Tunnel to Towers Fundraiser
Honors Gold Star Family and Local
Veterans
By Cait Crudden
Cassidy Hill Farms in Manorville transformed into a vibrant hub of community and remembrance this past weekend as it hosted a Tunnel to Towers fundraiser. The event honored the legacy of fallen Air National Guard member Dashan Briggs and recognized the tireless efforts of Legislator Chad Lennon (C-Rocky Point), a current Marine reservist and advocate for Veterans’ rights.
Dashan Briggs, a member of the Air National Guard, tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash in Iraq in 2018. The crash, which occurred during a mission, claimed the lives of seven service members. Briggs, a devoted husband and father, left behind his wife, Rebecca Briggs, and their two young children, Jayden and Ava. The family, now recognized as a Gold Star family, has since been embraced by their community and supported by organizations dedicated to honoring the sacrifices of military families.
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Town Applying for NYS Parks and Historic Preservation Grant for Martha Avenue Park
By Cait Crudden
The Town of Brookhaven is making strides to enhance local recreational spaces with its upcoming application for a New York State Parks and Historic Preservation grant aimed at improving Martha Avenue Park in North Bellport. The grant submission, which will include strong support from elected officials and community organization leaders, could bring significant enhancements to the park if awarded.
Martha Avenue Park is a cherished recreational area in North Bellport, offering residents a place to engage in various outdoor activities.
Continued on page 15
A Walk Towards Grace Monthly Bereavement Series
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by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Continued from front cover
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Cassidy Hill Farms Hosts Tunnel to Towers Fundraiser Honoring Gold Star Family and Local Veterans
Rebecca Briggs spoke at the event, sharing her journey since the loss of her husband and expressing her gratitude for the support from Tunnel to Towers. She spoke about losing Dashan, how difficult it was and the love and the overwhelming support they have received from Tunnel to Towers and their community. She advocated for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and thanked Cassidy Hills Farms owner, Dr. Bernadette Pupilla for hosting such an important event and recognizing her husband and fellow veterans.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation, established in memory of FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, played a pivotal role in supporting the Briggs family. On September 11, 2001, Siller heroically ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center, where he ultimately sacrificed his life while saving others. In honor of his bravery, the foundation was created to support first responders, military service members, and their families.
One of the cornerstone programs of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is its Gold Star Family Home Program, which pays off mortgages for families of fallen service members. Rebecca Briggs and her children were among the recipients of this program, providing them with financial stability during an incredibly challenging time. This gives families grieving the knowledge that their home is secure and lifts a huge burden off their shoulders. It’s truly a testament to the organization’s generosity and dedication of those who honor our heroes.
The fundraiser also honored Legislator Chad Lennon, a Marine reservist who serves as Vice Chair of the Veterans Committee in the Suffolk County Legislature. Lennon’s commitment to improving the lives of veterans and their families has been unwavering, and his efforts will lead to advancements in local policies and programs.
In his speech, Lennon emphasized the importance of community support for veterans and their families.
“Our force is less than 1% of our population in this country. There are 6% of this country who have served as Veterans and that number will probably be cut in half in the next decade.” He affirmed his commitment to ensuring that military Veteran’s benefits are not overlooked, and he will continue to fight and advocate on behalf of military families.
The event saw a robust turnout throughout the day, with notable attendees including Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset) and Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), both of whom are dedicated supporters of Veterans. Chief of Staff, Mark McLaughlin, a representative of Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio’s (R-Baiting Hollow) office presented both Rebecca Briggs and Legislator Lennon with proclamations as well. Their presence underscored the community’s commitment to honoring and supporting those who serve.
John Kennedy highlighted the significance of community involvement in supporting military families.
“Thank you to the host and thank you to the good work the Tunnel for Towers Foundation does for the veterans and first responders. Rebecca Briggs was inspiring in her recognition on behalf of her deceased husband and all veterans. The recognition by Assemblywoman Giglio’s office of Marine Corp Legislator Lennon and Rebecca Briggs was especially significant. We will continue to promote the good work of the organization”.
Leslie Kennedy echoed these sentiments, adding, “It was a marvelous job by Dr. Bernadette Pupilla for hosting and creating a warm, genuine, productive fundraiser for Tunnel for Towers to support the people that stood for us.”
Throughout the day, attendees enjoyed a range of activities designed to foster community spirit and raise funds for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. From live music, vendors and food trucks to games, children’s activities and
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a moving ceremony, the event provided something for everyone. A poignant moment came when McLaughlin performed a stirring rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner,” bringing a sense of pride to the whole crowd.
The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the proclamations dedicated to Dashan Briggs and Legislator Lennon. The awards ceremony served as a reminder of the sacrifices made by military families and the enduring support of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
The success of the fundraiser at Cassidy Hill Farms is a testament to the power of the community and the enduring impact of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. By honoring heroes like Dashan Briggs and supporting families like his, the foundation continues to fulfill its mission of ensuring that the legacies of fallen service members are never forgotten.
As the event drew to a close, Briggs, Lennon, Comptroller Kennedy, Legislator Kennedy, McLaughlin, and the entire crowd shared with each other messages of hope and gratitude. Remembering Dashan and his incredible service and celebrating the support and love that continue to lift us all up. The host, Dr. Bernadette Pupilla thanked everyone who came out to the farm to support all our patriotic families and such a worthy cause. She highlighted that kindness to others makes all the difference in this world and ecstatically stated “my heart is so full”.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation remains committed to its mission, and events like the one at Cassidy Hill Farms ensure that the sacrifices of heroes and their families are honored and remembered. The community’s support is vital in continuing this important work, providing hope and stability to those who have given so much in service to their country.
Cassidy Hill Farms is located at 30 North Street in Manorville.
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Biden Withdraws from 2024 Election, Endorses Harris, Local Leaders React
By Cait Crudden
In a stunning turn of events, President Joe Biden (D-DE) announced over the weekend that he will not seek re-election in 2024. The announcement came as a shock to many within the Democratic Party and has left the political landscape in disarray following President Biden’s disappointing debate performance last month. Adding to the drama, Biden has thrown his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA), setting the stage for a possibly contentious and uncertain path to the Democratic nomination.
Biden’s withdrawal this late in the election season has significant implications for the Democratic primary process. With just over 100 days until the November election, the timing of his decision effectively disenfranchises voters who had participated in the primaries. The sudden shift means that delegates at the upcoming Democratic Convention are now likely to pick the nominee, circumventing the traditional primary voting process.
This move has sparked criticism and concern within both political parties and among voters. Many question his abilities; others believe he should resign immediately or the 25th Amendment should be invoked. Some think if he is not capable of running in November, he is not capable of leading the country currently. The abrupt end to Biden’s campaign leaves little time for a robust primary contest for the Democrats, raising questions about the legitimacy and democratic nature of the nominee selection process moving forward. Many feel that the will of the voters is being sidelined in favor of a quick decision by Democratic party insiders.
The Democratic Party now faces the daunting task of uniting behind a new candidate with the election rapidly approaching. The scramble to find a nominee who can coalesce the various factions within the party will be a significant challenge. Harris, despite Biden’s endorsement, is not without her detractors. Many criticize her role in the current administration regarding covering up for the President’s apparent mental decline, her seemingly non-existent actions in addressing the border crisis as the Border Czar and her withdrawing from the Democratic primaries in 2019 prior to the Iowa Caucuses due to lack of support for her own presidential campaign. This can lead to other potential candidates that may still emerge as the convention nears, even though she claims to have secured the appropriate number of delegates needed for the nomination since the announcement.
Political analysts have noted the apparent disarray within the Democratic ranks. The sudden need to pivot to a new candidate has exposed underlying divisions and a lack of preparedness for such a scenario, although they seem to be coming together and
“anointing” Harris for the nomination. The party’s ability to mount a cohesive and effective campaign against the Republican nominee is now in question within such a short amount of time.
The Republican Party, in contrast to the Democratic Party, appears to be firmly united following their extremely enthusiastic national convention. Former President Donald Trump (R-FL), who secured the Republican nomination, has been quick to criticize the Democrats’ handling of the situation. Republicans point out the hypocrisy that after years of the Democrats stating that Former President Donald Trump is “a threat to democracy”, the Democrats’ current actions and approach undermines the true democratic process by bypassing the primary voters and shows the establishment and elites running the party are choosing a candidate of their liking behind the scenes when the polls aren’t in their favor.
“Crooked Joe Biden is the Worst President, by far, in the history of our nation. He has done everything possible to destroy our country, from our southern border to energy dominance, national security, international standing, and so much more,” wrote Trump in a statement.
Jesse Garcia (R-Ridge) (pictured left), the Suffolk County Republican Chairman wrote in a statement, “President Biden today finally admitted that he is not up to the talks required of his office. Because of this, for the sake of our nation, he must step down as Commander-in-Chief immediately. Unfortunately, that would elevate the very person who has been most complicit in perpetuating the fraud of Biden’s mental health - Kamala Harris. Kamala Harris by her own words, has been side by side with Biden in the disaster of his presidency. From out-of-control inflation to the failure of our border, the failed record of this administration is hers.”
Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY-01) (pictured right) in a statement wrote, “Firstly, we should genuinely wish President Biden well. After fifty years of service, it’s good to see his family finally acknowledging his mental decline. Prioritizing his health is essential, and it’s better late than never. Secondly, from a government perspective, President Biden’s obvious lack of acuity requires him to take the next step and resign. America needs a Commander-in Chief with basic cognitive abilities.”
Celebrate the memories
Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) (pictured left) in a statement wrote, “President Biden has made the right decision. Our country needs a leader who can effectively address the serious problems we face both at home and abroad. “The dysfunction we have witnessed from the Democratic Party over the last several weeks makes it clear we need new leadership in The White House.”
As the Democratic Party scrambles to regain its footing, the path forward remains uncertain. The endorsement of Kamala Harris by President Biden gives her a significant advantage, but it does not necessarily guarantee a smooth transition in making her the democratic candidate. The upcoming Democratic Convention will be a critical moment for the party.
Voters and party members alike are watching closely to see how the situation unfolds. The ability of the Democrats to quickly rally behind a single candidate will be tested as the nation quickly leadsup to the November election. The stakes could not be higher for the Democratic Party which appears to be severely fractured after President Biden’s exit.
Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) (pictured right) did not mince words when relaying her thoughts on this ordeal.
“Our country cannot afford to have a President who cannot respond instantly to all situations that come before him. I find it sad that those around him chose power and self-interest over reality and lied about his failing abilities. They are responsible for putting our nation in danger,” said Legislator Kennedy.
When speaking with Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset) (pictured left), he remarked, “Lifelong Democrats and America deserved better. It is appalling what a select few Washington insiders were able to perpetuate upon our nation under the guise of governance. There is little time left for President Trump to save us!”
With the Republicans presenting a united front behind Former President Donald Trump, Chairman Garcia firmly stated, “Donald J Trump is committed to making America great again. He has not wavered throughout politically motivated trials, personal attacks and being vilified by the left-wing media. Only one week ago he was struck by would be assassin ‘s bullet, raised his fist and called on supporters to continue their fight - then appeared at the Republican National Convention to amplify that message. That’s what leadership looks like”. In the coming weeks, the focus will be on how the Democrats navigate this twist and whether they can effectively mobilize behind their new nominee. The outcome of this process will undoubtedly shape the dynamics of the 2024 presidential race.
President Donald J. Trump’s Inspiring and Uniting Speech for America
Dear Editor,
At a time of a historic divide in the United States, Donald Trump has made it clear that he will unify this country and be the leader we deserve.
The accomplishments of his first administration are undeniable. Under President Trump our economy was strong, we saw record lows in unemployment and inflation, our streets were safer, and we ended America’s reliance on foreign oil.
President Trump ensured that America’s borders were more secure and hundreds of billions of tax dollars were not sent to countries fighting their own wars.
The past four years have seen middle class families all but forgotten and fighting to make ends meet due to Joe Biden’s economic policies creating runaway inflation and staggering increases in price for the most basic necessities
like groceries, home heating fuel, and gas.
Our cities are under siege by violence and criminals have a free pass to commit crimes with little to no prosecution under the liberal policies of the Democratic Party.
President Trump’s address at the Republican National Convention made it clear that he is ready to bring this country together and work to make the lives of every American better than it has been under Joe Biden and the Democrats.
It was honor to support Donald Trump at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, and the Suffolk GOP will continue to work to bring victory to the Republican Party throughout the ballot and put President Trump back into the Oval Office in November.
SCAT Buses: ‘What Are You Going to Do About It?’
Dear Editor,
Suffolk County Accessible Transportation (SCAT) for the disabled provides transportations for residents for medical care, employment, and other essential needs, but patients and employees are seriously harmed when scheduled transportation services are denied to them by public officials and managers take the contemptuous and despicable attitude of “so what” and “what are you going to do about it?”
They take regular street buses out of service
that run hourly on Saturday and passengers wait two hours for the next scheduled bus with no certainty and no toilets, along with insults and contempt.
The scheduled trip is at 5:00a.m. but they allow themselves thirty minutes for the 5:00a.m. trip. That is not considered late, but they might arrive another thirty or sixty minutes later and say “so what, what are you going to do about it? I get paid to do this job, not you.”
There is no passenger representative and complaints to the County Executive are futile.
No officials are available and will never be available – nor at SCAT either.
Politicians want President Biden removed because the public might vote against him. Stick it to them, Joe! We’re all going down the tubes together. We care only about ourselves and nothing and no one else.
“So what? What are you going to do about it?”
The 34th Anniversary of the ADA
Dear Editor,
Let us all celebrate the 34th Anniversary for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This was signed into law by former President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The Federal Transit Administration has done an excellent job during this period when it comes to investing in public transit to bring capital assets into compliance with ADA. Billions of dollars in FTA grants to over 900 transit agencies across America including the MTA LIRR, Suffolk County Transit Bus, and Huntington Area Rapid Transit (HART)
Bus have paid for tens of thousands of buses, paratransit vans, light rail, subway cars, commuter rail, and ferries that are ADA-accessible. Numerous subway, light rail, and commuter rail stations, and bus and ferry terminals, along with other transportation facilities, are accompanied in many cases with elevators and/or ramps have also become ADA compliant.
The MTA could also ask any major business, college, or hospital who benefit from many of the 472 NYC Transit subway stations adjacent to their facility to sponsor installation of an elevator(s). Let them split the cost 50% with the MTA NYC Transit in exchange for naming rights to the elevator(s). This could stretch both federal and local MTA dollars to bring even more stations into compliance with ADA. City, State, and Federal elected officials who have access to member item funding can also sponsor projects. NYC zoning laws offer private developers the incentive of 20% more floor space for construction of new buildings in exchange for paying both NYC Transit station improvements including maintenance costs.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian, and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority NYC Transit bus, subway and Staten Island Railway, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads, MTA Bus, and NJ Transit, along with thirty other transit agencies in New York and New Jersey.
Chairman Jesse Garcia Suffolk County Republican Committee Ridge
John Hassan Center Moriches
President Trump at the 2024 RNC (Credit - Chairman Jesse Garcia)
Democrats Protect ‘Democracy’ By Ignoring the Will of the People
For a party that talks an awful lot about protecting ‘democracy’ - even though we’re more of a republic - it’s ironic that they have chosen to subvert the will of the people by successfully convincing President Joe Biden (D-DE) to take the historic move of suspending his campaign.
Biden is the first president since Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) to not seek a second term. Johnson at least had a bit more class and dropped out after narrowly winning the 1968 New Hampshire Democratic Primary, and as polls showed a humiliating defeat for him in the upcoming Wisconsin Primary. Johnson bowed out as Senators Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) and Robert Kennedy (D-NY), two Senators with established popularity, garnered momentum and used their candidacies as a referendum on Johnson’s handling of the Vietnam War.
But Biden - really more the Democratic establishment - couldn’t display the amount of respect Johnson had for the “democratic” process. Biden wrapped up every single primary and caucus contest, save for American Samoa won in an upset by dark horse candidate Jason Palmer (D-MD), and his nomination was essentially presumptive from the start. Despite years-long public concerns of Biden’s health and mental acuity, Democratic leaders downplayed such reservations and pressed on with him as the nominee anyway, fully asserting that he could deny Donald Trump (R-FL) a second term yet again.
Polling since November has had Trump firmly in the driver’s seat this election, in both national and state polling. However, polling is a tough science on which to rely that far out from an election. However, Biden’s numbers have only deteriorated since then, as concerns of the economic and world stability made a case for another term of Trump. The Democratic campaign was essentially giving up on Iowa, Ohio, and Florida, and seemingly resigned to losing Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia. The Rust Belt states have given Trump consistent leads since the autumn, something a Republican hasn’t done since the 1980s. Meanwhile, there grew large uncertainty over Biden’s abilities to retain Virginia, Minnesota, Maine, New Mexico, New Hampshire, and even New York, where polls showing a typical Democratic margin of twenty points have been few and far between since 2022.
Still, Democrats insisted that Trump’s conviction would buoy Biden to a second term, albeit narrowly.
But the tone of the race changed single-handedly when Biden gave a disastrous debate performance one June 25. What started as a mostly unified ticket with just a few dissenters began the avalanche of prominent Democratic figures calling for Biden to exit the race. Rank-and-file House Democrats spared no expense in voicing their concern over their electoral prospects with Biden at the top of the ticket, as not only did the White House suddenly become critically endangered, but a weak performance at the top greatly affects Democrats’ abilities to hold the Senate and flip the House.
Meanwhile, top Democrats insisted there was nothing to worry about. Jim Clyburn (D, SC-06), Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, NY-08), and even former President Barack Obama (D-IL) firmly asserted their support for Biden.
Biden’s attempts at saving himself with the George Stephanopoulos interview, followed by a weak press conference, only made Democrats double down on their calls for Biden to suspend, with others joining in.
As polls continued to tighten around the country, now showing competitive races in New Jersey and Rhode Island, prominent Democrats, such as Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D, CA-11), Obama, and others finally joined the growing chorus of Democrats urging Biden to drop out. On the eve of Biden’s suspension, over thirty House Democrats and four Senators had publicly called for a new nominee.
And Biden made the historic decision on Sunday afternoon. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) as the Democratic ticket now heads for the nightmare scenario of a brokered convention in Chicago next month. Harris, just recently, logged the worst vice presidential approval ratings since Dick Cheney (D-WY) and was regularly rated as one of the most liberal, if not the most liberal, Senator during her time in Congress.
But to say that Democrats are concerned about Biden’s health is more than disingenuous; it’s downright subversive. Biden had displayed signs of mental deterioration ahead of the 2020 primaries, an observation that resonated with early swing state primary voters. Biden tracked historically poor showing in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, yet went on to sweep Super Tuesday and win the nomination.
His administration has largely gatekept signs of his mental acuity and the mass media followed in lockstep, calling any talk of Biden’s perceived dementia-like symptoms as misinformation and any videos of Biden’s physical, vocal, and mental shortcomings as “AI-generated” right-wing propaganda.
Yet the media seemed to have no problem covering Biden’s sad shape accurately after the debate made it apparent to the country and the world that something is clearly wrong with him. Just mainstream media doing mainstream media things, desperately clinging to relevance by trying to be on the right side of history.
Remember when Trump held a glass of water with two hands at a campaign speech and Nancy Pelosi called for mental examinations and a possible vacation of the Oval Office under the provisions of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment? Yet she called Biden a “perfect president” and downplayed any concerns of his aggravated mental downturn. You can’t get any more transparent than that.
Democrats had their chance to replace Biden with a nominee who not only could
deliver coherent debate responses but also run the country with their full faculties. Many have posited since Biden assumed office in 2021: If Biden is in no apparent shape to run the country, then who is running the country?
Democrats had their chance to avoid a contested convention after all states and territories had voted, and all but one backed Biden this year. Yet somehow, they say they’re acquiescing to the “will of the people” by having Biden step down. They reference recent polling that shows many Democrats’ lack of confidence in Biden’s mental agility and ability to run the country, that is, after they voted for him in 2020 and in the primaries this year.
What’s funny is that for someone who was hailed as the “most popular president in modern history,” and won eighty-one million votes, nobody seems too broken up that he’s not going to be on the ballot in just shy of one hundred days.
Democrats have embarked on perhaps one of the greatest “have your cake and eat it too” quests. As talks of election integrity and voter security elicit calls of conspiracy theories from the left - even though many deny Trump still legitimately won the 2016 election and haven’t peacefully accepted a Republican presidential winner this century - they seem to be committing some blatant double-speak. How can you say you prioritize “democracy” and “voting rights” when you’re okay with rich powerbrokers picking your nominee for you?
Democratic voters should have been more vocal had they not wished to bury their hands in the sand for four years. They made a bet that Biden would stand the test of time and that he would be the best candidate to beat Trump. It’s not an unfair assumption, as incumbency is usually the best advantage from most electoral standpoints.
But the mistake they made was doubling down when the dealer had a Blackjack, another testament to the short-sightedness of the general left, and one that could have disastrous ramifications for our country. If Trump loses this election, that means a Democratic nominee selected by DNC elites and deep-pocketed mega-donors would become president. That’s much equally illegitimate, if not more so, than what Democrats accused Trump and the GOP of in 2016.
This all comes down to their chances of winning the elections. Democrats have no problem following the rules and typical procedure until it looks as if they’re in a position to lose. Then, they call a time-out to improve their prospects.
To every Democratic elected official who called for Biden’s suspension: you had every chance to speak candidly with the public for four years. You don’t care about Biden’s health, you’ll do anything you can to ensure your party’s prospects this fall instead of respecting the will of the people and playing with the hand you’ve been dealt.
On a lighter note, we’ll say that we’re relieved for President Biden that in a few months, he’ll finally have some respite. What should have been a retirement after a long career in politics resulted in him taking on the most difficult job in the world, which very likely accelerated his mental decline. He deserves not to be humiliated in front of the world by Jill Biden and his handlers. He deserves to relax and enjoy the rest of his life peacefully.
The Democratic National Convention in August will certainly be one for the books, as no brokered convention has occurred since the RNC in 1976. President Ford (R-MI) did not receive a majority of the delegates during the primaries, but won the nomination in Kansas City over Ronald Reagan (R-CA). It’s a technically contested convention, but not one of these proportions.
Oddly, there are numerous parallels between this election and 1968. Johnson and Biden, both Democrats, did not seek re-election.
The 1968 DNC was held in Chicago. The 2024 DNC will be held in Chicago.
Both elections had major third-party candidates on the ballot. We have Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. this year, and 1968 had segregationist Governor George Wallace (D-AL). Wallace is the last third-party candidate to win a state in a presidential election.
Both conventions took place amid mass unrest and social tensions. Both elections also saw major military operations taking place throughout the world. 1968 had Vietnam, 2024 has Ukraine and Israel.
1968 saw Vice President Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) receive the nomination. He had run briefly in the primaries, but did not contest any states. He received 2% of the popular vote. All intel points to Harris being the nominee. If so, she did not run at all this year, resulting in both Democratic nominees not winning a single primary state or caucus. Humphrey was defeated in November by Richard Nixon (R-CA).
Both elections featured a Kennedy. RFK Sr. was assassinated during the campaign, while RFK Jr. is running in this election.
Richard Nixon made his second bid for president after losing to JFK (D-MA) in 1960. Nixon is the second Republican, the other being Trump, to have won three nominations for president. Trump is the first Republican to have ever received three consecutive nominations.
Both incumbent presidents drew challengers from Minnesota. Senator Eugene McCarthy gave Johnson a strong challenge in 1968 and Congressman Dean Phillips (D, MN-03) provided Biden nominal opposition this year.
Some say Wallace spoiled the election for Humphrey and handed it to Nixon. Many polls today show RFK drawing more support away from Biden than from Trump. If Trump wins, RFK will likely receive a “spoiler” badge of honor.
With waters as unchartered as these, it’s safe to say we’re seeing history being made right before our eyes.
Joe Had to Go…but Does it Go from Bad to Worse?
By Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa
Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential election does not come as much of a surprise considering the mounting pressure from those who were once his biggest supporters and from fellow elected officials and leaders within his own political party.
There simply was no way of further hiding or denying Joe Biden’s declining cognitive abilities. The capacity of the President of the United States of America requires that person to make decisions that affect our national security, economy, health, and welfare, among many other local and even global issues that at times must be made quickly and decisively. These critical decisions and the leadership of this country must be entrusted to someone elected by the American people who can have complete confidence in the capabilities of our president. The Democratic Party is now facing a difficult situation in finding a candidate they can quickly substitute for one that they can no longer cover for, and one that they feel can convince the majority of Americans to get behind and trust to carry out the duties of president.
Should they decide to go with Vice President Kamala Harris, I feel it would be an even a bigger insult to their party knowing that she has played no major role in either foreign relations or domestic affairs over the past four years in her role as vice president.
Particularly, her one primary role assigned to her by Joe Biden was border control. We all know how that has worked out for this country. She has been a colossal failure in her capacity as vice president, which reflects in her polling.
It would be, quite frankly, in my opinion, an absolute act of desperation
by a desperate party trying to maintain control of the country rather than putting a candidate forward who can actually lead our country.
Whoever it is they decide to put forward at this late juncture, it will be a difficult task to surpass the momentum than Donald Trump and the Republicans have at this point. The American people, no matter their political party, are fed up with the lack of representation and respect for our values and our quality of life.
The Democratic candidate would have to publicly admonish and separate themselves from the Biden administration and the past four years of decline of border control, our economy, foreign policy, and moral depravity.
Legislator Nick Caracappa (C-Selden) has represented the Fourth District in the Suffolk County Legislature since 2021. The Fourth District includes Selden, Farmingville, and parts of Centereach, Coram, Holtsville, and Medford.
Legislator Caracappa serves as the Chair of the Veterans Committee, Chair of the Public Works, Transportation, and Energy Committee, Vice Chair of the Environment, Parks, and Agriculture Committee, Vice Chair of the Labor and Consumer Affairs Committee, and serves on the Economic Development, Planning, and Housing Committee.
The Fourth District office is located at 325 Middle Country Road, Suite 3, in Selden and can be reached at 631-854-9292.
Proposed Rules Would Increase HVAC Costs in New York
By Chris Baca
Most people probably don’t think of their thermostat when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, operations from buildings alone account for 40% of all energy consumption, 75% of all electricity, and 35% of all carbon emissions nationwide.
The heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry will play an important role in how New York can reduce emissions while continuing to innovate and manage consumer costs. That’s why it’s discouraging to see our state propose policies that would increase costs for businesses and consumers and make it harder to electrify buildings.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has proposed actions that take an aggressive approach to prohibiting the use of certain refrigerants, the critical components that allow air conditioners and heat pumps to operate, starting in 2025 and banning others outright by 2034. If finalized, DEC’s proposed regulations would dramatically alter the HVAC&R industry’s ability to reduce emissions.
New York’s consumers and businesses will pay the steepest price.
The refrigerants that meet the new standards proposed by DEC are “natural” refrigerants, such as hydrocarbons, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. While these refrigerants have a smaller greenhouse gas potential when measured as global warming potential, they are highly flammable or toxic. Aside from the obvious safety concerns businesses and homeowners will have with equipment that uses these refrigerants, HVAC systems are not prepared to safely adopt natural refrigerants today. Manufacturers would need to develop specialized equipment and take new risk assessment and mitigation steps, while buildings would have to undergo extensive retrofits to align with safety standards and codes.
All of this—coupled with stricter rules on how the refrigerant is handled— would lead to higher costs that eventually land in the laps of businesses and individuals. DEC proposed bulk refrigerant bans mean retrofits will be required—no matter how new a system is or how recently it was installed— to ensure that it can run on a type of refrigerant not being widely used or developed in the current HVAC&R market. This would impact residential buildings as well as large and small enterprises alike, including grocery stores, mom-and-pop convenience stores, and large food wholesalers
throughout New York.
DEC’s requirements are far more aggressive than recent Biden Administration federal rules and could take the HVAC&R industry off its current track, leading to a scarcity of viable products and refrigerants for maintenance. While the DEC actions intend to move us closer to reducing emissions by at least 40% by 2030, the reality is they will actually upend current work in the HVAC&R industry to reduce emissions and harm New York residents in the process. Existing federal rules will reduce emissions associated with HVAC by at least 85% by 2036, moving us closer to reducing NYS emissions by at least 40%.
MCN Distributors recently donated mini split heat pumps to the Warrior Ranch Foundation to provide comfort for first responders and veterans. Had this rule been in effect, we wouldn’t have had the equipment to donate and contractors to install the units. It’s worth asking how much this rule could affect other charitable organizations and efforts.
Our industry is already taking significant steps to phase down greenhouse gases while prioritizing consumer safety and costs. We shouldn’t jeopardize the current progress with a competing mandate that takes us off track.
Christian Baca is vice president of sales and marketing at MCN Distributors, an Islandia-based distributor of heating, air conditioning, ventilation, parts and supplies.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Is it Extreme to ‘Fight’ for what you believe is Right?
By Peter Chidichimo
When Biden was still in the race for re-election, there was intense discussion that the American electorate should disregard the personhood of President Biden and focus on his accomplishments, policies and vision for America. That request on behalf of the Democratic Party sounded reasonable given the intense publicity over Biden’s mental confusion and apparent physical decline, especially after his debate with Donald Trump. And had Biden continued in the race for President, the same could have applied to his Republican challenger, in the person of Donald Trump, to concentrate on his past presidency and vision for America, not his legal woes and personality deficits.
Now that Biden has dropped out, the above argument is just as valid, if not more so. Since Trump’s campaign does not know officially who will replace Biden on the ticket, at least for now, they will be forced to campaign on the issues, not the candidate. To do that, an assessment of the issues seems appropriate, beginning with where things stand right now in our great Nation.
To begin with, the majority of America’s institutions of higher learning, especially Ivy League colleges and universities, are left leaning, if not full-blown liberal. This is a huge advantage for Democrats and liberals, since college students often emulate their professors, becoming liberal as well. To illustrate this, look at the riot-like demonstrations and vandalism that broke out on multiple college campuses, including Columbia and Harvard, over Israel’s response after Hamas terrorists launched an unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7. Not only were Jewish students on campus harassed and bullied, but professors often took place in the carnage as well. Many Jewish students felt openly threatened and unsupported by the administrations in charge of security and safety. At the Republican National Convention, a Jewish student who attended Harvard to study religion, spoke passionately about
an unwelcomed environment. Former Harvard student Shabbos Kestenbaumisa is now suing the university over antisemitism claims.
Aside from the left-leaning institutions of higher learning, we have the entertainment industry, or what many conservatives refer to as “liberal Hollywood.” Some high-profile outspokenly liberal celebrities include George Clooney, Barbara Streisand, Susan Sarandon, Steven Spielberg, and Robert De Niro, but it’s somewhat challenging to name conservatives in the same circle. That is because conservatives in the entertainment industry are often blacklisted for their views, making it nearly impossible to achieve or maintain success. This shouldn’t happen. It wouldn’t be such a big deal, but these famous people command a lot of attention, as was the case when De Niro held a press conference outside court during Trump’s documents case in Manhattan. Well-known actor Tim Allen once joked to Jimmy Kimmel that being a conservative in Hollywood wasn’t easy.
“You get beat up if you don’t believe what everybody believes. This is like ’30s Germany,” the veteran comic commented. ABC canceled Allen’s popular show, Last Man Standing, less than two months later despite hearty ratings.
It has also become common practice in many states, including New York, to undermine parents when it comes to gender identity. It seems that the NYS Education Department feels it’s in the students’ best interest to hide gender conflict from students’ parents. The NYS Education Department has a thirty-eightpage document on its website, a blueprint for affirming rights for transgender and gender-conflicted students, but in reality, the policy tends to undermine the roles of parents and guardians to manage personal issues at home, not at school. The trend has taken hold in many other liberal states.
It’s also become accepted in many jurisdictions for men, even at six feet tall and 250 lbs., to undergo gender transformation care, and then qualify to compete in women’s sports, as well as utilize women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities. This is becoming common practice in many states, and NYS is seeking to enshrine gender transformation into the State Constitution, under the guise of combatting discrimination. This practice totally disrupts the rights of biological women to compete openly and fairly against other biological women.
Even Christian businesses and religious organizations have felt the raft of antireligious fanatics, in the form of plaintiffs seeking to undermine religious rights. Two examples include the baker in Colorado, who, on religious grounds, refused to prepare a cake for a gay couple, and the Little Sisters of the Poor, who refused to provide contraception to their employees. The Little Sisters have spent nearly a decade locked in a battle for religious liberty, with money that could have been spent helping those in need. Winning recently in the Supreme Court, the victory might not be the end of the Little Sisters legals assaults.
And finally, there is the border issue. Within minutes of Donald Trump completing his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination for President, some media outlets were calling Trump’s comments on illegal border crossings “extreme.” The facts are that millions of immigrants and migrants have crossed the border illegally and are now embedded in the country. And these millions of immigrants are straining state budgets, which are allocating billions of dollars for housing, medical care, welfare, education, and in some case even college tuition. In New York, the current state budget has allocated over $2 billion to support illegal immigrants, money that could be used to lower the cost of living, especially on Long Island. Is it extreme for Trump to consider deporting these immigrants for the common good? Should we just accept open borders and forget it? And should these non-citizens be given privileges that are usually reserved for U.S. citizens, such as the right to work, receive benefits, vote, hold a driver’s license?
To be fair, there is one institution which remains conservative, the Supreme Court. As was his responsibility and right, President Trump nominated three justices who shared his conversative views, Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, who were confirmed by the U.S. Senate. However, some Democrats in Congress are now proposing to reform the Supreme Court, because they don’t agree with some of the decisions recently handed down, yet they call Republicans radical.
The current state of affairs in this country seems to have Republicans on their heels. When they speak up for parental rights, fairness in women’s sports, school choice, and illegal immigration, they are called “extreme,” if not worse. In reality, they are fighting for what they believe is just and fair. Now that Donald Trump has made “fight, fight, fight” his rallying cry, we’ll have to see if the electorate agrees whether these issues are worth fighting for. Based on where things stand right now, it will be an uphill battle. Come November, we’ll see how many Americans decide to fight with him.
Kerry J. Maher Lic. Manager & Director
Kenneth Maher, Jr. Lic. Director
This Week Today
National, State and Local Temperature Checks
By Matt Meduri National
As President Joe Biden (D-DE) has made the historic decision to suspend his campaign, the question now circles around the Democratic nominee just four months out from Election Day.
Biden and many others, including Governor Kathy Hochul (D), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, NY-08) have thrown their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) (pictured right), who reports indicate has support from enough Democratic delegates to secure the nomination.
Harris has also raked in a historic $100 million after earning Biden’s endorsement, an expected move after a large aspect of Biden’s suspension revolved around donors withholding funds until a more viable candidate was put forward.
However, some reports are swirling around possible contenders as a contested convention looms just a month away. 2020 and 2024 candidate and self-help author Marianne Williamson (D-CA) seems interested in putting herself up for consideration, stating that the convention needs to be “open,” and setting a stark contrast between herself and party stalwarts.
“The nomination of a new Democratic candidate must be opened to a genuinely democratic process at an open convention,” Williamson said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “No one should simply be anointed to the position of nominee; all candidates must be heard and their agendas explored. Our party’s basic first principle is democracy. We cannot save our democracy without practicing it ourselves.”
Interestingly, another notable Democratic name, and arguably one of the powerful “Joes” in the country, Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) (pictured right), is reportedly considering a presidential bid, an idea he’s toyed with for years, which culminates in a moment he says his party needs to attract Democrats like him that “left” the party.
Manchin has served as Governor of West Virginia and in the Senate since 2010. A notable maverick, Manchin is one of the last remnants of a more centrist Democratic Party, one that was especially vibrant in West Virginia until the last decade. Manchin narrowly survived reelection in 2018, albeit with an underperformance of the national environment, and passed on seeking a third full term this year, as he would have required an unparalleled amount of crossover support in a state Donald Trump (R-FL) is almost certain to carry by more than forty points.
A Manchin candidacy would be a curveball in an election of already-historic proportions. A more moderate candidate representing the classical working-class face of the Democratic Party, Manchin would certainly swing Independents and blue-dog Democrats, but it would be a question of where the progressive sect of the party would go. A likelihood would be a mass exodus to the progressive candidacies of Jill Stein on the Green Party ticket or Cornel West on his own Independent ticket.
In presidential news, Independent Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has submitted signatures for ballot access in Louisiana, worth eight electoral votes. In 2016 and 2020, Trump delivered the strongest results for a Republican in Louisiana since the 1980s. A highly-partisan state, Kennedy would have to find significant crossover support to earn more than 5% of the vote here.
Kennedy now has ballot access or has submitted signatures in twenty-nine states, collectively worth 392 Electoral Votes. His ballot access in Mississippi on the We the People line is under scrutiny, as the We the People party has not filed all documents to be recognized as a party in the Magnolia State. The party has also not received all documents from the Kennedy-Shanahan campaign to receive access under their line.
In congressional news, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D, TX-18) passed away Friday at the age of 74 from cancer. Lee represented Houston from 1994 until her death. Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) can now call a special election or the seat will remain vacant until the regularly-scheduled election in November.
The partisan breakdown of the U.S. House now sits at 220 Republicans and 212 Democrats with three vacancies. A special election will be held September 18 to fill NJ-10 after Donald Payne, Jr., (D) died in April, and a new member will be elected to WI-08 in November after Mike Gallagher (R) resigned in April.
Manchin’s retirement casts aside virtually any hopes Democrats had of retaining one of their last red-state seats, and with control of the razor-thin Senate majority on the line, Democrats have no margin for error.
But Manchin’s decision not to run for Senate and his fraternization with the No Labels movement sparked some rumors he was mulling over a thirdparty bid as a conservative-moderate Democrat. Such a candidacy never materialized, but Manchin did leave the Democratic Party in May and joined three Senate Independents who caucus with the Democrats. Manchin had been a life-long registered Democrat.
In other national news, following the assassination attempt of Donald Trump at his Pennsylvania rally last weekend, Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle has officially resigned after a contentious hearing in front of the House Oversight Committee on Monday.
Cheatle conceded that there were “colossal” problems with security at the Trump rally, but asserted that she was the “best person” to lead the Secret Service. Cheatle came under heavy bipartisan fire for the lax security measures that almost resulted in Trump’s death, and faced even more calls to resign after she refused to answer questions during her hearing.
Cheatle started her work in the Secret Service in 1995, with a hiatus from 2019 to 2022 to serve as Senior Director of Global Security at PepsiCo.
Deputy Director Ronald Lowe succeeded her as acting director.
California has recently become the first state in the nation to ban policies that force educators and school districts to notify parents’ of students’ gender transition or preferred pronoun usage.
Over a dozen California school boards have passed policies forcing parents to be notified of such changes in the aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which saw conservatives elected to school boards in the wake of the learning disruptions. Enacted policies required parents to be notified if their children requested names
or pronouns different from the ones in school records.
Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) have fought the school districts in court, as plaintiffs claim that such policies forcibly “out” kids to parents who may or may not be supportive of their newfound identities.
After school boards like that of Chino Valley Unified School District passed their policies, the State quickly intervened with their lawsuits, alleging that deeply personal family matters should not be forced by a government entity. Newsom’s bill, passed by the Democratic-supermajority state legislature, however, does not end the legal battles. Chino Valley has argued that parents have a constitutional right to their children’s upbringing.
State
Linda Sun, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Kathy Hochul (D), has had her Manhasset home raided by the FBI.
While the specifics of the investigation remain publicly unclear, Sun and her husband have not been accused of any crimes or malfeasance as of press time. No arrests were made.
The FBI has confirmed that the bureau has conducted “court-authorized law enforcement activity” at the five-bedroom, gated-community residence in Nassau County. The U.S. attorney’s Brooklyn office obtained the search warrant.
The only notable change in the property’s ownership came earlier this year, as Sun and her husband transferred from their ownership to a trust.
Sun began her governmental career as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Grace Meng (D, NY-06), at the time an Assemblywoman, and later worked in various positions under Governors Andrew Cuomo (D) and Hochul. Sun’s employment included Asian Americans Affairs; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and Business Development on the State level. She departed the Governor’s office in early 2023 to serve as campaign manager for Austin Cheng (D-Glen Cove) in his failed bid for the Democratic nomination for New York’s Third Congressional District against Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) this year.
Local
The Suffolk County Legislature has scheduled a date for its Next Generation Advisory Council Meeting.
The Council’s purpose is to give the “next generation” a literal seat at the table. The meeting provides residents aged 20-34 the opportunity to sit down with Legislators to discuss and help craft proposed legislation that could impact the future of Suffolk County.
The first meeting will be held at the William H. Rogers Building at 725 Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge on Wednesday, August 14 at 6:30p.m. Legislative offices can be consulted with questions about the event and applicable residents can RSVP at nextgen@suffolkcountyny.gov.
Former Police Commissioner, Smithtown Councilman Bob Creighton Passes Away at 86
By Matt Meduri
The Smithtown community lost an iconic figure in former Suffolk Police Commissioner and Town Councilman Bob Creighton (R-Kings Park), who passed away last Wednesday at the age of 86.
Creighton earned a status of “legendary” in Suffolk County law enforcement for helping investigate the Southwest Sewer District corruption scandal that brought down the administration of then-County Executive John Klein.
Creighton, born in Washington Heights, graduated from LaSalle Academy in Manhattan before serving three years in the Navy on the USS Hornet until 1958.
In 1961, Creighton enrolled in the newlyformed Suffolk County Police Department chartered to cover the five western Suffolk Towns. He would earn a master’s degree from Stony Brook in 1971 and attend the FBI Academy in 1974. Creighton served in the SCPD for twenty years, earned his detective shield after four years of service, became a sergeant in 1970, followed by detective sergeant in 1971.
Retiring from the SCPD in 1981, he worked in the private sector until joining the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office in 1990, serving as chief investigator until 1992 before serving a seven-month stint as police commissioner. He would then return to the District Attorney’s office, working again as chief investigator until 1994. After another private-sector stint, Creighton would serve again as chief investigator from 2002 to 2006.
Creighton then entered the world of politics in 2007, when he was elected as a Smithtown Councilman. He was re-elected in 2011. He served tightly alongside then-Councilman, now-Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) during his eight years on the board.
Supervisor Wehrheim eulogized his colleague in a heartfelt social media post.
“Throughout his lifetime, Bob was most passionate and proud of his family, Irish ancestry, and his Kings Park pride. He is deeply missed and I will carry his memory with me always,” wrote Wehrheim, adding that Creighton’s tenure on the Town Board “quickly” formed a “dynamic team and a lasting cherished friendship.”
Smithtown Councilman Tom Lohmann (R-Smithtown) also paid homage to his former colleague.
“It is with a heavy heart that I post the passing of a Kings Park icon and true gentleman!” wrote Lohmann on social media, adding that Creighton was “in many senses the Mayor of Kings Park and spent his entire life dedicated to public service in many capacities.”
“I personally believe Bob was most proud of his family, wife Gerry, his five children, and nine grandchildren,” continued Lohmann. “I had the honor and privilege of knowing Bob for my entire life, and will always cherish his kind words and wisdom!”
Smithtown Republican Chairman Bill Ellis paid tribute to the late councilman and commissioner as well.
“Bob was an icon in the law enforcement community,” Ellis told The Messenger, adding that Creighton was the son of Cy Donnelly, the Smithtown Police Chief when the Town’s department was still extant.
“Bob tried to do everything to help everybody, and he was revered as a Town Councilman,” added Ellis. “When people came with an issue, he always got it fixed.”
Ellis said that he believed Creighton would be an “excellent person” for Smithtown government because he “knew he would perform well for the citizens.”
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) praised Creighton’s record, as the two worked together during Tierney’s time as an assistant prosecutor.
“He had a tremendous reputation and served with integrity,” said Tierney. “In many ways, he was a legendary figure in Suffolk County law enforcement.”
Retired Detective Chuck Lohmann, who now serves as Chief of the Head of the Harbor Police Department, said he worked as a young officer alongside Creighton during Creighton’s time at the District Attorney’s office, and said Creighton was “probably the singular most respected and revered cop I ever worked with.”
Deputy Police Commissioner Belinda Alvarez-Groneman said that Creighton “opened the doors and believed in me,” adding that “because of his leadership, it’s who I am today.”
Sheriff Errol Toulon (D) and Creighton met in 2011 and worked together to establish the Smithtown memorial park for 9-11 first responders.
“When I was elected sheriff, he was supportive of me and was a mentor and a role model,” said Toulon, adding that Creighton was “someone who had integrity” and had the “best interest in public safety and looked to keep Suffolk County safe.”
Creighton is survived by his wife, Geraldine, son, Bob Creighton, Jr., daughter Denise, daughter Deidre and her husband Kevin, daughter Erin, daughter Kerry and her husband Tim, and daughters-in-law Cathy and Paige, as well as his nine grandchildren.
Photo Credit: Ed Wehrheim
Photo Credit: Tom Lohmann
Photo Credit: Tom Lohmann
CONTINUING TO DELIVER EXCEPTIONAL CARE TO SUFFOLK COUNTY.
For the second consecutive year, Long Island Community Hospital has been listed as a High Performing Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. We have also received top ratings in treating the following five conditions:
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Kidney failure
• Pneumonia
This accolade showcases our expertise as we prepare to merge with NYU Langone next year. We are proud to be part of this community and dedicated to providing the highest quality care for you and your families.
Learn more about what makes us a High Performing Hospital
12 School Highlights
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Shoreham-Wading River Welcomes New Assistant Principal
The Shoreham-Wading River Central School District has named Jonathan Lilla assistant principal of Shoreham-Wading River High School. He began his role on July 1.
Mr. Lilla holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with a political science minor from Millersville University, a Master of Science degree in social studies education from Hofstra University and a Master of Science degree in Progressive Leadership/LEAP graduate from the Bank Street College of Education. Additionally, he is certified as a New York State school building leader and a New York State school district leader and holds New York State professional certification in social studies education (7-12).
His most recent role was at Manhattan’s Gramercy Arts High School, where he served as a climate and culture liaison and principal intern. Mr. Lilla was instrumental in serving on the Instructional Leadership Team and collaborating with the other department leads to design the school year’s professional development cycles. In this role, Mr. Lilla developed and facilitated Gramercy Arts’ Professional Learning Cycles that focused on student engagement and literacy, mentored new social studies teachers, coached both new and veteran teachers in classroom instruction and conducted classroom visits and feedback sessions, and assisted teachers in creating department unit plans and
course sequences as well as formative and summative assessments. He also operated as the school dean, conducting restorative circles, mediations, parent meetings and calls. He developed a system for behavior management and collaborated with teachers to organize and schedule more after-school clubs, activities and events as the coordinator of student activities. His teaching career began as a social studies teacher at Gramercy Arts High School.
Mr. Lilla’s extracurricular activities are varied from serving as both faculty council and chapter adviser for the National Honor Society, and as adviser for Student Government, the Anime Club and the Weightlifting Club. He also taught a credit recovery night class for off-track seniors and was the coach for the Washington Irving varsity baseball team.
Centereach and Newfield High School Artists Honored with SCALA Scholarships
Centereach High School Artist Alexandra Cesa and Newfield High School Artist Catarina Pacheco have been awarded $100 scholarships from the Suffolk County Art Alliance Association (SCALA). This prestigious honor recognizes the outstanding artistic talents of these students.
“Alexandra and Catarina have demonstrated remarkable growth and vision in their artistic journeys,” said Centereach High School art teacher Ms. LaLima. “Their work is a testament to their passion and perseverance.”
The recognition of Alexandra and Catarina’s artistic achievements is a testament to their hard work, creativity, and dedication to the arts in addition to the scholarship, both artists had the opportunity to have prints of their artwork displayed in the lobby of the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts. This exhibition coincided with the
recent Atlantic Wind Symphony Concert, an event dedicated to celebrating Senior Art & Music students.
“We are incredibly proud of Alexandra and Catarina for their exceptional talent and dedication to their art,” said Newfield High School art teacher Mr. Berretta. “Their artwork reflects not only their creativity but also their commitment to honing their craft. Seeing their pieces displayed at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts is a proud moment for all of us.”
This event not only highlights the artistic skills of these young artists but also emphasizes the importance of supporting the arts within the educational system. SCALA continues to play a vital role in promoting and encouraging the arts in Suffolk County.
Summer Fun is Educational at Eastport-South Manor
More than 150 Eastport-South Manor Central School District students are enrolled in the annual four-week Academic Enrichment Program, being held at Tuttle Avenue Elementary School. In partnership with SCOPE, the district has opened its doors to grade K-6 students interested in pursuing activities designed to expand their horizons and engage in fun, organized activities.
The enrichment areas include a space camp, a cooking class that explores European countries and their cuisine, summer Olympics and fine arts inspired by animals.
Additionally, there is summer enrichment and remediation classes for English as a New Language students in grades K-8. All classes are taught by Eastport-South Manor teachers.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Congratulations, Sachem High School East Class of 2024
The Sachem High School East Class of 2024 proudly walked out onto the football field in their red caps and gowns to celebrate their graduation on June 26. “Pomp and Circumstance” played overhead while cheers and applause were heard from the crowd.
Once students were seated, the commencement ceremony began with a performance of “The StarSpangled Banner” by senior chorus members. During this time, graduates who will be serving in the military were recognized and honored.
High School East Principal Lou Antonetti welcomed the audience and gave congratulatory remarks to the graduating class. He recognized three students who were graduating a year early and presented two honorary diplomas – one to Isaac Ruiz’s family, a member of the Class of 2024 who passed too soon, and to Superintendent
of Schools Dr. Christopher Pellettieri, as he is retiring this July.
Following the remarks, the top 25 academic leaders of the class were called to the podium to receive medals.
Senior class advisers Dawn Patterson and Katherine Stein introduced the students and shared their future plans. Valedictorian Adrian Benedikt Dayao and salutatorian Michael Mauro
were recognized at this time. Dayao addressed his peers, reflecting on their time at Sachem East and encouraging them to strive for personal growth while allowing for grace.
Salutatorian and senior class president Michael Mauro stepped up to the podium to deliver a speech that shared lessons he learned during his time in Sachem including to have
Students Enjoy Summer Enrichment in Three Village
Throughout the two-week program, students engage in hands-on projects across a variety of subject areas including arts and crafts, food fun and several academic interests. Despite school being out for the summer, students are eager to be back in the classroom for the program. Thursday, July 25,
fun, embrace differences and the importance of community service.
Board of Education President Rob Scavo began the conferring of diplomas alongside trustees and administrators. Students walked across the stage and returned to their seats before tossing their caps into the air – signaling the end of their time in Sachem schools.
The summer enrichment program is in full swing in the Three Village Central School District and the classrooms at P.J. Gelinas Junior High School are bustling with fun activities. The program is open to students entering kindergarten through seventh grade and provides hour-long classes that enrich the curriculum and provide opportunities for
creative expression.
The Necessary Standard for American Education
House Standing Committees Part III
By Matt Meduri
Congress, already divided between the House and Senate, becomes further departmentalized at the committee level. Standing committees are simply those that are permanent. The party with the majority in the chamber of Congress earns the chairmanship and majorities on the chamber’s committees. The top spot for the committee member of the minority party is called the Ranking Member.
Committees are divided to utilize specializations and knowledge of its members as it pertains to a certain area of focus, as well as view legislation before to debate, amend, or table it before the legislation can advance to the floor of the chamber for a vote from all representatives.
While standing committees are permanent, there are several other types of committees and caucuses that serve numerous purposes in Washington. Each committee also has certain subcommittees that are composed of members of the committee at large. In two separate columns, we looked at ten standing committees of the U.S. House. This week, we’ll explore a few more.
House Administration
The House Administration Committee was established in 1947 to better facilitate and modernize the internal management and operations of the U.S. House. The committee primarily has oversight over federal elections and day-to-day House business, with more recent committee activities navigating technological upgrades and security improvements on Capitol Hill. The committee also has jurisdiction over appropriations accounting, employment of House personnel, the Library of Congress, the House Library, purchase of works of art for the Capitol, the U.S. Botanic Garden, and the Smithsonian Institution, among other initiatives.
The committee is divided into three subcommittees. Due to the committee’s small size, it didn’t have subcommittees for most of its existence. The Elections and Oversight subcommittees were created in 2007, and abolished during the 113th Congress (2013-2015). The Elections Subcommittee was reestablished during the 116th Congress.
The Elections Subcommittee handles election observation, federal management and modernization of elections through funding for apparatus, such as voting machines, and deliberates issues of election integrity and states’ rights within the scope of federal elections.
The Modernization Subcommittee simply handles matters of modernizations in the House and the Legislative Branch.
The Oversight Subcommittee has oversight of congressional security, accountability of the legislative branch security and operations, and safety apparatus.
The committee consists of twelve members: eight Republicans and four Democrats. Bryan Steil (R, WI-01) serves as Chair and Joe Morelle (D, NY-25) serves as Ranking Member.
Judiciary Committee
The Judiciary Committee is essentially referred to as the “lawyer” of the U.S. House. It has jurisdiction of justice in federal courts, administrative bodies, and law enforcement agencies. The committee also has outsized importance in impeachment proceedings, although these rarely occur.
Since its founding in 1813, the committee’s oversight has expanded from legislation regarding judicial proceedings to civil and criminal judicial proceedings at the federal level, bankruptcy, terrorism, espionage, defense of civil liberties, constitutional amendments, immigration and naturalization, interstate compacts, national penitentiaries, presidential succession, antitrust legislation, revision and codification of U.S. statutes, patents, copyrights, trademarks, and claims against the U.S.
The committee is divided into six subcommittees and one select subcommittee.
The Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust handles matters of bankruptcy, commercial law, independent counsel, state taxation affecting interstate commerce, antitrust legislation, and interstate compacts.
The Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government has oversight of constitutional rights and amendments, federal civil rights, voting rights, claims against the U.S., non-immigration private claims bill, ethics in government, tort liability, and federal charters of incorporation.
The Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet has oversight of administration of the U.S. Courts, the Federal Rules of Evidence, Civil and Appellate Procedure, judicial ethics, copyright, patent, and trademark laws, and Information
Technology.
The Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance handles matters of the Federal Criminal Code, the administration of justice, federal prosecutors, drug enforcement, sentencing, internal and homeland security, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, prisons, and the use of surveillance tools by federal law enforcement.
This column will seek to address the long-forgotten concept of civics and how it relates to American government in general, from the federal level to the local level. This column will explore Constitutional rights, the inner workings of government, the electoral process, and the obligations and privileges of citizens.
The Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement has jurisdiction over immigration and naturalization, border security and drug interdiction, admission of refugees, treaties, conventions, and international agreements, and private immigration and claims bills.
The Subcommittee on Responsiveness and Accountability to Oversight has oversight of the responsiveness of agencies, departments, and entities to oversight requests of the committee and its subcommittees. It also handles operations of the committee’s congressional liaisons and offices of legislative affairs with regards to enacting, changing, or repealing any legislation within the jurisdiction of the committee.
The committee has a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. Formed on January 10, 2023, it was established to investigate alleged abuses of federal authority, including collusion between federal agencies and private-sector entities to suppress viewpoints. The committee has broad authority to subpoena law enforcement and national security agencies.
The committee has forty-four members: twenty-five Republicans and nineteen Democrats. Jim Jordan (R, OH-04) serves as Chair and Jerry Nadler (D, NY-12) serves as Ranking Member.
Natural Resources
The Natural Resources Committee has broad jurisdiction over fisheries and wildlife, including research, restorations, refuges, and conservation; forest reserves and national parks created from the public domain; forfeiture of land grants and alien ownership; the Geological Survey; international fishing agreements; irrigation and reclamation; military parks and battlefields, national cemeteries administered by the Department of the Interior, parks within the District of Columbia, and the erection of monuments to the memories of individuals; mineral land laws and claims; general mining interests; mineral resources on on public lands; oceanography; marine affairs and coastal zone management; petroleum conservation; preservation of prehistoric ruins and objects of interest; public lands; the TransAlaska Oil Pipeline (except ratemaking), and relations between the U.S. and Native American tribes.
The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources oversees energy production and onshore and offshore mining on federal lands. It handles planning for the development of renewable energy, all matters affecting geothermal resources, marine hydrokinetic energy development, leasing, development, and conservation of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide sequestration, all matters relating to the U.S. Geological Survey, mining interests, conservation of the U.S. uranium supply, geospatial data collection and management, helium supply and management, transportation of natural gas and oil within Alaska and the TransAlaska Oil Pipeline, environmental protection, and general land use.
The Federal Lands Subcommittee handles matters relating to the National Park System, the National Wilderness Preservation System, the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the National Trails System, and other national heritage areas, military parks, battlefields, and cemeteries, outdoor recreation plans and programs such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 and the Outdoor Recreation Act of 1963, preservation of ruins and historic sites, public lands with respect to entry, easements, withdrawals, and grazing, land grants and alien ownership, and forest reservations.
The Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee has oversight of measures relating to Native American welfare, management of Indian lands, all matters regarding Native Alaskans and Hawaiians, and all matters of relations between the U.S. and Native Americans and tribes.
The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee has oversight and investigative authority on all activities, policies, and programs within the jurisdiction of the committee, with respect to the departments of Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and
Commerce.
The Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries handles matters of electric power generation, matters pursuant to the Water Resources Planning Act, use and apportionment of interstate waters and water rights, the Endangered Species Act, Indian water rights and settlements, activities and programs of the Water Resources and Ecosystem Areas, fisheries management and research, management of all commercial and regulation fisheries, international fisheries agreements, aquaculture, seafood safety, fisheries promotion, protection of coastal and marine environments, estuarine protection, coastal barriers, oceanography, marine sanctuaries, and U.N. Convention of the Law of the Sea.
The committee is composed of forty-five members: twentyfive Republicans and twenty Democrats. The committee is notable for its membership of delegates from four territories: American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Bruce Westerman (R, AR-04) serves as Chair and Raul Grijalva (D, AZ-03) serves as Ranking Member.
Oversight and Accountability
This committee’s broad jurisdiction and legislative authority makes it one of the most powerful bodies of the House. The Chair is one of three House committee chairs who can issue subpoenas without a committee vote or consultation with the Ranking Member, although unilateral subpoenas are not typically practiced.
The committee has jurisdiction over the federal civil service, holidays and celebrations, government management and accounting measures, national archives, population and demography with respect to the U.S. Census, the postal service, public information and records, reorganizations in the Executive Branch, and the relationship between the federal government and states and municipalities.
The Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation has oversight of IT data, standards, quality, infrastructure, and acquisition, as well as emerging technologies, privacy, cloud computing, and data centers.
The Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs has oversight of income inequality, policies that affect middle class growth, including education, housing, labor, trade, small business, and agriculture; securities regulations; consumer protection; private sector IT security, policy, and management; and telecommunications.
The Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce has oversight of the federal civil service, including compensation, classification, and benefits; federal property disposal; public information and records pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Presidential Records Act; government reorganizations and operations, with respect to transparency, performance, grants management, and general accounting measure; and the relationship between the federal government and states and municipalities, including unfunded mandates.
The Health Care [sic] and Financial Services Subcommittee has jurisdiction over federal healthcare policy, food and drug safety, federal entitlement programs, monetary policy, banking, tax policy, and oversight over the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
The Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs handles matters of national security, homeland security, foreign operations, U.S. relationships with foreign nations, immigration, defense, Veterans’ issues, and oversight over federal acquisition policy relating to national security.
The committee has forty-seven members: twenty-six Republicans and twenty-one Democrats. James Comer (R, KY-01) serves as Chair and Jamie Raskin (D, MD-08) serves as Ranking Member.
Brookhaven Matters
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Town Applying for NYS Parks and Historic Preservation Grant for Martha Avenue Park
The Town of Brookhaven’s grant application outlines their plan to upgrade the park’s lighting and fields, ensuring the space is safer and more enjoyable for use. Additionally, the proposed funds would be used to beautify, repair, and maintain the park, creating a more inviting environment for all visitors.
The application for the NYS Parks and Historic Preservation grant will be bolstered by letters of support from a diverse array of elected officials and community leaders. This collective backing underscores the importance of Martha Avenue Park to the North Bellport community and highlights the widespread commitment to improving local recreational facilities.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) expressed his enthusiasm for the project if the grant is approved at the most recent Town Board meeting. Supervisor Panico has been a staunch advocate for beautifying Town parks and places residents can enjoy as a community.
Community organizations have also played a crucial role in supporting the grant application. Leaders from local groups have highlighted the park’s importance as a community hub and the
positive impact that the proposed improvements would have. Any additional letters of support are welcome to be included in the upcoming grant application’s deadline.
The Town of Brookhaven has a long-standing commitment to maintaining and improving its parks. This latest grant application is part of a broader effort to ensure that recreational spaces across the town are wellmaintained and equipped to meet the needs of residents.
Councilman Michael Loguercio (R-Ridge) of the Fourth Council District, who represents North Bellport, has been a vocal advocate for the project.
“The fact is we truly have some of the most beautiful parks on Long Island and we want to make certain to maintain and improve them in all ways possible so that the people of Brookhaven can enjoy them for years to come,” Loguercio told The Messenger
Shed the Meds Event
The deadline for the NYS Parks and Historic Preservation grant application is fast approaching,
Monday, August 5, 2024
a.m. – 1 p.m. South Country Library 22 Station Road, Bellport, NY 11713
Monday, August 5, 2024 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
South Country Library 22 Station Road, Bellport, NY 11713
These
These events are a great opportunity to dispose of unwanted medications safely. Disposing of meds this way keeps them out of the hands of children and helps protect the environment.
Drop off point is inside the lobby. In Partnership with Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office
Panico
and the Town is hopeful for a positive outcome. If awarded, the grant will provide the necessary funding to move forward with the planned improvements, ensuring that Martha Avenue Park continues to serve as a vibrant and wellmaintained recreational space for the North Bellport community.
As the Town awaits the decision on the New York State grant, the community remains optimistic about the potential for positive change. The support from elected officials and community leaders highlights a shared vision for the future of Martha Avenue Park and underscores the town’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for its residents through continued investment in public spaces.
and Town Board Honor
Moriches Youth Organization United Soccer Team
At the June 27 Town Board Meeting, Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) and the Town Council presented Certificates of Achievement to the Moriches Youth Organization United Soccer Team in recognition of their Long Island Cup win to cap an outstanding 2024 season.
If you have questions please contact Assemblyman Joe DeStefano’s District Office at
If you have questions please contact Assemblyman Joe DeStefano’s District Office at 3245 Route 112, Building 2, Ste. 6, Medford, NY 11763 1-(631) 207-0073 ● destefanoj@nyassembly.gov
Pictured with the team are (back row, left to right) Coach Jeffrey Butofsky; Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook); Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point); Supervisor Dan Panico; Councilwoman Karen Dunne Kesnig (R-Manorville); Councilman Michael Loguercio (R-Ridge); Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden), and Coach Sal Santoro.
Long Island Locavore
COURGETTE
The vegetable formally known as Zucchini and Summer Squash
By Nancy Vallarella
Summer is the season of the courgette! You might know it better as zucchini or summer squash. This versatile vegetable is everywhere right now, bursting from garden beds and filling produce stands at unbeatable prices. It’s a favorite among home gardeners because it’s so easy to grow. There’s even a joke: “Warning – Do not leave your car windows open this time of year, or you may find it full of zucchini!”
Once upon a time, zucchini bread was the go-to treat for sharing with friends, family, neighbors, and even the mailman. But like fruit cake at Christmas, it eventually fell out of favor. Health-conscious cooks started creating zucchini dishes that were low in carbs and gluten-free, steering clear of the traditional fried zucchini chips and zucchini fries.
Nowadays, a quick Google search reveals countless zucchini recipes to explore. But here’s something new and fun: on social media, zucchini is making a comeback under its French name, Courgette. Yes, add that term to your recipe searches for some fresh inspiration!
According to Food & Wine, the term “courgette” is used in England, derived from the French word for green gourd, while in the United States, we use the Italian name “zucchini.” Both names refer to the same summer squash.
Ready to try something new? Here’s your jump start into the exciting world of courgette/ zucchini/summer squash recipes. Think of it as the PRINCE of summer vegetables, laughing in the Purple Rain.
Black Bean and Zucchini Quesadillas
Ingredients - Serves 4-6
2 medium zucchinis, coarsely graded
½ tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt plus additional to taste
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
8 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese coarsely grated
1 scallion chopped, white and light green part only
½ jalapeno pepper finely chopped
4 flour tortillas 10 inches in diameter – (burrito size)
extra virgin olive oil for brushing the tortillas
Optional garnish - chopped tomato, avocado, salsa, cilantro.
Directions
1. In a colander, toss together the grated zucchini and salt with your hands squeeze zucchini to remove most of its liquid. You can also place grated zucchini in a tea or flour sack towel and ring out the liquid.
2. In a large bowl combine the zucchini, beans, cheese, scallion, and jalapeno.
3. Brush the tortillas with oil on one side. Turn over the tortillas so the oiled side is on the bottom. Divide the bean mixture between the tortillas, spreading it to the edges. Top each with a plain tortilla and brush the top with oil.
4. Warm a large skillet over medium heat or electric griddle to 300°. Place the quesadilla in the pan or griddle and cook until the cheese melts and the tortillas are golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas
Garnish with chopped tomato, avocado, salsa, cilantro.
Long Island Locavore was created by Nancy Vallarella. Managing farmer’s markets, creating recipes, and giving food demonstrations all contribute to bringing awareness to all things farmed, fished, foraged, and produced on Long Island! For more recipes, or to ask a question, DM @lilocavore495 on Instagram or contact her via email – lilocavore495@gmail.com
Spiralized Zucchini Noodles with Chicken Tenders
Ingredients - Serves 4 – 6
4 medium zucchini spiralized into noodles the size of cooked spaghetti
2 minced shallot cloves
2 grated or minced cloves of garlic
Pinch – ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
3 - 4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil divided
4 cups homemade marinara or favorite jarred marinara sauce (I use Rao’s)
1 – 2 lbs. of chicken tenders
salt and pepper
fresh parmesan cheese to garnish
Directions
Lightly salt and weep spiralized zucchini. Clean chicken tenders (remove white tendon) and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium heat and add 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil. Once oil is warm, sauté shallots until just tender (approx. 3 minutes) add garlic and stir for 1 minute or until it is fragrant. Add spiralized zucchini and sauté until it has reached desired tenderness (approx. 5 - 6 minutes). Transfer zucchini mixture into a large serving bowl.
In the same skillet heat remaining 1 Tbs. of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add chicken tenders and leave room between each. Do not crowd. You will have to cook the chicken in two batches if you are making two pounds of tenders. Cook chicken tenders 3 minutes on each side. Add marinara sauce to skillet with chicken tenders and reduce heat to medium low and simmer until warmed through (approx. 5-6 minutes).
Pour sauce and chicken tenders over spiralized zucchini and top with grated parmesan cheese. Buon Appetito!
Spiralizing Zucchini Tips - Score medium to large zucchini before spiralizing to avoid strands that can be several feet long. Just one long ¼ inch incision along the length of the zucchini should do the trick.
Prior to cooking zucchini noodles - let them weep, let them weep, let them weep. Zucchini are 90% water. If you don’t draw out the water prior to cooking, you will have a watery dish lacking taste.
To weep zucchini noodles:
Place lightly salted noodles in colander and place colander in a larger bowl. Let salted zucchini sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight in fridge with plastic wrap over noodles. You should see liquid pooling in the larger bowl.
If you are in a hurry – lay out a clean tea towel. Place zucchini noodles on top. Spread out noodles. Roll up towel and give it a gentle ring to draw out the water.
Quantity Guideline
RAW: 1 cup of raw zucchini noodles = 1 small zucchini
2 - 3 cups = medium zucchini
3 – 4 cups = 1 large zucchini
COOKED:
Remember zucchini is 90% water. 2 cups of raw zucchini noodles render 1 cup of cooked zucchini noodles. As a main dish, you will need approximately 4 cups of raw zucchini noodles per serving.
Spiralized Zucchini Waste - Zucchini stems can be boiled until tender. Pour good extra virgin olive oil over the top and add a flake or tiny pinch of salt to each. Makes a tasty appetizer.
The left-over core and zucchini base can be diced to sauté for an omelet filling or mushroom stuffing. If you are not feeling ambitious, freeze the core and stem and use it for vegetable stock.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
July 25,
Warrior Ranch Receives ‘Difference-Maker Award’ for HVAC System
By Matt Meduri
In 2022, Rheem Manufacturing, an HVAC contractor, debuted its “Difference Maker Award” program that aims to recognize partners who “go above and beyond to support the causes they care about.” Winners of the award earn a $10,000 donation from Rheem to the charity of their choice.
Sparrow Heating and Air Conditioning, a contractor through Rheem, nominated the Warrior Ranch Foundation in Calverton as their recipient of the award for much-needed HVAC systems.
Representatives from Rheem, Sparrow, Suffolk County, and other contractors gathered at Warrior Ranch to learn more about their mission and to present the award.
Founded in 2019, Warrior Ranch prides itself on “giving a second chance to humans and horses.” The foundation takes in former racehorses or workhorses who can no longer fulfill their respective functions, retrains, and rehabilitates them, while simultaneously working with Veterans and first responders who utilize the horses’ therapeutic benefits. Often, horses who find their way to the ranch get adopted by clients and earn a “forever home,” while their newfound owners receive the benefits of a sensitive companion for whom to care.
coordination, and body control from equine therapy, while the practice has also been found to reduce blood pressure, heart rate, and calm physical symptoms of anxiety and stress. Patients are also likely to experience a more metaphysical
time wearing racing saddles. After his brief career as a racehorse, Sully was taken in by the Amish as a workhorse. After he was no longer viable for life on the farm, Warrior Ranch found Sully at an auction in South Jersey and brought him to Calverton in 2021.
Equine therapy can help patients who experience a wide variety of symptoms. Patients with neuromuscular disorders can benefit from improved balance,
connection with a horse, as, like dogs or even dolphins, horses are highly intelligent and receptive to human emotion.
Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa (C-Selden), Chair of the Veterans Committee, played a role in coordinating the contractors with Warrior Ranch, as he had learned of the HVAC needs the foundation experienced.
“I was at a separate event for the Warrior Ranch and Eileen Shanahan [Founder and President of Warrior Ranch Foundation] told me some of the needs that needed to be rectified in order for them to be more successful,” Caracappa told The Messenger. “She mentioned that they can’t provide certain services when it’s too hot or too cold outside and that they could really use an HVAC system in their building, which happens to be very old.”
Caracappa also mentioned that the contractors present for the award would, on “any other day, be competitors,” but they all came together for the success of the ranch and the support of first responders and Veterans. Program Coordinator, Horse Trainer, and Barn Manager Juliette Hackett described the two resident horses and their pasts, as well as their temperaments and sensitivities to their clients.
Hackett took Sully, an eighteen-year-old standardbred, out of the barn to demonstrate his training. Wear marks on Sully’s mane and body are visible from his short
“When people are training a horse to race, there are people riding the horse, grooming him, caring for him, and feeding him. But when his career is done, the horse loses that routine and care and he just has to hope he winds up in a place that cares about his well-being,” Hackett told The Messenger
Contrary to some beliefs, racehorses and workhorses alike are cared for intently by their owners. Sully has a notable feature of a missing eye, likely removed due to infection or injury. Hackett notes the clean, neat removal of his eye, indicating care by his previous owners.
“If you’re a tradesman, you’re going to care for your horses. You need to work, so you take care of your horse while it’s yours,” said Hackett. “But the problem is that when they’re done and no longer useful, that care stops in caring about where the horse ends up. That’s where a lot of horses become unwanted because people don’t want to put in the time or energy to find them a good home.”
Hackett says the ranch got “very, very lucky” with Sully, as he is capable of pulling carts, grounds work, and beginner training courses, as well as being “very sensitive” and people-loving.
The ranch has another resident horse, Ranger, who is a bit more temperamental and skittish, but is coming a long way with proper care and training. The ranch recently had two miniature horses who were adopted.
The stable at Warrior Ranch features a slew of other donations, such as construction work provided by local labor unions and feed boxes built by local Eagle Scouts.
“Over the years, Rheem has witnessed contractors uplift their communities in a myriad of ways, and we are inspired,” said Paul Mudd, a sales manager with Rheem. “That’s why we introduced the Rheem Difference Maker Award, so that we can recognize and help our propartner contracts continue their mission of giving back to others.”
Mudd says that since the award’s inception, funds have gone to a range of causes, from military families to pediatric cancer to expanding mental health services.
“This foundation was built on the love of country, the love of horses, and it has been a hell of a journey, and we couldn’t do it without companies like you and volunteers like we have here,” said Warrior Ranch Founder and President Eileen Shanahan. She added that Warrior Ranch was founded just a few months before the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“It was actually a blessing for us, because everyone wanted to be outside and work,” said Shanahan.
Warrior Ranch Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located at 1179 Edwards Avenue in Calverton.
(Left to right) Sully, Hackett, and Legislator Caracappa
Long Island Life & Politics
State Reacts to Software Outage
By Hank Russell | Long Island Life and Politics
An outage of the Microsoft operating system that happened overnight brought transportation systems, financial institutions, and other businesses to a grinding halt. State officials said they are working on it.
According to various news reports, just before 1:00a.m. on July 19, a glitch in the Microsoft software system came from a technical issue from CrowdStrike, which provides cybersecurity solutions to Microsoft for its Windows devices.
CrowdStrike President/CEO George Kurtz published a statement on the company’s blog site, explaining that the malfunction was the result of “a defect found in the Falcon content update for Windows hosts.” Kurt emphasized that this will not affect systems running on Mac and Linux.
“I want to sincerely apologize directly to all of you for today’s outage. All of CrowdStrike understands the gravity and impact of the situation,” Kurtz stated. “We quickly identified the issue and deployed a fix, allowing us to focus diligently on restoring customer systems as our highest priority.” He also emphasized that this was not a cyberattack. “We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this,” he said. “I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that you’re engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates.”
Colin Ahern, the state’s chief cyber officer, issued this statement this morning: “We are working with our agencies, local governments, and the third-party service provider to resolve any issues on impacted systems. Our priority is to ensure all 911 systems across New York are operational and able to address emergency response needs. The third party has identified a fix for the underlying issue and the New York State Office of Information Technology Services is actively working with other state agencies on a resolution. We do not yet have a timeline for full restoration.”
Governor Kathy Hochul (D) visited the New York State Office of Information Technology Services to receive an update and monitor the State’s response to a global computer system outage that continues to impact New York. She later held a press conference providing an update on the situation.
“The outage is having impacts here in New York for private sector businesses that rely on CrowdStrike, and for systems even within the New York State Government,” Hochul said. “There is no risk to personal, sensitive information that we are aware of; although, we are continuing to monitor the environment very closely. Nonetheless, this has caused huge disruptions across the State of New York, around the country, and indeed the globe.”
Hochul said that 911 emergency services are up and running, but nonessential services are not. She also said she has received reports that the Department of Motor Vehicles has experienced “major disruptions” throughout the state. The Port Authority has not been impacted, but those who are flying are experiencing flight delays and cancelations. She urged fliers to call their airline and check for flight information.
Janno Lieber, the chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) also held a press conference. He said that bus, rail, subway and paratransit service has not been interrupted. However, the countdown clock — which tells commuters how long before the next train arrives — is not functioning.
“As old New Yorkers know, the trains are coming,” Lieber said. “They’re coming on regular schedules, and you can count on it. You just may not have the countdown clock available. Otherwise, the tolls are being collected. Bad news for some people, I know.” He also said the clocks should be back online “pretty promptly.”
Hochul, meanwhile, promised to fix this, no matter how long it takes. “We’ll continue working around the clock to restore services as soon as possible, and we’ll continue to keep New Yorkers updated on our progress.”
For more from Long Island Life and Politics, visit: www.lilifepolitics.com
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
AMAC
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Goodbye To Joe Biden
By Ben Shapiro | AMAC Outside Contributor
Joe Biden is no longer the Democratic presidential nominee.
After weeks of heartburn from the Democratic political establishment — and the unique spectacle of the media finally holding the Democrats accountable for their dishonesty — Biden announced this week that he would be dropping out of the presidential race. That announcement followed his disastrous debate performance against Donald J. Trump, a performance that demonstrated to a flabbergasted America that the president of the United States is fully addled. Biden tried to deny it for weeks; some played along; most did not. Eventually, Biden’s abysmal poll numbers, combined with strong-arm tactics from political mafia boss Barack Obama and consigliere Nancy Pelosi, forced Biden from the race.
There are a number of lessons to be learned from this extraordinary chain of events.
First, as Lincoln apocryphally said, you can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. For years, we were told that behind closed doors, Joe Biden was cracking the secrets of cold fusion, even as we saw with our own eyes that he was in a state of continuous mental collapse. The power of the media only extends so far.
Second, while the political parties have lost much of their former power, they still exist — and they still have teeth. Democratic Party bosses and moneymen tossed out 14 million votes in favor of Joe Biden in the primaries because the polls looked bad. It’s that simple. Biden didn’t drop out because he suddenly discovered that as a patriot, he simply couldn’t lead America forward any longer. He dropped out because it was made clear to him that either his political brains or his signature would be on his resignation papers.
Third, the Democratic Party still has a few unbreakable rules, the most important of which is that no Black woman can be supplanted, no matter how bad a candidate she is. The newfound Democratic enthusiasm for hideously unpopular Vice President Kamala Harris has odor but no substance. Few Democrats are excited about Harris; they’re more excited that Biden is gone. But Harris herself is a preternaturally flawed candidate: corrupt, radical, and dishonest. She ran an alltime stinker of a presidential campaign in 2020; during that campaign, she somehow achieved the signal political feat of coming out against fracking, guns, and private health insurance — sure winners in swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. As Biden’s supposed “border czar,” she has presided over the worst border crisis in American history; she is tied at the hip to his awful record. Then there’s the fact that she is a charmless copy of Hillary Clinton, with the unfortunate addition of a Joker-like involuntary laugh that could break glass.
But Democrats can’t get rid of her. To do so would be to crack their intersectional coalition. And since 2012, Democrats have been running on that coalition … over and over and over again. It has only worked once, and that time only because Democrats radically changed
every voting rule. But Democrats are wed to the strategy. And they won’t divorce it now.
All of which means that Donald Trump still has the electoral advantage in 2024, should he choose to take advantage of it. He’ll have to be more disciplined than he has been against a walking corpse like Biden; he’ll have to focus on Harris’ record rather than her unlikability or lack of qualifications. But anyone who proclaims that Harris’ entrance into the race means that she is now the frontrunner simply isn’t living in the world of reality.
In the meantime, we bid a not-so-fond farewell to the
Overview - AMAC - The Association of Mature American Citizens
The Association of Mature American Citizens represents Americans 50 plus. AMAC is centered on American values, freedom of the individual, free speech, and exercise of religion, equality of opportunity, sanctity of life, rule of law, and love of family, with benefits at all levels. AMAC plays a vital role in helping build the services that will enrich the lives of America’s seniors. AMAC Action, a 501 (C)(4) advocates for issues important to AMAC’s membership on Capitol Hill and locally through grassroots activism. To Learn more, visit amac.us
candidacy of Joe Biden. Now only one question remains: If he’s too senile to run, why isn’t he too senile to remain president for the next six months?
Ben Shapiro‘s new collection, “Facts and Furious: The Facts About America and Why They Make Leftists Furious,” is available now. Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and cofounder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author. To find out more about Ben Shapiro and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website.
20 Bits & Pieces
WORD OF THE Week
Origin: late Middle English (in mercurial (sense 3 of the adjective)): from Latin mercurialis ‘relating to the god Mercury’, from Mercurius ‘Mercury’. mercurial (sense 1 of the adjective) dates from the mid 17th century. Source: Oxford Languages
Synonyms: volatile, temperamental, (sense 2) whimsical
Antonyms: stable, constant, (sense 2) saturnine
MERCURIAL
adjective
Pronounced: mr·kyur·ee·uhl
Definition: (of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind; sprightly or lively; of or containing the element mercury
Example: (sense 1): “His mercurial emotions made him difficult to work with.”
(sense 2): “The puppies played in a free and mercurial manner.”
WORD WHEEL
See how many words you can create. Must have center letter in word and can use letters more than once. 4 letter word minimum.
SUDOKU
July 31, 1620: Pilgrim Fathers depart Leiden, Netherlands for England on their way to America
July 25, 1965: Bob Dylan is booed by sections of the crowd at the Newport Folk Festival for performing with an electric guitar, beginning of folk-rock
This Week in History
July 27, 1940:
July 26, 1945: Declaration of Potsdam: US, Britain and China demand the unconditional surrender of Japan during WWII
July 28, 1914: Austria-Hungary decides against mediation and declares war on Serbiafirst declaration of war of WWI
July 29, 1928: Test footage first created for Walt Disney’s “Steamboat Willie” with Mickey Mouse
July 30, 1935: First Penguin book is published, starting the paperback revolution
Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery, Bob Givens (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in “Wild Hare”
But Who Is My Neighbor?
By PJ Balzer
There’s a parable in the New Testament of the Bible that’s always digs into my heart and soul. It’s in blaring red letters, directly from the mouth of Jesus Himself and utterly inescapable. It leaves me uncomfortable because it’s so relevant for today, leaves very little room for excuses, and challenges everything that society has told us and every barrier it’s put up. Simultaneously, we have countless hospitals, charities, schools, and organizations named after this story. So, it just seemingly won’t ever go away. Actually, we have a hospital right on our own island named after it. It’s the timeless parable of The Good Samaritan.
Much of the teachings of Jesus were in the form of stories which the Scriptures call parables. He gift-wrapped His teachings in these stories, so they were simple, relatable, and again inescapable. If they were some pie-in-the-sky spiritual teachings, then we’d be able to explain them away as such. So, He gave us real, relatable stories like this one.
As Jesus had just finished teaching, a lawyer stood up with a question about eternal life. Jesus directs him to the law which he, the lawyer, was well versed in and probably recited each day religiously.
“Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. All of the other commandments are concluded in these two laws.“
Yet, the lawyer wasn’t as well versed in the heart of the law, which was always meant to result in mercy. He, trying to justify himself asks this question, “But who is my neighbor?”
A man was on a journey and was attacked by a group of thieves. He was left on the side of the road stripped down, beaten up, and robbed of everything he owned. He laid there alone and nearly dead. The first person who walked past him
was a priest, symbolic of the clergy or religious leaders. The priest saw the man lying there and crossed the street, most likely not wanting to be inconvenienced or have to sacrifice anything he owned. The second man who passed by was a Levite, symbolic of those who direct music inside the temple or church. The Levite or worship leader also crossed the street and pretended not to see the man left for dead. Most likely for similar reasons, or maybe he was late for his guitar or piano lessons. The last man who passed by was a Samaritan.
The lawyer replies, “The one who showed the man mercy, with Jesus concluding, “Now you go and do the same.”
Samaritans weren’t well liked. They were known as the mixed-breed folks who dwelled in the dingy part of town. Jewish people didn’t speak to them or even look their way. They were half-Jewish, half-Gentile, and pushed away as irrelevant and a burden to society at large. I can sadly and easily think of some groups of people that we tend to look at as the same today. Can you?
The Samaritan ran towards and stopped for the man on the side of the road. He cleaned his wounds and put bandages on them after. He was happily inconvenienced to place the man on his own donkey and took him to the inn, so he’d have a safe place to rest and heal. The Samaritan took money out of his own pocket to pay for it all and told the innkeeper, “Anything else he needs or uses I will pay for when I come back to check on him tomorrow.”
Jesus concludes the story by asking the lawyer, “So, who do you think was a good and loving neighbor to the man beaten and left for dead on the roadside?”
In 2024, there are countless people lying on the side of the road left for dead. Some actually do look half dead on the outside, while others are dead on the inside from utter hopelessness and lovelessness. Some are single mothers who have been abused emotionally, physically, and left alone with small children. Others are sleeping behind our delis, wrapped in trash bags with extreme trauma from a past war or from navigating the Darien Gap carrying a two-year-old and seven months pregnant.
God give us a new portion of compassion, strength and wisdom to live out the rest of our days modeling The Good Samaritan rather than the priest or Levite. Help us to see people through your eyes and heart, rather than our own. Help us to be a healer of others wounds and not the one who causes or pours salt into them. Help us be free to give out undeserved mercy just as you offer us the same each day.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Mother’s
Family Day
Around Town
Councilwoman Bonner Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Lifetime Laser in Rocky Point
Recently, Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point), owner Donna Burns (holding certificate) and staff celebrated the 30th anniversary of Lifetime Laser Advanced Esthetics and Hair Removal, located at 125 Route 25A in Rocky Point.
For three decades, they have been dedicated to helping clients look and feel their best with top-notch laser and beauty treatments. From pioneering the latest in laser technology to offering personalized beauty solutions, Lifetime Laser has been at the forefront of innovation in the industry. Go to www.LTLaser.com for more information, including business hours, services and specials.
Panico and Dunne Kesnig Meet with ‘Picklers’ at
New Moriches Athletic Complex Pickleball Courts
On July 10, Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) and Councilwoman Karen Dunne Kesnig (R-Manorville) stopped by the Moriches Athletic Complex to see the four new Pickleball courts. While there, they met with enthusiastic “picklers” who are avid fans of the game and excited to play on the new courts.
The Town of Brookhaven Department of Parks, Recreation and Sports, and Cultural Resources has recently added eleven new Pickleball courts throughout the Town. In addition to the new courts at the Moriches Athletic Complex, there are new courts located at Sylvan Avenue in Miller Place (three new courts) and the Medford Athletic Complex (four new courts) They are in addition to the Town’s eleven Pickleball courts currently being used at the Centereach pool, as well as the courts at the Mastic Athletic Complex which have immediate plans to be refaced. In the future, the Town of Brookhaven has a plan that includes new Pickleball courts at Martha Avenue Park in Bellport.
Councilman Foley and Town Board Honor Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms Varsity Lacrosse Team for Winning NYS Class C Title
At the June 27 Town Board Meeting, Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Neil Foley (R-Blue Point) and the Brookhaven Town Board honored the Bayport Blue Point Phantoms varsity Lacrosse Team. The Bayport-Blue Point boys lacrosse team secured its first state title in program history on June 8, after defeating Section III’s Jamesville-Dewitt, 13-6, in the New York State Class C title game. The Phantoms’ championship season culminated in their first Long Island title since 2011. Also pictured are (back row, left to right) Councilwoman Karen Dunne Kesnig (R-Manorville); Town Clerk Kevin LaValle (R-Selden); Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden); Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches), and Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point).
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Ducks Alum Promoted to Major Leagues
2024DuckscloserTylerZuberjoinsTampaBayRays
Right-handed pitcher Tyler Zuber, who began the 2024 season with the Long Island Ducks, was called up to the Major Leagues by the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, July 21.
“We are excited to see Tyler return to the Major Leagues,” said Ducks Manager Lew Ford. “He did an exceptional job for us earlier this year and is very deserving of this opportunity.”
Zuber appeared in six games for the Ducks this season and compiled a 1.58 ERA, conceding just one run in five and two-thirds innings of work. The 29-year-old gave up just five hits and one walk while striking out 10 batters and recording two saves. He struck out at least one batter in each of his six appearances and held opponents to a .238 batting average.
The Arkansas native returns to The Show after having previously spent two seasons in the Major Leagues with the Kansas City Royals (2020-21). He made 54 relief appearances, going 1-5 with a 5.29 ERA and 55 strikeouts over 49.1 innings pitched. Earlier this year, the Arizona resident made seven appearances with the Cleveland Guardians during spring training.
Zuber becomes the first player on the 2024 Ducks roster to return to the MLB level. Five others have had their contracts purchased by Major League organizations this season: outfielder Tyler Dearden (Minnesota Twins); infielder Rixon Wingrove (Minnesota Twins); right-handed pitchers Matt Seelinger (Detroit Tigers), Chris Ellis (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Dan Straily (Chicago Cubs).
Visit https://liducks.com/ducks/ducks-to-mlb/ or scan this QR Code to view the complete list of Ducks players to reach MLB after playing on Long Island
The Ducks are entering their 24th season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central
Islip. They are the all-time leader in wins and attendance in Atlantic League history, led all MLB Partner Leagues in attendance in 2023, and have sold out a record 710 games all-time. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) Celebrating its third decade, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. Over its 25-year history, the ALPB has sent over 1,400 players to MLB organizations while drawing over 47 million fans to its family-friendly ballparks. Please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.
Rare Autographed Baseball Collection Up for Auction
through Sunday, July 28
Fans have the chance to add a collection of various autographed baseballs from prominent figures in Long Island Ducks history to their memorabilia collection.
Longtime Ducks sponsor Yellow Dog Lawn Care, who has installed and maintained the landscaping around Fairfield Properties Ballpark, has graciously donated a collection of signed baseballs to the QuackerJack Foundation, the charitable arm of the Ducks. These Ducks/Yellow Dog co-branded baseballs have been autographed by various players and coaches throughout franchise history.
Signatures include the late great Bud Harrelson as well as key contributors on the rosters of several teams, including the championship-winning ballclub of 2019. Also included is a
black acrylic home plate-shaped display case to proudly showcase the 13 baseballs.
Fans can place their bids on this autographed collection via the LiveSource Mobile App by scanning this QR code.
The auction will last through Sunday, July 28, at 5:00p.m.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit the QuackerJack Foundation, the charitable arm of the Ducks. All donations are tax deductible. The QuackerJack Foundation has contributed to thousands of non-profit and like organizations each year while bringing awareness to worthy programs and causes in need of assistance on Long Island.
‘Omigod You Guys!’ ‘Legally
Blonde, The Musical’
By Cindi Sansone-Braff
If you’ve been searching for a family-friendly show to take your tweens and teens to this summer, one that you can enjoy as well, the Engeman Theater’s latest production, “Legally Blonde, The Musical,” is the place to be.
Based on Amanda Brown’s clever romantic comedy novel and the 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon, this 2007 Broadway musical has music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach. “Legally Blonde” seamlessly transitioned from novel to film and stage because it is chockful of timeless themes like being true to yourself, believing in yourself, and courageously pursuing your goals. The threedimensional characters and clever plot are two other reasons this female empowerment tale has touched many hearts and become a beloved American classic.
The triple-threat actress, singer, and dancer Emma Flynn Bespolka brilliantly portrayed the protagonist, Elle Woods. Elle is a fashionista, and the fabulous costume designer Dustin Cross created many breathtaking outfits, all of which Bespolka wore well. The opening scene reveals Elle’s fashion sense and the pains she went through to pick just the right outfit for what she thinks will be a romantic dinner date with her born-with-a-silverspoon-in-his-mouth boyfriend, Warner Huntington III. Nathan Haltiwanger gave an award-worthy performance as Warner, an arrogant, condescending guy who loves Elle but loves his ambition to become a U.S. Senator more. Warner doesn’t believe Elle has the right stuff to be a political wife, claiming he needs “Less of a Marilyn, more of a Jackie.” Their well-delivered duet, “Serious,” begins as a comic scene, then turns tragic when Warner callously dumps her, setting the heartbroken Elle on a mission to win him back.
Quinn Corcoran brought charisma and charm to the role of Emmett Forrest, the “Cinderfella” character in the story. Emmett, a teaching assistant at Harvard Law School, is a hardworking,
Rocks!
self-made man who befriends and mentors Elle. To thank him, Elle treats him to a “Dress for Success” makeover. The audience cheered when they saw Emmett decked out in his brand-new power suit.
Chanel Edwards-Frédérick was outstanding as Paulette, the owner of the Hair Affair salon. EdwardsFrédérick has powerhouse vocals, and her pitch-perfect rendition of “Ireland” was one of the show’s highlights. However, the real scene stealer of the show was Jeffrey Keller, who made his grand entrance as the sexy UPS guy.
When he strutted through the audience on his way to deliver a package to Paulette, the women in the audience audibly hooted and howled.
Nicole Fragala gave a memorable performance as Vivienne, the determined and driven woman Warner thinks can help him achieve his political aspirations. Fragola has an incredible voice, which she showcased during “Legally Blonde Remix.”
James D. Sasser gave a nuanced performance as a sexist and sadistic Harvard Law School professor. With his bone-chilling delivery of “Blood in the Water,” a frighteningly coldhearted and ruthless song, Sasser secured Professor Callahan’s place in the Villain’s Hall of Fame right between Ursula and Scar.
Of course, Elle would be nothing without her loyal friends and sorority sisters, Serena (Juliana Lamia). Margot (Lara Hayhurst) and Pilar (Bridgette Carey.) These three key characters are Elle’s trusted confidantes and the Greek Chorus. During the flashy song and dance number “Positive,” these three multi-talented performers joined Elle in an electrifying performance.
Trey Compton’s precision-perfect direction was apparent throughout this nobody-missed-a-beat production.
“Legally Blonde, The Musical” is one of the most dance-driven shows you
will ever see on stage. Jay Gamboa’s upbeat, mega-energy choreography had the audience breaking out with spontaneous applause during and after many dance numbers. “Whipped into Shape,” a highly athletic routine, left the audience breathless. Julianne Roberts was perfectly cast as Brooke Wyndham, fitness guru and murder suspect. Watching Robert’s riveting jump rope acrobatics is worth the price of admission.
A big round of applause goes to Little Ricky and Cha Cha, two rescue dogs who, thanks to their beloved guardian and trainer, Bill Berloni, found a home on stage and with him. These two talented dogs shared the role of Bruiser Woods, Elle’s cherished Chihuahua.
The entire ensemble brought their A-game to the show, including Emily Bacino Althaus, Bridgette Carey, Matt Denoto, Lara Hayhurst, Haley Izurieta, Jeffrey Keller, Juliana Lamia, Christian Melhuish, Zummy Mohammed, Rebecca Murillo, Jessie J. Potter, Mikaela Rada, Yash Ramanujam, Noah Roderiques, Amelia Burkhardt, Joshua James Crawford, Katelyn Harold, and Terrence Bryce Sheldon.
Elle Woods proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that women can be smart, sexy, strong, and successful. This musical roller coaster of a show will sell out fast, so get your tickets today!
“Legally Blonde, The Musical” runs through August 25, 2024. Tickets may be purchased by calling 631-261-2900, online at engemantheater.com, or by visiting the Engeman Theater Box Office at 250 Main Street, Northport.
Cindi Sansone-Braff is an awardwinning playwright. She has a BFA in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She is the author of “Grant Me a Higher Love,” “Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships,” and “Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic.” Her full-length Music Drama, “Beethoven, The Man, The Myth, The Music,” is published by Next Stage Press. www.Grantmeahigherlove.com.
Photos courtesy of John W.