PRSRT STD **********************************ECRWSS US Postage PAID St. James NY POSTAL CUSTOMER Permit No. 10 JULY 2020 Volume 33 Number 9 Keeping you up to date on SALES, HAPPENINGS & PEOPLE Our Town In Our Town - St. James • • • • • • S T J A M E S PUBLISHED MONTHLY WhisperWhisper says,says, “thumbs“thumbs up!”up!” WHISPER THE BULL made an appearance on Lake Avenue recently to check on the progress of the massive revitalization taking place along Lake Avenue. Apparently he was very pleased as he posed with the workers who took a short break for this photo shoot. Special thanks to all the workers who have gone out of their way to help the businesses during this trying time. We all can’t wait to see the results... Lake Avenue will be absolutely fabulous! – 2 – COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES are being LISTED and SOLD 765 Smithtown Bypass UNDER CONTRACT JUST LISTED 135 West Main St. JUST LISTED 145 West Main St. by LUCI GHERARDI Licensed Real Estate Agent Your Neighborhood Realtor Cell: 917-683-3439 Office: 631-858-6938 • 200 W. Main Street., Smithtown www.LuciGherardi.com OUR TOWN • JULY 2020 – 3 – IN THIS ISSUE Our Town MERCHANT SPOTLIGHT NEXXDigital ......................................................4 S • T • J • A • M • E • S AROUND TOWN Arline Goldstein Named to STAFF Citizens Advisory Board for the Arts............ 6 Ruth Garthe . Editor Bringing People Together Through Music ....8 Robin Clark . .Associate Editor IN THE NEWS Debbi Spiegel . Feature Writer Town of Smithtown Live Music Series ........ 10 15 Year Old Hero Honored ............................................................ 12 William Garthe . Advertising Mercy’s Home Care COVID19 Response .................................... 14 Sales Daring Rescue Reunites Family With Lost Cat ............................ 16 LISCA Vocal Musician Scholarship Winners Announced .......... 18 OUR TOWN HISTORICALLY SPEAKING ........................................................ 20-22 – ST. JAMES – THE WINE DOWN: The Taste of Summer ........................................ 24 is a monthly publication produced YOU CAN HELP exclusively for the people of Smithtown Animal Shelter Looking for St. James, Nissequogue and Short Term Foster Homes for Dogs and Cats ...................... 26-28 Head of the Harbor, L.I., N.Y. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Call 631-862-9849 for Documenting the Coronavirus Pandemic Advertising & Copy Deadline at the Smithtown Library and the Long Island Museum .......... 28 Smithtown Historical Society Happenings .................................. 30 OUR TOWN is mailed directly to Programs Offered at Your Library ............................................ 32-40 every residence & business in the 11780 zip code area IN THE SCHOOLS ........................................................................ 42-52 (6559 total copies mailed) FINANCIAL FOCUS: St. James Post Office Permit #10 St. James, NY 11780 Can You Lower Your “Reliance Rate” During Retirement?.. 54-55 Published by NATURE PAGES: Our Connection With Madagascar .................. 56 Graphics du jour, Ltd. DESIGN IDEAS: A Summer Like No Other .................................... 57 359 Lake Ave., St. James, NY 11780 631-862-9849 / Fax: 631-862-9839 HEALTH NOTES email: [email protected] 7 Easy Ways to Safeguard Your Hearing This Summer ................ 60 website: www.ourtownstjames.com Ask Ron Villano ................................................................................62 Empowered Living: Enjoying the Great Outdoors ................ 64-65 Not responsible for typographical errors. We reserve the right at our sole discretion to edit or refuse to print editorial or advertising material CELEBRATIONS.................................................................................. 66 deemed detrimental to Our Town’s public image OBITUARIES........................................................................................ 70 or unsuitable for its readers. Copyright © 2020 POET’S CORNER ................................................................................72 Graphics du jour, Ltd. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING .............................................................. 72 All Rights Reserved DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS .................................................. 74-75 PLEASE NOTE: Advertising & Editorial Deadline for the AUGUST edition of OUR TOWN • ST. JAMES is THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020 - 12 NOON. Distribution takes place on Wednesday, August 19, 2020. OUR TOWN • JULY 2020 – 4 – MERCHANT SPOTLIGHT NEXXDigital new user-friendly website design, easy to navigate 516-316-8395 on mobile, desktop, or [email protected] tablets raise their client's www.nexx.digital profile in the digital by Debbi Spiegel search. Services are tai- NEXXDigital is a full-service lored to specific needs. digital marketing and eCom- They can do everything merce strategy agency based in from writing content, tak- St. James. Founded in 2015 by ing photographs, adding Brendan Fleming, NEXXDigital product descriptions, and offers a wide range of marketing implementing market- services specializing in web de- place listings and fulfill- sign, marketplace seller store- ment. Some can become fronts, and business self-sufficient, while development. others prefer to have Brendan’s 25 years of business NEXXDigital handle all of marketing has led his team to the details. help Long Island businesses sell Small to medium-sized their products locally, nation- businesses #shoplocal wide and globally. Consultations can sell their products to begin with branding. Their motto larger audiences #sell- is “Brand by design, design by global. brand.” The NEXXDigital team Search Engine Opti- you do best, running your busi- includes experienced senior web mization (SEO) helps bring web- ness. designers, core developers, and sites to the top of the search Shopping online has become social media specialists based on results. A successful Search En- more popular than ever due to each project’s need. This partner- gine Optimization campaign uti- the pandemic. The evolution and ship helps gain a deep under- lizes relevant keywords and a future of web technology is hap- standing of the business, its proper strategy to make it to the pening. There are a variety of goals, and most importantly the first page. Think of doing a reasons to use a new progressive target customer. Google search and seeing a local and specialized domain name Brendan likes to meet with business come up. Keeping it extension. Clever naming allows clients in their shop or office to “hyperlocal” is important for our companies to cleverly combine understand the business’ sales community owners who are also the name with the extension. model; and by meeting off-hours, our neighbors. Google’s search engine algorithm the discussion is not distracted Social Media Marketing treats these domains the same as by the regular business flow. (SMM) campaigns are created to .com or .org extensions. They are Then together the business de- establish a social media pres- great for local businesses that velopment plan is created to ence that drives consumer en- want to be associated with that bridge the website design and gagement on major platforms location, you can help build marketplace priorities. like Google, Amazon, Facebook, your branding and local image NEXXDigital is a results-driven Instagram, Etsy, or Pinterest. The by claiming a new extension. digital agency that will help campaigns increase site traffic, NEXXDigital is dedicated to grow businesses and succeed on- drive sales, and engage cus- creating superior web-based ap- line with fresh marketing tomers. The goal in social media plications and solutions that ex- strategies, product optimization, marketing is not just to increase ceed all aspects of client and responsive website designs the size of your followers, but expectations in experience, func- for mobile visitors. An updated also to improve active engage- tionality, usability, and value. ment. NEXXDig- They are committed to providing ital can be the the best experience possible for voice of your all customers. Visit NEXX.digital company across to connect with Brendan and multiple social schedule your consultation via networks while phone, video, or in-person right you do what here in St. James. OUR TOWN • JULY 2020 – 5 – 5-Bedrooms, 5.5 Bathroom | $2,749,000 | Web# 3127395 OUR TOWN • JULY 2020 – 6 – AROUND TOWN Leg. Robert Trotta Appoints Arline Goldstein of St. James to the Citizens Advisory Board for the Arts Suffolk County Legislator president of the Smithtown Robert Trotta has asked Arline Arts Council and a retired Goldstein, of St. James, to serve teacher of Art and Gifted Chil- as his appointee to the Suffolk dren at the Longwood School County Citizens Advisory Board District. In her studio on Lake for the Arts. Established in Avenue, she teaches drawing 1978, the board suggests, and painting to adults, and in reviews and recommends this pandemic holds classes on policies and programs for the Zoom,” said Suffolk County arts. A major function of the Legislator Rob Trotta. board is the allocation of grants In addition to her artwork, to various artistic and cultural Ms. Goldstein is a founding organizations. The position is member of “Celebrate voluntary. St. James,” a non-profit organi- “Ms. Goldstein brings an in- zation whose mission is to pre- credible wealth of talent to the serve and promote the culture board as she is an artist, who and arts of St. James. As vice has had her work exhibited president of the organization, throughout Long Island and she initiated