BLANK SLATE MEDIA October 25, 2019
YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING
VEREEN PAUSES FOR AWARD
PHOTOS BY ISAK TINER
Ben Vereen, actor
BY D AV I D H I N C K L E Y Looking back on a half century of performances that have taken him from Broadway to national television n to dance stages and the silver screen, Ben Vereen adds just one qualifier. A few days after turning 73, he wants people to know now that his Tony-winning turn in “Pippin” and his Emmy-nomiominated role in “Roots” and several hundred other shows aren’t ren’t his whole list. They’re just what he’s done so far. “My grandmother, who was a missionary and taughtt me to sing when I was 6, always said you should never rust out of life,” says Vereen. “You need to give and give and give. You never want to lose the passion.” Vereen’s calendar now includes his traveling one-man man show, as well as groundwork that may lead to more television sion and stage productions. He politely declines to detail them m– “superstition, you know . . . you don’t want to expect too much and be disappointed” – but he clearly has no intention tion of slowing down. He will pause, however, on Nov. 4, when he will receive eive the Gold Coast Arts Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award d at an opening night reception for the Gold Coast Internationall Film Festival at the Krasnoff Theater in Brookville’s Tilles Center. Regina Gil, founder and executive director of the Gold Coast Arts Center, says the evening will also include a conversation with Vereen moderated by Frank DiLella, host of “On Stage” on NY1. “This award is precious to me,” says Vereen. “I’m still blown away when people ask me for an autograph.” They’ve been doing that for quite a while now, though Vereen allows there was a time when it seemed like a distant dream. After graduating from New York’s High School of Performing Arts, he did the young actor’s scuffle for a couple of years before he landed a role in the Broadway hit “Hair.” From there he glided into Bob Fosse’s “Pippin,” which won him a Tony and gave him songs and dances his audiences still want in his shows today. Then in 1977 he switched media and played Chicken George in the TV megahit “Roots,” landing an Emmy nomination. He’s been busy ever since, returning to Broadway for shows like “Jelly’s Last Jam” while popping up in TV series like “NCIS” and “Hot In Cleveland.” In the last year, Vereen’s appearances have included “Magnum PI,” “Bull” and five episodes of Lee Daniel’s “Star.” His live show incorporates a classic mix of song, dance, comedy and conversation, placing Vereen squarely in the tra-
dition of all-around entertainers like the late Sammy Davis Jr. “I loved Sammy,” says Vereen. “He was my idol and a mentor.” He adds with a laugh, however, that he didn’t become a multiple performing threat just to emulate the greats of the past. “I trained as a dancer,” he says. “A modern dancer, under people like Martha Graham. I was in Arthur Mitchell’s dance company. But I realized early on that if I just danced, I’d never get enough work. So I’d better learn to do it all.” He did – largely, he says, by simply working at it. “God gives you the opportunities,” he says. “But you gotta make them happen. You gotta show up.” Sometimes you also need a break or two, of course, and Vereen says his biggest break came early, when he was 14 and applied to Performing Arts. “I was auditioning in front of Martha Graham, Jerome Robbins and George Ballanchine,” he says, “though at the time I didn’t even know who they all were. “I didn’t feel like I did a great audition. But Dr. Rachael Yocom, who was head of the school, thought I had potential and allowed me in. She changed my life.” Some three decades later, the late Gregory Hines provided another kind of inspiration. In early 1992 Vereen was hit by a car in California and seriously injured, suffering among other things a badly broken leg. “The doctor said I wouldn’t walk again,” he says. “Then I heard from Gregory, who was doing ‘Jelly’s Last Jam,’ and he told me that I had the role of The Chimney Man, replacing Keith David, if I could be there by the beginning of April. “April 3 I was on the stage. Gregory inspired me, because he believed in me. “It’s all about getting through adversity.” No one spends 50 years in show biz without adversity, and Vereen hasn’t been immune. “You learn to deal with it,” he says. “You can’t let it stop you.” But if there’s occasionally a price for show biz success, it also has rewards. “I just think of the people I’ve been able to meet and work
with,” he says. “I’ve met Sophia Loren and Lena Horne. I’ve hung out with Frank Sinatra. Sometimes they tell me I’m a legend. But I’m still a fan of these people myself. I can still go ga-ga.” What can’t get lost in this rarified world, he cautions, “is the fact that you can never think you know it all. You have to keep learning.” If he had to list his own lifetime achievements, Vereen says, “The first thing would be my children and grandchildren. Then there’s the work I’ve done. And I’m proud that I’ve fought for the arts.” That ongoing fight includes testifying before Congress when the Trump administration proposed eliminating all federal funding for organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts. “It boggles my mind that anyone would think of doing that,” he says. “Art is such an important part of life. Our lives are art. The clothes we choose to wear, that’s art. Creativity is all around us. It’s embedded in everything we do. “David Wood, one of the Martha Graham teachers, said the most important thing we can do is to tell the story. Art tells the story.” (The Gold Coast event Nov. 4 begins at 6 p.m. For information and tickets, call 516-829-2570 or visit www.goldcoastarts.com.)
26 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
THE TOP SEVEN EVENTS
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Gypsy Wisdom Friday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. Philadelphia-based band “Gypsy Wisdom� will be performing at the Plattduetsche Park Biergarten. The band describes their music as covering many genres, including rock, pop, alternative, country and R&B. Authentic German food and beer will be available to purchase for attendees as they watch and listen to the band perform. Where: Plattduetsche Park Biergarten 1132 Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Square, NY 11010 Info: 516-354-3131 or parkrestaurant.com
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Ken Jeong: Live at The Paramount Saturday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. Actor and comedian Ken Jeong will be performing on Long Island. Jeong is best-known for his portrayals of Mr. Chow in the “Hangoverâ€? movie franchise and Ben Chang in the popular sitcom “Community.â€? His ďŹ rst Netix stand-up comedy special, “Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho,â€? launched last February. Where: The Paramount 370 New York Ave, Huntington, NY 11743 Info:paramountny.com/shows/ken-jeong or 631-673-7300
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Fall Fishing and Sightseeing Adventure in the Long Island Sound
Stephen C. Widom
Sunday, Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m.
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Participants will have the opportunity to take a boat ride across the Long Island Sound, seeing abandoned lighthouses and some of the largest mansions in the state of New York. Led by Captain Jimmy, who has over 40 years of experience voyaging the seas and ďŹ shing, attendees will get a chance to ďŹ sh for blackďŹ sh, blue bass, striped bass, sea bass and porgies in some of the best ďŹ shing spots in the area. All ďŹ shing gear, including poles and bait, will be provided for those in attendance and blankets will be handed out so everyone can stay warm. Those who end up catching ďŹ sh will have the opportunity to take them home with them, with Captain Jimmy helping to prepare and clean the ďŹ sh beforehand. Where: Port Washington Town Dock 347 Main Street, Port Washington, NY 11050 Info: nyadventureclub.com
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WWE Monday Night Raw Monday, Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. The WWE returns to Long Island with Monday Night Raw. The main event will feature a steel cage match between Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt. Other wrestlers scheduled to perform at Raw include Becky Lynch, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, Charlotte Flair, Rey Mysterio, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, Ricochet, Aleister Black and the Street Prophets. Doors to the event open at 6:30 p.m., one hour before it’s scheduled to start. Where: NYCB Live, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale, NY 11553 Info: nycblive.com or 516-231-4848
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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
FOR THE COMING WEEK The Paramount Comedy Series Presents: Norm Macdonald 2019-2
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m. Former “Saturday Night Live� star Norm Macdonald will be performing at The Paramount. His 2011 stand-up special, “Me Doing Stand-up,� was referred to by “The Guardian� as one of the best stand-up specials of all time. Comedy Central has named Macdonald as one of the top 100 comedians of all time. Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave, Huntington, NY 11743 Info:paramountny.com/shows/norm-macdonald or 631-673-7300
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Historic Crimes of Long Island
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Wednesday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m.
Award-winning author and historian Kerriann Flanagan Brosky will talk about some of the most notable crimes to have been committed on Long Island from the 1600s to the 1950s. Among the crimes that will be discussed are the tar, feathering and killing of Charles Kelsey in 1872, the East Hampton witch trials in 1657 and the kidnapping of Alice parsons in 1937. Where: Glen Cove Public Library 4 Glen Cove Ave, Glen Cove, NY 11542 Info: 516-676-2130 or glencovelibrary.org
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Styx: On a Mission
Thursday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m.
The legendary rock band Styx will be performing all 14 songs from their 16th studio album, “The Mission,â€? which was released in June 2017. At the time of The Mission’s release, it was the band’s ďŹ rst studio album since 2005, and their ďŹ rst release of original material since 2003.
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Where: NCYB Theatre at Westbury 960 Brush Hollow Rd, Westbury, NY 11590 Info: 516-247-5200 or thetheatreatwestbury.com
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TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS OR EVENT IN THIS SECTION, GO TO WWW.THEISLANDNOW.COM/ LOCAL-EVENTS
232 main st street treett port washington, ny 11050 landmarkonmainstreet.org box office 516.767.6444
ON MAIN STREET J E A N N E R I M S K Y T H E AT E R
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28 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
MEET SHAIN BARD
THE TOP EVENTS FOR KIDS FOR THE COMING WEEK Comic Extravaganza and Super Smash Bros. Competition Saturday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m. The Southampton Youth Bureau will host its second annual “Comic Extravaganza” at the Hampton Bays Community Center. Attendees are encouraged to dress up and participate in the costume contest. Comic book merchandise will be up for sale. There will also be an appearance by Archie Comics Co-CEO Nancy Silberkleit. For attendees who are in at least seventh grade, they have the opportunity to participate in a “Super Smash Bros” competition at 12:00. Admission to the Comic Extravaganza is free, though there is a $5.00 entry fee for the Smash Bros. competition. Where: Hampton Bays Community Center 25 Ponquogue Ave, Hampton Bays, NY11946 Info: 631-702-2421 or southamptontownny.gov 1
Kid-Friendly Nature Walk at Bailey Arboretum Sunday, Nov. 3, 2 p.m.
ROSLYN VILLAGE GALLERY PROUDLY PRESENTS
Artist Shain Bard Sunday, October 27th 2:00pm to 5:00pm Join Us At The Reception All Welcome Refreshments | Great Art Good Company
ROSLYN•VILLAGE GALLERY 1370 Old Northern Blvd. Roslyn, NY 11576 516.621.0050 / 516.758.0020 Gallery Hours: Wed.-Sat. 11-6
Participants will be taken on a walk through the woods by a guide at the Bailey Arboretum. There, they may gain further appreciation for nature as they look at the plants and wildlife in the area. The walk is free and open to the public, though registration is required. Where: Bailey Arboretum 194 Bayville Rd, Locust Valley, NY 11560 Info: 516-922-1028 or northshorelandalliance.org
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Instrument Petting Zoo: The Concert Sunday, Nov. 3, 3 p.m. The Staller Center’s Instrument Petting Zoo team will be providing kids with an introduction to their instruments, as well as Prokofiev’s children’s symphonic fairy tale, “Peter and the Wolf.” Kids from three to eight years of age will get a chance to learn about the sounds of the instruments and the emotions they can portray. Admission to the event is $20. Where: Staller Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 100 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11790 Info: 631-632-7238 or stallercenter.showare.com
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Tweens Meditation Class Tuesday, Nov. 5, 5:30 p.m. The class, which is best-suited for kids from 8-12 years of age, will have at least one form of meditation. Additionally, participants will explore particular topics like compassion, patience, kindness or generosity, and will discuss how they put these topics into practice in their everyday lives. Entry into the class is $5. Where: 282 New York Avenue, Huntington, New York 11743 Info: 631-549-1000 or meditationonlongisland.org
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Baby Shark Live! Thursday, Nov. 7, 6 p.m. Based on the earworm song that went viral online, “Baby Shark Live!” sees the titular character going on an adventure across the sea with his friend Pinkfong. Young children may find enjoyment from the play, regardless of whether or not they’ve already heard the song that inspired this. Ticket prices range from $33.50 to $63.50 per person, plus a facility fee. Where: Tilles Center for the Performing Arts 720 Northern Blvd, Greenvale, NY 11548 Info: 516-299-3100 or tillescenter.org/event/baby-shark-live
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30 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
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‘Music After Dark’ at Temple Emanuel An informal and intimate pairing of music and friends with celebrated vocalist Susan Agin, describes the newest program, “Music After Dark,� that begins at Temple Emanuel of Great Neck on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 8:00 p.m. in the synagogue’s “little theatre upstairs.�
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Accompanied by live musicians, each show features new music and a special guest artist. Appearing with Susan on Oct. 31 is Bobby Harden, New York City’s acclaimed soul/ rhythm and blues singing sensation, thrilling audiences as the lead singer of the world-famous
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Original Blues Brothers Band. The ďŹ rst show includes songs recorded by Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Donna Summer, Nat King Cole, Smokey Robinson, Carlos Santana and many others. The fully accessible venue oers free parking in an adjacent lot as well as on the street. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Temple Emanuel of Great Neck is located at 150 Hicks Lane, Great Neck. Tickets are $20. Seating is very limited; call 516.482.5701 to purchase tickets in advance.
Story of food waste at Gold Coast film fest From executive producer Anthony Bourdain, “WASTED! The Story of Food Wasteâ€? aims to change the way people buy, cook, recycle, and eat food. Through the eyes of celebrity chefs like Bourdain, Dan Barber, Mario Batali, Massimo Bottura, and Danny Bowien, audiences will see how the world’s most inuential chefs make the most of every kind of food, transforming what most people consider scraps into incredible dishes that create a more secure food system. “WASTED! The Story of Food Wasteâ€? is a documentary examining the issue of food waste, its contribution to climate change, and how we all can make small changes, all of them delicious, to solve one of the greatest problems of the 21st Century. The Gold Coast International Film Festival, in partnership with Island Harvest Food Bank, Sid Jacobson JCC, the Long Island Community Fund, and NonproďŹ t Data Solutions, is pleased to present “WASTED! The Story of Food Wasteâ€? on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m. at Sid Jacobson JCC, 300 Forest Drive. Tickets for “WASTED! The Story of Food Wasteâ€? are $15, $10 for Gold Coast Film Society and SJJCC members, and can be purchased at www.goldcoastďŹ lmfestival.org. Following the screening of “WASTED! The Story of Food Wasteâ€? will be a panel discussion examining the eects of food waste, which according to the EPA, is between 30-40 percent of the food supply corresponding to more than 133 billion pounds worth more than $161 billion at
the retail and consumer level. The panel will include New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky, Chair of the Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee; state Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Chair, of the Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Conservation; Randi Shubin Dresner, CEO, Island Harvest Food Bank, and chair of the Advocacy Committee for Feeding New York State; and Kendrick Repko, MS, RD, Brand Lead, Sustainable Retailing, Stop & Shop. Filmgoers attending this event are asked to bring a donation of non-perishable food to help assist more than 300,000 Long Islanders at risk of hunger and food insecurity. For a list of needed items, please visit www.sjjcc.org/foodwishlist. This presentation of “WASTED! The Story of Food Wasteâ€? is part of a new series launched by The Gold Coast International Film Festival that will spotlight ďŹ lms focusing on a variety of social issues of importance to Long Islanders and the region. This series is supported in part by a grant from the Long Island Community Foundation. Following each ďŹ lm screening, a Q&A panel consisting of ďŹ lmmakers, subject matter experts, and other relevant guests will be on hand to help audiences further explore the issues raised in the ďŹ lms. Films are expected to touch on a wide range of topical subjects, including the environment, immigration, income equality, veterans’ issues, tolerance, and hunger, among others.
Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
Film at Arts Centre to show benefits of arts On Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m., Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre will be hosting a premiere screening of “Impresarios and Visionaries,â€? a new documentary ďŹ lm that explores the positive inuence of the arts in our community by focusing on the unique contributions ofVic Skolnick, Cinema Arts Centre co-founder, andMichael Rothbard, co-founder of Inter-Media Arts Center. Skolnick and Rothbard were pioneers in bringing the wide range of cultural experiences to suburban audiences. Directed by local Emmy nominated ďŹ lmmaker Steven Taub, the documentary features interviews with IMAC Co-Founder Kathie Bodily, CAC CoFounderCharlotte Sky, ďŹ lmmaker/actorEd Burns, musicianDavid Bromberg, social activist/poetSandy Chapin, NPR radio station’s WFUVJohn Platt, CEO of Long Island Cares Paule Pachter and many others. The ďŹ lm is accompanied by a musical soundtrack featuring accomplished local musicians. The event is open to the public, who are required to pay a $20 entry fee. Cinema Arts Centre members will only have to pay a $15 entry fee. Following the ďŹ lm’s screening, there will be a discussion on it, as well as a recep-
tion. To learn more about the Cinema Arts Centre, people can go to its website at www.cinemaartscentre.org. Submitted by Cinema Arts Centre
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60 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
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62 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
A murder mystery at My Father’s Place An original murder/mystery theater production will be presented by the Slayer Players Theatre Company at My Father’s Place in Roslyn on Oct. 30. Titled “A Cloak and a Dagger: Murder at the Halloween Spook-tacular,” the comedic thriller was written by the group’s manager Fred DiMenna and head of social media Kevin Horton. The story contains numerous references to rock music and the legendary artists who have performed at the historic rock-n-roll palace over the years. “A Cloak and a Dagger: Murder at the Halloween Spook-tacular” is a story about a ‘70s rock icon who has dropped out of civilization for 35 years only to return to the “public eye” with a 42-show tour that kicks off at My Father’s Place. Further complicating matters, the show has been combined with the venue’s Halloween Spook-tacular, which means audience members will be arriving in costume. The setting provides the perfect opportunity for murder with numerous characters possessing both means and motive. “Kevin and I wrote this play specifically for My Father’s Place,” DiMenna explains. “It’s a complete original and other than a private party we have scheduled for the next night, this is the only time it will be performed. There’s also never been a murder mystery in the history of the legendary club so it’ll be a night of firsts for sure! And for one character, a night of lasts!” Tickets for A Cloak and a Dagger: Murder at the Halloween Spook-tacular can be purchased at www.slayerplayers. com or www.myfathersplace.com. The Slayer Players’ website also has a video gallery that includes vignettes introduc-
ing the characters who will be front and center during the event. Tickets can be purchased for $45 per guest; however, if you arrive in costume on the evening of the event, you will receive a $5.00 rebate at the door. Prizes will also be given for the best costumes so plan your attire accordingly! The show begins at 8:00 pm, but the doors open two hours prior and there is a $25 per person minimum charge for food and beverage purchases at the venue. The Slayer Players Theatre Company Inc. was conceived by Susan Potter Weppler in November 2016. She contacted Fred DiMenna who she had acted with in the past and Dr. Eve Lupenko joined the group not long thereafter. Horton came aboard in 2018 and the four now serve as the leadership council that steers the company’s exploits. Potter’s goal was to spread murder, mystery and mayhem to the masses and the Slayer Players did just that when they took the stage for their first show on April Fools Day 2017. Indeed, the first two performances of Murder at the Banquet at the View Grill in Glen Cove were so well received that a third show had to be added to satisfy public demand. The group continues to grow by recruiting talented actors and actresses from the surrounding communities and the Slayer Players have developed a following that eagerly awaits announcements of their next performances. To date, the group has performed 15 shows including four different ones at the View Grill and they have also taken the stage at Sea Cliff Manor, the Glen Cove BID Holiday Festival, fundraisers and private parties. Please visit www.slayerplayers.com for more information.
Ten of the 15-person cast of characters that will be on stage when the Slayer Players perform A Cloak and a Dagger: Murder at the Halloween Spook-tacular. From left to right: The Sanitation Worker in Doctor’s Costume (Jimmy Weppler), The Doctor in Sanitation Worker’s Costume (to be played by Jim Bilello), Sugaree (Ginny Brown), Sweet Bonnie (Susan Potter Weppler), Arnold S. Shyster (to be played by Dave Mahler), Gina Burner (Cathi Rosso), Diane (Samantha Horton), Susie (Sarah Swainston), Rick Dagger (Fred DiMenna) and Inspector Bungler (Kevin Horton). Missing from photo: John (John Canning), Dolly Lewis (Eve Lupenko), Simon Fraud (Doug Spadaro), The Masked Man (John Jiminez) and The Lawyer (John Hanley).
Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
63
Cat film festival at Reach Out America Huntington’s Centre talk on health care Mark Hannay is the director of the Metro New York Health Care for All Campaign, a citywide coalition of community groups and labor unions that advocates for universal health care reform. He is a member of the steering committees of various statewide coalitions and the recipient of many awards for his work.
Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre will be screening its “Second Annual New York Cat Film Festivalâ€? on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. A Kitten Pop-up Party and rae with Huntington’s “Golden Paw Society, Inc.â€? will take place before the screening, at 6:30 p.m. The annual Cat Film Festival is a philanthropic celebration through ďŹ lm of the relationship between the felines and humans. This collection of short ďŹ lms from around the world aims to educate, entertain and help us explore the mystique of the fascinating felines who share our lives. A portion of ticket sales will beneďŹ t Golden Paw Society, Inc, a local animal welfare group that works on behalf of cats. Event fees for the program are $17 per person. Cinema Arts Centre members would only be charged $12 for the event. Submitted by Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre.
He will address the latest developments in the ďŹ ght for universal healthcare, an ongoing struggle with no end in sight. 12:30 p.m. / Nov. 13 Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 48 Shelter Rock Road in Manhasset; For more info go to: www. reachout-america.com or ReachOut America on Facebook.
Mark Hannay
COURTESY OF HUNTINGTON’S CINEMA ARTS CENTRE
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AT FACEBOOK.COM/THEISLANDNOW AND LIKE US ON TWITTER: @THEISLANDNOW
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64 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, October 25, 2019
KIDS F IRST
Companies placing profits over people
I
f your child needed a life-saving chemotherapy drug and you were told that because of a shortage you were out of luck, how would you feel? What would you do about it? Sadly, this is no fantasy scenario. It is a 21st-century reality for treating childhood cancer. According to a recent New York Times report, “Doctors are warning that they may soon be forced to consider rationing doses” of the drug in question: vincristine. Rationing means making decisions about who gets the drug and who doesn’t. In other words, although vincristine is an essential part of the best practices treatment regimen for pediatric cancer, some kids would not receive it; some would get it less frequently than called for, and others would be prescribed a poor substitute with more intense side effects. As a cancer survivor, vincristine was a part of the cocktail of drugs that I received intravenously during my chemotherapy treatments for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
My understanding, though, is that this chemotherapy drug is not used as widely for adults with cancer as for kids. In fact, the American Cancer Society reports that children represent less than 1 percent of all cancer diagnoses. The bottom line: Apparently there is little profit incentive to produce a greater volume of vincristine, despite the fact that most kids with cancer take it and it helps save their lives, according to a recent Newsday story. Although chemotherapy is not easy to tolerate as an adult, I cannot imagine being a young child and going through it. What is even harder to fathom is not having access to the most effective drug to treat my disease and then having to settle for a less effective and less tolerable substitute. At present, only one pharmaceutical company – Pfizer – supplies vincristine, which is an older and more inexpensive drug. Only one other company – Teva – produced the drug but, according to the FDA, Teva
ANDREW MALEKOFF Kids First “made a business decision to discontinue the product.” In a May 9, 2018 story, the Financial Times of London explained, “When prices of older, off-patent drugs decline, manufacturers may leave the market, leaving a limited number of suppliers for certain medicines.” According to New York Times reporter Roni Rabin, 19,000 children and teens develop cancer each year and the cure rate is 85 percent. She added that shortages create disruptions in treatment, citing the
New England Journal of Medicine which noted that “in 2013, 83 percent of oncologists said that they were unable to prescribe the chemotherapy agent they wanted to use because of a shortage and that they had to substitute a different drug or delay treatment.” Dr. Peter Adamson, chair of the Children’s Oncology Group, stated in the New York Times story: “It’s hard enough for any family having a kid with cancer, and having a child with cancer likely to be cured except we can’t give the drug is beyond the imagination. How can we do that to families?” Perhaps Erin Fox, Director of the Drug Information Service at the University of Utah Health Care in Salt Lake City, has the answer: “We see the most shortages with generics, specifically generic injectable products because they have low-profit margins and are difficult to make.” To sum up, we’ve come to a place where an FDA-approved chemotherapy drug has been proven to help save children’s
lives, but the drug is in short supply because it is not profitable to manufacture; therefore, some children will have to suffer from a taking a substitute drug that causes more severe side effects. This is not a new story; just a variation on an old one. For example, we know about insulin’s high cost in keeping diabetes patients from taking their medicine. It is available but unaffordable. Vincristine is affordable but is fast becoming unavailable. I’ve written before in this space about access to mental health care and the role of the health insurance industry in denying and delaying access to care. The story of vincristine adds further evidence of the corporate reality in which profits trump people every time. Andrew Malekoff is the executive director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, which provides comprehensive mental health services for children from birth through 24 and their families. To find out more, visit www. northshorechildguidance.org.
READERS WRITE
Facts matter when reporting on politics
A
t a time when the words “Fake News” have become two words that the public hears daily from its political leadership and when the news media has come under increased scrutiny for its fact-checking in its coverage of politics, I would hope and expect that the Great Neck News would have heightened fact-checking standards before printing articles about local political candidates. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case with at least one article that appeared in your publication covering Michael Weinstock, a Great Neck Resident who aspires to become a member of the U.S. Congress. For this reason, I feel compelled, on behalf of my company, to call your attention a key factual error in one of your articles. While there are several articles about Mr. Weinstock that have appeared in your publication in recent months with in-
accurate references to him as a firefighter, the article in question from September 24, 2019 entitled “Suozzi helps secure grants for Great Neck Alert Fire Co.,” written by Robert Pelaez, is a recent one containing inaccurate information that I call to your attention. Specifically, in that article Mr. Pelaez incorrectly states that Mr. Weinstock is a “local firefighter.” In fact, Mr. Weinstock was a volunteer firefighter with the Vigilant Engine & Hook & Ladder Company, Inc. From February 5, 1990 until September 30, 2001, when he chose to resign from Vigilant. During Mr. Weinstock’s relatively brief tenure as a member, he served no office. He was a “rank and file” member. Thus, Mr. Weinstock has not been a member of the department for almost two decades, so to refer to him as a “local firefighter” is not accurate.
Moreover, while Vigilant dispatched volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMS staff to assist with the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero immediately after 9/11, according to our records, Mr. Weinstock neither volunteered to assist with those efforts nor did he participate in those efforts as a member of Vigilant. Why does Vigilant take misinformation being printed by the news media about someone’s volunteer firefighting credentials so seriously? Perhaps a bit of background about the volunteer fire service and what we do could put that into perspective. According to the National Volunteer Fire Council, volunteers comprise 65 percent of firefighters in the United States. We are a majority of the people who provide fire protection in this country. It is fire companies like Vigilant who, twenty-four hours a
day and seven days a week serve our communities as the first line of defense for many emergencies. We are not only responding to fires, but EMS emergencies, terrorist events, natural disasters, hazardous material incidents, and many other types of calls. We take our responsibilities seriously, and we do the job not for money or for praise, but because we have a drive to help others in need, even when it means risking our lives to keep the community safe. Retention and recruitment of members is a continuous struggle for Vigilant and the entire volunteer fire service. For this reason, when a healthy and relatively young person who continues to live in our community voluntarily resigns from service and then almost two decades later seeks to promote himself as a longtime Vigilant volunteer in the news media, the many of us who have served for decades and continue to serve, take exception to this in-
accurate news reporting. To be clear, Vigilant takes no position on Mr. Weinstock’s candidacy; he may be a perfectly able candidate for office, and that is for each voter to decide on their own. However, he is not a firefighter, he is not a Vigilant, and that should be made clear to the general public. When any person seeks Congressional office, in this day and age more than ever, we believe that the facts matter. Therefore, we want the voting public to be provided with accurate information about its political candidates, and to this end, they should know that Mr. Weinstock is not a “local firefighter” and to our knowledge, he is not, and has not been, an active member of any volunteer fire department since 2001. Philip Katz, President Vigilant Engine & Hook & Ladder Company, Inc.
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