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Thursday, October 1, 2026 ~ Volume 71 ~ Issue Number 44 ~ $1.00
Ducks Season!
LI Wins 2026 Atlantic League Championship By Matt Meduri Long Island’s very own baseball team clinched the 2026 Atlantic League Championship Series. Better yet, the Flock swept the best-of-series, defeating the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 7-2 in Game Three last Friday night at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip. The win marks the Ducks’ fifth Atlantic League Championship in franchise history, having previously won the titles in 2004, 2012, 2013, and 2019. The Ducks also ended the 2026 season, their twenty-sixth season of play, by winning the most games in the Atlantic League during the regular season (80). Continued on page 23
QuackerJack was named Mascot of the Year for the 5th time. (Credit - Matt Meduri)
Panico, Officials Call for Rail Fixes in Mastic-Shirley By Matt Meduri The Tri-Hamlet Peninsula, consisting of Mastic, Mastic Beach, and Shirley, is known for its idyllic natural features, proximity to Suffolk’s crown jewel of Smith Point County Park, and a tight-knit community that has been the site of significant improvements as of late. Those improvements include redevelopment of formerly vacant storefronts, the ambitious Forge River Sewer system, the up-and-coming, new Smith Point bridge, the William Floyd School District’s excelling graduation rates, and the overhaul of Neighborhood Road to become a proper downtown. Continued on page 15
Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) (Credit - Matt Meduri)
FULL STORIES ON:
Polls Show Varying Leads for Hochul Page 4
County Closes on Candidates Vie for Fourth Lawerence Aviation Site Assembly District Page 12-13
Page 15
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Messenger Papers Thursday, October 1, 2026
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AUTUMN EVENTS Sayville Farmers Market at the Islip Grange: Every Saturday until November, 9:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. Port Jefferson Farmers Market: Every Sunday until November, 9:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. Antiques and Yard Sale at Olish Farms Over 45 Families Selling in Covered Greenhouse (RAIN OR SHINE) Hot Food & More 75 Eastport Manor Rd, Eastport Saturday, October 3 & Sunday October 4, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pitch & Putt Tournament at Robert Moses State Park: Open to first 72 registrants. Tee-off is 10:00a.m. on Sunday, October 4. Rain date for Sunday, October 11. Entry fee is $40 per person, $160 per foursome.
Passport Through Parks (Family Program): Sunday, October 4, 10:00a.m. to 12:00p.m. at Cold Spring Harbor State Park. Let’s Go Camping: Wednesday, October 14, 10:30a.m. to 11:30a.m. at Connetquot River State Park. Seashore Circular (Adult Program): Sunday, October 11, 9:45a.m. to 1:15p.m. at Caumsett State Park. Pumpkin Carving (Family Program): Sunday, October 25, 10:30a.m to 12:30a.m. at Nissequogue River State Park. 13th Annual Great Jack-O’-Lantern Sail: Saturday, October 24, 3:00p.m. to 6:30p.m. at Belmont State Park.
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Around Town Thursday, October 1, 2026
By Matt Meduri
Credit - Matt Meduri
On Tuesday evening at around 7:30p.m., a North Bellport man was shot at Robert Rowley Park. A 911 caller reported that a man was shot at the park on Patchogue Avenue. When police arrived, they found Lonnie Booker, 43, with a gunshot wound. Booker was transported to NYU Langone Hospital-Suffolk in Patchogue where he was pronounced dead. Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue) (pictured top right) issued a statement on the tragedy after weeks of efforts to bring County services to individuals at the park. “Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Lonnie Booker, of North Bellport, who was fatally shot on Tuesday night at Robert Rowley Park, a Town of Brookhaven park located in my legislative district,” said Thorne. “For weeks now, I have been responding to concerns at the park and arranged for Suffolk
County’s Social Services Department to offer housing assistance to people who have remained at the park overnight for some time. Unfortunately, out of all those offered assistance, only one individual accepted.” Thorne said he has been in “direct contact” with Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) (pictured left), Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, Brookhaven Town Councilman Michael LoGuercio (R-Ridge), and other officials. “I am confident the Suffolk County Police Department will act to locate and arrest the shooter.” Detectives are asking for anyone with information on the shooting to contact the Homicide Squad Detectives at 631-852-6392 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. “At the same time, I will continue to work with my colleagues in government to bring assistance to those in need of help, and we will continue to support efforts to connect people with necessary and appropriate services and keep the community safe,” said Thorne.
One-Time Collection of Storm Debris Monday, October 5 Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham) has announced the Highway Department will be conducting a one-time collection of large pieces of tree debris from the recent Nor’easter. All storm debris, including large material such as stumps and logs greater than 6”, must be at the curb by Sunday evening, October 4. Highway Department crews will be moving across the Town utilizing heavy equipment beginning Monday, October 5. Any storm debris brought to the curb after Highway crews have gone through a neighborhood will not be picked up as part of this one-time collection and will be subject to ordinary yard waste rules that can be found on Brookhaven Town’s Department of Recycling and Sustainable Materials Management (RSMM) website at www.brookhavenny.gov/403/ Yard-Waste. In addition, next week is a regularly scheduled RSMM yard waste pick up week; therefore, collection carters will be picking up smaller material including leaf bags; bundles of tied, small diameter branches; and 32-gallon garbage cans with unbagged twigs. Fencing and other non-vegetative debris will not be collected during this one-time bulk collection. Pick up by both the Highway and RSMM departments will not take place simultaneously; if residents notice only part of their debris was collected, they are asked to remain patient as the other entity will be moving through their area shortly.
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Credit - Matt Meduri
Man Killed in North Bellport Shooting, County Legislator Responds
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On The Campaign Trail Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Two Polls Show Opposing Governor Races in Home Stretch Credit - Matt Meduri
As of press time, there’s just over a month until the 2026 midterms. To start the October home stretch, two highly-respected pollsters released surveys showing different scenarios in the November election, both of which were surprising in distinct ways. Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg) continues to lead Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) in the polls as she seeks a second full term. In 2022, Hochul won her first full term over thenCongressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) by just over 6 points.
also increased to +1 from -1 last month. Blakeman’s favorability rating slid from +7 last month, his highest such rating yet in the Siena surveys, to +1. However, a larger total of voters provided answers to this question, indicating a Siena College boost in name recognition. The Siena College is one Voters remain less familiar of the top-rated pollsters with Blakeman than Hochul nationally, and they found does; Hochul’s favorability sits the slimmer lead for Hochul at 48%, Blakeman’s at 35%. Siena pollster Steven between the two surveys. Hochul is up 50%-41% (+9) Greenberg said in a press over two-term Executive release that their poll this Blakeman, slightly worse for time four years ago wasn’t as rosy for Zeldin. “At this time four years ago, Hochul led Lee Zeldin 17 points,54-37%, before going on to win by six points.” Has the “right stuff” Blakeman is doing a better job to be Governor: with Republicans Hochul 47%-42% (+5), (88%) than Blakeman 40%-40% Hochul is with Democrats (81%), Not “in touch” with while Blakeman average New Yorkers: continues to lead Hochul 46%-39% (+7), Independents 44%Blakeman 41%-35% (+6) 39% (+5), practically unchanged from last month. “Gets things done:” Hochul leads Hochul 47%-39% (+6), in New York City Blakeman 35%-34% (+1) +34 and Long Island +2, while Blakeman Source: Siena College Poll, leads Upstate +3. September 11-17; 1,144 LV, MoE +/-4.2% Despite the relatively slim lead, nearly two-thirds the incumbent compared to of voters think she will win her August lead of 49%-39% re-election, including 61% of Independents and nearly one(+10). The Governor’s third of Republicans. However, favorability rating, however, only 39% of Independents increased slightly. Last month, plan to vote for her. Half of likely voters it was 46%-49% (-3), compared President Donald to 48%-46% (+2) this month. think (R-FL) endorsing Her job approval rating Trump
How Voters View the Candidates
Blakeman is negative for his campaign, including 49% of Independents and 24% of Republicans. On the other hand, those same voters think New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s (D-Astoria) endorsement of Hochul is positive for hers, including 40% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.
Credit - Matt Meduri
By Matt Meduri
An enthusiasm gap appears in this poll, as 29% are “very enthusiastic” to vote for Hochul, while 51% are “somewhat enthusiastic. For Blakeman, 51% and 37%, respectively. Most partisan voters are locked; over 75% of Democrats say they’re “not likely at all” to change their minds before Election Day, compared to 83% of Quinnipiac University Blakeman’s voters. Just 9% of voters are least “somewhat Another respected pollster likely” to have second found Hochul with a much collective 75% of Democrats thoughts before hitting the more robust 58%-39% (+19) are at least “somewhat polls. lead over Blakeman. Hochul satisfied” with the direction For President Trump, and Blakeman retain nearly of the State, compared to his job approval sits at 29%all of their respective parties’ just 33% of Independents. 66% (-37); his favorability is 54% of Independents 30%-63% (-33). Voters aged voters, while Independents are narrowly breaking for do not think Hochul has 18-34 are the sourest on “good leadership skills,” Trump, with 70% viewing him Hochul 51%-45% (+6). Quinnipiac found the while only 37% think the unfavorably. Those same Governor’s favorability rating same of Blakeman. 34% voters (62%) view Mamdani at +3, while Blakeman’s rating of Independents believe favorably than all other age does have demographics. Independents sits at -6. However, 34% of Blakeman respondents “haven’t break even on Mamdani heard enough” about (38%). him to cast an opinion. The University also Quinnipiac found polled the ratings Hochul’s job approval of Senators Kirsten rating at 48%-44% (+4). Gillibrand (D-Albany) Hochul is galvanizing and Chuck Schumer 64% of voters aged (D-Park Slope). For Cost of Living: Hochul 66%, 18-34, while 56% of Gillibrand, 41% of voters Blakeman 30% middle-aged voters 35to 33% (+8) approve of 49 are backing her. Her her work, with 26% not Economy: Hochul 66%, narrowest margin is offering an opinion. Blakeman 30% among voters aged 50Schumer’s is much worse 64, which is 54%, and at 36%-54% (-18). Among she has 60% of the 65+ Democrats, 56% approve Yes/No “Cares about needs/ vote. She leads in the of Schumer’s work, with problems of people city +43; the suburbs, 33% disapproving. like them:” Hochul +3, +14. Mayor Mamdani Blakeman -8 Over 60% of voters has a +10 favorability also rank Hochul rating, according to “Good leadership skills:” better to deal with the Quinnipiac. CongressHochul +3, Blakeman -4 economy and cost of woman Alexandria living, separately, and Ocasio-Cortez (D-East over 80% trust her Elmhurst), frequently Honest: Hochul +2 more with healthcare. cited a 2028 presidential (12% no opinion), Blakeman Hochul remains hopeful or successor -6 (30% no opinion) heavily underwater to Schumer, is +5 with the same bloc, in favorability. The Source: Quinnipiac University poll -16. Independents also Democratic Socialists September 17-20; 1,026LV, MoE +/-4.1%. disapprove by a -13 of America (DSA) margin of her job as are underwater in governor, including 10% of favorability - 29%-43% (-14). “good leadership skills.” The Make America Great Democrats. The more lopsided Independents view Blakeman Again Movement (MAGA) is figures come in general slightly better to grow the also underwater, 29%-62% satisfaction with the state economy (+6), lower the cost (-33). of the State. Only 6% of living (+4), handle taxes The Quinnipiac University describe themselves as “very (+8), handle immigration poll was conducted from satisfied,” compared to a (+12). They also view Hochul September 17-20 among combined 54% who are least better at handling AI data 1,026 likely New York voters. “somewhat dissatisfied.” A centers (+19). The margin of error is +/-4.1%.
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Thursday, October 1, 2026
Senate: A Democratic Sweep? By Matt Meduri There’s no sugar-coating the month of September for the GOP. Rough polling, fundraising problems, and some sobering triaging of their options is making the possibility of a Democratic sweep more likely. The battleground has materialized into something more akin to 2018, although institutional roadblocks remain. Overall, the GOP’s strategy at this point is to save their double-digit Trump states from flipping blue to narrowly preserve what would be a nominal majority in 2027. This is likely to be our last forecast update for the Senate before we put all our cards on the table. Florida (Likely R to Leans R): The problem for the GOP isn’t that Florida is returning to a competitive baseline, at least not necessarily. It’s that the national environment is so problematic, and Miami, long a local hotbed for Republican politics, is showing troubling signs for the GOP’s newfound base in the state. Despite Trump having become the first Republican to win Miami-Dade County in a presidential race since 1988, they elected their first Democratic mayor in about 30 years in 2025, and congressional Republicans in the area are openly breaking with Trump to save their seats. We think the Republicans retain Florida, but not by the commanding 2024 margins. If Democrats win Florida, they’re not only on track to win the Senate, but to stage a blowout of historic proportions. Idaho (Safe R to Likely R): This is perhaps the most surprising call for us. Idaho is one of the reddest states in the country. No Democrat has won a Senate race in Idaho since the legendary Frank Church (D-ID), chair of the Church Committee after Watergate, won his last term in 1974. For the GOP in 2026, the problem isn’t a Democrat; it’s an Independent. Todd Achilles, a Republican-turned-Democrat-turnedIndependent who represented parts of Boise in the state legislature, is making a serious play against three-term Senator Jim Risch (R). Risch has been in elected office since 1974 and is perhaps one of the Senate’s most obscure members. Achilles, on the other hand, represents a growing dissatisfaction among Republican voters with the Trump Administration, particularly on the Iran War. Achilles himself is a Persian Gulf Veteran and his latest campaign ad is being hailed as one of the best in recent memory. The Democratic nominee dropped out to improve Achilles’ chances. It’s difficult for us to see this state really be “in play,” but Risch is barely polling above 50%, meaning many libertarian-leaning voters, the norm in Idaho, are at least considering it. Moreover, Trump’s approval continues to crater across the country. In Idaho, a Trump +33 state in 2024, he’s treading water in approval ratings right now. If anything, Risch might see a significant swing against him, but perhaps not enough for what would be the most stunning upset of the night. Iowa (Tilts R to Toss Up): Of the four states seen as Democrats’ best path forward, Iowa was generally seen as the last. On paper, this should be an easier flip for Democrats, but working-class voters aren’t snapping back to the Democrats like some have expected. Iowa’s northwestern corner is also its culturally conservative anchor that complicates Democrats’ floor. Iowa Republicans are taking note of Trump’s abysmal numbers. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R, IA-02) recently aired ads calling on Trump to end the Iran War. She’s campaigning for the open seat against Josh Turek (D), a state representative from Des Moines who enjoys support from economic populist organizations and figures. If anything, we think Hinson narrowly holds onto this seat, but we can no longer rule out Turek. This is a full-fledged toss up, as more reputable pollsters continue to find this seat within the margin of error. This one will come down purely to economics, and Trump’s approval rating in Iowa is -19, which is a far cry from his +13 margin in 2024. Another factor in this race: this is the first open Senate seat in Iowa held concurrently with an open governor’s seat since 1968. In other words, it’s a jump-ball environment where Turek might get some coattails from the governor’s race, which we think is obviously leaning towards the Democrats. Kansas (Likely R to Leans R): We initially pushed Kansas off the map when it seemed Democrats wouldn’t get a top recruit. Enter Adam Hamilton (D), a pastor and church founder who initially planned to run as an Independent and won the August primary in a semi-upset.
Hamilton is a unique candidate and is probably more in line with socially conservative Kansas than the many Democrats he defeated in the primary and can probably improve their baseline in a blue-trending state. We continue to believe the Sunflower State will be a more elastic battleground by the next decade, as suburban Kansas City and college town shifts are making that a closer reality. Senator Marshall, an OBGYN by trade, was also dogged during September following a New York Times investigation. It was revealed he filed debt-collection lawsuits against more than 700 former patients during his career. This resulted in at least 81 patient arrests, while patients were charged an 18% interest rate on their medical debts. Hamilton also released an ad featuring a former patient of Marshall’s who said she was arrested while pregnant over a missed $50 payment. Marshall was booed at the Kansas State Fair after the revelations. In a year like 2026, a state like Kansas could be within 5 points, but that very likely means the Republican wins. No Democrat has won a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, the longest such streak for either party in any state on the Senate level. It would be a monumental upheaval for the Democrats in any election year, but 2026 is perhaps their best shot. Two respected pollsters have found Hamilton leading, albeit within the margin of error, and while polling in Kansas is generally scarce, Marshall isn’t in a better position this time when he won his first term by just under 12 points in 2020. We’ll check back in on this one. If Marshall retakes even a slim lead in the polls, we could chalk up Hamilton’s current leads to the recency of the medical revelations. If Marshall hasn’t recovered by Election Day, it could mean the scandal is dragging him down. For context, Trump’s approval in Kansas is +3 - a far cry from his +16 win in 2024. Michigan (Toss Up to Tilts D): This is the marquee race of the cycle. An open seat in a former-blue, Rust Belt battleground; an establishment, warhawk Republican (Mike Rogers) who has been calling for a war with Iran for 20 years versus an outsider populist (Abdul El-Sayed); economics, transparency, Israel are the top issues. In other words, it’s all there. El-Sayed dispatched Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D) in the June primary in what was seen as a repudiation of the Democratic establishment, albeit after a brutal campaign. Rogers, who came up just short in 2024 in the closest Senate race in Michigan history, has had a head start on the campaign trail. We figured we’d leave this a Toss Up until Election Day, but ElSayed now has leads of about 3 points in all the major aggregates. While still within the margin of error of most surveys, that’s an unmistakable advantage for a populist Democrat in the bluest of the three Rust Belt battlegrounds where Trump’s approval rating is -25. Michigan is a state Democrats should be able to hold in a slightly-blue midterm year, let alone a blue wave year. The flashpoint race will probably see him underperform the generic Democrat, but a win is a win.
Republicans have not won a Senate race in the Wolverine State since 1994. South Carolina (Likely R to Leans R): We had toyed with shifting this race to a more competitive category last month, but opted for a wait-and-see approach. Well, we’ve waited and we’ve seen. The late Senator Lindsey Graham’s (R) baby sister, Darline Graham (R), will probably underperform here. The late Graham’s July passing certainly shook up the race, but it did allow pediatrician Annie Andrews (D) to remain steadfast in the campaign. Darline Graham has been tracked with minor leads, even among Republican pollsters, in the Palmetto State. A good amount remains undecided, and we anticipate they will break for Graham. However, South Carolina, while consistently red, is a “high floor, low ceiling” state for Democrats. They routinely get beaten here, but rarely blown out of the water. There’s a path to making this a singledigit race, if anything to siphon GOP resources from other states. Andrews has also raked in $10 million, signaling some grassroots support for her in this Trump +17 state. His approval rating is now -8. No Democrat has won a Senate race in South Carolina since 1998. South Dakota (Safe R to Likely R): This is another ambitious call. South Dakota was once the seat of Democratic strength in Washington. Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D) in the early W. Bush years and the mavericky Tim Johnson (D) both hailed from the Mount Rushmore State. Since the mid-2010s, the Democratic brand has been lost in South Dakota, and Trump pulled out a +29 win in 2024. Now, his approval rating is just +4. Senator Mike Rounds (R), hardly a well-known figure in the upper chamber, is running for a third term against Independent military officer Brian Bengs. Democrats, as they did in Nebraska and Idaho, suspended their campaigns after winning the nominations to give the Independents a better shot. Rounds has the fundraising edge, but Bengs is signalling some grassroots support. Polling has also reflected Bengs in a decent position, although we take these with a bigger grain of salt than we do the Idaho polls. The South Dakota polls have been partisan or campaign-sponsored. Still, with Trump being the massive drag he is, and if we think “Likely R” is an appropriate rating for Idaho, a redder state than South Dakota, we could see this as a site for a notable margin slip. Here’s the Count We now see Democrats favored in more seats than the GOP, 48 to 47. There are five Toss Ups, all held by Republicans. We still only see North Carolina as the only flip, towards Democrats. Democrats need a net gain of 4 seats to flip control of the Senate. Democrats currently lead in polling aggregates in all five Toss Ups: Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, and Texas.
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Editorial Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Dueling Polls in NY Gov Race. Which One is Right?
Two polls this week show Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg) in a definitive lead for re-election. However, the Quinnipiac University poll shows her +19, more than triple her 2022 margin, and the Siena College poll shows just +9, her slimmest lead yet in one of the nation’s top-rated pollsters. So, who’s on the money? In interpreting the relative data, we find that at this point in the race four years ago, Hochul led then-Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) by +17. Siena finds more Republicans rallying around Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) than Democrats are around Hochul. Hochul has a decent lead in New York City, while Blakeman is narrowly carrying Long Island and Upstate. Right there, we think New York probably remains in flux. While not a fullyfledged battleground - not yet, at least - it does seem that Democrats’ ceiling in New York is far below what it was last decade. Moreover, only 39% of Independents plan to vote for Hochul, a stark disparity for an incumbent who’s been at least treading water in the approval ratings all year. Voters, however, view President Trump’s endorsement of Blakeman as a netnegative, while they view Mayor Mamdani’s endorsement of Hochul as a netpositive. To us, this signals that economic populism is in and here to stay. The outsiders might be willing to bite the bullet for Hochul if it means deteriorating the establishment wing of their party even further. Quinnipiac, despite finding much rosier results for Hochul, presents some troubling crosstabs. Hochul is underwater with Independents by -13, while more than half of respondents say they are least “somewhat dissatisfied” with the way the state is being run. Independents are also siding with Blakeman on the
economy, taxes, and immigration. The enthusiasm gap is also interesting, especially when most generic ballot polls find Democrats much more enthusiastic to vote in the midterms than Republicans are. In New York, less than 30% are “very enthusiastic” to vote for Hochul, while 51% are “somewhat enthusiastic.” For Blakeman, 51% are “very enthusiastic,” compared to 37% “somewhat.” There’s an important weight to be addressed here: Hochul has a much larger basket of votes to choose from, whereas Blakeman is getting most of his support from Republicans, who are outnumbered by both registered Democrats and Independents (Blanks). But on a rainy day, Blakeman probably gets more of his voters to the polls than Hochul does with hers. If Democratic voters see Mamdani’s proximity to Hochul as a positive, we imagine some of those voters think Hochul is merely a means to an end until the progressive machine eventually chews her up and spits her out, but they might not race to the polls to save her margins. All in all, we think Siena is probably leaning closer to the actual margin; we’d be surprised to see Hochul win closer to 20 points. And that’s due to the crosstabs and some obvious enthusiasm issues. In the home stretch of the election, there’s probably more predictive value to these polls than usual. Voters are making up their minds at this time, so the last rounds of polls will be crucial to watch. While Hochul might be primed for a second term, we continue to believe New York is in a political vacuum. We think the Empire State swings left this year with the national environment, but we doubt the Democrats’ ceiling fully recovers.
Cornell Case Shows a Nation’s Soul Rot The harrowing case of a gang rape of a 20-year-old Jane Doe at Cornell University has justifiably infuriated the nation. While it occurred in 2024, the case has been reopened and more details are emerging. Jane Doe alleged she was pressured into consuming ketamine and alcohol, leaving her completely incapacitated, as she was subjected to a brutal, hours-long sexual assault by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. The frat bros then documented the assault on Snapchat, bragged about it on campus, and even advertised the opportunity for other men on campus. Cornell has now agreed to an independent outside investigation due to pressure from Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg). The most infuriating aspect of this case is that Cornell University Police conducted the investigation and the Tompkins County District Attorney declined to file any criminal charges or conduct arrests. D.A. Matthew Van Houten said the evidence that’s come forward now paints a much different picture than what was presented in 2024. Two men were expelled, two men were suspended for two semesters, one student graduated before a punishment could be finalized, two others were found to be not responsible under the university’s code. Worse yet, several of them were required to write essays as part of their internal punishments. Apparently, the penalty for drugging and raping a 20-year-old college girl and advertising her incapacitated body on social media for other guys to get some action is merely a writing assignment. There’s no way to justify or excuse such a heinous and heartless act, and Cornell deserves every ounce of retribution they get. However, we think this is much more complex than what some on social media are making it out to be. We think this is an unfortunate amalgamation of the rotting of a nation’s soul. The Scourge of Porn A classically liberal society says that much of what’s done in the home doesn’t need to be regulated or publicized. In most cases, we’re inclined to agree, and while we don’t think bans on pornography would be effective, it’s important to address the elephant in the room. Something as casual and as accessible as pornography has done immense damage to our society. A much more deviant version of Hollywood, it inaccurately portrays one of the main cruxes of the human experience. It’s been a contentious issue for decades. Fast-forward to the present, where iPads have been raising children for the last ten years or so, with just about every inch of the Internet accessible at the touch of a button or swipe of the finger, kids don’t have to go out of their way to find things they shouldn’t
be seeing. Kids are exposed to adult content - sexual, gore, irreverence - at earlier ages now, and the parents are too busy trying to make ends meet in a country where life has become unreasonably difficult. It’s no one’s immediate “fault,” but the society at-large has effectively sanctioned it through the “my house, my bedroom” argument. This nation has done a great disservice to young men and women who have not only had their perceptions of life twisted, but their perceptions of right and wrong tragically skewed. We’re sad to say something like the Cornell case isn’t all too surprising, and while hedonism is one of the most ancient concepts, we do believe there is a moral rot in this country that allows such cases to subsist. Gender Wars - Mad at the Wrong Person Unsurprisingly, the social media commentary has devolved between men vs. women. The gender wars have been, in our opinion, a carefully concocted series of propaganda to make men and women find their differences to be points of contention rather than junctions of cooperation. That groundwork has been laid for quite some time. Now, in cases like this, the anathema is as palpable as it is instant. Yet, in our view, it still misses the mark. There’s no dancing around the topic that women need to be wary of men and that the inverse of that scenario, while extant, are relatively few and far between. But that’s just what the powers that be want. As long as everything is a giant shouting match, the root of the problem cannot be uncovered and red lines continue to be drawn. Where are the Parents? As we said before, the parents are in arguably the toughest situation of any modern American parent. But are we to believe that these Cornell men simply had a lapse in judgement, that they’re “good boys” deep down, and that “my son would never?” There seems to be a tragic disconnect between objective reality and household reality, and we think the parents in this case deserve some of the blame. It seems absurd to think that such a heinous act needs to be spelled out as morally and wholly wrong, but it also seems absurd to think that this was inevitable. It’s impossible to speculate exactly how these boys were brought up, but somewhere along the way, they were failed by people who ought to have known better. And now, those boys have failed themselves and the Jane Doe who we can only hope can find the path to a normal, healed life as quickly as possible. The United States is in economic, international, and domestic troubles. But the top problem among them, in our view, the U.S. has lost its soul.
Op-Ed Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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Thursday, October 1, 2026
Young Long Islanders Want Single-Family Homes By Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo This week, Newsday published a poll showing that single-family homes are significantly preferred by Suffolk County residents over multi-family housing and apartments. This is an issue that I have previously faced harsh criticism for by holding the position that single-family homes should be built to give young people the ability to build equity and generational wealth and start a family on Long Island. 0 recent poll conducted with Siena showed that 63% of all Long Island voters believe County officials should do more to encourage the development of single-family housing. This number changes drastically to 87% when looking at voters between 18 and
34 years old, demonstrating the sentiment of the next generation of Long Islanders who would like to achieve the American Dream. Young Long Islanders are struggling with a housing market in which the media price of a single-family home in Suffolk County reached a record $760,000 in August. They are increasingly being told that the answer is simply to build more unaffordable luxury apartments. Building equity and owning your property is a fundamental American principle. While we should have a robust conversation about different housing options, the numbers are clear that residents want single-family homes and want to retain the suburban way of life. This is why I will continue
to advocate for a more affordable Suffolk County. Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) has represented the Eighth District in the Suffolk County Legislature since 2020. The Eighth District includes Bayport, Bohemia, Holbrook, Oakdale, Sayville, West Sayville within Islip Town, and parts of Holtsville within Brookhaven Town. Piccirillo has served as Presiding Officer of the Legislature since 2026. The Eighth District office is located at 1609 Grundy Avenue in Holbrook and can be reached at 631-854-9611.
Why Is Suffolk Bonding for Settlements When It Has So Much Money in Reserves? By Ed Kelly | Long Island Life & Politics The good news is that Suffolk County is going to be returning money paid by individuals who got socked with excessive illegal fines under the now-abandoned red light camera program. After a judge ruled that the county had improperly tacked on additional fees to the standard fines for those violating the redlight law, the County owned up and settled by agreeing to remit $60 million to those who overpaid.
We are concerned, however, that the County has decided to bond this settlement, thereby incurring a huge amount of interest on the payment. This type of bonding has been commonplace over the years, where unexpected settlements would strain the county budget, but that was well before the county became the beneficiary of $700 million in federal grants during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The County is flush with more money in
reserves than at any point in memory. It is why some, including this columnist, advised against the county raising the sales tax to pay for sewer and cesspool improvements. We were all for those improvements but believed the money could’ve been tapped from these reserves. The County raised the sales tax, while claiming that the reserves would remain available to help pay off settlements such as the red-light camera debacle. Well, here we
are and we have a higher sales tax while still borrowing money to pay off the settlement. We respectfully submit that the County reconsider its decision to bond the settlement. This settlement is a one-shot expenditure. It’s better to use the reserves on a one-shot than on recurring expenditures that require that funding every year thereafter. Ed Kelly is a board member of the Center for Cost Effective Government.
Can This Lawn Proposal Save Our Drinking Water? By Steve Levy | Long Island Life & Politics An idea floated by our Center for Cost Effective Government would provide incentives for homeowners and businesses on Long Island to switch to lawns that require less watering and less fertilizer. On Long Island, we love our lawns. A wellwatered and manicured layer of sod always looks great, but it can be resource-intensive. Our lawns require heavy maintenance, which can include using huge amounts of water. With rising water bills on Long Island, any opportunity to save money would be a welcome addition Then there is the environmental impact of using massive quantities of fertilizer that are used to support our charming green lawns in front of our single-family homes. For many, these lawns are emblematic of the American dream, a piece of post-war suburbia heaven. Traditionally, Long Islanders tend to use Kentucky bluegrass seeding, which is kelly green, flush and pleasant on the eye, but it also requires a great deal of watering and fertilizer. Tall fescue grass, on the other hand, requires about 33% less nitrogen fertilizer than Kentucky bluegrass, needing roughly two to three pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet annually compared to higher-input lawns. Tall fescue generally requires about one to 1.5 inches of water per week, which is roughly
25% less water than Kentucky bluegrass. It also handles heavy use and wears much better than fine fescues or Kentucky bluegrass. It grows well in various soil types found across the region and tolerates moderate shade. Berkshire Botanical Garden notes that alternative seeds such as creeping red, hard fescue, and chewing fescue can be used to reduce fertilizing needs by one-half. This is the case because, while Kentucky bluegrass has roots of four to eight inches, the fescue grass has roots going much deeper — up to two to three feet to tap water in the ground. The North and South Rivers Watershed Association notes that watering a one-acre lawn with just one inch of water consumes 26,000 gallons — more than it takes to fill a standard 16×32-foot swimming pool. So, how do we change our culture here in Long Island to begin a transition to the more environmentally friendly grass seed? The answer is the same way we promote change in other areas — create monetary incentives. The city of Redlands, California, provides monetary incentives for the more environmentally friendly lawns. The Water Conservation rebate gives the homeowner $1 per square foot of grass that is replaced with drought-tolerant or irrigation-less landscaping,
up to $1,000. The rebate comes back to you as a credit right off your water bill. The program involves a pre-inspection, and a post-inspection confirms the work and releases the credit. Why not have a similar kind of incentive put in place through the Suffolk County Water Authority or through the county’s sewer and cesspool program that was passed via a referendum in 2024? Communities that pool together and convert a certain percentage of their lawns to the new turf could become eligible for further credits, thereby spurring a more “we are all in this together” movement. And to start it all off, municipalities can serve as role models by taking the lead by transitioning to these more environmentally appropriate grasses. We realize this isn’t for everyone. Some people just love their Kentucky bluegrass. And that’s why it shouldn’t be a mandate. Yet, incentives never hurt anyone. The Department of Environmental Conservation is shortly going to hold hearings on ways to reduce fertilizers on Long Island. How about starting with this turf-friendly tax credit? Steve Levy is Executive Director of the Center for Cost Effective Government,
a fiscally conservative think tank. He served as Suffolk County Executive, as a NYS Assemblyman, and host of “On the Right Side Podcast.” He can be reached at Costeffectivegov@ gmail.com. This op-ed originally ran in Long Island Life & Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
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Small Business Spotlight Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Prestige Comics and Records
By Diane Caudullo Sometimes, we say, “what is old is new again,” but what about the things that are just…continuous? Things that never go out of style, like comics, superheroes, and good people making their dreams a reality. Someone like Chris Mandemaker, having grown up in Smithtown, now living in Commack, has just opened a storefront in the North Gate Shopping Center at 1139-7 Jericho Turnpike, in Commack. His store, Prestige Comics and Records, is where you can find an eclectic but solid selection of comics, posters, mini figurines, LEGOs, games, music albums, and more. He has dreamed of this since childhood. As a kid, when his parents were trying to encourage him to read more, his dad, Charles, pulled out some comics that he himself had always loved reading over the years. Turns out, Charles had developed a love of comics from his mother and was now hoping to share the same with his son. Chris, like so many others, took a real liking to the stories of Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. As he grew, he loved the creative aspect of how the story never ends and pointed out that Batman, created for DC Comics as part of the Detective Comics series, has had a new story come out every month since 1939. Clearly, the love of all things superheroes and comics, separate or combined, is widespread across generations as evidenced by ComicCon (Comic Conventions) being held in every major American city. New York had the first Comic Con in 1964. Now, every October, the streets of New York City in and around the Jacob Javits Center are riddled with people in full-blown costumes, and Chris will be there. A little closer to home, there is an annual CradleCon, a version of Comic Con held at our own Cradle of Aviation in Garden City. Taking that big leap into opening a storefront came after ten years of buying and selling online and doing pop-ups at street fairs, Chris truly enjoys the interactions with other aficionados. Currently, the buzz everyone is talking about is a series on HBO titled Lanterns, based on the DC Comics Green Lantern, which has opened the door and invited in many new fans to join seasoned fans and has even introduced new Lanterns. All this is perfectly fine with him, as Green Lantern happens to be one of Chris’s all-time favorites. And the demand has stayed steady out there, as seen at the box offices of the never-ending stream of DC and Marvel movies. People just can’t get enough of them. Chris, himself may be a superhero in the making. He has many comics in his store, and when we hear the word “collectibles,” we automatically think “rare” or “expensive.” But for Chris, it is more about
sharing his love for the superheroes and their stories that never end. Chris has an extensive collection of comics down the middle of his store, and many customers peruse them as if they are on a scavenger hunt looking for the exact one that makes their collection complete. But the best part of this central focus of the store is the price. Every comic book in that section is only $1.00, and if that wasn’t already an unbelievable deal, Chris offers bulk discounts. Twenty books for only $10 and fifty books for only $20, proving that the ultimate goal for Chris is to share the story.
Intending to make the store more than just a great place to shop, Chris has plans to have Trivia Nights with prizes and special events that tie into Halloween and other holidays. He wants to welcome, celebrate and be an integral part of the pop culture community as well as the overall community. Stop in and check out the new Prestige Comics and Records! Prestige Comics and Records is located at 1139-7 Jericho Turnpike in Commack and can be reached at (934) 221-0247.
This Week Today Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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Thursday, October 1, 2026
National, State, and Local Temperature Checks By Matt Meduri National
Second Degree Larceny and are due for sentencing on December 14. On the campaign trail, Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg) has raised more than $8.5 million in the September 2026 filing period. It brings the total up to $33 million in cash on hand for Hochul’s re-election campaign. Friends for Kathy Hochul ended this period with $18.5 million in the bank. The New York State Democratic Party ended its period with more than $15 million on hand, according to Long Island Life & Politics. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) has raised more than $8 million in contributions.
Local The damage from this weekend’s nor’easter is still being assessed, according to various officials with whom The Messenger spoke. As of Monday night, PSE&G Long Island stated the storm caused more than 128,000 power outages. As of press time, power has been restored to 99% of customers. Crews continue to work in 16-hour shifts until power is restored to every customer. PSE&G reported the damage as “extensive,” with more than 2,000 fallen trees and branches that affected electric work.
Credit - Town of Smithtown
State
A beached boat in Nissequogue
A downed tree in Coram Credit - Suffolk County Legislature
Two brothers have pleaded guilty in defrauding the State’s Medicaid program to the tune of $1.6 million. Jawad and Junaid Choudhary, both of Clifton Park, will pay full restitution, according to Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (D-Great Neck Plaza). In October 2024, State Police contacted DiNapoli’s office regarding several related Medicaid providers who were allegedly submitting fake bills to the program. The investigation found that three transportation companies, A1 Rides, Inc., NY Jet Transport, Inc., and Ride to Recovery Corp., allegedly stole more than $1.6 million from Medicaid. Junaid Choudhary, the owner of A1 Rides, submitted over $1 million in false claims to the Medicaid Program. Jawad Choudhary, owner of NY Jet, submitted over $400,000 in false claims. Both submitted their claims from 2021 through 2025. The investigation found that the two brothers billed the program by claiming payment for individual rides, which were unauthorized group rides, as well as for rides that never occurred. The investigation also alleges that the brothers paid kickbacks to the patients. The money was then used by the brothers for mortgage and credit card payments, cash withdrawals, and personal and business bank accounts. “The defendants in this case were bilking the state and lying about services provided to those who truly rely on Medicaid funding to live a healthy life,” said Albany County District Attorney Lee Kindlon (D). Acting Medicaid Inspector General Frank Walsh delivered a stern message to those seeking to defraud Medicaid, “You will be held accountable.” Both defendants pleaded guilty to
Credit - Matt Meduri
Iran insisted over the weekend that diplomacy is the only way to solve its conflict with the U.S. and Israel. President Donald Trump (R-FL) rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait or Hormuz and cease hostilities. Iran’s place was submitted to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last week in New York City, with Qatar serving as the mediators. “They want to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” Trump told reporters at the White House. Iran’s army commander, Amir Hatam, has said, “If Iran cannot trade, if Iran cannot live, no one will be able to trade or live,” as reported by Iranian media. U.S. Envoy to the U.N. Michael Waltz (RFL) said the U.S. rejected Iran’s proposal because it required the lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen assets. Waltz added that the U.S. needs a “good faith” negotiation from Iran that they will end their nuclear program. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, a member of the Liberal Party from Ontario, told The New York Times that he and his government have reviewed contingency plans for a U.S. invasion. Carney cautioned that he described a U.S. military intervention as an “extreme tail risk,” but has nonetheless called it “risk management.” The revelation comes as tensions between the U.S. and Canada continue to escalate amidst a tit-for-tat trade war. Extended U.S. presence in the Danish territory of Greenland reached success this week. President Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed a trilateral security agreement at the UNGA in New York. The deal amends the 1951 U.S.-Denmark defense pact. It allows for the U.S. to expand the existing Pituffik Space Base and build two new major military bases in Greenland. The pact also explicitly reaffirms the territorial sovereignty over the world’s largest island, and reaffirms that it does, in fact, belong to the Danes. Pituffik Space Base sits in the far northwestern corner of the territory. Built in 1943, it is the northernmost Department of Defense (War) installation in the world. The base is crucial in missile warnings, missile defense, and space surveillance missions. The Arctic Circle has been seen as an emerging world battleground. The trilateral agreement also bars nonNATO countries, specifically Russia and China, from establishing military facilities or making sensitive infrastructure investments on the island without unanimous consent from the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland. The pact has no expiration date and stipulates that if Greenland ever does become an independent nation, the state of Greenland must remain in NATO and honor existing defense obligations. Trump is turning heads for his comments on Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea. Trump said that Kim can retain his nuclear weapons program because “he [Kim] likes me.”
On the election front, President Trump’s poll numbers continue to decline to historic lows. The Wall Street Journal’s latest poll of 1,500 registered voters shows Trump at just 37% approval - the lowest for any president heading into a midterm since 1990. Republicans on the campaign trail continue to distance themselves from Trump’s latest prerogatives, namely mass deportations and the Iran War. Mike Rogers (R-MI, who is running for Senate in Michigan in perhaps the marquee race of the cycle, former Congressman Tom Tiffany (R-WI), who is running for governor of Wisconsin, and outgoing Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) are all breaking with the President as they seek to avert disaster in this year’s midterms. Trump’s in-person campaign schedule for the coming week is dedicated to shoring up Republicans’ odds in deep-red states. Trump is set to visit Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas. A stop in Grand Island, Nebraska, was added to his itinerary on Tuesday. The RealClearPolitics generic ballot average finds Democrats with a cycle-high lead of 8.4% - the exact final margin of the House popular vote in the 2018 midterms that net Democrats 40 seats in the House. At this point in the 2018 cycle, Democrats were on or about 8 points ahead in the generic ballot. Their peak then, however, was a 13-point lead in December 2017.
A flooded NY-25 in Port Jefferson Village
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Murray’s Message Thursday, October 1, 2026
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
The Ballot Is Our Voice: Why Voting Still Matters As Election Day approaches, it is worth pausing amid the campaign advertisements, political arguments, headlines, and competing messages to remember something fundamental: voting is how citizens participate in their government. In the United States, the right to vote is more than a box to check or a civic ritual we perform each year. It is one of the principal ways ordinary citizens exercise political power in a representative democracy. It is our opportunity to choose the people who will make laws, oversee government, establish public priorities, and represent communities. For that reason, voting deserves to be treated not merely as a privilege, but as a profound civic responsibility. The American experiment was built around an extraordinary proposition for its time: government derives its legitimacy from the people. The Constitution begins with the words, “We the People,” establishing a system in which government exists to serve a constitutional republic rather than a monarch or hereditary ruling class. Back then, that idea was revolutionary! When the United States was founded, much of the world was governed by monarchies, empires, and systems in which political authority was concentrated among kings, aristocrats or other privileged classes. The American system rejected hereditary monarchy and created a government structured around elected representatives. The Constitution vested legislative power in a Congress composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate, creating institutions through which citizens and states would have representation in the national government. But history also requires us to be honest about the limitations of the founding ideal. The political rights envisioned in the early republic were not extended equally to everyone. The original Constitution did not establish a universal definition of who could vote. Over generations, Americans fought, organized, protested, and amended the Constitution to expand participation. The Fifteenth Amendment prohibited denying the right to vote on account of race. The Nineteenth Amendment prohibited denying the vote on account of sex. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment prohibited poll taxes in federal elections, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 attacked discriminatory practices that had kept many eligible citizens from the polls. The story of voting rights is therefore also a story about the continuing effort to make the nation’s founding principles more inclusive. Consider what that history tells us. People endured discrimination, intimidation, financial barriers, and legal obstacles for the opportunity to participate in the political process. Women spent generations campaigning for this right. Black Americans and their allies fought for the enforcement of constitutional voting protections. Civil rights activists risked their safety in voter-registration drives and marches. The right to vote was not simply handed down effortlessly from one generation to another. Millions
of Americans worked to expand and protect it. That history should give us perspective when Election Day arrives. Today, United States citizens who are eligible voters can enter a polling place, cast a ballot and participate in selecting representatives without having to own property, belong to a particular social class or receive permission from a monarch. That basic act can seem ordinary precisely because generations before us worked to make it possible. Yet, a right that is available but unused cannot fully serve its democratic purpose. Voting does not guarantee that government will produce the outcome every citizen wants. Democracy does not promise that our preferred candidate will win, that every policy will reflect our views or that elected officials will always make decisions with which we agree. What voting provides is something more fundamental - a peaceful, constitutional mechanism through which citizens can express their preferences and hold elected representatives accountable, and that matters! It matters not only in presidential elections. The people elected to Congress, state legislatures, city and town councils, county governments, and other offices make decisions that affect everyday life. Government decisions can influence taxation, infrastructure, education, public safety, transportation, economic policy and countless other matters. Local elections can be especially consequential because the officials chosen may have direct responsibility for the institutions and services people encounter day in and day out. Voting is also a reminder that citizenship comes with participation. We should not expect democracy to function solely because other people participate in it. A representative government depends on citizens taking an interest in who represents them and what those representatives stand for. That means voting should begin with something more than simply showing up. You need to get informed! Learn who the candidates are. Read their platforms and public statements. Examine their records where applicable. Understand the responsibilities of the office they are seeking. Consider the issues that matter to you and evaluate the information you receive carefully. Distinguish between verified facts, campaign claims, commentary, and political advertising. Then make your own decision! That last point is essential. The power of the ballot belongs solely to the voter. No candidate, political party, commentator, friend, or media personality should make that decision for you. In the 2024 election, it was estimated that approximately 154 million people voted, representing just over 65% of the voting-age citizens in our country. That means tens of millions of eligible citizens participated, but sadly, millions more did not. Every election presents another opportunity to participate. Perhaps your vote will help determine a close race. Perhaps it will not.
But democracy is not measured solely by whether one individual ballot changes an election’s outcome. The larger principle is collective - millions of individual citizens exercising individual judgment constitute the electorate. One vote is small, but the voting public is enormous. Democracy is the connection between the two. As Election Day approaches, let us remember what is actually at stake, not simply a campaign, a candidate or a political argument, but our responsibility as citizens to participate in the system of government we have inherited. Our ancestors did not all agree - far from it. They argued fiercely about the future of the country. They debated the Constitution, fought over representation and spent generations struggling over who should have a voice in American government. The history of voting rights demonstrates that democracy has always been a work in progress. We inherit both the achievement and the responsibility. So, before Election Day, take the time to learn. Listen. Read. Question. Verify. Know the candidates and understand the issues. And then, if you are eligible to vote, participate! Get out and vote, not because someone else tells you how to vote, but because the decision belongs to you. The ballot is your voice. It is your opportunity to participate in the government of your country, your state and your community. That opportunity was hard won, and it should never be taken for granted! Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) has represented the Third District in the New York State Senate since 2023 after having represented the Third Assembly District from 2010 to 2013 and again from 2015 to 2018. The Third District contains Bellport, Blue Point, Brookhaven hamlet, Center Moriches, East Moriches, East Patchogue, Farmingville, Gordon Heights, Lake Grove, Manorville, Mastic, Mastic Beach, Medford, Moriches, North Bellport, North Patchogue, Patchogue, Shirley, South Haven, Upton, and Yaphank, as well as parts of Calverton, Centereach, Coram, Eastport, Holbrook, Holtsville, Lake Ronkonkoma, Middle Island, Ridge, and Selden. Senator Murray serves as Ranking Member on the committees on Commerce, Economic Development, and Small Business; Libraries; and Social Services. He also serves on the committees on Budget and Revenue; Codes; and Higher Education. The Third District office is located at 90-B West Main Street in Patchogue and can be reached at 631-360-3356.
Theatre & the Arts Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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Thursday, October 1, 2026
Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome to Theatre Three’s Riveting Revival of
‘Cabaret!’
By Cindi Sansone-Braff Credit - Steve Cruz, ShotbyCruz
Step inside Theatre Three in Port Jefferson, and you’re no longer on Long Island. You’ve been transported to Berlin, during the brief respite between two World Wars. The source material for “Cabaret” was Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 semi-autobiographical novel “Goodbye to Berlin,” written in a journalistic, observational style. Isherwood’s novel opens with the sentence, “I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking.” As a nod to that iconic line, in 1951 John Van Druten adapted Isherwood’s popular book into the Broadway hit “I Am a Camera.” Librettist Joe Masteroff adapted that play into the musical “Cabaret,” with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Directed and produced by Harold Prince, with choreography by Ron Field, the Broadway production starred the legendary Joel Grey as the Emcee. It ran for 1,165 performances and won eight Tony Awards. In yet another incarnation of Isherwood’s iconic novel, Bob Fosse’s acclaimed 1972 film adaptation won eight Academy Awards. Under Jeffrey Sanzel’s deft direction and meticulous attention to every dramatic detail, the theater itself becomes a time machine. From the moment you enter the Mainstage, you’re awestruck by Randall Parsons’ intimate nightclub set design. Your eyes fall on the large, illuminated marquee: Kit on the top line; Kat on the next; Klub below that. Then you notice the three vertical Ks. The image jolts you from 1929 to 1966, when “Cabaret” premiered at New York City’s Broadhurst Theatre at the height of America’s Civil Rights Movement. That spine-chilling initialism for the Ku Klux Klan was intentionally used by Masteroff to draw a parallel between the rising Fascism and anti-Semitism in 1930s Germany and the systemic racism confronting black Americans in the United States. Before your mind can fully absorb that connection, your eyes fall on the rows of glowing theater bulbs that barely illuminate the stark, shadowy interior. A staircase and balconies dominate the otherwise
bare stage. Then, almost imperceptibly, the den of iniquity comes alive as the Kit Kat Boys and Girls emerge, becoming part of the stage’s visual architecture. Your gaze is drawn to Jason Allyn’s flesh-baring costumes: black corsets, garters, fishnet stockings, and form-fitting black leather pants. The atmosphere is seductive, edgy, provocative, and just a little dangerous. Steve Barile, Jr.’s evocative lighting draws you in as the Kit Kat Club performers stealthily leave the stage and spill into the aisles, moving closer to the audience. In an instant, you’re no longer a voyeur peering into a Berlin nightclub. You’re inside it. You look away, lest they come too close for comfort. All this irresistible intrigue happens before the show even begins! Enter the ringmaster of this bizarre little universe of Berlin Bohemians: The Emcee, belting out “Willkommen” and inviting you to leave your troubles outside. A memorable onstage moment was watching the captivating William Stokes portray the Emcee, flamboyantly bedecked and prancing across the stage, enticing you to stop being a Peeping Tom, get off the sidelines, and become an initiate in this intoxicating world of debauchery. The Emcee is the master of gallows humor, as he addresses the undercurrent of sadomasochism that permeates the show with a tongue-in-cheek reference to spanking while he cradles a scantily clad Kit Kat Girl. Act II opens with a bang, with Stokes at the center of a fabulous “Kick Line.” During the saucy show tune “Don’t Tell Mama,” we meet the infamous British performer Sally Bowles, ravishingly portrayed by Theatre Three veteran Sari Feldman, who looks striking in her redand-black costume and immediately stands out as the club’s glamorous, volatile star. Josie McSwane’s sultry choreography mesmerized the audience as Sally and the Kit Kat Girls strutted their stuff, offering a taste of what’s to come. Feldman is a triple threat throughout the show, demonstrating her stellar acting, dancing, and singing. Her breathtaking renditions of “Maybe This Time” and “Cabaret” were worth the price of admission.
Jason Furnari delivered an awardworthy performance as Clifford Bradshaw, an American writer who travels to Berlin in search of inspiration for his novel and is drawn into the glittering, decadent world of the Kit Kat Klub. There, Clifford becomes involved with Sally, who embraces champagne, cocaine, cigarettes, and the club’s carefree spirit, oblivious to the growing danger posed by Nazism. Furnari and Feldman’s delightfully playful duet, “Perfectly Marvelous,” was one of the show’s highlights. The musical’s other central love story centers on Fräulein Schneider, the pragmatic German boardinghouse proprietor, and Herr Schultz, a kind Jewish fruit shop owner. Phyllis March was perfectly cast as Fräulein Schneider, a strong-willed, stern, and highly determined woman. March’s two solos, “So What?” and “What Would You Do?”, were delivered with the right blend of heartfelt emotion and sad resignation. Douglas Quattrock brought quiet dignity, gentleness, and joy to the role of Herr Schultz. Quattrock and March’s beautiful rendition of the wistful, warmhearted waltz “Married,” accompanied by Rachel Geiser’s magnificent vocals as the Chanteuse, was among the show’s most poignant moments. Other standout performers were Steven Uihlein as Ernst Ludwig, Rachel Geiser as Fräulein Kost, and Bryan Bowie as Max. The multi-talented Kit Kat Klub ensemble features Angie Barrientos as Fritzie, Maria Cutaia as Frenchie, Melina Piervencenti as Helga, Erin Plitt as Lulu, Haley Saunders as Rosie, Michelle Su as Texas, Ruben Fernandez as Hans, Edward Martinez as Victor, Zac Thompson as Herman, and Kiernan Urso as Bobby. Theatre Three’s spectacular production of “Cabaret,” featuring a superb live band led by Jeffrey Hoffman and stunning sound design by Tim Haggerty, delivers a fully immersive theatrical experience that left the audience stunned by its dramatic finale. After a moment of profound silence, the crowd rose for a sustained standing ovation that continued as the actors exited the stage. “What good is sitting alone in your room?” Come to the “Cabaret” at Theatre Three. The production runs through October 25. For tickets, call the box office at 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree. com. The production contains adult language and situations and may not be suitable for all audiences. Cindi Sansone-Braff is an awardwinning playwright. She holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Connecticut and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She is the author of “Grant Me a Higher Love,” “Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships,” and “Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic.” She won the 2026 Press Club of Long Island Media Award in the Narrative Arts category for outstanding journalism.
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Candidate Spotlight Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay By Matt Meduri The Three Village area is a relatively new battleground in Suffolk. After flipping red in an upset in 2022, Rebecca Kassay flipped the seat back to blue in 2024 by a razor-thin margin. She is running for re-election. The 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. Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay sat down with The Messenger for this candidate spotlight interview. Q: In your view, what is the state of the State? A: We have work to do. In the first two years, I’ve been able to be a strong voice for Suffolk County and fight in Albany for our fair share. We’ve been able to rein in the utility companies and bring back dollars to offset local taxes for municipalities and school districts. We’ve taken steps towards improving those things, but there’s still so much more work to do. Every door I knock, every family is feeling the squeeze from five different directions. On the budget, we have to sharpen our pencils. I’ve been working to make sure New York is spending smartly while also getting Long Island its fair share. We see a lot of money going to NYC and Albany. Suffolk, in every way, deserves more proportionally because of our enormous population here, the number of road lane miles we have, and the infrastructure we need to keep up. I get to be the politely squeaky wheel in the majority. It’s an enormous privilege and I don’t take that lightly. There’s only five Assemblymembers from Suffolk in the majority compared to dozens from the City. I’ve been working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to identify what we need. I’m always looking at ways to prevent the State from paying for Band-Aids instead of fixing the problems at the root. Q: What have you done for the district in the past two years? A: I’ve been able to pass 19 bills my first term. One of the biggest successes was getting $6.5 million for the Mill Pond Dam restoration. That’s something that I asked for last year that didn’t come through. This year, it was a hard line for me. Since a photo can be more powerful than words, the tides turned when I showed Albany leadership pictures of what the dam looked like nearly two years after its collapse. I told them it wasn’t just a beloved environmental park in an economic hub, but a connector between emergency services and neighborhoods. In Port Jefferson Station-Setauket, one of the biggest things we did was preserve the Greenway Trail. That was originally part of the plan to sell the Lawrence Aviation property to the MTA to create an electric railyard to extend a one-seat ride for regional folks and help with air quality. From there, we found a land use conflict and found that the DOT had purchased that 34-mile corridor to be used as a roadway back in the 1950s. I, along with Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk), drafted legislation to solve the problem, but we took a step back because we found we could do it differently. The Governor vetoed that bill at our request. The truth is, we know that greenway will never be a road. We’d all come out with pitchforks and torches. That was never anyone’s intention to begin with. The legislation we came back with placed a permanent conservation easement over that 34mile corridor and cites the holder to be Suffolk County, who will have any control over what happens to that property moving forward as opposed to the DOT. The Governor signed that bill in July. The DOT wanted to keep it for their rights any time because of the flooding on NY-25A, but building another roadway through our neighborhoods Robert Moses-style is not the answer. We’d be abandoning two downtowns with that, like what happened with Rocky Point’s downtown when they first built the bypass. Next year’s fight will be getting a study on the MTA capital plan for the electric railyard at Lawrence Aviation. Governor Hochul herself said to us that she wants to see that built during her governorship I was able to get $20,000 for the Suffolk Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit, which addresses root causes like mental illness, housing, and other concerns to fix the disconnect between an individual and the services they need. In Coram, I’ve started the Coram Community Roundtables, which include all different levels of government, fire departments, schools, libraries, civic groups, etc. to identify issues in Coram. Coram Elementary School had a very small playground and the neighborhoods around it didn’t have any public space that was inviting for families. I was able to bring the Assembly Speaker down for a tour and got $2.2 million for the playground and sports complex, and $800,000 for the Coram Fire Department to create ADA-accessible access to the community space that many groups use each week. I was able to get $140,000 for the Terryville F.D. and $100,000 for the Setauket F.D. ‘s new highwater rescue vehicle since we’re
Candidate: Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay Residence: Port Jefferson Office: New York State Assembly, District Four (AD-04) First Elected: 2024 Committees: Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce, and Industry; Environmental Conservation; Governmental Operations; Local Governments; Small Business; Asian Pacific American Task Force (Member); Legislative Women’s Caucus (Member) Party Lines: Democratic Notable Endorsements: Suffolk Law Enforcement Coalition, AFL-CIO, Long Island Federation of Labor seeing so much more flooding in the area. We were able to get $100,000 for the Gordon Heights F.D. as well. We’ve been working with Gordon Heights on the ZIP code issue as well. In Port Jefferson, where I was a village trustee for four years, I am acutely aware that their needs are ever-evolving. We got a clean fill near the golf course for the village’s leaf program and helped the village navigate a variance for the area once codes changed in Albany a couple years ago. I was able to get $100,000 for the construction of a boathouse for the Caleb Brewester whale boat replica near the Town Marina. Flooding in the village is an issue, and there have been holdups due to the pause of federal funding, which is disappointing. Q: What have been some of your prerogatives for the state at large? A: I’ve been sort of a Jill-of-all-trades. The Greenway Preservation Bill and the Whale Awareness Act are two great environmental bills I got passed. In the AI regulation sector, I was able to pass a bill that prohibits AI companion chatbot toys for kids. They’re these very creepy dolls/stuffed animals that have AI in them and can interact with children with no guardrails. They’re hooked up to the Internet and the kids can have a full conversation with their AI toy. We’re advocating that Governor Hochul sign a five-year moratorium on the sale or manufacture of these toys because they do not belong in our children’s bedrooms. You can find article after article of these telling kids where to find pills and knives, emotionally manipulating kids, making them feel guilty for stopping playing with them. In the gambling addiction issue, I put forward a bill, the first of its kind in the nation, that would require these betting apps to put out a monthly statement to their users. That statement has all their wins, losses, amount spent, number of bets, and gambling addiction services information. Think of it sort of like a calorie counter on fast food menus. It’s passed both houses; we’re waiting for the Governor’s signature. We also got an increased amount for which homeowners can be reimbursed for replacing failing cesspools with advanced septic systems. We increased that up to $25,000 from the State, and then County has another later of that program that makes the replacement near-free. Q: Democrats have had a trifecta in Albany since 2019. Are there any ways you’ve been a brake check on legislation and initiatives that have been unpopular in Suffolk? A: The State made reforms to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). We fought tooth-and-nail and we were able to make some headway into making them less destructive. I’m always looking to make sure we’re not threatening our open spaces and, above all, making sure we retain local control. Unfortunately, it was packaged with the Tier 6 reforms, which we also fought tooth-and-nail for. So, it was either vote against or for this bill with the same measures. I’ve always said, “don’t put policy in the budget.” For policy, let’s vote on them independently. The same problem applied to the billions for New York City. That aid was packaged with the aid Suffolk County got. I couldn’t vote against it as I’ve always said Suffolk doesn’t get its fair share. On the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), I had urged the governor not to rollback those goals, but to say that it’s something that should be done outside the budget by law and/or committee. But I did urge them to look at where we are with our goals. The original regulations and statutes and plans were put together by many, many people having robust discussions. For it to be done in the budget is really an insult to the work of all those people. I called for a mandate to have those parties come back and update it according to where the State is as far as green energy goals go. One of the biggest problems on Long Island is that we have aging electricity infrastructure. We need funding from
the State if we’re going to move forward on those goals. I think some things, like the electric school buses, need to be way on the backburner. Our school districts are already struggling to make ends meet and not put extra pressure on the taxpayers. The buses aren’t only expensive, but they take up more space because they have to have concrete walls between them so if one catches fire, it won’t spread to the fleet. My idea of land use in Suffolk County is not to make larger bus depots. I do think that in 5 or 10 years, technologies will be well beyond what we can imagine now, and we can return to that conversation. I think diversity in our energy sources is really important. I have a bill that would require SUNY campuses to assess all their parking areas and make a plan to either put solar and/or geothermal on or under their parking areas. These projects take pressure off the local grid and the schools can save money on electricity. That State owns those lands; why don’t we mandate ourselves to do the work that we’re asking others to do? Q: The Democratic majority hasn’t gotten the best marks from voters over the last few years. What advice would you give your caucus? A: We have two big tents with the two parties. I feel bold enough to say that people on both sides of the aisle are disgruntled with what others in their party are doing and pushing for. I just became one of the co-chairs of the Future Caucus, along with fellow Long Islander, Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square). I don’t think one party owns being solutionsoriented; it’s the individuals in the parties. It’s the same brand, different flavor. I think it’s all the more important that I go back up to Albany and keep fighting for what works for Suffolk County because that’s not going to be the same as what works for, for example, the City and certain policies that the DSA members might be fighting for. Q: What is your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic? A: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” That quote hung on the wall of my English classroom in ninth-grade English. Mr. Shelley, the teacher who changed my life, made the whole year about being someone who stands up against what’s wrong and fights for what’s right, even if it’s the hard thing to do. Some days, it’s tough since I get flack from the left and the right. And then I vote on something I feel got close enough to working for my community, all for it to be used as a punching bag. And maybe that’s exactly where I’m supposed to be because I represent a purple district. Q: How do you like to connect with your community and what do you do in your spare time? A: We started a Monthly Missions program. Every single month, my staff and I put together an opportunity for any community member to learn about a local issue through doing hands-on-work to help solve it. We’ve had wonderful success with various community organizations, and bringing resources to people in a fun, accessible way. We do everything from tagging horseshoe crabs, planting daffodil bulbs, to cleaning historic gravestones of Veterans. It’s a great opportunity for constituents to talk to me in a setting that’s not an office or a Zoom meeting. It helps me connect with them more. In my spare time, I’ve been reading a lot lately. I love spending time with my husband. It’s rare these days, and he’s a very patient, supportive, and understanding man. When we have time, we cook together or take the dog to the beach. He’s someone who’s so grounding in my life. Our dog’s favorite beach is the Port Jefferson Centennial Park Beach. It’s been great to explore the district with all the new restaurants popping up. The Messenger thanks Assemblywoman Kassay for her time for this interview.
Candidate Spotlight Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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Thursday, October 1, 2026
Will Sussman By Matt Meduri Will Sussman is making his first play for elected office this year. The Three Village area is in a historically competitive season, and Sussman is looking to oust one-term incumbent Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D), who herself flipped this seat blue in 2024 when President Trump narrowly carried the district. Will Sussman sat down with The Messenger for this campaign spotlight interview. Q: What is your professional background and how does it equip you for the Assembly? A: I am a lifelong Long Islander who grew up here in Brookhaven. I went to MIT, where I got my master’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science. After grad school, I spent a year at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank in New York, as an associate fellow and did some journalism and policy analysis there. From there, I joined Yeshiva University as an adjunct professor of computer science, a position I got at 26 years old. I teach a course called Mathematics for Computer Science; it does involve programming, but more about how to think about problems computationally. There’s a logic element to it. Logical thinking seems to be missing in Albany. I think just being an engineer by trade means I have an eye for problem-solving, and we have a lot of big problems in the state. Q: What is the state of the State in your view? A: It’s dire. Single-party rule has not been good for anybody, and I think people are waking up to this fact. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Democrats have a supermajority in the State Assembly; they’re one seat away from a supermajority in the Senate. That means the Legislature can push through whatever they want just within the Democratic Party and the governor is functionally irrelevant. They can override her veto if they want to with those numbers. It’s important to keep them out of the supermajorities so we can have some bipartisanship and deliver for the people of New York. Q: What are your top priorities if you’re elected in November? A:This campaign is three-pronged: affordability, public safety, and the environment. I support Bruce Blakeman’s (R) tax plan, namely eliminating the State income tax on the first $50,000 for individual filers and $100,000 for joint filers. My addition to this place is called tax indexation. If you get a raise to keep up with the cost of living, you’re not actually doing any better off in real terms; you’re just keeping up with the costs. Tax indexation would make the tax brackets float with the inflation rate, just like the prices of goods and wages. The State tried this about 10 years ago and they let it lapse. More money needs to be brought back to Long Island. Governor Hochul gave another $8 billion to New York City to plug their budget cap, which my opponent voted for. We never get that sort of bailout from Albany. I’m going to be a hard no on budgets like the one that just came out. It’s nonsense. Unfunded mandates are driving up property taxes. I’m in favor of doubling the School Tax Relief (STAR) deduction, which is similar to SALT at the federal level, to offset more of those property taxes. On public safety, we have a very toxic combination with both bail reform and Local Cops, Local Crimes. Sanctuary policies add to the chaos. Local Cops, Local Crimes Act makes it illegal for municipalities to enter into agreements with federal law enforcement under the 287(g) program, which my opponent also voted for. If someone is sitting in prison for committing a heinous crime and they’re an illegal immigrant, the local cops can look them up in the federal system, see there’s a detainer, and notify the appropriate authorities. New York State just made this process illegal. It’s the reason we’re seeing the chaos in other states, because the feds have to find these people who might be sitting in prison already for having committed heinous crimes. And with bail reform, many of these criminals are released back out onto the streets. Suffolk’s police do extraordinary work to catch these people, but our judges’ hands are tied by bail reform. On environment, the State has just rolled back parts of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). They just exempted large apartment buildings; if you want to build 200-300 units on Long Island, you’re completely exempt from this review. It was passed recently and my opponent voted for it. The plus side is that they did commit to stricter timelines when certain steps have to be completed; that makes sense. But to be exempt when wanting to build an apartment building is bonkers. We need more single-family homes; it seems that the development of large apartments is incentivized. They want it so that you get out of your apartment, get onto the railroad, take the train into New York City, and then come home at the end of the day. By and large, those people are not starting families, not contributing much to their local communities. I don’t see it as a substitute for single-family homes. It’s a supply-and-demand problem at the end of the day, but we’re only building luxury apartments or McMansions. If there’s anything we should be deregulating, it’s the single-family home market. Local IDAs are
Candidate: Will Sussman Residence: Port Jefferson Occupation: University Professor ffice Sought: New York State Assembly, O District Four (AD-04) Prior Elected Office: None Party Lines: Republican, Conservative Endorsements: United Jewish Teachers (within the United Federation of Teachers), local Republican officials also giving tax breaks to these developers. Individuals looking to buy their first homes are not getting tax breaks. The other environmental issue is the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway. Bill A.8560, introduced by my opponent, mentions three times putting NY-25A through the Greenway. It also includes a portion to allow a bridge to be constructed over the Greenway, and to “expand and improve public rail transit” in Suffolk by preserving the DOT’s abilities. The intent of this bill is not exactly subtle; it would have enshrined DOT’s ownership of that trail into law. I agree with the Governor’s veto of that bill. It’s another example of why the supermajority is so dangerous because if they decided to override Hochul’s veto, they could have. The bill that was put forth by my opponent and signed by the Governor has a completely tenor of its predecessor. If my opponent says that there was nothing wrong with the original bill, then why is the new one completely different from the old one? It’s not about the intent. I fully believe that everyone involved in the creation of this first bill had the best of intentions here, but as they say, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I think the Greenway should be transferred to Suffolk in the capable hands of Executive Ed Romaine’s (R) to be preserved as an official park. How it ties into the Lawrence Aviation reuse for an electric railyard, I’m not opposed to that, but I don’t think it needs an allor-nothing approach. I think we can have something in the middle where part of it is preserved as a park in perpetuity and part of it can be sectioned off for electrification. Data centers are also part of my environmental platform due to the consumption of water and electricity. I want to extend the statewide moratorium to 2030 to give the municipalities more time to figure it out. Brookhaven passed an 18-month moratorium on all data centers, which is longer than the State’s one-year ban on hyperscale data centers. The power is the bigger concern with data centers since we’re already facing shortages of power in New York. The Port Jefferson plant is operating at 13% capacity right now. Those data centers will also drive electricity rates up. The big data centers that are powering the AI boom right now are very different from the data centers in the early days of the Internet. They still enjoy the same tax breaks that Governor Pataki (R) signed in the 1990s to incentivize that industry. It doesn’t make sense giving tax abatements to tech companies for data centers that people view as monstrosities. As a computer scientist, I have real concerns about this technology. I don’t think it’s going to be as bad as some people make it out to be, but AI is probably the most existential threat to the job market because AI can mimic humans in ways that machines never could before. Q: What are your plans for AD-04 if you are elected? A: I’ve been very vocal about the Mill Pond Dam in Stony Brook. It’s not just an aesthetic issue, but a public safety one. The State and federal governments are coming through on it, but my problem is, we’re spending public dollars to fix a private dam and a private road. The Ward Melville Heritage Organization said they weren’t the owners, but it was found that they were. They have millions in the bank. In theory, they could have spent the money. My other problem is that it’s taken two years. My opponent says it will be fixed, but there’s no committed timeline on this project. For all we know, they could wait until just before the next election just like they waited until before this election to announce the money was coming through. It’s a perfect example of the problems we face in the district. We’re represented by Democrats at the Town, County, and State levels. They’re all buddies with each other and say they want to get the thing fixed. Well, where is it? If I am elected, I will organize a meeting within the first week of my taking office. It’s not just Mill Pond and the road there; our roads look like warzones. NY-112, NY-25, and NY-347 are disasters. The State has total jurisdiction over them. My opponent has been in office for two years and she talks about bringing money to different nonprofits and projects. But the most basic thing, our roads, have not been fixed. It should not take this much agita in order to get some more money for our roads.
My opponent has also spoken about $20M from the State for Suffolk’s septic improvement program. Unfortunately, that has failed. We have 360,000 septic tanks in Suffolk that are poisoning our aquifer. The goal of the program was to upgrade 100,000 of those tanks within the next 10 years. The first problem is the math: on average, you’ll end up with 5% of that 100,000 goal within 10 years - barely making a dent in the problem. Any progress is good, but we’d need to pour in billions to just get to that goal alone. The second problem is that even if you could upgrade 100% of the septic tanks with infinite money, we’re moving towards sewers anyway. So we’d have to spend millions on sewers just after spending hundreds of millions, if not billions, on upgrading septic tanks. I think the smarter investment is to take that $20M aside into a fund, withdraw with the interest, and use it for sewers, especially in places like Coram and Gordon Heights. We should still have some of this program on the books, since a failed septic tank can be a big hit to the bottom line. But once you get sewers in there, the problem basically goes away forever. Q: If elected, where would you fit into Albany as both parties are forming post-Trump identities? A: New York has a different strain of Republicans than you see around the country. Bruce Blakeman, even though he’s endorsed by the president, I think differs from Trump in important ways. I was conservative Democrat myself for many years. I never supported the 2020 chaos and, like Ronald Reagan said, I feel the party left me. As Democrats are embracing the DSA wing of the party, I see New York Republicans representing a breath of fresh air. Despite predictions of the blue wave this year, I think New York could buck the trend. I could even see a red wave happening in New York because it ultimately comes back to pocketbook issues. I can work with both sides on the issues. I was one of the first Republican candidates in the state to call for a suspension of the gas tax. The Senate Republican Conference has supported that proposal, and Senate Democrats have as well. Many in the media will have you believe we can’t agree on anything. I think that’s a minority of the issues. Something I’d like to work with the Democrats on is a Commission on Anti-Semitism. Massachusetts Democrats created one and it has done great work on that issue in their state. New York is the most Jewish state in the country, so for it to become the epicenter of anti-semitism is really concerning. The State has passed some good “buffer zone” laws to protect people entering houses of worship or religious institutions, but there’s some more action that needs to be taken. Having testified before Congress on this issue, I would love to co-chair such a commission. Q: What is your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic? A: “Where there’s a [W]ill, there’s a way.” That’s been my guiding philosophy my whole life. I got lucky my name happens to be Will, so I chose it as my campaign slogan very purposefully. Q: How do you like to connect with your community and what do you do in your spare time? A: I’m a member of the Port Jefferson Lions and the Three Village Rotary Club. These are two community service organizations. We partner with local groups and charities. It makes me happy and proud to be part of these groups because we’re giving back to the community. It’s a spirit I want to take to Albany with me. I think the community service really grounds me in the district. I live walking distance from the Port Jeff Station end of the Greenway. I use it almost every day. I’m always there jogging or on my bicycle. I used to love going to Mill Pond before it was destroyed. Walking/Cycling the Greenway is where I saw the first lawn signs about repairing the dam. It’s nice to wind down, pop in some headphones, go for a jog or bike ride when I can. I also play piano when I can as well. There are so many great restaurants in the district, but I have to give a shoutout to Tommy’s Place in the heart of Port Jeff Village. The Messenger thanks Will Sussman for his time for this interview.
Civics 101
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Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Necessary Standard for American Education The Constitution - Article II, Section 1
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.
By Matt Meduri We continue our Constitution deep dive with Article II, starting with the first of four sections. Section 1 is by far the lengthiest and most technical of Article II. In a Nutshell Article II at-large lays out the rules for the Executive Branch - the presidency. Section 1 in particular establishes the length of the term in office, the Electoral College, presidential succession and vacancy, and the oath of office. Section 1, Clause 1: Formally defines the president as the source of “executive power” in the federal government, sets the term length of four years, and that the president is elected alongside the vice president for the same term. Section 1, Clause 2: This clause establishes the Electoral College. Each state legislature appoints electors to elect the president and vice president. The number of electors is equal to the respective state’s total of Senators and House members. For example, New York has 26 congressional districts (a higher number due to a higher population, as established by Article I, Section 2, Clause 3) and 2 Senators (every state has the same number of Senators, per Article I, Section 3, Clause 1). Therefore, New York has 28 votes in the Electoral College. Clause 2 also prevents federal officeholders from serving as electors, although officeholders at other levels of government can serve as electors. Interesting Note: When you vote for president, you are not voting directly for the president. You are voting for a slate of electors who are sworn to elect their party’s candidate if that candidate wins the popular vote in the state. All major parties submit a slate of electors before the election. This clause also allows the states to choose how their electors are chosen. Since Congress controls the manner in which electors are chosen, they can choose different manners of awarding electoral votes. 48 states use the winner-take-all system, but Nebraska and Maine are the only states to award electoral votes based on presidential popular vote winners in each congressional district. Section 1, Clause 3: Requires that electors meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for a president and vice president. Clause 3 also stipulates that the two candidates cannot be from the same state. The Framers intended this to prevent electors in big states from being swayed for two home-state candidates. Clause 3 requires that the electors’ votes are listed, sealed, and sent directly to the Vice President, who then opens all the documents from the 50 states and reads them aloud in front of the House and Senate. The candidate who receives a majority of total electoral votes becomes president. If no candidate receives a majority, the House of Representatives then selects the president. Interesting Note: This vote is not 1-to-1. Instead, the states vote by House delegation. For example, New York has 26 congressional districts; 19 are held by Democrats, 7 by Republicans. In a scenario where the House picks the president, the New York delegation would vote, but the end result counts as just 1 vote towards a candidate. If New York’s delegation votes for the Democratic candidate in a contested election, that candidate would receive just 1 vote from New York. Clause 3 adds that if no person has a majority even after the House votes, then the House votes again, but with the top-five vote-receivers from the first round advancing in an essential runoff. Clause 3 stipulates that two-thirds of the states’
delegations must be present for these votes and that the presidential winner must have a majority of states opting for them to win. Finally, Clause 3 outlines that the Senate chooses the vice president in a contested election scenario. That vote is taken 1-to-1. The Twelfth Amendment greatly defined these powers after the 1800 election. Section 1, Clause 4: Congress determines the time of choosing the electors - Election Day itself. Congress has Election Day set to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This clause also includes the day on which electors give their votes in their respective state capitals, which, as of 2022, is set for the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December. Interesting Note: The specific date for Election Day was set in 1845. At the time, most Americans were farmers, and the early November date was amenable between the planting and harvest seasons. Since many had to travel long distances to their polling places, usually the county seat, Tuesday was chosen to allow for the Sunday Sabbath to be observed and for farmers to catch Wednesday, typically a market day. Election Day never falls on November 1, partly because that day is All Saints’ Day, a holy day of obligation for many Catholics, and merchants at the time would settle their books on the first of the month. Lawmakers wanted to avoid any political influence from those economic activities. Section 1, Clause 5: Only natural-born citizens of the United States can hold the office of the president. Clause 5 also requires presidential candidates to be at least 35 years of age and a U.S. resident for at least 14 years. Section 1, Clause 6: The vice president assumes the duties of the president when the president is removed from office, dies, resigns, or has the “inability to discharge” his powers and duties of the office. Congress also has the power to provide a case by law to prove that the president and vice president are not able to carry out the duties of their offices. Congress can then declare a person to serve as president until the next election or until the president is able to return to office in the case of disability. Interesting Note: The 25th Amendment greatly clarified the language in this clause. It was unclear whether the vice president became the president, assuming the office itself, or simply acted as the president, exercising the presidential office while remaining vice president. Section 1, Clause 7: The president is paid for his services. The fixed salary is disbursed at “stated times” and Congress cannot increase or decrease it while the
president is in office. The president also cannot receive any other profits from the federal or state governments while in office. Section 1, Clause 8: This includes the oath of office. Clause 8 requires the president to take the oath: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” The Framers required a verbatim oath as they believed that a personal, spoken commitment could help restrain the president’s personal ambitions and keep his mind on upholding the Constitution. The Framers’ experience with weak government also allowed them to pivot their leaders’ focus to a long-standing document, rather than others in power at the time. This was a noted departure from swearing allegiance to a king, for instance. The Framers, in this Clause, made the president’s allegiance to the document that contains the law of the land. Furthermore, the Framers enshrined this in the Constitution so as to prevent Congress from changing the words over time. In their view, this would have made the president more subservient to a fluctuating Congress, rather than a foundational aspect of American government. This also prevents Congress from watering down the language or by making the oath topical and political. The original draft of the oath was much shorter, just a promise to “faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States.” But James Madison and George Mason added the second half about defending the Constitution. Madison later explained that it was a reference to the Greek Amphicytonic League, an ancient religious association of tribes and city-states. Madison noted that the league failed because they did not have an accountable executive. The Framers hoped to avoid that weakness by making the president responsible to the entire nation. Interesting Note: The words in Clause 8 are the bare minimum required for the oath of office. The words haven’t changed since they were written in 1787. However, the “so help me God” added at the end is of personal preference. It’s entirely traditional rather than constitutionally mandated. Historians debate whether George Washington added the “so help me God” in 1789; contemporary evidence is lacking, while claims first appeared decades later. The earliest evidence of this phrase comes from Chester A. Arthur (R-NY) in 1881, as he was sworn in after the assassination of President James A. Garfield (R-OH). The modern traditional practice was started with Franklin D. Roosevelt (D-NY).
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Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Continued from front cover
Panico, Officials Call for Rail Fixes in Mastic-Shirley
Those infrastructure improvements, however, face another impediment: congestion, particularly at the hands of frequent railroad crossings that lock up William Floyd Parkway, Montauk Highway, and Mastic Road. Sunrise Highway on-ramps and off-ramps are also known to get caught in the crippling gridlock. The two primary roads are the main paths off the Tri-Hamlet Peninsula, creating an everyday bottleneck at best, and an evacuation nightmare at worst. Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches), who grew up in the area, and officials representing the area are renewing their calls for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to address the issue. In a September 17 letter to MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber, officials requested that the MTA and LIRR “conduct a comprehensive engineering and transportation evaluation to identify potential improvements for additional north-south connectivity across the railroad right-of-way and help alleviate congestion in the area,” according to the Town. The letter follows a September 16 meeting of the Mastic Park Civic Association, where traffic congestion and limited pathways off the peninsula were of chief concern. The limited pathways continue to put pressure on the rail crossings, which already cause congestion due to frequent train traffic. Officials are also inviting MTA and LIRR leadership and engineering staff to visit the Mastic-Shirley area for themselves to assess the conditions. Local officials have previously offered to meet with the agencies on site. After the visit, should it occur, Panico and company are seeking a “defined process and next steps for evaluating potential improvements and identifying a viable path forward.” They have committed their cooperation with the MTA, the LIRR, and the appropriate authorities.
Panico is joined by Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham), Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue), Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford), County Legislator Jim Mazzarella (R-Moriches), and Town Councilwoman Karen Dunne Kesnig (R-Manorville). In his letter, Panico said the railroad tracks “effectively bisect” the Mastic-Shirley area, providing “extremely limited opportunities” for north-south travel. “Roads such as Madison Street and Hawthorne Street terminate at the railroad right-of-way and resume on the opposite side,” Panico said in his letter. “Motorists are therefore forced to travel east or west to reach one of the limited available crossings, primarily Mastic Road or William Floyd Parkway. This funnels substantial volumes of traffic onto already congested roadways and creates significant bottlenecks, particularly during morning and evening rush hours.” Panico said the traffic and connectivity have “implications for emergency response, evacuation planning, public safety, and the overall resiliency of the community.” Mastic-Shirley is flood-prone and the summer weekends see traffic volume balloon. “That cannot continue to be accepted as the status quo.” Potential solutions, Panico said, include additional grade crossings, grade-separated crossings (overpasses/underpasses), new roadway connections, modifications to existing crossings, or “other alternatives determined to be feasible.” “...local officials have worked together on this issue for decades without a meaningful resolution,” said Panico, adding that the local governments cannot “independently resolve the constraints” created by the railroad corridor. “Given the MTA and LIRR’s jurisdiction over the railroad infrastructure and right-of-way, it is imperative that your agencies take the lead in analyzing the existing conditions, identifying and recommending viable solutions, and committing the resources necessary to fund and advance improvements that will ameliorate this longstanding issue for the Mastic-Shirley community.” Local officials are also requesting the railroad officials to “engage directly” with their offices to determine feasibility and funding. As a first step, Panico is inviting the railroad officials to visit the area during weekday rush hour and during a weekend with heavy Smith Point-bound traffic. “Seeing these conditions firsthand will provide important context that cannot be fully conveyed through traffic counts, maps or correspondence,” said Panico. “This community has waited long enough for meaningful attention to this issue. We stand ready to work cooperatively with the MTA, LIRR and all appropriate state, county and local agencies, but progress requires the MTA to be an active partner and commit to identifying a viable path forward.”
Credit - Matt Meduri
Romaine Announces Lawrence Aviation Closing with MTA in the late 1950s. Decades of industrial activity contaminated soil and groundwater, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added the property to the federal Superfund National Priorities List in 2000. “This is not just a real estate closing,” Romaine said. “It changes the trajectory of a property that was a problem for generations and puts this land back to work for Suffolk County residents.” Credit - Matt Meduri
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) (pictured left) announced on Wednesday that the Suffolk County Landbank will close on the sale of approximately 40 acres of the former Lawrence Aviation property in Port Jefferson Station to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a major milestone in the long effort to sell and redevelop the contaminated site. A separate closing for approximately 40 additional acres for solar development will take place as well. “This has been years in the making,” said Romaine. “Lawrence Aviation burdened this community for decades. From the start of my administration, I made moving this property forward a priority. We are turning a long-standing liability into transportation investment, renewable energy and productive public use.” The MTA parcel will support future modernization of the Long Island Rail Road’s Port Jefferson Branch. The solar parcel will bring renewable energy development to land that sat vacant and contaminated for decades. Together, the transactions cap years of environmental remediation, legal work and intergovernmental coordination led by Suffolk County and the Landbank. Lawrence Aviation Industries manufactured on the Port Jefferson Station site beginning
Local History
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Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Lake Ronkonkoma’s Ponds By Ellyn Okvist, B.Sc. Some may be hidden from view, but there are many ponds in the village of Lake Ronkonkoma. History follows each of the ponds, with different vegetation, wildlife, and original uses. A few of these ponds have limited access, such as a school or private property. Newton Pond can be traced back to 1796, as it was once much larger until the Lake Shore Road was constructed through it to enable easier access to drive around the lake. The Caleb Newton Family had the house on the corner of Old Portion Road and Lake Shore Road which included Newton Pond. It was mainly used to water and feed their farm animals. Most recently, the pond was used for ice hockey by the community. Today, it boasts beautiful foliage and many animals and birds you could not find easily elsewhere. East of Newton Pond, on the left-hand side of Ronkonkoma Avenue just behind the Meadows of Lake Ronkonkoma you will find two small sections of the original Wolf Pond. These two areas were once one pond with the larger Wolf Pond across the street, yet once again it was split in two by road construction. The smaller ponds were known for their frogs and turtles, which somehow would find their way back to the larger pond. We know of a young man who would gather up the frogs and turtles and sell them to Miss Finley who lived in front of the larger Wolf Pond. This was Caleb Newton property. Wolf Pond has its own history, and it is full of environmental promises and nature conservation. The pond has been there for ages and has an ecological distinction fitting our area. A small islandlike center makes the pond even more appealing, and the grounds have a pleasing atmosphere. The wonderful condition of the trails and landscape would make a perfect activity trail. A longtime occupant of Wolf Pond was the “Wolf Pond Monster.” It was identified as a great snapping turtle, known as a “torup.” Judged to be over one hundred years old, and weighing in at thirty-five pounds, its legs were covered with scales as would a prehistoric monster, and with barbs on its tail. When it left the pond, it was said a huge amount of water would drain off its body and was indeed an ugly sight. Its scale-covered head was set with vicious jaws capable of snapping a man’s arm and it could move surprisingly well on land. It was discovered during a drought year, and could be watched snapping up ducks, geese, and any other animal that had the unfortunate fate of crossing his path. Eventually, the authorities decided the Wolf Pond Monster had to be destroyed. Wild Geese, raccoons, turtles, frogs, birds, and small wildlife have established their ecosystems at the site. Wolf Pond Sanctuary was established in 1951 as a memorial for Sumner Newton, a direct descendant of the original Caleb Newton landowner, by the Finlay sisters, Miss Helen and Miss Roberta. It is one of the few beautiful sites kept in a natural state at Lake Ronkonkoma to serve the special needs of birds and small wildlife. In front of Gatelot Avenue School one can find the Bowen Well. This is a confirmed Native American location. The well has never run dry in its known existence. During severe droughts, the white man, up to only 100 years ago, depended on the well for fresh water. Wagons would line up for the opportunity to fill only two barrels in one day. The strict distribution of the water worked well for the community. The exact reason for the State to fill in the fresh water well with concrete is still a mystery.
Newton’s Pond Our concerns for the future of the well pending possible sale of Gatelot by the Sachem School District has been discussed with the local Native American tribes, who will come forward if the sale seems to be materializing. At the bend in School Street, on the left just after the Brookwood on the Lake Apartments is Round Pond, as it is known today. It holds water most of the season but sometimes gets very low. In the 1940s, local children, led by the Robert, Ray, George, and Bill, the Reilly brothers, would bring a large boat in and float it on the pond and spend many a day sailing. Higher ground is at the Cenacle, the larger pond known as Mooney Pond, adjacent to Sandy Garth (the house) has always sustained its water level through the ups and downs over hundreds of years. Ice skating was permitted by Maude Adams to the
local children, and interestingly enough, there were up to four small ponds where age distribution and ice-skating privileges were upheld. The “bigger” children used Mooney Pond, while the size-order children skated on the size appropriate ponds. This is a verified piece of history as left by many adults recalling those days who followed the rules. Towards the end of the day, Maude Adams and her partner, Louise, would bring out hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies for all children before their walk home. McManniman Pond is located at the bend on Smith Road, on the property of Sachem North High School. The McManniman Homestead was next to it, but now a road runs between the two. Once known as one of the oldest surviving structures in Brookhaven, the MacManniman House was located at 263 Smith Road across from Sachem High School. Built sometime before 1797, it was used by overnight travelers on horse or stagecoach going between New York City and the East End. It had a large carriage house and was set on eight acres at the bend in the road. There is a very old cemetery on the southeast corner of the property, with no gravestones. The gravestones were moved to the southwest corner of the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery in the early 1900s to block a proposed highway. At least two of these unmarked graves contain two Revolutionary War soldiers. Although the house belonged to many names, (early 1800s) all owners have been directly related. Unfortunately, the house was destroyed under difficult details. Other documented areas, that once were ponds or swamp land, can be found at Carroll Avenue and Criss Street. This pond, better described as a small lake, was used by the JN Newton Family in their logging business. Lillian Devere’s home, on Hawkins Avenue across from the old Dairy Barn, was built with water in mind. We have detailed photographs of the basement and outer north side which were made with giant cisterns under the house. You may have used the path from Carroll Avenue to the old Bohack parking lot and can remember the wet ground and vegetation. Both of these locations were tied to Carroll and Criss. Any structure from Brunos/ Flanagan’s was marsh land. Across the street A&P/ Beverage Barn was extreme marsh land. The map will show the locations.
Technology News Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
17
AI Moves into the Laboratory: Long Island is part of that shift. By Mollie W. Barnett The company behind Claude now has a biology lab. In September, Anthropic said its AI system searched DNA records and identified an unusual enzyme system in viruses that infect bacteria. Human scientists then tested the findings in the company’s Bay Area laboratory. That is a more consequential development than another chatbot update. The model generated a lead. The lab had to find out whether the lead held up in the physical world. Anthropic says the system’s function is still unknown. It has not discovered a new geneediting tool ready for use. This is the idea behind “wet AI”: connect computational predictions to experiments involving actual biological material. The experiment produces measurements, including failures, that can inform the next question. A useful result must survive the bench, not just look persuasive on a screen. There is a human distinction here. Anthropic reports that roughly 950 Claude agents searched sequence data for 21 hours. Its scientists performed all the laboratory work. That is AI accelerating one part of discovery, with people deciding what to test and interpreting what the result means. What is Happening on Long Island? We do not need to look across the country to see the convergence of AI and physical science. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is building shared space for AI and biology research and has launched a BioAI doctoral program. Its larger campus expansion includes NeuroAI, which studies how insights from the brain might improve artificial intelligence. Stony Brook University and Cold Spring Harbor recently described deeper collaboration in genomics, neuroscience and quantitative biology. At Brookhaven National Laboratory, researchers are already
developing automated synthesis and measurement platforms and using autonomous methods to guide experiments in materials science. It is a working example of the same broad logic: instruments generate data, software helps select the next test, and scientists remain accountable for the science. These are related capabilities, not one unified Long Island “AI biology factory.” Cold Spring Harbor’s new BioAI degree is specifically for computational research. Brookhaven’s cited autonomous work is in nanomaterials. The public record does not establish that either is operating Anthropic’s particular biology workflow, much less using living human neurons as computer hardware. Precision matters when the technology is moving this quickly. The Question Behind the Breakthrough Once AI begins to work through laboratories, the strategic asset changes. It is no longer only the model. It is access to instruments, reliable experimental records, skilled scientists and the ability to run another test. A result that cannot be reproduced is poor science and poor training data. Human-derived cells add another layer. Researchers can grow cells from donated tissue to study disease and test treatments. Elsewhere, scientists are experimenting with living neurons
Mollie W. Barnett - is a writer and decision architect who has worked in communications.
connected to electrodes. Those projects are distinct from Anthropic’s announced lab. They do, however, make the questions of consent, reuse and oversight more urgent as biological material becomes part of increasingly automated systems.
The public should be able to ask what a donor agreed to, whether a cell line may be used to train commercial models, who can trace its downstream uses, and who is responsible when a system proposes the next experiment. Those questions belong at the design stage, while the institutions and rules are being built. Long Island has the research institutions, talent and physical infrastructure to help shape this field. The opportunity is real. So is the obligation to keep the human scientist, the donor and the public visible in a process that can otherwise be described as a machine talking to a machine. Reporting sources: Anthropic research announcement | Cold Spring Harbor BioAI program | Stony Brook partnership report | Brookhaven AI research | Cortical Labs CL1 | NIH cell line consent
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Messenger Perspectives Thursday, October 1, 2026
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Words Can Kindle or Quench By PJ Balzer
Two weeks ago, my wife and I traveled to Sachem North High School to watch them play William Floyd in football. This game ended up becoming almost instantly infamous. At this game, some Sachem North students made and displayed taunting signs with the opposing players’ girlfriends’ faces on them. Next to the young ladies’ faces were also choice words, words that were purposely demeaning, hurtful, and unnecessary towards young ladies who had nothing to do with the football rivalry. These young ladies were also at this game. The Bible has much to say about our words. Actually, words are one of the topics most addressed throughout both the Old and New Testament. Proverbs suggests, in many different chapters and many different ways, that we both choose our words carefully and use them extremely sparingly. The things we say have a way of shaping our lives and relationships with others. The book of James specifically states that while the tongue is such a small body part compared to the others, that small part has the potential to do great harm. It’s also hard to control, often impulsive and unruly, which can start a great fire that we won’t be able to contain. God, through James’s pen, challenges us and our words in such a practical way that it’s hard to write off. If you’re saying to yourself, “That ancient and outdated book is completely irrelevant today,” I’d make a friendly suggestion that you simply take a look at our present society. Words are much more abundant and being used more flippantly than at any other time in history. From behind a screen and using our words, we label and pummel people we’ve never met. We can defame a stranger’s character without ever having a face-to-face conversation with them. We have our smart phones and comment sections where from our couch we can “really let them have it.” There are so many words this present day and so little thought behind them. Pointing the finger at myself first, I’m as guilty as anyone else on this thoughtless and hurtful words indictment, especially when I was much younger. I unfortunately used my words to destroy other people, specifically my peers. I was the witty and funny kid in the group that could make everyone else laugh.
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My jokes were often made up on the way someone else looked physically, the way they dressed, or something I knew about them. My jokes and fun were always at the expense of someone else, usually someone much weaker than myself. The kid in class who was obviously different, the girl who was morbidly obese, or the person who stood out for the wrong reasons, I know personally about words and signs like these high school kids made up to taunt the opposing team because I was that kid. Anything to make other people laugh, even if it could be really hurtful to someone else. Over the years, I’ve seen the tremendous damage and hurt that words can cause. Many of the kids we picked on are no longer around. Some dropped out of school simply because school was a miserable place for them. Others moved away and never looked back. Some became really troubled kids and troubled adults. I happen to believe that the words of others ended up shaping their self-esteem, future, and lives - just as the Bible said they would. Whether you speak, write, or plaster your words onto a sign at a sports game, at least try to be somewhat mindful of them. Use them wisely and with great temperance. Words can never be fully retracted once the intended target receives them. I always try to put myself in the receiver of my words shoes before I give them out. If you wouldn’t like it done to or said to you, why do it or say it to someone else? While those signs did indeed light a huge fire, both at the game and on the Internet in the days that followed, much wiser people stepped in to use their words to bring peace and a calm to the fire. Words used in a righteous way also have the ability to do great good. May my words, and yours too, offer forgiveness, bring peace and administer healing to every situation we encounter. May our words be a light and small sign of hope in this world that seems to be running in the opposite direction. In the wise words that nearly every mother in America has spoken at some point, “If you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.”
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Overview - AMAC The Association of Mature American Citizens
Three Easy Ways to Reduce Pain at the Pump
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
By Stephen Moore | AMAC Contributing Writer
I’ve always argued that the easiest way for families to gauge the health of the economy is to check the daily gas price. Drivers see the 50-foothigh signs in every community in America. They stare us right in the face. I call it the affordability index. In recent weeks, gas prices have hit $4.50 a gallon nationally, and truckers are paying well over $6 a gallon. That’s a bad look with a month to go before midterm elections across the country. These high prices have put consumers in a bad mood. It’s worth mentioning that the average gas price while Donald Trump has been president is lower than the average price under former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. But when it comes to affordability, voters ask: What have you done for me lately? Why aren’t Republicans in Congress doing anything about it? They could reduce gas and diesel prices by well over 50 cents a gallon through three easy reforms. I checked with the experts at the Institute for Energy Research on a plan to lower gas prices, and here’s the plan that would repeal the excessive regulation and taxation of gas and diesel. Step 1. Immediately suspend the renewable energy and ethanol blending requirements at refineries. That saves 31 cents a gallon. There’s no reason we should have to put corn in our gas tank. Step 2. Temporarily suspend the 18-centsa-gallon gas tax and the 24-cents-a-gallon diesel tax. When the gas price falls below $3.50 a gallon, the taxes can be reimposed. Step 3. Permanently repeal the Jones Act, which makes the shipping costs of oil and diesel more expensive by at least 5 cents a gallon. Add up the savings and we’ve just lowered gas and diesel prices by more than 50 cents a gallon. Wait -- there’s more the politicians can do. State gas taxes also add an average of about 33 cents a gallon. State legislators should slash those taxes until the gas price falls when the Middle East supply chains are unclogged. The states with the highest gas taxes are almost all blue states. Californians pay about $1.25 a gallon more than the national average price at the pump because of the state’s onerous regulations and high taxes. The Golden State’s climate change policies alone add almost 50 cents a gallon to the price. This is a high price to pay for virtue signaling. Sorry, Gov. Gavin Newsom. California can’t change the temperature of the planet. The taxes are also way above the national average in Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Yet the governors of these states are first in line to bloviate about the high gas prices that they helped create. Some may complain that gas taxes are a user fee to pay for the roads. That’s generally true, which is why the gas tax repeal should end when the price at the pump falls. Every poll is showing that Americans are most concerned about affordability. Republicans can’t do much about the quagmire of the Middle East. But they can bring prices down here at home starting tomorrow. What are they waiting for?
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The Association of Mature American Citizens represents Americans 50 plus. AMAC is centered on American values, freedom of the individual, free speech, and exercise of religion, equality of opportunity, sanctity of life, rule of law, and love of family, with benefits at all levels.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
O N
S T A G E
SEP 10– OCT 25 U P
N E X T
By William Goldman Based on the Novel by Stephen King
JAN 14–FEB 28 M
NOV 12–DEC 27 C H I L D R E N’S
SEP 26–OCT 25
T H E A T E R
Frosty NOV 21–DEC 27
Bits & Pieces
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WORD OF THE
Week
Etymology: Late 1500s, from Anglo-French odious, from Old French odious; c.1600, from Latin odium “ill-will, hatred, grudge, animosity;” Sources: Merriam-Webster, Etymonline.com.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
SUDOKU
ODIOUS adjective Pronounced: /oh·dee·uhs/ Definition:
arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance.
Example:
“The government corruption was too odious for even the most seasoned insiders.”
Synonyms: abhorrent, objectionable, loathsome Antonyms: attractive, agreeable, pleasant
See bottom left for the answers (please don’t cheat!)
This Week in History October 1, 1888:
October 3, 1990:
Reunification of East Germany and West Germany; the West German flag is raised above the Brandenburg Gate at the stroke of midnight.
WORD WHEEL F
D A
M T
See how many words you can create. Must have center letter in word and can use letters more than once. 4 letter word minimum.
October 5, 1978:
O H
Over 30 major nations ratify the Environmental Modification Convention, which prohibits weather warfare that has widespread, long-lasting or severe effects.
October 2, 1957:
“The Bridge on the River Kwai,” directed by David Lean and starring William Holden and Alec Guinness, is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1958).
National Geographic magazine is published for the first time.
October 7, 1982:
Musical “Cats” opens at Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway, New York City, and runs for nearly 18 years, winning seven Tony Awards and a Grammy.
October 4, 1582:
Last Julian calendar day in Spain, Portugal, and the Papal States. To sync to the Gregorian calendar 10 days are skipped, and the next date is October 15.
October 6, 2021: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recommends the world’s first malaria vaccine, Mosquirix, for children after a pilot program proves effective in Africa. Source: Onthisday.com.
Bits & Pieces Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
NATIONAL The Iranian government has received a U.S. counterproposal to end the war. IRGC leadership has said the only way to cease hostilities for for the U.S. to admit defeat and leave the Middle East. Iran published a “letter to the American people” on Tuesday, urging regime change and offering coexistence if U.S. foreign policy changed. Iran added in their letter that tensions between the two nations began with the CIA-led coup in 1953. The Senate has blocked a bill to set stock-trading limits for congressional members. The nation is furious that 7 Cornell University men were not adequately charged for the alleged drugging and gang rape of a 20-year-old girl. The case has been reopened Secretary of Defense (War) Pete Hegseth (R-TN) appointed Elon Musk to a task force on the future of warfare. Pennsylvania reported its fifth measles-related death this year. President Trump announced plans for a $15B steel plant in Iowa. The Pentagon announced a complete troop withdrawal from Iraq.
STATE A judge ordered NYC to redo the rollout of the tax on high-end second homes. A Brooklyn subway rider was dragged to death after his bag was caught in the doors of an A train. A top-hatted suspect is accused of stabbing three people. Governor Hochul has warned that Trump’s tariffs could add about $1B to the cost of new MTA trains, buses, and subways. A Hasidic man was placed in ICE custody after protesting an Israeli flag in Ramapo. Officials started boring the tunnel for the Hudson Tunnel Project in North Bergen, New Jersey. Governor Hochul’s office says New York had the fastest-growing economy in Q2 of 2026.
LOCAL Former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) bought a $10M waterfront estate in Remsenburg. Pal-O-Mine Equestrian in Islandia holds their VetsFest on October 11. A Lake Ronkonkoma man has fallen ill with West Nile Virus. Patchogue-Medford’s Tremont Elementary became the eighth school in the nation to open a Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Eastport South-Manor Field Hockey Is Firing Offensively Thursday, October 1, 2026
By Ashley Pavlakis The Sharks just keep winning this season on the field. The Eastport-South Manor (ESM) girls’ varsity field hockey team is dominating on the turf and remains undefeated in 2026. The Eastport-South Manor varsity field hockey team is a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and competes in Division II. The Sharks are led by 2024 Coach of the Year and sixth-year head coach Ann Naughton. She spent 30 years as a physical education teacher and coach at Smithtown East. Naughton is joined on the sidelines by assistant coach Keira Ettere. ESM won its first Suffolk County title in 2023, defeating Bayport-Blue Point 1-0. They notched their second title in 2025 with a 2-1 overtime win over Harborfields. The Sharks are 8-0-0 in 2026, making them one of four teams in Suffolk County to have a perfect record. Fins are all the way up in Manorville this season; the Sharks have hunted their prey (opponents) so well, outscoring them 37-1 through eight games in 2026. The team is led in scoring by Katelynn Murtha, who’s notched 6g-11a-17pts. “It’s always something that we try to focus on, starting our offensive mindset; putting the ball in the net early, setting a tone. We’ve got a pretty good, experienced athletic group, very coachable. So, it kind of helps the situation,” Naughton told The Messenger. Murtha is a fifth-year starter for the Sharks, specializing as a draw specialist and midfielder. Winning faceoffs is crucial in any sport; securing the ball at the start of play sets the team up to advance down the field. Midfielders in field hockey cover the entire field; they serve as a bridge between the defense and the attackers. Their role is an integral part of play. “Katelynn Murtha, she’s a returning Allstate player. She’s actually going down to Florida to play Division I lacrosse [UCF]. Murtha is just a great athlete; she’s
someone who not only is she a scoring threat, but she distributes the ball so well, has great vision, and is just a super competitive player,” said Naughton Goaltending is on point this season with Kaylee Nicolette and Lily StandordColetti holding it down in the crease for the Sharks. The two have split time in net, defending the crease exceptionally well, saving every scoring attempt except for one. “Kaylee Nicolette is the starting goalie; she’s a sophomore. Nicolette took over the starting role from Madison Heeney last year, who was an All-County goalie. She [Nicoletti] is doing a good job. She’s had a bunch of good saves this year so far and is getting confident. Lily Colletti is her backup,” said Naughton. Three players were named to Newsday’s Top 50 field hockey players for the Sharks this season: Senior Sarah Langdon (D), senior Katelynn Murtha (M), and junior Lexi Quiery (M) Naughton was quick to rattle off some of her key players that bring different skill sets to the table; Kateylnn Murtha, Caitlin Masera, Sarah Langdon, Mina Samarco, and Ella Dragonette. “There are a lot of key players in there, and they know they have the work cut out for them. We won counties last year, and we take everything day by day. We play hard, and the ultimate goal is to get to the playoffs and get back to that county final,” said Naughton. In our conversation, we talked about the connection between field hockey and lacrosse. A handful of Naughton’s Sharks are dual-sport athletes in that regard. “In my experience, because I was a lacrosse coach too, I definitely feel that stick in the hand carries over. Granted, field hockey’s on the ground, more so. But just the decision-making, the footwork, the explosiveness of the athletes, it definitely helps, and it makes them a better field hockey player and a better lacrosse player for sure, 100%.”
Drive to Perfection: Mount Sinai Golf Remains Unbeaten By Ashley Pavlakis Credit - Instagram @mtsinaigolf
Golf is not for everyone, but it’s certainly for the Mustangs. The Mount Sinai boys’ varsity golf team is teeing off and swinging for the greens. They’ve hit the mark and head coach Daniel Tappin is very happy with how the 2026 season is shaping up to be. The Mount Sinai boys’ varsity golf team is a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and competes in League VI. The Mustangs are led by head coach Daniel Tappin. The boys are 8-00 with 2 matches left to go in the regular season. The Mustangs have teed off for 8 matches this season and produced eight wins. Things have been working for Tappin’s team so far. They’re playing smart golf and utilizing their strokes wisely. “Three out of our six starters have never played in matches before this year. They were very nervous during our first few matches which led to high scores early in the season. I give our veteran players Jaxon Caruso, Craig Hall, and Dylan Madigan a lot of credit for helping to prepare our younger players to play competitive golf. After the first few matches, the nerves have settled and everyone is playing some of the best golf we have ever had at Mount Sinai,” Tappin told The Messenger.
Golf is mostly mental. If you start getting in your head too much it affects your swing and that ball is lost to the rough. Keeping a positive mindset is something Tappin tries to instill in his players. “I always tell my players to focus on the current shot they are making. They can’t change the past but can control the present. To take a breath to slow their heartbeat. We practice under pressure constantly, so they are used to it and feel confident during matches. Playing with confidence makes a big difference in golf,” said Tappin. Golf is more of an individual sport, but you win as a team. Working together as a team and having that team mentality helps to bring a focus when you’re out on the green. Mount Sinai golf doesn’t lose sight of that.
“Before every match I tell my players that if they happen to play poorly, they are never allowed to quit. They have to battle through adversity. They are playing for their teammates. They never know when their score will be one of the 5 counted towards our team score. Every stroke matters,” said Tappin. Playoffs are on the horizon, and the Mustangs are staying focused on the task ahead. “We had a goal to win our third straight league championship this year. However, we take each match one at a time. We make each stroke one at a time. We have two tough away matches ahead of us playing at two of the tougher courses in our league against very good teams. We have to bring our best to reach our goal,” Tappin said.
Ducks Season! LI Wins 2026
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Atlantic League Championship Continued from front cover
The Ducks won the Second Half North Division Championship with a 43-20 record and the North Division Championship with a three-game sweep of the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. They finished the league playoffs with a perfect 6-0. Long Island’s five Atlantic League Championships are tied for the second-most in league history. The game unfolded with the Ducks taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on back-to-back RBI doubles by Henry Kusiak (#6) and Jorge Bonifacio (#41) off Blue Crabs’ starter Andrew Thurman. Jacob Robson’s (#2) RBI single up the middle in the fourth and Alsander Womack’s (#32) RBI double to left-center in the fifth extended the Ducks lead to four, according to a release from the ballclub. Wilmer Difo (#29) drove a leadoff solo home run over the right field fence in the seventh inning, giving the Ducks a 5-0 lead. A two-out, two-run double to right by Ezequiel Pagan in the eighth off Ducks’ starter Nick Margevicius (#25) allowed Maryland to bring up the score to 5-2. However, an RBI double by Kole Kaler (#9) and a run-scoring single from Chris Roller (#5) ended Maryland’s prospects to deny the Flock a clean sweep of the championship circuit. Margevicius (2-0) pitched all nine innings, “allowing just two runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out five,” according to the club. He threw 97 pitches in the outing, 79 of which were strikes, and was named the Championship Series Most Valuable Player for his efforts. Thurman (0-1) took the loss, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings with five strikeouts. Womack led the Ducks offense with two doubles, an RBI and a run. Difo added two hits, an RBI and two runs, while 2026 Team MVP Bonifacio collected two hits and an RBI. Postseason All-Stars Three Ducks were named to the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Clubs (ALPB) postseason all-star 2026 team. Outfielder Jorge Bonifacio, shortstop Wilmer Difo, and closer Ramon Santos were all selected to the team, as voted on by the league’s member clubs. “Jorge, Wilmer and Ramon each played a vital role in helping us win our fifth Atlantic League Championship,” said Ducks Manager Lew Ford. “All three are very deserving of selection, and we are very proud of them for all they accomplished.” According to the club, Bonifacio put together a “historic” 2026 season for the Ducks, setting “franchise single season records with 30 home runs and 108 RBIs.” In 112 games played, Bonifacio posted a .271 batting average and a .926 OPS along with 112 hits, 95 runs, 28 doubles, four triples, 55 walks and 12 stolen bases. On defense, Bonifaco, 33, didn’t commit a single error in the outfield over 86 games. Defensively, the 33-year-old did not commit a single error over 86 games played in the outfield. Wilmer Difo also made Ducks history this year by setting a new franchise “single season record” with 60 stolen bases – placing him third in that category in the Atlantic League overall. Difo broke the record set by Mel Stocker’s 56 stolen bases set in 2006. Difo, an eight-year MLB veteran, led the Ducks with 88 walks –
second-most in the league behind Hagerstown. He led the Flock with 119 hits and 116 games played. The 34-year-old compiled a .286 batting average, 16 home runs, 68 RBIs, 91 runs, 15 doubles, three triples and an .855 OPS. Finally, Ramon Santos was the league’s top closer in 2026. “His 1.40 ERA, .096 batting average against, 0.83 WHIP and 17.46 strikeouts-pernine-innings ratio led all Atlantic League relievers with 25 or more appearances. Additionally, his 13 saves ranked third in the league. In 36 appearances, the righty totaled 75 strikeouts to 20 walks over 38.2 innings of work, conceding an earned run in just four of his outings. The 32-year-old, who was also selected to the ALPB’s Mid-Season All-Star Team, is now 12-3 with a 0.86 ERA, 33 saves and 188 strikeouts in 100 appearances with the Ducks over the past three seasons.” QuackerJack ‘Mascot of the Year,’ Flock Earns Recognition The Ducks are perhaps best known by their mascot. The venerable QuackerJack was named the Atlantic League’s Mascot of the Year, an honor he’s clinched three other times. He won the first title in 2015 with the award’s debut, and followed it up with 2017 and 2023 recognition. “Thank you to our fellow Atlantic League clubs for selecting QuackerJack and our clubhouse staff for these two honors,” said Ducks General Manager Sean Smith. “It’s tremendously important for our fans off the field and our players and coaches on the field to enjoy a top-notch experience, and both QJ and our clubhouse staff work tirelessly to ensure we live up to that expectation.” QuackerJack has also earned sixteen consecutive Best of Long Island awards. As the Best Long Island Sports Mascot, he serves as President of the Ducks’ Kids Club, presented by FourLeaf Federal Credit Union. QuackerJack makes it a priority to interact with the fans at games and makes frequent appearances at Little League games, holiday parades, hospitals, and many charity events throughout the year. Meanwhile, the Long Island Ducks endcap their outstanding season with another award. They have been chosen as the recipient of the Outstanding Clubhouse Service Award for a third consecutive season. The Outstanding Clubhouse Service Award recognizes the team that “consistently meets and exceeds league clubhouse and umpire dressing room guidelines,” according to the club. Long Island’s Clubhouse Staff is led by Clubhouse Manager Emil Coccaro, who recently completed his twenty-first year with the team. “The lifelong Levittown resident has overseen the clubhouse operations of two Atlantic League All-Star Games, nine Atlantic League Championship Series and numerous additional events held at Fairfield Properties Ballpark during his time with the team. Emil was joined by Assistant Clubhouse Manager Stephen Guadagno-Levin along with several game day staff members.” “To win an Atlantic League Championship and the Outstanding Clubhouse Service Award in the same season is extremely special to me,” said Coccaro. “Receiving this award for the third consecutive season is a tremendous honor. It makes me so proud that our staff’s hard work continues to be recognized by our peers throughout the Atlantic League.”
Smithtown Messenger - Brookhaven Messenger - Islip Messenger - Thursday, October 1, 2026