It's A Tradition - Nissequogue River State Park Foundation's 7th Thanksgiving Day 5k / Turkey Trot

Chalk up another success for the The Nissequogue River State Park Foundation. According to John McQuaid, Foundation President, Thursday’s 7th Thanksgiving Day 5k Run /Turkey Trot brought  1,400 runners to the Nissequogue River State Park.  

This, the 7th annual Thanksgiving Day 5k/Turkey Trot, run is part of a growing trend towards doing something physical before the big Thanksgiving meal. According to the Wall Street Journal, there are more running events on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year.  This is a good thing when you consider that many Americans consume upwards of 3,500 calories at their Thanksgiving feast.  

Runners came from all over Long Island and from as far away as Washington. There were college students and senior citizens. The youngest runners in the 5K were two six-year-olds - Ryder Antonucci from Mattituck and Olivia Digaetani from Oakdale. The oldest runner was 82 year-old Northport resident Dick Berube.

Men’s Division:

1st - Matt Kane from Maple Glen, age 24 took first place with a net time of 15.16.75

2nd - Christopher Connelly, 23, Medford, 15.22.98

3rd - Dan Gargaro 25, Bay Shore, 15.54.37

Women’s Divison:

1st - Brianna Castrogivanni, 22, Commack - 17.29.62

2nd - Callie Hogan,25, Bryn Mawr, 17.39.45

3rd - Sarah Hardie, 18, East Northport, 19.23.17

All results can be found at the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation website  click here

Photos of the event are available at the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation website click here

Theater Review "A Christmas Story" At Engeman Theater

Theater Review - “A Christmas Story” Produced by: Engeman Theater – Northport - Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur

The opening night cast of “A Christmas Story”

The opening night cast of “A Christmas Story”It figures that an enthusiastic cast of sixteen adults and an equal number of youngsters would get a kick out of prancing around in this holiday potpourri at Northport’s Engeman Theater. “A Christmas Story,” which opened last weekend, provides the talented troupe (especially the kids, led by versatile Ethan Eisenberg and magnetic Katie Dolce) with all the playthings any actor could hope to find under the tree for the holidays.

Those toys are: A typically wonderful Jonathan Collins set … expert lighting by Driscoll Otto … mid-20^th century period costumes by Tristan Raines … and the whole works ringing with Craig Kaufman’s precise sound design. Now, turn over the reins to veteran Director, Richard T. Dolce, and you have all the ingredients for a scrumptious yuletide feast!

That would be the case to an even greater degree if Joseph Robinette’s amusing book had contained a couple of memorable songs. Alas, the providing of even one outstanding toe-tapper was apparently too much for Benj Pasek (composer) and Justin Paul (lyricist) to deliver. It’s unfortunate, too, because while the kit of the Engeman cast is overflowing with all the necessary tools … musically speaking, there’s not a lot in this show for them to assemble.

One can understand how the Engeman producers might have been seduced into embracing “A Christmas Story” for their late-fall-early-winter extravaganza. After all, the film (on which the play is based) has become something of a seasonal classic. It’s even preserved as a “cultural, historical, aesthetically significant” movie in the Library of Congress.

That’s all well and good … but the Broadway show’s Pasek & Paul score does not begin to allow for the inclusion of Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Fred Waring’s Orchestra, and the legendary Sammy Kaye … the way the original film “A Christmas Story” did. Deduct such icons from the mix (even though they’re mere cameos in the picture) and any musical is going to suffer.

But that is not the fault of the Engeman cast. If someone handed you the sheet music for ‘Georgia On My Mind,’ but it had the main melody deleted, and consisted only of the bridge, you might be hard-pressed to deliver an entertaining rendition of that beloved song. Those are the tough odds that the Engeman Theater’s performers (including the impressive six-piece orchestra) were up against when told to take the stage and turn a tunefully dry play into a pleasingly festive musical.

Dolce & EisenbergThis is not to say that “A Christmas Story” doesn’t make for a pleasant evening in the theater. No attendee between now and January 4^th will be able to watch young Ethan Eisenberg play the central character, Ralphie Parker, for nearly two hours and not be absolutely enchanted by this boy’s stage presence and vocal range. Indeed, he delivers the Benj Pasek tunes with better styling than they deserve. As for the aforementioned Katie Dolce, we’ll all soon be saying ‘…we knew her when…’ that’s how enchanting she is in her fresh-faced role as the bouncy pre-teen darling, Mary Beth.

David Schmittou comes across as a wistfully reminiscent Narrator (The Adult Ralphie) and Kathryn Markey’s interpretation of an early sixties schoolteacher (Miss Shields) is just about as we septuagenarians recall—stern, but understanding, and even loving. Credit the director for the input. Though Richard Dolce wasn’t around to experience the phenomenon, this reviewer was—and Dolce got Miss Shields right.

In summary, “A Christmas Story” seems to support the hypothesis of many critics that, while countless plays have produced superb motion pictures, the reverse is rarely the case. This premise notwithstanding, how can one fail to enjoy one’s self when actors are having so much fun? The merriment is downright contagious. Especially during the holidays.

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Award-winning writer Jeb Ladouceur is the author of nine novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. In Ladouceur’s new thriller, “Harvest,” an American doctor is ordered to perform illegal surgeries for a sinister gang of vital organ traffickers in The Balkans.

Smithtown's 2015 Town Budget NOT Approved By Town Board

by p.biancaniello

Smithtown Town BoardSmithtown’s 2015 Town Budget did not pass.  The budget failed to receive the necessary three votes to become the official 2015 Town Budget.  Supervisor Vecchio and Councilwoman Nowick voted in support of the budget, Councilman/Deputy Supervisor McCarthy abstained (a $30,000 increase in the Deputy Supervisor’s stipend, the position McCarthy holds, was included in the budget)  Councilmen Wehrheim and Creighton voted NO.  Prior to voting on the 2015 budget, there was a vote on a resolution amending the proposed budget which passed in a three - two decision with Vecchio, McCarthy, Nowick voting YES and Wehrheim and Creighton voting NO. 

According to Supervisor Vecchio the budget amendment became necessary due to the fact that the proposed transfer of Highway Department employees would not occur on January 1 as initially budgeted. Instead the transfers will take place in July of 2015. Therefore predicted savings in the highway budget would not happen. The amendment provides funding for the highway department with current personel staffing. Also included in the amendment were salary increases for certain town employees.

To understand what happens in 2015 you need to understand the budget process. 

The function of preparing the town’s budget rests with a town’s Supervisor.  After creating a budget the Supervisor  presents it to Town Council members and the public. Council members, after examining the budget, may offer amendments/changes to the budget and the changes may or may not be incorporated in to the budget.  Town Board members then vote to schedule a public hearing on what is now called the Tentative Budget. The public is invited to comment on the budget. At this point changes may be made to the budget but generally are not significant changes. A resolution for the town board to accept the budget is placed on the Town Board agenda to be voted on. The vote is largely symbolic since NYS Law mandates that the Town has a budget. Failure to approve the budget means that it becomes the budget without the support of the Town Board.  

L-R Councilmen Creighton and WehrheimSo how did it happen that this all Republican Board did not support the Supervisor’s Budget? It pretty much boils down to communication or a lack of it. Since the campaign of 2013 there has been very little communication between the Supervisor and Coucilmen Creighton and Wehrheim.  It was a messy election followed by Oathgate, followed by the $30,000  increase in the Deputy Supervisor’s stipend for 2014, and now a budget that according to Councilman Wehrheim “is more than a budget, it is the restructuring of Town departments and the way services are provided to the residents of Smithtown without any discussion or input from Council members.”

Wehrheim has concerns about the Supervisor’s plan to transfer Highway Department employees from their department to the Municipal Services Facility (MSF). “I am concerned about snow removal and the impact the proposed changes in leaf and brush pick-ups are going to have on the residents. I asked Superintendent of Highways Glenn Jorgensen if he had concerns about the proposal and he indicated that yes he did.” Councilman Wehrheim provided a copy of a memo  on which all members of the Town Council signed their names seeking written assurances from  Director of Environment and Waterways Russ Barnett, Supervisor of Municipal Services Facility Matthew Gorecki and Superintendent of Highways Glenn Jorgensen that they would work together for a smooth transition. According to Councilman Wehrheim not one of the named department heads has responded.

In addition to the structural changes, Wehrheim is not happy with the unannounced salary increases given to select employees which were part of the adopted amendments to the Proposed Budget Thursday evening. “I am not making a judgement call on whether or not they are warranted. I do believe they should have been part of the original budget and there should have been a discussion about it. Why give salary increases to people when they will be receiving two scheduled increases in January and July of next year?” Wehrheim supplied a copy of notification about the amendments received from Town Comptroller Louis Necroto. “This is the only notification, no discussion, no other information was provided.”

So how much how much have the salaries been increased and what was the justification for the increase? Councilman Wehrheim didn’t know. Presumably Councilwoman Nowick and Councilman Mc Carthy know as they both supported the budget amendment.

Without support from the Town Council Smithtown has a 2015 Budget. 

*Town Comptroller Louis Necroto was not available at the time this article was written.

Suffolk County Comptroller-Elect Kennedy Talks Past And Future

By Dana Klosner

Legislator John KennedySuffolk County Legislator and County Comptroller-Elect John M. Kennedy, Jr. has announced the formation of a transition team as he prepares to take office on January 1. The team includes former Suffolk County Executive Robert Gaffney, former County Treasurer John Cochrane and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine.

Kennedy says he plans to fill five auditor positions that were lost during the layoffs in July 2012.  There is $230,000 identified as salary available for funding these positions, he said. 

Other plans include implementing or continuing regularly scheduled major department audits and to delve into areas that he identified during the campaign most notably Suffolk County’s homeless housing operations. Another priority identified by the state for audit is preschool handicap programs. There are thirty licensed preschool handicap providers here in Suffolk County, he said. In 2015 because of concerns at the state level any recovery that’s realized with those operations the County of Suffolk gets the opportunity to retain 100% of whatever that recovery is. In the second year it drops to 41% or 45%. 

Additional plans include auditing the operation of the county bus system and providing oversight for the County’s Benefit Fund. “My objective here is not to try to go ahead and reduce or eliminate what that amount is,” he said. “I just want to make sure the providers are billing fairly and that they’re furnishing employees with the services they’ve been contracted to provide, like an eyeglass benefit, hearing aids benefit, dental coverage and things like that.”

There’s a whole schedule of licenses and fees that various businesses and other operations in the county are subject to, he said. “I’ve got to make sure that they’re being properly collected and being properly remitted.”

“We could put in staff three times the size of what I have to work in areas that need to be addressed,” he said. “There’s no shortage of areas to go forward in. I’m going to do it in an ordered, logical, straight forward method.”

A focus of Kennedy’s Comptroller campaign was investigating homeless shelters and he is not backing away from it, “I don’t know exactly what I’m going to find,” he said.

“It’s not because I bear any particular animus to any homeless individuals. I’ve said that throughout all my time that I was in office as a legislator. We’ve had a homeless shelter in my legislative district for the ten years that I was in office and I had a very good working arrangement with our commissioner of social services where we had issues raised about operations or the nature of some of the individuals, families or residents that were in there. I dealt directly with social services. I know that it’s inherent to the human condition. Any set of circumstances can befall a family. I don’t think anyone ever chooses homelessness. But whether it’s a loss of employment or if it’s a medical catastrophe or whatever befalls an individual or family by definition we must, as a county, go ahead and provide individuals with shelters. That’s in the New York State Constitution. So that’s not the issue as far as the validity of the functions. The issue becomes how we expend very limited dollars to go ahead and to achieve that responsibility we have by virtue of the law to make sure that homeless families are being provided for in the best and most economical methods, and that their issues are being addressed. Whether it’s helping them to regain employment or whether it’s getting them the medical care that they need, making sure the children are being properly educated and making sure the circumstances and situations associated with lodging are clean and habitable. I don’t want to see 15, 16, 17 people packed in a single family house. I’ve had conversations with some folks that say they know for a fact we have department of social services checks going to one address. That may be as many as 10, 12, 15 checks. That’s a real issue we, meaning the county, shouldn’t be facilitating or promoting that type of an operation because it’s no good for the homeless individual, the homeless families themselves and it’s an impact on the neighborhood. No residential property is set up, just with the infrastructure, the septic system, the cooking facilities or anything like that to properly accommodate that many people. There are some of those types of situation that I want to be able to get a look at. It’ one thing to hear it mentioned as hearsay it’ll be my job to validate that or dispel the myths and to recommend actions beyond that. Again all I can do as Comptroller is do the review, identify what the facts are and make recommendations from there.”

Kennedy leaves behind a record of accomplishments, he spoke of a few of his favorites.

The recent grant announcement regarding work on the Northeast branch in the Village of the Branch for streambed silt remediation and reconstruction of two culverts.  Demolishing the Bavarian Inn. Getting the 90 acre Lily Pond Park dedicated as a Nature Preserve. Sponsoring a resolution to acquire the five acres in the 200 year old Connerdinger property in Ronkonkoma. Sponsoring the Friends and Family CPR event and working with Parish outreaches and soup kitchens. Improving pedestrian safety along Smithtown Blvd and County Road 16. Co-sponsoring with Legislator Nowick the sewer studies for Kings Park and Smithtown. Smithtown Galleria sewer district, district 4. Sponsoring the cell phone funding for public safety answering points – 911 operations.  “And dealing with the basic day to day services for constituents in need for more than 2,000 constituents,” he said. “We have over 2, 000 successfully resolved cases. But most of all we have a great staff, with my wife (Leslie) in there, Ali Nazir in there and over 70 interns that I’ve had in the time I’ve been in the legislature. Giving young people, students at all levels, the opportunity to see government up close and personal and be able to work day in and day out. “

With all that he’s done there are things that he will leave unfinished when he leaves office.“We’re still getting repairs done and the Connerdinger house. We need to get it open,” he said. “Never having been able to get the wheel put back on for the Blydenburgh Mill,” he said. “I had always hoped we’d get that done. Funding has become so dear here in Suffolk County. We did get the mill itself. I was able to secure $500,00 in capital funding to keep it from falling into the stream. The whole foundation system was rebuilt, the interior was repaired. It is a stable structure now. We just need to get it open so we can get folks in there to get it toured.”

“I’m going to do my level best to try and button up as many things as I can going out the door,” he said. 

As far as a special election to fill his position he said he believes the charter says a special election date has to be set 90 days of him vacating his position. He is resigning on December 31 so the election would have to be by March 30.

He said he is not backing anyone in particular but he feels his wife Leslie, who is currently a legislative aid, knows the job better than anybody as far as the day to day operations.

Kennedy pointed to the drug epidemic and heroin epidemic in particular as an area that is on his list of accomplishments as well as an area that needs to continue to be addressed. “I was surprised the extent of involvement, use and proliferation throughout our area. That issue needs to continue to have a bright light shined on it. I was glad to be the sponsor along with Legislator Hahn of the Narcan program that has turned out and Leslie was very involved with working with the Police Department with Dr. Coin in assembling the protocol. That program has turned out to be the benchmark for other programs throughout the state of New York. We now have 500 or 600 saves at this point of opiate/heroin overdoses by the use of Narcan that would have been 500 or 600 funerals of users.

He is looking forward to his new position but he will miss his old position. 

“So, it has been a great, great, great opportunity to go ahead and use our skills to try to improve the lives of the 80,000 plus residents in the 12^th Legislative District and I will miss it dearly,” he said. “But there will be somebody new who comes along and they will put their thumbprint on the office and I’m sure that they’ll do a great job. “

Smithtown Author Jeb Ladouceur Introduces His Ninth Novel At Book Revue

Jeb Ladouceur introduces new Balkans-based novel in Huntington Nov. 25

In an upcoming event unparalleled among authors Island-wide, Smithtown novelist Jeb Ladouceur will conduct his ninth speaking and book-signing appearance at Huntington’s renowned Book Revue, one of the nation’s ten largest independent bookstores, on Tuesday night, Nov. 25. The free event is slated for 7:30 PM.

Author Ladouceur will introduce “Harvest” at area bookstores beginning with the Book Revue November 25, at 7:30. The novel deals with illicit organ trafficking in The Balkans.

Ladouceur is the author of a widely acclaimed “Wordplay Trilogy” that he introduced at the massive store, and which Smithtown Library Foundation president, James Teese in 2009 called, “Nothing short of terrific!” This month Ladouceur will present his newest novel “Harvest” to the always enthusiastic Book Revue audience.

Jeb Ladouceur is photographed at 2009’s Smithtown Library Foundation Awards banquet. The author was the dinner’s Keynote Speaker and is a frequent lecturer at many Long Island venues.An award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is now the author of nine novels, and his theater and book reviews appear online and in several major L.I. publications. In this heralded 360-page thriller, an American military doctor is seized and ordered to perform illegal surgeries by a sinister gang of organ traffickers in The Balkans.

Smithtown’s favorite storyteller numbers among his adherents, best-selling author Jodi Picoult (My Sister’s Keeper). She was one of the first literary lights to acknowledge eight years ago that, “Long Island’s up-and-coming novelist Jeb Ladouceur is well on his way.”

More recently T.J. Clemente, book reviewer for the iconic Dan’s Papers, stated, “Ladouceur’s novels are brisk, twisted, grisly—and they all work!” Clemente adds, “His books are polished in their story-telling, the characters are neatly developed, and the settings are well researched.”

Shortly thereafter, distinguished AOL critic, Elise Pearlman, dubbed Mr. Ladouceur “Long Island’s incomparable Master of Suspense.”

Asked about the most gratifying occurrence in his event-filled career, the local writer responded quickly and without equivocation, “It was giving the keynote address at 2009’s Smithtown Library Foundation banquet. Obviously my rank-and-file readers are first and foremost among the folks I enjoy meeting with regularly,” said Ladouceur, “but the Foundation Dinner was a once-in-a-lifetime happening. All those dignitaries—those fine members of the community who live and breathe books on a daily basis—it was a unique honor to speak at their awards banquet.”

The fifty-year Smithtown resident has spoken before any number of prestigious organizations. According to his publicist Debbie Lange Fifer, Mr. Ladouceur, in addition to being featured on multiple occasions at the Huntington Book Revue, has been a fixture discussing his novels at bookstores throughout the Northeast, notably several independent outlets including the famed Baby Grand Books in upstate Warwick. He has also been interviewed about his books on “The Joe Bartlett Show” (WOR radio), ‘The Larry Davidson Radio Show’ (WGBB in Freeport), ‘Vic Latino’s Neighborhood’ (Party 105, Ronkonkoma), WRIV in Riverhead, and various other regional radio and television stations.

Jeb Ladouceur signs his eighth book “The Dealer” for waiting fans in Huntington last fall. No other writer has appeared at the renowned Book Revue as often. Ladouceur has twice lectured at Hofstra University, was featured during ‘Meet the Author’ appearances at the Smithtown Public Library, and addressed the Suffolk County Ethical Culture Society. He has been a guest speaker at meetings of The Smithtown Book Club (founded in 1937), the Smithtown Township Arts Council, and several other diverse organizations, including the international literary association, “Sisters In Crime” whose president is the noted Dr. C.B. Knadle of Dix Hills. 

The popular writer is a charter member of the Long Island Authors Group and a graduate of Smithtown’s exclusive Writers Workshop. Jeb Ladouceur is recognized throughout Long Island for his career in public relations, advertising, and publishing. A former New York Senate candidate and member of Gov. Mario Cuomo’s State Arson Task Force, the St. John’s graduate is the founder and Publisher Emeritus of The Fire News, circulated continuously among firefighters in the Northeast since 1973.

Mr. Ladouceur and his wife Elizabeth live in the historic “Landing” area of Smithtown. Their five married children all reside with their families in New York. The author may be contacted at 631-278-5100 or by e-mail at JebLadouceur@aol.com.

Photos by Debbie Lange Fifer