Young and Looking For Something To Do? Week Of August 19 - 25

This is the final article from summer intern Cristen Feeney. A great big thank you to Cristen, who in addition to having a great smile, is both diligent in her efforts and fun to work with. THANK YOU Cristen, you will be missed!

By Cristen Feeney

August 19-25

Although the summer is coming to a close, Smithtown is still cranking up the heat with these fun summer activities this week.

Before you get the autumn blues, why not try something new and excited to end the summer with a bang! On August 19 or 20, head down to Simply Pilates in Smithtown to try a new way to stay fit, without feeling like you’re working out! Pilates and Barre are fun, but also challenging. There are ways to pay for a single class, as well as paying a monthly/unlimited fee to take as many classes as you’d like! If you want to try pilates, call the studio to make an appointment at 631-979-4278.

On August 21 at the Knox School at 7PM, you and your high school aged child can spend an evening prepping for the SAT’s with world famous author, Dr. Ira Wolf. It is a free event with a discussion and a Q&A period. You do not need to register, but if you would like to save your space, you can pre-register by calling Susan Day-Holsinger at 631-686-1600 ext. 414.

August 22 from 12-2PM is the Developmental Disabilities Institute’s Employment Open House at 99 Hollywood Drive in Smithtown. There are several part time and full time jobs available. By coming to the event, you can guarantee an interview on the spot. If you can not make the event but would still like to be considered for a position, you can email a resume to  HYPERLINK “mailto:jobs@ddiny.org” jobs@ddiny.org.

On August 23, the Abrakadoodle Art Room in St. James is hosting an event for kids who are interested in art. The event begins at 5:30PM. It is $40 for one child, but if you have multiple children, it is $25 for each additional sibling. Food and beverage are included. To register, email  HYPERLINK “mailto:lalbert@abrakadoodle.com” lalbert@abrakadoodle.com or call (631) 366-4ART.

August 24 is the Mommy & Me Spa day at 127-C East Main St in Smithtown. It is $25 for one adult and $20 for one child under 18. You may choose between several treatments that they offer. If you’d like to attend the event, you must purchase a ticket in advance! Space is very limited, and tickets will not be sold at the actual event.

August 25 is the last day to see “Pinkalicious” at Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts at 11AM. It is a children’s theatre production, but all ages are welcome to come see the musical based off the popular children’s book written by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann. The story is silly, entertaining and teaches valuable lessons on the power of self-control and moderation.

Who Wants A Night Time Meeting? Apparently Everyone - Town Board Meeting Draws Hundreds

Councilman Tom McCarthy ”I told you so. No one believed me when I said people wanted a nighttime meeting.” Councilman Tom McCarthy.  

At the July work session Councilman McCarthy called for changing the date of the August Town Board meeting from Tuesday, August 13 at 2pm to Thursday, August 15th at 7pm. At the time he stated he had received many calls from people wanting to be heard but not able to attend afternoon meetings. Not everyone on the board was happy with his proposal. 

Last night’s meeting showed how prophetic McCarthy was, hundreds of people showed up and many were turned away at the door due to overcrowding.  People waited in the lobby replacing those who left. By 6:35pm the room was filled to capacity and there was limited parking. By 7pm, the scheduled time of the meeting, no parking was available. Councilman Wherheim addressed the audience around 8pm urging people to leave the room after they addressed the board to allow others the opportunity to speak.

Entering the room you immediately noticed a sea of red as many attendees in the room arrived early, and were workers, employees and family members wearing red shirts in support of the Carlson family and their bid to continue with their controversial operation in Kings Park.

Also in the room at the beginning of the meeting were members of the St. Johnland Board of Directors. Officials from St. Johnland addressed their Uplands project and tried to clarify what they considered to be inaccurate information about the project.

There were clusters of speakers supporting Carlson and the Uplands, they were received with enthusiastic support from the audience. As people exited, residents surrounding the controversial projects, replaced the red shirts and finally had the opportunity to address the board.

KPCA President Sean LehmanOne by one residents questioned the wisdom of board members who supported the controversial projects. Sean Lehman, president of the Kings Park Civic Association (KPCA), refuted many of the statements made by the St. Johnland speakers. He questioned the wisdom of the board’s decision to make the Smithtown Messenger the town newspaper, stating that the paper refused to print his letter. A possible swipe at the three council members, Wherheim, Creighton and Malloy, who supported the Messenger as the official town newspaper. While at the podium, Sean responded to an article in the Messenger in which Councilman Malloy claimed Supervisor Vecchio was riling up the community. Lehman blasted Malloy stating that  KPCA has a long history on the Uplands project implying that they didn’t need to be riled-up. He suggested that Malloy educate himself on the KPCA positions and activities. Lehman refuted the statement that Uplands will benefit the people of Kings Park, calling attention to facts garnered from St. Johnland itself predicting 12% of the residents are expected to be from the community. He refuted the tax benefits sited by St. Johnland officials, pointing out that St. Johnland’s  literature indicates they plan to appeal the proposed tax assessments. 

Other topics included Whisper Winnery in St. James, downtown blight and budget process (Richard Macellaro a candidate for Town Council brought up the budget process). Supervisor Vecchio called Town Attorney John Zollo out of order after he lambasted speaker Michelle Gary as she questioned him about court dates and actions in the Old Northport Rd. - Lawrence Rd. corridor. Zollo, who later apologized, questioned the timing of Ms. Gary’s questions. He asked why, after spending hours in Supervisor Vecchio’s office, had she not stopped in to see him. 

The meeting ended after 9pm and no one seemed happy except for Councilman McCarthy who said, “I told them people wanted to be heard.”

A Primary Responsibility

A Primary Responsibility.

The upcoming Republican and Conservative Primary Election on Tuesday, September 10 is going to decide who will face the Democratic candidates in the November 5 General Elections.That’s Civics Lesson 101. 

But what is a Primary Election? The reasons that a potential candidate challenges their political party’s designated candidate or an incumbent public office holder varies.  The fact is that one side thinks that the other side is not or will not do a good job. That’s Politics Lesson 101.

Primary elections, enable the enrolled party voter, to select their political party’s candidate based on their stand on the current issues of the day.  By actively participating (voting) in your party’s primary election, you are choosing someone to run in a general election.  Demand that your party’s candidates’ actions are effective, transparent and forthright.  That’s Democracy 101.

Finally, become a more informed voter. The Information Age continues to mature.  Social networking, Google searches, electronic media and Facebook accounts, gives you the opportunity to find out about a candidate’s views, plans and promises, instantaneously.  You should review the candidate’s voting record (if they are incumbents) or visit their web sites? Read their campaign literature, newspaper reports and editorials, pay attention to their endorsements (political, union and civic leaders) attend public meetings and ask questions at primary and general election debates or forums. That Information 101.

These activities should help educate and assist you in electing the candidate, who will best represent your interest and concerns?   That’s right, these elected officials or public servants’

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY is to you, the voter.  They are government workers who ensure that the government works and serves you, the public.  That’s the American Way of Life.

Thank you.

Richard S. Macellaro* 

*Richard S. Macellaro is a Democratic Candidate For Smithtown Town Council

A United Independent Front - Vecchio, McCarthy And Nowick Endorse Each Other

Maureen Rossi

(click on photos to enlarge)

Close to fifty Smithtown residents, community leaders and members of the press battled Tuesday’s mid-day downpour as they scrambled towards the Watermill for a press conference called by Supervisor Vecchio.  The Supervisor took the podium with Councilman Thomas McCarthy and Legislator Lynne Nowick at his side.

“We are here for a significant announcement having to do with the lady next me,” said Vecchio.

 “My presence here reflects many weeks of soul searching, listening to merchants, the civics and the citizens; the same issues are arising over and over again and people are upset”, lamented Nowick. Choosing her words carefully, Nowick, expressed the sentiment that the recent division on the town board erodes public trust.  She added that she has grown tired of hearing about how Smithtown has to be fixed.  “Many of my colleagues in the legislature often comment, you are so lucky to represent such a lovely town”, which she attributed to the hard work of her father, (former Councilman) Eugene Cannataro and Paul Fitzpatrick (former Town Supervisor), Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick’s father.

Nowick said she plans on being an independent voice on the Town Board.  Independent was the word of the day as all three elected officials emphasized the word throughout the press conference.  

click on photo to enlargeMcCarthy stated that Nowick, with her eighteen years of public service, brings a great deal to the table.   “We have three people here with integrity, open minds and our own voices,” he explained.  He said the threesome won’t always see eye to eye on every issue and they have no plans whatsoever to vote as a block.

Vecchio spoke of his disdain for the recent political literature disparaging Smithtown and he spoke of his love of the town and its natural splendors.   “I’ve always been a champion of open space, we deserve to breathe clean air and we have 22 parks, 3 wonderful beaches, all maintained to the highest degree.”   Nowick concurred saying, “That’s how we came together, the sense that we stood for the same things.”

All three are united in their opposition to the proposed development across from St. Johnland Nursing Home in Kings Park, “The Uplands” .  Vecchio noted that one doesn’t have to be an environmentalist or a genius to know that developing in the middle of residential areas is not appropriate.  “One doesn’t’ need an environment impact study to know it’s wrong and improper and shouldn’t happen,” he added.  His comments were met with a robust round of applause from the audience.

Referring to the Uplands, “It’s a bucolic property, it’s not the place – no one here is opposed to assisted living but 200 units and only 26 slated for assisted living, that’s not assisted living, it’s maximizing profit”, declared Vecchio.   He added that the two-hundred units are slated for condominiums and will sell in the 800K range.

The Fort Salonga Civic Association was represented by Paul Graf stating “a good idea deserves our support and this is an idea that is a good idea”. Graf reaffirmed the organization’s neutrality in the election and stated “Fort Salonga Association recognizes that zoning is everything and to construct two hundred units on a possible twenty acres is ridiculous and we applaud Mr. Vecchio and his partners today for taking the position that this development should not stand.”

Linda Henninger, a member of the Kings Park Civic Association and Kings Park Neighbors Association released the following statement on behalf of both organizations: 

“We were glad to hear Supervisor Vecchio and Councilman McCarthy reaffirm their positions on the Uplands and we were excited to learn that Legislator Nowick also sees the truth about this project – it is not right for the proposed location. A massive 50 foot high facility with an underground parking garage has no place in a residential area and would set a negative precedent for every residential neighborhood in the Town of Smithtown.” 

With “independent” the key word at the conference it was clear that this was not a love fest. Vecchio, Nowick and McCarthy came together after each did some soul searching and some strategizing finding a path they hope will lead to victory in the primary. 

Theater Review - "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

THEATER REVIEW

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”

Produced by: The BroadHollow Theatre Company: Studio Theatre

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur

No one can say that Tennessee Williams ever left any gut-probing stone unturned when addressing one of his heartrending, autobiographical themes: Unsatisfied desire (“Streetcar…”); Illusory self-imprisonment (“Glass Menagerie”); Excessive pride (“Rose Tattoo”)—all of the Mississippi playwright’s works hammer at unpleasant topics experienced as a youth in his own dysfunctional family.“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” with its incessant emphasis on Mendacity and Greed, is no exception.

Virtually everyone in this long, classic play directed by Doug Lillie appears to be lying to someone else at some time, or at least hiding their true feelings. And yes, it’s depressing theater—but it’s supposed to be.

Mark T. Cahill (Brick), Frank Dispigno (Big Daddy) and Constance I. Moore (Big Mama)Brick Pollitt, the young alcoholic husband played convincingly by Mark T. Cahill, seems to have had a fling with a former football teammate but he’s not telling. Brick’s frustrated wife Maggie the Cat (Maryellen Molfetta) suspects, but is interested only in grabbing as much inheritance as possible when the play’s star Big Daddy Pollitt dies. The vital father character is assigned to Frank Dispigno who’s a natural born actor if ever there was one. And Brick’s conniving lawyer brother Gooper (Gary Tifeld) wants the whole plantation for himself and his ultra-fertile wife Mae. Lesley Wade fills that prime antagonist’s role superbly.

Constance I. Moore as Big Mama Pollitt epitomizes Southern matriarchal overprotection and denial. Even when cancer-ridden “Big Daddy” tells her (and everyone else) that she’s been a lousy wife, “Big Mama” dismisses the accusation as medically-induced ranting.

And nobody can rant like “Big Daddy” can! Granted, Tennessee Williams has given the self-made millionaire the play’s choicest lines, but they still have to be delivered with authority and in many cases, simpatico. Frank Dispigno filled the bill last weekend in what was the finest character portrayal this commentator has viewed all year. I never thought anyone could top Burl Ives’s 1958 film interpretation of the earthy Mississippi mogul, but Dispigno is better!

Molfetta as “Maggie” performs what is essentially the narrator’s function with workmanlike accuracy in Act 1, and it all proves to be a vital prelude for the beautifully paced dialogue between “Brick” and his father in Act 2. Unlike the wonderfully conceived conclusion of “Glass Menagerie” (Williams’s finest play) “Cat…” limps a bit in the third stanza—but not fatally.

The other three adult actors in the cast are: a doctor, a clergyman, and a butler, nicely done by Patrick Finn, Steven Prendergast and Kevin Knight respectively. Also, the children, John Dobbins, Samantha Hmelovsky, and Hailey Lamacchia, provide welcome breaks in the typical Tennessee Williams pounding; the three Pollitt Kids are unaware of the emotional turmoil involving their elders, and they show it with unbridled exuberance and fine stage presence.

Those who have not yet visited Studio Theatre on South Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst are in for a surprise and a treat. The comfortable venue accommodates about 140 patrons. The seats are wide and plush and the legroom is twice that normally found in Long Island theaters. The proximity of the players to the audience at this well air-conditioned second-floor hall adds an intimacy to the proceedings and makes for a truly pleasant theater experience.

Award-winning Smithtown writer Jeb Ladouceur is the author of seven novels. His theater reviews appear in several major L. I. newspapers. In Ladouceur’s next thriller, “The Dealer” due this fall, Israeli extortionists threaten to destroy Hoover Dam demolishing the Las Vegas Strip - if casino operators don’t pay millions.