Smithtown Closes Out it Sesquarcentennial With The Dedication Of A Time Capsule

Town Historian Bradley Harris, Councilwoman Lynne Nowick, Supervisor Patrick R. Vecchio, Councilman Thomas McCarthy and Councilwoman Lisa Inzerillo

By p.biancaniello

2015 Time Capsule Burial Ceremony

Thursday, March 3rd, 2016 Smithtown ended its 350th Anniversary Celebration.  A time capsule was buried on the grounds of Town Hall. The capsule will be opened in 2065. A lot of thought went into deciding how to celebrate this important anniversary and a lot of thought went into what to put into the time capsule. The celebratory events and the contents of the capsule are a reflection of our passion and pride for Smithtown. The contents of the time capsule tell a story of Smithtown, its residents and their values in 2015. The 350 Foundation under the leadership of Town Historian Town Historian Bradley Harris and Maureen Smilow reading Smithtown RememberedBradley Harris planned a celebration that would reflect our rich history. We hope you participated in one, some or all of the events and that you enjoyed them as much as we did! 

Foundation members 

President, Bradley Harris, Kathy Albrecht, Martin Aponte, JoAnn Betts, Patricia Biancaniello, Carolyn Borella, Michael Donnelly, Steve Garguilo, William Garthe, Noel Gish, Linda Henninger, Al Hornberger, Marianne Howard, Annette Kosar, Lillian Munro, Neal Richman, Maureen Smilow, Richard Smith, Anthony Tanzi, Alex Wallach

Smithtown Remembered 

by Maureen Smilow

Today our thankful community commits to the earth,

A modest time capsule that commemorates the birth,

Of our noble town founded by Richard “Bull” Smith

A man most resolute, much more than a myth.

Determined and undeterred by the obstacles faced,

Smith, quickly filled lands that Indians once embraced,

With kin and settlers seeking to plant farms and dreams,

These new comers took advantage of rich forests and streams.

In this pastoral setting, Smith’s vision quickly took root,

And soon emerged the spirit, that was freedom’s pursuit,

Seeking to end a tyrant’s control that was cruel and unfair,

Smithtowners endured hardships that may have left lesser men in despair.

Quite naturally, the people of Smithtown began to understand,

That it was iniquitous to deny freedom to any man.

So early on, the stain of slavery from our town was erased

And the march towards equality began at a slow pace.

Onward the town grew from agriculture to trade,

And achieved modernity as incremental steps were made.

Lumber and gristmills and deafening freight trains,

Made it possible for Smithtowners to enjoy economic gains.

Southward and westward our town did expand.

Providing opportunity for citizens from distant cities and lands.

Hauppauge, Nesconset, Kings Park, St. James and Commack.

All part of Smithtown, invited these folks, never turning them back.

Never free from the influences and concerns of the nation at large,

Drawn into war, the brave ones from Smithtown did charge,

Slipping from the comfort of home to preserve what they loved best,

So many young people, too soon laid to rest.

With post-war fervor, come modern settlers from lands to the west,

Who were drawn by the verdant landscape that for raising families was best,

They sought to enjoy a life that Richard Smith could not have foreseen,

And today, continue to follow that long ago dream.

Yes, we the beneficiaries of Smith’s vision can with great certainty say,

That his determination, hopes and resolved live on today.

So concluding our celebration of three-hundred and fifty years,

We like Smith must put aside our fears.

We should be confident that our town is one of which to be proud,

As evidenced by this time capsule we humbly place in the ground.

Everyone Wants To Be At The Beach! Cessna 152 Safely Lands At Sunken Meadow

A Cessna 152 made an emergency landing at Sunken Meadow Beach in Kings Park this morning. No injuries were reported, the nature of the emergency has not been released. The plane was removed approximately 3:30 pm. According to reports there were two people in the plane a student and an instructor. The plane owner Long Island Aviator is based in East Farmingdale at Republic Airport. “Looks like the pilot made a great landing.” said an unnamed former pilot.

Smithtown Resident Dawn Lott Named Executive Director Of Suffolk County Human Rights Commission

“Congratulations to Dawn Lott on her new position as the Executive Director of the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission. We know that the people of Suffolk County will be well served with Dawn in this important position.” Edward Maher, Chairman, Smithtown Democratic Committee. 

Originally created in 1963 to work toward the elimination of bias and discrimination in January 2015 the mission of the Human Rights Commission was expanded to include domestic violence, Veteran and Military Status issues.

Ms. Lott is an attorney who resides in the Town of Smithtown.

In her new position Ms. Lott will work with 15 commission members (volunteers)  establishing policy for Suffolk County with a focus on public education and complaint investigation.

Newborn Enters The World On Nesconset Highway With A Little Help From Joseph Pucci

A Suffolk County Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services dispatcher helped deliver a baby during a 911 call this morning.

The husband of a 38-year-old woman who was in active labor called 911 on his way to the hospital after his wife indicated delivery was imminent. The man pulled their Dodge Caravan to the side of the road in front of 3990 Nesconset Highway in East Setauket. 

FRES Emergency Service Dispatcher Joseph Pucci, who has been training for the past five months, answered the 911 call at 9:53 a.m. After verifying the couple’s location, it was determined the woman was 36 weeks pregnant and this would be her fourth delivery. Pucci provided instructions to the woman’s husband and the baby, a boy, was delivered at 9:56 a.m.

Pucci provided further life support instructions to the father including, checking the baby’s breathing, keeping the baby warm and using a shoelace to tie off the umbilical cord. Pucci remained on the line until Suffolk County police officers and the Setauket Fire Department arrived.

The mother and baby appeared healthy and were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital by Setauket Fire Department Rescue.

Book Review - 'Twenty-Six Angels'

BOOK REVIEW

‘Twenty-Six Angels’ Archway Publishing

Written by Chris Brady – Illustrated by Leigh Ann Klein

Reviewed by Jeb Ladouceur

Whatever this slender volume (26 pages) might lack in length, and the skillful execution of poetic meter and rhyme, it more than makes up for in the lofty sentiment of its message: that it is possible to provide meaningful answers to questions that must of necessity follow in the wake of seemingly senseless acts of unspeakable horror.

The answer to the 2012 pre-Christmas massacre of twenty-six people (twenty of them small children) at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut is that Heaven was running short of angels, thus the supply was replenished by the addition of twenty-six new ones from Sandy Hook. These recruits, through harmonious singing and displaying Gandhi-like non-violence, are said to be destined to save the Earth from battle and destruction.

Were the matter not such a cerebral one, Long Islander Chris Brady might be applauded for dreaming it (‘applauded’ being a term Brady would love, since he is an accomplished actor), but it is this critic’s view that the slaughter at Newtown is far too weighty a paradox to be explained away with harps and halos … white wings and warbling.

The author seems to have his finger on the pulse of youngsters, and one supposes that he is either a teacher or some sort of children’s counselor. If that is the case, Brady has overextended himself in stating in his cover notes that ‘Twenty-Six Angels’ was written for children between the ages of 4 and 8. Children of such tender years already populate a world of peace and love … their quarrels are playful and short lived … they have not yet been infused with hateful motives. Brady is preaching to the choir.

This is not to say that there is no audience for the metaphorical ‘Twenty-Six Angels’ story. Maybe Chris Brady should suggest that his noble message be disseminated to areas where hand-guns, illegal drugs, and violent video games are known to proliferate. For that matter, perhaps the books publisher should see to it that a copy is sent to every member of our government’s Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Branch. Those are the people who need the lesson. And the book is written primarily in words of one syllable … thus they’ll have little trouble digesting it.

Brady’s frequent stage director, Jeffrey Sanzel has noted, “I have known Chris for over twenty years and he has shown the same passion as a writer as he has for his acting.” Which of course, is not to say that the young man’s form and imagery are flawless in this, his first poetic work. The notion of angels being in short supply might have been used to humanize the spiritual creatures, however, it comes off as a sort of celestial flaw … surely not what Brady intended.

But even Edgar Allan Poe fell victim to the seduction of such hyperbole when, in the otherwise magnificent ‘Annabelle Lee,’ he describes his own jealous, metaphorical angels as, “…not so happy in heaven…envying her and me…” Of course, the overstatement was not flaw enough to ruin the Poe masterpiece, any more than Chris Brady’s will prove fatal to ‘Twenty-Six Angels.’ It’s a rare actor or poet whose performance or poem cannot be improved.

Leigh Ann Klein’s watercolor illustrations are quite pleasing, particularly in their facial expressions. Her pastel style is primitive and appropriate to the story-in-verse. That is to say, the art and accompanying narrative never overshadow one another. These two artists should stick together if possible … because the combination works very well indeed in this poignant initial effort.

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eleven novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. Ladouceur’s newest spellbinder THE GHOSTWRITERS explores the odd relationship between the late Harper Lee and her childhood friend and neighbor, Truman Capote. He discusses the new book at https://youtu.be/dE9FiNvVEyw