Senator Murray Calls for Stricter Hit-and-Run Penalties with ‘Nick’s Law’
By Cait Crudden
This past weekend, State Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) hosted a poignant press conference at the Farmingville Fire Department, calling for immediate legislative action to pass “Nick’s Law,” which would impose stricter penalties on drivers who leave the scene of fatal accidents.
Senator Murray was joined by a coalition of local officials and grieving families who have lost loved ones to hit-and-run drivers, emphasizing the urgency of passing the law to prevent future tragedies.
The families of Nick Puzio, Dean Arnum, and Christopher Hlavaty, young men whose lives were tragically cut short by hit-andrun drivers, stood alongside the officials, voicing their pain and demanding justice.
Continued on page 11
Assemblyman Flood Recognizes Erika Glus as Woman of Distinction
By Matt Meduri
Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson Station) recognized a longtime community member for her heroic journey, inspiring story, and lessons imparted to countless others.
Erika Glus of Stony Brook was recognized as the Fourth Assembly District’s 2024 Woman of Distinction. Glus was born on January 4, 1940, in Lithuania as a German citizen. Her mother took her and her five siblings from Lithuania in 1943 to escape World War II after her father was killed by the Soviets.
Taking just a cow for milk and a few possessions they could carry, they spent a year fleeing across Poland, arriving in post-war Germany just after the bombing of Berlin. Relegated to foot travel, they had to part with their wagons and horses to take trains to live in multiple places after the war. Bread became a staple in their family, as their mother would bake the family bread with spare ingredients she could find, but she would also bake bread for people they met along their journey. Bread became equated with comfort, safety, and fellowship.
Continued on page 10
Credit - Matt Meduri
Family and friends of Nick Puzio gather with elected officials in front of Nick’s truck (Credit - Office of Senator Dean Murray)
A Walk Towards Grace Monthly Bereavement Series
Brookhaven Matters 3
State
September 12,
Proposition One: A Conversation with Senator Mattera
By Ashley Pavlakis
Election season is upon us and there is a wealth of decisions to be made in New York State. One proposal on the docket for voters is Proposition One. This proposal is set to be voted on in November when voters head to the polls. The potential amendment remains controversial among voters, which makes it important to understand what Proposition One is.
In the New York State Constitution Article I, Section II: Proposition One, as it stands right now, protects against unequal treatment. The law protects based on race, color, creed, and religion. The new proposal aims to amend proposition one to include protections based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy.
Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James) (pictured right) represents the Second District in the New York State Senate, which encompasses all of Smithtown and Huntington. Mattera, a father and husband, has lived in St. James his whole life. As a leader and member of the Plumbers Local Union #200, he is dedicated to protecting the needs of Long Island workers and their families.
“My main concern is that it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It purports to be about reproductive rights, which are not in danger in New York State, but it has many facets that many voters are unaware of and that strikes me as misleading,” Mattera told The Messenger “There are components of this proposition that will restrict a parent’s rights as it pertains to their children and negate the ability of schools to protect their female athletes from unfair and dangerous competition. Put simply, this proposal would be a disaster for our state.”
Our world is facing new challenges daily when it comes to rights for gender and gender identity. This proposition has the potential to cause issues from the top down. Elected officials, government officials, hospitals, schools, and local businesses will be on the receiving end of this proposal.
If we break down what voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on this issue means, voters might feel more confident in making a decision when they head to the polls in November.
Voting ‘yes’ would lead to many changes within New York State, some of which include, but are not limited to, minors not requiring parental consent to move forward with medical procedures such as transgender intervention; schools not preventing biological males from competing in girls’ sports despite their gender identities; and individuals’ bathroom and locker room choices, both in school and in public.
“Schools should have the ability to make decisions for the students in their communities and this proposition will remove that right. The main thing I am focusing on is the ability to keep their female student-athletes safe. With the increase of biological boys competing against girls, we have the likelihood of seeing lost opportunities for young biological girls and potentially avoidable injuries,” said Mattera.
Voting ‘no’ would leave Article I Section II of the New York State Constitution as it is. Voters are now tasked with making an important decision. At the forefront of this proposal are children, who are being taken into consideration because it is their lives being heavily affected by the outcome of this decision.
“It is clear that the issue of reproductive rights is being used to sell this and that is clearly misleading. If the intent was solely about the reproductive rights issue, then that should be the sole focus of the proposition,” said Mattera. “Voters can decide how they feel on that issue, but this issue is being used to sway voters into voting for something that is clearly not necessary in New York State and that will have numerous consequences that most voters will be unaware of. Abortion is legal in this state and that is not in danger, but they are using this as a scare tactic to get voters to approve this proposition.”
Senator Mattera has made it clear where he stands on Proposition One, especially regarding New York State. He remains focused on the youth of society and providing them with the best possible resources to succeed as citizens.
“I am working with school supervisors to protect our young students from the impact of mental health, from the addiction of smartphones, and to do whatever I can to help our young men and women,” said Mattera. “Most of our school-age children were greatly impacted socially and mentally from the COVID mandates, and we as a state need to give our schools the resources they need to help these children grow and succeed.”
By Matt Meduri
House Passes LaLota’s DETECT Act
In an effort to combat the ever-growing scourge of street drugs, namely synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY-01), along with Congressman Lou Correa (D, CA-46) sponsored a bipartisan bill in June that would require the Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase their technology, methods, and analysis to better detect the illegal substances and aid law enforcement agencies in their responses.
H.R. 8663, the Detection Equipment and Technology Evaluation to Counter the Threat of (DETECT) Fentanyl and Xylazine Act, passed the lower chamber on Monday.
It is the freshman congressman’s sixth bill to be passed by the U.S. House since his tenure began last January and ranks third of seventy-four freshman lawmakers in terms of bills passed to date.
The bill is especially pertinent to Suffolk County, where law enforcement officials continue to grapple with the staggering rates of overdose deaths and substance abuse, as well as the seemingly-ubiquitous nature of fentanyl, a highly addictive, synthetic opioid that has unparalleled lethal powers.
The bill also addresses xylazine, commonly known as “tranq,” a cattle sedative that has been used to cut drugs to lower costs and increase euphoric attributes. Xylazine is known for causing a user’s skin to rot, earning it the nickname “the zombie drug.”
Xylazine’s effects are also not reversible with Naloxone (Narcan), as fentanyl’s effects are.
LaLota’s bill would create a new statutory responsibility for the Science and Technology Directorate of the DHS to conduct research, development, testing, evaluation, and cost-benefit analysis to improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of drug detection equipment and reference libraries used by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, the bill establishes three primary areas of focus: portable detection equipment that requires minimal handling of drug samples; equipment that can separate complex mixtures with low concentrations of drugs and high concentrations of cutting agents; and technologies that use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machinelearning to predict whether a substance is a controlled substance or a new, synthetic substance now yet logged in a reference library.
Detecting cutting agents is a crucial part of the bill, as only two milligrams of fentanyl is determined to prove fatal for most people. A seemingly-innocuous pill purchased from a street dealer, such as Xanax or Adderall, have frequently been found to be cut with the dangerous opioid, causing a skyrocket in overdose deaths.
The bill would also require the Science and Technology Directorate of the DHS to follow the recommendations, guidelines, and best practices set forth in the federal government’s Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework, and would direct the same branch of the DHS to look into the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) State and Territory Report on Enduring and Emerging threats in establishing their priorities.
The report outlines that the North Atlantic Region, in which New York is included, sees cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, xylazine, and heroin as the top-five drugs detected, respectively.
Fentanyl scores a top-five spot on the lists of the other three regions, while xylazine is absent from the top five spots in the Mountain Pacific and Southern regions.
The report also identifies New York as a hotspot for the Sinaloa Cartel, a large, international organized crime syndicate based in Mexico that is a notorious purveyor of drug trafficking and money laundering.
“The House has just passed the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act, a vital step toward addressing the deadly opioid crisis sweeping our nation. This bipartisan legislation will empower law enforcement with cutting-edge technology to detect and stop the flow of lethal substances like fentanyl and xylazine before they reach our streets,” said LaLota. “With over 107,000 overdose deaths last year alone, this bill is a critical measure in saving lives and protecting communities across America. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues in the House for recognizing the urgency of this crisis and swiftly passing this critical legislation and I urge the Senate to do the same.”
The legislation has been endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the NYPD, the National Border Patrol Council, the National Treasury Employees Union, the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, Shatterproof, the National HIDTA Directors Association, and the National Association of Counties.
The U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) has approved the Townline Rail application for a 5,000-foot rail line onto the CarlsonCorp property in Kings Park.
During a thorough Environmental Assessment, the STB addressed questions and concerns raised by residents. Unfortunately, misinformation continues to circulate in the community. You can read the STB’s full environmental findings by scanning the QR Code below.
HazMat Because the Town of Smithtown and the State DEC have jurisdiction over the transloading facility and will not permit hazardous materials to be transloaded at the facility, materials such as chlorine, petroleum products, or other hazardous chemicals will not be transloaded on or off of rail cars coming in and out of Townline Rail.
Hours of Operation Loading and unloading of material will take place under our permitted hours of operation Monday through Saturday with one train per day in and out; this will not be a 24/7 facility.
Truck Traffic Transportation of sand, gravel, and other materials to the industries along Old Northport Road by rail reduces truck traffic into the area from other locations. Shipping ash and construction debris off Long Island by rail significantly reduces truck traffic on our major highways.
Environment The STB’s analysis states that with mitigation measures that we have agreed to, there will be minimal to no adverse environmental impacts (EA at pg. iii) and “no impacts on groundwater.” (EA at pg. 50)
Zoning The Town of Smithtown updated Master Plan acknowledges the history of Old Northport Road as an industrial corridor which contributes to the local economy and states this area is not for residential development.
Townline Rail is an environmentally preferred alternative to trucking materials off Long Island. It will reduce emissions and traffic congestion and is recognized as a more cost-effective option to trucking. The Townline Rail Terminal will save taxpayers money, create jobs, and benefit the environment. To learn more, visit CarlsonCorp.com.
Townline Rail must now apply to the New York State DEC and the Town of Smithtown for authorization to construct the transloading facility. With this next step, we believe it is important to address some of the following misconceptions about this project:
Proposed Townline Rail Terminal
The best option for the future
September 12, 2024
Trump Takes Bait, Harris Reads from Script
The headline pretty much sums up the debate held on Tuesday night between former President Donald Trump (R-FL) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA). So, if the headline confirms your expectations, but if you missed out on your local viewing party, you didn’t miss much.
Firstly, we express much dismay over the fact that was the only slated debate, at least as of press time. Harris has implied that she would agree to another debate on the condition that Trump show up at Tuesday’s battle of wits.
Trump held up his end of the bargain, although we hardly think he was enticed by Harris’ ultimatum, but now it’s time for her to fulfill the deal she made.
The RNC’s decision to end their affiliation with the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) could be understood from the perspective of obviously-biased moderators and irrelevant questions meant to intentionally stir dissension among voters. However, it led to a complete collapse of tradition and standard that leaves us with the possibility of just one debate for this campaign. (This doesn’t count the June debate Trump had with Biden, and we editorialized the matter by saying that if Biden’s candidacy didn’t count in the eyes of the Democratic Party, then neither did the first debate).
If you’re Harris, you’re not going to want to have another debate.
Allow us to make ourselves perfectly clear: we don’t think Harris won the debate, nor do we think she gave a stellar performance. However, Trump failed multiple times to capitalize on solid talking points that would have been incredibly difficult for Harris to evade.
We’ll start with Harris, whose de facto opening statement - there were no formal openers - was essentially witness-leading. She addressed the nation and told them flatout that Trump was going to be lying and reading from the same “tired playbook” from which he has been campaigning for years. To open a debate in that manner is crude, immature, and clearly displays a lack of confidence she had in herself that evening.
Harris also told so many flat-out lies about her flip-flopping on top issues, it was laughable. Clearly capitalizing on the short-term memory of the news cycle and the general public, Harris claimed that she is a supporter of fracking and that she does not intend to take anyone’s guns, countering Trump’s claims.
During her 2020 run, Harris was on record multiple times stating her interest in banning fracking for oil and natural gas, but stated in her recent CNN interview, with moral support from Governor Walz, that she believes there are avenues to develop green energy solutions without banning the practice.
She also reiterated this during the debate, adding that although her stances on some policies have changed, her “values” haven’t.
Fracking is perhaps the top issue on which Democrats flip-flop. Biden, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), and Harris are just three top names that come to mind in recent light. After taking hard positions on the practice to court the progressive left, they later realize that doing so is political suicide in must-win parts of the country.
We’re not inclined to believe Harris’ stance on fracking, especially since she echoed a very Trump-esque campaign platform: American energy independence.
On live television, Harris was observed taking a page out of Trump’s playbook, stating that negating American dependence on foreign oil as a priority.
It’s almost as if she and Biden were literally handed a country that was energyindependent for the first time in seventy-five years. And it’s almost as if Biden and company have had three-and-a-half years to keep the policies in place, or at least restore them to their former glory.
That’s a massive strike in our book.
Harris was also disingenuous about her supervisor’s stances on Russia and Ukraine, stating if Trump were to win, Putin would be “in Kiev with his eyes on Europe.”
Again, Democrats are campaigning as if Trump wasn’t president for four years. He didn’t start World War III, he didn’t take anyone’s rights away, and no Democrats moved to Canada as they had so publicly threatened. Furthermore, Putin made no advances into Europe on Trump’s watch, despite his invasion of Georgia under Bush (R-TX) and his capture of Crimea under Obama (D-IL).
There’s not much stock in her answers, but what was more shocking is that she admitted to meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy about meeting with him and other NATO leaders, advising them on American foreign policy to help them protect themselves from a Russian invasion.
Just days after the meetings, Russia invaded Ukraine.
Harris also asserted herself and her running mate as gun owners in an attempt to defuse Trump’s claim that she would confiscate firearms.
On the 2020 campaign trail, Harris said she thought that confiscation of commonlyowned semi-automatic weapons was a “good idea,” even adding that “details would have to be worked out” on a compulsory buyback program.
On abortion, a political noose for the GOP, Harris used multiple statistical rarities to excuse the practice carte blanche. We won’t enter the ring on this highly hot-button issue, but we will point out that there’s more credence to Trump’s argument of late-term abortions than there is of Harris’ claims of thirteen-year-old girls who are impregnated as a result of incest.
Moderator Linsey Davis even inserted herself into the foray to correct Trump that not one state has laws allowing late-term abortions, those in the seventh, eighth, and ninth months of pregnancy.
However, Trump had a point: a bill in Albany was set to codify provisions for such procedures, but it was removed from the language. Furthermore, current law in New York, as it is in other states, might not technically define late-term abortions as legal, but because of the divide between healthcare and government, oversight is not usually available on a case-by-case basis, essentially giving tacit approval to the practice.
Finally, we’ll remark on Harris’ highly distracting posturing that we believe was her attempt to appear intimidating. She was frequently seen smiling, as if to retain laughter,
while Trump spoke, often placing her hand on her chin and sporting a quizzical look on her face. The pontification was unnecessary and she essentially tried to make Trump’s time hers, in some ways, by emoting so vibrantly while he was speaking.
That coupled with her circular, scripted lines of “lifting each other up” and creating a future for “all Americans” only made her persona seem more phony, with her condescending tone not doing her any favors. She would often return to the script if she was faced with a difficult question, namely her administration’s role in the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, although she did say she approved of Biden’s plans in that regard, and more concrete policies when asked for them. Her closing statements appeared to be made to an audience of three-year-olds, rather than an audience who had not heard clear answers on her role in the last three-and-a-half years.
Trump, on the other hand, delivered more concrete policy points than Harris, but ultimately failed to capitalize on numerous opportunities to put Harris’ claims in check and repeatedly took obvious bait that prevented him from using his time wisely.
All Trump had to do at the end of each answer was simply tie Harris to the current administration, something she’s desperately tried to distance herself from. He made this prominent during his closing arguments, but there was no reason he couldn’t have driven this point home more throughout the night.
Additionally, Trump made no mention of former Democrats Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard, two highly-prominent political figures who recently endorsed his candidacy, when Harris bragged of “two hundred” Republicans, including former Vice President Dick Cheney (R-WY), who have opted for her success in November.
The slam-dunk Trump failed to deliver was boasting his administration’s successful deliverance of energy independence, while simultaneously criticizing the current administration for draining the strategic petroleum reserves to artificially lower gas prices ahead of the midterms. He also failed to land concise attacks on Harris over immigration, only making a slight reference to her title as the “Border Czar,” and informing the public that the Harris campaign continues to tie him to Project 2025, despite the campaign’s awareness that Trump is not affiliated with the plan.
That’s another strike in our eyes.
Trump took the obvious bait in Harris’ reference to his political rallies, using the opportunity to state that “people don’t go to her rallies.” While mostly accurate, he should have just taken the high road and rebutted her claims that he “ran” from the immigration problem instead of solving it, another demonstrably false claim peddled by Harris.
Harris also baited Trump on the staffing of his administration, which he answered by saying that inefficient members were fired, and that the current administration hasn’t fired anyone. It’s not a bad jab, given the disastrous consequences of the border, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and now Israel, just to name a few, but he took the liberty of addressing the more personal aspects of the attack, rather than the administrative aspects.
Overall, Trump did not perform as well as he did against Biden in June, where he took a mild-mannered approach to the debate, only raised his voice occasionally, and ultimately took the high road on many subjects. In this debate, his words came across as more disjointed and he frequently packed many attacks and policy plans into just a single one-minute response, rather than distributing them across the night as would have been fit.
We would describe the moderation of the debate as less than satisfactory. Trump was undoubtedly in a three-on-one scenario at certain points, but both candidates had their mics muted several times during the ninety-minute onslaught. However, we’ll note that Davis’ on-air fact-check of Trump’s abortion claims left more questions than answers and we believe that that action should have been left for post-debate analysis.
Muir pressed Trump on “regrets,” if any, of his role on January 6. Trump held the line on his lack of involvement in the organization of the rally, as well as his ultimatelydenied request by Capitol Hill Democrats for National Guard presence that day. Muir continued to press Trump for a “yes” or “no” answer to what was ultimately a “heads I win, tails you lose” type of question.
The moderators also asked the candidates of Trump’s comments concerning Harris’ race, which he says has shifted over the years to pander to voters of minority groups when most profitable. Harris laughed off the attacks, but the fact that the moderators brought up a question on mudslinging seemed irrelevant in the midst of so many other questions on policy that were left virtually unanswered.
To Trump’s point, Harris has exhibited behavior of speaking in different regional accents based on the state in which she is campaigning, and has certainly donned a more stereotypical “black” voice when speaking to predominately-black audiences.
It’s an intelligence-insulting form of pandering that is worth criticizing, but if the media wanted to pose that question during the debate, they should have framed it in context, rather than leading the question as if it were a baseless, insensitive attack.
Overall, Trump missed multiple opportunities to land critical attacks and was difficult to understand at times from his cluttered speaking portions. It’s what he gets for winging the preparation, but a chance for redemption through another debate might be more likely from a genie’s lamp than from the Harris campaign.
Harris did not deliver any substantive plans and instead put her flip-flopping on key issues on full display for all to see. She said the quiet part out loud multiple times: she is a part of the Biden Administration and there does not seem to be any change imminent should she be victorious in November. Furthermore, the condescending attitude and visual posturing was unnecessary and we think she stood more to gain by simply playing the straight man.
The media did an okay job with the tools they were given, but we think CNN’s moderation of the June debate was much better.
We don’t think either candidate swayed voters of either party, and we find it hard to believe that the middle was significantly courted by either Trump or Harris.
Price Relief Hasn’t Been a Priority, and It Shows Op-Ed
By Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay
One of the basic responsibilities of public service is to try to improve the day-to-day lives of the people we serve. Unfortunately, when it comes to basic economic conditions like responsible state spending, cost of living and managing inflation, New Yorkers have been ignored. Our affordability crisis should be near the top of the list of priorities for any legislative or executive body, as it impacts every New Yorker and every American. However, since President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been in office, the costs for basic goods and services in the U.S. has been unbearable for many families.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery prices are up nearly 25% compared to 2019. Beverages, cereal, bakery products, meat, eggs, poultry and fish have all seen increases of 20% or more during the current administration. In New York, we have seen especially challenging economic conditions due to inflation. One recent report identified Syracuse as one of New York’s most severely impacted locations, as it has seen some of the most drastic grocery price increases anywhere in the state.
Inflation is a complicated economic consideration, and while it is not traditionally associated with state-level policymaking, the Assembly Minority Conference worked hard to craft legislation to make it more affordable to live in New York. Affordability has been our calling card, and it will continue to be a priority until some real progress is made.
Our “Inflation Relief & Consumer Assistance Plan” (A.1690) would immediately suspend state sales tax charges for two years on items like gasoline, personal care products, housekeeping and cleaning supplies as well as some food purchases. Unfortunately, that proposal was rejected by the Assembly Majority Conference and has stalled.
We have also proposed a number of bills to help make childcare more affordable. These costs have been especially burdensome to families across the state in recent years, and they impact those least able to afford unexpected
Respect
Currently, I’ve noticed media using the following words: Love, Inclusiveness and Transparency. Whatever happened to Respect?
Depending on your beliefs, either God or evolution brought everyone here to live peacefully. Now, I can’t imagine anyone loving everyone. I believe in treating everyone with respect. After all, aren’t we all equal?
Yours Truly, Paul H. Schmutz Nesconset
increases the most. In response, we developed a plan that would save the average family more than $2,300 a year in childcare costs. That plan includes calling on the federal government to reinstate the Enhanced Federal Child Tax Credit, as well as bills to:
• Establish a supplemental household and dependent care credit payment. (A.9242)
• Increase the aggregate funds available for the childcare tax credit. (A.9245)
• Increase the applicable percentage of the child tax credit allowed in the Empire State Child Tax Credit to 45%. (A.9257)
• Increase the Earned Income Tax Credit. (A.9258)
Perhaps the most frustrating part of this equation is the lack of urgency to address cost-of-living concerns plaguing New Yorkers. Many are struggling to make ends meet, and there has been little economic relief to help offset increasing costs. We clearly cannot sustain this level of economic uncertainty, and I hope to see a much greater emphasis on fixing this problem in these critical upcoming months.
If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 19 Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069 and by email at barclayw@nyassembly.gov. You may also find me, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, on Facebook or Twitter at @WillABarclay.
Assemblyman Will Barclay (R-Pulaski) is the Assembly Minority Leader and has represented the 120th Assembly District since 2003. The 120th District contains most of Oswego County and parts of Jefferson and Onondaga counties.
Letters to the Editor
Distasteful Cookies at Alpine Bakery
As a resident of Smithtown for most of my life, I have been a customer of the Alpine Bakery. Recently, I went there with my grandchildren to make a purchase. I was shocked when I saw jumbo-sized cookies lined up on the counter, each with an embossed photo of Donald Trump with his fist in the air and blood running down his face. In my opinion, that is very distasteful and frankly, weird.
Regardless of one’s party affiliation, I think we can all agree that the current political climate is exhausting. Sometimes, you just want to disconnect and have a cookie.
I’ll be taking my business elsewhere where the cookies are a bit more tasteful.
Sincerely, A former Alpine Bakery customer
Schumer’s Ongoing Neglect of Port Jefferson LIRR Riders
Senator Chuck Schumer always boasts about how he brings home billions in transit dollars to New York State to pay for various transportation projects. Last fall, he took credit for the Federal Transit Administration $3.4 billion Full Funding Agreement (FFGA) to pay for the $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase 2. Recently, he took credit for the FTA $6.8 billion FFGA to help pay for the $18.1 billion Gateway Tunnel Phase One Project. This will finance two new tunnels plus rehabilitation of the two existing 110-year-old Hudson River tunnels used by both Amtrak and NJ Transit for access from the Amtrak Northeast Corridor to and from Penn Station. Schumer proudly announced a recent $15 million FTA grant to the MTA. These funds will pay for environmental work to advance Governor Kathy Hochul’s Brooklyn to Queens Light Rail Connector project.
When it comes to the MTA’s proposed $3.5 billion Port Jefferson branch electrification project, Schumer hasn’t lifted a finger to deliver any funding for decades. It should be clear by now to both Port Jefferson LIRR commuters and project advocates, that by his inactions, Schumer has no interest in advancing the project.
The next opportunity for MTA to commit funding to advance the Port Jefferson electrification project will be in less than four months when the 20252029 $51 billion or more Five Year Capital Plan is officially released by the MTA
in October 2024. This will be followed by formal adoption of this latest Capital Plan on or before January 1, 2025.
Perhaps both commuters and project advocates should return the favor. Why not withhold any financial campaign contributions or votes when Schumer runs for another term in 2026?
Sincerely,
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 NJ Transit, MTA, NYC Transit bus, subway and Staten Island Railway, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads, MTA Bus, Suffolk County Transit Bus, Huntington Area Rapid Transit (HART) Bus, NYCDOT Staten Island Ferry along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ.
8 Presidential Debate
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Trump, Harris Meet in First Presidential Debate
By Matt Meduri
Since the Republican Party unanimously voted to quit the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) in 2022, the traditional debate formatting and scheduling has been left up to the networks and the candidates for a more carte blanche approach. Former President Donald Trump (R-FL) and President Joe Biden (D-DE) met in a historically early debate in late June, which began the cavalcade of calls for Biden to quit the race.
Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) clinched the nomination in the first round of voting at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago last month, avoiding a contested convention while providing an alternative to voters in a move that hasn’t been made since 1968.
Trump and Harris met on Tuesday night for their first, and so far only, debate. Since the CPD is no longer overseeing the debates, it will be up to the candidates to schedule another.
Vice Presidential nominees Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) have agreed to an October 1 debate hosted by CBS in New York.
Harris has said that she would not agree to another debate unless Trump attended Tuesday night’s match. Deliberation for another display now goes to the campaigns. Trump has called for multiple debates, with a proposed date of September 25.
Tuesday night’s duel featured a historically unusual set of candidates: a former president seeking a second, nonconsecutive term - the first since Grover Cleveland (D-NY) was elected in 1884 and again in 1892 after losing in 1888and the successive nominee to a president who made the unprecedented decision to suspend his campaign - the first to do so since Lyndon Johsnon (D-TX) in 1968.
As such, conversation swirled around Trump’s accomplishments from 2017 to 2021 and Harris’ accomplishments, vis-à-vis her role in the Biden Administration, for the last three-and-a-half years.
The ninety-minute debate, with two commercial breaks, featured microphones that could be muted by the moderators - David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC - at will, as well as no live audience. No opening remarks were permitted, but the first question was geared towards the economy.
Harris opened by stating that she was raised as a “middle-class kid,” a distinction only she had, compared to her opponent. She stated that her “one of her passions” is small businesses, and she intends to extend a $6,000 tax cut for families to go towards children’s needs, as well as a $50,000 tax deduction to start-ups. She said that Trump’s economic policies provided tax cuts for “billionaires and big corporations,” which she said will contribute to a $5 trillion addition to the national deficit. She also said that Trump’s sales tax plan would result in a “20% tax on everyday goods.”
Trump stated that the sales tax statement was “incorrect,” and that his administration emphasized tariffs on foreign goods.
“Other countries are going to finally, after seventy-five years, pay us back for all that we’ve done for the world,” said Trump, regarding military protection, foreign aid, and other expenditures. He said that his administration took “billions and billions of dollars” from China and said that the BidenHarris Administration “never took the tariffs off” because of how much revenue they had generated.
Trump also railed against the incumbent administration over inflation, which he called a “country buster” that has been unprecedentedly high in modern times.
Trump also spoke broadly of “millions of people pouring into our country from prisons, jails, mental institutions, and insane asylums,” who are also “taking jobs” from “African Americans, Hispanics, and unions.”
He also condemned the actions of immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, who have reportedly been abducting neighborhood pets to be consumed, and in Aurora, Colorado, where a migrant gang took over an apartment building.
Harris responded by saying that Trump left the current administration with the “worst unemployment since the Great Depression, the world public health epidemic in a century [the COVID-19 Pandemic], and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War [the January 6 Capitol riot].
Harris also took the liberty of telling viewers that they would hear from the “same old, tired playbook, a bunch of lies, grievances, and name-calling” before the rest of the debate
ensued. She also linked Trump to Project 2025, a playbook of desired conservative policies by a right-wing think tank unaffiliated with the former president.
Trump asserted he has “nothing to do with Project 2025,” he hasn’t read it, and that he has no desire to read it. He guesses that the plan has “some good” and “some bad” ideas, but that “it makes no difference,” as he has no affiliation with the project or its conceivers.
Trump asserted his administration’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and said that Biden and Harris claimed “bounce back” jobs in their jobs report, meaning the jobs that naturally resurfaced after the peak of the pandemic should not have been considered part of their economic platform.
Harris said that Trump’s economic plans have gained the disapproval of “Goldman Sachs” and “sixteen Nobel laureates,” while Trump said that his professors from the Wharton School of FInance find his plan “brilliant.” Trump also said that Harris does not have a comprehensive economic plan.
Trump accused Harris of “going to” his political “philosophies” for political convenience, but said that she will “change” once she’s elected. He then called her a Marxist, that her father is a “Marxist professor in economics,” and that he “taught her well.”
The conversation then turned to abortion, an issue largely seen as political suicide for Republicans, while Democrats rode the environment after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade to a better-than-expected midterm in 2022.
Trump defends his placement of Supreme Court Justices who led to the overturning of the law, and said that states now have their voices on the matter. He said that he accomplished a feat that had been attempted for “fifty-two years,” in giving that power back to the states was a solution desired by legal scholars and officials of both political parties.
Since the overturning of the case, several states have held referenda on codifying the right to abortion in their constitutions. Kansas and Ohio, the former being a staunchlyconservative state and the latter being a red-trending battleground, both passed their propositions by large margins. Trump acknowledged this at the debate, saying that the issue is no longer “tied up in the federal government.” He also stated that he supports the exceptions of rape, incest, and endangerment in the life of the mother, but he also said that some states legally allow late-term abortions and even post-birth “executions” in some cases.
Moderator Linsey Davis was quick to correct him that there are currently no states where such acts are legal.
Harris countered Trump’s arguments of states’ rights, saying that some states have taken aggressive stances on the matter, including criminal penalties for doctors or nurses who assist in providing the procedure.
“One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply-held beliefs to agree that the government, and Donald Trump certainly, should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,” said Harris.
She then pledged to sign a bill, if elected, replacing the protections of Roe v. Wade, contingent on Congress’ action on the matter.
Trump denied Harris’ claim that he would sign a national abortion ban, and that such a debate is pointless because the issue is now in the hands of the states. Trump also countered Harris “lie” that he was against in-vitro fertilization (IVF),
stating that he has been a “leader” on the issue and that he aided Alabama’s approval of the practice.
On immigration, Harris said she had the distinction of being “the only person” on the stage to prosecute transnational criminal organizations for trafficking of guns, drugs, and people. She stated that Trump “ran” from the problem rather than addressing it and even went as far as to invoke his words of “fictional characters,” such as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, at his rallies.
Trump, in his response, first addressed the rallies, saying that “people don’t go to her [Harris’] rallies.” He said the U.S. is a “failing nation” because of the border crisis and repeatedly said that numerous other countries have experienced downturns in their crime rates because they are “sending their criminals here.”
Harris slammed Trump for former members of his administration criticizing his domestic security plans, to which Trump said that he “fired” people when they “did bad things or a bad job.” He added that the current administration “never fired one person.” He said that regarding the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, Biden should have “fired all those generals” responsible and invoked the thirteen service members who were killed due to the withdrawal.
Harris criticized Trump’s thirty-four felony counts and drew a contrast to his law-and-order platform, to which Trump stated that the current administration has “weaponized” the Department of Justice and that Biden never faced consequences for possessing classified documents, while Trump’s residence was raided by the FBI.
The moderators asked Harris on her changing platforms, specifically from her first run for president in 2020. Harris stated that she will “not ban fracking,” and that she was the tie-breaking Senate vote on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which “opened new leases for fracking.” She then said that the U.S. should “invest in diverse sources of energy so we reduce our reliance on foreign oil.”
Trump criticized her fluctuation on the issues, stating that she had repeatedly campaigned on banning fracking and helped raise money for bail for Minneapolis rioters in the summer of 2020.
The moderators then questioned Trump on his role in the January 6 Capitol riot, asking him if he regretted any of his actions. Trump fell short of a “yes” or “no” answer, but said that he did not organize the rally, he only spoke and asked for “peaceful and patriotic” protesting. He also said he had requested 10,000 National Guardsmen in the capital in anticipation of the event, but was denied by then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D, CA-12) and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser (D).
Harris criticized Trump’s foreign policies, stating that if he were to win in November, that Vladimir Putin would be “sitting in Kiev with eyes on the rest of Europe.” Interestingly, she detailed a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to advise him and NATO leaders on foreign policy regarding Russia, and even “shared…American intelligence about how he could defend himself.” Just days later, Russia launched their invasion of Ukraine.
Trump countered that Putin recently vocalized his desire for Harris to win, calling the administration “weak and stupid,” and that American adversaries prefer such leadership in Washington.
Harris closed by saying that Trump is “focused on the past” and is trying to “take us backward.”
“As a prosecutor I never asked a victim or a witness ‘are you a Republican or a Democrat?’ The only thing I ever asked them, ‘are you okay?’” said Harris. “And that’s the kind of president we need right now. Someone who cares about you and is not putting themselves first.
Trump had won the coin toss prior to the debate and chose to give his closing argument last. He said over the last near-four years, Harris hasn’t delivered on the promises she’s currently making.
“She’s been there for three-and-a-half years. They’ve had three-and-a-half years to fix the border. They’ve had threeand-a-half years to create jobs and all the things we talked about. Why hasn’t she done it?” said Trump. “She should leave right now, go down to that beautiful White House, go to the Capitol, get everyone together and do the things you want to do. But you haven’t done it. And you won’t do it.”
This Week Today
National, State and Local Temperature Checks
By Matt Meduri National
Perhaps the most progressive experiment in the nation has come to an end.
In November 2020, Oregon voters, by a margin of 58%, passed Measure 110, which made it the first state to decriminalize possession of non-prescription drugs, such as fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines, for personal use. The measure also sought to reallocate millions of dollars towards addiction treatment programs and other related services. The experiment was intended to put less emphasis on the arrests and prosecutions of individuals possessing small amounts of hard drugs and put more focus on issues like housing, income, and recovery options.
Within a year of the measure’s enactment, Oregon saw a 50% increase in overdose deaths compared to the previous year, and police departments reported that the law significantly kneecapped their abilities to address public drug use and its consequences. Penalties imposed on defendants included tickets and a maximum fine of $100.
The Oregon Legislature, controlled by Democrats, passed a March resolution to recriminalize hard drugs in personal amounts, which was later signed by Governor Tina Kotek (D-OR). The law took effect on Sunday.
Kotek was elected in an open-seat contest in 2022, a tight race between moderate Republican Christine Drazan and former Democratic State Senator Betsy Johnson. Governor Kotek said that the rollback of the 2020 referendum will depend on “deep coordination” between police departments, prosecutors, defense attorneys, courts, as well as mental healthcare providers, stating that all are “necessary partners to achieve the vision for this legislation.”
The 2020 ballot measure also redirected hundreds of millions of dollars from the state’s cannabis tax revenue towards addiction services. However, disbursement of the funds was delayed by the COVID-19 Pandemic. After the pandemic is when the fentanyl crisis began to grip the nation, which led some to cite the 2020 measure as an agitator of the drug epidemic.
Oregon House Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich (R) said that Republicans had remained “united” against Measure 110 and “forced Democrats” to restore prior criminal penalties. Some Oregon Democrats who vocally supported Measure 110 passed the new line, while others remained steadfast in their support for the original intent: addressing arrests and social inequalities.
Among one of the supporters of rolling back Measure 110 is Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D), who has served as mayor since 2017. Wheeler initially supported budget cuts to the city’s police department, but has recently begun calling for increased law enforcement presence in the state’s largest city, and the nation’s twenty-sixth.
Under the new laws, criminals could face up to 180 days in jail for possession of small amounts of hard drugs, but also allows several options for treatment rather than criminal punishment.
Mayor Wheeler has said that the city has contracted with municipalities means
of providing job training, behavioral health evaluations, and treatments for domestic abuse and substance abuse disorders at the city’s mass shelter locations, Temporary Alternative Shelter Sites (TASS). Wheeler contended to The New York Times that increased law enforcement and building “behavioral health infrastructure” are both necessary to fight the current scourge of overdoses, homelessness, and unrest.
Wheeler also says that the state “botched” the implementation of the measure, saying that the “timing couldn’t have been worse.” He also decried the state’s inability to implement proper treatment options before supporting decriminalization of hard drugs.
However, Wheeler contends that “we have reaped what we have sown,” not just in Portland or Oregon, but the nation overall.
“Our nation has been very slow to accept behavioral health as an important issue,” said Wheeler to The New York Times.
He also said that of the nationwide push for more law enforcement presence and more conservative drug and crime policies, people want “order restored to their environment,” adding that it “makes perfect sense” to him.
In election news, some pollsters and pundits believe that Vice President Kamala Harris’ (D-CA) “honeymoon period” in state and national polls is coming to a close, as perhaps the most “trusted” pollster in the nation paints a different picture than it did a month ago.
A New York Times-Siena College poll of 1,695 likely voters across the country, conducted from September 3 to 6, finds former President Donald Trump (R-FL) leading Harris 48%-47%, within the poll’s three-point margin of error.
Digging deeper into the poll, Trump wins white voters by fifteen points, men by seventeen points, and wins 95% of registered Republicans and 44% of registered Independents. 6% of Biden-voters in 2020 plan to vote for Trump in November, as well as 49% of those who did not vote in 2020.
On the other hand, Harris wins women by eleven points and young voters - those aged 18-29 - by just eight points, while Biden had won the same group by over twenty points four years ago. Harris also galvanizes 78% of the black vote, compared to Trump’s 14%.
She also takes in 55% of the Hispanic vote to Trump’s 41%. Among suburban voters, Harris has a ten-point lead - 52%-42%.
Nate Silver, notable pollster and founder of FiveThirtyEight, said: “One of the best pollsters in the country has bad news for Kamala Harris. It confirms the model’s view tha there’s been some sort of a shift in momentum in the race.”
The model to which Silver refers is his own, which currently views Trump as the favorite, state and national polls considered.
Silver’s model also finds that Harris’ numbers have been slipping since the DNC wrapped up business in Chicago last month. Her lead in the national polling averages hovered around four-to-five percent over Trump, likely enough to win the election closely, as polls tend to underestimate Republican support and does not account for the Electoral College. However, the near-five-point lead she had in the aggregates peaked in August, and she now hovers around two points nationally.
Silver posits that a two-point lead nationally for any Democrat is not enough to win the election, given the aforementioned
underestimations of Republican support, as well as the disparity between popular support and where those votes are distributed among the swing states likely to decide the winner in the Electoral College.
The poll marks a turning point in perhaps the most unprecedented American election in modern times. With an extraordinarily short runway, and with Labor Day in the rearview mirror, both parties are engaged on the campaign trail and will likely bring about more serious polling shifts as the next eight weeks unfold.
Finally, also of note regarding the presidential race, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., saw two states hold opposing rulings on his ballot access after his suspension.
The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that RFK will be removed from the ballot in the Tar Heel State this November. A red-leaning battleground, North Carolina’s polling has tightened since the Biden-Harris switch in July.
However, in Michigan, the state’s Supreme Court ruled that RFK must remain on the ballot, which is viewed as a slight blow to Trump’s candidacy as he hopes to galvanize as much crossover support from the former Independent candidate. Whoever wins Michigan is highly likely to be the next president.
The Michigan decision overturns a lower court’s decision that stated RFK could have name removed from the ballot.
State
Governor Kathy Hochul (D) is defending herself and her administration after the arrest and indictment of a former aide for acting as a foreign agent on behalf of the Chinese government.
Last week, Linda Sun and her husband were arrested on charges of influencing state politics and messaging to favor the Chinese government in exchange for kickbacks valued in the millions. Their Manhasset home was raided in July on those suspicions.
In the wake of the shocking allegations, Governor Hochul is claiming that Sun was a “mid-level aide” hired by her predecessor, former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D). Hochul adds that Sun “did not have contact” with her or her office “very often, other than standing outside in a parade or so.”
New reports show that the connection between Hochul and Sun might be deeper than the Governor is publicly admitting.
In September 2021, just after becoming governor, Hochul had a call with Chinese Consul General Huang Ping. The meeting listed Sun as the only participant on that call.
Hochul has called the U.S. State Department to expel Ping based on the Sun indictment.
Ping is named in the unsealed indictment of Sun, in which he is featured as “PRC Official-1.”
Hochul is also implicated in the indictment as “Politician-2.” It was just shortly before the meeting with Ping that Hochul had rehired Sun as an aide in the executive branch. Sun had worked numerous jobs within State government. She had worked in the Cuomo Administration in 2012 as Director of Asian American Affairs, followed by a 2018 return to the gubernatorial staff as Chief Diversity Officer. After a stint with the State Department of Financial Services, Sun was hired by Hochul
in August 2021 as Deputy Chief of Staff.
Two months after the 2021 call with Ping, Hochul had a virtual meeting with Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang, during which Sun was the only listed gubernatorial staff participating.
As far as the “parades” mentioned by the Governor, Sun is confirmed to have attended one parade with Hochul during her tenure: the February 2022 Lunar New Year Parade held in Chinatown. Sun was photographed walking behind the Governor.
The Governor’s schedule shows no interaction with Sun after May 2022, as Sun would begin work with the State Department of Labor in September that year. Sun was fired from her position in March 2023 after evidence of misconduct became apparent.
Local
The last General Meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature began with recognition of a fire or EMS personnel honoree from each of the eighteen legislative districts.
Suffolk County is home to nearly 11,000 volunteer firefighters and more than 3,200 EMS personnel. In 2023, these personnel responded to over 215,000 calls. Year to date, emergency services have seen a 12% increase in fire and EMS calls over the previous year.
The remnants of Hurricane Ernesto that took the north shore by storm, namely Smithtown, Stony Brook, and Rocky Point, saw over 1,200 calls in just one twenty-four-hour period.
“Each fire or emergency demonstrates not only a need for attention to physical infrastructure, but evokes a greater appreciation for the human infrastructure, especially the firefighters and emergency services personnel that respond to save lives, repair communities, and prepare for the next critical situation,” said Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst). “I cannot recall the last time I rose at three in the morning to help a stranger, yet these men and women leave their homes and their families to protect and save our homes and families – at all hours of the day and night and despite all levels of risk.”
THE HONOREES: (Pictured below)
Mark Donnelly, Wading River - First District
Alan Burke, Montauk - Second District
Vincent Zarcone, Mastic - Third District
Kenneth “Tyler” VanGorden, Selden - Fourth District
Rich Leute, Setauket - Fifth District
Matthew Gropper, Middle Island
- Sixth District
Michael Barry, Medford - Seventh District
Raymond Audett, Bohemia - Eighth District
William Menendez, Brentwood - Ninth District
Gerald “Gerry” O’Mara, Ronkonkoma
- Tenth District
John McAuley, West Islip - Eleventh District
Nesconset Fire Department - Twelfth District
Kings Park Fire Department
- Thirteenth District
Michael DeGregorio, Lindenhurst
- Fourteenth District
Evins Delusme, Wyandanch - Fifteenth District
Todd Cohen, Dix Hills - Sixteenth District
Brian Thomas, Deer Park
- Seventeenth District
Shane McCoy Northport Eighteenth District
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Assemblyman Flood Recognizes Erika Glus as Woman of Distinction
“Baking bread for locals was a sign of her saying what had happened in her life and how special it [baking] was,” Glus told attendees.
The Salvation Army and Red Cross provided Glus’ family with shelter and clothing, and later immigrated to the United States after an aunt in Cincinnati encouraged them to start a new life.
Glus began teaching in Cincinnati, but would vacation on Long Island frequently. She met her husband on Long Island, whom she later married. Together, they were married for fifty-six years, had two children, and five grandchildren.
After moving to Long Island, Glus taught at BOCES for thirty-two years. She also became an avid runner and completed thirteen marathons, including the Boston Marathon. Glus also has the notable distinction of having beaten breast cancer twice.
Glus regaled attendees with stories from her past, including one that she said earned fame from her schoolchildren: the “axe” story.
Glus recalled that when she and her family were homeless, they found lodging wherever they could, with one instance landing them in a room on top of a bakery.
“One time, the baker came and said that we had to move out the next day,” said Glus. “My mother took an axe and said ‘if you put one step through the door, I’ll chop your head off.’”
Assemblyman Flood remarked on his selection of Glus as his district’s Woman of Distinction.
“Someone sent us her information and when my staff and I saw just how amazing of
a story this is, we wanted to meet her,” Flood told The Messenger “We were in awe because the story started out so tragically, but it ended up being such an uplifting story and how determined her family was to succeed.”
Flood added that Glus “would have had every right to be bitter,” but that her personality is quite the opposite.
“She is an unbelievably friendly, caring woman,” said Flood. “It was pretty clear at this point that selecting her as the district’s Woman of Distinction was a no-brainer. The purpose of the recognition is to showcase some of the unsung heroes in the community, some people who may not get media attention but have impacted so many lives. By all means, Erika is one of the most deserving people we’ve ever honored with this distinction.”
The Messenger thanks Erika Glus for the opportunity to hear her amazing story in person and applauds her unbreakable spirit and decades-long contributions to her community.
Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson Station) has represented the Fourth District in the New York State Assembly since 2023. The Fourth District includes Belle Terre, East Setauket, Gordon Heights, Old Field, Poquott, Port Jefferson, Setauket, Stony Brook, Strongs Neck, and Terryville, and parts of Centereach, Coram, Middle Island, Port Jefferson Station, and Selden.
Assemblyman Flood sits on the committees on Banks; Children and Families; Codes; Environmental Conservation; Higher Education; and Judiciary.
The Fourth District office is located at 149 Main Street in East Setauket and can be reached at 631-751-3094.
Apple Festival at Cassidy Hill Farms Draws Large Crowd for Family Fun and Fall Festivities
By Cait Crudden
Cassidy Hill Farms, located in Manorville, hosted its highly anticipated Apple Festival this past weekend, drawing an enthusiastic crowd eager to embrace the joys of the fall season. The event, held on the scenic grounds of the farm, offered visitors a chance to interact with farm animals, shop from local vendors, enjoy delicious food, and take part in a unique apple-themed activity that proved to be the highlight for families with the apples pre-picked and provided.
With a diverse range of activities for patrons of all ages, the festival offered an immersive farm experience. Attendees were greeted with the opportunity to meet and interact with the animals, including horses, ponies, alpacas, pigs, ducks, and chickens. Children were especially delighted by the chance to get up close and personal with the animals and jump on the inflatables, making the experience both educational and memorable.
Several local vendors were on-site, selling a variety of handmade goods and crafts. Among them were Lotus Handmade Jewelry, offering beautiful, handcrafted pieces; Zoe’s Kandlhaus, which featured artisanal soaps and soy candles; and Dori Creates and Plants ‘n Potions, to name a few. The vendors provided an excellent opportunity for visitors to shop for gifts, support local artisans, and discover original, handcrafted items.
Cassidy Hill Farms made sure that guests were treated to sweet delights with free cotton candy and popcorn for all attendees. For those looking for more substantial meal options, food trucks from Quina’s Cookin’ and The Tasty Taxi offered a delicious array of choices, from hearty comfort foods to unique, flavorful dishes.
The star of the
festival, however, was the interactive apple crispmaking activity. Families and their children had the chance to craft their own apple crisps, complete with fresh ingredients prepicked and sourced directly from a local farm for the event. After preparing their crisps, families took them home to bake, creating a perfect fall treat to enjoy together. This hands-on experience was a hit with both parents and children, adding a personal touch to the day’s festivities.
Additionally, homemade ice cream was available for purchase, with seasonal flavors like Apple Cinnamon, Pumpkin Spice, and Apple Pie being fan favorites. The fresh and flavorful ice cream was the perfect way to complement the fall atmosphere.
For those who missed the fun, Cassidy Hill Farms is bringing the Apple Festival back for a second weekend, running on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s event will feature a special addition: NY Safe Haven Animal Rescue will be on-site with dogs available for adoption, giving animal lovers an extra reason to attend. The festival is expected to attract even more families, eager to enjoy the farm’s offerings and engage with the rescue animals.
With a weekend full of family fun, local vendors, delicious food, and apple-themed activities, the Apple Festival at Cassidy Hill Farms has become a seasonal staple for the community, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re there for the food, the animals, or the unique crafts, the festival promises to deliver a memorable fall experience for all who attend.
Cassidy Hill Farms is located at 30 North Street in Manorville.
Continued from front cover
Senator Murray Calls for Stricter Hit-and-Run Penalties with ‘Nick’s Law’
Elected officials in attendance were New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) (pictured right), New York State Assemblymen Doug Smith (R-Holbrook) and Joe DeStefano (R-Medford), Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches), Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden), Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R), and Suffolk County Legislators Nick Caracappa (C-Selden) and Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue).
The stories of Nick Puzio, Dean Arnum, and Christopher Hlavaty serve as somber reminders of the devastating consequences that hitand-run accidents can have on families and communities. All three men were killed by drivers who fled the scene, leaving their loved ones with not only the grief of their loss but the added burden of knowing that the responsible parties had abandoned them in their final moments and are receiving little to no justice through current laws.
and it’s time we came together to show support for all those impacted by those who commit these horrific acts of cruelty”.
The families of Nick Puzio, Dean Arnum, and Christopher Hlavaty spoke of their continued heartbreak over the loss of their loved ones and the hole in their lives that will never be replaced. Their stories highlighted that this tragedy could happen to anyone’s family.
The families of these victims have been actively advocating for stronger penalties to ensure that no other families endure the same heartbreak. Nick Puzio, for whom the bill is named, was twenty-five years old when he was killed in a hit-and-run accident in March 2023.
In his remarks at the press conference, Senator Murray stressed that current laws are insufficient in addressing the severity of hit-and-run accidents.
“How many more people have to die? How many more family, friends, and loved ones have to grieve the loss of their loved one, before lawmakers in Albany take action?” asked Murray.
The proposed legislation was introduced in early 2023 in Albany, but it has yet to be passed. Nick’s Law would increase the penalties for fleeing the scene of an accident involving a fatality, raising the offense to a Class B felony, which carries much higher maximum sentences than the current Class D felony on the books. Currently, drivers who flee the scene of fatal accidents can face charges of manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide, but the penalties are often much less severe than if they had stayed and cooperated with law enforcement due to the inability to determine after a period of time if the driver was evading arrest or warrants or was drunk or high at the time of the accident.
Assemblyman Smith echoed Senator Murray’s call for immediate legislative action, noting the lack of accountability for hit-and-run drivers.
“Every moment matters when someone is injured at the scene of an accident. Nick’s Law will make it clear that anyone who flees the scene of an accident resulting in a loss of life will be found and face many years behind bars. There is no excuse,” said Smith.
“Our laws should encourage accountability rather than evasion. As District Attorney, I am committed to advocating for reforms to our laws related to leaving the scene,” said District Attorney Tierney. When speaking directly with The Messenger, Tierney remarked, “This is just one in a whole slate of common-sense laws that the New York Legislature is trying to pass, and I urge them to act”.
Legislator Nick Caracappa and the other local officials also expressed their support for Nick’s Law, underscoring the need to protect their communities from such senseless tragedies.
“This one hits home for me. I’ve known Nick’s family for many years. To see the grief they are experiencing due to the loss of Nick is extremely difficult for me and to those that know this family,” said Caracappa. “Families, friends, and entire communities are all affected by these tragic circumstances
“How does someone hit a human being and drive away and go on with their life as if nothing happened? Where is the humanity? Nick had so much to live for,” said Theresa Puzio, Nick’s mother. “No parent should ever have to see a child die. As a parent, my worst nightmare happened.”
The families left the press conference with the hope that this renewed push for Nick’s Law would finally bring about the change they have long been fighting for. Their advocacy, alongside the backing of key lawmakers, offers a glimmer of hope that Albany will do the right thing, take action, and pass the much-needed legislation.
As the community continues to rally around these families, the collective call for justice and accountability grows louder.
“The time for passing this bill is now,” concluded Murray.
For those affected, Nick’s Law is not just a legislative effort, it is a deeply personal fight for justice that they hope will save future lives.
By Matt Meduri
U.S. Senate Forecast
A few weeks ago, we unveiled our preliminary U.S. Senate forecast, in which we discussed the tossups and the two states we believe, at this point in the race, are favored to flip to the GOP. Democrats currently hold a 51-49 advantage in the Senate, with four Independents caucusing with the majority. Republicans would need to flip one seat and the presidency, or two seats outright, to take control of the Senate. Democrats are also facing one of the most brutal maps in decades, playing a large amount of defense with a scarce amount of offensive opportunities.
Our current forecast has Republicans retaking control of the upper chamber with fifty-one seats, which is accomplished by holding the eleven seats they have and by flipping West Virginia and Montana. Joe Manchin (I-WV), an iconoclastic moderate Democrat, left his party earlier this year after taking a pass on what was expected to be a virtually impossible race to win. With Donald Trump (R-FL) on the ballot in a state he won by forty points twice, it was tough seeing Manchin garner that much crossover support. The open seat essentially guarantees Governor Jim Justice (R) the flip, thereby erasing Democrats’ margin for error.
In Montana, three-term Senator Jon Tester (D) is a slight underdog but the race remains competitive. Montana has swung against the incumbent president in every election since 1972. Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA), in all practicalities, is essentially an incumbent in this regard. With Montana likely to back Trump by around twenty points, Tester also likely finds himself underwater simply by virtue of the state’s lean.
With that, Democrats are now charged with defending eleven seats that we view as “safe” for them, while also running the table in various competitive states across the country. We don’t think the next Senate majority will be a large one, but any chance Democrats have at retaining the Senate means holding Montana, holding every other competitive seat, and winning the presidency.
This week, we’ll explore the seats we expect are “likely” to go to the incumbent party. For the sake of our forecast, a seat considered “likely” is one where some competition is expected, but one party has a significant set of advantages over the other. Upsets are not out of the question, but it’s more probable that these states will be on the edge of the competitive table or produce thinner-than-expected margins.
Florida - Rick Scott (R) Vs. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D)
Florida’s political shift over the last few cycles has been tectonic, in that it has raced to the right from the top of the ballot downward. Trump doubled his margin in Florida in 2020, even coming within seven points of carrying once-deep-blue Miami-Dade County. Governor Ron DeSantis (R) continued the trend and his twenty-point margin was the largest for any Republican in the history of the state, with Senator Marco Rubio (R) following not far behind.
In 2018, then-Governor Rick Scott (R) was termlimited and ran against Bill Nelson (D), who had long been seen as an election-year elected official. Scott won the upset by just ten thousand votes out of over eight million cast. Scott hasn’t developed the most popular profile in the Senate, but the intrinsic tilt of
his state, plus Trump’s likely energy at the top of the ticket, will likely propel him to a second term.
His opponent is former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who had flipped the Miami-Monroe County FL-26 in 2018. She was ousted after just one term in 2020.
Polling shows a somewhat tight race, and while the presidential race has narrowed with Harris on the ticket, Trump still has mid-to-high single-digit leads, while Scott narrowly trails. We think that since polls have underestimated Republican strength in Florida in every cycle since 2016, this year will be no different. Mucarsel-Powell will have to capitalize on Scott’s relative unpopularity and will need to galvanize a broad coalition of voters to reverse the trend that Florida has taken in recent years.
Missouri was once the heart of American politics. It was a crucial swing state that backed the winner of every general election in the Twentieth Century, except for 1956. The streak ended in 2008, when it backed John McCain (R-AZ) over Barack Obama (DIL) as the closest state in that election. Since then, Missouri’s working-class, evangelical population has shed its ancestral Democratic roots in the southern part of the state and has become a more obdurate Republican stronghold. Even in recent years, when Democrats receive auspicious polling numbers, the margins turn out more bloated than expected.
Josh Hawley defeated two-term incumbent Claire McCaskill (D) in 2018. McCaskill had benefited from a Democratic wave year in 2006 and a flawed opponent in 2012. Despite the 2018 blue wave, Hawley defeated her by about five points, and the county map very closely mirrored the 2016 presidential one. Hawley has developed a staunchly conservative record in the Senate, with an outspoken populist tone and an apparent “drain the swamp” attitude.
His opponent, attorney Lucas Kunce (pronounced “koonts”), has held no political office but is the Director of National Security at the American Economic Liberties Project, a non-profit aimed at corporate accountability and antitrust legislation. He ran in the Democratic primary for Missouri’s other Senate seat in 2022, which he lost to Trudy Busch Valentine (D).
The reason we rate this seat as “likely” is simply because we expect Democrats to be bold in taking Hawley down. His presence as an outspoken conservative and detractor of liberal policies in his chamber makes us think he’s a prime target for Democrats, environment notwithstanding.
However, the political environment remains neutral in terms of the presidential race, and Missouri is likely to back Trump between fifteen and twenty points. Again, this level of crossover support in today’s hyper-partisan era is a monumental hurdle, one that is likely to insulate Hawley from a serious challenge. If Hawley were a freshman in a good Democratic year, we’d probably have this as a toss-up, but as Democrats need to have near-perfect defense and only have scant options for offense, it’s more than likely Missouri will not be in the eye of the hurricane this year.
New Jersey has been a frustrating state for Republicans lately. Since it became a blue state in 1992, it’s given Republicans a high floor, but a low ceiling, one in which they can usually garner at least 40% of the vote, but traveling north of that becomes difficult. In other words, while Republicans consistently lose here, they don’t usually get blown out of the water.
New Jersey seemed to be shaping up to be competitive on the presidential map, with Trump leading the last poll taken before Biden quit the race. We haven’t seen any polls of a Harris-Trump scenario in the Garden State, but we assume New Jersey is more sympathetic to the new nominee.
That said, there’s still a case for a competitive Jersey, mainly by speaking to the large working-class population facing decrepit inner cities. Congressman Andy Kim (D) starts out as the heavy favorite over real estate developer Curtis Bashaw. Kim flipped NJ-03 in 2018 and secured two more terms by considerable margins. Kim is generally well-liked, remains relatively uncontroversial, and is seen as more of a “regular”
Missouri - Josh Hawley (R) Vs. Lucas Kunce (D)
Busch Valentine lost to Eric Schmitt (R) by thirteen points.
New Jersey - Andy Kim (D) Vs. Curtis Bashaw (R)
Continued from previous page
A Brutal Map for Democrats
guy than others of the chamber he intends to join. His constituents, despite being in a red-leaning seat at the time, didn’t balk at making him their representative and re-electing him before the lines were redrawn to make NJ-03 more favorable to Democrats.
Bashaw starts out with virtually no name recognition. If this were a red wave year brewing, we could assume that the GOP would send more money here. If elected, Bashaw would be the first openly gay male elected to the Senate and the first openly gay Republican Senator.
The elephant (or donkey) in the room in this race is current Senator Bob Menendez (D). He faced corruption trials in 2018, ahead of the race that gave him his third term, but resulted in a hung jury. The charges got larger after he was accused of receiving bribes from the Egyptian government and acting as a foreign agent.
We don’t think the Menendez scandal will leave a bad enough taste in voters’ mouths to consider flipping the seat red, especially in a presidential year. Moreover, Kim’s charisma will likely make him the next Senator from New Jersey.
We’ll retain our “likely” rating on the basis that the only polls we have show Kim with a modest mid-singledigit lead over Bashaw. We’re sure polls conducted after the Biden-Harris switch will show a different picture, but we’re comfortable in positing that Kim might only be victorious by about ten to twelve points, at least as of the current state of the race.
Finally, Republicans haven’t won a Senate race in New Jersey since 1972. We don’t see the environment or Bashaw as factors that will end that streak this year.
Pennsylvania - Bob Casey, Jr. (D) Vs. David McCormick (R)
Pennsylvania’s status as perhaps the nation’s premier swing state likely won’t translate down the ballot, at least not to the Senate race. Incumbent Bob Casey, Jr., is seeking a fourth term in the Keystone State, with his name having been associated with the beloved Casey political dynasty.
His father, Bob Casey, Sr., was a moderate, pro-gun, pro-life Democrat who was revered by Pennsylvania voters, so much so he won the secondlargest gubernatorial landslide in the state’s history in 1990. Casey, Jr., has lived off that recognition, as well as being one of the only somewhat conservative Democrats left in Washington.
Casey faces David McCormick (R), a businessman who narrowly lost the 2022 Senate primary to Dr. Oz, who would go on to lose to John Fetterman (D). McCormick is a credible opponent and has polled reasonably well against an entrenched incumbent. The only dig we can say on Casey’s electoral record is that he’s only run in good Democratic years: 2006, 2012, and 2018. A more neutral, or even red-leaning environment, might give him a run for his money, but we’d still classify him as intensely difficult to beat.
McCormick is a good candidate, but it’s a challenge in and of itself to take down a member of the Casey family in Pennsylvania.
Texas - Ted Cruz (R) Vs. Colin Allred
Texas has long been a white whale for Democrats, who have come tantalizingly close to
flipping Republicans’ largest bastion of votes, but have regularly fallen short in recent years. Texas’ red hue might have been somewhat overstated, as every election from 1980 until 2004, with the exception of 1996, had a Bush on the ticket. McCain and Romney did, however, carry the torch, until Trump won by just under ten points in 2016, causing alarm bells to ring out in certain camps. That margin was further reduced to just above five points in 2020. No doubt the migration of affluent, liberal suburbanites to the state’s cities has pushed it more towards the center, but Republicans have the agricultural and energy sectors on their side, as well as a curiously evolving political scene among Latinos in the Rio Grande Valley.
Ted Cruz (R) was elected in 2012 by a firm sixteenpoint margin. Ahead of the 2018 cycle, most forecasters rated the Texas race as “safe” or at least “likely” Republican.
It ended up being one of the closest of the cycle, with Cruz prevailing over then-Congressman Robert “Beto” O’Rourke (D) by just two points. The result was the closest Senate race in Texas since 1978, and many beads of sweat were swept from Republicans’ foreheads.
We think Cruz is in a better position this time around, although he has a credible opponent in Congressman and former NFL star Colin Allred (D, TX-32). The Dallas Congressman flipped his seat in 2018 and has demonstrated significant fundraising abilities.
The race is polling close, but Cruz has maintained consistent leads, in tandem with slightly better numbers for Trump. We think that Harris and company would love to seriously contend Texas this year, but the environment doesn’t seem on their side, as does the stark contrast in defense Democrats have to play. In a bluer year, we’d absolutely see Texas as more competitive, but Democrats will have to pick their battles - and the campaign funds - wisely in order to even have a chance at retaining the majority.
To boot, O’Rourke was seen as an up-and-coming darling of the left. If he couldn’t flip Texas in a D+9 year in 2018, we doubt Allred will do much better in a more neutral year where we think Texas has a likelihood to give Trump a better margin than last time.
We will consider moving this race to the “leans” column upon more evidence of a tighter race, but for now, we’ll leave it on the edge of the competitive table.
Virginia - Tim Kaine (D) Vs. Hung Cao (R)
Virginia has done some interesting political backpedaling over the last few cycles. It used to be a staunchly red state not won by a presidential Democratic since 1964, until Obama flipped it in 2008. However, unlike other states Obama flipped, Virginia continued on its quest of bluer turf, giving Hillary Clinton (D-NY) a five-point margin in 2016 and Biden a ten-point margin in 2020.
Republicans have been bullish on the Old Dominion since Biden became president, and there is proof in the pudding. Glenn Youngkin (R) straddled a fine line between Trump-esque populism and more brickand-mortar Republican policies while running on national hot-button issues to flip the governorship in 2021. With that, Republicans also took control of
the Virginia House. Although Republicans narrowly lost the House in 2023, Virginia has been polling competitively, even with Harris on the ticket. It’s not a must-win for Trump, but if Democrats have a bad night in Virginia, it’s likely things have gone worse for them elsewhere.
Enter Tim Kaine, a two-term Senator who also served as governor and as chair of the Democratic National Committee. He ran as Clinton’s vice presidential nominee in 2016, likely giving her a slight boost in a state that was already shaping up to go to her. Kaine secured a large re-election victory in 2018 over a weak opponent in Corey Stewart (R), but faces a more interesting challenge this year from Hung Cao.
The former U.S. Navy Captain ran in 2022 against Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D) in the suburbanD.C.-northern-Virginia VA-10. Cao ultimately fell short, but still came within single digits of a rapidly blue-trending seat.
Cao is throwing his hat in the political ring again to take on Kaine. Kaine certainly isn’t the most charismatic Senator, but he has Virginia roots that run deep. Cao is also a credible candidate and would be a welcome addition to the Senate Republican caucus, but we think that if the presidential race at least tilts in Harris’ favor, then Kaine will likely overperform the top of the ticket.
It’s a race worth watching, but one that we don’t think will seriously develop over the next eight weeks.
The Outlook
Our forecast is unchanged from the last time we discussed it. To recap, Republicans seem increasingly favored to recapture control of the upper chamber with a virtual guarantee in flipping West Virginia and a strong possibility of a flip in Montana. Their next best target lies in Ohio, followed by Nevada and Michigan.
Democrats, on the other hand, must ensure their incumbents win their easy races, while also running the table of competitive states. With West Virginia considered a done deal, they can’t afford to lose another seat. Even if Harris wins the election, the political tides might be too difficult for Republicans to overcome in Montana, but Democrats should fare well elsewhere. If Trump wins by a decent margin, we would say a similar outcome is still likely, with the possibility of only two or three other seats flipping red.
Democrats’ only opportunities of putting seats in play remain reaches at best, with state trends complicating their missions in Missouri and Florida, along with institutional advantages for Republicans in Texas. Pushing further beyond that means campaigning in deeply-red states, such as Nebraska, Indiana, or Utah. Democrats had made considerable plays for Mississippi and Tennessee in 2018, but still came about ten points short in both. That same year, they lost two states we now view as “likely” to go to Republicans - Missouri and Florida - while they also lost two states we don’t view as remotely competitive this year, Indiana and North Dakota.
We’ll publish an ensuing column outlining the last of the competitive Senate races and what impacts they could make on the overall congressional landscape this fall.
Thursday, September 12, 2024
The Necessary Standard for American Education
The Bill of Rights
By Matt Meduri
This week, we’ll look at perhaps the most significant document guaranteeing civil liberties in the U.S.: The Bill of Rights. The term refers to the first Ten Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and are considered paramount in preserving individual freedoms.
History
The two political parties at the time, the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, had different views as to how comprehensive language surrounding government powers should be, primarily because lack of clarity could leave the door open for violations of liberties. Federalists argued that the states would be sufficient grantors of such liberties. The Massachusetts Compromise spawned from the state’s delegation’s contentions, which caused a fistfight between Federalist Francis Dana and Anti-Federalist Elbridge Gerry, from whose actions the term “gerrymander” was coined. The compromise allowed for amendments to be proposed at the convention when ratifying the Constitution and was created to the agreement of John Hancock and Samuel Adams.
The First Amendment
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
This amendment is one of the most familiar, in that it prohibits the federal government from making laws that violate one’s freedoms to express their religion, views, general speech, and assembly, even in the form of protest. It also protects the freedoms of information and publication, especially those afforded to the press.
The Second Amendment
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
One of the more controversial amendments, the Second Amendment guarantees the right of the public to weapons for the preservation of life, liberty, and property, primarily in terms of selfdefense against the government. The practice was actually first codified in the 1689 English Bill of Rights, although it only applied to Protestants. The 2010 Supreme Court decision McDonald v. Chicago ruled that the Second Amendment also applies to state and local governments in the same way it applies to the federal government.
The Third Amendment
“No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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.
of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.”
The Sixth Amendment guarantees the accused the rights to a speedy and public trial, to a trial by an impartial jury, to be informed of criminal charges, to confront witnesses, to compel witnesses to appear in court, and to the assistance of legal counsel.
The Seventh Amendment
“In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.”
The Seventh Amendment guarantees jury trials in federal civil cases that concern claims of more than twenty dollars. The amendment also prevents judges from overruling findings of fact by juries in federal civil trials. It does not apply to cases of maritime law, lawsuits against the government itself, and most patent claims.
The Seventh Amendment provides unincorporated rights, meaning it’s one of the few aspects of the Bill of Rights that does apply to other states by virtue of itself. The reason it is unincorporated is because it was intended to be a check on the power of federal judges, and thus, only applied to federal courts and law. Almost every state has a similar provision for jury trials in civil cases in their respective constitutions.
This amendment was passed in response to the Quartering Acts during the Revolutionary War. The Quartering Acts were passed by British Parliament during the war that required local authorities of the Thirteen Colonies to provide British Army personnel with lodging, food, and other essentials. The amendment simply prevents the government from mandating the lodging of soldiers in private homes. This is one of the least controversial of the Constitution and has the distinction of having never been the primary basis of a Supreme Court decision.
The Fourth Amendment
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
This amendment protects citizens from being searched or having property seized without a proper warrant sanctioned by a judiciary and supported by probable cause. It stipulates that search and seizure must be contingent on information specified by the issuing court. The amendment serves as the basis for the exclusionary rule, a facet of U.S. criminal procedure that says that evidence obtained illegally cannot be introduced into a criminal trial. This was the result of the 1914 decision in Weeks v. United States and became applicable to the rest of the state in 1961, after the landmark Mapp v. Ohio case.
The Fifth Amendment
“No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
The Fifth Amendment protects against double jeopardy - a defendant being tried again for the same crime following acquittal or conviction - and self-incrimination - for the purpose of this article, the rights to remain silent and to retain legal counsel. It’s also the basis for criminal procedure, in that it guarantees the rights of due process and a grand jury to the accused, as well as compensation of property under seizure of eminent domain - the power of the government to take private property for public use.
We’ll explore the aspects of the Fifth Amendment in a later column.
The Sixth Amendment
“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause
The Eighth Amendment
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
While fairly straightforward - the Eighth Amendment protects the accused against excessive bails, fines, and repercussions - it has been the basis for several Supreme Court cases over the decades. The Court’s views on what exactly what punishments are considered “cruel and unusual” have fluctuated over time. The 1972 case of Furman v. Georgia found that capital punishment itself violated the Eighth Amendment. The court argued that the amendment could reflect “evolving standards of decency,” corresponding to public opinion. The interpretation of the amendment even halted executions nationwide for several years after the Furman decision. The 1976 case Gregg v. Georgia found that capital punishment could be constitutional if the jury was given concrete sentencing guidelines. Estelle v. Gamble (1976) and Brown v. Plata (2011) have found that poor prison conditions could constitute “cruel and unusual” punishments.
The Ninth Amendment
“The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”
This amendment acknowledges other fundamental rights outside the scope of the Constitution. It’s basically a disclaimer that the rights outlined in the Constitution are not an exhaustive list of individual rights. The amendment’s first notable citation by a Supreme Court Justice was in the 1965 decision Griswold v. Connecticut, the result of which voided a statute prohibiting the use of contraceptives, which was seen as infringement of rights of martial privacy.
The 1973 decision Roe v. Wade overturned a Texas law which criminalized assistance to an abortion. The 1992 decision Planned Parenthood v. Casey struck down a Pennsylvania law that required spousal awareness prior to getting an abortion.
The Tenth Amendment
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
This amendment also acts as a de facto disclaimer, in that it reinforces the principle of separation of powers and classical federalism. Powers not granted to the federal government by the Constitution are left to the states, who are each autonomous in their enactment and enforcement of laws and designation of rights and powers not enumerated by the Constitution.
The Document Itself
George Washington had fourteen handwritten copies of the Bill of Rights made, with one meant for Congress and the others each meant for the original thirteen states. The Georgia, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania copies are missing, with the New York copy thought to have been destroyed in a fire. The Georgia and Maryland copies are thought to be two unidentified copies that survive, with one residing in the National Archives and the other in the New York Public Library. North Carolina’s copy was stolen by a Union soldier after the Civil War, but it was recovered in a 2003 FBI sting operation.
The copy held since the First Congress has been on display in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., since December 1952. The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are also stored here.
After the displays were updated in 2003, the documents were rededicated in a ceremony. The update found that the documents themself have been well-preserved.
In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D-NY) declared December 15 as Bill of Rights Day, commemorating the 150th anniversary of their ratification. For the bicentennial in 1991, the Virginia copy toured all fifty state capitals.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Around Town
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Tenth Annual Culper Spy Day Brings History to Life in East Setauket
By Cait Crudden
The tenth Annual Culper Spy Day, presented by the Three Village Historical Society and Tri-Spy Tours, brought local history to life over the weekend in East Setauket, offering an immersive experience for families and history enthusiasts alike. This beloved event, which celebrates the legacy of the Culper Spy Ring and its pivotal role during the American Revolution, attracted visitors of all ages, eager to learn and engage with the rich history of the area.
Throughout the weekend, attendees were treated to a variety of activities, exhibits, and entertainment, all focused on the region’s historical significance as a hub for Revolutionary War espionage. With everything from children’s story time to musket firing drills, there was something for everyone to enjoy, making it a memorable celebration of local heritage.
Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson Station) even joined in the festivities soaking in the history and mingling with constituents that attended.
The centerpiece of the event was the Culper Spy Ring exhibit, which provided an indepth look at the lives of the spies who risked their safety to gather intelligence for General George Washington. They also included the British loyalists as well to showcase both sides of history. The exhibit, located at the Three Village Historical Society, offered a fascinating glimpse into the covert operations of the Culper Spy Ring, with tours led by knowledgeable guides. Visitors were able to explore artifacts, letters, and documents that detailed the brave efforts of residents like Abraham Woodhull and Anna Smith Strong, who played critical roles in the ring.
Historic house tours were also available throughout the community, allowing guests to step back in time and explore some of the very homes where the spies lived and worked. These tours gave a deeper appreciation for the local history and the courage of the ordinary people who contributed to the American Revolution.
For families with young children, the event featured a variety of kid-friendly activities, making the historical experience both educational and entertaining. Children’s story time sessions at Emma S. Clark Library offered Revolutionary War-era tales, while at the Three Village Historical
Society House kids could also participate in face painting and craft stations on the lawn. Children eagerly painted their faces with patriotic symbols and crafted their own spythemed creations, bringing an artistic flair to the day.
Adding to the excitement, militia marches and musket firing drills took place throughout the day, with reenactors dressed in period uniforms, offering a dramatic demonstration of how soldiers prepared for battle during the Revolutionary War. Attendees watched in awe as muskets were fired in choreographed drills, bringing the era’s military history to life in a visceral and exciting way. There were loyalists as well as General George Washington on hand, never breaking character and interacting with guests as they walked the grounds.
For those interested in learning more about the history of the Culper Spy Ring, the event hosted a lineup of Culper themed authors and book signings. Writers who specialize in Revolutionary War history were on hand to discuss their work and sign copies of their books, offering a unique opportunity for visitors to take home a piece of history.
To satisfy appetites, the event featured a variety of food trucks at the Setauket Neighborhood House, serving everything from classic American fare to gourmet treats. Families and friends gathered to enjoy delicious food while soaking in the lively atmosphere.
The festivities continued Sunday with the first Annual Culper Spy Day 5K Run, adding a fitness component to the weekend’s activities. Runners of all ages and abilities participated in the race, which wound through the historic streets of Setauket, offering a scenic route that highlighted the town’s Revolutionary War landmarks.
The run was a great success, with participants crossing the finish line to the cheers of onlookers. It was a fitting end to a weekend that not only celebrated history but also brought the community together in a meaningful and active way.
The tenth Annual Culper Spy Day was more than just a celebration of local history; it was a chance for the community to come together and rediscover the rich heritage of East Setauket. With a perfect blend of educational exhibits, interactive activities, and family fun, the event once again proved to be a highlight of the year, leaving attendees with a deeper appreciation for the history that shaped their town.
Medford Chamber of Commerce Closes Summer Concert Series with Billy Joel and Elton John Tribute
By Cait Crudden
The Medford Chamber of Commerce Summer Concert Series came to a memorable close on Friday night with a packed crowd gathering to enjoy the final performance by a Billy Joel and Elton John tribute band. The free event, sponsored by Legislator Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue) and funded by Gershow Recycling was held at Medford Memorial Park. This event brought the community together for a night of music, fun, and community interaction.
The series, which has been a staple of summer in Medford, offers residents and visitors a chance to enjoy live music in a family-friendly atmosphere. This final concert was no exception, as the iconic tunes of Billy Joel and Elton John filled the air, captivating an enthusiastic audience that sang along to their favorite hits.
In addition to the music, the evening featured representatives from local organizations, including the Medford Veterans and the Medford Library, who had tables set up to interact with attendees. The veterans’ table provided information about their services, while the library offered resources and promoted their upcoming programs.
State Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) and Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) were also in attendance, taking the opportunity to meet with constituents and express their appreciation for the community’s support.
The two local leaders mingled with the crowd, stopping at various tables and chatting with concertgoers about local issues and upcoming initiatives. They also presented an award of recognition to veteran constituent Walter Maresco.
“It was my pleasure to recognize my New York State
Veterans Hall of Fame Inductee Walter Maresco this past weekend at the Medford Chamber Annual Concert event honoring Veterans and first responders,” said Senator Murray. “Mr. Maresco served in the United States Air Force in Vietnam. Thank you, Walter, for serving your country and protecting the rights and freedoms of the citizens of the USA and thank you to the Medford Chamber of Commerce for allowing me to take a moment at the concert event to honor Mr. Maresco.”
“Last night was the last concert in the Medford Chamber of Commerce Summer Concert Series. Not only was the concert an enjoyable time, but it was also important to take a moment and pay tribute to our veterans and EMS workers,” said Assemblyman DeStefano.
As the tribute band performed beloved classic Billy Joel and Elton John songs while the crowd swayed and sang along, with families setting up chairs and blankets to enjoy the music. Some even danced near the stage, fully embracing the joy of the evening.
The Medford Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the concert series each year, was thrilled with the turnout. It truly was amazing to see families of all ages enjoying good music on a beautiful night honoring the veterans and first responders.
As the final notes of the concert echoed into the night, the crowd erupted in applause, signaling the end of another successful Summer Concert Series. It was a fitting conclusion to a beloved local tradition that continues to strengthen community ties.
With residents already looking forward to next year’s concerts, the Medford Chamber of Commerce can reflect on a
job well done, having once again provided the community with a summer of music, memories, and connection.
16 Long Island Locavore
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Cucuzza – A Taste of Sicily on Long Island!
By Nancy Vallarella
Move over zucchini, there’s a new squash in town! Meet cucuzza, the long and winding gourd that’s making waves, especially among Italian Americans. Known by many names, cucuzza also goes by Cuccuzzi, Sicilian Snake Squash, and the fan-favorite: Gagootz
Speaking of gagootz, ever watch The Sopranos? Remember when Tony called his son, Anthony Jr., a “gagootz”? It’s his way of saying the kid’s being a knucklehead—acting clueless. But here’s the kicker: the Soprano family hails from Avellino in Campania, not Sicily. So, technically, that’s not quite right. Still, Italian Americans across the board have adopted the term, and it often refers to someone who’s... well, a bit empty-headed Just like a hollow squash. See the connection?
Fresh cucuzza is pale green, smooth, shiny, and thinskinned, with firm white flesh packed with tiny seeds. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor. If you pick it young, it’s tender, but leave it on the vine too long, and you’ve got yourself a gagootz—hollow and tough!
To enjoy your cucuzza at its best, store it in a cool, dry place or in the fridge for up to a week. Any longer, and it turns bitter and tough. Need to stock up? No worries— peel, chop, and freeze it for later.
When it comes to cooking, this squash shines in Italian cuisine. It’s a superstar in soups, stews, sautéed with garlic, onions, and tomatoes, or even stuffed, roasted, and grilled. Got a sweet tooth? Cucuzza can also be turned into jams and desserts! And here’s a health bonus: it’s low in calories, packed with fiber, vitamins A and C, and has tiny amounts of potassium and magnesium. Plus, with its high-water content, cucuzza is perfect for staying cool during those hot summer days.
Cucuzza thrives in warm climates and hits its peak harvest on Long Island in July and August. If you’re craving some fresh cucuzza, head over to Suffolk County—check out Pumpkin Patch in Yaphank, Lenny Bruno Farms in Manorville, or Hank’s Farmstand in Center Moriches. You’re in for a treat!
But wait, there’s more! Cucuzza vines aren’t just about squash. Home growers can also harvest the leaves and tendrils—called tenerumi—and use them to add flavor to dishes. I learned this first-hand when a true Sicilian nonna sent me a care package filled with cucuzza soup.
Nonna Mondi (pictured below), who came to Long Island in 1972 from Palermo, Sicily, passed down this family treasure through her son Joe. Joe translated the recipe as Nonna guided me—no measurements, just love and highquality ingredients. She even gave me some tenerumi
tips: “The leaves can’t be burnt by the sun. Wash each leaf in salt water one at a time, organize by size, and cut into 1-to-2-inch strips.” Think of it like chopping spinach. Nonna Mondi’s soup was unforgettable. You could taste the love in every bite. So, thank you, Nonna Mondi and Giuseppe, for sharing this dish with me. It’s now a cherished part of my culinary repertorio
With some research and online recipes—check out mangiawithmichele.com, I was able to put together a recipe to guide you on your very own Cucuzza journey!
Buon appetito!
Cucuzza Soup (Sicilian Squash Soup)
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups diced yellow onions
½ cup chopped fresh basil, divided + more for serving
2-3 Tbsp thinly sliced or chopped garlic
Pinch crushed red pepper
1-2 cucuzza squash (See NOTES.)
6 – 10 cucuzza leaves and shoots (tenerumi) if available (fresh – not burnt by the sun) washed thoroughly in salted water. Cut into 1-to- 2-inch pieces. It should resemble chopped spinach. (optional)
8 cups low or no-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 dozen large diced plum tomatoes peeled and seeded +3/4 cup of water or 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand + ¾ cup of water –(Canned tomatoes are not Nonna Mondi approved)
1 pecorino or parmesan rind
1 Tbsp or large pinch saffron (optional but recommended)
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
4 ounces spaghetti, broken into bite-sized (2 inch) pieces (1/4 pound)
Grated pecorino or parmesan cheese (optional for serving)
Extra virgin olive (optional for serving)
DIRECTIONS:
Gather and prep all ingredients according to specifications above.
Add the 8 cups of broth to a medium sized pot and bring to a simmer. Add cut leaves and shoots (tenerumi) to the broth.
Bring broth to a boil and stir in pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente (1-2 minutes less than recommended). Using a slotted spoon or spider remove pasta from broth and set aside. You can add some extra virgin olive oil to the pasta to prevent sticking. Set the pot with the broth to the side.
Prep the cucuzza squash: Slice off and discard the ends then cut the squash down into more manageable pieces. Peel it, then deseed the large ends of the cucuzza using a small spoon. You may need to peel the cucuzza twice if the texture is gritty (which may happen with older squash).
Then, cut the squash into bite sized pieces/chunks or thin half/quarter moons.
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
Heat oil in a 6-quart (or larger) pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions, half the basil, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until the onions have softened a bit, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can cover the pot to speed this process along if you want. Add the cucuzza pieces, stir and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Then, add 2 cups broth and deglaze, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Increase the heat to medium. Add the rest of the broth, tomatoes, ¾ cup of water, cheese rind, saffron, salt, and black pepper and stir.
Cover the pot and bring it to a simmer. Then, partially cover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes (or until the cucuzza is mostly tender). This time is approximate as older squash will take longer to cook. Adjust seasoning.
Put ¼ cup of pasta in a bowl and ladle soup on top. Serve piping hot unadorned or lightly topped with a sprinkle of grated pecorino cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some additional fresh basil, and some crusty bread. I used garlic chives for additional garnish.
NOTES
Can’t find cucuzza? If you don’t have a source for this veggie, this and other cucuzza recipes can 100% be made with zucchini (or even yellow squash). Zucchini and yellow squash cook quicker than cucuzza.
This recipe was made using 2 medium cucuzza squash (weighing 3 pounds, 10 ounces) and makes a large batch (about 15 cups). It can easily be cut in half for a smaller batch, but it does freeze well!
As cucuzza is technically a gourd, it has a thicker skin that must be peeled and large seeds that should be removed. Younger, smaller cucuzza have softer seeds which can be left in when cooking and eaten. The older the cucuzza, the tougher the seeds.
If you don’t have saffron, don’t let that keep you from making this soup. It will still be delicious! Saffron does make it extra special.
Broken spaghetti, fettuccine, thin capellini (broken up) or small pastas work in this recipe.
Add more liquid (water or broth) if the soup becomes too thick.
If you prefer a vegan soup, just leave out the cheese rind and be sure to use vegetable broth.
Don’t forget to remove any remaining cheese rind before serving.
If you are lucky enough to get your hands on tenerumi, which are the leaves and shoots of cucuzza squash, add some to this soup! (you may need to increase the broth and seasoning a bit if you do).
The soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Consider portioning extra soup into containers to enjoy down the road! Reheat it slowly over medium low heat while stirring, adding additional broth or water if needed.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
East End Supervisors and Mayors Association
Sends Letter to D.C. Regarding Plum Island
By Matt Meduri
Located off the tip of the North Fork in the middle of the Long Island South lies Plum Island, a location shrouded in mystery and a subject of conservation among East End elected officials.
Plum Island is the site of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC), which was established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1954 to conduct research on animal pathogens to bolster responses from farms and ranchers and to ensure security of the national food supply. The PIADC is the only facility in the country authorized to work with live foot-and-mouth diseases, viral infections that plague cloven-hoofed animals that can be fatal. Access to the island has been restricted since then, and since 2003, the island has been owned by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The island’s fate has been in the air since the PIADC’s closure was slated for 2024, with the associated work moving to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) that is currently under construction in Manhattan, Kansas. Following heightened security after the September 11 attacks, the island was seen as a potential site for the new animal disease laboratory in NBAF. In 2008, Congress passed legislation directed the General Services Administration to close the facility, sell the island back to the public, and use the funds to build the new NBAF elsewhere. DHS selected Manhattan, Kansas, as the new site, with plans of selling Plum Island stalling after the mortgage crisis and recession of the late 2000s.
Save the Sound, an highly-active environmental group, have long led the fight in preserving Plum Island, as the 2008 legislation started the series of events that could have led to all of the island being sold to a private owner, which led speculations of developments on Plum Island, followed by disruptions and pollutants in the Sound.
Former Congressman Tim Bishop (D-Sag Harbor) started the process of trying to save Plum Island, with a 2013 Record of Decision by the Department of Agriculture and the DHS intending on selling the island to the fund the costs of the new Kansas laboratory. Former Governor (D) also sent letters asking for environmental reviews and oversight municipalities to determine Plum Island’s viability before its sale.
Senator Chuck Schumer (D), Kirsten Gillibrand (D), and Chris CT) were all vocal in 2015 in conserving the island, as the sale be viable for construction of the successive facility. Congressman (R-Shirley) continued to champion Plum Island’s conservation Congress. His 2015 provision led to bipartisan passage in Congress, later signed by President Donald Trump (R-NY). Zeldin’s provision no federal agency intended to take control of the land, the DHS island to state and local governments, as well as an $18.9 million to clean contamination on Plum Island.
The East End Supervisors and Mayors Association, consisting supervisors and ten village mayors, recently penned a letter Tom Tiffany (R, WI-07) and Joe Neguse (D, CO-02), Chair and House Natural Resources Committee, respectively, regarding Plum Island National Monument Act.
The bill was introduced by Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY-01) was referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
The letter from the association urges action and passage of “Our region is blessed by its incredibly diverse natural and its scenic beauty, and its vulnerability to environmental impacts the letter opens. “Our region also geographically encompasses Plum Island property, home of the Plum Island Animal Disease awareness of the importance of natural resources to the strength economy, local governments have invested over $2 billion in and environmental restoration efforts with consistent and overwhelming support. In addition to the important animal disease research work on at the Plum Island facility since 1954, Plum Island comprises coastal island ecosystem. We believe that this incredible natural national significance and well worth preserving by the federal
The association says that due to its unique history and precarious in the Sound, the best solution is to grant it national monument they say “best suits the complex management needs of the providing the broadest opportunity to engage local stakeholders management and public access strategy for the future.”
The letter was signed by Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore (D-Westhampton Beach), East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee BurkeGonzalez (D-Springs), Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard (R-Aquebogue), Shelter Island Town Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams (R-Shelter Island Heights), and Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski (D-Cutchogue).
The following village mayors, who, along with the aforementioned supervisors, make up the East End Supervisors and Mayors Association, also signed the letter: Ari Benacerraf, Dering Harbor; Gerard Larsen, East Hampton Village; Kevin Stuessi, Greenport; Chris Fiore, North Haven; Robert Treuhold, Quogue; William Tillotson, Sagaponack; Thomas Gardell, Sag Harbor; William Manger, Southampton Village; Ralph Urban, Westhampton Beach; and Irwin Krasnow, West Hampton Dunes.
Copied on the letter was Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (D-NM), Governor Kathy Hochul (D), State Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk), Assemblyman Fred Thiele (D-Sag Harbor), Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Baiting Hollow), and Suffolk County Legislators Catherine Stark (R-Riverhead) and Ann Welker (D-Southampton).
“In future years, Plum Island could serve as a bellwether sea level rise and erosion on coastal communities, particularly the resiliency of natural systems. Additionally, any future development be negatively affected by sea level rise and coastal erosion, and systems on the island,” said the association in their letter.
By Hank Russell
Long Island Life & Politics
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Attorney General James Calls on Congress to Require Social Media Warning Labels
On September 10, New York Attorney General
Letitia James (D) co-led a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general in urging Congress to implement warning labels on social media platforms as called for by the United States Surgeon General. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional authorization, would serve as a regular reminder of social media’s significant mental health harms for adolescents.
In a letter to Congress, James and the coalition echoed United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s call back in June for a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, noting that such a warning would both highlight the inherent risks of social media, while also complementing ongoing efforts to spur research and investments in the oversight of platforms.
In light of social media platforms’ unwillingness to fix the problem on their own, the 42 attorneys general underscored the need for federal action to combat the growing mental health crisis. The coalition also urged Congress to consider further measures to protect children from the potential harms of social media, recognizing the recent Senate passage of the Kids Online Safety Act.
James co-led the letter alongside the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oregon, and Tennessee. Also signing the letter are the attorneys general of Alabama, American
Samoa, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
“Young people across our country are struggling, and these addictive social media algorithms are only making this mental health crisis worse,” James said.
“New York has led the nation in our efforts to protect kids from online harm, but everyone needs to know the risk associated with these social media platforms. The Surgeon General’s recommendation is a strong first step in that direction, and I hope warning labels will be implemented swiftly to raise more awareness about this issue.”
This article originally appeared in Long Island Life & Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
Trump Gets Sentencing Date Pushed Back Until After the Election
By Hank Russell
Former president Donald Trump has learned that the judge who presided over his hush money trial has granted his request to push his sentencing date back to after Election Day.
Acting New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan M. Merchan originally ordered Trump to begin his sentence on September 18 but moved the date to November 26. Trump was convicted in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors said he had his attorney pay adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in exchange that she not say anything about her relationship with Trump. Arrangements were later made as to how his attorney would be paid back.
After the conviction, Merchan ordered Trump to begin his sentence on July 11, but Trump successfully had it moved back to a later date to September 18. Again, Trump called for the sentencing date to be rescheduled.
On August 14, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove of Blanche Law PLLC who represented Trump in the hush money case sent a letter to Merchan requesting that the judge postpone sentencing to allow Trump “adequate time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options in
response to any adverse ruling.”
Trump’s attorneys concluded, “[S]etting aside naked electioninterference objectives, there is no valid countervailing reason for the Court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar. There is no basis for continuing to rush. Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the Presidential election.”
Merchan responded to the letter and granted the adjournment of the sentencing. “Unfortunately, we are now at a place in time that is fraught with complexities rendering the requirements of a sentencing hearing, should one be necessary, difficult to execute,” he said in his letter, adding the sentencing will be delayed “to avoid any appearance-however unwarrantedthat the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching Presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate.”
In an interview with Fox Digital, Trump said, “The case was delayed because everyone realizes there was no case and I did nothing wrong. It is a case that should never have been brought. The case should be dead.”
This article originally appeared in Long Island Life & Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
Tim Walz’s Plan to Radically Transform America’s Schools
By Alan Jamison| AMAC Outside Contributor
While Tim Walz has racked up an extremist record on a slew of issues as Governor of Minnesota, his education policy in particular stands out. If he and Kamala Harris can win the White House, Americans could expect Walz to lead the way in advancing the Biden-Harris administration’s radical takeover of the education system.
In May 2023, Walz and the Democrat majorities in the Minnesota legislature passed a $2 billion education bill that effectively amounted to a slush fund for leftwing interest groups and education priorities. The bill most notably contained funding for the Walz policy of putting feminine hygiene products in boys’ bathrooms in grades 4-12.
It also contained $6 million for an initiative requiring schools to implement “ethnic studies” courses starting in the 2027-2028 school year. As education policy expert Stanley Kurtz writes for National Review, while ethnic studies “still sounds to most Americans like innocent heritage boosterism,” it is in reality “race-based neoMarxism” that “is a kind of anti-civics in which students are taught to reject and replace America’s system of government.”
Among other subjects, Minnesota students will now be forced to learn about “the roots of contemporary systems of oppression and apply lessons from the past that could eliminate historical and contemporary injustices.” It’s Critical Race Theory rebranded.
Moreover, not only has Walz made “ethnic studies” required learning for every public school student, he has mandated that the ideology is infused into every subject, from math to reading and writing. As Kurtz points out, Walz’s approach to ethnic studies is even more radical than the one taken by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who rebuffed the very same left-wing education activist groups that Walz has embraced. In 2022, Walz even tried unsuccessfully to force his radical ethnic studies mandates on private schools and homeschool families.
Walz has also been a chief propagator of leftist fearmongering about “book bans” – liberal-speak for common-sense, parent-led efforts to remove sexually explicit and age-inappropriate materials from school library shelves. In May of this year, Walz signed into law a bill that “prohibits banning, removing, or otherwise restricting access to an otherwise age-appropriate book or other material from a school library based solely on the viewpoint, content, message, idea, or opinion conveyed.” In practice, this gives ideologically minded educators broad legal cover to expose children to graphic content and explicit topics that have no place in schools.
During the pandemic, Walz also proved that his true allegiance lies with national teachers union bosses rather than individual teachers, students, and families by keeping schools closed for an extended period of time. Should he and Harris win the White House, groups like the National Education Association, which has endorsed Harris and Walz, fought for school closures, and has openly embraced CRT, would have a strong ally in the White House.
Even more alarmingly for students and parents, all of Walz’s woke education reforms have coincided with declines in student performance. When Walz took office in 2019, 59 percent of Minnesota students were rated “proficient” in reading, while 55 percent were proficient in math. By 2023, those numbers had fallen to 50 percent and 45.5 percent respectively.
Over that same time period, Minnesota’s chronic absenteeism rate more than doubled, from 14 percent to 30 percent. Largely as a result, Minnesota’s schools are now ranked 17th in the nation. They were ranked 5th when Walz took office.
Despite these alarming statistics, Walz has refused to get back to the basics, instead opting to double and triple down on turning schools into left-wing indoctrination camps.
While Walz’s policies are glaringly out of step with most American parents, they are right in line with the Biden-Harris administration. Earlier this year, the Biden Department of Education finalized its Title IX rewrite which requires any educational institution which receives federal funding to allow males who identify as women to use women’s restroom and locker room
facilities. It also compels teachers and students to use “preferred pronouns.”
The Biden Department of Education has also listed the debunked 1619 Project as a recommended resource for teachers and has awarded millions of dollars to left-wing activist groups forcing CRT into classrooms nationwide.
Every vice president has one or more issues that they specifically focus on during their time in office. For Harris, it was (supposedly) the border crisis and the “root causes” of immigration. For Walz, it could well be taking his radical education record national.
With classes starting back up throughout the nation, education policy is once again top of mind for millions of American parents.
As those parents weigh their options for which presidential ticket to back this November, Walz’s education extremism speaks volumes.
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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
20 Bits & Pieces
September 12, 2024
WORD OF THE Week DEMUR
Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘linger, delay’): from Old French demourer (verb), demeure (noun), based on Latin de- ‘away, completely’ + morari ‘delay’.
Source: Oxford Languages
Synonyms: protest, dissent, balk
Antonyms: assent, accede, acquiesce
verb
Pronounced: duh·myur
Definition: raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.
Example: “She fired the cheeky editor without demur.”
*Not to be confused with demure, meaning modest or reserved
WORD WHEEL
SUDOKU
See bottom left for the answers (please don’t cheat!)
September 18, 1965: Mickey Mantle Day at Yankee Stadium: Mantle play his 2,000th game
This Week in History
September 15, 1992: George Soros’ Quantum Fund begins selling large amounts of pound sterling, labelled “the man who broke the Bank of England” when the pound crashes out of the ERM the next day
September 17, 1916: WWI flying ace The Red Baron of the German Luftstreitkräfte, wins his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France
September 16, 1869: Golf’s 1st recorded hole-in-one by Tom Morris at Prestwick’s 8th hole, Scotland
See how many words you can create. Must have center letter in word and can use letters more than once. 4 letter word minimum.
September 12, 1958: US Supreme Court orders the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas to integrate
September 14, 1939: World’s 1st practical helicopter, the VS-300 designed by Igor Sikorsky takes (tethered) flight in Stratford, Connecticut
September 13, 1969: “Scooby-Doo Where are You” by Hanna-Barbera debuts on CBS in the US
Eleazer’s Soul Food Is on Its Way to Mastic
By PJ Balzer
Eleazer’s in North Bellport is the epitome of a mom-and-pop business. When I pulled into the parking lot, Jerome Eleazer’s uncle was outside sweeping the sidewalk. His sister was carrying a huge bag of uncooked pasta inside to get the Rasta Pasta ready for the lunch rush. Kimberly Jimenez, a close friend of the family and owner of Sweet Moments Baking, was behind the counter cleaning and organizing. Mixed in with the ingredients of friendly chatter and laughter, it feels like home.
Eleazer’s, which was formerly Weaver’s Deli under different ownership, is a staple in the North Bellport community. Every customer who walked in was greeted by their first name and most of their orders were already known by the server without having to say a word. This is Bellport’s soul food spot.
But this atmosphere and business success hasn’t necessarily come easily for Jerome and wife Oneka Eleazer of Bellport. Jerome began cooking when he was still in elementary school. He started out making breakfast for his siblings on Saturday mornings. His family, specifically his grandmother who also worked at Weaver’s Deli for over thirty years, started encouraging him to continue cooking. Jerome said his now late grandmother was a tremendous inspiration to him pursuing the trade and passion, which is now a full-out family business.
Jerome decided to take a huge personal and financial leap in taking over Weaver’s and turning it into Eleazer’s back in 2020. Unknown to him he would have to navigate a global pandemic as a new business owner with everything on the line.
“I put a huge piece of my savings into giving the place a fresh start and a new image. Within just months of doing that we had to close our doors,” said Jerome.
During the height of the pandemic, he took a job during the week driving an eighteen-wheeler tractortrailer across state lines. He did this to not only feed his family, but to also keep Eleazer’s open. On the weekends, he came to Eleazer’s to cook and serve food with social distancing practices in place.
they both grew up in. They began actively giving back, supporting local sports teams, and are very involved with the many events of Bellport’s fire departments.
“This community has really come out to support us through some trials and tribulations. They have and continue to keep us open. We are simply reciprocating the love,” said Jimenez. They plan to do the same in the Mastic Beach, Mastic, and Shirley community.
The trials and tribulations certainly didn’t end with COVID though. Last August, the Eleazer’s staff was headed out to cook at an anti-gun violence basketball tournament in Riverhead held by a family member of the Eleazer’s. Kim was driving the pickup truck full of cooking equipment and the company cash box on the Long Island Expressway. A car pulled next to her yelling frantically for her to pull over. As she did so and quickly exited the truck, it went up in flames. Everything in and on the pickup was lost to fire; the equipment and thousands of dollars in cash were burnt to mere ashes. This was obviously another major loss and setback for Eleazer’s.
“I’m so proud of my friend and everything he’s overcome in just four years to keep this business open,” Jimenez said fighting back tears. “It hasn’t been easy, it feels like one challenge after another, but here we are still standing. Our Eleazer’s family and customers have been so supportive.”
“I would pull up to the building to a line of familiar faces waiting for plates of soul food. I knew then, that despite the challenges, this is where I was meant to be.”
As COVID restrictions loosened, he got back into the kitchen and behind the grill full-time. He, along with Kimberly Jimenez, also made it a point to start reaching out to the community
Not only are they standing but they are currently growing, so much so that Eleazer’s announced last week on social media that they will soon be moving to 630 Mastic Road in Mastic, Suite 5, the storefront formerly known as RG’s Wings. The storefront holds a larger kitchen and space which they plan on cultivating into an inviting dining area with televisions. Jerome expressed that he’s looking to gain space and new customers, while also hoping that his faithful customers will follow him there.
“We have our local Bellport everyday customers and those that drive all the way out from as far as Amityville for their plate of food. I’m hoping to continue seeing everyone as we relocate to Mastic.”
A big part of their business is also catering large events and supplying Superbowl parties with food. Last year, they cooked over five thousand wings for Superbowl night alone. Along with the usual fried chicken, fish, ribs, macaroni and cheese, collards, green beans, and rasta pasta, they have a deli section for sandwiches and, of course, New York City’s favorite, chopped cheese sandwich.
Jerome insisted on sending me home with a bag full of food to try and it didn’t disappoint at all.
“I love to see people enjoying my food, it brings me a happiness that’s hard to explain. I hope you enjoy it and hope to see you in Mastic.”
Scan QR-Code for Eleazer’s on Facebook
Photos:
Eleazers
Deli & Soul Food
Facebok
By Cait Crudden
Town Honors 9/11 Victims with Moment of Silence at Memorial
In a solemn ceremony on Wednesday, the Town of Brookhaven gathered to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of the lives lost during the attacks on September 11, 2001, exactly twenty-three years ago. The memorial event, held at the 9/11Memorial behind Town Hall, served as a somber reminder of the tragic events that forever changed the nation.
Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) led the ceremony, delivering heartfelt remarks before the symbolic ringing of the bell, which echoed through the gathering to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost on that fateful day.
“Firefighters, EMS personnel, police officers, ran into burning buildings to help people they’ve never met. That’s the spirit of America,” stated Panico as he addressed those attending the ceremony. “We all know where we were that day, we knew what we were doing, we’ll never forget that, but that spirit, that unity, contrasted with today is such a stark difference of division in this country, but all hope is not lost. We as Americans in never forgetting the people that sacrificed their lives, the people who perished because of terrorism and evil, we can rekindle that spirit in this country by looking at each other’s commonality and embracing the humanity that we share as human beings and Americans. That is also part of never forgetting”.
The ceremony was attended by several local leaders and town officials, including Town Clerk Kevin LaValle (R-Selden), Councilwomen Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) and Karen Dunne Kesnig (R-Manorville), and Councilmen Neil Foley (R-Blue Point), Neil Manzella (R-Selden), and Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook). Each stood alongside the Town Supervisor as town employees and residents came to pay their respects during the emotional ceremony.
The ringing of the bell followed Panico’s remarks, symbolizing the day the Twin Towers fell, the Pentagon was attacked and United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania and marking the immense loss felt by families across the country. The attendees, including town staff, paused for a collective moment of silence, heads bowed and hearts heavy, as they reflected on the events of that day and its lasting impact on the nation.
The quiet, reflective moment served not only as a tribute to those who
lost their lives but also as a reminder of the resilience and unity that followed the tragedy. Many in attendance recalled where they were on that day, the uncertainty and fear they felt, and the coming together of the country in the days, months, and years that followed.
For many attending, the Memorial behind Town Hall stands as a constant reminder of the sacrifices made by first responders and the countless lives lost in the attacks. The ceremony reaffirmed the community’s commitment to remembering and honoring the heroes who emerged on that day, as well as those whose lives were tragically cut short.
As the bell rang and the moment of silence came to an end, there was a shared sense of solemnity among those present. Though 23 years have passed since the September 11 attacks, the memory remains vivid for the people of Brookhaven, and the town remains steadfast in its dedication to honoring the legacy of those who were lost.
Wednesday’s remembrance ceremony served as a poignant reminder of the enduring spirit of unity, hope, and resilience that emerged in the wake of the tragedy. The Town of Brookhaven will continue to remember, honor, and ensure that the events of September 11, 2001, are never forgotten.
Brookhaven History to be Celebrated September 21 and 22 at the Annual Brookhaven Country Fair in Ridge
On September 21 and 22, the Town of Brookhaven will hold the annual Brookhaven Country Fair from 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. at the historic Longwood Estate in Ridge. The event features historic re-enactments and demonstrations, food, entertainment by the Ed Travers Band, craft vendors, children’s activities, Tesla Museum, dog show, vintage apron show, house museum tours and more. Admission is $5 per person. Children under twelve are free and will receive a “Passport to the Past.” Parking is free with a complimentary shuttle from the Longwood Junior High School. Leashed and well-behaved pets are welcomed. Longwood Estate is located at the corner of Longwood Road and Smith Road in Ridge. For more information, call 631-924-1820.
The Longwood Estate was passed down through the generations dating back prior to 1817. In 1973, developer Wilbur Breslin and Herbert Carmel purchased the property for commercial and industrial development. Brookhaven Town officials and area residents strongly opposed the plan and in 1974, Breslin and Carmel donated the manor house
and 35 acres of land to the Town of Brookhaven. During its two-hundred-year history, the house knew fallow periods and a notable 60-year Golden Age of love, family, and bustling activity. The estate now is the host to various activities for the residents to enjoy. For more information about the Longwood Estate, visit www.brookhavenny.gov.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, September 12, 2024
County Holds September 11 Memorial Ceremony
By Matt Meduri
In an effort to honor those lost and those who sacrificed their lives on the twenty-third anniversary of September 11, 2001, and in an effort to “never forget” perhaps the most calamitous day in our country’s history, Suffolk County held a memorial ceremony at Armed Forces Plaza at the 9/11 Memorial in Hauppauge on Wednesday afternoon.
The memorial features glass panels with the names, occupations, and residences of the Suffolk County residents who perished in New York City or from related illnesses and complications.
The memorial was headlined by acting Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services (FRES) Commissioner Rudy Sunderman.
“There are few events in a lifetime that are not simply stored in memory, rather, they are etched into your soul,” said Sunderman. We hear these words [“never forget”] spoken and see them on bumper stickers, but we must truly remember to never forget. I can guarantee that all of you over twenty-five can tell me exactly where you were and what you were doing when the attacks occurred.”
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) remarked on the significance of the day.
“It was a day that heroes were made, those who rescued their fellow employees, first responders running into the Twin Towers to save as many lives as they could. A day where, in Suffolk County, 171 families were contacted that day or shortly thereafter that their loved ones were gone. A day in which we’ve seen, since then,
many others from our county perish from 9-11-related illnesses,” said Romaine.
Romaine added that the country was remarkably united after the tragedy, a facet of American spirit that he says must remain intact.
“Today as Americans, we need to stand united, more so than ever before,” concluded Romaine.
“All of us knew someone who lost someone on 9-11, and those who lost someone will never be the same,” said Suffolk County Legislator and Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst).
Following remarks, the names of the 171 Suffolk County victims were read out loud.
Elected officials, including most members of the Suffolk County Legislature and the Suffolk delegation of the New York State and Assembly, observed the memorial and the names etched into the glass.
The ceremony served as a poignant reminder of the unprecedented tragedy that struck on a seemingly innocuous day. Year after year, Suffolk County continues to honor those fallen and to uphold the vow to “never forget.”
September Marks National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: A Time to Reach Out and Support Loved Ones
By Cait Crudden
September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the serious issue of suicide and promoting the importance of mental health support. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, but it is preventable, and this month serves as a reminder that reaching out to loved ones, offering support, and spreading awareness can make a difference.
The primary message of National Suicide Prevention Month is clear: no one is alone in their struggles. Throughout September, mental health organizations, local leaders, community groups, and advocates join forces to emphasize the importance of open communication, providing resources, and checking in on friends, family, and coworkers who may be going through difficult times.
For many people, the weight of daily life can become overwhelming, leading to feelings of isolation, hopelessness, and despair. In these moments, the simple act of reaching out can make all the difference. Whether it’s a quick text, phone call, or a more meaningful conversation, checking in on loved ones is a critical way to remind them they are not alone. Mental health professionals emphasize that this type of outreach can reduce the feelings of isolation that often accompany depression and anxiety, two key risk factors for suicide.
Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) put out a statement regarding this very serious topic, “This September, in addition to recognizing National Suicide Prevention Week, we observe National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Help us
spread awareness by sharing the latest research and resources on suicide prevention. Everyone has a role to play in saving lives, share knowledge, offer hope.” He highlights that one conversation really could save a life.
One of the challenges of suicide prevention is the stigma that still surrounds mental health issues. Many people feel ashamed to talk about their struggles, fearing judgment or misunderstanding. This stigma can prevent individuals from seeking help when they need it the most.
National Suicide Prevention Month aims to break down these barriers by encouraging open conversations about mental health and normalizing the idea of asking for help. Organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) provide educational resources and host events throughout September to help destigmatize mental health issues and encourage people to seek support.
There are many resources available for individuals who are struggling with their mental health or are experiencing suicidal thoughts. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) provides free, confidential support 24/7. By calling or texting 988, individuals can connect with trained crisis counselors who can offer immediate help and guidance.
In addition to national resources, many local organizations and mental health clinics offer support groups, therapy, and educational workshops aimed at suicide prevention. Online communities and mental health apps can also provide a safe space
for individuals to express their feelings and access support.
Suicide prevention is a collective responsibility. Communities can play a pivotal role in supporting those who may be at risk. Schools, workplaces, religious organizations, and community centers are encouraged to host workshops, provide mental health resources, and create safe spaces where individuals feel comfortable sharing their experiences.
National Suicide Prevention Month is a reminder that there is always hope. Whether you’re reaching out to someone who may be struggling or seeking help yourself, there are resources and people ready to support you. Ending the stigma, promoting mental health awareness, and showing kindness can make a lasting difference.
