Arts & Lifestyles - February 16, 2023

ARTS&LIFESTYLES

Photo courtesy of TVSD

WINTER SUNSETS RULE

William Honor snapped this stunning photo of Stony Brook Harbor at sunset on Jan. 30. Did you know that sunsets are actually more vivid in the winter? It’s all science! The Earth spins closer to the sun in winter, and the angle the sun takes setting makes sunset colors last a bit longer. Humidity is also lower in the winter, and the air is cleaner, causing purer colors to be splashed across the sky.

Look At What Patients Are Saying!

Chronic Pain

I used to need a lot more pain pills for my severe low back pain. Now, I’ve been able to reduce my oxycodone from high dose to low dose and from daily to once every other week. This is 3rd month in a row that the pain management physician has not needed to give me a prescription for more pain medication. He said he wished had more patients like this.

Male, age 52

Weight loss, Fitness

I feel great. My fat percentage went down. I feel and look shredded, thanks to you. This stuff really works. When looking in the mirror, there is a noticeable difference which makes me feel great.

Male, age 19 Diabetes

This is the first time in 20 years that my sugars are really good. This has really worked, and I appreciate it.

Female, age 67

Autoimmune- Rheumatoid Arthritis

I am doing really doing well with my rheumatoid arthritis. The swelling is down and the pain is diminished. Going to the gym used to be a trigger that made the rheumatoid arthritis worse, but no longer since I’ve been on a plantbased diet. I had smoothie hesitancy at first, and now I love the smoothies.

Female, age 50

Autoimmune Lupus Nephritis

I am feeling good with more energy and definitely a lot less bloating. I don’t look as puffy, and I have not seen blood in my urine since changing my lifestyle. I was anxious all week before coming here and now I know my hard work has paid off. I am off all four of my lupus medications and my numbers have really improved. I’ve had lupus with kidney damage for 8 years and have been on many different medications. This is incredible that I see these changes in about 6 weeks.

Female, age 28

How can you reduce your fall risk?

MEDICAL COMPASS

We have had far more ice this winter than snow. Of particular concern is black ice, when a thin ice coating looks innocuously like a simple damp surface. This phenomenon has increased our risk for falling and injuring ourselves. I’ve received quite a few calls this winter from friends and patients who have taken tumbles resulting in broken bones and torn ligaments. Even without icy steps and walkways, falls can be serious for older patients, where the consequences can be devastating. They can include brain injuries, hip fractures, a decrease in functional ability and a decline in physical and social activities (1). Ultimately, a fall can lead to loss of independence (2).

BY DAVID DUNAIEF, MD

A well-designed study showed an increase in fall risk in those who were taking high blood pressure medication (5). Those on moderate doses of blood pressure medication had the greatest risk of serious injuries from falls, a 40 percent increase.

What increases fall risk?

There are many factors. A personal history of falling in the recent past is the most prevalent. However, there are other significant factors, such as age and medication use. Some medications, like antihypertensive medications, which are used to treat high blood pressure, and psychotropic medications, which are used to treat anxiety, depression and insomnia, are of particular concern. Chronic diseases can also contribute. Circumstances that predispose us to falls also involve weakness in upper and lower body strength, decreased vision, hearing disorders and psychological issues, such as anxiety and depression (3).

Simple ways to reduce fall risk

It is most important to exercise. We mean exercises involving balance, strength, movement, flexibility and endurance, all of which play significant roles in fall prevention (4). The good news is that many of these can be done inside with no equipment or with items found around the home. We will look more closely at the research.

Nonslip shoes are crucial indoors, and footwear that prevents sliding on winter ice, such as slip-on ice cleats that fit over your shoes, is a must. In the home, inexpensive changes, like securing area rugs, removing other tripping hazards, and adding motionactivated nightlights can also make a big difference.

Does your medication put you at risk?

There are several medications that heighten fall risk. Psychotropic drugs top the list, but what other drugs might have an impact?

These medications can reduce significantly the risks of cardiovascular disease and events, so physicians need to consider the risk-benefit ratio in older patients before stopping a medication. We also should consider whether lifestyle modifications, which play a significant role in treating this disease, can be substituted for medication (6).

The value of exercise

A meta-analysis showed that exercise significantly reduced the risk of a fall (7). It led to a 37 percent reduction in falls that resulted in injury and a 30 percent reduction in falls requiring medical attention. Even more impressive was a 61 percent reduction in fracture risk.

Remember, the lower the fracture risk, the more likely you are to remain physically independent. The author summarized that exercise not only helps to prevent falls but also fall injuries.

Unfortunately, those who have fallen before, even without injury, often develop a fear that causes them to limit their activities. This leads to a dangerous cycle of reduced balance and increased gait disorders, ultimately resulting in an increased fall risk (8).

What types of exercise are best?

Any consistent exercise program that improves balance, flexibility, and muscle tone and includes core strengthening can help improve your balance. Among those that have been studied, tai chi, yoga and aquatic exercise have all been shown to have benefits in preventing falls and injuries from falls.

A randomized controlled trial showed that those who did an aquatic exercise program had a significant improvement in the risk of falls (9). The aim of the aquatic exercise was to improve balance, strength and mobility.

Results showed a reduction in the overall number of falls and a 44 percent decline in the number of exercising patients who fell during the six-month trial, with no change in the control group.

If you don’t have a pool available, tai chi, which requires no equipment, was also shown to reduce both fall risk and fear of falling in older adults (10).

Another pilot study used modified chair yoga classes with a small assisted living population (11). Participants were those over 65 who had experienced a recent fall and had a resulting fear of falling. While the intention was to assess exercise safety, researchers found that participants had less reliance on assistive devices and three of the 16 participants were able to eliminate their use of mobility assistance devices.

Our best line of defense against fall risk is prevention with exercise and reducing slipping opportunities. Should you stop medications? Not necessarily. If you are 65 and older, or if you have arthritis and are at least 45 years old, it may mean reviewing your medication list with your doctor. Before you consider changing your blood pressure medications, review your risk-to-benefit ratio with your physician.

References:

(1) MMWR. 2014; 63(17):379-383. (2) J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1998;53(2):M112. (3) JAMA. 1995;273(17):1348. (4) Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;9:CD007146. (5) JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Apr;174(4):588-595. (6) JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(4):577-587. (7) BMJ. 2013;347:f6234. (8) Age Ageing. 1997 May;26(3):189-193. (9) Menopause. 2013;20(10):1012-1019. (10) Mater Sociomed. 2018 Mar; 30(1): 38–42. (11) Int J Yoga. 2012 Jul-Dec; 5(2): 146–150.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd. com or consult your personal physician.

Aquatic exercise can improve balance, strength and mobility. METRO photo

Dr. Bettina Fries named AAAS Fellow

Bettina Fries, MD, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Professor of Medicine, and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology in the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, has been named a 2022 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

The AAAS is dedicated to elevating the quality of science and technology across the world for the benefit of humankind, and its fellows represent members of the association who have made exceptional contributions to that mission.

Dr. Fries is a nationally recognized physicianscientist who specializes in mycology and also conducts research of antibodies in relation to vaccine development. Under her leadership, the Division of Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook has greatly expanded and rose to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic and lead clinical care and research throughout the pandemic and its changing circumstances.

From expanding clinical and basic research and improving patient care to allocating essential resources and protecting health care providers, Dr. Fries’ work in healthcare and infectious disease research has impacted both Stony Brook and other institutions.

In addition to her appointment as an AAAS fellow, the East Setauket resident is also a fellow of the Academy of Microbiology of America, a fellow of the Infectious Disease Society, and a fellow of the American College of Physicians. She has served as President of the Medical Mycological Society of the Americas, and the Infectious Diseases Society of New York.

Dr Fries’ work spans a wide range of disciplines, but her research chiefly investigates the pathogenesis of chronic fungal infections and the development of monoclonal antibodies against multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Editor's Note: Bettina Fries was one of TBR News Media's 2022 People of the Year.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

CLUES ACROSS

1. Biased perspective

6. Male sibs

10. Monday Night Football audience

14. Tapiridae representative

15. Rock opera version of "La BohËme"

16. Object of worship

17. Opposite of alpha

18. ____ Spumante

19. Novice

20. *Unanimously elected President

22. Gusto

23. Eggy drink

24. Jig music, pl.

26. Stashed in a hold

30. Penniless

32. Wood turning device

33. Toll payment, e.g.

34. Not slouching

38. Like nay-sayers

39. Of many years

40. Malaria symptom

41. Instagram post

43. River, in Spanish

44. Bell-bottoms bottom

45. Dodge

47. Unexpected

48. The Cat in the Hat's headgear (2 words)

51. Campbell's container

52. International Civil Aviation Organization

53. *President Hayes' first name

60. "Through" in a text?

61. Pelvic bones

62. Plural of #54 Down

63. Andrew Sean Greer's 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner

64. Reverse action

65. Mother-of-pearl

66. *Lake off Ohio, the state known as "the Mother of Presidents"

67. Baseball's "The Say Hey Kid"

68. Navigate

Answers to last week's puzzle: Valentine's Day

CLUES DOWN

1. *Present tense of #26 Across

2. Tibetan priest

3. "Singes" in "La PlanËte des singes"

4. Nearly

5. Apprentice

6. Name on apple cider vinegar bottle

7. R in R&R

8. Cognizant of

9. "Sophie's Choice" protagonist

10. *F in JFK

11. Bye, to Emmanuel Macron

12. Relating to Scandinavia

13. Casino bandits

21. Sign of assent

25. *Civil Rights Act of 1957 signer

26. Dueler's blow

27. Hyperbolic tangent

28. Football great Graham

29. *Executive Mansion, colloquially (2 words)

30. Misrepresent

31. Make over

33. *One of four presidents to have never been elected

35. "Goodness gracious!"

36. "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" band, The ____

37. High school student, usually

42. Spermatozoa counterparts

44. Not marathons, pl. (2 words)

46. Central court in domus

47. Certain frat house letters

48. Ownership document

49. Autumn color

Directions: Fill in the blank squares in the grid, making sure that every row, column and 3-by-3 box includes all digits 1 through 9.

Answers to last week's SUDOKU

50. Zoroaster follower

51. Pandemonium

54. Elbow-wrist connection

55. Not a slob

56. Like certain Stanley

57. A third of thrice

58. Steak choice

59. Whitetail, e.g.

Dr. Bettina Fries

Photo by Jeanne Neville/Stony Brook Medicine

Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life

By Alan Cumming

REVIEWED BY JEFFREY SANZEL

Scottish actor Alan Cumming launched to prominence with the 1998 Broadway revival of Cabaret. Having first played the role at London’s Donmar Warehouse, the Sam Mendes-directed production shifted Cumming from working actor to star. He returned to his award-winning role in the 2014 revival. In the course of a three-decade career, he has amassed a huge list of acting credits: onstage (everything from Noel Coward’s Design for Living to a oneperson MacBeth), screen (Titus, GoldenEye, Spy Kids), and television (The Good Wife).

In addition, Cumming is a director, an LGBTQ+ activist, and a gifted writer. Unlike many celebrities who have found their way onto the printed page via “as told to” or ghosted autobiographies, Cumming’s first work was the novel Tommy’s Tale (2002). The book was a darkly comic and highly revealing roman a clef. He followed this with a fascinating and complicated look at his relationship with his abusive father, Not My Father’s Son (2014), directly resulting from his appearance on the genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are?

His next work, You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams: My Life in Story and Pictures (2016), presented a mediation on his life through his personal cache of photos. The book served as almost a sketch for his powerful memoir Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life (2021).

In all his works, he is forthcoming about his struggles, triumphs, doubts, and desires. Baggage is a clear-eyed, sometimes outrageous but always honest account of a career with many highs but also an equal number of challenges. He is forthcoming about his substance use, his relationships, and his struggles.

Unflinching accounts of partying are juxtaposed with revelations about his family and those closest to him. Whenever possible, he praises his artistic collaborators. He reserves overwhelming gratitude for friends who have stood by him in dark times. He shares his joy and appreciation for meeting his husband, Grant Shaffer. (Cumming discusses the difficulties of his first marriage to actor Hilary Lyon, with whom he planned on having children.)

Throughout the book, his wit shines through, often in gallows humor when describing particularly difficult outings (such as his work as Nightcrawler in X2). The details in his stage and screen work beautifully portray a performer’s life, recounting and dissecting everything from auditions to closings. He offers insight into film shoots, red carpets, and press junkets.

Cumming balances self-deprecation with a sense of accomplishment. He reveals a strong survival streak in a man who has grappled with and overcome his demons. Even his meditation and views on the term “making love” are revelatory. “The more my life has changed, the closer I have come to a place of authenticity. Although I began this book by refuting the notion of having triumphed, I do see great victory in becoming yourself.”

Cumming will appear at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington on Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. The sold-out event will include a screen of the documentary My Old School.

The 2022 documentary deals with the Brandon Lee scandal. In 1995, authorities discovered the supposedly seventeen year-old

Bearsden Academy student, Brandon Lee, was actually a thirty-year-old former student, Brian MacKinnon. The film explores the bizarre story with a combination of present-day interviews with MacKinnon’s fellow students and teachers, animated recreations, and archival footage. While MacKinnon agreed to be interviewed, he declined to appear. Instead, Alan Cumming stands in for him, lip syncing the audio of the interviews. The film premiered virtually at the 2022 Sundance Festival.

Following the film and a discussion, Cumming will sign copies of his book, Baggage, at a reception that includes a live jazz performance by guitarist Mike Soloway and drummer Mike Leuci.

For more information, call 631-423-7610.

HOROSCOPES OF THE WEEK

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20

Pisces, if you feel a little o your game this week, nd a friend who can o er you a pep talk. That’s all you need to bounce back.

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20

You might feel caught up in a daze this week, Aries. Your mind continues to wander, but your thoughts will settle down soon enough.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21

Make an e ort to bring more people onto your side, Taurus. You can’t possibly win everyone over, but others might be receptive to your ideas with the right approach.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21

A sit down with a higher-up could be in order soon, Gemini. Explain your attributes and what you have been doing for the company and make an e ort to compromise, if necessary.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22

Cancer, you are still following through with resolutions to be more organized. Start slowly and build up to bigger projects when you gain con dence in your abilities.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23

Celestial energy has you temporarily doubting your abilities, Leo. Normally you are quite con dent in your creativity. Give things a little time to settle down.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22

Virgo, excitement could be on the horizon. Caution is needed, but don’t hesitate to embrace the renewed vigor this development inspires.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23

Libra, this week you may start micromanaging other people without even realizing it. You certainly want things to be in order, but sometimes you have to let others be.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22

Retail therapy has its allure this week, Scorpio. If you must buy, direct your purchasing dollars toward a sweetheart for Valentine’s Day or another special occasion.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21

Sagittarius, ground yourself with the small luxuries in your life that bring you joy. This could be the company of friends or cherished mementos.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20

Misinformation seems to circulate with ease, but don’t believe everything you hear this week, Capricorn. You may need to do some fact-checking of your own.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18

Aquarius, you could be tempted to indulge in a little gossip as the rumors start ying this week. Take the high road and resist the urge to join in.

Famous Birthdays:

Feb. 16 - The Weeknd (33); Feb. 17 - Ed Sheeran (32); Feb. 18 - Yoko Ono (90); Feb. 18 - Sean Lennon (48); Feb. 19Je Daniels (68); Feb. 19 - Smokey Robinson (83); Feb. 20 - Rihanna (35); Feb. 21 - Sophie Turner (27); Feb. 21 - Tyne Daly (77); Feb. 22 - Drew Barrymore (48); Feb. 23 - Taye Diggs (53); Feb. 23 - Dakota Fanning (29)

Photo from WMHO

MEET Johnny Knoxville and Princeton!

SHELTER PETS OF THE WEEK

This week's featured shelter pets are Johnny Knoxville (orange tabby) and Princeton who recently arrived at the Smithtown Animal Shelter a few weeks apart as strays.

Estimated to be approximately 1 year old, Johnny is very shy while 2-year-old Princeton is very affectionate with people. They were in side by side cages and seemed to want to be together; once in the same cage they became inseparable and have a created a little bromance. They may be adopted separately but it is preferred that they be adopted together.

If you would like to meet Johnny Knoxville and Princeton, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with them in a domestic setting.

The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only).

For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www. townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.

Women’s History Month A

In Business Salute to Women

Celebrating

Women

Stabilization leads to positive momentum

Why now?

LET'S TALK ... REAL ESTATE

• Why did you choose this field or industry?

• If you had to do it again, would you and would you do it the same?

• What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

BY MICHAEL ARDOLINO

There is optimism and opportunity in the current real estate market. What’s trending Mortgage rates hovered in the 6% range over the last two months after peaking at 7.08% last fall, according to FreddieMac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. As of Thursday, Feb. 9, FreddieMac reports a 6.12% rate. We’re now seeing more buyers infiltrate the market again who pulled out during the recent rate hikes. Renewed opportunity for a larger buyer pool means you may see more action for your house, and possibly more offers that will come in. As for buyers, it’s still very early, and you can get into the home you’re looking for before other buyers continue joining the market again.

"Mortgage rates are the dominant factor driving home sales, and recent declines in rates are clearly helping to stabilize the market," said Lawrence Yun, National Association of Realtors chief economist.

Lisa Sturtevant, Bright MLS chief economist, also stated, "Mortgage rates fell throughout January, prompting more buyers to view properties and make offers. Inflation has begun to ease, boosting consumer confidence. Many agents and brokers are expecting a robust [housing] market, and the overall mood in the market feels much more optimistic."

Unemployment at 3.4%, easing inflation, and low rates improve affordability significantly. This gives your buyers more room to bid higher on your house, and as a buyer yourself, you can submit a much stronger offer than you would when rates are higher.

It’s important to understand that 6%, and even 7%, rates are still low when compared to how high they’ve gone several times in the past, and you’re still getting a great rate. Although rates dropped throughout January, there are mixed predictions about what the rest of the year will bring. Local home prices are stabilizing, while inventory remains low and is inching toward a more balanced market (see graph). Knowing the theory of supply versus demand, wise sellers can jump to put their house on the market before inventory continues to increase.

Timing, how you price your house, and guidance from a real estate professional who does research and stays up to date on the market is essential to your bottom line and how quickly your house will sell.

Takeaway

Take advantage of your built-up equity and the current market: historically low rates, easing inflation, low unemployment and low housing inventory. An experienced real estate agent who does their due diligence of research and homework, as well as stays up to date on current market trends, will make a significant impact on the success of selling your home.

So ... let's talk.

Michael Ardolino is the Founder/OwnerBroker of Realty Connect USA

Photo courtesy of Smithtown Animal Shelter

From Brazil to Alaska, BNL’s Alistair Rogers’ plant work earns AAAS honor

SPOTLIGHTING DISCOVERIES AT

COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY &

BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LAB

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

Alistair Rogers lives, thinks and works on opposite extremes.

At the same time that he gathers information from the frigid Arctic, he is also analyzing data from the sweltering tropical forests of Panama and Brazil. He visits both regions annually and, within one eight-day span, saw a Polar Bear in Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow), Alaska and a tarantula in Brazil.

carbon dioxide concentration,” Ainsworth said. He’s an experimentalist who “built a bridge to the scientific computational modeling community.”

KNOWLEDGE SEEKERS

Ainsworth suggested she would not have the career she developed if it weren’t for the support she received from Rogers.

That’s not where the extremes end. Rogers is also studying plants at the physiological level to understand how best to represent processes such as photosynthesis, respiration and stomatal conductance in climate models.

The leader of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Science & Technology Group in the Environmental and Climate Sciences Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Rogers recently was honored as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The AAAS has named fellows every year since 1874 to recognize their contributions to the advancement of science. Previous honorees included astronaut and former Johnson Space Center Director Ellen Ochoa, a founding member of the NAACP and scholar W.E.B. Du Bois and inventor Thomas Edison.

Lisa Ainsworth, Research Leaders of the Global Change in Photosynthesis Unit for the USDA Research Service, nominated Rogers, who served as a mentor for her when she conducted her PhD research.

“[Rogers] is one of the world’s authorities on understanding how plants respond to atmospheric change and in particular rising

Rogers, who the Department of Energy recognized as an Outstanding Mentor three times and has been at BNL since 1998, “makes you believe in yourself when you don’t have any reason to do that. He believes in you before you know you should believe in yourself,” Ainsworth said. For his part, Rogers is “delighted to be honored and recognized as a fellow.”

Carbon dioxide sinks

For all the extremes in his work, Rogers has been collecting data from plants to address a range of questions, including how they will react to and affect environmental changes caused by global warming.

Through photosynthesis, plants are responsible for absorbing about a third of the carbon dioxide humans produce through the burning of fossil fuels.

The uptake of carbon dioxide by plants and oceans has limited warming so far to 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-Industrial temperatures. Without such carbon dioxide removal by oceans and plants, the temperature would already be 3 degrees warmer.

The models his work informs are trying to understand what will happen to the carbon dioxide subsidy in the future.

“In order to work out how warm it’s going to get, you need to know the carbon dioxide concentration and the climate sensitivity (how much warmer it will get for a given amount of carbon dioxide),” he explained in an email.

Photosynthesis is less efficient at higher temperatures, but is also more efficient amid an increased amount of carbon dioxide. Drier air also reduces the efficiency of the process as plants close their stomata to conserve water, which restricts carbon dioxide supply to their chloroplasts.

The transfer of water from land to the atmosphere most often occurs through stomata, so understanding the way these pores open and close is important in predicting cloud formation and other landatmosphere interactions.

Ainsworth described how a typical day of field work gathering data could last for 16 hours. She appreciated how Rogers worked and played hard — he is a cyclist and a skier — while keeping the work fun. Indeed, Ainsworth said Rogers, on regular calls with two other professors, blends discussions about grants and work decisions with their first choice for their guesses at the New York Times wordle game.

Leadership roles

In addition to his leadership role at BNL, Rogers is also part of the leadership teams for the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment — Arctic and the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment —Tropics.

Rogers said the Arctic is seeing the biggest increase in

temperature relative to anywhere else on the planet faster because of climate feedback. When ice and snow melt, it reveals surfaces that absorb more heat.

The tropics, meanwhile, have been more stable, although the region is expected to experience hotter, drier temperatures in the coming decades as well.

The Department of Energy is studying these biomes because they are climatically sensitive, globally important and poorly represented in climate models.

Rogers is working with other scientists at BNL and around the world to understand these processes to feed his data collection and analysis into global models.

Using an analogy for developing these models, Rogers suggested trying to predict the time it would take to get to the airport. A traveler would need to know the distance and the mode of transport — whether she was walking, biking or riding in a car.

A model predicting the travel time would make assumptions about how fast a person could go in a car, while factoring in other data like the weather and traffic density at a particular time to anticipate the speed.

If the traffic model wasn’t sure of the maximum possible speed of a vehicle, the error associated

with predicting the arrival time could be large, particularly when considering the difference between traveling in a steamroller or a Lamborghini on empty roads. Climate models use a similar process. By studying the species of plants, Rogers can tell the models whether the plants are the equivalent of sports cars or steamrollers.

Big picture

The worst case scenario of earlier models is highly unlikely, although the scenario of a drastic reduction in carbon dioxide also hasn’t occurred. The models, however, still suggest that changes in human behavior are critical to protecting the future of the planet against the effects of climate change.

Rogers is encouraged by the declining cost of solar energy and the work developing countries have done to bypass some of the more polluting sources of energy from the industrial revolution. He is also pleased by the commitment from the Department of Energy to look for climate change solutions.

These elements “represent great opportunities for scientists like me” to work on these problems.

Braving the bugs, Alistair Rogers (right) and his colleague Stefanie Lasota collect leaf samples in Alaska for analysis. Photo above by Roy Kaltschmidt, on right from BNL

Vendors Wanted

■ First Presbyterian Church, 497 Pulaski Road, Greenlawn hosts an Indoor Yard Sale in CE Hall on Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Snow date March 4) Do you have things kicking around your garage/basement/attic/closets, but not enough for a full-blown yard sale? Rent a table and two folding chairs for $35 and sell your treasures. For more information, call 631-261-2150.

■ Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket seeks vendors for its annual Community Wide Yard & Antiques Sale on May 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Rain date May 21) Each 10x10 space is available for patrons to rent to sell their own garage sale/flea market/thrift shop items. Fee is $40, $25 for TVHS members. For more information or to register, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.

■ Art League of Long Island, 107 East Deer Park Road, Dix Hills is accepting applications for its 53rd annual Art in the Park at Heckscher Park in Huntington on June 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The juried show is open to all artists, crafts people, photographers and printmakers. Original art work only. Deadline to register is May 15. For more information, visit www.artleagueli.org.

■ Hallockville Musem Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead seeks vendors for its annual Fleece & Fiber Festival on May 20 (rain date May 21) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring fiber arts and crafts by independent artisans. Deadline to register is April 15. To apply, visit hallockville.org/fiberfest/

■ Vendor applications are now available for the Three Village Farmers and Artisan Market on the grounds of the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket each Friday from May 26 to Sept. 1 from 3 to 7 p.m. and Sept. 8 to Oct. 27 from 2 to 6 p.m. The market features produce, crafts, food trucks, live music and more. Market fee is $550 for 10x10 space for 22 weeks, $50 for one day pop-up. For further details, visit www.tvhs.org or email market@tvhs.org.

Send your Vendors Wanted listings to leisure@tbrnewspapers.com

(631) 751-6620

www.staffordassociates.com

Interestingly, the cost of such insurance protection is relatively modest.

However, in this atmosphere when insurance companies are advertising lower rates than any rival can offer, it is important for you to make sure your agent or insurance company adequately protects you.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

BY SHANNON L. MALONE, ESQ.

While it is mandatory in New York State for all motor vehicle owners to have liability insurance to cover damages from automobile accidents, a surprising number of owners do not have such coverage. This is in spite of the fact that it is a violation of the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law to drive any motor vehicle in our state without insurance.

So what can you do when you suffer serious injuries as a result of an automobile accident caused by an uninsured motorist? The first thing to do is protect yourself before the accident even happens by including adequate Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage in your own automobile insurance policy. How does this help? When it is determined that the motorist who caused your accident has no insurance, you may make a claim with your own insurance company under the UM coverage provision in your own insurance policy. This coverage is also mandatory in New York State.

To be clear, UM coverage protects you if the driver who caused the accident and resultant injuries is uninsured. Like SUM coverage (Supplemental Uninsured Motorist), you have the option of purchasing almost any amount of coverage you desire to be included in your insurance policy.

While the minimum required UM coverage in New York State is $25,000.00 (the same minimum coverage required for both SUM and liability coverage), this amount may be totally insufficient to compensate you for any serious injuries you sustain. Thus, purchasing as much UM (and SUM) coverage as feasible is very important.

Let’s look at an example of how and why this coverage works and can protect you. Assume you are badly injured in an automobile accident caused by an uninsured owner/driver. This injury may result in a severe condition or even partial or permanent disability. If you have only $25,000.00 in UM insurance, that is all you can recover from insurance for your injuries. It follows that if you have $50,000.00, $100,000.00 or whatever amount in coverage, that it is the total amount you can recover from insurance.

While you do have the right to obtain a judgment after trial against the actual owner and/or driver of the uninsured vehicle, that could take years and the uninsured driver and/or owner is usually judgment proof (or they would have made sure they obtained liability insurance).

Thus, just as in SUM coverage which protects against underinsured vehicles, the higher the amount of uninsured motorist coverage you have under your own automobile insurance policy, the more protected you are if injured by an uninsured vehicle. We have seen too many clients who were seriously injured by an uninsured driver, but were unable to be fully compensated for those injuries due to insufficient UM coverage. It is therefore very important to discuss the amount of such insurance you have with your broker or insurance carrier.

Shannon L. Malone, Esq. is an Associate Attorney at Glynn Mercep Purcell and Morrison LLP in Setauket. She graduated from Touro Law, where she wrote and served as an editor of the Touro Law Review. Ms. Malone is a proud Stony Brook University alumna.

METRO photo

St. Johnland Assisted Living Facility welcomes Kings Park Chamber of Commerce

St. Johnland Assisted Living in Kings Park hosted the February General Membership Meeting of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 1.

The newly-opened facility, located on the St. Johnland campus, rolled out the welcome mat for Chamber members as they held their Swearing in Ceremony of Officers and Directors.

Special guest Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone officiated the ceremony while Chamber members enjoyed a lunch prepared for them by the St. Johnland staff. The luncheon was sponsored by St. Catherine of Sienna Medical Center, Vested Business Brokers and Marie & Nate Goldstein.

“We thoroughly enjoyed the luncheon,” said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Diane Motherway, “St. Johnland couldn't have been more gracious and accommodating.  The new Assisted Living Center is beautiful. I received many compliments on the event. Thank you for extending yourselves to help make it so pleasant in every way. “

To schedule a tour of St. Johnland Assisted Living, call 631-663-4444.

STABILIZATION??

Mortgage rates hovered in the 6% range over the last 2 months after peaking last fall.

"Mortgage rates are the dominant factor driving home sales, and recent declines in rates are clearly helping to stabilize the market" .

Lisa Sturtevant, Bright MLS chief economist, states "Mortgage rates fell throughout January, prompting more buyers to view properties and make offers. Inflation has begun to ease, boosting consumer confidence. Many agents and brokers are expecting a robust [housing] market, and the overall mood in the market feels much more optimistic... "

Unemployment at 3.4%, easing inflation, and low rates give more buyers renewed opportunity in the market and significantly improves affordability.

Local home prices are stabilizing, while inventory remains low and is inching towards a more balanced market.

Timing, how you price your house, and guidance from a real estate professional who does their research and and stays up to date on the market is essential to your bottom line and how quickly your house will sell.

Bottom Line: Take advantage of your built-up equity and the current market: historically

low rates, easing inflation, low unemployment, and low housing inventory.

(Lawrence Yun NAR chief economist)

Above, Kings Park Chamber of Commerce Officers and Directors pose for a photo with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Suffolk County Clerk Vincent Puleo after being sworn in.

Officers and Directors sworn in by Suffolk County Supervisor Steve Bellone at luncheon hosted by St. Johnland

Whaling Museum celebrates Black History Month with new exhibit, From Sea to Shining Sea

Serving in one of the 19th century’s most profitable and perilous industries, Black mariners risked their lives, livelihoods, and liberty in the pursuit of a meager but available wage. The Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor’s new two year special exhibition, From Sea to Shining Sea: Whalers of the African Diaspora examines the too-frequently ignored Black heritage and contributions to the whaling industry.

Guest curated by Dr. Georgette Grier-Key, Executive Director of Eastville Community Historical Society in Southampton, the exhibit opened on Feb. 15 and will run through 2024.

“This exhibit is focused on expanding and expounding on stories of Black mariners in maritime history and sharing the untold/ under-told stories of whalers of African descent and whalers of color in our whaling history,” said Gina Van Bell, Assistant Director of the Whaling Museum.

The exhibit casts the African American whalers for what they were: main characters in their own lives, who took up whaling as a means of survival and, in many cases, transformed it into a stepping stone for other successes.

“We want people to understand the vastness of their lives, which is sometimes missed,” Dr. Grier-Key said. “We really wanted to focus on that, just going a little bit deeper and not stopping at the surface of BIPOC whalers and their lives, probing what they were able to do and what it meant in the context of the times.

We want to offer more of a world view, a holistic look at whalers and their lives.”

Like a ship’s crew comprised of many individual roles, this exhibit consists of items from the museum’s own archives as well as items on loan from 10 different historical organizations. It honors the artistic pull the sea has had on creators throughout the centuries by incorporating art inspired by the water and maritime culture.

Awash with primary source documents, artifacts, and artwork, the interactive display explores what life was like at sea and ashore for non-white mariners while contextualizing the greater experience of people of color who in lived in coastal areas during the 1800s.

The story of one such Black man, Pyrrhus Concer, inspired local artist and Southampton gallery owner Hulbert Waldroup, whose oil on canvas painting The Life and Legend of Pyrrhus Concer (2022), is included in the show. This circular painting, reminiscent of the shape of a porthole, depicts in vibrant colors the nautical scope of Concer’s life, framed in repurposed boat wood rescued from a salvage yard.

A formerly enslaved Southampton man of African descent, Concer became a sailor after he was freed in 1832 (slavery in New York formerly ended in 1827.) He sailed aboard the whaling ship Manhattan the first American ship to visit Tokyo, Japan, where he was greeted with wonder, being the first Black man many of the Japanese had ever seen.

“It was painted purely out of love and respect for Concer,” Waldroup said. Drawn to the stories of Black cowboys and whalers, who have traditionally been erased from

popular lore, Waldroup was intrigued by Concer, whose career as a whaler enabled him to establish himself as a businessman and philanthropist on the shore.

Whaling and other maritime endeavors were often precursors for the precarious promise of more stable lives away from the water, but such pursuits were fraught.

“The first Black Americans who were treated as ‘citizens,’ in a way, were sailors.

During the nineteenth century, working as a merchant seaman or whaler was one of the

few occupations which offered free Black people a relative level of independence and self-sufficiency, along with the opportunity to travel the world with a Seaman’s Protection Certificate,” said Executive Director of the Whaling Museum Nomi Dayan.

From circa 1796-1940, American mariners carried this document as proof as citizenship. It was particularly vital to Black sailors, as they were not defined as citizens under the law until the ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868.

African Americans took very big risks for mitigated reward when they sailed with whaling ships. When docking in harbors of the South, for example, they were subject to being jailed or captured and sold into slavery. From Sea to Shining Sea features receipts for the imprisonment and release of Alfred Gall, an African American crew member on the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Company’s Tuscarora, whose captain had to bail him out of jail. His crime? Being a free Black man in a Southern port.

Yet despite the marine and manmade dangers, whaling was considered to be a viable, even comparably steady trade. The sea offered a sort of freedom to men who might not find it on land as long as the voyage did not kill them.

“Whaling employed the most diversified workforce among all other occupations at the time. Many whalers of color who endured hard work, poor pay, awful living conditions, and serious danger, chose to work at sea because work options on land were limited,” Dayan said. “African American whalers who faced work discrimination on land were more likely than other racial groups to continue whaling.”

Whaling records indicate that rank prevailed over the color of one’s skin. Recruiters did not record race, just complexion, which was a subjective categorization. Herman Melville, the white author of Moby Dick was even listed as “dark.”

Light-skinned African American sailors had more opportunity for advancement. And while Black whalers did encounter barriers to advancing their ranks and were relegated to service-based positions, they

usually earned the same rate of pay as other men of the same rank.

“On these voyages, your life and your counterpart’s life depended on how well you did you job. So in that way, you were equal in the sense of doing the work ... tough, backbreaking work that was dangerous — you could lose your life but could achieve financial success,” Dr. Grier-Key said.

This made whaling unique to other industries. Whaling could provide a sort of networking opportunity for the African Americans and other people of color. Ancillary jobs associated with the sea were also available to them, such as being caulkers and coopers. Wives of BIPOC whalers might be seamstresses for the captains’ wives.

Such a utilization of community building is a trait understood by the team behind this exhibit, for whom From Sea to Shining Sea is a labor of love and longevity, part of the Whaling Museum’s ongoing efforts to share the whaling tales generally omitted from the history books.

Dr. Grier-Key and Dayan served together on the board for the Museum Association of New York, and Dr. Grier-Key knew of Waldroup through her work in the Southampton community. Together with Van Bell, they coordinated an exhibit that the stories of BIPOC whalers are no longer submerged in the murky annals of time.

RELATED PROGRAMS:

Black History: Whaleboat Chat

Join the special edition of a Whaleboat Chat highlighting the Whalers of the African Diaspora exhibition on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at noon. Gather around the star of the museum’s collection, the whaleboat, and listen as a staff member shares the tale of the dangerous Nantucket Sleighride and

necessary.

Black History: Build-A-Boat Workshop Drop by the Museum any time on Feb. 21 and Feb. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. to learn about African American whalers who designed, built and worked on whaling ships in the 19th century and then imagine, design and create unique wooden vessel models out of a variety of materials in this open-ended workshop. Entry: Admission + $10 participant.

Beyond the Book

Join the Whaling Museum’s new book club! Read Whaling Captains of Color by Skip Finley at home and go on new adventures through history. Then meet at the museum on Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m. to dive deeper into the story through connections with the Museum’s collection. Adults only. $15 per participant. Registration required.

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor is open Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the winter months, and Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the summer. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for seniors; $6 for children ages 4-17; free for children three years old and younger; and free for members. For more information, visit www. cshwhalingmuseum.org or call 631-367-3418.

Left, artist Hulbert Waldroup with his painting, The Life and Legend of Pyrrhus Concer at the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor; above, part of the Sea to Shining Sea: Whalers of the African Diaspora exhibit at the Museum.

Photos courtesy of Whaling Museum

the brave whalers. Free with admission. No reservations

Celebrate Presidents' Day with a sweet cherry dessert

BY HEIDI SUTTON

The month of February has a few important events to celebrate. In the United States, one such event is Presidents’ Day, which this year will be observed on Monday, February 20. Presidents’ Day honors both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, two influential presidents who were born in February.

Some may recall a legend about George Washington and a cherry tree, as it’s one of the most popular tales tied to the nation’s first president.

The original story has a young George receiving a hatchet as a gift when he is six years old. Young George ends up using it to cut into his father’s cherry tree. After discovering the damage, George’s father confronts him. Rather than lie, George admits to his wrongdoing. George’s father commends him for his honesty, indicating that honesty has more value than a cherry tree.

While no one is suggesting to cut down a cherry tree this month in honor of George Washington, the value of this tale and lesson can be celebrated symbolically with this tasty recipe for “Fresh Bing Cherry UpsideDown Cake” courtesy of The California Cherry Board

Fresh Bing Cherry Upside-Down Cake

YIELD: Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

Fruit Layer:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3⁄4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice

• 1⁄2 pound (about 2 cups) Bing cherries, rinsed, pitted and halved

• 1⁄4 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (you will need 8-10)

Cake:

• 1⁄2 cup (1 cube) unsalted butter, softened

• 3⁄4 cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 11⁄2 cups flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

• 2⁄3 cup whole milk

• Whipped cream topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter or spray with non-stick spray, a 9-inch standard round cake pan.

For the fruit layer, melt the butter in a wide skillet, add the sugar, and stir until it is melted and begins to bubble. Whisk in the pineapple juice, stirring until smooth. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

In the bottom of the prepared cake pan, arrange the cherries cut side down in a circle, pressing down lightly to adhere. Add a second circle of cherries inside of the first ring. Place pineapple chunks in a circle inside of the cherry rings and another circle of pineapple chunks, if there is room. Place a cherry half (or halves) to fill in the center of the cake.

For the cake, beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a

time, and the vanilla until smooth. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the flour alternately with the milk, mixing until just combined. Pour batter over fruit and spread evenly.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes and invert onto a sheet pan. Drizzle any lingering caramel over top. Cut into slices and serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.

A thirty-something's senior moment

BY STEPHANIE GIUNTA

Iwas invited to join my grandmother, Josephine Eichner, at her Seniors Club at Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai on February 7, her 90th birthday. I am 32 and got laid off a few months ago, and although I lacked the eligibility due to my age, I attended as an honorary guest. After hearing about the Tuesday club for 20+ years, I was grateful to have the free time to attend, albeit plagued with the nagging reason as to why I was available.

I held her hand as we walked up the ramp into the building, kneeing the automatic handicap button to open the door. I walked into a sea full of people, whose wrinkles told the stories of their lives. They scattered about prepping the coffee stations, collecting dollars for the 50/50 raffle, and decorating the tables. Our table, #2, was adorned with a vase of flowers and balloons in honor of Grandma’s big day. My first impression: feeling so touched that her friends had thought of her.

Amused is putting it lightly. I was more so in awe. These men and women had made it. They had long marriages, bore children, and had grand and even great grandchildren. They survived successes, failures, peaks, and valleys. They frequented doctor’s offices, and had battled health problems. They kissed their friends and spouses goodbye as they were given eternal life. They had survived all of their worst days to date, and yet here they were — still living.

When the meeting started and they sang "God Bless America," I could have fallen off of my chair if I was sitting down. It brought tears to my eyes, and I was riddled with such pure joy and admiration. “Cute” isn’t the right word to describe it, since many refer to anything an older person does as “cute.” I think it was more of a genuine appreciation of these people, and knowing they knew what was important: camaraderie, love of self, and love of country. Appreciation for the small, yet impactful things in life. I can’t quite put the feeling into words, but it was something that struck me, and I’ll never forget it.

I got to meet Liz, the woman whose chain emails I have been receiving for decades. I always opened them up because I didn’t want bad luck for 10 years. Sharon, who was lovingly referred to as “Grumpy” because she’s always so happy. She makes cookies for my daughter, although we had never met. Marie and Bob, who I’ve heard stories about for quite some time. They used to accompany my grandparents on double

dates to The Heritage Diner. And Jutta. She doesn’t know it, but her name has been used quite a bit in some of our family’s games.

They walked a little slower, but laughed a little louder. Some were nervous that there weren’t enough slices of cake to go around. Others complained that tea service wasn’t put out. Me — I just sat in silence at points and soaked it all in. I found it fascinating that they were worried about tea and cake, something so simplistic, whereas I was worried about the fate of my career. We were just in completely different phases of life and it was refreshing to gain a contrasting perspective.

The most rewarding part of the day was seeing my grandmother in action. It is truly beautiful to see someone you deeply admire

in a social setting, when you’ve never really witnessed it outside of family functions. She was a shining light who worked the room. Conversations were filled with “Happy birthdays” and “You’re not 90!s” and just simply checking in on each other. Her snowy hair and pink lips bounced from table to table, bearing hugs and cashing in on inside jokes. The woman is 57 years my senior and I think she has a better social life than I do! And as we capped out the day with BINGO, among covert mumblings about health insurance, next week’s entertainment, and the weather, I was so grateful to be where I was — spending the day with one of the people I love most in this world. Relishing on the roast beef sandwich on rye that she packed for me as if it were a NY strip steak;

cutting into the Tiramisu that her friends presented her with; enjoying something so bubblegum, and feeling a bit sad when it had come to an end. I was also disappointed that Harriet won three games and I won zero.

I wish I could look at my life through a senior’s eyes and know that there are plenty of happy and sad times to come, but that they will make me who I am. That each laugh line and wrinkle I collect will signify a pit stop on my journey. That life is a gift and living is a privilege, and at the end of the day, being a good person is all that matters. Age is but a number and friendship has no timetable.

And as I held Grandma’s hand on the way out, I whispered, “I can’t wait to come back.”

Clockwise from above, Josephine Eichner celebrates her 90th birthday at the Rose Caracappa Senior Center; Ms. Eichner wearing her birthday tiara; Ms. Eichner with her granddaughter and guest columnist Stephanie Giunta at the event. Photos by Stephanie Giunta

Thursday 16

Atelier webinar

Join the Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James for a free zoom lecture and demonstration titled “Is It Watercolor or Acrylic? It’s Gouache!” at 7 p.m. Learn the basics of how to use this versatile medium with instructor Beth Drucker. To register, visit www. theatelieratflowerfield.org.

Vanderbilt Lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its lecture series with a presentation titled “A Lost Story of the Revolutionary War” at 7 p.m. Noted historian Benjamin Carp will explore the Great New York Fire of 1776. Carp’s book on the devastating fire is forthcoming from Yale University Press. Tickets are $10 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

An evening of jazz

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents The Bad Little Big Band, a 12-piece big band featuring vocalist Madeline Kole, directed by composer, arranger, pianist Rich Iacona, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children ages 6 and up. To order, visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Friday 17

Wintertide concert

The Port Jefferson Village Center, 101A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson continues its Wintertide concert series from 7 to 8 p.m with a performance by Safra Levitan (sultry vocals with a jazz flavor) in the Sail Loft Room on the third floor. $5 donation at the door. Questions? Call 473-4778.

Saturday 18

Symphony Orchestra concert

Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook presents the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra in concert on the Main Stage at 8 p.m. Led by conductor Michelle Merrill, the orchestra brings masterpieces from the 20th century to the present in this amazing concert, opening with Dai Wei’s brilliant and delightfully energetic new work, The Dancing Moonlight. The centerpiece of the evening will be Shostakovich’s powerful Cello Concerto No. 1, featuring cellist Zhihao Wu, and they will conclude with selections from Prokofiev’s beloved Romeo and Juliet. Tickets range from $10 to $20. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.

Sunday 19

Huntington Farmers Market

The John J. Flanagan Center, 423 Park Ave., Huntington hosts the Huntington

Times

... and

dates

Feb. 16 to Feb. 23, 2023

from 2 to 5 p.m. with caller Jim Gregory and music by the LITMA Contraband. Basic instruction starts at 1:45 p.m. $15 per person, $10 LITMA members, students half price, children under 16 free with paid adult. Questions? Call 369-7854.

Sunday Street Concert

WUSB’s Sunday Street Series continues in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room at The Long Island Museum 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook with a folk concert featuring Joe Jencks and Rod MacDonald at 3 p.m. Tickets are $ 25 advance sale until Feb. 17 at www. sundaystreet.org; $30 (cash only) at the door.

Monday 20

Culper Spy Ring lecture

The Three Village Historical Society continues its lecture series at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket (or via Zoom) with a presentation titled New Culper Spy Ring Resources Revealed at 7 p.m. Author and historian Mark Sternberg will discuss primary sources related to the Culper Spy Ring he has uncovered in the last few years (including a new reveal). He will also talk about the importance of returning to known sources to find new details historians have missed to obtain the clearest picture yet of the Revolution in our area. Suggested donation, free for members. To register, visit www.tvhs.org or call 751-3730.

Tuesday 21

NSJC Social Club event

Winter Farmers Market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March with over 40 vendors plus guest vendors. Visit www. longislandfarmersmarkets.com.

Port Jefferson Farmers Market

The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market will be held at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 30. Featuring over 20 vendors. Call 631-473-4778.

Hoyt Farm Maple Sugaring

Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve, 200 New Highway, Commack hosts a Maple Sugaring program today from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Learn about the ancient process of making maple syrup/sugar, which was passed down by the Native Americans to the Colonists. Tickets are $5 per person (cash only.) The class is open to both residents and non-residents. It is recommended that guests arrive by 1 p.m. to register. For more information, call 543-7804.

Maple Sugaring at Caumsett

Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington presents a Maple Sugaring program from 11 a.m. to

1 p.m. This interactive program will teach you how to identify and tap a maple tree so you can make real maple syrup at home. You will also learn the culture, historical, economical, and scientific background of this uniquely American Craft. Very short walk. Adults only. $4 per person. Advance registration required by calling 423-1770.

Sunken Meadow Hike

Did you know that the Greenbelt Trail makes it’s northernmost stop in Sunken Meadow State Park? Along its way, the Greenbelt follows the edge of the bluffs, for some amazing views of the Long Island Sound.

Join the staff at Sunken Meadow, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park for a venture up through the woods for a walk along some of these high ground trails from 1:30 to 3 p.m. This is a moderate level hike with some hills. Bring water and good walking shoes/boots. Ages 8 and up. $4 per person. To register, visit EventBrite.com. For more information, call 269-4333

LITMA Contradance

Join the Long Island Traditional Music Association for a contradance at the Smithtown Historical Society’s Frank Brush Barn, 211 East Main St., Smithtown

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station welcomes guest speaker Dr. Howard Schneider, Executive Director of the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University School of Journalism, who will provide insight into “How To Be a Smart News Consumer” at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee among other refreshments will be served. $5 per person, $3 members. Call 928-3737 for more information.

Blockbuster Broadway

The John W. Engeman, 250 Main St., Northport presents Blockbuster Broadway at 8 p.m. Come experience all the showstopping tunes you love from Broadway’s biggest hits! Spend an evening with songs from Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Annie, Jersey Boys, The Sound of Music, Chicago, CATS, The Lion King and A Chorus Line performed by some of New York’s top vocalists. It’s the ultimate show tune extravaganza! Tickets are $45 per person. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www. engemantheater.com.

* All numbers are in (631) area code unless otherwise noted.

SUNDAY STREET CONCERT

The Long Island Museum hosts a concert with Joe Jencks (above) and Rod MacDonald in the Carriage Museum on Feb. 19.

Wednesday 22

Rock Legends Live!

Join Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington as they celebrate Black History Month with a special tribute to the 1960s music legend Jimi Hendrix at 7:30 p.m. This special event celebrating Hendrix’s legendary achievements will include rare film clips of Hendrix in concert as well as a lecture by famous Hendrix expert historian and musician Jimy Bleu, who has spent a lifetime keeping the Hendrix legacy alive. Tickets are $15, $10 members at www. cinemaartscentre.org.

Thursday 23

Port Talks with Andrew Fortier

The Space at Port Jefferson, 234 Traders Cove Port Jefferson, hosts a Port Talks live podcast with songwriter/storyteller Andrew Fortier at 6:30 p.m. Come hear Fortier’s unique perspective to life, love and music, get creatively inspired and take part in a live Q&A. Tickets are $10. Pre-register at www. portjefftalks.com.

Art reception

Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket invites the community to an opening reception for its latest exhibit, Inhabitations: Recent Work by Lautaro Cuttica, from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit runs through April 9. For more information, call 751-2676.

Native American Drumming

All Souls Parish House, 10 Mill Pond Road, Stony Brook hosts an evening of Native American Drumming from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Led by elder drummer, Ric Statler,

drumming meditation seeks to integrate the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of the human self, creating a state of well-being. Call 655-7798 for more information.

Theater

‘Side By Side By Sondheim’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage season with Side By Side By Sondheim from Feb. 18 to March 18 showcasing the early works of Broadway’s greatest composer, Stephen Sondheim. Featuring songs from Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, West Side Story, Gypsy, and many others, get ready to laugh, cry, and fall in love with this delightful musical revue. Unforgettable songs from this dazzling creator and his collaborators include “Send in the Clowns,” “I’m Still Here,” “Another Hundred People,” “Maria,” “Tonight,” “Anyone Can Whistle,” and “Broadway Baby.” Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www. theatrethree.com.

‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St.. Northport presents Dirty Rotten Scoundrels from Jan. 19 to March 5. Con artist Lawrence Jameson is a longtime resident of a luxurious coastal resort, where he enjoys the fruits of his deceptions–that is, until a competitor, Freddy Benson, shows up. When the new guy’s lowbrow tactics impinge on his own work, Jameson resolves to get rid of him. Based on the uproarious movie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels boasts a jazzy-pop score

by David Yazbek, who also wrote the music for The Full Monty. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Festival of One-Act Plays

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents the 24th annual Festival of OneAct Plays from February 25 through March 25 at The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre, on the Second Stage. Selected from over 250 submissions world-wide, these seven cutting-edge premieres are guaranteed to entertain and engage. Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, the plays will feature Steve Ayle, Tamralynn Dorsa, Antoine Jones, Brittany Lacey, Phyllis March, Evan Teich, Steven Uihlein, Sean Amato, Ava Andrejko, Angelo DiBiase, Samantha Fierro, Jason Furnari, Melissa Norman, Danielle Pafundi, and Tristan Prin. Please Note: Adult content and language. All tickets are $20. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www. theatrethree.com.

‘Tape’

The Theatre at Suffolk County Community College, Ammerman campus, 533 College Road, Selden presents a production of Tape by Stephen Belber in Theatre 119 in the Islip Arts Building on March 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 at 7:30 p.m. and March 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. After 10 years apart, three disparate people come together to play out the unresolved drama of their final days in high school. Suspense builds as each character is provoked into revealing his or her true nature and motivation as they choose which cards to play and which cards to hold. Mature content. General admission is $14. For tickets, call 451-4163.

‘Seussical’

Mount Sinai High School, 110 North Country Road, Mt. Sinai presents the musical Seussical on March 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. and March 25 at 2 p.m. This special Theater for Young Audiences version of the Broadway hit has been rewritten and streamlined to engage audience members from age 4 to 94. Tickets are $15, $12 seniors and students at www.Ludus.com/ MountSinaiPerformingArts. Questions? call 870-2882.

News Around Town

Historical Society Dinner

The Port Jefferson Historical Society (PJHS) invites the community to its annual dinner at the Waterview at the Port Jefferson Country Club, 44 Fairway Drive, Port Jefferson on Friday, March 3 from 6 to 10 p.m. Enjoy dinner (choice of chicken Francaise, beef sirloin or salmon), dessert, raffles and the premiere screening of I Now Take Up My Pen, a short film about the Platt Brothers of Port Jefferson and the Civil War produced locally and featuring local actors and members of the PJHS. Tickets are $49 per person. To order (by Feb. 28 please), email Pranzo59@optonline.net.

Job Fair heads to Holbrook

Save the date! Sachem Public Library, 150 Holbrook Road, Holbrook hosts a Job Fair sponsored by the Suffolk County One-Stop Employment Center on Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. to noon. Representatives from Amazon, American Regent, Biocogent, LLC, NYS Solar, East/West Industries, Well Life Network, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Winters Bros Waste Systems and more will be on hand to discuss job opportunities. Bring your resume and dress for success. Call 631-585-5844.

St. Patrick’s Dinner/Dance

In anticipation of the Miller PlaceRocky Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 12 at 1 p.m., the Friends of St. Patrick will be honoring this year’s Grand Marshal, Bob Evans, manager of the Rocky Point Stop & Shop, with a dinner/dance at East Wind, 5720 Route 25A, Wading River on Friday, March 3 from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $70 and include dinner and dancing, a Bag Pipe appearance and cash bar. For more information, call Brian Baisley at 631-7909061 or Mike Tatilian at 631-484-6322.

Pysanky egg decorating class

Only a few spots left! Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Church, 38 Mayflower Ave., Smithtown, invites the community to take part in a Pysanky egg decorating class on Sunday, March 19 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. The workshop, which will take place in the church’s Social Hall, is open to all levels of experience. Learn and complete your first egg, discover new patterns and tips or show your skills and enjoy the company. Bring your dyes and tools or start fresh with a new kit, available for $10 to $15. Each participant must bring a candle in a holder, pencils and a roll of paper towels. $20 per person. Advance registration is required by calling Joanne at 631-332-1449. Deadline to register is Feb. 17.

CALENDAR DEADLINE is Wednesday at noon, one week before publication. Items may be mailed to: Times Beacon Record News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733. Email your information about community events to leisure@ tbrnewspapers.com. Calendar listings are for not-for-profit organizations (nonsectarian, nonpartisan events) only, on a space-available basis. Please include a phone number that can be printed. Send your event listings to leisure@tbrnewspapers.com

ROCK LEGENDS LIVE!

Join the Cinema Arts Centre for a Jimi Hendrix 80th Birthday Celebration on Feb. 22.

R eligious D irectory

Catholic

INFANTJESUS ROMANCATHOLICCHURCH

110MyrtleAve.,PortJefferson631-473-0165 Fax631-331-8094 www.www.infantjesus.org

REV.FRANCISLASRADO& PASTOR,ASSOCIATES: REVERENDGREGORYRANNAZZISI,

REV.ROLANDOTICLLASUCA

WeeklyMasses: 6:50and9amintheChurch, ParishOutreach:631-331-6145

WeekendMasses: Saturdayat5pminthe 12pmintheChapel*

Church,4:00pmintheChapel,*Sundayat7:30

andat8:30am,10am, am,10:30am,12pm,and5pmintheChurch

SpanishMasses: Sundayat8:45amand and11:30am(FamilyMass)intheChapel*

Wednesdayat6pmintheChurch

*HeldattheInfantJesusChapel

atSt.CharlesHospital.

ST.GERARDMAJELLA ROMANCATHOLICCHURCH

300TerryvilleRoad,PortJeffersonStation 631-473-2900www.stgmajella.org

REV.GREGORYRANNAZZISI,PASTOR

Mass: Saturday5pm

Sunday8am,10am&12pm

WeekdayMass: 9am

Confessions: Saturday3:45pm-4:45pm

OfficeHours: Monday-Thursday9am-4:30pm

ThriftShop: Monday-Thursday10am-4pm

andFriday10am-2pm.

BaptismandWedding arrangementscanbe

madebycallingtheParishOffice.

ST.JAMESROMAN CATHOLICCHURCH

429Rt.25A,Setauket Phone:631-941-4141Fax:631-751-6607

ParishOfficeemail:

parish@stjamessetauket.org

REV.ROBERTSCHECKENBACK, REV.ROBERTKUZNIK,PASTOR www.stjamessetauket.org

REV.MIKES.EZEATU, ASSOCIATEPASTOR

SBUHOSPITALCHAPLAIN,INRESIDENCE

OfficeHours:Monday-Friday9amto4pm...

Saturday9am

Bereavement: 631-941-4141X341

FaithFormationOffice:631-941-4141X328

Outreach: 631-941-4141X313

OurDailyBreadSundaySoupKitchen

FoodPantryOpen OpenEveryWednesday To-Goandgroceries opened2-3pm,servinghotmeals

OpenEverySundayfrom2-3pm, from12Noonto2pm

formedbytheGospel.Westrivetorespondto HolySpirit,nourishedbytheEucharistand fullnessoftheKingdomofGod,guidedbythe areapilgrimcommunityjourneyingtowardthe BodyofChristthroughthewatersofBaptism,

Jesusinvitation:tobefaithfulandfruitfuldisciples;tobeaGoodSamaritantoourneighborand

itsdiversities. welcomingcommunity,respectfuloflifeinall Charity...sothatinJesusname,wemaybea andtobelivingwitnessofFaith,Hopeand enemy;tobestewardsofandforGod’screation

Catholic Traditional Latin Mass

ST.MICHAELTHEARCHANGEL SOCIETYOFSAINTPIUSX

900HorseblockRoad,Farmingville 631-736-6515sspxlongisland.com

SundayMasses at7amand9am

Pleaseconsultsspxlongisland.comforupdates

andcurrentmasstimes.

Christian

ISLANDCHRISTIANCHURCH

400ElwoodRoad,EastNorthport IslandChristian.com 631-822-3000

ST.LOUISDEMONTFORT ROMANCATHOLICCHURCH

75NewYorkAvenue,SoundBeach Parishoffice:631-744-8566; fax631-744-8611

Parishwebsite:

PASTORREV.ALPHONSUSIGBOKWE, REV.MSGR.CHRISTOPHERJ.HELLER, www.stlouisdm.org

ASSOCIATEPASTORREV.MSGR.DONALD

REV.FRANCISPIZZARELLI,S.M.M., HANSON,INRESIDENCE

PARISHASSISTANTREV.HENRYVAS

OfficeHours: Mon.,Tues.,Thurs.:

ClosedonSunday pm; Saturday: 9amto1pm; Wednesday: 9amto8pm; Friday: 9amto4 9amto5pm

MissionStatement:Toproclaimthegoodnews

ofJesusChrist’slovethroughouractiveinvolvementasaparishfamilyinworksof

familysituation.Nomatteryourpracticeoffaith. statusisintheCatholicChurch.Nomatteryour AREWELCOME!Nomatterwhatyourpresent Charity,Faith,Worship,JusticeandMercy.ALL

Nomatteryourpersonalhistory,ageorbackground.YOUareinvited,respectedandlovedat

MondaythroughFriday8:30amintheChapel WeekdayMasses: St.LouisdeMontfort.

WeekendMasses:SaturdayVigil:5pm

Sunday:7:30am;10:00am;12noon.

Baptisms:MostSundaysat1:30pm.

Reconciliation:Saturday4-4:45pm PleasecontactParishOfficeforanappointment.

AnointingoftheSick:byrequest. orbyappointment.

HolyMatrimony: ContactParishOfficeatleast

sixmonthsinadvanceofdesireddate.

ReligiousEducation:Contact631-744-9515

ParishOutreach:Contact631-209-0325

PASTORCHRISTOPHERCOATS

ServicesIn-Person+Online SundayMornings

ChildrenandYouthprogramsduringtheweek, eachservice Funreligiouseducationforkidsduring 9AM+11AM

FoodPantry: EverythirdWednesdayofthe checkoutourwebsiteformoredetails

month10:30AM-12PM

Congregational

MT.SINAICONGREGATIONAL UNITEDCHURCHOFCHRIST 233NorthCountryRoad,Mt.Sinai 631-473-1582 www.msucc.org

REV.DR.PHILIPHOBSON

MountSinaiCongregationalChurchisopen

tothepublic “Masksarenotrequired,butare

strivetoliveoutChrist’smessagetolove Throughourworshipandbyouractionswe timethereafter,withRev.PhilHobson. onourYouTubechannelat10am, andany Wewillcontinuetoprovideour onlineservice suggested.”

MiddleIsland,N.Y.OurhoursareWednesday helpthoseinneedat643MiddleCountryRoad, TheIslandHeartFoodPantry continuesto oneanother.

andThursdayfrom2:30-4:30pm.Wearamask

“Nomatterwhoyouareorwhereyouareon andstayincar

GraceandPeace,Rev.Phil life’sjourney,youarewelcomehere.”

Episcopal

MissionStatement:We,theCatholiccommunityoftheThreeVillagearea,formedasthe Sunday: 8amVirtualMorningPrayer orcall631-655-7798

ALLSOULSEPISCOPALCHURCH

Ourlittlehistoricchurchonthehillacrossfrom theStonyBrookDuckPond 61MainStreet,StonyBrook Visitourwebsitewww.allsoulsstonybrook.org

9:30HolyEucharistwithOrganMusic

Tuesday:8:00am

Interdenominational

MorningPrayer

Wednesday:12noon

InterdenominationalRosary

Weareafriendlywelcomingcommunity

forallpeople.

CAROLINEEPISCOPALCHURCH OFSETAUKET

1DykeRoadontheVillageGreen,Setauket Website:www.carolinechurch.net email:office@carolinechurch.net

631-941-4245

REVNICKOLASGRIFFITH

PRIEST-IN-CHARGE

LetGodwalkwithyouaspartofour

family-friendlycommunity.

10:00amThursdays HealingService

5:00pmSaturdays HolyEucharist

8:00am&9:30amSundays

HolyEucharistw/music

CHRISTEPISCOPALCHURCH

127BarnumAve.,PortJefferson 631-473-0273 email:ccoffice@christchurchportjeff.org www.christchurchportjeff.org

Churchofficehours:Tues.-Fri.9am-12pm

Pleasejoinusforour8:00and10:00Sunday

Eucharistsandour10:00WednesdayEucharists

GODBLESSYOU inourChapel.Masksareoptional.

FatherAnthonyDiLorenzo

welcomingcommunity.Whereveryouarein andministry.WeatChristChurchareajoyful, tomakehisloveknowntoallthroughourlives togrowinourrelationshipwithJesusChristand ItisthemissionofthepeopleofChristChurch

yourjourneyoflifewewanttobepartofit.

ST.JOHN’SEPISCOPALCHURCH

“ToknowChristandtomakeHimknown” Rev.DuncanA.Burns,Rector Rev.JamesE.Reiss,Curate Rev.ClaireD.Mis,Deacon

AlexPryrodny,MusicDirector

&Artist-in-Residence

12ProspectSt,Huntington(631)427-1752

OnMainSt.nexttothelibrary

SundayWorship

8:00am-RiteIHolyEucharist

10:00am-RiteIIHolyChoralEucharist

9:40am-SundaySchool

ThriftShop

12to3pm-Tuesdays,Thursdays&Saturdays

VolunteersWelcome!

info@stjohns1745.org*www.stjohns1745.org

Followuson

Facebook&Instagram@stjohns1745

PLEASE CALL OR VISIT YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP’S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE.

Jewish R eligious D irectory

NORTHSHOREJEWISHCENTER

385OldTownRd., PortJeffersonStation 631-928-3737 www.northshorejewishcenter.org

RABBIAARONBENSON

CANTORDANIELKRAMER

EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR

MARCIEPLATKIN

PRINCIPALHEATHERWELKES

YOUTHDIRECTORJENSCHWARTZ

Services: FridayAt8Pm;SaturdayAt9:15am

DailyMorningAndEveningMinyan

CallForTimes.TotShabbatFamilyServices

SisterhoodMen’s

ClubSeniors’ClubYouthGroupContinuingEd

AdultBar/BatMitzvahJudaicaShop

FoodPantryLectureSeriesJewishFilmSeries

NSJCJEWISHLEARNINGCENTER

RELIGIOUSSCHOOL

InnovativeCurriculumAnd

ProgrammingForChildrenAges5-13

ImagineASynagogueThatFeelsLikeHome!

ComeConnectWithUsOnYour

JewishJourney.MemberUnitedSynagogue

OfConservativeJudaism.

TEMPLEISAIAH(REFORM)

1404StonyBrookRoad,StonyBrook 631-751-8518www.tisbny.org

AWarmAndCaring IntergenerationalCommunity

DedicatedToLearning,Prayer,SocialAction,

MemberUnionForReformJudaism andFriendship.

RABBIPAULSIDLOFSKY

CANTORINTERNKALIXJACOBSON

EDUCATIONALDIRECTOR

RABBIPAULSIDLOFSKY,

RABBIEMERITUSSTEPHENA.KAROL

RABBIEMERITUSADAMD.FISHER

CANTOREMERITUS

MICHAELF.TRACHTENBERG

SabbathServices:1stFridayofthemonth6pm,

allotherFridays7:30pmandSaturdayB’nai

servicesat10am

ReligiousSchoolMonthlyFamilyService

MonthlyTotShabbatYouthGroups

BrotherhoodBookClub-More AdultEducationSisterhood

Lutheran-ELCA

HOPELUTHERANCHURCHAND ANCHORNURSERYSCHOOL

46DareRoad,Selden 631-732-2511

EmergencyNumber516-848-5386

Email:office@hopelutheran.com

Website:www.hopeluth.com

REV.DR.RICHARDO.HILL,PASTOR

DALENEWTON,M.DIV

PASTORALASSISTANT

On Sundays theservicesareat9and10:30a.m.

Alinkforalltheseservicesisonthe

OurFoodPantryisopentoeveryoneon website:www.hopeluth.com.

churchservicesandthroughourwebsite’s Offeringstosupportourministrycanbemadeat amessageonthechurchansweringservice. a.m.-noonorbymakingarrangementsbyleaving food.Also,donationscanbemadefrom11 Thursdaysfrom12:30-2:30p.m.forpickingup

“ShareGod’sMission”page.

Inanyemergency,callthepastorat

516-848-5386

ST.PAUL’SEVANGELICAL LUTHERANCHURCH

309PatchogueRoad

PortJeffersonStation 631-473-2236

e-mailpastorpauldowning@yahoo.com

pastor’scellphoneTextorvoice347-423-3623

www.StPaulsLCPJS.org

facebook.com/stpaulselca

ServicesonSundaysareat

8:30and10:30ameachweek

withAdultBibleStudybypastor

Parkinglotisbehindthechurch. betweentheservices

PleaseenterfromMapleAvenue

Ifyouarenotvaccinatedandboostedplease

Serviceisalsoavailableonfacebookliveatthe wearamask.

churchwebsitefrom8:30am

WednesdayBibleStudy

at9:30amoverzoom

FridayPrayerGroupat10:30liveandoverzoom

WelcomeFriends

onTuesdaysandThursdays providesfreemealsinourparkinglotat1:00pm

Lutheran-LCMS

MESSIAHLUTHERANCHURCH

465PondPath,EastSetauket 631-751-1775www.messiahny.org

ALLAREWELCOME

PastorNilsNiemeier

AssociatePastorSteveUnger

February22nd,AshWednesday

Worshipat7pm

WednesdayLentWorshipServices

at7pm(March1,8,15,22,&29)

Soupsupper at6pm

SundayMorningWorship

8:30am&11:00am

SundaySchool

Adult&YouthBibleStudy

at9:45am

Formoreinformationortospeaktooneofour

MayGodkeepyousafeandshineHislightand pastorspleasecontactthechurchoffice.

loveuponyou

Methodist

BETHELAFRICANMETHODIST EPISCOPALCHURCH

33ChristianAve/PO2117,E.Setauket 631-941-3581

REV.LISAWILLIAMSPASTOR

SundayWorship: 10:30Am

AdultSundaySchool9:30Am

LectionaryReadingAndPrayer:

Wed.12Noon

GospelChoir: Tues.8Pm

PraiseChoirAndYouthChoir3rdAnd4thFri.

6:30PM.

SETAUKETUNITEDMETHODIST CHURCH

160MainStreet,Cornerof25Aand MainStreetEastSetauket631-941-4167 REV.STEVENKIM,PASTOR

SundayWorshipService

Indoorat10am

Servicesarestreamedonline

HolyCommunion 1stSundayofMonth andlivestreamedonFacebook @www.setauketumc.org

MaryMarthaCircle(Women’sMinistry)

Nomatterwhoyouareorwhereyouareonlife’s meetsevery2ndTuesdayeachmonthat1pm

journey,you’rewelcomehere!

STONYBROOKCOMMUNITY CHURCH

UNITEDMETHODIST

REV.CHUCKVANHOUTEN,PASTOR ConnectingpeopletoGod,purpose,andeach

216ChristianAvenue,StonyBrook,NY11790 other!

ChurchOffice:631-751-0574

Email:

stonybrookcommunitychurch@gmail.com

SundayWorshipService:10:45am Website:www.stonybrookcommunitychurch.org

SundaySchool: 10:45am

Livestreamlinkavailableonourwebsite

bringpositivechangetotheworldthrough growinourloveforGodandoneanotherandto welcome-aplacetobelong.Ourmissionisto evolvingfamilyoffaithwhereeveryoneis God’sworktogether.Weareaninclusive, outreachforindividualsandfamiliesdoing SBCCisacommunityoflove,learning,and

HolyCommunion 1stSundayofthemonth prayerandservice.

FIRSTPRESBYTERIANCHURCH

OFPORTJEFFERSON

107South/MainStreets631-473-0147

Weareanacceptingandcaringpeople whoinviteyou

toshareinthejourneyoffaithwithus

Email:office@pjpres.org

Website:www.pjpres.org

SundayWorshipService-10am

Hotmeals,groceries&clothingprovidedona HolyCommunion1stSundayoftheMonth

takeoutbasisbyWelcomeFriendson

Wednesday5:00-6:00pm

andFridays3:30-5:00pm

Callthechurchofficeorvisitourwebsitefor

ThepurposeofFirstPresbyterianChurchofPort NYSCertifiedPreschoolandDaycare currentactivitiesandevents.

despair;andtoseekjusticeforallGod’speople. comforttothoseinneedandhopetothosein visitorsandthecommunityatlarge;toprovide goodnewsofJesusChristwiththecongregation, Jeffersonis,withGod’shelp,tosharethejoy&

SETAUKETPRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

5CarolineAvenue~OntheVillageGreen 631-941-4271

setauketpresbyterian@verizon.net

Celebrating&sharingtheloveofGod

Allarewelcome! since1660

THEREV.DR.JOHANNAMcCUNE

THEREV.ASHLEYMcFAUL-ERWIN, LEADPASTORANDHEADOFSTAFF WAGNER

COMMUNITYOUTREACHPASTOR

Masksoptional Worshipwithusin-personSundaysat9:30AM

Ourserviceisavailablevialive-stream.

WeareaCovenantNetwork,MoreLight& Visitwww.setauketpresbyterian.org

WebelieveALLarecreatedinthe Matthew25congregation

imageofGodandweactivelyengageinmaking

YouthGroup&BellChoirChristianEd., Weeklysmallgroups,BibleStudy&Adult Sundaychildcareavailable&ChurchSchool, ourfaithcomealive.

allringerswelcome

SetauketPresbyterianPreschool

OpenDoorExchange(ODE)www.setauketpreschool.org

furnitureministry

www.opendoorexchange.org

LikeusonFacebook-SetauketPresbyterian

FollowusonInstagram-spc_steeple Church,est1660

PLEASE CALL OR VISIT YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP’S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE.

Flora & Fauna exhibit opens in Huntington

T he Huntington Arts Council's Main Street Gallery held an opening reception for its latest exhibit, Flora & Fauna: Allegories of Nature, on Feb. 10. Juror Liz Fusco invited artists to submit artwork exploring the broad, interpretive scope of the connection and relationship to nature while encompassing the specific focus on flora and fauna. All media were welcome.

Over 130 artists submitted work of which 47 artists and pieces were accepted. Participating artists include Sal Agnello, Georgia Ardito, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, John Benevento, Joyce Bressler, Zintis Buzermanis, Jane Cairns Irvine, Kristin Calderone, Galina Carroll, Dorothy Chanin, Anne Cognato, Tobi Cohen, Donna Corvi, Caryn Coville, Victoria Field, Kaitlin Gardella, Arlene Gernon, Andrea M Gordon, Gabriella Grama, Brian Grandfield, Kathleen J Graves, Jan Guarino, Tara Hlaing, Mark Holmquist, Philip Jordan, Ralph Laudano, Michelle Lesser, Christophe Lima, Jeanette Martone, Celeste Mauro, Eileen Novack, Jairo A. Ortiz Cc, Howie Pohl, Denis Ponsot, Susan Ryan, Michael Sansone, Gianne Shin, James Slezak, Ginger Sosnowski, Nicholas Striga, Joanna Szczurkowska, Mary Jane Tenerelli, Steven Vando, Jo Wadler and Nancy Wernersbach.

"It was really a pleasure and an honor for me to be the juror for this exhibit, especially given the fact that flowers and nature are what inspires me in my own personal art. There were so many wonderful submissions with diverse interpretations of flora and fauna. All of the artwork was wonderful, even the ones not chosen for the exhibit," said Fusco.

"The task of choosing a 'Best in Show' and 'Honorable Mentions' was a difficult one, considering the talent. Art is very subjective as we all know and what draws us to a work of art is so personal. Ultimately, the pieces

I chose were the ones that were drawing me back to look at again and again, whether it was the color, the drama or the composition. Each one called out to me for prolonged observation and investigation. Reading the artists' statements, as well, gave me context to the artwork which also helped me in my decisions," she added.

Best in Show went to "Lotus" by Arlene Gernon, and "Ailanthus Webworm" by Dorothy Chanin, "I See You" by Jeanette Martone, "Bloom" by Gianne Shin and "Pink Peony" by Joanna Szczurkowska received Honorable Mentions.

"Flora & Fauna: Allegories of Nature is not your typical landscape and wildlife show. This jury exhibition taps into the layers of symbolism used by Baroque, Renaissance, Romantic, Contemporary and Modern artists throughout the course of art history," explained

Kieran Johnson, Executive Director, of the Huntington Arts Council.

"We are proud to see so many mediums convey the allegorical nature of the natural world. Come see this wonderful and deep exhibition at our Main Street Gallery soon."

The Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Gallery, 213 Main Street, Huntington presents Flora & Fauna: Allegories of Nature through March 11. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-271-8423 or visit www.huntingtonarts.org.

Quaker R eligious D irectory

QUAKERRELIGIOUSSOCIETY OFFRIENDS

ConscienceBayMeeting 4FriendsWay,St.James11780 631-928-2768www.consciencebayquakers.org

WegatherinsilentworshipseekingGod,/the

We’reguidedbytheQuakertestimoniesof InnerLight/Spirit.

simplicity,peace,integrity,community,equality

andstewardship.In-personworshipblendedwith

virtualworship. Monthlydiscussions,Sept.June. Religiouseducationforchildren.

Sept.-June,11a.m.;Allarewelcome.

Seeourwebsite.

UNITARIANUNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIPATSTONYBROOK

Unitarian Universalist onSundaymornings.

SundayService: 10:30a.m.

PleasevisitourwebsiteandclickonCovid

380NicollsRoad,EastSetauket 631-751-0297 uufsb.orgoffice@uufsb.org

PastorMadelynCampbell

Aspiritualhomeforindividuals,couples,and minister@uufsb.org

Protocolsforourlatestupdate.

Orvisitwww.uufsb.orgtojoinusvialivestream

PLEASE CALL OR VISIT YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP’S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE.

Images from HAC

Clockwise from left, 'Lotus' by Arlene Gernon, 'Pink Peony' by Joanna Szczurkowska, 'Alianthus Webworm' by Dorothy Chanin, 'Bloom' by Gianne Shin and 'I See You' by Jeanette Martone

SBU SPORTSWEEK

FEB. 16 TO FEB. 22, 2022

TOMORROW IS FRIDAY – WEAR RED ON CAMPUS! STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY

Men's basketball downs the Aggies at the Island 69-59

The Stony Brook men's basketball team (9-17, 5-8 CAA) secured a 69-59 come from behind victory over North Carolina A&T (12-15, 7-7 CAA) on Feb. 11 in front of the faithful at Island Federal Arena.

Stony Brook's offense was paced by four student-athletes who tallied double figures for the team. Leading the way for the Seawolves were graduate center Keenan Fitzmorris and senior guard Tyler Stephenson-Moore scoring 14 points each. Graduate forward Frankie Policelli scored 12 points and hauled in a team-high 11 rebounds. He tallied his team-leading tenth double-double of the season. Junior Tanahj Pettway contributed 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in the victory for Stony Brook.

After falling behind, 23-10, with just over nine minutes left in the first half, the Seawolves stormed back on a 13-2 run over the next five minutes to cut the deficit to just two points. The Stony Brook big men led the charge for the team, as Fitzmorris and freshman Leon Nahar combined for eight of the 13 points.

Following an Aggie three pointer that gave North Carolina A&T a five point lead with 5:15 left in the half, the Seawolves

went on an 11-3 run to end the half and give the squad a 34-31 lead. Pettway provided the energy for the squad after a block on the defensive end that led to a Fitzmorris dunk which tied the contest

at 28-28 with 2:52 left. Freshman guard Toby Onyekonwu and sophomore guard Kaine Roberts drilled back-to-back three pointers, giving Stony Brook the three point lead heading into the break.

Softball falls to Iowa and Loyola Chicago in FAU Paradise Classic

After knocking off the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Feb. 11, the Stony Brook softball team (2-3, 0-0 CAA) took the diamond for the final day of the FAU Paradise Classic in Boca Raton, FL on Feb. 12.

In their first game of the day, the Seawolves were shutout by the Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1, 0-0 Big Ten). In their second game, the Seawolves put together a late two-out rally in the seventh inning, but ultimately fell to the Loyola Chicago Ramblers (2-3, 0-0 A10), 6-3. Stony Brook scraped across two runs with two outs in the final frame.

"It was great to open play in such a competitive tournament and we have a lot of good takea-ways from the weekend. The two wins yesterday were special, each for different reasons. We struggled offensively today to get anything going and had a couple poor defensive innings. We have a good idea of where our team is, however, and will go back to work on our game to keep our process moving forward," said head coach Megan T. Bryant.

The team will return to the diamond on Feb. 24, when it plays in the Norfolk/Hampton Battle at the Bay against Buffalo and Norfolk State.

The Aggies brought the pressure to the Seawolves out of the half, as the team from North Carolina scored the first four points of the half. But, Fitzmorris, Stephenson-Moore and Policelli settled the storm by leading the squad on a 12-0 run and giving them their biggest lead at 46-35. Fitzmorris made back-to-back shots in the paint, StephensonMoore captured two free-throws, and Policelli knocked down back-to-back shots from beyond the arc.

Stony Brook was held quiet from the floor over the next five minutes but Roberts broke the scoring drought with a long three-point shot to give the squad a 57-48 lead with 5:09 remaining in the game. Just over three minutes later, Pettway sealed the victory for the squad after dropping back-to-back three pointers to extend Stony Brook's lead to their largest of the game at 14 points and ultimately the 69-59 victory.

Seawolves Home Games

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Feb. 16 vs. William & Mary ......... 7 p.m.

Feb. 18 vs. Hofstra .................... 6:30 p.m.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Feb. 24 vs. Hampton 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 26 vs. Delaware .................... 2 p.m.

BASEBALL

Feb. 28 vs. Saint Peter's University 3 p.m.

March 8 vs. LIU 3 p.m.

March 10 vs. Lafayette College .... 3 p.m.

March 11 vs. Lafayette College 1 p.m.

March 12 vs. Lafayette College 12 p.m.

March 14 vs. Iona University ........ 3 p.m.

March 15 vs. Central CT State . 3 p.m

SOFTBALL

March 18 vs. Hofstra University .... 1 p.m.

March 18 vs. Hofstra University .... 3 p.m.

March 19 vs. Hofstra University .... 1 p.m.

March 22 vs. St. John's University . 2 p.m. Visit

The team had a good day on Saturday but fell on Sunday. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

#32 Keenan Fitzmorris helped lead his team to victory on Saturday. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

WINTER

BREAK CAMPS

Here are some fun and educational ways for your kids to enjoy winter break:

Art League of Long Island

Children ages 5 to 12 can take part in the Art League of Long Island's Young Artists' Vacation Art Adventure, 107 Deer Park Road, Dix Hills from Feb. 21 to 23. Classes offered include Cartoons, Sculptures & Paints (ages 6 to 8); Creative Cartooning (ages 8-12); Realistic Drawing (ages 8-12); The Magic of Color (ages 5-7); Ceramic Hand Building (ages 6 to 10); and Book and Brush Painting (ages 5 to 7). Teen classes are available too. For schedule, visit www.artleagueli.org.

Benner’s Farm

Ever wonder what it’s like to be on a real working farm in the winter? Kids ages 7 to 14 can enjoy winter break at Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, E. Setauket on Feb. 20, 21 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn how to make maple syrup, help care for the animals and more. Snacks provided. Bring lunch. $80 per day, $210 for three days. To register, call 631-689-8172 or visit www.bennersfarm.com.

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will hold several winter break events from Feb. 20 to 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Paint with Ice, make snow that won't melt, make gooey slime and more. Visit cshfishhatchery.org for full schedule. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 kids ages 3 to 12.

Huntington Historical Society

Children in grades 2-6 can join the Huntington Historical Society at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington for a variety of hands-on history activities, including learning traditional weaving techniques and Presidents Day-themed crafts, games and activities on Feb. 20 and 22 from 9 a.m. to noon. Fee is $70. Call 631-427-7045, ext. 404.

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum

On Feb. 20 and 22 from 10 a.m. to noon children in grades K through 3 can take part in several workshops at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Learning Center, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport. Participants will create a mixed media “selfie” portrait on Monday and make a bulb-forcing container with paperwhite narcissus on Wednesday. $20 per child. To register, visit www. vanderbiltmuseum.org.

PROGRAMS

Tracks & Traces

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, 581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown presents a family program, Tracks & Traces, on Feb. 18 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. What made that footprint? Who's burrow could this be? What was this animal eating? Children will become nature detectives as they unravel the clues left behind by the park's wildlife. Create a tracks & traces book filled with your favorite local animal tracks! $4 per child. Advance registration required by calling 265-1054.

Fleece to Fiber

Suffolk County Farm and Education Center, 350 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank presents a program titled Fleece to Fiber on Feb. 18 from 11 a.m. to noon. Sheep are just one of the fabulous creatures that provide us with fiber. Participants will discover some other sources like llamas, goats and rabbits and spend time manipulating sheep wool. They will get up close with the animals that help keep us warm while learning how wool travels from sheep to sweater and take a wagon ride around the farm. For ages 5 and up. $15 per child w/ adult. To register, call 727-7850.

Open Play at the Explorium

Join the Long Island Explorium, 101 East Broadway, Port Jefferson for Open Play on Feb. 18 and 19 from 1 to 5 p.m. with hands-on activities, crafts, and more. Admission is $5 per person, Long Island Explorium members and children under 1 are free. Call 331-3277.

Crafternoon at the library

Stop by Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main St., Setauket on Feb. 18 anytime between 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. for a winterthemed “Crafternoon”! Children ages 3 to 12 welcome (younger kids may need supervision). No registration required. Questions? Call 941-4080.

Narwhal Ball

You are cordially invited to a magical wintry Narwhal Ball at the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor on Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come explore the icy world of narwhals and polar sea creatures. Create frosty crafts, see a narwhal tusk and whale blubber, enjoy Storytime with Elsa, try an arctic scavenger hunt, and enjoy complimentary ice cream. Tickets are $8 adults; $6 seniors; $20 children ages 2 to 17 in advance, $25 at the door. Visit www. cshwhalingmuseum.org or call 367-3418 for more information.

Arctic Adventures

Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park hosts a Tiny Tots program, Arctic Adventures, on Feb. 23 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Children ages 3 to 5 and their parents will connect with nature through short walks, animal visitors, and crafts. $4 per child. Register at www. eventbrite.com. For more information, call 269-4333.

THEATER

Disney's 'Frozen Jr.'

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport continues its children's theater with Disney's Frozen Jr. on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. from Feb. 4 to March 5. When faced with danger, princesses Anna and Elsa discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. This enchanting musical features all of the memorable songs from the hit Disney film and will thaw even the coldest heart! All seats are $20. To order, call 2612900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

A Royal Princess Party

Hear ye, hear ye! The Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown will host a Princess Party SingAlong: A Villainous Tale of Magic on Feb. 18, 19, 25 and 26 at 2 p.m. and Feb. 20 to 24 at 1 p.m. The princesses return to the Royal Kingdom of Smithtown to get together and explore some magical artifacts. Princesses, princes, and royal families of all ages are welcome to attend but must be with an adult at all times. A special surprises and magical touches make this show a royal treat! Tickets are $16 per person. To order, call 800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

'Dorothy's Adventures in Oz' Join Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson for an unforgettable trip down the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy's Adventures in Oz from Feb. 22 to March 18 with a sensory sensitive performance on Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. Dorothy Gale is whisked away by a tornado to that magical land that lies just

Over the Rainbow. Follow Dorothy and her friends-the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Lion-as they encounter challenges and celebrate friendship. Featuring an original score, memorable characters, and fun for the entire family, the show is a delightful reminder that "there's no place like home!" All seats are $10. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

film

‘Little Giants'

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! Series with a screening of Little Giants on Feb. 19 at noon. When the local football team rejects Becky (Shawna Waldron), because she's a girl, she convinces her dad (Rick Moranis) to start a rival team, though the city can support only one. Rated PG. Tickets are $12, $5 children 12 and under. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Open Auditions

Save the date! The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport will hold a casting call for children ages 6 to 17 for roles in The Sound of Music on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. and Saturday, March 4 at 3 p.m. The show will run from May 18 to July 2. Advance registration is required by calling the box office at 631-261-2900 to set up an appointment time.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER

Come meet special guest Elsa at the Whaling Museum's Narwhal Ball on Feb. 19.

Illustration by Heather Kuhn

Hunter College, Ward Melville win Long Island Regional Science Bowls

Hunter College Campus Schools and Ward Melville High School took the top spots in the Long Island Regional Science Bowl competitions hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3. The fast-paced question-andanswer contest quizzed students on chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and general, earth, and computer science.

This year, the regional middle and high school events returned to an in-person, headto-head tournament at the Laboratory after going virtual for two years due to the COVID19 pandemic. About 80 volunteers including BNL staff, community members, and past Science Bowl participants helped out this year.

"Brookhaven's Office of Educational Programs was so excited to welcome students back onsite for a full day of competition and science learning," said Amanda Horn, a Brookhaven Lab educator who coordinated the events. "This competition provides students with a unique opportunity to show off their science skills and knowledge, and learn about the Lab as well as the DOE."

Hunter College and Ward Melville's first place wins in the middle school and high school competitions, respectively, secured each team an all-expenses paid trip to compete at DOE's National Science Bowl finals scheduled for April 27 to May 1 in Washington, D.C.

The DOE created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in these fields. Approximately 330,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl® throughout its 32-year history, and it is one of the nation's largest science competitions.

"The National Science Bowl® is an extraordinary competition that brings together young minds across America through science and technology," said Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, DOE Office of Science Director, "and I would like to congratulate the Hunter College Campus Middle School and Ward Melville High School teams as they advance to the National Finals! Good luck to you — our future scientists, visionaries, and leaders!"

Middle School Science Bowl Results

First Place: The regional middle school event held on Feb. 2 was open to teams from New York City schools in addition to schools on Long Island. Under the guidance of coaches Jennifer Kasanuki and Christopher Torpey, a team from Hunter College Campus Schools of NYC — Kieran Torpey, Gabriel Fang, Max Levin, Andres Fischer and Camille Pimentel — earned a back-to-back win for their school after being tied halfway through the final round against R.C. Murphy Junior High School of Stony Brook.

"It feels really great," said Hunter College team captain and eighth grader Kieran Torpey. "We've studied really hard for this. I love science and to know a lot of science is really great."

Second Place: R.C. Murphy Junior High School — Harry Gao, Gabrielle Wong, Menghan Tang, Willem Van der Velden, Kayla Harte (Coaches: Jillian Visser and Emily Chernakoff)

Third Place: John F. Kennedy Middle School Team 1 — Chaeten Modgil, Maya Swierupski, Jayden Brun, Aiden Karp, Ryan Perovich (Coach: Steven Nielsen)

Fourth Place: NYC Lab Middle School for Collaborative Studies Team 1 — Ryan Casey, Jonathan Lin, Vince Liao, Kolbi Canell, Daniel Berkovich (Coaches: Faithe Theresa Yates and Eva Deffenbaugh)

High School Science Bowl Results

First Place: Competing against 23 other teams, Ward Melville High School of East Setauket secured their first-place win in a second-round showdown against Great Neck South High School on Feb. 3.

Under the guidance of Coach Philip Medina, team members — Benjamin Proothi, Rithik Sogal, Anna Xing, Benjamin Zhang and Michael Melikyan — went undefeated in their first four round robin matches and reached the double-elimination finals where they faced a team from Great Neck.

Great Neck gave them their first lost, but Ward Melville High School pulled through during the tiebreaker round where they surged ahead with a rally of several questions and bonus points — an intense, yet exciting way to win.

“We didn’t really know exactly what the score was,” said Ben Proothi. “We just felt like we were ahead by a little bit, so we took the chance and ran out the clock.”

"It's incredible," said team captain and junior Michael Melikyan. "We've always been fighting Great Neck South for a top spot, and they've always been taking it. They always have a strong team and incredible people and we're just happy we finally managed to pull through. We're very grateful and very proud to be going [to the National Science Bowl]."

This marks the first time in six years Ward Melville High School has qualified for the national tournament. "They're an amazing group of people. I have no idea how they know this stuff, it's incredible. They were working so well under pressure. I'm very proud of them," added Coach Medina.

Second Place: Great Neck South High School — Richard Zhuang, Laura Zhang, Brandon Kim, Eric Pei, Erin Wong (Coaches: James Truglio and Nicole Spinelli)

Third Place: Farmingdale Senior High School — Waseem Ahmad, Ali Ahmad, Madhav Rapelli, Bevis Jiang, Rayan Adamjee, (Coach: Ashley Arroyo)

Fourth Place: Jericho Senior High School — Derek Minn, Natasha Kulviwat, He Xuan, Ashwin Narayanan, Brendan Shek (Coaches: Samantha Sforza and Emily Umile)

Brookhaven Lab's Office of Educational Programs (OEP) organized science fun for students throughout both competition days with a STEM Expo, tour, and additional science challenge. Staff and visiting students offered hands-on science demonstrations that included a cloud chamber that revealed electron tracks, sound and light sensitive microcontrollers, tricky engineering attempts, and robotic building blocks.

Science Bowl teams that did not move on to the competitions' final double elimination rounds had the chance to get an up-close look at the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), a DOE Office of Science User Facility for nuclear physics research. STAR, which weighs 1,200 tons and is as large as a house, tracks thousands of particles produced by ion collisions at RHIC to uncover clues about the universe in the moments after the Big Bang.

Teams also competed in a STEM Challenge, racing against the clock and each other to solve science and math puzzles to break several locks on boxes filled with treats. Among participating middle schools, Elmont Memorial High School earned first place, Sayville Middle School took second, and Great Neck South Team 1 placed third.

Long Beach High School completed the STEM Challenge first among participating high schools, followed by General Douglas Macarthur Senior High School, then Lynbrook Senior High School. Long Beach student Sam Adler used the periodic table to crack the code for one of the team's final locks.

"It was so much fun," Adler said. "I was so stressed during the competition itself and this was all good fun." For more information, visit www.bnl.gov.

Middle School Second Place Winners: R.C. Murphy Junior High School — Menghan Tang, Willem Van der Velden, Harry Gao, Kayla Harte and Gabrielle Wong

Middle School Third Place Winners: John F. Kennedy Middle School Team 1 — Aiden Karp, Maya Swierupski, Jayden Brun, Chaeten Modgil, and Ryan Perovich

ON THE COVER: High School First Place Winners: Ward Melville High School team members, from left, Benjamin Zhang, Anna Xing, Benjamin Proothi, Michael Melikyan, and Rithik Sogal. Photo courtesy of TVSD

Wolfie Wallet is the easy, safe and convenient way for the more than 35,000 Stony Brook University students, faculty and staff to make purchases at local shops or on campus using their Stony Brook ID card.

• Ancient Ginger St. James

• Applebee’s Lake Grove

• Arby’s Centereach

• Bagel Express East Setauket

• Buffalo Wild Wings Centereach and Miller Place

• Burger King Stony Brook

• Cabo Fresh Stony Brook

• Chico’s Tex Mex East Setauket

• CVS Pharmacy Port Jefferson Station

Specials and discounts are available at some stores. Check our website for weekly updates. If you are a merchant and would like to participate in the Wolfie Wallet program, visit us at stonybrook.edu/wolfiewallet

• D.J.’s Clam Shack Stony Brook

• Domino’s Pizza Stony Brook

• Friendly’s Stony Brook

• Greek To-Go! Stony Brook

• Jersey Mike’s Stony Brook

• L.I. Wings-n-Things South Setauket

• Local’s Cafe

Port Jefferson NEW!

• Luigi’s Pizzeria

East Setauket

• Organic Krush

Stony Brook NEW!

• O Sole Mio Stony Brook

• Redefine Meal Prep

Port Jefferson Station NEW!

• Shake Shack Lake Grove

• The Steam Room

Port Jefferson

• Stop & Shop

Centereach and Setauket

• Strathmore Bagels

Stony Brook

• Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Port Jefferson Station