Sabrina Artusa

Freelance Writer

Suffolk County announces $5.5M for downtown Smithtown economies | TBR News Media

Suffolk County is giving Kings Park, St. James and Smithtown a sizable chunk of downtown revitalization stimulus.

These funds, made available by the pandemic economic recovery allotments, will help revitalize the downtown districts while investing in developing infrastructure in downtown areas.

Through the JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program, which awards money to nonprofits, organizations and businesses, and the Jumpstart program, which awards money to towns and municipalitie

Huntington Town Board candidates debate overdevelopment, housing and traffic control | TBR News Media

As Election Day approaches, candidates met Wednesday night, Oct. 18, to address various local issues affecting the Town of Huntington.

During this election cycle, two Town Council seats are up for grabs as Councilwoman Joan Cergol (D) and Councilman Eugene Cook (R) are not seeking re-election.

For the position of town clerk, incumbent Andrew Raia (R) hopes to continue for another term. Running against him is Linda Davis Valdez (D), a first-time runner who has 18 years of experience working wit
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Girl alleges bullying occurred for years, sues Smithtown school district | TBR News Media

After years of alleged bullying, a Smithtown student is suing the school district, claiming inadequate handling of the abuse. An accused party is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

According to the $6 million lawsuit, the 16-year-old was allegedly subjected to degradation, mockery and even physical assault, which was recorded and shared.

The lawsuit accuses the Smithtown Central School District, Smithtown High School West, Superintendent of Schools Mark Secaur and the district Board of
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Sound Beach residents and officials blast protracted post office closure | TBR News Media

Sound Beach’s residents and political representatives are fed up over the prolonged closure of the hamlet’s post office on New York Avenue, which has been closed for repairs since May.

New York State Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk), Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point), among others, rallied outside the post office Wednesday, Sept. 6, putting pressure on the U.S. Postal Service and the property owner to expedite reopening of the complex.
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Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse remains open after health scare, lawyer weighs in | TBR News Media

On Saturday afternoon, Sept. 9, 28 people were made ill due to the mishandling of cooked rice served at Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse on Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook.

A group of 13-year-olds were at the restaurant celebrating a birthday when some girls started projectile vomiting. Sixteen others, celebrating a baby shower, got sick after leaving the restaurant.

“I’m extremely angry with the business,” the mother of one of the girls told News 12. “We all go out to eat all the time. We never think w

Northport Village hosts flag raising for Opioid Awareness Month | TBR News Media

To mark International Opioid Awareness Day, Northport-East Northport Drug and Alcohol Task Force held a conference on the day itself, Thursday, Aug. 31, recognizing and remembering those affected by the opioid epidemic.

Village of Northport Mayor Donna Koch, New York State Assemblyman Keith Brown (R-Northport), county Chief Assistant District Attorney Allen Bode, task force team members, law enforcement and community members were among those gathered in attendance.

Brown has been personally af
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The Podcast Takeover

In 2020, quarantine put an end to spontaneous human connection. There weren't any casual conversations with friends on the way to class. Nor was there any light-hearted small talk with your classmates. What there was, however, was a lot of weary silence and an unfulfilled desire for connection.

As a result, people were left feeling isolated. For many, podcasts partially filled the void caused by the distanced world of COVID-19. As the interactions sustaining our need for human connection were u
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Street Performers of Columbia

Street performing has existed for centuries. It is a way for individuals to showcase their talents, express themselves and connect with their community. These small, unconventional and unexpected performances have the power to disrupt the bustle of a street and unite a crowd with a universal appreciation of a certain skill. A spirited performer who is willing to share their passion with their community allows onlookers to take a step out of their own lives and appreciate the art around them. Peo
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Comfort Food Recipes

Imagine: It’s finals week. You have a migraine from the painfully intense library lights and have developed a steady buzz in your head from too much coffee. After an exhaustive morning in the library and a difficult three-hour final, you are free at last, or at least until tomorrow. As you enter your kitchen, what meal is on your mind? What meal will give you solace from the stress of the day? Maybe it’s chili or chocolate ice cream. Or it could be a hamburger or pizza. The foods that I turn to
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The Gamecock Pantry: a pillar against food insecurity

Tucked between the Thomas Cooper Library and McBryde Quadrangle A is the Gamecock Pantry: the volunteer-run food pantry dedicated to alleviating food insecurity for anyone with a CarolinaCard.

The donation based pantry is small and compact in its space attached to the McBryde building, but a look inside reveals shelves of food, both canned and fresh, and toiletries. Sitting inconspicuously behind McBryde, the pantry is often overlooked. Volunteer Nicole Frattaroli recalls when she first found o
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Motherhood is not the Same as Womanhood

I was supposed to have three children.

My friends and I were lined up eagerly, with searching eyes fixated on our upturned palms. When it’s my turn, I present my hand to another girl in our art class. Inspecting it, she tells me I will have two boys and one girl. The boys will be twins, she adds. I was delighted that I would have a nice balanced family, which seemed right, but I was also perplexed at how she could predict such a thing. I looked at my hand in wonder. How did she do that? How cou
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The Columbia City of Women Unveils Female Monument

The State House has long been a reminder of a past that most South Carolinians don’t want to be reminded of. Its memorialization of white confederate men, many of whom were segregationists, glorifies South Carolina’s historical injustice, while ignoring the women and people of color who continuously contribute to the state’s prosperity. The Columbia City of Women project aims to change that narrative.

Just across the street from the anachronistic South Carolina State House, stands a steel, sinu
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St. James’s Flowerfield Fairgrounds revs up for car show | TBR News Media

Flowerfield Fairgrounds in St. James was transformed Sunday, Aug. 20, into a parking lot for some of the most unique cars on Long Island during the Long Island Cars Car Show and Swap Meet.

Visitors walked through lines of gleaming muscle cars, rusted antiques, military vehicles and cars of the rarest variety. Circling cars that piqued their interest, perhaps stopping to ask about a modified engine or to compliment the paint job, visitors learned about and admired vehicles from the past century.
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Northport’s Art in the Park features local artists and musicians | TBR News Media

At Village of Northport Park Sunday, Aug. 13, with a view of the water, art lovers from across Long Island gathered to enjoy everything from photography to poetry readings.

The annual Art in the Park fair, organized by the nonprofit Northport Arts Coalition, started at 10 a.m. and ran until 5 p.m. As patrons walked through the lines of stalls — perhaps stopping to admire watercolor landscapes or handmade wooden spoons — poets, musicians and dancers performed in the center of the park in front o
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While some decry trash, Brookhaven official defends Cedar Beach upkeep | TBR News Media

Nicole, a Miller Place resident, has long frequented Mount Sinai’s Cedar Beach, saying she has often enjoyed visiting this scenic destination with her family. In recent years, however, she has noticed one “really unsettling” trend.

“So much garbage is left behind on the beach,” she said. “It makes me sad.”

Nicole said she and some other locals have grown increasingly agitated with the Town of Brookhaven over a perceived buildup of litter and fishing debris at Cedar Beach, with some even sugges
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Anti-Bias Task Force aims for unity in Smithtown | TBR News Media

The Smithtown Anti-Bias Task Force, a team of town-board-appointed volunteers, endeavors to decrease discrimination by focusing on programs that promote inclusivity.

The task force was created as a town agency in May 1994 but only resumed activity in 2019. After a brief hiatus in 2020, the task force commenced in-person events like educational programs at the Smithtown library, anti-bias multimedia galleries and a Pride Month picnic, the second of which will take place Monday, June 26.

Program
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Smithtown BOE debates Secaur’s contract among other issues | TBR News Media

During the Smithtown Central School District Board of Education meeting on June 13, the board was divided on the motion to amend Superintendent Mark Secaur’s contract.

The amendment’s immediate implications were unclear, but discussion suggests that the amendment would raise the superintendent’s salary. However, the specific conditions of the amendment were undisclosed.

“I think this moves him up toward the middle of the pack,” said Vice President Michael Saidens to board members. “Monetarily,
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Sound Beach ceremony honors the pandemic heroes | TBR News Media

Sound Beach Civic Association dedicates itself to the betterment of the locality and the well-being of its citizens. So, as the COVID-19 pandemic escalated, members knew they needed to find a way to thank the frontline and essential workers who were risking their own health to keep others safe.

The civic initiated a fundraiser by collecting recipes and creating a cookbook, “Signature Dishes of Sound Beach and Beyond.” The cookbook was sold in order to fund this tribute.

The unexpected free ser
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Port Jeff Station brothers host West Meadow Beach Cleanup | TBR News Media

Phil and Patrick O’Brien, owners of the Port Jefferson Station-based clothing brand Anchor East Apparel, hosted their second beach cleanup at West Meadow Beach on July 18.

The brothers grew up on the water and are heavily involved in the boating community. As a result, they decided to actualize their appreciation for Long Island and the water through their brand.

When they developed the line during the initial COVID-19 lockdown, they knew they wanted to use their brand to promote beach cleanup
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Finally reopened, PJ Cinemas makes up for lost movie time | TBR News Media

After many gloomy months in quarantine, movie theater-starved citizens can now return to PJ Cinemas.

The Port Jefferson Station-based theater, owned by Phil Solomon, officially reopened May 28 after tentative operation and eventual closure during quarantine.

PJ Cinemas has long been a cornerstone of Port Jefferson life. Many Port Jeffersonians grew up in front of its screens, snacking on popcorn, splurging on candy and laying back in the dimmed theater to enjoy a movie with family and friends.
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Local school districts seeing an uptick in antisemitic incidents | TBR News Media

Just last week, schools across the North Shore — including Smithtown East, Commack and Port Jefferson high schools — all reported antisemitic language in their buildings.

‘It’s such a cruel way of being made to feel better or superior.’

week, swastikas were found in the boys bathroom at Commack High School and on a desk at Smithtown High School East. This is the second swastika reported at Commack this month — racist graffiti was also found on the bathroom stalls.

Two swastikas were also foun
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Huntington Town Board reviews $229M FY24 budget | TBR News Media

During the Huntington Town Board meeting on Nov. 2, town Supervisor Ed Smyth (R) and his staff reviewed the projected operational expenses budget for the 2024 fiscal year.

The $229 million budget, an increase of 4.09%, is designed for “revitalization and redevelopment,” as Smyth wrote in the budget. The heads of 10 offices reviewed their expenditures and accomplishments in 2023 with anticipated plans for 2024.

Peter Leodis, acting director of the town’s Audit & Control Department; Andre Sorren
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