAA’s survey until Feb. 16 online now at longislandartsalliance.org.

“People don’t realize this is their livelihood on the line,” Wagner said. 

Stock photo

Over the course of the last year, North Shore residents have gotten relaxed or forgetful when it comes to locking their car doors. 

For example, Fred Leute, chief of Port Jefferson’s code enforcement, said that over the past month, village code has been receiving calls about people rummaging through open vehicles.

He said that right now, thanks to Ring camera footage, they have seen three separate people on camera trying to open car doors. 

“They’re looking for loose change or cash,” he said. “They’re checking for open doors — not even looking inside.”

Leute said this can be prevented.

“Lock your doors,” he said. “Double check.”

And while the village experienced these incidents over the last few weeks, he said that this problem isn’t confined to just one area. 

“We’re aware of what’s going on,” Leute said. “It’s happening all over.”

A spokesperson from the Suffolk County Police Department said several North Shore hamlets have reported thefts from motor vehicles. These numbers cannot verify if a car was unlocked or not.

From January 2021 until this Jan. 22, there have been 111 reported thefts from a motor vehicle in Old Field, Poquott, Port Jefferson, Rocky Point, Selden, Setauket and Stony Brook.

Old Field and Poquott had the least amount, with just two each in the fall, while Selden experienced 46 thefts — the most happening in July, August and December of last year. 

Port Jefferson reported 10, 13 for Rocky Point, 17 for Setauket and 21 for Stony Brook.

These numbers also do not include thefts of parts from the vehicle like tires or catalytic converters. 

But along with small thefts from inside easy-to-reach cars, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) said during a recent press conference that eight cars were stolen across Suffolk County in one week — Dec. 19 through Dec. 23.

“Many victims of vehicle theft not only leave their cars unlocked, but they leave key fobs in plain sight, either on the passenger seat, the driver’s seat or in the cup holder,” Bellone said during the Dec. 23 Hauppauge press event. “This allows car thieves to easily enter the vehicle and take off.”

David Tunney is ready to open a new restaurant in Stony Brook Village Center. Photo from Eagle Realty Holdings

After being vacant since September, the spot formerly occupied by Pentimento will be home to a new restaurant.

In a statement Jan. 31, Eagle Realty Holdings Inc. announced David Tunney, who owns and operates several restaurants on Long Island from Port Jefferson to Roslyn, will open a new restaurant at 93 Main St. in Stony Brook Village Center.

“After many interviews with at least a half-dozen local and more distant restaurateurs, Eagle Realty Holdings trustees are pleased with our choice of David,” said chairman Richard Rugen in the press release.

According to Eagle Realty, Tunney is expected to open the new restaurant in the spring. He has not announced the name of the business or what will be offered.

“This will be a new concept, different cuisine and a whole new look,” Tunney said in the press release.

The business owner has been in the restaurant industry for 35 years and is a familiar face in the Three Village area. He grew up in Setauket and graduated from Ward Melville High School. In 2019, he bought the former Raga Indian Restaurant on Old Town Road and turned it into Old Fields Barbecue.

“This is where I grew up, this is where my roots are, and it’s amazing to come back to it,” Tunney said in a 2019 TBR News Media interview.

In addition to the Setauket spot, he owns Old Fields restaurants in Port Jefferson and Greenlawn and Old Fields Barbecue in Huntington. He is also one of the founders of the Besito Restaurant Group along with his brother John and part-owner of Besito Mexican restaurants in Huntington and Roslyn.

In the 2019 interview, Tunney said he had good memories of growing up in the Three Village area. His mother, Marilyn, worked in the TBR News Media offices for 25 years, and one of his first jobs was at the Arby’s that once was located where the Setauket Main Street firehouse is today. Tunney said his first job was with the former Dining Car 1890 that was located on Route 25A and Nicolls Road, where he started as a dishwasher.

In the interview, Tunney said he leaves the cooking to the chefs and enjoys the hospitality side of the business, which he learned from his brother John.

“The part I really love about it is making people have a great experience and that they just love all the food, the service, the ambiance, how they are taken care of,” he said in the interview.

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Elio Zappulla, a long-time Stony Brook resident and dedicated educator, passed away peacefully on Nov. 5, 2021, at the age of 88, due to complications from thymoma.

Elio Zappulla

In 1933, Elio was born in Brooklyn to parents of Italian descent: Giuseppe Zappulla, a radio broadcaster and published poet — originally a stonemason in Sicily — and Rita Fera, a clerk, amateur pianist and swimmer. Upon graduating from Brooklyn’s Midwood High School in 1950, Elio went on to Brooklyn College, where he studied languages and developed his love for teaching. Elio proceeded to teach in Brooklyn by day while pursuing a doctorate in French Literature at Columbia University by night.

Though New York City remained in his heart, Elio relocated to the Three Village area in the 1960s to raise his family. Over the ensuing 60-year period, he encouraged and educated thousands of students at both the primary- and secondary-school levels across Suffolk County. Connecting with young people through his characteristic humor, respect and curiosity, Elio sought to draw the uninterested to the joys of learning, and to challenge his students to lofty goals.

Elio’s love of history, the arts and culture was evident whether working as a foreign-language teacher in the Three Village school district, a teacher/administrator in Huntington or a professor at Dowling College. Outside the classroom, Professor Zappulla acted in, directed and later wrote reviews for local theater productions. Additionally, his polyglot status and voracious appetite for reading made Elio a daily regular at Setauket’s Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, among other bibliophile haunts.

Like his father Giuseppe, Elio was a poet. His magnum opus was a verse translation of Dante’s “Inferno” in 1998. This acclaimed rendition, published by Random House, maintained in English the same rhythmic meter as the original ancient Italian work. Elio worked on this translation as a passion project while teaching full time at Dowling.

Having grown up in racially and culturally diverse parts of Brooklyn, Elio henceforth devoted himself to issues of human justice and equity in American society. He contributed dozens of cogent opinion pieces — infused with his signature wit — to local papers over the years, including Times Beacon Record Newspapers, typically focused on politics and the plight of minorities in America. He aimed to inspire others to also boldly speak up for righteous causes with his actions and teaching.

Elio is survived by Lynette Zappulla, his beloved wife of 53 years, and their two children David Zappulla, of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, and Eve Anderson, of Los Angeles; and his four young grandchildren. Elio’s first son, Robert Zappulla, lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and his elder daughter, Laura Zappulla, predeceased him in 2010.

A private memorial service, due to COVID-19, was held for Elio at Setauket Presbyterian Church on Dec. 22. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union and/or the church.

Mark Freely with a furry friend. Photo from Mark Freely

Mark Freeley is the kind of person who likes to get his hands dirty, especially when it comes to helping people in need.

The longtime Stony Brook resident is usually juggling multiple projects, sometimes all in the same day. Whether he’s fighting insurance companies on behalf of his law firm’s clients or picking up rescued dogs, Freeley never shies away from stepping up.

As a young law student at Hofstra University, Freeley got his first taste of how his career could make a difference.

“I was a law clerk for a small firm that did personal injury cases, and I found that I really enjoyed it,” said Freeley, founder of The North Shore Injury Lawyer based in Woodbury. “It’s gratifying to know that I can help people dealing with serious accidents or injuries fight for the insurance money they need.”

This year, he’s also been working with small businesses struggling to access financial assistance in the wake of the pandemic.

Those efforts caught the attention of Gloria Rocchio, president of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, who also advocates for local businesses.

“I thought it was terrible that so many businesses were being denied support from their insurance companies because of the nature” of the pandemic closures, Rocchio said. “When I found out Mark was involved in fighting for those businesses, I picked up the phone and introduced myself. He has so much compassion for the entire community.”

As it turned out, Rocchio and Freeley often crossed paths while walking their dogs around the T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond Park. Last summer, Tropical Storm Isaias did significant damage to the site, leaving piles of rubble and a six-figure bill in its wake.

Without prompting, Freeley launched a social media campaign to help restore the park and chipped in some of his own money. 

That’s only the latest example of how Freeley has used social media to create positive change. In 2017, he and his dog Storm earned national attention when Storm rescued a drowning deer on their usual walk. Freeley created a Facebook page, Good Boy Storm, to raise awareness of local animal rescue needs.

While he’s always loved animals, it was Freeley’s daughter that led him to do more. Their weekly visits to see the puppies at the Lake Grove Petco store in her younger years blossomed into them volunteering together with Last Chance Animal Rescue in Southampton.

“We did it every Saturday for eight years, rarely missing a week,” Freeley said. “They’re such wonderful people, and I’ve made some really tight bonds through helping to save animals.”

Last Chance is run entirely by volunteers, and Freeley has done everything from fostering to running adoption events and picking up newly rescued dogs at 6 a.m. each weekend.

“I meet the transport van in Patchogue every Saturday, when they bring up rescued dogs from South Carolina. I’m in charge of all the collars and leashes, and making sure the right dog is going to the right foster family,” he explained. “When that van opens up and you see it full of animals that have been saved from being killed, all that effort is worth it.”

This past year, according to Last Chance, it has facilitated the adoption of 875 dogs and cats. And even though his daughter is now away at college, Freeley keeps coming back. 

“Mark and his daughter Nicole were so faithful right off the bat, and Mark was always willing to take on additional responsibility when needed,” said Judith Langmaid, director of adoption for Last Chance Animal Rescue. “He’s been there to teach other volunteers that come in, run his own supply drives, sponsor fundraising events, and even play golf in the pouring rain for our benefit. He really is a superb individual and we are so grateful to have him.”

Langmaid added that Freeley is humble and would likely shy away from any attention focused on his contributions.

“He’d rather highlight everyone else and encourage others to lend a hand,” she said.

Before congratulating Mark Freeley for being named a TBR News Media Person of the Year, consider fostering or adopting through Last Chance Animal Rescue. An animal can only be brought to Long Island if there is a foster family ready to take it in, so help is always needed. Learn more by calling 631-478-6844 or visit www.lcarescue.org.