Northport Tigers Nip Ward Melville Patriots

by Bill Landon - February 3, 2022

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The Ward Melville Patriots boys basketball team hosted the Northport Tigers, the League II leader, Feb. 1 in a game that would need more than 32 minutes of regulation to decide.

After Ward Melville was held scoreless in the second quarter, the Patriots outscored the Tigers in the second half. Tommy Ribaudo’s foul shot tied the game 34 all with eight seconds left in regulation when time ran out forcing overtime.

Tied at 36-36 with 12 seconds left in the four-minute overtime period, Northport senior Owen Zimmerman nailed a triple to take a 39-36 lead for the final score. Senior forward Nick Watts led Northport in scoring with 11, followed by Brendon Carr’s 10 points, and J.J. Ahlstrand netted eight. Tommy Ribaudo topped the scoring chart for the Patriots with 11, and KJ Anderson banked 10.

Both teams have two games remaining before post season play begins Feb 15.

Weekend blizzard slams Suffolk County

by TBR Staff - February 2, 2022

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By Amanda Pomerantz

The expected nor’easter over the weekend dumped more than 2 feet of snow in some areas of the Town of Brookhaven, but a big challenge was the blizzard conditions.

Snowfall started Friday night, and continued into Saturday evening. The wind kept blowing and drifting snow, and areas that had been plowed kept needing to be plowed again.

The National Weather Service reported that in the Town of Brookhaven winds reached as high as 66 mph in Stony Brook, according to the Citizen Weather Observer Program known as CWOP, and snow totals reached as high as 23.5 inches in Medford, according to a trained spotter.

But the town’s superintendent of highways, Daniel Losquadro (R), said that the cleanup was able to keep going through the blizzard conditions.

“We kept making passes and making roads as clear as possible for emergency services,” he said.

The town’s Highway Department posted a press release on Friday urging residents to take “common sense” precautions to stay safe, including staying off roads and parking cars in driveways to allow snowplows and emergency vehicles to pass.

Brookhaven covers over 530 square miles, with more than 3,700 lane miles of road. The Highway Department now has 250 pieces of hired snow-removal equipment and relies on about an equal number of outside contractors to help with plowing during snowstorms.

“There is no way we can afford that many pieces of equipment and employees to do that work,” Losquadro said.

The town had 400 pieces of equipment a few years ago, which is down almost 40%, according to the highway superintendent. He compared their equipment numbers to those of the Town of Smithtown, which he said has 40 pieces of equipment, down more than 50% from the 92 pieces it had a few years ago.

“There aren’t as many private contractors doing snow removal right now,” Losquadro said, adding that the Highway Department had advertised aggressively. He and his colleagues agreed that a scarcity of outside contractors is a problem everywhere.

He suggested that this may be due to an increase in costs and oil prices, and a ripple effect in the supply chain.

“A truck needs to go to work on Monday,” he said. “They risk damages and needing parts.”

He said that the town had a system to break up the large area into sections so that every part would get covered.

“The contractors were able to stay on,” he added.

On Sunday and Monday, the town focused on widening the snow-laden roads and cleaning intersections. “There were not too many breakdowns,” the highway superintendent said.

Brutally cold temperatures overnight on Saturday and Sunday shifted to gradually warmer weather. By Monday afternoon, Losquadro considered how the town had responded to the storm and said, “Everything went well for the most part.”

Holtsville Hal predicts an early spring in Brookhaven Town

by Press Release - February 2, 2022

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Following the blizzard that battered Brookhaven Town this past weekend, Holtsville Hal’s 2022 prognostication was welcome news for many. After awaking from his slumber, Hal brushed the snow aside to emerge from his burrow and did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring for the Town of Brookhaven. The virtual event was livestreamed on the Holtsville Ecology Site’s Facebook page on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2.

According to tradition, if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; if not, spring should arrive early.

“After this weekend’s blizzard, I’m sure we are all looking forward to spring arriving on time and keeping our fingers crossed that our resident weatherman maintains his accuracy,” said Superintendent of Highways Daniel Losquadro.

“Regardless, the Brookhaven Highway Department remains ready to handle whatever else Mother Nature sends our way during these remaining few weeks of winter.”

Above, Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro with Holtsville Hal’s handler, Greg Drossel, revealing Hal’s 2022 prognostication.

Photos courtesy of Town of Brookhaven

Meet Reboli Center’s February Artisans of the Month

by Press Release - February 2, 2022

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During February, The Reboli Center for Art & History in Stony Brook is proud to display the stunning botanical and cast glass jewelry created by Michael Michaud Design, as well as by his son Michael Vincent Michaud. According to Four Seasons Design Group, which represents the two companies, “The cast glass processes very much like the lost wax process of casting metal into jewelry. The glass is melted into a mold and then cooled and cleaned reproducing the shapes and colors to be placed into the metal bezels. During the process some air may be trapped in with the solidifying of the glass. It is those bubbles inside that make each piece unique and one of a kind.”

The Michael Michaud Design collection reflects his exceptional knowledge of jewelry making and his love of nature. He started as an apprentice mold cutter in 1973 and worked his way towards being a master precious metal caster and moldmaker. While a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Craftsmen, he learned many of the techniques that he still uses today to create his designs of nature in metal. Michaud worked for some of American’s leading jewelry designers before starting his own company.

Michael Vincent Michaud, the son of renowned jewelry designer Michael Michaud, studied with some of the finest glass artists at various institutions including the prestigious Corning and Urban glass programs. He was inspired by his father’s high craftsmanship and love of “art glass.” He was fortunate to begin his career at his father’s studio and collaborated with him to create glass elements for jewelry collections licensed by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. This experience enabled him and his brother Shane, who handles the business side, to create their own company, Michael Vincent Michaud, in 2011.

Their jewelry collection consists of pendants, necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, brooches and table art such as serving pieces, utensils, trivets and napkin rings.

“For the first time, The Reboli Center is delighted to showcase artisans who are a father and son. Our Design Shop features some of the jewelry created by Michael Michaud Design, as well as by his son, Michael Vincent Michaud. Their jewelry is exquisitely detailed and so luminous when it catches the light,” said Lois Reboli, a founder and president of the Reboli Center.

The Reboli Center is located at 64 Main Street in Stony Brook, and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free and for more information, please call 631-751-7707.

Latest Mills Pond Gallery exhibit encourages love and protection of Long Island’s beauty

by Melissa Arnold - February 1, 2022

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By Melissa Arnold

With its many beaches, parks, lakes and farmland, it’s easy to see that Long Island is full of natural beauty. For the local art community, the variety of landscapes provide a constant source of inspiration.

Of course, nature is always changing, but not only with the seasons. Global warming continues to affect all of us, driving home the message that nothing is guaranteed and that we must work together to protect our world.

The Smithtown Township Arts Council (STAC) is reflecting on climate change and the environment through an extended series of exhibits at the Mills Pond Gallery in St. James that began this past fall. Their next exhibit, Long Island Landscapes: From Awe to Action, invites viewers to appreciate the beauty of this area while considering what they might do to preserve it. The show opens Feb. 5.

“I like to do a local, landscape-based exhibit each year, and I wanted to see if there was a way to connect it to the theme of climate change,” said Allison Cruz, executive director at the Mills Pond Gallery. “Art is a method of communication, a way to help people see things and make connections in new ways. We can read the newspaper or watch the news to see that the ice caps are melting and the world is heating up, but to see these artistic expressions of our area makes you realize we might not have them forever.”

The exhibit features 60 works from 53 Long Island artists. A variety of styles and mediums will be on display, including acrylic, watercolor, oil, graphite and charcoal.

Each artist also took time to reflect on what the natural world and environmental conservation means to them.

Anita Simmons of Commack finds her inspiration while going for a drive, walking through area parks or spending the day at the beach. A retired accountant and the daughter of an avid gardener, Simmons grew up next to sprawling fields of corn and potatoes — crops that are no longer as common on Long Island.

“My paintings are an emotional response to what can be seen in the natural landscape of Long Island, which I have enjoyed all my life,” she said. “My dad would plant morning glories that grew up our chimney every year, and I have always loved them. When I saw the morning glories at Schneider Farm in Melville, I just had to photograph them to paint later.”

Ellen Ferrigno often paints scenes very close to her home in Port Jefferson. Protecting the environment has been a part of her life for many years, and she eventually became a Cornell Cooperative Master Gardener to increase her own understanding and educate others about the natural world.

“What supports nature’s environment is a community as well as individual efforts. Therefore, I paint these scenes as reminders of what nature’s beauty is,” she explained. “During the early part of the pandemic, I researched and painted the plants in my gardens that attract beneficial insects, provide a soothing tea or feed the birds. I often included a narrative to educate the art viewers. I also found myself increasing my gardens, putting out feeders for the birds and attracting the bees.”

Cruz and STAC have partnered with a number of local environmental organizations to provide information, literature and ways for visitors to support their cause. They include The Nature Conservancy, Defend H2O, Save the Sound, The Sierra Club, Higher Ground, The Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island, the Seatuck Environmental Association, Save the Great South Bay, Long Island Water, and Group for the East End.

“We have so many wonderful locally-focused groups that work hard every day to protect and preserve our environment here,” said Cruz. “This isn’t just about appreciating beautiful art — we also want to bring attention to all the good these groups are doing and encourage visitors to get involved.”

Along with Simmons and Ferrigno, artists participating in this exhibit include Marsha Abrams, Lucia Alberti, Tina Anthony, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, Claudia Bedell, Sheila Breck, Joyce Bressler, Renee Caine, Carol Ceraso, Patricia Cisek, Tobi Cohen, Donna Corvi, Lou Deutsch, Julie Doczi, Karin Dutra, Dorothy Fortuna, Donna Gabusi, Vivian Gattuso, Jan Guarino, Regina Halliday, David Herman, Wendy Hildreth-Spence, Gia Horton Schifano, John Hunt, Lynn Kinsella, Liz Kolligs, Lynn Liebert, E Craig Marcin, Avrel Menkes, Annette Napolitano, Catherine Rezin, Robert Roehrig, Oscar Santiago, Hillary Serota Needle, Gisela Skoglund, Lynn Staiano, Madeline Stare, Angela Stratton, John Taylor, Tracy Tekverk, Christine Tudor, Nicholas Valentino, Daniel van Benthuysen, Mary Ann Vetter, Mary Waka, Robert Wallkam, Patty Yantz, and Theodora Zavala.

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Long Island Landscapes: From Awe to Action is on view at the Mill Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, Saint James from Feb. 5 through Feb. 26 Proof of vaccination and masks are required to visit. Meet the artists at an opening reception at the gallery on Feb. 5 from noon to 4 p.m. For more information about the exhibit and what you can do to protect the environment, call 631- 862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

Smithtown East girls basketball falls to West

by Bill Landon - January 31, 2022

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Smithtown West sitting in second place in the League III standings — one game behind Half Hollow Hills East —hosted their crosstown neighbor Smithtown East who briefly led in the opening quarter. However, West was too much for their visitors closing out the game with a 63-32 victory Jan. 27.

Senior Nikki Mennella led the way for West with a three-pointer, seven field goals and two from the free throw line to top the scoring charts with 19 points. Laura Luikart followed with 15 points along with a dozen rebounds, and Karsyn Kondracki netted 12.

Smithtown East’s Angie Camarda banked 10 points, and teammate Jordan Townes scored nine. The loss drops Smithtown East to 3-10 while the win lifts Smithtown West to 11-1 in League, 15-1 overall, with four games remaining before post season play begins.

Movie Review: Only love is immortal in ‘The King’s Daughter’

by Jeffrey Sanzel - January 28, 2022

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By Jeffrey Sanzel

Vonda N. McIntyre’s The Moon and the Sun (1997) blended science fiction and historical romance. The novel won the Nebula Award for Best Novel, besting George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. Among the book’s other accolades were a Publishers Weekly Best Book Award, Locus Recommended Book, and Intergalactic Award for Best Novel. Set in the seventeenth-century French court of King Louis XIV, the story follows the longest-reigning monarch’s search for immortality by ingesting an endangered sea monster’s flesh.

Talk of a movie version can be traced back to 2002, with Natalie Portman attached as the lead. But the film failed to be greenlit. Eventually, The Moon and the Sun was filmed in 2014, set for a 2015 release date, but the film remained on the shelf for nearly seven years. Various reasons have been proffered, including test audiences’ less than positive reaction to the visual effects and a tax evasion scandal involving the film’s mermaid, Fan Bingbing, China’s highest-paid female star. The film has finally been released under the title The King’s Daughter.

It has taken a quarter of a century for The Moon and the Sun to land on the big screen. But sadly, one suspects that this is not what McIntyre had in mind.

Choosing Julie Andrews as narrator probably seemed like a good idea on paper, but the once-upon-a-time illustrated prologue along with Andrews’ unique warmth and whimsy point towards Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately, the child-friendly prologue presents the wrong signals for what is—or at least should be—a darker tale.

The opening convent scene features Rachel Griffiths as the Mother Abbess channeling The Sound of Music as she disciplines Marie-Josèphe (Kaya Scodelario) for being too … well, too Maria von Trapp. The Abbess’ departing shot to the girl is that she is going “to a lavish, glimmering hell … where you no doubt will thrive.” If only.

The court seems to be short on courtiers. Outside of a scene of the king (Pierce Brosnan) addressing what looks like the peasants from a road company operetta, the population of Versailles seems to be on holiday. Perhaps they are off buying some of the strangely non-period dresses that occasionally pop up in the oddest places.

Quickly, with very little explanation other than a gift for music, she is whisked away to the court by the king’s personal confessor, Père La Chaise (William Hurt). Louis quickly elevates the feisty lass to court composer.

Meanwhile, sailor Yves De La Croix (Benjamin Walker) has found the sea creature (Bingbing). The villainous court doctor (Pablo Schreiber) has promised the monster’s heart and life force will grant the king eternal life. The mermaid must be sacrificed during the upcoming solar eclipse.

Louis shows particular interest in Marie-Josèphe, as she is his illegitimate daughter, spawning some of the most uncomfortable parent-child scenes ever found outside of the plays of Eugene O’Neill.

The mermaid’s singing draws Marie-Josèphe to the pool in which the creature is imprisoned. The musician uses the siren’s pinging vocalizations to inspire her composition, meeting the king’s immediate approval. In addition, the girl falls for the sailor. However, as the court is in dire financial straits, Louis wants Marie-Josèphe to marry the wealthy merchant-heir Jean-Michel Lintillac (Ben-Lloyd Hughes).

Barry Berman and James Schamus have taken a range of liberties with the source in fashioning their clumsy screenplay. Director Sean McNamara’s lack of nuance does nothing to enhance the performances. Teeth-grinding earnestness fills every line; emotion is replaced by slow motion. Brosnan is always charming and could have excelled in the role, but the writers could not commit to what they wanted their Sun King to be. His relationship with Hurt’s priest seems like lifted from a buddy movie. Scodelario alternates between pleasantly upbeat (though occasionally a bit rom-com) and crying.

Films of this ilk can be saved by style-over-substance. Lady-in-waiting Magali (Crystal Clarke) tells Marie-Josèphe that “color and bravado are the order of the day.” Again, if only. The filmmakers were granted access to shoot at Versailles. Somehow, they made the spectacular palace look cheap—as if shot in the producers’ Hampton’s backyard.

The royal ball in the Hall of Mirrors is a missed opportunity to showcase excess and opulence, further ruined by an excruciating father-daughter dance. The underground cave where they keep the mermaid is quasi-Pirates of the Caribbean (not the film—the ride). The special effects seem generated on an ancient laptop, with the final sequence particularly appalling.

After dithering about souls and morality, the final platitude is “only love is immortal.” Yes. But clear storytelling and character development can be nice, too.

Rated PG, The King’s Daughter is now playing in local theaters.

Ward Melville Patriots fall to Commack

by Bill Landon - January 25, 2022

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Ward Melville kept pace with the visiting Commack Cougars, tied at 14 all going into the halftime break, but Commack dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Patriots to surge to a 12-point lead. The Patriots unable to answer the Commack offense onslaught fell to the Cougars, 48-35, in the League II matchup Jan. 24.

Fiona Kernaghan led the way for the Cougars with 17 points, and Jordan DiPrima banked 13, while Deanna Pagliaro netted eight. The Patriots Julia Greek scored two triples, four from the floor and a free throw leading her team with 15 points.

The win lifts the Cougars to 8-2 in league, 11-5 overall, and the loss drops the Patriots to 6-4, 9-5 overall.

Northport Tigers top Newfield Wolverines

by Bill Landon - January 25, 2022

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The Northport Tigers came to visit the Newfield Wolverines in a League II matchup Jan. 21, where Newfield, after taking the early lead, stayed within striking distance until late in the game. Northport at 8-0 cashed in on a pair of technical fouls against Newfield to add five uncontested points from the charity stripe to put the game away, 47-35.

Newfield senior Josh Jacob did his damage down low to lead his team in scoring with 10, Kyle Miliano netted eight, and Hamza Yousef banked seven.

Brendan Carr led the way for Northport with 15. Nick Watts scored nine, and J.J Ahlstrand and Dylan McNaughton added seven points apiece.

The win lifts Northport to 9-0 to stay atop the League II leaderboard. Newfield slips to 6-3 in league, 9-6 overall, with five games remaining before post season play begins.

Clark Gillies, former New York Islander, dies at 67

by Rita J. Egan - January 23, 2022

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Clark Gillies, a former member of the New York Islanders, died Jan. 21 at the age of 67. The Greenlawn resident played left wing for the Islanders when they won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1980-83.

Members of Huntington’s Town Board, Supervisor Ed Smyth and councilmembers Eugene Cook, Joan Cergol, Dave Bennardo and Sal Ferro remembered the hockey player in a joint statement where they called him “a pillar of our community” and said he had a “larger-than-life personality.”

“His ice hockey career is legendary, eclipsed only by the great work he did after he hung up his skates,” the board wrote. “Clark always ensured that the spotlight reflected off of him onto a variety of worthy causes, including a new pediatric wing at Huntington Hospital.”

The hockey player founded the Hauppauge-based Clark Gillies Foundation. The nonprofit helps children who are physically, developmentally or financially challenged through medical services, family financial aid, events to enhance a child’s quality of life and more, according to the foundation’s website.

In addition to Huntington Hospital’s pediatric and pediatric emergency units named for Gillies, the foundation has also partnered with former Islander Pat LaFontaine’s organization to create the Brianna’s Cub Room at the hospital.

Huntington Hospital executive director, Dr. Nick Fitterman, commented on Gillies passing.

“On the ice, Clark Gillies was known as an enforcer, but to us at Huntington Hospital he was known for his friendship, generosity and work with children,” Fitterman said. “Mr. Gillies was an extremely kind and tender person, really a big teddy bear. He would deliver gifts to children during the holidays, and he treated everyone he met with respect. His legacy will live on through the Clark Gillies Pediatric Emergency Unit at Huntington Hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”

Kathleen Lanese, of Kings Park, and Elyse Henn, of Ronkonkoma, both worked on fundraisers with Gillies when he participated in the annual golf outings organized by the nonprofit Michael W. McCarthy Foundation. They also volunteered for the Clark Gillies Foundation in the past.

Lanese said it was a privilege meeting Gillies after watching him play for the Islanders when she would attend games with her father and described the hockey player as warm, generous and funny.

“In addition to his incredible work with his own foundation, he never hesitated to extend his generosity to other organizations,” Lanese said. “He supported all my charity events with sponsorships, signed jerseys and his presence — he never said no, and I usually didn’t even have to ask. He took a genuine interest in my boys, both on the autism spectrum, and how autism affected families like ours.”

Henn echoed the sentiments.

“He had enough smiles, love and stories for everyone,” Henn said. “He had a true love of life and his community. If you met him once, he treated you like a friend. He was truly one of a kind. Not just a hockey legend, but a true gentleman and friend. He will be truly missed. He had a zest for life that is inspiring.”

Before playing hockey, Gillies played three seasons of minor-league baseball with the Houston Astros farm team, according to the foundation’s website. When the Canadian native switched sports, he played junior hockey with the Regina Pats for three seasons in the Western Hockey League. He was drafted to the Islanders in 1974. He went on to be a 1st team All-Star in 1978 and 1979. He was MVP in the 1979 Challenge Cup series versus the Soviets, where he played for the Canadian team.

In 1986, Gillies was drafted to the Buffalo Sabres and in 1988 he retired from hockey. He was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, and in 2002 he was elected into the NHL Hall of Fame.

According to Gillies’ obituary in The New York Times, he is survived by his wife, Pam; daughters Brianna Bourne, Jocelyn Schwarz and Brooke Kapetanakos; and eight grandchildren.

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Northport Tigers Nip Ward Melville Patriots

Weekend blizzard slams Suffolk County

Holtsville Hal predicts an early spring in Brookhaven Town

Meet Reboli Center’s February Artisans of the Month

Latest Mills Pond Gallery exhibit encourages love and protection of Long Island’s beauty

Smithtown East girls basketball falls to West

Movie Review: Only love is immortal in ‘The King’s Daughter’

Ward Melville Patriots fall to Commack

Northport Tigers top Newfield Wolverines

Clark Gillies, former New York Islander, dies at 67

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