Rain no match for annual Three Village Chamber of Commerce barbecue

by Rita J. Egan - August 16, 2019

0 1756

1 of 12

Rain may have postponed some fun Aug. 7, but the next day, more than 400 attendees at the Three Village Chamber of Commerce Community Family BBQ made up for it on the Aug. 8 rain date.

It was the chamber’s 19th barbecue held at West Meadow Beach where members and residents played games, had the chance to win raffle prizes donated by local businesses and enjoyed music as well as catering from David Prestia of Bagel Express. Children also had the chance to get their face painted. All proceeds from the raffle tickets sold at the barbecue went to Ronald McDonald House at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

Michael Ardolino, president emeritus, said the barbecue ended with a beautiful sunset that was created by a storm coming over the Sound as the sun was going down. Fortunately, the barbecue was over before another rain event hit the area.

Smithtown Historical Society hosts 12th annual AKC Canine Experience

by Heidi Sutton - August 13, 2019

0 532

1 of 12

The Suffolk County Kennel Club hosted the 12th annual AKC Canine Experience on the grounds of the Smithtown Historical Society on Aug. 3. The event featured a day of activities for dogs and their owners including competitions in conformation, obedience and rally, plus agility demonstrations and run-thru’s.

Judges Toby Frisch and Samantha Keeler were tasked with choosing the top three winners of the day. Cooper, an Akita owned by Steve Lisker of East Rockaway, captured the Best Puppy in Match title; and River, an English Springer Spaniel owned by Tracey Monahan of Kings Park, won for Best Adult in Match. Holly, a long coat Chihuahua owned by Kerri Kimpel of Smithtown, captured the titled of Best in All Breed Sweeps in Match.

Attendees were also able to test their dogs for Canine Good Citizen titles, attended handling classes and received grooming tips. Join the group for its annual AKC Point Show at that same site on Sept. 28 with over 700 dogs participating. For additional information, visit www.suffolkcountykennelclub.org.

Photos by Heidi Sutton

New stage debuts at Harborfront Park dedicated to a late Port Jeff resident

by Julianne Mosher - August 12, 2019

0 2246

1 of 7

By Julianne Mosher

Beloved Port Jefferson resident Jill Nees-Russell lost her battle with cancer in June 2018, and now the community is celebrating her spirit with a new performance stage at Harborfront Park.

It all started last year when, after her passing, her friend, Carolyn Benson of East Setauket, along with village-based landscape engineer Michael Opisso, decided to find a permanent space that could honor Jill’s legacy.

The Port Jefferson resident came to the north shore from Los Angeles and immediately became involved with the community. She worked alongside Mayor Margot Garant as the village’s Director of Economic Development and Public Relations, as well as with the Port Jeff arts council, the PJ School of Rock and had worked in tandem with the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.

“I feel like Jill designed this stage… I just held the pen.”

— Michael Opisso

“Dedicating this perfect stage to Jill is special,” Mayor Garant said. “She was a huge advocate for the arts within the community… dedicating this stage to her made sense and it was something the community could get behind.”

The planning for the 15 by 25 foot half-circle wood stage overlooking the harbor began in April. On Saturday, Aug. 10, it made its debut with an afternoon of songs all with the common themes of family and home.

The lawn was filled with over a hundred people whose lives were touched by Jill.

“We have beautiful weather today,” Garant said, “We know who’s looking out for us.”

Over 500 volunteers came together and money was set aside for the concept. With Opisso as the designer on record and Andrew Fortier as the builder, Opisso said that it wouldn’t have been made possible if it weren’t for Jill.

“I feel like Jill designed this stage,” he said, “I just held the pen.”

Fortier was also the first performer on the stage with his two children in their group, Tricycle. Together they kicked off the show with a song they dedicated to Jill and the legacy she left behind called, “Beautiful Light.”

“I want to thank you from the depths of my heart for what you’ve done for this community,” he said before they started to play.

Among the hundreds of people that attended Saturday’s event were Jill’s siblings and family who flew in from all over the country from places like Oklahoma, California and North Carolina.

“The stage is a way to showcase the talent that’s here and to showcase the community she loved.”

— Jeffrey Nees

“We want to thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for dedicating the stage to her,” Jeffrey Nees said. “Although she was from Oklahoma, her heart and her home were here in Port Jefferson.”

As emotional as the day was, Nees said that he knows his sister would be thrilled.

“Jill would think today’s event would be wonderful,” he said. “The stage is a way to showcase the talent that’s here and to showcase the community she loved.”

A dozen community members performed upon the stage, including students from the Port Jefferson School of Rock as well as a reading from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Theatre Three’s Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel.

Fortier said that performing on a stage is special because every performance is different. “That’s the beauty of live music,” he said, “That’s the beauty of what’s going to be happening on this very stage.”

Although this weekend’s concert kicked off the planned future performances the stage will hold, the stage was not entirely complete. A plaque dedicated to Jill will be added to the stage, as well as a canvas sail canopy that will embody the look of a sailing ship.

“The stage is a tribute to who she was,” Garant said. “It’s about time we had a focal point in our backyard that allows us to celebrate.”

Residents enjoy a night of family fun in Centereach

by Rita J. Egan - August 8, 2019

0 342

1 of 8

Legislators, police officers, local business representatives and residents enjoyed some playtime Aug. 6 on a perfect summer’s night.

Town of Brookhaven Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden), the Suffolk County Police Department’s 6th Precinct and the Middle Country Public Library hosted the annual National Night Out at the Town of Brookhaven’s Centereach Pool Complex. The free event promotes police-community relationships and neighborhood camaraderie.

This year more than 1,000 residents came out to swim in the pool, play games and interact with first responders and military personnel as well as community vendors.

Theater Review: Theatre Three’s ‘Pinocchio’ is a wooden wonder

by Heidi Sutton - August 8, 2019

0 491

By Heidi Sutton

1 of 10

For too short a time, the classic tale of “Pinocchio” comes to life on Theatre Three’s stage in a most magical way. While most are familiar with Walt Disney’s 1940 animated feature, Theatre Three’s original retelling, written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Douglas J. Quattrock, is suggested from the 1883 children’s novel, “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” by Carlo Collodi.

Annabelle the Fairy (Krystal Lawless) has spent two centuries trying to earn her magic wand so that she can fly. Summoned before Ondine, the good and righteous Queen of the Fairies (Ginger Dalton), she is given one last chance to prove her worth or she has to leave the land of the fairies forever.

Matt Hoffman and Steven Uihlein in a scene from ‘Pinocchio’

Teaming up with Cassandra the Magic Cricket (Michelle LaBozzetta), she is tasked with getting Geppetto (Steven Uihlein), a miserable and lonely woodcarver (think Scrooge), to care about people the same way he cares about wood.

Annabelle decides to cast a spell on the wood, making it talk, and Geppetto is inspired to carve it into a wooden boy he names Pinocchio (Matt Hoffman). Things go sour quickly as Pinocchio constantly misbehaves; so Annabelle casts another spell on him where his nose grows every time he tells a lie.

However, when Pinocchio gets mixed up with con artists Ferdinand Fox (Emily Gates), Carpacious Cat (Nicole Bianco) and Ranklin Rat (C.J. Russo) and is tricked into giving them all of Geppetto’s money, things go from bad to worse. Will Annabelle ever get her wings? Will Ferdinand, Carpacious and Ranklin get their comeuppance? Will Pinocchio ever become a real boy?

Jeff Sanzel skillfully directs a cast of eight adult actors who take this delightful tale and run with it. There’s a lot to cover in an hour and a half, but the story flows nicely and keeps the audience at the edge of their seats.

The musical numbers, accompanied on piano by Doug Quattrock, are lighthearted and entertaining, from “Lovely Thoughts” by Annabelle to “Bad Harmony” by the trio of con artists, to the wonderful “The Festival El Grande.” Choreography by Nicole Bianco fits the story perfectly and the costumes by Teresa Matteson and Toni St. John are sweet and fun.

There are so many special moments in this show, made even grander thanks to the addition of 40 children from the theater’s summer acting camp who play various extras including fairies and townspeople.

Much to the delight of the young audience, the actors utilize the aisles often and special effects are around every corner. Annabelle and Cassandra hide under a magic umbrella that deems them invisible, Pinocchio’s nose really grows and wait until you see what falls from the ceiling at the end! Theatre Three has taken a story that is over 130 years old and given it new life. Grab the kids and catch a performance of “Pinocchio.” They will love you for it.

Souvenir fairy wands are sold for $10. Meet the cast in the lobby after the show.

Theatre Three, located at 412 Main St. in Port Jefferson, presents “Pinocchio” through Aug. 10. Children’s Theatre continues with “A Kooky Spooky Halloween” from Oct. 5 to 26 and “Barnaby Saves Christmas” from Nov. 23 to Dec. 28. All seats are $10. For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Three Village students raise over $41G for Stony Brook Children’s Hospital

by Rita J. Egan - August 6, 2019

0 513

1 of 11

It may have started in front of their Stony Brook home, but now the Mastrianos’ lemonade stand is a community event raising thousands each year for a good cause.

The 7th annual Three Village Kids Lemonade Stand was back at R.C. Murphy Junior High School for the third year Aug. 5. The event, founded by siblings Maddie and Joseph Mastriano, had the help of dozens of student volunteers from the Three Village Central School District.

More than 500 attended to buy 50-cent cups of lemonade and other treats. There were games to be played, music from School of Rock students and Stony Brook University athletes visiting.

Sales from the lemonade stand benefit Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. The goal of $40,000 was exceeded by the end of the day.

For more information or to make an online donation, visit www.threevillagekidslemonadestand.com.

Local artist brings star-studded gallery to Port Jefferson

by David Luces - August 4, 2019

0 876

1 of 11

By David Luces

“I hope I can expose people to some amazing artists and pieces that may have never been seen before,” said Anthony Freda of his vision for Port Jefferson’s newest art gallery, Star Gallery NYC at 206 East Main Street.

Freda opened the two-room gallery along with his wife Amber with a pop-up event in February and a soft opening in early July, before hosting a grand opening and group exhibit on July 26.

A Port Jefferson resident and artist, Freda, who is also an adjunct professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, said he wanted to showcase the works of prominent illustrators and artists that he has gotten to know over the years as well as artist’s work that he is fond of.

Titled Star Power, the show features work from Freda, Tom Fluharty, Gary Taxali, Steven Tabbutt, Victor Stabin, Hal Hefner, Epyon 5, Craig Larotonda, Nick Chiechi, Insu Lee, Jody Hewgill, Dan Zollinger, Billy the Artist, Erik Probst and Estephany Lopez. Some of the artists’ works have been featured in Time magazine, the New Yorker, Huffington Post and the Library of Congress collection.

One of the standouts of the show is “Bat-Murray,” a spray paint/resin piece on wood by Epyon 5, an artist from Illinois. Taking inspiration from classic cinema, horror, sci-fi and comics, his stencils and spray paint work have caught the attention of collectors around the globe.

Another highlight is a watercolor painting by Hal Hefner, titled “Diversity Within.” A Los Angeles-based artist, Hefner has produced work for Heavy Metal magazine and created a pop art series titled CONSUME, which has been shown in galleries all over the world.

In addition to showcasing a variety of artists, the gallery hosts a special solo exhibition featuring pieces by Port Jefferson artist Grainne De Buitlear, whose work is inspired by the vibrancy of the local landscape.

A graduate of Ireland’s National College of Art and Design, De Buitlear said she started creating landscape paintings just for herself and her friends a few years ago.

“I love the environment around here; I often feel like Long Island reminds me of Ireland,” she said. “I think it’s just in my head — nature, ambience, the sky, the sea.”

De Buitlear said she was honored to be featured in the event.

“Anthony had come to one of my first shows three years ago and he called me when he was opening the gallery here, and he said he’d like to feature my work,” she said. “I was just happy to be chosen for this, I know how renowned he is and what a great eye he has. It was nice to know he liked my work so much.”

Freda said he hopes to bring more events to the Port Jefferson area in the future, including an art walk sometime in August. “We have some plans in the works; we really want to help revitalize the art scene here in the village,” he said.

The exhibits will be on view through the end of August. For more information, call 631-828-4497 or visit www.stargallerynyc.com.

Firefighters volley for a cause at Holiday Inn Express

by Rita J. Egan - August 1, 2019

0 429

1 of 8

Firefighters from all over Suffolk County, as well as New York City, took to the courts at a special volleyball tournament at the Holiday Inn Express Stony Brook July 25. The second annual tournament at the hotel was organized to raise funds for the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation.

The foundation is named after Joseph P. DiBernardo Jr., who was a volunteer with the Setauket Fire Department and one of three New York City Fire Department firefighters injured during a tenement fire in the Bronx in 2005. In 2011, DiBernardo died from the injuries he sustained in the fire, and in 2013, the DiBernardo family, members of the Setauket Fire Department and Jeff Cool, who DiBernardo helped saved during the fire, established the foundation.

On July 25 firefighters from Farmingville, Centereach, Mount Sinai, Coram, Terryville, Setauket, Selden and FDNY Ladder 120, along with a team from Gold Coast Bank including CEO and Chairman John Tsunis, competed. At the end of the matches, the Farmingville firefighters were the champions and donated their $1,000 winnings back to the foundation.

“I wanna hold your hand” Beatles tribute band plays in RP

by TBR Staff - August 1, 2019

0 1633

1 of 13

Rocky Point played host to the first three shows of the 2019 annual Suffolk County Summer Concert Series, and on July 30 Strawberry Fields, a Beatles tribute band, came and played a set to a packed out crowd on the lawn of the St. Anthony of Padua R.C. Church. All photos by Greg Catalano

Residents enjoy annual Three Village Community Trust Chicken Hill Barbecue

by Rita J. Egan - August 1, 2019

0 274

1 of 7

Members of Three Village Community Trust and residents enjoyed the 6th annual Chicken Hill Barbecue July 27.

Approximately 80 attendees gathered near the Setauket Rubber Factory Houses, once part of the Chicken Hill community, now being preserved on the property of TVCT’s Bruce House headquarters. Historian Frank Turano gave an entertaining and informative talk on the history of Chicken Hill, and everyone enjoyed chicken, ribs, and all the fixings provided by Bagel Express. Participants also had the opportunity to visit two of the Rubber Factory Houses.

The TVCT’s next event, its 15th Annual Celebration, will be held Nov. 13 at the Old Field Club. For more information, visit www.threevillagecommunitytrust.org.

Prev 1...258259260...359 Next

Page 259 of 359

Archives